Hierarchically Structured Materials for Bone Regeneration: Biomimetic Morphology,Micro-Mechanics and Properties

The contribution describes the development of a biocompatible nanocomposite material consisting of a resorbable polymeric matrix and osteoinductive nanoparticles that can be used to manufacture compact products, porous scaffolds, hybrid nanofibers, and alternating porous/compact structures. It is shown that the material has a good balance of stiffness, strength and toughness. The material supports osteoblast proliferation. Based on a modular design principle, several prototypes for hierarchical 3D constructs are proposed.     

Investigating the interaction of x-ray free electron laser radiation with grating structure

The interaction of free electron laser pulses with grating structure is investigated using 4.6±0.1 nm radiation at the FLASH facility in Hamburg. For fluences above 63.7±8.7 mJ/cm², the interaction triggers a damage process starting at the edge of the grating structure as evidenced by optical and atomic force microscopy. Simulations based on solution of the Helmholtz equation demonstrate an enhancement of the electric field intensity distribution at the edge of the grating structure. A procedure is finally deduced to evaluate damage threshold.     

Modular deposition chamber for in situ X‐ray experiments during RF and DC magnetron sputtering

A new sputtering system for in situ X‐ray experiments during DC and RF magnetron sputtering is described. The outstanding features of the system are the modular design of the vacuum chamber, the adjustable deposition angle, the option for plasma diagnostics, and the UHV sample transfer in order to access complementary surface analysis methods. First in situ diffraction and reflectivity measurements during RF and DC deposition of vanadium carbide demonstrate the performance of the set‐up.     

A nonmonotone filter method for nonlinear optimization

We propose a new nonmonotone filter method to promote global and fast local convergence for sequential quadratic programming algorithms. Our method uses two filters: a standard, global g-filter for global convergence, and a local nonmonotone l-filter that allows us to establish fast local convergence. We show how to switch between the two filters efficiently, and we prove global and superlinear local convergence. A special feature of the proposed method is that it does not require second-order correction steps. We present preliminary numerical results comparing our implementation with a classical filter SQP method.     

Trees,tight-spans and point configurations

Tight-spans of metrics were first introduced by Isbell in 1964 and rediscovered and studied by others, most notably by Dress in 1984, who gave them this name. Subsequently, it has been found that tight-spans can be defined for more general maps, such as directed metrics and distances, and more recently for diversities. In this paper, we show that all of these tight-spans, as well as some related constructions, can be defined in terms of point configurations. This provides a useful way in which to study these objects in a unified and systematic way. We also show that by using point configurations we can recover results concerning one-dimensional tight-spans for all of the maps we consider, as well as extending these and other results to more general maps such as symmetric and asymmetric maps.     

Synthesis of 2-chloro-2-imidoylaziridines via aza-Darzens-type reaction of 3,3-dichloro-1-azaallylic anions and N-(arylsulfonyl)imines

3,3-Dichloro-1-azaallylic anions, generated by deprotonation of alpha,alpha-dichloroketimines 10 with lithium diisopropylamide, reacted with N-sulfonylaldimines 7 to produce the Mannich-type products N-[2,2-dichloro-3-(N-alkylimino)-1,3-diarylpropyl]benzenesulfonamides 11. The latter stable compounds were hydrolyzed at the imino functionality to afford N-[2,2-dichloro-3-oxo-1,3-diarylpropyl]benzenesulfonamides 12 in excellent yields. N-[2,2-Dichloro-3-(N-alkylimino)-1,3-diarylpropyl]benzenesulfonamides 11 were cyclized to cis-3-aryl-2-chloro-2-imidoylaziridines 19 in 81-99% yield with high diastereoselectivity, representing a novel and readily available class of stable 2-chloroaziridines. Finally, a highly stereoselective entry to 2-(aminomethyl)-2-chloroaziridines 27 (70-98% yield; de > 95-99) was worked out from the reaction of cis-3-aryl-2-chloro-2-imidoylaziridines 19 and sodium cyanoborohydride in the presence of acetic acid. The latter 2-(aminomethyl)aziridines 27 represent stereochemically defined small azaheterocyclic rings which were scarcely reported in the literature.     

Subvalenz bei elektropositiven s‐Block‐Metallen. Unmögliches möglich gemacht

The preparation of subvalent electropositive metal compounds succeeds in general by means of three different concepts: i) Stabilization can be achieved by delocalization of electrons in metallic matrices. A formal subvalence results from the total formula, whereas on closer examination of the bonding situation an expected “normal” valence of the metal atoms according to the octet rule can be concluded. ii) According the rules of determination of the oxidation state a formal subvalence arises from the formation of homonuclear element‐element bonds or metal clusters. However, in the case of M₂²⁺ units a normal valence is realized (which is well‐known in the chemistry of mercury as Hg₂²⁺, e.g. calomel Hg₂Cl₂). iii) The stabilization of subvalent metals with the aid of expanded π*‐systems of aren ligands succeeds when the energy lies between the two first ionization energies of the alkaline earth metal.     

Mechanism and exo-regioselectivity of organolanthanide-mediated intramolecular hydroamination/cyclization of 1,3-disubstituted aminoallenes: a computational study

The complete catalytic reaction course for the organolanthanide-assisted intramolecular hydroamination/cyclization (IHC) of 4,5-heptadien-1-ylamine by a prototypical [(eta(5)-Me5C5)2LuCH(SiMe3)2] precatalyst has been critically scrutinized by employing a reliable DFT method. A computationally verified mechanistic scenario for the IHC of 1,3-disubstituted aminoallene substrates has been proposed that is consistent with the empirical rate law determined by experiment and accounts for crucial experimental observations. It involves kinetically rapid substrate association and dissociation equilibria, facile and reversible intramolecular allenic C=C insertion into the Ln-N bond, and turnover-limiting protonation of the azacycle's tether functionality, with the amine-amidoallene-Ln adduct complex representing the catalyst's resting state. This mechanistic scenario bears resemblance to the mechanism that has been recently proposed in a computational exploration of aminodiene IHC. The unique features of the IHC of the two substrate classes are discussed. Furthermore, the thermodynamic and kinetic factors that control the regio- and stereoselectivity of aminoallene IHC have been elucidated. These achievements have provided a deeper insight into the catalytic structure-reactivity relationships in organolanthanide-assisted cyclohydroamination of unsaturated C-C functionalities.