Preliminary results from India-based Neutrino Observatory detector R&;D programme

We are currently developing and studying the performance of glass RPC prototypes, under the INO detector R&D programme. While we were successful in building and characterising a large number of chambers using local glass, these have met with severe aging problems after a few months of continuous operation. We have then built a couple of RPCs using a Japanese glass. We report in this paper on our long term stability tests of these RPCs. We also present some of our recent results on tracking of cosmic ray muons in a stack of glass RPCs. India-based Neutrino Observatory Collaboration     

Determination of lipid oxidation level in broiler meat by liquid chromatography

An assay was conducted for the determination of malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in broiler meat. The method involves extraction of tissues with trichloroacetic acid (TCA) and reaction of the TCA extract with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine (DNPH). After separation of the MDA-DNPH complex using a solid-phase extraction C18 column, samples were eluted with 1 mL acetonitrile. Aliquots of 20 microL acetonitrile were analyzed by liquid chromatography on reversed-phase C18 column (3 microm) with UV detection. The products were eluted isocratically with the mobile phase containing acetonitrile-water-acetic acid (39 + 61 + 0.2, v/v/v). The retention time for MDA-DNPH was 6.5 min, and the detection limit was 3.5 microg/kg. Two extraction methods (cold and hot) were also used in the study. The results showed that hot extraction increased results about 55.8% and recovery from samples spiked with 116.6 microg/kg was lower (74.6%) in comparison with cold extraction (94.7%).     

Concise and efficient synthesis of 4-fluoro-1H-pyrrolo[2,3-b]pyridine

Two routes describing the preparation of 4-fluoro-1H-pyrrolo[2,3-b]pyridine (4a) from 1H-pyrrolo[2,3-b]pyridine N-oxide (1) are presented. Regioselective fluorination was achieved using either the Balz-Schiemann reaction or lithium-halogen exchange. [reaction: see text]     

Spin-trapping studies on the reaction of NO<Subscript>2</Subscript> with <Emphasis Type="Italic">β</Emphasis>-carotene

Absorption spectrophotometric studies indicated that in chloroform -carotene reacted with NO2 with a stoichiometry of 1:2. To understand the reaction mechanism, free radical intermediates produced during their reaction were trapped by spin traps 2-methyl-2-nitroso propane (MNP) and 4-pyridyl-1-oxide-N-1-butyl nitrone (POBN). The resulting stable spin adducts were detected by electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy. NO₂ alone did not interact with spin traps, but introduction of -carotene-generated ESR signals with different nitrogen and hydrogen hyperfine coupling constants (A _N and A _H) characteristsic of the trapped radical. Two possible pathways exist for the reaction of NO₂ with -carotene, viz., electron transfer and addition to the polyene chain. Our ESR results supported an addition mechanism, where formation of carbon-centered [NO₂ · · · -carotene] free radical adduct was observed.     

Variable-temperature x-ray structural investigation of [Fe[HC(3,5-Me2pz)3]2](BF4)2 (pz= pyrazolyl ring): observation of a thermally induced spin state change from all high spin to an equal high spin-low spin mixture, concomitant with the onset of nonmerohedral twinning

The complex [Fe[HC(3,5-Me(2)pz)(3)](2)](BF(4))(2) (pz = pyrazolyl ring) undergoes a phase transition that occurs concomitantly with a thermally induced spin conversion between the high-spin (HS, S = 2) and low-spin (LS, S = 0) states. Above 204 K the compound is completely HS with the structure in the C2/c space group with Z = 4. A crystal structure determination of this phase was performed at 220 K yielding the cell constants a = 20.338(2) A, b = 10.332(1) A, c = 19.644(2) A, beta = 111.097(2) degrees, and V = 3851.5(6) A(3). There is one unique iron(II) site at this temperature. Below 206 K the compound converts to a 50:50 mixture of HS and LS. The radical change in the coordination sphere for half of the iron(II) sites, most notably a shortening of the Fe-N bond distances by ca. 0.2 A, that accompanies this magnetic transition causes a phase transition. The crystal system changes from C-centered monoclinic to primitive triclinic with Z = 2 with two half-molecules on independent inversion centers. A crystal structure determination was performed at 173 K in space group P1 with a = 10.287(2) A, b = 11.355(3) A, c = 18.949(4) A, alpha = 90.852(4) degrees, beta = 105.245(4) degrees, gamma = 116.304(4) degrees, and V = 1892.3(8) A(3). All specimens investigated below the phase transition temperature were determined to be nonmerohedral twins. Temperature cycling between these two forms does not appear to degrade crystal quality. Previous magnetic susceptibility measurements indicate a second, irreversible increase in the magnetic moment the first time the crystals are cooled below 85 K. A crystal structure determination at 220 K of a specimen precooled to 78 K was not significantly different from those not cooled below 220 K.     

PBr3-DMF Assisted Elimination of a Highly Hindered Diallylic Tertiary Alcohol in a Bicyclic System: Synthesis of a Key Intermediate Useful for the Total Synthesis of Forskolin

Regioisomeric acetates 12 and 13. obtained by the PBr₃-DMF reaction on a highly hindered diallylic tertiary alcohol, were converted into a key intermediate 15. useful for the total synthesis of forskolin 1     

Dielectric Studies of Three Liquid Crystals HBT,E8 and PCH-1132

The dielectric behavior of a Schiff base N-(P-Hexyloxybenzylidene)-P-toluidine (HBT) and two technologically important mixtures, E₈ and PCH-1132, are reported in the radio frequency region. The value of the mean dielectric constant increases by ～5% on going from the nematic to the isotropic phase in the case of E₈ and PCH-1132. This may perhaps be due to antiferroelectric arrangement of the molecules in the nematic phase. These mesogens show unusual dielectric behavior and exhibit positive anisotropy at lower frequencies and negative dielectric anisotropy above a critical frequency termed as isotropic frequency. The isotropic frequency is found to be temperature dependent. All these nematogens exhibit single relaxation in the radio frequency region which is due to hindered rotation of the molecules under nematic potential. The relaxation frequencies are 3.98 MHz (at 61.4°C), 2.27 MHz (at 34.3°C), 1.87 MHz (at 33°C) in case of HBT, E₈ and PCH-1132 respectively. The activation energy is found to be 16.7 KCal/mole, 14.6 KCal/mole and 16.1 KCal/mole for HBT, Ea and PCH-1132 respectively. In smectic B phase of HBT, the dipolar orientations are found to be somewhat “locked” similar to that in solids. The inversion of the sign of dielectric anisotropy in S_B phase of HBT is also discussed.     

Synthetic and Structural Studies of Ethyl Zinc β-Amidoenoates and β-Ketoiminates

A set of heteroleptic ethyl zinc β-amidoenoates (1, 2) and β-ketoiminates (3) of the form [LZnEt]₂ with varying steric bulk have been synthesised via the reaction of diethylzinc with β-aminoenoate ligands HL¹ and HL² and β-ketoimine HL³. These complexes have been characterised via ¹H and ¹³C NMR, mass spectrometry and single-crystal X-ray diffraction, which unambiguously determined all three structures as dimeric species in the solid state. We observe the unusual dimerisation of 1 and 2 through coordination of the central zinc atom to the methine carbon of the second monomer, which gives these complexes high reactivity. The thermal properties of complex 3 are explored via thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), to investigate their potential as single-source precursors to zinc oxide, which shows that 3 has a significantly lower decomposition temperature as compared to its bis-ligated counterpart [Zn(L³)₂], which gives 3 promise as a single-source precursor to zinc oxide.     

X-ray spectroscopic study of zirconium and molybdenum diselenides

The K absorption spectra of zirconium, molybdenum and selenium in ZrSe₂ and MoSe₂ have been recorded photographically using a Cauchois type bent crystal (mica) spectrograph. The absorption edge shifts are used along with the data for NbSe₂ (Bhide and Bahl 1971J. Phys. Chem. Solids 32 1001) to propose bond schemes for these compounds.     

Positron annihilation studies in N-(p-hexyloxybenzylidene)-p′-toluidene (HBT)

Positron lifetime measurements have been carried out in the various phases of monotropic HBT as a function of temperature both in the absence and presence of a static magnetic field. The effect of quenching on the position lifetime in the various phases of HBT has also been investigated.