Homogeneous catalytic hydrogenation of free carboxylic acids in the presence of cluster ruthenium carbonyl hydrides

Saturated monocarboxylic acids up to C₆, several bicarboxylic acids and some of the corresponding anhydrides are hydrogenated in the homogeneous phase with H₄Ru₄(CO)₈(PBu₃)₄ as catalyst to give the corresponding alcohols (present among the reaction products as esters) or lactones at 100–200°C under a pressure of 100–200 atm of hydrogen. Anhydrides react at temperatures lower than those needed for acids. Esters are not reduced. Only δ-valerolactone is hydrogenated to 1,5-pentanediol. Ruthenium carbonyl carboxylates have been recovered at the end of the reaction and appear to be catalytically active intermediates.     

Ruby masers for maximum G/Top

The Deep-Space Network (DSN) includes world-wide networks of 26-, 34- and 70-m antennas in Australia, Spain, and the USA. Ruby masers are used on the 34and 70-m antennas to maximize the system operating noise temperature and thereby maximize the DSN receiving system figure of merit, antenna gain divided by system operating noise temperature. These systems are used for deep-space telecommunications, solar system radar, and radio astronomy. Cavity, traveling-wave, and reflected-wave maser designs and performance characteristics from 960 MHz to 34 GHz are summarized. Effective noise temperatures of ruby masers are addressed with emphasis on a 33.68-GHz maser where quantum noise is a major source of noise     

KLOE results on light mesons

The KLOE collaboration has recently published new results concerning scalar and pseudoscalar mesons.Here the φ→ a 0 (980)γ→ηπ 0 γ decay analysis and the search for the φ→ K 0 K 0 γ decay are discussed,together with the η→π + π-e + edecay measurements annd the new results for the pseudoscalar mixing angle and gluonium content of the η’ meson.     

On the use of the theory of dynamical systems for transient problems

This paper is a preliminary work to address the problem of dynamical systems with parameters varying in time. An idea to predict their behavior is proposed. These systems are called transient systems, and are distinguished from steady systems in which parameters are constant. In particular, in steady systems the excitation is either constant (e.g., nought) or periodic with amplitude, frequency, and phase angle which do not vary in time. We apply our method to systems, which are subjected to a transient excitation that is neither constant nor periodic. The effect of switching-off and full-transient forces is investigated. The former can be representative of switching-off procedures in machines; the latter can represent earthquake vibrations, wind gusts, etc., acting on a mechanical system. This class of transient systems can be seen as the evolution of an ordinary steady system into another ordinary steady system, for both of which the classical theory of dynamical systems holds. The evolution from a steady system to the other is driven by a transient force, which is regarded as a map between the two steady systems.     

Non-linear dynamics of a mechanical system with a frictional unilateral constraint

We analyze the dynamics of a two-dimensional system constituted by two masses subjected to elastic, gravitational and viscous forces and constrained by a moving frictional mono-lateral surface. The model exhibits a time-varying dynamics capable of reproducing the hopping phenomenon, an unwanted phenomenon observed in many applications such as the motion of a robotic arm on a surface or that of a wiper on a windscreen. The system dynamics, besides being affected by geometrical non-linearities, has a non-smooth nature due to the impact and friction laws involved in the model. The complexity of the resulting equations and of the transition conditions require the problem to be solved numerically. Various periodic motions are found and the effect of varying the system parameters, in particular the friction coefficient, is investigated. Finally, simulations are used to gain some insight the behavior of the windscreen wiper.     

Discrete γ-rays in the reactions of 143 MeV32S with58Ni

The reactions induced by 143 MeV³²S on⁵⁸Ni have been studied detecting discrete γ-rays in coincidence with projectile-like fragments (PLF). Information on PLF excitation probability and sequential decay of target-like fragments (TLF) has been obtained. For the²⁸Si+⁶²Zn outgoing channel at small energy loss (¦Q¦<20 MeV), both PLF and TLF data indicate that thermal equilibrium is not attained. The hypothesis of an equal excitation energy partition between the two reaction fragments does not describe properly experimental TLF data. A dependence of PLF excitation probability on the outgoing channel is found for the two final channels³²S+⁵⁸Ni and²⁸Si+⁶²Zn. The values of the spin alignment parameterP _zz, derived for PLF and TLF from measurements ofγ-rays anisotropy, are in disagreement with the expectations of the transport theory for dissipative collisions.     

Application of the anionic homologous Fries‐rearrangement to the synthesis of 3‐alkylbenzofuran‐2(3H)‐ones

We have developed an effective organometallic‐based procedure allowing the employment of 2‐methylphenols as easily available starting materials in the synthesis of 3‐alkylbenzofuran‐2(3H)‐ones. The first step of this protocol, an anionic homologous Fries‐rearrangement, afforded 2‐(2‐ tert ‐butyldimethylsilyloxyaryl)acetamides, which were selectively metalated and monoalkylated at the benzylic position. Acidic work‐up of crude products afforded the desired heterocycles in satisfactory overall yields. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Nematic and smectic mesophases in a new series of Cu(II) organometallic complexes

The synthesis and the phase behaviour of a homologous series of copper, bis[N-[[4-[4-(alkoxy)benzoyloxy],2-hydroxyphenyl]methylene]-methanamino] complexes is reported. They all exhibit thermotropic mesomorphism. The thermal stability range of the mesophase decreases slightly with increasing length of the alkoxy terminals. With the onset of smectic mesomorphism, for alkoxy groups containing ten carbon atoms, the stability interval of the nematic phase decreases progressively so that the compound containing 14 carbon atoms in the alkoxy terminal chains exhibits only smectic mesomorphism. Optical texture analysis suggests the smectic C nature of the phase in all cases. The enthalpies for the liquid crystal-isotropic transition have been measured and they are comparatively low. Remarkably low values have also been measured for the melting enthalpies of the smectogenic members of the series. These are associated with solid phase polymorphism which is discussed briefly.     

Laplaza sets, or how to select coherence diagrams for pseudo algebras

We define a general concept of pseudo algebras over theories and 2-theories. A more restrictive such a notion was introduced in [Po Hu, Igor Kriz, Conformal field theory and elliptic cohomology, Adv. Math. 189 (2) (2004) 325-412, http://www.math.lsa.umich.edu/~ikriz/], but as noticed by M. Gould, did not capture the desired examples. The approach taken in this paper corrects the mistake by introducing a more general concept, allowing more flexibility in selecting coherence diagrams for pseudo algebras.