Two-electron entanglement in elliptically deformed quantum dots

Entropic entanglement measures of a two-dimensional system of two Coulombically interacting particles confined in an anisotropic harmonic potential are discussed in dependence on the anisotropy and the interaction strength. The harmonic approximation appears exact in the strong interaction limit, allowing determination of the asymptotic expression for the linear entropy. Entanglement properties are dramatically influenced by the anisotropy of the confining potential in the strong-correlation regime.     

A comparison of numerical and analytical radiative-transfer solutions for plane albedo of natural waters

Several numerical and analytical solutions of the radiative transfer equation (RTE) were compared for plane albedo in a problem of solar light reflection by sea water. The study incorporated the simplest case—a semi-infinite one-dimensional plane—parallel absorbing and scattering homogeneous layer illuminated by a monodirectional light beam. Inelastic processes (such as Raman scattering and fluorescence), polarization and air-water surface refraction-reflection effects, were not considered. Algorithms were based on the invariant imbedding method and two different variants of the discrete ordinate method (DOM). Calculations were performed using parameters across all possible ranges (single-scattering albedo ω₀ and refracted solar zenith angle θ₁), but with a special emphasis on natural waters. All computations were made for two scattering phase functions, which included an almost isotropic Rayleigh phase function and strongly anisotropic double-peaked Fournier-Forand-Mobley phase function. Models were validated using quasi-single-scattering (QSSA) and exponential approximations, which represent the extreme cases of ω₀→0 and ω₀→1, respectively. All methods yielded relative differences within 1.8% for modeled natural waters. An analysis of plane albedo behavior resulted in the development of a new extended QSSA approximation, which when applied in conjunction with the extended Hapke approximation developed earlier, resulted in a maximum relative error of 2.7%. The study results demonstrated that for practical applications, the estimation of inherent optical properties from observed reflectance can best be achieved using an extended Hapke approximation.     

Electrical Characterization and Ionic Transport Properties of Carboxyl Methylcellulose-Oleic Acid Solid Polymer Electrolytes

Electrical impedance spectroscopy was used to measure the conductivity of solid polymer electrolytes. From the impedance study, the highest ionic conductivity of solid polymer electrolytes based on carboxyl methylcellulose as polymer host and oleic acid as the doping salt, prepared by the solution casting method at room temperature, σ_r.t, is 2.11 × 10^?5 S cm^?1 for the sample containing 20 wt.% of oleic acid. Transference number measurement was performed to correlate the diffusion phenomena to the conductivity behavior of carboxyl methylcellulose-oleic acid solid polymer electrolytes. From the transference number measurement study, the conduction species carrier of the cation (+) is higher than that of the anion (?). Thus, the results proved that the samples are proton-conducting solid polymer electrolytes.     

Natural deep eutectic solvents as new potential media for green technology

Developing new green solvents is one of the key subjects in Green Chemistry. Ionic liquids (ILs) and deep eutectic solvents, thus, have been paid great attention to replace current harsh organic solvents and have been applied to many chemical processing such as extraction and synthesis. However, current ionic liquids and deep eutectic solvents have still limitations to be applied to a real chemical industry due to toxicity against human and environment and high cost of ILs and solid state of most deep eutectic solvents at room temperature. Recently we discovered that many plant abundant primary metabolites changed their state from solid to liquid when they were mixed in proper ratio. This finding made us hypothesize that natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES) play a role as alternative media to water in living organisms and tested a wide range of natural products, which resulted in discovery of over 100 NADES from nature. In order to prove deep eutectic feature the interaction between the molecules was investigated by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. All the tested NADES show clear hydrogen bonding between components. As next step physical properties of NADES such as water activity, density, viscosity, polarity and thermal properties were measured as well as the effect of water on the physical properties. In the last stage the novel NADES were applied to the solubilization of wide range of biomolecules such as non-water soluble bioactive natural products, gluten, starch, and DNA. In most cases the solubility of the biomolecules evaluated in this study was greatly higher than water. Based on the results the novel NADES may be expected as potential green solvents at room temperature in diverse fields of chemistry.     

PHYSICAL STRUCTURE AND PHASE PROPERTIES OF AQUEOUS SYSTEMS OF LIPIDS FROM RYE AND TRITICALE IN RELATION TO WHEAT LIPIDS

In connection with studies of technical functionality of lipids in cereals, the aqueous systems of lipids from rye and tri-ticale flour are described and compared to different wheat culti-vars. Rye lipids give a lamellar liquid-crystalline phase with very small ordered regions, and this phase is continuously changed into an L2-phase with increasing water content. Triticale lipids exhibit phase equilibria in between lipids of wheat and of rye. Evidence is given for a significant role of the lamellar liquid--crystalline phase with regard to technical functionality when the cereal flour is worked in water to give a dough.     

An enantioselective synthesis of a MEM-protected aetheramide A derivative

Aetheramides A and B are very potent anti-HIV agents. An enantioselective synthesis of a MEM-protected aetheramide A derivative is described. The synthesis was accomplished in a convergent and stereoselective manner. The key reactions involved asymmetric dihydroxylation, asymmetric allylation, asymmetric syn-aldol reactions, and asymmetric hydrogenation.     

Micropeptins from Microcystis sp. collected in Kabul Reservoir,Israel

Three new micropeptins, micropeptin KR1030, KR1002 and KR998 and the known microcyclamide GL546A were isolated from the extract of Microcystis sp. bloom material collected in Kabul Reservoir, Israel. The planar structures of the compounds were determined by homonuclear and inverse-heteronuclear 2D-NMR techniques as well as high-resolution mass spectrometry. The absolute configuration of the asymmetric centres of the amino acids was studied using Marfey's method for HPLC. The inhibitory activity of the compounds was determined for the serine proteases: trypsin, chymotrypsin and elastase.     

Synthesis of toxyloxanthone B

A synthesis of the naturally occurring xanthone toxyloxanthone B is described, in which the key step is the regioselective addition of a methyl salicylate to a substituted benzyne, followed by cyclization of the intermediate aryl anion to form the xanthone, the regiochemistry of the aryne addition being confirmed by X-ray crystallography. Subsequent introduction of the pyran ring by [3,3]-rearrangement and deprotection completed the synthesis.     

Stereoselective hydrogenation of methylcyclohex-2-ene-1,4-diols used in the synthesis of ampelomins and deoxy-carbasugars

Stereoselective hydrogenation of methylcyclohex-2-ene-1,4-diols used as important intermediates for the preparation of ampelomins and deoxy-carbasugars was studied. These olefins were obtained in few steps from a chiral cis-diol resulting from microbial oxidation of toluene. Although the stereoselective hydrogenation of this type of substrates is difficult, high yields were obtained for heterogeneous hydrogenation using Adam’s catalyst, where steric hindrance controlled the stereochemical outcome of the process. On the other hand, for homogeneous hydrogenation of similar olefins using Crabtree’s catalyst, coordination with the allylic alcohols allowed for a controlled hydrogen addition from the more hindered face. In this manner two protocols for the hydrogenation of these types of substrates resulting in complementary stereoselectivities are described.     

Diverted total synthesis of falcitidin acyl tetrapeptides as new antimalarial leads

We report not only the convergent total synthesis of falcitidin, a natural inhibitor of falcipain-2 from myxobacterium Chitinophaga, but also its diversification into a new antimalarial class of N-acyl tetrapeptides (Acyl-His-Ile-Val-Pro-NH₂). Despite the lack of whole-cell activity of falcitidin itself, our study led to the identification of a trifluoromethyl (CF₃) analogue displaying sub-micromolar IC₅₀ activity against Plasmodium falciparum 3D7 in a standard blood-cell assay, but only when N-tritylated on its histidine (imidazole) residue.