Molecular structures of β-amino-α-bromovinyl trifluoromethyl ketones

The molecular structures of β-amino-α-bromovinyl trifluoromethyl ketones was studied by UV, IR, ¹H, ¹³C, and ¹⁵N NMR spectroscopy and using the density functional (B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) and PBE/QZ3P) and ab initio riMP2/cc-pVTZm quantum-chemical calculations. Factors affecting stabilization of the EZE-conformation of the molecules, which is atypical of analogous unsubstituted amino enones, are considered.__________Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 1, pp. 102–106, January, 2005.     

An investigation of Forex market efficiency based on detrended fluctuation analysis: A case study for Iran

The efficient market hypothesis (EMH) states that asset prices fully reflect all available information. As a result, speculators cannot predict the future behavior of asset prices and earn excess profits at least after adjusting for risk. Although initial tests of the EMH were performed on stock market data, the EMH was soon applied to other markets including foreign exchange (FX). This study uses the detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA) technique to test 01:12:2005–18:04:2010 Iranian Rial/US Dollar exchange rate time series data to see if it can be explained by the weak form of the EMH. Moreover, to determine changes in the degree of inefficiency over time, the whole period has been divided into four subperiods. The study shows that the Iranian Forex market (the Rial/Dollar case) is weak-form inefficient over the whole period and in each of the subperiods. However, the degree of inefficiency is not constant over time. The findings suggest that profitable risk-adjusted trades could be made using past data.     

Optical shuttering action in nematic phase of SMHBLC: observation of a ribbon-like texture

In this study, complexes belonging to supramolecular hydrogen-bonded liquid crystal homologous series are synthesized and characterized. Hydrogen bond is formed between p-n-alkyloxy benzoic acids (nBAO, where n?=?5–11) and chlorobenzoic acid (ClBAO), respectively. The isolated homologues are characterized by various techniques such as polarizing optical microscopic (POM) studies, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and Fourier transform–infrared spectroscopy. Based on the POM and DSC studies, the phase diagram has been constructed and discussed. A new smectic ordering, labeled as smectic R, has been characterized, which exhibits a ribbon-like texture. This phase is observed in the complexes pertaining to the higher homologous series. Tilt angle in this phase has been experimentally deduced and the results are fitted to the power law which concurs with the mean-field theory predicted value. Optical shuttering action in the homologue has been detected in the nematic phase and the results are also discussed.     

The risks and returns of stock investment in a financial market

The risks and returns of stock investment are discussed via numerically simulating the mean escape time and the probability density function of stock price returns in the modified Heston model with time delay. Through analyzing the effects of delay time and initial position on the risks and returns of stock investment, the results indicate that: (i) There is an optimal delay time matching minimal risks of stock investment, maximal average stock price returns and strongest stability of stock price returns for strong elasticity of demand of stocks (EDS), but the opposite results for weak EDS; (ii) The increment of initial position recedes the risks of stock investment, strengthens the average stock price returns and enhances stability of stock price returns. Finally, the probability density function of stock price returns and the probability density function of volatility and the correlation function of stock price returns are compared with other literatures. In addition, good agreements are found between them.     

Bidding strategy with forecast technology based on support vector machine in the electricity market

The participants in the electricity market are concerned very much with the market price evolution. Various technologies have been developed for price forecasting. The SVM (Support Vector Machine) has shown its good performance in market price forecasting. Two approaches for forming the market bidding strategies based on SVM are proposed. One is based on the price forecasting accuracy, with which the rejection risk is defined. The other takes into account the impact of the producer’s own bid. The risks associated with the bidding are controlled by the parameter settings. The proposed approaches have been tested on a numerical example.     

Effect of hydrogen bond formation on the NMR properties of microhydrated ortho-aminobenzoic acid

The in?uence of the hydrogen bond formation on the nuclear magnetic resonance parameters has been investigated in the case of microhydrated ortho-aminobenzoic acid (o-Abz) in the gas-phase. DFT-B3LYP/aug-cc-pVDZ predicted ¹H and ¹³C isotropic chemical shifts with respect to TMS of the isolated o-Abz are in reasonable agreement with available experimental data. The isotropic and anisotropic chemical shifts for all atoms of o-Abz within the o-Abz?···?(H₂O)_1-3 complexes have been calculated at the Hartree–Fock, and density functional (B3LYP) theoretical levels using the 6-31++G(2d,2p) and aug-cc-pVDZ basis sets and considering the counterpoise corrections for the basis set superposition errors. The chemical shift values of the carboxyl group atoms of microhydrated o-Abz relative to isolated o-abz do not show significant basis set dependence. Both the hydrogen and carbon atoms constituting the carboxyl group of o-Abz suffer downfield shift due to formation of hydrogen bond with water. The length of hydrogen bond formed between o-Abz and water is found to vary with the number of water molecules present around o-Abz. A direct correlation between the hydrogen bond length and isotropic chemical shift of the bridging hydrogen is observed for both C?=?O?···?H-O and O-H?···?O interactions.     

The Renormalization Group and Optimization of Entropy

We illustrate the possible connection that exists between the extremal properties of entropy expressions and the renormalization group (RG) approach when applied to systems with scaling symmetry. We consider three examples: (1) Gaussian fixed-point criticality in a fluid or in the capillary-wave model of an interface; (2) Lévy-like random walks with self-similar cluster formation; and (3) long-ranged bond percolation. In all cases we find a decreasing entropy function that becomes minimum under an appropriate constraint at the fixed point. We use an equivalence between random-walk distributions and order-parameter pair correlations in a simple fluid or magnet to study how the dimensional anomaly at criticality relates to walks with long-tailed distributions.     

Time-dependent density functional theory study on electronic excited states of the hydrogen-bonded solute-solvent phenol-(H2O)n (n=3-5) clusters

The solute-solvent interactions of hydrogen-bonded phenol-(H₂O)_n (n=3-5) clusters in electronic excited states were investigated by means of the time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) method. The geometric structures and IR spectra in ground state, S₁ state, and T₁ state of the clusters, were calculated using the density functional theory (DFT) and TDDFT methods. Only the ring form isomer, the most stable one of the cluster, was considered in this study. Four, five and six intermolecular hydrogen bonds were formed in phenol-(H₂O)₃, phenol-(H₂O)₄, and phenol-(H₂O)₅ clusters, respectively. Based on the analysis of IR spectra, it is revealed that the “window region” between unshifted and shifted absorption bands in both S₁ and T₁ state becomes broader compared with that in ground state for the corresponding clusters. Furthermore, two interesting phenomenon were observed: (1) with the anticlockwise order of the ring formed by the intermolecular hydrogen bonds in the H-bonded phenol-(H₂O)_n (n=3-5) clusters, the strengths of the intermolecular hydrogen bonds decrease in all the S₀, S₁ and T₁ states; (2) upon electronic excitation, the smaller the distance between phenol and water is, the larger the change of intermolecular hydrogen bonds strength is. Moreover, the intermolecular hydrogen bond (phenolic OH is the H donor) is strengthened in excited state compared with that in ground state. But the intermolecular hydrogen bond (phenolic OH is the H acceptor) is weakened in excited state.     

Topological properties of stock market networks: The case of Brazil

This paper investigates the topological properties of the Brazilian stock market networks. We build the minimum spanning tree, which is based on the concept of ultrametricity, using the correlation matrix for a variety of stocks of different sectors. Our results suggest that stocks tend to cluster by sector. We employ a dynamic approach using complex network measures and find that the relative importance of different sectors within the network varies. The financial, energy and material sectors are the most important within the network.