A comparative multi-reference configuration interaction study of the low-lying states of two thione isomers of thiophenol

Multi-reference configuration interaction, MR-CI (including extensivity corrections, named +Q), calculations were performed on the S₀–S₃ states of cyclohexa-2,4-diene-1-thione (thione 24 ) and cyclohexa-2,5-diene-1-thione (thione 25 ), which are thione isomers of thiophenol. Several types of uncontracted MR-CIS and MR-CISD wavefunctions were employed, comprising MR-CI expansions as large as ~365 × 10⁶ configuration state functions. The nature of the studied excited states was characterized. Vertical excitation energies (ΔE) and oscillator strengths (f) were computed. The most intense transitions (S₀ → S₂ for 24 and S₀ → S₃ for 25 ) did not change with the wavefunction, although a variation as large as ~1 eV was obtained for the S₃ state of 24 , at the highest (MR-CI+Q) level. On the other hand, ΔE changed at most by ~0.56 eV for 25 as the wavefunction changes, at the same level. The S₁ state of both thiones was found to have nπ* character and is in the visible region. For 24 , S₂ and S₃ are ππ* and nπ* states, respectively, while for 25 the reverse order is obtained. S₂ and S₃ are in the range ~3.5 to 5.2 eV, again at the highest level. It is the first time that the excited states of the title molecules are studied. The computed results agree with the experimental onset of photoreactions of thiones 24 and 25 found by Reva et al (Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2015 , 17, 4888).     

Effect of alkyl group size on the mechanism of acid hydrolyses of benzaldehyde acetals

Hydrolyses of benzaldehyde acetals, PhCH(OR)(2), are specific hydrogen-ion catalyzed when R = methyl, n-butyl, but with secondary and tertiary alkyl derivatives, R = i-propyl, s-butyl, t-butyl, t-amyl, hydrolyses are general-acid catalyzed. The Br?nsted alpha values for both secondary and tertiary alkyl groups are in the range: alpha = 0.57-0.61. A simple iterative procedure was developed to estimate the individual rate constants for general-acid catalysis by the diacid and monoacid forms of succinic acid buffer. Plots of log k(obs) (at [buffer] = 0 M) against pH are linear for the secondary and tertiary acetals, and plots of log k(H) for the H(3)O(+)-catalyzed reaction, (13)C and (1)H chemical shifts, and (1)J(CH) coupling constants against the Charton steric parameter, nu, for alkoxy groups are linear. The second-order rate constant, k(H), increases about 100-fold on going from R = Me to R = t-amyl, indicating the significant role of steric effects on reactivity. Steric effects upon (13)C NMR chemical shifts and coupling constants indicate that increasing the bulk of the alkoxy moiety increases the electron density at the carbon reaction center, which accelerates hydrolysis. Analysis of the Jencks-More-O'Ferrall free energy diagram for the reaction provides support for concerted proton transfer and C-O bond breaking in the transition state for hydrolyses of benzaldehyde acetals with secondary and tertiary alkyl groups in contrast to specific hydrogen catalysis with R = Me and n-Bu. All our results are consistent with rate-determining acid hydrolysis of benzaldehyde dialkyl acetals to hemiacetal intermediates that breakdown rapidly to benzaldehyde.     

Columnar Liquid‐Crystalline Dibenzopentacenodithiophenes by Photocyclization

The twofold glyoxylic Perkin reaction of perylene‐3,9‐diglyoxylic acid with thiophene‐diacetic acid followed by oxidative photocylization and reaction with α‐branched primary alkylamines yields columnar liquid‐crystalline diimides with two sulfur atoms in the condensed arene system. A broad temperature range of the hexagonal columnar mesophase is induced by racemic doubly branched alkyl chains. The HOMO and LUMO energy levels of these thiophene‐derived diimides qualify them as electron donors with respect to perylene diimides.     

Identification of a novel series of alkylitaconic acids in wood cultures of Ceriporiopsis subvermispora by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry.

A novel series of long-chain unsaturated dicarboxylic acids consisting of a long aliphatic chain attached to the C-3 position of itaconic acid has been identified by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry during in vitro decay of eucalypt wood by the white-rot basidiomycete Ceriporiopsis subvermispora. The major compounds were identified as tetradecyl-, 7-hexadecenyl- and hexadecylitaconic acids by their mass fragmentation patterns. Other members of the same compound series, identified as dodecanyl-, tridecanyl-, tetradecenyl-, pentadecanyl-, octadecenyl- and octadecanylitaconic acids, were present in very minor amounts or traces. Whereas hexadecenylitaconic acid has already been reported in cultures of C. subvermispora, to our knowledge this is the first report of the presence of the other alkylitaconic acids in fungal cultures. These new alkylitaconic-type metabolites may constitute a source for peroxidizable lipids involved in lignin degradation during wood decay by C. subvermispora and other white-rot basidiomycetes.     

Magnetostriction of Fe–Sn polycrystalline alloys

In the present work we study the magnetostriction of Fe₉₁Sn₉ and Fe₈₀Sn₂₀ polycrystalline samples produced by arc melting and heat treated at temperatures of 1153 K for 6 h and 1023 K for 24 h, looking for high values of magnetostriction as in Fe–Ga alloys. Magnetostriction, as well as saturation magnetization measurements, was carried out at temperatures close to 203 K in the magnetic field interval 0 to 1.5 T. Results of magnetostriction on sample Fe₉₁Sn₉, which has almost pure -phase, show magnitude and behavior similar to pure Fe. The two additional Fe₈₀Sn₂₀ samples have a combination of -phase plus either Fe₅Sn₃ or Fe₃Sn₂ and show a peculiar behavior of the magnetostriction. For μ₀H<0.3 T the magnetostriction grows from zero to saturation of the -phase. Following, for μ₀H>0.3 T, the magnetostriction starts again to grow linearly with the field, but saturation was not observed up to 5 T. This behavior was attributed to the presence of Fe₅Sn₃ or Fe₃Sn₂ phases in these samples that are also ferromagnetic as the -phase is.     

Stabilization of the Columnar Mesophase of Perylenediimide by Racemic Triple Tails

Whereas perylene tetracarboxdiimides derived from amino‐n‐alkanes if at all only show monotropic (thermodynamically unstable) mesogenic self‐assembly, the hexagonal columnar liquid crystalline state can be stabilized over a broad temperature range with doubly branched, doubly racemic alkyl residues. An improved tendency to homeotropic surface orientation is observed, and the orientation of the liquid crystalline domains is maintained upon cycling through the crystalline state at room temperature.     

A Beam Search approach for the optimization version of the Car Sequencing Problem

The Car Sequencing Problem (CSP) is a feasibility problem that has attracted the attention of the Constraint Programming community for a number of years now. In this paper, a new version (opt-CSP) that extends the original problem is defined, converting this into an optimization problem in which the goal is to satisfy the typical hard constraints. This paper presents a solution procedure for opt-CSP using Beam Search. Computational results are presented using public instances that verify the goodness of the procedure and demonstrate its excellent performance in obtaining feasible solutions for the majority of instances while satisfying the new constraints.