Reaction studies of carbon clusters

Reaction studies of carbon clustersC _n in the rangen=8–37, produced by laser vaporisation in a supersonic nozzle, have been investigated using time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Clear differences in reaction products formed on hydrogenation are detected which show that even and odd clusters behave quite differently and furthermore thatat least two different types of even cluster appear to exist. The reactivity patterns for clusters C _n withn=16, 18 and 22 are in a different class from those withn=20, 24, 26 ..., a behaviour consistent with the existence of closed cage fullerene structures for even clusters with 20 or more carbon atoms (other thann=22).     

Development of delta(15)N stratification of NO(3)(-) in soil profiles

New evidence, obtained using a robust method for measuring the delta(15)N of NO(3)(-)-N in soil, is consistent with denitrification being the major determinant in the vertical distribution of NO(3)(-)-delta(15)N in soil profiles. These data also suggest that varying moisture regimes result in different effects of soil NO(3)(-)-N leaching on residual whole soil delta(15)N.     

A small-angle X-ray scattering study of nanoparticle assembly in an aligned nematic liquid crystal

The assembly of colloidal particles in a nematic liquid crystal has been investigated using small-angle X-ray scattering. The structure and orientation of nanoparticle assemblies in bulk samples of aligned nematic liquid crystal have been determined. The method offers some advantages over optical microscopy, which is usually restricted to investigations of thin cells and micron-sized particles. The scattering from chains of particles has been calculated, and comparison with experimental results has shown that suspensions of 48 and 105 nm diameter silica nanoparticles formed highly ordered structures perpendicular to the liquid crystal director, consistent with quadrupolar defect-induced assembly.     

Regioselective silylation of sugars through palladium nanoparticle-catalyzed silane alcoholysis

Palladium(0)-catalyzed silane alcoholysis was applied to sugars for the first time using tert-butyldimethylsilane (TBDMS-H) and Ph(3)SiH as the silanes. The catalyst is a colloidal solution of Pd(0) generated in situ from PdX(2) (X = Cl(-), OAc(-)) and TBDMS-H in N,N-dimethylacetamide. The colloid has been characterized by dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopy and consists of catalytically highly active nanoparticles of approximately 2 nm diameter. The silane alcoholysis reaction is an effective method for the regioselective silylation of methyl and phenyl glycosides and generates hydrogen gas as the only side product. For many of the sugar substrates investigated, the distribution of regioisomers obtained is complementary to that of the traditional R(3)SiCl/base (base = pyridine, imidazole) methodology and gives convenient access to the 3,6- rather than the 2,6-silylated pyranosides, obtained as the main product by the silyl chloride method. The method also allows a selective axial silylation of levoglucosan and 1,3,5-O-methylidene-myo-inositol. In an attempt to rationalize the observed regioselectivities, ab initio predictions (HF/3-21G) have been made on the relative energies of some of the silylated products. They suggest that the observed regioselectivities do not reflect a kinetic vs thermodynamic product distribution but are induced by the silylation agent employed. Models for the possible origin of the observed regioselectivity in both silylation methods (silane- and silyl chloride-based) are discussed.     

Towards aflatoxins: a formal synthesis of aflatoxin B2

The development of a formal synthesis of aflatoxin B2 is described, which utilizes a Dötz benzannulation reaction as a key step.