Study of the charge-exchange reactions\pi ^ - p \to (\pi ^0 ,\eta ,\eta \prime )n at 63 GeV

Muon electron pairs were detected in an Al multiplate spark chamber, exposed to a neutrino beam from the CERN PS. The leptons were not accompanied by other particles, except occasionally by protons. The background came mainly from muon associated π⁰ production, with one decay gamma lost. It was determined empirically, together with the small contribution from υ _e reactions. For electron energies above 2 GeV the background is 5.7±1.5 events, whereas 18 (μe)-candidates have been observed. Hence the effect is established, with a rate of about 10^?4 as compared to the muonic reactions above 3 GeV. Charm creation as the origin of this (μe)-production process is excluded; heavy neutral lepton production does not fit the kinematics observed. Instead the events are compatible with the two-body decay of an object with variable invariant mass of order 1 GeV, possibly resulting from axion interactions.     

Joint production of ϕ mesons andπ ±,π 0,p,\bar p,K s 0 andK ± in hadronic interactions

The joint production of ? mesons andπ ^±,π ⁰,p, \(\bar p\) ,K _s ⁰ andK ^± is investigated using a sample of 600,000 inclusive ? meson events obtained in hadron Be interactions with incidentπ ^±,p, \(\bar p\) andK ^± beams. Evidence is presented for the joint production of ? mesons and strange particles produced with non-strange incident beams. With incidentK ^± beam the number of additional strange particles is suppressed. The results are found to be in agreement with the qualitative predictions of a parton fusion model. The comparison with the Lund model for lowp _T processes is fair.     

Additions of enantiopure alpha-sulfinyl carbanions to (S)-N-sulfinimines: asymmetric synthesis of beta-amino sulfoxides and beta-alphamino alcohols

The addition of the lithium anions derived from (R)- and (S)-methyl and -ethyl p-tolyl sulfoxides to (S)-N-benzylidene-p-toluenesulfinamide provides an easy access route to enantiomerically pure beta-(N-sulfinyl)amino sulfoxides. Stereoselectivity can be achieved when the configurations at the sulfur atoms of the two reagents are opposite (matched pair), thus resulting in only one diastereoisomer, even for the case in which two new chiral centers are created. The N-sulfinyl group primarily controls the configuration of the carbon bonded to the nitrogen, whereas the configuration of the alpha-sulfinyl carbanion seems to be responsible for the level of asymmetric induction, as well as for the configuration of the new stereogenic C-SO carbon in the reactions with ethyl p-tolyl sulfoxides. An efficient method for transforming the obtained beta-(N-sulfinyl)amino sulfoxides into optically pure beta-amino alcohols, based on the stereoselective non-oxidative Pummerer reaction, is also reported.     

InclusiveK *0(890) and\bar K*^0 (890) production on beryllium byK − and π− at 175 GeV

The reactions \(K^ - Be \to {}^(\bar K^) *^0 (890)X,\pi ^ - Be \to {}^(\bar K^) *^0 (890)X\) , have been studied in a 175 GeV unseparated hadron beam in the kinematic range 0<x _F <1.0 andp _T ² <5 GeV². Integrated cross-sections and the dependence of the cross-sections on the longitudinal and transverse momentum are presented, together with quark counting rules predictions. The nuclear dependence ofK ^? fragmentation intoK ^*0(890) with respect to Feynmanx is investigated from hydrogen to beryllium.     

Trapped interfacial redox introduces reversibility in the oxygen reduction reaction in a non-aqueous Ca2+ electrolyte

Electrochemical investigations of the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) have been conducted in a Ca²⁺-containing dimethyl sulfoxide electrolyte. While the ORR appears irreversible, the introduction of a tetrabutylammonium perchlorate (TBAClO₄) co-salt in excess concentrations results in the gradual appearance of a quasi-reversible OER process. Combining the results of systematic cyclic voltammetry investigations, the degree of reversibility depends on the ion pair competition between Ca²⁺ and TBA⁺ cations to interact with generated superoxide (O₂⁻). When TBA⁺ is in larger concentrations, and large reductive overpotentials are applied, a quasi-reversible OER peak emerges with repeated cycling (characteristic of formulations without Ca²⁺ cations). In situ Raman microscopy and rotating ring-disc electrode (RRDE) experiments revealed more about the nature of species formed at the electrode surface and indicated the progressive evolution of a charge storage mechanism based upon trapped interfacial redox. The first electrochemical step involves generation of O₂⁻, followed primarily by partial passivation of the surface by Ca_xO_y product formation (the dominant initial reaction). Once this product matrix develops, the subsequent formation of TBA⁺--O₂⁻ is contained within the Ca_xO_y product interlayer at the electrode surface and, consequently, undergoes a facile oxidation reaction to regenerate O₂.

An interlayer product of oxygen reduction with Ca²⁺/TBA⁺ yields a quasi-reversible oxygen evolution reaction by inducing a trapped interfacial redox process.     

(Z)-3-p-tolylsulfinylacrylonitrile as a chiral dienophile: diels-alder reactions with furan and acyclic dienes

The behavior of (Z)-3-p-tolylsulfinylacrylonitrile (1) as a chiral dienophile has been evaluated from its reactions with furan and acyclic dienes. Electrostatic interactions of the cyano group with the sulfinyl one restrict the conformational mobility around the C-S bond, thus controlling the pi-facial selectivity, which is almost complete in all cases, the approach of the diene from the less-hindered face of the dienophile (that bearing the lone electron pair) in the predominant rotamer being the favored one. The regioselectivity is also completely controlled by the cyano group. Additionally, the reactivity of compound 1 as well as its endo-selectivity are both higher than those observed for the corresponding (Z)-3-sulfinylacrylates, thus proving the potential of sulfinylnitriles as chiral dienophiles.     

Polarisation parameters in neutral pion photoproduction

The polarisation parameters Σ, P and T have been measured for the process γp→π⁰p in the photon energy range 1300–2100 MeV and c.m. angles between 30° and 110°, in an experiment with a polarised beam and polarised target. The results are compared with a recent theoretical analysis which fits data from threshold to 16 GeV. The new data are in general agreement with the analysis, but with some significant discrepancies in detail.     

Measurement of mass and lifetime of hadronically produced charmed F mesons

We have observed three unique decays of F mesons into KKπ and five unique decays of D mesons into KKπ using the NA11 spectrometer together with a telescope of high-resolution silicon microstrip detectors. The mass value obtained for the F meson is (1975 ± 4) MeV, the lifetime (3.2±_1.3^3..0)×10^?13 s.     

Spin-singlet clusters in the ladder compound NaV2O5

The space group of alpha(')-NaV2O5 turns below T(c) = 34 K from Pmmn with all V sites equivalent, into Fmm2 with three independent vanadium sites per layer. This is incompatible with models of charge ordering into V4+ and V5+. Our structure determination indicates that the phase transition consists of a charge ordering with three distinct valence states, formally V4+, V4.5+, and V5+. The singlet formation is not associated with dimerization on the spin ladder, but with the formation of spin clusters. Finally, we ascribe the quadrupling of the c axis to the large polarizability of the V2O5 skeleton.