The influence of Na<Superscript>+</Superscript> on the anilinepropylsilica xerogel synthesis by using the fluoride nucleophilic catalyst

Anilinepropylsilica xerogel was obtained by using an appropriate organosilane and tetraethyl orthosilicate as precursor reagents. The gelation was carried out using HF and NaF as catalysts. The presence of Na⁺ (when NaF was used) resulted in a decrease in the final organic content of the materials. This effect was interpreted as an inhibition of the organosilane polycondensation possibly due to the Na⁺ interaction with the SiO^- groups of the hydrolyzed organosilane. The presence of Na⁺ also results in morphological changes in the xerogels.     

The equations of a holomorphic subspace in a complex Finsler space

In [Mu1] we underlined the motifs of holomorphic subspaces in a complex Finsler space: induced nonlinear connection, coupling connections, and the induced tangent and normal connections. In the present paper we investigate the equations of Gauss, H-and A-Codazzi, and Ricci equations of a holomorphic subspace. We deduce the link between the holomorphic curvatures of the Chern-Finsler connection and its induced tangent connection. Conditions for totally geodesic holomorphic subspaces are obtained. Communicated by János Szenthe     

Mössbauer study of spin-glass Fe x Zn1−x F2 system

⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer effect measurements in the diluted Ising antiferromagnet Fe _x Zn_1?x F₂ withx=0.25 andx=0.57 at temperatures between 4.2 and 55 K, are reported. DC suceptibility measurements show a spin-glass (SG) phase at low temperatures forx≤0.31. Our Mössbauer spectra show a phase transition to a SG state with antiferromagnetic order (AFSG) forx=0.25 and only antiferromagnetic order forx=0.57.     

Chemometric approaches in environmental problems concerning PCDD and PCDF. Data interpretation and source correlation. Mechanisms of formation and destruction in MSW combustion process

Summary The role of multivariate analysis methods in evaluating, rationalizing, and working out complex environmental problems is discussed. The discussion is organized in two sections; a literature analysis of the application of chemometric methods to PCDD/PCDF data interpretation and source correlation and a review of the role of chemometric methods in analysing the results obtained by the Authors studying PCDD/PCDF formation and destruction mechanisms in MSW combustion processes.     

Particle multiplicities in the fission-like reactions of 340 MeV Si on Th

Pre-scission and post-scission multiplicities of neutrons and alpha particles have been simultaneously measured for the fission-like reactions of 340 MeV ²⁸Si on ²³²Th. Dynamical model calculations using HICOL code predict that about 90% of the observed events are of quasi-fission type while the remaining 10% are from compound nucleus fission decay. Moving source fits were carried out to the observed neutron and alpha particle spectra, measured at different angles with respect to the fragment directions. The pre-scission and post-scission neutron multiplicities are deduced to be 8.7±2.0 and 9.4±2.0, respectively. The corresponding multiplicity values for alpha particles are found to be 0.22±0.08 and 0.1±0.03. From the measured post-scission neutron multiplicity, it is inferred that about 65±20 MeV of the initial excitation energy remains at scission. This may be compared to the value of 85±30 MeV estimated from PACE2 statistical model calculations, adjusted to reproduce the measured pre-scission neutron multiplicity. From a comparison of the Statistical Model predictions with the measured pre-scission neutron multiplicity, the fission delay is estimated to be of 5⁺⁷₋₃×10⁻²⁰ s which overlaps with the average duration of fission-like process from the contact to the scission point (2×10⁻²⁰ s) as determined from HICOL-based dynamical calculations. For the delay time deduced as above, the pre-scission alpha particle multiplicity calculated by the PACE2 code is about a factor two larger than the experimental one, demonstrating the difficulties in modelling the alpha particle emission from highly elongated shapes that characterize the fissioning system from the contact point to scission.     

A shape model for the twisting power of chiral solutes in nematics

The twisting power of chiral probes in nematics is interpreted in terms of a shape model, in which the surface elements of the solute molecules tend to align with the local director. The theoretical treatment is based on a previous approach, suitable for relating order parameters in nematics to molecular shape, and leads to the definition of a molecular pseudo-tensor whose orientational average determines the pitch and handedness of the helical macrostructures. Results of numerical calculations performed for distorted biphenyl and binaphthyl molecules are in agreement with the experimental results.     

Toward efficient Zn(II)-based artificial nucleases

A series of cis-cis-triaminocyclohexane Zn(II) complex-anthraquinone intercalator conjugates, designed in such a way to allow their easy synthesis and modification, have been investigated as hydrolytic cleaving agents for plasmid DNA. The ligand structure comprises a triaminocyclohexane platform linked by means of alkyl spacers of different length (from C(4) to C(8)) to the anthraquinone group which may intercalate the DNA. At a concentration of 5 microM, the complex of the derivative with a C(8) alkyl spacer induces the hydrolytic stand scission of supercoiled DNA with a rate of 4.6 x 10(-6) s(-1) at pH 7 and 37 degrees C. The conjugation of the metal complex with the anthraquinone group leads to a 15-fold increase of the cleavage efficiency when compared with the anthraquinone lacking Zn-triaminocyclohexane complex. The straightforward synthetic procedure employed, allowing a systematic change of the spacer length, made possible to gain more insight on the role of the intercalating group in determining the reactivity of the systems. Comparison of the reactivity of the different complexes shows a remarkable increase of the DNA cleaving efficiency with the length of the spacer. In the case of too-short spacers, the advantages due to the increased DNA affinity are canceled due to the incorrect positioning of the reactive group, thus leading to cleavage inhibition.     

Multiple solutions of boundary value problems: an elementary approach via the shooting method

In this paper we derive the existence of multiple solutions for boundary value problems of the type $$u\prime \prime + f\left( {t,u} \right) = 0,u\left( 0 \right) = 0,u\left( \pi \right) = 0$$ , in terms of the behaviour of the ratiof(t,u)/u nearu=0 and near infinity. The nonlinear termf is assumed to be locally Lipschitz inu, so that the shooting method can be used. (AMS Subject Classification: 34B15).     

Mössbauer characterization of iron and cobalt dinitrosyl derivatives of 1,1′-bis(diphenylphosphino)ferrocene

The interest in the synthesis and reactivity of organometallic compounds which have two or more different metals in the same molecule has grown in recent years, due to the new chemical properties that they can present. In this work, we report the Mössbauer characterization of dppfFe(CO)₃ and two novel compounds, dppfFe(NO)₂ and [dppfCo(NO)₂]⁺[SbF₆]^–, where dppf =1,1-bis(diphenylphosphino)ferrocene. The complexes were also characterized by IR and³¹P NMR. The Mössbauer parameters of the dppfFe(NO)₂ and dppfFe(CO)₃, show two iron sites in the same proportions while for [dppfCo(NO)₂ ⁺[SbF₆]^– only one site was observed.