A solution procedure for the discrete time, cost and quality tradeoff problem using electromagnetic scatter search

Decisions concerning a project’s expedition, traditionally involved considerations regarding time and cost tradeoff. It was recently suggested that the quality of a project should also be taken into considerations. In this paper, we propose a meta-heuristic solution procedure for the discrete time, cost and quality tradeoff problem. This problem involves the scheduling of project activities in order to minimize the total cost of the project while maximizing the quality of the project and also meeting a given deadline. We apply a so called electromagnetic scatter search to solve this problem. In this process, we initially generate a population of feasible solutions. In so doing, we use frequency memory to well sample the feasible region. A number of these solutions are then selected and improved locally. The improved solutions are then combined to generate new set of solutions. The combination process utilizes attraction–repulsion mechanisms borrowed from the electromagnetism theory. The whole process is stopped when no significant improvement in the set of solutions are observed. The validity of the proposed solution procedure is demonstrated, and its applicability is tested on a randomly generated large and complex problem having 19,900 activities.     

Regioselective Reaction of N1-Benzyl-N2-(4-nitrophenyl)ethanediamide and Acetylenic Esters

The regioselective reaction of N¹-benzyl-N²-(4-nitrophenyl)ethanediamide with dialkyl acetylenedicarboxylates or alkyl propiolates in the presence of triphenylphosphine leads to dialkyl 4-benzylamino-1-(4-nitrophenyl)-5-oxo-2,5-dihydro-1H-pyrrole-2,3-dicarboxylates or alkyl 4-benzylamino-1-(4-nitrophenyl)-2-oxo-5-pyrrolidinecarboxylates in good yields.     

Active transient elasto-acoustic response damping of a thick-walled liquid-coupled piezolaminated cylindrical vessel

The linear 3D piezoelasticity theory in conjunction with the versatile transfer matrix approach and the wave equation for the internal acoustic domain are employed for active non-stationary vibroacoustic response control of an arbitrarily thick, tri-laminate, fluid-filled, simply supported, piezocomposite cylindrical tank, excited by arbitrary (non-axisymmetric) time-dependent on-surface mechanical loads. The smart structure is composed of a supporting core layer of functionally graded orthotropic material perfectly bonded to inner and outer spatially distributed radially polarized functionally graded piezoceramic sensor and uniform force actuator (FGPM) layers. Active vibration damping is implemented by transferring the accumulated voltage on the sensor layer to the piezoelectric actuator layer in context of proportional and derivative control laws. Durbin's numerical inverse Laplace transform scheme is utilized to calculate the time response histories of the relevant interface displacement/stress components, center-point acoustic pressure, and actuator voltage, for selected loading configurations (i.e., concentrated step, impulse, and moving external loads). Numerical simulations demonstrate the effectiveness of the adopted distributed sensing/actuation configuration together with the active damping control strategy in suppressing the vibroacoustic response of a three-layered (Ba₂NaNb₅O₁₅/Al/PZT4) water-filled piezoelastic cylindrical tank. Limiting cases are considered and the validity of results is established by comparison with the available data as well as with the aid of a commercial finite element package.     

Nanocrystalline TiO2-HClO4:A novel,efficient and recyclable catalyst for the chemoselective N-Boc protection of amines under solvent-free conditions

Nanocrystalline TiO₂-HClO₄,as newly reported catalyst,has been used as an efficient and reusable catalyst for the chemoselective N-Boc protection of amines.The clean,mild acidity condition, quantitative yields of products,short reaction time and low reaction temperature are attractive features of this reaction.In practice,this method is a combination of a satisfactory synthesis and more significantly easy product isolation and purification.     

Design,preparation and characterization of Cu/GA/Fe3O4@SiO2 nanoparticles as a catalyst for the synthesis of benzodiazepines and imidazoles

The synthesis and characterization of an efficient and reusable nanocatalyst, Cu/GA/Fe₃O₄@SiO₂, obtained by ultrasonic‐assisted grafting of guanidineacetic acid on modified Fe₃O₄@SiO₂ core–shell nanocomposite spheres and subsequent immobilization of Cu(II), are described. The catalyst was characterized by means of X‐ray diffraction, scanning and transmission electron microscopies, energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy, elemental analysis, thermogravimetric analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, vibrating sample magnetometry and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. The prepared nanocatalyst facilitated an efficient and straightforward friendly procedure for the synthesis of benzodiazepines and imidazoles in ethanol and under solvent‐free conditions, respectively. The nanocatalyst can be easily recovered using a magnet and reused several times without any significant loss of activity. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Use of nanoporous Na+-montmorillonite sulfonic acid (SANM) as an eco-benign, efficient and reusable solid acid catalyst for the one-pot synthesis of 14-aryl-14-H-dibenzo[a,j]xanthenes and 1,8-dioxo-dodecahydroxanthene derivatives

Nanoporous Na⁺-montmorillonite sulfonic acid was found to be an efficient and green catalyst for the synthesis of various 14-aryl-14H-dibenzo[a,j]xanthenes and 1,8-dioxo-dodecahydroxanthene derivatives by the reaction of aldehydes with 2-naphthol and 1,3-cyclohexanedione, respectively. This novel synthetic method has the advantages of high yields, short reaction times and recyclability of the catalyst, simplicity and easy workup compared to the conventional methods reported in the literature.