Shape recognition of alkylammonium ions by 1,3-bridged calix[5]arene crown-6 ethers: endo- vs exo-cavity complexation

A series of tri-O-substituted 1,3-bridged calix[5]arene crown-6 ethers bearing alkyl, arylalkyl, alkoxyalkyl, and alkoxycarbonylmethyl residues at the lower rim and either (t)()Bu or H substituents at the upper rim have been synthesized. (1)H NMR studies have shown that p-tert-butylcalix[5]crowns, irrespective of the size and nature of their lower rim pendant groups, adopt preorganized conelike conformations, whereas p-H-calix[5]crowns with bulky substituents preferentially exist in solution as partial cone conformers (C(1) symmetry). Calix[5]crown derivatives behave as mono- or ditopic receptors for isomeric butylammonium ions, forming endo-cavity (inside the calixarene cup) and/or exo-cavity (at the crown ether moiety) 1:1 complexes according to the shape of the guest. These two binding modes can be clearly distinguished and monitored by (1)H NMR titration experiments.     

Vanadium disulfide: Metal substitution and lithium intercalation

The preparation and physical properties of the layered VS₂, M_yV_1?yS₂ (M = Fe or Cr), and their lithium intercalation adducts are described. These compounds were prepared by oxidative delithiation of LiM_yV_1?yS₂ with iodine. Crystallographic distortions present in Li_xVS₂ (0.25 ? x ? 0.6) are suppressed by Fe or Cr substitution for V. The electrochemical sluggishness of Li/Li⁺/VS₂ cells is reduced by the substitution.     

Measurement of the generalized polarizabilities of the proton in virtual Compton scattering at Q2=0.92 and 1.76 GeV2

We report a virtual Compton scattering study of the proton at low c.m. energies. We have determined the structure functions P(LL)-P(TT)/epsilon and P(LT), and the electric and magnetic generalized polarizabilities (GPs) alpha(E)(Q2) and beta(M)(Q2) at momentum transfer Q(2)=0.92 and 1.76 GeV2. The electric GP shows a strong falloff with Q2, and its global behavior does not follow a simple dipole form. The magnetic GP shows a rise and then a falloff; this can be interpreted as the dominance of a long-distance diamagnetic pion cloud at low Q2, compensated at higher Q2 by a paramagnetic contribution from piN intermediate states.     

Catalytic ignition of ionic liquids for propellant applications

In this proof of concept study, the ionic liquids, 2-hydroxyethylhydrazinium nitrate and 2-hydroxyethylhydrazinium dinitrate, ignited on contact with preheated Shell 405 (iridium supported on alumina) catalyst and energetically decomposed with no additional ignition source, suggesting a possible route to hydrazine replacements.     

Quick assessment methodology for reliability of solder joints in ball grid array (BGA) assembly—Part I: Creep constitutive relation and fatigue model

In this study, a new unified creep constitutive relation and a modified energy-based fatigue model have been established respectively to describe the creep flow and predict the fatigue life of Sn−Pb solders. It is found that the relation successfully elucidates the creep mechanism related to current constitutive relations. The model can be used to describe the temperature and frequency dependent low cycle fatigue behavior of the solder. The relation and the model are further employed in part II to develop the numerical simulation approach for the long-term reliability assessment of the plastic ball grid array (BGA) assembly. The project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (59705008)     

Tetrachlorocarbonyliridates: water-soluble carbon monoxide releasing molecules rate-modulated by the sixth ligand

A new family of compounds is presented as potential carbon monoxide releasing molecules (CORMs). These compounds, based on tetrachlorocarbonyliridate(III) derivatives, were synthesized and fully characterized by X-ray diffraction, electrospray mass spectrometry, IR, NMR, and density functional theory calculations. The rate of CO release was studied via the myoglobin assay. The results showed that the rate depends on the nature of the sixth ligand, trans to CO, and that a significant modulation on the release rate can be produced by changing the ligand. The reported compounds are soluble in aqueous media, and the rates of CO release are comparable with those for known CORMs, releasing CO at a rate of 0.03-0.58 μM min(-1) in a 10 μM solution of myoglobin and 10 μM of the complexes.     

Two-photon interband transitions in crossed electric and magnetic fields in semiconductors. Non-local effects

Summary It is shown that in the presence of a crossed electric and magnetic field the electronic states of a semiconductor in the effective-mass approximation are described by a Hamiltonian containing a non-local potential. In order to preserve the gauge invariance of the two-photon interband transition rate, the interaction Hamiltonian between the electrons and the incident radiation has to be generalized. For GaAs, the transition rate between two particular levels is evaluated in both length and velocity gauges demonstrating the correctness of our approach. Work partially supported by the European Community Programme ESPRIT, Basic research, action n. 6878, EASI.