Semideterministic Global Optimization Method: Application to a Control Problem of the Burgers Equation

This paper has two objectives. We introduce a new global optimization algorithm reformulating optimization problems in terms of boundary-value problems. Then, we apply this algorithm to a pointwise control problem of the viscous Burgers equation, where the control weight coefficient is progressively decreased. The results are compared with those obtained with a genetic algorithm and an LM-BFGS algorithm in order to check the efficiency of our method and the necessity of using global optimization techniques.     

The use of Nafion-H® as an efficient catalyst for the direct conversion of primary and secondary trimethylsilyl ethers to their corresponding ethers under mild and heterogeneous conditions

Primary and secondary trimethylsilyl ethers were converted to their corresponding ethers in the presence Nafion-H® with good to excellent yields under mild and heterogeneous conditions.     

Design and optimization of on-chip capillary electrophoresis

We present a systematic, experimentally validated method of designing electrokinetic injections for on-chip capillary electrophoresis applications. This method can be used to predict point-wise and charge-coupled device (CCD)-imaged electropherograms using estimates of species mobilities, diffusivities and initial sample plug parameters. A simple Taylor dispersion model is used to characterize electrophoretic separations in terms of resolution and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Detection convolutions using Gaussian and Boxcar detector response functions are used to relate optimal conditions for resolution and signal as a function of relevant system parameters including electroosmotic mobility, sample injection length, detector length scale, and the length-to-detector. Analytical solutions show a tradeoff between signal-to-noise ratio and resolution with respect to dimensionless injection width and length to the detector. In contrast, there is no tradeoff with respect to the Peclet number as increases in Peclet number favor both SNR and separation solution (R). We validate our model with quantitative epifluorescence visualizations of electrophoretic separation experiments in a simple cross channel microchip. For the pure advection regime of dispersion, we use numerical simulations of the transient convective diffusion processes associated with electrokinetics together with an optimization algorithm to design a voltage control scheme which produces an injection plug that has minimal advective dispersion. We also validate this optimal injection scheme using fluorescence visualizations. These validations show that optimized voltage scheme produces injections with a standard deviation less than one-fifth of the width of the microchannel.     

Highly Efficient and Practical Syntheses of Lavendamycin Methyl Ester and Related Novel Quinolindiones

The novel 7-(N-formyl-, 7-(N-acetyl-, and 7-(N-isobutyrylamino)-2-methylquinoline-5,8-diones were synthesized in excellent overall yields in three steps via the nitration of the commercially available 8-hydroxy-2-methylquinoline followed by a reduction-acylation step and then oxidation. Acid hydrolysis of 7-(N-acetylamino)-2-methylquinoline-5,8-dione (14a) afforded the novel 7-aminoquinoline-5,8-dione 7 in excellent yields. Due to our efficient preparation of dione 14a, we now report a short and practical method for the total synthesis of the potent antitumor agent lavendamycin methyl ester (1b) with an excellent overall yield.     

Donor ligand, basal ligand and solvent effects on the equilibrium constants of triphenylphosphinecobalt(III) Schiff base complexes with phosphite ligands

The equilibrium constants and the thermodynamic parameters were spectrophotometrically measured for the 1:1 adduct formation of [Co(Salen)(PPh₃)]ClO₄.H₂O, and [Co(7,7′-Me₂Salen)(PPh₃)]ClO₄.H₂O as acceptors, with P(OR)₃ (R = methyl, ethyl, and i-propyl) as donors, in acetonitrile (CH₃CN) and dimethylformamide (DMF) as solvents at constant ionic strength (I = 0.1 M NaClO₄), and various temperatures (t = 10–50 °C). Our results revealed the following trends: stability of the cobalt(III) Schiff base complexes toward a given phosphite donor, [Co(7,7′-Me₂Salen)(PPh₃)]⁺ < [Co(Salen)(PPh₃)]⁺; binding of the donors (phosphites) toward a given cobalt(III) Schiff base complex, P(OEt)₃ > P(OMe)₃ > P(O-ⁱPr)₃; influence of solvent on the stability of a given cobalt(III) Schiff base complex toward a given phosphite donor, CH₃CN < DMF.