On the synthesis and structures of the complexes [RuCl(L)(dppb)(N-N)]PF(6) (L = CO, py or 4-NH(2)py; dppb=1,4-bis(diphenylphosphino)butane; N-N=2,2 `-bipyridine or 1,10-phenanthroline) and [(dppb)(CO)Cl(2)-Ru-pz-RuCl(2)(CO)(dppb)] (pz = pyrazine)

The ""Ru(P-P)"" unit (P-P = diphosphine) is recognized to be an important core in catalytic species for hydrogenation of unsaturated organic substrates. Thus, in this study we synthesized six new complexes containing this core, including the binuclear complex [(dppb)(CO)Cl(2)Ru-pz-RuCl(2)(CO)(dPPb)] (pz = pyrazine) which can be used as a precursor for the synthesis of cationic carbonyl species of general formula [RuCl(CO)(dppb)(N-N)]PF(6) (N-N = diimine). Complexes with the formula (RuCl(py)(dppb)(N-N)]PF(6) were synthesized by exhaustive electrolysis of these carbonyl compounds or from the precursors [RuCl(2)(dppb)(N-N)]. The new complexes were characterized by microanalysis, conductivity measurements, IR and (31)P{(1)H)} NMR spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry and X-ray crystallography. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Synthesis and characterization of mono and polymeric cyclopalladated compounds: Crystal and molecular structure of [{Pd(dmba)(ONO(2))}(2)(mu-pz)] center dot H(2)O (pz = pyrazine)

In the treatment of cyclometallated dimer [Pd(dmba)(mu-Cl)](2) (dmba = N,N-dimethylbenzylamine) with AgNO(3) and acetonitrile the result was the monomeric cationic precursor [Pd(dmba)(NCMe)(2)](NO(3)) (NCMe=acetonitrile) (1). Compound 1 reacted with m-nitroaniline (m-NAN) and pirazine (pz), originating [Pd(dmba)(ONO(2))(m-NAN)] (2) and [{Pd(dmba)(ONO(2))}(2)(mu-pz)] center dot H(2)O (3), respectively. These compounds were characterized by elemental analysis, IR and NMR spectroscopy. The IR spectra of (2-3) display typical bands of monodentade O-bonded nitrate groups, whereas the NMR data of 3 are consistent with the presence of bridging pyrazine ligands. The structure of compound 3 was determined by Xray diffraction analysis. This packing consists of a supramolecular chain formed by hydrogen bonding between the water molecule and nitrato ligands of two consecutive [Pd(2)(dmba)(2)(ONO(2))2(mu-pz)] units. (c) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

On the variations of the Betti numbers of regular levels of Morse flows

We generalize results in Cruz and de Rezende (1999) [7] by completely describing how the Beth numbers of the boundary of an orientable manifold vary after attaching a handle, when the homology coefficients are in Z, Q, R or Z/pZ with p prime. First we apply this result to the Conley index theory of Lyapunov graphs. Next we consider the Ogasa invariant associated with handle decompositions of manifolds. We make use of the above results in order to obtain upper bounds for the Ogasa invariant of product manifolds. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A combination of techniques to evaluate photodynamic efficiency of photosensitizers

Photodynamic therapy, used mainly for cancer treatment and microorganisms inaction, is based on production of reactive oxygen species by light irradiation of a sensitizer. Hematoporphyrin derivatives as Photofrin (R) (PF) Photogem (R) (PG) and Photosan (R) (PF), and chlorin-c6-derivatives as Photodithazine (R)(PZ), have suitable sensitizing properties. The present study provides a way to make a fast previous evaluation of photosensitizers efficacy by a combination of techniques: a) use of brovine serum albumin and uric acid as chemical dosimeters; b) photo-hemolysis of red blood cells used as a cell membrane interaction model, and c) octanol/phosphate buffer partition to assess the relative lipophilicity of the compounds. The results suggest the photodynamic efficient rankings PZ > PG >= PF > PS. These results agree with the cytotoxicity of the photosensitizers as well as to chromatographic separation of the HpDs, both performed in our group, showing that the more lipophilic is the dye, the more acute is the damage to the RBC membrane and the oxidation of indol, which is immersed in the hydrophobic region of albumin.