Muon Creation in Supernova Matter Facilitates Neutrino-Driven Explosions.

Muons can be created in nascent neutron stars (NSs) due to the high electron chemical potentials and the high temperatures. Because of their relatively lower abundance compared to electrons, their role has so far been ignored in numerical simulations of stellar core collapse and NS formation. However, the appearance of muons softens the NS equation of state, triggers faster NS contraction, and thus leads to higher luminosities and mean energies of the emitted neutrinos. This strengthens the postshock heating by neutrinos and can facilitate explosions by the neutrino-driven mechanism.

A novel application of DDQ as electrophile in the Nenitzescu reaction.

Reaction of 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyano-benzoquinone (DDQ) with secondary enaminones yields surprisingly 2-aza-spiro[4,5]decatrienes. The reaction occurs via cyclisation of the primary Michael-adduct with the nitrile group. Reaction of DDQ with tertiary and also certain secondary enamines leads to 3-amino-benzo[b]furan derivatives. This is formed not by Michael-addition, but via geminate radical ion pair formation with subsequent generation of an oxygen-carbon bond to yield benzofurans. The new products are investigated with regards to inhibition of purified human proteinkinase CK2 and their general cytostatic activity. It turned out, that the most active compound is the 3-amino-5-hydroxy-benzofuran derivative 11s with an IC(50) value of 0,2µM for CK2.