title: (R)evolutionary aesthetics: Denis Dutton’s The art instinct: beauty, pleasure and human evolution

authors: Kingsbury, Justine

subjects: evolutionary aesthetics

abstract: Denis Dutton’s ‘‘The Art Instinct’’ succeeds admirably in showing that it is possible to think about art from a biological point of view, and this is a significant achievement, given that resistance to the idea that cultural phenomena have biological underpinnings remains widespread in many academic disciplines. However, his account of the origins of our artistic impulses and the far-reaching conclusions he draws from that account are not persuasive. This article points out a number of problems: in particular, problems with Dutton’s appeal to sexual selection, with his discussion of the adaptation/by-product distinction and its significance, and with drawing normative conclusions from evolutionary hypotheses.

text: (R)evolutionary aesthetics: Denis Dutton’s The art instinct: beauty, pleasure and human evolution Denis Dutton’s ‘‘The Art Instinct’’ succeeds admirably in showing that it is possible to think about art from a biological point of view, and this is a significant achievement, given that resistance to the idea that cultural phenomena have biological underpinnings remains widespread in many academic disciplines. However, his account of the origins of our artistic impulses and the far-reaching conclusions he draws from that account are not persuasive. This article points out a number of problems: in particular, problems with Dutton’s appeal to sexual selection, with his discussion of the adaptation/by-product distinction and its significance, and with drawing normative conclusions from evolutionary hypotheses.

year: 2009

title: Fragmentation pathways of [Re₂(μ-OR)₃(CO)₆]– (R = H, Me) and ligand exchange reactions with oxygen donor ligands, investigated by electrospray mass spectrometry

authors: Jiang, Chenghua

subjects: chemistry

abstract: The rhenium hydroxy and methoxy carbonyl complexes [Re₂(μOR)₃(CO)₆]⁻ (R = H or Me) have been studied by negative-ion electrospray mass spectrometry (ESMS). The complexes undergo facile exchange reactions with protic compounds, including alcohols and phenols. With dimethyl malonate, ester hydrolysis occurs giving carboxylate-containing complexes, and with H₂O₂ or ButOOH, oxidation to ReO₄⁻occurs. The feasibility and extent of these reactions can conveniently, rapidly, and unambiguously be determined by electrospray mass spectrometry, and is dependent on the acidity and steric bulk of the protic compound. The results also suggest that the complexes can be used as versatile starting materials for the synthesis of a wide range of analogous [Re₂(μ-OR)₃(CO)₆]⁻ complexes by simple reaction with an excess of the appropriate alcohol. By varying the applied cone voltage the fragmentation pathways have been investigated; the hydroxy complex undergoes dehydration followed by CO loss, whereas for the methoxy complex  -hydride elimination (and CO loss) is observed, with confirmation provided by deuterium labelling studies. Under ESMS conditions, the neutral complexes [Re₂(μ-OR)₂(μ-dppf )(CO)₆] [R = H or Me; dppf = 1,1 -bis(diphenylphosphino)ferrocene] undergo substantial solvolysis and hydrolysis to give mainly mononuclear species; simple parent ions (e.g. [M + H]⁺) are not formed in appreciable abundance, probably due to the lack of an efficient ionisation pathway.

text: Fragmentation pathways of [Re₂(μ-OR)₃(CO)₆]– (R = H, Me) and ligand exchange reactions with oxygen donor ligands, investigated by electrospray mass spectrometry The rhenium hydroxy and methoxy carbonyl complexes [Re₂(μOR)₃(CO)₆]⁻ (R = H or Me) have been studied by negative-ion electrospray mass spectrometry (ESMS). The complexes undergo facile exchange reactions with protic compounds, including alcohols and phenols. With dimethyl malonate, ester hydrolysis occurs giving carboxylate-containing complexes, and with H₂O₂ or ButOOH, oxidation to ReO₄⁻occurs. The feasibility and extent of these reactions can conveniently, rapidly, and unambiguously be determined by electrospray mass spectrometry, and is dependent on the acidity and steric bulk of the protic compound. The results also suggest that the complexes can be used as versatile starting materials for the synthesis of a wide range of analogous [Re₂(μ-OR)₃(CO)₆]⁻ complexes by simple reaction with an excess of the appropriate alcohol. By varying the applied cone voltage the fragmentation pathways have been investigated; the hydroxy complex undergoes dehydration followed by CO loss, whereas for the methoxy complex  -hydride elimination (and CO loss) is observed, with confirmation provided by deuterium labelling studies. Under ESMS conditions, the neutral complexes [Re₂(μ-OR)₂(μ-dppf )(CO)₆] [R = H or Me; dppf = 1,1 -bis(diphenylphosphino)ferrocene] undergo substantial solvolysis and hydrolysis to give mainly mononuclear species; simple parent ions (e.g. [M + H]⁺) are not formed in appreciable abundance, probably due to the lack of an efficient ionisation pathway.

year: 2000

title: Voices of the land: Richard Nunns in conversation with Martin Lodge

authors: Nunns, Richard

abstract: Richard Nunns in conversation with Martin Lodge

text: Voices of the land: Richard Nunns in conversation with Martin Lodge Richard Nunns in conversation with Martin Lodge

year: 2008