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- Institut für Chemie (174) (entfernen)
The sensing potential of CuO nanoparticles synthesized via. precipitation from a water/ionic liquid precursor (ILP) mixture was investigated. The particles have a moderate surface area of 66 m(2)/g after synthesis, which decreases upon thermal treatment to below 5 m(2)/g. Transmission electron microscopy confirms crystal growth upon annealing, likely due to sintering effects. The as-synthesized particles can be used for ethanol sensing. The respective sensors show fast response and recovery times of below 10 s and responses greater than 2.3 at 100 ppm of ethanol at 200 degrees C, which is higher than any CuO-based ethanol sensor described so far.
In the natural environment humic substances (HS) represent a major factor determining the speciation of metal ions, e.g., in the context of radionuclide migration. Here, due to their intrinsic sensitivity and selectivity, spectroscopic methods are often applied, requiring a fundamental understanding of the photophysical processes present in such HS-metal complexes. Complexes with different metal ions were studied using 2-hydroxybenzoic acid (2HB) as a model compound representing an important part of the chelating substructures in HS. In flash photolysis experiments under direct excitation of 2HB in the absence and the presence of different lanthanide ions, the generation and the decay of the 2HB triplet state, of the phenoxy radical, and of the solvated electron were monitored. Depending on the lanthanide ion different intracomplex processes were observed for these transient species including energy migration to and photoreduction of the lanthanide ion. The complexity of the intracomplex photophysical processes even for small molecules such as 2HB underlines the necessity to step-by-step approach the photochemical reactivity of HS by using suitable model compounds.
Structural changes at the intra- as well as intermicellar level were induced by the LCST-type collapse transition of poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide) in ABA triblock copolymer micelles in water. The distinct process kinetics was followed in situ and in real-time using time-resolved small-angle neutron scattering (SANS), while a micellar solution of a triblock copolymer, consisting of two short deuterated polystyrene endblocks and a long thermoresponsive poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide) middle block, was heated rapidly above its cloud point. A very fast collapse together with a multistep aggregation behavior is observed. The findings of the transition occurring at several size and time levels may have implications for the design and application of such thermoresponsive self-assembled systems.
From the stem bark of Platycelphium voense (Leguminosae) four new isoflavanones were isolated and characterized as (S)-5,7-dihydroxy-2 ',4 '-dimethoxy-3 '-(3 ''-methylbut-2 ''-enyl)-isoflavanone (trivial name platyisoflavanone A), (+)-5,7,2 '-trihydroxy-4 '-methoxy-3 '-(3 ''-methylbut-2 ''-enyl)-isoflavanone (platyisoflavanone B), 5,7-dihydroxy-4 '-methoxy-2 ''-(2 '''-hydroxyisopropyl)-dihydrofurano-[4 '',5 '':3 ',2 ']-isoflavanone (platyisoflavanone C) and 5,7,2 ',3 ''-tetrahydroxy-2 '',2 ''-dimethyldihydropyrano-[5 '',6 '':3 ',4 ']-isoflavanone (platyisoflavanone D). In addition, the known isoflavanones, sophoraisoflavanone A and glyasperin F; the isoflavone, formononetin; two flavones, kumatakenin and isokaempferide; as well as two triterpenes, betulin and beta-amyrin were identified. The structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic evidence. Platyisoflavanone A showed antibacterial activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis in the microplate alamar blue assay (MABA) with MIC = 23.7 mu M, but also showed cytotoxicity (IC50 = 21.1 mu M) in the vero cell test.
Two novel and simple approaches to N-triflyl guanidines are elaborated. Owing to very strong conjugation the formally double C=N bond of TIN=C(NHR)(2) is longer than the formally single N-C bonds. Energetic effect of the triflylgroup on the conjugation in the N-C=N moiety is estimated to be >= 150 kcal/mol.
A unified model for quantitative description of harmonic spectra of gases obtained by wavelength modulation spectroscopy (WMS) technique is presented. In the model, both intensity modulation (IM) and frequency modulation (FM) of the laser emission are taken into account using minimum number of parameters. For the first time, the static behavior of a laser is described as a limiting case of its dynamic response. Laser and its driver are considered as a single device converting applied bias to laser emission. This allows application of the model to any type of laser and the introduced parameters can be assigned to the corresponding laser and/or driver properties. The approach was tested using a distributed feedback (DFB) laser spectrometer. Correctness of the proposed model is justified by very good agreement between the measured and modeled/fitted spectra, which allowed evaluation of the setup performance and assessment of modulation parameters of the DFB laser. An algorithm to minimize the time of numerical calculation of harmonic spectra using numerically approximated Voigt lineshape function was developed. Absolute values of the absorption line parameters (line strength and line width) were obtained from a single calibration- and reference-free spectrum scan with accuracy better than 0.1%.
A silicon analog of quinolizidine 3,3,7,7-tetramethylhexahydro-1H-[1,4,2]oxazasilino[4,5-d][1,4,2]oxazasilin-9a-yl)methanol 3 was synthesized. X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed the trans configuration and low temperature NMR spectroscopy both the flexibility (barrier of interconversion 5.8 kcal mol(-1)) and the conformational equilibrium (chair-chair and chair-twist conformers) of the compound. The relative stability of the different isomers/conformers of 3 was calculated also at the MP2/6-311G(d,p) level of theory. Intra- and intermolecular hydrogen bonding in 3 and the appropriate equilibrium between free and self-associated molecules was studied in solvents of different polarity. Both the N-methyl quaternary ammonium salt and the O-trimethylsilyl derivative of 3 could be obtained and their structure determined.
The synthesis of 7-methoxy-8-(4-methyl-3-furyl)-2H-chromen-2-one, a natural product with antileishmanial activity recently isolated from the plant Galipea panamensis, is described. The key step is a Suzuki-Miyaura coupling of a furan-3-boronic acid and an 8-halocoumarin, which is advantageously synthesized using a ring-closing metathesis reaction. Several non-natural analogues are also available along these lines.
We present quantum simulations of a vibrating hydrogen molecule H-2 and address the issue of electron correlation. After appropriately setting the frame and the observer plane, we were able to determine precisely the number of electrons and nuclei which actually flow by evaluating electronic and nuclear fluxes. This calculation is repeated for three levels of quantum chemistry, for which we account for no correlation, Hartree-Fock, static correlation, and dynamic correlation. Exciting each of these systems with the same amount of energy, we show that the electron correlation can be revealed with the knowledge of quantum fluxes. This is evidenced by a clear sensitivity of these fluxes to electron correlation. In particular, we find that this correlation remarkably enhances more electronic yield than the nuclear one. It turns out that less electrons accompany the nuclei in Hartree-Fock than in the correlation cases.
Structuring overmany length scales is a design strategy widely used in Nature to create materials with unique functional properties. We here present a comprehensive analysis of an adult sea urchin spine, and in revealing a complex, hierarchical structure, showhow Nature fabricates a material which diffracts as a single crystal of calcite and yet fractures as a glassy material. Each spine comprises a highly oriented array of Mg-calcite nanocrystals in which amorphous regions and macromolecules are embedded. It is postulated that this mesocrystalline structure forms via the crystallization of a dense array of amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) precursor particles. A residual surface layer of ACC and/or macromolecules remains around the nanoparticle units which creates the mesocrystal structure and contributes to the conchoidal fracture behavior. Nature's demonstration of howcrystallization of an amorphous precursor phase can create a crystalline material with remarkable properties therefore provides inspiration for a novel approach to the design and synthesis of synthetic composite materials.
A series of symmetrical, thermo-responsive triblock copolymers was prepared by reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization, and studied in aqueous solution with respect to their ability to form hydrogels. Triblock copolymers were composed of two identical, permanently hydrophobic outer blocks, made of low molar mass polystyrene, and of a hydrophilic inner block of variable length, consisting of poly(methoxy diethylene glycol acrylate) PMDEGA. The polymers exhibited a LCST-type phase transition in the range of 20-40 degrees C, which markedly depended on molar mass and concentration. Accordingly, the triblock copolymers behaved as amphiphiles at low temperatures, but became water-insoluble at high temperatures. The temperature dependent self-assembly of the amphiphilic block copolymers in aqueous solution was studied by turbidimetry and rheology at concentrations up to 30 wt %, to elucidate the impact of the inner thermoresponsive block on the gel properties. Additionally, small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) was performed to access the structural changes in the gel with temperature. For all polymers a gel phase was obtained at low temperatures, which underwent a gel-sol transition at intermediate temperatures, well below the cloud point where phase separation occurred. With increasing length of the PMDEGA inner block, the gel-sol transition shifts to markedly lower concentrations, as well as to higher transition temperatures. For the longest PMDEGA block studied (DPn about 450), gels had already formed at 3.5 wt % at low temperatures. The gel-sol transition of the hydrogels and the LCST-type phase transition of the hydrophilic inner block were found to be independent of each other.
The switching of single cyclooctadiene molecules chemisorbed on a Si(100) surface between two stable conformations, can be achieved with a scanning tunneling microscope [Nacci , Phys. Rev. B 77, 121405(R) (2008)]. Recently, it was shown by quantum chemical and quantum dynamical simulations that major experimental facts can be explained by a single-mode model with switching enforced by inelastic electron tunneling (IET) excitations and perturbed by vibrational relaxation [Nacci , Nano Lett. 9, 2997 (2009)]. In the present paper, we extend the previous theoretical work in several respects: (1) The model is generalized to a two-mode description in which two C2H4 units of COD can move independently; (2) contributions of dipole and, in addition, (cation and anion) resonance-IET rates are considered; (3) the harmonic-linear vibrational relaxation model used previously is generalized to anharmonic vibrations. While the present models highlight generic aspects of IET-switching between two potential minima, they also rationalize specific experimental findings for COD/Si(100): (1) A single-electron excitation mechanism with a linear dependence of the switching rate on tunneling current I, (2) the capability to switch both at negative and positive sample biases, and (3) a crossover temperature around similar to 60 K from an IET-driven, T-independent atom tunneling regime, to classical over-the-barrier isomerization with exponential T-dependence at higher temperatures for a bias voltage of +1.5 V and an average tunneling current of 0.73 nA.
The esters of 4-hydroxy-cyclohexanone and a series of carboxylic acids R-COOH with R of different electronic and steric influence (R=Me, Et, n-Pr, i-Pr, n-Bu, i-Bu, sec-Bu, t-Bu, CF3, CH2Cl, CHCl2, CCl3, CH2Br, CHBr2, and CBr3) were synthesized and the conformational equilibria studied by H-1 and C-13 NMR spectroscopy at 103 K and at 295 K, respectively. The geometry of optimized structures of the axial 'equatorial chair conformers was computed at the ab initio MO and DFT levels of theory. Only one preferred conformation was obtained for the axial and the equatorial conformer as well. When comparing the conformational equilibria of the cyclohexanone esters with those of the corresponding cyclohexyl esters a certain polarity contribution of the cyclohexanone framework was revealed, which is independent of the substituent effects and increases the stability of the axial conformers by a constant amount.
This Letter describes four new 4-trimethylammonio-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-yloxyls bearing camphorsulfonate, triflate, tosylate, or lactate as counter ions. These spin probes were made by anion metathesis of 4-trimethylammonio-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-yloxyl iodide using the corresponding silver salts. The latter is made by the alkylation of 4-amino-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-yloxyl. Furthermore, the Letter gives an improved synthetic way to 4-sulfonamido-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-yloxyl using chlorosulfuric acid trimethylsilylester and 4-amino-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-yloxyl. All the spin probes are highly interesting for the investigation of ionic liquids.
In the body, nanoparticles can be systemically distributed and then may affect secondary target organs, such as the central nervous system (CNS). Putative adverse effects on the CNS are rarely investigated to date. Here, we used a mixed primary cell model consisting mainly of neurons and astrocytes and a minor proportion of oligodendrocytes to analyze the effects of well-characterized 20 and 40 nm silver nanoparticles (SNP). Similar gold nanoparticles served as control and proved inert for all endpoints tested. SNP induced a strong size-dependent cytotoxicity. Additionally, in the low concentration range (up to 10 mu g/ml of SNP), the further differentiated cultures were more sensitive to SNP treatment. For detailed studies, we used low/medium dose concentrations (up to 20 mu g/ml) and found strong oxidative stress responses. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) were detected along with the formation of protein carbonyls and the induction of heme oxygenase-1. We observed an acute calcium response, which clearly preceded oxidative stress responses. ROS formation was reduced by antioxidants, whereas the calcium response could not be alleviated by antioxidants. Finally, we looked into the responses of neurons and astrocytes separately. Astrocytes were much more vulnerable to SNP treatment compared with neurons. Consistently, SNP were mainly taken up by astrocytes and not by neurons. Immunofluorescence studies of mixed cell cultures indicated stronger effects on astrocyte morphology. Altogether, we can demonstrate strong effects of SNP associated with calcium dysregulation and ROS formation in primary neural cells, which were detectable already at moderate dosages.
alpha,beta-Unsaturated d-lactones are accessible via a sequential ring-closing metathesis (RCM) double-bond migration reaction starting from butenoates of allyl alcohols. This approach proceeds efficiently with lower catalyst loadings and higher initial substrate concentrations compared to the alternative RCM of acrylates derived from homoallylic alcohols.
We report on a new three-color FRET system consisting of three fluorescent dyes, i.e., of a carbostyril (=quinolin-2(1H)-one)-derived donor D, a (bathophenanthroline)ruthenium complex as a relay chromophore A1, and a Cy dye as A2 (FRET=Forster resonance-energy-transfer) (cf. Fig. 1). With their widely matching spectroscopic properties (cf. Fig. 2), the combination of these dyes yielded excellent FRET efficiencies. Furthermore, fluorescence lifetime measurements revealed that the long fluorescence lifetime of the Ru complex was transferred to the Cy dye offering the possibility to measure the whole system in a time-resolved mode. The FRET system was established on double-stranded DNA (cf. Fig. 3) but it should also be generally applicable to other biomolecules.
Recent developments in the synthesis of polyelectrolytes are highlighted, with respect to the nature of the ionic groups, the polymer backbones, synthetic methods, and additional functionality given to the polyelectrolytes. In fact, the synthesis of new polyelectrolytes is mostly driven by material aspects, currently. The article pays particular attention to strong polyelectrolytes, and the new methods of controlled polymerization. These methods and the so-called click reactions have enabled novel designs of polyelectrolytes. Nevertheless, the polymerization of unprotected ionic monomers is still challenging and limits the synthetic possibilities. The structural aspects are complemented by considerations with respect to the aspired uses of the new polyelectrolytes.
Structurally diverse polyamides obtained from monomers derived via the Ugi multicomponent reaction
(2012)
The combination of the Ugi four-component reaction (Ugi-4CR) with acyclic diene metathesis (ADMET) or thiolene polymerization led to the formation of poly-1-(alkylcarbamoyl) carboxamides, a new class of substituted polyamides with amide moieties in the polymer backbone, as well as its side chains. 10-Undecenoic acid, obtained by pyrolysis of ricinoleic acid, the main fatty acid of castor oil, was used as the key renewable building block. The use of different primary amines, as well as isonitriles (isocyanides) for the described Ugi reactions provided monomers with high structural diversity. Furthermore, the possibility of versatile post-modification of functional groups in the side chains of the corresponding polymers should be of considerable interest in materials science. The obtained monomers were polymerized by ADMET, as well as thiolene, chemistry and all polymers were fully characterized. Finally, ortho-nitrobenzylamide-containing polyamides obtained by this route were shown to be photoresponsive and exhibited a dramatic change of their properties upon irradiation with light.
Modeling of a violaxanthin-chlorophyll b chromophore pair in its LHCII environment using CAM-B3LYP
(2012)
Collecting energy for photosystem II is facilitated by several pigments, xanthophylls and chlorophylls, embedded in the light harvesting complex II (LHCII). One xanthophyll, violaxanthin (Vio), is loosely bound at a site close to a chlorophyll b (Chl). No final answer has yet been found for the role of this specific xanthophyll. We study the electronic structure of Vio in the presence of Chl and under the influence of the LHCII environment, represented by a point charge field (PCF).
We compare the capability of the long range corrected density functional theory (DFT) functional CAM-B3LYP to B3LYP for the modeling of the UV/vis spectrum of the Vio + Chl pair. CAM-B3LYP was reported to allow for a very realistic reproduction of bond length alternation of linear polyenes, which has considerable impact on the carotenoid structure and spectrum. To account for the influence of the LHCII environment, the chromophore geometries are optimized using an ONIOM(DFT/6-31G(d):PM6) scheme.
Our calculations show that the energies of the locally excited states are almost unaffected by the presence of the partner chromophore or the PCF. There are, however, indications for excitonic coupling of the Chl Soret band and Vio. We propose that Vio may accept energy from blue-light excited Chl.
Building blocks for oligospiroketal (OSK) rods and evaluation of their influence on rod rigidity
(2012)
We report on the synthesis of three new sleeves and their incorporation in OSK rods. The structures of these sleeves are based on neo-inositol, terephthalaldehyde diacetals, and indacene. To quantify the influence of the sleeves on rod rigidity, we applied the worm-like chain (WLC) model on the new rods and found that this approach is rather disappointing. As the chief cause of this result, we assume that the rigidity of typical molecular rods largely exceeds the rigidity of polymers, which were successfully described by the WLC model. Alternatively, we suggest quantifying the rigidity of molecular rods by fitting an empirical function on the end-to-end distance distribution curve obtained by MD simulations. After checking various function types, the Levy-Martin function proved to be most suitable for this purpose. On the basis of this function, we defined the Levy-Martin parameter and suggest using this parameter for the characterization of the rigidity of molecular rods.
Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBisCO), the most important enzyme for the assimilation of carbon into biomass, features a well-known isotope effect with regards to the CO2 carbon atom. This kinetic isotope effect alpha = k (12)/k (13) for the carboxylation step of the RuBisCO reaction sequence, and its microscopic origin, was investigated with the help of cluster models and quantum chemical methods [B3LYP/6-31G(d,p)]. We use a recently proposed model for the RuBisCO active site, in which a water molecule remains close to the reaction center during carboxylation of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate [B. Kannappan, J.E. Gready, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 130 (2008), 15063]. Alternative active-site models and/or computational approaches were also tested. An isotope effect alpha for carboxylation is found, which is reasonably close to the one measured for the overall reaction, and which originates from a simple frequency shift of the bending vibration of (CO2)-C-12 compared to (CO2)-C-13. The latter is the dominant mode for the product formation at the transition state.
Selective excitation of molecule-surface vibrations in H2 and D2 dissociatively adsorbed on Ru(0001)
(2012)
In this contribution we report about the selective vibrational excitation of H2 and D2 on Ru(0001) as an example for nonadiabatic coupling of an open quantum system to a dissipative environment. We investigate the possibility of achieving state-selective vibrational excitations of H2 and D2 adsorbed on a Ru(0001) surface using picosecond infrared laser pulses. The systems behavior is explored using pulses that are rationally designed and others that are optimized using a time-local variant of Optimal Control Theory. The effects of dissipation on the laser-driven dynamics are studied using the reduced-density matrix formalism. The non-adiabatic couplings between adsorbate and surface are computed perturbatively, for which our recently introduced state-resolved anharmonic rate model is used. It is shown that mode- and state-selective excitation can be achieved in the absence of dissipation when using optimized laser pulses. The inclusion of dissipation in the model reduces the state selectivity and the population transfer yield to highly excited states. In this case, mode activation is most effectively realized by a rational pulse of carefully chosen duration rather than by a locally optimized pulse.
There is a demand for new and robust PdII extractants due to growing recycling rates. Chelating dithioethers are promising substances for solvent extraction as they form stable square-planar complexes with PdII. We have modified unsaturated dithioethers, which are known to coordinate PdII, and adapted them to the requirements of industrial practice. The ligands are analogues of 1,2-dithioethene with varying electron-withdrawing backbones and polar end-groups. The crystal structures of several ligands and their palladium complexes were determined as well as their electro- and photochemical properties, complex stability and behaviour in solution. Solvent extraction experiments showed the superiority of some of our ligands over conventionally used extractants in terms of their very fast reaction rates. With highly selective 1,2-bis(2-methoxyethylthio)benzene (4) it is possible to extract PdII from a highly acidic medium in the presence of other base and palladium-group metals.
A series of new heteroleptic MN2S2 transition metal complexes with M = Cu2+ for EPR measurements and as diamagnetic hosts Ni2+, Zn2+, and Pd2+ were synthesized and characterized. The ligands are N2 = 4, 4'-bis(tert-butyl)-2, 2'-bipyridine (tBu2bpy) and S2 =1, 2-dithiooxalate, (dto), 1, 2-dithiosquarate, (dtsq), maleonitrile-1, 2-dithiolate, or 1, 2-dicyanoethene-1, 2-dithiolate, (mnt). The CuII complexes were studied by EPR in solution and as powders, diamagnetically diluted in the isostructural planar [NiII(tBu2bpy)(S2)] or[PdII(tBu2bpy)(S2)] as well as in tetrahedrally coordinated[ZnII(tBu2bpy)(S2)] host structures to put steric stress on the coordination geometry of the central CuN2S2 unit. The spin density contributions for different geometries calculated from experimental parameters are compared with the electronic situation in the frontier orbital, namely in the semi-occupied molecular orbital (SOMO) of the copper complex, derived from quantum chemical calculations on different levels (EHT and DFT). One of the hosts, [NiII(tBu2bpy)(mnt)], is characterized by X-ray structure analysis to prove the coordination geometry. The complex crystallizes in a square-planar coordination mode in the monoclinic space group P21/a with Z = 4 and the unit cell parameters a = 10.4508(10) angstrom, b = 18.266(2) angstrom, c = 12.6566(12) angstrom, beta = 112.095(7)degrees. Oxidation and reductions potentials of one of the host complexes, [Ni(tBu2bpy)(mnt)], were obtained by cyclovoltammetric measurements.
The copolymerization of an excess of a functionalized styrene monomer, 4-vinylbenzyl methoxytetrakis(oxyethylene) ether, with various N-substituted maleimides yields tapered diblock copolymers in a one-step procedure, when applying reversible deactivation radical polymerization (RDRP) methods, such as ATRP and RAFT. The particular chemical structure of the diblock copolymers prepared results in reversible temperature-responsive two-step aggregation behavior in dilute aqueous solution. In this way, a double hydrophilic block copolymer is transformed step by step into an amphiphilic macrosurfactant, and finally into a double hydrophobic copolymer, as followed by turbidimetry and dynamic light scattering. Copolymers in which the maleimide repeat units bear short hydrophobic side chains are freely water-soluble at low temperature and form micellar aggregates above their cloud point. Further heating above the phase transition temperature of the second block results in secondary aggregation. Copolymers with maleimides that bear strongly hydrophobic substituents undergo two thermally induced aggregation steps upon heating, too, but show in addition intramolecular hydrophobic association in water already at low temperatures, similar to the behavior of polysoaps.
A sequential ruthenium-catalyzed ring-closing metathesis-transfer hydrogenation sequence has been established as a synthesis of chromanes starting from 2-(allyloxy)styrenes. The sequence requires only one precatalyst, the first-generation Grubbs catalyst, which is converted into a ruthenium hydride species in situ. Propan-2-ol serves as a chemical trigger for the formation of the ruthenium hydride and as hydrogen source.
Pioneered by Clark's microelectrode more than half a century ago, there has been substantial interest in developing new, miniaturized optical methods to detect molecular oxygen inside cells. While extensively used for animal tissue measurements, applications of intracellular optical oxygen biosensors are still scarce in plant science. A critical aspect is the strong autofluorescence of the green plant tissue that interferes with optical signals of commonly used oxygen probes. A recently developed dual-frequency phase modulation technique can overcome this limitation, offering new perspectives for plant research. This review gives an overview on the latest optical sensing techniques and methods based on phosphorescence quenching in diverse tissues and discusses the potential pitfalls for applications in plants. The most promising oxygen sensitive probes are reviewed plus different oxygen sensing structures ranging from micro-optodes to soluble nanoparticles. Moreover, the applicability of using heterologously expressed oxygen binding proteins and fluorescent proteins to determine changes in the cellular oxygen concentration are discussed as potential non-invasive cellular oxygen reporters.
The self-assembly of double-hydrophilic poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(2-methyl-2-oxazoline) diblock copolymers in water has been studied. Isothermal titration calorimetry, small-angle X-ray scattering, and analytical ultracentrifugation suggest that only single polymer chains are present in solution. In contrast, light scattering and transmission electron microscopy detect aggregates with radii of ca. 100 nm. Pulsed field gradient NMR spectroscopy confirms the presence of aggregates, although only 2% of the polymer chains undergo aggregation. Water uptake experiments indicate differences in the hydrophilicity of the two blocks, which is believed to be the origin of the unexpected aggregation behavior (in accordance with an earlier study by Ke et al. [Macromolecules 2009, 42, 5339-5344]). The data therefore suggest that even in double-hydrophilic block copolymers, differences in hydrophilicity are sufficient to drive polymer aggregation, a phenomenon that has largely been overlooked or ignored so far.
The spatial magnetic properties (through-space NMR shieldings, or TSNMRSs) of the antiaromatic 9-oxaanthracene anion 12(-) and of the corresponding 9-dimeric dianion 11(2-) have been calculated by the gauge-invariant atomic orbitals (GIAO) perturbation method employing the nucleus independent chemical shift (NICS) concept and visualized as iso-chemical-shielding surfaces (ICSSs) of various size and direction. The TSNMRS values, thus obtained, can be employed to indicate antiaromaticity by paratropic ring currents of the anionic compounds of 11(2-) and 12(-) studied and other neutral and ionic antiaromatic molecules from previous studies because anisotropic effects of functional groups in H-1 NMR spectra have quantitatively proven to be the molecular response property of theoretical spatial nucleus independent chemical shieldings (NICS).
Syntheses and conformational analyses of new naphth[1,2-e][1,3]oxazino[3,2-c] quinazolin-13-ones
(2012)
The syntheses of naphth[1,2-e][1,3]oxazino[3,2-c]quinazolin-13-one derivatives (3a-f) were achieved by the solvent-free heating of benzyloxycarbonyl-protected intermediates (2a-f) with MeONa. For intermediates 2a-f, prepared by the reactions of substituted aminonaphthols with benzyl N-(2-formylphenyl)carbamate, not only the expected trans ring form B and chain form A(1), but also the rearranged chain form A(2) as a new tautomer were detected in DMSO at room temperature. The quantity of A(2) in the tautomeric mixture was changed with time.
Conformational analyses of the target heterocycles 3a-f by NMR spectroscopy and accompanying theoretical calculations at the DFT level of theory revealed that the oxazine ring preferred a twisted chair conformation and the quinazolone ring was planar. Besides the conformations, both the configurations at C-7a and C-15 and the preferred rotamers of the 1-naphthyl substituent at C-15 were assigned, which allowed evaluation of the aryl substituent-dependent steric hindrance in this part of the molecules. Configurational assignments were corroborated by quantifying the ring current effect of 15-aryl in terms of spatial NICS.
When a hydrogen (H) atom approaches a deuterium (D-2) molecule, the minimum-energy path is for the three nuclei to line up. Consequently, nearly collinear collisions cause HD reaction products to be backscattered with low rotational excitation, whereas more glancing collisions yield sideways-scattered HD products with higher rotational excitation. Here we report that measured cross sections for the H + D-2 -> HD(v' = 4, j') + D reaction at a collision energy of 1.97 electron volts contradict this behavior. The anomalous angular distributions match closely fully quantum mechanical calculations, and for the most part quasiclassical trajectory calculations. As the energy available in product recoil is reduced, a rotational barrier to reaction cuts off contributions from glancing collisions, causing high-j' HD products to become backward scattered.
The well-known cationic surfactant hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) was used as a model carrier to study drug-carrier interactions with fluorescence probes (5-hexadecanoylaminofluorescein (HAF) and 2,10-bis-(3-aminopropyloxy)dibenzo[aj]perylene-8,16-dione (NIR 628) by applying ensemble as well as single molecule fluorescence techniques. The impact of the probes on the micelle parameters (critical micelle concentration, average aggregation number, hydrodynamic radius) was investigated under physiological conditions. In the presence of additional electrolytes, such as buffer, the critical micelle concentration decreased by a factor of about 10. In contrast, no influence of the probes on the critical micelle concentration and on average aggregation number was observed. The results show that HAF does not affect the characteristics of CTAB micelles. Analyzing fluorescence correlation spectroscopy data and time-resolved anisotropy decays in terms of the "two-step" in combination with the "wobbling-in-cone" model, it was proven that HAF and NIR 628 are differently associated with the micelles. Based on ensemble and single molecule fluorescence experiments, intra- and intermicellar energy transfer process between the two dyes were probed and characterized.
In the present study, the effects of ionic liquids (ILs) on the stability of nanoparticles in several IL compositions were investigated. In this context, we examined the primary role of ILs in the synthesis of metal/metal oxide nanoparticles and their dispersions extensively. However, the focus of the discussion in this communication centers mainly on the effect of EMIM Ethyl Sulfate on growth and stability of nanoparticles. The dispersion properties of ILs based on their ability to aid the synthesis of uniformly dispersed nanoparticles have been further explored to produce nanoparticles of an effective catalyst useful in water purification, soil remediation and battery applications. Two independent protocols were developed for the synthesis of nanoparticles, namely (a) one pot process via chemical reduction (b) dispersion of the inorganic material in ILs. The protocols are simple, sustainable and environmentally friendly because the processes are conducted in ILs as harmless non-toxic green solvent materials. The catalysts were analyzed by x-ray diffraction, electron microscopy, UV visible spectroscopy and dynamic light scattering as the main methodologies.
Silver nanoparticles (SNPs) are among the most commercialized nanoparticles worldwide. Often SNP are used because of their antibacterial properties. Besides that they possess unique optic and catalytic features, making them highly interesting for the creation of novel and advanced functional materials. Despite its widespread use only little data exist in terms of possible adverse effects of SNP on human health. Conventional synthesis routes usually yield products of varying quality and property. It thus may become puzzling to compare biological data from different studies due to the great variety in sizes, coatings or shapes of the particles applied. Here, we applied a novel synthesis approach to obtain SNP of well-defined colloidal and structural properties. Being stabilized by a covalently linked small peptide, these particles are nicely homogenous, with narrow size distribution, and form monodisperse suspensions in aqueous solutions. We applied these peptide-coated SNP in two different sizes of 20 or 40 nm (Ag20Pep and Ag40Pep) and analyzed responses of THP-1-derived human macrophages while being exposed against these particles. Gold nanoparticles of similar size and coating (Au20Pep) were used for comparison. The cytotoxicity of particles was assessed by WST-1 and LDH assays, and the uptake into the cells was confirmed via transmission electron microscopy. In summary, our data demonstrate that this novel type of SNP is well suited to serve as model system for nanoparticles to be tested in toxicological studies in vitro.
We investigate the effect of intermode coupling and anharmonicity on the excitation and relaxation dynamics of CO on Cu(100). The nonadiabatic coupling of the adsorbate to the surface is treated perturbatively using a position-dependent state-resolved transition rate model. Using the potential energy surface of Marquardt et al. [J. Chem. Phys. 132, 074108 (2010)], which provides an accurate description of intermode interactions, we propose a four-dimensional model that represents simultaneously the diffusion and the desorption of the adsorbate. The system is driven by both rational and optimized infrared laser pulses to favor either selective mode and state excitations or lateral displacement along the diffusion coordinate. The dissipative dynamics is simulated using the reduced density matrix in its Lindblad form. We show that coupling between the degrees of freedom, mediated by the creation and annihilation of electron-hole pairs in the metal substrate, significantly affects the system excitation and relaxation dynamics. In particular, the angular degrees of freedom appear to play an important role in the energy redistribution among the molecule-surface vibrations. We also show that coherent excitation using simple IR pulses can achieve population transfer to a specific target to some extent but does not allow enforcement of the directionality to the diffusion motion.
Propagation rate coefficients for homogeneous phase VDF-HFP copolymerization in supercritical CO2
(2012)
For the first time, propagation rate coefficients, kp,COPO, for the copolymerizations of vinylidene fluoride and hexafluoropropene have been determined. The kinetic data was determined via pulsed-laser polymerization in conjunction with polymer analysis via size-exclusion chromatography, the PLP-SEC technique. The experiments were carried out in homogeneous phase with supercritical CO2 as solvent for temperatures ranging from 45 to 90 degrees C. Absolute polymer molecular weights were calculated on the basis of experimentally determined MarkHouwink constants. The Arrhenius parameters of kp,COPO vary significantly compared with ethene, which is explained by the high electronegativity of fluorine and less intra- and intermolecular interactions between the partially fluorinated macroradicals.
The structure of naturally-occurring cinerin C [systematic name: (7S,8R,3'R,4'S,5'R)-Delta(8')-4'-hydroxy-5,5',3'-trimethoxy-3,4-methylenedioxy-2',3',4',5'-tetrahydro-2'-oxo-7.3',8.5'-neolignan], isolated from the ethanol extract of leaves of Pleurothyrium cinereum (Lauraceae), has previously been established by NMR and HRMS spectroscopy, and its absolute configuration established by circular dichroism measurements. For the first time, its crystal strucure has now been established by single-crystal X-ray analysis, as the monohydrate, C22H26O7 center dot H2O. The bicyclooctane moiety comprises fused cyclopentane and cyclohexenone rings which are almost coplanar. An intermolecular O-H center dot center dot center dot O hydrogen bond links the 4'-OH and 5'-OCH3 groups along the c axis.
A polymer-clay based composite adsorbent was prepared from locally obtained kaolinite clay and polyvinyl alcohol. The composite adsorbent was used to remove lead (II) ions from aqueous solution in a fixed bed mode. The increase in bed height and initial metal ion concentration increased the adsorption capacity of lead (II) and the volume of aqueous solution treated at 50% breakthrough. However, the adsorption capacity was reduced by almost 16.5% with the simultaneous presence of Ca2+/Pb2+ and Na+/Pb2+ in the aqueous solution. Regeneration of the adsorbent with 0.1 M of HCl also reduced its adsorption capacity to 75.1%. Adsorption of lead (II) ions onto the polymer-clay composite adsorbent in the presence of Na+ and Ca2+ electrolyte increased the rate of mass transfer, probably due to competition between cationic species in solution for adsorption sites. Regeneration further increased the rate of mass transfer as a result of reduced adsorption sites after the regeneration process. The length of the mass transfer zone was found to increase with increasing bed height but did not change with increasing the initial metal ion concentration. The models of Yoon-Nelson, Thomas, and Clark were found to give good fit to adsorption data. On the other hand, Bohart-Adams model was found to be a poor predictor for the column operation. The polymer-clay composite adsorbent has a good potential for the removal of lead (II) ions from highly polluted aqueous solutions.
The easily accessible, but virtually overlooked monomer methoxy diethylene glycol acrylate was polymerized by the RAFT method using monofunctional, difunctional, and trifunctional trithiocarbonates to afford thermoresponsive polymers exhibiting lower critical solution temperature-type phase transitions in aqueous solution. The use of the appropriate RAFT agent allowed for the preparation and systematic variation of polymers with defined molar mass, end-groups, and architecture, including amphiphilic diblock, symmetrical triblock, and triarm star-block copolymers, containing polystyrene as permanently hydrophobic constituent. The cloud points (CPs) of the various polymers proved to be sensitive to all varied parameters, namely molar mass, nature, and number of the end-groups, and the architecture, up to relatively high molar masses. Thus, CPs of the polymers can be adjusted within the physiological interesting range of 2040 degrees C. Remarkably, CPs increased with the molar mass, even when hydrophilic end groups were attached to the polymers.
Hydrogel systems based on hydroxyethyl starch-polyethylene glycol methacrylate (HES-P(EG)(6)MA) or hydroxyethyl starch methacrylate (HES-MA) were used to assess the protein release behavior. Here, we analyzed the in vitro release of FITC-anti-human antibodies incorporated in either HES-P(EG)(6)MA or HES-MA hydrogel delivery systems in PBS or human serum. In addition, hydrogel disks and microparticles prepared from the two polymers were subcutaneously implanted in BALB/c mice. The in vivo release of FITC-IgG was non-invasively monitored by an in vivo imaging system (IVIS 200) over a time period of up to 3 months. The imaging system allowed to asses individual animals over time, therefore only a small number of animals was required to obtain high quality data. The reduction in fluorescence intensity at the site of administration was compared to in vitro release profiles. These investigations demonstrated a sustained release from HES-MA hydrogel disks compared to rapidly degrading HES-P(EG)(6)MA disks and microparticles. The sustained release from HES-MA disks could be further optimized by using increased polymer concentrations. Human serum as in vitro release medium reflected better the in vivo release from HES-P(EG)(6)MA systems than PBS, suggesting that the presence of organic substances like proteins or lipids may play a significant role for the release kinetics.
Angle-resolved two-photon photoemission and high-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy are employed to derive the electronic structure of a subnanometer atomically precise quasi-one-dimensional graphene nanoribbon (GNR) on Au(111). We resolved occupied and unoccupied electronic bands including their dispersion and determined the band gap, which possesses an unexpectedly large value of 5.1 eV. Supported by density functional theory calculations for the idealized infinite polymer and finite size oligomers, an unoccupied nondispersive electronic state with an energetic position in the middle of the band gap of the GNR could be identified. This state resides at both ends of the ribbon (end state) and is only found in the finite sized systems, i.e., the oligomers.
Two new naphthoquinones, 5-hydroxy-3,6-dimethoxy-2-methylnaphthalene-1,4-dione and 5,8-dihydroxy-3-methoxy-2-methylnaphthalene-1,4-dione, were isolated from the roots of Aloe secundiflora together with the known compounds chrysophanol, helminthosporin, isoxanthorin, ancistroquinone C, aloesaponarins I and II, aloesaponols I and II, laccaic acid D methyl ester and asphodelin. The structures were elucidated based on spectroscopic evidence. This appears to be the first report on the occurrence of naphthoquinones in the genus Aloe. Aloesaponarin I and 5-hydroxy-3,6-dimethoxy-2-methylnaphthalene-1,4-dione showed anti-bacterial activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis with MIC values of 21-23 mu g/mL in the Microplate Alamar Blue Assay (MABA) and Low Oxygen Recovery Assay (LORA); 5-hydroxy-3,6-dimethoxy-2-methylnaphthalene-1,4-dione also showed cytotoxicity against the Vero cell line (IC50 = 10.2 mu g/mL).
As an extension of recent findings on the recovery of palladium with dithioether extractants, single crystals of the chelating vicinal thioether sulfoxide ligand rac-1-[(2-methoxyethyl)sulfanyl]-2-[(2-methoxyethyl)sulfinyl]benzene, C12H18O3S2, (I), and its square-planar dichloridopalladium complex, rac-dichlorido{1-[(2-methoxyethyl)sulfanyl]-2-[(2-methoxyethyl)sulfinyl]benzene-?2S,S'}palladium(II), [PdCl2(C12H18O3S2)], (II), have been synthesized and their structures analysed. The molecular structure of (II) is the first ever characterized involving a dihalogenidePdII complex in which the palladium is bonded to both a thioether and a sulfoxide functional group. The structural and stereochemical characteristics of the ligand are compared with those of the analogous dithioether compound [Traeger et al. (2012). Eur. J. Inorg. Chem. pp. 23412352]. The sulfinyl O atom suppresses the electron-pushing and mesomeric effect of the SC...;CS unit in ligand (I), resulting in bond lengths significantly different than in the dithioether reference compound. In contrast, in complex (II), those bond lengths are nearly the same as in the analogous dithioether complex. As observed previously, there is an interaction between the central PdII atom and the O atom that is situated above the plane.