Dependences of Water Permeation through Cyclic Octa-peptide Nanotubes on Channel Length and Membrane Thickness

Effects of the channel length and membrane thickness on the water permeation through the transmembrane cyclic octa-peptide nanotubes (octa-PNTs) have been studied by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The water osmotic permeability (p(f)) through the PNTs of k × (WL)(4)/POPE (1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-glycerophosphoethanolamine; k = 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10) was found to decay with the channel length (L) along the axis (～L(-2.0)). Energetic analysis showed that a series of water binding sites exist in these transmembrane PNTs, with the barriers of ～3k(B)T, which elucidates the tendency of p(f) well. Water diffusion permeability (p(d)) exhibits a relationship of ～L(-1.8), which results from the novel 1-2-1-2 structure of water chain in such confined nanolumens. In the range of simulation accuracy, the ratio (p(f)/p(d)) of the water osmotic and diffusion permeability is approximately a constant. MD simulations of water permeation through the transmembrane PNTs of 8 × (WL)(4)/octane with the different octane membrane thickness revealed that the water osmotic and diffusion permeability (p(f) and p(d)) are both independent of the octane membrane thickness, confirmed by the weak and nearly same interactions between the channel water and octane membranes with the different thickness. The results may be helpful for revealing the permeation mechanisms of biological water channels and designing artificial nanochannels.     

Characterization and ab initio XRPD structure determination of a novel silicate with Vierer single chains: the crystal structure of NaYSi2O6

The crystal structure of a sodium yttrium silicate with composition NaYSi2O6 has been determined from laboratory X-ray powder diffraction data by simulated annealing, and has been subsequently refined with the Rietveld technique. The compound is monoclinic with space group P2(1)/c and unit cell parameters of a=5.40787(2) A, b=13.69784(5) A, c=7.58431(3) A, and beta=109.9140(3) degrees at 23.5 degrees C (Z=4). The structure was found to be a single-chain silicate with a chain periodicity of four. The two symmetry dependent [Si4O12] chains in the unit cell are parallel to c. A prominent feature is the strong folding of the crankshaft-like chains within the b,c-plane resulting in intrachain Si-Si-Si angles close to 90 degrees. The coordination of the Y3+ ions by O2- is 7-fold in the form of slightly irregular pentagonal bipyramids, with oxygen atoms from four different chains contributing to the coordination polyhedron. Na+ ions are irregularly coordinated by 10 oxygens from two neighboring chains. No disorder of Na+ and Y3+ between the two nontetrahedral cation sites could be observed. Furthermore, micro-Raman spectra have been obtained from the polycrystalline material.     

Co3(RL)2(hfac)6 ladder complex of 5-[4-(N-tert-butyl-N-aminoxyl)phenyl]pyrimidine

5-[4-(N-tert-butyl-N-aminoxyl)phenyl]pyridimine (4NITPhPyrim = RL) forms a 1-D ladder polymer complex with Co(hfac)2 of stoichiometry Co3(RL)2(hfac)6, having antiparallel [Co(II)RL]n linear chains (rails) that are cross-linked by Pyrim-Co(hfac)2-Pyrim rungs. The magnetic behavior above 100 K is consistent with contributions from one high-spin Co(II) ion (the cross-link, S = 3/2) plus two Co-ON units with strongly antiferromagnetic (AFM) metal-radical exchange (each S = 1). The chiT data show an AFM downturn as the temperature drops. Assuming weak exchange along chain portions of the polymer due to poor spin polarization across the phenyl-pyrimidine bond in RL, a linear three-spin (S = 1, 3/2, and 1) fit to the T > 18 K data yields an AFM cross-linker (rung) effective exchange of J(CL)/k = (-)5.3 K = (-)3.7 cm(-)(1). Superexchange (sigma-orbital overlap) is a likely mechanism for the effective AFM exchange between CoON and Co spin sites in the three-spin groupings.     

In situ X-ray diffraction study of cesium exchange in synthetic umbite

The exchange of Cs(+) into H(1.22)K(0.84)ZrSi(3)O(9)·2.16H(2)O (umbite-(HK)) was followed in situ using time-resolved X-ray diffraction at the National Synchrotron Light Source. The umbite framework (space group P2(1)/c with cell dimensions of a = 7.2814(3) ?, b = 10.4201(4) ?, c = 13.4529(7) ?, and β = 90.53(1)°) consists of wollastonite-like silicate chains linked by isolated zirconia octahedra. Within umbite-(HK) there are two unique ion exchange sites in the tunnels running parallel to the a-axis. Exchange Site 1 is marked by 8 member-ring (MR) windows in the bc-plane and contains K(+) cations. Exchange Site 2 is marked by a larger 8-MR channel parallel to [100], and contains H(2)O molecules. The occupancy of the Cs(+) cations through these channels was modeled by Rietveld structure refinements of the diffraction data and demonstrated that there is a two-step exchange process. The incoming Cs(+) ions populated the larger 8-MR channel (Exchange Site 2) first and then migrated into the smaller 8-MR channel. During the exchange process a structural change occurs, transforming the exchanger from monoclinic P2(1)/c to orthorhombic P2(1)2(1)2(1). This structural change occurs when Cs(+) occupancy in the small cavity becomes greater than 0.50. The final in situ ion exchange diffraction pattern was refined to yield umbite-(CsK) with the molecular formula H(0.18)K(0.45)Cs(1.37)ZrSi(3)O(9)·0.98H(2)O and possessing an orthorhombic unit cell with dimensions a = 10.6668(8) ?, b = 13.5821(11) ?, c = 7.3946(6) ?. Solid state (133)Cs MAS NMR showed there is only a slight difference between the two cavities electronically. Valence bond sums for the completely occupied Exchange Site 1 demonstrate that Cs-O bonds of up to 3.8 ? contribute to the coordination of the Cs(+) cation.     

2D 129Xe EXSY of xenon atoms in a thermotropic liquid crystal confined to a controlled-pore glass

Two-dimensional (129)Xe exchange spectroscopy (EXSY) NMR measurements are presented for xenon atoms dissolved in a thermotropic nematic Liquid Crystal (LC), Merck Phase 4, confined to a mesoporous Controlled-Pore Glass (CPG) material with an average pore diameter of 81 A. Experiments were carried out as a function of mixing time at two different temperatures in which Phase 4 appears in nematic and isotropic phases. The exchange rate constants of xenon atoms between two different sites were determined utilizing the intensities of diagonal and off-diagonal signals measured in the EXSY spectra. In the studied system, the sites are: (a) xenon dissolved in the bulk LC between the CPG particles; and (b) xenon in the LC confined inside the pores. The diffusion rate of xenon atoms between the various sites was observed to be very slow.     

Synthesis, structure, and magnetic properties of the oxalate-based bimetallic ferromagnetic chain {[K(18-crown-6)][Mn(H2O)2Cr(ox)3]}infinity (18-crown-6 = C12H24O6, ox = C2O4(2-))

The salt [K(18-crown-6)][Mn(H2O)2Cr(ox)3.0.5(18-crown-6) (1) has been prepared and structurally and magnetically characterized. It crystallizes in the P2(1)/c space group [a = 21.011(2) A, b = 11.265(2) A, c = 15.748(3) A, beta = 105.952(6) degrees , V = 3584(1) A3, and Z = 4] and contains [Mn(H2O)2Cr(ox)3]infinity chains connected through hydrogen bonding to form 2D anionic networks. The magnetic exchange is ferromagnetic [J = +2.23(2) cm(-1)] in the chain and also in between chains, reaching bulk ferromagnetic ordering below 3.5 K.     

How to Polymerize Ethylene in a Highly Controlled Fashion?

Very fast, reversible, polyethylene (PE) chain transfer or complex-catalysed "Aufbaureaktion" describes a "living" chain-growing process on a main-group metal or zinc atom; this process is catalysed by an organo-transition-metal or lanthanide complex. PE chains are transferred very fast between the two metal sites and chain growth takes place through ethylene insertion into the transition-metal- or lanthanide-carbon bond-coordinative chain-transfer polymerisation (CCTP). The transferred chains "rest" at the main-group or zinc centre, at which chain-termination processes like beta-H transfer/elimination are of low significance. Such protocols can be used to synthesise very narrowly distributed PE materials (M(w)/M(n)<1.1 up to a molecular weight of about 4000 g mol(-1)) with differently functionalised end groups. Higher molecular-weight polymers can be obtained with a slightly increased M(w)/M(n), since diffusion control and precipitation of the polymers influences the chain-transfer process. Recently, a few transition-metal- or lanthanide-based catalyst systems that catalyse such a highly reversible chain-growing process have been described. They are summarised and compared within this contribution.     

Synthesis and characterization of protonated zirconium trisilicate and its exchange phases with strontium

A partially protonated form of the mineral umbite has been prepared by ion exchange of K2ZrSi3O9 x H2O with acetic acid. The protonated phase, compound 1, is assigned the formula H1.45K0.55ZrSi3O9 x 2 H2O and crystallizes in the space group P2(1)/c with unit cell dimensions of a = 7.1002(2), b = 10.1163(3), c = 13.1742(5), and beta = 91.181(1) degrees. The characteristic building blocks of the acid phase are almost identical to those of the parent compound. The framework is composed of polymeric chains of trisilicate groups linked by zirconium atoms, resulting in zeolite-type channels. When viewed down the a axis, two unique ion-exchange channels can be seen. Site 1 is marked by a 12-membered ring and contains 2 cations. Site 2, a 16-membered ring, contains 4 water molecules. Compound 2, consists of a mixed Sr2+ and K+ phase synthesized from 1 by ion exchange with Sr(NO3)2. Compound 2 has the formula K0.34Sr0.83ZrSi3O9 x 1.8 H2O and crystallizes in the same space group P2(1)/c. It has cell dimensions of a = 7.1386(3), b = 10.2304(4), c = 13.1522(4), and beta = 90.222(1) degrees. The Sr2+ cations are distributed evenly among the two exchange sites, showing no preference for either cavity. Compound 3 is the fully substituted Sr phase, SrZrSi3O9 x 2 H2O, and retains the same space group as that of the previous two compounds having unit cell dimensions of a = 7.1425(5), b = 10.2108(8), c = 13.0693(6), and beta = 90.283(1) degrees. The strontium cations show a slight affinity for ion-exchange site 2, having a higher occupancy of 0.535, while site 1 is occupied by the remainder of the Sr2+ cations with an occupancy of 0.465. Batch uptake studies demonstrate a selectivity series among alkaline earth cations of Ba2+ > Sr2+ > Ca2+ > Mg2+.     

Theoretical and experimental correlations of gas dissolution, diffusion, and thermodynamic properties in determination of gas permeability and selectivity in supported ionic liquid membranes

Supported ionic liquid membranes (SILMs) has the potential to be a new technological platform for gas/organic vapour separation because of the unique non-volatile nature and discriminating gas dissolution properties of room temperature ionic liquids (ILs). This work starts with an examination of gas dissolution and transport properties in bulk imidazulium cation based ionic liquids [C(n)mim][NTf2] (n=2.4, 6, 8.10) from simple gas H(2), N(2), to polar CO(2), and C(2)H(6), leading to a further analysis of how gas dissolution and diffusion are influenced by molecular specific gas-SILMs interactions, reflected by differences in gas dissolution enthalpy and entropy. These effects were elucidated again during gas permeation studies by examining how changes in these properties and molecular specific interactions work together to cause deviations from conventional solution-diffusion theory and their impact on some remarkably contrasting gas perm-selectivity performance. The experimental perm-selectivity for all tested gases showed varied and contrasting deviation from the solution-diffusion, depending on specific gas-IL combinations. It transpires permeation for simpler non-polar gases (H(2), N(2)) is diffusion controlled, but strong molecular specific gas-ILs interactions led to a different permeation and selectivity performance for C(2)H(6) and CO(2). With exothermic dissolution enthalpy and large order disruptive entropy, C(2)H(6) displayed the fastest permeation rate at increased gas phase pressure in spite of its smallest diffusivity among the tested gases. The C(2)H(6) gas molecules "peg" on the side alkyl chain on the imidazulium cation at low concentration, and are well dispersed in the ionic liquids phase at high concentration. On the other hand strong CO(2)-ILs affinity resulted in a more prolonged "residence time" for the gas molecule, typified by reversed CO(2)/N(2) selectivity and slowest CO(2) transport despite CO(2) possess the highest solubility and comparable diffusivity in the ionic liquids. The unique transport and dissolution behaviour of CO(2) are further exploited by examining the residing state of CO(2) molecules in the ionic liquid phase, which leads to a hypothesis of a condensing and holding capacity of ILs towards CO(2), which provide an explanation to slower CO(2) transport through the SILMs. The pressure related exponential increase in permeations rate is also analysed which suggests a typical concentration dependent diffusion rate at high gas concentration under increased gas feed pressure. Finally the strong influence of discriminating and molecular specific gas-ILs interactions on gas perm-selectivity performance points to future specific design of ionic liquids for targeted gas separations.     

Influence of Crystal Thickness and Topological Constraints on Chain Diffusion in Linear Polyethylene

¹³C solid‐state exchange NMR is applied to study the influence of morphology on chain diffusion between crystalline and noncrystalline regions in ultrahigh molecular weight linear polyethylene (PE). Lamellar‐doubling reduces the exchange rate by a factor of two indicating that the chain diffusion coefficient is largely independent of the lamellar thickness. This is discussed in terms of molecular processes in the crystallites leading to chain diffusion, confirming that the role of defects is minor compared to helical jumps of extended stems. Hindrance of the chain diffusion resulting from chain entanglements was only observed after the chains diffuse over long distances. Moreover, the role of the interphase between the noncrystalline and the crystalline regions on chain diffusion is discussed.

     

Selectivity of shear flow on chains for the degradation reaction of melt polyolefin elastomer with dicumyl peroxide

The degrading behaviors of three kinds of melt polyolefin elastomers (POEs) at presence of dicumyl peroxides (DCPs) in transient shear flow were evaluated at elevated temperature by parallel plate rheometer. The critical shear rates for degradations of all POEs were different from one to another. The rheological and gel permeation chromatograph (GPC) results showed that the degradation was more and more distinct and the duration to achieve one similar level of molecular weight decreased as the shear rate increased. For quantitative information on chain structure, linear viscoelasticity combined with branch-on-branch (BOB) dynamic model was used to predict probable compositions and chain topologies of the modified products, which were reasonably explained by the suggested mechanism of radical reactions and could confirm that there was a kind of selectivity of shear rate on POE chains for degradation. Higher shear rate can enlarge the differences in mobility of the two scission parts and can further increase the possibility of effective degradation on the original chains.     

Oxygen permeation study in a tubular Ba0.5Sr0.5Co0.8Fe0.2O3-δ oxygen permeable membrane

Dense tubular Ba_0.5Sr_0.5Co_0.8Fe_0.2O_3−δ (BSCFO) membranes were successfully prepared by the plastic extrusion method. The oxygen permeation flux was determined at different oxygen partial pressures in the shell side and different temperatures between 700 and 900 °C. The oxygen vacancy diffusion coefficients (D_v) at different temperatures were calculated from the dependence of oxygen permeation flux on the oxygen partial pressure term based on the surface current exchange model. No unsteady-state of oxygen permeation flux was observed at the initial stage in our experiments. The reason is the equilibrium time is too short (less than 10 min) to observe the unsteady-state in time. The increase of the helium flow rate can increase the oxygen permeation flux, which is due to the decrease of the oxygen partial pressure in the tube side with increasing of the helium flow rate. The oxygen permeation flux can also be affected by the air flow rate in the shell side when the air flow rate is lower than 150 ml/min. But the oxygen permeation flux is insensitive to the air flow rate when the air flow is higher than 150 ml/min. The membrane tube was operated steadily for 150 h with oxygen permeation flux of 1.12 ml/(cm² min) at 875 °C. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) analysis showed that both the surface exposed to air and the surface exposed to helium of the BSCFO membrane tube after permeation for 150 h are similar to the fresh membrane tube in composition and structure. These results indicated that the membrane tube exhibits high structure stability.     

Mechanism of immunoglobulin G4 Fab-arm exchange

Immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies are symmetrical molecules that may be regarded as covalent dimers of 2 half-molecules, each consisting of a light chain and a heavy chain. Human IgG4 is an unusually dynamic antibody, with half-molecule exchange ("Fab-arm exchange") resulting in asymmetrical, bispecific antibodies with two different antigen binding sites, which contributes to its anti-inflammatory activity. The mechanism of this process is unknown. To elucidate the elementary steps of this intermolecular antibody rearrangement, we developed a quantitative real-time FRET assay to monitor the kinetics of this process. We found that an intrinsic barrier is the relatively slow dissociation of the CH3 domains that noncovalently connect the heavy chains, which becomes rate determining in case disulfide bonds between the heavy chains are reduced or absent. Under redox conditions that mimic the previously estimated in vivo reaction rate, i.e., 1 mM of reduced glutathione, the overall rate is ca. 20 times lower because only a fraction of noncovalent isomers is present (with intra- rather than interheavy chain disulfide bonds), formed in a relatively fast pre-equilibrium from covalent isomers. Interestingly, Fab arms stabilize the covalent isomer: the amount of noncovalent isomers is ca. 3 times higher for Fc fragments of IgG4 (lacking Fab domains) compared to intact IgG4, and the observed rate of exchange is 3 times higher accordingly. Thus, kinetic data obtained from a sensitive and quantitative real-time FRET assay as described here yield accurate data about interdomain interactions such as those between Fab and/or Fc domains. The results imply that in vivo, the reaction is under control of local redox conditions.     

Synthesis and Structure of the Layered Thorium Telluride CsTh(2)Te(6)

The compound CsTh(2)Te(6) has been synthesized at 800 degrees C by the reaction of Th with a Cs(2)Te(3)/Te melt as a reactive flux. The compound crystallizes in the space group -Cmcm of the orthorhombic system with two formula units in a cell of dimensions a = 4.367(2) ?, b = 25.119(10) ?, c = 6.140(3) ?, and V = 673.5(5) ?(3) at T = 113 K. The structure of CsTh(2)Te(6) has been determined from single-crystal X-ray data. The structure comprises infinite, two-dimensional double layers of ThTe(8)-bicapped trigonal prisms. The structural motif of the trigonal prisms resembles that found in UTe(2). Cs(+) cations, disordered equally over two crystallographically equivalent sites, separate the layers and are coordinated by eight Te atoms at the corners of a rectangular parallelepiped. Short Te-Te distances of 3.052(3) and 3.088(3) ? form linear, infinite, one-dimensional chains within the layers. Simple formalisms describe neither the Te-Te bonding in the chain nor the oxidation state of Th. The compound shows weak semiconducting behavior along the Th/Te layers perpendicular to the Te-Te chain.     

Diffusion, relaxation, and chemical exchange in casein gels: a nuclear magnetic resonance study

Water in protein/water mixtures can be described in terms of bound water and free water, by exchange between these two states, and by its exchange with appropriate sites on the protein. 1H-NMR diffusion and relaxation measurements provide insights into the mobility of these states. T2 relaxation-time dispersions (i.e., T2 relaxation times at different echo pulse spacings) reveal additional information about exchange. We present a comprehensive set of diffusion and T2 dispersion measurements on casein gels for which the protein/water ratio ranges from 0.25 to 0.5. The combination of these methods, taken in conjunction with concentration dependence, allows a good estimate of the parameters required to fit the data with Luz/Meiboom and Carver/Richards models for relaxation and chemical exchange. We compare the exchange (a) between water and protein and (b) between free water and bound water. Further, we attempt to distinguish chemical site exchange and diffusion/susceptibility exchange.     

Relaxation processes in semidilute solutions of polymers in liquid crystal solvents

We investigate the relaxation phenomena in a polymer (polystyrene)/liquid crystal (4-cyano-4'-n-octyl-biphenyl) system, in its homogeneous isotropic phase near the isotropic-isotropic, isotropic-nematic, and isotropic-smectic coexistence curve, using both polarized and depolarized photon correlation spectroscopy (PCS). We study this system for different polystyrene molecular weights (4750, 12 500, and 65 000 g/mol), different compositions (50, 40, 30, and 10% polystyrene (PS) by weight), and different temperatures close to phase boundaries. First of all, we determine the phase diagrams of this system for the different molecular weights. The shape of the phase diagrams strongly depends on the molecular weight. However, in all cases, at low temperatures, these systems separate into an almost pure liquid crystalline (LC) phase and polystyrene-rich phase. PCS measurements show that the relaxation processes in the homogeneous phase are not affected by the proximity of the nematic, or smectic, boundaries (even at a temperature of 0.1 degrees C above the phase separation in two phases). In polarized PCS experiments, we always see three relaxation processes well separated in time: one, very fast, with a relaxation time of the order of 10(-5) s; a second one with a relaxation time within the range 10(-2)-10(-3) s; and a last one, very slow, with a relaxation time of the order of 1 s. Both the fast and slow modes are independent of the wave vector magnitude, while the intermediate relaxation process is diffusive. In depolarized PCS experiments, the intermediate mode disappears and only the fast and slow relaxation processes remain, and they are independent of the magnitude of the wave vector. The diffusive mode is the classical diffusive mode, which is associated with the diffusion of polymer chains in all polymer solutions. The fast mode is due to the rotational diffusion of 4-cyano-4'-n-octyl-biphenyl (8CB) molecules close to polystyrene chains (transient network). Finally, we assign the slowest mode to reorientational processes of small aggregates of PS chains that are not dissolved in 8CB.     

One-dimensional cobalt diphosphonates exhibiting weak ferromagnetism and field-induced magnetic transitions

This paper reports two new cobalt phosphonate compounds [NH3(CH2)nNH3]Co2(hedpH)2.2H2O [n = 4 (1), 5 (2)], where hedp is (1-hydroxyethylidene)diphosphonate [CH3C(OH)(PO3)2]. Both contain ladderlike chains with the same composition [Co2(hedpH)2](n)(2n-), where edge-shared [CoO6] octahedra are each bridged by O-P-O units. The chains are linked by very strong hydrogen bonds to form a three-dimensional open network with channels in which the diammonium counterions and lattice water reside. Magnetic studies reveal dominant antiferromagnetic interactions between the Co centers within the chain in both compounds. The field dependent magnetization confirms the occurrence of the field-induced magnetic transitions, with the critical fields ca. 25 kOe for 1 and 27.5 kOe for 2, respectively. In the case of compound 2, weak ferromagnetism is also observed at very low temperatures, possibly arising from spin canting of the antiferromagnetically coupled Co(II) ions in the chain. Crystal data: 1, monoclinic, P2(1)/c, a = 5.4868(8), b = 12.9116(18), and c = 15.251(2) A, beta = 98.843(2) degrees, V = 1067.6(3) A(3), Z = 2; 2, monoclinic, P2(1)/c, a = 5.4757(7), b = 12.7740(16), and c = 15.794(2) A, beta = 98.797(2) degrees, V = 1091.7(2) A(3), Z = 2.     

Dynamics of Adsorbed Star‐Branched Polymer Chains: A Computer Simulation Study

The simple cubic‐lattice model of polymer chains was used to study the dynamic properties of adsorbed, branched polymers. The model star‐branched chains consisted of f = 3 arms of equal lengths. The chain was modeled with excluded volume, that is, in good solvent conditions. The only interaction assumed was a contact potential between polymer segments and an impenetrable surface. This potential was varied to cover both weak and strong adsorption regimes. The classical Metropolis sampling algorithm was used for models of star‐branched polymers in order to calculate the dynamic properties of adsorbed chains. It was shown that long‐time dynamics (diffusion constant) and short‐time dynamics (the longest relaxation time) were different for weak and strong adsorption. The diffusion of weakly adsorbed chains was found to be qualitatively the same as for free nonadsorbed chains, whereas strongly adsorbed chains behaved like two‐dimensional polymers. The time‐dependent properties of structural elements such as tails, loops, and trains were also determined.

The mean lifetimes of tails, loops, and trains versus the bead number for the chain with N = 799 beads for the case of the weak adsorption ε_a = −0.3.     

Synthesis and characterization of ReO4-containing microporous and open framework structures

A microporous and an open framework structure, [Cu(2)(pzc)(2)(H(2)O)(2)ReO(4)] (I) and [Cu(pzc)(H(2)O)ReO(4)].2H(2)O (II) (pzc = 2-pyrazinecarboxylate), respectively, have been prepared using hydrothermal methods and characterized using IR, TGA, and X-ray diffraction (I Pnma, No. 62, Z = 4, a = 7.4949(9) A, b = 24.975(3) A, c = 9.141(1) A; II P2(1)/c, No. 14, Z = 4, a = 8.5878(9) A, b = 12.920(1) A, c = 9.741(1) A, beta = 92.830(2) degrees ). I and II crystallize as red and blue solids, respectively, and each contains chains constructed from alternating Cu(pzc)(2)/ReO(4) oxide-bridged metal sites. The bidentate pzc ligand further bridges each -Cu-O-Re-O- chain to adjacent chains, via the Cu sites, to form a 3D net in I, with ellipsoidal channels that are approximately 3.3-4.7 A x 12.5 A, and in II, stacked layers of square nets with H(2)O-filled cavities that are approximately 4.4 x 5.1 A. Local ReO(4)(-) groups, a component of common oxidation catalysts, are directed at the channels and cavities of each structure, respectively. Thermogravimetric analysis indicates that I loses up to 64% of its H(2)O content before decomposition at 225 degrees C, while II loses approximately 100% of its H(2)O content by 265 degrees C.     

Two-dimensional center-of-mass diffusion of lipid-tethered poly(2-methyl-2-oxazoline) at the air-water interface studied at the single molecule level

The two-dimensional (2D) center-of-mass diffusion, D, of end-tethered poly(2-methyl-2-oxazoline) (PMOx) lipopolymer chains was studied in a Langmuir monolayer at the air-water interface using wide-field single molecule fluorescence microscopy. In this case, tethering and stabilization of hydrophilic PMOx chains at the air-water interface is accomplished via end-tethering to lipid molecules forming a hydrophobic anchor. To explore the influence of molecular weight, M n, and surface concentration, c s, on lateral mobility, two different PMOx chain lengths of n = 30 and 50 ( n, number of monomer units) were analyzed over a wide range of c s. Using multiparticle tracking analysis of TRITC-labeled PMOx lipopolymers, we found two regimes of lipopolymer lateral mobility. At low c s, D is independent of surface concentration but increases with decreasing n. Here diffusion properties are well described by the Rouse model. In contrast, at more elevated c s, the data do not follow Rouse scaling but are in good agreement with a free area-area model of diffusion. The current study provides for the first time experimental insight into the 2D center-of-mass diffusion of end-tethered polymers at the air-water interface. The obtained results will be of importance for the understanding of diffusion processes in polymer-tethered phospholipid bilayers mimicking biomembranes at low and high tethering concentrations.