A N-heterocyclic carbene–copper complex grafted on graphene oxide with an ionic liquid framework was prepared. The synthesis of (i) 1,2,3-triazole derivatives by ‘Click reaction’ and (ii) propargylamine derivatives by ‘A3 coupling reaction’ in aqueous media by this new catalyst were all successfully accomplished. The catalyst is characterized using infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and elemental analysis. The catalyst is reused in the ten reaction cycles without considerable loss of catalytic activity.
The electrochemical one-electron reduction (oxidation) of bipyridyl metal complexes ([Co(bipy)3]3+, [Cr(bipy)3]3+, [Fe(bipy)3]2+, [Ru(bipy)3]2+ (as well as Co(III) sepulcrate)) with water-soluble (thia)calix[4]arenes has been studied by means of cyclic voltammetry. It has been shown that [M(bipy)3]3+/2+ bind to (thia)calix[4]arenes via sulfonate groups of the upper rim. Oxidized forms bind stronger than reduced ones leading to reduction (oxidation) of half-wave cathodic shift. The effect of predominant stabilization of oxidized forms of metal complexes for carboxylated calix[4]arene is stronger than for thiacalix[4]arene (ΔΔG0?=???7.8?÷???12.5 and ??3.7 kJ/mol, respectively). The redox-switchable outer-sphere binding of Co(III) sepulchrate via lower rim of carboxylated calix[4]arene has been revealed using cyclic voltammetry. The binding constants of outer-sphere associates based on calix[4]arenes and unstable metal complexes ([Co(sep)]2+, [Ru(bipy)3]3+, [Co(bipy)3]2+) have been calculated for the first time using 1H NMR titration and cyclic voltammetry data.
A modified Kendrick Mass Defect (KMD) analysis was applied to the analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and fullerenes in the diffusion flame from a handheld butane torch.
Two series of TiO2 thin films were prepared based on soluble precursor powders: The first run originated directly from an alcohol-based coating solution whereas for the second batch the aqueous precursor powder sol had previously undergone a hydrothermal treatment. The respective microstructures were characterized by electron microscopy, the phase evolution was monitored by X-ray diffraction. Ellipsometric porosimetry (EP) was employed to reveal changes of porosity and pore size induced by thermal treatment of the films.
Soluble TiO2 precursor powders were hydrothermally treated to yield coating solutions. Films from these sols were compared with those directly obtained by dissolving the precursor powders. Results indicate that crystallization to anatase is induced under hydrothermal conditions and the resulting films mostly maintain their porosity throughout thermal treatment. In contrast to that coatings processed from as-dissolved precursor powders undergo more extensive densification
The analysis of many hydrogen exchange (HX) experiments depends on knowledge of exchange rates expected for the unstructured protein under the same conditions. We present here some minor adjustments to previously calibrated values and a stringent test of their accuracy.
Removal of ceftriaxone sodium antibiotic from water using cellulose acetate (CA) mixed matrix nanofiltration membranes was investigated in this work. Silica nanoparticles were functionalized with (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES). Then, the hydrophilic and negatively charged 2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid (AMPS) monomer was grafted from the surface of the amino-functionalized silica nanoparticles via surface-initiated redox polymerization. Finally, CA/silica and CA/modified silica nanocomposite membranes were prepared via phase inversion method, and the rejection of ceftriaxone sodium was studied. Rejection ratios were about 90 and 96% for CA/silica and CA/modified silica membranes at pH 8, respectively, wherein both were higher compared to the neat CA membrane. In fact, in case of nanocomposite membranes, size exclusion and charge repulsion between negatively charged functional groups of the membrane and anionic groups of drug operated synergistically at alkaline pH values, and the pharmaceutical rejection was improved.
We present gas-phase structures of dimers of MnIII and FeIII meso-tetra(4-sulfonatophenyl)porphyrin multianions with various amounts of sodium and hydrogen counterions. The structural assignments are achieved by combining mass spectrometry, ion mobility measurements, quantum chemical calculations, and trajectory method collision cross section calculations. For a common charge state, we observe significant topological variations in the dimer structures of [(MTPPS)2+nX](6-n)- (M=MnIII, FeIII; X=H, Na; n?=?1–3) induced by replacing hydrogen counterions by sodium. For sodium, the dimer structures are much more compact, a finding that can be rationalized by the stronger interactions of the sodium cations with the anionic sulfonic acid groups of the porphyrins as compared to hydrogen.
Proof of concept evidence is presented for a new method for the determination of isoaspartate, an important post-translational modification. Chemical derivatization is performed using common reagents for the modification of carboxylic acids and shown to yield suitable diagnostic information with regard to isomerization at the aspartate residue. The diagnostic gas phase chemistry is probed by collision-induced dissociation mass spectrometry, on the timescale of the MS experiment and semi-quantitative calibration of the percentage of isoaspartate in a peptide sample is demonstrated.
Light-activated antimicrobial coatings were obtained by the covalently immobilizing photo-sensitizers in a hybrid organic/inorganic matrix. These coatings were deposited via sol-gel chemistry using epoxy and methyl functional silanes. The light-activated chromophores used in this study were Methylene Blue, Toluidine Blue O, and Rose Bengal. The immobilized photo-sensitizers did not leach from the coatings. The mechanically durable hybrid coatings comprising 2.5% by weight of Rose Bengal had a good adhesion to the glass surface. These coatings were tested for the photo-deactivation of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus using illumination by a commercial fluorescent lamp. Log reduction of E. coli and S. aureus were >4 when illuminated by the fluorescent lamp in 1 and 3?h, respectively. Due to its high mechanical durability and chemical resistance, such light-activated hybrid coatings are promising candidates for indoor applications in healthcare facilities.
In this work, paramagnetic Fe3O4/SiO2 nanoparticles were synthesized, characterized and functionalized with dioxo-Mo(VI) tetradentate Schiff base complex and characterized using IR spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, vibrating sample magnetometry, diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and atomic absorption spectroscopy. Catalyst was used for the selective epoxidation of cyclooctene, cyclohexene, styrene, indene, α-pinene, 1-hepten, 1-octene, 1-dodecen and trans-stilbene using tert-butyl hydroperoxide as oxidant in 1,2-dichloroethane. This catalyst is efficient for oxidation of cyclooctene with a 100% selectivity for epoxidation with 100% conversion in 1 h. After the reaction, the magnetic nanocatalyst was easily separated by simply applying an external magnetic field and was used at least five successive times without significant decrease in conversion.
Glycoconjugates are directly or indirectly involved in many biological processes. Due to their complex structures, the structural elucidation of glycans and the exploration of their role in biological systems have been challenging. Glycan pools generated through release from glycoprotein or glycolipid mixtures can often be very complex. For the sake of procedural simplicity, many glycan profiling studies choose to concentrate on a single class of glycoconjugates. In this paper, we demonstrate it feasible to cover glycosphingolipids, N-glycans, and O-glycans isolated from the same sample. Small volumes of human blood serum and ascites fluid as well as small mouse brain tissue samples are sufficient to profile sequentially glycans from all three classes of glycoconjugates and even positively identify some mixture components through MALDI-MS and LC-ESI-MS. The results show that comprehensive glycan profiles can be obtained from the equivalent of 500-μg protein starting material or possibly less. These methodological improvements can help accelerating future glycomic comprehensive studies, especially for precious clinical samples.
Since the late 1960s, ceric hydrogen phosphates have attracted the attention of scientists due to remarkable ion exchange, sorption, proton-conduction and catalytic properties. In this work, through the application of various solvents, we, for the first time, have obtained monolithic aerogels based on ceric hydrogen phosphates with high porosity (~99%) and extremely low density (~10?μg/cm3). The composition and structure of aerogels were thoroughly studied with XRD, TEM, SEM, XPS, low temperature nitrogen adsorption methods, TGA/DSC, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and small-angle neutron scattering (SANS). The aerogels were found to belong to the fibrous macroporous aerogels family.
Hydrogen deuterium exchange (HDX) coupled to mass spectrometry (MS) is a well-established technique employed in the field of structural MS to probe the solvent accessibility, dynamics and hydrogen bonding of backbone amides in proteins. By contrast, fast photochemical oxidation of proteins (FPOP) uses hydroxyl radicals, liberated from the photolysis of hydrogen peroxide, to covalently label solvent accessible amino acid side chains on the microsecond-millisecond timescale. Here, we use these two techniques to study the structural and dynamical differences between the protein β2-microglobulin (β2m) and its amyloidogenic truncation variant, ΔN6. We show that HDX and FPOP highlight structural/dynamical differences in regions of the proteins, localised to the region surrounding the N-terminal truncation. Further, we demonstrate that, with carefully optimised LC-MS conditions, FPOP data can probe solvent accessibility at the sub-amino acid level, and that these data can be interpreted meaningfully to gain more detailed understanding of the local environment and orientation of the side chains in protein structures.
A new zinc-layered hydroxide-L-phenylalanate (ZLH-LP)-modified multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) was prepared as a new material of paste electrode for the detection of paracetamol (PCM) in 1.0?×?10?1 M phosphate buffer solution and at pH 7.5. The electrochemical characterization of the MWCNTs/ZLH-LP paste electrode was characterized by square wave voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and cyclic voltammetry while the morphology properties of the MWCNTs, ZLH-LP, and MWCNTs/ZLH-LP were investigated using transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Under optimized conditions, the MWCNTs/ZLH-LP paste electrode demonstrated an excellent electrocatalytic activity towards oxidation of PCM in the linear responses’ ranges from 7.0?×?10?7 M to 1.0?×?10?4 M (correlation coefficient, 0.996) with the limit of detection obtained at 8.3?×?10?8 M. As a conclusion, the MWCNTs/ZLH-LP paste electrode revealed good repeatability, reproducibility, and stability, and was found to be applicable for use in pharmaceutical tablet samples.
Current literature shows a gap for methods which can identify yeast sub-species (strains or serovars) in samples where there are no viable cells remaining. Presented here is a technique for the analysis of yeast supernatant, including solid phase extraction, data-dependent acquisition liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC-MS), and two chemometric methods to identify and classify yeast strains. Five strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae were successfully identified in various stages of growth. In addition, peptide/protein identification was performed, without the need for additional data acquisition.
Fast photochemical oxidation of proteins (FPOP) may be used to characterize changes in protein structure by measuring differences in the apparent rate of peptide oxidation by hydroxyl radicals. The variability between replicates is high for some peptides and limits the statistical power of the technique, even using modern methods controlling variability in radical dose and quenching. Currently, the root cause of this variability has not been systematically explored, and it is unknown if the major source(s) of variability are structural heterogeneity in samples, remaining irreproducibility in FPOP oxidation, or errors in LC-MS quantification of oxidation. In this work, we demonstrate that coefficient of variation of FPOP measurements varies widely at low peptide signal intensity, but stabilizes to ≈?0.13 at higher peptide signal intensity. We dramatically reduced FPOP variability by increasing the total sample loaded onto the LC column, indicating that the major source of variability in FPOP measurements is the difficulties in quantifying oxidation at low peptide signal intensities. This simple method greatly increases the sensitivity of FPOP structural comparisons, an important step in applying the technique to study subtle conformational changes and protein-ligand interactions.
Supported diacidic ionic liquid on magnetic silica nanoparticles (SDAIL@magnetic nanoSiO2) was successfully prepared through a multi-step approach. 2,2- bis ((3- methylimidazolidin-1-yl) methyl) propane- 1,3- diol bromide salt was immobilized onto the surface of magnetic silica nanoparticles via covalent bonding to prepare a novel powerful acidic catalyst. The synthesized catalyst was characterized by FT-IR, SEM, TGA, VSM, N2 adsorption–desorption measurements and acid-base titration. The catalytic activity of the prepared SDAIL@magnetic nanoSiO2 was investigated for the selective diesterification of alcohols by phthalic anhydride to afford corresponding dialkyl plasticizers under solvent-free conditions. The nature of two acidic counter anions as well as the presence of Lewis acidic species (Fe3O4) on the magnetic nanosilica and high surface area of the nanosilica influenced the behavior of the catalyst. Surperisingly, the high acidic character of the catalyst facilitates the reaction with a short reaction time. Furthermore, TG analysis strongly demonstrates that major content of IL is still stable on the support up to 290 °C, so catalyst has a good thermal stability. Under the optimized conditions, the conversion of phthalic anhydride was 100% and diester plasticizers were obtained with excellent yields (80–100%). The SDAIL@magnetic nanoSiO2 catalyst showed a good reusability and could be easily separated from the reaction mixture using an external magnet thanks to its superparamagnetic behavior and reused for several runs without significant activity loss. An important advantage of the SDAIL@magnetic nanoSiO2 was its high-hydrophilicity resulted in excellent selectivity towards the formation of only diesters which are commonly used plasticizers in different industries.Graphical abstract
Bismuth ferrite (BiFeO3) nanopowder have been successfully synthesized for the first time via a microwave-assisted sol-gel combustion method by using citric acid as fuel. The resulting nanopowder was characterized using FT-IR, TG-DTA, XRD, EDX, VSM, SEM, and UV-Vis DRS. A ferromagnetic hysteresis loop with a saturation magnetization (MS) of 0.66?emu?g?1 has been observed at room temperature in the sample. The optical properties of the nanosized BiFeO3 showed its small band gap (=2.08?eV) indicates a possibility of utilizing much visible light for photocatalysis.
We report distinctive spectroscopic fingerprints of the monosaccharide standards GalNAc4S and GalNAc6S by coupling mass spectrometry and ion spectroscopy in the 3-μm range. The disaccharide standards CSA and CSC are used to demonstrate the applicability of a novel approach for the analysis of sulfate position in GalNAc-containing glycosaminoglycans. This approach was then used for the analysis of a sample containing CSA and CSC disaccharides. Finally, we discuss the generalization of the coupling of mass spectrometry with ion spectroscopy for the structural analysis of glycosaminoglycans on a tetrasaccharide from dermatan sulfate source.
Coaxial electrospray has been used effectively for several dual-emitter applications, but has not been utilized for the study of rapid in-source chemistry. In this paper, we report the fabrication of a coaxial, micro-volume dual-emitter through the modification of a manufacturer’s standard electrospray probe. This modification creates rapid mixing inside the Taylor cone and the ability to manipulate fast reactions using a variety of solvents and analytes. We demonstrate its potential as a low-cost, dual-emitter assembly for diverse applications through three examples: relative ionization in a biphasic electrospray, hydrogen-deuterium exchange, and protein supercharging.
