Synthesis,Electronic Properties and WOLED Devices of Planar Phosphorus‐Containing Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons

We describe the synthesis and the physical properties of polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) containing a phosphorus atom at the edge. In particular, the impact of the successive addition of aromatic rings on the electronic properties was investigated by experimental (UV/Vis absorption, fluorescence, cyclic voltammetry) and theoretical studies (DFT). The physical properties recorded in solution and in the solid state showed that the P‐containing PAHs exhibit properties expected for an emitter in white organic light‐emitting diodes (WOLEDs).     

Investigation of mononuclear,dinuclear, and trinuclear transition metal (II) complexes derived from an asymmetric Salamo‐based ligand possessing three different coordination modes

A new asymmetric Salamo‐based ligand H₂L was synthesized using 3‐tert‐butyl‐salicylaldehyde and 6‐methoxy‐2‐[O‐(1‐ethyloxyamide)]‐oxime‐1‐phenol. By adjusting the ratio of the ligand H₂L and Cu (II), Co (II), and Ni (II) ions, mononuclear, dinuclear, and trinuclear transition metal (II) complexes, [Cu(L)], [{Co(L)}₂], and [{Ni(L)(CH₃COO)(CH₃CH₂OH)}₂Ni] with the ligand H₂L possessing completely different coordination modes were obtained, respectively. The optical spectra of ligand H₂L and its Cu (II), Co (II) and Ni (II) complexes were investigated. The Cu (II) complex is a mononuclear structure, and the Cu (II) atom is tetracoordinated to form a planar quadrilateral structure. The Co (II) complex is dinuclear, and the two Co (II) atoms are pentacoordinated and have coordination geometries of distorted triangular bipyramid. The Ni (II) complex is a trinuclear structure, and the terminal and central Ni (II) atoms are all hexacoordinated, forming distorted octahedral geometries. Furthermore, optical properties including UV–Vis, IR, and fluorescence of the Cu (II), Co (II), and Ni (II) complexes were investigated. Finally, the antibacterial activities of the Cu (II), Co (II), and Ni (II) complexes were explored. According to the experimental results, the inhibitory effect was found to be enhanced with increasing concentrations of the Cu (II), Co (II), and Ni (II) complexes.     

Bis-tridentate IrIII Phosphors Bearing Two Fused Five-Six-Membered Metallacycles: A Strategy to Improved Photostability of Blue Emitters

Iridium complexes bearing chelating cyclometalates are popular choices as dopant emitters in the fabrication of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). In this contribution, we report a series of blue-emitting, bis-tridentate Ir^III complexes bearing chelates with two fused five-six-membered metallacycles, which are in sharp contrast to the traditional designs of tridentate chelates that form the alternative, fused five-five metallacycles. Five Ir^III complexes, Px-21 – 23 , Cz-4 , and Cz-5 , have been synthesized that contain a coordinated dicarbene pincer chelate incorporating a methylene spacer and a dianionic chromophoric chelate possessing either a phenoxy or carbazolyl appendage to tune the coordination arrangement. All these tridentate chelates afford peripheral ligand–metal–ligand bite angles of 166–170°, which are larger than the typical bite angle of 153–155° observed for their five-five-coordinated tridentate counterparts, thereby leading to reduced geometrical distortion in the octahedral frameworks. Photophysical measurements and TD-DFT studies verified the inherent transition characteristics that give rise to high emission efficiency, and photodegradation experiments confirmed the improved stability in comparison with the benchmark fac-[Ir(ppy)₃] in degassed toluene at room temperature. Phosphorescent OLED devices were also fabricated, among which the carbazolyl-functionalized emitter Cz-5 exhibited the best performance among all the studied bis-tridentate phosphors, showing a maximum external quantum efficiency (EQE_max) of 18.7 % and CIE_x,y coordinates of (0.145, 0.218), with a slightly reduced EQE of 13.7 % at 100 cd m⁻² due to efficiency roll-off.     

Synthesis and Self-Assembly of Mixed-Graft Block Copolymers

Mixed-graft block copolymers (mGBCPs) consist of two or more types of polymeric side chains grafted on a linear backbone in a random, alternating, or pseudo-alternating sequence. They can phase-separate with the backbone serving as the interface of the blocks, and the side chains dominate their self-assembly behavior. mGBCPs are an accessible polymer architecture for exploring the idea of encoding polymer properties through the macromolecular architecture, as there are two distinct structural components that can be tuned: the backbone and the side chains. In this Concept article, the current literature on the synthesis of mGBCPs is reviewed, and the advantages and disadvantages of each synthetic method are noted. The self-assembly of mGBCPs is also discussed where possible. Finally, directions for future research on mGBCP synthesis and self-assembly are suggested.     

Amphiphilic block copolymer self‐assemblies of poly(NVP)‐b‐poly(MDO‐co‐vinyl esters): Tunable dimensions and functionalities

Functional, degradable polymers were synthesized via the copolymerization of vinyl acetate (VAc) and 2‐methylene‐1,3‐dioxepane (MDO) using a macro‐xanthate CTA, poly(N‐vinylpyrrolidone), resulting in the formation of amphiphilic block copolymers of poly(NVP)‐b‐poly(MDO‐co‐VAc). The behavior of the block copolymers in water was investigated and resulted in the formation of self‐assembled nanoparticles containing a hydrophobic core and a hydrophilic corona. The size of the resultant nanoparticles was able to be tuned with variation of the hydrophilic and hydrophobic segments of the core and corona by changing the incorporation of the macro‐CTA as well as the monomer composition in the copolymers, as observed by Dynamic Light Scattering, Static Light Scattering, and Transmission Electron Microscopy analyses. The concept was further applied to a VAc derivative monomer, vinyl bromobutanoate, to incorporate further functionalities such as fluorescent dithiomaleimide groups throughout the polymer backbone using azidation and “click” chemistry as postpolymerization tools to create fluorescently labeled nanoparticles. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2015 , 53, 2699–2710     

Dynamic Variation of Excitonic Coupling in Excited Bilayer Graphene Quantum Dots?

The intermolecular interaction determines the photophysical properties of the organic aggregates, which are critical to the performance of organic photovoltaics. Here, excitonic coupling, an important intermolecular interaction in organic aggregates, between the π-stacking graphene quantum dots is studied by using transient absorption spectroscopy. We find that the spectral evolution of the ground state bleach arises from the dynamic variation of the excitonic coupling in the excited π-stacks. According to the spectral simulations, we demonstrate that the kinetics of the vibronic peak can be exploited as a probe to measure the dynamics of excitonic coupling in the excited π-stacks.     

Characterization of new Pt(IV)–thiazole complexes: Analytical,spectral, molecular modeling and molecular docking studies and applications in two opposing pathways

New thiazole derivatives were synthesized and fully characterized, then coordinated with PtCl₄ salt. Also, the newly synthesized Pt(IV) complexes were investigated analytically (elemental and thermogravimetric analyses), spectrally (infrared, UV–visible, mass, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, X‐ray diffraction) as well as theoretically (kinetics, modeling and docking). The data extracted led to the establishment of the best chemical and structural forms. Octahedral geometry was the only formula proposed for all complexes, which is favorable for d⁶ systems. The molecular ion peaks from mass spectral analysis coincide with all analytical data, confirming the molecular formula proposed. X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) allowed discrimination of features between crystalline particles and other amorphous morphology. By applying Gaussian09 as well as HyperChem 8.2 programs, the best structural forms were obtained, as well as computed significant parameters. Computed parameters such as softness, hardness, surface area and reactivity led us towards application in two opposing pathways: tumor inhibition and oxidation activation. The catalytic oxidation for CO was conducted over PtO₂, which was yielded from calcination of the most reactive complex. The success of catalytic role for synthesized PtO₂ was due to its particulate size and surface morphology, which were estimated from XRD patterns and SEM images, respectively. The antitumor activity was tested versus HCT‐116 and HepG‐2 cell lines. Mild toxicity was recorded for two of the derivatives and their corresponding complexes. This degree of toxicity is more favorable in most cases, due to exclusion of serious side effects, which is coherently attached with known antitumor drugs.     

基于吸收系数的生脉注射液中聚山梨酯80含量测定新方法

聚山梨酯80又名吐温80，为一种亲水型非离子表面活性剂，是食品、保健品和药品中常用的辅料，作为增溶剂和澄清剂广泛用于中药注射剂。近年来，不良反应的发生使得聚山梨酯80的质量和应用愈加受到重视，有研究认为其加入可能引起注射剂不良反应增加。为避免超量使用，有必要对该辅料的投料加以严格控制。中药注射剂中聚山梨酯80的含量测定是当下研究的热点和难点，可以通过分光光度法、分子排阻-蒸发光散射检测法(SEC-ELSD)、液质联用法(LC-MS)直接测定，也可以水解后法经液相色谱-紫外检测法(HPLC-UV)或气相色谱法(GC)间接测定。但由于聚山梨酯80为聚氧乙烯聚合数目不同的混合物、不同厂家生产的聚山梨酯80化学组分及比例存在较大差异，难以采用统一的转换公式或对照品准确定量。此外，中药注射剂的复杂基质造成的假阳性干扰也对定量提出了挑战。为解决以上问题，以生脉注射液为例，提出基于吸收系数的中药注射剂中聚山梨酯80含量测定新方法。优化检测波长、显色剂种类、液液萃取过程振荡和静置时间，在6个不同品牌仪器上测得聚山梨酯80-硫氰酸钴配合物的吸收系数(E1%_{1 cm})为104.23，相对标准偏差(RSD)为2.08%。生脉注射液稀释10倍后，精密量取供试品溶液1.0 mL，精密加入硫氰酸钴溶液10 mL，二氯甲烷20 mL，涡旋振荡3 min。将混合液移至分液漏斗中，静置30 min，取下层二氯甲烷液，将前1 mL弃去，接收约15 mL，在320 nm处测定吸光度，再根据Lambert-Beer定律，利用获得的吸收系数计算得到聚山梨酯80的含量。方法阴性无干扰，精密度和重复性相对标准偏差均低于3%，平均回收率为98.42%。为进一步验证方法的准确性，分别采用吸收系数法和标准曲线法测定了2个厂家的10批生脉注射液，并与实际投料量比较。配对t检验结果表明，当置信度为95%时，两种方法无显著性差异，吸收系数法测得结果与企业生产中聚山梨酯的实际投料量也无显著性差异。研究采用前人未采用的、灵敏度更高的320 nm为检测波长，显著降低了基质干扰，克服了中药注射剂中聚山梨酯80测定结果与实际投料量难以吻合的问题。吸收系数法无需使用对照品，亦不用制备标准曲线，可为中药注射剂中聚山梨酯80的检查标准提供切实可行的解决方案。所建方法灵敏、准确、快速、简便，为含聚山梨酯80制剂的质量控制提供了关键常数及新的思路。     

Thermodynamic study of transthyretin association (wild‐type and senile forms) with heparan sulfate proteoglycan: pH effect and implication of the reactive histidine residue

The tetramer destabilization of transthyretin into monomers and its fibrillation are phenomena leading to amyloid deposition. Heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG) has been found in all amyloid deposits. A chromatographic approach was developed to compare binding parameters between wild‐type transthyretin (wtTTR) and an amyloidogenic transthyretin (sTTR). Results showed a greater affinity of sTTR for HSPG at pH 7.4 compared with wtTTR owing to the monomeric form of sTTR. Analysis of the thermodynamic parameters showed that van der Waals interactions were involved at the complex interface for both transthyretin forms. For sTTR, results from the plot representing the number of protons exchanged vs pH showed that the binding mechanism was pH‐dependent with a critical value at a pH 6.5. This observation was due to the protonation of a histidine residue as an imidazolium cation, which was not accessible when TTR was in its tetrameric structure. At pH >6.5, dehydration at the binding interface and several contacts between nonpolar groups of sTTR and HSPG were also coupled to binding for an optimal hydrogen‐bond network. At pH <6.5, the protonation of the His residue from sTTR monomer when pH decreased broke the hydrogen‐bond network, leading to its destabilization and thus producing slight conformational changes in the sTTR monomer structure. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.