Syntheses, structures, and properties of intercalation compounds of silver(I) complex with [2.2]paracyclophane

Reaction of [2.2]paracyclophane (pcp) with silver(I) trifluoroacetate (AgCF(3)CO(2)) and silver(I) pentafluoroproprionate (AgC(2)F(5)CO(2)) has led to isolation of three novel intercalation polymers: [Ag(4)(pcp)(CF(3)CO(2))(4)](C(6)H(6)) (1), [Ag(4)(pcp)(CF(3)CO(2))(4)](C(6)H(3)Me(3)) (2), and [Ag(4)(pcp)(C(2)F(5)CO(2))(4)](pcp) (3). Structure studies using single crystal X-ray diffraction have shown that all compounds contain two-dimensional layered frameworks based on cation-pi interactions, in which pcp exhibits an unprecedented micro-tetra-eta(2) coordination mode. Guest molecules which weakly interact with the host pcp via C-H.pi interactions are intercalated between layers. The guest-eliminated complexes (1a and 2a) and guest-reincorporated ones (1b or 1c and 2b or 2c), accompanied by small structural changes, were confirmed by (1)H NMR, thermogravimetric analysis, mass spectra, and X-ray powder diffraction patterns. The structural changes from 1 --> 1a --> 1c (=1) can take place reversibly in the process of exposure of 1a to benzene vapor. The original framework of complex 2 is also completely recovered by immersing 2a in mesitylene as well as exposing it to mesitylene vapor.     

Extraction-liquid chromatography with electrochemical and spectrophotometric detection for the determination of copper and iron in biological and river water samples

Reversed-phase liquid chromatography using cupferron as a precolumn derivatizing agent was developed for the determination of Cu(II) and Fe(III) in biological materials and natural water samples. In the direct method, the metal cupferronates formed in acetonitrile-water (1 + 1) are injected onto an ODS column followed by separation with a mobile phase containing acetonitrile-acetate buffer (pH 3.5) (7 + 3) and other reagents. Amperometric detection with a glassy carbon electrode at ?0.40 V vs. Ag/AgCl can be used to determine both metals simultaneously. The electrochemical detection method has better sensitivity for the determination of Fe(III) than the usual spectrophotometric detection at 375 nm. If a large volume of aqueous sample is available, concentration of the two metal ions can be made by extraction with ethyl acetate prior to the chromatographic determination. In this case, liquid chromatographic separation and determination can be performed with the ODS column using a mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile-methanol-ethyl acetate-0.02 M acetate buffer (pH 3.5) (45 + 20 + 5 + 30).     

Synthesis,Optical Properties,and Electronic Structures of Fully Core‐Modified Porphyrin Dications and Isophlorins

The synthesis, structures, optical properties, and electronic structures of the tetraphenyltetrathiaporphyrin dication (S₄TPP²⁺, 6 ) and tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)tetrathiaisophlorin (S₄F₂₀TPP, 7 ) are reported. S₄TPP²⁺ ( 6 ) and S₄F₂₀TPP ( 7 ) were synthesized by acid‐catalyzed condensation of the corresponding hydroxylmethylthiophene, followed by oxidation. The electronic structures of S₄TPP²⁺ ( 6 ) and S₄F₂₀TPP ( 7 ) were analyzed by using UV/Vis‐absorption spectroscopy and by magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) spectroscopy and the bands were assigned by using time‐dependent density functional theory (TD‐DFT) and ZINDO/s calculations. A red‐shift of the Q bands of S₄TPP²⁺ ( 6 ) is observed relative to the spectra of tetraphenylporphyrins because a destabilization of the HOMO leads to a narrower HOMO–LUMO band‐gap. Michl′s perimeter model was used to assign the absorption bands and MCD spectra of S₄F₂₀TPP ( 7 ). Current‐density maps and nucleus‐independent chemical‐shift (NICS) calculations of S₄TPP²⁺ ( 6 ) and of a model compound predict marked modification to the diamagnetic ring current, whilst nonaromatic character is predicted for S₄F₂₀TPP ( 7 ).     

Electronic structures of single-walled carbon nanotubes encapsulating ellipsoidal C70

The molecular orientation of ellipsoidal C(70) in single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) depends on the tube diameter (d(t)). Photoluminescence (PL) studies reveal that the fullerene encapsulation effects on the optical transition energy of SWCNTs are significantly different for C(70) and C(60) at d(t) = 1.405-1.431 nm. This indicates that the transition from the "lying" alignment to the "standing" alignment occurs at d(t) ≈ 1.41 nm and the electronic states of SWCNTs are very sensitive to the interspacing between the encapsulated molecules and the SWCNTs. The present findings suggest that the electronic structure of SWCNTs is tunable not only by alternating the encapsulated molecules but also by controlling their molecular orientations, thus paving the way for development of novel SWCNT-based devices.     

Preparation and photophysical and photoelectrochemical properties of a covalently fixed porphyrin-chemically converted graphene composite

Chemically converted graphene (CCG) covalently linked with porphyrins has been prepared by a Suzuki coupling reaction between iodophenyl-functionalized CCG and porphyrin boronic ester. The covalently linked CCG-porphyrin composite was designed to possess a short, rigid phenylene spacer between the porphyrin and the CCG. The composite material formed stable dispersions in DMF and the structure was characterized by spectroscopic, thermal, and microscopic measurements. In steady-state photoluminescence spectra, the emission from the porphyrin linked to the CCG was quenched strongly relative to that of the porphyrin reference. Fluorescence lifetime and femtosecond transient absorption measurements of the porphyrin-linked CCG revealed a short-lived porphyrin singlet excited state (38 ps) without yielding the porphyrin radical cation, thereby substantiating the occurrence of energy transfer from the porphyrin excited state to the CCG and subsequent rapid decay of the CCG excited state to the ground state. Consistently, the photocurrent action spectrum of a photoelectrochemical device with a SnO(2) electrode coated with the porphyrin-linked CCG exhibited no photocurrent response from the porphyrin absorption. The results obtained here provide deep insight into the interaction between graphenes and π-conjugated systems in the excited and ground states.     

Preparing a magnetically responsive single-wall carbon nanohorn colloid by anchoring magnetite nanoparticles

A single-wall carbon nanohorn (SWNH) colloid was made to be magnetically responsive by anchoring magnetite nanoparticles prepared by the homogeneous mixing of FeCl(2)-FeCl(3) and NaOH solutions. Transmission electron microscopy observation showed the high dispersion of magnetite particles of 2-9 nm on the surface of the SWNH colloid, coinciding with the broad X-ray diffraction peaks of the magnetites. The magnetization measurements showed that the magnetite nanoparticles-anchored SWNH (mag-SWNH) colloid has the hybrid property of ferrimagnetism and superparamagnetism. It was demonstrated that mag-SWNH colloid dispersed in water by sonication responded to an external magnetic field, gathering toward a magnet. N(2) adsorption experiments showed the high nanoporosity of mag-SWNHs and that magnetite nanoparticles were preferably anchored at "nanowindow" sites and the entrance sites of interstitial pores. This magnetically responsive SWNH colloid should contribute to the field of drug delivery.     

Carbon nitride nanotubulite – densely-packed and well-aligned tubular nanostructures

Tubular carbon nitride (CN_x, x=0.01–0.32) nanoparticles were successfully synthesized by d.c. magnetron sputtering. These tubes were grown in a highly packed form perpendicularly on a sodium chloride substrate. Their number density is estimated to be 1×10⁴ per μm² and is constant over macroscopic regions. Sub-nanometer scale chemical mapping shows that the nitrogen to carbon atomic ratio is rather constant across these tubes. This successful synthesis of a nanotubulite – made of a rather compact aggregation of tubular nanoparticles – could facilitate experimental approaches to measure mechanical or electrical transport properties of such nanotubes and to open the way to variable nanotube applications.     

Prestaining method as a useful tool for the agarose gel electrophoretic detection of polymerase chain reaction products with a fluorescent dye SYBR gold nucleic acid gel stain.

Three staining methods using SYBR Gold Nucleic Acid Gel Stain (SYBR Gold) as a fluorescent dye were evaluated for the agarose gel electrophoretic detection of DNA. The methods involve prestain, in-gel stain, and poststain methods. DNA markers and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products obtained by minisatellite variant repeat-PCR (MVR-PCR) amplification in a D1S8 locus were used as model DNA and practical samples, respectively. Among the three methods tested under the usual electrophoretic conditions, a prestain method using a 10000-fold diluted SYBR Gold solution showed most excellent features regarding cost and rapidity to use with good stainability and resolution over loaded DNA amounts of about 98 ng to 300 ng. The prestain method was found to be applicable to the analysis of DNA in MVR-PCR products from a human hair root.     

Structural evolutions of carbon nano-peapods under electron microscopic observation

Supramolecular assemblages made of single wall carbon nanotubes (SWNT) filled with fullerenes or metal doped fullerenes exhibit promising electronic structure variations at a nanometer scale. Nevertheless, the knowledge about the structural defects of these systems is still very limited. Here, we report structural evolutions under high-resolution electron microscopic observation at the sensitivity of a single atom detection for Ca@C₈₂ molecules encapsulated within SWNT.