Layered MoS2 grown on c ‐sapphire by pulsed laser deposition

Layered growth of molybdenum disulphide (MoS₂) was successfully achieved by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) method on c ‐plane sapphire substrate. Growth of monolayer to a few monolayer MoS₂, dependent on the pulsed number of excimer laser in PLD is demonstrated, indicating the promising controllability of layer growth. Among the samples with various pulse number deposition, the frequency difference (A_1g–E¹_2g) in Raman analysis of the 70 pulse sample is estimated as 20.11 cm^–1, suggesting a monolayer MoS₂ was obtained. Two‐dimensional (2D) layer growth of MoS₂ is confirmed by the streaky reflection high energy electron diffraction (RHEED) patterns during growth and the cross‐sectional view of transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The in‐plane relationship, (0006) sapphire//(0002)MoS₂and sapphire//MoS₂ is determined. The results imply that PLD is suitable for layered MoS₂ growth. Additionally, the oxide states of Mo 3d core level spectra of PLD grown MoS₂, analysed by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), can be effectively reduced by adopting a post sulfurization process. (© 2015 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH &Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Using massively parallel simulation and Markovian models to study protein folding: examining the dynamics of the villin headpiece

We report on the use of large-scale distributed computing simulation and novel analysis techniques for examining the dynamics of a small protein. Matters addressed include folding rate, very long time scale kinetics, ensemble properties, and interaction with water. The target system for the study, the villin headpiece, has been of great interest to experimentalists and theorists both. Sampling totaled nearly 500 mus-the most extensive published to date for a system of villin's size in explicit solvent with all atom detail-and was in the form of tens of thousands of independent molecular dynamics trajectories, each several tens of nanoseconds in length. We report on kinetics sensitivity analyses that, using a set of short simulations, probed the role of water in villin's folding and sensitivity to the simulation's electrostatics treatment. By constructing Markovian state models (MSMs) from the collected data, we were able to propagate dynamics to times far beyond those directly simulated and to rapidly compute mean first passage times, long time kinetics (tens of microseconds), and evolution of ensemble property distributions over long times, otherwise currently impossible. We also tested our MSM by using it to predict the structure of villin de novo.     

Simulated unfolded-state ensemble and the experimental NMR structures of villin headpiece yield similar wide-angle solution X-ray scattering profiles

With the advent of powerful synchrotron sources, solution X-ray scattering is being increasingly used to get basic information about the structure of polypeptides. The solution scattering technique essentially provides one-dimensional data, which are then interpreted in terms of a three-dimensional structure through model building. Here we calculate wide-angle solution scattering patterns for an ensemble of simulated unfolded structures of villin headpiece, which differ from the native structure by rmsd = 8.8 +/- 1.0 A and have only negligible amounts of native secondary structure. We show that the wide-angle solution scattering pattern of such an ensemble shares significant similarity with the one based on the experimental NMR structures of the molecule. Our results suggest that solution scattering in the wide-angle limit, by itself, provides very little information about the secondary structure content of a polypeptide or its side-chain packing.     

Layer-by-layer deposition of bimetallic nanoshells on functionalized polystyrene beads

Bimetallic nanoshells on functionalized polystyrene beads have been fabricated through a layer-by-layer deposition technique exploiting electrostatic interaction. The synthesis has been achieved through the immobilization and successive reduction of the corresponding precursor ions. It has been shown that the thickness of the shell can be controlled by a number of cyclic depositions of respective metals onto the surface of the polystyrene beads.     

One-dimensional reaction coordinate and the corresponding potential of mean force from commitment probability distribution

In general, finding a one-dimensional representation of the kinetics of a high-dimensional system is a great simplification for the study of complex systems. Here, we propose a method to obtain a reaction coordinate whose potential of the mean force can reproduce the commitment probability distribution from the multidimensional surface. We prove that such a relevant one-dimensional representation can be readily calculated from the equilibrium distribution of commitment probabilities, which can be obtained with simulations. Also, it is shown that this representation is complementary to a previously proposed one-dimensional representation based on a quadratic approximation of the potential energy surface. The usefulness of the method is examined with dynamics in a two-dimensional system, showing that the one-dimensional surface thus obtained can predict the existence of an intermediate and the occurrence of path switching without a priori knowledge of the morphology of the original surface. The applicability of the method to more complex and realistic reactions such as protein folding is also discussed.     

Protonation and solvent extraction of N-p-tolylbenzohydroxamic acid in hydrochloric acid medium

the protonation of N-p-tolylbenzohydroxamic acid (p-TBHA) in aqueous hydrochloric acid has been investigated by determination of its distribution between cyclohexane and hydrochloric acid. The pK(a) value found was - 2.30 +/- 0.02 at 30 degrees . The solubility of p-TBHA as a function of hydrochloric acid concentration has also been determined. At lower acid concentrations the solubility decreases owing to a salting-out effect, whereas at higher concentrations it increases because of formation of the more hydrophilic protonated species and a salting-in effect. Intramolecular hydrogen-bonding observed in p-TBHA provides evidence for protonation of the nitrogen atom.     

Analytical aspects of some organic acids

Summary Back titrimetric procedures for the estimation of aluminium, zirconium, and thorium have been developed, which involved the adjustment of the concentration of the metallic salts, concentration of EDTA,ph, and temperature, addition of indicator solution (namely, 2-hydroxy3-naphthoic acid and back titration with standard 0.1 M ferric chloride solution. This method is based on the fact that the excess EDTA, which is added to the metal solutions may be back titrated with iron(III), which forms a highly coloured complex with the indicator, when present in slight excess. Quantities of aluminium, zirconium and thorium as small as 10.8, 4.6, 11.6 mg respectively, can be back titrated with in experimental error, when present in a volume of 100 ml.Part IV: See Z. analyt. Chem. 172, 356 (1960).     

Phase transfer catalyzed oxidation of ketones with borax-H2O2

Summary Borax forms peroxy species when dissolved in 30% hydrogen peroxide which can be transferred into the organic phase when biphase mixtures are agitated. The addition of a catalytic amount ofBTEAC promotes the transfer. This biphase system was used for theBaeyer-Villiger oxidation of several ketones insoluble in water. Effects of changing various parameters,e.g. temperature, time, amount of H₂O₂ etc. were investigated. At higher temperature (ca. 80°C), 100% conversion could be achieved in 2–4h. The results show that under appropriate conditions this reaction is of synthetic value for the oxidation of acid-sensitive ketones using inexpensive and easily available reagents.

---

Oxidation von Ketonen mit Borax-H₂O₂ unter Phasentransferkatalyse

Zusammenfassung In Wasserstoffperoxid (30%) gelöstes Borax bildet Peroxyverbindungen, die durch Schütteln in die organische Phase zweiphasiger Systeme übergeführt werden können. Der Transferprozeß wird durch die Zugabe von katalytischen MengenBTEAC gefördert. Die zweiphasigen Systeme wurden zurBaeyer-Villiger — Oxidation einiger in Wasser unlöslicher Ketone eingesetzt und die Auswirkung der Variation verschiedener Parameter (z.B. Temperatur, Zeit, Menge an H₂O₂ etc.) untersucht. Unter dem Einfluß höherer Temperature (ca. 80°C) wurde vollständige Umsetzung innerhalb von 2–4 h erreicht. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, daß die genannte Reaktion unter geeigneten Bedingungen von synthetischem Wert zur Oxidation säureempfindlicher Ketone unter Verwendung billiger und leicht verfügbarer Reagenzien ist.

     

Synthesis,characterization and spectral studies of various newer 4‐benzyloxy‐1H‐indole‐2‐carboxylic acid (arylidene)‐hydrazides

4‐Benzyloxyindole‐2‐carboxylic acid hydrazide reacts with aromatic and heterocyclic aldehydes in alcoholic medium in refluxing conditions to give 4‐benzyloxy‐1H‐indole‐2‐carboxylic acid (arylidene)‐hydrazides, important synthetic intermediates for the synthesis of a newer class of pharmacologically active compounds. We describe here the synthesis of various 4‐benzyloxy‐1H‐indole‐2‐carboxylic acid (arylidene)‐hydrazides by conventional as well as microwave irradiation techniques. The structures of these compounds have been confirmed by spectroscopic techniques (FTIR, NMR and MS). Some of the interesting features of the electron impact mass spectral fragmentation pattern of these compounds are also discussed.     

The Trp cage: folding kinetics and unfolded state topology via molecular dynamics simulations

Using over 75 mus of molecular dynamics simulation, we have generated several thousand folding simulations of the 20-residue Trp cage at experimental temperature and solvent viscosity. A total of 116 independent folding simulations reach RMSDcalpha values below 3 A RMSDcalpha, some as close as 1.4 A RMSDcalpha. We estimate a folding time of 5.5+/-3.5 mus, a rate that is in reasonable agreement with experimental kinetics. Finally, we characterize both the folded and unfolded ensemble under native conditions and note that the average topology of the unfolded ensemble is very similar to the topology of the native state.