Chiral Gold Nanoclusters: Atomic Level Origins of Chirality

Chiral nanomaterials have received wide interest in many areas, but the exact origin of chirality at the atomic level remains elusive in many cases. With recent significant progress in atomically precise gold nanoclusters (e.g., thiolate‐protected Au_n (SR)_m ), several origins of chirality have been unveiled based upon atomic structures determined by using single‐crystal X‐ray crystallography. The reported chiral Au_n (SR)_m structures explicitly reveal a predominant origin of chirality that arises from the Au–S chiral patterns at the metal–ligand interface, as opposed to the chiral arrangement of metal atoms in the inner core (i.e. kernel). In addition, chirality can also be introduced by a chiral ligand, manifested in the circular dichroism response from metal‐based electronic transitions other than the ligand's own transition(s). Lastly, the chiral arrangement of carbon tails of the ligands has also been discovered in a very recent work on chiral Au₁₃₃(SR)₅₂ and Au₂₄₆(SR)₈₀ nanoclusters. Overall, the origins of chirality discovered in Au_n (SR)_m nanoclusters may provide models for the understanding of chirality origins in other types of nanomaterials and also constitute the basis for the development of various applications of chiral nanoparticles.     

Synthesis,Isolation, and Trifluoromethylation of Two Isomers of C84‐Based Monometallic Cyanide Clusterfullerenes: Interplay between the Endohedral Cluster and the Exohedral Addends

As an emerging member of endohedral fullerenes, metal cyanide clusterfullerenes (CYCF) are unique in terms of the encapsulation of a monometallic cluster. To date the reported carbon cages of CYCFs are limited to C₈₂ and C₇₆, and little is known about the chemical reactivity of CYCFs. Herein, two isomers of the first C₈₄‐based CYCFs, YCN@C₈₄, were isolated as trifluoromethyl derivatives, including YCN@C₈₄(23)(CF₃)₁₈ and three isomers of YCN@C₈₄(13)(CF₃)₁₆, which are based on a unique chiral C ₂‐C₈₄(13) cage. As a common feature of the CF₃ addition patterns, the YCN@C₈₄(CF₃)_16/18 compounds are stabilized by the formation of isolated C=C bonds and benzenoid rings on the carbon cages. The interplay between the endohedral YCN cluster and the exhohedral CF₃ addends was unveiled according to single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction studies, thus offering new insight into the chemical reactivity of CYCFs.     

Metal‐Free,Room‐Temperature Oxygen‐Atom Transfer in the N2O/CO Redox Couple as Catalyzed by [Si2Ox].+ (x=2–5)

The thermal reduction of N₂O by CO mediated by the metal‐free cluster cations [Si₂O_x]^.+ (x =2–5) has been examined in the gas phase using Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FT‐ICR) mass spectrometry in conjunction with quantum chemical calculations. Three successive oxidation/reduction steps occur starting from [Si₂O₂]^.+ and N₂O to form eventually [Si₂O₅]^.+; the latter as well as the intermediate oxide cluster ions react sequentially with CO molecules to regenerate [Si₂O₂]^.+. Thus, full catalytic cycles occur at ambient conditions in the gas phase. Mechanistic aspects of these sequential redox processes have been addressed to reveal the electronic origins of these unparalleled reactions.     

Identification of the precursor cluster in thermolysin crystallization solution by molecular dynamics methods

An analysis of the crystal structure of thermolysin revealed four possible precursor clusters (hexamers) of its crystal. Using the method of molecular dynamics and plots of root mean square fluctuation, root mean square deviation and radius of gyration, the most stable hexamer, which is a precursor cluster,was determined. The importance of the established structure of the thermolysin precursor cluster for determining the mechanism of crystal formation is shown.     

A sensitive DNA biosensor based on the distance dependent quenching of Silica@Ru(bpy)32+-chitosan-GO electrochemiluminescence by Ferrocene@Gold nanoparticles

A sensitive electrochemiluminescence (ECL) biosensor for the specific DNA sequence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) was developed based on the efficient quenching effect of the ferrocene cluster functionalized gold nanoparticles (Fc@AuNPs) on the ECL of electrodeposited silica@Ru(bpy)₃²⁺-chitosan-graphene oxide nanocomposite (SiO₂@Ru−CS−GO). Graphene oxide (GO) can accelerate electron transfer rate, thus improving the ECL of Ru(bpy)₃²⁺ on electrode surface. The molecular beacons (MB) was fixed to SiO₂@Ru−CS−GO by glutaraldehyde (GA) using the Schiff reaction between amino groups of chitosan (CS) and MB. The ECL of SiO₂@Ru−CS−GO was depressed greatly by the Fc@AuNPs labelled at the end of MB, then, a stronger ECL was observed when the distance between Fc@AuNPs and SiO₂@Ru−CS−GO increased after the hybridization of target DNA with MB. Under optimum conditions, the restored ECL intensity increased linearly with the target DNA concentration in the range of 1.0×10⁻¹⁶∼1.0×10⁻¹⁰ mol ⋅ L⁻¹, and the limit of detection (LOD) is 1.4×10⁻¹⁷ mol ⋅ L⁻¹. The proposed method exhibits acceptable stability and reproducibility. In general, the constructed HCV biosensor can be used for the sensitive detection of HCV in human serum, suggesting potential application prospects in bioanalysis.     

Colossal Stability of SiB11(BO)12−: An Implication as Potential Electrolyte in High-Voltage Alkali-ion Battery

High-voltage alkali metal-ion batteries (AMIBs) require a non-hazardous, low-cost, and highly stable electrolyte with a large operating potential and rapid ion conductivity. Here, we have reported a halogen-free high-voltage electrolyte based on SiB₁₁(BO)₁₂⁻. Because of the weak π-orbital interaction of −BO as well as the mixed covalent and ionic interaction between SiB₁₁-cage and −BO ligand, SiB₁₁(BO)₁₂⁻ has colossal stability. SiB₁₁(BO)₁₂⁻ possesses extremely high vertical detachment energy (9.95 eV), anodic voltage limit (∼10.05 V), and electrochemical stability window (∼9.95 V). Furthermore, SiB₁₁(BO)₁₂⁻ is thermodynamically stable at high temperatures, and its large size allows for faster cation movement. The alkali salts MSiB₁₁(BO)₁₂ (M=Li, Na, and K) are easily dissociated into ionic components. Electrolytes based on SiB₁₁(BO)₁₂⁻ greatly outperform commercial electrolytes. In short, SiB₁₁(BO)₁₂⁻-based compound is demonstrated to be a high-voltage electrolyte for AMIBs.     

电感耦合等离子体质谱（ICP-MS）法测定黄精中15种稀土元素及其指纹图谱绘制

为了准确测定黄精中稀土元素的含量,采用电感耦合等离子体质谱（ICP-MS）法同时测定黄精中15种稀土元素（La、Ce、Pr、Nd、Pm、Sm、Eu、Gd、Tb、Dy、Ho、Er、Tm、Yb、Lu）的含量,进而绘制稀土元素指纹图谱,以稀土元素含量的平均值构建黄精稀土元素标准指纹图谱,作为鉴定黄精中药材的参考依据。黄精样品采用微波消解法处理后,通过在线引入内标溶液,采用ICP-MS法测定15种稀土元素的含量,采用OriginPro 2021绘制稀土元素指纹图谱和进行主成分分析,采用SPSS 26.0进行聚类分析。15种稀土元素的线性关系、重复性、精密度良好,平均加标回收率在97.0%~103.3%,相对标准偏差小于等于1.74%。黄精中Ce、La、Nd含量相对较高,Ce含量为53.02～2004.58 μg/kg,位居第一。聚类分析和主成分分析结果表明,样品聚为2类,同一产地的样品能够较好地聚在一起。黄精药材中15种稀土元素的指纹图谱具有相似的分布形态,具有较强的特征性和一致性,相似度均大于0.950。该方法操作简单,准确可靠,能满足实验分析要求,可为黄精的质量控制和药理研究提供参考;建立的指纹图谱可用于黄精的鉴别。     

具有高稳定性以及光催化产氢活性的奇数环状异金属钛氧纳米团簇

利用太阳能是解决当前能源危机和环境问题的有效途径.二氧化钛是一种稳定性高、环境友好的新型光催化剂.近年来,具有精确结构信息的晶态钛氧团簇(PTCs)作为TiO₂的分子结构模型受到广泛关注.目前大多数PTCs含有烷氧基,在空气中易发生水解.这在很大程度上限制了对其光催化性能的研究.在无机钛氧簇的外围修饰大量的共轭有机配体是一种有效提升PTCs稳定性的方法.此外,异金属的嵌入有助于修饰微观电子结构,从而也将影响光催化性能.铝是地球上最丰富的金属元素,其水解产物也大量存在于地壳表面.因此,Ti和Al的水解和光催化研究引起了我们的兴趣.目前,只有少数几例低核的Al掺杂PTCs晶态材料被报道,且其制备过程都需要多步反应.因此,合成高核的包含Al的PTCs材料是一项有趣且充满挑战的工作.本文利用有机配体的保护和异金属离子的掺杂成功地提高了PTCs晶体材料的稳定性.通过研究Ti和Al离子的水解,制备了一例核-壳型的纳米轮簇[Al₇Ti₁₄(μ2-O)₇(μ3-O)₁₄(L)₃₅]·2CH₃CN(1;L=苯甲酸).该轮簇中包含罕见的奇数环状结构,是目前核数最高的包含Al的PTC.借助单晶X射线衍射可以清晰观察到无机{Al₇Ti₁₄}核与有机保护配体之间的配位模式.此外,利用红外光谱、热重和漫反射光谱对该化合物进行了进一步表征.有机配体层和Al³⁺占据了T_i⁴⁺周围的烷氧基位点,使得该化合物呈现较高的空气、热以及酸碱稳定性.在已报道的PTCs晶态材料中,该化合物也展现出较高的光催化产氢速率(402.88μmol g^-1h^-1).借助催化过程中的光致变色现象、电子顺磁共振谱、荧光光谱以及光电流响应,我们推测了该化合物催化水分解产氢机理.该项工作不仅为制备稳定的PTCs材料提供了基础,也为新型光催化剂的设计提供了新的思路.     

金团簇二十面体结构融合过程中其催化活性的演变

近年来,由有机配体保护的原子精确金属团簇在合成方面已取得了重要进展,其独特的原子结构对一些化学反应产生独特的催化效果.原子精确的团簇催化剂明显不同于纳米颗粒催化剂和单原子催化剂,是一种关联均相和多相的、原子数目确定、尺寸均一、结构精确的新型催化剂.从原子尺度上精确构筑团簇催化剂,探究亚纳米尺度的微观结构对催化性能的影响,为常规催化剂所未能解决的关键科学问题提供解决的机会,为在分子尺度上揭示催化作用机制以及准确关联催化剂结构与催化性能提供新的研究体系,具有重要的科学研究意义.本文设计和使用了三种结构精确的金团簇催化剂,即Au25(PPh3)10(SC2H4Ph)5Cl2,Au38(SC2H4Ph)24和Au25(SC2H4Ph)18,分别由二十面体结构的Au13单元通过中心顶点融合、面融合、体相融合形成的(简写为Auvf、Auff和Aubf),详细研究了这三个金团簇催化剂在二十面体Au13单元的结构融合过程中,其催化活性的演变规律.在催化吡咯烷与O2反应制备γ-丁内酰胺反应中,金团簇催化剂的催化活性顺序为Aubf>Auff>Auvf,表明这三个金团簇中Au13单元的结构随着点、面、体的融合,其催化活性随之增加.同时研究发现,对于同一个Au团簇催化剂,其表面硫醇配体的烷基链越短,其催化活性越高,这主要是由于短链硫醇分子的空间位阻较小,吡咯烷分子更容易进入催化剂的金表面,接触到活性位点,进行催化反应.实验表明,三个团簇金原子均带正电荷,正价金物种可能是催化吡咯烷与O2反应的催化活化物种.研究发现,Aubf团簇表面的活性位数目高于Auff和Auvf团簇的,因此Aubf的催化活性最高;同时,团簇表面配体的烷基链越短,其表面活性位数目也越多,这也进一步解释了表面硫醇配体的烷基链越短,其相应的金团簇催化剂的催化活性越高的原因.吡咯烷与O2在金团簇上反应的可能路径为O2在Au活性位上裂解的O原子和吡咯烷β-H转移至Au活性位的β-H反应脱水后形成亚胺,亚胺经过水解进一步氧化得到产物.这项研究将为在原子层次上调变金属团簇催化剂的结构进而改变其催化性能提供新的思路,对精准设计和构筑高效催化剂具有一定的科学指导意义.     

In Vitro Anticancer Activity of Nanoformulated Mono- and Di-nuclear Pt Compounds

Nanoformulations of mononuclear Pt complexes cis-PtCl₂(PPh₃)₂ ( 1 ), [Pt(PPh₃)₂(L−Cys)] ⋅ H₂O ( 3 , L−Cys=L-cysteinate), trans-PtCl₂(PPh₂PhNMe₂)₂ ( 4 ; PPh₂PhNMe₂=4-(dimethylamine)triphenylphosphine), trans-PtI₂(PPh₂PhNMe₂)₂ ( 5 ) and dinuclear Pt cluster Pt₂(μ-S)₂(PPh₃)₄ ( 2 ) have comparable cytotoxicity to cisplatin against murine melanoma cell line B16F10. Masking of these discrete molecular entities within the hydrophobic core of Pluronic® F-127 significantly boosted their solubility and stability, ensuring efficient cellular uptake, giving in vitro IC₅₀ values in the range of 0.87–11.23 μM. These results highlight the potential therapeutic value of Pt complexes featuring stable Pt−P bonds in nanocomposite formulations with biocompatible amphiphilic polymers.