Synthesis and Crystal Structure of Sm Cu7.73In3.27: a New 3D Framework Based on [Cu5In4M4]（M=Cu/In） Cluster

A new intermetallic compound, SmC u7.73In3.27, has been synthesized by solid-state reaction of the corresponding pure elements at high temperature, and structurally characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction study. SmC u7.73In3.27 crystallizes in tetragonal space group P4/mbm with a = 8.6213(4), c = 10.2538(9), V = 762.13(8) A3, Z = 4, Mr = 1018.90, Dc = 8.880 g/cm3, μ =38.244 mm-1, F(000) = 1789, and the final R = 0.0374 and w R = 0.0836 for 514 observed reflections with I 2σ(I). The structure of SmC u7.69In3.31 belongs to a new structure type and features a three-dimensional(3D) [Cu5In2M4](M = Cu/In) framework composed of [Cu5In4M4] clusters interconnected via sharing In atoms as well as Cu–In and In–In bonds. The Sm atoms are located in the one-dimensional(1D) tunnels along the c-axis. The structural relationship of the title compound with other similar Sm-Cu-In phases was also studied. Band structure calculations based on Density Functional Theory(DFT) method indicate that SmC u7.69In3.31 is metallic.     

Structural,Electronic and Optical Properties of the Monoclinic α-CoV_2O_6

First-principles calculations based on density functional theory are performed to investigate the structural,electronic and optical properties of monoclinic α-Co V2O6.Firstly,the geometry structures obtained by geometry optimization are consistent with the experimental values.Then,the energy band structure is studied using both GGA and GGA+U methods.It is found that the on-site Coulomb repulsion of the Co 3d orbital plays a key role in describing the electronic properties of α-Co V2O6,and is necessary to open the energy band gap.According to the partial density of states(PDOS),significant Co–O and V–O hybridizations are observed in the valence and conduction bands,respectively.Furthermore,the Co–O and V–O bonds are found to have significant covalent characters.Below the absorption threshold ~1.9 e V,no absorption can be detected.However,there exists a strong and wide absorption band in the energy range from 1.9 to 11 e V.Such novel optical properties imply that the α-Co V2O6 may have some potential optical applications.     

Synthesis of Carbon/Sulfur Nanolaminates by Electrochemical Extraction of Titanium from Ti2SC

Herein we electrochemically and selectively extract Ti from the MAX phase Ti₂SC to form carbon/sulfur (C/S) nanolaminates at room temperature. The products are composed of multi‐layers of C/S flakes, with predominantly amorphous and some graphene‐like structures. Covalent bonding between C and S is observed in the nanolaminates, which render the latter promising candidates as electrode materials for Li‐S batteries. We also show that it is possible to extract Ti from other MAX phases, such as Ti₃AlC₂ , Ti₃SnC₂ , and Ti₂GeC, suggesting that electrochemical etching can be a powerful method to selectively extract the “M” elements from the MAX phases, to produce “AX” layered structures, that cannot be made otherwise. The latter hold promise for a variety of applications, such as energy storage, catalysis, etc.     

High‐Nuclearity Silver Thiolate Clusters Constructed with Phosphonates

The n‐butylphosphonate ligand has been employed to construct three new silver(I) thiolate compounds. Single‐crystal X‐ray analysis revealed that complexes 1 and 2 are Ag₄₈ and Ag₅₁ coordination chain polymers, while 3 contains a discrete Ag₄₈ cluster, in which three different kinds of silver(I) thiolate cluster shells enclose three different phosphonate‐functionalized silver(I) cluster cores, respectively. The structures of clusters in 1 – 3 feature three three‐shell arrangements, S@Ag₁₂@(nBuPO₃)₉@Ag₃₆S₂₃, S@Ag₁₁@(nBuPO₃)₇(MoO₄)₂ @Ag₄₀S₂₇ and MoO₄@Ag₁₂@(nBuPO₃)₈S₆ @Ag₃₆S₂₄, respectively.     

Photocatalytically Renewable Micro‐electrochemical Sensor for Real‐Time Monitoring of Cells

Electrode fouling and passivation is a substantial and inevitable limitation in electrochemical biosensing, and it is a great challenge to efficiently remove the contaminant without changing the surface structure and electrochemical performance. Herein, we propose a versatile and efficient strategy based on photocatalytic cleaning to construct renewable electrochemical sensors for cell analysis. This kind of sensor was fabricated by controllable assembly of reduced graphene oxide (RGO) and TiO₂ to form a sandwiching RGO@TiO₂ structure, followed by deposition of Au nanoparticles (NPs) onto the RGO shell. The Au NPs‐RGO composite shell provides high electrochemical performance. Meanwhile, the encapsulated TiO₂ ensures an excellent photocatalytic cleaning property. Application of this renewable microsensor for detection of nitric oxide (NO) release from cells demonstrates the great potential of this strategy in electrode regeneration and biosensing.     

Four Metal Complexes Based on Bulky Imidazole Ligands: Solvothermal Syntheses,Crystal Structures,and Fluorescence Properties

In order to explore the influences of (de‐)protonation of the imidazole ring on the structural diversity of the resulting complexes, the imidazole‐based ligands 4, 5‐diphenylimidazole (Hdpi) and 1H‐phenanthro[9, 10‐d]imidazole (Hpi) were utilized as bulky building blocks to construct four complexes by solvothermal reactions, i.e. [Ag(Hdpi)₂](NO₃) · (H₂O) ( 1 ), [Cu(dpi)]_∞ ( 2 ), [Cu(Hpi)(NO₃)]_∞ ( 3 ), and [(H₂pi)(NO₃)] · H₂O ( 4 ). In complex 1 , two Hdpi ligands adopt a monodentate pattern and coordinate with one Ag^I ion to form a mononuclear unit, which is further connected by hydrogen bonds into a 1D supramolecular helix. The deprotonated dpi ligand of 2 acts in bidentate mode, and bridges Cu^I ions to afford a 1D chain. In 3 , the NO₃^– ion, acts as a monodentate bridging ligand and joins Cu^I ions to generate a 1D chain. The Hpi ligand employs a monodentate mode to bond with Cu^I ions of the 1D chain. 4 is protonated and two H₂pi nitrogen atoms are free of coordination. Interestingly, hydrogen bonds among the NO₃^– ion, the H₂pi ligand, and the water molecule yield a macro ring R⁴₄(14). The resulting structural diversity reveals that the (de‐)protonation of imidazole ring directly steers the coordination number of ligand, and thus causes a significant effect on the structure, especially the dimensionality. Furthermore, the solid‐state fluorescence properties of the free ligands and compounds 1 – 4 were studied at room temperature.     

Antioxidative Cassane Diterpenoids from the Seeds of Caesalpinia minax

Five new cassane diterpenoids, caesalmins I–M ( 1 – 5 ), and 23 known analogs were isolated from the seeds of Caesalpinia minax. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods and comparison with reported data. The antioxidant properties of 1 – 28 were determined by the method of oxygen radical absorbance capacity of fluorescein (ORAC‐FL), and 14 compounds exhibited good antioxidant activities with ORAC‐FL values of 2.24–4.89 Trolox equivalents. The structure? activity relationship of the active compounds was also discussed.     

Isolation and Characterization of Secondary Metabolites from Rhododendron microphyton

Four new iridoids, incarvoids D–F ( 1 – 3 , resp.) and incarvoid B 9‐O‐β‐D ‐glucopyranoside ( 4 ), and one new monoterpenoid, argutoid B ( 5 ), along with 14 known compounds, were isolated from Rhododendron microphyton. Their structures were established by comprehensive 1D‐ and 2D‐NMR spectroscopic analysis.