Photoswitchable and Water‐Soluble Fluorescent Nano‐Aggregates Based on a Diarylethene–Dansyl Dyad and Liposome

In this work, a unique approach is developed to generate photoswitchable and water‐soluble fluorescent nano‐aggregates. Initially, a new light‐controlled diarylethene–dansyl dyad DAE 1 is formed by linking two dansyl fluorophores covalently to a symmetrical dithienylethene backbone, whose photophysical properties can be reversibly switched by optical stimuli. Subsequently, the water insolubility of the molecular switch 1 is overcome by incorporating it into the bilayer of liposome DPPC (1,2‐dihexadecanoyl‐sn ‐glycero‐3‐phosphocholine) in water. This strategy creates stable fluorescent nano‐aggregates OF‐1@DPPC (≈25 nm diameter) that are soluble in an aqueous medium. The nano‐aggregates OF‐1@DPPC retain and even improve the photoswitchable fluorescence properties of DAE 1 . More importantly, OF‐1@DPPC exhibits a remarkable photostability and fatigue resistance after 5 cycles of irradiation with UV and visible light, which is crucial for its practical application.     

一个高度灵敏和高选择性铝离子比率探针的合成及应用

本文构建了一种基于3-苯丙噻唑基-2-羟基-5-甲基苯甲醛的荧光探针用于检测铝离子。该荧光探针能够灵敏、高选择性地检测铝离子,并显示出颜色和强烈的荧光变化双重响应。研究结果表明,该探针对铝离子表现出非常好的荧光增强效果,检测过程中其它金属离子不会对检测结果产生明显的干扰。其比率荧光强度(I490/I567)与铝离子的浓度(0~20μmol/L)之间具有良好的线性关系,检测限低至0.5μmol/L。由于具有高效的选择性,该探针可以用于检测污染河水中的铝离子含量。     

一种基于丹磺酰胺染料的高选择性汞(Ⅱ)离子荧光探针

对人类健康和社会环境而言,汞离子被认为是毒性最大的金属离子之一.本文设计、合成了一种新型基于丹磺酰胺染料的荧光探针,并研究了其对金属阳离子的识别性质.研究结果表明:该荧光探针在水溶液中,对汞离子具有高度的选择性和良好的灵敏度,且不受其它金属阳离子的干扰.该探针对汞离子的检测限可以达到2.1×10-8 mol/L.该探针极低的检测限和良好的水溶性表明其可用于活细胞中检测汞离子.生物成像实验证实该探针具有良好的细胞膜透性和生物相容性.     

基于黄酮的ESIPT型荧光探针检测三苯基膦

三苯基膦(PPh3)是一种重要的有机化合物,具有亲核性和还原性,已被广泛用于有机合成和有机金属化合物配位中。然而PPh3的过量使用不可避免地会引起环境的污染,并且对人体的健康也具有潜在威胁。因此我们迫切需要一种方便而高效的检测PPh3的方法。已有检测方法在便捷性和灵敏性等方面不如人意,而小分子荧光探针因其灵敏度高、选择性好、检测简单等优点受到广泛关注。受生物标记领域常用的无痕Staudinger连接反应的启发,本文设计合成了一个类似Staudinger连接反应,以能够具有固态发光性质的激发态分子内质子转移(ESIPT)特性的3-羟基黄酮荧光染料为母核,以邻叠氮苯乙酸酯为识别基团,用于检测PPh3的荧光增强型的探针分子。通过叠氮与PPh3反应,经过氮杂叶立德中间体,进行快速的分子内酰胺化,释放3-羟基黄酮染料并恢复荧光发射,从而实现在溶液中及滤纸上快速检测PPh3的目的。该探针在定量和定性检测PPh3方面具有潜在应用价值。     

用计算全息法检测卡塞格林系统主镜

为实现对卡塞格林光学系统中的非球面主镜表面面形的高精度检测,设计了一种二元位相型计算全息图(CGH)。介绍了工作原理,对CGH的相位模型参数的优化设计、衍射次级分离以及台阶位置与深度计算等关键问题进行了讨论。通过引入虚拟玻璃的概念快速建立非球面检测模型,针对卡塞格林系统主镜中心开孔的特点,通过加入同轴载波实现了衍射次级的完全分离,相比目前常用的倾斜载波方法简化了相位量化复杂度,数值仿真计算出了最优的台阶深度,降低了加工难度。给出了相应的设计方法及实例,研制投产了CGH。测试得到主镜面形的均方根误差为0.018λ,并与传统补偿器结果(RMS=0.019λ)进行对比,两者测试结果吻合,验证了该设计与检测方法的正确性,该设计方法简单快捷,适用于卡塞格林光学系统主镜面形检测。     

Benzo‐Fused Double [7]Carbohelicene: Synthesis,Structures, and Physicochemical Properties

A benzo‐fused double [7]carbohelicene (D7H) was synthesized through a regioselective cyclodehydrogenation of a tetranaphthyl‐p ‐terphenyl‐based precursor. The twisted (D7H‐1) and anti ‐folded (D7H‐2) conformers of D7H were separated by recrystallization, and their double helicene structures with overlapping terminal benzene rings were unambiguously elucidated by X‐ray crystallography. A record‐high isomerization barrier (46.0 kcal mol⁻¹) in double helicenes was estimated based on density functional theory (DFT) calculation, which resulted in the excellent conformational stability of D7H. The physicochemical properties of D7H‐1 and D7H‐2 were investigated by UV/Vis absorption spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry, displaying the variation of electronic structure upon conformational changes. The optical resolution of the racemic D7H‐1 was carried out by chiral HPLC, offering enantiopure D7H‐1‐(P ,P ) and D7H‐1‐(M ,M ), which were further characterized by circular dichroism spectroscopy.     

Online Flowing Colloidosomes for Sequential Multi‐analyte High‐Throughput SERS Analysis

3D plasmonic colloidosomes are superior SERS sensors owing to their high sensitivity and excellent tolerance to laser misalignment. Herein, we incorporate plasmonic colloidosomes in a microfluidic channel for online SERS detection. Our method resolves the poor signal reproducibility and inter‐sample contamination in the existing online SERS platforms. Our flow system offers rapid and continuous online detection of 20 samples in less than 5 min with excellent signal reproducibility. The isolated colloidosomes prevent cross‐sample and channel contamination, allowing accurate quantification of samples over a concentration range of five orders of magnitude. Our system demonstrates high‐resolution multiplex detection with fully preserved signal and Raman features of individual analytes in a mixture. High‐throughput multi‐assay analysis is performed, which highlights that our system is capable of rapid identification and quantification of a sequence of samples containing various analytes and concentrations.     

Detailed Evidence for an Unparalleled Interaction Mode between Calmodulin and Orai Proteins

Calmodulin (CaM) binds most of its targets by wrapping around an amphipathic α‐helix. The N‐terminus of Orai proteins contains a conserved CaM‐binding segment but the binding mechanism has been only partially characterized. Here, microscale thermophoresis (MST), surface plasmon resonance (SPR), and atomic force microscopy (AFM) were employed to study the binding equilibria, the kinetics, and the single‐molecule interaction forces involved in the binding of CaM to the conserved helical segments of Orai1 and Orai3. The results consistently indicated stepwise binding of two separate target peptides to the two lobes of CaM. An unparalleled high affinity was found when two Orai peptides were dimerized or immobilized at high lateral density, thereby mimicking the close proximity of the N‐termini in native Orai oligomers. The analogous experiments with smooth muscle myosin light chain kinase (smMLCK) showed only the expected 1:1 binding, confirming the validity of our methods.     

Helical Mesoporous Tantalum Oxide Nanotubes: Formation,Optical Activity,and Applications

Nanomaterials with helical morphologies have attracted much attention owing to their potential applications as nanosprings, chirality sensors and in chiral optics. Single‐handed helical Ta₂O₅ nanotubes prepared through a supramolecular templating approach are described. The handedness is controlled by that of the organic self‐assemblies of chiral low‐molecular‐weight gelators (LMWGs). The chiral LMWGs self‐assemble into single‐handed twisted nanoribbons through H‐bonding, hydrophobic association, and π‐π stacking. The Ta₂O₅ nanotubes are formed by the adsorption and polycondensation of Ta₂O₅ oligomers on the surfaces and edges of the twisted organic nanoribbons followed by removal of the template. The optical activity of the nanotubes is proposed to originate from the chiral defects on the inner surfaces of the tubular structures. Single‐handed twisted LiTaO₃ nanotubes can also be prepared using Ta₂O₅ nanotubes.     

A New kHz Velocity Map Ion/Electron Imaging Spectrometer for Femtosecond Time-Resolved Molecular Reaction Dynamics Studies

A new velocity map imaging spectrometer is constructed for molecular reaction dynamics studies using time-resolved photoelectron/ion spectroscopy method.By combining a kHz pulsed valve and an ICCD camera,this velocity map imaging spectrometer can be run at a repetition rate of 1 kHz,totally compatible with the fs Ti:Sapphire laser system,facilitating time-resolved studies in gas phase which are usually time-consuming.Time-resolved velocity map imaging study of NH₃ photodissociation at 200 nm was performed and the time-resolved total kinetic energy release spectrum of H+NH₂ products provides rich information about the dissociation dynamics of NH₃.These results show that this new apparatus is a powerful tool for investigating the molecular reaction dynamics using time-resolved methods.