Super-Soft and Super-Elastic DNA Robot with Magnetically Driven Navigational Locomotion for Cell Delivery in Confined Space

Soft organisms such as earthworms can access confined, narrow spaces, inspiring scientists to fabricate soft robots for in vivo manipulation of cells or tissues and minimally invasive surgery. We report a super-soft and super-elastic magnetic DNA hydrogel-based soft robot (DNA robot), which presents a shape-adaptive property and enables magnetically driven navigational locomotion in confined and unstructured space. The DNA hydrogel is designed with a combinational dynamic and permanent crosslinking network through chain entanglement and DNA hybridization, resulting in shear-thinning and cyclic strain properties. DNA robot completes a series of complex magnetically driven navigational locomotion such as passing through narrow channels and pipes, entering grooves and itinerating in a maze by adapting and recovering its shape. DNA robot successfully works as a vehicle to deliver cells in confined space by virtue of the 3D porous networked structure and great biocompatibility.     

Control of Stereoselectivity in Diverse Hapalindole Metabolites is Mediated by Cofactor-Induced Combinatorial Pairing of Stig Cyclases

Stereospecific polycyclic core formation of hapalindoles and fischerindoles is controlled by Stig cyclases through a three-step cascade involving Cope rearrangement, 6-exo-trig cyclization, and a final electrophilic aromatic substitution. Reported here is a comprehensive study of all currently annotated Stig cyclases, revealing that these proteins can assemble into heteromeric complexes, induced by Ca²⁺, to cooperatively control the stereochemistry of hapalindole natural products.     

碱催化剂g-C3N4在液相反应中溶胀特性的研究

Graphitic carbon nitrides (g-C₃N₄) with different surface areas were prepared by pyrolysis using different precursors including melamine, dicyandiamide, thiourea and urea, and subsequently characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectra (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and N2 adsorption. Their basicities were measured by temperature-programmed desorption of CO₂ (CO₂-TPD) and acid-base titration. The catalytic properties for the Knoevenagel condensation of benzaldehyde and malononitrile were investigated in various solvents. In non-polar toluene solution, the benzaldehyde conversions of the g-C₃N₄ catalysts were low and changed according to their respective surface areas and basicities. However, in polar ethanol solution, the benzaldehyde conversions of all catalysts were similar, and much higher than those in toluene. This could not be explained by the results obtained from either of the two conventional basicity measurements. Further experimental results proved that g-C₃N₄ catalysts swelled in polar solutions, and more basic sites were exposed on the surface of the swollen catalysts, leading to the imminent increase in catalytic activity. This was proved by the catalyst poisoning data, which showed that the g-C₃N₄ catalyst lost its activity completely in toluene by adding 40.9 mmol·g^-1 benzoic acid, while the same catalyst was still active in ethanol until the added amount exceeded 143.3 m·g^-1. Additionally, the reaction tests in various solutions showed that the swelling effect was enhanced according to the polarity of the solvent used. A similar conclusion could be reached for the Knoevenagel condensation of furfural and malononitrile in various solvents. The reusability of g-C₃N₄ catalyst in Knoevenagel condensation was also studied, which showed that g-C₃N₄ was stable in liquid-phase reactions, whose activity dropped from 74.2% to 63.8% after three regeneration processes.     

Recent advances of application of porous molecular cages for enantioselective recognition and separation

Porous materials with well‐defined pore structures have received considerable attention in the past decades due to their unique structures and wide applications. Most porous materials such as zeolites, metal‐organic frameworks, covalent organic frameworks, and porous organic polymers are extended to infinite frameworks or networks by robust covalent or coordination bonds. Porous molecular cages composed of discrete molecules with permanent cavities are an emerging class of porous material and the discrete molecules assemble into solids by weak intermolecular interaction. In comparison to porous extended solids such as metal‐organic frameworks and covalent organic frameworks, porous molecular cage solids are generally soluble in organic solvents thus allowing solution processing, making them more convenient to apply in many fields. This review mainly focuses on the recent advances of application of porous molecular cages (porous organic cages and metal‐organic cages) for enantioselective recognition and separation from 2010 to present, including gas chromatography, capillary electrochromatography, chiral fluorescent recognition, chiral potentiometric sensing, and enantioselective adsorption. Furthermore, the two important family members of porous molecular cages, porous organic cages and metal‐organic cages, are also discussed.     

Comparative investigation of phytochemicals among ten citrus herbs by ultra high performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization quadrupole time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry and evaluation of their antioxidant properties

The citrus herbs have proved their important medicinal and nutritional values as medicine–food dual‐purpose herbs, functional foods, or medical herbs in China. In this study, phytochemicals and antioxidant activity among ten typical citrus herbs (ethanol extracts) were investigated comprehensively. The major ingredients and their contents were analyzed by high‐resolution mass spectrometry, and the differences of typical fragment ions between flavanone‐7‐O‐rutinoside(s) and flavanone‐7‐O‐neohesperidoside(s) were discriminated properly in negative electrospray ionization mode. Total polyphenols, total flavonoids, 1,1‐diphenyl‐2‐picrylhydrazyl, 2,2′‐azino‐bis(3‐ethylbenzothiazoline‐6‐sulphonic acid), and ferric reducing antioxidant power tests were performed, which indicated their beneficial values and antioxidant effects. The medicine–food dual‐purpose herbs including Chenpi, Juluo, Daidaihua, Huajuhong, Xiangyuan, and Foshou exhibited antioxidant capacities significantly by decreasing intracellular reactive oxygen species intensity (P < 0.01), enhancing superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase activities (P < 0.01) in H₂O₂‐induced RIN‐m5F cells. Moreover, the functional foods Zhishi, Zhiqiao, and Qingpi showed moderate antioxidant bioactivity, while the medical herb Juhe showed weak antioxidant bioactivity, which were consistent with the multivariate analysis of their major flavonoids. The study provided a new sight for the chemical differentiation and practical application of citrus herbs as medicine–food dual‐purpose herbs, functional foods, or medical herbs.     

Control of Stereoselectivity in Diverse Hapalindole Metabolites is Mediated by Cofactor‐Induced Combinatorial Pairing of Stig Cyclases

Stereospecific polycyclic core formation of hapalindoles and fischerindoles is controlled by Stig cyclases through a three‐step cascade involving Cope rearrangement, 6‐exo‐trig cyclization, and a final electrophilic aromatic substitution. Reported here is a comprehensive study of all currently annotated Stig cyclases, revealing that these proteins can assemble into heteromeric complexes, induced by Ca²⁺, to cooperatively control the stereochemistry of hapalindole natural products.     

An Extra‐Large‐Pore Pure Silica Zeolite with 16×8×8‐Membered Ring Pore Channels Synthesized using an Aromatic Organic Directing Agent

Extra‐large‐pore zeolites for processing large molecules have long been sought after by both the academia and industry. However, the synthesis of these materials, particularly extra‐large‐pore pure silica zeolites, remains a big challenge. Herein we report the synthesis of a new extra‐large‐pore silica zeolite, designated NUD‐6, by using an easily synthesized aromatic organic cation as structure‐directing agent. NUD‐6 possesses an intersecting 16×8×8‐membered ring pore channel system constructed by four‐connected (Q⁴) and unusual three‐connected (Q³) silicon species. The organic cations in NUD‐6 can be removed in nitric acid to yield a porous material with high surface area and pore volume. The synthesis of NUD‐6 presents a feasible means to prepare extra‐large pore silica zeolites by using assembled aromatic organic cations as structure‐directing agents.     

Integrating Allyl Electrophiles into Nickel‐Catalyzed Conjunctive Cross‐Coupling

Allylation and conjunctive cross‐coupling represent two useful, yet largely distinct, reactivity paradigms in catalysis. The union of these two processes would offer exciting possibilities in organic synthesis but remains largely unknown. Herein, we report the use of allyl electrophiles in nickel‐catalyzed conjunctive cross‐coupling with a non‐conjugated alkene and dimethylzinc. The transformation is enabled by weakly coordinating, monodentate aza‐heterocycle directing groups that are useful building blocks in synthesis, including saccharin, pyridones, pyrazoles, and triazoles. The reaction occurs under mild conditions and is compatible with a wide range of allyl electrophiles. High chemoselectivity through substrate directivity is demonstrated by the facile reactivity of the β‐γ alkene of the starting material, whereas the ?‐ζ alkene of the product is preserved. The generality of this approach is further illustrated through the development of an analogous method with alkyne substrates. Mechanistic studies reveal the importance of the dissociation of the weakly coordinating directing group to allow the allyl moiety to bind and facilitate C(sp³)?C(sp³) reductive elimination.     

Ce~(3+)注入掺杂金刚石薄膜蓝区电致发光研究

采用微波等离子体化学气相沉积设备在高掺杂硅衬底上沉积了一层金刚石薄膜,然后采用离子注入法在金刚石薄膜中注入不同剂量的Ce3+,从而制备出了Ce3+掺杂的金刚石薄膜.研究了其电致发光特性,得到了发光主峰位于蓝区(476 nm和435 nm处)的光发射.实验中发现随着Ce3+注入剂量的增加,电致发光强度也随之增加.     

Oxidation of Alcohols Catalyzed by Ruthenium Complexes with Iodosylbenzene as Oxidant

Five ruthenium complexes such as Phen-Ru-Phen, Phen-Ru-Bipy, Phen-Ru-Quin, Quin-Ru-Quin and Bipy-Ru-Quin (where Phen=l, 10-phenanthroline, Quin=8-hydroxyquinoline, Bipy=2, 2‘-bipyridine) were synthesized and used as catalysts for the oxidation of benzylic and primary aliphatic alcohols with iodosylbenzene as oxidant. The oxidations were carried out at room temperature, affording the corresponding aldehydes and ketones with high selectivity.