Highly Enantioselective Catalytic System for Asymmetric Copolymerization of Carbon Dioxide and Cyclohexene Oxide

A new ligand can be easily prepared, and its intramolecular dinuclear zinc complexes act as a high performance catalyst for the asymmetric alternating copolymerization of cyclohexene oxide and CO₂ under very mild conditions (1 atm CO₂, room temperature), affording completely alternating polycarbonates with up to 93.8 % enantiomeric excess (ee) and 98 % yield. A high M_n value of 28 600 and a relatively narrow polydispersity (M_w/M_n ratio) of 1.43 were also achieved.     

Performance Enhancement of Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells with Direct Growth of CdS‐Cluster‐Decorated Graphene Nanosheets

Two‐dimensional graphene–CdS (G–CdS) semiconductor hybrid nanosheets were synthesized in situ by graphene oxide (GO) quantum wells and a metal–xanthate precursor through a one‐step growth process. Incorporation of G–CdS nanosheets into a photoactive film consisting of poly[4,8‐bis‐(2‐ethyl‐hexyl‐thiophene‐5‐yl)‐benzo[1,2‐b:4,5‐b]dithiophene‐2,6‐diyl]‐alt‐[2‐(2‐ethyl‐hexanoyl)‐thieno[3,4‐b]thiophen‐4,6‐diyl] (PBDTTT‐C‐T) and [6,6]‐phenyl C₇₀ butyric acid methyl ester (PC₇₀BM) effectively decreases the exciton lifetime to accelerate exciton dissociation. More importantly, the decreasing energy levels of PBDTTT‐C‐T, PC₇₀BM, and G–CdS produces versatile heterojunction interfaces of PBDTTT‐C‐T:PC₇₀BM, PBDTTT‐C‐T:G–CdS, and PBDTTT‐C‐T:PC₇₀BM:G–CdS; this offers multi‐charge‐transfer channels for more efficient charge separation and transfer. The charge transfer in the blend film also depends on the G–CdS nanosheet loadings. In addition, G–CdS nanosheets improve light utilization and charge mobility in the photoactive layer. As a result, by incorporation of G–CdS nanosheets into the active layer, the power‐conversion efficiency of inverted solar cells based on PBDTTT‐C‐T and PC₇₁BM is improved from 6.0 % for a reference device without G–CdS nanosheets to 7.5 % for the device with 1.5wt % G–CdS nanosheets, due to the dramatically enhanced short‐circuit current. Combined with the advantageous mechanical properties of the PBDTTT‐C‐T:PC₇₀BM:G–CdS active layer, the novel CdS‐cluster‐decorated graphene hybrid nanomaterials provide a promising approach to improve the device performance.     

Aptamer‐Based Luminescence Energy Transfer from Near‐Infrared‐to‐Near‐Infrared Upconverting Nanoparticles to Gold Nanorods and Its Application for the Detection of Thrombin

A new luminescence energy transfer (LET) system has been designed for the detection of thrombin in the near‐infrared (NIR) region by utilizing NIR‐to‐NIR upconversion lanthanide nanophosphors (UCNPs) as the donor and gold nanorods (Au NRs) as the acceptor. The use of upconverting NaYF₄:Yb³⁺,Tm³⁺ nanoparticles with sharp NIR emission peaks upon NIR excitation by an inexpensive infrared continuous wave laser diode provided large spectral overlap between the donor and the acceptor. Both the Au NRs and carboxyl‐terminated NaYF₄:Yb³⁺,Tm³⁺ UCNPs were first modified with different thrombin aptamers. When thrombin was added, a LET system was then formed because of the specific recognition between the thrombin aptamers and thrombin. The LET system was used to monitor thrombin concentrations in aqueous buffer and human blood samples. The limits of detection for thrombin are as low as 0.118 nM in buffer solution and 0.129 nM in human serum. The method was also successfully applied to thrombin detection in blood samples.     

Gold‐Catalyzed Cycloisomerization of Yne‐Vinylidenecyclopropanes: A Three‐Carbon Synthon for [3+2] Cycloadditions

A novel type of yne‐vinylidenecyclopropanes (VDCPs) has been synthesized and applied in gold‐catalyzed cycloisomerization reactions. It was found that these compounds can undergo an intramolecular cycloisomerization and perform as a three‐carbon synthon for [3+2] cycloaddition under gold catalysis to give fused [4.3.0] and [5.3.0] bicyclic derivatives and VDCP rearranged products in moderated to good yields under mild conditions. The substrate scope of these novel transformations has been explored and plausible reaction mechanisms have been presented on the basis of deuterium labeling experiments and DFT calculations.     

BixTiOy-TiO2复合膜电极光电催化去除模拟压载水中细菌

溶剂热-聚乙烯醇粘附法制备了钛网负载BixTiOy-TiO2复合膜电极。利用X射线衍射、紫外-可见漫反射、光致发光(PL)、扫描电子显微镜和能谱(EDS)等测试技术对合成的纳米材料和膜电极进行了表征。利用三电极系统对模拟压载水的灭菌效果进行实验研究。考察了外加电压、光源和膜电极的使用次数对光电催化灭菌效果的影响。UV-Vis实验表明,BixTiOy-TiO2复合材料比纯TiO2有好的可见光吸收;PL实验证明,复合材料比纯TiO2有更高光量子效率。对细菌浓度为106CFU/mL的模拟压载水的光电催化灭菌实验结果表明,外加电压为9 V,电极与溶液接触面积为140 cm2时,20 W紫外杀菌灯照射下反应2 min即可完全去除压载水中的细菌;聚乙烯醇粘附法制备的电极重复使用20次,灭菌效果不变。     

用于组胺检测的MWCNT/ZnO/Nafion复合物膜修饰的电化学发光传感器的研究

基于含有氨基类物质对三联吡啶钌电化学发光的促进作用,建立了直接测定组胺的电化学发光方法。通过MWCNT/ZnO/Nafion复合物膜修饰玻碳电极(GC)固定三联吡啶钌,研究了此工作电极在组胺溶液中的ECL发光行为。在最优的实验条件下,组胺质量浓度在1.0~1.0×104ng/mL范围内时其对数值与电化学发光信号呈良好的线性关系(R2=0.9968),检出限为0.64 ng/mL,组胺的加标回收率为96%~103%,RSD为2.7%。     

高活性硫化铅电极的制备及在量子点敏化太阳能电池中的应用

为了提高量子点敏化纳晶薄膜太阳能电池的光电转换效率,我们通过连续在酸和多硫溶液中处理铅片制备了对多硫电解液具有高电催化活性的硫化铅电极.通过电化学阻抗谱测试评价所制备硫化铅电极的催化活性,从而确定制备高效硫化铅电极的最佳条件.以在最佳条件下制备的硫化铅为对电极、CdSe量子点敏化TiO2纳晶薄膜为工作电极和多硫电解液组装成量子点敏化太阳能电池.光电性能测试结果表明所制备的电极具有良好的催化活性和光电转换性能.与已报导的方法相比,新方法大幅度地减少制备过程所需的时间,但却提高了所制备的硫化铅对电极的催化活性.通过X射线衍射和扫描电镜测试表征了硫化铅的生成过程,探讨了催化活性提高的原因.     

Synthesis of Long‐Sought C66 with Exohedral Stabilization

Previously reported fused‐pentagon fullerenes stabilized by exohedral derivatization do not share the same cage with those stabilized by endohedral encapsulation. Herein we report the crystallographic identification of ^#4348C₆₆Cl₁₀, which has the same cage as that of previously reported Sc₂@C₆₆. According to the geometrical data of ^#4348C₆₆Cl₁₀, both strain relief (at the fused pentagons) and local aromaticity (on the remaining sp²‐hybrided carbon framework) contribute to the exohedral stabilization of this long‐sought 66 carbon atom cage.     

Bright White‐Light Emission from a Single Organic Compound in the Solid State

White‐light‐emitting materials and devices have attracted enormous interest because of their great potential for various lighting applications. We herein describe the light‐emitting properties of a series of new difunctional organic molecules of remarkably simple structure consisting of two terminal 4‐pyridone push–pull subunits separated by a polymethylene chain. They were found to emit almost “pure” white light as a single organic compound in the solid state, as well as when incorporated in a polymer film. To the best of our knowledge, they are the simplest white‐light‐emitting organic molecules reported to date.     

Highly Enantioselective Kinetic Resolution of Axially Chiral BINAM Derivatives Catalyzed by a Brønsted Acid

A highly efficient strategy for the kinetic resolution of axially chiral BINAM derivatives involving a chiral Brønsted acid‐catalyzed imine formation and transfer hydrogenation cascade process was developed. The kinetic resolution provides a convenient route to chiral BINAM derivatives in high yields with excellent enantioselectivities.