Strongly Coupled Pt–Ni2GeO4 Hybrid Nanostructures as Potential Nanocatalysts for CO Oxidation

A facile and low‐cost method has been developed to successfully fabricate 3D flower‐like and sphere‐like Ni₂GeO₄ nanostructures with tunable sizes and shapes. It is found that the hard template, polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) nanopsheres, is essential to the formation of the final products. The as‐prepared nanostructures can serve as an outstanding support for Pt nanoparticles after surface modification with L ‐lysine. In the catalytic test of CO oxidation, Pt–Ni₂GeO₄ nanoflowers exhibited much higher catalytic performance compared with Pt–Ni₂GeO₄ nanospheres, representing a typical size‐dependent catalytic property.     

Diastereoselective Synthesis of Cyclopentanoids: Applications to the Construction of the ABCD Tetracyclic Core of Retigeranic Acid A

A concise and efficient approach for the construction of the tetracyclic carbon skeleton of retigeranic acid A is described. The key transformations include a novel Rh‐catalyzed [3+2] cycloaddition of enyol to afford cyclopentanoid E , bearing two contiguous quaternary stereocenters at the bridgehead positions, and an intramolecular Pauson–Khand reaction to construct the advanced tetracyclic core structure of retigeranic acid A.     

Mesoporous Carbon Nanofibers Embedded with MoS2 Nanocrystals for Extraordinary Li‐Ion Storage

MoS₂ nanocrystals embedded in mesoporous carbon nanofibers are synthesized through an electrospinning process followed by calcination. The resultant nanofibers are 100–150 nm in diameter and constructed from MoS₂ nanocrystals with a lateral diameter of around 7 nm with specific surface areas of 135.9 m² g^?1. The MoS₂@C nanofibers are treated at 450 °C in H₂ and comparison samples annealed at 800 °C in N₂. The heat treatments are designed to achieve good crystallinity and desired mesoporous microstructure, resulting in enhanced electrochemical performance. The small amount of oxygen in the nanofibers annealed in H₂ contributes to obtaining a lower internal resistance, and thus, improving the conductivity. The results show that the nanofibers obtained at 450 °C in H₂ deliver an extraordinary capacity of 1022 mA h g^?1 and improved cyclic stability, with only 2.3 % capacity loss after 165 cycles at a current density of 100 mA g^?1, as well as an outstanding rate capability. The greatly improved kinetics and cycling stability of the mesoporous MoS₂@C nanofibers can be attributed to the crosslinked conductive carbon nanofibers, the large specific surface area, the good crystallinity of MoS₂, and the robust mesoporous microstructure. The resulting nanofiber electrodes, with short mass‐ and charge‐transport pathways, improved electrical conductivity, and large contact area exposed to electrolyte, permitting fast diffusional flux of Li ions, explains the improved kinetics of the interfacial charge‐transfer reaction and the diffusivity of the MoS₂@C mesoporous nanofibers. It is believed that the integration of MoS₂ nanocrystals and mesoporous carbon nanofibers may have a synergistic effect, giving a promising anode, and widening the applicability range into high performance and mass production in the Li‐ion battery market.     

Dioxygen Binding in the Active Site of Histone Demethylase JMJD2A and the Role of the Protein Environment

JMJD2A catalyses the demethylation of di‐ and trimethylated lysine residues in histone tails and is a target for the development of new anticancer medicines. Mechanistic details of demethylation are yet to be elucidated and are important for the understanding of epigenetic processes. We have evaluated the initial step of histone demethylation by JMJD2A and demonstrate the dramatic effect of the protein environment upon oxygen binding using quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) calculations. The changes in electronic structure have been studied for possible spin states and different conformations of O₂, using a combination of quantum and classical simulations. O₂ binding to this histone demethylase is computed to occur preferentially as an end‐on superoxo radical bound to a high‐spin ferric centre, yielding an overall quintet ground state. The favourability of binding is strongly influenced by the surrounding protein: we have quantified this effect using an energy decomposition scheme into electrostatic and dispersion contributions. His182 and the methylated lysine assist while Glu184 and the oxoglutarate cofactor are deleterious for O₂ binding. Charge separation in the superoxo‐intermediate benefits from the electrostatic stabilization provided by the surrounding residues, stabilizing the binding process significantly. This work demonstrates the importance of the extended protein environment in oxygen binding, and the role of energy decomposition in understanding the physical origin of binding/recognition.     

Me2Zn‐Mediated Catalytic Enantio‐ and Diastereoselective Addition of TosMIC to Ketones

The first catalytic asymmetric addition of TosMIC to unactivated ketones is presented. A combination of Me₂Zn and aminoalcohol catalyst promoted the aldol addition/cyclization reaction to render oxazolines possessing a fully substituted stereocenter with excellent yields (up to 92 %), high enantioselectivities (up to 96 %), and complete diastereoselectivity. The chiral oxazolines were then used to give, after a straightforward acid hydrolysis, enantioenriched building blocks bearing tertiary alcohol motifs such as hydroxylaldehydes, hydroxylacids, and hydroxylesters without racemization.     

含氟CaO-P2O5-SiO2-Na2O-B2O3玻璃陶瓷的制备及性能表征

采用溶胶-凝胶法制备CaO-P₂O₅-SiO₂-Na₂O-B₂O₃体系前驱体粉末,用CaF₂替代部分CaO再次制备前驱体粉末。 通过TG-DSC分析确定结晶温度为865 ℃,经过热处理获得主晶相为Na₆Ca₃Si₆O₁₈的玻璃陶瓷。 通过X射线衍射(XRD)、傅里叶红外光谱(FTIR)、扫描电子显微镜(SEM)等技术手段及体外生物活性实验分析玻璃陶瓷的显微结构及性能。 结果表明,CaF₂的加入能提高玻璃陶瓷的体积密度、抗折强度和弹性模量,并且不会破坏玻璃陶瓷的生物活性。     

还原氧化石墨烯修饰Bi2WO6提高其在可见光下的光催化性能

通过两步水热法合成了一种新型的还原氧化石墨烯(RGO)修饰的Bi₂WO₆(Bi₂WO₆-RGO), 结果表明其在可见光下的光催化性能得到了显著的提高. 研究了RGO在Bi₂WO₆-RGO中的含量对其光催化性能的影响, 从而确定出RGO相对于Bi₂WO₆的最佳掺杂质量比值为1%. 通过扫描电镜(SEM)研究发现, RGO并没有改变Bi₂WO₆光催化剂的结构和形貌. Bi₂WO₆-RGO在可见光下的光催化性能得以提高可以归功于RGO. 其可能的机理是石墨烯的存在有利于光生载流子(激子)的分离, 从而导致产生更多的O₂^·-用于有机染料污染物(如罗丹明B (RhB))的降解. RhB分子在石墨烯上的有效吸附可能也是导致Bi₂WO₆-RGO光催化性能提高的另一原因.