Langmuir-Blodgett films of a clay mineral and ruthenium(II) complexes with a noncentrosymmetric structure

Mono- and multilayers of amphiphilic [Ru(phen)(2)(dcC12bpy)](2+) (phen = 1,10-phenanthroline, dcC12bpy = 4,4'-caboxyl-2,2'-bipyridyl didodecyl ester) hybridized with a clay mineral have been prepared by a modified Langmuir-Blodgett method, and their structures and properties have been investigated. Formation of a hybrid monolayer of the Ru(II) complex cations and the clay platelets at an air-clay suspension interface was confirmed by surface pressure-molecular area (pi-A) isotherm measurement and atomic force microscopic (AFM) observation. Multilayers were fabricated by depositing the hybrid monolayers onto glass substrates. The absorbance at 492 nm due to the Ru(II) complex cation in the multilayer increased linearly with the increase in the layer number, indicating layer-by-layer deposition of the hybrid monolayers. Because no increase in the second-harmonic generation (SHG) signal from the multilayers against the layer number was observed, the orientation of the Ru(II) complex cations in the layer would be disturbed. The hydrophilic surface of the transferred hybrid monolayer can be converted to a hydrophobic surface by dipping it in an aqueous solution of octadecylammonium chloride (ODAH(+)Cl(-)). The multilayers modified with ODAH(+) showed a quadratic relation between the SHG intensity and the layer number. This means that the Ru(II) complex cations in the multilayer are successfully oriented in a noncentrosymmetric way by the conversion of the surface property. Both a racemic mixture and an enantiomer of the Ru(II) complex cations were employed to examine the chiral effect on the film properties. The chiral contribution to the SHG signal was enhanced in the multilayer modified with ODAH(+).     

Two-step synthesis of high aspect ratio gold nanorods

We describe a very simple, two-step synthetic method to prepare gold nanorods with extremely high aspect ratios (> 20) and average lengths of more than 1000 nm. The method is based on a seed-mediated growth in presence of the surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide. The length and aspect ratios of the nanorods can be manipulated by varying the surfactant concentration.     

Unusual frequency dispersion effects of the nonlinear optical response in highly conjugated (polypyridyl)metal-(porphinato)zinc(II) chromophores

The syntheses and electrooptic properties of a new family of nonlinear optical chromophores are reported. These species feature an ethyne-elaborated, highly polarizable porphyrinic component and metal polypyridyl complexes that serve as integral donor and acceptor elements. Examples of this structural motif include ruthenium(II) [5-(4'-ethynyl-(2,2';6',2' '-terpyridinyl))-10,20-bis(2',6'-bis(3,3-dimethyl-1-butyloxy)phenyl)porphinato]zinc(II)-(2,2';6',2' '-terpyridine)(2+) bis-hexafluorophosphate (Ru-PZn); osmium(II) [5-(4'-ethynyl-(2,2';6',2'-terpyridinyl))-10,20-bis(2',6'-bis(3,3-dimethyl-1-butyloxy)phenyl)porphinato]zinc(II)-(2,2';6',2'-terpyridine)(2+) bis-hexafluorophosphate (Os-PZn); ruthenium(II) [5-(4'-ethynyl-(2,2';6',2'-terpyridinyl))-15-(4'-nitrophenyl)ethynyl-10,20-bis(2',6'-bis(3,3-dimethyl-1-butyloxy)phen-yl)porphinato]zinc(II)-(2,2';6',2' '-terpyridine)(2+) bis-hexafluorophosphate (Ru-PZn-A); osmium(II) [5-(4'-ethynyl-(2,2';6',2' '-terpyridinyl))-15-(4'-nitrophenyl)ethynyl-10,20-bis(2',6'-bis(3,3-dimethyl-1-butyloxy)phenyl)porphinato]zinc(II)-(2,2';6',2' '-terpyridine)(2+) bis-hexafluorophosphate (Os-PZn-A); and ruthenium(II) [5-(4'-ethynyl-(2,2';6',2' '-terpyridinyl))osmium(II)-15-(4'-ethynyl-(2,2';6',2'-terpyridinyl))-10,20-bis (2',6'-bis(3,3-dimethyl-1-butyloxy)phenyl)porphinato]zinc(II)-bis(2,2';6',2'-terpyridine)(4+) tetrakis-hexafluorophosphate (Ru-PZn-Os). The frequency dependence of the dynamic hyperpolarizability of these compounds was determined from hyperRayleigh light scattering (HRS) measurements carried out at fundamental incident irradiation wavelengths (lambda(inc)) of 800, 1064, and 1300 nm. These data show that (i) coupled oscillator photophysics and metal-mediated cross-coupling can be exploited to elaborate high beta(0) supermolecules that exhibit significant excited-state electronic communication between their respective pigment building blocks; (ii) high-stability metal polypyridyl compounds constitute an attractive alternative to electron releasing dialkyl- and diarylamino groups, the most commonly used donor moieties in a wide range of established nonlinear optical dyes; (iii) this design strategy enables ready elaboration of chromophores having extraordinarily large dynamic hyperpolarizabilities (beta(lambda) values) at telecommunication relevant wavelengths; and (iv) porphyrin B- and Q-state-derived static hyperpolarizabilities (beta(0) values) can be designed to have the same or opposite sign in these species, thus providing a new means to regulate the magnitude of lambda(inc)-specific dynamic hyperpolarizabilities.     

Os(VIII)-catalysed oxidation of sulfides by sodium salt of N-chlorobenzenesulfonamide

Catalytic activity of Os(VIII) in the oxidation of some twenty organic sulfides with sodium salt of N-chlorobenzenesulfonamide (CAB) has been investigated in alkaline (pH8.7) t-butanol–water (1:1 v/v) medium. Significant retarding influence of [OH⁻] on the reactivity is exhibited. The catalysed reaction is strongly accelerated in the presence of Hg(II). Imperfections are observed in the linear Hammett relationship in the case of –NO₂ substituents.     

Resolution of the A- and B-site hyperfine fields of the spinel system Mg1+t Fe2(1−t ) Ti t O4 in the spin-glass-like state

Spectra for three members of the spinel system Mg_1+t Fe_2(1−t)Ti _t O₄, witht=0.5, 0.6 and 0.7, all showing re-entrant spin-glass-like behavior, were collected at temperatures down to 1.6 K and decomposed in A- and B-site components, both having a broad distribution of hyperfine fields. The numerical results suggest a more pronounced spin canting on A sites as compared to B sites. From spectra recorded at 4.2 K in an applied field of 6 T, and analysed with a sum of two bi-dimensional distributions of hyperfine fields and canting angles, the existence of reversed A-site spins is evidenced. The number of such spins increases with increasing magnetic dilution. Senior Research Associate at the National Fund for Scientific Research, Belgium     

Raman spectroscopic investigation on the microenvironment of the liver tissues of Zebrafish (Danio rerio) due to titanium dioxide exposure

Nano titanium dioxide (nTiO₂), generally considered to be toxicologically inert, is manufactured in large quantities and extensively applied in consumer products. The small size and large surface area endow them with an active group or intrinsic toxicity. Advances in instrumentation are making Raman spectroscopy the tool of choice for an increasing number of (bio) chemical applications. One of the great advantages of this technique is its ability to provide information on the concentration, structure and interaction of biochemical molecules in their microenvironments within intact cells and tissues, non-destructively. Zebrafish (Danio rerio), one of the most important vertebrate model organisms used in developmental biology, are increasingly used in biomedical research, particularly as a model of human disease. In the present work, an attempt is made to study the effect of titanium dioxide, both nano and bulk, on the microenvironment of the liver tissues of Zebrafish using FT-Raman spectroscopy. The results of the present study suggest that TiO₂ exposure demonstrate a marked influence on the microenvironments of the liver tissues of Zebrafish. A shift to a higher wavenumber and an increase in the intensity of the band at ∼1087 cm⁻¹ in the TiO₂ exposed tissues suggest that some of the conformational changes resulting from the alkali recovery process takes place due to TiO₂ exposure. The decreased intensity ratio (I₃₂₂₀/I₃₄₀₀) observed in the titanium-exposed tissues suggests a decreased water domain size, which could be interpreted in terms of weaker hydrogen-bonded molecular species of water in the TiO₂ exposed tissues. The observed shift of COO⁻ bands to higher frequencies shows the disruption of salt bridges as a result of a change in the oppositely charged partners and due to the enhanced random coil conformation. The variation in the intensity ratio of the tyrosyl doublet (I₈₅₈/I₈₂₅) indicates variation in the hydrogen bonding of the phenolic hydroxyl group due to TiO₂ exposure. The results further suggest that the microenvironments are greatly altered due to titanium nano exposure when compared to titanium bulk. In conclusion, the results indicate that FT-Raman spectroscopy might be a useful tool for rapid assessment of nano particle biological interactions.