Detecting pore size distribution of activated carbon by low-field nuclear magnetic resonance

In this study, the transverse relaxation time (T₂) of activated carbon (AC) in different relative environment humidity was detected firstly by low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LFNMR). The pore size (diameter) of AC distributions was calculated by the relationship between T₂ and surface relaxation rate (ρ), where ρ was obtained by the detection of nine porous materials with known pore size. The results showed that the pore size distributions of AC calculated by ρ < 0.19 nm/ms were in good agreement with that obtained by nitrogen adsorption method and proved that LFNMR as a new detection method was feasible for characterizing AC pore size distribution.     

A convenient synthesis of 3-aryl-5-methylidene-2-thiohydantoins

3-Aryl-5-methylidene-2-thiohydantoins were constructed in one-pot reaction of aryl isothiocyanates and 3-morpholino- alanine in alkaline medium with the subsequent treatment with boiling hydrochloric acid.     

Reactivity of a N-Coordinated Germylene-Borane Complex: From Ge→B to Ge→Ga Coordination

Reactivity studies of the Ge^II→B complex L(Cl)Ge⋅BH₃ ( 1 ; L=2-Et₂NCH₂-4,6-tBu₂-C₆H₂) were performed to determine the effect on the Ge^II→B donation. N-coordinated compounds L(OtBu)Ge⋅BH₃ ( 2 ) and [LGe⋅BH₃]₂ ( 3 ) were prepared. The possible tuning of the Ge^II→B interaction was proved experimentally, yielding compounds 1-PPh₂-8-(LGe)-C₁₀H₆ ( 4 ) and L(Cl)Ge⋅GaCl₃ ( 5 ) without a Ge^II→B interaction. In 5 , an unprecedented Ge^II→Ga coordination was revealed. The experimental results were complemented by a theoretical study focusing on the bonding in 1 − 5 . The different strength of the Ge^II→E (E=B, Ga) donation was evaluated by using energy decomposition analysis. The basicity of different L(X)Ge groups through proton affinity is also assessed.     

Highly diastereoselective multicomponent synthesis of polysubstituted 2-hydroxy-2-trifluoromethylpiperidineswith four and five stereogenic centers

The Michael–Mannich cascade cyclization of cyano olefins, ethyl 4,4,4-trifluoro-3-oxobutanoate, aromatic aldehydes and ammonium acetate provides convenient stereoselective formation of ethyl 5,5-dicyano-4,6-diaryl-2-hydroxy-2-(trifluoromethyl)piperidine-3-carboxylates with fourstereogenic centers and dialkyl 4,6-diaryl-5-cyano-2-hydroxy-2-(trifluoromethyl)piperidine-3,5-dicarboxylates with five stereogenic centers. Ammonium acetate plays dual role, acting as a base and as a nitrogen source.     

基于XPS对硫铁矿去除SeO2-3的机理研究

硒是动植物及人体生长必需的十五种微量元素之一，具有清除体内自由基、抗氧化、增强免疫力等功能，但其安全剂量的范围却很窄。利用扫描电子显微镜（SEM）和X射线衍射仪（XRD）对湿法球磨制备的硫铁矿形貌进行了表征。SEM观测发现加乙醇助磨后的硫铁矿为粒径大小较均匀的球形颗粒团聚体，粒径范围在17～200 nm之间，平均粒径138 nm。XRD衍射图谱中的特征峰与FeS₂衍射图谱中各峰位置基本一致，因此判定硫铁矿中主要化学组分为FeS₂，且图谱中基本没有杂峰，表明制备过程中并未混入杂质，样品纯度较高。实验结果表明，该法制备的硫铁矿具有颗粒粒径小、比表面积大、反应活性高等优点。研究中利用X射线光电子能谱仪（XPS）对硫铁矿去除水体中SeO2-₃的机理进行了研究。研究结果表明, （1）在较为广泛的实验pH范围（pH 2.2～11.5），硫铁矿均能有效去除水体中SeO2-₃，去除效率（除pH值7.8以外）均达到90%以上；（2）硫铁矿与SeO2-₃发生反应后，其主要组成元素的XPS特征峰结合能有所减小，表明硫铁矿表面发生了一定化学变化；（3）酸碱环境下硫铁矿去除SeO2-₃的机理不完全相同，酸性环境下，硫铁矿对SeO2-₃的去除是单纯的氧化还原过程，即硫铁矿中被酸活化的S2-₂将SeO2-₃还原为单质Se(0)，并且酸性越强，SeO2-₃去除效果越好；碱性环境下，SeO2-₃的去除过程中氧化还原与络合反应并存，硫铁矿表面有络合态Fe(OH)SeO₃和单质Se(0)两种存在形态，且碱性越强，络合态Fe(OH)SeO₃含量越高。以上研究结果为硫铁矿去除固定水体和土壤中以SeO2-₃为代表的可变价金属阴离子提供重要理论依据和应用基础。     

Dynamics of Bacteriorhodopsin in the Dark-Adapted State from Solution Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

To achieve efficient proton pumping in the light-driven proton pump bacteriorhodopsin (bR), the protein must be tightly coupled to the retinal to rapidly convert retinal isomerization into protein structural rearrangements. Methyl group dynamics of bR embedded in lipid nanodiscs were determined in the dark-adapted state, and were found to be mostly well ordered at the cytosolic side. Methyl groups in the M145A mutant of bR, which displays only 10 % residual proton pumping activity, are less well ordered, suggesting a link between side-chain dynamics on the cytosolic side of the bR cavity and proton pumping activity. In addition, slow conformational exchange, attributed to low frequency motions of aromatic rings, was indirectly observed for residues on the extracellular side of the bR cavity. This may be related to reorganization of the water network. These observations provide a detailed picture of previously undescribed equilibrium dynamics on different time scales for ground-state bR.