"Lego" chemistry for the straightforward synthesis of dendrimers

A new straightforward method of synthesis of dendrimers, using two branched monomers (CA(2) and DB(2)), is described. Each generation is obtained in a single quantitative step, with only N(2) or H(2)O as byproducts; generation 4 is obtained in only four steps. The end groups are alternatively phosphines and hydrazines; their versatile reactivity is illustrated by the reaction of generation 4 with a branched CD(5) monomer, which increases the number of end groups in a single step from 48 to 250.     

Syntheses of glycodendrimers having scyllo-inositol as the scaffold

Synthetic glycoconjugated dendrimers have emerged as important functional glycomimetics for studying multivalency effects in the cell-cell communications. We report herein, a synthetic route to functionalized glycodendrimers with scyllo-inositol as the scaffold, which have a directed geometry; one side of the dendrimers is designed for ready attachment to the AFM probe/solid matrix, and the other to have a varying number of a sugar.     

A condensable amphiphile with a cleavable tail as a "Lizard" template for the sol-gel synthesis of functionalized mesoporous silica

Use of a dialkoxysilane-containing, condensable alanine amphiphile with a cleavable hexadecyl ester tail (1) as a "lizard" template for sol-gel synthesis results in the formation of a mesoporous silicate (2) whose channels are filled with an organic group of the template. Treatment of 2 with aqueous HCl allows selective cleavage of the ester moiety to leave nanochannels (3) whose surface is densely covered with alanine-CO2H. According to XRD and TEM, 2, on conversion into 3, can preserve its regular hexagonal structure. 3 displays a clear N2 adsorption/desorption isotherm with a BET surface area of 536 m2 g-1. 3 can also adsorb a basic guest such as NH3 up to 0.7 mmol g-1, which is 7 times greater than that observed for mesoporous silica obtained by calcination of 2.     

Wormlike micelles as a template for polymerization

The use of self-assembled materials as templates and structure-control agents in materials synthesis is both common and a rapidly growing area. However, the subset of work that focuses on cylindrical, rodlike and wormlike self-assembled micelles is under-utilized given the potential of these materials for synthesizing anisotropic materials. In recent years, there has been progress in polymerization of wormlike micelle systems at different length-scales and in the use of wormlike micelles as templates to control the morphology of materials grown in or around the aggregates.     

First synthesis of "Majoral-Type" glycodendrimers bearing covalently bound alpha-D-mannopyranoside residues onto a hexachlocyclotriphosphazene core

A short and efficient strategy for the first synthesis of "Majoral-Type" multivalent glycodendrimers bearing covalently bound alpha-D-mannopyranosides onto a cyclotriphosphazene scaffold assembled using single-step Sonogashira and click chemistry is reported. New glycoclusters with valencies ranging from 6 to 18 and different epitope spatial arrangements were obtained. Cross-linking abilities of this series of glycodendrimers were evaluated with the model lectin from Canavalia ensiformis (Concanavalin A). The decameric mannoside 23, built around 19, was shown to be much faster in cross-linking the tetravalent lectin Concanavalin A than the positive control, which is the polysaccharide mannan from yeast. The new glycoconjugates reported may be promising tools as probes or effectors of biological processes involving multivalent carbohydrate-binding proteins.     

High-yield syntheses and reactivity studies of Fe10 "ferric wheels": structural, magnetic, and computational characterization of a star-shaped Fe8 complex

Convenient, high-yield routes have been developed to [Fe 10(OMe) 20(O 2CR) 10] ( 1) "ferric wheels" involving the alcoholysis of [Fe 3O(O 2CR) 6(H 2O) 3] (+) salts in MeOH in the presence of NEt 3. Reactivity studies have established [Fe 10(OMe) 20(O 2CMe) 10] ( 1a) to undergo clean carboxylate substitution with a variety of other RCO 2H groups to the corresponding [Fe 10(OMe) 20(O 2CR) 10] product. In contrast, the reaction with phenol causes a nuclearity change to give a smaller [Fe 8(OH) 4(OPh) 8(O 2CR) 12] ( 2) wheel. Similarly, reactions of [Fe 10(OMe) 20(O 2CR) 10] with the bidentate chelate ethylenediamine (en) cause a structural change to give either [Fe 8O 5(O 2CMe) 8(en) 8](ClO 4) 6 ( 3) or [Fe 2O(O 2CBu (t))(en) 4](NO 3) 3 ( 4), depending on conditions. Complex 3 possesses a "Christmas-star" Fe 8 topology comprising a central planar [Fe 4(mu 4-O)] (10+) square subunit edge-fused to four oxide-centered [Fe 3(mu 3-O)] (7+) triangular units. Variable-temperature, solid-state dc and ac magnetization studies on complexes 1a- 4 in the 5.0-300 K range established that all the complexes possess an S = 0 ground state. The magnetic susceptibility data for 4 were fit to the theoretical chi M versus T expression derived by the use of an isotropic Heisenberg spin Hamiltonian and the Van Vleck equation, and this revealed an antiferromagnetic exchange parameter with a value of J = -107.7(5) cm (-1). This value is consistent with that predicted by a previously published magnetostructural relationship. Theoretically computed values of the exchange constants in 3 were obtained with the ZILSH method, and the pattern of spin frustration within its core and the origin of its S = 0 ground state have been analyzed in detail.     

Formation of star-shaped calcite crystals with Mg inorganic mineralizer without organic template

Star-shaped calcite crystals with symmetry were obtained in the mixed solvent of ethanol and H₂O (4:1 vol%) using Mg²⁺ as grow mineralizer without any organic template under the solvothermal condition. The crystals branched to the six directions perpendicular to the c-axis. In the process, Mg²⁺ takes an important influence on such novel morphology via entering the crystal lattice of calcite to absorb the special plane and change the general growth habit. The aqueous solvent is favorable to form aragonite, while the presence of alcohol promotes the formation of calcite, the thermodynamically stable phase. The products were characterized by the techniques of XRD, SEM, SAED, IR and ICP. The formation process was also primarily studied.     

Low-valent uranium iodides: straightforward solution syntheses of UI3 and UI4 etherates

Uranium turnings react with elemental iodine in diethyl ether at room temperature, with sonication and/or stirring, over a period of days to afford UI 3, UI 4(OEt 2) 2, or UI 4(OBu (n) 2) depending on the stoichiometry or ether solvent. This is the first room temperature, and thus safe and convenient, synthesis of UI 3.     

A simple extrusion method for the synthesis of aligned silica nanowires using the template of a rigid surfactant mesophase

Long range alignment of silica nanowires has been accomplished by extrusion of a novel surfactant mesophase prior to silica synthesis.     

"Clicking" on/with polymers: a rapidly expanding field for the straightforward preparation of novel macromolecular architectures

The combination of controlled polymerization techniques and "click" reactions form an efficient platform for the preparation of polymers in various architectures. In this critical review, an update of our 2007 review in Chem. Soc. Rev., we focus on the "click" reactions that have been used widely in the last four years to create new polymer architectures. Not only block copolymers and star-shaped polymers but also cyclic and dendritic macromolecules could be synthesized using these robust "click" reactions (205 references).     

Metal-organic framework as a template for porous carbon synthesis

Porous carbon was synthesized by heating the precursor FA within the pores of MOF-5. The resultant carbon displayed a high specific surface area (BET, 2872 m2.g-1) and important hydrogen uptake (2.6 wt % at 760 Torr, -196 degrees C) as well as excellent electrochemical properties as an electrode material for electrochemical double-layered capacitor (EDLC).     

Carbon as a hard template for nano material catalysts

As one of the naturally abundant elements,carbon can present in different molecular structures(allotropes) and thus lead to various physical/chemical properties of carbon-based materials which have found wide applications in a variety of fields including electrochemistry,optical,adsorption and catalysis,etc.On the other hand,its different allotropes also endow carbon-based materials with various morphostructures,which have been recently explored to prepare oxides and zeolites/zeotypes with tailored structures.In this review,we mainly summarize the recent advances in using carbon materials as hard templates to synthesize structural materials.Specifically,we focus on the development in the synthetic strategies,such as endotemplating,exotemplating approaches and using carbon materials as chemical reagents for the synthesis of metal carbides or nitrides,with an emphasis laid on the control of morphostructure.Meanwhile,the applications of the obtained materials will be highlighted,especially,in the field of heterogeneous catalysis where enhanced performances have been achieved with the materials derived from carbon-templated methods.     

Liquid foam as a template for the synthesis of iron oxyhydroxide nanoparticles

Liquid foams have been used as a template to prepare iron oxyhydroxide nanoparticles. This is achieved by a process of electrostatic entrapment of Fe2+/Fe3+ ions in the foam stabilized by the surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate followed by the in situ hydrolysis of the metal ions. Infrared and selected area electron diffraction measurements suggest the formation of a mixture of beta-FeO(OH) and gamma-FeO(OH) crystallographic phases after the in situ hydrolysis of the metal ions in the foam template. Transmission electron microscopy analysis of the powders obtained from the foam indicates that the particles are fairly monodisperse with an average size of around 50 nm. Scanning electron microscopy pictures reveal that the particles form loosely bound aggregates of around 300 nm. After the powders obtained in the foam are annealed at 400 degrees C, X-ray diffraction measurements show that the FeO(OH) particles are converted to alpha-Fe2O3. The mechanistic aspects of metal ion hydrolysis in a foam are discussed, and some of the advantages of this method vis-à-vis the normal solution-based methods are outlined.     

DNA as a template for synthesis of fluorescent gold nanoclusters

Water-soluble blue-emitting gold nanoclusters have been synthesized using dsDNA as a template without any additional reducing agent. The features of the formed nanoclusters have been revealed by fluorescence and electronic absorption spectroscopy as well as transmission electron microscopy. The prepared gold nanoclusters have been highly stable at physiological pH without any further modification.     

Deformation of a "rigid" molecule in self-assembled nanostructures

A simple spirobifluorene molecule with pseudotetrahedral structure was investigated for its supposed conformational resilience upon adsorption. Through deposition at room temperature of this molecule on a Cu(111) surface and subsequent observation at 5 K with an ultrahigh vacuum scanning tunneling microscope, this "rigidity" upon physisorption is confirmed. However, an unexpected chemisorbed state was also found with the molecules arranged in trimers. The unique coexistence of physisorbed and chemisorbed states on the same substrate is thus demonstrated at the early stage of self-assembly.     

Polysaccharides as a template for silicate generated by sol-gel processes

The polysaccharides, as established previously (Yu.A. Shchipunov, J. Colloid Interface Sci. 268 (2003) 68; Yu.A. Shchipunov, T.Yu. Karpenko, Langmuir 20 (2004) 3882), can manipulate the formation of hybrid silica nanocomposites by sol-gel processes. Here atomic force microscopy was applied to show whether carbohydrate macromolecules serve as a template for silicate. Mica was used as a substrate to adsorb polysaccharide. It was found that its surface is not neutral to the sol-gel processes, providing the silica precipitation. To hinder it, the mica was protected by a monomolecular film of arachidic acid with the help of a Langmuir-Blodgett technique. Hydrophobically modified cationic hydrohyethylcellulose was adsorbed from a diluted aqueous solution. It was demonstrated that the carbohydrate macromolecules located on the hydrophobic surface did promote silica precipitation, serving as a template.     

Polyelectrolyte-surfactant complex as a template for the synthesis of zeolites with intracrystalline mesopores

Mesoporous zeolite silicalite-1 and Al-ZSM-5 with intracrystalline mesopores were synthesized with polyelectrolyte-surfactant complex as the template. Complex colloids were first formed by self-assembly of the anionic polymer poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) and the cationic surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) in basic solution. During the synthesis procedure, upon the addition of the silica source, microporous template (tetrapropylammonium hydroxide), and NaCl, these PAA/CTA complex colloids underwent dissociation and gave rise to the formation of hollow silica spheres with mesoporous shells templated by CTAB micelles and PAA domains as the core. Under hydrothermal treatment, the hollow silica spheres gradually merged together to form larger particles with the PAA domains embedded as the space occupant, which acted as a template for intracrystalline mesopores during the crystallization of the zeolite framework. Amphiphilic organosilane was used to enhance the connection between the PAA domain and the silica phase during the synthesis. After calcination, single crystal-like zeolite particles with intracrystalline mesopores of about 5-20 nm were obtained, as characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and N(2) adsorption measurements. With the addition of an aluminum source in the synthesis, mesoporous zeolite Al-ZSM-5 with intracrystalline mesopores was also synthesized, and enhanced catalytic property was observed with mesoporous Al-ZSM-5 in acetalization of cyclohexanone with methanol.     

The nitrosocarbonyl hetero-Diels-Alder reaction as a useful tool for organic syntheses

Organic transformations that result in the formation of multiple covalent bonds within the same reaction are some of the most powerful tools in synthetic organic chemistry. Nitrosocarbonyl hetero-Diels-Alder (HDA) reactions allow for the simultaneous stereospecific introduction of carbon-nitrogen and carbon-oxygen bonds in one synthetic step, and provide direct access to 3,6-dihydro-1,2-oxazines. This Review describes the development of the nitrosocarbonyl HDA reaction and the utility of the resulting oxazine ring in the synthesis of a variety of important, biologically active molecules.     

A metal-organic gel used as a template for a porous organic polymer

A polymeric metal-organic gel is described, which acts as a template in the preparation of macroporous polymethylmethacrylate, and can be easily removed post-polymerisation.