Dynamics and extent of ligand exchange depend on electronic charge of metal nanoparticles

Both the rate and extent of ligand place exchange reactions between the hexanethiolate monolayer of Au(140) monolayer protected clusters (C6 MPCs) and dissolved 6-mercapto-1-hexanol thiol (HOC6SH) increase with increasing positive electronic charge on the Au cluster core. The rate constant of the ligand place exchange, taken at the early stage of the exchange, is increased by ca. 2-fold for reaction of +3 charged Au(140) cores as compared to neutral ones. The initially exchanged ligands are thought to reside mainly on edge and vertex sites of the Au(140) core, where the lability of the slightly more ionic Au[bond]S bonds there becomes further enhanced by removing electrons from the core. The reactions slow markedly after 35-50% of the original ligands have been replaced, continuing at a much slower pace for some time to reach an apparent reaction equilibrium. On +2 charged Au(140) cores, 85% of the C6 ligands have been exchanged with HOC(6)H(12)SH after 20 h. The slower phase of the reaction includes exchange of thiolate ligands on terrace lattice sites most of which--owing to the small sizes of the nanoparticle's Au(111) faces--are no more than one Au atom row removed from the nanoparticle edge sites. This slower exchange, the extent of which is also enhanced by positively charging the core, occurs either by intramolecular place exchange with edge sites that subsequently place-exchange with solution thiol or by direct place-exchange with solution thiol. Acid-base studies show that thiolate is more reactive in place exchange reactions than the corresponding thiol.     

On the stability of (highly aggregated) polyelectrolyte complexes containing a charged-block-neutral diblock copolymer

Using light scattering and cryogenic transmission electron microscopy, we show that highly aggregated polyelectrolyte complexes (HAPECs) composed of poly([4-(2-aminoethylthio)butylene] hydrochloride)49-block-poly(ethylene oxide)212 and poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) of varying lengths (140, 160, and 2000 monomeric units) are metastable or unstable if the method of preparation is direct mixing of two solutions containing the oppositely charged components. The stability of the resulting HAPECs decreases with decreasing neutral-block content and with increasing deviation from 1:1 mixing (expressed in number of chargeable groups) of the oppositely charged polyelectrolytes, most probably for electrostatic reasons. The difference between the metastable and stable states, obtained with pH titrations, increases with increasing PAA length and increasing pH mismatch between the two solutions with the oppositely charged components.     

Monolayer Characteristics of Bacteriocin AS-48, pH Effect and Interactions with Dipalmitoyl Phosphatidic Acid at the Air-Water Interface

Bacteriocin AS-48 produced by Enterococcus faecalis S-48 is a ribosomally synthesized cyclic peptide (7.4 kDa) of broad inhibitory spectrum against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Simple monolayers of AS-48 and of dipalmitoyl phosphatidic acid (DPPA) at the air-water interface are studied. The AS-48 interfacial behavior in the function of pH explains the biological activity of the peptide. The lipid monolayers show the characteristic behavior of phosphatidic acid at the mentioned interface. The interactions between AS-48 and DPPA, a majority lipid of the bacterial cell membrane, are quantitatively investigated. The results indicate that only when the lipid molecules are charged enough (pH 10.5) is an attractive interaction between AS-48 and DPPA observed, although under these experimental conditions the results seem to indicate that a deformation of the peptide helical structure could take place. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.     

Non-covalent conjugates between cationic polyamino acids and GdIII chelates: a route for seeking accumulation of MRI-contrast agents at tumor targeting sites

Three novel Gd chelates containing on their external surface pendant phosphonate and carboxylate groups, which promote the interaction with the positively charged groups of polyornithine and polyarginine, have been synthesized. Their solution structures have been assessed on the basis of 1H- and 31P-NMR spectra of the Eu and Yb analogues. A thorough investigation of the relaxometric (1H and 17O) properties of the Gd chelates has been carried out and the observed relaxivities have been accounted for the sum of three contributions arising from water molecules in the first, second, and outer coordination layers, respectively. It has been found that the occurrence of a tight second coordination coating renders the dissociation of the water molecule directly coordinated to the Gd ion more difficult. The binding interactions between the negatively charged Gd chelates and the positively charged groups of polyornithine (ca. 140 residues) and polyarginine (ca. 204 residues) have been evaluated by means of the proton relaxation enhancement (PRE) method. Although the binding interaction decreases markedly in the presence of competitive anions in the solution medium, the affinity is strong enough that in blood serum it is possible to meet the conditions where most of the chelate is bound to the polyamino acid substrate. On this basis one may envisage a novel route for a MRI location of tumors as it is known that positively charged polyamino acids selectively bind to tumors having a greater negative charge than non-tumor cells.     

Multifunctional Stimuli Responsive ABC Terpolymers: From Three‐Compartment Micelles to Three‐Dimensional Network

Summary: A highly asymmetric P2VP₅₈‐PAA₉₂₄‐PBMA₄₈ double hydrophilic block terpolymer exhibits a rich phase behavior as a function of pH. In acidic media (pH 1) three compartment micelles with a positively charged outer corona are formed. At high pH, the above structure is transformed into a three‐dimensional transient network constituted of hydrophobic domains interconnected with negatively charged bridging chains (PAA chains). At even higher pH (14) the network is disrupted and finally exhibits a closed loop sol–gel–sol behavior.

AFM images of P2VP₅₈‐PAA₉₂₄‐PBMA₄₈ micellar self assemblies deposited on mica.     

(SiH)48X12 Heterofullerenes with the Group III and V Dopants: A DFT Prediction of Geometry,Stability, and Electronic Structure

We have applied DFT calculations to devise some (SiH)₄₈X₁₂ heterofullerenes with replacing of 12 Si–H units with a series of the group III and V dopants, P, N, As, B, Al and Ga, with the configuration of one dopant per pentagonal ring. Our results indicate that binding energies of heterofullerenes with group III dopants are smaller than those of heterfullerenes with group V dopants. Density of state obtained for the systems indicate a distinct change near the valence level compared to that of Si₆₀H₆₀, and a local energy level appears after the doping. (SiH)₄₈X₁₂ heterofullerenes with the group III and V dopants are composed of positively and negatively charged dopant atoms, each of which is surrounded by opposite charged Si atoms. The electrophilicity values of (SiH)₄₈X₁₂ heterofullerenes, except for (SiH)₄₈N₁₂, are greater than that of their parent. Because of the higher electronegativity of group V elements and electron transfer from the cages to the group V dopants, electrophilicity values for the (SiH)₄₈X₁₂ heterofullerenes with the group V dopants are always smaller than those of heterofullerenes with the group III dopants.     

Adhesion Probability of Colloidal Particles with Repulsive Soft Interaction

Computer simulations of the irreversible adhesion of charged colloidal particles at a solid/liquid interface are performed to determine whether the distribution of particles in the vicinity of a preadsorbed (also charged) one follows the Boltzmann law applied to ana prioriuniform adhesion probability, as first assumed by Adamczyket al.(J. Colloid Interface Sci.140, 123 (1990)). If true, this would indicate that the whole information on the deposition process is contained in the potential energy distribution on the adsorbing surface. In general, diffusion in a field of force and the irreversibility of the process induce significant deviations from the Boltzmann-weighted uniform adhesion density. Nevertheless, it is shown that for particles characterized by a small gravitational energy this procedure leads to a reasonable first approximation of the distribution of the particles over the adsorbing surface. This observation thus demonstrates the validity of Adamczyk's assumption and extends its range of applicability to the case of a weak gravitational field.     

4d-->4f dipole resonance of the metal atom encapsulated in a fullerene cage: Ce@C82

The yield curves for photoions from Ce@C(82) are measured by using synchrotron radiation in the photon energy range from 90 to 160 eV. Parent Ce@C(82) (z+) and fragment ions C(60) (z+) and C(70) (z+) are observed in a mass spectrum (z=1 and 2). The yield curves for doubly charged ionic species exhibit broad resonance in the photon energy region of from 120 to 140 eV which is ascribed to the 4d-->4f giant dipole resonance of the encapsulated Ce atom. The total photoabsorption cross section of Ce@C(82) was determined from partial photoionization cross sections for formation of the parent and fragment ions to be 5.3(-1.1) (+1.8) and 19.6(-3.9) (+6.5) Mb at photon energies of 110 and 130 eV, respectively.     

Fluorescent properties and resonance energy transfer of 3,4-bis(2,4-difluorophenyl)-maleimide

A fluorescent compound 3,4-bis(2,4-difluorophenyl)-maleimide from the 3,4-diaryl-substituted maleimides was synthesized and determined to have a Stokes shift of 140 nm (λ(abs) 341 nm, λ(em) 481 nm), a high fluorescent quantum yield (Φ(fl) 0.61) and an extinction coefficient ε((340)) of 48?400 M(-1) cm(-1) in dichloromethane. For the first time we demonstrated the successful implementation of a 3,4-diaryl-substituted maleimide molecule as a donor component in FRET experiments.     

A high-throughput screening method for the exploration of optimal curing parameters and resistance to solvents of NANOMER®coating materials

A high-throughput screening method for the exploration of optimal curing parameters and resistance to solvents of NANOMER® coating materials based on the temperature-dependent swellability was developed. The screening method was first tested using a model sol made of pre-hydrolyzed (3-glycidoxypropyl)triethoxysilane (GPTES), tetraethoxysilane (TEOS), (heptadecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrodecyl)triethoxysilane (FTS) and zirconium complex (prepared of zirconium-tert-butoxide complexed with acetylacetonate) charged with reactive diluent trimethylolpropan-triglycidether and defined amounts of fluorescein and cured at different temperatures. Afterwards, fluorescein was extracted with sodium hydroxide solution and the optical density of the supernatant of all samples was measured at 490 nm which is sensitive to the dye concentration. The optical density (OD) correlates with the degree of curing. According to this screening a temperature $CDATA \geq 140 ^\circA high-throughput screening method for the exploration of optimal curing parameters and resistance to solvents of NANOMER? coating materials based on the temperature-dependent swellability was developed. The screening method was first tested using a model sol made of pre-hydrolyzed (3-glycidoxypropyl)triethoxysilane (GPTES), tetraethoxysilane (TEOS), (heptadecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrodecyl)triethoxysilane (FTS) and zirconium complex (prepared of zirconium-tert-butoxide complexed with acetylacetonate) charged with reactive diluent trimethylolpropan-triglycidether and defined amounts of fluorescein and cured at different temperatures. Afterwards, fluorescein was extracted with sodium hydroxide solution and the optical density of the supernatant of all samples was measured at 490 nm which is sensitive to the dye concentration. The optical density (OD) correlates with the degree of curing. According to this screening a temperature C is necessary for proper curing. The time dependence of extraction reveals information on resistance against sodium hydroxide solution, i. e. alkali resistance. The time dependent extraction of fluorescein at C of coatings cured at 100 and 140°C, respectively, shows a better resistance against 0.1 M sodium hydroxide solution for the one cured at 140°C, especially in the time range 10–60 min. The whole process — sol preparation, mixing of sols with dye, extraction, and optical spectroscopy—can be performed automatically. Further testes were made to proof the usability of this process. 96 hybrid materials were screened in regard to their alkali resistance and finally, a total number of 14 clear organic-inorganic hybrid coating systems with improved stability against sodium hydroxide solution were derived from this study.     

CHRONIC METABOLIC MEASUREMENTS OF NORMAL BRAIN TISSUE RESPONSE TO PHOTODYNAMIC THERAPY

The metabolic response of normal rat brain to photodynamic therapy (PDT) was studied over a 1 week interval using in vivo 31P-NMR spectroscopy. Rats injected with 12.5 mg/kg Photofrin II were submitted to brain photoactivation 48 h after drug administration with either 140 or 70 J/cm2 light (630 +/- 1 nm) from an Argon dye laser. Control studies, animals not given drug or light, animals submitted only to brain illumination without drug, and animals given drug but no light, were also performed. The data revealed a transient metabolic degradation; a decrease in the ratio of beta-nucleotriphosphate to inorganic phosphate (P less than 0.001) at 24 h after PDT treatment was followed by a return to pretreatment spectral values. Brain tissue alkalosis was also noted, with significant (P less than 0.05) differences in brain tissue pH detected at 72 h post treatment between 70 J/cm2 PDT vs control studies and at 1 week post treatment between 140 J/cm2 vs 70 J/cm2, 140 J/cm2 vs no light-no drug and 140 J/cm2 vs drug only. The data suggest that there is no difinitive metabolic marker from 31P-NMR spectroscopy that can identify necrotic brain tissue caused by PDT. Phosphorus-31 NMR data are also presented which suggest that PDT damage to brain is not solely the result of microvascular occlusion causing ischemic necrosis.     

Johnson-Claisen rearrangement of γ-fluoro-γ-(di- or tri-fluoromethyl)allyl alcohols affording stereoselective access to β-fluoro-β-di- or tri-fluoromethylated γ,δ-unsaturated carboxylic acid esters

γ-Fluoro-γ-di- or tri-fluoromethyl-β-(tosyloxy)allyl alcohols smoothly reacted with the orthoacetic acid triethyl ester in the presence of a catalytic amount of propionic acid and hydroquinone at 140 °C for 24 h or 48 h to afford the corresponding (Z)-β-fluoro-β-polyfluoromethyl-γ,δ-unsaturated carboxylic acid esters in fair to good yields.     

Structural and dynamical characterization of unilamellar AOT vesicles in aqueous solutions and their efficacy as potential drug delivery vehicle

Sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate (AOT) is well known to form nanometre sized aqueous droplets in organic solvents and used in several contemporary applications including templates of nanoparticle synthesis. However, the detailed structural characterization of AOT in aqueous media is relatively less attended. Here we have used dynamic light scattering technique for the structural characterization of AOT in aqueous solutions and found to have a monodispersed, unilamellar vesicles (～140 nm diameter). The efficacy of the vesicle to host both charged drugs like H258 (2'-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-5-[5-(4-methylpiperazine-1-yl)-benzimidazo-2-yl-benzimidazole]), EtBr (ethidium bromide) and hydrophobic drug like DCM (4-(dicyanomethylene)-2-methyl-6-(p-dimethylamino-styryl)-4H-pyran) has also been investigated using F?rster resonance energy transfer. Picosecond resolved and polarization gated spectroscopy have been used to study the solvation dynamics and microviscosity at the surface of the vesicles. We have also performed concentration and temperature dependent studies in order to confirm the stability of the vesicles in aqueous phase. The drug release profile of the vesicles has been studied through in vitro dialysis method. The non-toxic, monodispersed vesicles in aqueous media with a noteworthy stability in wide range of AOT concentration and temperature, capable of hosting drugs of various natures (both hydrophobic and charged) simultaneously for many codelivery applications with controlled drug release profile may find its applications in drug delivery.     

Morphology of nanostructured platinum in mesoporous materials-effect of solvent and intrachannel surface

An intrachannel surface of host silica was functionalized through the reaction of surface silanol groups with silanes to generate a monolayer of positively charged groups, and together with the strongly adsorbed and negatively charged PtCl6(2-), resulting in nanostructured platinum-mesoporous silica composites. The highly dispersed Pt nanoparticles and nanonetworks are fabricated from (CH3O)3Si(CH2)3N(CH3)3+Cl- functionalized mesoporous silica MCM-48 with H2PtCl6 in ethanol and water solvent, and characterized by PXRD, XAS, TEM, and N2 adsorption. The solvent of H2PtCl6 solution is found to affect the mobility of Pt precursors and the resulting morphology of nanostructured metallic Pt. The effect of the intrachannel surface properties on the incorporation and the morphology of nanostructured Pt on the deposition of Pt(NH3)4Cl2 and H2PtCl6 on Al-doped or C-coated mesoporous silica MCM-41 is also studied relative to that on pure silica MCM-41.     

Plasmon profiles and shapes of sodium cluster ions

Photo-absorption cross-sections for charged sodium clusters (14 to 48 atoms) have been measured for photon energies from 2.0 eV to 3.5 eV. The spectra are dominated by surface plasma oscillations of the valence electrons exhausting 70–100% of the dipole sum rule. The mean resonance energy of ?2.75 eV is nearly independent of cluster size. A splitting of the resonance peaks is observed for non-“magic” clusters and discussed in terms of a deformation picture involving prolate and oblate shapes.     

Soft deposition of organic macromolecules with fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry

In order to investigate the requirements for soft deposition of intact positively charged organic macromolecules, an homogenous series of modal compounds such as polyphenylene dendronized perylenes (PDPs), C(80)H(52), C(200)H(132) and C(320)H(212) and a series of derivatives involving perylene derivative, C(98)H(104)N(8)O(4), terrylene derivative, C(78)H(82)N(6)O(4) and quaterrylene derivative, C(140)H(138)N(10)O(8), were used for soft-landing experiments on a metallic or matrix coated surface using fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry. Soft-landing can be achieved at impact energies below 180 eV with no production of fragments. The deposition rate shows strong energy dependence with similar behavior of the different organic compounds. A single isotope of the molecule was selected and soft-landed at increased resolution.     

Diels-Alder cycloaddition of acetylene gas to a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon bay region

The direct conversion of a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon bay region to a new, unsubstituted benzene ring by Diels-Alder cycloaddition of acetylene gas is reported for the first time. At 140 °C in dimethylformamide, under 1.8 atm pressure of acetylene gas, 7,14-dimesitylbisanthene is slowly converted to 7,14-dimesitylbenzo[ghi]bisanthene (21% conversion in 48 h).     

NORMAL BRAIN TISSUE RESPONSE TO PHOTODYNAMIC THERAPY: HISTOLOGY, VASCULAR PERMEABILITY AND SPECIFIC GRAVITY

The response of photodynamic therapy on normal brain was investigated in 140 Fisher rats. The rats were injected i.p. with Photofrin II (12.5 mg/kg) and 48 h later the dural area over the frontal cortex was photoactivated with red light (630 +/- 1 nm) from an argon dye laser. Treatment was performed with optical energy densities of 140 and 70 J/cm2. Histopathology, vascular permeability and specific gravity measurements were conducted on different populations of rats at 4 h, 24 h, 72 h and 1 week after photodynamic therapy (PDT). Histopathology revealed similar gross and microscopic pathology associated with light energies of 70 and 140 J/cm2 after all time points. A large cerebral infarct approximately the size of the brain surface area treated, evolved 24 h following treatment. Evans blue extravasation indicated a small area of vascular permeability evident as early as 4 h following PDT treatment at both energy levels, with increasing permeability evident at later time points. Specific gravity measurements taken on a representative area of the lesion indicated a significant (P less than 0.01) amount of edema present at 24 h post treatment with a gradual reduction approaching control values over the time period of 1 week. The data indicate a significant amount of damage to normal brain from low PDT treatment doses.     

On the linear mixed valence compounds obtained by partial oxidation ofcis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II)

Summary The partial oxidation products ofcis-[Pt(NH₃)₂Cl₂] (Cisplatin) by (NH₄)₂S₂O₈ and by K₂PtCl₆, as well as the recrystallization of the former product in various solutions (HClO₄, NaClO₄, NaBF₄, NaHSO₄, H₂SO₄) have been re-examined. Contrary to the conclusions of previous works, the general formulation of these compounds iscis-[Pt²⁺(NH₃)₂Cl₂]X_x·yH₂O ( = 0.3–0.4, X = SO ₄ ^2– , PtCl ₄ ^2– , ClO ₄ ^2– , BF ₄ ^2– , HSO ₄ ^2– , ..., 0y 1). These materials are all linear chain Pt—Pt compounds belonging to the class III of Robin-Day compounds with Pt—Pt distances in the range 3.00–3.06 Å. The oxidation of Cisplatin by persulphate gives two sulphate compounds of the same formulation (x = 0.2), which differ in aspect, metallic character and spectral properties. Structural information was obtained from polarized micro-Raman spectra of a needle-like sample of the perchlorate and from X-ray powder diffraction spectra. The cell of the perchlorate was orthorhombic while the two sulphate forms had a monoclinic cell with slightly different parameters. Expansion of the Cisplatin interchain distance occurred only along one crystallographic direction. The two sulphate forms differed in the degree of order along this direction. An approximate structure is proposed and discussed in relation to the Cisplatin precursor.     

Formation of long-lived fluorofullerene trianions in collisions with Na

The first experimental observation of long-lived triply charged fluorofullerene anions in the gas phase obtained from C60F48 is reported. The existence of a Coloumb barrier trapping the third electron in the trianion is supposed to be responsible for detection of the species which is estimated to have negative third electron affinity.