Co2O3‐NH2‐MCM‐41 Decorated Graphite as an Effective Electrode: Synthesis,Characterization and its Application for Electro‐catalytic Oxidation of Acid Red 1

The graphite electrode decorated with Co₂O₃‐NH₂‐MCM‐41 was successfully fabricated and the potential for applying this electrode for electro‐catalytic oxidation of Acid Red 1 (AR1) was investigated. The Co₂O₃‐NH₂‐MCM‐41 was characterized by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Brunauer‐Emmett‐Teller (BET), X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectra (FTIR). Electrochemical measurements including cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were employed to investigate electrochemical activity of graphite anode with Co₂O₃‐NH₂‐MCM‐41. The electro‐catalytic oxidation process was carried out via varying different parameters such as voltage, electrolyte pH, electrolyte concentration, current density and interelectrode distance. The results revealed the maximum removal ratio of AR1 was 99.8 %. The AR1 solution was tested during the degradation process by CV analysis at different scan rates, UV‐Vis spectral analysis and gas chromatography−mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The linear relationship between peak current and scan rates indicated an adsorption controlled process for AR1 degradation, UV‐Vis analysis revealed that the degradation process took place through reactions such as destruction of azo groups, benzene ring, naphthalene ring and so on, GC/MS analysis demonstrated that AR1 was finally destructed to small molecules by analyzing intermediates during degradation process.     

NIR‐Absorbing Donor–Acceptor Based 1,1,4,4‐Tetracyanobuta‐1,3‐Diene (TCBD)‐ and Cyclohexa‐2,5‐Diene‐1,4‐Ylidene‐Expanded TCBD‐Substituted Ferrocenyl Phenothiazines

A series of unsymmetrical (D‐A‐D₁, D₁‐π‐D‐A‐D₁, and D₁‐A₁‐D‐A₂‐D₁; A=acceptor, D=donor) and symmetrical (D₁‐A‐D‐A‐D₁) phenothiazines ( 4 b , 4 c , 4 c′ , 5 b , 5 c , 5 d , 5 d′ , 5 e , 5 e′ , 5 f , and 5 f′ ) were designed and synthesized by a [2+2] cycloaddition–electrocyclic ring‐opening reaction of ferrocenyl‐substituted phenothiazines with tetracyanoethylene (TCNE) and 7,7,8,8‐tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ). The photophysical, electrochemical, and computational studies show a strong charge‐transfer (CT) interaction in the phenothiazine derivatives that can be tuned by varying the number of TCNE/TCNQ acceptors. Phenothiazines 4 b , 4 c , 4 c′ , 5 b , 5 c , 5 d , 5 d′ , 5 e , 5 e′ , 5 f and 5 f′ show redshifted absorption in the λ =400 to 900 nm region, as a result of a low HOMO–LUMO gap, which is supported by TD‐DFT calculations. The electrochemical study exhibits reduction waves at low potential due to strong 1,1,4,4‐tetracyanobuta‐1,3‐diene (TCBD) and cyclohexa‐2,5‐diene‐1,4‐ylidene‐expanded TCBD acceptors. The incorporation of cyclohexa‐2,5‐diene‐1,4‐ylidene‐expanded TCBD stabilized the LUMO energy level to a greater extent than TCBD.     

Selective Cycloaddition of Tetracyanoethene (TCNE) and 7,7,8,8‐Tetracyano‐p‐quinodimethane (TCNQ) to Afford meso‐Substituted Phenylethynyl Porphyrins

π‐Extended TCBD‐porphyrins that contained a 1,1,4,4‐tetracyanobuta‐1,3‐diene unit were prepared by a highly efficient [2+2] cycloaddition of tetracyanoethene (TCNE) or 7,7,8,8‐tetracyano‐p‐quinodimethane (TCNQ) with meso‐substituted trans‐A₂B₂‐porphyrins that contained two phenylethynyl groups, followed by a retro‐electrocyclization reaction. Depending on the electronic properties of the arylethynyl groups, the cycloaddition reaction took place exclusively on either one or two ethynyl moieties with high yield. The addition of TCNQ proceeded with complete regioselectivity. The resulting π‐expanded TCBD‐porphyrins had a hypsochromically shifted Soret band and showed unique, broad absorption in the visible region.     

四-(三氟乙烷氧基)酞菁锌在非水与水溶剂中的电化学性能

分别测定四-(三氟乙烷氧基)酞菁锌(ZnPcF)于非水溶剂N,N-二甲基甲酰胺(DMF)、二甲基亚砜(DMSO)及磷酸盐缓冲溶液(PBS)中玻碳(GC,抛光)电极的循环伏安行为.结果表明,ZnPcF在DMF及DMSO溶剂均呈现4对电流峰,半波电位分别为0.558、-0.761、-1.034和-1.417 V,显示该物存在4个准可逆酞菁配体的单电子转移过程.而在PBS溶液中,ZnPcF乳化液仅呈现两个电流峰,半波电位为-0.885和-1.104 V,为不可逆反应特征,与酞菁锌(ZnPc未取代)相比,由于其周边取代基—三氟乙烷氧基的吸电子作用,导致氧化还原电位正移.     

Factors That Affect the Nature of the Final Oxidation Products in “Peroxo‐Shunt” Reactions of Iron–Porphyrin Complexes

The present study focuses on the oxidation of the water‐soluble and water‐insoluble iron(III)–porphyrin complexes [Fe^III(TMPS)] and [Fe^III(TMP)] (TMPS=meso‐tetrakis(2,4,6‐trimethyl‐3‐sulfonatophenyl)porphyrinato, TMP=meso‐tetrakis(2,4,6‐trimethylphenyl)porphyrinato), respectively, by meta‐chloroperoxybenzoic acid (m‐CPBA) in aqueous methanol and aqueous acetonitrile solutions of varying acidity. With the application of a low‐temperature rapid‐scan UV/Vis spectroscopic technique, the complete spectral changes that accompany the formation and decomposition of the primary product of O? O bond cleavage in the acylperoxoiron(III)–porphyrin intermediate [(P)Fe^III? OOX] (P=porphyrin) were successfully recorded and characterized. The results clearly indicate that the O? O bond in m‐CPBA is heterolytically cleaved by the studied iron(III)–porphyrin complexes independent of the acidity of the reaction medium. The existence of two different oxidation products under acidic and basic conditions is suggested not to be the result of a mechanistic changeover in the mode of O? O bond cleavage on going from low to high pH values, but rather the effect of environmental changes on the actual product of the O? O bond cleavage in [(P)Fe^III? OOX]. The oxoiron(IV)–porphyrin cation radical formed as a primary oxidation product over the entire pH range can undergo a one‐ or two‐electron reduction depending on the selected reaction conditions. The present study provides valuable information for the interpretation and improved understanding of results obtained in product‐analysis experiments.     

Indachlorins: Nonplanar Indanone‐Annulated Chlorin Analogues with Panchromatic Absorption Spectra between 300 and 900 nm

Indaphyrins, pyrrole‐modified porphyrins containing a cleaved pyrrole β,β′‐bond and two annulated indanone moieties, possess unusually broadened and redshifted UV/Vis spectra because of their π‐expanded chromophores. The parent free base indaphyrin has been crystallographically characterized, highlighting its strongly ruffled conformation incorporating a helimeric twist. It was shown to be susceptible to regiospecific derivatizations at the opposite side of the ring‐cleaved pyrrole (dihydroxylation, followed by functional group transformations of the resulting diol functionality), generating indaphyrin‐based chlorin analogues, indachlorins, that incorporate a dihydroxypyrroline, pyrrolindione, oxazolone, or a morpholine moiety. Structural modifications resulted in further broadening and hyper‐ and bathochromic shifts of the optical spectra, some of which possess a nearly panchromatic absorption between 300 to well above 900 nm. The extents to which these modifications affect their solid‐state conformations were analyzed.     

1,8‐Naphthalimide‐Substituted BODIPY Dyads: Synthesis,Structure, Properties,and Live‐Cell Imaging

A set of 1,8‐naphthalimide (NPI)‐substituted 4,4‐difluoroboradiaza‐s‐indacene (BODIPY) dyads 1 a – 1 c were designed and synthesized by the Pd‐catalyzed Sonogashira cross‐coupling reaction of ethynyl substituted NPI 1 with the meso‐, β‐, and α‐halogenated BODIPYs a , b , and c , respectively. The BODIPY 1 c exhibits redshifted absorption, which suggests better electronic communication with substitution at the α‐position of BODIPY compared with at the meso and β positions, which was further supported by time‐dependent DFT calculations. The optical band gap follows the order 1 a > 1 b > 1 c . The single‐crystal X‐ray structures of dyads 1 a – 1 c are reported, which reflect planar orientations of the BODIPY units with respect to the NPIs. The DFT‐optimized structures show good correlation with the experimental data obtained from the single‐crystal X‐ray structures. The packing diagram of 1 a shows a sheet‐like arrangement, 1 b forms a ladder‐like structural motif, and 1 c forms a complex 3D structural arrangement. The dyads 1 a – 1 c show low cytotoxicity (IC₅₀>100 μm ). The confocal microscopy studies with HeLa and A375 cells (when treated with dyads 1 a – 1 c ) show that all the dyads easily enter the cell membrane and show significant multicolor intracellular fluorescence covering the entire visible range with clear emissions in blue, green, and red channels.     

2‐(1 H‐1,2,3‐Triazol‐4‐yl)‐Pyridine Ligands as Alternatives to 2,2′‐Bipyridines in Ruthenium(II) Complexes

The synthesis of a variety of 2‐(1H‐1,2,3‐triazol‐4‐yl)‐pyridines by click chemistry is demonstrated to provide straightforward access to mono‐functionalized ligands. The ring‐opening polymerization of ε‐caprolactone initiated by such a mono‐functionalized ligand highlights the synthetic potential of this class of bidentate ligands with respect to polymer chemistry or the attachment onto surfaces and nanoparticles. The coordination to Ru^II ions results in homoleptic and heteroleptic complexes with the resultant photophysical and electrochemical properties strongly dependent on the number of these ligands attached to the Ru^II core.     

Effect of the Metal on Disulfide/Thiolate Interconversion: Manganese versus Cobalt

It has recently been proposed that disulfide/thiolate interconversion supported by transition‐metal ions is involved in several relevant biological processes. In this context, the present contribution represents a unique investigation of the effect of the coordinated metal (M) on the Mⁿ⁺?disulfide/M⁽ⁿ⁺¹⁾⁺?thiolate switch properties. Like its isostructural Co^II‐based parent compound, Co^II ₂ SS (Angew. Chem. Int. Ed.­ 2014 , 53, 5318), the new dinuclear disulfide‐bridged Mn^II complex Mn^II ₂ SS can undergo an M^II?disulfide/M^III?thiolate interconversion, which leads to the first disulfide/thiolate switch based on Mn. The coordination of iodide to the metal ion stabilizes the oxidized form, as the disulfide is reduced to the thiolate. The reverse process, which involves the reduction of M^III to M^II with the concomitant oxidation of the thiolates, requires the release of iodide. The Mn^II ₂ SS complex slowly reacts with Bu₄NI in CH₂Cl₂ to afford the mononuclear Mn^III?thiolate complex Mn^IIII . The process is much slower (ca. 16 h) and much less efficient (ca. 30 % yield) with respect to the instantaneous and quantitative conversion of Co^II ₂ SS into Co^IIII under similar conditions. This distinctive behavior can be rationalized by considering the different electrochemical properties of the involved Co and Mn complexes and the DFT‐calculated driving force of the disulfide/thiolate conversion. For both Mn and Co systems, M^II?disulfide/M^III?thiolate interconversion is reversible. However, when the iodide is removed with Ag⁺, the M^II ₂ SS complexes are regenerated, albeit much slower for Mn than for Co systems.     

Selective Alcohol Oxidation by a Copper TEMPO Catalyst: Mechanistic Insights by Simultaneously Coupled Operando EPR/UV‐Vis/ATR‐IR Spectroscopy

The first coupled operando EPR/UV‐Vis/ATR‐IR spectroscopy setup for mechanistic studies of gas‐liquid phase reactions is presented and exemplarily applied to the well‐known copper/TEMPO‐catalyzed (TEMPO=(2,2,6,6‐tetramethylpiperidin‐1‐yl)oxyl) oxidation of benzyl alcohol. In contrast to previous proposals, no direct redox reaction between TEMPO and Cu^I/Cu^II has been detected. Instead, the role of TEMPO is postulated to be the stabilization of a (bpy)(NMI)Cu^II‐O₂^??‐TEMPO (bpy=2,2′‐bipyridine, NMI=N‐methylimidazole) intermediate formed by electron transfer from Cu^I to molecular O₂.     

The Cage and Metal Effect: Spectroscopy and Electrochemical Survey of a Series of Sm‐Containing High Metallofullerenes

A series of Sm‐containing high metallofullerenes, namely, Sm@C₈₂ (I, II, III, IV), Sm@C₈₄ (I, II, III), Sm@C₈₆, Sm@C₈₈ (I, II, III), Sm@C₉₀ (I, II, III), Sm@C₉₂ (I, II), Sm@C₉₄ (I, II, III), and Sm@C₉₆, is successfully synthesized and characterized by UV/Vis/NIR absorption spectroscopy, and cyclic and differential pulse voltammetry. Sm‐containing high metallofullerenes have a relatively larger number of isomers compared with other divalent ones. The highest boiling point of Sm among Group II metals may be responsible for this phenomenon. Comparing the spectroscopic and electrochemical behaviors of Sm‐containing metallofullerenes with those of other divalent ones, it is seen that when the size of the carbon cage enlarges, different structures form stable molecules with different metals. Furthermore, there are also some important differences in the electrochemistry properties. The cage effect on the electronic structures of high metallofullerenes is also estimated from the differences in reduction potentials between metallofullerenes and their corresponding fullerenes. It is believed that the influence of transferred electrons from the metal to the carbon cage becomes much weaker for high fullerenes. The redox property of high metallofullerene is more dependent on the carbon‐cage structure than the effect of electron transfer.     

氢氧化钠水溶液体系中金属铬的电化学氧化过程

铬铁电氧化溶出技术是一种全新的制备铬酸钠的方法,具有反应条件温和、过程可控、工艺环保等优点,然而金属铬在NaOH水溶液中的电化学氧化过程尚不明确. 本文采用循环伏安法（CV）和阳极极化法（LSV）对金属铬在NaOH水溶液中的电化学氧化过程进行研究. 使用EDS、SEM、XRD和XPS对电解前后的金属铬表征,判断中间物的产生,使用紫外可见分光光度计验证电解液中生成了铬酸钠. 结果表明,金属铬和中间产物Cr(OH)₃可能依次发生电化学氧化直接生成Na₂CrO₄,阳极极化为金属铬的活化. 随着NaOH溶液浓度的增加,Cr(OH)₃和Na₂CrO₄的生成量在增加,金属铬电化学氧化制备铬酸钠的适宜条件为碱浓度≥ 2 mol·L^-1,阳极电势≥ 1.6 V（vs. SCE）.     

Highly Effective Water Oxidation Catalysis with Iridium Complexes through the Use of NaIO4

Exceptional water oxidation (WO) turnover frequencies (TOF=17 000 h^?1), and turnover numbers (TONs) close to 400 000, the largest ever reported for a metal‐catalyzed WO reaction, have been found by using [Cp*Ir^III(NHC)Cl₂] (in which NHC=3‐methyl‐1‐(1‐phenylethyl)‐imidazoline‐2‐ylidene) as the pre‐catalyst and NaIO₄ as oxidant in water at 40 °C. The apparent TOF for [Cp*Ir^III(NHC)X₂] ( 1 X , in which X stands for I ( 1 I ), Cl ( 1 Cl ), or triflate anion ( 1 OTf )) and [(Cp*‐NHCMe)Ir^IIII₂] ( 2 ) complexes, is kept constant during almost all of the O₂ evolution reaction when using NaIO₄ as oxidant. The TOF was found to be dependent on the ligand and on the anion (TOF ranging from ≈600 to ≈1100 h^?1 at 25 °C). Degradation of the complexes by oxidation of the organic ligands upon reaction with NaIO₄ has been investigated. ¹H NMR, ESI‐MS, and dynamic light‐scattering measurements (DLS) of the reaction medium indicated that the complex undergoes rapid degradation, even at low equivalents of oxidant, but this process takes place without formation of nanoparticles. Remarkably, three‐month‐old solution samples of oxidized pre‐catalysts remain equally as active as freshly prepared solutions. A UV/Vis feature band at λ_max=405 nm is observed in catalytic reaction solutions only when O₂ evolves, which may be attributed to a resting state iridium speciation, most probably Ir–oxo species with an oxidation state higher than IV.     

Multi-electron-acceptor dyad and triad systems based on perylene bisimides and fullerenes

Fullerene (C(60)) and 3,4,9,10-perylene tetracarboxylic diimide (PTDCI) were used as building blocks for an electron acceptor dyad (C(60)-PTCDI) and triad (C(60)-PTCDI-C(60)). As the first reduction potentials for C(60) and PTCDI are very close, simultaneous introduction of two or three electrons is possible into the dyad and triad, respectively. Further stepwise electrochemical reduction leads to formation of a series of well-defined anionic species in which electrons associated with the fullerene or the PTDCI components of the molecule can be clearly distinguished. In total, up to four electrons can be reversibly injected into the dyad C(60)-PTCDI and up to six into the triad C(60)-PTCDI-C(60) system. The optical absorption properties in the UV/Vis range are also crucially defined by the distribution of electrons between the acceptor parts, as the injection/removal of electrons causes drastic colour changes in the dyad and the triad systems.     

α‐Chymotrypsin‐Catalyzed Reaction Confined in Block‐Copolymer Vesicles

Herein the reactivity of the enzyme α‐chymotrypsin in the confinement of polystyrene‐block‐poly(acrylic acid) (PS‐b‐PAA) vesicles was investigated. Enzyme and substrate molecules were encapsulated in PS‐b‐PAA vesicles with internal diameters ranging from 26 nm to 165 nm during the formation of the vesicles. While the loading efficiencies of enzyme and substrate molecules were practically identical for vesicles of identical size, they were found to increase with decreasing vesicle size. The kinetics of the α‐chymotrypsin catalyzed hydrolysis of N‐succinyl‐Ala‐Ala‐Phe‐7‐amido‐4‐methylcoumarin (AMC) was evaluated following the increase of the absorption of the product 7‐amino‐4‐methylcoumarin by UV/Vis spectroscopy. The values of the catalytic turnover number obtained for reactions inside vesicles with different sizes showed an increase of up to fourteen times compared to the bulk value with decreasing vesicle volume, while the values of the Michaelis–Menten constant decreased, respectively. This increase in reactivity of α‐chymotrypsin is attributed to the effect of vesicle–wall interactions in the finite encapsulated space, where the reagents could diffuse, leading to enhanced collision frequencies.     

Electrochemical Reduction of 1,2-Di（p-tolylimino）ethane and 1,2-Di（2,4-dimethylphenylimino）ethane in Dimethylformamide

1,2-Di（p-tolylimino）ethane （Ⅰ） and 1,2-Di（2,4-dimethylphenylimino）ethane （Ⅱ） were synthesized and their electrochemical behavior investigated in dimethylformamide using classical voltammetry, differential pulse voltammetry, cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry, controlled potential electrolysis and coulometry. Both bis-Schiff base ligands examined show a cathodic irreversible peak which corresponds to one-electron reduction of the substrate to form anion radical. According to the fact obtained from cyclic voltammetry, that the current function （ip/v^1/2） is a decreasing function of the scan rate, it can be concluded that there is a following coupling chemical reaction （EC mechanism）. Thus, the most probable mechanism of electroreduction of both ligands is the coupling of two radicals to form a dimer.     

9,10‐Diaminoanthracenes Revisited: The Influence of N‐Substituents on Their Electronic States

The electronic and molecular structures of 9,10‐diamino‐substituted anthracenes with different N‐substituents have been re‐examined. In particular, different N‐substituents influence both the electronic and molecular structures of the oxidized species of 9,10‐diaminoanthracenes. The anthrylene moiety of 9,10‐bis(N,N‐di(p‐anisyl)amino)anthracene retains its planarity during the course of two successive one‐electron oxidations, whereas 9,10‐bis(N,N‐dimethylamino)anthracene and 9,10‐bis(N‐p‐anisyl‐N‐methylamino)anthracene undergo a substantial structural change to a butterfly‐like structure through a two‐electron oxidation process. The structural changes observed for the oxidized states are ascribed to significant differences in the frontier molecular orbitals of the above‐mentioned three kinds of 9,10‐diaminoanthracenes due to different extents of mixing between the amine‐localized and anthrylene‐localized orbitals.     

Synthesis and Characterization of 6,13‐Diamino‐Substituted Pentacenes

A series of 6,13‐diamino‐substituted pentacenes 1 a – d has been prepared and characterized as a new class of pentacene derivatives with strong donor ability and enhanced solubility in common organic solvents. The spectroelectrochemical and DFT studies revealed that the two‐electron oxidation process was accompanied by the substantial structural change into a butterfly‐like conformation of the pentacene moiety. More importantly, the extent of deformation from the planar pentacene moiety in the dications of 6,13‐diaminopentacene is tunable by varying the N‐substituents.