Switching "on" and "off" the expression of chirality in peptide rotaxanes

The hydrogen-bond-directed synthesis, X-ray crystal structures, and optical properties of the first chiral peptide rotaxanes are reported. Collectively these systems provide the first examples of single molecular species where the expression of chirality in the form of a circular dichroism (CD) response can selectively be switched "on" or "off", and its magnitude altered, through controlling the interactions between mechanically interlocked submolecular components. The switching is achievable both thermally and through changes in the nature of the environment. Peptido[2]rotaxanes consisting of an intrinsically achiral benzylic amide macrocycle locked onto various chiral dipeptide (Gly-L-Ala, Gly-L-Leu, Gly-L-Met, Gly-L-Phe, and Gly-L-Pro) threads exhibit strong (10-20k deg cm(2) dmol(-1)) negative induced CD (theta;) values in nonpolar solvents (e.g. CHCl(3)), where the intramolecular hydrogen bonding between thread and macrocycle is maximized. In polar solvents (e.g., MeOH), where the intercomponent hydrogen bonding is weakened, or switched off completely, the elliptical polarization falls close to zero in some cases and can even be switched to large positive values in others. Importantly, the mechanism of generating the switchable CD response in the chiral peptide rotaxanes is also determined: a combination of semiempirical calculations and geometrical modeling using the continuous chirality measure (CCM) shows that the chirality is transmitted from the amino acid asymmetric center on the thread via the macrocycle to the C-terminal stopper of the rotaxane. This understanding could have important implications for other areas where chiral transmission from one chemical entity to another underpins a physical or chemical response, such as the seeding of supertwisted nematic liquid crystalline phases or asymmetric synthesis.     

"Adiabatic-hindered-rotor" treatment of the parahydrogen-water complex

Inspired by a recent successful adiabatic-hindered-rotor treatment for parahydrogen pH(2) in CO(2)-H(2) complexes [H. Li, P.-N. Roy, and R. J. Le Roy, J. Chem. Phys. 133, 104305 (2010); H. Li, R. J. Le Roy, P.-N. Roy, and A. R. W. McKellar, Phys. Rev. Lett. 105, 133401 (2010)], we apply the same approximation to the more challenging H(2)O-H(2) system. This approximation reduces the dimension of the H(2)O-H(2) potential from 5D to 3D and greatly enhances the computational efficiency. The global minimum of the original 5D potential is missing from the adiabatic 3D potential for reasons based on solution of the hindered-rotor Schro?dinger equation of the pH(2). Energies and wave functions of the discrete rovibrational levels of H(2)O-pH(2) complexes obtained from the adiabatic 3D potential are in good agreement with the results from calculations with the full 5D potential. This comparison validates our approximation, although it is a relatively cruder treatment for pH(2)-H(2)O than it is for pH(2)-CO(2). This adiabatic approximation makes large-scale simulations of H(2)O-pH(2) systems possible via a pairwise additive interaction model in which pH(2) is treated as a point-like particle. The poor performance of the diabatically spherical treatment of pH(2) rotation excludes the possibility of approximating pH(2) as a simple sphere in its interaction with H(2)O.     

On the nature of so-called "Khimdu"

The reagent called “Khimdu” has been investigated and evidence found to show that it is not a pure compound but a mixture of several reaction products.     

控制“温室效应”

本文简要叙述了太阳辐射能途经大气层时,由于大气中二氧化碳和水蒸气吸收其长波辐射能并将其一部分反射到地球表面,而造成了“温室效应”。文中论述了生物圈中的碳循环,由于人类活动的加剧,使这种碳循环遭到破坏,大气中二氧化碳含量剧增,导致“温室效应”加剧,气候变暖。文中列举了人口激增的情况,由此造成矿物燃料消耗增大以及森林面积的锐减,因而导致“温室效应”的加剧。由此给人类带来巨大危害。为此,文中最后指出“温室效应”必须控制,并呼吁我们必须爱护人类唯一拥有的地球。     

关于为拔尖人才培养开设的"学科前沿"类课程的探讨

With the implementation of the basic discipline of "Top Talent Training Program" (the "East Ever Project"), more and more new reforms and attempts are being made in various universities. In the process of innovation and exploration, a new curriculum is being implemented, that is, the "the frontier aspects of disciplines" course. Through investigation and research, we found that many colleges and universities in China are carrying out or trying to carry out such courses, and the students who participated have different benefits. This paper mainly discusses the current situation of the development of the frontier courses of many universities in China, and gives suggestions based on the two courses of Tang Aoqing Honors Program in Science of chemistry in Jilin University. This paper provides reference for other colleges and universities to open such courses.     

Resonance CARS study of the structure of "green" and "red" chromophores within the red fluorescent protein DsRed

Vibrational spectra of red fluorescent protein DsRed have been studied for the first time by polarization-sensitive multiplex coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering at two excitation wavelengths, 545 and 583 nm, in resonance with the absorption bands of the immature "green" and mature "red" protein chromophores. Overall vibrational patterns of both DsRed chromophores were found to be similar to each other and to differ from that of S65T-GFP at pH8. The combined analysis of our CARS data and published structural information suggest that both "green" and "red" DsRed species possess an extended chromophore structure. Consequently, our data suggest that pi-bonding system extension during isomerization around the cis peptide bond between Phe 65 and Gln 66 is a necessary but not sufficient step in DsRed chromophore maturation.     

Excited-state behavior of N-phenyl-substituted trans-3-aminostilbenes: where the "m-amino effect" meets the "amino-conjugation effect"

The electronic spectroscopy and photochemistry of the trans isomers of 3-(N-phenylamino)stilbene (m1c), 3-(N-methyl-N-phenylamino)stilbene (m1d), 3-(N,N-diphenylamino)stilbene (m1e), and 3-(N-(2,6-dimethylphenyl)amino)stilbene (m1f) and their double-bond constrained analogues m2a-m2c and m2e are reported. When compared with trans-3-aminostilbene (m1a), m1c-m1e display a red shift of the S0 --> S1 absorption and fluorescence spectra, lower oscillator strength and fluorescence rate constants, and more efficient S1 --> T1 intersystem crossing. Consequently, the N-phenyl derivatives m1c-m1e have lower fluorescence quantum yields and higher photoisomerization quantum yields. The corresponding N-phenyl substituent effect in m2a-m2e is similar in cyclohexane but smaller in acetonitrile. This is attributed to the weaker intramolecular charge transfer character for the S1 state of m2 so that the rates for intersystem crossing are less sensitive to solvent polarity. It is also concluded that N-phenyl substitutions do not change the triplet mechanism of photoisomerization for m1 in both nonpolar and polar solvents. Therefore, the "m-amino conjugation effect" reinforces the "m-amino effect" on fluorescence by further reducing its rate constants and highlights the N-phenyl-enhanced intersystem crossing from the "amino-conjugation effect" by making S1 --> T1 the predominant nonradiative decay pathway.     

让我们给"物质的量"命个名

在我们的化学教学和化学写作中 ,恐怕还找不到一个比“物质的量”更为别扭的术语。而偏偏这个术语在化学教学和化学实验中要经常使用。例如在中学化学教材中 ,常见有诸如“5 0 0mL 0 .1mol/LNaOH溶液中NaOH的物质的量为 0 .0 5mol”、“H2SO4 的物质的量的浓度为 0 .5mol/L…”等[1] 叙述。在高考的试卷中也只好按照教材的口径说 :“分别用等物质的量的这些物质氧化足量的KI…”等[2 ] 。本来mole的概念在中学化学中就是一个教学难点 ,加上这么个别扭的术语 ,更是雪上加霜。对于广大的化学研究工作者也不例外 ,他们不能使用已经熟悉和…     

“能源化学”本科专业建设建议

"Energy chemistry" was approved as one of the chemistry majors for undergraduate by the Ministry of Education in 2015. Based on the ideas and ways of emerging engineering education, this paper hereby proposed some of constructive suggestions on the training objectives, graduation requirements, curriculum system, teaching contents, teaching staff and conditions for development of "energy chemistry" major.     

Possible mediators of the "living" radical polymerization

The stable radicals derived from different compounds were detected in process of styrene autopolymerization. The nitroxide radicals are produced from nitrosocompound, hindered hydroxylamine, nitrophenols and nitroanisoles. The phenoxyl radicals are formed from quinine methides, and naphtoxyl radicals are generated from 2-nitro-1-naphtol. The radicals are identified, the kinetics of their formation and follow-up evolution are studied. These radicals can participate in process of living radical polymerization as the mediators and can effect significantly on kinetics of polymerization and structure of the resulting polymer.     

对“红铝”译名的异见

Red-Al是一种非常重要的铝基还原剂。国内学术界望文生义地将其直译为"红铝"是明显错误的。本文建议将其中文译名改为"还原铝"。     

Observation of the "missing" polar OCS dimer

A new infrared band at 2069.3 cm-1 is observed and assigned to the long-anticipated polar isomer of the OCS dimer, helping to explain apparent discrepancies among earlier studies. The data reported here should enable direct observation of the microwave spectrum of polar (OCS)2 and motivate new theoretical works on the energetics of OCS dimer isomers and interconversion energy barriers.     

On the formation of "hypercoordinated" uranyl complexes

Recent gas-phase experimental studies suggest the presence of hypercoordinated uranyl complexes. Coordination of acetone (Ace) to uranyl to form hypercoordinated species is examined using density functional theory (DFT) with a range of functionals and second-order perturbation theory (MP2). Complexes with up to eight acetones were studied. It is shown that no more than six acetones can bind directly to uranium and that the observed uranyl complexes are not hypercoordinated. In addition, other more exotic species involving proton transfer between acetones and species involving enol tautomers of acetone are high-energy species that are unlikely to form.