A Bis(Diphosphanyl N‐Heterocyclic Carbene) Gold Complex: A Synthon for Luminescent Rigid AuAg2 Arrays and Au5 and Cu6 Double Arrays

A mononuclear bis(NHC)/Au^I (NHC=N‐heterocyclic carbene) cationic complex with a rigid bis(phosphane)‐functionalized NHC ligand (PC_NHCP) was used to construct linear Au₃ and Ag₂Au arrays, a Au₅ cluster with two intersecting crosslike Au₃ arrays, and an unprecedented Cu₆ complex with two parallel Cu₃ arrays. The impact of metallophilic interactions on photoluminescence was studied experimentally.     

Quantitative Analysis of Sulfonamide Residues in Natural Animal Casings by HPLC

A multiresidue method has been developed for the simultaneous determination of sulfadiazine, sulfathiazole, sulfapyridine, sulfamerazine, sulfamethoxydiazine, sulfamethylthiazole, sulfamethazine, sulfamonomethoxine, sulfamethoxypyridazine, sulfisoxazole, sulfamethoxazole, sulfadimethoxine and sulfaquinoxaline in natural animal casings by HPLC after solid-phase extraction. The sulfonamides were extracted with acetonitrile and the extract cleaned up with an Oasis MCX SPE cartridge prior to analysis. Separation was on a ZOBAX Eclipse XDB-C₈ column using gradient elution with acetonitrile/methanol/0.1% acetic acid. The effect of separation conditions on chromatographic behavior and recovery has been studied. Calibration graphs were linear with very good correlation coefficients (r = 0.9983−0.9996) in the concentration range from 0.02 to 1 μg mL⁻¹. The limits of quantitation (LOQ) for the 13 sulfonamides were in the range of 1.5–2.2 μg kg⁻¹. Decision limits (CCα) and detection capabilities (CCβ) were in the range of 105.2–111.0 and 113.0–120.2 μg kg⁻¹, respectively. The recovery for casings spiked with 1.5–100 μg kg⁻¹ ranged from 65.2 to 85.9%. The relative standard deviations (RSDs) of the sulfonamides for six measurements at 100 μg kg⁻¹ were from 2.2 to 7.7%. The applicability of the method to the analysis of salted swine casings, salted sheep casings and dry casing samples was demonstrated.     

On the viability of 5-endo-dig cyclisations of O-propargylic hydroxylamine derivatives, leading to 2,5-dihydroisoxazoles (3-isoxazolines)

O-Propargylic hydroxylamines undergo smooth 5-endo-dig cyclisations upon exposure to 3 equiv of molecular iodine to give respectable yields of the corresponding 4-iodo-2,5-dihydroisoxazoles, which should find a number of applications as intermediates for syntheses amongst this useful class of heterocycles.     

A novel photoelectrochemical biosensor for protein kinase activity assay based on phosphorylated graphite-like carbon nitride

Protein kinases are general and significant regulators in the cell signaling pathway, and it is still greatly desired to achieve simple and quick kinase detection. Herein, we develop a simple and sensitive photoelectrochemical strategy for the detection of protein kinase activity based on the bond between phosphorylated peptide and phosphorylated graphite-like carbon nitride (P-g-C₃N₄) conjugates triggered by Zr⁴⁺ ion coordination. Under optimal conditions, the increased photocurrent is proportional to the protein kinase A (PKA) concentration ranging from 0.05 to 50 U/mL with a detection limit of 0.077 U/mL. Moreover, this photoelectrochemical assay can be also applied to quantitative analysis of kinase inhibition. The results indicated that the IC₅₀ value (inhibitor concentration producing 50% inhibitor) for ellagic acid was 9.1 μM. Moreover, the developed method is further applied to detect PKA activity in real samples, which contains serum from healthy person and gastric cancer patients and breast tissue from healthy person and breast cancer patients. Therefore, the established protocol provides a new and simple tool for assay of kinase activity and its inhibitors with low cost and high sensitivity.     

Skeletal Ni Catalysts Prepared from Amorphous Ni–Zr Alloys: Enhanced Catalytic Performance for Hydrogen Generation from Ammonia Borane

Skeletal Ni catalysts were prepared from Ni–Zr alloys, which possess different chemical composition and atomic arrangements, by a combination of thermal treatment and treatment with aqueous HF. Hydrogen generation from ammonia borane over the skeletal Ni catalysts proceeded efficiently, whereas the amorphous Ni–Zr alloy was inactive. Skeletal Ni prepared from amorphous Ni₃₀Zr₇₀ alloy had a higher catalytic activity than that prepared from amorphous Ni₄₀Zr₆₀ and Ni₅₀Zr₅₀ alloys. The atomic arrangement of the Ni–Zr alloy also strongly affected the surface structure and catalytic activities. Thermal treatment of the amorphous Ni–Zr alloys at a temperature slightly lower than the crystallization temperature led to an increase of the number of surface‐exposed Ni atoms and an enhancement of the catalytic activities for hydrogen generation from ammonia borane. The skeletal Ni catalysts also showed excellent durability and recyclability.     

Surface modification of MCM-41 and its application in DNA adsorption

Three types of MCM-41 absorbents, namely, Al~(3+)–MCM-41, La~(3+)–MCM-41, and Zn~(2+)–MCM-41, were prepared through amine grafting, phosphonate modification, and metal ion chelation and characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and N2adsorption–desorption analysis. Results revealed that functionalized MCM-41 maintains the original structure of the molecular sieve and that the pore diameter and surface area are reduced compared with those of pure MCM-41. The adsorption behavior of DNA molecules on the surface of the modified molecular sieves was discussed according to the hard-soft acid–base(HSAB) principle. Experimental results showed that DNA purification could be effectively carried out on functionalized MCM-41 and that DNA is easily released by3–4 molL~(-1)NaCl solution. This study could be used as a general platform for future work on DNA adsorption and enrichment.     

Langmuir monolayers of the long-chain alkyl derivatives of a nucleoside analogue and the formation of self-assembled nanoparticles

The long-chain alkyl derivatives of a nucleoside analogue-acyclovir were prepared in the paper. One is stearyl-glycero-succinyl-acyclovir (SGSA) with a single 18-carbon length (C18) alkyl chain. Another is dioctadecyl-aspartate-succinyl-acyclovir (DASA) with double C18 alkyl chains. They were prepared by the esterification of succinyl-acyclovir with the lipids, and sodium salts of them were also prepared. Guanine moieties and alkyl moieties bring the derivatives intermolecular hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interaction in water separately. The forces are influenced by the number of alkyl chains and the charged state, and determine the solubility and the self-assembly behavior of the derivatives. The double alkyl-chain derivatives (DASA and DASA-Na) formed rigid Langmuir monolayers on air/water surface, while the single alkyl chain derivatives (SGSA and SGSA-Na) did not. However, cholesterol (Chol) could assist SGSA to form rigid monolayers through inserting into the alkyl chains of SGSA to mimic the second alkyl chain. SGSA self-aggregates in water were prepared by the injection method with tetrahydrofuran as solvent. Cuboid-like shape and nanoscale size demonstrated that SGSA self-aggregates were self-assembled nanoparticles. Shape, particle size, zeta potential and phase transition of the nanoparticles were characterized. And they showed an average size of 83.2 nm, a negative surface charge of -31.3-mV zeta potential and a gel-liquid crystalline phase transition of 50.38 degrees C. The formation mechanism of self-assembled nanoparticles was analyzed. Hydrophobic interaction of alkyl chains improves SGSA molecules to form bilayers, and then cuboid-like nanoparticles were obtained by layer-by-layer aggregation based on inter-bilayers hydrogen bonding. However, the charged guanine moieties make SGSA-Na lose the function of hydrogen bonding so that SGSA-Na only forms vesicles in water based on hydrophobic interaction. Strong hydrophobicity and wide-open rigid double alkyl chains of DASA and DASA-Na restrict self-assembly in water media, and no homogeneous suspensions were obtained. Therefore, the molecular self-assembly behavior of the long-chain alkyl derivatives of nucleoside analogues on water surface or in water media is determined by the number of alkyl chains and the charged state.     

A New Hydroxo‐bridged Chromium(III) Dimer [Cr(saltn)OH]2·4H2O: Synthesis,Crystal Structure and Magnetic Properties

A new hydroxo‐bridged dimeric Cr(III) complex [Cr(saltn)OH]₂·4H₂O [H₂saltn=N,N′‐bis(salicylidene)trimethylenediamine] has been synthesized and its structural and magnetic properties have been investigated. The complex crystallizes in the triclinic space group P‐1 with one dimeric formula unit in a cell of dimensions a=0.95828(19) nm, b=0.95926(19) nm, c=1.0437(2) nm, α=86.77(3)°, β=82.48(3)°, and γ=64.93(3)°. The geometry around each chromium(III) center is six‐coordinate, distorted‐octahedral. The bridging Cr₂O₂ unit is strictly planar, as required by the crystallographic symmetry. The Cr? O? Cr′ bridging angle is 99.94(16)°, and the distance between Cr…Cr′ is 0.3019 nm. The magnetic susceptibility of the complex has been examined in the range of 2‐300 K. By using the spin‐spin coupled model for an S₁=S₂=3/2 dimeric system , the magnetic data were fitted to give the parameters of g=2.01(1), J=‐0.85(2) cm^‐1, and zJ' =0.18(3)cm^‐1, indicating the presence of a weak antiferromagnetic spin‐exchange interaction between the Cr(III) ions in the binuclear complex.     

Hexalithium hexadecahydrate decavanadate, [Li6(H2O)16V10O28]n

The novel title compound, poly­[octa‐μ‐aqua‐octa­aqua‐μ‐decavanadato‐hexalithium], contains [V₁₀O₂₈]⁶⁻ polyanions with 2/m symmetry linked by centrosymmetric [Li₆(H₂O)₁₆]⁶⁺ cation chains. The [V₁₀O₂₈]⁶⁻ polyanions form a two‐dimensional network with [Li₆(H₂O)₁₆]⁶⁺ chains via O‐polyanion–Li‐chain coordination, with Li—O bond lengths in the range 2.007 (5)–2.016 (5) Å. The hexalithium hexadecahydrate chain is composed of a centrosymmetric pair of LiO₆ octahedra and four distorted LiO₄ tetrahedra. Hydro­gen bonds occur between the polyanion and the Li‐based chains, and within the Li‐based chains.