Four-qubit device with mixed couplings

We present the first experimental results on a device with more than two superconducting qubits. The circuit consists of four three-junction flux qubits, with simultaneous ferro- and antiferromagnetic coupling implemented using shared Josephson junctions. Its response, which is dominated by the ground state, is characterized using low-frequency impedance measurement with a superconducting tank circuit coupled to the qubits. The results are found to be in excellent agreement with the quantum-mechanical predictions.     

Origin of Thermal and Hyperthermal CO2 from CO Oxidation on Pt Surfaces: The Role of Post‐Transition‐State Dynamics,Active Sites,and Chemisorbed CO2

The post‐transition‐state dynamics in CO oxidation on Pt surfaces are investigated using DFT‐based ab initio molecular dynamics simulations. While the initial CO₂ formed on a terrace site on Pt(111) desorbs directly, it is temporarily trapped in a chemisorption well on a Pt(332) step site. These two reaction channels thus produce CO₂ with hyperthermal and thermal velocities with drastically different angular distributions, in agreement with recent experiments (Nature, 2018 , 558, 280–283). The chemisorbed CO₂ is formed by electron transfer from the metal to the adsorbate, resulting in a bent geometry. While chemisorbed CO₂ on Pt(111) is unstable, it is stable by 0.2 eV on a Pt(332) step site. This helps explain why newly formed CO₂ produced at step sites desorbs with far lower translational energies than those formed at terraces. This work shows that steps and other defects could be potentially important in finding optimal conditions for the chemical activation and dissociation of CO₂.     

High-Z Metal–Organic Frameworks for X-ray Radiation-Based Cancer Theranostics

X-ray radiation is commonly employed in clinical practice for diagnostic and therapeutic applications. Over the past decade, developments in nanotechnology have led to the use of high-Z elements as the basis for innovative new treatment platforms that enhance the clinical efficacy of X-ray radiation. Nanoscale metal–frameworks (nMOFs) are coordination networks containing organic ligands that have attracted attention as therapeutic platforms in oncology and other areas of medicine. In cancer therapy, X-ray activated, high-Z nMOFs have demonstrated potential as radiosensitizers that increase local radiation dose deposition and generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). This minireview summarizes current research on high-Z nMOFs in cancer theranostics and discusses factors that may influence future clinical application.     

High yield synthesis,molecular structure and n.m.r. studies of the seven-coordinate complex [WI2(CO)3(PEt3)2]

The reaction of [WI2(CO)3(NCMe)2] with two equivalents of PEt3 in Et2O/CH2Cl2 gives the MeCN-displaced product [WI2(CO)3(PEt3)2] (1) in high yield. The crystallographically determined solid state structure of (1) shows the complex to be capped octahedral with a carbonyl ligand capping an octahedral face containing the two octahedral carbonyls and one PEt3 group. The other face contains the two iodo ligands trans to carbonyl groups, and the second PEt3 ligand trans to the first PEt3 group. The low temperature (-30°C) 13C-{1H}-n.m.r. spectrum of (1) correlates with the solid state structure, and the fluxional properties of (1) have been investigated by VT 31P-{1H}-n.m.r.spectroscopy. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Observation of photochemical C-N bond cleavage in CH3N3: a new photochemical route to cyclic N3

We report VUV-photoionization based photofragmentation-translational spectroscopy data, providing a comprehensive study of the collision free photochemistry of methyl azide (CH3N3) at 193 nm. We report the first observation of the production of methyl and the N3 radical and derive the translational energy release distribution of this reaction. The most probable translation energy is only 8%, and the maximum translational energy is only 60% of the available energy, taking CH3 + linear N3 as the zero of energy. However, the maximum translational energy release is quantitatively consistent with production of the higher energy isomer cyclic N3. Threshold photoionization of the N3 fragment using tunable synchrotron radiation shows results consistent with theoretical predictions of the cyclic N3 ionization potential. The secondary dissociation of N3 --> N(2D) + N2 is also observed and its translational energy release is derived. This distribution peaks at approximately 6 and extends to 11 kcal/mol as would be expected from the size of the exit channel barrier for spin-allowed dissociation of cyclic N3 (7 kcal/mol) and, furthermore, inconsistent with the barrier height of the spin-allowed dissociation of linear N3 (3 kcal/mol). A large fraction (approximately 45%) of the N3 does not dissociate on the microsecond time scale of the experiment suggesting methyl azide may be the most attractive photochemical precursor of cyclic N3 yet found.     

The synthesis and rearrangement of epoxypyrones

The oxidation of 5-acyl-4-oxo-pyran-2-carboxylic acid esters $\text{1}$,$\text{2}$ to novel epoxypyrones and subsequent rearrangement to the previously inaccessible 6-substituted-5-hydroxy or 5-chloropyrones $\text{6}$ - $\text{9}$ are described.     

Electron attachment time-of-flight mass spectrometry reveals fcc bulk-like packing in CO2 aggregates

Electron attachment time-of-flight mass spectrometry reveals geometrical shell closings in (CO₂)_70N350 van der Waals aggregates. Quantitative structural parameters obtained from the observed geometrical shell closing pattern are compared to theory. These parameters are consistent with bulk-like distorted face-centered-cubic (fcc) packing of CO₂ aggregates in this size range. A magic number is seen in the mass spectrum at N=116 which was previously shown to result from a nearly spherical object with bulk-like fcc packing. These results confirm that the critical value for the cluster-to-bulk packing transition lies below N100, in qualitative agreement with prior experimental and theoretical work.     

Characterization of AMA1-RON2L complex with native gel electrophoresis and capillary isoelectric focusing

Rhoptry neck protein 2 (RON2) binds to the hydrophobic groove of apical membrane antigen 1 (AMA1), an interaction essential for invasion of red blood cells (RBCs) by Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) parasites. Vaccination with AMA1 alone has been shown to be immunogenic, but unprotective even against homologous challenge in human trials. However, the AMA1-RON2L (L is referred to as the loop region of RON2 peptide) complex is a promising candidate, as preclinical studies with Freund's adjuvant have indicated complete protection against lethal challenge in mice and superior protection against virulent infection in Aotus monkeys. To prepare for clinical trials of the AMA1-RON2L complex, identity and integrity of the candidate vaccine must be assessed, and characterization methods must be carefully designed to not dissociate the delicate complex during evaluation. In this study, we developed a native Tris-glycine gel method to separate and identify the AMA1-RON2L complex, which was further identified and confirmed by Western blotting using anti-AMA1 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs 4G2 and 2C2) and anti-RON2L polyclonal Ab coupled with mass spectrometry. The formation of complex was also confirmed by Capillary Isoelectric Focusing (cIEF). A short-term (48 h and 72 h at 4°C) stability study of AMA1-RON2L complex was also performed. The results indicate that the complex was stable for 72 h at 4°C. Our research demonstrates that the native Tris-glycine gel separation/Western blotting coupled with mass spectrometry and cIEF can fully characterize the identity and integrity of the AMA1–RON2L complex and provide useful quality control data for the subsequent clinical trials.     

A mechanistic investigation of the three‐component radical photoinitiator system Eosin Y spirit soluble,N‐methyldiethanolamine,and diphenyliodonium chloride

Photo‐DSC and in situ, time‐resolved, laser‐induced, steady‐state fluorescence spectroscopy were used to study the initiation mechanism of the three‐component system: Eosin Y spirit soluble (EYss), N‐methyldiethanolamine, and diphenyliodonium chloride. Kinetic studies based on photo‐DSC revealed that the fastest polymerization occurred when all three components were present (the next fastest was with the dye/amine pair, and the slowest was with the dye/iodonium pair). However, the laser‐induced fluorescence experiments showed that the pairwise reaction between the eosin and iodonium bleaches the dye much more rapidly than does the reaction between the eosin and amine. We concluded that although a direct eosin/amine reaction can produce active radicals in the three‐component system, this reaction is largely overshadowed by the eosin/iodonium reaction, which does not produce active radicals as effectively. We proposed that the amine reduces the oxidized dye radical formed in the eosin/iodonium reaction back to its original state as well as the simultaneous production of an active initiating amine‐based radical. Because of the difference in the pairwise reaction rates for eosin/amine and eosin/iodonium, it is likely that this regeneration reaction was the primary source of active radicals in the three‐component eosin/amine/iodonium system. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 39: 715–723, 2001