Programmed Recognition between Complementary Dinucleolipids To Control the Self-Assembly of Lipidic Amphiphiles

One of the major goals in systems chemistry is to create molecular assemblies with emergent properties that are characteristic of life. An interesting approach toward this goal is based on merging different biological building blocks into synthetic systems with properties arising from the combination of their molecular components. The covalent linkage of nucleic acids (or their constituents: nucleotides, nucleosides and nucleobases) with lipids in the same hybrid molecule leads, for example, to the so-called nucleolipids. Herein, we describe nucleolipids with a very short sequence of two nucleobases per lipid, which, in combination with hydrophobic effects promoted by the lipophilic chain, allow control of the self-assembly of lipidic amphiphiles to be achieved. The present work describes a spectroscopic and microscopy study of the structural features and dynamic self-assembly of dinucleolipids that contain adenine or thymine moieties, either pure or in mixtures. This approach leads to different self-assembled nanostructures, which include spherical, rectangular and fibrillar assemblies, as a function of the sequence of nucleobases and chiral effects of the nucleolipids involved. We also show evidence that the resulting architectures can encapsulate hydrophobic molecules, revealing their potential as drug delivery vehicles or as compartments to host interesting chemistries in their interior.     

Composites of Anthraquinone Dyes@HKUST-1 with Tunable Microstructuring: Experimental and Theoretical Interaction Studies

The metal–organic framework (MOF) HKUST-1 was employed as an interaction matrix for fundamental loading studies of anthraquinone dyes. Chosen dyes were alizarin (A), alizarin S (AS), disperse blue 1 (B1), disperse blue 3 (B3), disperse blue 56 (B56) and purpurin (P). All materials were characterized by XRD, FTIR, TGA and SEM. Hence the interaction of dyes with the framework was characterized by theoretical–experimental differential analysis. One-pot loading strategy resulted in more efficient scavenging of dyes, and reached 100 % for B56 using 50 mg L⁻¹. SEM revealed important microstructural changes, the smaller crystals ranged 0.8–3 μm in size and almost all composite sizes were from this to higher values, reaching 70 μm, with varying shapes. Two composites were larger in size range (about 2500–1000 μm), and were shaped as rods, octahedrons and coffin lids. Indeed, the microstructure could be modulated depending on preparation conditions and type of loaded dye. For the higher loading series, N₂ adsorption and XPS experiments were carried on to further evidence dye–MOF interactions. Ab initio prediction of structural properties for A@HKUST-1 and P@HKUST-1 were obtained by means of solid-state CRYSTAL14 code at the PBE0 level of theory. Computed findings evidenced two O→Cu coordinative bonds, one from O-ketone and the other from O-phenolate moiety as main interactions towards CuNET centers.     

Synthesis,structural and larvicidal studies of a series of triorganotin chrysanthemumates

A series of triorganotin chrysanthemumates (2,2‐dimethyl‐3‐(2‐methyl‐1‐propenyl)cyclopropanecarboxylates) (R₃SnO₂CC₉H₁₅) where R = methyl, ethyl, n‐butyl and phenyl was synthesized. The solid state structures were deduced using infrared (IR) and Mössbauer spectroscopies. The spectroscopic results indicated that all the compounds were found to be five‐coordinated in the solid state. Based on the NMR results, all the compounds are tetrahedral in solution. Larvicidal activities of the compounds were evaluated against the second instar stage of Aedes aegypti, Anopheles stephensi and Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus mosquitoes. The toxicity results indicated that these compounds of triorganotins were effective larvicides against all three species of larvae. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Self-Similar Tiling Systems,Topological Factors and Stretching Factors

In this paper we prove that if two self-similar tiling systems, with respective stretching factors λ ₁ and λ ₂, have a common factor which is a nonperiodic tiling system, then λ ₁ and λ ₂ are multiplicatively dependent.     

Degenerations of 8-Dimensional 2-step Nilpotent Lie Algebras

Algebras and Representation Theory - In this work, we consider degenerations between 8-dimensional 2-step nilpotent Lie algebras over ? and obtain the geometric classification of the variety...