Encapsulation of ion pairs in extended, self-assembled structures

Encapsulation of ion pairs in small spaces that are isolated from the medium is expected to result in amplified interactions between the ions. Yet, sequestration of ion pairs in self-assembled capsules is complicated by competition of the acids and bases for binding directly to the assembly components. We describe here a hydrogen-bonded capsule 1.2(8).1 that accommodates two γ-picolines and two acids as ion pairs. The supramolecular structure of the discrete 14-component assembly is characterized by NMR spectroscopy. The structure reveals the acids in the tapered ends of the capsule and γ-picoliniums near the glycoluril spacers in the capsule's center. Similar acid-base ion pairs are also obtained with 4-ethylpyridine, γ-picoline with difluoroacetic acid, and γ-picoline with trifluoromethanesulfonic acid. The (1)H NMR spectrum of the γ-picoline/trifluoroacetic acid ion pair shows a signal at δ = 18.7 ppm, indicating the acidic proton is in contact with both the picoline nitrogen and the trifluoroacetate oxygen. Further details about the unusual structures of ion pairs in small spaces are reported.     

Alkane lengths determine encapsulation rates and equilibria

A cylindrical capsule provides an environment for straight-chain alkanes that can properly fill the space through extended or compressed conformations. The encapsulation rates of a series of alkanes were examined and found to be dependent on guest length: the rates of uptake are C(9) > C(10) > C(11), while complex stability is in the reverse order, C(11) > C(10) > C(9). Direct competition experiments, pairwise or between all 3 alkanes, maintain this order as the longer alkanes sequentially displace the shorter ones. The distribution of species with time provides a clock for this complex system, which combines elements of self-sorting phenomena and dynamic combinatorial chemistry. The clock can be stopped by replacing the alkanes with the superior guest 4,4'-dimethylazobenzene, then restarted by irradiation.     

((3-(3-硅胶丙基)硫基)丙基)硫酸酯作为可回收催化剂用于合成4,4'-芳亚甲基-双(1H-吡唑-5-醇)(英文)

Sulfuric acid ([3-(3-silicapropyl)sulfanyl]propyl)ester is employed as a recyclable catalyst for the condensation reaction between aromatic aldehydes and 3-methyl-l-phenyl-5-pyrazolone. This condensation reaction was performed in ethanol under refluxing conditions giving 4,4'-alkylmethylene-bis(3-methyl-5-pyrazolones) in 74-90% yields. The heterogeneous catalyst was recycled and used in eleven runs for the reaction between benzaldehyde and 3-methyl-l-phenyl-5-pyrazolone without losing catalytic activity.     

A nickel hydride complex in the active site of methyl-coenzyme m reductase: implications for the catalytic cycle

Methanogenic archaea utilize a specific pathway in their metabolism, converting C1 substrates (i.e., CO2) or acetate to methane and thereby providing energy for the cell. Methyl-coenzyme M reductase (MCR) catalyzes the key step in the process, namely methyl-coenzyme M (CH3-S-CoM) plus coenzyme B (HS-CoB) to methane and CoM-S-S-CoB. The active site of MCR contains the nickel porphinoid F430. We report here on the coordinated ligands of the two paramagnetic MCR red2 states, induced when HS-CoM (a reversible competitive inhibitor) and the second substrate HS-CoB or its analogue CH3-S-CoB are added to the enzyme in the active MCR red1 state (Ni(I)F430). Continuous wave and pulse EPR spectroscopy are used to show that the MCR red2a state exhibits a very large proton hyperfine interaction with principal values A((1)H) = [-43,-42,-5] MHz and thus represents formally a Ni(III)F430 hydride complex formed by oxidative addition to Ni(I). In view of the known ability of nickel hydrides to activate methane, and the growing body of evidence for the involvement of MCR in "reverse" methanogenesis (anaerobic oxidation of methane), we believe that the nickel hydride complex reported here could play a key role in helping to understand both the mechanism of "reverse" and "forward" methanogenesis.     

Gap States of ZnO Thin Films by New Methods:Optical Spectroscopy,Optical Conductivity and Optical Dispersion Energy

The optical reflectance and transmittance spectra in the wavelength range of 300–2500 nm are used to compute the absorption coefficient of zinc oxide films annealed at different post-annealing temperatures 400, 500 and 600°C.The values of the cross point between the curves of the real and imaginary parts of the optical conductivity ɑ_1 and ɑ_1 with energy axis of films exhibit values that correspond to optical gaps and are about 3.25–3.3 eV. The maxima of peaks in plots dR/dλ and dT/dλ versus wavelength of films exhibit optical gaps at about 3.12–3.25 eV.The values of the fundamental indirect band gap obtained from the Tauc model are at about 3.14–3.2 eV. It can be seen that films annealed at 600°C have the minimum indirect optical band gap at about 3.15 eV. The films annealed at 600°C have Urbach's energy minimum of 1.38 eV and hence have minimum disorder. The dispersion energy d of films annealed at 500°C has the minimum value of 43 eV.     

Characterization of the structural changes of human serum albumin upon interaction with single-walled and multi-walled carbon nanotubes: spectroscopic and molecular modeling approaches

Research on Chemical Intermediates - Through the incorporation of spectorescopic and molecular methods of modeling, the researchers investigated the interaction between Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) and...     

2‐Arylation/alkylation of benzothiazoles using superparamagneticgraphene oxide‐Fe3O4 hybrid material as a heterogeneous catalystwith diisopropyl azodicarboxylate (DIAD) as an oxidant

In this report, we introduced Graphene oxide‐iron oxide (GO‐Fe₃O₄) nanocomposites as a heterogeneous catalyst for arylation/alkylation of benzothiazoles with aldehydes and benzylic alcohols in the presence of diisopropyl azodicarboxylate (DIAD) as an oxidant which exclusively produced 2‐aryl (alkyl)‐1H–benzothizoles in moderate to excellent yields. The absence of precious metals and toxic solvent, easy product isolation, and recyclability of the GO‐Fe₃O₄ with no loss of activity are notable advantages of this method.     

Solvent-assisted intramolecular proton transfer in thiopurinol: application of M06-2X functional

All available conformers of tisopurine as an important pharmaceutical molecule are optimized and frequency calculations calculated at M06-2X/6-311++G(2d,2p) level of theory. These conformers are classified in 22 different tautomers, tautomer Z showing the most stable tautomer in the gas phase. Effects of four different solvents on the most stable conformer of each tautomer is calculated. Solvents cause stabilization of all conformers and relative solvent stabilization is as follows: water > DMSO > acetone > toluene. Energy profile for such stabilization is illustrated and mechanism of proton transfer studied at the same level of theory. Solvent-assisted proton transfer performed when water and methanol used as solvents. Results indicate that explicit solvent effect has much more stabilization on tautomerization processes compared to implicit solvent effect.