Engineering micromechanics of soft porous crystals for negative gas adsorption

Framework materials at the molecular level, such as metal–organic frameworks (MOF), were recently found to exhibit exotic and counterintuitive micromechanical properties. Stimulated by host–guest interactions, these so-called soft porous crystals can display counterintuitive adsorption phenomena such as negative gas adsorption (NGA). NGA materials are bistable frameworks where the occurrence of a metastable overloaded state leads to pressure amplification upon a sudden framework contraction. How can we control activation barriers and energetics via functionalization of the molecular building blocks that dictate the frameworks'' mechanical response? In this work we tune the elastic and inelastic properties of building blocks at the molecular level and analyze the mechanical response of the resulting frameworks. From a set of 11 frameworks, we demonstrate that widening of the backbone increases stiffness, while elongation of the building blocks results in a decrease in critical yield stress of buckling. We further functionalize the backbone by incorporation of sp³ hybridized carbon atoms to soften the molecular building blocks, or stiffen them with sp² and sp carbons. Computational modeling shows how these modifications of the building blocks tune the activation barriers within the energy landscape of the guest-free bistable frameworks. Only frameworks with free energy barriers in the range of 800 to 1100 kJ mol⁻¹ per unit cell, and moderate yield stress of 0.6 to 1.2 nN for single ligand buckling, exhibit adsorption-induced contraction and negative gas adsorption. Advanced experimental in situ methodologies give detailed insights into the structural transitions and the adsorption behavior. The new framework DUT-160 shows the highest magnitude of NGA ever observed for nitrogen adsorption at 77 K. Our computational and experimental analysis of the energetics and mechanical response functions of porous frameworks is an important step towards tuning activation barriers in dynamic framework materials and provides critical design principles for molecular building blocks leading to pressure amplifying materials.

We characterise the elastic properties of molecular building blocks and how they impact the mechanical properties of soft porous crystals.     

Kristallstruktur und Eigenschaften von Calcium- und Strontiumhexathiodiphosphat(IV), Ca2P2S6 und Sr2P2S6, mit einem Beitrag zu Ca5P8 und Pb2P2S6

Crystal Structure and Properties of Calcium and Strontium Hexathiodiphosphate(IV), Ca₂P₂S₆ and Sr₂P₂S₆, with a Contribution on Ca₅P₈ and Pb₂P₂S₆ Ca₂P₂S₆ and Sr₂P₂S₆ were prepared from metal and a mixture of red phosphorus and sulfur (molar ratio M:P:S = 1:1:3) in 2 corundum crucibles inserted in quartz ampullae under vacuum (20 d 900°C). The compounds were obtained as colourless, crystalline powders containing single crystals. They crystallize in the Sn₂P₂S₆ (high temperature form) type structure (P2₁/c, Z = 2): Ca₂P₂S₆ a = 653.2(2)pm, b = 728.1(2)pm, c = 1110.1(4)pm, β = 124.00(4)°, d = 2.50(2); Sr₂P₂S₆ a = 664.3(2)pm, b = 755.7(3)pm, c = 1139.7(3)pm, β = 124.07(2)°, d = 2.97(2). The anions P₂S have staggered confirmation and are arranged with the motif of a cubic close-packing. Sr²⁺ is coordinated by 8S which form a twofold face-capped trigonal prism and belong to 4P₂S. Structure calculations clearly show that Pb₂P₂S₆ also crystallizes in P2₁/c and not in Pc [1]. Also, Raman- and IR-spectra of Ca₅P₈ were recorded at 20°C. The stretching vibrations of P were assigned in analogy to those of P₂S in alkaline earth hexathiodiphosphates(IV). The range of their frequencies (480 to 340 cm^?1) is essentially smaller and shifted to smaller values compared with P₂S in Ca₂P₂S₆ and Sr₂P₂S₆ (620 to 390 cm^?1). The symmetry of P is not D_3d but C_2h as in the case of P₂S.     

Engineered urdamycin glycosyltransferases are broadened and altered in substrate specificity

Combinatorial biosynthesis is a promising technique used to provide modified natural products for drug development. To enzymatically bridge the gap between what is possible in aglycon biosynthesis and sugar derivatization, glycosyltransferases are the tools of choice. To overcome limitations set by their intrinsic specificities, we have genetically engineered the protein regions governing nucleotide sugar and acceptor substrate specificities of two urdamycin deoxysugar glycosyltransferases, UrdGT1b and UrdGT1c. Targeted amino acid exchanges reduced the number of amino acids potentially dictating substrate specificity to ten. Subsequently, a gene library was created such that only codons of these ten amino acids from both parental genes were independently combined. Library members displayed parental and/or a novel specificity, with the latter being responsible for the biosynthesis of urdamycin P that carries a branched saccharide side chain hitherto unknown for urdamycins.     

Through bond mechanism versus exciplex formation in the photochemistry of fullerene / ferrocene donor-bridge-acceptor dyads

A systematic fluorescence and flash photolytic investigation of a series of covalently linked fullerene / ferrocene based donor-bridge-acceptor dyads is reported as a function of the nature of the bridge between the donor site and acceptor site. The fluorescence of the investigated dyads 2 (Φ_rel = 0.17 × 10^?4, 3 (Φ_rel = 0.78 × 10^?4), 4 (Φ_rel = 1.5 × 10^?4), 5 (Φ_rel = 0.7 × 10^?4), and 6 (Φ_rel = 2.9 × 10^?4) were substantially quenched, relative to N-methyl fulleropyrrolidine (1) (Φ_rel = 6.0 × 10^?4). Photolysis of N-methyl fulleropyrrolidine (1) in toluene revealed formation of the excited singlet state which was followed by a rapid intersystem crossing to the excited triplet state. On the other hand, the fate of the excited singlet state of 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 was found to be governed by rapid intramolecular quenching, with rate constants of 28×10⁹ s^?1, 6.9×10⁹ s^?1, and 3.4×10⁹ s^?1, 14×10⁹ s^?1, 2.3×10⁹ s^?1 respectively. The electron transfer process and the charge separation were confirmed by monitoring the characteristic π-radical anion bands at λ_max = 400 and 1055 nm in degassed benzonitrile with τ_1/2 = 1.8 μs (3) and 2.5 μs (4).     

Ozonolytic determination of double-bond positions in olefins by gas chromatography

Summary Olefinic compounds are reacted with ozone in CCl₄/CH₃OH solution, yielding specific cleavage products, from which the original position of the double bond can be deduced. By reduction with dimethylsulfide the resulting methoxyhydroperoxides are converted into aldehydes and ketones, which are determined by temperature-programmed gas chromatography on silicone columns. The lower compounds (C₁-C₁₀) are analyzed as dinitrophenylhydrazones, the less volatile higher ones as such. 100% yields were obtained for monoolefins of different structures and chain lengths (up to C₃₀).

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Ozonolytische Bestimmung von Doppelbindungen in Olefinen durch Gas-Chromatographie

Zusammenfassung Die Olefine werden in CCl₄/CH₃OH-Lösung mit Ozon behandelt, wodurch spezifische Spaltprodukte entstehen, aus denen man die ursprüngliche Lage der Doppelbindung ableiten kann. Die entstandenen Methoxyhydroperoxide werden durch Reduktion mit Dimethylsulfid zu Aldehyden und Ketonen umgesetzt, die durch temperaturprogrammierte Gas-Chromatographie an Siliconsäulen analysiert werden. Die niedrigeren (C₁-C₁₀) Verbindungen werden als Dinitrophenylhydrazone bestimmt, die weniger flüchtigen höheren als solche. Für aliphatische Monoolefine verschiedener Struktur und Kettenlänge (bis C₃₀) wurden 100%ige Ausbeuten erhalten.

Lecture presented at Euroanalysis I Conference, 28. 8.–1. 9. 1972 in Heidelberg, Germany.     

Hydrogen bond-assembled fullerene molecular shuttle

A novel [2]rotaxane has been prepared in which fullerene C(60) behaves as both a stopper and a photoactive unit. The amphiphilic nature of the rotaxane thread can be used to shuttle the macrocycle from close to the fullerene spheroid (in nonpolar solvents) to far away (in polar solvents). The differing location of the macrocycle in dichloromethane and dimethyl sulfoxide gives rise to effects detectable by (1)H NMR and time-resolved spectroscopy.     

An industrially viable catalyst system for palladium-catalyzed telomerizations of 1,3-butadiene with alcohols

The telomerization reaction of 1,3-butadiene with alcohols to give alkyl octadienyl ethers in the presence of palladium-carbene catalysts has been studied in detail. Unprecedented catalyst efficiency with turnover numbers (TON) up to 1,500,000 and turnover frequencies (TOF) up to 100,000 h(-1) have been obtained after optimization for the reaction of methanol in the presence of an excess of in situ generated carbene ligands. High yields (75-97 %) and catalyst productivities (TON 15,000-100,000) are observed for other aliphatic alcohols and phenols. For comparison five carbene-palladium(0) complexes have been synthesized and characterized by X-ray crystallography. Both electronic and steric effects on the stability and reactivity of the catalysts have been discussed on the basis of density functional theory calculations.     

Biomimetic synthesis of (+/-)-pinnatal and (+/-)-sterekunthal A

Concise biomimetic syntheses of the antimalarial naphthoquinones (+/-)-pinnatal and (+/-)-sterekunthal A are described.     

Stabilisation of reactive intermediates in molecular sieves

This paper presents studies on paramagnetic intermediates, free atoms and radicals produced in γ-irradiated molecular sieves and their reactions with adsorbate molecules or exchangeable cations. Four different systems have been investigated using EPR spectroscopy, Na-A/CH₄, AgNa-A/CH₃OH, Ag-SAPO-11/C₂H₄ and AgCs-rho/NH₃. It was found that methyl radicals are formed in two different sites in Na-A/CH₄ and in one of them they are stable at room temperature. The formation of Ag·CH₂OH⁺ radical cation with one-electron bond between silver and carbon has been established in AgNa-A/CH₃OH by EPR experiments with [¹³C]CH₃OH and DFT calculations. In Ag-SAPO-11/C₂H₄ the stabilisation of biligand silver/ethylene complex, Ag⁰(C₂H₄)₂ was postulated based on EPR and DFT results. Tetrameric silver clusters (Ag ₄ ³⁺ ) produced radiolytically in AgCs-rho/NH₃ strongly interact with two ammonia molecules as was deduced from the changes in superhyperfine structure of high-field EPR line of Ag ₄ ³⁺ pentet for zeolite exposed to [¹⁴N]NH₃ and [¹⁵N]NH₃. The presented examples clearly show that the combination of radiation methods with EPR technique is very useful to study the structure and reactivity of paramagnetic intermediates.     

Liquid chromatographic-mass spectrometric studies on the in vitro degradation of a poly(ether ester) block copolymer

A detailed study on the in vitro degradation of a poly(ethylene glycol) and poly(butylene terephthalate) (PEOT/PBT) segmented block copolymer was carried out using liquid chromatography/electrospray-mass spectrometry. Accelerated hydrolysis of PEOT/PBT was achieved by placing the material for 14 days in a refluxing phosphate buffered saline (pH 7.4) solution. All major degradation products and several side-products were identified using both the positive and the negative ion mode. The data indicate that degradation does not only occur in the "soft", but also in the "hard" segments of the polymer. Liquid chromatographic separation is required to distinguish between degradation products with different sequences but identical molecular mass. The addition of ammonium and sodium ions provided important complementary information on the number of monomer units present in the degradation products.