Surface tension effect on transmembrane channel stability in a model membrane

The effect of surface tension on the lipid bilayer membrane is a question that has drawn considerable research effort. This interest has been driven both by the desire to determine the surface tension effects on the lipid bilayer and from the suggestion that adding finite surface tension to a small membrane system may provide more realistic lipid properties in molecular dynamics simulations. Here, the effect of surface tension on a palmitololelylphosphatidylcholine (POPC) bilayer membrane containing a four-helix transmembrane alamethicin peptide bundle is investigated. Simulations of 10 ns were undertaken for two different ensembles, NPT and NP(z)gammaT with a surface tension, gamma, of 20 mN m(-1) per interface, which is near the pore-forming region. The significance of differences between the tension-free and surface tension simulations was determined using nonparametric statistical analysis on replicate simulations with different initial conditions. The results suggest that, when the membrane is under surface tension, the peptide helical structure is perturbed from that in the tension-free state but that the bundle conformation is more stable than that in the tension-free state, with hydrogen bonding playing an important stabilizing role. Surface tension counteracts the influence of the transmembrane helix bundle on nearby lipid order, making the lipid order more uniform throughout the membrane in the tension state. Conversely, the lipid mobility was less uniform in the tension state, with lipids far from the bundle being significantly more mobile than those near the bundle. One general implication of the results is that surface tension can affect the membrane nonuniformly, in that the properties of lipids near the peptide are different from those further away.     

Complex Tellurium Salts with Supramolecular Bidimensional Lattices: Synthesis and X‐ray Characterization of (2‐Br‐C5NH5)2[TeX6] (X = Cl,Br)

The reaction of tellurium(IV) tetrahalides with hydrochloric and hydrobromic acid leads to the formation of (H₃O)₂[TeX₆], which reacts subsequently with (2‐Br‐C₅NH₅)⁺X^‐ to afford (2‐Br‐C₅NH₅)₂[TeCl₆] ( 1 ) and (2‐Br‐C₅NH₅)₂[TeBr₆] ( 2 ). The structure of the complex salts were analysed by X‐ray diffractometry affording the centrosymmetric space groups P2₁/n (monoclinic, 1 ) and P1¯ (triclinic, 2 ). Interionic hydrogen bondings hold their lattices in bidimensional supramolecular arrays not yet described in the literature. The lone electron pair of the AX₆E‐system of the hexahalotellurates [TeX₆]^2‐ (X = Cl, Br) seems to be fully delocalized since only small octahedral deviations were observed for the anionic species. The structures of the title compounds were refined with the Te atoms occupying sites with full point symmetry, approximately m3¯m. In both cases the Te atoms enclose centers of inversion and the octahedrally dynamic structures are enforced and stabilized along the supramolecular lattices by the crystal field of the 2‐Br‐pyridinium cations.     

Boomerang‐Type Substitution Reaction: Reactivity of Fullerene Epoxides and a Halofullerenol

The C_s‐symmetric fullerene chlorohydrin C₆₀(Cl)(OH)(OOtBu)₄ reacts with 4‐dimethylaminopyridine (DMAP) and 1,4‐diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (DABCO) to yield two isomers with the formula C₆₀(O)(OOtBu)₄ in good yields. These isomers differ with respect to the location of the epoxy functionality. The one from DMAP is C_s symmetric, whereas that from DABCO is C₁ symmetric with the epoxy group on the central pentagon. Two different mechanisms are proposed to explain the chemoselectivity of these reactions. The reaction with DMAP involves single‐electron transfer as the key step; DMAP acts as the electron donor. A combination of an oxygen‐atom shift and S_N2′′ processes (boomerang substitution) are responsible for the formation of isomer with DACBO. Various related reactions support the proposed mechanisms. The structures of new fullerene derivatives were determined by spectroscopy, single‐crystal X‐ray analysis, and chemical correlation experiments.     

Four New Lariciresinol‐Based Lignan Glycosides from the Roots of Rhus javanica var. roxburghiana

The four new lariciresinol‐based lignan glycosides, (?)‐lariciresinol 4′‐(6″‐O‐feruloyl‐β‐D ‐glucopyranoside) ( 1 ), (?)‐lariciresinol 4′‐(4″,6″‐di‐O‐feruloyl‐β‐D ‐glucopyranoside) ( 2 ), 5,5′‐dimethoxylariciresinol 4′‐(4″,6″‐di‐O‐feruloyl)‐β‐D ‐glucopyranoside) ( 3 ), and 4‐O‐[α‐(1,2‐dihydroxyethyl)syringyl]‐5,5′‐dimethoxylariciresinol 4′‐(4″,6″‐di‐O‐feruloyl‐β‐D ‐glucopyranoside) ( 4 ), together with two known ones, lariciresinol 4′‐β‐D ‐glucopyranoside) ( 5 ) and tortoside B ( 6 ), were isolated from the BuOH extract of Rhus javanica var. roxburghiana roots, and their structures were established by means of various spectroscopic techniques.     

Cyclic Voltammograms of Ferrocene on Multi‐Walled Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNTs)‐Modified Edge Plane Pyrolytic Graphite (EPPG) Electrode in Room Temperature Ionic Liquids (RTILs) of 1‐Ethyl‐3‐Methylimidazolium Tetrafluoroborate (EMIBF4)

In this work, the electrochemical behavior of ferrocene (Fc) was investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV) in room temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) of 1‐ethyl‐3‐methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (EMIBF₄) on glass carbon (GC), edge plane pyrolytic graphite (EPPG) and multi‐walled carbon nanotube (MWCNTs)‐modified EPPG electrodes, respectively. The results demonstrated that on GC electrode, pairs of well‐defined reversible peaks were observed, while for the electrode of EPPG, the peak potential separation (ΔE_p) is obviously larger than the theoretical value of 59 mV, hinting that the electrode of EPPG is distinguished from the commonly used electrode, consistent with the previous proposition that EPPG has many “defects”. To obtain an improved electrochemical response, multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were modified on the electrode of EPPG; the increased peak current and promoted peak potential separation not only proved the existence of “defects” in MWCNTs, but also supported that “creating active points” on an electrode is the main contribution of MWCNTs. Initiating the electrochemical research of Fc on the MWCNTs‐modified EPPG electrode in RTILs and verifying the presence of “defects” on both EPPG and MWCNTs using cyclic voltammograms (CVs) of Fc obtained in RTILs of EMIBF₄, is the main contribution of this preliminary work.     

An extended two‐dimensional copper–molybdate compound with mixed dicarboxyl and organodiamine ligands

The title complex, poly[di‐μ₃‐oxo‐hepta‐μ₂‐oxo‐tetra­oxo­bis(1,10‐phenanthroline)‐μ₄‐terephthalato‐dicopper(II)­tetra­molybdate(VI)], [Cu₂Mo₄(C₈H₄O₄)O₁₃(C₁₂H₈N₂)₂], represents a novel two‐dimensional copper–molybdate compound with mixed ligands. Tetra­nuclear molybdenum oxide clusters are joined through corner‐sharing into a ribbon‐like chain, with [Cu(phen)]²⁺ (phen is 1,10‐phenanthroline) complexes grafted onto either side. The terephthalate ligand lies about an inversion centre and links these chains to form a layer via Cu—O and Mo—O bonds. Face‐to‐face π–π stacking inter­actions between adjacent phen ligands stabilize the structure.     

Rheological Behavior for Mica-filled Polypropylene Composite Melts

The study on rheological properties of a series of mica-filled polypropylene (PP) composites was carried out. The influence of surface-treatment of mica particles on dynamic rheological behavior of the composites were dealt with. The viscosity (η) and dynamic modulus ( G‘ ) of the composite melts were higher than those of PP matrix, especially those for systems treated with silane, which was attributed to the interfacial adhesion enhancement. However, surface-treatment of mica by titanate resulted in lower η and G‘, as compared with the treatment by silane. The reason for this is believed to be the formation of the mono-molecular layer on the mica surface.     

Synthesis and Characterization of Ag2S Nanocrystals in Hyperbranched Polyurethane at Room Temperature

Ag₂S nanoparticles in hyperbranched polyurethane matrix were prepared through the in situ reaction with thioacetamide as the sulfur source at room temperature. Transmission electron microscopic analysis revealed a uniform spherical shape for Ag₂S nanoparticles, with an average size of about 4-10 nm and a narrow size distribution. X-ray powder diffraction and UV-vis spectroscopy were also used to characterize the obtained nanoparticles     

三烃基锡肟类化合物的合成及生物活性

共合成了１３个未见文献报道的三烃基锡肟衍生物，测定了它们的＾１ｈ，（＾１３Ｃ，＾１１９Ｓｎ）ＮＭＲ，ＩＲ和ＭＳ。结果表明此类化合物为四配位锡单体结构，生物活性测定结果表明部分化合物同时兼有杀菌、杀螨、除草多种活性。     

Synthesis and Crystal Structure of Two One—dimensional Chain Copper Complexes [Cu（TTA）2（4,4‘’—azpy）] and [Cu（TTA）2（3,3‘’—azpy）

Two copper complexes [Cu(TTA)₂(4,4′‐azpy)] (1) and [Cu‐(TTA)₂(3,3′‐azpy)] (2) (HTTA = 1,1,1‐trifluoro‐3‐(2‐thenoyl)‐acetone, 4,4′‐azpy = 4,4′‐azobispyridine, 3,3′‐azpy = 3,3′‐azobispyridine) were synthesized and characterized. The crystal structures were determined by X‐ray diffraction analysis. The crystal 1 belongs to triclinic with space group P1 , a = 0.8515(2) nm, b = 0.9259(2) nm, c = 0.9468(2) nm, a = 66.126(9)°, β = 79.667(9)°, γ = 90.13(1)°, Z = 1, V = 0.6692(2) nm³, D_c = 3.425 g/cm³, γ = 2.113 mm^?1, F(000) = 694, R₁ = 0.0594, wR₂ = 0.1499. The crystal 2 belongs to monoclinic with space group P2₁/c, a = 1.0661(2) nm, b = 1.4296(3) ran, c = 1.0041(3) nm, β = 114.50(3)°, V = 1.3926(5) nm³, Z = 2, D_c = 1.646 g/ cm³, μ = 1.015 mm^?1, F(000) = 694, R₁, = 0.0535, wR₂ = 0.1113. In the crystals of complexes 1 and 2, the copper atoms have distorted octahedral symmetry. The two compounds possess very similar one‐dimensional linear chains linked through the rodlike 4,4′‐azpy ligands or 3,3′‐azpy ligands.