Phase transition in Tl2TeO3: influence and origin of the thallium lone pair distortion

A new modification of thallium tellurite, beta-Tl(2)TeO(3), has been synthesized by methanolothermal reaction, and its phase transition has been studied by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. At a temperature of 440(10) degrees C an irreversible phase transition from a monoclinic structure (beta-Tl(2)TeO(3): P2(1)/c (No. 14), Z = 4, a = 8.9752(18) A, b = 4.8534(6) A, c = 11.884(2) A, beta = 109.67(2) degrees, V = 487.47(15) A3 at 25 degrees C) to an orthorhombic structure (alpha-Tl(2)TeO(3): Pban (No. 50), Z = 8, a = 16.646(2) A, b = 11.094(2) A, c = 5.2417(8) A, V = 968.0(3) A3 at 25 degrees C) is observed. Both structures are characterized by psi-tetrahedral TeO(3)(2-) anions. In the orthorhombic structure psi-trigonal bipyramidal [TlO(4)] units are found together with psi-tetrahedral [TlO(3)] units whereas in the monoclinic structure the coordination polyhedron around Tl(I) can be best described as a psi-square pyramide, psi-[TlO(4)]. The electronic structure of Tl(2)TeO(3) in both modifications has been studied to explain the influence of the lone pairs. It can be conclusively shown that the minimization of antibonding ns-metal/2p-oxygen interactions is the driving force for "lone pair" distortions which determines the structures of Tl(2)TeO(3).     

Counterion Effect in Cobaltate-Catalyzed Alkene Hydrogenation

We show that countercations exert a remarkable influence on the ability of anionic cobaltate salts to catalyze challenging alkene hydrogenations. An evaluation of the catalytic properties of [Cat][Co(η⁴-cod)₂] (Cat=K ( 1 ), Na ( 2 ), Li ( 3 ), (^Depnacnac)Mg ( 4 ), and N(ⁿBu)₄ ( 5 ); cod=1,5-cyclooctadiene, ^Depnacnac={2,6-Et₂C₆H₃NC(CH₃)}₂CH)]) demonstrated that the lithium salt 3 and magnesium salt 4 drastically outperform the other catalysts. Complex 4 was the most active catalyst, which readily promotes the hydrogenation of highly congested alkenes under mild conditions. A plausible catalytic mechanism is proposed based on density functional theory (DFT) investigations. Furthermore, combined molecular dynamics (MD) simulation and DFT studies were used to examine the turnover-limiting migratory insertion step. The results of these studies suggest an active co-catalytic role of the counterion in the hydrogenation reaction through the coordination to cobalt hydride intermediates.     

Flamelet-Modeling of Inverse Rich Diffusion Flames

An experimental and numerical investigation of a confined laminar inverse diffusion flame (IDF) with pure oxygen as oxidizer and carbon dioxide diluted methane as fuel with a global stoichiometry of partial oxidation processes (equivalence ratio of 2.5) is presented. The present burner setup allows studying both the flame and the post-flame zone in a simplified geometry considering typical operating conditions as found in large-scale gasifiers. This partial oxidation flame setup is characterized by very high temperatures close to the stoichiometric oxidation zone due to oxy-fuel combustion, whereas lower temperatures and slow endothermic post-flame conversion reactions with long residence times are found in the fuel rich post-flame region. The scope of this paper is to investigate different modeling approaches suitable for both regimes by comparing the simulation results to detailed experimental data. Planar OH laser-induced fluorescence (OH-LIF) was performed for measuring the hydroxyl radical in the reaction zone and the results are compared to CFD calculations. Based on this comparison, the necessary level of detail of diffusion flux modeling, which includes Soret and Dufour effects, is analyzed and established. Finally, steady and unsteady non-premixed flamelet approaches based on a single mixture fraction are used in order to study their applicability for both the oxidation and post-flame zone. Significantly different time scales are obtained using different flamelet paths. Their influence on the results is investigated in the steady flamelet and the Lagrangian flamelet approach.     

Visualization of Protein‐Specific Glycosylation inside Living Cells

Protein glycosylation is a ubiquitous post‐translational modification that is involved in the regulation of many aspects of protein function. In order to uncover the biological roles of this modification, imaging the glycosylation state of specific proteins within living cells would be of fundamental importance. To date, however, this has not been achieved. Herein, we demonstrate protein‐specific detection of the glycosylation of the intracellular proteins OGT, Foxo1, p53, and Akt1 in living cells. Our generally applicable approach relies on Diels–Alder chemistry to fluorescently label intracellular carbohydrates through metabolic engineering. The target proteins are tagged with enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP). Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) between the EGFP and the glycan‐anchored fluorophore is detected with high contrast even in presence of a large excess of acceptor fluorophores by fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM).     

An Isoreticular Family of Microporous Metal-Organic Frameworks Based on Zinc and 2-Substituted Imidazolate-4-amide-5-imidate: Syntheses, Structures and Properties

We report on a new series of isoreticular frameworks based on zinc and 2-substituted imidazolate-4-amide-5-imidate (IFP-1-4, IFP=imidazolate framework Potsdam) that form one-dimensional, microporous hexagonal channels. Varying R in the 2-substitued linker (R=Me (IFP-1), Cl (IFP-2), Br (IFP-3), Et (IFP-4)) allowed the channel diameter (4.0-1.7??), the polarisability and functionality of the channel walls to be tuned. Frameworks IFP-2, IFP-3 and IFP-4 are isostructural to previously reported IFP-1. The structures of IFP-2 and IFP-3 were solved by X-ray crystallographic analyses. The structure of IFP-4 was determined by a combination of PXRD and structure modelling and was confirmed by IR spectroscopy and (1) H?MAS and (13) C?CP-MAS?NMR spectroscopy. All IFPs showed high thermal stability (345-400?°C); IFP-1 and IFP-4 were stable in boiling water for 7?d. A detailed porosity analysis was performed on the basis of adsorption measurements by using various gases. The potential of the materials to undergo specific interactions with CO(2) was investigated by measuring the isosteric heats of adsorption. The capacity to adsorb CH(4) (at 298?K), CO(2) (at 298?K) and H(2) (at 77?K) at high pressure were also investigated. In situ IR spectroscopy showed that CO(2) is physisorbed on IFP-1-4 under dry conditions and that both CO(2) and H(2) O are physisorbed on IFP-1 under moist conditions.     

Inkjet printing of reinforcing patterns for the mechanical stabilization of fragile polymeric microsieves

Inkjet printing is employed to apply a mechanically stable reinforcing pattern to polymeric microsieves prepared by float casting, where particles are used as molds for the pores. A mixture of silica particles and nonvolatile monomers is cast onto a water surface and subsequently photopolymerized to produce membranes consisting of a polymer film with embedded particles. These composite membranes are transferred onto an aluminum foil. Subsequently, a UV-curable ink is directly inkjet-printed onto the membranes in line patterns of grids or honeycombs and cured by UV radiation to create a mechanically reinforcing pattern. Afterwards, the particles and the aluminum foil are removed by chemical etching. The reinforcing pattern overcasts 40% of the previously manufactured membrane, is mechanically stable, and gives the microsieves such a robustness that they can be handled in further manufacturing processes.     

De novo analysis of electron impact mass spectra using fragmentation trees

The automated fragmentation analysis of high resolution EI mass spectra based on a fragmentation tree algorithm is introduced. Fragmentation trees are constructed from EI spectra by automated signal extraction and evaluation. These trees explain relevant fragmentation reactions and assign molecular formulas to fragments. The method enables the identification of the molecular ion and the molecular formula of a metabolite if the molecular ion is present in the spectrum. These identifications are independent of existing library knowledge and, thus, support assignment and structural elucidation of unknown compounds. The method works even if the molecular ion is of very low abundance or hidden under contaminants with higher masses. We apply the algorithm to a selection of 50 derivatized and underivatized metabolites and demonstrate that in 78% of cases the molecular ion can be correctly assigned. The automatically constructed fragmentation trees correspond very well to published mechanisms and allow the assignment of specific relevant fragments and fragmentation pathways even in the most complex EI-spectra in our dataset. This method will be very helpful in the automated analysis of metabolites that are not included in common libraries and it thus has the potential to support the explorative character of metabolomics studies.     

Fabrication of Thermo‐Responsive Hybrid Hydrogels by In‐Situ Mineralization and Self‐Assembly of Microgel Particles

Summary: An in‐situ mineralization process in the presence of thermo‐responsive microgels leads to the formation of well‐defined hybrid materials. Experimental data suggest that control of the mineralization process in the presence of the microgels offers the possibility to obtain sub‐micrometer‐sized hybrid particles or macroscopic hybrid hydrogels. The rapid formation of CaCO₃ crystals in the microgel structure favors the preparation of the hybrid particles wherein inorganic crystals cover the shell layer of the microgel. The slow formation of CaCO₃ crystals leads to the simultaneous self‐assembly of the microgel particles on the bottom of the reaction vessel, and the formation of a physical network. It has been demonstrated that hybrid hydrogel materials with different calcium carbonate contents and temperature‐dependent swelling‐deswelling properties can be prepared.

Formation of a hybrid hydrogel by the vapor diffusion method.