Customising excitation properties of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by rational positional heteroatom doping: the peri-xanthenoxanthene (PXX) case

In this paper we tackle the challenge of gaining control of the photophysical properties of PAHs through a site-specific N-doping within the structural aromatic framework. By developing a simple predictive tool that identifies C(sp²)-positions that if substituted with a heteroatom would tailor the changes in the absorption and emission spectral envelopes, we predict optimal substitutional patterns for the model peri-xanthenoxanthene (PXX) PAH. Specifically, TDDFT calculations of the electron density difference between the S₁ excited state and S₀ ground state of PXX allowed us to identify the subtleties in the role of sites i.e., electron donating or withdrawing character on excitation. The replacement of two C(sp²)-atoms with two N-atoms, in either electron donating or withdrawing positions, shifts the electronic transitions either to low or high energy, respectively. This consequently shifts the PXX absorption spectral envelop bathochromically or hypsochromically, as demonstrated by steady-state absorption spectroscopic measurements. Within the series of synthesised N-doped PXX, we tune the optical band gap within an interval of ∼0.4 eV, in full agreement with the theoretical predictions. Relatedly, measurements show the more blueshifted the absorption/emission energies, the greater the fluorescence quantum yield value (from ∼45% to ∼75%). On the other hand, electrochemical investigations suggested that the N-pattern has a limited influence on the redox properties. Lastly, depending on the N-pattern, different supramolecular organisations could be obtained at the solid-state, with the 1,7-pattern PXX molecule forming multi-layered, graphene-like, supramolecular sheets through a combination of weak H-bonding and π–π stacking interactions. Supramolecular striped patterned sheets could also be formed with the 3,9- and 4,10-congeners when co-crystallized with a halogen-bond donor molecule.

In this paper we tackle the challenge of gaining control of the photophysical properties of PAHs through a site-specific N-doping within the structural aromatic framework.     

Synthesis of water-soluble nucleotide-calixarene conjugates and preliminary investigation of their in vitro DNA replication inhibitory activity

Calix[4]arenes bearing four thymine or adenine 2′-deoxynucleotide moieties have been synthesized and characterized by NMR and ESI-MS analysis. Due to their amphiphilic nature, the conjugates (2a and 2b) obtained tend to self-assemble in aqueous medium by stacking interactions. Their good water solubility makes 2a and 2b promising candidates for bioorganic applications. A preliminary study has provided evidence of their inhibitory activity toward the replication of a Penicillium digitatum DNA fragment via PCR (polymerase chain reaction).     

Forensic Biochemical Markers to Evaluate the Agonal Period: A Literature Review

Currently, forensic research is multidisciplinary with new methods and parameters useful to define the cause and time of death as well as survival/agony times. The identification of biochemical markers able to estimate agonal period has been studied by many forensic researchers. It is known that the estimation of agonal time in different types of death is not always easy, hence our interest in literature’s data. The studies analyzed in this review confirm the important role of thanatobiochemistry for the estimation of survival times. Regardless of the death cause, the survival/agony time between the primary event and death influences markers concentrations in biological samples (e.g., blood, urine, cerebrospinal fluid). Different biomarkers can be used for qualitative evaluations in deaths with short and long agony (e.g., C-reactive protein, ferritin, GFAP, etc.). Instead, the quantitative interpretation showed limits due to the lack of reference cut-offs. Thanatobiochemistry is a useful tool to confirm what emerged from autopsies findings (macroscopic and histological analysis), but further studies are desirable to confirm the evidence emerging from our review of the literature.     

Pd(II) complexes of monodentate deoxycholic acid derived binaphthyl diamido phosphites as chiral catalysts in the asymmetric Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling

Chiral binaphthyl diamidophosphites derived from deoxycholic acid were synthesized and used as ligands for the preparation of mononuclear Pd(II) complexes, which were employed as catalysts in the asymmetric Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling of arylboronic acids with aryl bromides. Among the different reaction parameters, the substrate concentration emerged as being crucial for the outcome of the reaction: the reaction was faster in a concentrated reaction mixture, and could be performed at 0 °C, where the reaction promoted by the Pd-complexes was more enantioselective affording cross-coupling products with ee up to 70%.     

Viscoelastic Solids of Exponential Type. II. Free Energies,Stability and Attractors

The asymptotic behavior for solutions of the semilinear motion equation of a linear viscoelastic solid of exponential type (VSET) is studied and the existence of a global attractor is proved. These results are obtained by means of a suitable class of quadratic free energies defined on the minimal state space and making use of semigroup techniques. This is the second part of a plan which was started in a previous paper [6] by the study of state-space representation, minimality and controllability for VSET.     

Asymptotic behaviour and exponential stability for a transmission problem in thermoelasticity

We show that the solution of a semilinear transmission problem between an elastic and a thermoelastic material, decays exponentially to zero. That is, denoting by ?(t) the sum of the first, second and third order energy associated with the system, we show that there exist positive constants C and γsatisfying ?(t) ? C?(0)e^?γt Moreover, the existence of absorbing sets is achieved in the non‐homogeneous case. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

On the derivations of semigroup rings

In questo lavoro studiamo i generatori del modulo delle derivazioni di anelli di semigruppoR=k[S], dandone una caratterizzazione sotto opportune ipotesi suS.     

Synthesis of 4,8-dimethoxy-3H-benz[f]indol-3-one. Anomalous behaviour to cyclization of 1,4,5-trimethoxy-3-amino-γ-chloroalkylnaphthalene intermediates

A new linear benz[f]indole derivative 15 bearing two methoxyls in the fused naphthalene moiety was prepared as a potential chemotherapeutic agent. The anomalous behaviour of two trimethoxynaphthalene intermediates in parallel stages of the planned synthesis route is emphasized, and the corresponding mechanisms for these cyclizing reactions are proposed and discussed.     

Influence of ions on the structural organization of dipolar liquids probed by the noncoincidence effect: experimental and quantum chemical results

The C=O stretching [nu(C=O)] Raman bands of the carbonyl solvents, S (acetone and acetophenone), in some electrolytic solutions of lithium and sodium salts (M(+)X(-)) are analyzed. The large and negative values of the noncoincidence effect (NCE=nu(ani)-nu(iso)) measured for the component of this band generated by the solvent-ion interactions are interpreted in the light of the results of ab initio quantum chemical calculations performed for clusters of type (S)nM(+) and also on the basis of the transition dipole coupling mechanism between pairs of nu(C=O) oscillators. The effects of the size of the ion M(+) and of the solvation number n on the NCE are analyzed. It is shown that the decrease of the NCE resulting from the change in the size of the ion M(+) from Li(+) to Na(+) is appreciably counterbalanced by the increase of the NCE arising form the change in the ion solvation number n from 4 for Li(+) to 6 for Na(+).