Liquid-crystalline hybrid materials based on [60]fullerene and bent-core structures

What a core-ker! By the appropriate combination of promesogenic bent-core structures and the C(60) unit, lamellar polar liquid-crystal phases were induced. The supramolecular organization of the functional fullerene-based assemblies, the temperature range of the soft phase, the stabilization of the mesophase-like order at room temperature, and the molecular switching under an electric field can be tuned, depending on the molecular structure.     

Fingerprinting of bottle-grade poly(ethylene terephthalate) via matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry

Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) has been shown to provide a valuable technique to study the thermomechanical degradation of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET). MALDI-MS has been tested to monitor both the admixture of post-consumption bottle-grade PET (PET_pc-btg) with virgin bottle-grade PET (PET_v-btg) and the thermomechanical degradation effects on the chemical properties of PET_v-btg. Principal component analysis of MALDI-MS data classify the samples into groups with specific features: a) PET-btg with intrinsic viscosities of 0.80 or 0.65-0.60 dL g⁻¹); b) processed or virgin PET with the same intrinsic viscosity; c) PET_v-btg from PET containing PET_pc-btg; and d) PET_v-btg from different manufacturers. MALDI-MS data is therefore able to reveal the quality of PET-btg resins preventing frauds and illegal use of recycled PET-btg.     

Benign‐by‐Design Solventless Mechanochemical Synthesis of Three‐, Two‐, and One‐Dimensional Hybrid Perovskites

Organic–inorganic hybrid perovskites have attracted significant attention owing to their extraordinary optoelectronic properties with applications in the fields of solar energy, lighting, photodetectors, and lasers. The rational design of these hybrid materials is a key factor in the optimization of their performance in perovskite‐based devices. Herein, a mechanochemical approach is proposed as a highly efficient, simple, and reproducible method for the preparation of four types of hybrid perovskites, which were obtained in large amounts as polycrystalline powders with high purity and excellent optoelectronics properties. Two archetypal three‐dimensional (3D) perovskites (MAPbI₃ and FAPbI₃) were synthesized, together with a bidimensional (2D) perovskite (Gua₂PbI₄) and a “double‐chain” one‐dimensional (1D) perovskite (GuaPbI₃), whose structure was elucidated by X‐ray diffraction.     

p53‐Dependent and p53‐Independent Responses of Cells Challenged by Photosensitization

The p53 protein exerts fundamental roles in cell responses to a variety of stress stimuli. It has clear roles in controlling cell cycle, triggering apoptosis, activating autophagy and modulating DNA damage response. Little is known about the role of p53 in autophagy‐associated cell death, which can be induced by photoactivation of photosensitizers within cells. The photosensitizer 1,9‐dimethyl methylene blue (DMMB) within nanomolar concentration regimes has specific intracellular targets (mitochondria and lysosomes), photoinducing a typical scenario of cell death with autophagy. Importantly, in consequence of its subcellular localization, photoactive DMMB induces selective damage to mitochondrial DNA, saving nuclear DNA. By challenging cells having different p53 protein levels, we investigated whether p53 modulates DMMB/light‐induced phototoxicity and cell cycle dynamics. Cells lacking p53 activity were slightly more resistant to photoactivated DMMB, which was correlated with a smaller sub‐G1 population, indicative of a lower level of apoptosis. DMMB photosensitization seems to induce mostly autophagy‐associated cell death and S‐phase cell cycle arrest with replication stress. Remarkably, these responses were independent on the p53 status, indicating that p53 is not involved in either process. Despite describing some p53‐related responses in cells challenged by photosensitization, our results also provide novel information on the consequences of DMMB phototoxicity.     

Efficient synthesis of fluorinated α- and β-amino nitriles from fluoroalkylated α,β-unsaturated imines

A simple and efficient synthesis of fluoroalkylated α-amino nitrile (4) derivatives by regioselective 1,2-addition of trimethylsilyl cyanide to fluoroalkylated α,β-unsaturated imines (1) is described. Fluoroalkylated β-amino nitriles (7) are also prepared by regioselective 1,2-addition of α-carbanions derived from acetonitrile to fluoroalkylated α,β-unsaturated imines (1). Fluoroalkylated α-(4) and β-amino nitriles (7) are also prepared through an ‘one pot’ procedure by reaction of enaminophosphonate 2 with BuLi, addition of aldehydes and subsequent addition of either trimethylsilyl cyanide or α-carbanion derived from acetonitrile. Basic hydrolysis of α-(4) and β-amino nitriles (7) gives fluoroalkylated α-(5) and β-amino acids (8).     

Thermal, rheological, and structural behaviors of natural and modified cassava starch granules, with sodium hypochlorite solutions

The use of chemically modified starches is widely accepted in various industries, with several applications. In this research, natural cassava starch granules were treated with standard sodium hypochlorite solution at 0.8, 2.0, and 5.0 g Cl/100 g starch. The native and modified starch samples were investigated by means of the following techniques: simultaneous thermogravimetry–differential thermal analysis, which allowed us to verify the thermal decomposition associated with endothermic or exothermic phenomena; and differential scanning calorimetry that was used to determine gelatinization enthalpy as well as the rapid viscoamylographic analysis that provided the pasting temperature and viscosity. By means of non-contact-atomic force microscopy method and X-ray powder patterns diffractometry, it was possible to observe the surface morphology, topography of starch granules, and alterations in the granules’ crystallinity.     

A Zn(II) luminescent complex with a Schiff base ligand: solution,computational and solid state studies

Abstract

A new mononuclear complex of zinc(II), [Zn(HL)₂]?2DMF (H₂L = (E)-N′-((E)-(hydroxyimino)butan-2-ylidene)salicyloylhydrazide, DMF = N,N-dimethylformamide), was prepared and characterized. Single-crystal X-ray crystallography revealed a six-coordinate zinc(II) surrounded by nitrogen of the oxime function and oxygen and distal nitrogens of the acylhydrazone group. This entity also exists in solution as demonstrated by ¹H-NMR and potentiometric titrations. The computational analysis showed that the molecular orbitals involved in the main electronic transitions of the complex species in solution are centered on the ligand with negligible contribution of the metal ion. The photophysical properties of the complex were evaluated in solution and in the solid state. Luminescence studies showed that the solid has a strong emission at 550 nm with a large Stokes shift with respect to absorption. The solid state fluorescence emission is ascribed to ligand-centered and/or ligand-to-ligand charge transfer transitions, following the DFT results in solution. A comparison with a previously reported mononuclear [Zn(HL)₂] allowed the investigation of the influence of DMF molecules in the structural packing and the luminescence properties.     

Thiocarbonyl rhodium complexes with tricyclohexylphosphine and other nitrogen and phosphorus donor ligands

Summary The preparation of the covalent Rh(OCIO₃)(CS)(PCy₃)₂ and Rh(OClO₃)(CS)(PPh₃)(PCy₃) perchlorato complexes is described, These complexes react with mono- or bidentate nitrogen donor ligands to give new cationic complexes of the [Rh(CS)(PCY₃)₂L]ClO4 and [Rh(CS)(PPh,)(PCy₃)L]ClO₄ types,     

Single wall carbon nanotubes density of states: comparison of experiment and theory

We study the electronic structure of a variety of single wall carbon nanotubes and report density of states obtained with the Perdew–Burke–Ernzerhof (PBE) generalized gradient approximation and hybrid PBE0 approximation of density functional theory using Gaussian orbitals and periodic boundary conditions. PBE gives very good results for metallic tubes but the addition of a portion of exact exchange in the hybrid PBE0 functional worsens the agreement between experiment and theory. On the other hand, the PBE0 hybrid significantly improves the theoretical predictions (compared to PBE) for semiconducting tubes.     

A complete shape characterization for molecular charge densities represented by Gaussian-type functions

An algorithm for a detailed 3-D characterization of the shapes of molecular charge distributions is implemented, tested and applied for a family of AB₂ molecules. The characterization is performed by computing a number of topological invariants (“shape groups”) associated with a continuum of molecular surfaces: the complete family of all electronic isodensity contours for the given molecules. These shape groups (the homology groups of truncated surfaces derived from isodensity contours) depend continuously on two parameters: a density value defining the density contour, and a reference curvature value, to which the local curvatures of the isodensity contours are compared. The electronic charge distribution is modeled by means of Gaussian-type functions. The method employs an explicit form of the charge density function in order to compute the curvature properties for the molecular surfaces analytically, from which the shape groups are derived by the algorithm. No visual inspection is required for the characterization and comparison of shapes of molecular charge densities, as these are done algorithmically by the computer. However, visual inspection of the results of the shape analysis is a possible option. For a given molecule, in a given nuclear configuration, the technique provides a two-dimensional shape map, displaying the distribution of shape groups as a function of the local curvature and the level set value (the value of the charge density at the contour). The computer program GSHAPE performs the analysis of shape maps automatically. This feature makes it potentially useful in the context of computer-aided drug design, where unbiased, automated shape characterization methods are valuable tools. As examples, several two-dimensional shape maps for simple systems are discussed. The changes induced in these maps by a change in the nuclear geometry, as well as by the changes of the nuclear charge, are also analyzed. The method is applicable to large biomolecules of interest if charge density information is available.