Study of the Binding of Herbacetin to Bovine Serum Albumin by Fluorescence Spectroscopy

In this paper, the interaction between herbacetin and BSA was investigated by fluorescence and three-dimensional fluorescence spectroscopy under simulated physiological conditions. It was proved that the fluorescence quenching of BSA by herbacetin was mainly the result of the formation of a herbacetin–BSA complex. The modified Stern–Volmer quenching constant and the corresponding thermodynamic parameters ΔH ⁰, ΔG ⁰ and ΔS ⁰ were calculated at different temperatures. The results indicated that electrostatic interactions were the predominant intermolecular forces in stabilizing the complex. The distance r=3.23 nm between the donor (BSA) and acceptor (herbacetin) was obtained according to Förster’s nonradioactive energy transfer theory. The synchronous fluorescence and three-dimensional fluorescence spectra results showed that the hydrophobity of amino acid residues increased in the presence of herbacetin. These results revealed that the microenvironment and conformation of BSA changed during the binding reaction.     

XPS and AFM characterization of the self‐assembled molecular monolayers of a 3‐aminopropyltrimethoxysilane on silicon surface,and effects of substrate pretreatment by UV‐irradiation

The self‐assembled (SA) molecular monolayers of a 3‐aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (3‐APTS) on a silicon (111) surface, and the effects of ultraviolet (UV) pre‐treatment for substrates on the assembling process have been studied using XPS and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The results show that the SA 3‐APTS molecules are bonded to the substrate surface in a nearly vertical orientation, with a thickness of the monolayer of about 0.8–1.5 nm. The SA molecular monolayers show a substantial degree of disorder in molecular packing, which are believed to result from the interactions of amine tails in the silane molecules used with surface functionalities of the substrates, and the oxygen‐containing species from the ambient. UV irradiation for silicon substrates prior to the self‐assembly reaction can enhance the assembly process and hence, significantly increase the coverage of the monolayer assembled for the substrates. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Structural diversity of organotin(IV) complexes self-assembled from hydroxamic acid and mono- or dialkyltin salts

Three hydroxamic acid ligands (HL₁ = acetohydroxamic acid; HL₂ = benzohydroxamic acid; HL₃ = N-phenylbenzohydroxamic acid), have been used to synthesize series of mono- or dialkyltin(IV) complexes, which include (i) the carboxyl acid hybrid five-coordinated dialkyltin complexes (C₄H₉)₂SnL₁L₄ (1), [(CH₃)₂SnL₂L₅]·0.5C₆H₆ (2), (HL₄ = acetic acid; HL₅ = benzoic acid); (ii) the six-coordinated mono-n-butyltin complexes (C₄H₉)SnL₁·Cl₂·H₂O (3), (C₄H₉)SnL₂·Cl₂·H₂O (4), [(C₄H₉)SnL₃·Cl₂·H₂O]·H₂O (5), [(C₄H₉Sn)₂(L₃)₂·Cl₂·(OCH₃)₂] (6); and (iii) the alkali metal-mingled seven-coordinated mono-n-butyltin complexes [(C₄H₉Sn)₃L₂Na]⁺·Cl⁻·(CH₃CH₂)₂O (7), [(C₄H₉Sn)₃L₂K]⁺·Cl⁻·CH₂Cl₂ (8). All complexes were characterized by elemental analyses, IR, ¹H, ¹³C, ¹¹⁹Sn NMR and X-ray single crystal diffraction. In these complexes, hydroxamic acids present bidentate coordination modes with the carbonyl O atom and the hydroxyl O atom binding to tin center. In complexes 1-6, each tin atom is coordinated by one hydroxamic acid ligand. However, in complexes 7 and 8, tin atom is surrounded by three hydroxamic acid ligands, and all hydroxyl O atoms of the ligands also bind to the alkali metal center (Na or K). This kind of organotin(IV) framework containing one alkali metal is found for the first time. Furthermore, the supramolecular structures of 1, 3, 4 and 6 have been found to consist of 1D linear molecular chains formed by intermolecular N-H···X or C-H···X (X = O, N or Cl) hydrogen bonds. For complex 2, an interesting macrocyclic tetramer has been built by the intermolecular N-H···O hydrogen bonds. Fascinatingly, two unique symmetric dimeric structures are recognized in complexes 7 and 8, which is individually bridged by intermolecular N-H···Cl and N-H···O hydrogen bonds. In addition, for 8, the dimeric cycles have been further connected into a 1D supramolecular chain.     

Liquid-liquid solvent extraction of rare earths from chloride medium with sec-nonylphenoxy acetic acid and its mixtures with neutral organophosphorus extractants

In the present study, sec-nonylphenoxy acetic acid (CA100) and its mixtures with four neutral organophosphorus extractants, tri-butyl-phosphate (TBP), 2-ethylhexyl phosphonic acid di-2-ethyl ester (DEHEHP), Cyanex923, and Cyanex925 have been applied to the extraction of rare earths. Results show that all the four mixing systems do not have evident synergistic effects on the extraction of rare earths. The different extraction effects have been considered to the separation of rare earths. The four mixtures may be applied to the separation of yttrium from some certain lanthanoids at proper mole fractions of CA100.     

Synthesis and characterizations of novel spindle-like terphenyl-type chromophores for non-linear optical materials

A series of novel spindle-like terphenyl-type chromophores, based on 2,5-diphenyl-1,4-distyrylbenzene π-conjugating bridge, N,N-dimethyl and triphenyl amino donors, and Tricyanovinyldihydrofuran(TCF), 1,3,3-trimethyl-5-dicyanovinyl-1-cyclohexene (TDC) acceptors, have been synthesized successfully for the first time. And the non-linear optical properties were evaluated by using the finite-field (FF) method. The results show that, the first-order hyperpolarizability of the chromophores increase with the increase of the withdraw ability of the substituent group on the π-conjugating bridge.     

An unusual organoyttrium alkyl complex containing a [C5HMe3(η(3)-CH2)-C5H4N-κ]- ligand and an elusive cyclopentadienide-based scandium tuck-over zwitterion obtained by C-H bond activation

The acid–base reaction between Y(CH₂SiMe₃)₃(thf)₂ and the pyridyl‐functionalized cyclopentadienyl (Cp) ligand C₅Me₄H? C₅H₄N (1 equiv) at 0 °C afforded a mixture of two products: (η⁵:κ‐C₅Me₄? C₅H₄N)Y(CH₂SiMe₃)₂(thf) ( 1 a ) and (η⁵:κ‐C₅Me₄? C₅H₄N)₂YCH₂SiMe₃ ( 1 b ), in a 5:2 ratio. Addition of the same ligand (2 equiv) to Y(CH₂SiMe₃)₃(thf)₂, however, generated 1 b together with the novel complex 1 c , the first well defined yttrium mono(alkyl) complex (η⁵:κ‐C₅Me₄? C₅H₄N)[C₅HMe₃(η³‐CH₂)‐C₅H₄N‐κ]Y(CH₂SiMe₃) containing a rare κ/η³‐allylic coordination mode in which the C? H bond activation occurs unexpectedly with the allylic methyl group rather than conventionally on Cp ring. If the central metal was changed to lutetium, the equimolar reaction between Lu(CH₂SiMe₃)₃(thf)₂ and C₅Me₄H? C₅H₄N exclusively afforded the bis(alkyl) product (η⁵:κ‐C₅Me₄? C₅H₄N)Lu(CH₂SiMe₃)₂(thf) ( 2 a ). Similarly, the reaction between the ligand (2 equiv) and Lu(CH₂SiMe₃)₃(thf)₂ gave the mono(alkyl) complex (η⁵:κ‐C₅Me₄? C₅H₄N)₂LuCH₂SiMe₃ ( 2 b ), in which no ligand redistribution was observed. Strikingly, treatment of Sc(CH₂SiMe₃)₃(thf)₂ with C₅Me₄H? C₅H₄N in either 1:1 or 1:2 ratio at 0 °C generated the first cyclopentadienide‐based scandium zwitterionic “tuck‐over” complex 3 , (η⁵:κ‐C₅Me₄? C₅H₄N)Sc(thf)[μ‐η⁵:η¹:κ‐C₅Me₃(CH₂)‐C₅H₄N]Sc(CH₂SiMe₃)₃. In the zwitterion, the dianionic ligand [C₅Me₃(CH₂)‐C₅H₄N]^2? binds both to Sc1³⁺ and to Sc2³⁺, in η⁵ and η¹/κ modes. In addition, the reaction chemistry, the molecular structures, and the mechanism are also discussed in detail.     

The reactivity of a silacyclopentadienylidene towards aldehydes: silole ring expansion and the formation of base-stabilized silacyclohexadienones

Tossing aldehydes into the ring: The reaction of a silacyclopentadienylidene with aldehydes leads to C=O bond cleavage with the formation of base-stabilized silanones and cyclopropanation of the adjacent C=C bond, followed by silole ring expansion to give silicon analogues of cyclohexadienones.     

Organic ligand-free alkylation of amines, carboxamides, sulfonamides, and ketones by using alcohols catalyzed by heterogeneous Ag/Mo oxides

Complicated and expensive organic ligands are normally essential in fine chemical synthesis at preparative or industrial levels. The synthesis of fine chemicals by using heterogeneous catalyst systems without additive organic ligand is highly desirable but severely limited due to their poor generality and rigorous reaction conditions. Here, we show the results of carbon–nitrogen or carbon–carbon bond formation catalyzed by an Ag/Mo hybrid material with specific Ag₆Mo₁₀O₃₃ crystal structure. 48 nitrogen‐ or oxygen‐containing compounds, that is, amines, carboxamides, sulfonamides, and ketones, were successfully synthesized through a borrowing‐hydrogen mechanism. Up to 99 % isolated yields were obtained under relatively mild conditions without additive organic ligand. The catalytic process shows promise for the efficient and economic synthesis of amine, carboxamide, sulfonamide, and ketone derivatives because of the simplicity of the system and ease of operation.