Solution‐processable and thermally cross‐linkable fluorene‐cored triple‐triphenylamines with terminal vinyl groups to enhance electroluminescence of MEH‐PPV: Synthesis,curing, and optoelectronic properties

This study reports the synthesis, curing, and optoelectronic properties of a solution‐processable, thermally cross‐linkable electron‐ and hole‐blocking material containing fluorene‐core and three periphery N‐phenyl‐N‐(4‐vinylphenyl)benzeneamine ( FTV ). The FTV exhibited good thermal stability with T_d above 478 °C in nitrogen atmosphere. The FTV is readily cross‐linked via terminal vinyl groups by heating at 160 °C for 30 min to obtain homogeneous film with excellent solvent resistance. Multilayer PLED device [ITO/PEDOT:PSS/cured‐ FTV /MEH‐PPV/Ca (50 nm)/Al (100 nm)] was successfully fabricated using solution processed. Inserting cured‐ FTV is between PEDOT:PSS and MEH‐PPV results in simultaneous reduction in hole injection from PEDOT:PSS to MEH‐PPV and blocking in electron transport from MEH‐PPV to anode. The maximum luminance and maximum current efficiency were enhanced from 1810 and 0.27 to 4640 cd/m² and 1.08 cd/A, respectively, after inserting cured‐ FTV layer. Current results demonstrate that the thermally cross‐linkable FTV enhances not only device efficiency but also film homogeneity after thermal curing. FTV is a promising electron‐ and hole‐blocking material applicable for the fabrication of multilayer PLEDs based on PPV derivatives. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 000: 000–000, 2012     

Non-specular reflection of self-collimated beams in photonic-crystal-made prism and waveguide system

We demonstrate a dual-beam-reflection phenomenon for a Gaussian beam illuminating at a Kretschmann configuration composed of a photonic-crystal-made prism and a dielectric waveguide. One reflection beam has a positive shift and the other has a negative shift. The finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) shows that the specific phenomenon takes place only when the corresponding quasi-guided mode supported in the Kretschmann configuration is excited. Field profile of the quasi-guided mode demonstrates a strong localized stationary field in the dielectric waveguide. We found that the maximum positive lateral shift (LS) is 14.27a (where a is the lattice constant), corresponding to 3.07 times of the incident wavelength, which is 0.7135 times of the beam waist and much larger than that in some previous reports.     

The Synthesis and 31P NMR Spectral Studies of Cyclophosphazenes

A modified method for preparing large-scale quantities of pure hexachlorocyclophosphazene (N₃P₃Cl₆) and octachlorocyclotetraphosphazene (N₄P₄Cl₈), phosphorus pentachloride with ammonium chloride, in the presence of zinc chloride, has been developed. The time of the reaction and the quantities of the catalyst are also studied. It is found that the optimum reaction time is 1.5 h and by-products are remarkably reduced by addition of 10% zinc chloride. As indicated by the ³¹ P NMR spectra, the synthesis and separation of cyclophosphazenes can be accomplished in moderate yield of tetramer (39%) and good yield of trimer (83%).     

Site‐specific reversible immobilization and purification of His‐tagged protein on poly(2‐acetamidoacrylic acid) hydrogel beads

Ni²⁺‐complexed poly(2‐acetamidoacrylic acid) (PAAA) hydrogel beads were developed for the site‐specific reversible immobilization and purification of the histidine‐tagged green fluorescent protein (His‐tagged GFP). PAAA hydrogel beads were prepared by photopolymerization, and significantly improved mechanical properties of PAAA hydrogel beads were observed in comparison with PAAA hydrogel from our previous study. Confocal laser scanning microscopy was used to determine the binding of His‐tagged GFP to the hydrogel beads in three‐dimensional space. Photoluminescence spectroscopy revealed 89% of binding efficiency of His‐tagged GFP to the Ni²⁺‐PAAA hydrogel beads, 51% of yielding recovery. The maximum binding capacity of His‐tagged GFP was estimated to be 0.45 µg/mg of Ni²⁺‐PAAA hydrogel beads. The recombinant His‐tagged GFP from the soluble fraction of E. coli BL21(DE3) cell lysates was purified with Ni²⁺‐PAAA hydrogel beads. The major advantage of the Ni²⁺‐PAAA hydrogel beads system was simple preparation procedures of producing the matrix, because PAAA hydrogel beads had relatively enhanced mechanical strength than soft hydrogels. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Characterizing affinity epitopes between prion protein and β-amyloid using an epitope mapping immunoassay

Cellular prion protein, a membrane protein, is expressed in all mammals. Prion protein is also found in human blood as an anchorless protein, and this protein form is one of the many potential sources of misfolded prion protein replication during transmission. Many studies have suggested that β-amyloid_1–42 oligomer causes neurotoxicity associated with Alzheimer''s disease, which is mediated by the prion protein that acts as a receptor and regulates the hippocampal potentiation. The prevention of the binding of these proteins has been proposed as a possible preventative treatment for Alzheimer''s disease; therefore, a greater understanding of the binding hot-spots between the two molecules is necessary. In this study, the epitope mapping immunoassay was employed to characterize binding epitopes within the prion protein and complementary epitopes in β-amyloid. Residues 23–39 and 93–119 in the prion protein were involved in binding to β-amyloid_1–40 and _1–42, and monomers of this protein interacted with prion protein residues 93–113 and 123–166. Furthermore, β-amyloid antibodies against the C-terminus detected bound β-amyloid_1–42 at residues 23–40, 104–122 and 159–175. β-Amyloid epitopes necessary for the interaction with prion protein were not determined. In conclusion, charged clusters and hydrophobic regions of the prion protein were involved in binding to β-amyloid_1–40 and _1–42. The 3D structure appears to be necessary for β-amyloid to interact with prion protein. In the future, these binding sites may be utilized for 3D structure modeling, as well as for the pharmaceutical intervention of Alzheimer''s disease.     

Liquid chromatographic resolution of racemic rasagiline and its analogues on a chiral stationary phase based on (+)‐(18‐crown‐6)‐2,3,11,12‐tetracarboxylic acid

A liquid chromatographic chiral stationary phase based on (+)‐(18‐crown‐6)‐2,3,11,12‐tetracarboxylic acid was applied to the resolution of 15 analytes, including racemic rasagiline, a chiral drug for the treatment of Parkinson's disease, and its analogues. The composition of mobile phase was optimized to be ethanol/acetonitrile/acetic acid/triethylamine (80:20:0.2:0.3, v/v/v/v) by evaluating the chromatographic results for the resolution of five selected analytes under various mobile phase conditions. Under the optimized mobile phase conditions, racemic rasagiline was resolved quite well with a separation factor of 1.48 and resolution of 2.71 and its 14 analogues were also resolved reasonably well with separation factors of 1.06–1.54 and resolutions of 0.54–2.11. Among 15 analytes, racemic rasagiline was resolved best except for just one analyte. The analyte structure–enantioselectivity relationship indicated that racemic rasagiline has the most appropriate structural characteristics for resolution on the chiral stationary phase.     

Novel Synthesis of Tri- and Penta-Coordinate Phosphorous Saccharide

Two novel tricoordinate phosphorous saccharides, methyl 4,6-O-benzylidene- α -D-glucopyranoside 2,3-cyclic phosphite ethyl ester 3 and its mannoside analogue 5 were synthesized by the reaction of protected pyrannosides (1 and 4) with ethyl dichlorophosphite 2. Addition of 2,3-butanedione to 3 resulted in the formation of pentacoordinate phosphorous compound 6.     

Three New C19‐Diterpenoid Alkaloids from Aconitum forrestii

A further study of the alkaloid constituents of Aconitum forrestii led to the isolation of three new C₁₉‐diterpenoid alkaloids, named 14‐acetoxy‐8‐O‐methylsachaconitine ( 1 ), 14‐acetoxyscaconine ( 2 ), and 8‐O‐ethylcammaconine ( 3 ). Their structures were determined by UV, IR, and MS, 1D‐ and 2D‐NMR analyses.     

5′-O-TBDMS-3′-O--(1H-Imidazole-1-Thiocarbonyl)thymidine: A Novel Intermediate for the Synthesis of 2,3′-Anhydrothymidine

Thermal or base-promoted conversion of 5′-O-TBDMS-3′-O-(1H-imidazole-1-thiocarbonyl)thymidine (1) afforded 5′-O-TBDMS-2,3′-anhydro-thymidine (2), a pivotal intermediate for the transformation of the 3′-hydroxy group of 2′-deoxyribonucleosides, in high yield.