Azobenzene-containing polyamic acid with excellent Langmuir-Blodgett-Kuhn film formation behavior suitable for all-optical switching

To generate command surfaces for all-optical switching, highly ordered polymeric Langmuir-Blodgett-Kuhn (LBK) multilayers were fabricated onto silicon substrates and gold-coated optical glass slides from novel azobenzene-bearing polyamic acid systems. Pronounced Bragg peaks and well-defined Kiessig fringes observed in the X-ray reflectivity measurement for samples on silicon substrates indicate that these films possess a regularly repeated Y-type LBK multilayer structure and ultrasmooth surfaces. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectra taken by grazing incidence reflection suggest specific orientations of the functional groups in the layers. The excellent film-forming properties of the polyamic acid allow for a smooth buildup of several hundreds of layers of the LBK films onto gold-coated glass slides, which in turn allows for determining the geometrical thickness and the anisotropic refractive indices of the films by using optical waveguide spectroscopy. Interestingly, the probe laser beam induced a distinct fluorescence signal from the films, which remained even after the film underwent a thermal imidization process at 160 degrees C for 8 h in vacuo. LBK films fabricated from these compounds can be successfully applied for all-optically switching the alignment of liquid crystals by irradiation with light of different wavelengths.     

Syntheses of DL-threo-Thiamphenicol via Green Oxidation

IntroductionAqueous hydrogen peroxide is considered to be a“green”oxidant with a high oxidation efficiency due toits low molecular weight,cleanness in the oxidationprocess in which only harmless water is produced,lowcost of production and safe transport…     

纳米尺寸团簇NinZrn(n=3～5)的几何结构与成键规律研究

根据化学键理论与拓扑原理，设计了团簇NinZrn(n=3-5)的可能几何构型，并用从头算方法进行构型优化，结果表明，由NiZr组成的团簇原子间的Zr-Zr和Zr-Ni键明显较强，而Ni-Ni的成键较弱，并发与NinZrn(n=3-5)团簇电子性质与有机烯烃分子等瓣相似，原子之间的成键按照强弱相间的规则分布。     

Quassinoids from seeds of Brucea Javanica and their anticomplement activities

Abstract

An investigation on seeds of Brucea javanica led to the acquisition of a new quassinoid, 20-hydroxyyadanzigan (1), along with five known quassinoids (2–6). The structure of the new compound was elucidated on the basis of extensive spectral analysis. All of the compounds were assayed for their anticomplement activities through classical and alternative pathways. Compounds 1–6 exhibited potent anticomplement activity with CH₅₀ and AP₅₀ values of 0.032–0.075?mg/mL and 0.061–0.118?mg/mL, respectively. Moreover, the structure-activity relationships of these compounds are discussed.

     

Cover Picture

The cover picture shows a section of the electron charge density of the first metal carbide endohedral metallofullerene (Sc(2)C(2))@C(84) obtained from a synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction study by the maximum entropy method (MEM). The several density maxima, which correspond to scandium and carbon atoms, are clearly seen inside the C(84) carbon cage. The MEM charge density distribution also reveals that the C(84) cage has D(2d) symmetry (no. 23) and that the C(2) axis is parallel to the <100> face-centered cubic (fcc) direction of the unit cell. As a consequence of the site symmetry being 4mm, the C(2) axis of (Sc(2)C(2))@C(84) is oriented to six equivalent <100> directions and shows a merohedral disorder. The resultant Sc small middle dot small middle dot small middle dotSc distances and C-C bond lengths of the Sc(2)C(2) cluster are 0.429(2) and 0.142(6) nm, respectively. The observed C-C bond length is between that of a typical single and a double bond, and is very close to that of the C-C bond (0.143 nm) combining two pentagons in a C(60) molecule. More about this fascinating structure can be found in the contribution by Shinohara and co-workers on p. 397 ff.     

物理化学课程“热化学”主题学习历程研究——化学师范生知识建构的文本分析

为深入了解地方性师范院校化学师范生知识建构习惯和水平，探讨他们在大学专业基础课程中的学习历程，以物理化学课程中以“融合科学读写特色”的“热化学”学案作为研究载体，研究对象在学案引导下开展自学活动，并在阅读教材和文献基础上进行科学写作。采用量表工具针对大学生自学效果和反思活动进行评价，并采用SOLO分类评价科学写作作品，采用KWL工具评价学生的科学阅读收获。结果发现研究对象学习动机不强，不擅长在新的学科知识学习中联系已有专业课程知识，基于文本学习的建构活动水平极低，可能是因为他们在应试背景下的基础知识并未形成体系，先修课程中并未培养元认知学习策略。     

Organometallic chemistry, biology and medicine: ruthenium arene anticancer complexes

Our work has shown that certain ruthenium(II) arene complexes exhibit promising anticancer activity in vitro and in vivo. The complexes are stable and water-soluble, and their frameworks provide considerable scope for optimising the design, both in terms of their biological activity and for minimising side-effects by variations in the arene and the other coordinated ligands. Initial studies on amino acids and nucleotides suggest that kinetic and thermodynamic control over a wide spectrum of reactions of Ru(II) arene complexes with biomolecules can be achieved. These Ru(II) arene complexes appear to have an altered profile of biological activity in comparison with metal-based anticancer complexes currently in clinical use or on clinical trial.     

Specific labeling of cell surface proteins with chemically diverse compounds

The specific and covalent labeling of fusion proteins with synthetic molecules opens up new ways to study protein function in the living cell. Here we present a novel method that allows for the specific and exclusive extracellular labeling of proteins on the surfaces of live cells with a large variety of synthetic molecules including fluorophores, protein ligands, or quantum dots. The approach is based on the specific labeling of fusion proteins of acyl carrier protein with synthetic molecules through post-translational modification catalyzed by phosphopantetheine transferase. The specificity and versatility of the labeling should allow it to become an important tool for studying and manipulating cell surface proteins and for complementing existing approaches in cell surface engineering.     

Dehydration of tetrafluoropropanol (TFP) by pervaporation via novel PBI/BTDA-TDI/MDI co-polyimide (P84) dual-layer hollow fiber membranes

A novel PBI/P84 co-polyimide dual-layer hollow fiber membrane has been specifically fabricated through the dry-jet wet phase inversion process, for the first time, for the dehydration pervaporation of tetrafluoropropanol (TFP). Polybenzimidazole (PBI) was chosen as the outer selective layer because of its superior hydrophilic nature and excellent solvent-resistance together with robust thermal stability, while P84 co-polyimide was employed as the inner supporting layer because of its good solvent-resistance and thermal stability. The PBI/P84 membrane exhibits superior water selectivity and relatively high permeation flux. At 60 °C, the PBI/P84 dual-layer hollow fiber membrane shows a permeation flux of 332 g/(m² h) and a separation factor of 1990 for a feed solution containing of 85 wt% TFP. The preferential water sorption and the significant diffusivity difference between TFP and water are the main causes of high separation factor. However, an increase in feed temperature will greatly increase the permeation flux but seriously decrease the water selectivity. The activation energy data verify that water can preferentially permeate the PBI membrane due to the strong water affinity of PBI and a much smaller molecular size of water.