Hydrogen adsorption in a highly stable porous rare-earth metal-organic framework: sorption properties and neutron diffraction studies

A highly stable porous lanthanide metal-organic framework, Y(BTC)(H2O).4.3H2O (BTC = 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylate), with pore size of 5.8 A has been constructed and investigated for hydrogen storage. Gas sorption measurements show that this porous MOF exhibits highly selective sorption behaviors of hydrogen over nitrogen gas molecules and can take up hydrogen of about 2.1 wt % at 77 K and 10 bar. Difference Fourier analysis of neutron powder diffraction data revealed four distinct D2 sites that are progressively filled within the nanoporous framework. Interestingly, the strongest adsorption sites identified are associated with the aromatic organic linkers rather than the open metal sites, as occurred in previously reported MOFs. Our results provide for the first time direct structural evidence demonstrating that optimal pore size (around 6 A, twice the kinetic diameter of hydrogen) strengthens the interactions between H2 molecules and pore walls and increases the heat of adsorption, which thus allows for enhancing hydrogen adsorption from the interaction between hydrogen molecules with the pore walls rather than with the normally stronger adsorption sites (the open metal sites) within the framework. At high concentration H2 loadings (5.5 H2 molecules (3.7 wt %) per Y(BTC) formula), H2 molecules form highly symmetric novel nanoclusters with relatively short H2-H2 distances compared to solid H2. These observations are important and hold the key to optimizing this new class of rare metal-organic framework (RMOF) materials for practical hydrogen storage applications.     

A generalized quantum chemical approach for elastic and inelastic electron transports in molecular electronics devices

A generalized quantum chemical approach for electron transport in molecular devices is developed. It allows one to treat devices where the metal electrodes and the molecule are either chemically or physically bonded on equal footing. An extension to include the vibration motions of the molecule has also been implemented which has produced the inelastic electron-tunneling spectroscopy of molecular electronics devices with unprecedented accuracy. Important information about the structure of the molecule and of metal-molecule contacts that are not accessible in the experiment are revealed. The calculated current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of different molecular devices, including benzene-1,4-dithiolate, octanemonothiolate [H(CH2)8S], and octanedithiolate [S(CH2)8S] bonded to gold electrodes, are in very good agreement with experimental measurements.     

Dynamic mechanism of fatty acid transport across cellular membranes through FadL: molecular dynamics simulations

FadL is an important member of the family of fatty acid transport proteins within membranes. In this study, 11 conventional molecular dynamics (CMD) and 25 steered molecular dynamics (SMD) simulations were performed to investigate the dynamic mechanism of transport of long-chain fatty acids (LCFAs) across FadL. The CMD simulations addressed the intrinsically dynamic behavior of FadL. Both the CMD and SMD simulations revealed that a fatty acid molecule can move diffusively to a high-affinity site (HAS) from a low-affinity site (LAS). During this process, the swing motion of the L3 segment and the hydrophobic interaction between the fatty acid and FadL could play important roles. Furthermore, 22 of the SMD simulations revealed that fatty acids can pass through the gap between the hatch domain and the transmembrane domain (TMD) by different pathways. SMD simulations identified nine possible pathways for dodecanoic acid (DA) threading the barrel of FadL. The binding free energy profiles between DA and FadL along the MD trajectories indicate that all of the possible pathways are energetically favorable for the transport of fatty acids; however, one pathway (path VI) might be the most probable pathway for DA transport. The reasonability and reliability of this study were further demonstrated by correlating the MD simulation results with the available mutagenesis results. On the basis of the simulations, a mechanism for the full-length transport process of DA from the extracellular side to the periplasmic space mediated by FadL is proposed.     

Biotinylated thermoresponsive core cross-linked nanoparticles via RAFT polymerization and "click" chemistry

A straightforward approach to the synthesis of "clickable" thermoresponsive core cross-linked (CCL) nanoparticles was developed. This approach was based on reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) radical cross-linking polymerization of styrene and divinylbenzene with azide-functionalized poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM-N(3)) as macro chain transfer agent in a selective solvent. Spherical nanoparticles with a diameter of 12nm were obtained after 24h polymerization. When the lyophilized CCL nanoparticles were dispersed in THF, spherical nanoparticles were observed, confirming the stability of CCL nanoparticles. The transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies demonstrated that spherical nanoparticles and wormlike structure coexisted in the aqueous solution. The CCL nanoparticles have a lower critical solution temperature (LCST) at about 29.6°C, a little lower than that of PNIPAM homopolymer. Biotin molecules were conjugated to the surface of CCL nanoparticles via "click" chemistry in aqueous media. After bioconjugation, the LCST shifted to 28.3°C. The bioavailability of biotin to protein avidin was evaluated by a 4'-hydroxyazobenzene-2-carboxylic acid/avidin (HABA/avidin) binding assay and TEM.     

Biosorption of americium-241 by Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The biosorption of radionuclide ²⁴¹Am from solution by Saccharomyces cerevisiae (S. cerevisiae), and the effects of experimental conditions on the adsorption were investigated. The preliminary results showed thatS. cerevisiae is a very efficient biosorbent. An average of more than 99% of the total ²⁴¹Am could be removed by S. cerevisiae of 2.1 g/l (dry weight) from ²⁴¹Am solutions of 17.54–4386.0 mg/l (2.22 MBq/l–555 MBq/l) with adsorption capacities of 7.45–1880.0 mg/g biomass (dry weight) (0.94 MBq/g–237.9 MBq/g). The adsorption equilibrium was achieved within 1 hour and the optimum pH ranged 1–3. No significant differences on ²⁴¹Am adsorption were observed at 10–45 °C, or in solutions containing Au³⁺ or Ag⁺, even 2000 times above ²⁴¹Am concentration. The relationship between concentrations and adsorption capacities of ²⁴¹Am indicated the biosorption process should be described by the Freundlich adsorption isotherm.     

A study of the polarographic behaviour of meso-tetra(4-trimethylammoniumphenyl)porphine and its copper and magnesium complexes and its analytical applications

The investigation of the electrochemical reduction and the adsorption of meso-tetra(4-trimethylammoniumphenyl)porphine (T(4-TMAP)P) at a mercury electrode in alkaline solution shows that the overall reduction involves three two-electron steps, of which the first step is reversible and the latter two are irreversible. In addition, T(4-TMAP)P and its metal complexes of Cu(II) and Mg(II) can be strongly adsorbed on the surface of a mercury electrode. The adsorption phenomena have been utilized as a preconcentration step for the determination of trace amounts of the two ions by single sweep polarography. For copper, the detection limit is 1 × 10^–8 mol dm^–3, for magnesium, 1 × 10^–7 mol dm^–3, the latter being limited by the reagent blank. The proposed method was applied to the determination of Cu and Mg in various types of samples (chemicals, hair and liver tissues) with satisfactory results.     

Investigation of an efficient palladium-catalyzed C(sp)-C(sp) cross-coupling reaction using phosphine-olefin ligand: application and mechanistic aspects

A pi-acceptor phosphine-electron-deficient olefin ligand was found effective in promoting Pd-catalyzed C(sp)-C(sp) cross-coupling reactions. The new protocol realized the cross-coupling of a broad scope of terminal alkynes and haloalkynes in good to excellent yields with high selectivities. Electron-rich alkynes, which are normally difficult substrates in Glaser couplings, could be employed as either nucleophiles or electrophiles. Alkynes bearing similar substituents, such as n-C5H11CCBr and n-C4H9CCH, which usually suffer from homocoupling side reactions under Cadiot-Chodkiewicz conditions, were successfully cross-coupled in the system. Preliminary kinetic studies revealed that the reaction rate was zero-order in the concentrations of both haloalkynes and terminal alkynes and first order in the loading of Pd(dba)2 and exhibited no obvious dependence on the loading of the copper salt. Control experiments with other phosphines such as PPh3 and DPPF as the ligand were carried out. All the kinetic evidence indicated that the phosphine-olefin ligand facilitated the reductive elimination in the catalytic cycle.     

Master equation approach to folding kinetics of lattice polymers based on conformation networks

Based on the master equation with the inherent structure of conformation network, the authors investigate some important issues in the folding kinetics of lattice polymers. First, the topologies of conformation networks are discussed. Moreover, a new scheme of implementing Metropolis algorithm, which fulfills the condition of detailed balance, is proposed. Then, upon incorporating this new scheme into the geometric structure of conformation network the authors provide a theorem which can be used to place an upper bound on relaxation time. To effectively identify the kinetic traps of folding, the authors also introduce a new quantity, which is employed from the continuous time Monte Carlo method, called rigidity factor. Throughout the discussions, the authors analyze the results for different move sets to demonstrate the methods and to study the features of the kinetics of folding.     

A new guaiane diterpenoid from Euphorbia wallichii

A new guaiane-type diterpenoid, (1alpha,5beta,7alpha)-3,10(18),11-dictytriene-19-acid, was obtained from the roots of Euphorbia wallichii. This is the first isolation of guaiane diterpene from this genus of Euphorbia. The structure was elucidated by spectral methods. And the compound was tested for the cytotoxicities on the cancer cell line P-388 and A-549 in vitro.     

A reversible fluorescence nanoswitch based on bifunctional reduced graphene oxide: use for detection of Hg2+ and molecular logic gate operation

Herein, we demonstrate the first use of a reduced graphene oxide (rGO)-organic dye nanoswitch for the label-free, sensitive and selective detection of Hg(2+) using bifunctional rGO as an effective nanoquencher and highly selective nanosorbent. Moreover, a reversible on-off INHIBIT rGO logic gate based on a cysteine-Hg(2+) system has also been designed.