Structural role of counterions adsorbed on self-assembled peptide nanotubes

Among noncovalent forces, electrostatic ones are the strongest and possess a rather long-range action. For these reasons, charges and counterions play a prominent role in self-assembly processes in water and therefore in many biological systems. However, the complexity of the biological media often hinders a detailed understanding of all the electrostatic-related events. In this context, we have studied the role of charges and counterions in the self-assembly of lanreotide, a cationic octapeptide. This peptide spontaneously forms monodisperse nanotubes (NTs) above a critical concentration when solubilized in pure water. Free from any screening buffer, we assessed the interactions between the different peptide oligomers and counterions in solutions, above and below the critical assembly concentration. Our results provide explanations for the selection of a dimeric building block instead of a monomeric one. Indeed, the apparent charge of the dimers is lower than that of the monomers because of strong chemisorption. This phenomenon has two consequences: (i) the dimer-dimer interaction is less repulsive than the monomer-monomer one and (ii) the lowered charge of the dimeric building block weakens the electrostatic repulsion from the positively charged NT walls. Moreover, additional counterion condensation (physisorption) occurs on the NT wall. We furthermore show that the counterions interacting with the NTs play a structural role as they tune the NTs diameter. We demonstrate by a simple model that counterions adsorption sites located on the inner face of the NT walls are responsible for this size control.     

Capillary attraction of colloidal particles at an aqueous interface

We study the capillary forces arising from charged colloidal particles trapped at an oil-water interface. Since it is quadratic in the electric field, the electric stress acting on the interface cannot be written as the superposition of one-particle terms. Indeed, we find that the interfacial pressure is dominated by two-particle terms, which induce capillary forces involving one, two, three, or four particles. The dominant interaction is attractive and varies with the inverse cube of the particle distance.     

A Water Molecule Triggers Guest Exchange at a Mono-Zinc Centre Confined in a Biomimetic Calixarene Pocket: a Model for Understanding Ligand Stability in Zn Proteins

In this study, the ligand exchange mechanism at a biomimetic Zn^II centre, embedded in a pocket mimicking the possible constrains induced by a proteic structure, is explored. The residence time of different guest ligands (dimethylformamide, acetonitrile and ethanol) inside the cavity of a calix[6]arene-based tris(imidazole) tetrahedral zinc complex was probed using 1D EXchange SpectroscopY NMR experiments. A strong dependence of residence time on water content was observed with no exchange occurring under anhydrous conditions, even in the presence of a large excess of guest ligand. These results advocate for an associative exchange mechanism involving the transient exo-coordination of a water molecule, giving rise to 5-coordinate Zn^II intermediates, and inversion of the pyramid at the Zn^II centre. Theoretical modelling by DFT confirmed that the associative mechanism is at stake. These results are particularly relevant in the context of the understanding of kinetic stability/lability in Zn proteins and highlight the key role that a single water molecule can play in catalysing ligand exchange and controlling the lability of Zn^II in proteins.     

Effect of biaxial orientation on dielectric and breakdown properties of poly(ethylene terephthalate)/poly(vinylidene fluoride‐co‐tetrafluoroethylene) multilayer films

Polymer films with enhanced dielectric and breakdown properties are essential for the production of high energy density polymer film capacitors. By capitalizing on the synergistic effects of forced assembly nanolayer coextrusion and biaxial orientation, polymer multilayer films using poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) and a poly(vinylidene fluoride‐co‐tetrafluoroethylene) [P(VDF‐TFE)] copolymer were produced. These films exhibited breakdown fields, under a divergent field using needle/plane electrodes, as high as 1000 kV mm^?1. The energy densities of these same materials, under a uniform electric field measured using plane/plane electrodes, were as high as 16 J cm^?3. The confined morphologies of both PET and P(VDF‐TFE) were correlated to the observed breakdown properties and damage zones. On‐edge P(VDF‐TFE) crystals induced from solid‐state biaxial stretching enhanced the effective P(VDF‐TFE) layer dielectric constant and therefore increased the dielectric contrast between the PET and P(VDF‐TFE) layers. This resulted in additional charge buildup at the layer interface producing larger tree diameters and branches and ultimately increasing the breakdown and energy storage properties. In addition to energy storage and breakdown properties, the hysteresis behavior of these materials was also evaluated. By varying the morphology of the P(VDF‐TFE) layer, the low‐field dielectric loss (or ion migration behavior) could be manipulated, which in turn also changed the observed hysteresis behavior. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2013, 51, 882–896     

Phosphine Oxide-Functionalized Terthiophene Redox Systems

Main group systems capable of undergoing controlled redox events at extreme potentials are elusive yet highly desirable for a range of organic electronics applications including use as energy storage media. Herein we describe phosphine oxide-functionalized terthiophenes that exhibit two reversible 1e⁻ reductions at potentials below −2 V vs Fc/Fc⁺ (Fc=ferrocene) while retaining high degrees of stability. A phosphine oxide-functionalized terthiophene radical anion was synthesized in which the redox-responsive nature of the platform was established using combined structural, spectroscopic, and computational characterization. Straightforward structural modification led to the identification of a derivative that exhibits exceptional stability during bulk 2 e⁻ galvanostatic charge–discharge cycling and enabled characterization of a 2 e⁻ redox series. A new multi-electron redox system class is hence disclosed that expands the electrochemical cell potential range achievable with main group electrolytes without compromising stability.     

Ab initio simulation of benzene Raman intensities

C₆H₆ Raman scattering activities calculated from harmonic model ab initio Hartree–Fock 6–311 ++ G(d, p) polarizability derivatives (and harmonic force fields calculated at the same level) accurately simulate experiment (to within 1% for the a_1g modes). Accurate predictions are also made for the e_2g modes (to within 5% for ν₇ and ν₉, and more poorly for ν₆ and ν₈ [in Fermi resonance with ν₆ + ν₁]) and for the e_1g out-of-plane mode, ν₁₀. Only the ν₆ in-plane CCC bending mode scattering activity is found to be anomalous. Systematic variation of the basis set indicates that the benzene scattering activities and depolarization ratios are strongly dependent on inclusion of both carbon and hydrogen atom diffuse functions in the basis set. Predictions are also made for ¹²C₆D₆ and for unmeasured intensities in ¹³C₆H₆. Measurements of a_1g mode scattering activities in the latter molecule are predicted to be useful in testing the harmonic Hartree–Fock Raman intensity model.     

A Bistable Microelectromechanical System Actuated by Spin-Crossover Molecules

We report on a bistable MEMS device actuated by spin-crossover molecules. The device consists of a freestanding silicon microcantilever with an integrated piezoresistive detection system, which was coated with a 140 nm thick film of the [Fe(HB(tz)₃)₂] (tz=1,2,4-triazol-1-yl) molecular spin-crossover complex. Switching from the low-spin to the high-spin state of the ferrous ions at 338 K led to a reversible upward bending of the cantilever in agreement with the change in the lattice parameters of the complex. The strong mechanical coupling was also evidenced by the decrease of approximately 66 Hz in the resonance frequency in the high-spin state as well as by the drop in the quality factor around the spin transition.     

Electrochemistry of 6-methyl-5,6,7,8-tetrahydropterin

The electrochemical oxidation of 6-methyl-5,6,7,8-tetrahydropterin (6-MTHP), the most effective of the synthetic aromatic amino acid hydroxylase pseudo cofactors, has been studied in aqueous solution over a wide pH range at a pyrolytic graphite electrode. The first electrooxidation of 6-WTHP occurs by a quasi-reversible 2e-2H⁺ reaction giving an unstable quinonoid-dihydropterin. The latter undergoes a first order chemical follow-up reaction yielding 6-methyl-7,8-dihydropterin (6-MDHP). At pH values ?5.6 6-MDHP forms an equilibrium mixture of a covalently hydrated species and non-hydrated species. The covalently hydrated form of 6-MDHP is electrooxidized in a 2e-2H⁺ quasi-reversible reaction to another unstable quinonoid that appears to undergo a two-step rearrangement to 6-methylpterin. Non-hydrated 6-MDHP is electrooxidized at the most positive potential in an irreversible 2e-2H⁺ reaction giving 6-methylpterin.