Commemorating two centuries of iodine research: an interdisciplinary overview of current research

Iodine was discovered as a novel element in 1811 during the Napoleonic Wars. To celebrate the bicentennial anniversary of this event we reflect on the history and highlight the many facets of iodine research that have evolved since its discovery. Iodine has an impact on many aspects of life on Earth as well as on human civilization. It is accumulated in high concentrations by marine algae, which are the origin of strong iodine fluxes into the coastal atmosphere which influence climatic processes, and dissolved iodine is considered a biophilic element in marine sediments. Iodine is central to thyroid function in vertebrates, with paramount implications for human health. Iodine can exist in a wide range of oxidation states and it features a diverse supramolecular chemistry. Iodine is amenable to several analytical techniques, and iodine compounds have found widespread use in organic synthesis. Elemental iodine is produced on an industrial scale and has found a wide range of applications in innovative materials, including semiconductors--in particular, in solar cells.     

Revisiting isoreticular MOFs of alkaline earth metals: a comprehensive study on phase stability, electronic structure, chemical bonding, and optical properties of A-IRMOF-1 (A = Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba)

Formation energies, chemical bonding, electronic structure, and optical properties of metal-organic frameworks of alkaline earth metals, A-IRMOF-1 (where A = Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, or Ba), have been systemically investigated with DFT methods. The unit cell volumes and atomic positions were fully optimized with the Perdew-Burke-Ernzerhof functional. By fitting the E-V data into the Murnaghan, Birch and Universal equation of states (UEOS), the bulk modulus and its pressure derivative were estimated and provided almost identical results. The data indicate that the A-IRMOF-1 series are soft materials. The estimated bandgap values are all ca. 3.5 eV, indicating a nonmetallic behavior which is essentially metal independent within this A-IRMOF-1 series. The calculated formation energies for the A-IRMOF-1 series are -61.69 (Be), -62.53 (Mg), -66.56 (Ca), -65.34 (Sr), and -64.12 (Ba) kJ mol(-1) and are substantially more negative than that of Zn-based IRMOF-1 (MOF-5) at -46.02 kJ mol(-1). From the thermodynamic point of view, the A-IRMOF-1 compounds are therefore even more stable than the well-known MOF-5. The linear optical properties of the A-IRMOF-1 series were systematically investigated. The detailed analysis of chemical bonding in the A-IRMOF-1 series reveals the nature of the A-O, O-C, H-C, and C-C bonds, i.e., A-O is a mainly ionic interaction with a metal dependent degree of covalency. The O-C, H-C, and C-C bonding interactions are as anticipated mainly covalent in character. Furthermore it is found that the geometry and electronic structures of the presently considered MOFs are not very sensitive to the k-point mesh involved in the calculations. Importantly, this suggests that sampling with Γ-point only will give reliable structural properties for MOFs. Thus, computational simulations should be readily extended to even more complicated MOF systems.     

Effect of n-alkanes and peptides on the phase equilibria in phosphatidylcholine—water systems

Abstract

The phase equilibria in phosphatidylcholine (PC)-n-alkane-²H₂O systems have been studied to elucidate the driving forces for the transition between a lamellar liquid-crystalline (L _α) phase and a reversed hexagonal (H _II) phase. A tentative phase diagram for the system dioleoyl-PC (DOPC)-n-dodecane-²H₂O was determined. DOPC forms an L _α phase up to at least 90°C in excess water. However, an H _II phase was formed at room temperature at both low and high water concentrations in DOPC-n-dodecane-²H₂O mixtures. The phase equilibria were also studied in PC-n-dodecane-²H₂O systems containing PC with different degrees of acyl chain unsaturation. The water and dodecane concentrations required to induce the formation of an H _II (or isotropic) phase increase in the order dilinoleoyl-PC ～ DOPC < 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-PC < dipalmitoyl-PC. The effect of n-alkanes with different chain lengths (C₈–C₂₀) on the phase equilibria in DOPC-n-alkane-²H₂O mixtures was studied. Although the number of alkane carbon atoms added per DOPC molecule was kept constant, the ability of the alkanes to promote the formation of an H _II phase was strongly chain length dependent; the ability decreased when going from octane to eicosane. Finally, some PC-peptide-²H₂O systems were investigated. Gramicidin (hydrophobic) had a similar influence on the phase equilibria as the alkanes. Melittin (amphiphilic) induced the formation of an isotropic phase, while insulin and duramycin (water soluble) had no, or a very limited, ability to induce a non-lamellar phase, respectively. Our results are discussed in the light of simple physical models dealing with the self-assembly of amphiphiles.     

Effects of Amphiphilic Copolymers Bearing Short Blocks of Lipid-Mimetic Units on the Membrane Properties and Morphology of DSPC Liposomes

Amphiphilic, nonionic diblock copolymers based on poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG 2000–5000), comprising short blocks of lipid-mimetic units, where tested for their ability to afford steric stabilization of distearoylphosphathydilcholine:cholesterol liposomes. The copolymers bear 1–4 lipid-mimetic anchors per copolymer chain. Effects on liposomes size depend on copolymer type and content. Cryo-TEM reveals well-separated, intact, predominantly spherical liposomes at copolymer contents up to 5 mol%. A “flat” liposomes fraction occurs upon incorporation of above 7.5 mol% of copolymers bearing 2 or 4 lipid anchors. 5,6-carboxyfluorescein assay indicates lower leakage of stabilized vs. plain liposomes up to concentration 7.5 mol%. Leakage from liposomes with higher copolymer concentration is insignificantly greater.     

Decarboxylative Palladium(II)‐Catalyzed Synthesis of Aryl Amidines from Aryl Carboxylic Acids: Development and Mechanistic Investigation

A fast and convenient synthesis of aryl amidines starting from carboxylic acids and cyanamides is reported. The reaction was achieved by palladium(II)‐catalysis in a one‐step microwave protocol using [Pd(O₂CCF₃)₂], 6‐methyl‐2,2′‐bipyridyl and trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) in N‐methylpyrrolidinone (NMP), providing the corresponding aryl amidines in moderate to excellent yields. The protocol is very robust with regards to the cyanamide coupling partner but requires electron‐rich ortho‐substituted aryl carboxylic acids. Mechanistic insight was provided by a DFT investigation and direct ESI‐MS studies of the reaction. The results of the DFT study correlated well with the experimental findings and, together with the ESI‐MS study, support the suggested mechanism. Furthermore, a scale‐out (scale‐up) was performed with a non‐resonant microwave continuous‐flow system, achieving a maximum throughput of 11 mmol h^?1 by using a glass reactor with an inner diameter of 3 mm at a flow rate of 1 mL min^?1.     

Kinetics of ethylene polymerization in the presence of a homogeneous catalyst based on a bis(phenoxyimine) complex of zirconium(IV)

Changes in the molecular-weight characteristics of the product of ethylene polymerization in the course of reaction in the presence of a homogeneous catalytic system and in the number and reactivity of catalyst active sites were studied. The catalytic system consisted of bis[N-(3-tert-butylsalicylidene)anilinato]zirconium dichloride and methylalumoxane as an activator. This catalytic system exhibited the signs of unsteady-state conditions: the rate of polymerization dramatically decreased as the reaction time increased. At the onset of polymerization (to 5 min), the catalyst was single-site, and it produced low-molecular-weight polyethylene with M _w = (4–10) × 10³ g/mol. The fraction of active sites at the initial point in time was as high as 11% based on the initial amount of the zirconium complex. The reactivity of these centers was very high (the rate constant of polymer chain growth was 5.4 × 10⁴ l mol⁻¹ s⁻¹ at 35°C). As the polymerization time increased, the number of active sites decreased and the molecular-weight distribution of polyethylene broadened because of the decay of a portion of initial centers and the formation of new centers that produced high-molecular-weight polyethylene with M _w to 130 × 10⁴ g/mol. The propagation rate constant measured at a sufficiently long polymerization time (20 min) was lower than that at the initial point in time; this fact suggests the much lower reactivity of the new active sites.     

Synthesis of functionalized cinnamaldehyde derivatives by an oxidative Heck reaction and their use as starting materials for preparation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis 1-deoxy-D-xylulose-5-phosphate reductoisomerase inhibitors

Cinnamaldehyde derivatives were synthesized in good to excellent yields in one step by a mild and selective, base-free palladium(II)-catalyzed oxidative Heck reaction starting from acrolein and various arylboronic acids. Prepared α,β-unsaturated aldehydes were used for synthesis of novel α-aryl substituted fosmidomycin analogues, which were evaluated for their inhibition of Mycobacterium tuberculosis 1-deoxy-D-xylulose 5-phosphate reductoisomerase. IC(50) values between 0.8 and 27.3 μM were measured. The best compound showed activity comparable to that of the most potent previously reported α-aryl substituted fosmidomycin-class inhibitor.     

Identification and Quantification of Anthocyanin and Catechin Compounds in Purple Tea Leaves and Flakes

Tea is the first most popular beverage worldwide and is available in several selections such as black (fully oxidized), Oolong (partially oxidized) and green (non-oxidized), in addition to purple tea, an emerging variety derived from the same tea plant (Camellia sinensis). This study investigated purple tea leaves (non-oxidized) and flakes (water extractable) to thoroughly identify their composition of anthocyanins and catechins and to study the effect of a water extraction process on their compositional properties in comparison with green tea. Anthocyanin and catechin compounds were separated and quantified using UPLC, and their identity was confirmed using LC-MS/MS in positive and negative ionization modes. Delphinidin was the principal anthocyaninidin in purple tea, while cyanidin came in second. The major anthocyanin pigments in purple tea were delphinidin-coumaroyl-hexoside followed by delphinidin-3-galactoside and cyanidin-coumaroyl-hexoside. The water extraction process resulted in substantial reductions in anthocyanins in purple tea flakes. There were no anthocyanin compounds detected in green tea samples. Both purple and green tea types were rich in catechins, with green tea containing higher concentrations than purple tea. The main catechin in purple or green tea was epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) followed by either epicatechin gallate (ECG) or epigallocatechin (EGC), subject to tea type. The extraction process increased the concentration of catechins in both purple and green tea flakes. The results suggest that purple tea holds promise in making healthy brews, natural colorants and antioxidants and/or functional ingredients for beverages, cosmetics and healthcare industries due to its high content of anthocyanins and catechins.     

A New Approach to the Synthesis of Diethyl 2,3-Diisobutylsuccinate,a Component of Titanium–Magnesium Catalysts for Propylene Polymerization

Russian Journal of Applied Chemistry - A procedure was developed for preparing 2,3-dialkyl-substituted succinates by condensation of a succinic acid diester with two isobutyraldehyde molecules,...     

Inhomogeneous biopolymer gels

The microstructure and rheological behaviour of inhomogeneous biopolymer gels was studied using a model system of β-lactoglobulin. It can form both fine-stranded and particulate gels which can be homogeneous or inhomogeneous depending on pH and heating rate. The dense and loose regions of the fine-stranded gels had different relaxation times which significantly influenced the mechanical spectrum. The particulate gels showed coarser inhomogeneities influencing the fracture properties of the gels.