Chemical Regulation of Carbon Quantum Dots from Synthesis to Photocatalytic Activity

Carbon quantum dots (CQDs) were synthesized by heating various carbon sources in HNO₃ solution at reflux, and the effects of HNO₃ concentration on the size of the CQDs were investigated. Furthermore, the oxygen‐containing surface groups of as‐prepared CQDs were selectively reduced by NaBH₄, leading to new surface states. The experimental results show that the sizes of CQDs can be tuned by HNO₃ concentration and then influence their photoluminescent behaviors; the photoluminescent properties are related to both the size and surface state of the CQDs, but the photocatalytic activities are determined by surface states alone. The different oxygen‐containing groups on the surface of the CQDs can induce different degrees of the band bending upward, which determine the separation and combination of the electron–hole pairs. The high upward band bending, which is induced by C?O and COOH groups, facilitates separation of the electron–hole pairs and then enhances high photocatalytic activity. In contrast, the low upward band bending induced by C? OH groups hardly prevents the electron–hole pairs from surface recombination and then exhibits strong photoluminescence. Therefore, both the photocatalytic activities and optical properties of CQDs can be tuned by their surface states.     

Study of the Phase Transformation of Single Particles of Ga2O3 by UV‐Raman Spectroscopy and High‐Resolution TEM

By taking advantage of UV‐Raman spectroscopy and high‐resolution TEM (HRTEM), combined with the focused ion beam (FIB) technique, the transformation from GaOOH into α‐Ga₂O₃ and then into β‐Ga₂O₃ was followed. We found that the stepwise transformations took place from the surface region before developing into the bulk of single particles without particle agglomeration and growth. During the transformation from GaOOH into α‐Ga₂O₃, the elimination of water vapor through the dehydroxylation of GaOOH resulted in the formation of micropores in the single particles, whilst maintaining their particle size. For the phase transformation from α‐Ga₂O₃ into β‐Ga₂O₃, the nucleation of β‐Ga₂O₃ was found to occur at the surface defects and this process could be retarded by occupying these defects with a small amount of La₂O₃. By finely controlling the process of the phase transformation, the β‐Ga₂O₃ domains gradually developed from the surface into the bulk of the single particles without particle agglomeration. Therefore, the surface structure of the α‐Ga₂O₃ single particles can be easily tuned and a particle with an α@β core–shell phase structure has been obtained.     

Two lanthanum(III) complexes containing η2‐pyrazolate and η2‐1,2,4‐triazolate ligands: intramolecular C—H...N/O interactions and coordination geometries

The lanthanum(III) complexes tris(3,5‐diphenylpyrazolato‐κ²N,N′)tris(tetrahydrofuran‐κO)lanthanum(III) tetrahydrofuran monosolvate, [La(C₁₅H₁₁N₂)₃(C₄H₈O)₃]·C₄H₈O, (I), and tris(3,5‐diphenyl‐1,2,4‐triazolato‐κ²N¹,N²)tris(tetrahydrofuran‐κO)lanthanum(III), [La(C₁₄H₁₀N₃)₃(C₄H₈O)₃], (II), both contain La^III atoms coordinated by three heterocyclic ligands and three tetrahydrofuran ligands, but their coordination geometries differ. Complex (I) has a mer‐distorted octahedral geometry, while complex (II) has a fac‐distorted configuration. The difference in the coordination geometries and the existence of asymmetric La—N bonding in the two complexes is associated with intramolecular C—H...N/O interactions between the ligands.     

Reversible high‐temperature phase transition of a manganese(II) formate framework with imidazolium cations

A new metal–formate framework, poly[1H‐imidazol‐3‐ium [tri‐μ₂‐formato‐manganese(II)]], {(C₃H₅N₂)[Mn(HCOO)₃]}_n, was synthesized and its structural phase transition was studied by thermal analysis and variable‐temperature X‐ray diffraction analysis. The transition temperature is around 435 K. The high‐temperature phase is tetragonal and the low‐temperature phase is monoclinic, with a β angle close to 90°. The relationship of the unit cells between the two phases can be described as: a_HT = 0.5a_LT + 0.5b_LT; b_HT = −0.5a_LT + 0.5b_LT; c_HT = 0.5c_LT. In the high‐temperature phase, both the framework and the guest 1H‐imidazol‐3‐ium (HIm) cations are disordered; the HIm cations are located about 2mm sites and were modelled as fourfold disordered. The Mn and a formate C atom are located on fourfold rotary inversion axes, while another formate C atom is on a mirror plane. The low‐temperature structure is ordered and consists of two crystallographically independent HIm cations and two crystallographically independent Mn²⁺ ions. The phase transition is attributable to the order–disorder transition of the HIm cations.     

Design,Synthesis, and Antifungal Activities of New β‐Methoxyacrylate Analogues

Strobilurins have become one of the most important classes of agricultural fungicides. To search for new strobilurin derivatives with high activity against resistant pathogens, a series of new β‐methoxyacrylate analogues containing substituted pyrimidine in the side chain with strobilurin pharmacophore were synthesized and their biological activities were tested. The compounds were confirmed and characterized by ¹H‐NMR, elemental analysis and mass spectroscopy. The bioassays indicated that most of the compounds 1 exhibited potent antifungal activities against Colletotrichum orbiculare, Botrytis cinerea Pers and Phytophthora capsici Leonian at a concentration of 50 μg mL^?1. Notably, compound 1b (R = 2,5‐dimethylphenyl) showed better antifungal activity against all the tested fungi than the commercial strobilurin fungicide azoxystrobin.     

Two New Sesquiterpenes from Euonymus alatus

Two new sesquiterpenes, 1 and 2 , as well as the five known compounds 3 – 7 , were isolated from the stems of Euonymus alatus. Compounds 2 – 7 have a β‐dihydroagarofuran skeleton. The structures of these compounds were elucidated mainly by spectroscopic methods (1D‐, 2D‐NMR, ESI‐MS, and HR‐ESI‐MS). We also report the X‐ray crystal structure of evonine ( 3 ) for the first time.     

Five New Cycloartane‐Type Triterpenoid Saponins from Nervilia fordii

Five new cycloartane glycosides, nervisides D–H ( 1 – 5 ), were isolated from the AcOEt‐ and H₂O‐soluble portions of the 90% EtOH extract of the aerial part of the plant Nervilia fordii. The structures of the isolated glycosides were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analysis including HR‐ESI‐MS and NMR data. The isolated nervisides D–H were evaluated for the cytotoxic activity in vitro against human‐tumor cell lines (CNE, Hep‐2 and HepG2) with the MTT method.     

Torreyanoxane,a New 3,4‐Secoglutinane Triterpenoid Isolated from the Pulp of Torreya nucifera

Torreyanoxane, a novel 3,4‐secoglutinane triterpenoid, was isolated from the pulp of Torreya nucifera. The structure was determined on the basis of spectroscopic methods.