Reactive sensing capability towards the working electrical and chemical conditions of poly (aniline –co–o-toluidine) copolymers

Conducting polymers are considered as reactive gels which can sense the working ambient through their unique electrochemical reaction. Copolymers of aniline with o-toluidine for three different monomer compositions were synthesized chemically and were characterized using FTIR and UV-Vis spectroscopy, SEM, TGA, and cyclic voltammetry. The electrochemical reactive sensing characteristics with respect to the electrical and chemical working conditions of the copolymers were verified and compared through Chronopotentiometric responses in aqueous solutions of HCl by changing the reaction variables: applied current and chemical environment (electrolyte concentration) at a fixed constant charge. The consumed electrical energy during the electrochemical reaction of the copolymers varies linearly with the driving current and follows a logarithmic dependence on the electrolyte concentration. The consumed electrical energy during the reaction was found to act as the sensing parameter. At the same experimental condition, the sensitivity was associated with the conductivity of the copolymers. The highly conducting composition gives the highest sensitivity. These experimental results were fitted with the theoretical equation.

     

Barrel- and crown-shaped dodecanuclear copper(II) cages built from phosphonate, pyrazole, and hydroxide ligands

The reaction of Cu(ClO4)2. 6H2O with t-BuP(O)(OH)2 and 3,5-(CF3)2PzH in the presence of triethylamine afforded the dodecanuclear cage ([Et3NH]2[Cu12(mu-3,5-(CF3)2Pz)6(mu3-OH)6(mu-OH)3(mu3-t-BuPO3)2(mu6-t-BuPO3)3][t-BuPO2OH][C6H5CH3]2) (2). The molecular structure of this cage revealed that it possesses a barrel-shaped architechture. The cage structure is built by the cumulative coordination action of phosphonate, hydroxide, and pyrazolyl ligands. A similar reaction involving Cu(NO3)2. 3H2O, t-BuP(O)(OH)2, 3,5-dimethylpyrazole, and triethylamine afforded another dodecanuclear cage [Cu12(mu-DMPz)8(eta1-DMPzH)2(mu4-O)2(mu3-OH)4(mu3- t-BuPO3)4].3MeOH (3). The latter is crown-shaped and is built by the coordination of pyrazole, pyrazolyl, phosphonate, hydroxide, oxide, and methanol ligands. Both of the dodecanuclear cages are efficient nucleases in the presence of magnesium monoperoxyphthalate.     

Templated growth of hybrid structures at the peptide-peptide interface

This study describes the use of peptide vesicular platforms for the templated growth of fibrillar structures to craft hybrids that retain the gross morphological features of two discreet self-assembled peptides. A synthetic triskelion peptide, which results in the rapid emergence of self-assembled spherical structures, was employed as a template. Addition of either one of two different peptides, both of which form long filamentous structures when co-incubated with the triskelion solution, affords hybrids that retain the gross morphology of both the spherical and filamentous structures. It is surmised that this process is aided by hydrogen bonding and the interdigitation of aromatic residues, which leads to the growth of hybrid structures. We believe that observations concerning the surface-assisted growth of peptide fibrils and tubular structures from vesicular platforms may have ramifications for the design and development of peptide-based hybrid materials with controlled hierarchical structures.     

Theoretical and experimental investigation of morphology and temperature effects on adsorption of organic vapors in single-walled carbon nanotubes

Hexane adsorption on single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) bundles is studied by both simulation and experimentally using a previously developed computer-aided methodology, which employed a smaller physisorbed probe molecule, nitrogen, to explore the porosity of nanotube samples. Configurational-bias grand canonical Monte Carlo simulation of hexane adsorption on localized sites of the bundles is carried out to predict adsorption on their external surface and in their internal sites. These localized isotherms are then combined into a global isotherm for a given sample by using knowledge of its tube-diameter distribution and structural parameters, such as the fraction of open-ended nanotubes and the external surface area of bundles in samples, which have been independently determined from the standard nitrogen adsorption isotherm. The near-perfect replication of experimental isotherms demonstrates the validity of our method for structural characterization of SWNT samples. The effect of temperature on adsorption is also studied and the simulation results are extrapolated to predict the limiting hexane adsorption capacity of the samples. The similarity between the hexane adsorption isotherms and those of other organic molecules demonstrates that the adsorption mechanisms explored here are not specific to hexane, and that the proposed methodology can be potentially applicable to other sorbates with equal success.     

Growth pattern of Ag(n) (n = 1-8) clusters on the α-Al2O3(0001) surface: a first principles study

We report an extensive first-principles study of the structure and electronic properties of Ag(n) (n = 1-8) clusters isolated in gas phase and deposited on the α-Al(2)O(3) surface. We have used the plane wave based pseudopotential method within the framework of density functional theory. The electron ion interaction has been described using projector augmented wave (PAW), and the spin-polarized GGA scheme was used for the exchange correlation energy. The results reveal that, albeit interacting with support alumina, the Ag atoms prefers to remain bonded together suggesting an island growth motif is preferred over wetting the surface. When compared the equilibrium structures of Ag clusters between free and on alumina substrate, a significant difference was observed starting from n = 7 onward. While Ag(7) forms a three-dimensional (3D) pentagonal bipyramid in the isolated gas phase, on alumina support it forms a planar hexagonal structure parallel to the surface plane. Moreover, the spin moment of the Ag(7) cluster was found to be fully quenched. This has been attributed to higher delocalization of electron density as the size of the cluster increases. Furthermore, a comparison of chemical bonding analysis through electronic density of state (EDOS) shows that the EDOS of the deposited Ag(n) cluster is significantly broader, which has been ascribed to the enhanced spd hybridization. On the basis of the energetics, it is found that the adsorption energy of Ag clusters on the α-Al(2)O(3) surface decreases with cluster size.     

Synthesis and study of the fluorescent behavior of 3-pyridinecarbonitriles

Abstract  

A series of (2E)-3-(1-chloro-6-methoxy-3,4-dihydronaphthalen-2-yl)-1-(4-aryl)prop-2-en-1-ones (chalcones) have been synthesized by a new synthetic route. The 3-pyridinecarbonitrile derivatives were synthesized by the Michael reaction of malononitrile (in base) and aroylacetonitriles (in acid) with chalcones in one pot. The fluorescent properties and quantum yields of these compounds were studied.     

meso-meso-Linked corrole dimers with modified cores: synthesis, characterization, and properties

The synthesis and characterization of the first examples of core-modified corrole dimers linked through the meso positions are described. The dimers are obtained by a simple Ag(I)- or Fe(III)-catalyzed coupling reaction in near-quantitative yields. The corroles obtained are metalated with metal ions, such as Cu(II) and Ni(II). The electronic-absorption spectral studies reveal weak electronic interaction between the two subunits and the exciton coupling observed for the free-base corrole dimer (1717 cm(-1)) is lower than that for the corresponding protonated derivative (4081 cm(-1)). The solution-state structure derived from (1)H and two-dimensional NMR spectral studies reveals a noncoplanar arrangement of two corrole units. Geometry optimization at the B3LYP-631G level also confirms the noncoplanar arrangement of corroles with a dihedral angle of 64.8 degrees between two corrole planes. The electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and magnetic characterization studies on the paramagnetic copper-metalated dimer indicate that both copper ions behave as independent spins without any noticeable interaction. Results of fluorescence studies reveal a bathochromic shift of about 60 nm upon dimerization. The first hyperpolarizability (beta) measured by using the hyper Rayleigh scattering (HRS) method reveals doubling of the beta values on progressing from monomer to dimer, attributed to enhanced pi conjugation. The use of copper dimers in the photocleavage of DNA is also explored. It is shown that the bimetallic copper dimer selectively cleaves the nucleic acids without affecting the proteins, suggesting a possible application of the copper complex in the removal of nucleic acid contaminants from protein extracts through a simple photolytic pathway.     

Isomeric ruthenium terpyridine complexes [Ru(trpy)(L)Cl]n+ containing the unsymmetrically bidentate acceptor L=3-amino-6-(3,5-dimethylpyrazol-1-yl)-1,2,4,5-tetrazine. Synthesis, structures, electrochemistry, spectroscopy and DFT calculations

The isomeric title complexes were obtained in almost equimolar ratio from the reaction of Ru(trpy)Cl3 and L. Crystal structure analyses of the perchlorate hemihydrates, electrochemical and spectroscopic (NMR, UV/VIS, EPR) studies, supported by DFT calculations, reveal distinct differences between the isomeric redox series [1]n+(tetrazine-Nt trans to Cl) and [2]n+(pyrazolyl-Np trans to Cl; n= 0, 1, 2). The latter system with the pi acceptors trpy and tetrazine in the equatorial plane and the pyrazolyl and chloride donors in the axial positions exhibits facilitated oxidation, lower energy MLCT transitions, more balanced chelate coordination, and a higher g anisotropy in the oxidised (RuIII) state. According to partially resolved EPR spectra of one-electron reduced neutral compounds and they have the unpaired electron predominantly in the tetrazine ring of L.     

The influence of indoxyl sulfate and ammonium on the autofluorescence of human urine

Despite biological variability the spectral characteristics of undiluted human urine show relatively low autofluorescence at short UV (250-300 nm) excitation. However with dilution the fluorescence intensity remarkably increases. This paper examines the mechanisms behind this effect, by using excitation-emission matrices. Corrections for the inner filter effect were made for improved understanding of the spectral patterns. We focused on three major fluorophores (tryptophan, indoxyl sulfate and 5-hydroxyindole-3-acetate) that are excited at these wavelengths, and whose content in urine is strongly linked with various health conditions. Their fluorescence was studied both individually and in combinations. We also examined the effect of ammonium on the fluorescence of these major fluorophores individually and in combinations. Through these studies we have identified the leading effects that reduce the UV fluorescence, namely higher concentration of indoxyl sulfate producing the inner filter effect and concentration quenching and quenching of fluorophores by ammonium. This result will assist in broader utilisation of UV fluorescence in medical diagnostics.