Size control for two-dimensional iron oxide nanodots derived from biological molecules

We demonstrated the fabrication of size-controlled two-dimensional iron oxide nanodots derived from the heat treatment of ferritin molecules self-immobilized on modified silicon surfaces. Ferritin molecules were immobilized onto 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (3-APMS)-modified silicon surfaces by electrostatic interactions between negatively charged amino acids of ferritin molecules and amino terminal functional groups of 3-APMS. Heat treatments were performed at 400 degrees C for 60 min to fabricate two-dimensional nanodots based on ferritin cores. XPS and FT-IR results clearly indicate that ferritin shells were composed of amino acids and 3-APMS modifiers on silicon surfaces were eliminated by heat treatment. Nanodots on substrate surfaces corresponded to iron oxides. The size of nanodots was tunable in the range of 0-5 (+/-0.75) nm by in situ reactions of iron ion chelators with ferritin molecules immobilized on substrates before heat treatment.     

Nonlinear effects on solvation dynamics in simple mixtures

The authors applied the time dependent density functional method (TDDFM) and a linear model to solvation dynamics in simple binary solvents. Changing the solute-solvent interactions at t=0, the authors calculated the time evolution of density fields for solvent particles after the change (t>0) by the TDDFM and linear model. First, the authors changed the interaction of only one component of solvents. In this case, the TDDFM showed that the solvation time decreased monotonically with a mole fraction of the solvent strongly interacting with the solute. The monotonical decreases agreed with experimental results, while the linear model did not reproduce these results. The authors also calculated the solvation time by changing the interaction of both components. The calculation showed that the mole fraction dependence had the peak. The TDDFM presented a much higher peak than the linear model. The difference between the TDDFM and the linear model was caused by a nonlinear effect on an exchange process of solvent particles.     

Photochemical synthesis of tetraaryl-substituted pentacenes

The syntheses of 1,4,8,11-tetraphenylpentacene and 1,4,8,11-tetra(2′-thienyl)pentacene are described via photodecarbonylation of the corresponding α-diketone precursors.     

Ultrafast photosynthetic reduction of elemental sulfur by Au nanoparticle-loaded TiO2

Nanometer-sized gold particles with varying mean size from 3.2 to 12.2 nm were loaded on the surfaces of TiO2 particles in a highly dispersed state with the loading amount maintained constant (0.46 +/- 0.02 mass %) using the deposition-precipitation method. Light irradiation (lambda(ex) > 300 nm) to a deaerated ethanol TiO2 particle suspension containing elemental sulfur (S8) led to the energetically uphill reduction of S8 to H2S. It has been found that this reaction is dramatically enhanced with such a low level of Au loading on TiO2 and that the zero-order rate constant of reaction increases with decreasing mean size of Au nanoparticles (d). The effects of reaction parameters (substrate concentration, light intensity, temperature) on the rate of reaction were studied to infer the essential reaction mechanism. Further, a kinetic analysis has led to a conclusion that the increase in the rate of reaction with decreasing d results from the improvement of the charge separation efficiency.     

Insulinomimetic zinc(II) complexes with natural products: in vitro evaluation and blood glucose lowering effect in KK-Ay mice with type 2 diabetes mellitus

In vitro insulinomimetic activities of Zn(II) complexes with three natural products, betaine, L-lactic acid, and D-(-)-quinic acid (qui), were found in rat adipocytes treated with epinephrine in terms of the inhibition of free fatty acid release. Based on the results, the blood glucose lowering effect in KK-A(y) mice with type 2 diabetes mellitus was observed by daily i.p. injections of a monomeric zinc(II) complex, Zn(qui)(2), for 13 d.     

Synthesis and reactivity of a (mu-1,1-hydroperoxo)(mu-hydroxo)dicopper(II) complex: ligand hydroxylation by a bridging hydroperoxo ligand

A new tetradentate tripodal ligand (L3) containing sterically bulky imidazolyl groups was synthesized, where L3 is tris(1-methyl-2-phenyl-4-imidazolylmethyl)amine. Reaction of a bis(mu-hydroxo)dicopper(II) complex, [Cu2(L3)2(OH)2]2+ (1), with H2O2 in acetonitrile at -40 degrees C generated a (mu-1,1-hydroperoxo)dicopper(II) complex [Cu2(L3)2(OOH)(OH)]2+ (2), which was characterized by various physicochemical measurements including X-ray crystallography. The crystal structure of 2 revealed that the complex cation has a Cu2(mu-1,1-OOH)(mu-OH) core and each copper has a square pyramidal structure having an N3O2 donor set with a weak ligation of a tertiary amine nitrogen in the apex. Consequently, one pendant arm of L3 in 2 is free from coordination, which produces a hydrophobic cavity around the Cu2(mu-1,1-OOH)(mu-OH) core. The hydrophobic cavity is preserved by hydrogen bondings between the hydroperoxide and the imidazole nitrogen of an uncoordinated pendant arm in one side and the hydroxide and the imidazole nitrogen of an uncoordinated pendant arm in the other side. The hydrophobic cavity significantly suppresses the H/D and 16O/18O exchange reactions in 2 compared to that in 1 and stabilizes the Cu2(mu-1,1-OOH)(mu-OH) core against decomposition. Decomposition of 2 in acetonitrile at 0 degrees C proceeded mainly via disproportionation of the hydroperoxo ligand and reduction of 2 to [Cu(L3)]+ by hydroperoxo ligand. In contrast, decomposition of a solid sample of 2 at 60 degrees C gave a complex having a hydroxylated ligand [Cu2(L3)(L3-OH)(OH)2]2+ (2-(L3-OH)) as a main product, where L3-OH is an oxidized ligand in which one of the methylene groups of the pendant arms is hydroxylated. ESI-TOF/MS measurement showed that complex 2-(L3-OH) is stable in acetonitrile at -40 degrees C, whereas warming 2-(L3-OH) at room temperature resulted in the N-dealkylation from L3-OH to give an N-dealkylated ligand, bis(1-methyl-2-phenyl-4-imidazolylmethyl)amine (L2) in approximately 80% yield based on 2, and 1-methyl-2-phenyl-4-formylimidazole (Phim-CHO). Isotope labeling experiments confirmed that the oxygen atom in both L3-OH and Phim-CHO come from OOH. This aliphatic hydroxylation performed by 2 is in marked contrast to the arene hydroxylation reported for some (mu-1,1-hydroperoxo)dicopper(II) complexes with a xylyl linker.     

Stereoselective hetero Diels-Alder reaction of selenoaldehydes with pentavalent phosphole chalcogenides

Stereoselective hetero Diels-Alder reaction of selenoaldehydes, generated by thermal retro Diels-Alder reaction of anthracene cycloadducts, with pentavalent 3,4-dimethylphosphole chalcogenides at 110 °C in toluene to give the corresponding [4+2] cycloadducts as a single diastereoisomer in good yields, accompanied by a slight scrambling of chalcogen atoms. Higher reaction temperature led to an increase of the scrambling between chalcogen atoms.     

Diameter control and growth mechanism of single-walled carbon nanotubes

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) have been synthesized using the alcohol chemical vapor deposition technique. On comparing the SWNTs synthesized using different catalyst compositions, an obvious fact has been clarified – the diameter of SWNTs is strongly dependent on the sizes of the catalyst particles and metal species. Iron atoms exhibit a strong interaction with carbon atoms and keep their diameters narrow. Cobalt atoms exhibit a poorer interaction than the iron atoms, but work to decompose ethanol. As a result, narrow SWNTs are generated on the iron-rich catalyst. In this Letter, we propose the most probable growth mechanism of the SWNTs.