Gold Doping of Silver Nanoclusters: A 26‐Fold Enhancement in the Luminescence Quantum Yield

A high quantum yield (QY) of photoluminescence (PL) in nanomaterials is necessary for a wide range of applications. Unfortunately, the weak PL and moderate stability of atomically precise silver nanoclusters (NCs) suppress their utility. Herein, we accomplished a ≥26‐fold PL QY enhancement of the Ag₂₉(BDT)₁₂(TPP)₄ cluster (BDT: 1,3‐benzenedithiol; TPP: triphenylphosphine) by doping with a discrete number of Au atoms, producing Ag_29?xAu_x(BDT)₁₂(TPP)₄, x=1–5. The Au‐doped clusters exhibit an enhanced stability and an intense red emission around 660 nm. Single‐crystal XRD, mass spectrometry, optical, and NMR spectroscopy shed light on the PL enhancement mechanism and the probable locations of the Au dopants within the cluster.     

Experimental and theoretical study on the structure and vibrational spectra of β-2-aminopyridinium dihydrogenphosphate

Experimental and theoretical vibrational spectra of β-2-aminopyridinium dihydrogenphosphate (β-2APDP) have been investigated. The FT-IR spectrum of β-2APDP was recorded in the region 4000-400 cm(-1). The optimized molecular structure and theoretical vibrational frequencies of β-2APDP have been investigated using ab initio Hartree-Fock (HF) and density functional B3LYP method with 6-311++G(d,p) basis set. The optimized geometric parameters (bond lengths and bond angles) and theoretical frequencies have been compared with the corresponding experimental data and it is found that they agree well with each other. All the assignments of the theoretical frequencies were performed by potential energy distributions using VEDA 4 program. Furthermore, the used scale factors were obtained from the ratio of the frequency values of the strongest peaks in the experimental and theoretical IR spectra. From the results it was concluded that the B3LYP method is superior to the HF method for the vibrational frequencies.     

Long-lived charge-separated states in ligand-stabilized silver clusters

Recently developed synthesis methods allow for the production of atomically monodisperse clusters of silver atoms stabilized in solution by aromatic thiol ligands, which exhibit intense absorption peaks throughout the visible and near-IR spectral regions. Here we investigated the time-dependent optical properties of these clusters. We observed two kinetic processes following ultrafast laser excitation of any of the absorption peaks: a rapid decay, with a time constant of 1 ps or less, and a slow decay, with a time constant that can be longer than 300 ns. Both time constants decrease as the polarity of the solvent increases, indicating that the two processes correspond to the formation and recombination, respectively, of a charge-separated state. The long lifetime of this state and the broad optical absorption spectrum mean that the ligand-stabilized silver clusters are promising materials for solar energy harvesting.     

Synthesis of a new intercalating nucleic acid analogue with pyrenol insertions and the thermal stability of the resulting oligonucleotides towards DNA over RNA

Abstract  

A new intercalating nucleic acid monomer Y was obtained via alkylation of pyren-1-ol with (S)-(+)-2-(2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxolan-4-yl)ethanol under Mitsunobu conditions followed by hydrolysis with 80% aqueous acetic acid to give a diol which was tritylated with 4,4′-dimethoxytrityl chloride followed by treatment with 2-cyanoethyltetraisopropylphosphordiamidite in the presence of N,N′-diisopropylammonium tetrazolide. In this way the monomer Y was obtained as its dimethoxytrityl-protected phosphoramidite building block for standard DNA synthesis. The corresponding oligonucleotides from Y have nearly identical hybridization properties with those of intercalating nucleic acid (INA) where neighboring oxygen and carbon atoms are interchanged in the linker. The synthesis of monomer Y avoids the use of allergic intermediates which are a problem in the synthesis of INA.     

Surface-active properties of new cationic gemini surfactants with cyclic spacer

Three cationic gemini surface active compounds of the type (1r,4r)-1,4-dialkyl-1,4-dimethy-l-piperazine-1,4-diium bromide (Ia, Ib, and Ic), were synthesized. They were characterized using elemental analysis and ¹H-NMR spectra. Their surface-active properties were measured in aqueous solutions with different concentrations at different temperatures (25, 40, and 55°C). Various surface measurements of these gemini surfactants, (compared to the conventional one, 1-Dodecyl-1-methylpiperidinium bromide (a)) were estimated, specifically critical micelle concentration (CMC), effectiveness (π_CMC), efficiency (P_C20) as well as maximum surface excess (Γ_max) and minimum surface area (A_min). The measurements of the gemini compounds gave low CMC, high efficiency in reducing the surface tension, and intense adsorption at air/water interface. These surfactants have lower Krafft points and thus better solubility. Thermodynamic data, free energy, entropy, and enthalpy changes (ΔG°, ΔS°, and ΔH°) for micellization at the air/water interface and also for adsorption in the bulk of surface-active solutions were calculated.     

A novel and synthetically facile coumarin-thiophene-derived Schiff base for selective fluorescent detection of cyanide anions in aqueous solution: Synthesis,anion interactions,theoretical study and DNA-binding properties

A colorimetric and fluorescent chemosensor (chemosensor 2) for the detection of cyanide anions in aqueous solution has been designed and synthesized in high yield. The sensing mechanism of the chemosensor was verified via UV–vis, fluorimetric, and NMR titrations, and was theoretically explained using DFT and TD-DFT calculations. The chemosensor could optically discriminate the presence of fluoride ions over other anions by a color change from yellow to red with an enhancement of pink fluorescence in DMSO. However, it showed strong green fluorescence when CN^? was added to a mixture of DMSO/water (6:4 v/v). Thus, the chemosensor can be employed in selective detecting of CN^? besides other interference anions (F^?, AcO^? and H₂PO₄^?) in aqueous solution. Moreover, 2 can be used to detect CN^? at a concentration as low as 0.32?μM, which is lower than the WHO guideline (2.7?μM) for cyanide. A low quantity of CN^? (1.08?μM) can be detected and quantified using the prepared chemosensor. Moreover, the UV–vis and fluorescence spectroscopy studies of the interactions between 2 and dublex DNA revealed intercalative binding of calf thymus DNA to the chemosensor.     

Proton-coupled electron transfer in dye-sensitized solar cells: a theoretical perspective

The functionality of the proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) model was tested on a squaraine-sensitized solar cell. The geometrical parameters, excitations, and electronic structures of free and Ti⁺⁴-bound squaraine dye were monitored using a set of pure and hybrid density functional theory (DFT) functionals with diffuse and polarization functions. The infrared spectra showed the dye-metal proton transfer. The UV-Vis spectra of unbound and bound squaraine dye using the pure functional (PBEPBE) are in excellent agreement with the experimental ones. The first photoexcited state charge transfer enhanced the charge density around the anchoring group of neat and bound squaraine dye. The injection of electronic charge into the titanium complex was confirmed by density of states (DOS) and natural bond orbital (NBO) analyses. The comparatively high total hyperpolarizability of the squaraine dye is indicative of a potent nonlinear optical (NLO) devise.     

Photooxidation of bis(ethylxanthato)nickel(II) containing aromatic nitrogen heterocyclic ligands in chloroform

The photochemistry of the complexes [Ni(Etxn)₂(N-N)] [Etxn=ethylxanthate,N-N=2,2-bipyridine(bpy), 4,4-dimethyl-2,2-bipyridine (4,4-Me-bpy), 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) or 2,2-bipyrimidine (bpym)] has been investigated. These complexes were not light sensitive in most solvents such as acetonitrile. Upon irradiation of chloroform solutions of these complexes, a photoredox reaction occurred giving the parent Ni(Etxan)₂. It is suggested that the reactive excited state is of the charge-transfer-to-solvent (CTTS) type. The energy of this state depends on the redox potentials of the solvent. When CHCl₃ as solvent was replaced by the stronger oxidant CCl₄, the photoactive wavelength region was shifted to the red. It was blue shifted when the weaker oxidant CH₂Cl₂ was used. From quantum yield measurements it is concluded that the photostability of the studied complexes decreases in the following order:bpym>phen>bpy>4,4-Me-bpy.

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Photooxidation von Bis(ethylxanthato)nickel(II) mit aromatischen Stickstoffheterocyclen enthaltenden Liganden in Chloroform

Zusammenfassung Es wurde die Photochemie der Komplexe [Ni(Etxn)₂(N-N) [Etxn=Ethylxanthat,N-N=2,2-Bipyridin (bpy), 4,4-Dimethyl-2,2-bipyridin (4,4-Me-bpy), 1,10-Phenanthrolin (phen) oder 2,2-bipyrimidin (bpym)] untersucht. Diese Komplexe waren in den meisten Lösungsmitteln wie etwa Acetonitril nicht lichtsensitiv. Bei Bestrahlung von Chloroformlösungen der Komplexe trat jedoch eine Photoreaktion auf, die zum Stammkomplex Ni(Etxn)₂ führte. Es wird vorgeschlagen, für den reaktiven angeregten Zustand einen Charge-Transfer-zu-Lösungsmittel (CTTS)-Typ anzunehmen. Die Energie dieses Zustands hängt vom Redoxpotential des Lösungsmittels ab. Bei Ersatz von CHCl₃ als Lösungsmittel durch das stärkere Oxidans CCl₄ wurde die photoaktive Wellenlänge nach Rot verschoben. Eine Blauverschiebung ergab sich hingegen, wenn das schwächere Oxidans CH₂Cl₂ verwendet wurde. Aus Messungen der Quantenausbeuten ergab sich die folgende Ordnung nach abnehmender Photostabilität der untersuchten Komplexe:bpym>phen>bpy>4,4-Me-bpy.

     

Sugar recovery of enzymatic hydrolysed oil palm empty fruit bunch fiber by chemical pretreatment

An investigation was conducted to study the effect of solvent composition and temperature on the efficiency of pretreatment prior to enzymatic hydrolysis. The aim was to improve the sugar recovery of oil palm empty fruit bunch fiber (EFBF) through enzymatic hydrolysis. Two types of pretreatments, namely, acidified-glycerol (AC-g) pretreatment and alkaline-glycerol (AL-g) pretreatment were conducted. The study proved that AL-g pretreatment promoted higher delignification and enzymatic hydrolyzed sugar yield compared to AC-g pretreatment. Total sugar recovery of 81.44 and 96.55 % was achieved from AL-g pretreatment at 80 and 120 °C respectively, following the enzymatic hydrolysis. However, downstream industrial processes, involving enzyme treatment along the processing line have the preference of acidic condition. Thus, AC-g pretreatment was favorable. Approximately 51.74 % total sugar had been recovered successfully from enzymatic hydrolysis of EFBF after 3 h of pretreatment by using solvent comprising of 50 % acetic acid and 80 % aqueous glycerol at a ratio of 97:3 at 120 °C.