Chemical role of amines in the colloidal synthesis of CdSe quantum dots and their luminescence properties

The role of organic amines in the colloidal synthesis of CdSe quantum dots (QDs) has been studied. CdSe QDs were synthesized from the source solutions containing 5 vol% of amines having various alkyl chain lengths, stereochemical sizes and electron donation abilities. The role of the additional amines was evaluated on the basis of the photoluminescence (PL) properties such as PL wavelength and intensity of the obtained CdSe QDs. The observed PL spectra were explained by the fact that the amines behaved as capping ligands on the surface of the QDs in the product colloidal solution and complex ligands for cadmium in the source solutions. It was shown that the particle size was controlled by the diffusion process depending on the mass and stereochemical shape of the amines, and the luminescence intensity increased with the increasing electron donation ability and capping density of the amines.     

An anionic strategy for three- and four-component coupling reactions leading to ketone frameworks based on vinylogous conversion of dilithio ketone alpha,beta-dianions

[reaction: see text] Ketone alpha,delta-dianions are generated by vinylogous extension of ketone alpha,beta-dianions with alkenes such as vinylarenes, vinylsilanes, and vinyl sulfides, which then undergo reactions at the delta and alpha positions with different electrophiles, creating ketone frameworks. This work represents a cascade-type anion method that achieved three- and four-carbon component assembly reactions leading to ketones.     

Out of plane measurements of the decay neutron from the giant resonance in the 12C(e,e(')n)11C reaction

Out of plane measurements of the angular correlations for the 12C(e, e(')n) reaction have been performed for the first time in the giant resonance region. The cross sections were directly separated into the longitudinal and transverse, longitudinal-transverse, and transverse-transverse components. The cross section at the peak of the giant resonance ( omega = 22.5 MeV) has been found to be almost all longitudinal. It was reproduced by the multipole expansion with E0 and E2 components besides E1. The longitudinal-transverse component might have a maximum around 24 MeV. The transverse-transverse component is very small over the giant resonance.     

A polysaccharide carrier for immunostimulatory CpG DNAs to enhance cytokine secretion

A beta-(1 --> 3)-d-glucan schizophyllan (SPG) forms a stoichiometric complex with some polynucleotides. This communication describes our attempt to apply the SPG complex to deliver CpG DNA to endosomes to enhance cytokine secretion. To increase cellular uptake, we introduced spermine, arginine-glycine-aspartic acid tripeptide, octaarginine, or cholesterol to the SPG side chain. The chemically modified SPG showed essentially no cytotoxicity. When CpG DNA complex made therefrom was exposed to macrophages, dramatic enhancement in the cytokine secretion was observed. It increased 5-10 times from the naked dose and 100 times from the background. This performance promises that SPG can be an excellent carrier for CpG DNA.     

Highly Asymmetrical Porphyrins with Enhanced Push–Pull Character for Dye‐Sensitized Solar Cells

A porphyrin π‐system has been modulated by enhancing the push–pull character with highly asymmetrical substitution for dye‐sensitized solar cells for the first time. Namely, both two diarylamino moieties as a strong electron‐donating group and one carboxyphenylethynyl moiety as a strong electron‐withdrawing, anchoring group were introduced into the meso‐positions of the porphyrin core in a lower symmetrical manner. As a result of the improved light‐harvesting property as well as high electron distribution in the anchoring group of LUMO, a push–pull‐enhanced, porphyrin‐sensitized solar cell exhibited more than 10 % power conversion efficiency, which exceeded that of a representative highly efficient porphyrin (i.e., YD2)‐sensitized solar cell under optimized conditions. The rational molecular design concept based on highly asymmetric, push–pull substitution will open the possibilities of further improving cell performance in organic solar cells.