Characterization of burned soil profiles by Mössbauer spectroscopy

The characteristics of both natural burned and experimentally burned soil profiles as seen by Mössbauer spectroscopy are described. The results help in the identification of profiles where biological and/or chemical processes may have been involved.     

Colorimetric "naked eye" sensing of anions in aqueous solution

[structure: see text] The synthesis and UV-vis and NMR spectroscopic studies of thiourea-based colorimetric sensors for anions are presented. These sensors can recognize anions through hydrogen binding even in competitive pH-buffered aqueous solutions, giving rise to large color changes that are clearly visible to the naked eye.     

Luminescent Eu(III) and Tb(III) Complexes: Developing Lanthanide Luminescent-Based Devices

This mini review gives some highlights of the work recently carried out in our research group in Dublin on the developments of lanthanide luminescent devices, where the future goal is to produce devices that can operate as sensors. A few examples demonstrate our design principles for targeting both anion and cations that are of biological or pharmaceutical relevance, where the recognition occurs in aqueous competitive media. We also discuss the possibility of developing mixed f-d metal complexes and conjugates that can be employed as novel supramolecular architectures.     

Highly selective colorimetric naked-eye Cu(II) detection using an azobenzene chemosensor

Colorimetric azobenzene based chemosensors 1 and 2 were designed for detection of transition-metal ions such as Cu(II) under physiological pH conditions. The internal charge transfer (ICT) sensors are highly colored, absorbing in the green. For 1, the Cu(II) recognition gives rise to red-to-yellow color changes that are visible to the naked-eye and reversible upon addition of EDTA, whereas for 2, which lacks the aromatic o-methoxy chelating group, no such changes were observed.     

Chiroptical Probing of Lanthanide‐Directed Self‐Assembly Formation Using btp Ligands Formed in One‐Pot Diazo‐Transfer/Deprotection Click Reaction from Chiral Amines

A series of enantiomeric 2,6‐bis(1,2,3‐triazol‐4‐yl)pyridines (btp)‐containing ligands was synthesized by a one‐pot two‐step copper‐catalyzed amine/alkyne click reaction. The Eu^III‐ and Tb^III‐directed self‐assembly formation of these ligands was studied in CH₃CN by monitoring their various photophysical properties, including their emerging circular dichroism and circularly polarized luminescence. The global analysis of the former enabled the determination of both the stoichiometry and the stability constants of the various chiral supramolecular species in solution.     

X‐Ray Diffraction and Mössbauer Spectroscopy Studies of Pressure‐Induced Phase Transitions in a Mixed‐Valence Trinuclear Iron Complex

The mixed‐valence complex Fe₃O(cyanoacetate)₆(H₂O)₃ ( 1 ) has been studied by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis at pressures up to 5.3(1) GPa and by (synchrotron) Mössbauer spectroscopy at pressures up to 8(1) GPa. Crystal structure refinements were possible up to 4.0(1) GPa. In this pressure range, 1 undergoes two pressure‐induced phase transitions. The first phase transition at around 3 GPa is isosymmetric and involves a 60° rotation of 50 % of the cyanoacetate ligands. The second phase transition at around 4 GPa reduces the symmetry from rhombohedral to triclinic. Mössbauer spectra show that the complex becomes partially valence‐trapped after the second phase transition. This sluggish pressure‐induced valence‐trapping is in contrast to the very abrupt valence‐trapping observed when compound 1 is cooled from 130 to 120 K at ambient pressure.     

Mössbauer spectroscopy of samples from the 2010 Fimmvörðuháls/Eyjafjallajökull eruption

Mössbauer spectra of samples from the 2010 Fimmvörðuháls/Eyjafjallajökull eruption are presented with determinations of the Fe^3?+?/Fe_Tot ratios. Mössbauer spectra of time series of samples from the Eyjafjallajökull eruption show a change in the characteristics of the erupted material mid-way in the eruption, suggesting changing access of water to the eruption.     

Mössbauer spectroscopy study of defects in hydrothermally synthesized LiFePO4 cathode material

Hydrothermally synthesized LiFePO₄ has been prepared with different synthesis times in order to study defects in the crystal structure and their evolution. The Mössbauer spectra can be interpreted as due to three components, Fe²⁺ in LiFePO₄, Fe²⁺ in unreacted precursor material which resembles the Mössbauer spectrum of Fe²⁺ in vivianite (Fe₃(PO₄)₂·8H₂O) and Fe³⁺. The Fe³⁺ contribution differs from room temperature oxidation of the precursor material, and can partly be due to charge compensating defects in the LiFePO₄ structure. With increasing synthesis time, the latter two contributions virtually disappear from the spectra.     

Luminescent ruthenium(II) polypyridyl functionalized gold nanoparticles; their DNA binding abilities and application as cellular imaging agents

The synthesis and photophysical and biological investigation of Ru(II)-polypyridyl stabilized water-soluble, luminescent gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) are described. These structures bind to DNA and undergo rapid cellular uptake, being localized within the cell cytoplasm and nucleus within 4 h.     

Lanthanide luminescent displacement assays: the sensing of phosphate anions using Eu(III)-cyclen-conjugated gold nanoparticles in aqueous solution

1.Eu, a cyclen based Eu(III)-thiol conjugate, was incorporated onto the surface of water-soluble gold nanoparticles to give AuNP-1.Eu. The self-assembly between AuNP-1.Eu and the antenna 2 resulted in the formation of the highly luminescent lanthanide system, AuNP-1.Eu-2, at pH 7.4. The sensing of flavin monophosphate 3 is demonstrated, whereby 3 displaced the antenna 2 in AuNP-1.Eu-2, resulting in the formation of AuNP-1.Eu-3 and quenching of the Eu(III) emission.