Zinc-adeninate metal-organic framework for aqueous encapsulation and sensitization of near-infrared and visible emitting lanthanide cations

Luminescent metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), Ln(3+)@bio-MOF-1, were synthesized via postsynthetic cation exchange of bio-MOF-1 with Tb(3+), Sm(3+), Eu(3+), or Yb(3+), and their photophysical properties were studied. We demonstrate that bio-MOF-1 encapsulates and sensitizes visible and near-infrared emitting lanthanide cations in aqueous solution.     

Supramolecular polymerization from polypeptide-grafted comb polymers

The helical and tubular structures self-assembled from proteins have inspired scientists to design synthetic building blocks that can be "polymerized" into supramolecular polymers through coordinated noncovalent interactions. However, cooperative supramolecular polymerization from large, synthetic macromolecules remains a challenge because of the difficulty of controlling the structure and interactions of macromolecular monomers. Herein we report the synthesis of polypeptide-grafted comb polymers and the use of their tunable secondary interactions in solution to achieve controlled supramolecular polymerization. The resulting tubular supramolecular structures, with external diameters of hundreds of nanometers and lengths of tens of micrometers, are stable and resemble to some extent biological superstructures assembled from proteins. This study shows that highly specific intermolecular interactions between macromolecular monomers can enable the cooperative growth of supramolecular polymers. The general applicability of this strategy was demonstrated by carrying out supramolecular polymerization from gold nanoparticles grafted with the same polypeptides on the surface.     

Catalysis-based and protecting-group-free total syntheses of the marine oxylipins hybridalactone and the ecklonialactones A, B, and C

Concise and protecting-group-free total syntheses of the marine oxylipins hybridalactone (1) and three members of the ecklonialactone family (2-4) were developed. They deliver these targets in optically pure form in 14 or 13 steps, respectively, in the longest linear sequence; five of these steps are metal-catalyzed and four others are metal-mediated. The route to either 1 or 2-4 diverges from the common building block 22, which is accessible in 7 steps from 2[5H]furanone by recourse to a rhodium-catalyzed asymmetric 1,4-addition reaction controlled by the carvone-derived diene ligand 35 and a ring-closing alkene metathesis (RCM) catalyzed by the ruthenium indenylidene complex 17 as the key operations. Alternatively, 22 can be made in 10 steps from furfural via a diastereoselective three-component coupling process. The further elaboration of 22 into hybridalactone as the structurally most complex target with seven contiguous chiral centers was based upon a sequence of cyclopropanation followed by a vanadium-catalyzed epoxidation, both of which were directed by the same free hydroxy group at C15. The macrocyclic scaffold was annulated to the headgroup by means of a ring-closing alkyne metathesis reaction (RCAM). In response to the unusually high propensity of the oxirane of the targeted oxylipins for ring opening, this transformation had to be performed with complexes of the type [(Ar(3)SiO)(4)Mo≡CPh][K·OEt(2)] (43), which represent a new generation of exceedingly tolerant yet remarkably efficient catalysts. Their ancillary triarylsilanolate ligands temper the Lewis acidity of the molybdenum center but are not sufficiently nucleophilic to engage in the opening of the fragile epoxide ring. A final semireduction of the cycloalkyne formed in the RCAM step to the required (Z)-alkene completed the total synthesis of (-)-1. The fact that the route from the common fragment 22 to the ecklonialactones could follow a similar logic showcased the flexibility inherent to the chosen approach.     

New Triterpenoid and Ergostane Glycosides from the Leaves of Hydrocotyle umbellata L.

Two new triterpenoid glycosides, together with two new ergostane glycosides, umbellatosides A–D ( 1 – 4 , resp.), have been isolated from the leaves of Hydrocotyle umbellata L. Their structures were established by 2D‐NMR spectroscopic techniques (¹H,¹H‐COSY, TOCSY, NOESY, HSQC, and HMBC) and mass spectrometry as 3β,22β‐dihydroxy‐3‐O‐[α‐L ‐rhamnopyranosyl‐(1→2)‐β‐D ‐glucuronopyranosyl]olean‐12‐en‐28‐oic acid 28‐O‐β‐D ‐glucopyranosyl ester ( 1 ), 3‐O‐[α‐L ‐rhamnopyranosyl‐(1→2)‐β‐D ‐glucuronopyranosyl]oleanolic acid 28‐O‐β‐D ‐glucopyranosyl ester ( 2 ), (3β,11α,26)‐ergosta‐5,24(28)‐diene‐3,11,26‐triol 3‐O‐(β‐D ‐glucopyranosyl)‐11‐O‐(α‐L ‐rhamnopyranosyl)‐26‐O‐β‐D ‐glucopyranoside ( 3 ), and (3β,11α,21,26)‐ergosta‐5,24(28)‐diene‐3,11,21,26‐tetrol 3‐O‐(β‐D ‐glucopyranosyl)‐11‐O‐(α‐L ‐rhamnopyranosyl)‐26‐O‐β‐D ‐glucopyranoside ( 4 ).     

Wetting films on chemically patterned surfaces

The behavior of thin wetting films on chemically patterned surfaces was investigated. The patterning was performed by means of imprinting of micro-grid on methylated glass surface with UV-light (λ=184.8 nm). Thus imprinted image of the grid contained hydrophilic cells and hydrophobic bars on the glass surface. For this aim three different patterns of grids were utilized with small, medium and large size of cells. The experiment showed that the drainage of the wetting aqueous films was not affected by the type of surface patterning. However, after film rupturing in the cases of small and medium cells of the patterned grid the liquid from the wetting film underwent fast self-organization in form of regularly ordered droplets covering completely the cells of the grid. The droplets reduced significantly their size upon time due to evaporation. In the cases of the largest cell grid, a wet spot on the place of the imprinted grid was formed after film rupturing. This wet spot disassembled slowly in time. In addition, formation of a periodical zigzag three-phase contact line (TPCL) was observed. This is a first study from the planned series of studies on this topic.     

A physico-chemical investigation of poly(ethylene oxide)-block-poly(L-lysine) copolymer adsorption onto silica nanoparticles

The adsorption behavior of poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(L-lysine) (PEO(113)-b-PLL(10)) copolymer onto silica nanoparticles was investigated in phosphate buffer at pH 7.4 by means of dynamic light scattering, zeta potential, adsorption isotherms and microcalorimetry measurements. Both blocks have an affinity for the silica surface through hydrogen bonding (PEO and PLL) or electrostatic interactions (PLL). Competitive adsorption experiments from a mixture of PEO and PLL homopolymers evidenced greater interactions of PLL with silica while displacement experiments even revealed that free PLL chains could desorb PEO chains from the particle surface. This allowed us to better understand the adsorption mechanism of PEO-b-PLL copolymer at the silica surface. At low surface coverage, both blocks adsorbed in flat conformation leading to the flocculation of the particles as neither steric nor electrostatic forces could take place at the silica surface. The addition of a large excess of copolymer favoured the dispersion of flocs according to a presumed mechanism where PLL blocks of incoming copolymer chains preferentially adsorbed to the surface by displacing already adsorbed PEO blocks. The gradual addition of silica particles to an excess of PEO-b-PLL copolymer solution was the preferred method for particle coating as it favoured equilibrium conditions where the copolymer formed an anchor-buoy (PLL-PEO) structure with stabilizing properties at the silica-water interface.     

Unimolecular dissociation of anthracene and acridine cations: the importance of isomerization barriers for the C2H2 loss and HCN loss channels

The loss of C(2)H(2) is a low activation energy dissociation channel for anthracene (C(14)H(10)) and acridine (C(13)H(9)N) cations. For the latter ion another prominent fragmentation pathway is the loss of HCN. We have studied these two dissociation channels by collision induced dissociation experiments of 50 keV anthracene cations and protonated acridine, both produced by electrospray ionization, in collisions with a neutral xenon target. In addition, we have carried out density functional theory calculations on possible reaction pathways for the loss of C(2)H(2) and HCN. The mass spectra display features of multi-step processes, and for protonated acridine the dominant first step process is the loss of a hydrogen from the N site, which then leads to C(2)H(2)/HCN loss from the acridine cation. With our calculations we have identified three pathways for the loss of C(2)H(2) from the anthracene cation, with three different cationic products: 2-ethynylnaphthalene, biphenylene, and acenaphthylene. The third product is the one with the overall lowest dissociation energy barrier. For the acridine cation our calculated pathway for the loss of C(2)H(2) leads to the 3-ethynylquinoline cation, and the loss of HCN leads to the biphenylene cation. Isomerization plays an important role in the formation of the non-ethynyl containing products. All calculated fragmentation pathways should be accessible in the present experiment due to substantial energy deposition in the collisions.     

Smart heterostructures for tailoring the optical properties of photochromic hybrid organic-inorganic polyoxometalates

A new concept of photoresponsive composites has been elaborated by intimately connecting a Photochromic Phase (PP), (H(2)DABCO)(2)(HDMA)(0.5)Na(0.75)(H(3)O)(0.75)[Mo(8)O(27)]·3H(2)O (1), with a second hybrid organic-inorganic molybdate material, (H(2)DABCO)(HDABCO)[Fe(OH)(6)Mo(6)O(18)]·4H(2)O (2) acting as an Oxidation Catalytic Phase (OCP) toward the former once photoexcited. The association of both the PP and the OCP in the composite drastically improves the bleaching process of the PP alone because of efficient electronic transfers through the OCP-PP interface without affecting significantly its photoinduced color change characteristic. Two OCP-PP composites with different PP weight percents have been obtained by associating 1 with 2. The optical properties of these composites before and after UV irradiation have been investigated by Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy, and the strong impact of the OCP on the fading kinetics of the PP has been clearly highlighted.     

Synthesis and photochemical behavior of the tetrazolo tautomer of 2-azido-4-pyrimidinone-2'-deoxyriboside

The 2-azido analogue of 2'-deoxyuridine was prepared in three steps from 2'-deoxy-2-thiouridine. The sulfur atom of the 2-thio nucleoside was methylated and then displaced by hydrazine to furnish the corresponding 2-hydrazino derivative. After diazotization, the 2-azido compound that exists as its tetrazolo tautomer was obtained. Upon UV irradiation in aqueous solution, the title compound led to isocytosine.     

Spin exchange in solutions of TEMPOL in n-octanol and 1-methyl-3-octylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate in the temperature range from 300 to 500 K

Comprehensive examinations of the motional properties (rotational correlation time τ(R)) and the spin exchange ω(SS) of the spin probe TEMPOL have been carried out using ESR spectroscopy in two different solvents. For the first time, the dynamic parameters τ(R) and ω(SS) have been determined simultaneously by simulation of spectra measured at three different ESR frequencies (L-, X-, and Q-band) between 293 and 500 K using a dynamic model based on a stochastic fitting program and, for comparison, two alternative models involving the shift of the hyperfine lines and considering the line broadening due to spin exchange in a wide range of conditions. Possibilities and limits of the used models are shown upon comparing the obtained results of the spin exchange. Moreover, the analysis of the ESR spectra gave evidence for the existence of cage effects that produce re-encounters of the spin probes. This has been done for the activation energies, which have been calculated from the temperature dependence of the rate constants of the spin exchange. From the ratio of the activation energies and the influence of the viscosities on the dynamics of the examined systems in n-octanol and an ionic liquid, conclusions can be drawn for the re-encounter effects in solvent cages. However, in contrast to n-octanol, the dynamics of the spin probe in the ionic liquid depends on specific and anisotropic interactions. The temperature dependence of the Q-band measurements required the development of a novel Q-band cavity.