Characterization of the bis-silylated endofullerene Sc3N@C80

The photochemical reaction of Sc(3)N@C(80) with 1,1,2,2-tetramesityl-1,2-disilirane affords the adduct as a bis-silylated product. The adduct was characterized by NMR spectroscopy and single-crystal X-ray structure analysis. The dynamic behavior of the disilirane moiety and the encapsulated Sc(3)N cluster were also investigated. The unique redox property of the adduct is reported by means of CV and DPV. Experimental results were confirmed by density functional calculations.     

Synthesis and characterization of a bisadduct of La@C82

A bisadduct of La@C82 has been synthesized in a good yield by a Bingel-Hirsch reaction. Its structure has been well-defined by X-ray crystallographic analysis. A pair of enantiomers of the adduct form a dimer in the single crystal.     

Correlation analyses on binding affinity of sialic acid analogues and anti-influenza drugs with human neuraminidase using ab initio MO calculations on their complex structures--LERE-QSAR analysis (IV)

We carried out full ab initio fragment molecular orbital (FMO) calculations for complexes comprising human neuraminidase-2 (hNEU2) and sialic acid analogues including anti-influenza drugs zanamivir (Relenza) and oseltamivir (Tamiflu) in order to examine the variation in the observed inhibitory activity toward hNEU2 at the atomic and electronic levels. We recently proposed the LERE (linear expression by representative energy terms)-QSAR (quantitative structure-activity relationship) procedure. LERE-QSAR analysis quantitatively revealed that the complex formation is driven by hydrogen-bonding and electrostatic interaction of hNEU2 with sialic acid analogues. The most potent inhibitory activity, that of zanamivir, is attributable to the strong electrostatic interaction of a positively charged guanidino group in zanamivir with negatively charged amino acid residues in hNEU2. After we confirmed that the variation in the observed inhibitory activity among sialic acid analogues is excellently reproducible with the LERE-QSAR equation, we examined the reason for the remarkable difference between the inhibitory potencies of oseltamivir as to hNEU2 and influenza A virus neuraminidase-1 (N1-NA). Several amino acid residues in close contact with a positively charged amino group in oseltamivir are different between hNEU2 and N1-NA. FMO-IFIE (interfragment interaction energy) analysis showed that the difference in amino acid residues causes a remarkably large difference between the overall interaction energies of oseltamivir with hNEU2 and N1-NA. The current results will be useful for the development of new anti-influenza drugs with high selectivity and without the risk of adverse side effects.     

Effects of methylation at position 2 of cation ring on rotational dynamics of imidazolium-based ionic liquids investigated by NMR spectroscopy: [C4mim]Br vs [C4C1mim]Br

We investigated the rotational dynamics of two imidazolium-based ionic liquids, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide ([C(4)mim]Br) and 1-butyl-2,3-dimethylimidazolium bromide ([C(4)C(1)mim]Br), to reveal the effects of methylation at position 2 of the imidazolium ring (C(2) methylation). The rotational correlation time (τ(local)) for each carbon in the cations is derived from the spin-lattice relaxation time of (13)C nuclear magnetic resonance. The τ(local) results obtained here provide three principle insights into the rotational dynamics of ionic liquids. First, all τ(local) values for [C(4)C(1)mim]Br are greater than those for [C(4)mim]Br owing to a viscosity increase due to C(2) methylation. Second, the rate of change in τ(local) on C(2) methylation differs among the carbons in the cation, which indicates that each carbon has a different microviscosity. Third, the τ(local) increase in the (13)C at the root of the butyl group on C(2) methylation is very small compared to both intuitive prediction and the results from quantum chemical calculations. This indicates that the motion of the butyl group root in [C(4)C(1)mim]Br is not significantly inhibited by the methyl group at the position 2 of the imidazolium ring. The finding provides conclusive information on the origin of the increases in the melting point on C(2) methylation. Hunt previously found through calculation that decreases in entropy are caused by two factors, namely, reductions in the rotational mobility of the butyl group and in the number of stable anion interaction sites with C(2) methylation, resulting in an increase in melting point and viscosity. Our finding experimentally illustrates that the origin of the increases in melting point is not the inhibition of butyl group motion and that the reduction in stable anion interaction sites plays a major role in the increases. Additionally, it is suggested that the viscosity increase on C(2) methylation can be interpreted in the same manner.     

Photoinduced charge separation in three-layer supramolecular nanohybrids: fullerene-porphyrin-SWCNT

Photoinduced charge separation processes of three-layer supramolecular hybrids, fullerene-porphyrin-SWCNT, which are constructed from semiconducting (7,6)- and (6,5)-enriched SWCNTs and self-assembled via π-π interacting long alkyl chain substituted porphyrins (tetrakis(4-dodecyloxyphenyl)porphyrins; abbreviated as MP(alkyl)(4)) (M = Zn and H(2)), to which imidazole functionalized fullerene[60] (C(60)Im) is coordinated, have been investigated in organic solvents. The intermolecular alkyl-π and π-π interactions between the MP(alkyl)(4) and SWCNTs, in addition, coordination between C(60)Im and Zn ion in the porphyrin cavity are visualized using DFT calculations at the B3LYP/3-21G(*) level, predicting donor-acceptor interactions between them in the ground and excited states. The donor-acceptor nanohybrids thus formed are characterized by TEM imaging, steady-state absorption and fluorescence spectra. The time-resolved fluorescence studies of MP(alkyl)(4) in two-layered nanohybrids (MP(alkyl)(4)/SWCNT) revealed efficient quenching of the singlet excited states of MP(alkyl)(4) ((1)MP*(alkyl)(4)) with the rate constants of charge separation (k(CS)) in the range of (1-9) × 10(9) s(-1). A nanosecond transient absorption technique confirmed the electron transfer products, MP˙(+)(alkyl)(4)/SWCNT˙(-) and/or MP˙(-)(alkyl)(4)/SWCNT˙(+) for the two-layer nanohybrids. Upon further coordination of C(60)Im to ZnP, acceleration of charge separation via(1)ZnP* in C(60)Im→ZnP(alkyl)(4)/SWCNT is observed to form C(60)˙(-)Im→ZnP˙(+)(alkyl)(4)/SWCNT and C(60)˙(-)Im→ZnP(alkyl)(4)/SWCNT˙(+) charge separated states as supported by the transient absorption spectra. These characteristic absorptions decay with rate constants due to charge recombination (k(CR)) in the range of (6-10) × 10(6) s(-1), corresponding to the lifetimes of the radical ion-pairs of 100-170 ns. The electron transfer in the nanohybrids has further been utilized for light-to-electricity conversion by the construction of proof-of-concept photoelectrochemical solar cells.