Observations on the swelling characteristics of the zwitterionic hydrogel of poly(1-3-sulfopropyl)-2-vinyl-pyridinium-betaine hydrogel

Samples of poly[1-(3-sulfopropyl)-2-vinyl-pyridinium-betaine] (PSPV) have been synthesized to high conversion by free radical polymerization in aqueous solution of the zwitterionic monomer SPV with several concentrations of the crosslinker N,N′-methylene-bis-acrylamide (MBA). The densities of the resultant xerogels increased regularly with the content of MBA. Hydrogels obtained by swelling them in water and aqueous KSCN solution were examined by gravimetric and dimensional analysis. The water contents increased with decreasing content of MBA, the value of 92.7 wt% at the lowest MBA content being higher than that for other zwitterionic hydrogels. Enhanced swelling occurred in 1 M aq. KSCN at each MBA content, the total swelling being 98.1 wt% at the lowest crosslinker content. Swelling increased with increasing temperature. An approximate procedure to formulating swelling equilibrium in term of the volume fraction of water in hydrogel, in conjunction with the van’t Hoff equation, yields a small positive value for the enthalpy of swelling. This is compared with values derived similarly for other hydrogels.     

Structure‐Dependent Photoinduced Electron Transfer in Fullerodendrimers with Light‐Harvesting Oligophenylenevinylene Terminals

Oligophenylenevinylene (OPV)‐terminated phenylenevinylene dendrons G1 – G4 with one, two, four, and eight “side‐arms”, respectively, were prepared and attached to C₆₀ by a 1,3‐dipolar cycloaddition of azomethine ylides generated in situ from dendritic aldehydes and N‐methylglycine. The relative electronic absorption of the OPV moiety increases progressively along the fullerodendrimer family C₆₀G1 – C₆₀G4 , reaching a 99:1 ratio for C₆₀G4 (antenna effect). UV/Vis and near‐IR luminescence and transient absorption spectroscopy was used to elucidate photoinduced energy and electron transfer in C₆₀G1 – C₆₀G4 as a function of OPV moiety size and solvent polarity (toluene, dichloromethane, benzonitrile), taking into account the fact that the free‐energy change for electron transfer is the same along the series owing to the invariability of the donor–acceptor couple. Regardless of solvent, all the fullerodendrimers exhibit ultrafast OPV→C₆₀ singlet energy transfer. In CH₂Cl₂, the OPV→C₆₀ electron transfer from the lowest fullerene singlet level (¹C₆₀*) is slightly exergonic (ΔG_CS≈0.07 eV), but is observed, to an increasing extent, only in the largest systems C₆₀G2 – C₆₀G4 with lower activation barriers for electron transfer. This effect has been related to a decrease of the reorganization energy upon enlargement of the molecular architecture. Structural factors are also at the origin of an unprecedented OPV→C₆₀ electron transfer observed for C₆₀G3 and C₆₀G4 in apolar toluene, whereas in benzonitrile, electron transfer occurs in all cases. Monitoring of the lowest fullerene triplet state by sensitized singlet oxygen luminescence and transient absorption spectroscopy shows that this level is populated through intersystem crossing and is not involved in photoinduced electron transfer.     

A zwitterion of 1,5‐bis­(2‐hydroxy­benzamido)‐3‐aza­pentane: a two‐dimensional hydrogen‐bonding network involving dimers

The title compound, 2‐{N‐[2‐(2‐hydroxy­benzamido)ethyl­ammonio­ethyl]amino­carbon­yl}phenolate, C₁₈H₂₁N₃O₄, crystallizes in a zwitterionic form as a result of inter­molecular proton transfer and possesses a negatively charged phenolate group and a protonated amino group. The 2‐hydroxy­benzamide and 2‐(amino­carbonyl)­phenolate moieties attached to the two ends of the C—C—N—C—C backbone adopt a cis conformation in relation to this backbone. All N‐ and O‐bound H atoms are involved in hydrogen‐bond formation; the zwitterions are first linked into head‐to‐tail dimers, which are further organized into a two‐dimensional network parallel to the crystallographic bc plane.     

6β-Acetoxy-7 α-Hydroxyroyleanone,A New Compound from Taiwania Cryptomerioides Hayata

Two crystalline compounds from the bark of Taiwania cryptomerioides Hayata were isolated. One of them was identified as 6,7-dehydroroyleanone and the other was shown to be a new derivative of royleanone having a structure of 6β-acetoxy-7α-hydroxyroyleanone.     

Synthesis of 2‐Dihydrooxadiazolinyl Chromones

Reactions of the substituted 2‐formyl chromones with aroylhydrazines gave corresponding 2‐(aroylhydrazonomethylidyne) chromones. Then 2‐(3′‐acetyl‐5′‐aryl‐2′,3′‐dihydro‐1′,3′,4′‐oxadiazol‐2′‐yl) chromones were prepared by these 2‐(aroylhydrazonomethylidyne) chromones under refluxing with Ac₂O. All target compounds were characterized through elemental analysis and IR, ¹H NMR, MS.     

Mössbauer Studies on Spin State of the Thermal Decomposition of Substituted Tris (2-Pyridylimine) Iron (II) Thiocyanate

The spin states of iron (II) in FeL₂(NCS)₂ produced from the thermal decomposition of FeL₈(NCS)₂ (L=2-py-CR₁=NR₂, R₁ or R₂=H, Me(CH₃), Ph) under nitrogen atmosphere are investigated by means of Mössbauer spectroscopy and magnetic measurements. It was found that the spin states of iron (II) in substitutited bis (2-pyridylimine) iron (II) thiocyanate are included: intermediate-spin (³T₁, S=1), mixed-spin of ⁵T₂(S=2)+³T₁ and spin incomplete transition of ⁵T₂?³T₁.     

Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Study of Radical Pairs and Isolated Radicals Trapped in Irradiated Long-Chain Hydrocarbons at Low Temperatures

The intrinsic characteristics of radical pairs produced in squalane and in cetane receiving high gamma-dose are extensively studied with the EPR technique at temperatures from 77°K up to 150°K. The spectra of the paired radicals occur at g=4 with a very low transition probability in contrast to that of isolated radicals which appear at g=2 A well-resolved hyperfine spectrum corresponding to the species (CH₃CH₂.CH₂CH₃) is observed in cetane. The isothermal decay rates of radical pairs in cetane below 100°K are significantly slow; however, the decay kinetics at 150°K is first order with rate constant=1.86 min^?1. A relatively slower decay rate is obtained for isolated radicals suggesting that the decay mechanism of paired radicals is through geminate recombination. The relative inter-radical distance in radical pairs is known from a decay curve as a function of temperature. The yields of radical pairs are low in both matrices, only few percents of those of isolated radicals. The formation mechanisms of paired radicals with direct radiolytic bond scission process are discussed in connection with the experimental observations.     

An in vitro Study on Transition from NO-Hemoglobin to Methemoglobin： Oxygen Effect

The nitrosyl-hemoglobin (HbNO) is the carrier of nitric oxide (NO) which is the important messenger molecule displaying multiple physiologic and pathophysiologic roles. However it is still not clear for the fate of HbNO molecules during the venous-arterial transit. In this letter, the HbNO transition in vitro was studied by using the electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra. It was found that HbNO molecules were stable when oxygen did not exist in the system but not stable in aerobic conditions. The absorption spectra further revealed that the methemoglobin (metHb) was the product of HbNO in aerobic environment, showing that the HbNO changed to metHb when there were enough oxygen molecules in the system.     

Converting the sacrificial DNA repair protein N-ada into a catalytic methyl phosphotriester repair enzyme

Mutation of the active-site residue Cys38 of N-Ada converts it from a sacrificial DNA repair protein to an enzyme that uses methanethiol as an external sacrificial reagent to repair DNA methyl phosphotriesters catalytically.     

Lens alpha-crystallin and hypericin: a photophysical mechanism explains observed lens

Determining whether alpha-crystallin (the major lens protein) affects the photophysics of hypericin, a photosensitizing agent found in various plants, such as St. John's Wort, is important. Hypericin shows promise in cancer and human immunodeficiency virus therapy but may harm individuals taking St. John's Wort extracts (for mild to moderate depression). Hypericin causes hypericism, which is characterized by cellular damage in light-exposed areas. Ocular tissues are at risk for photosensitized damage; thus, we investigated the effects on hypericin photophysics by alpha-crystallin. We measured the transient absorption spectra and the 1270 nm luminescence of singlet (1Deltag) oxygen produced from hypericin in the presence of alpha-crystallin. alpha-Crystallin complexes hypericin, extending the lifetime of its triplet excited state; the Stern-Volmer slope is negative, but not linear, after a saturation curve. Damage to the lens protein by hypericin is known to occur via singlet oxygen, which oxidizes methionine, tryptophan and histidine residues. Binding to alpha-crystallin does not inhibit singlet oxygen formation by hypericin. alpha-Crystallin reacts with singlet oxygen with a rate constant of 1.3 x 10(8) M(-1) s(-1). Thus, we anticipate that hypericin will be an effective photosensitizer in the lens.