Biomimetic Bottlebrush Polymer Coatings for Fabrication of Ultralow Fouling Surfaces

Demand for long‐lasting antifouling surfaces has steered the development of accessible, novel, biocompatible and environmentally friendly materials. Inspired by lubricin (LUB), a component of mammalian synovial fluid with excellent antifouling properties, three block polymers offering stability, efficacy, and ease of use were designed. The bottlebrush‐structured polymers adsorbed strongly on silica surfaces in less than 10 minutes by a simple drop casting or online exposure method and were extremely stable in high‐salinity solutions and across a wide pH range. Antifouling properties against proteins and bacteria were evaluated with different techniques and ultralow fouling properties demonstrated. With serum albumin and lysozyme adsorption <0.2 ng cm^?2, the polymers were 50 and 25 times more effective than LUB and known ultralow fouling coatings. The antifouling properties were also tested under MPa compression pressures by direct force measurements using surface forces apparatus. The findings suggest that these polymers are among the most robust and efficient antifouling agents currently known.     

One-dimensional quantum description of the bending vibrations of HCN/CNH for high values of the total angular momentum

For high values of the quantum number of the total angular momentum J (up to J = 20), quantum mechanical eigenstates (eigenvalues and eigenfunctions) are calculated by the method of Gatti et al. (J. Mol. Spectrosc. 181 (1997) 403) for the bending deformations of HCN and CNH. In particular, we have examined the l-type resonances in highly excited rovibrational states within the framework of a one-dimensional model, i.e. along the reaction pathway for the isomerization reaction HCN/CNH. The potential energy surface used is that of Bowman et al. (J. Chem. Phys. 99 (1993) 308).     

Dynamics of an enzymatic substitution reaction in haloalkane dehalogenase

Reactive flux molecular dynamics simulations have been carried out using a combined QM/MM potential to study the dynamics of the nucleophilic substitution reaction of dichloroethane by a carboxylate group in haloalkane dehalogenase and in water. We found that protein dynamics accelerates the reaction rate by a factor of 2 over the uncatalyzed reaction. Compared to the thermodynamic effect in barrier reduction, protein dynamic contribution is relatively small. However, analyses of the friction kernel reveal that the origins of the reaction dynamics in water and in the enzyme are different. In aqueous solution, there is significant electrostatic solvation effect, which is reflected by the slow reorganization relaxation of the solvent. On the other hand, there is no strong electrostatic coupling in the enzyme and the major effect on reaction coordinate motion is intramolecular energy relaxation.     

Amino-aryl-carbenes: alternative ligands for transition metals?

Despite the presence of a single amino substituent, an amino-anthryl-carbene was found to behave as a strong sigma-donor weak pi-acceptor ligand toward rhodium(I) fragments.     

Interferences in clinical capillary zone electrophoresis of serum proteins

Capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) of serum proteins has become a well-accepted method for the separation of serum proteins and for the detection of monoclonal proteins in clinical laboratories. As CZE uses ultraviolet detection for direct protein quantification, exogenous ultraviolet-absorbing substances are a novel challenge, not present in conventional gel-based methods in which protein is quantified by dye binding. This minireview gives a survey of interfering substances, including iodinated contrast agents and antibiotics.     

Synthesis, characterization, and coupling reactions of six-membered cyclic P-chiral ammonium phosphonite-boranes; reactive H-phosphinate equivalents for the stereoselective synthesis of glycomimetics

Stereoselective syntheses of P-chiral ammonium phosphonite-borane complexes in the gluco- and manno-like series have been developed from P(V) phostone derivatives. The coupling reactions of these phostone donors with alcohols have been investigated with particular emphasis on the influence of protecting groups and conditions on stereoselectivity. The phosphonite-borane complexes may be applied directly in the coupling reactions and the products oxidized in situ to give phostone-mimetics of disaccharides. On the basis of these studies, successful protocols were established for the synthesis of β-gluco and α- and β-manno-configured phostones of primary alcohols. Deprotection of the dimeric compounds leads to novel families of α- or β-(1→6)-linked glycomimetics.     

“In situ” extraction of essential oils by use of Dean–Stark glassware and a Vigreux column inside a microwave oven: a procedure for teaching green analytical chemistry

One of the principal objectives of sustainable and green processing development remains the dissemination and teaching of green chemistry in colleges, high schools, and academic laboratories. This paper describes simple glassware that illustrates the phenomenon of extraction in a conventional microwave oven as energy source and a process for green analytical chemistry. Simple glassware comprising a Dean-Stark apparatus (for extraction of aromatic plant material and recovery of essential oils and distilled water) and a Vigreux column (as an air-cooled condenser inside the microwave oven) was designed as an in-situ extraction vessel inside a microwave oven. The efficiency of this experiment was validated for extraction of essential oils from 30 g fresh orange peel, a by-product in the production of orange juice. Every laboratory throughout the world can use this equipment. The microwave power is 100 W and the irradiation time 15 min. The method is performed at atmospheric pressure without added solvent or water and furnishes essential oils similar to those obtained by conventional hydro or steam distillation. By use of GC-MS, 22 compounds in orange peel were separated and identified; the main compounds were limonene (72.1%), β-pinene (8.4%), and γ-terpinene (6.9%). This procedure is appropriate for the teaching laboratory, does not require any special microwave equipment, and enables the students to learn the skills of extraction, and chromatographic and spectroscopic analysis. They are also exposed to a dramatic visual example of rapid, sustainable, and green extraction of an essential oil, and are introduced to successful sustainable and green analytical chemistry.