What controls the melting properties of DNA-linked gold nanoparticle assemblies?

We report a series of experiments and a theoretical model designed to systematically define and evaluate the relative importance of nanoparticle, oligonucleotide, and environmental variables that contribute to the observed sharp melting transitions associated with DNA-linked nanoparticle structures. These variables include the size of the nanoparticles, the surface density of the oligonucleotides on the nanoparticles, the dielectric constant of the surrounding medium, target concentration, and the position of the nanoparticles with respect to one another within the aggregate. The experimental data may be understood in terms of a thermodynamic model that attributes the sharp melting to a cooperative mechanism that results from two key factors: the presence of multiple DNA linkers between each pair of nanoparticles and a decrease in the melting temperature as DNA strands melt due to a concomitant reduction in local salt concentration. The cooperative melting effect, originating from short-range duplex-to-duplex interactions, is independent of DNA base sequences studied and should be universal for any type of nanostructured probe that is heavily functionalized with oligonucleotides. Understanding the fundamental origins of the melting properties of DNA-linked nanoparticle aggregates (or monolayers) is of paramount importance because these properties directly impact one's ability to formulate high sensitivity and selectivity DNA detection systems and construct materials from these novel nanoparticle materials.     

Nanotubes fabricated from Ni-naphthalocyanine by a template method

Novel naphthalocyanine (Nc) nanotubes with special wall structures were fabricated by a template method using Nc molecules as building blocks. Thermal stabilization of the ordered columnar structures of the tetrakis(tert-butyl)naphthalocyanine (Ni-BNc) molecules, induced from the pi-pi interactions in the nanoscale channels of an alumina template, resulted in Nc nanotubes with walls consisting of well-ordered Nc molecular disks. Further thermal treatment of Ni-BNc at 600 degrees C produced carbonized Nc nanotubes containing ordered columnar, graphitic wall structures with the graphene disks arranged perpendicular to the tube axis. These nanotubes may be useful for extending the application of Nc molecules for nanodevice fabrication.     

Synthesis of Enantiomerically Pure Carbohydrate-Derived Annulated Cyclopentadienes and Ferrocenes

The cyclopentadienes 3a/b/c, 8b/c, 12a/b/d , and 16a/b/d were prepared as mixtures of regioisomers from the D -mannitol-derivatives 1,6,10 , and 14 and transformed into the ferrocenes 17, 18 , and 19 (73%; 38:17:45), 23, 24 , and 25 (70%; 6:42 :52), 26 (31%), and 27 (27%), respectively. Deprotection of 17–19 with HCl/MeOH gave the H₂O-soluble ferrocenes 20–22 ; chloromercuration and iodination of 17 via 29 led to the C₂-symmetric diiodo-ferrocene 30 . The mono(chloromercurio) derivative 28 , obtained as a by-product, was also transformed into 29 . The structure of the ferrocenes 18 and 19 , and of the bis(chloromercurio)ferrocene 29 has been established by X-ray analysis. The starting cyclopentadienes 3 were obtained in 50% yield from 1 by dialkylation of CpNa, followed by thermolysis of the spiro-annulated 2 . Similarly, dimesylate 6 (from 4 ) gave the spiro-annulated diene 7 and the annulated dienes 8 in about equal amounts; thermolysis transformed 7 into 8 (62%). The dienes 12 were prepared in 15% yield from the ditriflate 10 via 11 , the dimesylate 9 proving insufficiently reactive, and the dienes 16 (49%) from 14 via 15 .     

Lanthanum heterocyclic Schiff-base complex initiated ring-opening polymerization of ε-caprolactone

Lanthanum complex supported by the heterocyclic Schiff-base ligand of N-(2-pyridyl)-3,5-di-tert-butyl-salicylaldimine was prepared and employed for the ring-opening polymerization(ROP)ofε-caprolactone(ε-CL).The polymers obtained with this initiator showed a unimodal molecular weight distribution implied that only one active species was present.Mechanism study revealed that the polymerization proceeds via acyl-oxygen bond cleavage.     

Synthesis of (+)-zeylenone from shikimic acid

Starting from shikimic acid, the total synthesis of zeylenone was studied. The product was proved to be the (+)antipode of zeylenone through analysis and comparison of their respective spectra (including NMR, MS, IR and CD) and optical data. The absolute configuration of the natural product was thus determined to be (1S,2S,3R).     

Ultrathin polymer film formation by collision-induced cross-linking of adsorbed organic molecules with hyperthermal protons

A new synthetic approach for the formation of ultrathin polymer films with customizable properties was developed. In this approach, the kinematic nature of proton collisions with simple organic molecules condensed on a substrate is exploited to break C-H bonds preferentially. The subsequent recombination of carbon radicals gives a cross-linked polymer thin film, and the selectivity of C-H cleavage preserves the chemical functionalities of the precursor molecules. The nature and validity of the method are exemplified with theoretical results from ab initio molecular dynamics calculations and experimental evidence from a variety of characterization techniques. Its applicability is demonstrated by the synthesis of ultrathin polymer films with precursor molecules such as dotriacontane, docosanoic acid, poly(acrylic acid) oligomer, and polyisoprene. The approach is fundamentally different from conventional chemical synthesis as it involves an unusual mix of physical and chemical processes including charge exchange, projectile penetration, kinematics, collision-induced dissociation, inelastic energy transfer, chain transfer, and chain cross-linking.     

N,N''''-硝基苯酰基取代苯酰氨基硫脲的合成与生物活性

酰氨基硫脲类化合物不仅具有广谱抗菌性能 ,还具有极好的杀虫和植物生长调节活性 [1～ 3] ,因而引起许多国内外学者对硫脲类化合物的合成及其化学结构与生物活性关系方面的研究 [4～ 8] .为了进一步研究不同的取代基团对此类化合物生物活性的影响 ,作者用硝基苯酰基异硫氰酸酯与芳基酰肼加成制得相应的 N ,N -硝基苯酰基取代苯酰氨基硫脲 ( ) ,并初步测定了它们抑制大肠杆菌和枯草杆菌生长的生物活性 .这些化合物尚未见文献报道 .Ar— COCl KSCN Ar—CONCS a～ cAr CONHNH2 ( 1 ～ 7) Ar—CONHC( S) NHNHCOAr Ar:a.o-N…     

C60(Fullerene)及其卤化衍生物在阴离子聚合中的研究

综述了近年来C60及其卤化衍生物在阴离子聚合中的研究进展。在阴离子聚合中，C60可以直接与反应而进入主链，形成超枝化结构；C60可作为阴离子聚合的偶联剂，形成星形和线形结构；C60阴离子可以引发阴离子聚合。介绍了偶联产物结构控制的方法，以及偶联产物的稳定性。氯化富勒烯也可以作为阴离子聚合的偶联剂，生成星形结构聚合物。     

4,4’-一氧二（苯胺灵）的合成和晶体结构

通过4,4’-一氧二（异氰酸苯酯）与异丙醇加成反应，合成标题化合物 4,4’-一氧二（苯胺灵）(Ⅰ) (C20H24N2O5, Mr=372.41)，并用X射线衍射、红外光谱、13C核磁共振、电子轰击质谱和元素分析对标题化合物进行表征. 晶体属于三斜晶系，空间群为P1晶体学参数为: a=0.85107(17), b=0.91164(18), c=1.45701(3) nm, α=80.44(3)°, β=85.25(3)°, γ=62.88(3)°, V=0.9922(3) nm3, Z=2, Dc=1.247 g•cm－3, μ(Mo Kα)=0.90 cm－1, F(000)=396.两个苯环平面之间的夹角为62.06° (0.06°). 晶体结构经全矩阵最小二乘法修正，最终偏离因子R=0.0520, wR=0.1434(对可观察点).此化合物应具有广谱的生物活性.     

A cytotoxic compound from the leaves of Juglans mandshurica

From Juglans mandshurica leaves, a new quinone compound was isolated through bioassay-guided fractionation. The structure elucidation of the compound was established based on spectroscopic studies, notably of the 2D NMR spectra. The compound exhibited moderate cytotoxic activities against Hela, MCF-7, BGC823 and 3T3-Llcell lines with IC50 ranges from 7.5 to 26.8 μmol/L.