Amminelithium Amidoborane Li(NH3)NH2BH3: A New Coordination Compound with Favorable Dehydrogenation Characteristics

The monoammoniate of lithium amidoborane, Li(NH₃)NH₂BH₃, was synthesized by treatment of LiNH₂BH₃ with ammonia at room temperature. This compound exists in the amorphous state at room temperature, but at ?20 °C crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group Pbca with lattice parameters of a=9.711(4), b=8.7027(5), c=7.1999(1) Å, and V=608.51 ų. The thermal decomposition behavior of this compound under argon and under ammonia was investigated. Through a series of experiments we have demonstrated that Li(NH₃)NH₂BH₃ is able to absorb/desorb ammonia reversibly at room temperature. In the temperature range of 40–70 °C, this compound showed favorable dehydrogenation characteristics. Specifically, under ammonia this material was able to release 3.0 equiv hydrogen (11.18 wt %) rapidly at 60 °C, which represents a significant advantage over LiNH₂BH₃. It has been found that the formation of the coordination bond between ammonia and Li⁺ in LiNH₂BH₃ plays a crucial role in promoting the combination of hydridic B? H bonds and protic N? H bonds, leading to dehydrogenation at low temperature.     

Real‐Time Monitoring of Mass‐Transport‐Related Enzymatic Reaction Kinetics in a Nanochannel‐Array Reactor

To understand the fundamentals of enzymatic reactions confined in micro‐/nanosystems, the construction of a small enzyme reactor coupled with an integrated real‐time detection system for monitoring the kinetic information is a significant challenge. Nano‐enzyme array reactors were fabricated by covalently linking enzymes to the inner channels of a porous anodic alumina (PAA) membrane. The mechanical stability of this nanodevice enables us to integrate an electrochemical detector for the real‐time monitoring of the formation of the enzyme reaction product by sputtering a thin Pt film on one side of the PAA membrane. Because the enzymatic reaction is confined in a limited nanospace, the mass transport of the substrate would influence the reaction kinetics considerably. Therefore, the oxidation of glucose by dissolved oxygen catalyzed by immobilized glucose oxidase was used as a model to investigate the mass‐transport‐related enzymatic reaction kinetics in confined nanospaces. The activity and stability of the enzyme immobilized in the nanochannels was enhanced. In this nano‐enzyme reactor, the enzymatic reaction was controlled by mass transport if the flux was low. With an increase in the flux (e.g., >50 μL min^?1), the enzymatic reaction kinetics became the rate‐determining step. This change resulted in the decrease in the conversion efficiency of the nano‐enzyme reactor and the apparent Michaelis–Menten constant with an increase in substrate flux. This nanodevice integrated with an electrochemical detector could help to understand the fundamentals of enzymatic reactions confined in nanospaces and provide a platform for the design of highly efficient enzyme reactors. In addition, we believe that such nanodevices will find widespread applications in biosensing, drug screening, and biochemical synthesis.     

Dual-sensitive probe 1-imidazole-2-(5-benzoacridine)-ethanone for the determination of amines in environmental water using HPLC with fluorescence detection and online atmospheric chemical ionization-mass spectrometry identification

Dual-sensitive probe of 1-imidazole-2-(5-benzoacridine)-ethanone (IBAE) for the determination of free amines with fluorescence detection and online highly sensitive atmospheric chemical ionization-mass spectrometry identification (APCI-MS) has been developed. 2-(Benzoacridine)-5-acetic acid (BAAA) reacts with coupling agent N,N′-carbonyldiimidazole (CDI) to form a highly activated amide intermediate 1-imidazole-2-(5-benzoacridine)-ethanone (IBAE), which is dual-sensitive probe. The amide intermediate (IBAE) reacts preferably with amines in dimethylformamide (DMF) solvent to give the high yields of derivatives. IBAE-amine derivatives are not only sensitive to fluorescence but also to MS ionizable efficiency. The percent ionization δ values change from 0 to 57.32% in aqueous acetonitrile and from 0 to 62.14% in aqueous methanol. The relative standard deviations of the peak areas with fluorescence detection for each amine are <1.24% (40 ng/ml, n = 6). The fluorescence detection limits (at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3) are in the range of 0.15-0.50 ng/ml. The online APCI-MS detection limits are in the range of 2.07-8.51 ng/ml (at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3). Therefore, the facile IBAE intermediate derivatization allowed the development of a highly sensitive and specific method for the quantitative analysis of trace levels of amines in environmental water.     

A pH responsive electrochemical switch sensor based on Fe(notpH3) [notpH6 = 1,4,7-triazacyclononane-1,4,7-triyl-tris(methylene-phosphonic acid)

The electrochemistry of a macrocyclic metal complex Fe(notpH₃) [notpH₆ = 1,4,7-triazacyclononane-1,4,7-triyl-tris(methylene-phosphonic acid)] reveals that the protonation/deprotonation of the non-coordinated P-OH groups in Fe(notpH₃) affects its formal potential value (E⁰′) considerably. Plotting E⁰′ as function of solution pH gives a straight line with a slope of −585 mV pH⁻¹ in the pH range of 3.4-4.0, which is about ten times larger than the theoretical value of −58 mV pH⁻¹ for a reversible proton-coupled single-electron transfer at 20 °C. A sensitive pH responsive electrochemical switch sensor is thus developed based on Fe(notpH₃) which shows an “on/off” switching at pH ∼ 4.0.     

{[Eu(ox)(H2O)4]·[CuBr(2‐pzc)2]·4H2O}: Hydrogen Bonding Directed Assembly to Supramolecular Network

A new 3d–4f heterometallic coordination framework, {[Eu(ox)(H₂O)₄] · [CuBr(2‐pzc)₂] · 4H₂O} ( 1 ) [ox = oxalate; 2‐pzc = pyrazine‐2‐carboxylate] was synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy and thermal analysis, as well as single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction. Complex 1 represents one 3D supramolecular heterometallic coordination framework that is assembled from rare lanthanide‐ox anionic chains and CuBr(2‐pzc)₂ cationic units through hydrogen bonds.     

Solidified floating organic drop microextraction for determination of trace amounts of zinc in water samples by flame atomic absorption spectrometry

A glassy carbon electrode was prepared that was coated with a composite film containing electropolymerized poly(amidosulfonic acid) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes. It was used to study the electrochemical response of procaine by differential pulse voltammetry. The results indicate that the electrode exhibits a remarkable improvement in the oxidation peak of procaine, and this led to a simple and sensitive method for the electroanalytical determination of procaine. The peak current is proportional to the concentration of procaine from 80 nM to 1.0 µM. The detection limit is 25 nM (S/N?=?3). The modified electrode was successfully applied to the direct determination of procaine in pharmaceutical formulations.     

An immediate luminescence enhancement method for determination of vitamin B1 using long-wavelength emitting water-soluble CdTe nanorods

A method for determination of vitamin B₁ has been developed that is based on the enhancement effect of vitamin B₁ on the luminescence of water-soluble CdTe nanorods modified with thioglycolic acid and cysteine. The effect of variables including the size of the nanorods on the enhancement of luminescence have been investigated. A preliminary mechanistic study showed that the passivating action of vitamin B₁ on the surface of the CdTe nanorods is likely to be responsible for the enhancement. Interferences by shortwave fluorescence are effectively eliminated because measurements are performed in the near-infrared. Due to the near-infrared measurement character, the fluorescence interference of vitamin B₂ can be effectively eliminated. Under the optimum conditions, the extent of luminescence enhancement is proportional to the concentration of vitamin B₁ in the range from 0.1 to 3.0 μmol L^?1 and the detection limit is 0.03 μmol L^?1. The relative standard deviation for 2.0 μmol L^?1 vitamin B₁ is 1.3% (n?=?6). The method is highly sensitive and selective, avoids the sample treatment needed in other procedures, and can be applied to the determination of vitamin B₁ in real samples with satisfactory results.     

Antibacterial Constituents from Isodon Excisoides

Two new ent‐kaurane diterpenoids, taihangexcisoidesin C (1) and its acetonide, taihangexcisoidesin D (2), along with 9 known compounds were isolated from the leaves of Isodon excisoides. The structures of the new compounds were elucidated using 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy analysis. Compounds 3‐6 and 8‐9 were tested for their antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, S. epidermidis and S. saprophyticus. Compound 6 showed inhibitory effects on Staphylococcus aureus, S. epidermidis and S. saprophyticus MIC values 32, 16 and 16 μg/mL, respectively. All of the compounds didn't show effects on Escherichia coli (MIC > 10 mg/mL).     

d-glucose Enhanced 5-Aminolevulinic Acid Production in Recombinant Escherichia coli Culture

In this study, we introduced a new strategy, feeding d-glucose, to overproduce extracellular 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) in the recombinant Escherichia coli. We investigated that the d-glucose concentration is dependent on extracellular ALA production. The results indicated that increasing d-glucose concentration in bacteria culture enhanced final cell density and ALA yield and simultaneously decreased the activities of ALA synthase (ALAS) and ALA dehydratase (ALAD); then, the inhibitory effect of d-glucose on ALAS activity was relieved with the metabolism of d-glucose. when 4.0 g/L d-glucose was added at late exponential phase; 1.46 g/L ALA was achieved in shaking culture, which is 47% or 109% higher than the ALA yields with 30 mM levulinic acid of ALAD inhibitor or no inhibitor. In jar fermenter, final extracellular ALA concentration reached 3.1 g/L by feeding with d-glucose.     

A Proof for Substitution of Endogenous Iron (II) in Lipoxygenase by Exogenous Cu2+

Soybean lipoxygenase (LOX) contains endogenous iron (II) at the active site, which is important for the enzyme activity. The activity of LOX can be accelerated by some exogenous metal ions including Cu²⁺. However, the mechanism of the activity improvement caused by exogenous metal ions remains unclear, not only for LOX but for most other metalloenzymes. Meanwhile, the possibility that exogenous metal ions can displace endogenous iron (II) is still in discussion for a lack of a direct and quantitative proof. In this paper, a quantitative proof of replacing iron (II) inside LOX by exogenous Cu²⁺ was provided, simply using UV-Vis spectrometry with two indicators p-carboxylantipyrylazo and 9-(4-carboxyphenyl)-2,3,7-trihydroxyl-6-fluorine. A 0.56 μM free iron (II) was observed in the bulk solution after incubating 9.45 μM Cu²⁺ with 16.10 μM LOX at 20°C for 5 min, which is in coincidence with the decrement of Cu²⁺ in the bulk solution (0.53 μM), implying that iron (II) was replaced by Cu²⁺.