Copper nanoclusters as peroxidase mimetics and their applications to H2O2 and glucose detection

Copper nanoclusters (Cu NCs) are found to possess intrinsic peroxidase-like activity for the first time. Similar to nature peroxidase, they can catalyze the oxidation of 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine by H₂O₂ to produce a nice blue color reaction. Compared with horseradish peroxidase, Cu NCs exhibits higher activity near neutral pH, which is beneficial for biological applications. The increase in absorbance caused by the Cu NCs catalytic reaction allows the detection of H₂O₂ in the range of 10 μM to 1 mM with a detection limit of 10 μM. A colorimetric method for glucose detection was also developed by combining the Cu NCs catalytic reaction and the enzymatic oxidation of glucose with glucose oxidase. Taking into account the advantages of ultra-small size, good stability, and high biocompatibility in aqueous solutions, Cu NCs are expected to have potential applications in biotechnology and clinical diagnosis as enzymatic mimics.     

Amperometric detection of nitrite based on Dawson-type vanodotungstophosphate and carbon nanotubes

A nitrite sensor based on Dawson vanodotungstophosphates α₂-K₇P₂VW₁₇O₆₂·18H₂O (P₂W₁₇V) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) was prepared by electrostatic layer-by-layer self-assembly technique. The sensor {PEI/PSS/[PDDA/P₂W₁₇V-CNTs]_n} was characterized by UV–vis spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS). The electron transfer and sensing ability of this sensor were explored using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectra (EIS) technology. The results show that the incorporation of CNTs and P₂W₁₇V into the composite film endowed the modified electrode with fast transfer rate and high electrocatalytic activity towards oxidation of nitrite. This nitrite sensor with 10 bilayers has a broad linear range of 5 × 10⁻⁸ to 2.13 × 10⁻³ M, a low detection limit of 0.0367 μM (S N⁻¹ = 3), a high sensitivity of 0.35 mA mM⁻¹ NO₂⁻, an excellent anti-interference property in the presence of other potential interfering species and a good stable. It was successfully employed for determination of nitrite in real towards.     

A new strategy based on cholesterol-functionalized iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles for determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by high-performance liquid chromatography with cholesterol column

This study reported for the first time the use of cholesterol-functionalized magnetic nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄@SiO₂@Chol) for the determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in traditional Chinese medicine samples (TCMs) by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled with fluorescence detection. The method was efficient, environmentally friendly, and fast. The solvent consumption of the proposed column is only half of the conventional column but with higher efficiency. Influencing factors, including sorbent amount, desorption solvent, sample volume and extraction time, were investigated in detail. Under the optimum conditions, good linearity (R² > 0.991) was obtained over the range of 5–400 ng g⁻¹, with limits of detection (LOD) 0.75, 0.50, 1.0, 0.56, 0.60, 0.84 and 0.80 ng g⁻¹ for anthracene, fluoranthene, pyrene, chrysene, benzo[a]anthracene, benzo(b)fluoranthene and benzo(k)fluoranthene, respectively.     

Five New Cycloartane‐Type Triterpenoid Saponins from Nervilia fordii

Five new cycloartane glycosides, nervisides D–H ( 1 – 5 ), were isolated from the AcOEt‐ and H₂O‐soluble portions of the 90% EtOH extract of the aerial part of the plant Nervilia fordii. The structures of the isolated glycosides were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analysis including HR‐ESI‐MS and NMR data. The isolated nervisides D–H were evaluated for the cytotoxic activity in vitro against human‐tumor cell lines (CNE, Hep‐2 and HepG2) with the MTT method.     

Prenylated Benzene Metabolites from Melicope pteleifolia

Chemical investigation on the stem and root of Melicope pteleifolia afforded three new prenylated benzene metabolites as racemic mixtures, named pteleifolins A–C ( 1 – 3 , resp.). Their gross structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analysis, especially 2D‐NMR experiments. An enantiomer resolution of (±)‐ 1 using chiral HPLC was performed, and the absolute configuration of the enantiomers were determined to be (+)‐(S)‐ 1 and (?)‐(R)‐ 1 by means of circular‐dichroism analysis.     

Controlling the optimum surfactants concentrations for dispersing carbon nanofibers in aqueous solution

As a new nano-scale functional material, it is necessary to achieve a uniform distribution in the composites for gaining the CNFs’ excellent reinforcing effect. In this paper, CNFs were purified by the method of high temperature annealing treatment. Six surfactants, methylcellulose (MC), hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), dodecylamine (DDA), N, N-dimethyl formamide (DMF) and cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) were used individually and combinatorially in a certain concentration to disperse the CNFs in aqueous solution. To achieve a good dispersion of the CNFs, a method utilizing ultrasonic processing was employed. The CNFs treated by the method of high temperature annealing treatment were characterized by differential thermal analysis (DTA) and thermogravimetry analysis (TGA), and the ultrasonication-driven dispersion of CNFs in aqueous solutions were monitored by UVvis spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The experiments reveal that the method of high temperature annealing treatment purified the CNFs and the maximum achievable dispersion of CNFs corresponds to the maximum UV absorbance of the solution. All results show that the surfactants mixture of MC and SDS in a certain concentration of 0.4 and 2.0 g/L has the maximum dispersion effect on CNFs in aqueous solution, the optimum concentration ratio of MC, SDS, and CNFs was 2: 10: 1.     

Covert Mannich Reaction via Carbon Transfer

1,3‐Dimethylbenzimidazolidine reacts with ketones, which can provide activating α hydrogens and primary or secondary amines under acidic conditions, to yield aminomethylation derivatives by a covert Mannich reaction.     

A computational investigation on the geometries,stabilities, antioxidant activity,and the substituent effects of the L‐ascorbic acid and their derivatives

The geometries, stabilities, and antioxidant activities of L‐Ascorbic acid (1a), D‐erythroascorbate (2a), and D‐erythroascorbate glucoside (3a) as well as their sulfur and selenium derivatives are systematically investigated by using density functional theory. Emphasis is placed on studies of the two main mechanisms, that is, hydrogen atom donation and single‐electron transfer, and the O—H bond dissociation enthalpy and the ionization potential are computed in the gas phase and water solution. The calculated results indicate that the 2‐OH group in the five‐membered ring acts as an important H atom donor to free radicals. The 2‐OH radical spin density distribution shows that the unpaired electron is mostly located at the C3 atom of the five‐membered ring and partially at the vicinal O atoms, proving that a certain delocalization of the odd electron is effective in the five‐membered ring. In water aqueous solution, the antioxidant capacity and the electron donating ability are increased as the O atom in the five‐membered ring of 1a, 2a, and 3a is replaced by S and Se, respectively, in good agreement with experimental measurements; Furthermore, their antioxidant capacities are enhanced as compared with the standard antioxidant (resveratrol). © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Facile Method for 1,3‐Dipolar Cycloaddition Reaction of Azomethine Ylides: Highly Stereoselective Synthesis of Substituted Pyrrolidine Derivatives

The substituted pyrolidine derivatives with high stereoselectivity were obtained through cycloaddition reaction in the presence of a Lewis acid namely diethylzinc by solvent‐free grinding method.