Nonclassical SNAPFL analogue as a Cy5 resonance energy transfer partner

We have synthesized a new SNAPFL analogue (1) that exhibits a large Stokes shift (78 nm) (abs. 542 nm, em. 620 nm) and a good quantum yield. Because of the large overlap between the emission spectrum of 1 and the absorption spectrum of Cy5, 1 functions well as a fluorescence donor to Cy5 and has been used in FRET-based experiments using estrogen receptor site-specifically labeled with Cy5 and a receptor ligand conjugated to SNAPFL.     

Control over binding stoichiometry and specificity in the supramolecular immobilization of cytochrome c on a molecular printboard

Here, the stepwise assembly of an electroactive bionanostructure on a molecular printboard is described. The system consists of a cyclodextrin receptor monolayer (molecular printboard) on glass, a divalent linker, streptavidin (SAv), and biotinylated cytochrome c (cyt c). The divalent linker consists of a biotin moiety for binding to SAv and two adamantyl moieties for supramolecular host-guest interaction at the cyclodextrin molecular printboard. The binding of biotinylated cyt c onto a SAv layer bound to preadsorbed linker appeared to be highly specific. The coverages of cyt c as assessed by UV-vis spectroscopy and scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) appeared to be identical indicating that all cyt c units remained active. Moreover, the coverage values corresponded well with an estimate based on steric requirements, and the binding stoichiometry was therefore found to be by two biotin moieties of cyt c per one SAv molecule.     

The cycloacylation — 1,3‐Acylrearrangement sequence as tool for highly substituted pyrrolones

The cyclization reactions between bis‐imidoylchlorides 1 and ketones, which possess different CH‐acidity, were investigated. Diphenylacetone 2 reacts under mild conditions via C,O‐cyclization of the preformed enolate to yield the iminofurane derivative 3 . Upon treatment with trifluoroacetic acid, the latter can be rearranged quantitatively into the pyrrolone 5 . In contrast, 1,3‐acetonedicarboxylate 9 and cyclohexanone 12 immediately lead to highly substituted pyrrolones 11 and 14 . Obviously, the primarily formed cyclization products undergo a very fast 1,3‐acyl rearrangement (Dimroth‐/Mumm‐Rearrangement). The structures of the maleiimide 11 and the indolone 14 were determined by single crystal X‐ray structure analysis. Due to its amino/imino substructure, compound 3 is an efficient ligand for metal complexation reactions, exemplified by the synthesis of two different Zn‐complexes 7 and 8 .     

Transient states in [2 + 2] photodimerization of cinnamic acid: correlation of solid-state NMR and X-ray analysis

13C-CPMAS and other solid-state NMR methods have been applied to monitor the solid-state reactions of trans-cinnamic acid derivatives, which are the pioneer and model compounds in the field of topochemistry previously studied by X-ray diffraction, AFM, and vibrational spectroscopy. Single-crystal X-ray analyses of photoirradiated alpha-trans-cinnamic acid where the monomers are arranged in a head-to-tail manner have revealed the formation of a centrosymmetric alpha-truxillic acid photodimer. For a centrosymmetric dimer, however, two cyclobutane carbon signals and one carbonyl carbon signal were expected apart from other aromatic carbon signals. Instead, four cyclobutane and two carbonyl carbon signals were observed suggesting the formation of a non-centrosymmetric photodimer. Removing hydrogen bonds from the system by esterfication of alpha-truxillic acid yield a centrosymmetric photodimer. Careful analysis of the obtained products via solid-state NMR clearly showed that the observed peak splittings in the 13C-CPMAS spectra did not originate from packing effects but rather result from asymmetric hydrogen bonds distorting the local symmetry. Further evidence of this rather dynamic hydrogen-bonding stems from high-temperature X-ray data revealing that only the joint approach of both X-ray analysis and solid-state NMR at similar temperatures allows for the successful characterization of dynamic processes occurring in topochemical reactions, thus, providing detailed insight into the reaction mechanism of organic solid-state transformations.     

Two‐Dimensional Core‐Shelled Porous Hybrids as Highly Efficient Catalysts for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction

Two‐dimensional (2D) transition‐metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have drawn much attention due to their unique physical and chemical properties. Using TMDs as templates for the generation of 2D sandwich‐like materials with remarkable properties still remains a great challenge due to their poor solvent processability. Herein, MoS₂‐coupled sandwich‐like conjugated microporous polymers (M‐CMPs) with high specific surface area were successfully developed by using functionalized MoS₂ nanosheets as template. As‐prepared M‐CMPs were further used as precursors for preparation of MoS₂‐embedded nitrogen‐doped porous carbon nanosheets, which were revealed as novel electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction with mainly four‐electron transfer mechanism and ultralow half‐wave potential in comparison with commercial Pt/C catalyst. Our strategy to core–shelled sandwich‐like hybrids paves a way for a new class of 2D hybrids for energy conversion and storage.     

Selectivity of guest-host interactions in self-assembled hydrogen-bonded nanostructures observed by NMR

We studied the incorporation of various small guest molecules into calix[4]hydroquinone nanotubes and nanoclusters using solid-state proton NMR spectroscopy in combination with quantum chemical calculations. While the molecules exhibit different types of hydrogen bonding and van der Waals interactions, they show different affinities to the nanotube host structures. As the guest molecules are located inside the complexes, they experience a shift in the NMR resonance line caused by screening effects from the aromatic electrons of the host superstructure. The abilities to fill the otherwise empty space within the tubes can hence be measured indirectly by the displacement of the NMR lines relative to the free molecules. In this way, we can probe which guest molecules are recognized by the calix[4]hydroquinones as suitable for filling their nanoporous superstructures. Selective guest-host interactions have been successfully achieved for the three component mixture of water and acetone with either 2-methyl-2-propanol or 2-propanol. In both cases, the alcohols were superior to acetone in filling the CHQ tubes.     

Selective oxidation and reduction of trinuclear titanium(II) hexaazatrinaphthylene complexes-synthesis, structure, and electrochemical investigations

Titanocene complexes with chelating N-heterocyclic ligand bridges react with ferrocenium salts as selective oxidants to afford air-stable cationic complexes and allow the preparation of exceptional mixed valence hexaazatrinaphthylene complexes [(Cp2Ti)3(mu3-HATNMe6)]n+ (1n+) (n=1, 2, 3, 4). Cyclic voltammograms (CV) and differential pulse voltammograms (DPV) show that nine oxidation states of 1 are generated without decomposition. Comproportionation constants Kc have been calculated in order to determine the extent of electronic communication between the titanium centers. The Kc values of the mixed valence states are indicative of uncoupled (14+), moderately coupled (15+), and strongly coupled (1-, 1+, and 12+) systems. Small but significant structural changes occurring upon oxidation of neutral 1 are observed by X-ray structural analysis on 1+-14+. Anion-pi interactions between the electron-deficient central ring of the HATNMe6 moiety and PF6- and BF4- counterions, respectively, are found for 12+, 13+, and 14+. The short cation-anion contacts cause interesting molecular allignments in terms of molecular architecture. For 12+ the assembly of an one-dimensional (1D) polymer is observed. Electrochemical investigations on the mononuclear cationic titanocene complexes [(Cp2Ti)(L)]+ (L=2,2'-biquinoline (2+), 4,4'-dimethyl-2,2'-biquinoline (3+), and 5,8'-dimethyl-2,3'-biquinoxaline (4+)) showed similar oxidation and reduction characteristics among each other. Conversion to monoanionic, neutral, and dicationic states is enabled. As found for the trinuclear compounds 1n+, the molecular structures of 2+-4+ reveal significant differences compared to their neutral parents.     

PM IRRAS investigation of thin silica films deposited on gold. Part 1. Theory and proof of concept

Polarization modulation infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (PM IRRAS) was successfully used for the first time to characterize an optically transparent thin oxide film. SiO2 layers of 7 nm thickness were synthesized by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) on 200 nm thick gold covered glass slides. Despite the fact that silica is transparent and absorptive to IR radiation when deposited in the form of thin films on a gold surface, it preserves the high metallic reflectivity for the IR light. At grazing angles of incidence of the IR beam, the enhancement of the normal component of the electric field at the interface is comparable to that of Au alone. In addition, the analysis of the structure of a 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DMPC) lipid monolayer deposited using the Langmuir-Blodgett technique is demonstrated.