Design and Synthesis of Aviram–Ratner‐Type Dyads and Rectification Studies in Langmuir–Blodgett (LB) Films

The design and synthesis of Aviram–Ratner‐type molecular rectifiers, featuring an anilino‐substituted extended tetracyanoquinodimethane (exTCNQ) acceptor, covalently linked by the σ‐spacer bicyclo[2.2.2]octane (BCO) to a tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) donor moiety, are described. The rigid BCO spacer keeps the TTF donor and exTCNQ acceptor moieties apart, as demonstrated by X‐ray analysis. The photophysical properties of the TTF‐BCO‐exTCNQ dyads were investigated by UV/Vis and EPR spectroscopy, electrochemical studies, and theoretical calculations. Langmuir–Blodgett films were prepared and used in the fabrication and electrical studies of junction devices. One dyad showed the asymmetric current–voltage (I–V) curve characteristic for rectification, unlike control compounds containing the TTF unit but not the exTCNQ moiety or comprising the exTCNQ acceptor moiety but lacking the donor TTF part, which both gave symmetric I–V curves. The direction of the observed rectification indicated that the preferred electron current flows from the exTCNQ acceptor to the TTF donor.     

Four bromo‐substituted pyrazoline and isoxazolinone spiro derivatives

Conformational analyses and a structural comparison of the four spiro compounds 3‐bromo‐1,9‐di­phenyl‐4‐p‐tolyl‐7‐oxa‐1,2,8‐tri­aza­spiro­[4.4]­nona‐2,8‐dien‐6‐one, (I), C₂₄H₁₈BrN₃O₂, 3‐bromo‐4‐(4‐methoxy­phenyl)‐1,9‐di­phenyl‐7‐oxa‐1,2,8‐tri­aza­spiro­[4.4]­nona‐2,8‐dien‐6‐one, (II), C₂₄H₁₈BrN₃O₃, 3‐bromo‐4‐(4‐chloro­phenyl)‐1,7,9‐tri­phenyl‐1,2,7,8‐tetra­aza­spiro­[4.4]­nona‐2,8‐dien‐6‐one, (III), C₂₉H₂₀BrClN₄O, and 3‐bromo‐1,7,9‐tri­phenyl‐4‐p‐tolyl‐1,2,7,8‐tetra­aza­spiro­[4.4]­nona‐2,8‐di­en‐6‐one, (IV), C₃₀H_22.89Br_1.11N₄O, are presented. The mol­ecular structures are rather similar, which is as expected since the compounds are all products of concerted 1,3‐dipolar attack on (Z)‐4‐aryl­idene oxazolone and pyrazolone derivatives. The observed conformations tend to favour extended π conjugation of the benzene rings and other π systems, as shown by a comparison of selected geometric parameters of the four structures.     

Attitude dynamic singularities in 3D free-flying manipulators for improved path planning

This paper extends the solution, already presented to the trajectory planning problem of 2D free-flying manipulators, to 3D manipulators. It demonstrates it is possible to design a robotic arm with a special dynamic singularity (attitude singular configuration), thus permitting to determine and execute its trajectory without affecting the attitude of the spacecraft carrying it. This methodology provides an exact solution to trajectory planning problems that are usually dealt with by approximate algorithms based on the concept of Disturbance Map. After a theoretical introduction, some educational design examples are presented.     

Gold nanoparticles stabilized by modified halloysite nanotubes for catalytic applications

A highly sustainable prototype of a flow system based on gold nanoparticles (4.2 nm) supported on thiol‐functionalized halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) was developed for catalytic applications. The catalytic performances were evaluated using the reduction of 4‐nitrophenol to 4‐aminophenol as a model system. Under the best experimental conditions (0.0001 mol%, 1.97 × 10^?8 mg of Au nanoparticles), an impressive apparent turnover frequency value up to 2 204 530 h^?1 was achieved and the halloysite‐based catalyst showed full recyclability even after ten cycles. The high catalytic activity confirms the importance of the use of HNTs as support for Au nanoparticles that can exert a synergistic effect both as medium for transfer of electrons from borohydride ions to 4‐nitrophenol and by modulating interfacial electron transfer dynamics. With the application of flow technology, the obtained heterogeneous HNT@Au catalyst was fully recovered and reused for at least one month.     

Synthesis and X-ray crystal structures of some isothiosemicarbazone complexes

Transition Metal Chemistry - Four complexes of a new isothiosemicarbazone ligand have been prepared and characterized as μ2-pip-(NiL)2 (1), MnL2 (2), UO2L(BrSal)BuOH (3) and (μ2-MoO2L)2...     

Diradical Organic One-Dimensional Polymers Synthesized on a Metallic Surface

We report on the synthesis and characterization of atomically precise one-dimensional diradical peripentacene polymers on a Au(111) surface. By means of high-resolution scanning probe microscopy complemented by theoretical simulations, we provide evidence of their magnetic properties, which arise from the presence of two unpaired spins at their termini. Additionally, we probe a transition of their magnetic properties related to the length of the polymer. Peripentacene dimers exhibit an antiferromagnetic (S=0) singlet ground state. They are characterized by singlet–triplet spin-flip inelastic excitations with an effective exchange coupling (J_eff) of 2.5 meV, whereas trimers and longer peripentacene polymers reveal a paramagnetic nature and feature Kondo fingerprints at each terminus due to the unpaired spin. Our work provides access to the precise fabrication of polymers featuring diradical character which are potentially useful in carbon-based optoelectronics and spintronics.     

Nuclear magnetic resonance using electronic referencing: method validation and evaluation of the measurement uncertainties for the quantification of benzoic acid in orange juice

Quantitative nuclear magnetic resonance measurements have become more popular over the last decade. The introduction of new methods and experimental parameters has been of fundamental importance in the development of new applications. Amongst these new developments is the introduction of electronic referencing for quantifications. The use of electronic referencing eliminates errors in the analyses as a result of weighting of internal standards as well as undesired problems as a result of the solubility of the standards in the analyte solution and chemical interactions between the analyte and the internal standard. In this work, we have studied the quantification of a very important analyte in a food matrix, benzoic acid in orange juice, as a model to the validation and measurement uncertainty estimation of electronic referencing using ¹H NMR in food analyses. The referencing method applied was the pulse length‐based concentration measurement. Method was validated and showed good results for the precision and accuracy parameters evaluated. A certified reference material and a reference material candidate were analyzed, and extremely good results were obtained. Reported relative expanded uncertainties are in the 1.07–1.39% range that can be considered an extremely good performance for the analysis of a food complex matrix. Measurement uncertainty was evaluated by two different approaches, and the pulse calibrations for the samples and for the reference have been shown to account for approximately 80% of the total uncertainty of the measurement. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Replacement of Water Molecules in a Phosphate Binding Site by Furanoside‐Appended lin‐Benzoguanine Ligands of tRNA‐Guanine Transglycosylase (TGT)

The enzyme tRNA‐guanine transglycosylase has been identified as a drug target for the foodborne illness shigellosis. A key challenge in structure‐based design for this enzyme is the filling of the polar ribose‐34 pocket. Herein, we describe a novel series of ligands consisting of furanoside‐appended lin‐benzoguanines. They were designed to replace a conserved water cluster and differ by the functional groups at C(2) and C(3) of the furanosyl moiety being either OH or OMe. The unfavorable desolvation of Asp102 and Asp280, which are located close to the ribose‐34 pocket, had a significant impact on binding affinity. While the enzyme has tRNA as its natural substrate, X‐ray co‐crystal structures revealed that the furanosyl moieties of the ligands are not accommodated in the tRNA ribose‐34 site, but at the location of the adjacent phosphate group. A remarkable similarity of the position of the oxygen atoms in these two structures suggests furanosides as a potential phosphate isoster.