Short time deposition of TiO2 nanoparticles on SiC as photocatalysts for the degradation of organic dyes

The deposition of TiO₂ nanoparticles on SiC was carried out by mechanical milling under different conditions. SiC–TiO₂ samples were used as photocatalysts for the degradation of organic dyes such as methylene blue and rhodamine B. A short time deposition of TiO₂ nanoparticles was observed during mechanical milling (2 min at 200 rpm) to cover the SiC particles. The presence of SiC and TiO₂ (anatase and rutile) was confirmed by means of X-ray diffraction after thermal treatment at 450 °C. The deposition of TiO₂ on SiC was corroborated by scanning electron microscopy analysis; the thickness of the thin layer of TiO₂ deposited on SiC increases as the proportion of TiO₂ increases. The energy band gap values obtained for these compounds were around 3.0 eV. SiC–TiO₂ photocatalysts prepared by mechanical milling exhibited better activity under UV-light irradiation for the degradation of methylene blue and rhodamine B than commercial TiO₂ powder (titania P25).     

Trapped in Misbelief for Almost 40 Years: Selective Synthesis of the Four Stereoisomers of Mefloquine

Here we report the synthesis of all four stereoisomers of mefloquine. Mefloquine (Lariam) is an important anti‐malaria drug that is applied as a racemate of the erythro form. However, the (?)‐isomer induces psychosis, while the (+)‐enantiomer does not have this undesired side effect. There are six syntheses of which five lead to the wrong enantiomer without the authors of these syntheses noting that they had synthesized the wrong compound. At the same time physical chemistry investigations had assigned the absolute configuration correctly and the last enantioselective synthesis that took these results into account delivered the correct absolute configuration. Since various synthetic approaches failed to provide the correct stereoisomers in previous syntheses, we submit here a synthetic approach with a domino Sonogashira‐6π‐electrocyclisation as key step that confirmed synthetically the correct absolute configuration of all four isomers.     

Synthesis and Properties of Isobicyclo‐DNA

We present the synthesis of the isobicyclo‐DNA building blocks with the nucleobases A, C, G and T, as well as biophysical and biological properties of oligonucleotides derived thereof. The synthesis of the sugar part was achieved in 5 steps starting from a known intermediate of the tricyclo‐DNA synthesis. Dodecamers containing single isobicyclo‐thymidine incorporations, fully modified A‐ and T‐containing sequences, and fully modified oligonucleotides containing all four bases were synthesized and characterized. Isobicyclo‐DNA forms stable duplexes with natural nucleic acids with a pronounced preference for DNA over RNA as complements. The most stable duplexes, however, arise by self‐pairing. Isobicyclo‐DNA forms preferentially B‐DNA‐like duplexes with DNA and A‐like duplexes with complementary RNA as determined by circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. Self‐paired duplexes show a yet unknown structure, as judged from CD spectroscopy. Biochemical tests revealed that isobicyclo‐DNA is stable in fetal bovine serum and does not elicit RNaseH activity.     

Hydroxy- and aminomethylation reactions in the formation of oligomers from l-tyrosine and formaldehyde in basic medium

The study of the reaction of l-tyrosine or its tetrabutylammonium salt with formaldehyde was performed. The results established that this reaction does not lead to macrocyclic amino acid-type compounds, and in all cases, mixtures of linear oligomers of two or more l-tyrosine units bound by methylene groups were obtained. The formation of ion pair-type linear aggregates in the tetrabutylammonium salt hinders the oligomerization reaction, allowing the isolation of an l-tyrosine dimer, unlike the l-tyrosine reaction, in which a trimer could be isolated.     

N-Benzylazacyclophane synthesis via aromatic Mannich reaction

A new method for synthesizing phenolic N-benzylazacyclophanes starting from tyramine is presented here. Computational calculations showed that macrocyclization is favored by the formation of hydrogen bond-based templates; these templates are not affected by including benzyl groups in the nitrogen atom of the tyramine moiety. The results showed that N-benzyl groups with electron-donating substituents have more nucleophilic nitrogen atoms, thereby favoring macrocyclization, while electron-withdrawing groups favor polymerization.     

Present status of the Technological Laboratory at the LMU Munich

The Technological Laboratory of LMU is undergoing major changes. Most important of them is raising a DLC-Factory’s for diamond-like-carbon (DLC) foils production and a shutdown of the Hot-Lab Facility. Current Laboratory status and development plans are presented in this paper.     

Formation of lithium,sodium and potassium complexes with 1,3,5‐triamino‐1,3,5‐trideoxy‐cis‐inositol (taci)

Single crystals of (1,3‐diamino‐5‐azaniumyl‐1,3,5‐trideoxy‐cis‐inositol‐κ³O²,O⁴,O⁶)(1,3,5‐triamino‐1,3,5‐trideoxy‐cis‐inositol‐κ³O²,O⁴,O⁶)lithium(I) diiodide dihydrate, [Li(C₆H₁₆N₃O₃)(C₆H₁₅N₃O₃)]I₂·2H₂O or [Li(Htaci)(taci)]I₂·2H₂O (taci is 1,3,5‐triamino‐1,3,5‐trideoxy‐cis‐inositol), (I), bis(1,3,5‐triamino‐1,3,5‐trideoxy‐cis‐inositol‐κ³O²,O⁴,O⁶)sodium(I) iodide, [Na(C₆H₁₅N₃O₃)₂]I or [Na(taci)₂]I, (II), and bis(1,3,5‐triamino‐1,3,5‐trideoxy‐cis‐inositol‐κ³O²,O⁴,O⁶)potassium(I) iodide, [K(C₆H₁₅N₃O₃)₂]I or [K(taci)₂]I, (III), were grown by diffusion of MeOH into aqueous solutions of the complexes. The structures of the Na and K complexes are isotypic. In all three complexes, the taci ligands adopt a chair conformation with axial hydroxy groups, and the metal cations exhibit exclusive O‐atom coordination. The six O atoms of the resulting MO₆ unit define a centrosymmetric trigonal antiprism with approximate D_3d symmetry. The interligand O...O distances increase significantly in the order Li < Na < K. The structure of (I) exhibits a complex three‐dimensional network of R—NH₂—H...NH₂—R, R—O—H...NH₂—R and R—O—H...O(H)—H...NH₂—R hydrogen bonds. The structures of the Na and K complexes consist of a stack of layers, in which each taci ligand is bonded to three neighbours via pairwise O—H...NH₂ interactions between vicinal HO—CH—CH—NH₂ groups.