Synthesis,Structure, and Photophysical Properties of the Di‐ and Trinuclear Phosphine‐Diimine Complexes of Copper(I)

Reactions of [Cu(NCMe)₄]⁺ with stoichiometric amount of diphosphine R₂P–(C₆H₄)_n–PR₂, (R = NC₄H₄, n = 1; R = Ph, n = 1, 2, 3) or tri‐phosphine 1, 3, 5‐(PPh₂–C₆H₄–)₃–C₆H₃ ligands give the corresponding di‐ or trinuclear copper(I) acetonitrile‐phosphine complexes 1 – 5 . Substitution of the labile acetonitrile groups with chelating aromatic diimines – 2, 2′‐bipyridine (bpy), 1, 10‐phenanthroline (phen), 5, 6‐dimethyl‐1, 10‐phenanthroline (dmp), 5, 6‐dibromo‐1, 10‐phenanthroline (phenBr₂) – gives the corresponding substituted compounds 6 – 16 . In all complexes 1 – 16 each central Cu^I atom has tetrahedral configuration completed with two N‐ and two P‐donor groups. The compounds obtained were characterized using elemental analysis, ESI‐MS, X‐ray crystallography, and NMR spectroscopy. All phosphine‐diimine compounds 6 – 16 are photoluminescent at room temperature both in dichloromethane solution and in solid state (λ_ex = 385 nm). In CH₂Cl₂ solution the maxima of emission bands are found in a range 540–640 nm, and in solid in a similar range 538–620 nm. Emission of 6 – 16 is assigned to the triplet excited state dominated by the charge transfer transitions with contribution of the MLCT character.     

Fast and selective sugar conversion to alkyl lactate and lactic acid with bifunctional carbon-silica catalysts

A novel catalyst design for the conversion of mono- and disaccharides to lactic acid and its alkyl esters was developed. The design uses a mesoporous silica, here represented by MCM-41, which is filled with a polyaromatic to graphite-like carbon network. The particular structure of the carbon-silica composite allows the accommodation of a broad variety of catalytically active functions, useful to attain cascade reactions, in a readily tunable pore texture. The significance of a joint action of Lewis and weak Br?nsted acid sites was studied here to realize fast and selective sugar conversion. Lewis acidity is provided by grafting the silica component with Sn(IV), while weak Br?nsted acidity originates from oxygen-containing functional groups in the carbon part. The weak Br?nsted acid content was varied by changing the amount of carbon loading, the pyrolysis temperature, and the post-treatment procedure. As both catalytic functions can be tuned independently, their individual role and optimal balance can be searched for. It was thus demonstrated for the first time that the presence of weak Br?nsted acid sites is crucial in accelerating the rate-determining (dehydration) reaction, that is, the first step in the reaction network from triose to lactate. Composite catalysts with well-balanced Lewis/Br?nsted acidity are able to convert the trioses, glyceraldehyde and dihydroxyacetone, quantitatively into ethyl lactate in ethanol with an order of magnitude higher reaction rate when compared to the Sn grafted MCM-41 reference catalyst. Interestingly, the ability to tailor the pore architecture further allows the synthesis of a variety of amphiphilic alkyl lactates from trioses and long chain alcohols in moderate to high yields. Finally, direct lactate formation from hexoses, glucose and fructose, and disaccharides composed thereof, sucrose, was also attempted. For instance, conversion of sucrose with the bifunctional composite catalyst yields 45% methyl lactate in methanol at slightly elevated reaction temperature. The hybrid catalyst proved to be recyclable in various successive runs when used in alcohol solvent.     

High temperature ferromagnetism in cubic Mn-doped ZrO2 thin films

Theory has predicted that high temperature ferromagnetism (FM) should be found in cubic fake-diamonds, Mn-doped ZrO₂. Experimentally, it is shown that Mn-doped ZrO₂ ceramics are not ferromagnetic, but the nanosized Mn-doped ZrO₂ thin films grown on LaAlO₃ substrates can be ferromagnets with T_C above 400 K. The largest saturated magnetic moment (M_s) is huge as of about 230 emu/cm³ for the Mn_0.05Zr_0.95O₂ films, and it decreases as the Mn content increases. The intrinsic FM is strongly associated with the cubic structure of Mn-doped ZrO₂, and the Mn–Mn interactions via oxygen intermediates are important. No electrical conductivity is observed. Mn-doped ZrO₂ thin films can be truly considered as excellent candidates for spintronic applications.     

Estimation of the atmospheric greenhouse gas spatial distribution in the Arctic using a back trajectory model

We present a method and results of the retrieval of average effective fields of atmospheric impurity concentration using a passive wind sensing (remote sensing) numeric technology referred to as Fluid Location of the Atmosphere (FLA). The quasi-two-dimensional problem of reconstruction of the spatial distribution of the greenhouse gases assuming the diffusion Peclet number infinitely large was solved numerically. The study is based on in-situ measurements of the atmospheric methane and carbon dioxide during the expeditions to Belyy Island in the Kara Sea in July and August of 2016 to 2017. The differences and common features of CH₄ and CO₂ spatial distribution in this region of the Arctic during specified periods were analyzed. CH₄ concentrations tended to decrease with moving from the continent to the remote sea areas. For CO₂ on the contrary, lower values were observed over the continent, and they increased with a distance from the coastline. For both greenhouse gases, average atmospheric concentrations increased in 2017 relative to 2016.     

Effect of Pr on electron band spectrum of YBa2Cu3Oy: study by thermopower data analysis

The temperature dependences of the thermopower, S(T) of Y_1−xPr_xBa₂Cu₃O_y (0≤x≤0.6) have been measured and analyzed within a phenomenological model of electron transport in the case of a narrow conductive band. The band spectrum parameters have been estimated by a quantitative comparison of the experimental and calculated S(T) curves. It was revealed that an increase of the Pr content results in remarkable broadening of the conductive band and a strong localization of the states. This can be considered as the main reason for T_c depression. The effect of Pr on the band filling is very slight that makes it possible to conclude a valence of Pr to be close to 3+. The Pr influence on superconducting properties of YBa₂Cu₃O_y cannot be described in the terms of hole-filling effect.     

Synthesis and reactivity studies of a manganese 'microperoxidase' containing b-type heme

Mn(III)protoporphyrin IX-6(7)-gly-gly-his methyl ester (MnGGH) has been prepared by condensation of glycyl-glycyl-L-histidine methyl ester with the propionic side chains of Mn(III)protoporphyrin IX. It was characterised by mass spectrometry and UV/VIS spectroscopy. Stopped-flow spectrophotometry was used to study the reaction of the Mn 'microperoxidase' with hydrogen peroxide. The formation of active intermediates analogous to previously described metal-hydroperoxo (compound 0) and metal-oxo (compound I) intermediates of the 'natural' Fe(III) microperoxidase-8 and Mn(III) microperoxidase-8 was observed. The rate of formation of the MnGGH-based compound I analogue was found to increase dramatically with increasing pH. A steady-state kinetic analysis of the catalytic peroxidase activity of MnGGH towards K4[Fe(CN)6], L-tyrosine methyl ester, o-dianisidine, o-methoxyphenol and ascorbic acid showed that the peroxidase reaction proceeds via the formation of a microperoxidase-substrate complex followed by electron transfer from the substrate to the metal. The reactivity of MnGGH depends on the size and hydrophobicity of the substrate, and these properties appear to influence the rate of the electron transfer, which is the rate-limiting step for the whole process. MnGGH showed higher reactivity towards reducing substrates than its Fe(iii) analogue.     

Maleic anhydride and acetylene plasma copolymer surfaces for SPR immunosensing

We report on the successful application of carboxyl-rich plasma polymerized (PP) films as a matrix layer for bioreceptor immobilization in surface plasmon resonance (SPR) immunosensing. Composition and chemical properties of the carboxyl-rich PP films deposited from a mixture of maleic anhydride and acetylene were investigated. Changes in the films stored in air, water, and buffer were studied and the involved chemical changes were described. Performance in SPR immunosensing was evaluated on interactions of human serum albumin (HSA) with a specific monoclonal antibody. The comparison with the mixed self-assembled monolayer of mercaptoundecanoic acid and mercaptohexanol (MUA/MCH) and one of the most widely used surfaces for SPR, the 2D and 3D carboxymethylated dextran (CMD), was presented to show the efficacy of plasma polymerized matrix layers for biosensing. The PP film-based SPR immunosensor provided a similar detection limit of HSA (100 ng/mL) as MUA/MCH- (100 ng/mL) and 3D CMD (50 ng/mL)-based sensors. However, the response levels were about twice higher in case of the PP film-based immunosensor than in case of MUA/MCH-based alternative. The PP film surfaces had similar binding capacity towards antibody as the 3D CMD layers. The response of PP film-based sensor towards HSA was comparable to 3D CMD-based sensor up to 2.5 μg/mL. For the higher concentrations (> 10 μg/mL), the response of PP film-based immunosensor was lower due to inaccessibility of active sites of the immobilized antibody inside the flat PP film surface. We have demonstrated that due to its high stability and cost-effective straightforward preparation, the carboxyl-rich PP films represent an efficient alternative to self-assembled monolayers (SAM) and dextran-based layers in label-free immunosensing.

Graphical abstract

     

Solid‐supported amphiphilic triblock copolymer membranes grafted from gold surface

Gold‐supported amphiphilic triblock copolymer brushes composed of two hydrophilic poly(2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA) blocks and a hydrophobic poly(n‐butyl methacrylate) (PBMA) middle part were synthesized using a surface‐initiated ATRP. Attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, polarization modulation infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (PM‐IRRAS), ellipsometry, contact angle measurements, and atomic force microscopy were used for the characterization of PHEMA‐co‐PBMA‐co‐PHEMA brushes. The PM‐IRRAS analysis revealed an increase of the chain tilt toward the gold surface during growth of the individual blocks. We suggest that the orientation of the amphiphilic polymer brushes is influenced by both the chain length and the interchain interactions. Additionally, a detachment of the polymer membranes from the solid support and subsequent gel permeation chromatography analyses allowed us to establish their compositions. We applied block‐selective solvents (water and hexane) as well as a good solvent for the whole polymer chain (ethanol) to study the morphology and solvent responsive behavior of the amphiphilic brushes. The presented results could serve as a good starting point for the fabrication of functional solid‐supported membranes for biosensing applications. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 1–13, 2009