Spectroelectrochemical and Theoretical Study of [Si(ttpy)2](PF6)4: A Potential Polychromatic Electrochromic Dye

Complexes consisting of earth-abundant main group metals such as silicon with polypyridine ligands are of interest for a variety of optical and electronic applications including as electrochromic colorants. Previous spectroelectrochemical studies with tris(2,2′-bipyridyl)silicon(IV) hexafluorophosphate, [Si(bpy)₃](PF₆)_4, demonstrated an ability to control the color saturation of the potential electrochromic dye, with the intensity of the dye’s green color increasing as the charge state sequentially reduces from 4+ to 1+. In this study, the synthesis of bis(4′-(4-tolyl)-2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine)silicon(IV) hexafluorophosphate, [Si(ttpy)₂](PF₆)₄, is reported along with electrochemical and spectroelectrochemical analyses. Computational modeling (density functional theory) is used to further elucidate the electrochromic properties of previously reported Si(bpy)₃ⁿ⁺ species and the new Si(ttpy)₂ⁿ⁺ species. While the homoleptic tris(bidentate)silicon(IV) complexes are attractive as electrochromic dyes for tunable color saturation, the bis(tridentate)silicon(IV) complexes are attractive as polychromatic electrochromic dyes.     

探秘深海热泉

在海洋深处的一些地方出现了裹挟大量物质喷涌而出的热液,在那里就有生命。天文学家Jon Willis开启了一段考察这类严酷环境的航海之旅,从而为寻找太阳系地外生命提供蛛丝马迹。     

Electrodeposition of nanostructured catalysts for electrochemical energy conversion: Current trends and innovative strategies

This review discusses the latest advances in electrodeposition of nanostructured catalysts for electrochemical energy conversion: fuel cells, water splitting, and carbon dioxide electroreduction. The method excels at preparing efficient and durable nanostructured materials, such as nanoparticles, single atom clusters, hierarchical bifunctional combinations of hydroxides, selenides, phosphides, and so on. Yet, in most cases, chemical composition cannot be decoupled from catalyst morphology. This compromises the rational design of electrodeposition procedures because performance indicators depend on both morphology and surface chemistry. We expect electrodeposition will keep unraveling its potential as the preferred method for electrocatalyst synthesis once a deeper understanding of the electrochemical growth process is combined with complex chemistries to have control of the morphology and the surface composition of complex (bifunctional) electrocatalysts.     

Self-assembled free-floating nanomaterials from sequence-defined polymers

Sequence-defined polymers can be programmed to self-assemble into precise nanostructures for applications in biosensing, drug delivery, optics, and molecular computation. Inspired by the natural self-assembly processes present in biological protein and DNA systems, sets of molecular design rules have emerged across materials classes as instructions to build a variety of tunable structures. This review highlights recent advances in self-assembled sequence-defined and sequence-specific polymers across peptides, peptoids, DNA, and non-biological synthetic materials, with a focus on synthesis, assembly processes and overall structure. Specifically, these self-assembled structures are free-floating, as such constructs can potentially serve as a platform for the aforementioned applications. Emphasis is placed on the molecular design of polymers that self-assemble into zero-dimensional, one-dimensional, two-dimensional, or three-dimensional nanostructures. With the development of automated syntheses and increasing control over self-assembly, future work may focus on emerging classes of compatible hybrid materials with exciting directions toward new architectures and applications.     

Direct transfer of aliphatic and aromatic substituents from organosilatranes to mercury(II) species

The relative reaction rates of several silatranes (derivatives of 2,8.9-trioxa-5-aza- 1-silatricyclo[3.3.3.0^1,5]undecane) and HgCl₂ in acetone-d₆to yield the corresponding organomercury compound are of the order of e.g., 5 × 10^?1 1 mol^?1 sec^?1 or slightly less, a rate that is unexpectedly high compared to the essentially inert parent organotrialkoxysilanes. Thus, the apical Si&.zsbnd;C bond of the silatrane is extraordinarily susceptible to direct electrophilic attack by mercury(II). The rates decrease in the order CH₂CH, C₆H₅, p-ClC₆H₄ > CH₃ > CH₃CH₂, CH₃CH₂CH₂ > C₆H₁₁, ClCH₂, Cl₂CH, CH₃CH₂O. The effects of varying the solvent and the counterions are noted, and the probable mechanism is discussed.     

The design and synthesis of novel derivatives of the dopamine uptake inhibitors GBR 12909 and GBR 12935. High-affinity dopaminergic ligands for conjugation with highly fluorescent cadmium selenide/zinc sulfide core/shell nanocrystals

There is a growing demand for compounds with very high affinities for the dopamine transporter protein (DAT) that can be conjugated to fluorescent markers such as cadmium selenide/zinc sulfide core/shell nanocrystals. This paper describes the design and synthesis of two derivatives of the DAT antagonists GBR 12935 and GBR 12909. These compounds have a high biological affinity for DAT and may be conjugated to nanocrystals via a thiol linkage without a significant reduction in their biological activity. Such conjugates may be used in fluorescent imaging studies.     

Expert Systems for University Admissions

This paper describes the construction of an expert system to help the admissions tutor for a university degree in business and management which receives some 2000 applications for entry each year, using the SAGE shell. What originally began as a ‘demonstrator project’ is shown to be of practical value, in terms of both producing a usable expert system and clarifying and questioning the selection criteria used by the admissions tutor. A particular conclusion emerging from this work which may be relevant to many expert systems applications is that ethical and practical considerations dictated that some questions involving judgement could not be delegated by the admissions tutor to the clerical staff. It thus became necessary to develop two versions of the expert system, one a full ‘admissions-tutor system’, the other a more limited version for day-to-day use.