Synthesis and optical characterization of new ketocyanine dyes with extended polymethine chaines

New symmetrical and unsymmetrical near-infrared absorbing ketocyanine-type dyes are synthesized and their optical characterization is done. The relationships between their structure and optical properties are discussed. The synthesized ketocyanine dyes show a positive solvatochromism and are poorly fluorescent. A new procedure for the preparation of N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylvinamidinium perchlorate, which was a very useful reagent for the synthesis of various heterocyclic compounds as well as for the preparation of cyanine dyes is developed.     

Tubular Structures of Calcium Carbonate: Formation,Characterization, and Implications in Natural Mineral Environments

Chemical gardens are self-assembled tubular precipitates formed by a combination of osmosis, buoyancy, and chemical reaction, and thought to be capable of catalyzing prebiotic condensation reactions. In many cases, the tube wall is a bilayer structure with the properties of a diaphragm and/or a membrane. The interest in silica gardens as microreactors for materials science has increased over the past decade because of their ability to create long-lasting electrochemical potential. In this study, we have grown single macroscopic tubes based on calcium carbonate and monitored their time-dependent behavior by in situ measurements of pH, ionic concentrations inside and outside the tubular membranes, and electrochemical potential differences. Furthermore, we have characterized the composition and structure of the tubular membranes by using ex situ X-ray diffraction, infrared and Raman spectroscopy, as well as scanning electron microscopy. Based on the collected data, we propose a physicochemical mechanism for the formation and ripening of these peculiar CaCO₃ structures and compare the results to those of other chemical garden systems. We find that the wall of the macroscopic calcium carbonate tubes is a bilayer of texturally distinct but compositionally similar calcite showing high crystallinity. The resulting high density of the material prevents macroscopic calcium carbonate gardens from developing significant electrochemical potential differences. In the light of these observations, possible implications in materials science and prebiotic (geo)chemistry are discussed.     

Incorporation of β-Alanine in Cu(II) ATCUN Peptide Complexes Increases ROS Levels,DNA Cleavage and Antiproliferative Activity**

Redox-active Cu(II) complexes are able to form reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the presence of oxygen and reducing agents. Recently, Faller et al. reported that ROS generation by Cu(II) ATCUN complexes is not as high as assumed for decades. High complex stability results in silencing of the Cu(II)/Cu(I) redox cycle and therefore leads to low ROS generation. In this work, we demonstrate that an exchange of the α-amino acid Gly with the β-amino acid β-Ala at position 2 (Gly2→β-Ala2) of the ATCUN motif reinstates ROS production (^•OH and H₂O₂). Potentiometry, cyclic voltammetry, EPR spectroscopy and DFT simulations were utilized to explain the increased ROS generation of these β-Ala2-containing ATCUN complexes. We also observed enhanced oxidative cleavage activity towards plasmid DNA for β-Ala2 compared to the Gly2 complexes. Modifications with positively charged Lys residues increased the DNA affinity through electrostatic interactions as determined by UV/VIS, fluorescence, and CD spectroscopy, and consequently led to a further increase in nuclease activity. A similar trend was observed regarding the cytotoxic activity of the complexes against several human cancer cell lines where β-Ala2 peptide complexes had lower IC₅₀ values compared to Gly2. The higher cytotoxicity could be attributed to an increased cellular uptake as determined by ICP-MS measurements.     

UiO-66 and hcp UiO-66 Catalysts Synthesized from Ionic Liquids as Linker Precursors

Using ionic liquids (ILs) as linker precursors, the well-known metal-organic framework (MOF) UiO-66 (Universitetet i Oslo) and the recently reported MOF hcp UiO-66 (hexagonal closed packed) have been successfully synthesized and characterized. The advantage of the applied novel synthesis approach is an economically and environmentally benign work-up procedure, due to the better solubility of the IL. Additionally, the reactivity of the terephthalate anions is increased compared to terephthalic acid, resulting in faster MOF formation with an increased amount of defects in the MOF structure. In order to explore to the influence of defects on the catalytic performance, the cyclisation of citronellal to isopulegol was employed as test reaction. The activity of hcp UiO-66 and fcc UiO-66 (face centered cubic) is improved compared to other MOF or zeolite based catalysts, while the selectivity is similar.     

Heteroatom Polysilylenes

Heteroatom polysilylenes with Cl, OR and NR₂ substituents attached to the silicon chain through the heteroatom are described. The relationship between the single crystal X-ray structures of octachlorocyclotetrasilane Si₄Cl₈ and perchloropolysilylene, (SiCl₂)_n, is discussed with reference to possible mechanisms for its phototopochemical synthesis from Si₄Cl₈. Substitution with alcohols yields the bis(alkoxy)polysilylenes, and the origin of the red-shifted UV spectra are discussed in terms of the electronic interaction between oxygen n and silicon orbitals. Substitution with secondary amines yields soluble, yellow polymers with even longer wavelength UV absorption maxima. Effects of the alkyl chain length on hydrolytic stability are considered.     

Preparation and Characterization of Compositions Based on PbO-MgO-Nb2O5 Using the Sol-Gel Method

Lead Magnesium Niobate, Pb(Mg_1/3Nb_2/3)O₃ (PMN), is an important relaxor ferroelectric material. A significant problem exists, however, in the preparation of this material: it is very difficult to prepare pure phase, without the presence of a pyrochlore impurity phase which degrades the dielectric properties. Depending on the processing conditions, the amount of pyrochlore phase varies.Considering the ternary diagram PbO-MgO-Nb₂O₅, different compositions have been prepared by a simple sol-gel method at room temperature using Pb(CH₃COO)₂, Mg(CH₃COO)₂, Nb(OC₂H₅)₅ as precursors. After the heat treatment, the samples obtained were analyzed by XRD and EPMA with the purpose of studying the compositions formed.From the analysis of these results, it seems to be that the appearance of pyrochlore can be related to the reactivity of the MgO and/or the presence of other phases of the binary system PbO-Nb₂O₅. An excess of Pb and Mg is necessary for compositions to be formed near the PMN. The control of the amount of these two elements is very important because an excess of MgO would lead to rich compositions in Mg as a secondary phase.     

Design,Synthesis, and Phenotypic Profiling of Pyrano‐Furo‐Pyridone Pseudo Natural Products

Natural products (NPs) inspire the design and synthesis of novel biologically relevant chemical matter, for instance through biology‐oriented synthesis (BIOS). However, BIOS is limited by the partial coverage of NP‐like chemical space by the guiding NPs. The design and synthesis of “pseudo NPs” overcomes these limitations by combining NP‐inspired strategies with fragment‐based compound design through de novo combination of NP‐derived fragments to unprecedented compound classes not accessible through biosynthesis. We describe the development and biological evaluation of pyrano‐furo‐pyridone (PFP) pseudo NPs, which combine pyridone‐ and dihydropyran NP fragments in three isomeric arrangements. Cheminformatic analysis indicates that the PFPs reside in an area of NP‐like chemical space not covered by existing NPs but rather by drugs and related compounds. Phenotypic profiling in a target‐agnostic “cell painting” assay revealed that PFPs induce formation of reactive oxygen species and are structurally novel inhibitors of mitochondrial complex I.     

The synthesis of cyclic polymers by olefin metathesis: Achievements and challenges

Cyclic polymers have drawn considerable interest for their peculiar physical properties in comparison to linear polymers, despite their equivalent compositions. Synthetically, cyclic polymers can be accessed through either macrocyclic ring‐closure or by ring‐expansion polymerization, but the main challenge with either method is the production of highly pure cyclic polymer samples. This highlight describes advances in the area of cyclic polymer synthesis, with a particular focus on ring‐expansion metathesis polymerization. Methods for characterizing cyclic polymers and assessing their purity are also discussed in order to emphasize the need for additional robust and reliable methods for synthesizing and studying topologically complex macromolecules. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2019 , 57, 228–242