Solid-State NMR Spectroscopy: A Powerful Technique to Directly Study Small Gas Molecules Adsorbed in Metal–Organic Frameworks

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have shown great potential in gas separation and storage, and the design of MOFs for these purposes is an on-going field of research. Solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (SSNMR) spectroscopy is a valuable technique for characterizing these functional materials. It can provide a wide range of structural and motional insights that are complementary to and/or difficult to access with alternative methods. In this Concept article, the recent advances made in SSNMR investigations of small gas molecules (i.e., carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, hydrogen gas and light hydrocarbons) adsorbed in MOFs are discussed. These studies demonstrate the breadth of information that can be obtained by SSNMR spectroscopy, such as the number and location of guest adsorption sites, host–guest binding strengths and guest mobility. The knowledge acquired from these experiments yields a powerful tool for progress in MOF development.     

Solution-Based,Anion-Doping of Li4Ti5O12 Nanoflowers for Lithium-Ion Battery Applications

Solution-based, anionic doping represents a convenient strategy with which to improve upon the conductivity of candidate anode materials such as Li₄Ti₅O₁₂ (LTO). As such, novel synthetic hydrothermally-inspired protocols have primarily been devised herein, aimed at the large-scale production of unique halogen-doped, micron-scale, three-dimensional, hierarchical LTO flower-like motifs. Although fluorine (F) doping has been explored, the use of chlorine (Cl) dopants is the primary focus here. Several experimental variables, such as dopant amount, lithium hydroxide concentration, and titanium butoxide purity, were probed and perfected. Furthermore, the Cl doping process did not damage the intrinsic LTO morphology. The analysis, based on interpreting a compilation of SEM, XRD, XPS, and TEM-EDS results, was used to determine an optimized dopant concentration of Cl. Electrochemical tests demonstrated an increased capacity via cycling of 12 % for a Cl-doped sample as compared with pristine LTO. Moreover, the Cl-doped LTO sample described in this study exhibited the highest discharge capacity yet reported at an observed rate of 2C for this material at 143mAh g⁻¹. Overall, these data suggest that the Cl dopant likely enhances not only the ion transport capabilities, but also the overall electrical conductivity of our as-prepared structures. To help explain these favorable findings, theoretical DFT calculations were used to postulate that the electronic conductivity and Li diffusion were likely improved by the presence of increased Ti³⁺ ion concentration coupled with widening of the Li migration channel.     

Air‐Stable Spirofluorene‐Containing Ladder‐Type Bis(alkynyl)borane Compounds with Readily Tunable Full Color Emission Properties

A series of air‐stable spiro‐fused ladder‐type boron(III) compounds has been designed, synthesized, and the electrochemistry and photophysical behavior have been characterized. By simply varying the substituents on the pyridine ring and extending the π‐conjugation of the spiro framework, the emission color of these compounds can be easily fine‐tuned spanning the visible spectrum from blue to red. All compounds exhibit a broad and structureless emission band across the entire visible region, assigned as an intramolecular charge‐transfer transition originating from the thiophene of the spiro framework to the pyridine‐borane moieties. In addition, these compounds demonstrate high photoluminescence quantum yields of up to 0.81 in dichloromethane solution and 0.86 in doped thin films. Some of the compounds have also been employed as emissive materials, in which solution‐processed organic light‐emitting devices (OLEDs) with tunable emission colors spanning the visible spectrum from blue, green to red have been realized, demonstrating the potential applications of these boron compounds in OLEDs.     

Tuning of Supramolecular Architectures of l‐Valine‐Containing Dicyanoplatinum(II) 2,2′‐Bipyridine Complexes by Metal–Metal, π–π Stacking,and Hydrogen‐Bonding Interactions

A series of newly synthesized dicyanoplatinum(II) 2,2′‐bipyridine complexes exhibits self‐assembly properties in solution after the incorporation of the l ‐valine amino units appended with various hydrophobic motifs. These l ‐valine‐derived substituents were found to have critical control over the aggregation behaviors of the complexes in the solution state. On one hand, one of the complexes was found to exhibit interesting circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) signals at low temperature due to the formation of chiral spherical aggregates in the temperature‐dependent studies. On the other hand, systematic transformation from less uniform aggregates to well‐defined fibrous and rod‐like structures via Pt???Pt and π–π stacking interactions has also been observed in the mixed‐solvent studies. These changes were monitored by UV/Vis absorption, emission, circular dichroism (CD), and CPL spectroscopies, and morphologies were studied by electron microscopy.     

Neutral Hexacoordinate Phosphorus(V) Compounds Containing Tridentate Dianionic Ligands Obtained from Salicylideneamines, 2,2′-Azodiphenol and a Thio(Diphenol)

Abstract

Neutral hexacoordinate phosphorus(V) compounds of a number of univalent bidentate ligands are known.^l,2 The silylated forms of tridentate, dianionic Schiff base ligands: N-(2-hydroxyphenyl)salicylideneamine H₂L^I, N-(4-tert-butyl-2-hydroxyphenyl)-salicylideneamine H₂L^II, N-(2-hydroxy-4-nitrophenyl)salicylidene-amine H₂L^III, and 2,2′-azodiphenol H₂L^IV gave, with halogeno- and (trifluoromethyl)halogenophosphoranes, neutral hexa-coordinate derivatives with bis-chelate structures. The ligands form bicyclic five- and six-membered chelate rings in a meridional conformation, with two P-O bonds and one N→P donor bond. Hexacoordinate structures were evidenced by high-field ³¹P NMR chemical shifts (-136 to -148 ppm), characteristic J _PF coupling patterns and was further substantiated by crystal structures of Cl₃L^II (A) and F₃PL^II (B).     

A Yeast Chemical Genetic Screen Identifies Inhibitors of Human Telomerase

1. Download : Download high-res image (173KB)
2. Download : Download full-size image

Highlights? Growth arrest induced by human telomerase in yeast is chemically reversible ? Readout is sensitive to telomerase catalytic activity and telomere recruitment ? Three cell-permeable compounds also inhibit purified human telomerase ? Yeast can be successfully used to screen for human telomerase inhibitors     

Future of the Particle Replication in Nonwetting Templates (PRINT) Technology

Particle replication in nonwetting templates (PRINT) is a continuous, roll‐to‐roll, high‐resolution molding technology which allows the design and synthesis of precisely defined micro‐ and nanoparticles. This technology adapts the lithographic techniques from the microelectronics industry and marries these with the roll‐to‐roll processes from the photographic film industry to enable researchers to have unprecedented control over particle size, shape, chemical composition, cargo, modulus, and surface properties. In addition, PRINT is a GMP‐compliant (GMP=good manufacturing practice) platform amenable for particle fabrication on a large scale. Herein, we describe some of our most recent work involving the PRINT technology for application in the biomedical and material sciences.     

Patterning Surfaces for Controlled Platelet Adhesion and Detection of Dysfunctional Platelets

Platelets play a fundamental role in thrombus formation and in the pathogenesis of arterial thrombosis. Patterning surfaces for controlled platelet adhesion paves the way for adhesion and activation mechanisms in platelets and detection of platelet functional defects. Here, a new and simple method based on controlled polymerization of 2‐methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) on the surface of styrene‐block‐(ethylene‐co‐butylene)‐block‐styrene (SEBS) is shown. The competition between polymerization and degradation enables platelet adhesion on SEBS to be switched on and off. The adhesive sites of the platelets can be down to single cell level, and the dysfunctional platelets can be quantitatively detected.

     

Determination of avilamycin as dichloroisoeverninic acid in poultry and porcine muscles by isotope dilution liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry

Avilamycin residue in food is regulated as its marker residue dichloroisoeverninic acid (DIA). An isotope dilution liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry method is established for the accurate determination of DIA in animal muscles without any pre-extraction and preconcentration prior to alkaline hydrolysis. Optimization of the sample cleanup procedures such as liquid–liquid extraction and solid phase extraction was performed by fine-tuning several critical parameters to reduce the matrix effects. Quantification of DIA in edible muscle was accomplished by using matrix-matched calibration with dichloroisoeverninic acid-d₆ as internal standard. The method was validated with DIA and avilamycin-fortified poultry and porcine muscles at three different levels (25, 50, and 100 μg/kg). Conversion of avilamycin to DIA by alkaline hydrolysis was ≥92 %. The recoveries of DIA in both muscles at three fortification levels ranged from 94 to 106 % and RSDs were ≤11 % in all cases. The estimated limit of detection values in poultry and porcine muscles were 2.7 and 0.7 μg/kg, respectively. The estimated limit of quantitation values in poultry and porcine muscles were 8.3 and 2.4 μg/kg, respectively. This method is suitable for routine monitoring of avilamycin residue in food safety surveillance programs.