Magnetically aligned phospholipid bilayers with large q ratios stabilize magnetic alignment with high order in the gel and L(alpha) phases

The magnetic alignment behavior ofbicelles (magnetically alignable phospholipid bilayered membranes) as a function of the q ratio (1,2-dihexanoyl-sn-glycerol phosphatidylcholine/1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycerol phosphatidylcholine mole ratio) and temperature was studied by spin-labeled X-band electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy and solid-state 2H and 31P NMR spectroscopy. Well-aligned bicelle samples were obtained at 45 degrees C for q ratios between 2.5 and 9.5 in both the EPR and NMR spectroscopic studies. The molecular order of the system, S(mol), increased as the q ratio increased and as the temperature decreased. For higher q ratios (> or = 5.5), bicelles maintained magnetic alignment when cooled below the main phase transition temperature (approximately 30 degrees C when in the presence of lanthanide cations), which is the first time, to our knowledge, that bicelles were magnetically aligned in the gel phase. For the 9.5 q ratio sample at 25 degrees C, S(mol) was calculated to be 0.83 (from 2H NMR spectra, utilizing the isotopic label perdeuterated 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycerol phosphatidylcholine) and 0.911 (from EPR spectra utilizing the spin probe 3beta-doxyl-5alpha-cholestane). The molecular ordering of the high q ratio bicelles is comparable to literature values of S(mol) for both multilamellar vesicles and macroscopically aligned phospholipid bilayers on glass plates. The order parameter S(bicelle) revealed that the greatest degree of bicelle alignment was found at higher temperatures and larger q ratios (S(bicelle) = -0.92 for q ratio 8.5 at 50 degrees C).     

Evolution of the interface and metal film morphology in the vapor deposition of Ti on hexadecanethiolate hydrocarbon monolayers on Au

The combination of in situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, infrared reflection spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry are used to probe the nature of the evolving interface chemistry and metal morphology arising from Ti vapor deposition onto the surface of a CH(3)(CH(2))(15)S/Au{111} self-assembled monolayer (SAM) at ambient temperature. The results show that for a deposition rate of approximately 0.15 Ti atom.nm(-2).s(-1) a highly nonuniform Ti overlayer is produced via a process in which a large fraction of impinging Ti atoms do not stick to the bare SAM surface. The adsorbed atoms form isolated Ti clusters and react with CH(3) groups to form carbide products at the cluster-SAM interfaces. Further growth of Ti clusters appears to be concentrated at these scattered reaction centers. The SAM molecules in the local vicinity are subsequently degraded to inorganic products, progressing deeper into the monolayer as the deposition proceeds to give an inorganic/organic nanocomposite. A continuous overlayer does not form until metal coverage approaches approximately 50 Ti atoms per SAM molecule. These data indicate that for applications such as molecular device contacts the use of Ti may be highly problematic, suffering from both a highly nonuniform contact area and the presence of extensive inorganic products such as nonstoichiometric carbides and hydrides.     

Crystal structure of tetraethylammonium fluoride-water (4/11), 4(C2H5)4N+F− · 11H2O,a clathrate hydrate containing linear chains of edge-sharing (H2O)4F− tetrahedra and bridging water molecules

Crystals of 4(C₂H₅)₄N⁺F^– · 11H₂O are orthorhombic, space groupPna2₁, witha=16.130(3),b=16.949(7),c=17.493(7) Å, andZ=4. The structure was shown to be a clathrate hydrate containing infinite chains of edge-sharing (H₂O)₄F^– tetrahedra extending parallel to thea axis. The chains are laterally linked by bridging water molecules to form a three-dimensional hydrogen-bonded anion/water framework. The ordered (C₂H₅)₄N⁺ cations occupy the voids in two open channel systems running in theb andc directions. FinalR _F =0.091 for 2278 observed MoK data measured at 22°C. Supplementary Data: relating to this article are deposited with the British Library as Supplementary Publication No. SUP 82010 (20 pages).Dedicated to Professor H. M. Powell.     

31P- und 195Pt-NMR-Untersuchungen an Diplatin(I)-Komplexen des Typs [Pt2(μ-SPR2)2L2] (L = PR3, PhP(OPh)2, P(OPh)3, CNR)

³¹P and ¹⁹⁵Pt N.M.R. Investigations on Diplatinum (I) Complexes of the Type [Pt₂(μ-SPR₂)₂L₂] (L = PR₃, PhP(OPh)₂, P(OPh)₃, CNR) ³¹P-, ¹⁹⁵Pt-chemical shifts and ¹⁹⁵Pt–³¹P- resp. ³¹P–³¹P-coupling constants of a series of doubly bridged diplatinum(I) complexes are reported. ³¹P-coordination chemical shifts of the terminal ligands of complexes of type [Pt₂(μ-SPR₂)₂(P′R₃′)₂] and some of the various coupling constants are strongly influenced by the π-acceptor strength of these ligands. J(¹⁹⁵Pt–¹⁹⁵Pt) is found to change the sign among the series of complexes investigated. Thermal singlett triplet exitation giving rise to the paramagnetism of these complexes observed by preliminary EPR-measurements and confirmed by EHT-calculations is deduced from the large values of ²J(P–P′) and ³J(P′P′) as well as the unusually high temperature dependence of some coupling constants and other NMR features. The chemical stability of the doubly bridged core, the coordination shifts of the bridging phosphorus atoms and EHT-calculations suggest a view of aromaticity of the [Pt₂(μ-SPR₂)₂](M–M) unit of these complexes.     

Metal Complexes with Macrocyclic Ligands. Part XXXIX. Mono- and binuclear copper(II) complexes of a bridging bis[1, 4, 7-triazacyclononane]

The new bis-macrocycle 1, 1′-[(1H-pyrazol-3], 5-diyl)bis(methylene)bis[1, 4, 7-triazacyclononane] ( 1 ) was synthesized and its complexation with Cu²⁺ studied. Potentiometric and spectrophotometric titrations indicate that, in addition to the mononuclear species [Cu(LH₂)]⁴⁺, [Cu(LH)]³⁺, [CuL]²⁺, and [Cu(LH_?1)]⁺, binuclear complexes such as [Cu₂L]⁴⁺, [Cu₂(LH_?1)]³⁺, and [Cu₂(LH_-2)]²⁺ are also formed in solution. The stability constants and spectral properties of these are reported. The binuclear species [Cu₂(LH_?1)]³⁺ specifically reacts with an azide ion to give a ternary complex [Cu₂(LH_?1)(N₃)]²⁺, the stability and structure of which were determined spectrophotometrically and by X-ray diffraction, respectively. The two Cu²⁺ ions are in a square-pyramidal coordination geometry. The axial ligand is one of the N-atoms of the 1, 4, 7-triazacyclononane ring, whereas at the base of the square pyramid, one finds the other two N-atoms of the macrocycle, one N-atom of the pyrazolide and one of the azide, both of which are bridging the two metal centres. In [Cu₂(LH_?1)(N₃)]²⁺, a strong antiferromagnetic coupling is present, thus resulting in a species with a low magnetic moment of 1.36 B.M. at room temperature.     

Highly selective entry to the azadirachtin skeleton via a Claisen rearrangement/radical cyclization sequence

[formula: see text] A highly diastereoselective, microwave-induced Claisen rearrangement of an appropriately substituted propargylic enol ether allows the formation of the sterically congested C8-C14 bond of azadirachtin. When combined with a radical-mediated cyclization of the corresponding allene, this sequence offers rapid entry to the framework of azadirachtin.     

Duplex Stabilization of DNA: Oligonucleotides containing 7-substituted 7-deazaadenines

The oligonucleotide building blocks 4b–d derived from 7-bromo-, 7-chloro-, and 7-methyl-substituted 7-deaza-2′-deoxyadenosines 3b–d were prepared. They were employed in the solid-phase synthesis of the oligonucleotides 7–25 . The dA residues of the homomer d(A₁₂), the alternating d[(A-T)₆], and the palindromic d(G-T-A-G-A-A-T-T-C-T-A-C) were replaced by 3b–d as well as by the parent 7-deaza-2′-deoxyadenosine ( 3a ). The melting profiles and CD spectra of oligonucleotide duplexes, showing this major groove modification, were measured, and the T_m values as well as the thermodynamic data were determined. It was found that small substituents such as Br, Cl, or Me introduced in the 7-position of a 7-deazaadenine residue increase the duplex stability compared to oligonucleotides containing adenine.     

DNA-templated self-assembly of protein and nanoparticle linear arrays

Self-assembling DNA tiling lattices represent a versatile system for nanoscale construction. Self-assembled DNA arrays provide an excellent template for spatially positioning other molecules with increased relative precision and programmability. Here we report an experiment using a linear array of DNA triple crossover tiles to controllably template the self-assembly of single-layer or double-layer linear arrays of streptavidin molecules and streptavidin-conjugated nanogold particles through biotin-streptavidin interaction. The organization of streptavidin and its conjugated gold nanoparticles into periodic arrays was visualized by atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy.     

Template-directed self-assembly of 10-microm-sized hexagonal plates

This article presents a strategy for the fabrication of ordered microstructures using concepts of design inspired by molecular self-assembly and template-directed synthesis. The self-assembling components are 4-microm-thick hexagonal metal plates having sides 10 microm in length ("hexagons"), and each template consists of a 4-microm-thick circular metal plate surrounding a central cavity, the perimeter of which is complementary in shape to the external edges of a two-dimensional, close-packed array of hexagons. The hexagons and templates (collectively, "pieces") were fabricated via standard procedures and patterned into hydrophobic and hydrophilic regions using self-assembled monolayers (SAMs). Templated self-assembly occurs in water through capillary interactions between thin films of a nonpolar liquid adhesive coating the hydrophobic faces of the pieces. The hexagons tile the cavities enclosed by the templates, and the boundaries of the cavities determine the sizes and shapes of the assemblies. Curing the adhesive with ultraviolet light furnishes mechanically stable arrays having well-defined morphologies. By allowing control over the structures of the resulting aggregates, this work represents a step toward the development of practical methods for microfabrication based on self-assembly.     

Determination of the atomic charge on sodium in sodium salts by numerical integration — a theoretical investigation

The electron density difference in a NaSCN crystal is set up from the ab initio densities of Na⁺ and SCN^? ions and compared to the experimental counterpart based on X-ray diffraction measurements. Numerical integration over the electron density difference is executed around the Na⁺ ion. The atomic charge (+0.20e) derived in this way is in good agreement with the analogous experimental charge (+0.27e) The low experimental value cannot therefore be taken as an indication for a predominantly non-ionic structure of NaSCN and similar sodium salts