Twist-Bend Nematic Glasses: The Synthesis and Characterisation of Pyrene-based Nonsymmetric Dimers

A selection of pyrene-based liquid crystal dimers have been prepared, containing either methylene-ether or diether linked spacers of varying length and parity. All the diether linked materials, CBOnO.Py (n=5, 6, 11, 12), exhibit conventional nematic and smectic A phases, with the exception of CBO11O.Py which is exclusively nematic. The methylene-ether linked dimer, CBnO.Py, with an even-membered spacer (n=5) was solely nematogenic, but odd-members (n=6, 8, 10) exhibited both nematic and twist-bend nematic phases. Replacement of the cyanobiphenyl fragment by cyanoterphenyl giving CT6O.Py, gave elevated melting and nematic-isotropic transition temperatures, and SmA and SmC_A phases were observed on cooling the nematic phase. Intermolecular face-to-face associations of the pyrene moieties drive glass formation, and all these materials have a glass transition temperature at or above room temperature. The stability of the glassy twist-bend nematic phase allowed for its study using AFM, and the helical pitch length, P_TB, was measured as 6.3 and 6.7 nm for CB6O.Py and CB8O.Py, respectively. These values are comparable to the shortest pitch of a twist-bend nematic phase measured to date.     

Functional Group Modification and Bonding Characteristics of Ti3C2 MXene-Organic Composites from First-Principles Calculations

The unique physical structure and abundant surface functional groups of MXene make the grafted organic molecules exhibit specific electrical and optical properties. This work reports the results of first-principles calculations to investigate the composite systems formed by different organic molecular monomers, namely acrylic acid (AA), acrylamide (AM), 1-aziridineethanol (1-AD) and glucose, and Ti₃C₂ MXene saturated with different functional groups, namely −OH, −O and −F. The results show that the interaction between organic molecules and the MXene surface depends on the type of functional groups of the organic molecules, while the strength of the interaction is determined by the type of surface functional groups and the number of hydrogen bonds. The bare Ti₃C₂ and Ti₃C₂(OH)₂ can readily form strong chemical and hydrogen bonds with AA and AM molecules, leading to strong adsorption energy and a large amount of charge transfer, while the interaction between organic molecules and MXene saturated by −F or −O groups mainly exhibits physical interactions, accompanied by low adsorption energy and a small amount of charge transfer. This research provides theoretical guidance for the synthesis of high-performance MXene organic composite systems.     

Amorphous Carbon Film with Self-modified Carbon Nanoparticles Synthesized by Low Temperature Carbonization of Phenolic Resin for Simultaneous Sensing of Dopamine and Uric Acid

A self-modified film electrode consisting of homogeneous snowflake-shaped nanoparticles on the amorphous carbon substrate (HNAC) was prepared by low temperature carbonization of phenolic resin. Such a unique structure was beneficial to enhance the electroanalysis signal responds. Simultaneous detection of DA and UA was performed on the HNAC using differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) at pH 8 phosphate buffer. The well-defined oxidation peak potential separation reached 260 mV between DA and UA. Meanwhile, the detection limit of HNAC were 0.401 μM (DA) and 2.800 μM (UA).     

Particle beam-mass spectrometric analysis of difluorophenyl triazole compounds using normal phase-HPLC

Normal phase liquid chromatography combined with particle beam mass spectrometry has been applied to the analysis of fluconazole, an anti-fungal agent, [2-(2,4-difluorophenyl)-1,3-bis(1H-1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)-propan-2-ol] and a related intermediate, UK-51060 [2-(2,4-difluorophenyl)-1-(1H-1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)-ethan-2-one]. Electron ionisation and chemical ionisation have been investigated in combination with quadrupole ion trap and magnetic sector mass spectrometers and the spectra obtained compared with those for direct probe analysis. A novel method for the introduction of the chemical ionisation reagent gas via the interface is described for particle beam-magnetic sector mass spectrometry. Multi-stage scan routines have been implemented on the ion trap for the selective storage of analyte species and removal of solvent ions. Detection limits for both spectrometers have been determined and are discussed in terms of interface geometry and analyte transport characteristics. Normal phase HPLC on silica provided a good separation of the intermediate from the later eluting fluconazole peak.     

Ab initio calculations and molecular mechanics (MM3) force field development for ammonium and protonated aliphatic amines

The geometries and vibrational frequencies of 11 training molecules containing the ammonium ion moiety were calculated at the MP2/6-31+G* level of theory. Various torsional energy profiles were also calculated using this basis set. From those ab initio calculations, a molecular mechanics (MM3) force field was developed using our Parameter Analysis and Refinement Toolkit System (PARTS). Using this set of parameters, the MM3 force field was found to well reproduce the molecular geometries and vibrational spectra for the all training molecules. CPU time was reduced from days to seconds. The availability of this new force field dramatically increases the feasibility of the computer-assisted drug design involving ammonium and protonated amino groups. © 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Comput Chem 18 : 1371–1391, 1997     

Stereoselective C-X and regioselective C-H activation to,and selective C(sp2)-C(sp3) reductive elimination from,platinum compounds with thiophene-derived ligands

Several thiophene-based N^C ligands were synthesized. Strategically, a bromide was incorporated on the 2-position of the thiophene ring. When allowed to react with the platinum tetramethyl dimer, [Pt₂Me₄(µ-SMe₂)₂], platinum(IV) platinacycles were formed by oxidative addition of the C(sp²)-X bond. These platinum(IV) compounds were characterized by NMR and HRMS. The platinum (IV) compounds were subsequently subjected to thermolysis. A series of reactions occurred, including selective C-C reduction elimination and selective C-H oxidative addition, giving mixtures of platinum(II) products with varying degrees of regioselectivity.     

Spectroscopic Measurement of a Halogen Bond Energy

Halogen bonding (XB) has emerged as an important bonding motif in supramolecules and biological systems. Although regarded as a strong noncovalent interaction, benchmark measurements of the halogen bond energy are scarce. Here, a combined anion photoelectron spectroscopy and density functional theory (DFT) study of XB in solvated Br^? anions is reported. The XB strength between the positively‐charged σ‐hole on the Br atom of the bromotrichloromethane (CCl₃Br) molecule and the Br^? anion was found to be 0.63 eV (14.5 kcal mol^?1). In the neutral complexes, Br(CCl₃Br)_1,2, the attraction between the free Br atom and the negatively charged equatorial belt on the Br atom of CCl₃Br, which is a second type of halogen bonding, was estimated to have interaction strengths of 0.15 eV (3.5 kcal mol^?1) and 0.12 eV (2.8 kcal mol^?1).     

离子选择性微电极用于原位测量离子扩散系数

扩散系数是描述物质扩散过程的重要参数,而用膜池法、放射性或荧光示踪法、分子动力学模拟等现有方法无法原位进行生物体系中离子扩散系数的实时测量。 本文利用离子选择性微电极响应迅速、高选择性、高灵敏度、高空间分辨率、对样品无污染等优势,通过分析单个植物细胞原生质体在培养液中破裂时所形成的离子浓度脉冲信号,建立了相应的点源扩散模型,推导出了描述离子浓度随时间变化的理论公式,并通过该公式对实验测得的脉冲信号进行拟合,得到了离子的扩散系数,从而建立了一种用离子选择性微电极原位测定离子扩散系数的新方法,并将其应用于芦荟细胞原生质体破裂时离子扩散系数的测定,得到了Ca²⁺、Na⁺和K⁺的扩散系数分别为(6.51±0.12)×10^-6、(2.93±0.15)×10^-5和(3.03±0.35)×10^-5 cm²/s。 对比发现,拟合得到的Ca²⁺、Na⁺和K⁺扩散系数均略高于已报道的数值(纯水中),这一现象的产生可能是因为原生质体是在低渗液中吸水膨胀,细胞膜内压力升高产生内外压力差,该压力差会加速细胞破裂时离子的扩散。 这一方法对生物体系无干扰,较好地解决了生物体系中离子扩散系数原位实时测量的难题。     

Impact of Positional Isomerism on Pathway Complexity in Aqueous Media

Pathway complexity has become an important topic in recent years due to its relevance in the optimization of molecular assembly processes, which typically require precise sample preparation protocols. Alternatively, competing aggregation pathways can be controlled by molecular design, which primarily rely on geometrical changes of the building blocks. However, understanding how to control pathway complexity by molecular design remains elusive and new approaches are needed. Herein, we exploit positional isomerism as a new molecular design strategy for pathway control in aqueous self‐assembly. We compare the self‐assembly of two carboxyl‐functionalized amphiphilic BODIPY dyes that solely differ in the relative position of functional groups. Placement of the carboxyl group at the 2‐position enables efficient pairwise H‐bonding interactions into a single thermodynamic species, whereas meso‐substitution induces pathway complexity due to competing hydrophobic and hydrogen bonding interactions. Our results show the importance of positional engineering for pathway control in aqueous self‐assembly.     

Ruthenium bipyridyl compounds with two terminal alkynyl ligands

Compounds of the form Ru(X2bipy)(PPh3)2(-C triple bond CC6H4NO2-p)2(X2bipy = 4,4'-X(2)-2,2'-bipyridine, X = Me 3a, Br 3b, I 3c) have been synthesised from the mono-alkynyl precursors Ru(X2bipy)(PPh3)2(-C triple bond CC6H4NO2-p)Cl (X = Me 2a, Br 2b, I 2c); the former are the first ruthenium bis-alkynyl compounds that also contain a bipyridyl ligand. Spectroelectrochemical investigation of 3a shows that the metal is readily oxidised to form the ruthenium(III) compound 3a+, and will also undergo a single-electron reduction at each nitro group to form 3a2-. ESR and UV/visible spectra of these redox congeners are presented. We also report the synthesis of [Ru(Me2bipy)(PPh3)2(-C triple bond CBut)(N triple bond N)][PF6] during the attempted synthesis of Ru(Me2bipy)(PPh3)2(-C triple bond CBut)2, and report its X-ray crystal structure and IR spectrum. X-Ray crystal structures of 3b and 3c(as two different solvates) are presented, and the nature of the intermolecular interactions seen therein is discussed. Z-Scan measurements on Ru(Me2bipy)(PPh3)2(-C triple bond CR)Cl (R = C6H4NO2-p2a, But, Ph, C6H4Me) are also reported, and show that Ru(Me2bipy)(PPh3)2(-C triple bond CR)Cl (R = C6H4NO2-p2a, Ph) exhibit moderate third-order non-linearities.