Preparation of silane-coated TiO2 nanoparticles in supercritical CO2

Nanometric inorganic pigments are widely used as fillers for hybrid composite materials. However, these nanometric powders are hydrophilic in nature and their surface must be functionalized before use. In this work, titanium dioxide (TiO₂) nanoparticles were coated using silane coupling agents with alkyl functionality. A supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO₂) method was used for surface silanization. Five alkylalkoxysilanes with different alkyl chain length and structure were studied: methyltrimethoxy, isobutyltriethoxy, octyltriethoxy, octyldimethylmethoxy and octadecyltrimethoxysilane. The microstructure and thermal stability of deposited monolayers were characterized using thermogravimetric analysis, ATR–IR spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, wettability characterization and low-temperature N₂ adsorption/desorption analysis. The use of scCO₂ as a solvent provided an effective approach to functionalize individual inorganic nanoparticles due to the enhanced diffusivity of the solution molecules in the aggregates interparticle voids. The trifunctional silanes employed here yielded surfaces with better thermal stabilities and greater hydrophobicities than the used monofunctional silane.     

Temperature effect on the synthesis of Au-Pt bimetallic nanoparticles

Pt-Au bimetallic nanoparticles have been synthesized by the polyol method and stabilized with poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP), modifying the temperature of synthesis. Interesting structure changes were observed in the nanoparticles as the temperature was varied. At lower temperatures no bimetallic nanoparticles were detected, but as the temperature increased bimetallic nanoparticles started to appear, commonly obtaining core-shell nanoparticles, always covered by the polymer. This originates the modification of the optical response of the system in the UV-visible region. An absorption peak centered at 520 nm at low temperatures was observed (100-110 degrees C); at higher temperatures (130-170 degrees C) there were non detectable absorption peaks, and finally at the two highest temperatures (180-190 degrees C) the reappearance of an absorption feature centered at 510 nm was noticed. These UV-visible results indirectly imply the composition of the surface of the particle. The structure of the particles has been determined using transmission electron microscopy and high-angle annular dark field (HAADF), the latter being a powerful technique to determine the structural composition of the particles and allowing a direct correlation of the optical response with their structural composition. X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) studies were also performed on the samples and their results support the idea of a Pt(core)-Au(shell) structure with the elements segregated from each other. The combination of these experimental techniques with calculated UV-vis absorption spectra allowed, in a reliable way, the elucidation of the nanoparticles structure and elemental distribution.     

Fluorescent Protein–photoprotein Fusions and Their Applications in Calcium Imaging

Calcium‐activated photoproteins, such as aequorin, have been used as luminescent Ca²⁺ indicators since 1967. After the cloning of aequorin in 1985, microinjection was substituted by its heterologous expression, which opened the way for a widespread use. Molecular fusion of green fluorescent protein (GFP) to aequorin recapitulated the nonradiative energy transfer process that occurs in the jellyfish Aequorea victoria, from which these two proteins were obtained, resulting in an increase of light emission and a shift to longer wavelength. The abundance and location of the chimera are seen by fluorescence, whereas its luminescence reports Ca²⁺ levels. GFP‐aequorin is broadly used in an increasing number of studies, from organelles and cells to intact organisms. By fusing other fluorescent proteins to aequorin, the available luminescence color palette has been expanded for multiplexing assays and for in vivo measurements. In this report, we will attempt to review the various photoproteins available, their reported fusions with fluorescent proteins and their biological applications to image Ca²⁺ dynamics in organelles, cells, tissue explants and in live organisms.     

Green Synthesis of Spiro Compounds with Potential Anticancer Activity through Knoevenagel/Michael/Cyclization Multicomponent Domino Reactions Organocatalyzed by Ionic Liquid and Microwave-Assisted

In this work a microwave-assisted Knoevenagel/Michael/cyclization multicomponent domino methodology, using ethanol as solvent and the ionic liquid 1-methylimidazolium chloride as catalyst was developed for the synthesis of spiro compounds. The reaction conditions considered ideal were determined from a methodological study varying solvent, catalyst, amount of catalyst, temperature, and heating mode. Finally, the generality of the methodology was evaluated by exploring the scope of the reaction, varying the starting materials (isatin, malononitrile, and barbituric acid). Overall, the twelve spiro compounds were synthesized in good yields (43–98%) and the X-ray structure of compound 1b was obtained. In addition, the in vitro antiproliferative activities of the spirocycles against four types of human cancer cell lines including HCT116 (human colon carcinoma), PC3 (prostate carcinoma), HL60 (promyelocytic leukemia), and SNB19 (astrocytoma) were screened by MTT-based assay. It is noteworthy that spiro compound 1c inhibited the four cell lines tested with the lowest IC₅₀ values: 52.81 µM for HCT116, 74.40 µM for PC3, 101 µM for SNB19, and 49.72 µM for HL60.     

Development of a flow injection method for monitoring cell membrane damage of wine lactic acid bacteria

A flow injection analysis (FIA) system was developed for the determination of phosphate efflux from wine lactic acid bacteria (Oenococus oeni and Lactobacillus hilgardii) as an indication of cell membrane damage. The system allowed the direct injection of the cell suspension, avoiding the filtration step, with minimum sample treatment and minimized reagent consumption. The developed system is characterized by a linear concentration zone between 3.23 × 10⁻⁵ and 4.84 × 10⁻⁴ mol L⁻¹ PO₄ ³⁻ and repeatability better than 2.9%. Bacterial suspensions were exposed to a chemical stress with phenolic acids and injected in the FIA system at regular intervals. The extracellular concentration of phosphate was measured spectrophotometrically. The experimental results obtained indicate that hydroxycinnamic acids (p-coumaric, ferulic and caffeic) induced faster phosphate leakage rates than hydroxybenzoic acids (vanillic and p-hydroxybenzoic) in both strains tested, which could be related to their higher lipophilic character.     

Triplet reactivity and regio-/stereoselectivity in the macrocyclization of diastereomeric ketoprofen-quencher conjugates via remote hydrogen abstractions

Intramolecular excited triplet state interactions in diastereomeric compounds composed of a benzophenone chromophore (ketoprofen) and various hydrogen donor moieties (tetrahydrofuran, isopropylbenzene) have been investigated by laser flash photolysis. The rate constants for hydrogen abstraction by excited triplet benzophenone are in the order of 10(4)-10(5) s(-1), with the highest reactivity for the tetrahydrofuran residue. A remarkable diastereodifferentiation, expressed in the triplet lifetimes of the carbonyl chromophore (e.g., 1.6 versus 2.7 micros), has been found for these compounds. With an alkylaromatic moiety as donor, related effects have been observed, albeit strongly dependent on the length of the spacer. The reactivity trend for the initial hydrogen transfer step is paralleled by the quantum yields of the overall photoreaction. The biradicals, formed via remote hydrogen abstraction, undergo intramolecular recombination to macrocyclic ring systems. The new photoproducts have been isolated and characterized by NMR spectroscopy. The stereochemistry of the macrocycles, which contain up to four asymmetric carbons, has been unambiguously assigned on the basis of single-crystal structures and/or NOE effects. Interestingly, a highly regio- and stereoselective macrocyclization has been found for the ketoprofen-tetrahydrofuran conjugates, where hydrogen abstraction from the less substituted carbon is exclusive; cisoid ring junction is always preferred over the transoid junction. The photoreaction is less regioselective for compounds with an isopropylbenzene residue. The reactivity and selectivity trends have been rationalized by DFT (B3LYP/6-31G*) calculations.     

Electronic reorganization triggered by electron transfer: The intervalence charge transfer of a Fe3+/Fe2+ bimetallic complex

The key role of the molecular orbitals in describing electron transfer processes is put in evidence for the intervalence charge transfer (IVCT) of a synthetic nonheme binuclear mixed‐valence Fe³⁺/Fe²⁺ compound. The electronic reorganization induced by the IVCT can be quantified by controlling the adaptation of the molecular orbitals to the charge transfer process. We evaluate the transition energy and its polarization effects on the molecular orbitals by means of ab initio calculations. The resulting energetic profile of the IVCT shows strong similarities to the Marcus' model, suggesting a response behaviour of the ensemble of electrons analogue to that of the solvent. We quantify the extent of the electronic reorganization induced by the IVCT process to be 11.74 eV, a very large effect that induces the crossing of states reducing the total energy of the transfer to 0.89 eV. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Enantioselective Synthesis of β‐Amino Acids,Part 13

Inexpensive acryloyl chloride was converted in 91% overall yield to two derivatives of β‐alanine, (R,R,R)‐ 6 and (R,R,S)‐ 6 , containing two chiral auxiliaries. C‐Alkylation of (R,R,R)‐ and (R,R,S)‐ 6 via a dianion derivative, was performed by direct metallation with 2.2 equiv. of lithium hexamethyldisilazane (LHMDS) in THF at ?78°. C‐Alkylation of (R,R,S)‐ 6 ‐Li₂ (‘matched' pair of chiral auxiliaries) afforded the mono‐alkylated products 8 – 11 in 29–96% yield and 54–95% stereoselectivity. Employment of LiCl as an additive generally increased stereoselectivities, whereas the effect of HMPA as a cosolvent was erratic. Chemical correlation of the major diastereoisomer from the alkylation reactions with (S)‐α‐alkyl‐β‐alanine ( 12 – 15 ) showed that addition of the electrophile preferentially takes place on the enolate's Si‐face. This conclusion is also supported by molecular‐modeling studies (ab initio HF/3‐21G), which indicate that the lowest‐energy conformation for (R,R,S)‐ 6 ‐Li₂ presents the more sterically hindered Re‐face of the enolate. The theoretical studies also predict a determining role for N? Li? O chelation in (R,R,S)‐ 6 ‐Li₂, giving rise to an interesting ‘ion‐triplet' configuration for the dilithium dianion.     

Catalytic activity of aluminium and copper-doped magnetite in the high temperature shift reaction

Aluminium and copper-doped magnetite was evaluated as high temperature shift catalyst and compared with a hematite-based sample. The first one is less active but can save energy in industrial processes. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.