On-surface isostructural transformation from a hydrogen-bonded network to a coordination network for tuning the pore size and guest recognition

Rational manipulation of supramolecular structures on surfaces is of great importance and challenging. We show that imidazole-based hydrogen-bonded networks on a metal surface can transform into an isostructural coordination network for facile tuning of the pore size and guest recognition behaviours. Deposition of triangular-shaped benzotrisimidazole (H₃btim) molecules on Au(111)/Ag(111) surfaces gives honeycomb networks linked by double N–H⋯N hydrogen bonds. While the H₃btim hydrogen-bonded networks on Au(111) evaporate above 453 K, those on Ag(111) transform into isostructural [Ag₃(btim)] coordination networks based on double N–Ag–N bonds at 423 K, by virtue of the unconventional metal–acid replacement reaction (Ag reduces H⁺). The transformation expands the pore diameter of the honeycomb networks from 3.8 Å to 6.9 Å, giving remarkably different host–guest recognition behaviours for fullerene and ferrocene molecules based on the size compatibility mechanism.

A hydrogen-bonded network on a Ag(111) surface can transform into an isostructural Ag(i) coordination network, giving drastically different host–guest recognition behaviours.     

The phase diagram of KNO3-KClO3

The binary phase diagram of KNO₃-KClO₃ is studied by means of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and high-temperature X-ray diffraction. The limited solid solutions, K(NO₃)_1−x(ClO₃)_x (0<x<0.20) and K(NO₃)_1−x(ClO₃)_x (0.90<x<1.0), were formed in the KNO₃-based solid solutions and KClO₃-based solid solutions phase, respectively. For KNO₃-based solid solutions, KNO₃ ferroelectric phase can be stable from 423 to 223 K as a result of substituting of NO₃ by ClO₃-radicals. The temperatures for solidus and liquidus have been determined based on limited solid solutions. Two models, Henrian solution and regular solution theory for KNO₃-based (α) phase and KClO₃-based (β) phase, respectively, are employed to reproduce solidus and liquidus of the phase diagram. The results are in good agreement with the DSC data. The thermodynamic properties for α and β solid solutions have been derived from an optimization procedure using the experimental data. The calculated phase diagram and optimized thermodynamic parameters are thermodynamically self-consistent.     

Thermal degradation and flame retardancy of flexible polyvinyl chloride containing solid superacid

The objective of the present article was to study the thermal degradation behavior and flame retardancy of flexible polyvinyl chloride (PVC) composites containing TiO₂/SO ^2?₄ solid superacid because of its strong catalytic ability for esterification and dehydration. The TiO₂/SO ^2?₄ solid superacid was synthesized by using precipitation immersion method, and its structure was investigated by X-ray diffraction. As expected, the value of limiting oxygen index for PVC/Sb₂O₃/(TiO₂/SO ^2?₄ ) composite was 32.5% and the char yield of PVC/Sb₂O₃/(TiO₂/SO ^2?₄ ) composite was significantly improved compared to neat PVC in thermogravimetry tests. In addition, the peak heat release rate and smoke production rate of PVC/Sb₂O₃/(TiO₂/SO ^2?₄ ) decreased by 14% and 42%, respectively, compared with neat PVC. Moreover, the results of cone calorimetry tests and electron micrograph of char residue showed that the char yield of TiO₂/SO ^2?₄ was enhanced, resulting in a strong char layer structure with outstanding fire retardance cone. In conclusion, the results of this work showed that the addition of solid superacid promoted the decomposition and dehydration of PVC, which formed a compact and continuous char layer on the surface of the material. Hence, the study provides a new perspective for producing composites with excellent flame retardancy and smoke suppression properties of PVC.

     

Balancing kinetic and thermodynamic control: the mechanism of carbocation cyclization by squalene cyclase

Molecular dynamics simulations with a combined quantum mechanical and molecular mechanical (QM/MM) potential have been carried out to investigate the squalene-to-hopene carbocation cyclization mechanism in squalene-hopene cyclase (SHC). The present study is based on free energy simulations by constructing the free energy surface for the cyclization steps along the reaction pathway. The picture that emerges for the carbocation cyclization cascade is a delicate balance of thermodynamic and kinetic control that ultimately favors the formation of the final hopanoids carbon skeleton. A key finding is that the five- to six-membered ring expansion process is not a viable reaction pathway for either C- or D-ring formation in the cyclization reaction. The only significant intermediate is the A/B-bicyclic cyclohexyl cation (III), from which two asynchronous concerted reaction pathways lead to, respectively, the 6,6,6,5-tetracyclic carbon skeleton and the 6,6,6,6,5-pentacyclic hopanoids. Experimentally, these two products are observed to have 1% and 99% yields, respectively, in the wild-type enzyme. We conclude that the product distribution in the wild-type enzyme is dictated by kinetic control of these two reaction pathways.     

Dithia-crown-annelated tetrathiafulvalene disulfides: synthesis, electrochemistry, self-assembled films, and metal ion recognition

The synthesis and electrochemistry of a series of tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) and dithia-crown-TTF derivatives attached with one or two disulfide group(s) 7a-f are reported. The self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of these TTF disulfides on gold were prepared and characterized by reflection-absorption infrared spectroscopy. The SAMs are extremely stable under a wide variety of conditions and over extended periods of time and show remarkable electrochemical stability upon repeated potential scans. SAMs of the crown-TTF disulfides 7c,d,f can recognize alkali metal ions, and the process can be monitored following the electrochemical potential shift of the surface-confined TTF group.     

Capillary electrophoresis with amperometric detection of curcumin in Chinese herbal medicine pretreated by solid-phase extraction

In the present study, curcumin from Chinese herbal medicine turmeric was determined by capillary electrophoresis with amperometric detection (CE-AD) pretreated by a self-designed, simple, inexpensive solid-phase extraction (SPE) cartridge based on the material of tributyl phosphate resin. An average concentration factor of 9 with the recovery of > 80% was achieved when applied to the analysis of curcumin in extracts of tumeric. Under the optimized CE-AD conditions: a running buffer composed of 15 mM phosphate buffer at a pH 9.7, separation voltage at 16 kV, injection for 6 s at 9 kV and detection at 1.20 V, CE-AD with SPE exhibited low detection limit as 3 x 10(-8) mol/l (S/N = 3), high efficiency of 1.0 x 10(5) N, linear range of 7 x 10(-4) -3 x 10(-6) mol/l (r = 0.9986) for curcumin extracted from light petroleum. The method developed resulted in enhancement of the detection sensitivity and reduction of interference from sample matrix in complicated samples and exhibited the potential application for routine analysis, especially in food, because a relatively complete process of sample treatment and analysis was described.     

利用压电频移法测定水中的痕量亚硝酸盐

提出了利用压电频移法测定亚硝酸盐的方法。方法以碘离子与亚硝酸根之间的氧化还原反应为依据，通过测定由反应生成的碘所引起的压电晶体频率的变化，在被萃取水相中亚硝酸盐浓度为０．００９￣２．３ｍｇ／Ｌ范围内，频移值与浓度成正比：ΔＦ＝５．８＋２．５×１０＾３Ｃ（ｍｇ／Ｌ），ｒ＝０．９９０１。方法简便，用于天然水中亚硝酸盐的测定，结果令人满意。     

Thermal degradation of wood treated with guanidine compounds in air: Flammability study

Wood has been treated with guanidine phosphate, guanidine nitrate, guanidine carbonate and guanidine chloride to impart flame retardancy. The samples were subjected to differential thermal analysis (DTA) and thermogravimetry (TG) from ambient temperature to 800°C in air to study their thermal behaviors. From the resulting data, kinetic parameters for different stages of thermal degradation were obtained following the method of Broido. For the decomposition of wood and flame retardant wood, the activation energy was found to decrease from 116 to 54 kJ mol^–1; the char yield was found to increase from 5.6 to 34.9%, LOI from 18 to 41.5, which indicated that the flame retardancy of treated wood was improved. Effects of the different compounds on the degradation and flammability of wood have also been proposed.This revised version was published online in November 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

钴膦簇合物的催化环丙烷化反应

本文首次利用碳基钴簇合物ＰｈＰＣｏ_３（ＣＯ）_９催化剂，在常压和－２０℃－０℃，用苯乙烯和重氮乙酸乙酯进行环丙烷化反应，合成了菊酸酯，重氮乙酸乙酯可全部转化，酯的选择性可达８５％。产物经减压分馏后，由ＩＲ和￣１ＨＮＭＲ分析，确证了产物为菊酸酯，表明了羰基钴簇合物对苯乙烯的环丙烷化反应有良好的催化性能，为四面体异核簇合物用于不对称催化反应打下了基础。