Spin–Orbit Charge-Transfer Intersystem Crossing (ISC) in Compact Electron Donor–Acceptor Dyads: ISC Mechanism and Application as Novel and Potent Photodynamic Therapy Reagents

Spin–orbit charge-transfer intersystem crossing (SOCT-ISC) is useful for the preparation of heavy atom-free triplet photosensitisers (PSs). Herein, a series of perylene-Bodipy compact electron donor/acceptor dyads showing efficient SOCT-ISC is prepared. The photophysical properties of the dyads were studied with steady-state and time-resolved spectroscopies. Efficient triplet state formation (quantum yield Φ_T=60 %) was observed, with a triplet state lifetime (τ_T=436 μs) much longer than that accessed with the conventional heavy atom effect (τ_T=62 μs). The SOCT-ISC mechanism was unambiguously confirmed by direct excitation of the charge transfer (CT) absorption band by using nanosecond transient absorption spectroscopy and time-resolved electron paramagnetic resonance (TREPR) spectroscopy. The factors affecting the SOCT-ISC efficiency include the geometry, the potential energy surface of the torsion, the spin density for the atoms of the linker, solvent polarity, and the energy matching of the ¹CT/³LE states. Remarkably, these heavy atom-free triplet PSs were demonstrated as a new type of efficient photodynamic therapy (PDT) reagents (phototoxicity, EC₅₀=75 nm ), with a negligible dark toxicity (EC₅₀=78.1 μm ) compared with the conventional heavy atom PSs (dark toxicity, EC₅₀=6.0 μm, light toxicity, EC₅₀=4.0 nm ). This study provides in-depth understanding of the SOCT-ISC, unveils the design principles of triplet PSs based on SOCT-ISC, and underlines their application as a new generation of potent PDT reagents.     

Photocurrent switching effect on BiVO4 electrodes and its application in development of photoelectrochemical glucose sensor

Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry - In this work, we reported the photocurrent switching effect on BiVO4 semiconductor as well as its application for construction of a new cathodic...     

Boron doping and structure control of carbon materials for supercapacitor application: the effect of freeze-drying and air-drying for porosity engineering

Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry - In the present work, we demonstrate a strategy of combining boron doping and porosity engineering for a highly modulated carbon component and pore...     

Aryl Triflates in On-Surface Chemistry

The reactivity of aryl triflates in on-surface C−C coupling is reported. It is shown that the triflate group in aryl triflates enables regioselective homo coupling with preceding or concomitant hydrodetriflation on Cu(111). Three different symmetrical π-systems with two and three triflate functionalities were used as monomers leading to oligomeric conjugated π-systems. The cascade, comprising different intermediates at different reaction temperatures as observed for one of the molecules, proceeds via initial removal of the trifluoromethyl sulfonyl group to give an aryloxy radical which in turn is deoxygenated to the corresponding aryl radical. Thermodynamically driven regioselective 1,2-hydrogen atom transfer leads to a translocated aryl radical which in turn undergoes coupling. For a sterically more hindered bistriflate, where one ortho position was blocked, dehydrogenative coupling occurred at remote position with good regioselectivity. Starting materials, intermediates as well as products were analyzed by scanning tunneling microscopy. Structures and suggested mechanism were further supported by DFT calculations.     

氧化铁纳米颗粒在磁共振成像中的应用

目前临床诊断中钆基造影剂的应用十分广泛,然而其对人体的毒性无法忽视,因此研究者致力于低毒性造影剂的研发。氧化铁纳米颗粒(Iron Oxide Nanoparticles,IONP)因其超顺磁性在磁共振成像(Magnetic Resonance Imaging,MRI)中具有良好的暗对比效果,并且具有良好的生物相容性。随着生物材料和分子影像技术的发展,IONP在MRI成像中的应用愈发广泛。近年来,IONP在多模态成像和诊断治疗一体化方面取得了进展。本文将以IONP的MRI成像机理、制备和表面修饰为基础,阐述近年来IONP在MRI成像应用的研究成果和问题,期望IONP取得更好的发展。     

Biopolymer Skeleton Produced by Rhizobium radiobacter: Stoichiometric Alternation of Glycosidic and Amidic Bonds in the Lipopolysaccharide O‐Antigen

The lipopolysaccharide (LPS) O‐antigen structure of the plant pathogen Rhizobium radiobacter strain TT9 and its possible role in a plant‐microbe interaction was investigated. The analyses disclosed the presence of two O‐antigens, named Poly1 and Poly2. The repetitive unit of Poly2 constitutes a 4‐α‐l ‐rhamnose linked to a 3‐α‐d ‐fucose residue. Surprisingly, Poly1 turned out to be a novel type of biopolymer in which the repeating unit is formed by a monosaccharide and an amino‐acid derivative, so that the polymer has alternating glycosidic and amidic bonds joining the two units: 4‐amino‐4‐deoxy‐3‐O‐methyl‐d ‐fucose and (2′R,3′R,4′S)‐N‐methyl‐3′,4′‐dihydroxy‐3′‐methyl‐5′‐oxoproline). Differently from the O‐antigens of LPSs from other pathogenic Gram‐negative bacteria, these two O‐antigens do not activate the oxidative burst, an early innate immune response in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, explaining at least in part the ability of this R. radiobacter strain to avoid host defenses during a plant infection process.     

Solvent Effects in the Homogeneous Catalytic Reduction of Propionaldehyde with Aluminium Isopropoxide Catalyst: New Insights from PFG NMR and NMR Relaxation Studies

Solvent effects in homogeneous catalysis are known to affect catalytic activity. Whilst these effects are often described using qualitative features, such as Kamlet-Taft parameters, experimental tools able to quantify and reveal in more depth such effects have remained unexplored. In this work, PFG NMR diffusion and T₁ relaxation measurements have been carried out to probe solvent effects in the homogeneous catalytic reduction of propionaldehyde to 1-propanol in the presence of aluminium isopropoxide catalyst. Using data on diffusion coefficients it was possible to estimate trends in aggregation of different solvents. The results show that solvents with a high hydrogen-bond accepting ability, such as ethers, tend to form larger aggregates, which slow down the molecular dynamics of aldehyde molecules, as also suggested by T₁ measurements, and preventing their access to the catalytic sites, which results in the observed decrease of catalytic activity. Conversely, weakly interacting solvents, such as alkanes, do not lead to the formation of such aggregates, hence allowing easy access of the aldehyde molecules to the catalytic sites, resulting in higher catalytic activity. The work reported here is a clear example on how combining traditional catalyst screening in homogeneous catalysis with NMR diffusion and relaxation time measurements can lead to new physico-chemical insights into such systems by providing data able to quantify aggregation phenomena and molecular dynamics.     

The antidepressant effect of 4-hydroxybenzyl alcohol 2-naphthoate through monoaminergic,GABAergic system and BDNF signaling pathway

Abstract

Gastrodigenin, also known as 4-hydroxybenzyl alcohol (HBA), is one of the main components of Gastrodia elata, which is a perfect lead compound of natural products. In order to get new active compounds, we modified the structure of HBA through esterification with carboxylic acid, and got a series of derivatives in which 4-hydroxybenzyl alcohol 2-naphthoate (NHBA) showed stronger antidepressant activity than HBA. In this paper, we firstly evaluated the antidepressant activity of NHBA by tail suspension test (TST) and forced swimming test (FST). Then, we carried out the biochemical assay and western blot to determine its mechanism. The results displayed that NHBA could increase the content of serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine, γ-aminobutyric acid, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and tropomyosin receptor kinase B (TrkB) in mice brain. It suggested that NHBA exhibited an antidepressant-like effect through monoaminergic system, GABAergic system and BDNF/TrkB signaling pathways.     

Regulating silver nanowire size enables efficient photoelectric conversion

The increasing demand for the state-of-the-art transparent conductive electrodes has received great interest in synthesizing silver nanowires(AgNWs) with a uniform diameter that exhibit excellent conductance, transparency, flexibility and mechanical ductility. Herein, we report the controllable synthesis of ultrathin AgNWs with high aspect ratio via a polyol-assisted process.The diameter of AgNWs can be continuously modulated from 20 to 80 nm by simply adjusting the aging time. The selfassembled films fabricated by using AgNWs with a diameter of 20 nm as building blocks enable an excellent performance and show a sheet resistance of ～30 Ω/sq and an optical transmittance of 94%. In addition, such nanowire-based conductive films can keep the excellent flexibility and resistance after bending 10,000 cycles. Similarly, the intelligent dimming films prepared by this AgNW films also have excellent flexibility and stability.