Intrinsic carrier doping in antiferromagnetically interacted supramolecular copper complexes with (pyrazino)tetrathiafulvalene (pyra-TTF) as the ligand, [CuIICl2(pyra-TTF)] and (pyra-TTF)2[CuI3Cl4(pyra-TTF)

New supramolecular copper complexes with pyrazinotetrathiafulvalene (pyra-TTF) as the ligand, [Cu(II)Cl2(pyra-TTF)] (1) and (pyra-TTF) 2[Cu(I)3Cl4(pyra-TTF)] (2), have been synthesized by the diffusion method. Complex 1 is a black block crystal with a three-dimensional (3-D) supramolecular network; the linear chain [-Cu(II)Cl2-(pyra-TTF)-] n extends along the b axis, where the coordinated pyra-TTF donors are stacked in a head-to-tail and ring-over-bond configuration to construct two-dimensional (2-D) sheets, and between the sheets, there are C...Cl(-) or H...Cl(-) contacts. Even though the electron spin resonance (ESR) measurement reveals the nearly Cu(II) state, complex 1 is a semiconductor with sigmaRT=1.0 x 10(-4) S cm(-1) and Ea=0.33 eV. The high-frequency conductivity measurement also confirmed the intrinsic slight carrier doping from Cu(II) to the pyra-TTF donor. This slight doping enhances not only the real and imaginary dielectric constants but also the antiferromagnetic interaction between Cu(II) spins following the 2-D Heisenberg model with 2J=-20 K. In contrast, complex 2 is a very thin black needle. This needle crystal has two crystallographically independent pyra-TTF molecules, which are coordinated and noncoordinated donors. The coordinated donors composed a supramolecular chain [Cu(I)3Cl4(pyra-TTF)(0)]n , whereas the noncoordinated donors formed conducting alpha'-type pyra-TTF(+0.5) sheets. This complex is semiconducting with sigmaRT=0.1 S cm(-1) and Ea=0.15 eV. Both complexes 1 and 2 demonstrate that the pyra-TTF molecule works not only as an oxidized donor by Cu(II) to construct conducting sheets but also as a ligand coordinated to a Cu cation to form supramolecuar chains.     

Electrical conductivity modulation coupled to a high-spin-low-spin conversion in the molecular system [FeIII(qsal)2][Ni(dmit)2]3.CH3CN.H2O

The synergy between the electrical conductivity within the stacks of Ni(dmit)2 in the newly electrocrystallized [Fe(qsal)2][Ni(dmit)2]3.CH3CN.H2O and the spin conversion of Fe(qsal)2 is evidenced. In addition, the presence of a light-induced excited spin state trapping effect suggests that this complex is a prototypal photoswitchable spin-crossover molecular conductor.     

Analysis on heat stress-induced hyperphosphorylation of stathmin at serine 37 in Jurkat cells by means of two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and tandem mass spectrometry

Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) and tandem mass spectrometry were successfully used for determination of a phosphorylation site of stathmin induced by heat stress to Jurkat cells of a human T lymphoblastic cell line. The cells were incubated for 30 min at 41 degrees C up to 45 degrees C in a serum free 4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazineethanesulfonic acid (HEPES) buffered culture medium. The intracellular soluble proteins were separated by 2-DE, and some of the proteins increased their abundance by heat stress. Those proteins were identified to be calmodulin, protein kinase C substrate, thymosin beta-4 and F-actin capping protein beta-subunit by peptide mass fingerprinting (PMF) with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS). On the contrary, protein phosphatase 2C gamma-isoform, nucleophosmin, translationally controlled tumor protein, Rho GDP-dissociation inhibitor-1, eukaryotic translation initiation factors 5A and 3A subunit 2, ubiquitin-like protein SMT 3B and chloride intracellular channel protein-1 were decreased their abundance. A protein spot of M(r) 18,000 and pI 5.9 was markedly increased at temperatures higher than 43 degrees C at which the cells were led to apoptosis. The spot was identified to be stathmin of a signal relay protein which has a function of sequestering microtubule. MALDI-quadrupole ion trap (QIT)-TOF-MS/MS and immunoblotting with a monoclonal antibody specific for a phosphorylation site of stathmin showed that the spot was a phosphorylated stathmin at serine 37 (Ser 37). The phosphorylation was suppressed by treatment of cells with olomoucine of an inhibitor specific for cyclin dependent kinase (Cdk-1). These results strongly suggest that heat stress activates Cdk-1 which phosphorylates Ser 37 on the stathmin molecule. The phosphorylation may cause the functional loss of stathmin for dynamic microtubule assembly and leads Jurkat cells to cell cycle arrest and apoptosis.     

Products of the triplet excited state produced in the radiolysis of liquid benzene

The radiation chemical yields of the products derived from the triplet excited state produced in the radiolysis of liquid benzene with gamma-rays, 10 MeV 4He ions, and 10 MeV 12C ions have been determined. Iodine scavenging techniques have been used to examine the formation and role of radicals, especially the H atom and phenyl radical. For all irradiation types examined here, the increase in hydrogen iodide yields with increasing iodine concentration matches the increase in iodobenzene yields. This agreement suggests that the benzene triplet excited state is the common precursor for the H atom and the phenyl radical. Pulse radiolysis studies in liquid benzene have determined the rate coefficients for the reactions of phenyl radicals with iodine and with the solvent benzene to be 9.3 x 10(9) M(-1) s(-1) and 3.1 x 10(5) M(-1) s(-1), respectively. Direct measurements of polymer formation, which refers to trimers (C18) and higher order compounds (>C18), in liquid benzene radiolysis using gamma-rays, 4He ions, and 12C ions at relatively high doses have been performed using gel permeation chromatography. The yields of trimers increase from gamma-rays to 12C ions due to the increased importance of intratrack radical-radical reactions that can be scavenged by the radical scavenging reactions of iodine. On the other hand, the >C18 product yields decrease from gamma-rays to 12C ions. The structure of the polymer consists of a partly saturated ring as determined by infrared and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry studies. A schematic representation for the radiolytic decomposition of the benzene triplet excited state is presented.     

Metal-organic frameworks from copper dimers with cis- and trans-1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylate and cis,cis-1,3,5-cyclohexanetricarboxylate

Single crystals of three coordination networks containing the Cu(2)(COO)(4) core bridged by cyclohexane have been hydrothermally prepared by the reaction of 1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylic (1,4-H(2)chdc) or 1,3,5-cyclohexanetricarboxylic (1,3,5-H(3)chtc) acid and Cu(NO(3))(2) x 6H(2)O. We report their characterizations by single-crystal X-ray structure determinations, IR spectroscopy, thermal analyses, and their magnetic properties. [Cu(2)(trans-1,4-chdc)(2)] (1) consists of 4 x 4 grids with the dimeric nodes connected by the trans-1,4-chdc, and these grids are then connected to each other by Cu-O bonds, resulting in a porous network (void volume of 130 Angstrom(3) per cell or 25%) with no solvent in its cavities. [Cu(2)(cis-1,4-chdc)(2)(H(2)O)(2)] (2) consists of two-legged ladders where the dimer nodes are bridged by pairs of cis-1,4-chdc and the water molecules cap the ends of the Cu dimers. [Cu(2)(1,3,5-Hchtc)(2)] (3) displays 4 x 4 grids, but each dimeric node is connected to its neighbors within the same grid by Cu-O bonds to form a layered network which further makes hydrogen-bond interactions with its neighbors. 2 and 3 have compact structures without any space for solvents. IR and DT-TGA confirm the absence of water in the empty channels of 1, while IR shows the presence of both protonated and deprotonated carboxyl groups for 3. The magnetic properties of all three compounds are dominated by the strong Cu-Cu antiferromagnetic interaction resulting in singlet-triplet gaps of 450-500 K.     

Application of water as a solvent in microwave-assisted extraction for analysis of PCBs and CBzs in fly ash

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and chlorobenzenes (CBzs) are two classes of dioxin precursors formed in municipal solid waste incinerators (MSWIs); they produce negative health effects similar to those of dioxins. Reducing the analytical time required for determining the concentrations of these compounds in MSWIs is important for quickly evaluating their importance and assessing associated health risks. In the present study, water is used as a safe and environmentally friendly solvent in microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) for PCB and CBz analyses. MAE is compared with traditional Soxhlet extraction (SE) to determine the extraction efficiencies. The evaluation of extraction efficiencies shows that MAE has a high extraction efficiency compared with that of SE when water content is lower than 60%. Furthermore, the extraction time and organic solvent consumption are reduced with MAE compared with SE.     

The Critical Effect of Niobium Doping on the Formation of Mesostructured TiO2: Single‐Crystalline Ordered Mesoporous Nb‐TiO2 and Plate‐like Nb‐TiO2 with Ordered Mesoscale Dimples

Highly ordered mesoporous niobium‐doped TiO₂ with a single‐crystalline framework was prepared by using silica colloidal crystals with ca. 30 nm in diameter as templates. The preparation of colloidal crystals composed of uniform silica nanoparticles is a key to obtain highly ordered mesoporous Nb‐doped TiO₂. The XPS measurements of Nb‐doped TiO₂ showed the presence of Nb⁵⁺ and correspondingly Ti³⁺. With the increase in the amount of doped Nb, the crystalline phase of the product was converted from rutile into anatase, and the lattice spacings of both rutile and anatase phases increased. Surprisingly, the increase in the amount of Nb led to the formation of plate‐like TiO₂ with dimpled surfaces on one side, which was directly replicated from the surfaces of the colloidal silica crystals.     

A concept for controlling singlet oxygen (1 Delta g) yields using nitroxide radicals: phthalocyaninatosilicon covalently linked to nitroxide radicals

In this study, we have investigated the singlet oxygen ((1)Delta(g)) generation mechanism using phthalocyaninatosilicon (SiPc) covalently linked to nitroxide radicals (NRs), and we succeeded in increasing the singlet oxygen quantum yield (Phi(Delta)) by linking the NRs. This originates from both an increase in the triplet quantum yield and excited-state lifetimes long enough to utilize photochemical reactions. Because the electron exchange interactions with paramagnetic species were known to result only in very fast excited-state relaxation, leading to a decrease in photochemical reaction yields, this increase in Phi(Delta) is an unusual and precious example for increasing photochemical reaction yields by electron exchange interactions with paramagnetic species. In addition, our experiments and theoretical analyses show that the spin-selective energy transfer rate constant is not influenced by linking the NRs and can be evaluated by the product of spin-statistical factors and matrix elements between the initial and final states.     

Ru3(CO)12-catalyzed silylation of benzylic C-H bonds in arylpyridines and arylpyrazoles with hydrosilanes via C-H bond cleavage

Ruthenium-catalyzed silylation of sp3 C-H bonds at a benzylic position with hydrosilanes gave benzylsilanes. For this silylation reaction, Ru3(CO)12 complex showed high catalytic activity. This silylation proceeded at the methyl C-H bond selectively. For this silylation reaction, pyridyl and pyrazolyl groups, and the imino group in hydrazones, can function as a directing group. Several hydrosilanes involving triethyl-, dimethylphenyl-, tert-butyldimethyl-, and triphenylsilanes can be used as a silylating reagent. Coordination of an sp2 nitrogen atom to the ruthenium complex is important for achieving this silylation reaction.     

Use of the MALDI BioTyper system with MALDI–TOF mass spectrometry for rapid identification of microorganisms

In a clinical diagnosis microbiology laboratory, the current method of identifying bacterial isolates is based mainly on phenotypic characteristics, for example growth pattern on different media, colony morphology, Gram stain, and various biochemical reactions. These techniques collectively enable great accuracy in identifying most bacterial isolates, but are costly and time-consuming. In our clinical microbiology laboratory, we prospectively assessed the ability of matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization–time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI–TOF MS) to identify bacterial strains that were routinely isolated from clinical samples. Bacterial colonies obtained from a total of 468 strains of 92 bacterial species isolated at the Department of Clinical Laboratory at Chiba University were directly placed on target MALDI plates followed by addition of CHCA matrix solution. The plates were then subjected to MALDI–TOF MS measurement and the microorganisms were identified by pattern matching with the libraries in the BioTyper 2.0 software. Identification success at the species and genus levels was 91.7% (429/468) and 97.0% (454/468), respectively. MALDI–TOF MS is a rapid, simple, and high-throughput proteomic technique for identification of a variety of bacterial species. Because colony-to-colony differences and effects of culture duration on the results are minimal, it can be implemented in a conventional laboratory setting. Although for some pathogens, preanalytical processes should be refined, and the current database should be improved to obtain more accurate results, the MALDI–TOF MS based method performs, in general, as well as conventional methods and is a promising technology in clinical laboratories.