Determination of radiative lifetimes in neutral nitrogen using short laser pulses from a distributed feedback dye laser

Radiative lifetimes were determined for two short-lived states in neutral nitrogen. Following photo-dissociation and two-photon excitation employing the same UV source, excitation to higher states was performed with a distributed feedback dye laser (DFDL). The lifetimes were found to be τ(2p ²4d ⁴ D _7/2)=17(3) ns and τ(2p ²5s ⁴ P _5/2)=22(3) ns.     

Zur Luminiszenz von Cr(3)-Verbindungen

Whereas 2.4 is likely to be an upper limit for theDq/B-value of Cr(3)-complexes which show fluorescence the existence of a lower bound is rather unlikely. Experimental evidence suggests that the energy difference between the minima of the² E _g- and the⁴ T _2g-potential curves is one of the factors determining the relative intensities of phosphorescence and fluorescence.     

Electric field-controlled water permeation coupled to ion transport through a nanopore

We report molecular dynamics simulations of a generic hydrophobic nanopore connecting two reservoirs which are initially at different Na(+) concentrations, as in a biological cell. The nanopore is impermeable to water under equilibrium conditions, but the strong electric field caused by the ionic concentration gradient drives water molecules in. The density and structure of water in the pore are highly field dependent. In a typical simulation run, we observe a succession of cation passages through the pore, characterized by approximately bulk mobility. These ion passages reduce the electric field, until the pore empties of water and closes to further ion transport, thus providing a possible mechanism for biological ion channel gating.     

A 2pπ, 3dπ valence bond wave function for the 1B1u state of ethylene

A 2p, 3d valence bond wave function for the lowest ¹ B _1u state of the -system of ethylene is variationally optimized with respect to the atomic orbital exponents using a non-empirical -approximation. The resulting energy compares favourably with previous calculations and leads to a satisfactory value for the lowest ¹ A _1g-¹ B _1u transition energy. The optimized exponent for the 2p orbital is close to the Slater value whereas the exponent for the 3d orbital is found to be nearly hydrogenic. The implications of this result are discussed in some detail.

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Zusammenfassung Für den tiefsten ¹ B _1u -Zustand des -Elektronensystems des Äthylens wird nach der Variations-methode eine 2p, 3d-Valenzbindungs-Wellenfunktion bezüglich der Orbitalkoeffizienten optimiert, wobei eine nicht-empirische -Approximation zugrunde gelegt wird. Die berechnete Energie stimmt gut mit den Ergebnissen vorausgegangener Rechnungen überein. Für den tiefsten ¹ A _1g ¹ B _1u -Übergang ergibt sich ein befriedigender Energiewert. Der optimierte Orbitalkoeffizient für das 2p-Orbital stimmt gut mit dem nach der Slaterschen Regel bestimmten Koeffizient überein, während man für den 3d-Orbitalkoeffizienten einen Wert findet, der dem des Wasserstoffs ähnlich ist.

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Résumé Une founction d'onde V.B.(2p , 3d ) est optimée pour l'état ¹ B _1u d'aethylen. L'energie calculé aussi que l'energie de transition la plus basse ¹ A _1g -¹ B _1u est en bon accord avec des valeurs connues.

     

Molekülstruktur in der Theorie der Spinvalenz I

Zusammenfassung Wie in der Theorie der Valenzstrukturen (Kimball 1940), so kann man auch in der Theorie der Spinvalenz ohne Rechnung, d. h. nur mit den Mitteln der Gruppen- und Darstellungstheorie, zu Aussagen über die Molekülstruktur von Verbindungen des Typs ML _n kommen. Die Ergebnisse für sog. ¹ A ₁-Moleküle werden angegeben und mit denen von Kimball verglichen.

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Spin valence theory provides a basis for the group theoretical derivation of the structure of ML _n -molecules. Results for molecules in a totally symmetrical ground state are compared with predictions of the valence bond method (Kimball 1940).

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Résumé La théorie de la valence de spin permet de dériver les structures de molécules du type ML _n á l'aide de la théorie des groupes. Des résultats pour de molécules en état ¹ A ₁ (totalement symétrique) sont comparés á ceux de la méthode de mésomérie (Kimball 1940).

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Auszugsweise vorgetragen auf der Westdeutschen Chemiedozententagung, Freiburg i. Brsg., 27.–30. 4. 1964 und der 8. I. C. C. C., Wien, 7.–11. 9. 1964.     

Die durch Silberionen katalysierte Umlagerung von Propargyl-phenyläther

It is known that propargyl-phenylethers rearrange at about 200° to 2 H-chromenes [1–4]. It is shown that this rearrangement occurs in benzene or chloroform at lower temperatures (20–80°) in the presence of silver-tetrafluoroborate (or-trifluoracetate). The ethers examined are presented in Scheme 1. Thus in chloroform at 61° in the presence of AgBF₄, phenyl-propargylether ( 3 ) yields 2 H-chromene ( 13 ). With 0.78 molar equivalents AgBF₄ in benzene at 80° the same ether 3 yields a 3:1 mixture of 2-methyl-cumaron ( 14 ) and 2 H-chromene ( 13 ). From 1′-methylpropargyl-phenylether ( 4 ) and 2′-butinyl-3,5-dimethylphenylether ( 5 ) under similar conditions the corresponding chromenes 16 and 17 resp. are obtained. Rearrangement of propargyl- and 2′-butinyl-1-methyl-2-naphthylether ( 6 and 7 resp.) in benzene at 80° in the presence of AgBF₄ gives the corresponding allenyl-naphthalenones 18 and 19 resp. Treatment of propargyl- and 2′-butinyl-mesityl-ether ( 8 and 9 resp.), and propargyl- and l′-methylpropargyl- 2 , 6 -dimethyl-phenylether ( 10 and 11 resp.) in benzene at 80° with AgRF, yields as the only product the corresponding 3 -allenyl-phenols 21 , 22 , 24 and 25 (Scheme 3). It is shown that in the presence of μ-dichlor-dirhodiuni (1)-tetracarbonyl in benzene a t 80° the ether 4 rearranges to 2-methyl-2H-chromene (16). However with this catalyst the predominant reaction is a cleavage to phenol. No reaction was observed when ethers 3 and 12 , (Scheme 7 ) were treated with the tris-(trimethylsily1)-ester of vanadic acid in benzene a t 80° (see also [8]). By analogy with the known mechanism for thc silver catalysis of the reversible propargylesterl/allenylester rearrangement [S], the silver (1)ion is assumed to form a pre-equilibrium π-complex with the C, C-triplebond of the substrate. This complex then undergoes a [3s, 3s]-sigmatropic rearrangement (Scheme 2). In the case of the others 6 , 7 and 12 the resulting allenyldienones were isolated. The 2,G-dimethyl substituted ethers 8 , 9 , 10 and 11 resp. first give the usual allenyl- dienones (Scheme 3). These then undergo a novel silver catalysed dienon-phenol-rearrangement (Sclzenzu4) to give the 3-allenylphenols 21 , 22 , 24 and 25 . Thc others 3 , 4 and 5 with free ortho positions presumably rearrange first to the non-isolated 2-allenyl-phenols 15 , 42 and 43 resp.(Scheme 7). These then rearrange, either thermally or by silver (1)ion catalysis to the 2H-chromenes 13 , 16 and 17 resp. The rate of the rearrangement of 2-allenylphenol ( 15 ) to 13 at room temperature in benzene or chloroform is approximately doubled when silver ions are present as catalyst.     

New Results in the Synthesis of Styrylazulene Derivatives: Application of the ‘Anil synthesis’ to the preparation of azulenes substituted with styryl groups at the seven-membered ring

The synthesis of 4,6,8-trimethyl-1-[(E)-4-R-styryl]azulenes 5 (R=H, MeO, Cl) has been performed by Wittig reaction of 4,6,8-trimethylazulene-1-carbaldehyde ( 1 ) and the corresponding 4-(R-benzyl)(triphenyl)phosphonium chlorides 4 in the presence of EtONa/EtOH in boiling toluene (see Table 1). In the same way, guaiazulene-3-carbaldehyde ( 2 ) as well as dihydrolactaroviolin ( 3 ) yielded with 4a the corresponding styrylazulenes 6 and 7 , respectively (see Table 1). It has been found that 1 and 4b yield, in competition to the Wittig reaction, alkylation products, namely 8 and 9 , respectively (cf. Scheme 1). The reaction of 4,6,8-trimethylazulene ( 10 ) with 4b in toluene showed that azulenes can, indeed, be easily alkylated with the phosphonium salt 4b . 4,6,8-Trimethylazulene-2-carbaldehyde ( 12 ) has been synthesized from the corresponding carboxylate 15 by a reduction (LiAlH₄) and dehydrogenation (MnO₂) sequence (see Scheme 2). The Swern oxidation of the intermediate 2-(hydroxymethyl)azulene 16 yielded only 1,3-dichloroazulene derivatives (cf. Scheme 2). The Wittig reaction of 12 with 4a and 4b in the presence of EtONa/EtOH in toluene yielded the expected 2-styryl derivatives 19a and 19b , respectively (see Scheme 3). Again, the yield of 19b was reduced by a competing alkylation reaction of 19b with 4b which led to the formation of the 1-benzylated product 20 (see Scheme 3). The ‘anil synthesis’ of guaiazulene ( 21 ) and the 4-R-benzanils 22 (R=H, MeO, Cl, Me₂N) proceeded smoothyl under standard conditions (powered KOH in DMF) to yield the corresponding 4-[(E)-styryl]azulene derivatives 23 (see Table 4). In minor amounts, bis(azulen-4-yl) compounds of type 24 and 25 were also formed (see Table 4). The ‘anil reaction’ of 21 and 4-NO₂C₆H₄CH=NC₆H₅ ( 22e ) in DMF yielded no corresponding styrylazulene derivative 23e . Instead, (E)-1,2-bis(7-isopropyl-1-methylazulen-4-yl)ethene ( 27 ) was formed (see Scheme 4). The reaction of 4,6,8-trimethylazulene ( 10 ) and benzanil ( 22a ) in the presence of KOH in DMF yielded the benzanil adducts 28 to 31 (cf. Scheme 5). Their direct base-catalyzed transformation into the corresponding styryl-substituted azulenes could not be realized (cf. Scheme 6). However, the transformation succeeded smoothly with KOH in boiling EtOH after N-methylation (cf. Scheme 6).     

Phosphorylation of ERK-Dependent NF-κB Triggers NLRP3 Inflammasome Mediated by Vimentin in EV71-Infected Glioblastoma Cells

Enterovirus 71 (EV71) is a dominant pathogenic agent that may cause severe central nervous system (CNS) diseases among infants and young children in the Asia-pacific. The inflammasome is closely implicated in EV71-induced CNS injuries through a series of signaling pathways. However, the activation pathway of NLRP3 inflammasome involved in EV71-mediated CNS injuries remains poorly defined. In the studies, EV71 infection, ERK1/2 phosphorylation, and activation of NLRP3 are abolished in glioblastoma cells with low vimentin expression by CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockdown. PD098059, an inhibitor of p-ERK, remarkably blocks the vimentin-mediated ERK1/2 phosphorylation in EV71-infected cells. Nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65 is dependent on p-ERK in a time-dependent manner. Moreover, NLRP3 activation and caspase-1 production are limited in EV71-infected cells upon the caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) administration, an inhibitor of NF-κB, which contributes to the inflammasome regulation. In conclusion, these results suggest that EV71-mediated NLRP3 inflammasome could be activated via the VIM-ERK-NF-κB pathway, and the treatment of the dephosphorylation of ERK and NF-κB inhibitors is beneficial to host defense in EV71-infected CNS.     

Lipases,liposomes and lipid-prodrugs

Colloidal and interfacial phenomena lie at the core of drug formulation, drug delivery, as well as drug binding and action at diseased sites, e.g., in cancer therapy. We review a class of liposome-based drug-delivery systems whose design and functional properties are intimately controlled by the stability of sub-micron structures, lipid-bilayer interfaces, and interfacially activated enzymes that can be exploited to target and deliver drugs. Moreover these drugs can themselves be special lipid molecules in the form of lipid prodrugs that both form the liposomal carrier as well as the substrate for endogenously upregulated lipases that turn the prodrugs into potent drugs precisely at the diseased site.     

Effect of infiltration material on a LSM15/CGO10 electrochemical reactor in the electrochemical oxidation of propene

The effect of infiltrating on a La_0.85Sr_0.15MnO₃/Ce_0.9Gd_0.1O_1.95 11-layer electrochemical reactor with CeO₂ and Ce_0.8Pr_0.2O_2?δ was studied in propene oxidation at open-circuit voltage and under polarization as a function of reaction temperature. This work outlined the importance of catalytic and electrochemical properties of infiltrated material on the ability to increase propene conversion under polarization with good faradaic efficiency. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy was used to study the effect of infiltration material on electrode properties. The infiltration of a mixed ionic and electronic conductor, like Ce_0.8Pr_0.2O_2?δ , increased the electrode performance at low temperature but decreased the lifetime of the oxygen ion promoters on the catalyst/electrode surface, reducing the faradaic efficiency of the reaction. The infiltration of CeO₂ provided high propene conversion at open circuit and high effect of polarization associated with good faradaic efficiency, especially at low temperature.