Bimodal Functionality in a Porous Covalent Triazine Framework by Rational Integration of an Electron‐Rich and ‐Deficient Pore Surface

A porous covalent triazine framework (CTF) consisting of both an electron‐deficient central triazine core and electron‐rich aromatic building blocks is reported. Taking advantage of the dual nature of the pore surface, bimodal functionality has been achieved. The electron deficiency in the central core has been utilized to address one of the pertinent problems in chemical industries, namely separation of benzene from its cyclic saturated congener, that is, cyclohexane. Also, by virtue of the electron‐rich aromatic rings with Lewis basic sites, aqueous‐phase chemical sensing of a nitroaromatic compound of highly explosive nature (2,4,6‐trinitrophenol; TNP) has been achieved. The present compound supersedes the performance of previously reported COFs in both the aspects. Notably, this reports the first example of pore‐surface engineering leading to bimodal functionality in CTFs.     

Tuning Pore Polarization to Boost Ethane/Ethylene Separation Performance in Hydrogen-Bonded Organic Frameworks

Hydrogen-bonded organic frameworks (HOFs) show great potential in energy-saving C₂H₆/C₂H₄ separation, but there are few examples of one-step acquisition of C₂H₄ from C₂H₆/C₂H₄ because it is still difficult to achieve the reverse-order adsorption of C₂H₆ and C₂H₄. In this work, we boost the C₂H₆/C₂H₄ separation performance in two graphene-sheet-like HOFs by tuning pore polarization. Upon heating, an in situ solid phase transformation can be observed from HOF-NBDA(DMA) (DMA=dimethylamine cation) to HOF-NBDA , accompanied with transformation of the electronegative skeleton into neutral one. As a result, the pore surface of HOF-NBDA has become nonpolar, which is beneficial to selectively adsorbing C₂H₆. The difference in the capacities for C₂H₆ and C₂H₄ is 23.4 cm³ g⁻¹ for HOF-NBDA , and the C₂H₆/C₂H₄ uptake ratio is 136 %, which are much higher than those for HOF-NBDA(DMA) (5.0 cm³ g⁻¹ and 108 % respectively). Practical breakthrough experiments demonstrate HOF-NBDA could produce polymer-grade C₂H₄ from C₂H₆/C₂H₄ (1/99, v/v) mixture with a high productivity of 29.2 L kg⁻¹ at 298 K, which is about five times as high as HOF-NBDA(DMA) (5.4 L kg⁻¹). In addition, in situ breakthrough experiments and theoretical calculations indicate the pore surface of HOF-NBDA is beneficial to preferentially capture C₂H₆ and thus boosts selective separation of C₂H₆/C₂H₄.     

Structure and thermotropic phase behavior of fluorinated phospholipid bilayers: a combined attenuated total reflection FTIR spectroscopy and imaging ellipsometry study

Lipid bilayers consisting of lipids with terminally perfluoroalkylated chains have remarkable properties. They exhibit increased stability and phase-separated nanoscale patterns in mixtures with nonfluorinated lipids. In order to understand the bilayer properties that are responsible for this behavior, we have analyzed the structure of solid-supported bilayers composed of 1,2-dipalmitoyl- sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC) and of a DPPC analogue with 6 terminal perfluorinated methylene units (F6-DPPC). Polarized attenuated total reflection Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy indicates that for F6-DPPC, the tilt of the lipid acyl chains to the bilayer normal is increased to 39 degrees as compared to 21 degrees for native DPPC, for both lipids in the gel phase. This substantial increase of the tilt angle is responsible for a decrease of the bilayer thickness from 5.4 nm for DPPC to 4.5 nm for F6-DPPC, as revealed by temperature-controlled imaging ellipsometry on microstructured lipid bilayers and solution atomic force microscopy. During the main phase transition from the gel to the fluid phase, both the relative bilayer thickness change and the relative area change are substantially smaller for F6-DPPC than for DPPC. In light of these structural and thermotropic data, we propose a model in which the higher acyl-chain tilt angle in F6-DPPC is the result of a conformational rearrangement to minimize unfavorable fluorocarbon-hydrocarbon interactions in the center of the bilayer due to chain staggering.     

"Diversity oriented synthesis" of functionalized chiral tetrahydropyridines: potential GABA receptor agonists and azasugars from natural amino acids via a sequential Baylis-Hillman reaction and RCM protocol

The preparation of chiral tetrahydropyridine-4-carboxylates as isoguvacine analogues and azasugars with a tertiary stereocenter from L-amino acids via diastereoselective a Baylis-Hillman reaction of N-allyl-Boc alpha-aminal, followed by ring-closing metathesis and dihydroxylation sequences, is reported.     

Synthesis and crystal structure of a mixed valence heteropoly green compound, (PPh<Subscript>4</Subscript>)<Subscript>4</Subscript>[PMo<Subscript>12</Subscript>O<Subscript>40</Subscript>], and its use as a catalyst in olefin epoxidation

A green heteropolyblue compound, (PPh₄)₄[PMo₁₂O₄₀] · 3DMF(1), has been synthesized from MoO₃, H₂O₂ and H₃PO₄ in acetylacetone medium and crystallized from N,N-dimethylformamide. Compound 1 was characterized by analytical and spectroscopic methods, and X-ray structure analysis. The compound is a one-electron paramagnet and shows a featureless and cubic EPR spectrum with <g> = 1.95 in DMF glass. The complex shows a Mo(V)–Mo(IV) couple, which has been studied by cyclic voltammetric and coulometric methods. The compound acts as an efficient olefin epoxidation catalyst with H₂O₂ as oxidant and NaHCO₃ as co-catalyst. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Supramolecular helical fluid columns from self-assembly of homomeric dipeptides

Herein, we demonstrate that with the widespread theme of residue patterning and stereochemical restraints of self-complimenting proteinogenic amino acids, a new and rich class of homomeric dipeptides exhibiting two-dimensional fluid aggregates with hierarchical ordering can be obtained. In particular, a simple way of achieving a class of functional dipeptides, wherein the first and the second residues chosen are L-/D-alanines and L-/D-leucines, has been accomplished. The supramolecules synthesized can be regarded as intermediates between polycatenars and taper-shaped amphiphiles because they possess two lipophilic segments interlinked by a peptide unit (spacer). Two pairs of enantiomers and their respective diastereomers derived from these amino acids are evidenced to self-organize into a helical columnar phase through hydrogen bonding by means of FTIR, UV/Vis, and chiroptical circular dichroism (CD) spectral analyses as well as by optical, calorimetric, electrical switching, and X-ray studies. The CD and X-ray studies have revealed that the form chirality (handedness) and the magnitude of out-of-plane fluctuations of the lattice planes of the fluid supramolecular columnar structures are solely directed by the stereochemistry encoded in the spacer. Of special significance, the less frequently found oblique helical columnar phase formed by a pair of enantiomers derived from L-/D-alanines, unlike those derived from other amino acids, exhibit ferroelectric behavior; the measured spontaneous polarization is as high as 440 nC cm(-2). Besides, all these supramolecules form stable organogels in ethanol and the CD and SEM studies on a representative gel suggest the presence of helical structures.     

Facilitation of peptide fibre formation by arginine-phosphate/carboxylate interactions

This study describes peptide fibre formation in a hexapeptide, derived from the V3 loop of HIV-1, mediated by the interactions between arginine residues and phosphate/carboxylate anions. This charge neutralization approach was further confirmed when the deletion of arginine residue from the hexapeptide sequence resulted in fibre formation, which was studied by a combination of microscopic techniques.     

Terpenoid alkaloids of the Buxaceae family with potential biological importance

The plants of the family Buxaceae are widely used in traditional medicine and constitute rich sources of terpenoidal alkaloids. Compounds of this family have been the subject of numerous chemical and pharmacological studies over past decades because of their interesting biological activities such as cholinesterase inhibition, as well as antibacterial and antileishmanial activities. The chemical and biological properties of these alkaloids, including data relevant to straightforward structure determination and information on biosynthesis, are highlighted in this review, with 144 references being cited.     

Introduction of vinyl and hydroxymethyl functionalities at C-4 of glucose-derived substrates: synthesis of spirocyclic, bicyclic, and tricyclic nucleosides

Installing hydroxymethyl and hydroxyethyl substitutions at C-4 through vinylation and hydroboration-oxidation reactions of the C-4 bis-hydroxymethyl derivative of d-glucose based substrate, and inserting heteroatoms thereafter permitted formation of N-, O-, or S-heterocycles leading to [4,5]- or [5,5]-spirocycles and a bicyclo[3.3.0]octane product. Some of the spirocycles were converted to spironucleosides under Vorbruggen glycosidation reaction conditions. Similarly, the bicyclic product was elaborated to the corresponding bicyclic nucleoside as well as an unexpected tricyclic nucleoside.     

Toward efficient nanoporous catalysts: controlling site-isolation and concentration of grafted catalytic sites on nanoporous materials with solvents and colorimetric elucidation of their site-isolation

We report that the polarity and dielectric constants of solvents used for grafting organosilanes on mesoporous materials strongly affect the concentration of grafted organic groups, the degree of their site-isolation, and the catalytic properties of the resulting materials. Polar and nonpolar organosilanes as well as polar-protic, dipolar-aprotic, and nonpolar solvents were investigated. Polar-protic solvents, which have high dielectric constants, resulted in smaller concentrations ( approximately 1-2 mmol/g) of polar organic groups such as 3-aminopropyl groups, higher surface area materials, site-isolated organic groups, and more efficient catalytic properties toward the Henry reaction of p-hydroxybenzaldehyde with nitromethane. On the other hand, dipolar-aprotic and nonpolar solvents resulted in larger concentrations ( approximately 2-3 mmol/g) of grafted polar functional groups, lower-to-higher surface area materials, more densely populated catalytic groups, and poor-to-efficient catalytic properties toward the Henry reaction. Both the polar-protic and dipolar-aprotic solvents resulted in significantly lower concentration of grafted groups for nonpolar organosilanes such as (3-mercaptopropyl)trimethoxysilane compared to corresponding grafting of the polar amino-organosilanes. The relationship between the solvent properties and the percentage and degree of site-isolation of the grafted functional groups was attributed to differences in solvation of the organosilanes and silanols in various solvents and possible hydrogen-bonding between the organsilanes and the solvents. The degree of site-isolation of the amine groups, which affect the material's catalytic properties, was elucidated by a new colorimetric method involving probing of the absorption maxima (lambdamax) on the d-d electronic spectrum of Cu2+ complexes with the amine-functionalized materials and the colors of the samples. The absorption lambdamax and the colors of the materials were found to be uniquely dependent on the type of solvents used for grafting the organoamines. For instance, the monoamine- and diamine-functionalized samples grafted in methanol resulted in pale blue and light purple colors with lambdamax at approximately 720 and 650 nm, respectively. These correspond to CuNO5 and CuN2O4 structures, respectively, which are indicative of the presence of site-isolated organoamines in samples grafted in methanol. The monoamine and diamine samples grafted in toluene resulted in purple and deep purple colors with lambdamax at approximately 590 and 630 nm, respectively. These correspond to CuN2O4 and CuN4O2, which are indicative of the presence of closely spaced organoamines in samples grafted in toluene. The samples grafted in isopropanol gave colors and lambdamax intermediate between those of samples grafted in toluene and methanol.