An η3‐Bound Allyl Ligand on Magnesium in a Mechanochemically Generated Mg/K Allyl Complex

Milling two equivalents of K[1,3‐(SiMe₃)₂C₃H₃] (=K[A′]) with MgX₂ (X=Cl, Br) produces the allyl complex [K₂MgA′₄] ( 1 ). Crystals grown from toluene are of the solvated species [((η⁶‐tol)K)₂MgA′₄] ([ 1 ?2(tol)]), a trimetallic monomer with both bridging and terminal (η¹) allyl ligands. When recrystallized from hexanes, the unsolvated 1 forms a 2D coordination polymer, in which the Mg is surrounded by three allyl ligands. The C?C bond lengths differ by only 0.028 Å, indicating virtually complete electron delocalization. This is an unprecedented coordination mode for an allyl ligand bound to Mg. DFT calculations indicate that in isolation, an η³‐allyl configuration on Mg is energetically preferred over the η¹‐ (σ‐bonded) arrangement, but the Mg must be in a low coordination environment for it to be experimentally realized. Methyl methacrylate is effectively polymerized by 1 , with activities that are comparable to K[A′] and greater than the homometallic magnesium complex [{MgA′₂}₂].     

General Strategy for Synthesis of Ordered Pt3M Intermetallics with Ultrasmall Particle Size

Controllable synthesis of atomically ordered intermetallic nanoparticles (NPs) is crucial to obtain superior electrocatalytic performance for fuel cell reactions, but still remains arduous. Herein, we demonstrate a novel and general hydrogel‐freeze drying strategy for the synthesis of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) supported Pt₃M (M=Mn, Cr, Fe, Co, etc.) intermetallic NPs (Pt₃M/rGO‐HF) with ultrasmall particle size (about 3 nm) and dramatic monodispersity. The formation of hydrogel prevents the aggregation of graphene oxide and significantly promotes their excellent dispersion, while a freeze‐drying can retain the hydrogel derived three‐dimensionally (3D) porous structure and immobilize the metal precursors with defined atomic ratio on GO support during solvent sublimation, which is not afforded by traditional oven drying. The subsequent annealing process produces rGO supported ultrasmall ordered Pt₃M intermetallic NPs (≈3 nm) due to confinement effect of 3D porous structure. Such Pt₃M intermetallic NPs exhibit the smallest particle size among the reported ordered Pt‐based intermetallic catalysts. A detailed study of the synthesis of ordered intermetallic Pt₃Mn/rGO catalyst is provided as an example of a generally applicable method. This study provides an economical and scalable route for the controlled synthesis of Pt‐based intermetallic catalysts, which can pave a way for the commercialization of fuel cell technologies.     

Enhanced Surface Interactions Enable Fast Li+ Conduction in Oxide/Polymer Composite Electrolyte

Li⁺‐conducting oxides are considered better ceramic fillers than Li⁺‐insulating oxides for improving Li⁺ conductivity in composite polymer electrolytes owing to their ability to conduct Li⁺ through the ceramic oxide as well as across the oxide/polymer interface. Here we use two Li⁺‐insulating oxides (fluorite Gd_0.1Ce_0.9O_1.95 and perovskite La_0.8Sr_0.2Ga_0.8Mg_0.2O_2.55) with a high concentration of oxygen vacancies to demonstrate two oxide/poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)‐based polymer composite electrolytes, each with a Li⁺ conductivity above 10^?4 S cm^?1 at 30 °C. Li solid‐state NMR results show an increase in Li⁺ ions (>10 %) occupying the more mobile A2 environment in the composite electrolytes. This increase in A2‐site occupancy originates from the strong interaction between the O^2? of Li‐salt anion and the surface oxygen vacancies of each oxide and contributes to the more facile Li⁺ transport. All‐solid‐state Li‐metal cells with these composite electrolytes demonstrate a small interfacial resistance with good cycling performance at 35 °C.     

In Situ Dispersion of Palladium on TiO2 During Reverse Water–Gas Shift Reaction: Formation of Atomically Dispersed Palladium

The application of single‐atom catalysts (SACs) to high‐temperature hydrogenation requires materials that thermodynamically favor metal atom isolation over cluster formation. We demonstrate that Pd can be predominantly dispersed as isolated atoms onto TiO₂ during the reverse water–gas shift (rWGS) reaction at 400 °C. Achieving atomic dispersion requires an artificial increase of the absolute TiO₂ surface area by an order of magnitude and can be accomplished by physically mixing a precatalyst (Pd/TiO₂) with neat TiO₂ prior to the rWGS reaction. The in situ dispersion of Pd was reflected through a continuous increase of rWGS activity over 92 h and supported by kinetic analysis, infrared and X‐ray absorption spectroscopies and scanning transmission electron microscopy. The thermodynamic stability of Pd under high‐temperature rWGS conditions is associated with Pd‐Ti coordination, which manifests upon O‐vacancy formation, and the artificial increase in TiO₂ surface area.     

DNA-templated Ag nanocluster formation

The high affinity of Ag+ for DNA bases has enabled creation of short oligonucleotide-encapsulated Ag nanoclusters without formation of large nanoparticles. Time-dependent formation of cluster sizes ranging from Ag1 to Ag4/oligonucleotide were observed with strong, characteristic electronic transitions between 400 and 600 nm. The slow nanocluster formation kinetics enables observation of specific aqueous nanocluster absorptions that evolve over a period of 12 h. Induced circular dichroism bands confirm that the nanoclusters are associated with the chiral ss-DNA template. Fluorescence, absorption, mass, and NMR spectra all indicate that multiple species are present, but that their creation is both nucleotide- and time-dependent.     

Quantification of particle-bubble interactions using atomic force microscopy: A review

The attachment of particles to bubbles in solution is of fundamental importance to several industrial processes, most notably in the process of froth flotation. During this process hydrophobic particles attach to air bubbles in solution, which allows them to be separated as froth at the surface. The addition of chemicals can help to modulate these interactions to increase the yield of the minerals of interest. Over the past decade the atomic force microscope (AFM) has been adapted for use in studying the forces involved in the attachment of single particles to bubbles in the laboratory. This allows the measurement of actual DLVO (Derjaguin, Landau, Vervey and Overbeek) forces and adhesive contacts to be measured under different conditions. In addition contact angles may be calculated from features of force versus distance curves. It is the purpose of this article to illustrate how the colloid probe technique can be used to make single particle-bubble interactions and to summarise the current literature describing such experiments.     

Large Zero‐Field Splittings of the Ground Spin State Arising from Antisymmetric Exchange Effects in Heterometallic Triangles

[Ru₂Mn(O)(O₂CtBu)₆(py)₃] has an S=⁵/₂ ground state with a very large zero‐field splitting (ZFS) of D=2.9 cm^?1, as characterized by EPR spectroscopy at 4–330 GHz. This is far too large to be due to the Mn^II ion (D <0.2 cm^?1), as shown from the {Fe₂Mn} analogue, but can be modeled by antisymmetric exchange effects.     

Analysis of individual mitochondria via fluorescent immunolabeling with Anti-TOM22 antibodies

Mitochondria are responsible for maintaining a variety of cellular functions. One such function is the interaction and subsequent import of proteins into these organelles via the translocase of outer membrane (TOM) complex. Antibodies have been used to analyze the presence and function of proteins comprising this complex, but have not been used to investigate variations in the abundance of TOM complex in mitochondria. Here, we report on the feasibility of using capillary cytometry with laser-induced fluorescence to detect mitochondria labeled with antibodies targeting the TOM complex and to estimate the number of antibodies that bind to these organelles. Mitochondria were fluorescently labeled with DsRed2, while antibodies targeting the TOM22 protein, one of nine proteins comprising the TOM complex, were conjugated to the Atto-488 fluorophore. At typical labeling conditions, 94 % of DsRed2 mitochondria were also immunofluorescently labeled with Atto-488 Anti-TOM22 antibodies. The calculated median number of Atto-488 Anti-TOM22 antibodies bound to the surface of mitochondria was ～2,000 per mitochondrion. The combination of fluorescent immunolabeling and capillary cytometry could be further developed to include multicolor labeling experiments, which enable monitoring several molecular targets at the same time in the same or different organelle types.