Non-quadratic-intensity dependence of two-photon absorption induced fluorescence of organic chromophores in solution

We have provided a model to interpret the non-quadratic-intensity dependence behavior commonly observed in the two-photon fluorescence (TPF) experiment excited with high laser intensity. The model also provides one with a different technique to measure the two-photon absorption cross section of an organic chromophore in solution. In contrast to the commonly used low intensity technique that depends on the quadratic-intensity law, the present technique is based on the non-quadratic-intensity dependence of two-photon fluorescence. Auxiliary data such as two-photon quantum efficiency and fluorescence collection efficiency, essential in the low intensity method, are not required in the present technique. TPF measurements of Rhodamine B in methanol are carried out to demonstrate the validity of the present method. The method is used to determine the two-photon absorption cross section of a new chromophore attached with tricyano-derivatized furan as the electron acceptor. The two-photon absorption cross section measured using this method is also compared with that using a conventional transmission technique.     

The electrooxidation of methanol and related compounds at ruthenium dioxide-coated electrodes

The underlying metal was observed to corrode when a ruthenium dioxide-coated titanium electrode was anodized in an aqueous methanol solution. With a similarly coated platinum electrode peaks were observed on the voltammogram below 1.0 V which were attributed to methanol oxidation on the underlying metal. This effect was more pronounced when the electrode was subjected during cycling to potentials close to 0 V. Rapid oxidation of methanol on RuO₂ was observed at potentials above 1.0 V, the rate at a given potential increasing in an approximately linear manner with increasing alcohol concentration. The rate of reaction also increased with increasing temperature and increasing surface roughness. Tafel slope values were rather high (>100 mV decade^?1) and a mechanism involving anodically generated species such as OH_ads was proposed to account for these results. The variation of activity with pH was similar to that reported earlier for oxygen evolution at these anodes and this was again explained in terms of partial deactivation of the surface due to a combination of proton loss and phosphate ion adsorption at intermediate pH values. The release of carbon dioxide from aqueous solutions of higher alcohols at 25°C confirmed the high oxidizing power of RuO₂ anodes.     

Elastic and inelastic backscattering of slow electrons from silicon

The elastic and inelastic backscattering from Si(111) surfaces and evaporated amorphous silicon were measured as a function of the primary energyE _p (30eVE _p 200eV). A detailed evaluation of the amplitude of the volume plasmon lossA _vp was carried out in the loss spectra. In contrast to single crystals amorphous silicon produces a smooth curve as function of the energy, both for the elastic backscattered electron current and forA _vp (E).To interpret the measured curves for the amorphous Si calculations were made for the elastic scattering and for the excitation probability of the volume plasmon in a randium-jellium-model. In the case of elastic scattering a random distribution of atoms is assumed. In the case of inelastic scattering the free electron model is used. Double scattering processes are included. The comparison between theory and experiment shows satisfactory agreement for elastic scattering. The energy dependent excitation probability of the volume plasmon is excellently represented by this model.     

Dispersion of the local parameters of quasilocalized low-frequency vibrational modes in a low-temperature glass: direct observation via single-molecule spectroscopy

Spectra of single tetra-tert-butylterrylene chromophore molecules embedded in an amorphous polyisobutylene matrix as microprobes were recorded. The individual temperature dependences of the spectral linewidths for the same single molecules (SMs) in a broad temperature interval (1.6 < T < 40 K) have been measured. This enabled us to separate the contributions of tunneling two-level systems and quasilocalized low-frequency vibrational modes (LFMs) to the observed linewidths. The analysis of the T dependences yields the values of LFM frequencies and SM-LFM coupling constants for the LFMs in the local environment of a given chromophore. Pronounced distributions of the observed parameters of LFMs were found. This result can be regarded as the first direct experimental proof of the localized nature of LFMs in glasses.     

Cyclic Heptapeptides Axinastatin 2, 3, and 4: Conformational analysis and evaluation of the biological potential

The conformational analysis of naturally occurring cytostatic cyclic heptapeptides axinastatin 2, 3, and 4 was carried out by two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy in combination with distance-geometry (DG) and molecular-dynamics (MD) calculations in explicit solvents. The synthesized secondary metabolites were examined in (D₆)DMSO. Axinastatin 2 was also investigated in CD₃OH. In all structures, Pro² is in the i + 1 position of a βI turn and Pro⁶ occupies the i + 2 position of a βVIa turn about the cis amide bond between residue 5 and Pro^6. In all peptides, a bifurcated H-bond occurs between residue 4 CO and the amide protons of residue 1 and 7. For axinastatin 2 and 3, an Asn I_g turn was found about Asn¹ and Pro^2. We compared these structures with conformations of cyclic heptapeptides obtained by X-ray and NMR studies. A β-bulge motif with two β turns and one bifurcated H-bond is found as the dominating backbone conformation of cyclic all-L-heptapeptides. Axinastatin 2, 3, and 4 can be characterized by six trans and one cis amide bond resulting in a β/βVI(a)-turn motif, a conformation found for many cyclic heptapeptides. Detailed biological tests of the synthetic compounds in different human cancer cell lines indicates these axinastatins to be inactive or of low activity.     

Ketalizations of aryl ω-(2-imidazolyl)alkyl ketones by glycerol and 3-mercapto-1,2-propanediol. synthesis and characterization of cis- and trans-{2-aryl-2-[ω-(2-imidazolyl)alkyl](1,3-dioxolan-4-yl and 1,3-oxathiolan-5-yl)}methanols

Aryl 2-[(2-imidazolyl)ethyl or 3-(2-imidazolyl)propyl]ketones were ketalized by glycerol or 3-mercapto-1,2-propanediol in boiling benzene in the presence of 4-toluenesulfonic acid to provide the title compounds. The aryl substituents are 4-chloro-, 4-bromo-, 4-fluoro-, or 2,4-dichlorophenyl. While aryl (2-imidazolyl)methyl ketones condensed with glycerol to form cis- and trans-{2-aryl-2-[(2-imidazolyl)methyl]-4-(hydroxymethyl)}-1,3-dioxolanes, related condensations with 3-mercapto-1,2-propanediol, under similar, or even more stringent reaction conditions, produced no 1,3-oxathiolane analogs, with the starting ketones being recovered. Separation and structure determination of these racemic cis and trans isomeric products are described. The structure of these stereoisomers was established by means of ¹H and ¹³C nmr correlation and nOe experiments. Selective methylation of the N-unsubstituted 2-imidazolyl alcohols with one equivalent sodium hydride and methyl iodide provided the corresponding N-methyl alcohols in excellent yields. With excess benzoyl chloride, N-unsubstituted 2-imidazolyl alcohols were initially converted to O, N-dibenzoates from which the N-benzoyl group was easily cleaved by ammonium hydroxide in ethanol to provide benzoate esters.     

A versatile toolbox for variable DNA functionalization at high density

To broaden the applicability of chemically modified DNAs in nano- and biotechnology, material science, sensor development, and molecular recognition, strategies are required for introducing a large variety of different modifications into the same nucleic acid sequence at once. Here, we investigate the scope and limits for obtaining functionalized dsDNA by primer extension and PCR, using a broad variety of chemically modified deoxynucleotide triphosphates (dNTPs), DNA polymerases, and templates. All natural nucleobases in each strand were substituted with up to four different base-modified analogues. We studied the sequence dependence of enzymatic amplification to yield high-density functionalized DNA (fDNA) from modified dNTPs, and of fDNA templates, and found that GC-rich sequences are amplified with decreased efficiency as compared to AT-rich ones. There is also a strong dependence on the polymerase used. While family A polymerases generally performed poorly on "demanding" templates containing consecutive stretches of a particular base, family B polymerases were better suited for this purpose, in particular Pwo and Vent (exo-) DNA polymerase. A systematic analysis of fDNAs modified at increasing densities by CD spectroscopy revealed that single modified bases do not alter the overall B-type DNA structure, regardless of their chemical nature. A density of three modified bases induces conformational changes in the double helix, reflected by an inversion of the CD spectra. Our study provides a basis for establishing a generally applicable toolbox of enzymes, templates, and monomers for generating high-density functionalized DNAs for a broad range of applications.     

Synthese,Kristallstruktur und festkörper‐NMR‐spektroskopische Untersuchung neuer Oxonitridosilicate der Mischkristallreihe Ba4−xCaxSi6N10O

The new oxonitridosilicates Ba_4?xCa_xSi₆N₁₀O have been synthesized by means of high‐temperature synthesis in a radio‐frequency furnace, starting from calcium, barium, silicon diimide and amorphous silicon dioxide. The maximum reaction temperature was at about 1450 °C. The solid solution series Ba_4?xCa_xSi₆N₁₀O with a phase width 1.81 ≤ x ≤ 2.95 was obtained. The crystal structure of Ba_1.8Ca_2.2Si₆N₁₀O was determined by X‐ray single‐crystal structure determination (P2₁3, no. 198), a = 1040.2(1) pm, Z = 4, wR2 = 0.082). It can be described as a highly condensed network of corner‐sharing SiN₄ and SiON₃ tetrahedra, the voids of which are occupied by the alkaline earth ions. The structure is isotypic with that of BaEu(Ba_0.5Eu_0.5)YbSi₆N₁₁. In the ²⁹Si solid‐state MAS‐NMR spectrum two isotropic resonances at ?50.0 and ?53.6 ppm were observed.