Mechanism of Phosphine‐Catalyzed Allene Coupling Reactions: Advances in Theoretical Investigations

Organocatalysis has emerged as an effective strategy for chemical synthesis. Within this area, phosphine‐catalyzed coupling reactions have attracted considerable attention because of their versatility and wide range of applications in the construction of new C?C bonds. Recently, various experimental studies on the phosphine‐catalyzed coupling reaction of allenes have been reported, and mechanistic and computational studies have also progressed considerably. As a nucleophile, phosphine can react with an allene to form a zwitterionic phosphoniopropenide intermediate. After stepwise cycloaddition and proton transfer, the phosphine catalyst can be regenerated by C?P bond cleavage. Alternatively, the zwitterionic phosphoniopropenide intermediate could also be protonated by a Brønsted acid to generate a phosphonium intermediate, which can be used to construct new C?C bonds by electrophilic addition. In this review, we have summarized details of mechanistic studies of phosphine‐catalyzed allene coupling reactions that follow these two reaction modes. In addition to detailing the reaction pathway, the regioselectivity and diastereoselectivity of the phosphine‐catalyzed allene coupling reaction are also discussed in this review.     

TiO_2/EDTA-rich carbon composites:Synthesis,characterization and visible-light-driven photocatalytic reduction of Cr(Ⅵ)

Ti02/EDTA-rich carbon composites(TiO_2/EDTA-RC) have been successfully synthesized via a low temperature carbonization process. TiO_2/EDTA-RC exhibits marked absorption of visible light and excellent photoreduction of Cr(Ⅵ) activity under visible light irradiation(λ420 nm). Due to the high carboxyl group content and strong coordination ability of EDTA, TiO_2-EDTA complex can be easily fabricated between EDTA incorporated in carbon sheet and titanol group on the surface of TiO_2. TiO_2-EDTA complexes on the surface of TiO_2/EDTA-RC, the LMCT complex, are responsible for the prominent photoreduction of Cr(Ⅵ) properties of Ti02/EDTA-RC under visible light irradiation. In addition, the unique structure ofTiO_2/EDTA-RC is also propitious to the visible-light photocatalytic reduction of Cr(Ⅵ).Carbon sheet of TiO_2/EDTA-RC acts as a supporter. TiO_2 nanoparticles and EDTA homogeneously disperse into the carbon sheet supporter and form the TiO_2-EDTA complexes, which can avoid the aggregation of TiO_2 nanoparticles in the aqueous solution and provide more photocatalytic reaction points for the reduction of Cr(Ⅵ).     

Photocontrolled Multidirectional Differentiation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells on an Upconversion Substrate

The effective guidance of mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) differentiation on a substrate by near‐infrared (NIR) light is particularly attractive for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. However, most of current substrates cannot control multidirectional differentiation of MSCs like natural tissues. Herein, a photocontrolled upconversion‐based substrate was designed and constructed for guiding multidirectional differentiation of MSCs. The substrate enables MSCs to maintain their stem‐cell characteristics due to the anti‐adhesive effect of 4‐(hydroxymethyl)‐3‐nitrobenzoic acid modified poly(ethylene glycol) (P1) attached on the upconversion substrate. Upon NIR irradiation, the P1 is released from the substrate by photocleavage. The detachment of P1 can change cell–matrix interactions dynamically. Moreover, MSCs cultured on the upconversion substrate can be specifically induced to differentiate to adipocytes or osteoblasts by adjusting the NIR laser. Our work provides a new way of using NIR‐based upconversion substrate to modulate the multidirectional differentiation of MSCs.     

B2O3/TiO2-ZrO2催化环己酮肟气相Beckmann重排反应中的溶剂效应

 采用不同极性的溶剂作为环己酮肟的溶剂,考察了溶剂极性对B2O3/TiO2-ZrO2催化环己酮肟气相Beckmann重排反应性能的影响. 结果表明,除乙醇外,随着溶剂极性的增大,己内酰胺的收率逐渐提高. 在所考察的溶剂范围内,当采用极性最强的乙腈为溶剂时,B2O3/TiO2-ZrO2的催化性能最佳,连续反应9 h,环己酮肟的转化率为100%,己内酰胺的选择性高达98.6%. 极性较强的溶剂可显著改善B2O3/TiO2-ZrO2催化性能的原因主要是其有利于反应所生成的己内酰胺从催化剂表面快速脱附,从而可抑制己内酰胺进一步发生聚合及分解等副反应.     

氧化铁对铂在碱性介质中催化氧化甲醇的促进作用

Pt催化剂是电催化领域用途最为广泛的贵金属催化剂.Pt资源稀缺,价格昂贵,同时它的物理化学特性又决定了其在多种催化反应中难以被替代.在质子交换膜燃料电池的小分子醇类电氧化过程中,难免存在Pt的毒化现象,其催化性能有待进一步提升.因此,围绕着Pt催化剂纳米结构的设计、抗毒性及反应机理的探索一直是电催化研究面临的重要课题.目前,已被广泛认可的提高Pt催化性能的方法之一是引入第二种金属,通过金属间协同效应(双功能机理)、张力效应或电子效应等对Pt的催化行为进行改性.对于由双/多金属组成的纳米结构催化剂,无论是协同效应还是电子效应,催化活性的提高都需要金属间有丰富的接触界面和恰当的邻近状态.通过调变两组元的种类、原子比和接触状态等可以实现对金属-金属界面的调控,进而调变催化剂性能.除金属助剂外,金属氧化物对Pt催化剂的助催化作用也引起广泛关注.由于金属氧化物与Pt之间的密切接触作用,氧化物的形貌特点对Pt的催化性能可产生重要影响.到目前为止,有关催化剂形貌效应的研究主要集中于贵金属纳米颗粒上(Pt,Au,Pd等),但关于金属氧化物载体/助剂的形貌对贵金属催化性能影响的研究尚不多.具有明确形貌的金属氧化物载体/助剂,暴露的晶面不同,表面原子的配位状态也不同,从而造成与之密切接触的Pt的性质发生改变.因此,金属氧化物的表面性质以及Pt-金属氧化物的界面性质将对电催化性能产生重要影响,深入阐释贵金属-金属氧化物的表/界面性质以及建立有效的构效关系,对设计和制备高效电催化剂具有一定的指导意义.为了提高Pt基催化剂活性、抗CO中毒能力以及稳定性,本文采用共沉淀法和水热法分别制备了纳米棒和六边形纳米片状的Fe2O3作为Pt催化剂的助剂,考察了助剂形貌对Pt催化剂在碱性介质中催化氧化甲醇的促进作用.通过X射线衍射、扫描电子显微镜、透射电子显微镜、X射线光电子能谱以及电化学技术对催化剂进行了表征.结果显示,Fe2O3的存在能显著提高Pt催化剂在碱性介质中对甲醇氧化的电催化性能,而且以Fe2O3纳米棒为助剂制备的Pt-Fe2O3/C-R催化剂催化活性以及稳定性比Fe2O3纳米片为助剂制备的Pt-Fe2O3/C-P催化剂更高.这种促进效应可能与助剂Fe2O3的形态有关.Pt-Fe2O3/C-R催化剂中Pt的质量比活性为5.32 A/mgPt,本征活性为162.7 A/m2Pt,分别是Pt-Fe2O3/C-P催化剂的1.67和2.04倍,是商业PtRu/C样品的4.19和6.16倍.协同效应和电子效应是Pt催化性能提升的主要原因.此外,Pt-Fe2O3/C-R样品中高价态Pt的含量较高,可能也是加速甲醇氧化反应动力学的原因之一.高价态的Pt可能会增强甲醇分子在Pt表面的吸附强度,促进Pt上甲醇氧化反应初始步.这些发现不仅可对甲醇电催化氧化机理有了更深的理解,而且对设计和制备高性能甲醇氧化电催化剂也具有一定的指导意义.     

Graphene oxide‐SiO2 hybrid nanostructure as coating material for capillary electrochromatography

Graphene oxide (GO) has been considered as a promising stationary phase for chromatographic separation. However, the very strong adsorption of the analytes on the GO surface lead to the severe peak tailing, which in turn resulting in decreased separation performance. In this work, GO and silica nanoparticles hybrid nanostructures (GO/SiO₂ NPs@column) were coated onto the capillary inner wall by passing the mixture of GO and silica sol through the capillary column. The successful of coating of GO/SiO₂ NPs onto the capillary wall was confirmed by SEM and electroosmotic flow mobilities test. By partially covering the GO surface with silica nanoparticles, the peak tailing was decreased greatly while the unique high shape selectivity arises from the surface of remained GO was kept. Consequently, compared with the column modified with GO (GO@column), the column modified with GO and silica nanoparticles through layer‐by‐layer method (GO‐SiO₂ NPs@column), or the column modified with silica nanoparticles (SiO₂ NPs@column), GO/SiO₂ NPs@column possessed highest resolutions. The GO/SiO₂ NPs@column was applied to separate egg white and both acidic and basic proteins as well as three glycoisoforms of ovalbumin were separated in a single run within 36 min. The intra‐day, inter‐day, and column‐to‐column reproducibilities were evaluated by calculating the RSDs of the retention of naphthalene and biphenyl in open‐tubular capillary electrochromatography. The RSD values were found to be less than 7.1%.     

Carbon dots doped with heteroatoms for fluorescent bioimaging: a review

Carbon dots (CDs) possess superior fluorescent properties in that they do not blink, are biocompatible, chemically inert, have small size and well tunable photoluminescence (PL), can be easily functionalized with biomolecules, and can be multi-photon excited to give up-converted PL. This review (with 141 refs.) summarizes recent progress in the field of imaging using carbon dots doped with heteroatoms (X-CDs). Following an introduction, we discuss top-down and bottom-up strategies for synthesis and methods for surface modification. We also compare the differences in synthesis for undoped CDs and X-CDs. Specifically, CDs doped with heteroelemets nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, selenium, boron and silicium are treated. We then discuss method for determination of the properties (particle size, ZP), how doping affects fluorescence (spectra, quantum yields, decay times), and how dopants affect upconversion (UC, anti-Stokes luminescence). We finally review the progress made in fluorescent imaging of cells tissue, and other biomatter. This review also gives new hints on how to use synthetic methods for tuning the structure of X-CDs, how doping affects properties, and how to achieve new bioimaging applications.

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Graphical abstract Carbon dots doped with heteroatoms (X-CDs) are a kind of fluorescent nanomaterials that display bright fluorescence, high quantum yield, photostability, biocompatibility and low toxicity. Hence, they possess large potential for both in-vitro and in-vivo bioimaging.

     

A dual chemosensor for Cu2+ and Fe3+ based on π-extend tetrathiafulvalene derivative

A new dual chemosensor (TTF-PBA) for Fe³⁺ and Cu²⁺ in different signal pathways was designed and synthesized. The absorption spectrum, fluorescence spectrum and cyclic voltammograms changed in the presence of Cu²⁺ and Fe³⁺. The optical color changed within 5 s from yellow to orange upon the addition of Cu²⁺, and it changed to dark yellow when Fe³⁺ existed. The cyclic voltammogram of Cu²⁺/TTF-PBA changed from E_ox = 0.50 V, E_red = 0.32 V to E_ox = 0.64 V, E_red = 0.80 V (vs Ag/AgCl) upon the addition of 2.0 equiv. Cu²⁺. As for Fe³⁺/TTF-PBA, its oxidation wave disappeared, and its reduction wave appeared at E_red = ?0.59 V (vs Ag/AgCl) upon the addition of 4.0 equv. Fe³⁺. The sensor displayed high selectivity for Cu²⁺ and Fe³⁺ over other ions including Pb²⁺, Zn²⁺, Ni²⁺, Ag⁺, Cr³⁺, Mn²⁺, Al³⁺, Co²⁺, Pd²⁺, Hg²⁺, Fe^2+, Cd²⁺, Ce³⁺, Bi³⁺ and Au³⁺, the detection limits for Cu²⁺ and Fe³⁺ ion reached as low as 5.33 × 10^?7 mol/L and 5.34 × 10^?7 mol/L, respectively. Furthermore, when Fe³⁺ existed, Cu²⁺ can be detected sequentially by the sensor through the absorption spectrum and the color change observed by naked-eyes.     

Green fabrication of sandwich-like and dodecahedral C@Fe<Subscript>3</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript>@C as high-performance anode for lithium-ion batteries

Sandwich-structured C@Fe₃O₄@C hybrids with Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles sandwiched between two conductive carbon layers have attracted more and more attention owing to enhanced synergistic effects for lithium-ion storage. In this work, an environment-friendly procedure is developed for the fabrication of sandwich-like C@Fe₃O₄@C dodecahedrons. Zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF-8)-derived carbon dodecahedrons (ZIF-C) are used as the carbon matrix, on which iron precursors are homogeneously grown with the assistance of a polyelectrolyte layer. The subsequent polydopamine (PDA) coating and calcination give rise to the formation of sandwiched ZIF-C@Fe₃O₄@C. When being evaluated as the anode material for lithium-ion batteries, the obtained hybrid manifests a high reversible capacity (1194 mAh g^?1 at 0.05 A g^?1), good high-rate behavior (796 mAh g^?1 at 10 A g^?1), and negligible capacity loss after 120 cycles.