2-(2-Pyridyl) benzimidazole based Co(II) complex as an efficient fluorescent probe for trace level determination of aspartic and glutamic acid in aqueous solution: a displacement approach

A weakly fluorescent cobalt(II) complex is synthesized using 2-(2-pyridyl)-benzimidazole (PBI) as a chelating fluorescent ligand and characterized by single crystal X-ray structure. This complex serves as an efficient fluorescent probe for trace level determination of aspartic acid (AspA) and glutamic acid (GluA) in aqueous solution. Rest of the naturally occurring amino acids did not interfere. Both aspartic acid and glutamic acid replaces PBI from the coordination sphere of Co(II)-PBI complex resulting appearance of strong fluorescence signal for the released free PBI. The signal response is very fast and the interaction of both the AspA and GluA with the Co(II) is strong enough as evident from their displacement equilibrium constant values, viz. 4357.8 M(-1) and 8333.33 M(-1) respectively.     

Pyrene-containing peptide-based fluorescent organogels: inclusion of graphene into the organogel

The N-terminally pyrene-conjugated oligopeptide, Py-Phe-Phe-Ala-OMe, (Py=pyrene 1-butyryl acyl) forms transparent, stable, supramolecular fluorescent organogels in various organic solvents. One of these organogels was thoroughly studied using various techniques including transmission electron microscopy (TEM), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy, and rheology. Unfunctionalized and non-oxidized graphene was successfully incorporated into this fluorescent organogel in o-dichlorobenzene (ODCB) to form a stable hybrid organogel. Graphene is well dispersed into the gel medium by using non-covalent π-π stacking interactions with the pyrene-conjugated gelator peptide. In the presence of graphene, the minimum gelation concentration (mgc) of the hybrid organogel was lowered significantly. This suggests that there is a favorable interaction between the graphene and the gelator peptide within the hybrid organogel system. This hybrid organogel was characterized using TEM, AFM, FTIR, PL, and rheological studies. The TEM study of graphene-containing hybrid organogel revealed the presence of both graphene sheets and entangled gel nanofibers. The AFM study indicated the presence of 3 to 4 layers in exfoliated graphene in ODCB and the presence of both graphene nanosheets and the network of gel nanofibers in the hybrid gel system. The rheological investigation suggested that the flow of the hybrid organogel had become more resistant towards the applied angular frequency upon the incorporation of graphene into the organogel. The hybrid gel is about seven times more rigid than that of the native gel.     

Correlation of the EPR properties of perchlorotriphenylmethyl radicals and their efficiency as DNP polarizers

Water soluble perchlorinated trityl (PTM) radicals were found to be effective 95 GHz DNP (dynamic nuclear polarization) polarizers in ex situ (dissolution) (13)C DNP (Gabellieri et al., Angew Chem., Int. Ed. 2010, 49, 3360). The degree of the nuclear polarization obtained was reported to be dependent on the position of the chlorine substituents on the trityl skeleton. In addition, on the basis of the DNP frequency sweeps it was suggested that the (13)C NMR signal enhancement is mediated by the Cl nuclei. To understand the DNP mechanism of the PTM radicals we have explored the 95 GHz EPR characteristics of these radicals that are relevant to their performance as DNP polarizers. The EPR spectra of the radicals revealed axially symmetric g-tensors. A comparison of the spectra with the (13)C DNP frequency sweeps showed that although the solid effect mechanism is operational the DNP frequency sweeps reveal some extra width suggesting that contributions from EPR forbidden transitions involving (35,37)Cl nuclear flips are likely. This was substantiated experimentally by ELDOR (electron-electron double resonance) detected NMR measurements, which map the EPR forbidden transitions, and ELDOR experiments that follow the depolarization of the electron spin upon irradiation of the forbidden EPR transitions. DFT (density functional theory) calculations helped to assign the observed transitions and provided the relevant spin Hamiltonian parameters. These results show that the (35,37)Cl hyperfine and nuclear quadrupolar interactions cause a considerable nuclear state mixing at 95 GHz thus facilitating the polarization of the Cl nuclei upon microwave irradiation. Overlap of Cl nuclear frequencies and the (13)C Larmor frequency further facilitates the polarization of the (13)C nuclei by spin diffusion. Calculation of the (13)C DNP frequency sweep based on the Cl nuclear polarization showed that it does lead to an increase in the width of the spectra, improving the agreement with the experimental sweeps, thus supporting the existence of a new heteronuclear assisted DNP mechanism.     

Unprecedented formation of benzo[d][1,2,3,6]oxatriazocine derivatives via diazo-oxygen bond formation and synthesis of enantiomerically pure 1-alkyl benzotriazole derivatives

A series of amino acid-derived enantiomerically pure substituted benzo[d][1,2,3,6]oxatriazocine derivatives and 1-alkyl substituted benzotriazoles has been prepared by the diazotization of amino acid-derived benzo-fused alicycles. The first unprecedented diazo-oxygen bond formation in acidic medium led to an entirely new kind of substituted benzo[d][1,2,3,6]oxatriazocine heterocycles.     

Structural, magnetic, and gas adsorption study of a series of partially fluorinated metal-organic frameworks (HF-MOFs)

Four new partially fluorinated metal organic frameworks (HF-MOFs) have been synthesized under different solvothermal conditions (H(2)O or dimethylformamide (DMF)) from transition metal cations [Co(2+) and Mn(2+)], 3-methyl pyridine (3-mepy) and 4,4'-(hexafluoroisopropylidene) bis(benzoic acid) (C(17)H(10)F(6)O(4), H(2)hfbba), to determine the influence of reaction conditions on the formation of MOFs. This family of materials displays a striking degree of structural similarity depending on the solvent of synthesis. HF-MOFs synthesized from H(2)O [Co-HFMOF-W, Co(hfbba)(3-mepy)(H(2)O) and Mn-HFMOF-W, Mn(hfbba)(3-mepy)(H(2)O)] contain three-dimensional connectivity whereas HF-MOFs synthesized from DMF Co-HFMOF-D, [Co(2)(hfbba)(2)(3-mepy)(2)]·(DMF)(3) and Mn-HFMOF-D, [Mn(2)(hfbba)(2)(3-mepy)]·(H(2)O) are two-dimensional in nature. Co-HFMOF-W and Mn-HFMOF-W are iso-structural polymeric materials. Thermal gravimetric analysis performed on as-synthesized HF-MOFs revealed that these compounds have high thermal stability (～350 °C). The continuous decrease of the χT product with decreasing T for Co-HFMOF-D and Co-HFMOF-W respectively indicates the presence of antiferromagnetic exchange interaction between two Co(2+) (S = 3/2) metal centers within a cluster.     

Bioleaching of Nickel and Cobalt from Lateritic Chromite Overburden Using the Culture Filtrate of Aspergillus niger

Extraction of metals (Ni, Co) from chromite overburden of Sukinda mines of Orissa, India, with the culture filtrate of Aspergillus niger was studied. Results showed that the amounts of metals leached varied directly with reaction temperature and period of fermentation. The culture filtrate was analyzed for citric and oxalic acids, and contained only oxalic acid—the concentration of which increased with time. Although this acid played the major role in leaching of metals, other unidentified metabolites present in the culture filtrate influenced the dissolution of the metals significantly. Maximum recovery of metals from raw and roasted ore samples was achieved at 80 °C with the 21-day culture filtrate containing the highest amount of oxalic acid. Under identical experimental conditions, much higher amounts of the metals were leached from roasted ore. Microstructures of the ore particles were studied by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy; the bonding behaviors of metal compounds were identified by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy which showed that the metals were leached after chelation with oxalic acid.     

Three new pseudohalide bridged dinuclear Zn(II) Schiff base complexes: Synthesis,crystal structures and fluorescence studies

Three new dinuclear Zn(II) complexes [Zn(L)(μ_1,1-N₃)Zn(L)(N₃)] · 1.5H₂O (1), [Zn(L)(μ_1,1-NCO)Zn(L)(NCO)] · 1.5H₂O (2) and [Zn(L)(μ_1,1-NCS)Zn(L)(NCS)(OH₂)] (3) have been synthesized from a potentially tetradentate N₂O₂-donor Schiff base ligand LH, [LH = (OCH₃)(OH)C₆H₃CHN(CH₂)₂N(CH₃)₂], which is the condensation product of o-vanillin and 2-dimethylaminoethylamine. All the three complexes 1, 2 and 3 have been characterized by elemental analysis, IR and ¹H NMR spectroscopy, TGA and fluorescence studies. Finally, their structures have been established by the single crystal X-ray diffraction method. Structural studies reveal that in complexes 1, 2 and 3 the two Zn(II) centers are held together by a μ₂-phenolato oxygen atom and also by an end-on pseudohalide nitrogen (azide for 1; cyanate for 2; thiocyanate for 3) atom. Among the two deprotonated Schiff base ligands present in each complex, one acts as a tetradentate ligand (N₂O₂ donor set) while the other acts as a tridentate ligand (N₂O donor set), having a non-coordinated methoxy group. All the synthesized complexes display intraligand ¹(π–π^∗) fluorescence and can potentially serve as photoactive materials.     

A Two‐Dimensional Coordination Compound as a Zinc Ion Selective Luminescent Probe for Biological Applications

A 2D coordination compound {[Cu₂(HL)(N₃)]?ClO₄}_∞ ( 1 ; H₃L=2,6‐bis(hydroxyethyliminoethyl)‐4‐methyl phenol) was synthesized and characterized by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction to be a polymer in the crystalline state. Each [Cu₂(HL)(N₃)]⁺ species is connected to its adjacent unit by a bridging alkoxide oxygen atom of the ligand to form a helical propagation along the crystallographic a axis. The adjacent helical frameworks are connected by a ligand alcoholic oxygen atom along the crystallographic b axis to produce pleated 2D sheets. In solution, 1 dissociates into [Cu₂(HL)₂(H₃L)]?2H₂O ( 2 ); the monomer displays high selectivity for Zn²⁺ and can be used in HEPES buffer (pH 7.4) as a zinc ion selective luminescent probe for biological application. The system shows a nearly 19‐fold Zn²⁺‐selective chelation‐enhanced fluorescence response in the working buffer. Application of 2 to cultured living cells (B16F10 mouse melanoma and A375 human melanoma) and rat hippocampal slices was also studied by fluorescence microscopy.     

Noria: A Highly Xe‐Selective Nanoporous Organic Solid

Separation of xenon and krypton is of industrial and environmental concern; the existing technologies use cryogenic distillation. Thus, a cost‐effective, alternative technology for the separation of Xe and Kr and their capture from air is of significant importance. Herein, we report the selective Xe uptake in a crystalline porous organic oligomeric molecule, noria, and its structural analogue, PgC‐noria, under ambient conditions. The selectivity of noria towards Xe arises from its tailored pore size and small cavities, which allows a directed non‐bonding interaction of Xe atoms with a large number of carbon atoms of the noria molecular wheel in a confined space.