A Comparison of Electron Transfer Kinetics of Three Common Carbon Electrode Surfaces in Acetonitrile and in Room Temperature Ionic Liquid 1‐Butyl‐3‐Methylimidiazonium Hexafluorophosphate: Correlation to Surface Structure and the Limit of the Diffusion Domain Approximation

We report the comparison of electron transfer kinetic parameters of the ferrocene redox couple in both acetonitrile and in room temperature ionic liquid (RTIL) 1‐butyl‐3‐methylimidiazonium hexafluorophosphate ([C₄mim] [PF₆]), using edge plane pyrolytic graphite (EPPG), basal plane pyrolytic graphite (BPPG) and glassy carbon (GC) electrodes. Each electrode surface was characterized using SEM and AFM and the surface morphology was analyzed in terms of surface heterogeneity including the distribution of edge plane defects. The experimental data were modeled using both one and two dimensional simulations to correlate the electron transfer parameters obtained with the different surface structure of each electrode. Furthermore, we show that the diffusion domain approximation (commonly used to accurately simulate electron transfer kinetics at graphitic surfaces) breaks down when a BPPG electrode is used in RTIL and demonstrate the near impossibility of assigning rate constant to the basal plane surface.     

Synthesis of phenothiazine-corrole dyads: the enhanced DNA photocleavage properties

Three new phenothiazine-corrole dyads were prepared by the reaction of phenothiazine-10-carbonyl chloride and mono-hydroxyl triaryl corrole in the presence of DBU. As compared to corrole monomer, these phenothiazine-corrole dyads exhibit significant enhanced DNA photocleavage activity as compared to corrole monomer precursors.     

Synthesis,Structure and High Thermal Stability of a Novel Three‐dimensional Zinc(II) Complex with an Unsymmetrical Rigid‐flexible Ligand

A novel metal‐organic framework, [Zn(C₁₀H₈O₅)]_n ( 1 ) (C₁₀H₈O₅ = 2‐(4‐carboxylatophenoxy)propionate), was synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy, X‐ray crystallography and thermogravimetric analysis. The crystal structure study reveals that each zinc atom is coordinated by four oxygen atoms from four different ligands to obtain a distorted tetrahedron. The rigid carboxyl group bridges two adjacent zinc atoms to form a dimer of eight‐membered rings, whereas the flexible carboxyl group bridges two adjacent dimers to form 1D chains along the a axis. Two adjacent 1D chains are interconnected by the ligands to produce 2D layers. These layers are further stabilized by intermolecular hydrogen bonds to construct a 3D framework showing high thermal stability (445 °C).     

Assembly of a Novel Dumbbell‐type Dinuclear Copper(II) Complex: Synthesis,Structure and Properties

A new dumbbell‐type 4,4′‐bipy‐bridged dinuclear copper(II) complex, [Cu₂(4,4′‐bipy)L₂(H₂O)₂](ClO₄)₄ · 8CH₃OH · 10H₂O, where L = 1‐[bis(3‐aminopropyl)amino]‐2‐ propanol and bipy = bipyridine, has been synthesized and characterized, X‐ray crystallographic analysis shows that the [Cu₂(4,4′‐bipy)L₂(H₂O)₂]⁴⁺ cations and water molecules generate layer structures extending parallel to bc planes through hydrogen bonding interactions of O–H ··· O and C–H ··· O. The layers are also connected by hydrogen bonding interactions involving methanol, water, and perchlorate anions. These interactions lead to the formation of rectangular channels of 12.3 Å × 6.0 Å along the crystallographic c axis. Perchlorate anions fill in each channel in a sandwich‐like packing mode, they are joined with the adjacent layers by water heptamers. Magnetic susceptibility measurements show that the magnetic exchange interaction is weak although it has a regular π‐type electron transfer pathway. Furthermore, the electrochemical and thermogravimetric properties of the complex were also investigated.     

Biodegradation-induced surface change of polymer microspheres and its influence on cell growth

Biodegradable microspheres were fabricated by poly(?-caprolactone) (PCL) homopolymer and poly(?-caprolactone-b-ethylene oxide) (PCL-b-PEO) amphiphilic block copolymer. The regulation of microsphere surface morphology was successfully achieved by controlled enzymatic degradation. The morphological changes induced by biodegradation and their influences on the growth of MG-63 human osteosarcoma cells were studied. Results based on the evaluation of cytotoxicity and the morphological observation of MG-63 cells cultivated on microspheres showed better growth of cells on the surface of degraded microspheres than on the surface of those undegraded microspheres no matter they were fabricated by homopolymers or copolymers. The influences of morphological changes of microsphere surface before and after biodegradation on MG-63 cell growth were discussed. The results of this work indicated that the biodegradation-induced morphological changes of microspheres could be well controlled and were favorable for MG-63 cell attachment and proliferation.     

Preparation of anionic phosphine ligands in situ for the palladium-catalyzed Buchwald/Hartwig amination reactions of aryl halides

2-Phenylindenyl phosphine ligand can be changed into anionic phosphine ligand in situ and utilized in the palladium-catalyzed Buchwald/Hartwig amination reactions in DME, providing good to excellent yields of amination products from aryl chlorides, bromides and iodides. ³¹P NMR studies show that the resonance for the anionic phosphine appeared between those of the (2-phenylindenyl)-dicyclohexyl phosphonium salt and (2-phenylindenyl)dicyclohexylphosphine. The calculated results were consistent with the experimental results.     

Synthesis, crystal structure and nonlinear optical property of Rb3V5O14

The new nonlinear optical crystal Rb₃V₅O₁₄ has been synthesized by solid state reaction and characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, IR and thermogravimetric analysis. The crystal Rb₃V₅O₁₄ crystallizes in the trigonal system with space P31m (No. 157), a=b=8.7134(12) Å, c=5.2807(11) Å and α=90°, β=90°, γ=120°, Z=1, ρ=3.516 g/cm³. It is a layered structure that is very flat and strongly parallel to c. The V₅O₁₄ layer structure consists of corner-linked square and triangular pyramids. The layers are separated by Rb⁺ ions, which fit equally well on the V₅O₁₄ layer. The Kurtz powder SHG measurement, using 1064 nm radiation, showed that the second-harmonic generation efficiency of Rb₃V₅O₁₄ is about two times that of KDP.     

DFT and TD-DFT studies on symmetrical squaraine dyes for nanocrystalline solar cells

Abstract  

The ground-state geometries, electronic structures, and electronic absorption spectra of symmetrical squaraine dyes SQ1–SQ4 were investigated using density functional theory and time-dependent DFT at the B3LYP level. The calculated geometries indicate that strong conjugation effects occur in the dyes. The highest occupied molecular orbital energy levels were calculated to be −4.95, −5.22, −5.09, and −5.06 eV, and the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital energies were −2.72, −3.05, −2.80, and −2.80 eV for SQ1–SQ4, respectively. Taking the conduction band energy of TiO₂ into account, these data reveal the sensitized mechanism: the interfacial electron transfer between the semiconductor TiO₂ electrode and the dye sensitizers SQ1–SQ4 are electron-injection processes from excited dyes to the semiconductor conduction band. The intense calculated absorption bands are assigned to π → π* transitions, which exhibit appreciable blue-shift compared with the experimental absorption maxima due to the inherent approximations in the TD-DFT.     

An efficient and environmentally friendly procedure for synthesis of pyrimidinone derivatives by use of a Biginelli-type reaction

Abstract  

A Biginelli-type three-component reaction involving cyclopentanone, aromatic aldehyde, and urea or thiourea for preparation of pyrimidinone derivatives under neat conditions is described. This condensation reaction can also take place smoothly in the presence of vitamin B₁ in EtOH at 80 °C in good yield. The procedure is simple, high-yielding, time-saving, and environment friendly.