Unveiling Luminescent IrI and RhI N-Heterocyclic Carbene Complexes: Structure,Photophysical Specifics,and Cellular Localization in the Endoplasmic Reticulum

Complexes of Rh^I and Ir^I of the [M(COD)(NHC)X] type (where M=Rh or Ir, COD=1,5-cyclooctadiene, NHC=N-heterocyclic carbene, and X=halide) have recently shown promising cytotoxic activities against several cancer cell lines. Initial mechanism of action studies provided some knowledge about their interaction with DNA and proteins. However, information about their cellular localization remains scarce owing to luminescence quenching within this complex type. Herein, the synthesis of two rare examples of luminescent Rh^I and Ir^I [M(COD)(NHC)I] complexes with 1,8-naphthalimide-based emitting ligands is reported. All new complexes are comprehensively characterized, including with single-crystal X-ray structures. Steric crowding in one derivative leads to two distinct rotamers in solution, which apparently can be distinguished both by pronounced NMR shifts and by their respective spectral and temporal emission signatures. When the photophysical properties of these new complexes are exploited for cellular imaging in HT-29 and PT-45 cancer cell lines, it is demonstrated that the complexes accumulate predominantly in the endoplasmic reticulum, which is an entirely new finding and provides the first insight into the cellular localization of such Ir^I(NHC) complexes.     

Effect of polarity and structural design on molecular photorefractive properties of heteroaromatic-based push-pull dyes

A combined experimental (optical and electro-optical absorption measurements) and computational (ab initio RHF and DFT) approach has been used to investigate the molecular low- and high-T(g) photorefractive (PR) performances of neutral and zwitterionic heteroaromatic dipolar chromophores in terms of structural and solvent-polarity effects. We have found that the nature of the building units (donor, acceptor, and spacer) and the polarity of the surrounding medium strongly affect all the relevant ground-state and nonlinear optical properties involved in the PR activity, that is, the dipole moment, the polarizability anisotropy, and first hyperpolarizability of the electronic ground-state. The variation of these properties is in turn transferred to molecular low- and high-T(g) PR figures of merit. It is shown that PR molecular performance not only relies on a proper choice of structural components but varies by orders of magnitude as a function of the medium polarity, and this suggests that a combination of molecular design and host-matrix engineering is required for optimized performances of PR materials.     

Synthese und Charakterisierung von Cobalt(II)‐ und Kupfer(I)‐Komplexen mit Guanidin‐Pyridin‐Hybridliganden

Syntheses and Structures of Cobalt(II) and Copper(I) Complexes with Guanidine‐Pyridine Hybridligands The guanidine‐pyridine hybridligands N‐(1,3‐dimethylimidazolidin‐2‐ylidene)‐2‐(pyridine‐2‐yl)ethanamine (DMEGepy, L1 ) and 1,1,3,3‐tetramethyl‐2‐(2‐(pyridine‐2‐yl)ethyl)guanidine (TMGepy, L2 ) have been synthesized and characterized. The reaction of DMEGepy with CoCl₂ and TMGepy with CuI lead to the mononuclear complexes {N‐(1,3‐dimethylimidazolidin‐2‐ylidene)‐2‐(pyridine‐2‐yl)ethanamine}cobalt(II) dichloride ( 1 ) and {1,1,3,3‐tetramethyl‐2‐(2‐(pyridine‐2‐yl)ethyl)guanidine}copper(I) iodide ( 2 ). By the characterization of these complexes we are able to compare the complexation chemistry of the hybridguanidine and bisguanidine ligands with regard to the various N donor functions systematically.     

Resolving complex atomic-scale spin structures by spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy

The spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscope (SP-STM) operated in the constant current mode is proposed as a powerful tool to investigate complex atomic-scale magnetic structures of otherwise chemically equivalent atoms. The potential of this approach is demonstrated by successfully resolving the magnetic structure of Cr/Ag(111), which is predicted on the basis of ab initio vector spin-density calculations to be a coplanar noncollinear periodic 120 degrees Néel structure. Different operating modes of the SP-STM are discussed on the basis of the model of Tersoff and Hamann.     

Pressure-induced valence transition in EuNi2Ge2 studied by 151Eu nuclear forward scattering of synchrotron radiation

Hyperfine Interactions - We present the first application of nuclear forward scattering (NFS) of synchrotron radiation by the 21.5 keV transition of 151Eu for a high-pressure study. After...     

Analysenschnellverfahren zur Bestimmung der Tonerde im Portlandzement

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Fs-Laser structuring of ridge waveguides

Thin films made by PLD from Er:ZBLAN and Nd:Gd₃Ga₅O₁₂ are micro machined to form optical wave guiding structures using Ti:sapphire and Yb:glass fiber laser radiation. For the manufacturing of the ridge waveguides grooves are structured by ablation using femtosecond laser radiation. The fluence, the scanning velocity, the repetition rate, and the orientation of the polarization with respect to the scanning direction are varied. The resulting structures are characterized using optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Damping and absorption coefficients of the waveguides are determined by observing the light scattered from the waveguides due to droplets in the thin films and the surface roughness of the structured edges. To discriminate between damping due to droplets and the structured edges, damping measurements in the non-structured films and the structured waveguides are performed. Ridge waveguides with non-resonant damping losses smaller than 3 dB/cm are achieved. Due to the high repetition rate of the Yb:glass fiber laser, the manufacturing time for one waveguide has been decreased by a factor of more than 100 compared to earlier results achieved with the Ti:sapphire laser.     

Carbon-13 solid state NMR investigation and modeling of the morphological reorganization in regenerated cellulose fibres induced by controlled acid hydrolysis

CPMAS carbon-13 NMR has been used to follow structural changes affecting regenerated cellulose fibres during hydrolysis by mineral acids. The C4 envelope of regenerated cellulose was deconvoluted into separate peaks, for ordered (crystal), part-ordered (surface) and disordered (non-crystal) polymer, which allowed calculation of average crystal lateral sizes, in good agreement with WAXD data. A geometrical model has been used to describe recrystallisation at lateral crystal faces, occurring within a disordered boundary surrounding the crystal interior. A one-dimensional relaxation-diffusion model has also been constructed, appropriate to the spinodal structure of lyocell. This has provided estimates of proton T_1ρ relaxation times for pure crystalline (cellulose II) and non-crystalline cellulose, around 24 and 4.5 ms, respectively, at a 45 kHz B₁ field. From the model, crystalline and non-crystalline regions in lyocell are estimated to each be around 2.5 nm thickness for a material of 50% crystallinity, consistent with the 2–3 nm dimensions derived from C4 peak devonvolution.