A scheme for rapid prediction of cooperativity in hydrogen bond chains of formamides,acetamides, and N‐methylformamides

A scheme is proposed in this article to predict the cooperativity in hydrogen bond chains of formamides, acetamides, and N‐methylformamides. The parameters needed in the scheme are derived from fitting to the hydrogen bonding energies of MP2/6‐31+G** with basis set superposition error (BSSE) correction of the hydrogen bond chains of formamides containing from two to eight monomeric units. The scheme is then used to calculate the individual hydrogen bonding energies in the chains of formamides containing 9 and 12 monomeric units, in the chains of acetamides containing from two to seven monomeric units, in the chains of N‐methylformamides containing from two to seven monomeric units. The calculation results show that the cooperativity predicted by the scheme proposed in this paper is in good agreement with those obtained from MP2/6‐31+G** calculations by including the BSSE correction, demonstrating that the scheme proposed in this article is reasonable. Based on our scheme, a cooperativity effect of almost 240% of the dimer hydrogen bonding energy in long hydrogen bond formamide chains, a cooperativity effect of almost 190% of the dimer hydrogen bonding energy in long hydrogen bond acetamide chains, and a cooperativity effect of almost 210% of the dimer hydrogen bonding energy in long hydrogen bond N‐methylformamide chains are predicted. The scheme is further applied to some heterogeneous chains containing formamide, acetamide, and N‐methylformamide. The individual hydrogen bonding energies in these heterogeneous chains predicted by our scheme are also in good agreement with those obtained from Møller‐Plesset calculations including BSSE correction. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem, 2010     

Adsorption of uranium ions from aqueous solution by amine-group functionalized magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticle

The magnetic Fe₃O₄ nanoparticle was functionalized by covalently grafting amine group with (3-aminopropyl) trimethoxy silane, and the Fe₃O₄–NH₂ nanoparticle and the Fe₃O₄ nanoparticle were characterized by Fourier transform infrared, and X-ray diffraction. And the results indicated the amine-group was immobilized successfully on the surface of Fe₃O₄. The adsorption behavior of uranium from aqueous solution by the Fe₃O₄ nanoparticle and the Fe₃O₄–NH₂ nanoparticle was investigated using batch experiments. The pH of initial aqueous solution at 5.0 and 6.0 were in favour of adsorption of uranium, and the adsorption percentage of uranium by the Fe₃O₄ nanoparticle and the Fe₃O₄–NH₂ nanoparticle were 81.2 and 95.6 %, respectively. In addition, the adsorption of uranium ions could be well-described by the Langmuir, Freundlich isotherms and pseudo-second kinetic models. The monolayer adsorption maximum capacity of the Fe₃O₄ nanoparticle and the Fe₃O₄–NH₂ nanoparticle were 85.35 and 268.49 mg/g at 298.15 K, respectively, which indicate the adsorption capacity the Fe₃O₄ nanoparticle was improved by amine functionalization.     

Versatile Iridicycle Catalysts for Highly Efficient and Chemoselective Transfer Hydrogenation of Carbonyl Compounds in Water

Cyclometalated iridium complexes are shown to be highly efficient and chemoselective catalysts for the transfer hydrogenation of a wide range of carbonyl groups with formic acid in water. Examples include α‐substituted ketones (α‐ether, α‐halo, α‐hydroxy, α‐amino, α‐nitrile or α‐ester), α‐keto esters, β‐keto esters and α,β‐unsaturated aldehydes. The reduction was carried out at substrate/catalyst ratios of up to 50 000 at pH 4.5 and required no organic solvent. The protocol provides a practical, easy and efficient way for the synthesis of β‐functionalised secondary alcohols, such as β‐hydroxyethers, β‐hydroxyamines and β‐hydroxyhalo compounds, which are valuable intermediates in pharmaceutical, fine chemical, perfume and agrochemical synthesis.     

Preparation of novel antimicrobial-modified starch and its adsorption on cellulose fibers: Part I. Optimization of synthetic conditions and antimicrobial activities

Antimicrobial-modified starch was synthesized by covalently bonding guanidine polymer (PHGH) with potato starch via coupling reaction. Orthogonal tests were applied to optimize the reaction conditions. The coupling efficiency could reach 90.21% at the optimal conditions: temperature, 70 °C; time, 2 h; PHGH/starch, 120 wt.%; GDE/starch, 8 wt.%; pH, 11. PHGH modified starches exhibited high antimicrobial activities against both E. coli and S. aureus. Shaking flask method was more suitable for current non-released modified starches than diffusion method to evaluate the antimicrobial activities. In the presence of 1.0 wt.% PHGH in wood fibers, the growth inhibition reached almost 100%. The AFM results also demonstrated that the antimicrobial mechanism of PHGH was to destroy the membrane of the cells.     

Structure and morphology controllable synthesis of Ag/carbon hybrid with ionic liquid as soft-template and their catalytic properties

Ag/carbon hybrids were fabricated by the redox of glucose and silver nitrate (AgNO₃) in the presence of imidazolium ionic liquid ([C₁₄mim]BF₄) under hydrothermal condition. Monodisperse carbon hollow sub-microspheres encapsulating Ag nanoparticles and Ag/carbon cables were selectively prepared by varying the concentration of ionic liquid. Other reaction parameters, such as reaction temperature, reaction time and the mole ratio of silver nitrate to glucose, play important roles in controlling the structures of the products. The products were characterized by XRD, TEM (HRTEM), SEM, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), FTIR spectroscopy and a Raman spectrometer. The possible formation mechanism was proposed. The catalytic property of the hybrid in the oxidation of 1-butanol by H₂O₂ was also investigated.     

Structural basis for specific, high-affinity tetracycline binding by an in vitro evolved aptamer and artificial riboswitch

The tetracycline aptamer is an in vitro selected RNA that binds to the antibiotic with the highest known affinity of an artificial RNA for a small molecule (Kd approximately 0.8 nM). It is one of few aptamers known to be capable of modulating gene expression in vivo. The 2.2 A resolution cocrystal structure of the aptamer reveals a pseudoknot-like fold formed by tertiary interactions between an 11 nucleotide loop and the minor groove of an irregular helix. Tetracycline binds within this interface as a magnesium ion chelate. The structure, together with previous biochemical and biophysical data, indicates that the aptamer undergoes localized folding concomitant with tetracycline binding. The three-helix junction, h-shaped architecture of this artificial RNA is more complex than those of most aptamers and is reminiscent of the structures of some natural riboswitches.     

Comparative DFT study of crystalline ammonium perchlorate and ammonium dinitramide

The electronic structure, vibrational properties, absorption spectra, and thermodynamic properties of crystalline ammonium perchlorate (AP) and ammonium dinitramide (ADN) have been comparatively studied using density functional theory in the local density approximation. The results shows that the p states for the two solids play a very important role in their chemical reaction. From the low frequency to high frequency region, ADN has more motion modes for the vibrational frequencies than AP. The absorption spectra of AP and ADN display a few, strong bands in the fundamental absorption region. The thermodynamic properties show that ADN is easier to decompose than AP as the temperature increases.     

Synthesis and Mesomorphic Behavior of 3‐Alkyl‐2,5‐ bis[p‐(hexa‐2,4‐dienoyloxy)phenyl]‐Thiophene Derivatives

3‐Alkyl‐2,5‐bis[p‐(hexa‐2,4‐dienoyloxy)phenyl]‐thiophene derivatives were synthesized by using Kumada coupling and Suzuki coupling reactions as key steps. The thermotropic liquid crystalline behavior of these compounds was investigated by optical polarized microscopy, monotropic nematic mesophases were observed in such compounds.     

流动载体膜阴离子选择电极电位选择性系数规律的探讨

离子选择电极的电位选择性系数K_ij^Pot是衡量电极性能的重要参数。电位选择性系数规律已经有过讨论^[1-3]。本文将对流动载体膜阴离子选择电极电位选择性系数与阴离子结构参数(z/r²)_j的关系进行讨论。     

功能化氧化石墨烯的细胞相容性

采用改进的Hummers方法制备了纳米尺度的氧化石墨烯.对氧化石墨烯的表面进行羧基化,并连接上聚乙二醇(PEG)使其在细胞培养液中可溶并能稳定保存.采用透射电镜(TEM)、傅里叶变换红外(FTIR)光谱和zeta电位测量等对修饰后的氧化石墨烯的结构和功能进行了表征.体外细胞实验表明PEG修饰的氧化石墨烯在水中具有良好的可溶性,对A549细胞没有明显的毒性,在生物医药领域具有潜在的应用价值.