浓度梯度分布的镍和氮共掺杂TiO2光催化剂的制备和表征

以TiCl4为钛前驱体, 氨水和氯化镍为掺杂离子给体, 采用沉淀和层层浸渍相结合的方法制备了氮、镍共掺杂TiO2光催化剂. 采用X射线衍射(XRD)、氮气吸附-脱附、X射线光电子能谱(XPS)、紫外-可见漫反射吸收光谱(UV-Vis)等现代表征方法对催化剂的晶体结构、微结构、掺杂基团和光谱性质进行了表征. XRD和氮吸附-脱附分析结果表明, 氮、镍共掺杂TiO2为单一锐钛矿相, 具有介孔结构. XPS谱证实掺杂的氮和镍分别以NOx和Ni2O3及NiO的形式存在, 且镍在共掺杂表面的浓度高于体相中的浓度, 在扩散方向上存在浓度梯度分布. 4-氯酚的降解实验结果表明, 浓度梯度分布镍和氮共掺杂TiO2的紫外光-可见光催化活性均高于均相共掺杂TiO2、单掺杂和未掺杂TiO2的催化活性. 其原因是掺杂的氮以NOx形式存在, 使催化剂的感光范围拓展至可见光区; 而掺杂的镍维持了半导体体系的电荷平衡, 有效抑制了Ti3+的产生. 同时掺杂的镍在催化剂中存在浓度梯度分布, 减少了光生电子和空穴的复合几率, 提高了催化剂的光催化活性.     

温敏性嵌段共聚物纳米胶束的制备及其稳定性

通过N-异丙基丙烯酰胺(NIPAAm)和N,N-二甲基丙烯酰胺(DMAAm)在链转移剂巯基乙醇存在下的自由基共聚,制备了具有端羟基的共聚物P(NIPAAm-co-DMAAm).利用其端羟基在异辛酸亚锡催化下引发己内酯开环聚合,得到了两亲性嵌段共聚物P(NIPAAm-co-DMAAm)-b-PCL,并在聚己内酯(PCL)链末端引入可光催化反应的不饱和双键.通过1H-NMR、GPC和相转变温度(LCST)等方法对聚合物进行了结构表征,测定了嵌段共聚物形成胶束的临界胶束浓度和胶束粒径,比较了核交联前后胶束的粒径和稳定性.结果表明:通过调节共聚物的组成,可获得LCST在40℃附近的胶束,胶束经核交联后,粒径有所减小,但稳定性明显提高,可用于对药物的温敏控制释放.     

Palladium-catalyzed aminations of aryl halides with phosphine-functionalized imidazolium ligands

A series of 1-(2-diphenylphosphinoferrocenyl)ethyl-3-substituted imidazolium iodides [3-substituent = methyl (1a); isopropyl (1b); tert-butyl (1c); 1-adenosyl (1d); cyclohexyl (1e); 2,6-dimethylphenyl (1f); 2,4,6-trimethylphenyl (1g); 2,6-diisopropylphenyl (1h)] have been prepared and evaluated as ligands in the palladium-catalyzed aminations of aryl halides with various amines. The scope of the coupling process was carried out for various aryl bromides and chlorides with the catalysts generated in situ from a mixture of Pd(OAc)2 and in the presence of a base. NaO t Bu was found the choice of base in combination with dioxane, toluene, or DME as solvent, although NaOH or Cs2CO3 promoted the coupling of 4-bromotoluene with morpholine in moderate conversion. The steric hindrance from the 3-substituent of imidazolium in the hybrid-bidentate chelating system was found to be only beneficial to the substrates without ortho-substituents. The more sterically hindered 1d or 1h promoted the coupling of bromobenzene with morpholine in nearly quantitative conversion with 0.2 mol% of palladium loading in the presence of NaO t Bu at 110 degrees C, and 94% of conversion was afforded with the less sterical demanding 1a for a longer time. However, for the substrates with ortho-substituents, higher conversions were achieved with 1a. The Pd(OAc)2/1d catalytic system was also active for deactivated aryl chloride, and 71% isolated yield for the desired product was realized for coupling of 4-chloroanisole with morpholine at 2 mol% of catalyst loading. The developed catalyst system has been applied successfully to the synthesis of a key building block for a type of functional polymers.     

Adsorption of gases in carbon nanotubes: are defect interstitial sites important?

Molecular simulations are used to shed light on an ongoing controversy over where gases adsorb on single walled carbon nanotube bundles. We have performed simulations using models of carbon nanotube bundles composed of tubes of all the same diameter (homogeneous) and tubes of different diameters (heterogeneous). Simulation data are compared with experimental data in an effort to identify the best model for describing experimental data. Adsorption isotherms, isosteric heats of adsorption, and specific surface areas have been computed for Ar, CH 4, and Xe on closed, open, and partially opened homogeneous and heterogeneous nanotube bundles. Experimental data from nanotubes prepared from two different methods, electric arc and HiPco, were examined. Experimental adsorption isotherms and isosteric heats for nanotubes prepared by the electric arc method are in best agreement with simulations for heterogeneous bundles of closed nanotubes. Models including adsorption in defect interstitial channels are required to achieve good agreement with experiments. Experimental isosteric heats and specific surface areas on HiPco nanotubes are best described by a model consisting of heterogeneous bundles with approximately 11% of the nanotubes opened.     

Stability analysis for double-stranded DNA oligomers and their noncovalent complexes with drugs by laser spray

Laser spray, which is a newly developed ionization technique, can characterize the stability of noncovalent complexes in the solution phase. By using this advantage, laser spray has been applied to probe the intrinsic stability of double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) sequences and their binding affinities with various drugs in the solution phase. Systematic experiments were carried out using six 16-mer and three 22-mer dsDNA oligomers, together with the complexes of the 16-mer dsDNA with minor groove binders: berenil, Hoechst 33342, DAPI, and netropsin. Dissociation curves for each dsDNA or each complex were plotted as a function of laser power. The laser power (E50%), where 50% of each dsDNA or each complex was dissociated, was compared with its melting temperature (Tm) determined by UV spectroscopy. Linear correlations between E50% and Tm were obtained not only for the dsDNA oligomers (correlation factor r = 0.9835) but also for the 16-mer dsDNA complexes with minor groove binders (r = 0.9966). In addition, laser spray has successfully clarified the binding affinities of a 16-mer dsDNA with two intercalators: daunomycin and nogalamycin. In the case of the dsDNA-daunomycin complex, by changing the molar ratio of dsDNA : drug from 1 : 1 to 1 : 5, the concentration-dependent stability of the complex was confirmed by laser spray. The present results demonstrate that laser spray mass spectrometry can be a powerful and convenient method to investigate the relative binding affinities of dsDNA-ligand complexes in the solution phase, which could be applied to the early stage of high-throughput screening of drugs targeting for dsDNA.     

Novel Water‐Soluble Shape‐Regulatable Luminescent Nanoparticles by Non‐Covalently Bonded Self‐Assembly

Summary: Novel non‐covalently connected water‐soluble nanoparticles that contain poly(fluorene‐co‐phenylene) with hydroxy‐capped alkoxy side chains (PF3BOH) and poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) have been obtained and characterized. With different proportions of PF3BOH and PAA, the shape and size of the nanoparticles can be regulated. The nanoparticles are quite stable in water with no precipitate being observed after weeks. Transmission electron microscopy and dynamic laser light scattering are used to confirm the morphology of the PF3BOH/PAA nanoparticles. Their optical properties have been investigated and show similar optoelectronic properties to a PF3BOH solid film although they do not undergo aggregation.

TEM images of the nanoparticles obtained upon varying the PAA/PF3BOH content.     

Gold nanoparticles enhance the anti-leukemia action of a 6-mercaptopurine chemotherapeutic agent

6-mercaptopurine and its riboside derivatives are some of the most widely utilized anti-leukemic and anti-inflammatory drugs. Their short biological half-life and severe side effects limit their use. A new delivery method for these drugs based on 4-5 nm gold nanoparticles can potentially resolve these issues. We have found substantial enhancement of the antiproliferative effect against K-562 leukemia cells of Au nanoparticles bearing 6-mercaptopurine-9-beta-d-ribofuranoside compared to the same drug in typically administered free form. The improvement was attributed to enhanced intracellular transport followed by the subsequent release in lysosomes. Enhanced activity and nanoparticle carriers will make possible the reduction of the overall concentration of the drug, renal clearance, and, thus, side effects. The nanoparticles with mercaptopurine also showed excellent stability over 1 year without loss of inhibitory activity.     

Direct measurements of the interaction between pyrene and graphite in aqueous media by single molecule force spectroscopy: understanding the pi-pi interactions

Pyrene derivatives can absorb onto the surface of carbon nanotubes and graphite particles through pi-pi interactions to functionalize these inorganic building blocks with organic surface moieties. Using single molecule force spectroscopy, we have demonstrated the first direct measurement of the interaction between pyrene and a graphite surface. In particular, we have connected a pyrene molecule onto an AFM tip via a flexible poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) chain to ensure the formation of a molecular bridge. The pi-pi interaction between pyrene and graphite is thus indicated to be approximately 55 pN with no hysteresis between the desorption and adhesion forces.     

OSW saponins: facile synthesis toward a new type of structures with potent antitumor activities

[reaction: see text] OSW saponins, featuring a 16beta,17alpha-dihydroxycholest-22-one aglycon and an acylated beta-D-xylopyranosyl-(1-->3)-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl residue attached to the 16-hydroxyl group, have recently been discovered from a group of lily plants, which show potent antitumor activities with a novel mechanism of action. This paper describes an aldol approach to the stereoselective construction of the 16alpha,17alpha-dihydroxycholest-22-one structure from 16alpha-hydroxy-5-androsten-17-ones and propionates. Elaboration of the aldol adducts toward OSW-1, involving installation of the isoamyl ketone side chain, inversion of the 16-hydroxyl configuration, and selective protection of the C22-oxy function, has been explored and accomplished. In particular, the present route was found convenient for the synthesis of OSW saponin analogues with a C22-ester side chain. Thus, the 23-oxa-analogue of OSW-1 (40) was prepared starting from the industrial dehydroisoandrosterone (1) in a linear eight-step sequence and in 26% overall yield. Analogues with a variety of modified side chains were prepared, via aldol condensation with propionates of varying length, thiopropionate, and acetate (for preparation of 68-75) or via aminolysis of the 22,16-lactone 26 (for preparation of the 23-N-analogues). Cross metathesis (CM) reaction was also found feasible for modification at the final stage from C22-allyl ester 70. Valuable structure-activity relationships (SAR), together with the practical synthetic approach, have thus been provided to set a new stage for further studies on this new type of antitumor structures.