β‐Functionalization of Carboxylic Anhydrides with β‐Alkyl Substituents through Carbene Organocatalysis

The first NHC‐catalyzed functionalization of carboxylic anhydrides is described. In this reaction, the β carbon behaves as a nucleophilic carbon and undergoes asymmetric reactions with electrophiles. Anhydrides with challenging β‐alkyl substituents work effectively.     

Nickel‐Catalyzed C?H Alkylations: Direct Secondary Alkylations and Trifluoroethylations of Arenes

A versatile nickel catalyst allowed for C H alkylations of unactivated arenes with challenging secondary alkyl bromides and chlorides. The high catalytic efficacy also set the stage for direct secondary alkylations of indoles as well as C H trifluoroethylations with ample substrate scope.     

Dispersion of T1 and T2 Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Relaxation in Crude Oils

Crude oils, which are complex mixtures of hydrocarbons, can be characterized by nuclear magnetic resonace diffusion and relaxation methods to yield physical properties and chemical compositions. In particular, the field dependence, or dispersion, of T₁ relaxation can be used to investigate the presence and dynamics of asphaltenes, the large molecules primarily responsible for the high viscosity in heavy crudes. However, the T₂ relaxation dispersion of crude oils, which provides additional insight when measured alongside T₁, has yet to be investigated systematically. Here we present the field dependence of T₁‐T₂ correlations of several crude oils with disparate densities. While asphaltene and resin‐containing crude oils exhibit significant T₁ dispersion, minimal T₂ dispersion is seen in all oils. This contrasting behavior between T₁ and T₂ cannot result from random molecular motions, and thus, we attribute our dispersion results to highly correlated molecular dynamics in asphaltene‐containing crude oils.     

Blue Luminescence of Dendrimer‐Encapsulated Gold Nanoclusters

Direct evidence for the blue luminescence of gold nanoclusters encapsulated inside hydroxyl‐terminated polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers was provided by spectroscopic studies as well as by theoretical calculations. Steady‐state and time‐resolved spectroscopic studies showed that the luminescence of the gold nanoclusters consisted largely of two electronic transitions. Theoretical calculations indicate that the two transitions are attributed to the different sizes of the gold nanoclusters (Au₈ and Au₁₃). The luminescence of the gold nanoclusters was clearly distinguished from that of the dendrimers.     

Preparation of stable gold nanoparticles by using diblock copolymer mixture as encapsulating agent

Gold nanoparticles by using the mixture of polystyrene-block-poly(2-vinyl pyridine)/poly(2-vinyl pyridine)-block-poly(ethylene oxide) (PS-b-P2VP/P2VP-b-PEO) block copolymers as encapsulating agent was prepared. The prepared nanoparticles were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, UV-Vis spectroscopy and contact angle. It is demonstrated that the obtained gold nanoparticles are covered with mixed block copolymer shells. The hydrophilic property of the nanoparticles can be varied by the change of the dispersion medium. The obtained gold nanoparticles with mixed block copolymer shells are stable in organic solvents (such as tetrahydrofuran and toluene) and water.     

A Facile and Practical Process for the Synthesis of Polysubstituted Furans from Alkynes Using Atmospheric Oxygen as a Terminal Oxidant

We present here a facile and practical procedure for the synthesis of tetrasubstituted furans from alkynes catalyzed by palladium acetate together with cupric acetate in acetic acid, using atmospheric oxygen as a terminal oxidant. Various internal aromatic alkynes afforded the target furans in satisfactory yield.     

Synthesis and acaricidal activity of strobilurin-pyrimidine derivatives简

Pyriminostrobin, a new acaricide, was discovered in our previous studies. Because introducing fluorine into organic compounds can increase bioactivity, pyriminostrobin was modified as a series of strobilurin-pyrimidine derivatives for biological screening. The compounds were characterized by 1H NMR, MS and elemental analysis. Preliminary bioassays demonstrated that compounds 7e and 7i exhibited significant control against Tetranychus cinnabarinus （Boisd.） at 0.625 mg L^-1, and their acaricidal potencies were higher than pyriminostrobin in a greenhouse. The relationship between structure and acaricidal activity was also studied.     

pH-Sensitive Wettability Induced by Topologicaland Chemical Transition on the Self AssembledSurface of Block Copolymer简

pH-sensitive wettability of polystyrene-b-poly（4-vinylpyridine） （PS-b-P4VP） self assembled films, exhibiting superoleophobicity under water and hydrophilicity at low pH value, and oleophobicity under water and hydrophobicity at neutral condition, has been realized. The wettability properties resulted from the surface topological and chemical transition, which were confirmed by in situ AFM measurements under water at different pH. At low pH, P4VP chains, which were confined in the hexagonal-packed nanodomains, got protonated into a swollen state, while at high pH, P4VP chains were deprotonated into a collapsed state. The reversible protonation/deprotonation procedure on the molecular scale leads to surface topological and chemical transition, thereby pH-sensitive wettability.     

Mass Transfer Analysis of Growth and Substance Metabolism of NSCs Cultured in Collagen-Based Scaffold In Vitro

The aim of this study is to analyze the growth and substance metabolism of neural stem cells (NSCs) cultured in biological collagen-based scaffolds. Mass transfer and metabolism model of glucose, lactic acid, and dissolved oxygen (DO) were established and solved on MATLAB platform to obtain the concentration distributions of DO, glucose, and lactic acid in culture system, respectively. Calculation results showed that the DO influenced their normal growth and metabolism of NSCs mostly in the in vitro culture within collagen-based scaffolds. This study also confirmed that 2-mm thickness of collagen scaffold was capable of in vitro cultivation and growth of NSCs with an inoculating density of 1?×?10⁶ cells/mL.     

Rapid Isolation of a Facultative Anaerobic Electrochemically Active Bacterium Capable of Oxidizing Acetate for Electrogenesis and Azo Dyes Reduction

In this study, 27 strains of electrochemically active bacteria (EAB) were rapidly isolated and their capabilities of extracellular electron transfer were identified using a photometric method based on WO₃ nanoclusters. These strains caused color change of WO₃ from white to blue in a 24-well agar plate within 40 h. Most of the isolated EAB strains belonged to the genera of Aeromonas and Shewanella. One isolate, Pantoea agglomerans S5-44, was identified as an EAB that can utilize acetate as the carbon source to produce electricity and reduce azo dyes under anaerobic conditions. The results confirmed the capability of P. agglomerans S5-44 for extracellular electron transfer. The isolation of this acetate-utilizing, facultative EBA reveals the metabolic diversity of environmental bacteria. Such strains have great potential for environmental applications, especially at interfaces of aerobic and anaerobic environments, where acetate is the main available carbon source.