Reactivity of organolanthanide and organolithium complexes containing the guanidinate ligands toward isocyanate or carbodiimide: synthesis and crystal structures

The direct reactions of (C5H5)2LnCl with LiN=C(NMe2)2 proceeded at room temperature in THF under pure nitrogen to yield the lanthanocene guanidinate complexes [(C5H5)2Ln(mu-eta1:eta2-N=C(NMe2)2)]2 (Ln = Gd (1), Er (2)). Treatment of phenyl isocyanate with complexes 1 and 2 results in monoinsertion of phenyl isocyanate into the Ln-N(mu-Gua) bond to yield the corresponding insertion products [(C5H5)2Ln(mu-eta1:eta2-OC(N=C(NMe2)2)NPh)]2 (Ln = Gd (3), Er (4)), presenting the first example of unsaturated organic small molecule insertion into the metal-guanidinate ligand bond. Further investigations indicate that N,N'-diisopropylcarbodiimide does not react with complexes 1 and 2 under the same conditions; however, it readily inserts into the lithium-guanidinate ligand bond of LiN=C(NMe2)2. As a synthon of the insertion product Li[(iPrN)2C(N=C(NMe2)2)], its reaction with (C5H5)2LnCl gives the novel organolanthanide complexes containing the guanidinoacetamidinate ligand, (C5H5)2Ln[(iPrN)2C(N=C(NMe2)2)] (Ln = Yb (5), Er (6), Dy (7)). All complexes were characterized by elemental analysis and spectroscopic properties. The structures of complexes 1, 3, 5 and 7 were determined through X-ray single-crystal diffraction analysis.     

SARS-CoV protease inhibitors design using virtual screening method from natural products libraries

Two natural products databases, the marine natural products database (MNPD) and the traditional Chinese medicines database (TCMD), were used to find novel structures of potent SARS-CoV protease inhibitors through virtual screening. Before the procedure, the databases were filtered by Lipinski's ROF and Xu's extension rules. The results were analyzed by statistic methods to eliminate the bias in target-based database screening toward higher molecular weight compounds for enhancing the hit rate. Eighteen lead compounds were recommended by the screening procedure. They were useful for experimental scientists in prioritizing drug candidates and studying the interaction mechanism. The binding mechanism was also analyzed between the best screening compound and the SARS protein.     

Human immunoglobulin adsorption investigated by means of quartz crystal microbalance dissipation, atomic force microscopy, surface acoustic wave, and surface plasmon resonance techniques

Time-resolved adsorption behavior of a human immunoglobin G (hIgG) protein on a hydrophobized gold surface is investigated using multitechniques: quartz crystal microbalance/dissipation (QCM-D) technique; combined surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and Love mode surface acoustic wave (SAW) technique; combined QCM-D and atomic force microscopy (AFM) technique. The adsorbed hIgG forms interfacial structures varying in organization from a submonolayer to a multilayer. An "end-on" IgG orientation in the monolayer film, associated with the surface coverage results, does not corroborate with the effective protein thickness determined from SPR/SAW measurements. This inconsistence is interpreted by a deformation effect induced by conformation change. This conformation change is confirmed by QCM-D measurement. Combined SPR/SAW measurements suggest that the adsorbed protein barely contains water after extended contact with the hydrophobic surface. This limited interfacial hydration also contributed to a continuous conformation change in the adsorbed protein layer. The viscoelastic variation associated with interfacial conformation changes induces about 1.5 times overestimation of the mass uptake in the QCM-D measurements. The merit of combined multitechnique measurements is demonstrated.     

Single electron emission from the closed-tips of single-walled carbon nanotubes

The single electron emission behaviors and characteristics from the well-defined quantized energy levels, corresponding to localized electronic states at the dome-structure tips, in single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) are investigated and illuminated by use of the energy level emission model in combination with the first-principles calculations on the electronic structures. Under the external electric field, the confined electrons are emitted simultaneously from each quantized energy level by virtue of the resonant tunneling effects. With increasing applied voltage, the emission current increases monotonically and exponentially up to the first peak value, and then steps into the increasing and decreasing "sawtoothlike" variations in sequence. The negative differential resistance or conductivity and the maximum current for SWNTs are simulated. The influences of localized electronic states and curvatures of the different closed tips on the single electron emission behaviors of SWNTs are evaluated and discussed. Also a few issues and applications relevant to electron emission of carbon nanotubes are addressed.     

Dehydrogenation activity and structure of polyaniline supported heteropolyacid catalysts

Polyaniline(PAN) supported H₆P₂W₁₈O₆₂(PW) , H₃PMo₁₂O₄₀ (PMo) and H₄PMo₁₁VO₄₀(PMoV) catalysts were prepared and their activities for hexanol conversion were tested. IR, XRD, ICP and SEM measurements proved that the heteropolyacids (HPA) could be supported on this type of polymer. The PAN supported HPA catalysts exhibit higher redox activities and low acid-base activities for the hexanol conversion. The redox activities increase with increasing amount of the heteropolyacid. Substitution of Mo ion by V ion results in an increase of redox activities of the catalysts. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Transition metal substituted tungstophosphoric compound catalyzed oxidation of hexanol to hexanal with hydrogen peroxide

Summary The oxidation of hexanol in the presence of the Keggin-type heteropoly compounds (HPCs) H₃PMo_nW_12-nO₄₀ (denoted as PMo_nW_12-n, n=0,1) and Na₅PW₁₁ZO₃₉ (denoted as PW₁₁Z, Z = Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu and Zn) was carried out to produce hexanal and hexanoic acid. The reaction was conducted in tert-butanol (t-BuOH), using cetylpyridinium bromide (CPB) salts of HPA and 15% aqueous H₂O₂ as oxidant under mild condition. The PMoW₁₁ catalyst showed higher hexanol conversion of 25%, the lowest selectivity to hexanal of 64.4% and an efficient utilization of H₂O₂ of 34%. Over the transition metal substituted PW₁₁Z catalysts decomposition of H₂O₂ was rapid. For these PW₁₁Z catalysts, the efficient utilization of H₂O₂ decreased to 9% or even lower. By means of IR, UV-visible and GC-MS techniques the catalysts were characterized.     

Electrostatic recognition and induced fit in the kappa-PVIIA toxin binding to Shaker potassium channel

Brownian dynamics (BD) and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and electrostatic calculations were performed to study the binding process of kappa-PVIIA to the Shaker potassium channel and the structure of the resulting complex. BD simulations, guided by electrostatic interactions, led to an initial alignment between the toxin and the channel protein. MD simulations were then carried out to allow for rearrangements from this initial structure. After approximately 4 ns, a critical "induced fit" process was observed to last for approximately 2 ns. In this process, the interface was reorganized, and side chains were moved so that favorable atomic contacts were formed or strengthened, while unfavorable contacts were eliminated. The final complex structure was stabilized through electrostatic interactions with the positively charged side chain of Lys7 of kappa-PVIIA deeply inserted into the channel pore and other hydrogen bonds and by hydrophobic interactions involving Phe9 and Phe23 of the toxin. The validity of the predicted structure for the complex was assessed by calculating the effects of mutating charged and polar residues of both the toxin and the channel protein, with the calculated effects correlating reasonably well with experimental data. The present study suggests a general binding mechanism, whereby proteins are pre-aligned in their diffusional encounter by long-range electrostatic attraction, and nanosecond-scale rearrangements within the initial complex then lead to a specifically bound complex.     

Configuration of MFI-type zeolite interacting with the probe molecule P(CH<Subscript>3</Subscript>)<Subscript>3</Subscript> – a theoretical study

With P(CH₃)₃ as the probe molecule adsorbed on titanium silicalite (TS-1) zeolite, the special and important role of T12 site in MFI-type zeolite was clearly elucidated. There are altogether three active sites present in TS-1 zeolite with Ti at the T12 site. Owing to the preferential adsorption of probe molecules on the first Brönsted acidic site, the Ti12 center will probably fail to show Lewis acidity. The ionic [HP(CH₃)₃]⁺ species can be stabilized by the first or second Brönsted acidic site, with the former energetically favored. The latter was formed through the transfer of the ionic [HP(CH₃)₃]⁺ species from the first to the second Brönsted acidic site.     

Nanocrystals for large Stokes shift-based optosensing

The influence of Stokes shift in optosensing was discussed. Then, the current status of large Stokes shift-based optosensing was reviewed here.     

Electrocatalysis of cytochrome c at a C(60)-gamma-cyclodextrin and Nafion chemically modified electrode

The C(60)-gamma-cyclodextrin and Nafion chemically modified electrode exhibits two redox waves by cyclic voltammetry. Such an electrode will effect reduction and oxidation of cytochrome c and be capable of mediating the electron transfer to cytochrome c.