Electrochemical characterization of ionically conductive polymer membranes

Cation conductive membranes, especially highly proton conductive membranes, are of interest not only for chlor-alkali electrolysis but for polymer electrolyte fuel cells as well. The very challenge for electrochemical characterization in this case is the low specific resistance of the polymer required for such applications, which in turn makes resistance measurements a non-trivial problem. We investigate the different possibilities to characterize such membranes. The present part of our work deals with the adequate conditioning and equilibration of membranes designed especially for direct methanol fuel cell applications, with the measurement of the conductivity and with the determination of apparent transport numbers in the membrane. The usefulness of the respective leaching investigations, impedance spectroscopy measurements and concentration potential measurements for the case of membranes made from sulfonated poly(phenylene oxide) is discussed.     

Molecular recognition and signal processing in biosensors

The specificity of molecular recognition is reflected to a high degree by the selectivity of the respective biosensor response. Therefore, the application of highly specific enzymes offers advantages for analytical purposes. Using lactate monooxygenase in combination with lactate dehydrogenase and pyruvate kinase, sequentially acting enzyme electrodes for lactate, pyruvate, ADP and enzyme activities, e.g. lactate dehydrogenase, creatine kinase and aminotransferases were developed. A high sensitivity was achieved based on the cycling enzyme pairs hexokinase/pyruvate kinase for ATP and ADP, and lactate monooxygenase/malate dehydrogenase for malate and oxaloacetate, respectively. On the other hand, in a sensor for a large group of substances, the unspecific microsomal cytochrome P-450 system was applied.     

Thermotropic Liquid Crystals as Substrates for Imaging the Reorganization of Matrigel by Human Embryonic Stem Cells

We have investigated the culture of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) on interfaces of the thermotropic liquid crystal, TL205, that are decorated with thin films of the extracellular matrix, Matrigel. hESCs seeded at the liquid‐crystal/Matrigel interface survive for weeks, and cell colonies grow over this time. The cells show levels of differentiation comparable to that observed for cells on Matrigel‐coated glass controls. Polarized and fluorescence microscopy reveal that the orientational order of the liquid crystal is coupled to the presence and organization of Matrigel. This enables straightforward imaging of the reorganization of Matrigel by the hESCs through changes in the appearance of the liquid crystal when observed using polarized light microscopy. The coupling between Matrigel and TL205 thus provides a simple tool for monitoring the reorganization of the Matrigel film over time. Our results suggest new approaches to the culture of cells and measurements of cell–extracellular‐matrix interactions.     

Covalent immobilization of a fluorescent pH-sensitive naphthalimide dye in sol–gel films

A pH indicator dye was covalently linked to inorganic?Corganic hybrid sol?Cgel layers via its carboxyl function by the formation of an amide bond. For this, the dye was activated by 2-succinimido-1,1,3,3-tetramethyluronium tetrafluoroborate and linked to N-(3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl)-ethylendiamine. Different ratios of tetraethoxy-silane, diisobutyldimethoxysilane and 3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane were evaluated to tailor the performance of the sensing material. Fluorescence spectroscopy of the optimised sensor layers with a molar ratio of organically modified siloxane to tetraethoxysilane of 25.9 and of dye/amino groups of 1.16, showed a reversible fluorescence signal increase of 117?% upon protonation, and a pk _a 6.5. The signal changes were caused by photoinduced electron transfer between the methylpiperazine moiety and the naphthalimide fluorophore, its efficiency being modulated by protonation of the methylpiperazine nitrogen. The influence of parameters such as synthesis, dip-coating process and heat-treatment on the performance of the sensor layers was investigated. Optimum signal changes were obtained when heating the sol?Cgel structure up to 170?°C.     

Structure‐Dependent Anchoring of Organic Molecules to Atomically Defined Oxide Surfaces: Phthalic Acid on Co3O4(111), CoO(100), and CoO(111)

We have performed a model study to explore the influence of surface structure on the anchoring of organic molecules on oxide materials. Specifically, we have investigated the adsorption of phthalic acid (PA) on three different, well‐ordered, and atomically defined cobalt oxide surfaces, namely 1) Co₃O₄(111), 2) CoO(111), and 3) CoO(100) on Ir(100). PA was deposited by physical vapor deposition (PVD). The formation of the PA films and interfacial reactions were monitored in situ during growth by isothermal time‐resolved IR reflection absorption spectroscopy (TR‐IRAS) under ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) conditions. We observed a pronounced structure dependence on the three surfaces with three distinctively different binding geometries and characteristic differences depending on the temperature and coverage. 1) PA initially binds to Co₃O₄(111) through the formation of a chelating bis‐carboxylate with the molecular plane oriented perpendicularly to the surface. Similar species were observed both at low temperature (130 K) and at room temperature (300 K). With increasing exposure, chelating mono‐carboxylates became more abundant and partially replaced the bis‐carboxylate. 2) PA binds to CoO(100) in the form of a bridging bis‐carboxylate for low coverage. Upon prolonged deposition of PA at low temperature, the bis‐carboxylates were converted into mono‐carboxylate species. In contrast, the bis‐carboxylate layer was very stable at 300 K. 3) For CoO(111) we observed a temperature‐dependent change in the adsorption mechanism. Although PA binds as a mono‐carboxylate in a bridging bidentate fashion at low temperature (130 K), a strongly distorted bis‐carboxylate was formed at 300 K, possibly as a result of temperature‐dependent restructuring of the surface. The results show that the adsorption geometry of PA depends on the atomic structure of the oxide surface. The structure dependence can be rationalized by the different arrangements of cobalt ions at the three surfaces.     

Disciformycins A and B: 12‐Membered Macrolide Glycoside Antibiotics from the Myxobacterium Pyxidicoccus fallax Active against Multiresistant Staphylococci

Two macrolide glycosides with a unique scaffold were isolated from cultures of the myxobacterium Pyxidicoccus fallax. Their structures, including absolute configurations, were elucidated by a combination of NMR, MS, degradation, and molecular modeling techniques. Analysis of the proposed biosynthetic gene cluster led to insights into the biosynthesis of the polyketide and confirmed the structure assignment. The more active compound, disciformycin B, potently inhibits methicillin‐ and vancomycin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus.     

Cystobactamids: Myxobacterial Topoisomerase Inhibitors Exhibiting Potent Antibacterial Activity

The development of new antibiotics faces a severe crisis inter alia owing to a lack of innovative chemical scaffolds with activities against Gram‐negative and multiresistant pathogens. Herein, we report highly potent novel antibacterial compounds, the myxobacteria‐derived cystobactamids 1 – 3 , which were isolated from Cystobacter sp. and show minimum inhibitory concentrations in the low μg mL^?1 range. We describe the isolation and structure elucidation of three congeners as well as the identification and annotation of their biosynthetic gene cluster. By studying the self‐resistance mechanism in the natural producer organism, the molecular targets were identified as bacterial type IIa topoisomerases. As quinolones are largely exhausted as a template for new type II topoisomerase inhibitors, the cystobactamids offer exciting alternatives to generate novel antibiotics using medicinal chemistry and biosynthetic engineering.