Luminescent Zn and Pd tetranaphthaloporphyrins

Zn and Pd complexes of meso-tetraphenyltetranaphthaloporphyrins (Ph(4)TNP) exhibit strong infrared absorption bands and luminesce in solutions at room temperature. S1 --> S0 fluorescence (lambda(max) = 732 nm, phi = 5.3%) is the predominant emission in the case of ZnPh(4)TNP (1). This emission is in part due to the delayed fluorescence (phi = 1.1%). Phosphorescence (T1 --> S0) of 1 (lambda(max) = 973 nm) is very weak (phi = 0.04%) and occurs with lifetime of about 440 micros in deoxygenated DMF. In the case of PdPh(4)TNP (2), almost no S1 --> S0 fluorescence could be observed, while the main emission detected was T1 --> S0 phosphorescence (lambda(max) = 938 nm). The phosphorescence of 2 occurs with lifetime of about 65 micros and (phi=6.5%) in deoxygenated DMF solution. Metalloporphyrins 1 and 2 are promising near infrared dyes biomedical applications.     

The beta-fluorine effect. Electronic versus steric effects in radical deoxygenations of fluorine-containing pentofuranose nucleosides

Stereoselective pyramidalization of free radicals by a vicinal fluorine substituent, the beta-fluorine effect, was invoked to rationalize a 77:23 anti/syn ratio of 2-deuterio-1-fluorocyclopentanes obtained by radical reduction of trans-2-fluoro-1-bromocyclopentane with tributyltin deuteride (Dolbier, W. R., Jr.; Bartberger, M. D. J. Org. Chem. 1995, 60, 4984-4985). We have evaluated analogous reductions of the four possible stereoisomers of some adenine 2'(3')-fluoro-3'(2')-O-phenoxythiocarbonyl nucleoside derivatives. In all cases, the steric effect of adenine on the beta face directs deuterium transfer from the stannane to C2'(C3') on the alpha face of the furanose ring. However, the beta-fluorine effect enhances ratios of deuterium transfer anti to the vicinal fluorine substituent.     

Aqueous dispersions of single-wall and multiwall carbon nanotubes with designed amphiphilic polycations

Poor solubility of single-walled and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (NTs) in water and organic solvents presents a considerable challenge for their purification and applications. Macromolecules can be convenient solubilizing agents for NTs and a structural element of composite materials for them. Several block copolymers with different chemical functionalities of the side groups were tested for the preparation of aqueous NT dispersions. Poly(N-cetyl-4-vinylpyridinium bromide-co-N-ethyl-4-vinylpyridinium bromide-co-4-vinylpyridine) was found to form exceptionally stable NT dispersions. It is suggested that the efficiency of macromolecular dispersion agents for NT solubilization correlates with the topological and electronic similarity of polymer-NT and NT-NT interactions in the nanotube bundles. Raman spectroscopy and atomic force and transmission electron microcopies data indicate that the polycations are wrapped around NTs forming a uniform coating 1.0-1.5 nm thick. The ability to wind around the NT originates in the hydrophobic attraction of the polymer backbone to the graphene surface and topological matching. Tetraalkylammonium functional groups in the side chains of the macromolecule create a cloud of positive charge around NTs, which makes them hydrophilic. The prepared dispersions could facilitate the processing of the nanotubes into composites with high nanotube loading for electronic materials and sensing. Positive charge on their surface is particularly important for biological and biomedical applications because it strengthens interactions with negatively charged cell membranes. A high degree of spontaneous bundle separation afforded by the polymer coating can also be beneficial for NT sorting.     

Identification of extracellular nanoparticle subsets by nuclear magnetic resonance

Exosomes are a subset of secreted lipid envelope-encapsulated extracellular vesicles (EVs) of 50–150 nm diameter that can transfer cargo from donor to acceptor cells. In the current purification protocols of exosomes, many smaller and larger nanoparticles such as lipoproteins, exomers and microvesicles are typically co-isolated as well. Particle size distribution is one important characteristics of EV samples, as it reflects the cellular origin of EVs and the purity of the isolation. However, most of the physicochemical analytical methods today cannot illustrate the smallest exosomes and other small particles like the exomers. Here, we demonstrate that diffusion ordered spectroscopy (DOSY) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) method enables the determination of a very broad distribution of extracellular nanoparticles, ranging from 1 to 500 nm. The range covers sizes of all particles included in EV samples after isolation. The method is non-invasive, as it does not require any labelling or other chemical modification. We investigated EVs secreted from milk as well as embryonic kidney and renal carcinoma cells. Western blot analysis and immuno-electron microscopy confirmed expression of exosomal markers such as ALIX, TSG101, CD81, CD9, and CD63 in the EV samples. In addition to the larger particles observed by nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) in the range of 70–500 nm, the DOSY distributions include a significant number of smaller particles in the range of 10–70 nm, which are visible also in transmission electron microscopy images but invisible in NTA. Furthermore, we demonstrate that hyperpolarized chemical exchange saturation transfer (Hyper-CEST) with ¹²⁹Xe NMR indicates also the existence of smaller and larger nanoparticles in the EV samples, providing also additional support for DOSY results. The method implies also that the Xe exchange is significantly faster in the EV pool than in the lipoprotein/exomer pool.

Diffusion and xenon NMR based methods to determine a very broad range of sizes and sub-sets of extracellular vesicles.     

Density functional based structure optimization for molecules containing heavy elements: analytical energy gradients for the Douglas-Kroll-Hess scalar relativistic approach to the LCGTO-DF method

The self-consistent scalar-relativistic linear combination of Gaussian-type orbitals density functional (LCGTO-DF) method has been extended to calculate analytical energy gradients. The method is based on the use of a unitary second order Douglas-Kroll-Hess (DKH) transformation for decoupling large and small components of the full four-component Dirac-Kohn-Sham equation. The approximate DKH transformation most common in molecular calculations has been implemented; this variant employs nuclear potential based projectors and it leaves the electron-electron interaction untransformed. Examples are provided for the geometry optimization of a series of heavy metal systems which feature a variety of metal-ligand bonds, like Au₂, AuCl, AuH, Mo(CO)₆ and W(CO)₆ as well as the d¹⁰ complexes [Pd(PH₃)₂O₂] and [Pt(PH₃)₂O₂]. The calculated results, obtained with several gradient-corrected exchange-correlation potentials, compare very well with experimental data and they are of similar or even better accuracy than those of other high quality relativistic calculations reported so far.     

Studies of reaction heats and structure of complexes formed between strong N-bases and phenols

The heats of reactions between various phenols and two strong N-bases of guanidine-like character in acetonitrile, are determined. The values can be used as a measure of self-assembly abilities of the phenol molecules in the interactions with strong N-bases, playing a very important role in biological systems. In the case of TBD complexes with corresponding nitrophenols, the protonated N-base is hydrogen-bonded to the nitro group excluding the self-assembly process of the phenols. In the case of other phenols, the self-assembly abilities are dependent on pK_a values of phenols. With increasing acidity of phenols their ability to form the hydrogen-bonded chains decreases. The maximum of length of the chains is observed for 4-methylphenol, which has a similar pK_a value to that in the tyrosine residue in biological systems.     

Synthesis, structure and reactivity of binuclear metal-metal bonded molybdenum(V) and tungsten(V) thioselenohalides: Molecular structure of Mo2(μ-S2)2Cl6(SeCl2)2 and W2(μ-S2)2Cl6(SeCl2)2

Thioselenohalide complexes Mo₂(μ-S₂)₂Cl₆(SeCl₂)₂ (I), Mo₂(μ-S₂)₂Br₆(SeBr₂)₂ (II), and W₂(μ-S₂)₂Br₆(SeBr₂)₂ (III) were synthesized by the reactions of corresponding metal halides or carbonyls or molybdenum metal with excesses of S₂ X ₂+Se₂ X ₂ mixtures. The complex W₂(μ-S₂)₂Cl₆(SeCl₂)₂ (IV) was obtained by an exchange reaction between (III) and excess of Se₂Cl₂. Coordination of the neutral SeX ₂ ligands to thiohalidesM ₂(μ-S₂)₂ X ₆ results in higher thermal stability, and suggests the possibility to synthesize SeX ₂ complexes of the unstable parent tungsten thiohalides. An unusual oxidative addition reaction of (I) was detected: {fx27-1} Both (I) and (IV) were characterized by X-ray crystal structure analysis. They are isostructural and form discrete molecules. Bridging S ₂ ^2? ligands are coordinated perpendicularly to the metal-metal bond;d(M?M)=2.8066 Å and 2.793 Å for I and IV, respectively. Nonequivalence of chlorine atoms which are bound to the metal atom, relate to nonequivalence of halogen atoms in the complexesM ₂(μ?S₂)₂ X ₈ ^2? . Chlorine atomstrans to SeCl₂ ligands form short bonds with the metal; the corresponding³⁵Cl NQR frequency is increased. The selenium dichloride ligand is ambidentate. The selenium atom binds as a donor to the metal and as an acceptor to two chlorine atoms which are also bound covalently to the same metal atom.     

Linked crystallites in the conducting topmost layer of polymer bilayer films controlled by temperature: from micro- to nanocrystallites.

Temperature has great impact on the structure and size of the linked crystallites of the conducting topmost layer formed at the surface of a polycarbonate film via the reaction BEDT-TTF+IBr [BEDT-TTF=bis(ethylenedithio)tetrathiafulvalene]. We show that fine temperature control permits formation of a semiconducting topmost layer of alpha'-(BEDT-TTF)(2)(I(x)Br(1-x))(3) crystallites with either micro- or nanometre size, a result that opens a route to miniaturized conducting plastic materials.     

The synthesis and adsorption properties of polyvinylchloride nanofilms with ligand groups

Polyvinylchloride (PVC) samples with a fairly developed surface were prepared by the spontaneous removal of the solvent (benzyl alcohol) from a polymer gel. The surface of the product was modified to obtain ethanolocyclame and sodium acetocyclame nanofilms. The structure and composition of the nanofilms were studied by IR Fourier spectroscopy. The adsorption of nitrogen vapor at ?196°C and benzene and water at 20°C on the nanofilms was investigated. Surface modification was shown to increase the stability of PVC in water and benzene and the specific surface area and volume of nanopores. The conclusion was drawn that nanofilm ligand groups could stoichiometrically interact with water and benzene molecules on PVC with a modified surface.