Investigation of chondroitin sulfate D and chondroitin sulfate E as novel chiral selectors in capillary electrophoresis

Various chiral selectors have been utilized successfully in capillary electrophoresis (CE); however, the number of polysaccharides used as chiral selectors is still small and the mechanism of enantiorecognition has not been fully elucidated. Chondroitin sulfate D (CSD) and chondroitin sulfate E (CSE), belonging to the group of glycosaminoglycans, are linear, sulfated polysaccharides with large mass. In this paper, they were investigated for the first time for their potential as chiral selectors by CE. The effect of buffer composition and pH, chiral selector concentration, and applied voltage were systematically examined and optimized. A variety of drug enantiomers were resolved in the buffer pH range of 2.8–3.4 using 20 mM Tris/H₃PO₄ buffer with 5.0 % CSD or CSE and 20 kV applied voltage. A central composite design was used to validate the optimized separation parameters and satisfactory uniformity was obtained. As observed, CSE allowed satisfactory separation of the enantiomers of amlodipine, laudanosine, nefopam, sulconazole, and tryptophan methyl ester, as well as partial resolution of citalopram, duloxetine, and propranolol under the optimized conditions. CSD allowed partial or nearly baseline separation of amlodipine, laudanosine, nefopam, and sulconazole. The results indicated that CSE has a better enantiorecognition capability than CSD toward the tested drugs.

Comprehensive identification of the binding sites of cisplatin in hen egg white lysozyme

Platinum drugs have become one of the most important kinds of chemotherapy agents, and the interactions of these drugs with proteins play very important roles in their side effects and drug resistance. However, it is still a challenge to determine the binding sites of platinum drugs in proteins with multiple disulfide bonds and stable three-dimensional structures using mass spectrometry. Here, the interaction between cisplatin and hen egg white lysozyme (HEWL), a multi-disulfide-bond-containing protein with a stable three-dimensional structure, was investigated using Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry. Typical disulfide bond reduction with dithiothreitol/tris(2-carboxyethyl)phosphine before trypsin digestion destroyed the binding of cisplatin to HEWL, and no platination sites were found. Efficient trypsin digestion methods for HEWL–cisplatin adducts were developed to avoid the loss of platinum binding to protein. At 55 °C, platinated HEWL was digested directly by trypsin in 6 h, and multiple platinated peptides were observed. In 60 % acetonitrile, the digestion time of platinated HEWL was shortened to 2 h, and most of the platinated peptides were observed. In addition, the reduction of the disulfide bonds of HEWL greatly accelerated the reaction between HEWL and cisplatin, and the potential binding sites of cisplatin in reduced HEWL could be easily recognized. On the basis of the above-mentioned methods, multiple binding sites of cisplatin in HEWL were first identified by mass spectrometry.

The effect of cation size (H+, Li+, Na+, and K+) on McLafferty-type rearrangement of even-electron ions in mass spectrometry

Protonation and alkali-metal cation adduction are the most important ionization processes in soft-ionization mass spectrometry.Studies on the fragmentation mechanism of protonated and alkali-metal-cationized compounds in tandem mass spectrometry are essential and helpful for structural analysis.In some cases,it was often observed that a compound attached by different alkali-metal cations(or proton)exhibits similar fragmentation patterns but the relative abundances of product ions are different.This difference was considered to derive from the different electrostatic interactions of alkali-metal cations(or the bonded effect of proton)with the analyte.The alkali-metal cation with a smaller ionic radius shows stronger electrostatic interaction with the molecule because of its higher charge density.In addition,the bonded effect of the proton is stronger than the electrostatic interaction of the alkali-metal cation.In the present study,which used McLafferty-type rearrangements of even-electron ions([M+Cat]+,Cat=H,Li,Na,K)as model reactions,the effect of cation size in mass spectrometric fragmentation reactions is highlighted.These considerations were also successfully applied to interpret the similar but distinct fragmentation behavior of proton and alkali-metal cation adducts of a synthetic compound(2-(acetamido(phenyl)methyl)-3-oxobutanoate)and a drug(entecavir).     

Photofragment translational spectroscopy at 304 nm from C-H symmetric stretch excited CH3I [v 1 = 1]

The 304 nm photodissociation of the C-H symmetric stretch excited CH3I[v1=1,v2=0](v1 denotes the C-H symmetric stretch mode,and v2 denotes the umbrella mode)is studied with our simple photofragment translational spectrometer.An IR laser is used to excite the ground state CH3I[0,0]to the C-H symmetric stretch excited CH3I[1,0].With IR laser OFF and ON,the fractions of photofragments CH3(ν1,ν2)from the 304 nm photodissociation of CH3I[1,0]have been determined through the photofragment translational spectra(PTS)from measuring I and I*and also through the PTS from measuring CH3(0,0)(1,0)(0,1)and(1,1).The experimental results show that the C-H symmetric stretch vibration(v1=1)in parent molecules is about 66%retained in the photofragments in the I channel,but only 24%in the I*channel.The populations of photofragments CH3(0,2)and(0,3)are higher than CH3(0,0)and(0,1),showing strong inverted population both in I and I*channels.     

Effects of substrate and transfer on CVD-grown graphene over sapphire-induced Cu films

We differentiated the effects of Cu films deposited on single crystalline a-,r-,and c-plane sapphire substrates upon graphene films synthesized with atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition(CVD).The data illustrate that the realization of high-crystalline Cu film is dependent not only on the crystallinity of underlying substrate,but also on the symmetric match of crystallographic geometry between metal film and substrate.We also systematically investigated the effects of PMMA removal on the Raman ID/IG and IG/I2D values of transferred graphene.The results reveal that different PMMA removal methods do not alter the ID/IG values;instead,the residue of PMMA increases the IG/I2D values and the thermal decomposition of PMMA leads to higher IG/I2D values than the removal of PMMA with acetone.The effects of PMMA removal on variations of the Raman spectra are also discussed.     

Theoretical investigation of substitution and end-group effects on poly(p-phenylene vinylene)s

Semi-empirical AM1 and ZINDO/S, as well as density function theory (DFT) method B3LYP/6-31G(d) quantum chemical calculations were carried out to study the electronic structures and optical properties of poly(p-phenylene vinylene) derivatives (PPVs) with 10 and 11 phenylene rings in the backbone. The calculations suggest that the assembly of alternate incorporation of CN and alkoxy substituted phenylene rings in the PPV backbone could be a good way to construct organic semiconductors with low HOMO/LUMO energy band-gaps. The effect of the end-group on the electronic structures and optical properties of the conjugated polymer was investigated by the calculated UV-Vis and UPS spectra. It was demonstrated that the aldehyde and phosphate end-groups have limited effects on the photophysical properties in the UV-visible range.     

Highly Efficient Orange and Warm White Phosphorescent OLEDs Based on a Host Material with a Carbazole–Fluorenyl Hybrid

A new carbazole–fluorenyl hybrid compound, 3,3′(2,7‐di(naphthaline‐2‐yl)‐9H‐fluorene‐9,9‐diyl)bis(9‐phenyl‐9H‐carbazole) (NFBC) was synthesized and characterized. The compound exhibits blue‐violet emission both in solution and in film, with peaks centered at 404 and 420 nm. In addition to the application as a blue emitter, NFBC is demonstrated to be a good host for phosphorescent dopants. By doping Ir(2‐phq)₃ in NFBC, a highly efficient orange organic light‐emitting diode (OLED) with a maximum efficiency of 32 cd A^?1 (26.5 Lm W^?1) was obtained. Unlike most phosphorescent OLEDs, the device prepared in our study shows little efficiency roll‐off at high brightness and maintains current efficiencies of 31.9 and 26.8 cd A^?1 at a luminance of 1000 and 10 000 cd m^?2, respectively. By using NFBC simultaneously as a blue fluorescence emitter and as a host for a phosphorescent dopant, a warm white OLED with a maximum efficiency of 22.9 Lm W^?1 (21.9 cd A^?1) was also obtained.     

Asymmetric Michael Addition/Intramolecular Cyclization Catalyzed by Bifunctional Tertiary Amine–Squaramides: Construction of Chiral 2‐Amino‐4H‐chromene‐3‐Carbonitrile Derivatives

The efficient asymmetric Michael addition/intramolecular cyclization of malononitrile with dienones catalyzed by a chiral bifunctional tertiary amine–squaramide catalyst for the synthesis of chiral 2‐amino‐4H‐chromene‐3‐carbonitrile derivatives was developed. The corresponding products were obtained in good to excellent yields (up to 99 %) with excellent enantioselectivities (up to 98 % ee) for most of the bisarylidenecyclopentanones.     

A Luminescent Hypercrosslinked Conjugated Microporous Polymer for Efficient Removal and Detection of Mercury Ions

A hypercrosslinked conjugated microporous polymer (HCMP‐1) with a robustly efficient absorption and highly specific sensitivity to mercury ions (Hg²⁺) is synthesized in a one‐step Friedel–Crafts alkylation of cost‐effective 2,4,6‐trichloro‐1,3,5‐triazine and dibenzofuran in 1,2‐dichloroethane. HCMP‐1 has a moderate Brunauer–Emmett–Teller specific surface (432 m² g⁻¹), but it displays a high adsorption affinity (604 mg g⁻¹) and excellent trace efficiency for Hg²⁺. The π–π* electronic transition among the aromatic heterocyclic rings endows HCMP‐1 a strong fluorescent property and the fluorescence is obviously weakened after Hg²⁺ uptake, which makes the hypercrosslinked conjugated microporous polymer a promising fluorescent probe for Hg²⁺ detection, owning a super‐high sensitivity (detection limit 5 × 10⁻⁸ mol L⁻¹).

     

Formation of Hexagonally Packed Hollow Hoops and Morphology Transition in RAFT Ethanol Dispersion Polymerization

Similar to the traditional self‐assembly strategy, polymerization induced self‐assembly and reorganization (PISR) can produce a myriad of polymeric morphologies through morphology transitions. Besides the chain length ratio (R) of the hydrophobic to the hydrophilic blocks, the chain mobility in the intermediate nano‐objects, which is a requisite for morphology transition, is a determining factor in the formation of the final morphology. Although various morphologies have been fabricated, hexagonally packed hollow hoops (HHHs) with highly ordered internal structure have not, to the best of our knowledge, been prepared by PISR. In this article, the fabrication of HHHs through morphology transition from large compound vesicles to HHHs is reported. HHHs with highly regular internal structure may have significance in theoretical research and practical applications of nanomaterials.