DNA-mediated coordinative assembly of upconversion hetero-nanostructures for targeted dual-modality imaging of cancer cells

We reported a simple and universal strategy for DNA-mediated assembly of CdTe quantum dots (QDs) and lanthanide-doped upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs). Such DNA-QD/UCNPs heterostructures not only maintains both fluorescent properties of QDs and upconversion luminescence behaviors of UCNPs, but also offers a polyvalent DNA surface, allowing for targeted dual-modality imaging of cancer cells using an aptamer     

Efficient synthesis of complex glycopeptides based on unprotected oligosaccharides

N-Glycopeptides containing 1 to 4 trisaccharide chains, with the carbohydrates vicinal to each other in the multivalent glycopeptides, were efficiently synthesized by using the glycosylated Fmoc-asparagine as a key building block. While the couplings of amino acids with glycopeptides could be achieved in the homogeneous solutions in N-methylpyrrolidinone (NMP) to give excellent yields, all products were conveniently isolated from the reaction mixtures through a precipitation method by using the free carbohydrate chains as phase tags. Commercially available pentafluorophenyl (Pfp) esters of amino acids were employed for the glycopeptide elongation. Longer glycopeptides were constructed by means of a highly convergent synthetic design that is based on the coupling of glycopeptide/peptide fragments. Hydrogen bond interactions between free oligosaccharides were proposed to explain the exceptionally high efficiency of the couplings between two glycosylated building blocks.     

Asymmetric synthesis of trans-2,3-piperidinedicarboxylic acid and trans-3,4-piperidinedicarboxylic acid derivatives

Asymmetric syntheses of (2S,3S)-3-(tert-butoxycarbonyl)-2-piperidinecarboxylic acid (1b), (3R,4S)-4-(tert-butoxycarbonyl)-3-piperidinecarboxylic acid (2b), and their corresponding N-Boc and N-Cbz protected analogues 8a,b and 17a,b are described. Enantiomerically pure 1b has been synthesized in five steps starting from L-aspartic acid beta-tert-butyl ester. Tribenzylation of the starting material followed by alkylation with allyl iodide using KHMDS produces the key intermediate 5a in a 6:1 diastereomeric excess. Upon hydroboration, the alcohol 6a is oxidized, and the resulting aldehyde 7 is subjected to a ring closure via reductive amination, providing 1b in an overall yield of 38%. Optically pure 2b has been synthesized beginning with N-Cbz-beta-alanine. The synthesis involves the induction of the first stereogenic center using Evans's chemistry and sequential LDA-promoted alkylations with tert-butyl bromoacetate and allyl iodide. Further elaboration by ozonolysis and reductive amination affords 2b in an overall yield of 28%.     

Combining the best in triplex recognition: synthesis and nucleic acid binding of a BQQ-neomycin conjugate

Synthesis of a BQQ-neomycin conjugate is reported. The conjugate combines two ligands, one known to intercalate triplexes (BQQ) and another known to bind in the triplex groove (neomycin). The conjugate stabilizes T.A.T, as well as mixed base DNA triplex, better than neomycin, BQQ, or a combination of both. The conjugate selectively stabilizes the triplex (in the presence of physiological salt concentrations), with as little as 4 muM of the ligand leading to a DeltaTm of >60 degrees C. Competition dialysis studies show a clear preference for the drug binding to triplex DNA/RNA over the duplex/single strand structures. Modeling studies suggest a structure of neomycin bound to the larger W-H (Watson-Hoogsteen) groove with BQQ intercalated between the triplex bases.     

Synthesis of 4″-benzyloxyimino-4″-deoxyavermectin Bla derivatives

Six new 4″-benzyloxyimino-4″-deoxyavermectin Bla derivatives were synthesized from avermectin Bla by the selective protection of C-5-hydroxy group,oxidation of C-4″-hydroxy group,and deprotection followed by reaction with O-substituted hydroxylamine hydrochlorides.Their structures were confirmed by IR,~1H NMR,~(13)C NMR and MS.Insecticidal activities of the derivatives against Phopalosiphum pseudobrassicae,Spodoptera exigua and Pluteua xylosteua were evaluated.     

A new isoprenyl phenyl ether compound from mangrove fungus

A new isoprenyl phenyl ether, 3-hydroxy-4-(3-methylbut-2-enyloxy)benzoic acid methyl ester (1), together with 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (2), 2-hydroxy-6-methylbenzoic acid (3), and 4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzoic acid (4) were isolated from Mangrove fungus (No. B60) from the South China Sea. The structures of the compounds were established on the basis of NMR spectroscopic and mass spectrometric data. In the preliminary bioassay, compound 1 exhibited antibacterial and antifungal activities. Compound 1 also inhibited cytotoxicity to the hepG2 cell line with an IC₅₀ value of 10.0 μg/mL. Published in Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 4, pp. 313–314, July–August, 2007.     

酚醛树脂固化过程的红外光谱分析

利用红外光谱(IR)及其变温样品池、定量分析程序对酚醛树脂固化过程中的结构变化进行了研究,它对于酚醛树脂固化过程的质量控制具有重要意义。     

探究Cu/ZnO相互作用对CO2加氢制甲醇反应性能的影响

Using renewable green hydrogen and carbon dioxide (CO₂) to produce methanol is one of the fundamental ways to reduce CO₂ emissions in the future, and research and development related to catalysts for efficient and stable methanol synthesis is one of the key factors in determining the entire synthesis process. Metal nanoparticles stabilized on a support are frequently employed to catalyze the methanol synthesis reaction. Metal-support interactions (MSIs) in these supported catalysts can play a significant role in catalysis. Tuning the MSI is an effective strategy to modulate the activity, selectivity, and stability of heterogeneous catalysts. Numerous studies have been conducted on this topic; however, a systematic understanding of the role of various strengths of MSI is lacking. Herein, three Cu/ZnO-SiO₂ catalysts with different strengths of MSI, namely, normal precipitation Cu/ZnO-SiO₂ (Nor-CZS), co-precipitation Cu/ZnO-SiO₂ (Co-CZS), and reverse precipitation Cu/ZnO-SiO₂ (Re-CZS), were successfully prepared to determine the role of such interactions in the hydrogenation of CO₂ to methanol. The results of temperature-programmed reduction (H₂-TPR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) characterization illustrated that the MSI of the catalysts was considerably affected by the precipitation sequence. Fourier transform infrared reflection spectroscopy (FT-IR) results indicated that the Cu species existed as CuO in all cases and that copper phyllosilicate was absent (except for strong Cu-SiO₂ interaction). Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and N₂O chemical titration results revealed that strong interactions between the Cu and Zn species would promote the dispersion of Cu species, thereby leading to a higher CO₂ conversion rate and improved catalytic stability. As expected, the Re-CZS catalyst exhibited the highest activity with 12.4% CO₂ conversion, followed by the Co-CZS catalyst (12.1%), and the Nor-CZS catalyst (9.8%). After the same reaction time, the normalized CO₂ conversion of the three catalysts decreased in the following order: Re-CZS (75%) > Co-CZS (70%) > Nor-CZS (65%). Notably, the methanol selectivity of the Re-CZS catalyst was found to level off after a prolonged period, in contrast to that of Co-CZS and Nor-CZS. Investigation of the structural evolution of the catalyst with time on stream revealed that the high methanol selectivity of the catalyst was caused by the reconstruction of the catalyst, which was induced by the strong MSI between the Cu and Zn species, and the migration of ZnO onto Cu species, which caused an enlargement of the Cu/ZnO interface. This work offers an alternative strategy for the rational and optimized design of efficient catalysts.