Biochemical reaction engineering for redox reactions

Redox reactions are still a challenge for biochemical engineers. A personal view for the development of this field is given. Cofactor regeneration was an obstacle for quite some time. The first technical breakthrough was achieved with the system formate/formate dehydrogenase for the regeneration of NADH2. In cases where the same enzyme could be used for chiral reduction as well as for cofactor regeneration, isopropanol as a hydrogen source proved to be beneficial. The coproduct (acetone) can be removed by pervaporation. Whole-cell reductions (often yeast reductions) can also be used. By proper biochemical reaction engineering, it is possible to apply these systems in a continuous way. By cloning a formate dehydrogenase and an oxidoreductase "designer bug" can be obtained where formate is used instead of glucose as the hydrogen source. Complex sequences of redox reactions can be established by pathway engineering with a focus on gene overexpression or with a focus on establishing non-natural pathways. The success of pathway engineering can be controlled by measuring cytosolic metabolite concentrations. The optimal exploitation of such systems calls for the integrated cooperation of classical and molecular biochemical engineering.     

Total spontaneous resolution of chiral covalent networks from stereochemically labile metal complexes

Stereochemically labile copper and zinc complexes with the N,N'-dimethylethylenediamine ligand (dmeda) have been shown to be promising precursors for the total spontaneous resolution of chiral covalent networks. (N,N')-[Cu(NO3)2(dmeda)]infinity crystallises as a conglomerate and yields either enantiopure (R,R)-1 or enantiopure (S,S)-1. A mixed-valence copper(I/II) complex, [{Cu(II)Br2(dmeda)}3(Cu(I)Br)2]infinity (2), which crystallises as a pair of interpenetrating chiral (10,3)-a nets, is formed from CuBr, CuBr2 and dmeda. One net contains ligands with solely (R,R) configuration and exhibits helices with (P) configuration while the other has solely (S,S)-dmeda ligands and gives rise to a net in which the helices have (M) configuration. The whole crystalline arrangement is racemic, because the interpenetrating chiral nets are of opposite handedness. With zinc chloride (R,S)-[ZnCl(dmeda)2]2[ZnCl4] (3) is obtained, which is a network structure, although not chiral. Total spontaneous resolution of stereochemically labile metal complexes formed from achiral or racemic building blocks is suggested as a viable route for the preparation of covalent chiral networks. Once the absolute structure of the compound has been determined by X-ray crystallography, a quantitative determination of the enantiomeric excess of the bulk product can be undertaken by means of solid-state CD spectroscopy.     

“能源化学”本科专业建设建议

"Energy chemistry" was approved as one of the chemistry majors for undergraduate by the Ministry of Education in 2015. Based on the ideas and ways of emerging engineering education, this paper hereby proposed some of constructive suggestions on the training objectives, graduation requirements, curriculum system, teaching contents, teaching staff and conditions for development of "energy chemistry" major.     

面向化妆品产业升级的江南大学应用化学专业建设思考与实践

Based on the development prospect of cosmetics industry, the advantage of light industry characteristic and the foundation of applied chemistry in Jiangnan University, a systematic upgrading of applied chemistry was carried out through "emerging engineering education (3E)" project "upgrade and practice of chemistry-related majors of local and/or trade university responding to the social developments" supported by the Ministry of Education. On the basis of investigation and analysis, the orientation and training goal of applied chemistry were updated first, and then the curriculum system was determined and the curriculum construction is strengthened, so as to achieve more distinctive characteristics, more solid foundation and more comprehensive quality. In view of the new requirements of the 3E for talent training, some practices have been formed in the aspects of multi-disciplinary integration, multi-angle coordination and close integration to industry. Contributing the development of cosmetics industry and seizing the commanding point of science and technology from the perspective of talent training, will play a unique role in human social progress.     

Encrypting Chemical Reactivity in Protein Sequences toward Information‐Coded Reactions†

Controlling chemical reactivity has been the central theme in chemistry. Herein, we review the recent progress on the development of genetically encoded protein coupling reactions and their potential applications. The chemical reactivity is encoded in the protein sequences. The information is read out by folding and molecular recognition between two reactive components and subsequently translated into chemical bonding via autocatalysis. It has emerged as a unique way to tune the chemical reactivity and is regarded as one type of information‐coded reactions. Not only has it received many applications such as protein topology engineering, bioconjugation, biomaterials and synthetic biology, but also its principle may be extended beyond protein chemistry to enable new modes of supramolecular interactions that promote chemical bonding and that are simultaneously reinforced by covalent bonds.     

A novel chemical route to SiO2 nanowires

A white substance was got by directly heating TiSi powder on Ti foil, under Ar+O ₂ atmosphere. ED, EDX, SEM and HRTEM studies reveal that the white substance consists of amorphous SiO ₂ nanowires of smooth surface and uniform diameter (40-90 nm). X-ray-induced luminescent emission experiment shows that two broad peaks are at 430 and 570 nm. A one-dimensional growth mechanism, on the basis of the one-dimensional thermal flow during nanowire formation, is discussed.     

3，9－二羟乙基－3＇，9＇－二苯甲基－1，5，7，11－四氧杂螺环［5，5］十一烷的合成和聚合反应

从两二酸二乙酯、氯乙酸乙酯和氯苄出发，经ＬｉＡｌＨ４还原，合成新的二元醇，进而合成新的螺环化合物：３，９－二羟乙基－３＇，９＇－二苯甲基－１，５，７，１１－四氧杂螺［５，５］十一烷．该化合物的结构由它的氢和碳－１３核磁共振谱、红外光谱和元素分析得到证明．该单体在三氟化硼乙醚络合物的作用下进行开环聚合反应．由于环上四个取代基的稳定作用，聚合物的收率比较低（产率１０％左右）．通过对聚合物的结构分析，提出了这一单体的阳离子开环聚合反应机理．对随聚合温度升高，聚合物中酯基／苯基的克分子比降低，以及本体聚合时得到交联聚合物等一系列现象作了探讨．     

Knoevenagel缩合反应研究的新进展

综述了近年来Knoevenagel缩合反应研究的新进展, 包括微波、超声波、固相合成、离子液体等新技术新试剂在该反应中的应用.     

工科学校本科生科研训练与实践——以节能减排大赛为例

Scientific research training is an essential part of undergraduate learning, which plays an important role in improving students' knowledge utilization and scientific literacy. Taking the participation process of "Energy conservation and emission reduction competition" as an example, this paper briefly introduces the undergraduate scientific research training of students majoring in polymer materials and engineering from their own perspective, and the way to combine the discipline and school characteristics to reflect the thinking of engineering students in scientific research and practical application.     

Synthesis of new colloidal formations during the strengthening of different activated hydrated metallurgical slags

This paper reports on a comparison of experimental researches on the hydration hardening of different types of dumped ferrous slag (DFS) (blast furnace, open hearth, electric steel and converter), non-activated and activated with small (2%) additions of Portland cement or lime. Activation was found to accelerate the strengthening processes in the early stages of hydration resulting from the growth of colloidal sol–gel new formations in a more alkaline environment. Over time, these formations became denser and transformed into stone-like amorphous materials with a uniaxial strength of up to 47.6 MPa at 1 year of age. All these types of slag can, therefore, be used in different applications, for example, like traditional binders, such as Portland cement, to different ceramic goods, new construction materials, etc. But till now the results of this research were used only for the preparing of binder materials for natural soils strengthening as road bases in Russia. Highways whose roadbeds were built with these DFS as binder materials have shown excellent performance indices in different parts of Russia, including Siberia and northern regions.