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.     

First systematic investigation of C-H...Cl hydrogen bonding using inorganic supramolecular synthons: lamellar, stitched stair-case, linked-ladder, and helical structures

Using a group of six neutral M(II)Cl(2)-containing coordination compounds as building blocks, the first systematic investigation of C-H...Cl hydrogen-bonding interactions was performed. Single-crystal X-ray structural analyses of four new compounds (pseudo-tetrahedral Co(II) and Zn(II); distorted trigonal bipyramidal Zn(II)) authenticate the metal coordination geometry. To provide a unified view of the presence of noncovalent interactions in this class of compounds, we have re-examined the packing diagram of two previously reported compounds (a distorted square-pyramidal Cu(II) complex and a trans-octahedral Co(II) complex). The organic ligands of our choice comprise bidentate/tridentate pyrazolylmethylpyridines and an unsymmetrical tridentate pyridylalkylamine. This systematic investigation has allowed us to demonstrate the existence of versatile C-H...Cl(2)M interactions and to report the successful application of such units as inorganic supramolecular synthons. Additional noncovalent interactions such as C-H...O and O-H...Cl hydrogen bonding and pi-pi stacking interactions have also been identified. Formation of novel supramolecular architectures has been revealed: 2D lamellar (p-cyclophane) and 3D lamellar, 3D "stitched staircase" (due to additional hydrogen-bonding interactions by water tetramers, with an average O-O bond length in the tetramer unit of 2.926 A, acting as "molecular clips" between staircases), 3D linked ladder, and single-stranded 1D helix.     

新工科视阈下石油化工类高校应用化学专业课程体系重构

Taking a typical local and industry-orientated applied chemistry major as an example with focusing on the major changes in the form and content of the petrochemical industry, the way to reform the core curriculum system and teaching contents is presented. Based on the changing tendency of refinement of the petrochemical industry, a complete curriculum system with distinctive industry characteristics is set up according to the principles of the emerging engineering education (3E) with several reasonable suggestions. A new model for the construction of a 3E major in chemistry-related majors is suggested. It is a good reference for the construction of curriculum systems for other local and industry-orientated colleges who want to make 3E reform.     

Thermoanalytical study of nucleating effects in polypropylene composites

Nucleating and transcrystallization behaviour of additives in engineering PP composites and the effect of modified interfacial structure is the subject of this series of papers. The first part concentrates on polypropylene/liquid crystalline polyester blends. Increased crystallisation temperature and degree of crystallinity of polypropylene is characteristic to the blends containing different amount of LCP additive. Transcrystallization process governs the formation of crystalline structure in these systems in course of isothermal crystallisation at 132C. The nucleating effect of LCP gives rise to more uniform crystalline structure in the polypropylene phase.The financial support of the OTKA 014194 is acknowledged with gratitude.     

Selective formation of AAB- and ABC-type heterotrimeric alpha-helical coiled coils

The alpha-helical coiled coils have a representative amino acid sequence of (abcdefg)(n) heptad repeats. We previously reported that two peptides named IZ-2A and IZ-2W formed an (IZ-2A)(2)/IZ-2W heterotrimer with an Ala-Ala-Trp interaction in the hydrophobic core. In this paper, we describe the selective formation of AAB- and ABC-type heterotrimers. To increase the selectivity of the AAB-type heterotrimeric formation, Lys residues at the f position were mutated to either an Ala or a Gln residue to form IZ-2A(fA) or IZ-2W(fQ). Separately, both IZ-2A(fA) and IZ-2W(fQ) have a random structure at pH 7 and 20 degrees C. However, together IZ-2A(fA) and IZ-2W(fQ) form a 2:1 complex with a thermal transition midpoint (Tm) of 48 degrees C. This procedure was applied to prepare the ABC-type heterotrimer, in which two sets of Ala-Ala-Trp interactions were designed in the hydrophobic core. Interhelical interaction between the e and g positions and the alpha-helical propensity of the amino acid at the f position were also considered in the design. The resultant three peptides selectively formed the ABC-type heterotrimer with a Tm of 51 degrees C. Other peptide combinations had random coil properties.     

Anion control of isomerism, crystal packing and binding properties in a mononuclear zinc complex

The coordination chemistry of the tetradentate pyridyl N-donor ligand cis-3,5-bis-[2-pyridinyleneamin]-trans-hydroxycyclohexane (DDOP) has been investigated with zinc(II) nitrate and triflate. The resulting complexes, [Zn(DDOP)(H₂O)(NO₃)](NO₃) (1), and [Zn(DDOP)(H₂O)(OTf)](OTf) (2) differ not only in their counterions, but also the arrangement of the axial ligands and their solid state hydrogen bonded networks. Isothermal titration calorimetry was used to assess the difference in binding properties exhibited by the two zinc complexes at physiological pH in an aqueous environment. A series of coordinating amino acids were found to preferentially bind to the mononuclear zinc triflate (1) complex over the corresponding nitrate (2) assembly, with histidine exhibiting a two centre binding mode.