Facile Synthesis and Properties of 2‐λ5‐Phosphaquinolines and 2‐λ5‐Phosphaquinolin‐2‐ones

Treatment of 2‐ethynylanilines with P(OPh)₃ gives either 2,2‐diphenoxy‐2‐λ⁵‐phosphaquinolines or 2‐phenoxy‐2‐λ⁵‐phosphaquinolin‐2‐ones under transition‐metal‐free conditions. This reaction offers access to an underexplored heterocycle, which opens up the study of the fundamental nature of the N?P^V double bond and its potential for delocalization within a cyclic π‐electron system. This heterocycle can serve as a carbostyril mimic, with application as a bioisostere for pharmaceuticals based on the 2‐quinolinone scaffold. It also holds promise as a new fluorophore, since initial screening reveals quantum yields upwards of 40 %, Stokes shifts of 50–150 nm, and emission wavelengths of 380–540 nm. The phosphaquinolin‐2‐ones possess one of the strongest solution‐state dimerization constants for a D–A system (130 M ^?1) owing to the close proximity of a strong acceptor (P?O) and a strong donor (phosphonamidate N? H), which suggests that they might hold promise as new hydrogen‐bonding hosts for optoelectronic sensing.     

Diversity‐Oriented Approach for Chemical Biology

Synthetic molecules that modulate and probe biological events are critical tools in chemical biology. Utilizing combinatorial and diversity‐oriented synthetic strategies, access to large numbers of small molecules is becoming more and more feasible, and research groups in this field can take advantage of the power of chemical diversity. Since the majority of early studies were focused on the discovery of compounds that perturb protein functions, diversity‐based approaches are often considered as therapeutic lead discovery tactics. However, the diversity‐oriented approach can also be applied to advance distinct aims, such as target protein identification, or the development of imaging probes and sensors. This review provides a personal perspective of the chemical‐diversity‐based approach and how this principle can be adapted to various chemical biology studies.     

Structures and Fluorescent Properties of Cadmium(II) Complexes with 1D and 2D Structures Based on Tridentate Benzimidazole Ligands

The cadmium(II) complexes [CdL1(m‐nba)₂] ( 1 ), [CdL1(p‐nba)₂] · C₂H₅OH ( 2 ), [CdL2(p‐nba)₂] · CH₃OH ( 3 ), and [CdL2(p‐nbat)₂] ( 4 ) containing the ligands L1 and L2 [L1 = 2,6‐bis(benzimidazol‐2‐yl)pyridine, L2 = bis(2‐benzimidazolylmethyl)amine] were synthesized and characterized (m‐nba, p‐nba, and p‐nbat are the anions of p‐nitrobenzoic acid, m‐nitrobenzoic acid, and p‐nitrobenzeneacetic acid, respectively). The complexes were investigated by X‐ray single crystal diffraction, elemental analysis as well as IR and fluorescence spectroscopy. Compounds 1 – 3 contain a distorted pentagonal bipyramidal coordination sphere with Cd^II coordinated by two carboxylate ligands in bidentate‐chelating mode, whereas complex 4 exhibits a distorted octahedral arrangement with one carboxylate ligand in bidentate‐chelating and the other in monodentate coordination mode. 1 and 2 form a 1D chain interplayed by hydrogen bonding and strong π–π stacking interactions. 3 and 4 vary from 1D chain into 2D single‐layer and double‐layer networks because of more extensive hydrogen bonding interactions. The complexes show emission maxima in the blue region in the solid state and emission bands are red‐shifted compared to those of the free ligands.     

A Highly K+‐Selective Two‐Photon Fluorescent Probe

A highly K⁺‐selective two‐photon fluorescent probe for the in vitro monitoring of physiological K⁺ levels in the range of 1–100 mM is reported. The two‐photon excited fluorescence (TPEF) probe shows a fluorescence enhancement (FE) by a factor of about three in the presence of 160 mM K⁺, independently of one‐photon (OP, 430 nm) or two‐photon (TP, 860 nm) excitation and comparable K⁺‐induced FEs in the presence of competitive Na⁺ ions. The estimated dissociation constant (K_d) values in Na⁺‐free solutions (K_d^OP=(28±5) mM and K_d^TP=(36±6) mM ) and in combined K⁺/Na⁺ solutions (K_d^OP=(38±8) mM and K_d^TP=(46±25) mM ) reflecting the high K⁺/Na⁺ selectivity of the fluorescent probe. The TP absorption cross‐section (σ_2PA) of the TPEF probe+160 mM K⁺ is 26 GM at 860 nm. Therefore, the TPEF probe is a suitable tool for the in vitro determination of K⁺.     

Azido‐Substituted BODIPY Dyes for the Production of Fluorescent Carbon Nanotubes

A series of azido‐dyes were synthesized through Knoevenagel reactions of an azido‐BODIPY with aromatic aldehydes. The nature of the substituents allowed the fine tuning of their spectroscopic properties. The dyes were used to decorate oxidized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (ox‐MWCNTs), bearing terminal triple bond groups, by CuAAC reactions, affording fluorescent materials. This decoration allowed the efficient determination of the internalization of the ox‐MWCNT derivatives by different model cancer cells, such as MCF7.     

Modelling the use of lanthanides(III) as probes at calcium(II) binding sites in biological systems: Preparation and characterization of neodymium(III) and calcium(II) malonamato(-1) complexes

A bioinorganic approach into the problem of the isomorphous substitution of calcium(II) by lanthanide(III) ions in biological systems is discussed. Reactions of malonamic acid (H₂malm) with Ca^II and Nd^III sources under similar conditions yielded the compounds [Ca(Hmalm)₂]_n (1), [Nd(Hmalm)₂(H₂O)₂]_n(NO₃)_n (2) and [Nd(Hmalm)₂(H₂O)₂]_nCl_n·2nH₂O (3·2nH₂O). Their X-ray crystal structure data show that the malonamate(-1) ligand presents two different ligation modes and coordinates through the two carboxylate and the amide-O atoms, thus bridging three Ca^II ions in 1 and two Nd^III ions in 2 and 3·2nH₂O. Complex 1 is a 3D coordination polymer based on neutral repeating units, whereas 2 and 3·2nH₂O are 1D coordination polymers based on the same cationic repeating unit. Hydrogen bonding interactions further stabilize the 3D framework structure of 1 and assemble the 1D chains of 2 and 3·2nH₂O into 3D networks. The three complexes were characterized spectroscopically (IR, far-IR, and Raman) and the thermal decomposition of 2 and 3·2nH₂O was monitored by TG/DTA and TG/DTG measurements. Variable-temperature magnetic susceptibility data for 2 are also reported. The bioinorganic chemistry relevance of our results is discussed.     

Synthesis,crystal structures and spectroscopic studies of praseodymium(III) malonate complexes

Reactions of malonic acid (H₂mal) with PrCl₃·6H₂O afforded the known complex [Pr₂(mal)₃(H₂O)₆]_n (1), and compounds [Pr₂(mal)₃(H₂O)₆]_n·2nH₂O (2·2nH₂O), [PrCl(mal)(H₂O)₃]_n·0.5nH₂O (3·0.5nH₂O) and [Pr(mal)(Hmal)(H₂O)₃]_n·nH₂O (4·nH₂O) using various reaction ratios, reaction media (H₂O, MeOH) and pH values. Analogous reactions with CeCl₃·7H₂O afforded compounds [Ce₂(mal)₃(H₂O)₆]_n (5), [CeCl(mal)(H₂O)₃]_n·nH₂O (6·nH₂O) and [Ce(mal)(Hmal)(H₂O)₃]_n·nH₂O (7·nH₂O). Compounds 2·2nH₂O and 3·0.5nH₂O were characterized by X-ray crystallography, and 4–7 by microanalytical and spectroscopic data. The malonate(-2) ligand adopts three different coordination modes in the structures of 1–3, i.e., the μ₂-κO:κO′:κO″ and the μ₄-κ²O:κO′:κ²O″:κO? in 1 and 2 leading to a 3D network structure, and the μ₃-κ²O:κO′:κ²O″:κO? in 3 promoting an 1D structure. The thermal decomposition of 1 and 3·0.5nH₂O was monitored by TG/DTA and TG/DTG measurements. The structural features of 1–3 are discussed in terms of known malonato(-2) Ln^III and Ca^II complexes. The bioinorganic chemistry relevance of our results is discussed.     

2,2′-联吡啶荧光探针快速检测纳米TiO2薄膜的光催化活性

紫外光照射浸有纳米TiO2薄膜的溶液,能够产生羟自由基,其中羟自由基又能将荧光微弱的2,2′-联吡啶羟基化,其反应体系的荧光增强.利用2,2′-联吡啶作为荧光探针,通过检测其羟基化产物的生成速率来迅速、准确地评价纳米TiO2薄膜的光催化活性.通过与传统的染料法对比,荧光探针法极大地缩短了检测时间,从180 min减少到8 min,得出2,2′-联吡啶荧光探针法评价纳米TiO2薄膜光催化活性具有可行性.     

玻璃微流控通道中水凝胶固定寡核苷酸探针的方法及应用

核酸杂交是分子生物学研究中最常用和最基本的分析方法之一．杂交技术有多种,主要区别在于探针的固定．目前常用的是将探针直接固定在载体表面（尼龙膜或硅烷化的玻片）或用磁珠法和水凝胶法固定,其中水凝胶法兼有三维立体和简单实用的优势,其发展颇为引人注意．微流控芯片技术具有集成化和自动化的优势．将水凝胶和微流控技术相结合,将使核酸分析中的杂交、变性以及重新杂交等操作更为简单、快速、易行．