Tris(pentafluorophenyl)silyl enol ethers: synthesis and aldol reactions

Silyl enol ethers bearing three pentafluorophenyl groups at the silicon atom are described. These compounds undergo uncatalyzed aldol reactions with aliphatic, α,β-unsaturated, and aromatic aldehydes. The observed reactivity is analyzed in terms of the Lewis acidity of the silyl fragment.     

Capillary Electrophoresis for the Simultaneous Determination of Metals by Using Ethylenediamine Tetraacetic Acid as Complexing Agent and Vancomycin as Complex Selector

A new separation system of capillary electrophoresis for the simultaneous determination of metals by using ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid （EDTA） as complexing agent and employing vancomycin as complex selector was described. The Z-shape cell capillary electrophoresis was used to enhance the sensitivity for the determination of the complexes of Cu（Ⅱ）, Ni（Ⅱ）, Co（Ⅱ） and Fe（Ⅲ） with EDTA. The partial filling method （co-current mode） was used in order to increase the selectivity of the electrophoretic method, meanwhile vancomycin was not present at the detector path during the detection of metal-EDTA complexes. The vancomycin concentration, phosphate concentration and pH of the buffer strongly influenced mobility, resolution and selectivity of the studied analytes. Under the optimal condition, the relative standard deviations （n=5） of the migration time and the peak area were less than 3.14% and 7.35%, respectively. Application of the Z-shape cell capillary electrophoresis method with UV detection and vancomycin loading led to the reliable determination of these metal ions in tap water and the recoveries were 97%-101%. The detection limits based on a signal to noise ratio of 3 ： 1 were found in the range of 2-10 μg·L^-1.     

Nanowire‐Based Electrochemical Biosensors

We review recent advances in biosensors based on one‐dimensional (1‐D) nanostructure field‐effect transistors (FET). Specifically, we address the fabrication, functionalization, assembly/alignment and sensing applications of FET based on carbon nanotubes, silicon nanowires and conducting polymer nanowires. The advantages and disadvantages of various fabrication, functionalization, and assembling procedures of these nanosensors are reviewed and discussed. We evaluate how they have been used for detection of various biological molecules and how such devices have enabled the achievement of high sensitivity and selectivity with low detection limits. Finally, we conclude by highlighting some of the challenges researchers face in the 1‐D nanostructures research arena and also predict the direction toward which future research in this area might be directed.     

6AZO-CONTAINING SELF-ASSEMBLY ULTRA-THIN FILMS AND THEIR PHOTOVOLTAIC PROPERTIES

A kind of azo-containing resin (Azo-R) was synthesized by a simple way through the coupling reaction of 2-nitro-N-methyldiphenylamine-4-diazoresin (NDR) with phenol, and a new covalentely attached multilayer film from Azo-R as H-donor and photosensitive diazoresin, diphenylamine-4-diazoresin (DR) as H-acceptor via H-bonding attraction by selfassembly technique has been fabricated. Following the decomposition of diazonium group of DR under exposure to UV light, the H-bonds between the layers of the film convert to covalent bonds and the film becomes very stable toward polar solvents or electrolyte aqueous solutions. Thus the UV-irradiated azo-containing films can be used to measure photocurrent in a conventional three-electrode photoelectrochemical cell using KCl as supporting electrolyte. It was confirmed that the azo-containing multilayer film is responsible for the photocurrent generation.     

Determination of Diffusion Coefficients for Binary Nonelectrolyte Mixtures. A Free-Volume Predictive Approach

A diaphragm cell has been used to measure mutual diffusion coefficients at 25°C for four binary nonelectrolyte mixtures: ethylbenzene + n-hexane, carbon tetrachloride + ethylbenzene, cyclohexane + p-xylene, and 1,2-dichloroethane + cyclohexane. A free-volume predictive approach for binary mutual diffusion coefficients was developed and tested. Only infinite dilution diffusion coefficients, some readily available pure substance data, and UNIFAC group contribution parameters are used in the model. No binary equilibrium thermodynamic information is required. For 73 binary systems with an overall average absolute deviation of 5.2%, it has been shown that the developed method is better than two commonly available reference methods for the prediction of liquid diffusion coefficients.     

Anomalies in the Structural Chemistry of Silicon

In contrast to carbon, silicon fails to form multiple bonds that are stable at room temperature. Consequently molecules in which silicon exhibits coordination numbers (CN) of 1, 2, and 3 may only be obtained at very high or low temperatures. Under these conditions their structural features, including multiple bonds, resemble those of carbon. On the other hand, silicon is capable of forming various hexacoordinated compounds making use of its d orbitals. Nitrogen and oxygen bonded to silicon develop an unusual stereochemistry: planar nitrogen, nearly or completely linear oxygen, and considerable shortening of SiN, SiO, and SiF bonds are specific examples. N(SiR₃)₂ and CH₂SiR₃ ligands permit stabilization of unusually low CNs of many metals and give rise to amino and alkyl derivatives of unexpectedly high stability due to the particular electronic, the R₃Si group.     

Development and characterisation of a new interface for coupling capillary LC with collision-cell ICP–MS and its application for phosphorylation profiling of tryptic protein digests

A comparison of different nebulisers for direct hyphenation of capillary and nano liquid chromatography (Cap-LC, Nano-LC) and quadrupole-based collision cell inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (CC-ICP–MS) for phosphorylation profiling of tryptic protein digests is described. Helium was used as cell gas and specially tuned instrumental conditions were used to achieve background minimisation at the mass of phosphorus, because of kinetic energy discrimination of the interfering polyatomic ions. The proposed set-up is based on a modified capillary electrophoresis interface and a home-made 4 mL spray chamber. It enables the use of gradient conditions with a highly concentrated organic mobile phase as often used in protein phosphorylation analysis, without the need to apply membrane desolvation for removal of the organic phase or further background minimisation. No significant signal suppression or other negative effects caused by the organic mobile phase occur, because of the low flow rates used in Cap-LC and the robust plasma conditions of the CC-ICP–MS instrument. A tryptic digest of beta-casein was investigated as model compound to demonstrate the applicability of the proposed set-up for phosphorylation profiling in protein analysis using quadrupole based collision-cell ICP–MS as phosphorus-specific detector. Detection limits for phosphorylated peptides down to the sub picomole level were obtained. As a complementary technique, electrospray ionisation tandem mass spectrometry (ESI–MS–MS) with data base searching was used for further characterisation of the phosphorylated peptides detected.     

An alternative efficient redox couple for the dye-sensitized solar cell system

A series of new cobalt complexes [Co(LLL)(2)X(2)] were synthesized and evaluated as redox mediators for dye-sensitized nanocrystalline TiO(2) solar cells. The structure of the ligand and the nature of the counterions were found to influence the photovoltaic performance. The one-electron-transfer redox mediator [Co(dbbip)(2)](ClO(4))(2) (dbbip = 2,6-bis(1'-butylbenzimidazol-2'-yl)pyridine) performed best among the compounds investigated. Photovoltaic cells incorporating this redox mediator yielded incident photon-to-current conversion efficiencies (IPCE) of up to 80%. The overall yield of light-to-electric power conversion reached 8 % under simulated AM1.5 sunlight at 100 W m(-2) intensity and more than 4% at 1000 W m(-2). Photoelectrodes coated with a 2 microm thick nanoporous layer and a 4 microm thick light-scattering layer, sensitized with a hydrophobic ruthenium dye, gave the best results.     

Interactions between temperature-sensitive hydrogel microspheres and granulocytes

Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) has a low critical solution temperature (LCST) at 32°C in water and the hydrophilicity changes through the LCST. The microspheres whose surface was composed of PNIPAM exhibited phase transition behavior around 32°C. Therefore, the interactions between PNIPAM micropheres and granulocytes depended on the temperature. That is, the oxygen consumption and active oxygen production by cells in contact with PNIPAM-containing microspheres and adhesion of the microspheres to the cell surface were more enhanced above the LCST of PNIPAM than below it, whereas no significant temperature dependence of cell–microspheres interaction was observed in nonthermosensitive microsphere systems. It was suggested that the function of cells could be controlled with temperature using the temperature-sensitive microspheres.     

Small molecules as inhibitors of cyclin-dependent kinases

Cell division (mitosis) is one of the basic requirements for multicellular oranisms. The capability of a cell to replicate enables a complex assembly to be created. Faulty regulation of the control mechanism in the cell cycle leads to an excessive cell proliferation and is the cause of cancer. The key position of the cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) and their direct partners, as well as the fact that the majority of malign illnesses show defects in at least one of these key players of the cell cycle, is of great interest for the development of low-molecular-weight CDK inhibitors. In this Review an overview of the different structural classes of ATP-competitive inhibitors of CDKs are given, whose devlopment was aimed at battling cancer. The Review shows how far the development of selective CDK inhibitors has progressed and to what extent the expectations for such drugs have so far been fulfilled.