Two-photon absorption in quadrupolar pi-conjugated molecules: influence of the nature of the conjugated bridge and the donor-acceptor separation

Quadrupolar-type substitution of pi-conjugated chromophores with donor and acceptor groups has been shown to increase their two-photon absorption (TPA) response by up to two orders of magnitude. Here, we apply highly correlated quantum-chemical calculations to evaluate the impact of the nature of conjugated bridge and the charge-transfer distance on that enhancement. We compare chromophores with phenylenevinylene-, thienylenevinylene-, polyene-, and indenofluorene-type backbones substituted by dimethylamino and cyano groups. In all compounds, we find a strongly TPA-active A(g) state (either 2A(g) or 3A(g)) in the low-energy region, as well as a higher lying TPA-active state (mA(g)) at close to twice the energy of the lowest lying one-photon allowed state; the smaller energy detuning in the mA(g) states results in very large TPA cross sections delta. We also investigate the influence of the degree of ground-state polarization on TPA. Independent of the nature of the backbone and the donor-acceptor separation, delta displays the same qualitative evolution with a maximum before the cyanine-like limit; the highest TPA cross sections are calculated for distirylbenzene- and polyene-based systems.     

Synthesis of a Stimuli‐Responsive P‐Chiral Polymer with Chiral Phosphorus Atoms and Azobenzene Moieties in the Main Chain

A reaction of the P‐chiral compound (S,S)‐1,2‐bis(boranato(tert‐butyl)methylphosphino)ethane with an azobenzene derivative gave stimuli‐responsive polymers with P‐chiral phosphines in the main chain. This is the first example of a stimuli‐responsive P‐chiral polymer. The polymer isomerized from the trans to the cis form upon UV irradiation and reverted to the trans form reversibly. The polymer was able to coordinate to platinum, and the resulting polymer complex exhibited the Cotton effect owing to the chirality of the phosphorus atoms. The structure of the P‐chiral polymer obtained could be changed reversibly by light and thermal stimuli, and the polymer chain was induced to rotate helically when complexed with transition metals through the chiral phosphorus atoms.     

Modelling and mutation studies on the histamine H1-receptor agonist binding site reveal different binding modes for H1-agonists: Asp116 (TM3) has a constitutive role in receptor stimulation

Summary A modelling study has been carried out, investigating the binding of histamine (Hist), 2-methylhistamine (2-MeHist) and 2-phenylhistamine (2-PhHist) at two postulated agonistic binding sites on transmembrane domain 5 (TM5) of the histamine H₁-receptor. For this purpose a conformational analysis study was performed on three particular residues of TM5, i.e., Lys²⁰⁰, Thr²⁰³ and Asn²⁰⁷, for which a functional role in binding has been proposed. The most favourable results were obtained for the interaction between Hist and the Lys²⁰⁰/Asn²⁰⁷ pair. Therefore, Lys²⁰⁰ was subsequently mutated and converted to an alanine, resulting in a 50-fold decrease of H₁-receptor stimulation by histamine. Altogether, the data suggest that the Lys²⁰⁰/Asn²⁰⁷ pair is important for activation of the H₁-receptor by histamine. In contrast, analogues of 2-PhHist seem to belong to a distinct subclass of histamine agonists and an alternative mode of binding is proposed in which the 2-phenyl ring binds to the same receptor location as one of the aromatic rings of classical histamine H₁-antagonists. Subsequently, the binding modes of the agonists Hist, 2-MeHist and 2-PhHist and the H₁-antagonist cyproheptadine were evaluated in three different seven--helical models of the H₁-receptor built in homology with bacteriorhodopsin, but using three different alignments. Our findings suggest that the position of the carboxylate group of Asp¹¹⁶ (TM3) within the receptor pocket depends on whether an agonist or an antagonist binds to the protein; a conformational change of this aspartate residue upon agonist binding is expected to play an essential role in receptor stimulation.Abbreviations 2-MeHist 2-methylhistamine - 2-PEA 2-pyridyl-ethylamine - 2-PhHist 2-phenylhistamine - CHO Chinese hamster ovary - E_int interaction energy - E_str strain energy - GES global energy structure - gpH₁R guinea pig H₁-receptor - GPCR G-protein coupled receptor - Hist histamine - N proximal nitrogen - N tele nitrogen - TM transmembrane domain - WT wild type     

Two—dimensional Network Crown Ether Complex.Synthesis and Crystal Structure of 18—Crown—6 Complex：[K（18—C—6）]2[Cd—（nmt）2]

The novel complex [K(18-C-6)]2[Cd(mnt)2][18-C-6-18-crown-6,nmt=1,2-dicyanoethene-1,2-dithiolate,C2S2-(CN)2^2-] was synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis,IR spectrum and X-ray diffraction analysis.The complex displays two-dimensional network structure of [K(18-C-6)] complex segments and [Cd(nmt)2] complex segment bridged by S-K-S,S-K-N and N-K-N interactions between adjacent[K(18-C-6)] and [Cd(mnt)2]units.     

Reduced parabolic model for radical addition reactions

The transition state of addition of free radicals and atoms to multiple bonds is considered as a result of intersecting of two parabolic potential curves. One of them characterizes the stretching vibration of the attacked multiple bond, and another curve characterizes the stretching vibration of the bond formed in the transition state. The force constant of the latter is calculated by an empirical equation that correlates the force constant with the bond dissociation energy. In the framework of this model, the thermally neutral activation energy (E _e0) and the elongation of the attacked and formed bonds (r _e) in the transition state were calculated from the experimental data (activation energy (E _e) and enthalpy of reaction (H _e)) for the addition of an H atom and methyl, alkoxyl, aminyl, triethylsilyl, and peroxyl radicals to the C=C bond and the addition of H and CH₃ to the C=O and CC bonds. Analysis of the data obtained showed that E _e0 depends linearly on the |H _e| + E_e sum, i.e., E_e0/kJ mol^–1 = 14.2 + 0.61 · (E_e – H _e), and the bond elongation in the transition state for addition of the most part of radicals to ethylene and acetylene vary within (0.65–0.87)·10_–10 m. The factors affecting the activation energy of the radical addition reactions are discussed.Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 8, pp. 1542–August, 2004.     

安培检测芯片毛细管电泳及其初步应用

An end-channel amperometric detector with a guide tube for working electrode was designed and integrated on a home-made glass microchip. The guide tube was directly patterned and fabricated at the end of the detection reservoir, which made the fixation and alignment of working electrode relatively easy. The fabrication was carried out in a two-step etching process. A 30 μm carbon fiber microdisk electrode and Pt cathode were also integrated onto the amperometric detector. The baseline separation of dopamine (DA), catechol (CA) and epinephrine (EP) was achieved within 80 s. Relative standard deviations of not more than 5.2% were obtained for both peak currents and migration times of DA and CA (n=5). Using standard adding method, DA in tLrine and plasma samples was detected. The recoveries were in the range of 83%—103%.     

Linear scaling local correlation approach for solving the coupled cluster equations of large systems

A linear scaling local correlation approach is proposed for approximately solving the coupled cluster doubles (CCD) equations of large systems in a basis of orthogonal localized molecular orbitals (LMOs). By restricting double excitations from spatially close occupied LMOs into their associated virtual LMOs, the number of significant excitation amplitudes scales only linearly with molecular size in large molecules. Significant amplitudes are obtained to a very good approximation by solving the CCD equations of various subsystems, each of which is made up of a cluster associated with the orbital indices of a subset of significant amplitudes and the local environmental domain of the cluster. The combined effect of these two approximations leads to a linear scaling algorithm for large systems. By using typical thresholds, which are designed to target an energy accuracy, our numerical calculations for a wide range of molecules using the 6-31G or 6-31G* basis set demonstrate that the present local correlation approach recovers more than 98.5% of the conventional CCD correlation energy.     

Construction of vicinal quaternary carbon atoms by Ireland ester Claisen rearrangement: total synthesis of (±)-herbertenolide, (±)-herberteneacetal, (±)-herbertene-1,14-diol and (±)-herbertene-1,15-diol

Efficient total syntheses of the herbertane sesquiterpene title compounds have been accomplished employing an Ireland ester Claisen rearrangement and ring-closing metathesis reaction sequence based strategy for the construction of two stereogenic vicinal quaternary carbon atoms on a cyclopentane.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Ab initio</Emphasis> study of small coinage metal telluride clusters Au<Subscript>n</Subscript>Te<Subscript>m</Subscript> (<Emphasis Type="Italic">n,m</Emphasis> = 1, 2)

The geometries of the most stable isomers of gold telluride systems AuTe, Au₂Te, and AuTe₂ are determined using the MP2 method. The aspect of gold—telluride interaction, the electron correlation, and relativistic effects on geometry and stability are investigated at the MP2 and CCSD(T) theoretical levels. The results show that the electron correlation and relativistic effects are responsible not only for gold—gold attraction but also for additional gold—telluride interaction. The gold—telluride interaction is strong enough to modify the known pattern of bare gold clusters. Both effects are essential for determining the geometry and relative stability of this type of systems.     

The use of carbon nanofibers microcolumn preconcentration for inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry determination of Mn,Co and Ni

Based on carbon nanofibers (CNFs) as a solid phase extraction adsorbent, a microcolumn preconcentration method coupled to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP–MS) was developed for the determination of trace elements (Mn, Co and Ni). The effect of various experimental parameters such as pH, sample flow rate and volume, elution solution and interfering ions on the retention of the studied ions have been investigated systematically. During all the steps of the experimental process, Mn, Co and Ni could be quantitatively sorbed on the microcolumn containing CNFs in the range of pH 6.0–9.0, and then eluted completely with 0.5 mol ml^− 1 HNO₃. A preconcentration factor of 150-fold was obtained. The detection limits for Mn, Co and Ni were 40, 0.4 and 8.0 pg ml^− 1, respectively, with relative standard deviations less than 6.0%. In order to validate the proposed method, two certified reference materials of human hair (GBW 07601) and mussel (GBW 08571), and water sample were analyzed with satisfactory results. The recoveries were between 95.0 and 114%.