Magnetic interactions in a series of paramagnetic Ln(III) complexes with a chelated imino nitroxide radical

The magnetic interactions in a new series of isostructural imino nitroxide radical lanthanide(III) complexes, [Ln(hfac)₃(IM2py)] (Ln = Gd–Yb: IM2py = 2-(2′-pyridyl)-4,5-dihydro-4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-1H-imidazoline-1-oxy; hfac = 1,1,1,5,5,5-hexafluoro-2,4-pentanedione), are examined by considering the intrinsic paramagnetic contribution of the Ln(III) ion from the corresponding [Ln(hfac)₃(pybzim)] with a diamagnetic pybzim(2-(2-pyridyl)benzimidazole) ligand; the Ln(III)–IM2py interaction being antiferromagnetic for the 4f⁷ to 4f¹³ Ln(III) complexes and negligibly small for the other complexes. This series is the first example reverse to the previous cases for the series of Ln–Cu or Ln–aminoxyl(NIT) radical (4,5-dihydro-4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-1H-imidazoline-3-oxide-1-oxy) complexes, other than only a few examples of semiquinone Ln complexes. This reverse nature of the magnetic interaction, as compared with the NIT complexes, validates the empirical approach by O. Kahn et al. [Inorg. Chem. 38 (1999) 3692; J. Am. Chem. Soc. 122 (2000) 3413] in the spin-coupled systems for a series of Ln(III) complexes.     

Energy Dissipation Processes of singlet‐excited 1‐Hydroxyfluorenone and its Hydrogen‐bonded Complex with N‐methylimidazole¶

Effects of solvent, pH and hydrogen bonding with N‐methylimidazole (MIm) on the photophysical properties of 1‐hydroxyfluorenone (1HOF) have been studied. Fluorescence lifetime, fluorescence quantum yield and triplet yield measurements demonstrated that intersystem crossing was the dominant process in apolar media and its rate constant significantly diminished with increasing solvent polarity. The acceleration of internal conversion in alcohols paralleled the strength of intermolecular hydrogen bonding. The faster energy dissipation from the singlet‐excited state in cyclohexane was attributed to intramolecular hydrogen bonding. The pK_a of 1HOF decreased from 10.06 to 5.0 on light absorption, and H₃O⁺ quenched the singletexcited molecules in a practically diffusion‐controlled reaction. On addition of MIm in toluene, dual fluorescence was observed, which was attributed to reversible formation of excited hydrogen‐bonded ion pair. Rate constants for the various deactivation pathways were derived from the combined analysis of the steady‐state and the time‐resolved fluorescence results.     

Probe Design for the Effective Fluorescence Imaging of Intracellular RNA

Over the past two decades, the spatiotemporal analysis of fluorescently labeled single RNA species has provided a broad insight into the synthesis, localization, degradation, and transport of RNA. To elucidate the dynamic behavior of functional RNAs in living cells, researchers throughout the world have proposed numerous fluorometric strategies for intracellular RNA imaging. Because, like most other biological molecules, RNA is intrinsically nonfluorescent, the development of methods for the labeling of RNAs of interest with fluorescent molecules is essential. Several artificial tag sequences have been attached onto the 3′ end of target RNAs and used as scaffolds for interacting with their fluorescent counterparts. In this Personal Account, we focus on the methods that have been developed to show how RNAs expressed in cells can be labeled and visualized by fluorescent proteins, small molecules, or nucleic acids. Each of these methods is designed to increase the sensitivity and specificity for imaging or to decrease the background fluorescence.     

Anomalous temperature dependence of the magnetic field induced antiferromagnetic moment in the antiferroquadrupolar ordered state of CeB6

The magnetic field induced antiferromagnetic moment M(AF) at low magnetic fields in the antiferroquadrupolar (AFQ) ordered phase of CeB6 was investigated by elastic neutron diffraction experiments for H parallel [110]. The peak intensity at the AF magnetic reciprocal point (1 / 2,1 / 2,1 / 2) corresponding to M(2)(AF) increases with decreasing temperature below the AFQ ordering temperature T(Q), and exhibits a broad maximum at T approximately 3 K and decreases with a further decrease of temperature. This unusual behavior of M(AF) at low fields is explained as a result of the competition between the AF-octupolar and AF-exchange interactions in the O(xy) type AFQ ordered state.     

Thermal and photochemical reactivity of oxygen atoms on gold nanocluster surfaces

Reduction of oxidized gold nanoclusters by exposures to foreign gases and irradiation of UV photons has been investigated using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Gold nanoclusters with narrow size distributions protected by alkanethiolate ligands were deposited on a TiO₂(1 1 0) surface with dip coating. Oxygen plasma etching was used for removal of alkanethiolate ligands and oxidization of gold clusters. The oxidized gold clusters were exposed to CO, C₂H₂, C₂H₄, H₂, and hydrogen atoms. Although, C₂H₄ and H₂ did not show any indications of reduction of oxidized gold clusters, CO, C₂H₂, and hydrogen atoms reduced the oxides on gold cluster surfaces. Among them, hydrogen atoms were most effective for reduction. Irradiation of UV photons around 400 nm could also reduce the oxidized gold clusters. The photochemical reduction mechanism was proposed as follows. The photo-reduction was initiated by electronic excitation of gold clusters and oxygen atoms activated reacted with carbon atoms at the surfaces of gold clusters. Carbon species were likely absorbed in gold clusters or remained at the boundaries between gold clusters when gold clusters agglomerated during oxygen plasma exposures. As the photochemical reduction progressed, carbon atoms segregated to the surfaces of gold clusters.     

Nuclear Spin–Lattice Relaxation of Single Crystal Sr14Cu24O41

Nuclear spin–lattice relaxation rate T ₁ ⁻¹ has been measured for the ladder sites of two single crystals Sr₁₄Cu₂₄O₄₁ (Sr14-A,B) by ⁶³Cu NMR/NQR. The hole localization around 100 K appears as a peak in the T variation of T ₁ ⁻¹(NQR). On the other hand, it is suppressed in the T ₁ ⁻¹ (NMR) data under the magnetic field H ∼ 11 T, and a new peak appears around 20 K. T ₁ ⁻¹(NMR) around the peak is more enlarged for Sr14-B than for Sr14-A. Hence, holes on the ladders of Sr14-B tend to be more localized. This is considered to be an origin for the occurrence of the magnetic order in Sr14-B under H ∼ 11 T.