Tetrakis-acridinyl peptide: a novel fluorometric reagent for nucleic acid analysis based on the fluorescence dequenching upon DNA binding

Tetrakis-acridinyl peptide 1 assuming a right-handed helical stacked conformation of the acridinyl units can bind to DNA duplex with a very high affinity of 10(8) (M-bp)(-1) even at a high salt concentration of 0.2 M NaCl, irrespective of the base composition. Peptide 1 gave rise to 1600-times enhancement of its fluorescence upon binding to an AT polymer due to the collapse of this stacked structure, but the fluorescence is not enhanced with a GC polymer, though the binding constants of 1 for both polymers were the same.     

Tertiary amine-mediated synthesis of microporous carbon membranes

Microporous carbon membranes were prepared on an -alumina support by a pyrolysis of cationic tertiary amine/anionic polymer composites. The precursor solutions contain a thermosetting resorcinol/formaldehyde (RF) polymer and a cationic tertiary amine. Three types of cationic tertiary amines with different chain lengths were used, such as tetramethlammonium bromide (TMAB), tetrapropylammonium bromide (TPAB) and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). A porous structure was produced by a decomposition of the amine and the resulting pores assisted the further gasification of the RF polymer at high temperature. The carbon/alumina membranes have thin and continuous carbon top layers with a thickness of 1 μm. Gas permeation tests were performed using single gases of CO₂, O₂, N₂, CF₄, n-C₄H₁₀ and i-C₄H₁₀, as well as binary mixtures of CH₄/n-C₄H₁₀ and N₂/CF₄ at different temperatures between 23 and 150 °C. The carbon membrane prepared using TMAB showed separation factors higher than 650 for the CH₄/n-C₄H₁₀ mixtures and higher than 8100 for the N₂/CF₄ mixture. From the permeation of pure gases with different molecular sizes, the pore sizes of the carbon membrane prepared using TMAB, TPAB and CTAB are estimated to be 4.0, 5.0 and larger than 5.5 Å, respectively, indicating that the micropore size of the carbon membranes is controllable by using different amines.     

Novel one-dimensional tubelike and two-dimensional polycatenated metal-organic frameworks

Two novel metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) [Zn(TITMB)(OAc)](OH).8.5H(2)O (1) and [Ag(TITMB)N(3)].H(2)O (2) [TITMB = 1,3,5-tris(imidazol-1-ylmethyl)-2,4,6-trimethylbenzene, OAc = acetate anion] were synthesized and their structures were determined by X-ray crystallography. Complex 1 crystallizes in tetragonal space group P(-)4 with a = 23.2664(7) and c = 11.9890(3) A and Z = 8. 1 has a one-dimensional tubelike structure with large inner pore size of approximately 17 A. Complex 2 crystallizes in monoclinic space group C2 with a = 20.7193(10), b = 11.5677(8), and c = 12.2944(6) A, beta = 125.5770(10) degrees, and Z = 4. 2 consists of two-dimensional honeycomb networks that interpenetrate each other to generate a polycatenated structure. In these two complexes, both zinc(II) and silver(I) atoms are four-coordinated with the same tetrahedral coordination geometry. The topologies of 1 and 2 are predominated by the conformations of TITMB, which are cis, trans, trans in 1 and cis, cis, cis in 2, respectively.     

Syntheses, crystal structures and properties of novel zinc(II) complexes obtained by reactions of zinc(II) malonate with flexible multidentate ligands

Complex [Zn₂(bimb)₂(mal)₂(H₂O)₂]·4H₂O (1) (mal=⁻OCOCH₂COO⁻) was obtained by reaction of bidentate ligand 4,4′-bis(imidazole-1-ylmethyl)biphenyl (bimb) with zinc(II) salt of malonate, while the reaction of the same metal salt with 1,3,5-tris(imidazol-1-ylmethyl)-2,4,6-trimethylbenzene (titmb) gives another novel complex [Zn₂(titmb)₂(mal)][mal]·12H₂O (2). The structures of these complexes were determined by X-ray crystallography. The results revealed that 1 is a cyclic dinuclear complex in which the malonate groups act as terminators and prevent further aggregation, while 2 is a 2D honeycomb network in which each independent 2D sheet contains two sub-layers bridged by the malonate groups and complex 2 also contains free malonate as a counteranion connected to the 2D layer by C-H?O hydrogen bonds. The entirely different structure and topology of complexes 1 and 2, on the one hand, indicates that the nature of organic ligands affected the structures of assemblies greatly, and on the other, reveals the versatility of the malonate which can act as a bridging and/or blocking ligand.     

Effects of the intramolecular NH...S hydrogen bond in mononuclear platinum(II) and palladium(II) complexes with 2,2'-bipyridine and benzenethiol derivatives

A series of complexes, [M(bpy)(SAr)2] (M = platinum(II) or palladium(II), bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine, SAr = 2- or 4-(acylamino)benzenethiolate, or 2-(alkylcarbamoyl)benzenethiolate), were synthesized and characterized on the basis of 1H NMR, IR, and electrochemical properties. The structures of [Pt(bpy)(S-2-Ph3CCONHC6H4)2] (1) and [Pt(bpy)(S-2-t-BuNHCOC6H4)2] (3) were determined by X-ray analysis. The complexes have intramolecular NH...S hydrogen bonds between the amide NH group and the sulfur atom. A weak NH...S hydrogen bond in these complexes and [Pd(bpy)(S-2-Ph3CCONHC6H4)2] (4) is detected from the 1H NMR spectra and the IR spectra in chloroform and in the solid state. [Pt(bpy)(S-2-Ph3CCONHC6H4)2] (1) exhibits a remarkably high-energy-shifted lowest-energy band in UV-visible spectra and has a positively shifted oxidation potential. The blue-shift of 42 nm and the positive shift of +0.24 V, as compared to those of [Pt(bpy)(SC6H5)2), are due to the effect of the NH...S hydrogen bond.     

Dinuclear calcium complex with weakly NH...O hydrogen-bonded sulfonate ligands

The novel intramolecularly NH...O hydrogen-bonded Ca(II)-aryl sulfonate complex, [Ca2(SO3-2-t-BuCONHC6H4)2(H2O)4]n(2-t-BuCONHC6H4SO3)2n (1), sulfonate anion, (HNEt3)(SO3-2-t-BuCONHC6H4) (2a), (PPh4)(SO3-2-t-BuCONHC6H4) (2b), (n-Bu4N)(SO3-2-t-BuCONHC6H4) (2c), and sulfonic acid, 2-t-BuCONHC6H4SO3H (3), were synthesized. The structures of 1, 2a, and 2b depict the presence of the formation of NH...O hydrogen bonds between the amide NH and S-O oxygen for a series of compounds as determined by IR and 1H NMR analyses both in the solid state and in the solution state. Thus, the NH...O hydrogen bonds with neutral amide groups are available for investigation of the electronic state of the O- anion. The combined data from the IR and 1H NMR spectra indicate that the sulfonic acid, sulfonate anion, and Ca(II) complex have a substantially weak intramolecular NH...O hydrogen bond between the SO3 oxygen and amide NH. In the detailed comparison with the intense NH...O hydrogen bonds for the carboxylate, weak NH...O hydrogen bonds for sulfonate is due to the strong conjugation of the SO3- group with the lower nucleophilicity.     

Anion and Additive Effects on the Structure of Mercury(II) Halides Complexes with Tripodal Ligand

The metal complexes [Hg₂(tbim)₂Br₄]·2DMF ( 1 ) and [Hg₂(tbim)I₄]·1.5DMF ( 2 ) were prepared by reactions of 1,3,5‐tris(benzimidazol‐1‐ylmethyl)‐2,4,6‐trimethylbenzene (tbim) with HgBr₂, HgI₂, respectively, and [Hg₂(tbim)I₄]·0.5(FeCp₂)·H₂O ( 3 ) was obtained by the same method with addition of ferrocene (FeCp₂) as additive. Their structures were determined by X‐ray crystallographic analyses. Complex 1 has a macrocyclic binuclear structure with one benzimidazole arm of the ligand free of coordination and the binuclear units are further connected by C‐H···N hydrogen bonds to give an infinite zigzag chain. Complexes 2 and 3 have a 2D network structure in which tbim serves as a tridentate ligand. The results showed that the halides of bromide and iodide have remarkable impact on the structure of the complexes. The FeCp₂ molecules are trapped in the voids of framework 3 .     

The stochastic Boltzmann equation and hydrodynamic fluctuations

Based on the assumption of a kinetic equation in space, a stochastic differential equation of the one-particle distribution is derived without the use of the linear approximation. It is just the Boltzmann equation with a Langevin-fluctuating force term. The result is the general form of the linearized Boltzmann equation with fluctuations found by Bixon and Zwanzig and by Fox and Uhlenbeck. It reduces to the general Landau-Lifshitz equations of fluid dynamics in the presence of fluctuations in a similar hydrodynamic approximation to that used by Chapman and Enskog with respect to the Boltzmann equation.This work received financial support from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation.     

Novel metal-organic frameworks with specific topology from new tripodal ligands: 1,3,5-tris(1-imidazolyl)benzene and 1,3-bis(1-imidazolyl)-5-(imidazol-1-ylmethyl)benzene

Reactions of two new tripodal ligands 1,3,5-tris(1-imidazolyl)benzene (4) and 1,3-bis(1-imidazolyl)-5-(imidazol-1-ylmethyl)benzene (5) with metal [Ag(I), Cu(II), Zn(II), Ni(II)] salts lead to the formation of novel two-dimensional (2D) metal-organic frameworks [Ag(2)(4)(2)][p-C(6)H(4)(COO)(2)].H(2)O (6), [Ag(4)]ClO(4) (7), [Cu(4)(2)(H(2)O)(2)](CH(3)COO)(2).2H(2)O (8), [Zn(4)(2)(H(2)O)(2)](NO(3))(2) (9), [Ni(4)(2)(N(3))(2)].2H(2)O (10), and [Ag(5)]ClO(4) (11). All the structures were established by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Crystal data for 6: monoclinic, C2/c, a = 23.766(3) A, b = 12.0475(10) A, c = 13.5160(13) A, beta = 117.827(3) degrees, Z = 4. For compound 7: orthorhombic, P2(1)2(1)2(1), a = 7.2495(4) A, b = 12.0763(7) A, c = 19.2196(13) A, Z = 4. For compound 8: monoclinic, P2(1)/n, a = 8.2969(5) A, b = 12.2834(5) A, c = 17.4667(12) A, beta = 96.5740(10) degrees, Z = 2. For compound 9: monoclinic, P2(1)/n, a =10.5699(3) A, b = 11.5037(3) A, c = 13.5194(4) A, beta = 110.2779(10) degrees, Z = 2. For compound 10: monoclinic, P2(1)/n, a = 9.8033(3) A, b = 12.1369(5) A, c = 13.5215(5) A, beta = 107.3280(10) degrees, Z = 2. For compound 11: monoclinic C2/c, a = 18.947(2) A, b = 9.7593(10) A, c = 19.761(2) A, beta = 97.967(2) degrees, Z = 8. Both complexes 6 and 7 are noninterpenetrating frameworks based on the (6, 3) nets, and 8, 9 and 10 are based on the (4, 4) nets while complex 11 has a twofold parallel interpenetrated network with 4.8(2) topology. It is interesting that, in complexes 6,7, and 11 with three-coordinated planar silver(I) atoms, each ligand 4 or 5 connects three metal atoms, while in the case of complexes 8, 9, and 10 with six-coordinated octahedral metal atoms, each ligand 4 only links two metal atoms, and another imidazole nitrogen atom of 4 did not participate in the coordination with the metal atoms in these complexes. The results show that the nature of organic ligand and geometric needs of metal atoms have great influence on the structure of metal-organic frameworks.