RuO<Subscript>2</Subscript>–TiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> mixed oxide composite coating for improvement of Al-alloy sacrificial anodes

It has been recently proved that RuO₂ can act as an effective surface activator of aluminum alloy sacrificial anodes. TiO₂ has the property of stabilizing RuO₂ coating and resisting biofouling on metal surfaces. Hence, a mixed oxide catalytic coating of TiO₂ and RuO₂ can enhance the galvanic performance of aluminum alloy sacrificial anodes and resists biofouling on the anode surface. In the present work RuO₂–TiO₂ mixed oxide was coated on aluminum alloy sacrificial anodes. The large and uniform porous nature of the coating was found to facilitate efficient ion diffusion. The coating was found to persist on the anode even after 3 months of galvanic exposure. The anode having an optimum combination of the mixed oxide had 70% TiO₂ as the major component in the coating. The catalytic coating significantly improved the performance of the anodes to a large extent.     

3,4-Dicyano-5-aminopyrazole complexes of anhydrous divalent transition metal chlorides and their triphenylphosphine derivatives

Summary 3,4-Dicyano-5-aminopyrazole, H3,4(CN)₂5NH₂pz (L) reacts either with anhydrous MCl₂ or with [M(PPh₃)₂Cl₂] to yield ML₄Cl₂ complexes (M = Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd or Hg), whose monomeric and covalent natures have been confirmed by their solubility in most non-polar solvents and their low electrical conductivities. The bonding mode of substituted pyrazole is inferred from the position of the (C-N) band in the i.r. spectra. The electronic spectra and the magnetic moments of these compounds were recorded.     

Electrochemical formation of stable ferrocene anion and the formal rate constant of the ferrocene0/− electrode

A reversible cyclic voltammogram for the one-electron reduction of ferrocene in 1,2-dimethoxyethane is recorded under experimental conditions that enable the ferrocene anion to exist for a few minutes. The formal rate constant of the ferrocene^0/? electrode, determined by cyclic voltammetry at ?45°C, ca. 10^?3 cm s^?1, is in striking contrast with that of ferrocene^+/0, > 10^?1 cm s^?1. The distortion of the ferrocene molecule caused by reduction may be a reason for this difference in electron-transfer rate.     

Mechanism and nanosize products of the sol-gel reaction using diphenylsilanediol and 3-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane as precursors

We use a first-principles calculation and small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) to investigate the mechanism and the nanosize products of the sol-gel reaction with diphenylsilanediol (DPD) and 3-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (MEMO) precursors in synthesizing a hybrid waveguide material. It is predicted that switching between a DPD hydroxyl and a MEMO methoxy with a reaction rate of 6.8 x 10(-6) s(-1) at 300 K is the fastest process for the first reaction step, thus generating diphenylmethoxysilanol (DPM) and 3-methacryloxypropyldimethoxysilanol (MEDO) as products. However, we determine that this reaction pathway could be modified by the presence of the H2O released from a catalyst such as Ba(OH)2.H2O. Next, switching between the DPM hydroxyl and the MEDO methoxy is followed to generate diphenyldimethoxysilane (DPDM) and 3-methacryloxypropylmethoxysilanediol (MEMDO). However, condensation between a MEMDO hydroxyl and a DPDM methoxy is found to be most favorable for the third reaction step, which generates the DPDM-MEMDO dimer and CH3OH molecule as products. In a similar fashion, a DPDM methoxy of the DPDM-MEMDO dimer can condense with a MEMDO hydroxyl of the second DPDM-MEMDO dimer to increase the chain, but its reaction rate of 2.8 x 10(-11) s(-1) is predicted to be about 5 times smaller than that between a DPDM methoxy and a MEMDO hydroxyl. This implies that the reaction rate for the larger nanostructures becomes smaller. Additionally, our SANS measurements determine that the final products from our sol-gel reaction are on the nanometer scale, at sizes from 1.76 to 2.36 nm.     

Deoxygenation of sulfoxides, selenoxides, telluroxides, sulfones, selenones and tellurones with Mg-MeOH

The deoxygenation of a variety of sulfoxides, selenoxides, telluroxides, sulfones, selenones and tellurones has been reported with Mg-MeOH at room temperature in nearly quantitative yields. The deoxygenation is proposed to proceed by SET from Mg to the substrate.     

Six-coordinate dinuclear hexaazamacrocyclic complexes of nickel(II), copper(II) and zinc(II) with tetraamide group ligands

Summary A series of 20–24 membered macrocyclic dinuclear transition metal complexes [M₂L¹X₄]-[M₂L⁴X₄] (M = Ni^II, Cu^II or Zn^II; X = Cl or NO₃) have been synthesized by template condensation of diethylenetriamine with dicarboxylic acids. The bonding and stereochemistry of the complexes have been characterized by i.r.,¹H-n.m.r., e.p.r. and electronic spectral studies, magnetic susceptibility and conductivity measurements. The Ni and Zn complexes exhibit octahedral geometry around the metal ion, whereas the Cu complexes possess a distorted octahedral geometry. Each metal ion is coordinated by two amide nitrogens and two secondary nitrogens of the diethylenetriamine moiety; the fifth and sixth coordination sites are occupied by the anions.     

Facile fabrication of colored superhydrophobic coatings by spraying a pigment nanoparticle suspension

Superhydrophobic coatings were prepared by spraying a pigment nanoparticle suspension. By changing the type of pigment nanoparticles, the colors of the coating could be controlled. The particle size of the pigments, which determines the surface structure of the coatings, played an important role in exhibiting superhydrophobicity. The spray-coating process is applicable to a variety of materials (e.g., copper, glass, paper, coiled wire, and tied thread), and the superhydrophobicity was repairable.     

High-Affinity Ratiometric Fluorescence Probe Based on 6-Amino-2,2′-Bipyridine Scaffold for Endogenous Zn2+ and Its Application to Living Cells

Zinc is an essential trace element involved in many biological activities; however, its functions are not fully understood. To elucidate the role of endogenous labile Zn²⁺, we developed a novel ratiometric fluorescence probe, 5-(4-methoxyphenyl)-4-(methylsulfanyl)-[2,2′-bipyridin]-6-amine (6 (rBpyZ)) based on the 6-amino-2,2′-bipyridine scaffold, which acts as both the chelating agent for Zn²⁺ and the fluorescent moiety. The methoxy group acted as an electron donor, enabling the intramolecular charge transfer state of 6 (rBpyZ), and a ratiometric fluorescence response consisting of a decrease at the emission wavelength of 438 nm and a corresponding increase at the emission wavelength of 465 nm was observed. The ratiometric probe 6 (rBpyZ) exhibited a nanomolar-level dissociation constant (K_d = 0.77 nM), a large Stokes shift (139 nm), and an excellent detection limit (0.10 nM) under physiological conditions. Moreover, fluorescence imaging using A549 human lung adenocarcinoma cells revealed that 6 (rBpyZ) had good cell membrane permeability and could clearly visualize endogenous labile Zn²⁺. These results suggest that the ratiometric fluorescence probe 6 (rBpyZ) has considerable potential as a valuable tool for understanding the role of Zn²⁺ in living systems.