CONTROLLING THE 3D NANOSCALE ORGANIZATION OF BULK HETEROJUNCTION POLYMER SOLAR CELLS

In this study,the three dimensional nanoscale organization in the photoactive layers of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and a methanofullerene derivative (PCBM) is revealed by transmission electron tomography.After annealing treatment,either at elevated temperature or during slow solvent evaporation,nanoscale interpenetrating networks are formed with high crystalline order and favorable concentration gradients of both components through the thickness of the photoactive layer.Such a tailored morphology acco...     

Genetically controlled MRI contrast mechanisms and their prospects in systems neuroscience research

Application of MRI contrast agents to neural systems research is complicated by the need to deliver agents past the blood-brain barrier or into cells, and the difficulty of targeting agents to specific brain structures or cell types. In the future, these barriers may be wholly or partially overcome using genetic methods for producing and directing MRI contrast. Here we review MRI contrast mechanisms that have used gene expression to manipulate MRI signal in cultured cells or in living animals. We discuss both fully genetic systems involving endogenous biosynthesis of contrast agents, and semi-genetic systems in which expressed proteins influence the localization or activity of exogenous contrast agents. We close by considering which contrast-generating mechanisms might be most suitable for applications in neuroscience, and we ask how genetic control machinery could be productively combined with existing molecular agents to enable next-generation neuroimaging experiments.     

Synthesis and Reactions of Haloazodienes. A New and General Synthesis of Substituted Pyridazines

The reaction of dihalohydrazones with Hünig's base gives 1-carbethoxy-3-phenyl-4-haloazodienes in-situ, which were found to combine with a variety of electron rich olefins to yield halo-substituted tetrahydropyridazines (Scheme 2 and Table 1 ). These haloazodiene cyclizations are best characterized as inverse electron demand, 4 + 2 hetero Diels-Alder reactions that maintain a high degree of regio- and stereochemical control (Schemes 5 and 6). The chloro-substituted tetrahydropyridazines that are formed give high yields of substituted pyridazines upon treatment with base (Table 1). The sequence of a chloroazodiene cyclization to a tetrahydropyridazine followed by an aromatization constitutes a new and general synthesis of substituted pyridazines. In contrast to the haloazodiene cyclizations, the novel cyclization reactions of the in-situ generated 1-carbethoxy-3-phenyl-4,4-dichloroazodiene were found to give N-aminopyrroles and pyridazines when combined with acyclic enamines (Table 3 ). However, reactions with cyclic enamines gave the N-aminopyrroles, pyridazines, a dihydropyridazine as products as well as the noncyclized enamine intermediates (Table 4 ). The noncyclized enamines could be converted to the N-aminopyrroles simply upon heating to higher temperatures, indicating a stepwise mechanism (Schemes 8 and 9). The examples described here are the first reported cyclization reactions for dichloroazodienes.     

Synthesis and structural studies of early transition metalloporphyrin complexes. 1. X-ray structures of meso-5,10,15,20 tetratolyl hafnium(IV) μ-dioxo dimer complex and meso-5,10,15,20 tetratolyl porphyrin vanadium(IV) oxo complex

Abstract

(TTP) hafnium dichloride, 1, where TTP = meso-5,10,15,20 tetratolyl porphyrin dianion, has been synthesized and spectroscopically characterized as a precursor to 2. Hydrolysis of 1 gives (TTP) hafnium μ-dioxo dimer, 2. (TTP) vanadium oxo complex, 3, can be obtained by hydrolysis of the corresponding chloro complex. Compound 2 has been characterized by spectroscopic and single crystal X-ray diffraction analyses. [(TTP)HfO]₂-toluene crystalizes in the space group C2/c, a = 31.906(6) Å, b = 16.864(3) Å, c = 19.180(4) Å, β = 117.52(3)°, V = 9152(3) ų, d_calcd = 1.369 g/cm³, Z = 8, 6029 unique observed reflections, final R = 0.077. The Hf atom is 1.02 Å from the plane of the porphyrin ring; Hf-O bond lengths are 2.1 Å. The hafnium atoms are 3.06(1) Å from each other and the average Hf-O-Hf angle is 94°. The porphyrin rings are 5.4° from being parallel and the distance between the centers of the porphyrin rings is ～ 5.1 Å. TTPVO·mesitylene, 3, crystallizes from mesitylene in the space group P1, a = 8.365(2), b = 10.320(3), c = 14.380(5) Å, α = 91.91(3), β = 91.44(3), γ = 108.26(2)°, V = 1177.2(6) ų, d_calcd = 1.27 g/cm³, Z = 1, 1851 observed unique reflections, final R = 0.069. The average V - N distance = 2.016 Å. The coordination geometry around the vanadium is distorted C_4V. The V = O group is disordered about the center of inversion. The vanadium atom resides 0.57 Å above the plane of the nitrogens. The (ring center) -V = O angle is 165.9° while the V = O vector is essentially colinear with the vector normal to the plane of nitrogens.     

Dynamic imaging with MRI contrast agents: quantitative considerations

Time-resolved MRI has had enormous impact in cognitive science and may become a significant tool in basic biological research with the application of new molecular imaging agents. In this paper, we examine the temporal characteristics of MRI contrast agents that could be used in dynamic studies. We consider "smart" T1 contrast agents, T2 agents based on reversible aggregation of superparamagnetic nanoparticles and sensors that produce changes in saturation transfer effects (chemical exchange saturation transfer, CEST). We discuss response properties of several agents with reference to available experimental data, and we develop a new theoretical model that predicts the response rates and relaxivity changes of aggregation-based sensors. We also perform calculations to define the extent to which constraints on temporal resolution are imposed by the imaging methods themselves. Our analysis confirms that some small T1 agents may be compatible with MRI temporal resolution on the order of 100 ms. Nanoparticle aggregation T2 sensors are applicable at much lower concentrations, but are likely to respond on a single second or slower timescale. CEST agents work at high concentrations and temporal resolutions of 1-10 s, limited by a requirement for long presaturation periods in the MRI pulse sequence.