General Method to Increase Carboxylic Acid Content on Nanodiamonds

Carboxylic acid is a commonly utilized functional group for covalent surface conjugation of carbon nanoparticles that is typically generated by acid oxidation. However, acid oxidation generates additional oxygen containing groups, including epoxides, ketones, aldehydes, lactones, and alcohols. We present a method to specifically enrich the carboxylic acid content on fluorescent nanodiamond (FND) surfaces. Lithium aluminum hydride is used to reduce oxygen containing surface groups to alcohols. The alcohols are then converted to carboxylic acids through a rhodium (II) acetate catalyzed carbene insertion reaction with tert–butyl diazoacetate and subsequent ester cleavage with trifluoroacetic acid. This carboxylic acid enrichment process significantly enhanced nanodiamond homogeneity and improved the efficiency of functionalizing the FND surface. Biotin functionalized fluorescent nanodiamonds were demonstrated to be robust and stable single-molecule fluorescence and optical trapping probes.     

Synthesis and characterization of two new asymmetrical branched amines and related Mn(II) and Ni(II) Schiff base complexes containing pyridine moieties: Crystal structures of Mn(II) and Ni(II) complexes and their antibacterial properties

Two new branched pentadentate amines (N₅), 3,7-bis(2-pyridylmethyl)-5,5-dimethyl-3,7-diazaheptane-1-amine (1) and 4,8-bis(2-pyridylmethyl)-6,6-dimethyl-4,8-diaza octane-1-amine (2) have been prepared. These have been used to synthesis two new Schiff base complexes containing a pyridine and 2-pyridylmethyl pendant arm, by template [1+1] condensation of pyridine-2-carbaldehyde with the amines in the presence of Mn(II) in methanol. Elemental and spectral results are used to characterize the complexes and their structures are confirmed by single crystal X-ray diffraction studies. The structure of MnL¹(ClO₄)₂ indicates that in the solid state the Mn(II) ion adopts a slightly distorted octahedral geometry. The crystal structure of [Ni(1)(MeCN)](ClO₄)₂ is also reported and exhibits a slightly distorted octahedral geometry. Also the synthesized complexes were screened for their antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli (Lio), Serratia marcescens (PTCC 1330), Staphylococcous aureus (ATCC 6633), and Proteus vulgaris (Lio) and results showed that the all complexes have antibacterial effects and [NiL¹](ClO₄)₂, [MnL²](ClO₄) and [MnL¹](ClO₄)₂ have more effective ones against E. coli.