Superior performance of the machine-learning GAP force field for fullerene structures

Structural Chemistry - Carbon force fields are widely used for obtaining structural properties of carbon nanomaterials. We evaluate the performance of a wide range of carbon force fields for...     

An ultrasensitive fluorescence sensor for determination of trace levels of copper in blood samples

A novel SBA-15-based fluorescent sensor, SBA-PI: mesoporous SBA-15 structure modified with iminostilbene groups, was designed, synthesized, and characterized by Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), low-angle X-ray diffraction techniques (low-angle XRD), and N₂ adsorption–desorption techniques. The SBA-PI as a sensor with a selective behavior for detection of Cu²⁺ comprises iminostilbene carbonyl as the fluorophore group. The SBA-PI sensor displays an excellent fluorescence response in aqueous solutions and the fluorescence intensity quenches remarkably upon addition of Cu²⁺. Other common interfering ions even at high concentration ratio showed either no or very small changes in the fluorescence intensity of SBA-PI in the absence of Cu²⁺. A limit of detection of 8.7 × 10⁻⁹ M for Cu²⁺ indicated that this fluorescence sensor has a high sensitivity and selectivity toward the target copper (II) ion. The fabricated Cu²⁺ sensor was successfully applied for the determination of the Cu²⁺ in human blood samples without any significant interference. With the selective analysis of Cu²⁺ ions down to 0.9 nM in blood, the sensor is a promising and a novel detection candidate for Cu²⁺ and can be applied in the clinical laboratory. A reversibility and accuracy in the fluorescence behavior of the sensor was found in the presence of I^¯ that was described as a masking agent for Cu²⁺.

Graphical abstract

     

Pyrimethamine analogs as strong inhibitors of double and quadruple mutants of dihydrofolate reductase in human malaria parasites

Pyrimethamine acts against malarial parasites by selectively inhibiting their dihydrofolate reductase-thymidylate synthase. Resistance to pyrimethamine in Plasmodium falciparum is due to point mutations in the DHFR domain, initially at residue 108 (S108N), with additional mutations imparting much greater resistance. Our previous work, the development of a simple rational drug design strategy to overcome such resistance, used suitable meta-substituents in the pyrimethamine framework to avoid the unfavorable steric clash with mutant side chains at position 108. Interestingly, the meta-chloro analog of pyrimethamine not only overcame the resistance due to S108N, but also that contributed by the more remote mutation, C59R. The present work improves on this by means of other meta-substituents. Against wild type DHFR, double mutant types A16V + S108T and C59R + S108T, and the highly pyrimethamine/cycloguanil-resistant quadruple-mutant form N51I + C59R + S108N + I164L, pyrimethamine itself gave Ki values of 1.5, 2.4, 72.3 and 859 nM, respectively. The meta-substituted analogs, especially the meta-bromo analog, were much more powerful inhibitors of these DHFRs, including the quadruple-mutant form (meta-bromo analog, Ki 5.1 nM). For comparison, the dihydropyrazine antifolate, WR99210, gave Ki values of 0.9, 3.2, 0.8 and 0.9 nM, respectively. Ki values were also measured against recombinant human DHFR, as were their activities against the growth of Plasmodium falciparum cultures bearing the double mutations (FCB and K1 strains) and quadruple mutation (V1/S) and the wild type (3D7). The meta-analogs were highly active against all of these, with the meta-bromo again being the strongest, having an IC50 of 37 nM against V1/S, compared to > 5000 nM for pyrimethamine itself and 1.1 nM for WR99210.     

The vibration-rotation emission spectrum of gaseous HZnCl

Gaseous HZnCl has been synthesized for the first time in a high-temperature tube furnace with a dc discharge in a flowing mixture of pure HCl and Zn vapor. The vibration-rotation emission spectrum of HZnCl was recorded at high resolution using a Fourier transform spectrometer. The H-Zn stretching modes (nu(1)) of the H(64)Zn(35)Cl, H(66)Zn(35)Cl, H(68)Zn(35)Cl, and H(64)Zn(37)Cl species, as well as the 2nu(1)-nu(1) hot band of the most abundant isotopologue H(64)Zn(35)Cl, were observed near 1966 cm(-1). A least-squares fit was performed for each of the four observed isotopologues, and their spectroscopic constants were determined.     

Synthesis and structural characterization of ferrocene-based bis(pyrazol-1-yl)borate ligands: FcB(Me)pz2K, Fc2Bpz2K, and 1,1′-fc[B(Me)pz2]2K2 (Fc: ferrocenyl, fc: ferrocenylene, pz: pyrazolyl)

Reaction of the ferrocenyl(dimethylamino)boranes FcB(Me)NMe₂, Fc₂BNMe₂, and 1,1′-fc[B(Me)NMe₂]₂ with 1:1 mixtures of pyrazole and potassium pyrazolide in refluxing THF gave the potassium salts of the ferrocene-based bis(pyrazol-1-yl)borate ligands FcB(Me)pz₂K, Fc₂Bpz₂K, and 1,1′-fc[B(Me)pz₂]₂K₂ in good yield (Fc: ferrocenyl, fc: ferrocenylene, pz: pyrazolyl). In the solid state, FcB(Me)pz₂K and Fc₂Bpz₂K form centrosymmetric dimers with short K?Cp contacts suggesting an η⁵ coordination mode of the potassium ion. The crystal lattice of the ditopic ligand 1,1′-fc[B(Me)pz₂]₂K₂ consists of coordination polymer strands featuring essentially the same structural motif that has been observed for the monotopic derivatives. All three scorpionate ligands are thus promising building blocks for the preparation of ferrocene-containing multiple-decker sandwich complexes.     

Tetrafluorobenzyne thermochemistry: experiment and theory

Gas-phase thermodynamic properties of 1,2,3,4-tetrafluorobenzyne (1 H-(2)) were determined by Fourier transform mass spectrometry and ab initio and density functional theory methods. 1,2,3,4-Tetrafluorobenzyne radical anion was generated by abstraction of a proton and a hydrogen atom upon reaction of 1,2,3,4-tetrafluorobenzene (1) with O(-.). The resulting structure was confirmed by converting it to a species which could be independently prepared. Bracketing results provided the proton affinity of 1,2,3,4-tetrafluorobenzyne radical anion and the electron affinities of 1,2,3,4-tetrafluorobenzyne and 1,2,3,4-tetrafluorophenyl radical. These measured values were combined in a thermodynamic cycle to provide the heat of hydrogenation of 1 H(2) (DeltaH degree (hyd) = 367 +/- 18 kJ mol(-1)) and the first and second CH bond dissociation energies of 1 (481 +/- 11 and 321 +/- 13 kJ mol(-1)). The same approach failed for the meta and para isomers, but their energetics were examined using B3LYP and CCSD(T) computations.     

Theoretical study on interaction of different coordination modes of BH4 ligand with transition metal in [TM(BH4)(CO)4] (TM = Cr, Mo)

Density functional calculations were performed on bonding and structural features of [(ηⁿ-BH₄)TM(CO)₄]⁻ (n = 1, 2, 3; TM = Cr, Mo) complexes. Calculations show that the ground state is bidentate which is in good agreement with experimental results. It has been found that the bridge and terminal hydrogen atoms will interchange by two pathways: (i) twist of BH₄ about one of the bridge B-H and (ii) twist of BH₄ about one of the terminal B-H. The molecular orbital calculations and natural bond orbital methodologies for different isomers of these complexes have been evaluated. The final results indicate that case (i) is more preferable relative to another case.     

Green synthesis of banana flavor using different catalysts: a comparative study of different methods

ABSTRACT

Esterification of isoamyl alcohol with acetic acid was studied using different ion-exchange resins, namely Amberlyst 15 dry, Amberlyst 16 wet, Amberlite 120-IR. Esterification was carried out using different esterification methods that are quite new (ohmic, ultrasonic probe, and ultrasonic bath) and the results were compared with microwave-assisted esterification (MAE). The highest isoamyl acetate yield (99%) was obtained by MAE, using a mixture of acetic acid and isoamyl alcohol (mole ratio of 1:2) after 2?h of reaction time. In this process, 2% Amberlyst 15 dry was used. MAE had the least specific energy consumption (0.42?kWh/g isoamyl acetate) and specific CO₂ emission (34?g/g isoamyl acetate). According to the images obtained by scanning electron microscopy, lower amounts of Amberlyst 15 dry beads were destroyed by MAE method compared to other esterification methods. In conclusion, MAE proved to be an economic and environmentally-friendly method for esterification of different flavoring compounds.     

Density functional theory study on structural isomers and bonding of model complexes M(CO)5(BH3 · PH3) (M = Cr, Mo, W) and W(CO)5(BH3 · AH3) (A = N, P, As, Sb)

The influence of group 15 various substituents and effect of metal centers on metal-borane interactions and structural isomers of transition metal-borane complexes W(CO)₅(BH₃ · AH₃) and M(CO)₅(BH₃ · PH₃) (A = N, P, As, and Sb; M = Cr, Mo, and W), were investigated by pure density functional theory at BP86 level. The following results were observed: (a) the ground state is monodentate, η¹, with C₁ point group; (b) in all complexes, the η¹ isomer with C_S symmetry on potential energy surface is the transition state for oscillating borane; (c) the η² isomer is the transition state for the hydrogens interchange mechanism; (d) in W(CO)₅(BH₃ · AH₃), the degree of pyramidalization at boron, interaction energy as well as charge transfer between metal and boron moieties, energy barrier for interchanging hydrogens, and diffuseness of A increase along the series A = Sb < As < P < N; (e) in M(CO)₅(BH₃ · PH₃), interaction energy is ordered as M = W > Cr > Mo, while energy barrier for interchanging hydrogens decreases in the order of M = Cr > W > Mo.