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In this study, a

We now report full details of the collisional ET process at the interface between the solvated porphyrin dye (a representative molecular dye) and heterogeneous TiO2 particles (a well-defined n-type...

Herein, we report the synthesis, and photochemical and -physical properties, as well as the catalytic performance, of a series of heteroleptic IrIII photosensitizers (IrPSs), [Ir(C^N)2 (N^NAryl )]+ , possessing ancillary ligands that are varied with aryl-substituents on bipyridyl unit [C^N=(2-pyridyl)benzo[b]thiophen-3-yl (btp); N^NAryl =4,4'-Y2 -bpy (Y=-Ph or -PhSi(Ph)3 ]. We found that the π-extension of bipyridyl ligand by aryl-substitution put bipyridyl ligand in use as an electron relay unit that performed charge accumulation before delivering to the catalytic center, greatly improving the overall CO2 -to-CO conversion activities. In a typical run, the aryl-substituted IrPS (tBu IrP-PhSi )-sensitized homogeneous systems (IrPS+ReI catalyst) gave a turnover number of 1340 (ΦCO =24.2 %) at the early stage of photolysis (

Excited-state symmetry-breaking charge separation (SB-CS) can offer an efficient pathway to solar energy capture and conversion. We synthesized a series of 1,6,7,12-tetrakis(4-t-butylphenoxy)peryle...

The dynamics of imidazole (IM) and 1-methylimidazole (1-MeIM) in the liquid phase at 95 °C were studied by IR polarization selective pump-probe and two-dimensional IR (2D IR) spectroscopies. The two molecules are very similar structurally except that IM can be simultaneously a hydrogen bond donor and acceptor and therefore forms extended hydrogen-bonded networks. The broader IR absorption spectrum and a shorter vibrational lifetime of the vibrational probe, selenocyanate anion (SeCN

Nanoporous silica materials are important in catalysis, energy, and materials applications in which water is an essential component. System performance is intimately connected to the water dynamics...

Benzene complex formation and dissociation dynamics with silanols on the amorphous silica surfaces of nanoporous SiO2, from a benzene/carbon tetrachloride solution, were measured by the growth of off-diagonal peaks in the two-dimensional infrared (2D IR) chemical exchange spectrum of the isolated Si-OD stretch. The presence of two types of isolated silanols, termed type I and II, was revealed, with dissociation time constants of 82 and 4.0 ps, respectively. The type I silanols are associated with the main IR absorption feature in the Si-OD stretching region, while the type II silanols give rise to a broader shoulder to lower frequency. Polarization selective pump-probe (PSPP) measurements provided the vibrational lifetimes and orientational relaxation rates of the two silanols in the CCl4 (free) and benzene (complex) environments. The type II silanols constitute roughly 30% of the isolated silanol population and exhibit a substantially faster rate of vibrational relaxation, making the type I dynamics the dominant contribution to the PSPP and 2D IR signals. From the measured dissociation times, the enthalpies of formation for the two surface complexes were obtained, with the formation of the type I complex being significantly more exothermic. As the type II site is preferentially removed from the amorphous silica surface with increasing activation temperature, the results provide a reasonable explanation for the increased exothermicity of benzene adsorption on silica with increasing activation temperature in previous calorimetry experiments.

Singlet fission (SF) is a photophysical process capable of boosting the efficiency of solar cells. Recent experimental investigations into the mechanism of SF provide evidence for coherent mixing between the singlet, triplet, and charge transfer basis states. Up until now, this interpretation has largely focused on electronic interactions; however, nuclear motions resulting in vibronic coupling have been suggested to support rapid and efficient SF in organic chromophore assemblies. Further information about the complex interactions between vibronic excited states is needed to understand the potential role of this coupling in SF. Here, we report mixed singlet and correlated triplet pair states giving rise to sub-50 fs SF in a terrylene-3,4:11,12-bis(dicarboximide) (TDI) dimer in which the two TDI molecules are covalently linked by a direct N-N connection at one of their imide positions, leading to a linear dimer with perpendicular TDI π systems. We observe the transfer of low-frequency coherent wavepackets between the initial predominantly singlet states to the product triplet-dominated states. This implies a non-negligible dependence of SF on nonadiabatic coupling in this dimer. We interpret our experimental results in the framework of a modified Holstein Hamiltonian, which predicts that vibronic interactions between low-frequency singlet modes and high-frequency correlated triplet pair motions lead to mixing of the pure basis states. These results highlight how nonadiabatic mixing can shape the complex potential energy landscape underlying ultrafast SF.

Intramolecular singlet fission (SF) produces the multiexciton correlated triplet pair state, (T1T1), prior to the formation of free triplet excitons. The nature of the multiexciton state is complex, as generation of the (T1T1) state may involve a charge transfer (CT) intermediate and has been shown to have both mixed electronic and spin characters. According to transient absorption spectroscopy, a linear terrylene-3,4:11,12-bis(dicarboximide) dimer (TDI2) exhibits solvent-dependent excited-state dynamics. As solvent polarity increases from 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene (e = 2.2) to chlorobenzene (e = 5.6) to 1,2-dichlorobenzene (e = 9.9), the SF rate in TDI2 increases and the multiexciton state, which can be thought of as a linear combination of the 1(S1S0), CT, and (T1T1) states, gains more CT character. Eventually, the CT state becomes a trap state as indicated by symmetry-breaking charge separation in TDI2 in pyridine (e = 12.3). The dielectric environment influences not only the SF rate and the relative contributions of the 1(S1S0), CT, and (T1T1) states to the overall multiexciton state but also the rate at which the state mixing evolves, with faster dynamics in higher polarity solvents. More importantly, the tunability and presence of strong CT character in the multiexciton state have implications for SF applications since they often rely on electron transfer from the free triplet excitons. This enhanced CT character in the (T1T1) state may assist with two-electron transfer directly from the (T1T1) state, allowing for facile extraction of charges in intramolecular SF systems whose (T1T1) states do not always efficiently dissociate to two triplet excitons.

Herein, we report the synthesis, and photochemical and -physical properties, as well as the catalytic performance, of a series of heteroleptic Ir

Designing molecular systems that exploit vibronic coherence to improve light harvesting efficiencies relies on understanding how interchromophoric interactions, such as van der Waals forces and dipolar coupling, influence these coherences in multichromophoric arrays. However, disentangling these interactions requires studies of molecular systems with tunable structural relationships. Here, we use a combination of two-dimensional electronic spectroscopy and femtosecond stimulated Raman spectroscopy to investigate the role of steric hindrance between chromophores in driving changes to vibronic and vibrational coherences in a series of substituted perylenediimide (PDI) cyclophane dimers. We report significant differences in the frequency power spectra from the cyclophane dimers versus the corresponding monomer reference. We attribute these differences to distortion of the PDI cores from steric interactions between the substituents. These results highlight the importance of considering structural changes when rationalizing vibronic coupling in multichromophoric systems.

The influence of water on the dynamics of a room temperature ionic liquid (RTIL), 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (EmimNTf2), and CO2 in the RTIL was studied in the bulk liquid and a supported ionic liquid membrane (SILM) using two-dimensional infrared (IR) and IR polarization selective pump–probe spectroscopies. In the water-saturated bulk EmimNTf2, the complete orientational randomization and structural spectral diffusion (SSD) of CO2 became faster than in the dry EmimNTf2. In the poly(ether sulfone) SILM, only the longer time components of the SSD became faster in the water-saturated RTIL; the complete orientational randomization remained similar to the dry RTIL in the SILM. The implication is that the presence of water in EmimNTf2 contained in the SILM facilitates the fluctuation of globally modified RTIL structure in the pores, but the local RTIL environments are relatively unaffected.

Supported ionic liquid membranes (SILMs) are porous membranes impregnated with ionic liquids (ILs) and used as advanced carbon capture materials. Here, two-dimensional infrared (2D IR) and IR polarization selective pump–probe (PSPP) spectroscopies were used to investigate CO2 reorientation and spectral diffusion dynamics in SILMs. The SILM contained 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonly)imide in the poly(ether sulfone) membrane with average pore size of ∼350 nm. Two ensembles of CO2 were observed in the SILM, one in the IL phase in the membrane pores and the other in the supporting membrane polymer. CO2 in the polymer displayed a red-shifted IR absorption spectrum and a shorter vibrational lifetime of the asymmetric stretch mode compared to the IL phase. Despite the relatively large pore sizes, the complete orientational randomization of CO2 and structural fluctuations of the IL (spectral diffusion) in the pores are slower than in the bulk IL by ∼2-fold. The implication is that the IL st...

We present evidence for vibrational enhancement of the rate of bimolecular reactions of Br atoms with dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) and methanol (CH3OH) in the condensed phase. The abstraction of a hydrogen atom from either of these solvents by a Br atom is highly endoergic: 3269 cm–1 for DMSO and 1416 or 4414 cm–1 for CH3OH, depending on the hydrogen atom abstracted. Thus, there is no thermal abstraction reaction at room temperature. Broadband electronic transient absorption shows that following photolysis of bromine precursors Br atoms form van der Waals complexes with the solvent molecules in about 5 ps and this Br•–solvent complex undergoes recombination. To explore the influence of vibrational energy on the abstraction reactions, we introduce a near-infrared (NIR) pump pulse following the photolysis pulse to excite the first overtone of the C—H (or O—H) stretch of the solvent molecules. Using single-wavelength detection, we observe a loss of the Br•–solvent complex that requires the presence of both photo...

Supported ionic liquid membranes (SILMs) are membranes that have ionic liquids impregnated in their pores. SILMs have been proposed for advanced carbon capture materials. Two-dimensional infrared (2D IR) and polarization selective IR pump–probe (PSPP) techniques were used to investigate the dynamics of reorientation and spectral diffusion of the linear triatomic anion, SeCN–, in poly(ether sulfone) (PES) membranes and room-temperature ionic liquid (RTIL), 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (EmimNTf2). The dynamics in the bulk EmimNTf2 were compared to its dynamics in the SILM samples. Two PES membranes, PES200 and PES30, have pores with average sizes, ∼300 nm and ∼100 nm, respectively. Despite the relatively large pore sizes, the measurements reveal that the reorientation of SeCN– and the RTIL structural fluctuations are substantially slower in the SILMs than in the bulk liquid. The complete orientational randomization, slows from 136 ps in the bulk to 513 ps in the PES30. 2D IR...

A Cl atom can react with 2,3-dimethylbutane (DMB), 2,3-dimethyl-2-butene (DMBE), and 2,5-dimethyl-2,4-hexadiene (DMHD) in solution via a hydrogen-abstraction reaction. The large exoergicity of the reaction between a Cl atom and alkenes (DMBE and DMHD) makes vibrational excitation of the HCl product possible, and we observe the formation of vibrationally excited HCl (v = 1) for both reactions. In CCl4, the branching fractions of HCl (v = 1), Γ (v = 1), for the Cl-atom reactions with DMBE and DMHD are 0.14 and 0.23, respectively, reflecting an increased amount of vibrational excitation in the products of the more exoergic reaction. In addition, Γ (v = 1) for both reactions is larger in the solvent CDCl3, being 0.23 and 0.40, as the less viscous solvent apparently dampens the vibrational excitation of the nascent HCl less effectively. The bimolecular reaction rates for the Cl reactions with DMB, DMBE, and DMHD in CCl4 are diffusion limited (having rate constants of 1.5 × 10(10), 3.6 × 10(10), and 17.5 × 10(10) M(-1) s(-1), respectively). In fact, the bimolecular reaction rate for Cl + DMHD exceeds a typical diffusion-limited reaction rate, implying that the attractive intermolecular forces between a Cl atom and a C═C bond increase the rate of favorable encounters. The 2-fold increase in the reaction rate of the Cl + DMBE reaction from that of the Cl + DMB reaction likely reflects the effect of the C═C bond, while both the number of C═C bonds and the molecular geometry likely play a role in the large reaction rate of the Cl + DMHD reaction.

In this study, we developed a new-concept for a dual-cover radar antenna that uses a basic TE01 mode rectangular waveguide, and proposed a method to increase the HPBW (Half Power Beam Width) of the E-plane. As a result, we secured over 144 degrees of HPBW at the E-plane, and were able to dual-cover in a horizontal plane when designed antenna was arrayed in a pentagon.

In this paper, we analyzed the jamming propagation characteristics of a 4 × 4 array synthesis horn antenna by connecting a high-power magnetron source to it. The short-stub structures were attached to the upper and lower aperture of the proposed antenna to suppress a back lobe of the high-power energy. The antenna has a front to back ratio (FBR) of 39.4 dB and a 25 dB gain at a center frequency of 2.45 GHz. The waveguide adapter was designed to minimize the output loss in order to connect a high-power magnetron to the source, and the S21 was −0.31 dB. Finally, by connecting four high-power magnetron sources to the antenna, we confirmed that the drone flying at a distance of 10 m was jammed.

Epothilone B (EpoB) is a paclitaxel (PTX)-like microtubule-stabilizing agent that induces mitotic arrest and apoptosis in cells. EpoB is a promising anti-tumor agent, and is thought to have the potential to overcome well-known PTX resistance. However, EpoB is barely soluble in water, and is fatal to normal cells due to extremely potent cytotoxicity. To reduce the unwanted cytotoxicity of EpoB to normal cells, a reconstituted highdensity lipoprotein (rHDL)-like nanoparticle of EpoB (EpoB-rHDL) was assembled using apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I). The EpoB-rHDL, as well as PTX-rHDL (a HDLlike nanoparticle of paclitaxel), were indeed mild (nontoxic) to certain cell lines such as MCF7, MDA-MB-231, and SK-OV-3, while free EpoB and PTX were very toxic to those same cells. In contrast, the EpoB-rHDL and PTXrHDL were very effective in killing the Caco-2 and ZR-75-1 while free drugs were less toxic to those cells. The susceptibility of cell lines to rHDLs was dependent on the expression of scavenger receptor class B type I (SR-BI), indicating that EpoB-rHDL selectively and efficiently kills only SR-BI-overexpressing cells. Furthermore, the EpoBrHDL released EpoB only at acidic pH, which may facilitate the escape of drugs from acidic endosome. Thus, EpoB-rHDL shown in this study enables safe and targeted delivery of the potent EpoB to cancer cells in SR-BIdependent manner.

The barrier to CO oxidation on Pt catalysts is the strongly bound adsorbed CO, which inhibits O2 adsorption and hinders CO2 formation. Using reaction studies and in situ X-ray spectroscopy with colloidally prepared, monodisperse 2 nm Pt and PtSn nanoparticle catalysts, we show that the addition of Sn to Pt provides distinctly different reaction sites and a more efficient reaction mechanism for CO oxidation compared to pure Pt catalysts. To probe the influence of Sn, we intentionally poisoned the Pt component of the nanoparticle catalysts using a CO-rich atmosphere. With a reaction environment comprised of 100 Torr CO and 40 Torr O2 and a temperature range between 200 and 300 C, Pt and PtSn catalysts exhibited activation barriers for CO2 formation of 133 kJ/mol and 35 kJ/mol, respectively. While pure Sn is readily oxidized and is not active for CO oxidation, the addition of Sn to Pt provides an active site for O2 adsorption that is important when Pt is covered with CO. Sn oxide was identified as the active Sn species under reaction conditions by in situ ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements. While chemical signatures of Pt and Sn indicated intermixed metallic components under reducing conditions, Pt and Sn were found to reversibly separate into isolated domains of Pt and oxidic Sn on the nanoparticle surface under reaction conditions of 100 mTorr CO and 40 mTorr O2 between temperatures of 200–275 C. Under these conditions, PtSn catalysts exhibited apparent reaction orders in O2 for CO2 production that were 0.5 and lower with increasing partial pressures. These reaction orders contrast the first-order dependence in O2 known for pure Pt. The differences in activation barriers, non-first-order dependence in O2, and the presence of a partially oxidized Sn indicate that the enhanced activity is due to a reaction mechanism that occurs at a Pt/Sn oxide interface present at the nanoparticle surface.

We have investigated the electronic structures and photophysical properties of 5,10,20,25-tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)-substituted hexaphyrin(1.1.1.1.1.1) (1) and its meso-keto (2) and meso-diketo derivatives (3) using various spectroscopic measurements. In conjunction with theoretical calculations, these analyses revealed fundamental structure-property relationships within this series, including unusual ground-state electronic structures with neutral, monoradical, and singlet biradical character. The meso-free species 1 is a representative 26 π-electron aromatic compound and shows characteristic spectroscopic features, including a sharp Soret band, well-defined Q-like bands, and a moderately long excited state lifetime (τ = 138 ps). In contrast, the meso-keto derivative 2 displays features characteristic of a neutral monoradical species at the ground state, including the presence of lower energy absorption bands in the NIR spectral region and a relatively short excited-state lifetime (13.9 ps). The meso-diketo 3 exhibits features similar to those of 2, specifically NIR absorptions and a short excited-state lifetime (9.7 ps). Compound 3 is thus assigned as being a ground-state singlet biradicaloid. Two photon absorption (TPA) measurements revealed comparatively large σ(2) values of 600 GM for 2 and 1600 GM for 3 with excitation at λ(ex) =1600 nm as compared to that observed for 1 (σ(2): 360 GM). The enhanced nonlinear optical properties of 2 and 3 are rationalized in terms of the open-shell electronic configuration allowing a large, field-induced fluctuation in the electron density (i.e., a large polarization). This interpretation is supported by theoretical evaluations of the static second hyperpolarizabilities (γ) and γ density analyses. Furthermore, nucleus-independent chemical shift (NICS) and harmonic oscillator model of aromaticity (HOMA) values and anisotropy of the induced current density (AICD) plots revealed a clear distinction in terms of the aromatic character of 1-3. Importantly, the open-shell radicaloid 2 and singlet biradicaloid 3 can be formally regarded as 27 π-electron nonaromatic and 26 π-electron aromatic species, respectively, constrained within a dominant 28 π-electron conjugated network. On the basis of the combined experimental and theoretical evidence, it is concluded that the meso-carbonyl groups of 2 and 3 play an important role in perturbing the macrocyclic π-conjugation of the parent hexaphyrin structure 1. In particular, they lead to the imposition of intrinsic radical and biradical character on the molecule as a whole and thus easy-to-discern modifications of the overall electronic effects.

We have investigated conformational switching dynamics of meso-heptakis(pentafluorophenyl) [32]heptaphyrin(1.1.1.1.1.1.1) in various solvents using steady-state, time-resolved, and temperature-dependent spectroscopy. Absorption and fluorescence spectra of [32]heptaphyrin are quite sensitive to solvent environments. In nonpolar toluene, the antiaromatic figure-of-eight conformation is dominant, as seen in the X-ray crystallography, based on broad and weak absorption bands without any fluorescence and moderate paratropic ring current. On the other hand, a well-resolved sharp absorption spectrum, strong fluorescence, and diatropic ring current in the 1H NMR spectrum in slightly polar THF indicate that most of [32]heptaphyrin molecules take significantly distorted Möbius conformation with aromatic character. By using transient absorption (TA) spectroscopy, the lowest singlet excited-state lifetimes have been revealed to decay biexponentially with the time constants of 5 and 65 ps for figure-of-eight and Möbius conformations, respectively. Based on these results along with vertical excitation energy calculations, we are able to assign two conformers as Hückel antiaromatic and Möbius aromatic species, respectively; it shoulf be noted that the aromaticity/antiaromaticity does not change with temperature variation. Interestingly, in moderately polar solvent, ethyl ether, we find out that these two conformational isomers coexist with a dynamic equilibrium, as revealed by excitation-wavelength-dependent TA, temperature-dependent absorption and 1H NMR spectra. Through our findings, we have demonstrated that the conformational switching dynamics between Hckel antiaromatic and Möbius aromatic conformers in [32]heptaphyrin(1.1.1.1.1.1.1) are strongly affected by solvent medium as well as temperature.

Neuronal SNARE proteins mediate neurotransmitter release at the synapse by facilitating the fusion of vesicles to the presynaptic plasma membrane. Cognate v-SNAREs and t-SNAREs from the vesicle and the plasma membrane, respectively, zip up and bring about the apposition of two membranes attached at the C-terminal ends. Here, we demonstrate that SNARE zippering can be modulated in the midways by wedging with small hydrophobic molecules. Myricetin, which intercalated into the hydrophobic inner core near the middle of the SNARE complex, stopped SNARE zippering in motion and accumulated the trans -complex, where the N-terminal region of v-SNARE VAMP2 is in the coiled coil with the frayed C-terminal region. Delphinidin and cyanidin inhibited N-terminal nucleation of SNARE zippering. Neuronal SNARE complex in PC12 cells showed the same pattern of vulnerability to small hydrophobic molecules. We propose that the half-zipped trans -SNARE complex is a crucial intermediate waiting for a calcium trigger that leads to fusion pore opening.

Tetrameric porphyrin formation of 2-hydroxymethylpyrrole fused with porphyrins through a bicyclo[2.2.2]octadiene unit gave bicyclo[2.2.2]octadiene-fused porphyrin pentamers. Thermal conversion of the pentamers gave fully pi-conjugated cruciform porphyrin pentamers fused with benzene units in quantitative yields. UV/Vis spectra of fully pi-conjugated porphyrin pentamers showed one very strong Q absorption and were quite different from those of usual porphyrins. From TD-DFT calculations, the HOMO level is 0.49 eV higher than the HOMO-1 level. The LUMO and LUMO+1 levels are very close and are lower by more than 0.27 eV than those of other unoccupied MOs. The strong Q absorption was interpreted as two mutually orthogonal single-electron transitions (683 nm: 86 %, HOMO-->LUMO; 680 nm: 86 %, HOMO-->LUMO+1). The two-photon absorption (TPA) cross section value (sigma((2))) of the benzene-fused porphyrin pentamer was estimated to be 3900 GM at 1500 nm, which is strongly correlated with a cruciform molecular structure with multidirectional pi-conjugation pathways.

Apolipoprotein A-1 (apoA-I) forms a discoidal membrane structure with phospholipids during the formation of high density lipoprotein and plays a role in the reverse cholesterol transport pathway. The discoidal membrane nanostructure, Nanodisc, can be easily assembled in vitro using apoA-I protein and phospholipids. In this study, the possibility of exploiting this unique membrane structure for the immobilization of membrane proteins on solid surfaces while the proteins are embedded in the membrane was investigated. By using His6-tagged full-length apoA-I, a surface-attachable, membrane-protein-anchored membrane (SAMPAM) structure, in which membrane proteins of interest are embedded into the membrane, was reconstituted. When the SAMPAM was immobilized on a Ni-NTA surface, the structure maintained its size and shape, indicating that the new proposed architecture may be useful for the display of membrane proteins on a solid surface in a membrane-associated form.

At room temperature, meso-hexaaryl-substituted [28]hexaphyrins(1.1.1.1.1.1) in solution exist largely as an equilibrium between planar antiaromatic and distorted Möbius aromatic conformers. As the temperature decreases, the molecular structure changes into the distorted Möbius topology that commonly occurs in [28]hexaphyrins, which gives rise to longer excited singlet and triplet state lifetimes than planar antiaromatic [28]hexaphyrins. Temperature-dependent two-photon absorption measurements of [28]hexaphyrin indicate that the degree of aromaticity of Möbius [28]hexaphyrin is large, comparable to that of Hückel aromatic planar [26]hexaphyrin. Through our spectroscopic investigations, we have demonstrated that a subtle balance between the strains induced by the size of the [28]hexaphyrin macrocyclic ring and the energy stabilization contributed by pi-electron delocalization in the formation of distorted Möbius [28]hexaphyrin leads to the molecular structure change into the Möbius topology as the temperature decreases.

Two-photon absorption (TPA) properties of a laterally nonsymmetric aza cryptand with attached side arms have been investigated. This series of Schiff base derivatives supports the mechanistic approach for enhancing the TPA process, which is usually dictated by molecular geometry, pi-bridging, delocalization length, and corresponding charge-transfer possibilities. The results described here suggest that on increasing the branching units, the TPA cross-section, sigma((2)), can be tuned to a larger value. The TPA activity is "switched on" when a metal atom enters the cavity and serves as a conduit of electronic delocalization. The sigma((2)) value increases as the donor strength increases. The maximum value is obtained on moving from the single-branched system to the nearly threefold symmetry. This serves as a useful synthetic strategy for designing novel octupolar molecules with high sigma((2)) values. Theoretical calculations at the B3LYP functional with the 6-31G* basis set under DFT formalism provide supporting evidence that the communication between the side arms through the metal d orbital and more ordered geometry of chromophores leads to a smaller HOMO-LUMO gap, which has a great influence upon the electronic properties of the molecules.

meso-Aryl-substituted [28]hexaphyrins(1.1.1.1.1.1) have been examined by (1)H, (13)C, and (19)F NMR spectroscopies, UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, magnetic circular dichroism spectroscopy, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. All of these data consistently indicate that [28]hexaphyrins(1.1.1.1.1.1) in solution at 25 degrees C exist largely as an equilibrium among several rapidly interconverting twisted Möbius conformations with distinct aromaticities, with a small contribution from a planar rectangular conformation with antiaromatic character at slightly higher energy. In the solid state, [28]hexaphyrins(1.1.1.1.1.1) take either planar or Möbius-twisted conformations, depending upon the meso-aryl substituents and crystallization conditions, indicating a small energy difference between the two conformers. Importantly, when the temperature is decreased to -100 degrees C in THF, these rapid interconversions among Möbius conformations are frozen, allowing the detection of a single [28]hexaphyrin(1.1.1.1.1.1) species having a Möbius conformation. Detailed analyses of the solid-state Möbius structures of compounds 2b, 2c, and 2f showed that singly twisted structures are achieved without serious strain and that cyclic pi-conjugation is well-preserved, as needed for exhibiting strong diatropic ring currents. Actually, the harmonic-oscillator model for aromaticity (HOMA) values of these structures are significantly large (0.85, 0.69, and 0.71, respectively), confirming the first demonstration of stable Möbius aromatic systems consisting of free-base expanded porphyrins without the assistance of metal coordination.

Porphyrins, which consist of four pyrrolic subunits, are a ubiquitous class of naturally occurring compound with versatile photophysical properties. As an extension of the basic structure of the porphyrin macrocycle, there have been a multitude of approaches to synthesize expanded porphyrins with more than four pyrrole rings, leading to the modification of the macrocyclic ring size, planarity, number of pi-electrons and aromaticity. However, the relationship between the photophysical properties and the structures of expanded porphyrins has not been systematically investigated. The main purpose of this article is to describe the structure-property relationships of a variety of expanded porphyrins based on experimental and theoretical results, which include steady-state and time-resolved spectroscopic characterizations, non-linear absorption ability and nucleus-independent chemical shift calculations.

Anti-allergic effects of dietary polyphenols were extensively studied in numerous allergic disease models, but the molecular mechanisms of anti-allergic effects by polyphenols remain poorly understood. In the present study, we show that the release of granular cargo molecules, contained in distinct subsets of granules of mast cells, is specifically mediated by two sets of SNARE (soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor) proteins, and that various polyphenols differentially inhibit the formation of those SNARE complexes. Expression analysis of RBL-2H3 cells for 11 SNARE genes and a lipid mixing assay of 24 possible combinations of reconstituted SNAREs indicated that the only two active SNARE complexes involved in mast cell degranulation are Syn (syntaxin) 4/SNAP (23 kDa synaptosome-associated protein)-23/VAMP (vesicle-associated membrane protein) 2 and Syn4/SNAP-23/VAMP8. Various polyphenols selectively or commonly interfered with ternary complex formation of these two SNARE complexes, thereby stopping membrane fusion between granules and plasma membrane. This led to the differential effect of polyphenols on degranulation of three distinct subsets of granules. These results suggest the possibility that formation of a variety of SNARE complexes in numerous cell types is controlled by polyphenols which, in turn, might regulate corresponding membrane trafficking.

Jae-Yoon Shin,1,* Yoosoo Yang,1,* Paul Heo,1 Ji-Chun Lee,1 ByoungJae Kong,1 Jae Youl Cho,1 Keejung Yoon,1 Cheol-Su Shin,2 Jin-Ho Seo,3 Sung-Gun Kim,4 Dae-Hyuk Kweon11Department of Genetic Engineering, College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, and Center for Human Interface Nano Technology, Sungkyunkwan University, 2APTech Research Center, Suwon, 3Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University, Seoul, 4Department of Biomedical Science, Youngdong University, Chungbuk, South Korea*These authors contributed equally to this workBackground: Nanoparticles undergoing physicochemical changes to release enclosed drugs at acidic pH conditions are promising vehicles for antitumor drug delivery. Among the various drug carriers, high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-like nanoparticles have been shown to be beneficial for cancer chemotherapy, but have not yet been designed to be pH-responsive.Methods and results: In this study, we developed a pH-responsive HDL-like nanoparticle that selectively releases paclitaxel, a model antitumor drug, at acidic pH. While the well known HDL-like nanoparticle containing phospholipids, phosphatidylcholine, and apolipoprotein A-I, as well as paclitaxel (PTX-PL-NP) was structurally robust at a wide range of pH values (3.8–10.0), the paclitaxel nanoparticle that only contained paclitaxel and apoA-I selectively released paclitaxel into the medium at low pH. The paclitaxel nanoparticle was stable at physiological and basic pH values, and over a wide range of temperatures, which is a required feature for efficient cancer chemotherapy. The homogeneous assembly enabled high paclitaxel loading per nanoparticle, which was 62.2% (w/w). The molar ratio of apolipoprotein A-I and paclitaxel was 1:55, suggesting that a single nanoparticle contained approximately 110 paclitaxel particles in a spherical structure with a 9.2 nm diameter. Among the several reconstitution methods applied, simple dilution following sonication enhanced the reconstitution yield of soluble paclitaxel nanoparticles, which was 0.66. As a result of the pH responsiveness, the anticancer effect of paclitaxel nanoparticles was much more potent than free paclitaxel or PTX-PL-NP.Conclusion: The anticancer efficacy of both paclitaxel nanoparticles and PTX-PL-NP was dependent on the expression of scavenger receptor class B type I, while the killing efficacy of free paclitaxel was independent of this receptor. We speculate that the pH responsiveness of paclitaxel nanoparticles enabled efficient endosomal escape of paclitaxel before lysosomal break down. This is the first report on pH-responsive nanoparticles that do not contain any synthetic polymer.Keywords: pH responsiveness, nanoparticle, apolipoprotein A-I, paclitaxel

Recent experimental and theoretical studies on N-alkylated indanylidene pyrroline Schiff bases (NAIP) show that these compounds exhibit biomimetic photoisomerization analogous to that in the chromophore of rhodopsin. The NAIP compounds studied previously isomerize rapidly and often evolve coherently on the ground-electronic surface after reaction. We present the results of transient electronic absorption spectroscopy on dMe-OMe-NAIP, a newly synthesized NAIP analogue that differs from other NAIP compounds in the substituents on its pyrrolinium ring. Following excitation with 400 nm light, dMe-OMe-NAIP relaxes from the electronic-excited state in less than 500 fs, which is slower than in other analogues, and does not show the prominent oscillations observed in other NAIP compounds. A reduction in the amount of twisting between the rings caused by removal of the methyl group is likely responsible for the slower isomerization. Measurements in solvents of varying viscosity and structure suggest that intramolecular processes dominate the relaxation of nascent photoproducts.