[2,1,3]-Benzothiadiazole-Spaced Co-Porphyrin-Based Covalent Organic Frameworks for O2 Reduction.

Designing N-coordinated porous single-atom catalysts (SACs) for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is a promising approach to achieve enhanced energy conversion due to maximized atom utilization and higher activity. Here, we report two Co(II)-porphyrin/ [2,1,3]-benzothiadiazole (BTD)-based covalent organic frameworks (COFs; Co@rhm-PorBTD and Co@sql-PorBTD), which are efficient SAC systems for O2 electrocatalysis (ORR). Experimental results demonstrate that these two COFs outperform the mass activity (at 0.85 V) of commercial Pt/C (20%) by 5.8 times (Co@rhm-PorBTD) and 1.3 times (Co@sql-PorBTD), respectively. The specific activities of Co@rhm-PorBTD and Co@sql-PorBTD were found to be 10 times and 2.5 times larger than that of Pt/C, respectively. These COFs also exhibit larger power density and recycling stability in Zn-air batteries compared with a Pt/C-based air cathode. A theoretical analysis demonstrates that the combination of Co-porphyrin with two different BTD ligands affords two crystalline porous electrocatalysts having different d-band center positions, which leads to reactivity differences toward alkaline ORR. The strategy, design, and electrochemical performance of these two COFs offer a pyrolysis-free bottom-up approach that avoids the creation of random atomic sites, significant metal aggregation, or unpredictable structural features.

Structural Diversity and Magnetic Properties of Hybrid Ruthenium Halide Perovskites and Related Compounds.

There has been a great deal of recent interest in extended compounds containing Ru3+ and Ru4+ in light of their range of unusual physical properties. Many of these properties are displayed in compounds with the perovskite and related structures. Here we report an array of structurally diverse hybrid ruthenium halide perovskites and related compounds: MA2 RuX6 (X=Cl or Br), MA2 MRuX6 (M=Na, K or Ag; X=Cl or Br) and MA3 Ru2 X9 (X=Br) based upon the use of methylammonium (MA=CH3 NH3 + ) on the perovskite A site. The compounds MA2 RuX6 with Ru4+ crystallize in the trigonal space group R 3 ‾ m and can be described as vacancy-ordered double-perovskites. The ordered compounds MA2 MRuX6 with M+ and Ru3+ crystallize in a structure related to BaNiO3 with alternating MX6 and RuX6 face-shared octahedra forming linear chains in the trigonal P 3 ‾ m space group. The compound MA3 Ru2 Br9 crystallizes in the orthorhombic Cmcm space group and displays pairs of face-sharing octahedra forming isolated Ru2 Br9 moieties with very short Ru-Ru contacts of 2.789 Å. The structural details, including the role of hydrogen bonding and dimensionality, as well as the optical and magnetic properties of these compounds are described. The magnetic behavior of all three classes of compounds is influenced by spin-orbit coupling and their temperature-dependent behavior has been compared with the predictions of the appropriate Kotani models.

Broadband White Emission in Cs2AgIn1-xBixCl6 Phosphors.

The photoluminescent properties of the lead-free double perovskite solid solution Cs2AgIn1-xBixCl6 have been investigated. The In3+ end member, Cs2AgInCl6, is a direct gap semiconductor that absorbs UV light (λ < 350 nm) and shows little to no photoluminescence. Incorporation of Bi3+ leads to a strong sub-band gap absorption that peaks in the near UV (∼360 nm) and extends into the visible. This absorption, which is thought to originate from localized 6s2 → 6s1p1 transitions on Bi3+ ions, is split by a Jahn-Teller distortion of the excited state. In-rich samples show strong photoluminescence that is attributed to radiative decay of self-trapped excitons, with a broad emission peak of significant intensity from 450 to 750 nm. The color of the emitted light is best described as yellow-white (λmax ≈ 625 nm), due to the extreme breadth of the emission peak (fwhm ≈ 217(2) nm). The excitation spectrum extends out to 450 nm for samples near x = 0.25, while the photoluminescent quantum yield (PLQY) reaches a maximum of 39 ± 3% in the x = 0.167 sample. The emission characteristics, which include a correlated color temperature (CCT) of 3119 K and a color rendering index (CRI) of 85, coupled with an excitation spectrum that can be driven by visible photons emitted from a Ga1-xInxN LED, make Cs2AgIn1-xBixCl6 phosphors promising for use in solid state white lighting applications.

Fullerene-based inhibitors of HIV-1 protease.

A series of Fmoc-Phe(4-aza-C60)-OH of fullerene amino acid derived peptides have been prepared by solid phase peptide synthesis, in which the terminal amino acid, Phe(4-aza-C60)-OH, is derived from the dipolar addition to C60 of the Fmoc-Nα-protected azido amino acids derived from phenylalanine: Fmoc-Phe(4-aza-C60)-Lys3-OH (1), Fmoc-Phe(4-aza-C60)-Pro-Hyp-Lys-OH (2), and Fmoc-Phe(4-aza-C60)-Hyp-Hyp-Lys-OH (3). The inhibition constant of our fullerene aspartic protease PRIs utilized FRET-based assay to evaluate the enzyme kinetics of HIV-1 PR at various concentrations of inhibitors. Simulation of the docking of the peptide Fmoc-Phe-Pro-Hyp-Lys-OH overestimated the inhibition, while the amino acid PRIs were well estimated. The experimental results show that C60-based amino acids are a good base structure in the design of protease inhibitors and that their inhibition can be improved upon by the addition of designer peptide sequences.

Cell-matrix and cell-cell interactions of human gingival fibroblasts on three-dimensional nanofibrous gelatin scaffolds.

An in-depth understanding of the interactions between cells and three-dimensional (3D) matrices (scaffolds) is pivotal to the development of novel biomaterials for tissue regeneration. However, it remains a challenge to find suitable biomimetic substrates and tools to observe cell-material and cell-cell interactions on 3D matrices. In the present study, we developed biomimetic nanofibrous 3D gelatin scaffolds (3D-NF-GS) and utilized confocal microscopy combined with a quantitative analysis approach to explore cell-matrix and cell-cell interactions on the 3D-NF-GS. Human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs) migrated throughout the 3D-NF-GS by 5 days and formed stable focal adhesions by 14 days. The focal adhesions were detected using integrin-ß1, phospho-paxillin and vinculin expression, which were quantified from specific wavelength photon data generated using a spectral separation confocal microscope. As the cells became more confluent after 14 days of culture, cell-cell communication via gap junctions increased significantly. Collagen I matrix production by HGFs on 3D-NF-GS was visualized and quantified using a novel approach incorporating TRITC label in the scaffolds. Based on confocal microscopy, this study has developed qualitative and quantitative methods to study cell-matrix and cell-cell interactions on biomimetic 3D matrices, which provides valuable insights for the development of appropriate scaffolds for tissue regeneration.

Osteoblasts responses to three-dimensional nanofibrous gelatin scaffolds.

The development of suitable scaffolds for bone tissue engineering requires an in-depth understanding of the interactions between osteoblasts and scaffolding biomaterials. Although there have been a large amount of knowledge accumulated on the cell-material interactions on two-dimensional (2D) planar substrates, our understanding of how osteoblasts respond to a biomimetic nanostructured three-dimensional (3D) scaffold is very limited. In this work, we developed an approach to use confocal microscopy as an effective tool for visualizing, analyzing, and quantifying osteoblast-matrix interactions and bone tissue formation on 3D nanofibrous gelatin scaffolds (3D-NF-GS). Integrin ß1, phosphor-paxillin, and vinculin were used to detect osteoblasts responses to the nanofibrous architecture of 3D-NF-GS. Unlike osteoblasts cultured on 2D substrates, osteoblasts seeded on 3D-NF-GS showed less focal adhesions for phospho-paxillin and vinculin, and the integrin ß1 was difficult to detect after the first 5 days. Bone sialoprotein (BSP) expression on the 3D-NF-GS was present mainly in the cell cytoplasm at 5 days and inside secretory vesicles at 2 weeks, whereas most of the BSP on the 2D gelatin substrates was concentrated either in cell interface toward the periphery or at focal adhesion sites. Confocal images showed that osteoblasts were able to migrate throughout the 3D matrix within 5 days. By 14 days, osteoblasts were organized as nodular aggregations inside the scaffold pores and a large amount of collagen and other cell secretions covered and remodeled the surfaces of the 3D-NF-GS. These nodules were mineralized and were uniformly distributed inside the entire 3D-NF-GS after being cultured for 2 weeks. Taken together, these results give insight into osteoblast-matrix interactions in biomimetic nanofibrous 3D scaffolds and will guide the development of optimal scaffolds for bone tissue engineering.

A simple quick route to fullerene amino acid derivatives.

Two new fullerene amino acids have been prepared by dipolar addition to C(60) of either the Boc- or Fmoc-Nalpha-protected azido amino acids derived from phenylalanine and lysine. UV-visible and CV studies indicate the as prepared amino acids are a mixture of 5,6-open (major product) and 6,6-closed (minor product) derivatives that may be readily separated.

Nitrene addition to exfoliated graphene: a one-step route to highly functionalized graphene.

We demonstrate a high yield method of functionalizing graphene nanosheets through nitrene addition of azido-phenylalanine [Phe(N(3))] to exfoliated micro-crystalline graphite (microG). This method provides a direct route to highly functionalized graphene sheets. TEM analysis of the product shows few layer (n < 5) graphene sheets. The product was determined to have 1 phenylalanine substituent per 13 carbons.

Nanoscale enzyme inhibitors: fullerenes inhibit carbonic anhydrase by occluding the active site entrance.

We investigated a series of derivatized fullerenes possessing alcohol, amine, and amino acid pendant groups as inhibitors of the zinc enzymes carbonic anhydrases (CAs, EC 4.2.1.1). We discovered that fullerenes bind CAs with submicromolar-low micromolar affinity, despite the fact that these compounds do not possess moieties normally associated with CA inhibitors such as the sulfonamides and their isosteres, or the coumarins. The 13 different mammalian CA isoforms showed a diverse inhibition profile with these compounds. By means of computational methods we assessed the inhibition mechanism as being due to occlusion of the active site entrance by means of the fullerene cage (possessing dimension of the same order of magnitude as the opening of the enzyme cavity, of 1nm). The pendant moieties to the fullerene cage make interactions with amino acid residues from the active site, among which His64, His94, His96, Val121, and Thr200. Fullerenes thus represent a totally new class of nanoscale CA inhibitors which may show applications for targeting physiologically relevant isoforms, such as the dominant CA II and the tumor-associated CA IX.

In silico drug screening approach for the design of magic bullets: a successful example with anti-HIV fullerene derivatized amino acids.

A database has been derived from recently reported [60]fullerene derivatives, and their binding scores with HIV-1 PR have been computed using docking techniques. Computational methods have been used to predict which derivatives may have high binding affinities, and for these compounds biological tests have been performed with purified PR. Experimental results confirm the high binding scores of fullerene derivatives predicted from the docking calculations. Our measurements showed that the fullerene derivative (Fmoc-Baa) has about three times better inhibitory binding (K(i) = 36 nM) than the most active fullerene-based inhibitor (K(i) = 103 nM) currently available.