Magnetic switch of permeability for polyelectrolyte microcapsules embedded with Co@Au nanoparticles.

We explored using a magnetic field to modulate the permeability of polyelectrolyte microcapsules prepared by layer-by-layer self-assembly. Ferromagnetic gold-coated cobalt (Co@Au) nanoparticles (3 nm diameter) were embedded inside the capsule walls. The final 5 mum diameter microcapsules had wall structures consisting of 4 bilayers of poly(sodium styrene sulfonate)/poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PSS/PAH), 1 layer of Co@Au, and 5 bilayers of PSS/PAH. External alternating magnetic fields of 100-300 Hz and 1200 Oe were applied to rotate the embedded Co@Au nanoparticles, which subsequently disturbed and distorted the capsule wall and drastically increased its permeability to macromolecules like FITC-labeled dextran. The capsule permeability change was estimated by taking the capsule interior and exterior fluorescent intensity ratio using confocal laser scanning microscopy. Capsules with 1 layer of Co@Au nanoparticles and 10 polyelectrolyte bilayers are optimal for magnetically controlling permeability. A theoretical explanation was proposed for the permeability control mechanisms. "Switching on" of these microcapsules using a magnetic field makes this method a good candidate for controlled drug delivery in biomedical applications.

Functionalized metal oxide clusters: synthesis, characterization, crystal structures, and magnetic properties of a novel series of fully reduced heteropolyoxovanadium cationic clusters decorated with organic ligands--[MVIV6O6[(OCH2CH2)2N(CH2CH2OH)]6]X (M = Li, X = Cl x LiCl; M = Na, X = Cl x H2O; M = Mg, X = 2Br x H2O; M = Mn, Fe, X = 2Cl; M = Co, Ni, X = 2Cl x H2O).

A novel series of fully reduced heteropolyoxovanadium(IV) compounds, [MVIV6O6[(OCH2CH2)2N(CH2CH2OH)]6]X (1, M = Li, X = Cl x LiCl; 2, M = Na, X = Cl x H2O; 3, M = Mg, X = 2Br x H2O; 4, M = Mn, X = 2Cl; 5, M = Fe, X = 2Cl; 6, M = Co, X = 2Cl x H2O; 7, M = Ni, X = 2Cl x H2O), have been synthesized and characterized by FT-IR and UV-vis spectroscopies, thermogravimetric analysis, elemental analysis, manganometric titration, temperature-dependent magnetic susceptibility measurements, bond valence sum calculations, X-ray powder diffraction, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses. The structures of the crystals are comprised of discrete units of fully reduced cluster cations, [MVIV6O6[(OCH2CH2)2N(CH2CH2OH)]6]n+, counterions (chloride or bromide), and water of crystallization (in the case of 2, 3, 6, 7). In each case the cluster ion is composed of a fully reduced cyclic [MV6N6O18] (M = Li, Na, Mg, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni) framework decorated with six triethanolamine ligands. Two arms of each triethanolamine ligand are coordinated to the metallacycle, and the third arm projects outward from the hexagonal ring. The [MV6N6O18] core adopts the Anderson-type structure. The cyclic core is comprised of a ring of six edge-sharing [VO5N] octahedra linked to a central [MO6] unit. The hexametalate ring contains six d1 ions [VIV] and shows remarkable flexibility to encapsulate a variety of metal centers Mn+ (Mn+ = Li+, Na+, Mg2+, Mn2+, Fe2+, Co2+, Ni2+) with different (dn) spins. The compounds show good thermal stability and exhibit interesting magnetic properties that make these magnetic clusters promising building blocks for constructing supramolecular structures and extended structure magnetic solids. Crystal data for 1; C36H78Cl2N6Li2O24V6, trigonal space group R, a = 13.7185(3) angstroms, c = 24.8899(8) angstroms, Z = 3. Crystal data for 2: C36H80ClN6NaO25V6, triclinic space group P, a = 11.1817(5) angstroms, b = 12.1612(5) angstroms, c = 21.5979(10) angstroms, alpha = 75.8210(10), beta = 78.8270(10), gamma = 71.1400(10), Z = 2. Crystal data for 4: C36H78Cl2N6MnO24V6, monoclinic, space group P2(1), a =11.2208(5) angstroms, b = 21.5041(9) angstroms, c = 11.8126(5), beta = 111.2680, Z= 2. Crystal data for 5: C36H78Cl2N6FeO24V6, monoclinic, space group P2(1), a = 11.3057(7) angstroms, b = 21.4372(13) angstroms, c = 11.8167(7) angstroms, beta = 111.4170, Z = 2.

[Re(III)Cl(3)] core complexes with bifunctional single amino acid chelates.

The reactions of the Re(V) starting material [ReO(PPh(3))(2)Cl(3)] with ligands of the type XN(Y)Z [X = Y = 2-pyridylmethyl, Z = -CH(2)CO(2)Et (L(1)Et), -CH(2)CH(2)CO(2)Et (L(2)Et), -CH(2)CH(2)CH(2)CH(2)CH(NHCO(2)Bu(t))CO(2)H (L(3)H); X = 2-pyridylmethyl, Y = 2-(1-methylimidazolyl)methyl, Z = -CH(2)CO(2)Et (L(4)Et)] yielded the Re(III) trichloride complexes of the type [ReCl(3)(L(n)R)]. The complexes are mononuclear, paramagnetic species with a facial geometry of the chloride ligands. The nitrogen donors of the tridentate L(n)()R ligands complete the distorted octahedral coordination spheres of the complexes. Crystal data: [ReCl(3)(L(1)Et)] (1), monoclinic, C2/m, a = 16.088(3) A, b = 9.980(2) A, c = 12.829(2) A, beta = 91.384(3) degrees, Z = 4, D(calc) = 1.967 g/cm(-)(3); [ReCl(3)(L(4)Et)] (4), monoclinic, C2/c, a = 22.880(1) A, b = 7.4926(4) A, c = 22.560(1) A, beta = 94.186(1) degrees, Z = 8, D(calc) = 2.001 g/cm(-3).