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A three-component defluorinative haloalkylation of alkenes with trifluoromethyl compounds and TBAX (X = Cl, Br) via dual photoredox/copper catalysis is reported. The mild conditions are compatible with a wide array of activated trifluoromethyl aromatics bearing diverse substituents, and various nonactivated terminal and internal alkenes, enabling straightforward access to synthetically valuable γ-gem-difluoroalkyl halides with high efficiency. Mechanistic studies indicate that the [Cu] complexes not only serve as XAT catalysts but also facilitate the SET reduction of trifluoromethyl groups by photocatalysts. Additionally, the resulting alkyl halide products can serve as versatile conversion intermediates for the synthesis of a diverse range of γ-gem-difluoroalkyl compounds.

Herein, a three-component 1,2-thiosulfonylation of alkenes with thiophenols and sulfonyl chlorides via synergistic photoredox and iron catalysis is described. Compared with previous studies, this protocol avoids tedious pre-synthesis of thiosulfonates and employs more readily accessible sulfonyl chlorides as a sulfonation reagent. Moreover, the reaction exhibits high compatibility with styrenes and unactivated alkenes as well as diverse sulfonyl chlorides, especially sulfamoyl chlorides. Preliminary mechanism investigations reveal that a radical pathway is involved in the catalytic cycle.

The selective functionalization of trifluoromethyl groups through C-F cleavage poses a significant challenge due to the high bond energy of the C(sp 3 )-F bonds. Herein, we present dihydroacridine derivatives as photocatalysts that can functionalize the C-F bond of trifluoromethyl groups with various alkenes under mild conditions. Mechanistic studies and DFT calculations revealed that upon irradiation, the dihydroacridine derivatives exhibit high reducibility and function as photocatalysts for reductive defluorination. This process involves a sequential single-electron transfer mechanism. This research provides valuable insights into the properties of dihydroacridine derivatives as photocatalysts, highlighting the importance of maintaining a planar conformation and a large conjugated system for optimal catalytic activity. These findings facilitate the efficient catalytic reduction of inert chemical bonds.

It is a challenging task to utilize efficient electrocatalytic metal hydroxide-based materials for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in order to produce clean hydrogen energy through water splitting, primarily due to the restricted availability of active sites and the undesirably high adsorption energies of oxygenated species. To address these challenges simultaneously, we intentionally engineer a hollow star-shaped Ag/CoMo-LDH heterostructure as a highly efficient electrocatalytic system. This design incorporates a considerable number of heterointerfaces between evenly dispersed Ag nanoparticles and CoMo-LDH nanosheets. The heterojunction materials have been prepared using self-assembly, in situ transformation, and spontaneous redox processes. The nanosheet-integrated hollow architecture can prevent active entities from agglomeration and facilitate mass transportation, enabling the constant exposure of active sites. Specifically, the powerful electronic interaction within the heterojunction can successfully regulate the Co 3+ /Co 2+ ratio and the d-band center, resulting in rational optimization of the adsorption and desorption of the intermediates on the site. Benefiting from its well-defined multifunctional structures, the Ag0.4/CoMo-LDH with optimal Ag loading exhibits impressive OER activity, the overpotential being 290 mV to reach a 10 mA cm -2 current density. The present study sheds some new insights into the electron structure modulation of hollow heterostructures toward rationally designing electrocatalytic materials for the OER.

Effective infectious keratitis treatment must eliminate the pathogen, reduce the inflammatory response, and prevent persistent damage to the cornea. Infectious keratitis is generally treated with broad-spectrum antibiotics; however, they have the risk of causing corneal epithelial cell damage and drug resistance. In this study, we prepared a nanocomposite (Arg-CQDs/pCur) from arginine (Arg)-derived carbon quantum dots (Arg-CQDs) and polymeric curcumin (pCur). Partial carbonization of arginine hydrochloride in the solid state by mild pyrolysis resulted in the formation of CQDs, which exhibited enhanced antibacterial activity. pCur was formed by the polymerization of curcumin, and further crosslinking reduced its cytotoxicity and improved antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and pro-proliferative activities. The pCur in situ conjugated with Arg-CQDs to form the Arg-CQDs/pCur nanocomposite, which showed a minimum inhibitory concentration of ca. 10 μg mL -1 , which was >100-fold and >15-fold lower than that of the precursor arginine and curcumin, respectively, against Staphylococcus aureus , Escherichia coli , and Pseudomonas aeruginosa . The Arg-CQDs/pCur nanocomposite with combined antibacterial, antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, pro-proliferative properties, and long-term retention on cornea enabled synergistic treatment of bacterial keratitis. In a rat model, it can effectively treat P. aeruginosa -induced bacterial keratitis at a concentration 4000-fold lower than the commercially used drug, Sulmezole eye drops. Arg-CQDs/pCur nanocomposites have great potential for application in antibacterial and anti-inflammatory nanoformulations for clinical use to treat infectious diseases.

We report a copper metallaphotocatalytic 1,2-difunctionalization of terminal alkynes with N -hydroxyphthalimide (NHP) esters and readily available silyl reagents (TMSCN and TMSNCS) to access stereodefined trisubstituted alkenes, including ( E )-alkenyl nitriles and thiocyanates. The reaction proceeds with excellent anti -stereoselectivity and demonstrates broad compatibility with a wide range of terminal alkynes and NHP esters as alkyl radical precursors. Experimental and computational studies have been performed to gain insight into the reaction mechanism.

With easily accessible and operator-friendly reagents, shelf-stable ortho -methoxycarbonylethynylphenyl thioglycosides were efficiently prepared. Based on these MCEPT glycoside donors, a novel glycosylation protocol featuring mild and catalytic promotion conditions with Au(I) or Cu(II) complexes, expanded substrate scope encompassing challenging donors and acceptors and clinically used pharmaceuticals, and versatility in various strategies for highly efficient synthesis of glycosides has been established. The practicality of the MCEPT glycosylation protocol was fully exhibited by highly efficient and scalable synthesis of surface polysaccharide subunits of Acinetobacter baumannii via latent-active, reagent-controlled divergent orthogonal one-pot and orthogonal one-pot strategies. The underlying reaction mechanism was investigated systematically through control reactions, leading to the isolation and characterization of the vital catalyst species in MCEPT glycosylation, the benzothiophen-3-yl-gold(I) complex. Based on the results obtained both from control reactions and from studies leading to the glycosylation protocol establishment, an operative mechanism was proposed and the effect of the vital catalyst species reactivity on the results of metal-catalyzed alkyne-containing donor-involved glycosylation was disclosed. Moreover, the mechanism for C -glycosylation side product formation from ortho -(substituted)ethynylphenyl thioglycoside donors with electron-donating substituents was also illuminated.

The versions of Miyaura borylation and protoboration of alkynes catalyzed by low loadings of palladium (400 mol ppm = 0.04 mol %) have been developed. These transformations have a broad substrate scope, good functional-group compatibility, and gram-scale synthetic ability.

Two-dimensional Janus MXY materials have been successfully synthesized from their parent species by CVD, SEAR, or PLD techniques. However, their detailed evolution process and underlying atomistic mechanism are far from understood conclusively, which are prompts for further research. Here, taking Janus MoSSe as a representation, the evolution process from MoS 2 is systematically investigated by first-principles calculation. The simulation shows that the lowest formation energy of MoS (2-δ) Se δ increases with selenylation ratio δ. Unexpectedly, Se atoms prefer to form a pair in next-nearest neighboring state (Se-NN-Se), eventually transferred into a growth rule of (6 n + 1) during the evolution process. Particularly, it is demonstrated that the stability of the intermediate is mainly governed by the Mo 4d orbitals in different distorted triangular crystal fields, rendering a different degree of orbital splitting. Both the occupied and unoccupied Mo 4d orbitals of Se-NN-Se are farther from the Fermi level than other cases, which is clearly illustrated by d-band center theory. These findings will be helpful to understand the evolution process and the underlying atomistic mechanism of Janus MXY.

This report describes a method for the deoxyfluorination of alcohols with KF as the fluorine source via in situ generation of highly active CF 3 SO 2 F. Diverse functionalities, including halogen, nitro, ketone, ester, alkene, and alkyne, are well tolerated. Mild conditions, a short reaction time, and a wide substrate scope make this method an excellent choice for the construction of C-F bonds.

A mild and highly efficient method for the hydropyridylation of α,β-unsaturated esters has been developed. This protocol provides the products smoothly with a wide substrate scope in an undivided cell under ambient conditions. Moreover, studies showed that the scope could be extended to other unsaturated compounds, including enones and aldehydes.

We developed an electrochemical trifluoromethylation of thiophenols without the use of metal catalysts and oxidants. This reaction features mild reaction conditions, readily available substrate, as well as moderate to good yields. In addition, this protocol can be easily scaled up with moderate efficiency.

A high-quality X-ray source was proposed by modifying the target material structure characteristics driven by ultrahigh laser energy. The experiments were performed on the Ti:sapphire femtosecond laser beam device (4.3-6 J, 30 fs), one of the three XG-III lasers in Laser Fusion Research Center of China Academy of Engineering Physics. The femtosecond laser beam drove the nanowire copper material with an average length of 18-50 μm and a diameter of about 260 nm. A single-photon counting charge-coupled device was employed to measure the copper Kα X-ray emission of the nanowire and foil targets. A clear maximum photon yield of the nanowire target was calculated to be 3.6 × 10 8 photons sr -1 s -1 , the conversion efficiency was up to 0.0087%, and the average yield was 2.5 times that of the copper foil targets. In addition, by using a pinhole imaging method of φ10 μm, the minimum full width at half maximum spot size of the X-ray source was calculated in the range of 85-240 μm, which was similar to that of the copper foil material with a long radius of 170 μm and a short radius of 63 μm. The experimental data illustrate that the nanowire has the potential to enhance the energy absorption of femtosecond laser for X-ray conversion and backlight imaging., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (Copyright © 2020 American Chemical Society.)

Herein, we describe a method for the synthesis of aryl-(het)aryl ketones by Rh(III)-catalyzed direct coupling between quinoline-8-carbaldehydes and (het)arylboronic acids. The method has a broad substrate scope, a high functional group tolerance, and uses commercially available starting materials. Scale-up of the reaction and subsequent synthesis of tubulin polymerization inhibitor demonstrated its utilities. A plausible mechanism was proposed on the basis of the fact that a stable cycloacylrhodium intermediate complex could be used as catalyst, and the complex reacted stoichiometrically with (het)arylboronic acids.

The capability of noble metal nanoparticles (NPs) as efficient charge transfer mediators to stimulate Schottky-junction-triggered charge flow in multifarious photocatalysis has garnered enormous attention in the past decade. Nevertheless, fine-tuning and controllable fabrication of a directional charge transport channel in metal/semiconductor heterostructures via suitable interface engineering is poorly investigated. Here, we report the progressive fabrication of a tailor-made directional charge transfer channel in Pt nanoparticles (NPs)-inlaid WO 3 (Pt-WO 3 ) nanocomposites via an efficient electrostatic layer-by-layer (LbL) self-assembly integrated with a thermal reduction treatment, by which oppositely charged metal precursor ions and polyelectrolyte building blocks were intimately and alternately assembled on the WO 3 nanorods (NRs) by substantial electrostatic interaction. LbL self-assembly buildup and in situ self-etching-induced structural variation of WO 3 NRs to a microsized superstructure occur simultaneously. We found that such exquisitely crafted Pt-WO 3 nanocomposites exhibit conspicuously enhanced and versatile photoactivities for nonselective mineralizing of organic dye pollution and reduction of heavy metal ions at ambient conditions under both visible and simulated sunlight irradiation, demonstrating a synergistic effect. This is attributed to the imperative contribution of Pt NPs as electron traps to accelerate the directional high-efficiency electron transport from WO 3 to Pt NPs, surpassing the confinement of electron transfer kinetics of WO 3 owing to low conduction level. More intriguingly, photoredox catalysis can also be triggered simultaneously in the same reaction system. The primary in situ produced active species in the photocatalytic reactions were specifically analyzed, and underlying photocatalytic mechanisms were determined. Our work would provide a universal synthesis strategy for constructing various metal-decorated semiconductor nanocomposites for widespread photocatalytic utilizations.

A decarboxylation of alkyl carboxylic acids for alkylfluorination of alkene was developed, with the catalysis of silver(I) and Selectfluor as both the oxidant and fluorine source. This reaction is highly chemoselective, producing the decarboxylative alkylfluorination products rather than the competitive fluorination of aliphatic carboxylic acids. This practical transformation proceeds efficiently in aqueous media at room temperature and exhibits a large range of functional-group tolerance in various primary and secondary aliphatic carboxylates and alkenes.

Herein we report a protocol for visible-light-induced copper-catalyzed decarboxylative coupling reactions between N -heteroarenes and redox-active esters. Various N -hydroxyphthalimide esters reacted with isoquinoline, quinoline, pyridine, pyrimidine, quinazoline, phthalazine, phenanthridine, and pyridazine to give the corresponding products in modest to excellent yields. The reactions proceed under mild conditions and have a broad scope and high functional group tolerance. Mechanistic studies revealed that the catalytic behavior of Cu I photocatalyst generated in situ was consistent with that of preformed [Cu(dmp)(xantphos)]BF 4 .

A cobaloxime-catalyzed photochemical synthesis of allyl monofluorides from styrenes is described herein. This method is characterized by mild reaction conditions, low-cost catalyst, and broad substrate scope. Furthermore, this convenient method will provide a facile synthesis toward novel monofluoroalkylated natural product and pharmaceutical derivatives. Mechanistic investigations indicate that a monofluoroalkyl radical is involved in the catalytic cycle.

A tunable method for the direct trifluoromethylthiolation of α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acids was developed to afford trifluoromethylthiolated ketones or alkenes. The reaction proceeds smoothly under mild conditions and shows an excellent functional group tolerance.

Several new mono- and difluoromethylation reactions of cinnamic acids using an Eosin Y catalytic system are reported. An efficient alkene fluoromethylation of α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acids was accomplished under ambient temperature and metal-free conditions, with a wide range of functional group tolerance. A mechanism that involves a radical process is proposed for this reaction.

We have developed a one-step method to synthesize carbon quantum dots (CQD PAs ) from biogenic polyamines (PAs) as an antibacterial agent for topical treatment of bacterial keratitis (BK). CQDs synthesized by direct pyrolysis of spermidine (Spd) powder through a simple dry heating treatment exhibit a solubility and yield much higher than those from putrescine and spermine. We demonstrate that CQDs obtained from Spds (CQD Spds ) possess effective antibacterial activities against non-multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis bacteria and also against the multidrug-resistant bacteria, methicillin-resistant S. aureus. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of CQD Spds is ∼2500-fold lower than that of spermidine alone, demonstrating their strong antibacterial capabilities. Investigation of the possible mechanisms behind the antibacterial activities of the as-synthesized CQD Spds indicates that the super-cationic CQD Spds with small size (diameter ca. 6 nm) and highly positive charge (ζ-potential ca. +45 mV) cause severe disruption of the bacterial membrane. In vitro cytotoxicity, hemolysis, hemagglutination, genotoxicity, and oxidative stress and in vivo morphologic and physiologic cornea change evaluations show the good biocompatibility of CQD Spds . Furthermore, topical ocular administration of CQD Spds can induce the opening of the tight junction of corneal epithelial cells, thereby leading to great antibacterial treatment of S. aureus-induced BK in rabbits. Our results suggest that CQD Spds are a promising antibacterial candidate for clinical applications in treating eye-related bacterial infections and even persistent bacteria-induced infections.

The use of a dual palladium/organic photoredox catalytic system enables the directed arylation of arenes with aryldiazonium salts with a broad substrate scope at room temperature under mild reaction conditions. This study thus serves as not only an alternative route for the biaryl motifs but also a new example for the application of an organic photoredox catalyst.

A photoredox catalytic method has been developed for the direct C2 alkylation of pyridine N-oxides. This reaction is compatible with a range of synthetically relevant functional groups for providing efficient synthesis of a variety of C2-alkylated pyridine N-oxides under mild conditions. Mechanistic studies are consistent with the generation of a radical intermediate along the reaction pathway.

A novel catalyst-free decarboxylative amidation of α-keto acids with amines under mild conditions has been developed. Advantages of the new protocol include avoidance of metal catalysts and high levels of functional group tolerance. In addition, the reaction can be scaled up and shows high chemoselectivity. Preliminary mechanistic studies suggest that singlet oxygen, generated from oxygen under irradiation, is the key promoter for this catalyst-free transformation.

Most phloem-feeding insects secrete gelling and watery saliva during the feeding process. However, the functions of salivary proteins are poorly understood. In this study, our purpose was to reveal the components and functions of saliva in a rice sap-sucking insect pest, Nilaparvata lugens. The accomplishment of the whole genome and transcriptome sequencing in N. lugens would be helpful for elucidating the gene information and expression specificity of the salivary proteins. In this study, we have, for the first time, identified the abundant protein components from gelling and watery saliva in a monophagous sap-sucking insect species through shotgun proteomic detection combined with the genomic and transcriptomic analysis. Eight unknown secreted proteins were limited to N. lugens, indicating species-specific saliva components. A group of annexin-like proteins first identified in the secreted saliva displayed different domain structure and expression specificity with typical insect annexins. Nineteen genes encoding five annexin-like proteins, six salivaps (salivary glands-specific proteins with unknown function), seven putative enzymes, and a mucin-like protein showed salivary gland-specific expression pattern, suggesting their importance in the physiological mechanisms of salivary gland and saliva in this insect species. RNA interference revealed that salivap-3 is a key protein factor in forming the salivary sheath, while annexin-like5 and carbonic anhydrase are indispensable for N. lugens survival. These novel findings will greatly help to clarify the detailed functions of salivary proteins in the physiological process of N. lugens and elucidate the interaction mechanisms between N. lugens and the rice plant, which could provide important targets for the future management of rice pests.

A transition-metal-free synthetic method of various ynones via decarboxylative alkynylation of α-keto acids is described. The reaction is carried out under mild conditions and exhibits remarkable tolerance of functional groups. The mechanism of a radical process is proposed in the reaction.

The cross-coupling reaction of allyl boron ester with 1°/2°/3°-halogenated alkanes in the presence of copper has been developed for the first time, which provides a mild and efficient method for the construction of saturated C(sp(3))-C(sp(3)) bonds. This protocol shows excellent compatibility with the nonactivated primary, secondary, and even tertiary halogenated alkanes under mild conditions.

A sharp potential drop across the interface of the Pb-rich halide perovskites/TiO2 heterostructure is predicted from first-principles calculations, suggesting enhanced separation of photoinduced charge carriers in the perovskite-based photovoltaic solar cells. The potential drop appears to be associated with the charge accumulation at the polar interface. More importantly, on account of both the β phase structure of CH3NH3Sn(x)Pb(1-x)I3 for x < 0.5 and the α phase structure of CH3NH3Sn(x)Pb(1-x)I3 for x ≥ 0.5, the computed optical absorption spectra from time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) are in very good agreement with the measured spectra from previous experiments. Our TD-DFT computation also confirms the experimental structures of the mixed Pb-Sn organometal halide perovskites. These computation results provide a highly sought answer to the question why the lead-based halide perovskites possess much higher power conversion efficiencies than the tin-based counterparts for solar-cell applications.

Silver-catalyzed C(sp(2))-H functionalization/C-O cyclization has been developed. The scalable reaction proceeds at room temperature in an open flask. The present method exhibits good functional-group compatibility because of the mild reaction conditions. Using a AgNO3 catalyst and a (NH4)2S2O8 oxidant in CH2Cl2/H2O solvent, various lactones are obtained in good to excellent yields. A kinetic isotope effect (KIE) study indicates that the reaction may occur via a radical process.

A silver-mediated decarboxylative C-S cross-coupling reaction of aliphatic carboxylic acid is described. This reaction occurs smoothly under mild conditions and shows good tolerance of functional groups. It provides an alternative approach for the synthesis of alkyl aryl sulfides.

A 2,2-azobis(isobutyronitrile) (AIBN) catalyzed oxidative cleavage of gem-disubstituted alkenes with molecular oxygen as the oxidant has been described. Carbonyl compounds were obtained as the desired products in high yield under mild conditions. Based on previous documents and current experimental results, a relatively reasonable mechanism is proposed.

Tryptophan hydroxylase 1 (Tph-1), the principal enzyme for peripheral serotonin biosynthesis, provides a novel target to design anabolic agents for osteoporosis. Here, we present a design, synthesis of a novel series of ursolic acid derivatives under the guidance of docking technique, and bioevaluation of the derivatives using RBL2H3 cells and ovariectomized (OVX) rats. Of the compounds, 9a showed a potent inhibitory activity on serotonin biosynthesis. Further investigations revealed that 9a, as an efficient Tph-1 binder identified by SPR (estimated KD: 6.82 μM), suppressed the protein and mRNA expressions of Tph-1 and lowered serotonin contents in serum and gut without influence on brain serotonin. Moreover, oral administration of 9a elevated serum level of N-terminal propeptide of procollagen type 1 (P1NP), a bone formation marker, and improved bone microarchitecture without estrogenic side effects in ovariectomized rats. Collectively, 9a may serve as a new candidate for bone anabolic drug discovery.

An efficient Cu-promoted reductive coupling of aryl iodides with 1,1,1-trifluoro-2-iodoethane has been developed. This reaction could occur in good yields under milder conditions as compared with previous studies. The reaction tolerated nitro, formyl, ester, ether, carbonyl, sulfonyl, and even azo groups.

The tea plant is a fluoride (F) and aluminum (Al) hyperaccumulator. High concentrations of F and Al have always been found in tea leaves without symptoms of toxicity, which may be related to the special localization of F and Al in tea leaves. In this study, we for the first time determined the subcellular localization of F and Al in tea roots and leaves and provided evidence of the detoxification mechanisms of high concentrations of F and Al in tea plants. Results revealed that 52.3 and 71.8% of the total F accumulated in the soluble fraction of tea roots and leaves, and vacuoles contained 98.1% of the total F measured in the protoplasts of tea leaves. Cell walls contained 69.8 and 75.2% of the total Al detected in the tea roots and leaves, respectively, and 73.2% of Al sequestered in cell walls was immobilized by pectin and hemicellulose components. Meanwhile, 88.3% of the Al measured in protoplasts was stored in the vacuoles of tea leaves. Our results suggested that the subcellular distributions of F and Al in tea plants play two important roles in the detoxification of F and Al toxicities. First, most of the F and Al was sequestered in the vacuole fractions in tea leaves, which could reduce their toxicities to organelles. Second, Al can be immobilized in the pectin and hemicellulose components of cell walls, which could suppress the uptake of Al by tea roots.

Aphanamenes A (1) and B (2), two unprecedented acyclic diterpene dimers formed via a [4 + 2]-cycloaddition, were isolated from the root bark of Aphanamixis grandifolia. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic analyses, and the absolute configuration of 1 was determined by ECD calculations. Both 1 and 2 showed significant inhibition on NO production on lipopolysaccharide-induced RAW264.7 macrophages.

Cu-catalyzed decarboxylative alkynylation of quaternary α-cyano acetate salts with alkynyl bromides and alkynyl chlorides is described. This new reaction can be used for preparing functionalized butynenitrile derivatives.

An efficient C(sp)-CH(2)CF(3) bond-forming reaction via Pd-catalyzed 2,2,2-trifluoroethylation of aryl and alkyl terminal alkynes has been developed. This protocol proceeds under mild conditions using the readily available and cheap reagent CF(3)CH(2)I as the source of the CH(2)CF(3) group. Various terminal aryl alkynes as well as alkylacetylenes can be transformed into the corresponding trifluoroethylated products in good-to-excellent yields. The method is tolerant of carbonyl, nitro, ester, cyano, and even formyl groups.

In this work, an efficient CuSO(4)-catalyzed S-arylation of thiols with aryl and heteroaryl boronic acids at room temperature is established. This catalytic system can tolerate a wide variety of thiols and arylboronic acids in the presence of only 5 mol % of CuSO(4) as the catalyst and inexpensive 1,10-phen·H(2)O as the ligand. Moreover, this catalytic system used environment-friendly solvent (EtOH) and oxidant (oxygen).

A novel magnetically recoverable organic hydride compound was successfully constructed by using silica-coated magnetic nanoparticles as a support. An as-prepared magnetic organic hydride compound, BNAH (1-benzyl-1,4-dihydronicotinamide), showed efficient activity in the catalytic reduction of α,β-epoxy ketones. After reaction, the magnetic nanoparticle-supported BNAH can be separated by simple magnetic separation which made the separation of the product easier., (© 2012 American Chemical Society)

An L(16) (4(5)) orthogonal experimental design was used to evaluate combination effects of nitroethane (0-15 mM), 2-nitroethanol (0-15 mM), 2-nitro-1-propanol (0-15 mM), pyromellitic diimide (0-0.07 mM), and 2-bromoethanesulfonate (0-0.05 mM) on in vitro ruminal fermentation of a grain-rich feed. In vitro dry matter disappearance was adversely affected by these inhibitors, while cumulative gas production was not affected. Volatile fatty acid production was increased by nitroethane and 2-bromoethanesulfonate in a dose-dependent manner and was decreased by 2-nitroethanol and pyromellitic diimide. All inhibitor treatments increased the molar acetate proportion, while decreasing proportions of propionate and butyrate; hydrogen recovery was decreased by 36.9-45.2%; and methane production was reduced by 95.2-99.2%. The methanogenesis inhibition ranked: nitroethane > 2-nitroethanol > 2-nitro-1-propanol > 2-bromoethanesulfonate > pyromellitic diimide; combined concentrations of 5, 5, 5, 0.02, and 0.03 mM, respectively, gave the optimal inhibiting efficiency. These results may provide a reference to develop effective mitigation of methane emission from ruminants.

An efficient Pd-catalyzed Heck reaction of aryl chlorides with olefins under mild conditions is described. High yields of products were achieved with n-Bu(4)N(+)OAc(-) as base. Significantly, the temperature of the Heck reaction of diverse nonactivated aryl chlorides can be lowered to 80 °C. The new reaction system can also tolerate a wider range of olefins.

C-Terminal Src kinase-homologous kinase (CHK) exerts its tumor suppressor function by phosphorylating the C-terminal regulatory tyrosine of the Src-family kinases (SFKs). The phosphorylation suppresses their activity and oncogenic action. In addition to phosphorylating SFKs, CHK also performs non-SFK-related functions by phosphorylating other cellular protein substrates. To define these non-SFK-related functions of CHK, we used the "kinase substrate tracking and elucidation" method to search for its potential physiological substrates in rat brain cytosol. Our search revealed β-synuclein as a potential CHK substrate, and Y127 in β-synuclein as the preferential phosphorylation site. Using peptides derived from β-synuclein and positional scanning combinatorial peptide library screening, we defined the optimal substrate phosphorylation sequence recognized by the CHK active site to be E-x-[Φ/E/D]-Y-Φ-x-Φ, where Φ and x represent hydrophobic residues and any residue, respectively. Besides β-synuclein, cellular proteins containing motifs resembling this sequence are potential CHK substrates. Intriguingly, the CHK-optimal substrate phosphorylation sequence bears little resemblance to the C-terminal tail sequence of SFKs, indicating that interactions between the CHK active site and the local determinants near the C-terminal regulatory tyrosine of SFKs play only a minor role in governing specific phosphorylation of SFKs by CHK. Our results imply that recognition of SFKs by CHK is mainly governed by interactions between motifs located distally from the active site of CHK and determinants spatially separate from the C-terminal regulatory tyrosine in SFKs. Thus, besides assisting in the identification of potential CHK physiological substrates, our findings shed new light on how CHK recognizes SFKs and other protein substrates., (© 2011 American Chemical Society)

In order to find multifunction anticancer complexes, three Mn(II) complexes of N-substituted di(2-pyridylmethyl)amine were characterized and used as agents to interfere with the functions of mitochondria and the metabolite of O(2) in cancer cells. It was found that carboxylate-bridged dimanganese(II) systems are good models of catalase and exhibit good inhibition of the proliferation of U251 and HeLa cells. The inhibiting activity of these manganese(II) complexes on the tumor cells in vitro was related to their disproportionating H(2)O(2) activity. The reaction of carboxylate-bridged dimanganese Mn(II) complex with H(2)O(2) forms a stable Mn(III)-(μ-O)(2)-Mn(IV) complex. Extensive experimental results show that chloride-bridged dimanganese(II) complexes could inhibit the swelling of calcium(II) overloaded mitochondria, and carboxylate-bridged manganese(II) complexes enhance the swelling of calcium(II) overloaded mitochondria. These results indicate that the interactions between Mn(II) complexes of N-substituted di(picolyl)amine and mitochondria are influenced by the structure and conformation of the complexes. Mn(II) complexes of N-substituted di(picolyl)amine could be developed as multifunctional anticancer complexes to interfere with the absorption of calcium(II) in mitochondria and the metabolite of O(2) through the H(2)O(2) or ROS involved signaling induced apoptosis of cancer cells., (© 2011 American Chemical Society)

CuI-nanoparticles-catalyzed selective synthesis of phenols, anilines, and thiophenols from aryl halides was developed in the absence of both ligands and organic solvents. Anilines were formed selectively with ammonia competing with hydroxylation and thiophenols were generated selectively with sulfur powder after subsequent reduction competing with hydroxylation and amination.

The stable carbon isotope compositions of 2-methyltetrols, biomarker compounds for secondary organic aerosols formed from isoprene in the atmosphere, have been determined by gas chromatography/combustion/isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC/C/IRMS). In this work, isoprene with various delta(13)C values was used to produce 2-methyltetrols via an oxidation reaction with hydrogen peroxide in sulfuric acid under direct sunlight. The target compounds with different stable carbon isotope compositions were then derivatized by methylboronic acid with a known delta(13)C value and measured by GC/C/IRMS. With delta(13)C values of 2-methyltetrols and methylboronic acid predetermined, isotopic fractionation is evaluated for the derivatization process. Through reduplicate delta(13)C measurements, the carbon isotope analysis achieved excellent reproducibility and high accuracy with an average error of <0.3 per thousand. The differences between the predicted and measured delta(13)C values range from -0.10 to 0.29 per thousand, indicating that the derivatization process does not introduce isotopic fractionation. The delta(13)C values of 2-methyltetrols could be calculated on the basis of the stoichiometric mass balance equation among 2-methyltetrols, methylboronic acid, and methylboronate derivatives. Preliminary tests of 2-methyltetrols in PM(2.5) aerosols at two forested sites were conducted and revealed significant differences in their isotope compositions, implying possible application of the method in helping us understand the primary emission, photochemical reaction, or removal processes of isoprene in the atmosphere.

Chitin, a major structural component of insect cuticle and fungus cell wall but absent in plants and vertebrates, is regarded as a safe and selective target for pest control agents. Chitin synthesis inhibitors (CSIs) have been well-known as insect growth regulators (IGRs) but rarely found as fungicides in agriculture. To find novel CSIs with good activity, benzoylphenylurea, a typical kind of CSIs, was chosen as the lead compound and 26 novel aryl carbamic acid-5-aryl-2-furanmethyl esters were designed by converting the urea linkages of benzoylphenylureas to carbamic acid esters and changing the aniline parts into furanmethyl groups. The title compounds were synthesized and their structures confirmed by IR, (1)H NMR, and elemental analysis. Preliminary insecticidal and fungicidal bioassays were carried out. The results indicated that the title compounds had no insecticidal effect on Culex pipiens pallens and Plutella xylostella Linnaeus , but most compounds exhibited good fungicidal activities against Corynespora cassiicola , Thanatephorus cucumeris , Botrytis cinerea , and Fusarium oxysporum . In particular, compounds V-4, V-6, V-7, and V-8 showed better activities against the four strains than those of the commercialized fungicides. The morphologic result suggested that compound V-21 had disturbed the cell wall formation of C. cassiicola. The results indicated that modification on the urea linkage of benzoylphenylurea was an effective way to discover new candidates for fungicides.

In this study, we proposed a new concept of utilizing the biological electrons produced from a microbial fuel cell (MFC) to power an E-Fenton process to treat wastewater at neutral pH as a bioelectro-Fenton (Bio-E-Fenton) process. This process can be achieved in a dual-chamber MFC from which electrons were generated via the catalyzation of Shewanella decolorationis S12 in its anaerobic anode chamber and transferred to its aerated cathode chamber equipped with a carbon nanotube (CNT)/gamma-FeOOH composite cathode. In the cathode chamber, the Fenton's reagents including hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) and ferrous irons (Fe(2+)) were in situ generated. This Bio-E-Fenton process led to the complete decolorization and mineralization of Orange II at pH 7.0 with the apparent first-order rate constants, k(app) = 0.212 h(-1) and k(TOC) = 0.0827 h(-1), respectively, and simultaneously produced a maximum power output of 230 mW m(-2) (normalized to the cathode surface area). The apparent mineralization current efficiency was calculated to be as high as 89%. The cathode composition was an important factor in governing system performance. When the ratio of CNT to gamma-FeOOH in the composite cathode was 1:1, the system demonstrated the fastest rate of Orange II degradation, corresponding to the highest amount of H(2)O(2) formed.

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) describes a process whereby immotile epithelial cells escape structural constraints imposed by cellular architecture and acquire a phenotype characteristic of migratory mesenchymal cells. Implicated in carcinoma progression and metastasis, EMT has been the focus of several recent proteomics-based studies aimed at identifying new molecular players. To gain insights into extracellular mediators associated with EMT, we conducted an extensive proteomic analysis of the secretome from MDCK cells following oncogenic Ras-induced EMT (21D1 cells). Using Orbitrap technology and a label-free quantitative approach, differential expression of several secreted modulators were revealed. Proteomic findings were further substantiated by mRNA transcript expression analysis with 71% concordance. MDCK cells undergoing Ras-induced EMT remodel the extracellular matrix (ECM) via diminished expression of basement membrane constituents (collagen type IV and laminin 5), up-regulation of extracellular proteases (MMP-1, kallikreins -6 and -7), and increased production and secretion of ECM constituents (SPARC, collagen type I, fibulins -1 and -3, biglycan, and decorin). Collectively, these findings suggest that hierarchical regulation of a subset of extracellular effectors may coordinate a biological response during EMT that enhances cell motility. Transient silencing of MMP-1 in 21D1 cells via siRNA-mediated knockdown attenuated cell migration. Many of the secretome proteins identified broaden our understanding of the EMT process.

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a highly conserved morphogenetic process by which epithelial cells lose their basic morphological characteristics such as cell-cell contact and gain mesenchymal properties such as increased motility and invasiveness. To gain insights into proteins released from cells that modulate the EMT process, we compared secretome protein expression profiles of MDCK cells and Ras-transformed MDCK cells (21D1) that stably express oncogenic Ras using 2D-DIGE/LC-MS/MS. Differentially expressed secretome proteins were compared with their corresponding gene expression profiles using the Affymetrix GeneChip system. Down-regulated proteins were predominantly involved with cell-cell contact and cell-matrix adhesion (e.g., desmocollin 2, clusterin, collagen XVII and transforming growth factor-beta induced protein ig-h3), while up-regulated proteins were proteases and factors that promote migration (MMP-1, kallikrein 6, TIMP-1, and S100A4/metastasin). Many of the secretome proteins identified in this study have not been previously identified in the context of EMT and may shed light on the underlying mechanisms associated with this cellular process.