Direct formation of giant vesicles from synthetic polypeptides

This report describes direct formation of giant vesicles from a series of poly(L-lysine)-block-poly(L-phenylalanine) (PLL-b-PPA) block copolymers from their water solution. These polymers are prepared by successive ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of the two alpha-amino acid N-carboxyanhydrides and then removing the side chain protecting groups by acidolysis. The structures of the copolymers are confirmed by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and size exclusion chromatography ( SEC). The vesicles are studied by atomic force microscopy (AFM), field emission scanning electron microscopy (ESEM), and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). Rhodamine B is used as a fluorescent probe to confirm the existence of the vesicle with an aqueous interior. The vesicle size is in the range 0.55-6 mu m, depending on the absolute and relative lengths of the two blocks, on initial polymer concentration, and on solution pH. The vesicles are still stable in water for 2 months after preparation. Addition of the copolymer to DNA solution results in complex formation with it. The complex assumes the morphology of irregular particles of less than 2 mu m. It is expected to be used in drug and gene delivery.

A facile synthetic method for biphenyltetracarhoxylic dianhydrides

We report a facile and high-yielding procedure for preparing biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydrides (BPDAs). This method relies on a nickel-catalyzed electroreductive coupling reaction of dimethyl 3-chorophthalate (3-DMCP) and/or dimethyl 4-chorophthalate (4-DMCP) with subsequent hydrolysis of tetra-ester and dehydration of tetra-acid.

Studies of interaction between iron (III) and intermediates of synthetic neuromelanin by means of cyclic voltammetry of Fe(CN)(3-)(6) and dopamine

Neuromelanin is a complex polymer pigment found primarily in the dopaminergic neurons of the human substantia nigra, whose composition is complex including production of dopamine auto-oxidation, glutathione and a variety of amino acid. Neuromelanin forms stable complex with iron (111). We observed that 5,6-dihydroxyindole and its ramification possessed strong ability of chelating iron (111), and they are the production of dopamine auto-oxidation under physiological pH condition. In the present Of L-Cysteine, the relative yields of electrochemical oxidation of dopamine also had strong ability of chelating iron (111). The experimental results suggest that 5,6-dihydroxyindole and 5-S-cysteineldopamine play important roles in the process of synthetic neuromelanin chelating iron (111).

Helical single-lamellar crystals thermotropically formed in a synthetic nonracemic chiral main-chain polyester

Phase structures and transformation mechanisms of nonracemic chiral biological and synthetic polymers are fundamentally important topics in understanding their macroscopic responses in different environments. It has been known for many years that helical structures and morphologies can exist in low-ordered chiral liquid crystalline (LC) phases. However, when the chiral liquid crystals form highly ordered smectic liquid crystal phases, the helical morphology is suppressed due to the crystallization process. A double-twisted morphology has been observed in many liquid crystalline biopolymers such as dinoflaggellate chromosomes (in Prorocentrum micans) in an in vivo arrangement. Helical crystals grown from solution have been reported in the case of Bombyx mori silk fibroin crystals having the beta modification. This study describes a synthetic nonracemic chiral main-chain LC polyester that is able to thermotropically form helical single lamellar crystals. Flat single lamellar crystals can also be observed under the same crystallization condition. Moreover, flat and helical lamellae can coexist in one single lamellar crystal, within which one form can smoothly transform to the other. Both of these crystals possess the same structure, although translational symmetry is broken in the helical crystals. The polymer chain folding direction in both flat and helical lamellar crystals is determined to be identical, and it is always along the long axis of the lamellae. This finding provides an opportunity to study the chirality effect on phase structure, morphology, and transformation in condensed states of chiral materials. [S0163-1829(99)01042-5].

Investigation of a series of synthetic cationic porphyrins using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOFMS) was used to study a series of synthetic cationic porphyrins as the perchlorate and bromide salts. This work presents the analytical results for the porphyrins obtained using 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid (DHB) and 1,8,9-anthratriol as matrices. The selective use of matrix affects ion formation from these porphyrins. By using DHB as the matrix, we not only observed [M - nCIO(4)](+) (n = 1-4) ions, but also obtained [2M - nCIO(4)](+) (n = 2-7) ions from the synthetic cationic porphyrins. The space volume of the side chains (R groups) and the nature of the anions (Br- or CIO4-) affected the relative importance of monomeric and dimeric ions of the porphyrin. The possible mechanisms of desorption and ionization of these cationic porphyrins were also considered in this study. MALDI-TOFMS proved to be a very useful method for obtaining structural information on these synthetic cationic porphyrins. Copyright (C) 1999 John Whey & Sons, Ltd.

A novel synthetic method to phenyl-capped penta- and hexaaniline

A new convenient method is reported for the synthesis of the phenyl-capped pentamer and hexamer of aniline. The method was accomplished by the reaction of the parent aniline tetramer in the pernigraniline oxidation state with diphenylamine and N-phenyl-1,4-phenylenediamine in the leucoemeraldine oxidation state, respectively. The mechanism probably involves the formation of cation radicals and their coupling.

Lanthanide binuclear macrocyclic complexes as synthetic enzymes for the cleavage of DNA

Lanthanide binuclear complexes can accelerate the cleavage of pUC19 plasmid DNA, yielding predominantly linear form. The saturation kinetics of the cleavage of pUC19 was studied. The observed rates with lanthanide binuclear complexes showed the expected increase with the catalyst concentration. The rate of cleavage is greater than that of lanthanide ions alone. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Reactions of C-60 with R(3)SnH: A new synthetic route to C-60(RH)(n) and the property of C-60 to catalyze radical reactions

A new method for the preparation of polyalkyl and polyarenefullerene derivatives C-60(RH)(n)(R=Bu,n=1-3; R=Ph,n=1-10) by the reaction of C-60 with organotin hydride in toluene is described. Another series of products of stannanes R(a)Sn(b)H(c) (R=Bu, a=3-8, b=1-4, c=0-3 R=Ph, a=3-11, b=1-5, c=0-4) were also obtained, which shows that C-60 can catalyze polymerization of organic-tin. These products were determined by mass and infrared spectrometry. And the possible reaction mechanisms are discussed.

Studies on the synthetic, structural, electrical and magnetic properties of Ln(n)MCo(n)O(3n+1) (Ln=Sm, Gd; M=Sr, Ba; n=1,2)

Three new oxides Sm2SrCo2O7, Sm2BaCo2O7 and Gd2SrCo2O7 have been synthesized successfully by solid state reaction mathod. The X-Ray diffraction spectra show that they are all isostructural with Sr3Ti2O7, and Ln(2)SrCo(2)O(7)(Ln=Sm,Gd) crystallized in tetragonal system, Sm2BaCo2O7 in orthrhombic system. The Co-O bonds in CoO2 planes of Ln(2)SrCo(2)O(7) are shorter than those of LnSrCoO(4)(Ln=Sm, Gd), and so their delectrons are more delocalized and their electrical resistivities are smaller. The electrical resistivities versus temperature in the range 300 similar to 1100K showed that the five brides show the characters of weakly localized systems. In the lower temperature range, the magnetic behaviors of Gd2SrCo2O7 and GdSrCoO4 fit Curie-Weiss law well, and the magnetic exchange reaction in CoO2 sublattices of Gd2SrCo2O7 is ferromagnetic, but that of GdSrCoO4 is antiferromagnetic. The other three oxides with Sm3+ showed complex magnetic behaviors which is perhaps related with the complexity of Sm3+.

STUDIES ON THE SYNTHETIC, STRUCTURAL, ELECTRICAL, AND MAGNETIC-PROPERTIES OF THE NEW LAYERED OXIDES LN(2)MCO(2)O(7) (LN=SM, GD, M=SR, BA)

Three new oxides Ln(2)MCo(2)O(7) (Ln = Sm, Gd; M = Sr, Ba) have been synthesized in solid state reaction method. The powder X-ray diffraction spectra show that they are all isostructural with Sr3Ti2O7. The electrical resistivities in the temperature range 300-1100 K show that they are all semiconductors, and a transition to metals is observed at 1053, 1053, and 573 K for Sm2SrCo2O7, Gd2SrCo2O7, and Sm2BaCo2O7, respectively. The magnetic suspectivities of Gd2SrCo2O7 in the temperature range 300-673 K fit the Curie-Weiss law well. A plateau is observed in the curves of Sm(2)MCo(2)O(7) (M = Sr, Ba) which is attributed to the configuration state change of Co(III) from low spin to high spin. (C) 1995 Academic Press, Inc.

THE PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL-PROPERTIES OF SYNTHETIC AND NATURAL JADEITE FOR JEWELRY

Jadeite was synthesized from its glass of stoichiometric composition NaAlSi2O6, and a colouring agent Cr2O3 (0.3-0.6 wt%) was added to achieve the emerald colour. The conditions employed were a pressure range of 3.0-5.0 GPa and a temperature range of 1150

Validation of RADARSAT-2 fully polarimetric SAR measurements of ocean surface waves

C band RADARSAT-2 fully polarimetric (fine quad-polarization mode, HH+VV+HV+VH) synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images are used to validate ocean surface waves measurements using the polarimetric SAR wave retrieval algorithm, without estimating the complex hydrodynamic modulation transfer function, even under large radar incidence angles. The linearly polarized radar backscatter cross sections (RBCS) are first calculated with the copolarization (HH, VV) and cross-polarization (HV, VH) RBCS and the polarization orientation angle. Subsequently, in the azimuth direction, the vertically and linearly polarized RBCS are used to measure the wave slopes. In the range direction, we combine horizontally and vertically polarized RBCS to estimate wave slopes. Taken together, wave slope spectra can be derived using estimated wave slopes in azimuth and range directions. Wave parameters extracted from the resultant wave slope spectra are validated with colocated National Data Buoy Center (NDBC) buoy measurements (wave periods, wavelengths, wave directions, and significant wave heights) and are shown to be in good agreement.