Author Archive

A new type of conducting polymer

Scientists in the US have reported a new type of conducting polymer, generated by a ROMP (ring opening metathesis polymerisation) reaction. The new polymers could have potentially useful properties, they say.

They reacted the complex (η5-C5H5)Ir(η4-C6H6) with Grubbs’ catalyst to give a polyacetylene consisting of cyclopentadienyliridium bound s-cis butadiene moieties separated by C=C linkages, a previously unavailable polyacetylene type.

Link to journal article
Ring Opening Metathesis Polymerization of an
η4-Benzene Complex: A Direct Synthesis of a Polyacetylene with a Regular Pattern of Π Bound Metal Fragments
P D Zeits, T Fiedler and J A Gladysz
Chem. Commun.,
2012, DOI: 10.1039/c2cc32150e

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Film to aid drug metabolism study

A way to study drug metabolism using cytochrome P450 enzymes (which are involved in the metabolism of over 60% of clinically used drugs) has been developed by scientists in China.

The team made a film of indium tin oxide nanoparticles (they have good conductivity) and cytochrome P450s encapsulated by chitosan (which are biocompatible) on a carbon electrode. They were able to bioelectronically initiate cytochrome P450 catalysis by replacing electron donation from expensive nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate with electrodes.

The system has potential for applications in drug discovery and development by monitoring substrate metabolism and enzyme inhibition. Other applications include biosensors for toxicity analysis and bioreactors for chemical synthesis.

Film to aid drug metabolism study

 

Link to journal article
Electrochemically Driven Drug Metabolism via Cytochrome P450 2C9 Isozyme Microsomes with Cytochrome P450 Reductase and Indium Tin Oxide Nanoparticle Composites

X Xu et al
Chem. Commun.,
2012, DOI: 10.1039/c2cc33575a

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Why some metal hip replacements fail

Hundreds of thousands of patients have been fitted with metal-on-metal hip joints

Hundreds of thousands of patients have been fitted with metal-on-metal hip joints

An investigation into why metal-on-metal hip joints fail long before other types of joints, such as metal-on-polyethylene and ceramic-on-ceramic, has revealed how the metal particles shed by the joints grinding against each other damage surrounding cells. The work, carried out by scientists in the UK, Canada, the Netherlands and the US, could lead to ways to predict which patients will have problems with these joints.

One theory why metal-on-metal hip implants fail points to the debris that is generated as the joints wear. It is thought that the debris is not compatible with human tissue, which causes the metal hip joints to fail, but it’s not known why.

Read the full article in Chemistry World

Link to journal article
Chemical Speciation of Nanoparticles Surrounding Metal-on-Metal Hips

A E Goode et al
Chem. Commun.,
2012, DOI: 10.1039/c2cc33016d

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Kitchen nanodot chemistry

For carbon nanodots, simply heat soy milk for three hours. The milk undergoes carbonisation, surface functionalisation and doping

For carbon nanodots, simply heat soy milk for three hours. The milk undergoes carbonisation, surface functionalisation and doping

Water-soluble, nitrogen-doped fluorescent carbon nanodots (FCNs) have been made by simply heating soy milk. This cheap and green approach produces a carbon nanomaterial suitable for bioimaging applications, and has already shown promise as an electrocatalyst, say scientists in China.

There have already been several successful demonstrations using natural biomass as a precursor for producing nanomaterials. Inspired by these endeavours, Shaojun Dong and colleagues at the Chinese Academy of Sciences have developed a simpler, time-saving method for preparing bifunctional nanomaterials, in just three hours, using soy beans.

Read the full article in Chemistry World

Link to journal article
Bifunctional fluorescent carbon nanodots: green synthesis via soy milk and as metal-free electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction
C Zhu, J Zhai and S Dong
Chem. Commun., 2012, DOI: 10.1039/c2cc33844k


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Deadline Approaching – ICPOC 21 poster abstracts

There is still just time to submit your poster abstract to the 21st IUPAC International Conference on Physical Organic Chemistry (ICPOC 21) but don’t delay.

The deadline date of 13 July is for both poster abstracts and early bird registrations.

Why join ICPOC21?

Professor Hiromitsu Maeda
, Ritsumeikan University, Japan has won the 2012 ChemComm Emerging Investigator Lectureship and will delivering his lecture at ICPOC 21.

This annual award recognises an emerging scientist in the early stages of their independent academic career. Professor Maeda’s has been particularly commended for his contributions to the fields of organic chemistry, supramolecular chemistry and materials science.

In addition to the outstanding plenary sessions, there will be three parallel sessions over the five days comprising invited lectures and contributed talks, as well as poster sessions.

A broad range of scientists from across the whole community who share a quantitative perspective on chemistry will be there, providing an opportunity to discuss and celebrate the current status, development, and the future of physical organic chemistry.

Make sure you are one of them! Don’t miss the poster abstract submission and early bird registration deadline – 13 July.

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For clean water, just add sunlight

For clean water, just add sunlight

Capillaries coated on the inside with photocatalytic materials induced a photocatalytic reaction by pulling up a solution under the action of capillary forces

Researchers from Japan have developed a photocatalytic reactor for a water purifier that does not require batteries. Rather than using an external power source to pump water through the reactor, the system uses diffusion and capillary action to achieve an entirely non-electric reactor.

In addition to water purification itself, it is also important to ensure a constant and efficient transfer of contaminated water into the reactor and clean water out. This is normally achieved by an electric or fuel pump, but in areas where the power supply is often disrupted or is scarce, another approach is needed.

Read the full article in Chemistry World

Link to journal article
Novel Photocatalytic Microreactor Bundle that does not Require an Electric Power Source
K Katayama, Y Takeda and S Kuwahara
Chem. Commun., 2012, DOI: 10.1039/c2cc33525e

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Additional benefit of cancer drug

A new clinically used cancer drug thought to work by inhibiting kinase enzymes also strongly inhibits carbonic anhydrase (CA) enzymes, reveal scientists in Italy.

Scientists did not evaluate the CA inhibition activity of pazopanib before its approval for the treatment of a variety of different cancers, including lung, breast and ovarian cancers. But Claudiu Supuran and colleagues recognised part of the drug’s structure – a primary sulfonamide moiety – is often found in drugs that can inhibit CAs. So they tested pazopanib along with some other related structures and found that the drug did indeed inhibit CAs. They estimate that a significant proportion of the drug’s therapeutic effect on hypoxic tumors is due to its strong CA inhibitory properties.


 

Link to journal article
Polypharmacology of sulfonamides: Pazopanib, a multitargeted receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor in clinical use, potently inhibits several mammalian carbonic anhydrases
J-Y Winum et al
Chem. Commun., 2012, DOI: 10.1039/c2cc33415a

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Top ten most accessed articles in May

This month sees the following articles in ChemComm that are in the top ten most accessed:-

Development of a near-infrared fluorescent probe for imaging of endogenous Cu+ in live cells
Xiaowei Cao, Weiying Lin and Wei Wan
Chem. Commun., 2012,48, 6247-6249, DOI: 10.1039/C2CC32114A, Communication

Formal asymmetric enone aminohydroxylation: organocatalytic one-pot synthesis of 4,5-disubstituted oxazolidinones
David Cruz Cruz, Pedro A. Sánchez-Murcia and Karl Anker Jørgensen
Chem. Commun., 2012,48, 6112-6114, DOI: 10.1039/C2CC32385K, Communication

Recognition and sensing of various species using boronic acid derivatives
Zhiqian Guo, Injae Shin and Juyoung Yoon
Chem. Commun., 2012,48, 5956-5967, DOI: 10.1039/C2CC31985C, Feature Article

Silver(i)-catalyzed carboxylation of arylboronic esters with CO2
Xiao Zhang, Wen-Zhen Zhang, Ling-Long Shi, Chun-Xiao Guo, Ling-Ling Zhang and Xiao-Bing Lu
Chem. Commun., 2012,48, 6292-6294, DOI: 10.1039/C2CC32045B, Communication

One-pot synthesis of highly crystalline mesoporous TiO2 nanoparticle assemblies with enhanced photocatalytic activity
Ioannis Tamiolakis, Ioannis N. Lykakis, Alexandros P. Katsoulidis and Gerasimos S. Armatas
Chem. Commun., 2012,48, 6687-6689, DOI: 10.1039/C2CC33122E, Communication

Supramolecular electron transfer by anion binding
Shunichi Fukuzumi, Kei Ohkubo, Francis DSouza and Jonathan L. Sessler
Chem. Commun., 2012, Accepted Manuscript, DOI: 10.1039/C2CC32848H, Feature Article

A new water-soluble pillar[5]arene: synthesis and application in the preparation of gold nanoparticles
Yong Yao, Min Xue, Xiaodong Chi, Yingjie Ma, Jiuming He, Zeper Abliz and Feihe Huang
Chem. Commun., 2012,48, 6505-6507, DOI: 10.1039/C2CC31962D, Communication

Iridium-catalyzed reaction of enones with alcohols affording 1,3-diketones
Yasushi Obora, Kazuhiro Nakamura and Shintaro Hatanaka
Chem. Commun., 2012,48, 6720-6722, DOI: 10.1039/C2CC32787B, Communication

Covalently stabilized self-assembled chlorophyll nanorods by olefin metathesis
Sanchita Sengupta and Frank Würthner
Chem. Commun., 2012,48, 5730-5732, DOI: 10.1039/C2CC32314A, Communication

Sodium methoxide: a simple but highly efficient catalyst for the direct amidation of esters
Takashi Ohshima, Yukiko Hayashi, Kazushi Agura, Yuka Fujii, Asako Yoshiyama and Kazushi Mashima
Chem. Commun., 2012,48, 5434-5436, DOI: 10.1039/C2CC32153J, Communication

Why not take a look at the articles today and blog your thoughts and comments below.

Fancy submitting an article to ChemComm? Then why not submit to us today or alternatively email us your suggestions.

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Lighting the way to explosive detection

Underwater explosive detector

A mesoporous material functionalised with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) luminogens serves as an efficient and recyclable fluorescent sensor to detect picric acid (PA) in water

A reusable fluorescent sensor that detects explosives in groundwater or seawater could aid antiterrorist activities and environmental protection, say scientists in China.

Many techniques have been used to detect explosives, including gas chromatography, Raman spectroscopy and fluorescence spectroscopy. The latter is considered the most useful because of its simplicity, high sensitivity and low cost. With this technique, fluorescent dyes are incorporated into a solid matrix on which they interact with the explosive molecules, causing them to fluoresce.

However, the dyes often aggregate within the matrix, leading to a substantial decrease in fluorescence, known as quenching. This loss of efficiency and sensitivity motivated the discovery of molecules whose fluorescence is turned on by aggregation rather than suppressed. Materials based on such aggregation-induced emission (AIE) luminogens (luminescent compounds) have shown promise in explosive detection in organic solvents. Dispersion in aqueous solution has, until recently, proven difficult.

Read the full article in Chemistry World

Link to journal article
Supersensitive detection of explosives by recyclable AIE luminogen-functionalized mesoporous materials
Dongdong Li, Jianzhao Liu, Ryan T. K. Kwok, Zhiqiang Liang, Ben Zhong Tang and Jihong Yu
Chem. Commun., 2012, Advance Article, DOI: 10.1039/C2CC31890C, Communication

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Mirrors to improve dye sensitised solar cell performance

Mirror-like nanoparticles can boost the efficiency of solar cells. Scientists in Australia coated a solar cell’s TiO2 photoanode with cubic cerium oxide nanoparticles. The nanoparticles’ large mirror-like facets are good at scattering light back onto the TiO2 nanoparticles, resulting in a 17.8% improvement in the power conversion efficiency compared to regular dye sensitised solar cells.

Mirrors to improve dye sensitised solar cell performance

 

Link to journal article
Cubic CeO2 Nanoparticles as Mirror-like Scattering Layer for Efficient Light Harvesting in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells
Lianzhou Wang
Chem. Commun., 2012, DOI: 10.1039/c2cc32239k

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