Vanadium-based polyanionic compounds as cathode materials for sodium-ion batteries:Toward high-energy and high-power applications

Sodium ion batteries(SIBs)have been regarded as one of the alternatives to lithium ion batteries owing to their wide availability and significantly low cost of sodium sources.However,they face serious challenges of low energy&power density and short cycling lifespan owing to the heavy mass and large radius of Na⁺.Vanadium-based polyanionic compounds have advantageous characteristic of high operating voltage,high ionic conductivity and robust structural framework,which is conducive to their high energy&power density and long lifespan for SIBs.In this review,we will overview the latest V-based polyanionic compounds,along with the respective characteristic from the intrinsic crystal structure to performance presentation and improvement for SIBs.One of the most important aspect is to discover the essential problems existed in the present V-based polyanionic compounds for high-energy&power applications,and point out most suitable solutions from the crystal structure modulation,interface tailoring and electrode configuration design.Moreover,some scientific issues of V-based polyanionic compounds shall be also proposed and related future direction shall be provided.We believe that this review can serve as a motivation for further development of novel V-based polyanionic compounds and drive them toward high energy&power applications in the near future.     

Total synthesis of TRADD death domain with arginine N-GlcNAcylation by hydrazide-based native chemical ligation

TNFR1-associated death domain protein(TRADD)with arginine N-GlcNAcylation is a novel and structurally unique posttranslational modification(PTM)glycoprotein that blocks the formation of death-inducing signaling complex(DISC),orchestrating host nuclear factorκB(NF-κB)signaling in entero-pathogenic Escherichia coli(EPEC)-infected cells.This particular glycosylated modification plays an extremely vital role for the effective colonization and pathogenesis of pathogens in the gut.Herein we describe the total synthesis of TRADD death domain(residues 195-312)with arginine235 NGlcNAcylation(Arg-GIcNAc TRADD(195-312)).Two longish peptidyl fragments of the wild-type primary sequence were obtained by robust,microwave-assisted,highly efficient,solid-phase peptide synthesis(SPPS),the N-GlcNAcylated sector was built by total synthesis and attached specifically to resinbound peptide with an unprotected ornithine residue via silver-promoted on-resin guanidinylation,ArgGlcNAc TRADD(195-312)was constructed by hydrazide-based native chemical ligation(NCL).The facile synthetic strategy is expected to be generally applicable for the rapid synthesis of other proteins with Arg-GIcNAc modification and to pave the way for the related chemically biological study.     

Steam activation of Fe-N-C catalyst for advanced power performance of alkaline hydrazine fuel cells

Alkaline hydrazine liquid fuel cells(AHFC) have been highlighted in terms of high power performance with non-precious metal catalysts.Although Fe-N-C is a promising non-Pt electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction reaction(ORR),the surface density of the active site is very low and the catalyst layer should be thick to acquire the necessary number of catalytic active sites.With this thick catalyst layer,it is important to have an optimum pore structure for effective reactant conveyance to active sites and an interface structure for faster charge transfer.Herein,we prepare a Fe-N-C catalyst with magnetite particles and hierarchical pore structure by steam activation.The steam activation process significantly improves the power performance of the AHFC as indicated by the lower IR and activation voltage losses.Based on a systematic characterization,we found that hierarchical pore structures improve the catalyst utilization efficiency of the AHFCs,and magnetite nanoparticles act as surface modifiers to reduce the interracial resistance between the electrode and the ion-exchange membrane.     

Combined QSAR/QSPR,Molecular Docking,and Molecular Dynamics Study of Environmentally Friendly PBDEs with Improved Insulating Properties

To improve the insulating properties of polybrominated diphenyl ethers(PBDEs), we studied the molecular structures and energy gap(Eg) values of 209 PBDEs using a three-dimensional quantitative structure-activity relationship(3D-QSAR) model, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics. We also analyzed the interaction mechanisms of PBDEs using a 2D-QSAR model, molecular substitution characteristics, and molecular docking. The 3D-QSAR model showed that the 2-, 4-, 5-, and 6-positions significantly influenced the PBDE insulating properties. Using BDE-34 as a template molecule, we designed six derivatives with 0.47%-28.44% higher insulation tlian BDE-34. Compared with BDE-34, the stability and flame retardancy of the above six derivatives were not adversely affected. These derivatives, except for 2,6-cyanomethyl-BDE, 2-cyanomethyl-BDE, and 2-aniinomethyl-BDE, were more toxic and biodegradable than BDE-34, but showed weaker bioaccumulation and migration abilities than BDE-34. Mechanism analysis showed that the highest occupied orbital energy, the most negative charge, and the dipole moment were the main quantitative parameters that aflected the PBDE insulating properties. PBDE insulation gradually decreased as the number of Br atoms increased. The level of similarity between the substitution patterns on the two benzene rings was significantly correlated with PBDE insulation, with hydrophobic groups having a more significant efiect on PBDE insulation.     

Novel fusiform core-shell-MOF derived in tact metal@carb on composite:An efficient cathode catalyst for aqueous and solid-state Zn-air batteries

Owing to the varied mechanisms of ORR/OER,exploiting cost-effective bifunctional catalysts with robust ORR/OER activities and excellent performances in Zn-air batteries is still a challenge.In this work,the Co/CoO@NSC bifunctional catalyst is obtained by using Zn-MOF@Co-MOF as self-template.The Co/CoO@NSC composite has interconnected porous architecture with in tact metal@carb on structure,exhibiting superior electrocatalytic activities toward ORR and OER that can be comparable with the Pt/C and RuO₂ catalysts,respectively.The Co/CoO@NSC-based aqueous Zn-air battery achieves a high specific capacity(759.7 mAh/g)and energy density(990.5 Wh/kg),and ultra-long rechargeable property(more than 400 h/1200 cycles).The Co/CoO@NSC-based solid-state Zn-air battery also delivers an excellent performance with a long cycle life(more than 143 h/858 cycles).Most importantly,the newly synthesized and recharged Co/CoO@NSC-based solid-state Zn-air battery can be used to light up a 2 V LED lamp for more than 28 h,demonstrating the superior practicability as rechargeable power source.     

Ultra-small nanodots coated with oligopeptides providing highly negative charges to enhance osteogenic differentiation of hBMSCs better than osteogenic induction medium

For bone regenerative engineering,it is a promising method to form skeletal tissues differentiating from human bone morrow mesenchyme stem cells(hBMSCs).However,it is still a critical challenge to efficiently control ostogenesis and clearly reveal the influence factor.To this end,the fluorescent gold nanodots(Au NDs) with highly negative charges as osteogenic induction reagent are successfully synthesized,which display better than commercial osteogenic induction medium through the investigations of ALP activity(2.5 folds) and cytoskeleton staining(1.5 folds).Two kinds of oligopeptides with different bio-structures(cysteine,Cys and glutathione,GSH) are selected for providing surficial charges on Au NDs.It is revealed that Au-Cys with more negative charges(-51 mV) play better role than Au-GSH(-19 mV) in osteogenic differentiation,when both of them have same size(~2 nm),sphere shape and show similar cell uptake amount.To explore deeply,osteogenesis related signaling pathways are monitored,revealing that the enhancement of osteogenic differentiation was through autophagy signaling pathway triggered by Au-Cys.And the promotion of highly negative charges in osteogenic diffe rentiation was further proved via sliver nanodots(Ag NDs,Ag-Cys and Ag-GSH) and carbon nanodots(CDs,Cys-CDs and GSH-CDs).This work indicates part of insights during hBMSCs differentiation and provides a novel strategy in osteogenic differentiation process.     

Miniaturized electrochemical sensors and their point-of-care applications

Most of the current analytical methods depend largely on laboratory-based analytical techniques that require expensive and bullky equipment,potentially incur costly testing,and involve lengthy detection processes.With increasing requirements for point-of-care testing(POCT),more attention has been paid to miniaturized analytical devices.Miniaturized electrochemical(MEC)sensors,including different material-based MEC sensors(such as DNA-,paper-,and screen electrode-based),have been in strong demand in analytical science due to their easy operation,portability,high sensitivity,as well as their short analysis time.They have been applied for the detection of trace amounts of target through measuring changes in electrochemical signal,such as current,voltage,potential,or impedance,due to the oxidation/reduction of chemical/biological molecules with the help of electrodes and electrochemical units.MEC sensors present great potential for the detection of targets including small organic molecules,metal ions,and biomolecules.In recent years,MEC sensors have been broadly applied to POCT in various fields,including health care,food safety,and environmental monitoring,owing to the excellent advantages of electrochemical(EC)technologies.This review summarized the state-of-the-art advancements on various types of MEC sensors and their applications in POCT.Furthermore,the future perspectives,opportunities,and challenges in this field are also discussed.     

Recent progress of thin-film photovoltaics for indoor application

Indoor photovoltaics have attracted increasing attentions owing to their great potential in supplying energy for low power devices under indoor light in our daily life.The third generation thin-film solar cells,including dye-sensitized solar cells,perovskite solar cells and organic solar cells,have made rapid progress from the aspect of materials design to photovoltaic performance.This review provides an overview on the recent advances in the development of indoor photovoltaic technologies based on the third generation solar cells.The design principles of advanced thin-film indoor photovoltaics were also summarized according to the characteristics of indoor light and the advantages of the third generation solar cells.Finally,after summarizing the current research progress,the perspective on this topic is provided.     

C-S coupling with nitro group as leaving group via simple inorganic salt catalysis

An efficient and practical synthetic protocol to synthesize nonsymmetrical aryl thioethers by nucleophilic aromatic substitution(S_NAr)reaction of nitroarenes by thiols with potassium phosphate as the catalyst is described.Various moderate to strong electron-withdrawing functional groups are tolerated by the system to provide thioethers in a good to excellent yields.We also showed that the present method allows access to 3 drug examples in a short reaction time.Finally,mechanistic studies suggest that the reaction may form the classic Meisenheimer complex through a two-step additionelimination mechanism.     

Visualizing phase transition of upper critical solution temperature (UCST) polymers with AIE

The stimuli-responsive polymers with upper critical solution temperatures(UCST) are highly attractive for drug delivery applications. However, the phase transition process of UCST polymer is usually characterized by turbidity measurement and electron microscopy, which are significantly restricted by low sensitivity and static observation. In contrary, the fluorescence technique has significant advantages in terms of high sensitivity, easy operation, and dynamic observation. However, the conventional fluorophores suffer from the drawbacks of aggregation-caused quenching(ACQ) after being encapsulated by UCST polymers, which are not suitable for direct visualization of the phase transition process. To tackle this challenge, we herein developed a series of UCST polymers based on polyacrylamides decorated with bile acid and aggregation-induced emission(AIE)-active tetraphenylethene(TPE) groups, which can be used for direct fluorescence monitoring of the phase transition process. Moreover, the AIE-active UCST polymers can serve as drug carriers, which can not only monitor the drug release process under thermal stimuli, but also verify the drug release by fluorescence recovery after thermal stimuli. It is expected that the AIE-active UCST polymers with self-monitoring ability are promising for biomedical applications.     

二氧化碳和丙烯直接合成甲基丙烯酸的NiPMo/TiO2催化剂的研究

用溶胶-凝胶法以磷钼酸(MPA)的镍盐溶液水解钛酸四丁酯制备了NiPMo/TiO2催化剂.使用ICP、 XRD、 TG-DTA、 IR、 TPD-MS和微反应技术研究了催化剂的化学组成、热稳定性、化学吸附性质和催化反应性能.杂多钼酸盐与TiO2通过O2-在TiO2表面发生了键合.在623 K下,杂多阴离子仍保持原有的Keggin结构.CO2在Lewis酸位Ni(Ⅱ)和Lewis碱位Ni-O-Mo的桥氧协同作用下生成CO2卧式吸附态Ni(Ⅱ)←O-(CO)←(O--Ni).丙烯有多种吸附态在催化剂上吸附.在563 K、 1 MPa和空速1500 h-1的反应条件下,丙烯的摩尔转化率为3.2%,产物MAA选择性为95%.     

CoFe2O4自形成磁性液体场致结构化对磁化的影响

The Langevin paramagnetic theory can’t describe the relation between magnetization of ferrofluids and applied magnetic field. The structuralization of ferrofluids, which is considered the main influence factor of the magnetization, is regarded. The part of magnetization works is deposited when the structure is forming. This action influences the magnetization of ferrofluids directly or indirectly. On the base of the “compressing” model, the Langevin function that usually describes the magnetization of ferrofluid is modified, and a well-fitted curve is obtained. An equation of the relation between the equivalent volume fraction after being “compressed” and the intensity of magnetic field is discovered, which approximately describes the process of magnetization. The relation between the approximate initial susceptibility and the volume fraction can be obtained from modified formula.     

Highly regioselective Buchwald–Hartwig amination at C-2 of 2,4-dichloropyridine enabling a novel approach to 2,4-bisanilinopyridine (BAPyd) libraries

The highly regioselective Buchwald–Hartwig amination at C-2 of the cheap and readily accessible reagent, 2,4-dichloropyridine with a range of anilines and heterocyclic amines is described. This new methodology is robust and provides a facile access to 4-chloro-N-phenylpyridin-2-amines on 0.25 mol scale. These intermediates undergo a further Buchwald–Hartwig amination at higher temperature to enable rapid exploration of the chemical space at C-4 and to provide a library of 2,4-bisaminopyridines.     

Sulfur-directed metal-free and regiospecific methyl C(sp3)–H imidation of thioanisoles

Regiospecific and direct imidation of the methyl C(sp³)–H bond of thioanisoles is realized under mild and metal-free conditions with N-fluorobis(benzenesulfonyl)imide as an oxidant and nitrogen source. Proposed mechanism suggests that thionium ion intermediates and a Pummerer-type reaction are involved. The imidation has advantages such as high step-economy, excellent functionality tolerance, and regiospecificity, giving structurally diverse imidation products.     

Selective syntheses of 2H-1,3-oxazines and 1H-pyrrol-3(2H)-ones via temperature-dependent Rh(II)-carbenoid-mediated 2H-azirine-ring expansion

The Rh(II)-catalyzed reaction of 2-carbonyl-substituted 2H-azirines with ethyl 2-cyano-2-diazoacetate or 2-diazo-3,3,3-trifluoropropionate provides an easy access to 2H-1,3-oxazines and 1H-pyrrol-3(2H)-ones. These compounds can be selectively prepared from the same starting material using temperature as the only varied parameter. The 2-azabuta-1,3-diene intermediate, a common precursor for both heterocyclic products, isomerizes into 2H-1,3-oxazine under kinetic control, while 1H-pyrrol-3(2H)-one is the sole product of the reaction at elevated temperatures. According to DFT-calculations a one-atom oxazine ring contraction involving ring-opening to a 2-azabuta-1,3-diene intermediate, followed by a 1,5- and 1,2-prototropic shift leads to the consecutive formation of imidoylketene and azomethine ylide, which then further undergo cyclization to the pyrrole derivative.     

Copper catalyzed/mediated synthetic methodology for ebselen and related isoselenazolones

Scope of the copper catalyzed/mediated selenium-nitrogen coupling reaction has been studied for the synthesis of isoselenazolones. It is noticed that the 2-chloro, 2-bromo-, and 2-iodo-aryl amides substrates can be exploited in the selenium-nitrogen coupling reaction by employing 25-100 mol % of CuI/1,10-phenanthroline (L) and potassium carbonate as a base in DMF. Furthermore, electron rich 2-chloro-arylamides also underwent selenium-nitrogen coupling reaction to give biologically important selenium-nitrogen heterocycles. Also, copper-catalyzed selenium-nitrogen coupling reaction has been meticulously applied for the synthesis of diaryl diselenides having methoxy, amine, and amide functionality from respective aryl iodides in the presence of stoichiometric amount of succinimide as an external Se-N coupling partner.     

Knoevenagel condensation catalyzed by novel Nmm-based ionic liquids in water

A series of novel N-methyl morpholine (Nmm) based ionic liquids with 1,2-propanediol group were synthesized and used as catalysts for Knoevenagel condensation at room temperature in water. Under the effect of the catalyst, various aldehydes or aliphatic ketones could react with a wide range of activated methylene compounds well, including malononitrile, alkyl cyanoacetate, cyanoacetamide, β-diketone, barbituric acid, 2-arylacetonitrile and thiazolidinedione. Furthermore, most of the products could be separated just by filtrating and washing with water. Additionally, the catalyst is recyclable and applicable for the large-scale synthesis.     

Construction of polyheterocyclic spirotetrahydrothiophene derivatives via sulfa-Michael/aldol cascade reaction

A series of polyheterocyclic spirotetrahydrothiophene derivatives were obtained in moderate to excellent yields via a catalyst-free sulfa-Michael/aldol cascade reaction of chalcones 1 and commercially available 1,4-dithiane-2,5-diol 2 under mild conditions. We also present the first asymmetric sulfa-Michael/aldol cascade reaction of chalcones 1 and commercially available 1,4-dithiane-2,5-diol 2 with moderate to good enantioselectivities catalyzed by readily available chiral phase-transfer catalysts (PTCs).     

Suzuki-Miyaura reactions of the soluble guanylate cyclase inhibitor NS2028: a non-product specific route to C-8 substituted analogues

Both soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) inhibitors ODQ 1 and NS2028 2 are synthesized via improved protocols. In the former case treating 3,4-dihydroquinoxalin-2(1H)-one oxime 8, which can be prepared in two steps from 1,2-benzenediamine, with 1,1′-carbonyldiimidazole (CDI) gives the dihydro-ODQ 10 that in the presence of KMnO₄ oxidises to give ODQ 1 in an overall yield of 46% starting from 1,2-benzenediamine. In the latter case, the synthesis affords NS2028 2 from 2-amino-4-bromophenol 3 in three steps with an overall yield of 85% and avoids the need for chromatography. Furthermore, Suzuki-Miyaura reaction conditions are described that enable the preparation of 8-aryl and 8-heteroaryl derivatives of NS2028 directly from NS2028 2. Finally, demethylation of the 8-(methoxyphenyl) substituted analogues afforded the 8-(hydroxyphenyl) derivatives 40-42. All new products are fully characterised.