Halogen-bonding mediated stepwise assembly of gold nanoparticles onto planar surfaces.

In this study halogen bonding (XB) is used as the driving force for the noncovalent assembly of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) on silicon and quartz substrates functionalized with organic monolayers. The AuNPs are functionalized with XB-donor ligands, whereas the monolayers have pyridine groups as XB-acceptors. The surface-confined systems are formed by iteratively exposing the monolayers to solutions of organic cross-linkers having 2-4 pyridine groups and functionalized AuNPs.

Electrochromic behavior of a self-propagating molecular-based assembly.

A metallo-supramolecular network undergoes reversible redox chemistry on indium-tin oxide (ITO) coated glass substrates with concurrent color change. The switching time, long-term stability, and coloration efficiency are competitive with polymeric materials such as the industrially important PEDOT.

Assembly of crystalline halogen-bonded materials by physical vapor deposition.

Polycrystalline halogen-bonded assemblies fabricated by physical vapor deposition (PVD) exhibit controllable morphologies and microstructures. Although the solid-state packing may vary going from a solution crystal growth process (used for chromophore single-crystal determination) to a vapor-phase deposition process (used for PVD film fabrication), the corresponding film microstructures are independent of the substrate surface chemistry.

Directing aryl-I versus Aryl-Br bond activation by nickel via a ring walking process.

Activation of a strong aryl-Br bond of a halogenated vinylarene by nickel(0) is demonstrated in the presence of aryl-I containing substrates. eta2-Coordination of Ni(PEt3)2 to the C=C moiety of halogenated vinylarenes is kinetically preferable and is followed by an intramolecular aryl-halide bond activation process. This "ring-walking" process is quantitative and proceeds under mild reaction conditions in solution.

Fluxional behavior of platinum(0) complexes: intra vs intermolecular reaction pathways.

The fluxional behavior of two analogous platinum complexes has been studied in solution by NMR spectroscopy to elucidate the reaction mechanism and to determine the activation parameters. This includes variable temperature NMR spectroscopy, 2D (1)H- (1)H exchange spectroscopy, and spin saturation transfer measurements. A platinum moiety, Pt(PEt 3) 2, translocates between two carbon-carbon double bonds of two vinylpyridine moieties bridged by an arene (i.

Novel methyl helianthrones as photosensitizers: synthesis and biological evaluation.

A combination of light, oxygen and a photosensitizer is used to induce death of cancer cells by photodynamic therapy. In this study, we have synthesized several new methyl helianthrone derivatives and compared their phototoxicity with that of hypericin. In contrast to hypericin, methyl helianthrones are soluble in aqueous solutions and have a broad range of light absorbance, which allows the use of polychromatic light.

The correlation between hydrophilicity of hypericins and helianthrone: internalization mechanisms, subcellular distribution and photodynamic action in colon carcinoma cells.

The internalization mechanism and subcellular distribution of hypericin (Hyp), hypericin tetrasulfonic acid (HypS4) and 1,3,4,6-tetrahydroxyhelianthrone (Hel) were studied in murine colon carcinoma CT26 cells, in protein-free medium or in the presence of serum proteins. The correlation between the extent of uptake of the sensitizers by cells that were incubated in the presence of different serum components, and the internalization mechanisms, was studied. The results indicate that sensitizer internalization may be a result of three mechanisms: partitioning, pinocytosis and endocytosis, and as a direct consequence is targeted to specific subcellular sites.