Publications by authors named "Heidi Schwartz"

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have gathered significant interest due to their tunable porosity leading to diverse potential applications. In this study, we investigate the incorporation of the fluorosolvatochromic dye 2-butyl-5,6-dimethoxyisoindoline-1,3-dione ([double bond, length as m-dash]Phth) into various MOF structures as a means to assess the polarity of these porous materials. As a purely inorganic compound, zeolite Y was tested for comparison.

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The performance of different density functional tight binding (DFTB) methods for the description of six increasingly complex metal-organic framework (MOF) compounds have been assessed. In particular the self-consistent charge density functional tight binding (SCC DFTB) approach utilizing the 3ob and matsci parameter sets have been considered for a set of four Zn-based and two Al-based MOF systems. Moreover, the extended tight binding for geometries, frequencies, and noncovalent interactions (GFN2-xTB) approach has been considered as well.

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At multianvil high-pressure/high-temperature conditions of 10 GPa and 1273 K, the first ternary tungsten tellurate WTeO is formed, starting from a stoichiometric mixture of WO and TeO. The compound crystallizes triclinic in a hitherto unknown crystal structure type with the space group 1̄; (no. 2), and was refined from single-crystal X-ray diffractometer data: = 538.

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Controlling the switching efficiency of photoactive hybrid systems is an obligatory key prerequisite for systematically improving the design of functional materials. By modulating the degree of fluorination and the amount being embedded into porous hosts, the / ratios of fluorinated azobenzenes were adjusted as both functions of substitution and the degree of loading. Octafluoroazobenzene (F8-AZB) and perfluoroazobenzene (F10-AZB) were inserted into porous DMOF-1.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study revisits an overlooked manganese sandwich complex that has 18 valence electrons, first discovered about 50 years ago by Fischer and Pauson, showcasing its unique properties.
  • Advanced photochemical methods were developed to quickly synthesize the original complex and its functionalized variations with various substituents.
  • Comprehensive analyses using various spectroscopic techniques and quantum chemical calculations reveal unique electrochemical behaviors and bonding characteristics that differentiate these tromancenium salts from similar complex salts of cobalt and early transition metals.
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Understanding the interactions between the single components of hybrid systems is essential to drive the development of advanced functional materials. A prerequisite for this is the systematic variation of the building blocks of such compounds. Focusing on spiropyran@metal-organic framework (MOF) composite materials with noncovalently attached spiropyran dyes, both the host scaffold and the dye molecules can be systematically tuned.

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Considering porous materials as host matrices is an elegant way to enable photoswitching of non-covalently attached organic dyes even in the solid state. By focusing on the resulting optical properties as a function of loading degree and synthesis procedure, the occurring host-guest and guest-guest interactions can be determined and further exploited. In the course of this study, the photochromic behavior of -tetrafluoroazobenzene (tF-AZB) inside flexible DMOF-1 was investigated from these points of view.

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We investigate all-inorganic perovskite CsPbSnBr thin films to determine the variations in the band gap and electronic structure associated with the Pb/Sn ratio. We observe that the band gap can be tuned between 1.86 eV ( = 0) and 2.

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The incorporation of photochromic dyes into porous metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) is an attractive way to transfer the photochromic properties of the dye to a solid crystalline material. In this work, the well-known P-type chromophore 1,2-bis[2-methylbenzo[b]thiophen-3-yl]-3,3,4,4,5,5-hexafluoro-1-cyclopentene (DTE) is embedded in three different MOFs, namely MOF-5, MIL-68(In), and MIL-68(Ga). The successful filling of the MOF pores with the DTE guest was proven by X-ray powder diffraction, while the amount of the embedded guest molecules was investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), liquid-state NMR and thermal analysis (DSC/TGA).

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The embedment of photochromic dyes into porous host matrices has attracted increasing interest in recent years. Especially the class of spiropyrans has been considered because of its outstanding photochromic and solvatochromic response. We herein present a comprehensive infrared spectroscopic characterization of the photoresponse and photostability of a nitro-substituted spiropyran "SP-Nitro" (namely 1,3,3-trimethylindolino-6'-nitrobenzopyrylospiran) non-covalently attached to different crystalline nanoporous MOF (metal-organic framework) host lattices.

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Article Synopsis
  • Fifteen new photochromic hybrid materials were created by loading fluorinated azobenzenes into various metal-organic frameworks (MOFs).
  • The structural composition of these materials was analyzed using elemental analysis and thermal techniques, with a detailed model developed for one specific framework.
  • All synthesized materials demonstrated the ability to switch forms with visible light, showing over 95% efficiency in photo-isomerization with durability across multiple cycles.
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Conductive metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) as well as smart, stimuli-responsive MOF materials have attracted considerable attention with respect to advanced applications in energy harvesting and storage as well as in signal processing. Here, the conductance of MOF films of type UiO-67 with embedded photoswitchable nitro-substituted spiropyrans was investigated. Under UV irradiation, the spiropyran (SP) reversibly isomerizes to the open merocyanine (MC) form, a zwitterionic molecule with an extended conjugated π-system.

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1,3,3-Trimethylindolino-6'-nitrobenzopyrylospiran (SP-1) as an example of a photoswitchable spiropyran was loaded into the pores of different prototypical metal-organic frameworks, namely MOF-5, MIL-68(In), and MIL-68(Ga), by a vapor-phase process. The successful incorporation in the pores of the MOF was proven by X-ray powder diffraction, and the amount of the embedded photoswitchable guest was determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and elemental analysis. In contrast to the sterically hindered crystalline state, SP-1 embedded in solid MOF hosts shows photoswitching under irradiation with UV light from the spiropyran to its merocyanine form with a nearly complete photoisomerization.

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Photoswitchable metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) enable the dynamic remote control of their key properties. Here, a readily producible approach is presented where photochromic molecules, i.e.

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Reduction of the Fusarium mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON) in animal feed by treatment with sodium bisulfite and sodium metabisulfite has been successfully demonstrated in several studies. All of them reported formation of one DON sulfonate of strongly reduced toxicity compared to DON. The starting point of the present work was investigation of different sulfur reagents for reduction of DON.

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Mycotoxin mitigation is of major interest as ingestion of mycotoxins results in poor animal health, decreased productivity, as well as substantial economic losses. A feed additive (FA) consisting of a combination of bacteria (Eubacterium BBSH797) and enzyme (fumonisin esterase FumD) was tested in pigs for its ability to neutralize the effects of mono- and co-contaminated diets with deoxynivalenol (DON) and fumonisins (FB) on hematology, biochemistry, tissue morphology, and immune response. Forty-eight animals, allocated into eight groups, received one of eight diets for 35 days: a control diet, a diet contaminated with either DON (3 mg/kg) or FB (6 mg/kg), or both toxins, and the same four diets with FA.

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An improved and reproducible procedure for the preparation of four different glycosides of the mycotoxins α- and β-zearalenol (α,β-ZEL), both metabolites of the Fusarium toxin zearalenone (ZEN), is reported. These conjugated or masked mycotoxins are formed during phase II metabolism in plants (glucosides) or animals and humans (glucuronides). Improved regioselective Königs-Knorr glucuronidation was applied to ZEN followed by reduction of the keto group of the mycotoxin, leading to α- and β-configuration of ZEL and also to a partial reduction of the glucuronic acid methyl ester to obtain the corresponding glucosides.

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Consumption of lignan rich food is presumed to have positive effects on human health. As numerous foods are consumed mainly in processed form it is important to investigate the changes of the lignan content during processing. To this end, unheated and heated sesame seeds, sesame products, rye grains, rye flour, rye bread and flax seeds were extracted by sonication with ethanol/water (70:30, v:v) or sodium methoxide.

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Beer is one of the most popular beverages worldwide. Malted cereal grains are among the basic ingredients and hence mycotoxin contamination might occur. Previous studies reported the presence of the Fusarium mycotoxins deoxynivalenol (DON) and 3-acetyl-deoxynivalenol (3ADON), as well as of the masked mycotoxin deoxynivalenol-3-glucoside (D3G) in beer.

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Deoxynivalenol-3-β-D-glucoside (D3G), a plant metabolite of the Fusarium mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON), might be hydrolyzed in the digestive tract of mammals, thus contributing to the total dietary DON exposure of individuals. Yet, D3G has not been considered in regulatory limits set for DON for foodstuffs due to the lack of in vivo data. The aim of our study was to evaluate whether D3G is reactivated in vivo by investigation of its metabolism in rats.

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Fumonisins are mycotoxins frequently found as natural contaminants in maize, where they are produced by the plant pathogen Fusarium verticillioides. They are toxic to animals and exert their effects through mechanisms involving disruption of sphingolipid metabolism. Fumonisin B₁ (FB₁) is the predominant fumonisin in this family.

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Thirty commercially available yeast cell wall products and two reference bentonites were tested for their ability to bind aflatoxin B(1) (AFB1) and zearalenone (ZON) in buffer solutions at pH 3 and pH 6.5 as well as in real gastric juice. For most products, the binding efficacy of AFB1 correlated with the ash content, which was between 2.

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Fumonisins are carcinogenic mycotoxins that are frequently found as natural contaminants in maize from warm climate regions around the world. The aminotransferase FumI is encoded as part of a gene cluster of Sphingopyxis sp. MTA144, which enables this bacterial strain to degrade fumonisin B(1) and related fumonisins.

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The analysis of flavonoids in unifloral honeys by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled with coulometric electrode array detection (CEAD) is described. The compounds were extracted by a nonionic polymeric resin (Amberlite XAD-2) and then separated on a reversed phase column using gradient elution. Quercetin, naringenin, hesperetin, luteolin, kaempferol, isorhamnetin, and galangin were detected in a coulometric electrode array detection system between +300 and +800 mV against palladium reference electrodes, and their presence was additionally confirmed by HPLC coupled with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry.

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Background: Fumonisin B(1) is a cancerogenic mycotoxin produced by Fusarium verticillioides and other fungi. Sphingopyxis sp. MTA144 can degrade fumonisin B(1), and a key enzyme in the catabolic pathway is an aminotransferase which removes the C2-amino group from hydrolyzed fumonisin B(1).

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