Chemistry - An Asian Journal

Highly positively charged poly(vinyl benzyl trimethylammonium chloride) (PVBMA) was successfully synthesized with approximately 82% of yield. The PVBMA was characterized by the molecular weight (M_w) of 343.45 g mol⁻¹and the molecular weight distribution, (Đ) of 2.4 by¹H NMR and SEC measurements. The PVBMA was applied as an effective agent for α‐Al₂O₃surface modification in the adsorptive removal of the azo dye acid orange G (AOG). The AOG removal performance was significantly enhanced at all pH compared to without surface modification. The experimental parameters were optimal at pH 8, free ionic strength, 15 min of adsorption time, and 5 mg mL⁻¹α‐Al₂O₃adsorbents. The AOG adsorption which was mainly controlled by the PVBMA‐AOG electrostatic attractions was better applicable to the Langmuir isotherm and the pseudo‐second kinetic model. The PVBMA‐modified α‐Al₂O₃demonstrates a high‐performance and highly reusable adsorbent with great AOG performances of approximately 90.1% after 6 reused cycles.

Quinoline derivatives are important moieties in bioactive molecules and advanced materials. However, an efficient strategy to synthesize quinoline derivatives remains challenging. Herein, we describe an efficient and practical method for the synthesis of quinolines by Cu‐catalyzed cyclization of 2‐amino benzyl alcohol with ketones (or secondary alcohols) via an acceptorless dehydrogenation pathway. Interestingly, a range of highly functionalized quinolines is prepared in good yields using low catalyst loading under relatively mild conditions. Furthermore, density functional theory (DFT) calculations are carried out to investigate mechanistic insights for the acceptorless dehydrogenation pathway.

Nowadays, an ever‐increasing variety of organic contaminants in water has caused hazards to the ecological environment and human health. Many of them are persistent and non‐biodegradable. Various techniques have been studied for sewage treatment, including biological, physical and chemical methods. Photocatalytic advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) have received increasing attention due to their fast reaction rates and strong oxidation capability, low cost compared with the non‐photolytic AOPs. This review is dedicated to summarizing up‐to‐date research progress in photocatalytic AOPs, such as Fenton or Fenton‐like reaction, ozonation and sulfate radical‐based advanced oxidation processes. Mechanisms and activation processes are discussed. Then, the paper summarizes photocatalytic materials and modification strategies, including defect chemistry, morphology control, heterostructure design, noble metal deposition. The future perspectives and challenges are also discussed.

Tandem N‐methylpyrroleN‐methylimidazole (PyIm) polyamides with good sequence‐specific DNA‐alkylating activities have been designed and synthesized. Three alkylating tandem PyIm polyamides with different linkers, which each contained the same moiety for the recognition of a 10 bp DNA sequence, were evaluated for their reactivity and selectivity by DNA alkylation, using high‐resolution denaturing gel electrophoresis. All three conjugates displayed high reactivities for the target sequence. In particular, polyamide 1, which contained a β‐alanine linker, displayed the most‐selective sequence‐specific alkylation towards the target 10 bp DNA sequence. The tandem PyIm polyamide conjugates displayed greater sequence‐specific DNA alkylation than conventional hairpin PyIm polyamide conjugates (4 and 5). For further research, the design of tandem PyIm polyamide conjugates could play an important role in targeting specific gene sequences.

An efficient method for C7‐position‐selective alkenylation of N‐substituted indolines with alkenes is reported. Various 7‐alkenylindolines were obtained in moderate to excellent yields in air in the presence of catalytic amounts of [Cp*IrCl₂]₂, AgOTf, and Cu(OAc)₂. The protocol relies on the use of a carbonyl or carbamoyl group on the nitrogen atom of indoline as a directing group and is potentially applicable to the synthesis of 7‐alkenylindoles and 7‐alkylindoles.

Hai vật liệu vận chuyển điện tích thienothiophene–triphenylamine dễ tiếp cận đã được tổng hợp chỉ bằng cách thay đổi mẫu thế của các nhóm triphenylamine trên một liên kết π thienothiophene trung tâm. Ảnh hưởng của mẫu thế đến các tính chất nhiệt, quang điện hóa và quang điện của các vật liệu này đã được đánh giá và, dựa trên các nghiên cứu lý thuyết và thực nghiệm, chúng tôi đã phát hiện ra rằng đồng phân trong đó các nhóm triphenylamine nằm ở vị trí 2,5 của lõi thienothiophene (TT‐2,5‐TPA) có độ liên kết π tốt hơn so với đồng phân 3,6 (TT‐3,6‐TPA). Trong khi các tính chất nhiệt, hình thái và ưa nước của hai vật liệu tương tự nhau, các tính chất quang điện hóa và quang điện của chúng thì bị ảnh hưởng rõ rệt. Khi được ứng dụng làm vật liệu vận chuyển lỗ trong pin mặt trời perovskite hybrid, đồng phân 2,5 đã thể hiện hiệu suất chuyển đổi năng lượng là 13,6%, cao hơn nhiều so với đồng phân 3,6 (0,7%) dưới cùng một điều kiện tiêu chuẩn.

A series of new push–pull phenothiazine‐based dyes (HL1, HL2, HL3, HL4) featuring various π spacers (thiophene, 3‐hexylthiophene, 4‐hexyl‐2,2′‐bithiophene) and double acceptors/anchors have been synthesized, characterized, and used as sensitizers for dye‐sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Among them, the best conversion efficiency (7.31 %) reaches approximately 99 % of the N719‐based (7.38 %) DSSCs fabricated and measured under similar conditions. The dyes with two anchors have more efficient interfacial charge generation and transport compared with their congeners with only single anchor. Incorporation of hexyl chains into the π‐conjugated spacer of these double‐anchoring dyes can efficiently suppress dye aggregation and reduce charge recombination.

Functional protein delivery has created new opportunities for studying intracellular processes and discovering new therapeutics. To that end, researchers have pursued intracellular protein delivery by using an increasing number of methods. This focus review will highlight polymeric carriers that non‐covalently bind and deliver protein cargo in vitro. The correlation between polymer–protein binding and delivery as well as the correlation between complex–membrane binding and delivery is reviewed. Finally, binding and its relation to the intracellular function of the protein post‐delivery is considered. The purpose of this review is to evaluate the role that binding interactions play in the non‐covalent protein‐delivery landscape. Presently, the literature does not adequately resolve how binding throughout the process ultimately affects delivery. The field does contain preliminary insights that are expected to impact future delivery applications when developed further.

Black phosphorus quantum dots (BPQDs), with an average diameter of about 6 nm and a height of about 1.1 nm, are successfully synthesized by means of a pulsed laser ablation (PLA) method in isopropyl ether (IPE) solvent. The photoluminescence PL quantum yield of the as‐prepared sample is as high as 20.7 %, which is 3 times that of BPQDs prepared by means of probe ultrasonic exfoliation (approximately 7.2 %). The stable and blue–violet PL emission of the BPQDs is observed. It can be elucidated that electrons transit from the LUMO energy level to the HOMO energy level, as well as energy levels below the HOMO (H1 and H2). In addition, BPQDs are also utilized in bioimaging in HeLa cells, showing an intense and stable PL signal and excellent biocompatibility. Hence, this work indicates that the obtained BPQDs with high quantum yield and stable PL emission have great potential for biomedical applications, including biolabeling, bioimaging, and drug delivery.