Michael J Holzmann, Eric R Westphal, Kenneth M Plackowski, Melissa L Meyerson, John K Grey, Koushik Ghosh
{"title":"Divergent Responses of Carbon Nitride Dot-Based Amorphous Species and Small Molecule Hybrids to Trace Level Analytes.","authors":"Michael J Holzmann, Eric R Westphal, Kenneth M Plackowski, Melissa L Meyerson, John K Grey, Koushik Ghosh","doi":"10.1002/chem.202501495","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/chem.202501495","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Bottom-up synthesis of carbon nitride dots (CNDs) offers a versatile platform for the creation of diverse nanomaterials with tunable properties. Here, we report a facile hydrothermal approach using citric acid and urea as precursors to synthesize CNDs with varying degrees of condensation and crystallinity. By carefully controlling reaction conditions and post-synthetic treatments, we obtained two distinct fractions: a polycrystalline fraction composed of small-molecule hybrids and an amorphous fraction containing CNDs. We then sought to understand how the dominant species in these fractions impact sensing abilities using trace-level explosive exemplars. The results have important implications for sensing and related applications where understanding the complex interplay between synthetic conditions and post-synthetic processing play vital roles in determining the final properties of CND materials.</p>","PeriodicalId":144,"journal":{"name":"Chemistry - A European Journal","volume":" ","pages":"e202501495"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144131767","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Claudia Honisch, Martina Rotondo, Mario Monaco, Stefano Tartaggia, Rohanah Hussain, Giuliano Siligardi, Paolo Ruzza
{"title":"Enhanced Protein Photo-Stability Analysis Using SRCD in the Presence of Phospholipid SUVs.","authors":"Claudia Honisch, Martina Rotondo, Mario Monaco, Stefano Tartaggia, Rohanah Hussain, Giuliano Siligardi, Paolo Ruzza","doi":"10.1002/chem.202500792","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/chem.202500792","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The interaction between lipids and proteins impacts on a multitude of cellular processes and may contribute to the onset of several pathologies and ageing. Such processes are frequently linked to oxidative stress, whereby polyunsaturated fatty acids act as substrates for in vivo lipoxidation. The subsequent lipid peroxidation and/or isomerisation is known to affect membrane organization, as well as to modify proteins and DNA, leading to functional alterations. Aim of this study was to evaluate the capacity of UV denaturation experiments to induce lipid modification and to investigate the influence of lipid presence on the conformational stability of selected soluble model proteins. To this end, the UV-denaturation experiment developed at the B23 beamline of the Diamond Light Source (UK) is employed, which high photon flux and brilliance of the incident beamlight induce protein denaturation when repeated consecutive synchrotron radiation circular dichroism spectra are acquired in the far-UV region, diagnostic of protein folding. This allows the estimation of protein photostability. Our findings show that the presence of lipid vesicles (SUVs) significantly impacts the UV-denaturation of proteins, preserving the native structure in proteins with a high helical content. This suggests that lipids may play a protective role against light-induced damage to proteins.</p>","PeriodicalId":144,"journal":{"name":"Chemistry - A European Journal","volume":" ","pages":"e202500792"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144131896","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Yue-Qi Liu, Wen-Hao Pan, Lin-Xia He, Chenglong Han, Tong Lu, Ning-Ning Zhang, Kun Liu
{"title":"Coordination-Controlled Synthesis of Aluminum Nanoparticles: Insights from AlH3·(NMP) x Complexes.","authors":"Yue-Qi Liu, Wen-Hao Pan, Lin-Xia He, Chenglong Han, Tong Lu, Ning-Ning Zhang, Kun Liu","doi":"10.1002/chem.202500415","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/chem.202500415","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The controlled chemical synthesis of Aluminum nanocrystals (Al NCs) is crucial for their applications in plasmonics, photocatalysis, and optoelectronics. However, there is still a lack of correlation between the precursor of Al hydride N-methylpyrrolidine (AlH3·(NMP)x) and the Al NC synthesis outcomes . Here, we report the synthesis of AlH3·(NMP)x complexes with different coordination numbers (x from 1.0 to 2.0) and their characterization as precursors regulating the morphology of Al NCs. We isolated AlH3·(NMP)1.0 single crystals from AlH3·(NMP)x mixtures and successfully elucidated the structure of H3Al·(NMP)1.0 through single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Importantly, H3Al·(NMP)1.0 exhibited the fastest decomposition rate, yielding highly monodisperse Al NCs with well-defined shapes and the narrowest size distribution, while higher coordination numbers led to increased polydispersity and irregular morphologies. Additionally, we observed distinct multipole plasmonic resonances in Al NCs synthesized from lower coordination number precursors, highlighting their superior optical properties. This work establishes a direct correlation between precursor coordination chemistry and Al NC synthesis outcomes, providing a foundation for optimizing nanoparticle production for advanced material applications.</p>","PeriodicalId":144,"journal":{"name":"Chemistry - A European Journal","volume":" ","pages":"e202500415"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144131764","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Lisa M S Stiegler, Vincent Wedler, İdil Büküşoğlu, Andreas Hirsch, Wolfgang Peukert, Johannes Walter
{"title":"Investigation of the Degree of Functionalization and Colloidal Stability of Shell-by-Shell Functionalized TiO2 Nanoparticles as a Function of Different Phosphonic Acid Chain Lengths.","authors":"Lisa M S Stiegler, Vincent Wedler, İdil Büküşoğlu, Andreas Hirsch, Wolfgang Peukert, Johannes Walter","doi":"10.1002/chem.202501008","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/chem.202501008","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In this work, a series of Shell-by-Shell (SbS)-functionalized colloidal systems consisting of 6 nm TiO2 anatase nanoparticles (NPs), one of the phosphonic acids (PAs) propylphosphonic acid (PAC3), hexylphosphonic acid (PAC6), dodecylphosphonic acid (PAC12), tetradecylphosphonic acid (PAC14), hexadecylphosphonic acid (PAC16), octadecylphosphonic acid (PAC18) and the amphiphile sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate (SDBS) were prepared, resulting in TiO2-PACX@SDBS (X = 3, 6, 12, 14, 16, or 18) NPs dispersed in deionized water (DIW). During the whole functionalization process, the NPs were subjected to thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) to gain insights into their degree of functionalization and respective thermal stability. In addition, the colloidal stability of the NPs as a function of PA chain length was analyzed by analytical ultracentrifugation (AUC). By combining both TGA and AUC, it was found that the resulting hierarchical NP architectures form agglomerates, with the degree of agglomeration depending on the length of the PA used for the first-shell functionalization. This allows conclusions to be drawn about the efficiency of the overlap between the PA and the SDBS carbon chain.</p>","PeriodicalId":144,"journal":{"name":"Chemistry - A European Journal","volume":" ","pages":"e202501008"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144126345","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Conformational switch in the alpha-synuclein C-terminus domain directs its fibril polymorphs.","authors":"Kensuke Ikenaka, Cesar Aguirre, Yohei Miyanoiri, Masatomo So, Hajime Tamaki, Takahiro Maruno, Junko Doi, Nan Wang, Keiichi Yamaguchi, Kichitaro Nakajima, Yu Yamamori, Hiroko Inoura, Chi-Jing Choong, Keita Kakuda, Takahiro Ajiki, Yasuyoshi Kimura, Tatsuhiko Ozono, Kousuke Baba, Seiichi Nagano, Yoshitaka Nagai, Hirotsugu Ogi, Susumu Uchiyama, Yoh Matsuki, Kentaro Tomii, Yuji Goto, Hideki Mochizuki","doi":"10.1002/chem.202500650","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/chem.202500650","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>α-Synuclein (αSyn) inclusions are a pathological hallmark of several neurodegenerative diseases disorders. While cryo-electron microscopy studies have revealed distinct fibril polymorphs across different synucleinopathies, the molecular switches controlling polymorphism remain unveiled. In this study, we found that fibril morphology is associated with the conformational state of monomeric αSyn. Through systematic evaluation of the ionic strength and temperature, we generated two distinct polymorphs: a twisted morphology at low ionic strength and temperature, and a rod-like morphology at higher ionic strength and temperature. Using solid-state NMR, we revealed that both polymorphs share a highly conserved core structure, with morphological differences arising probably from distinct structural arrangements at the protofilament interfaces. Furthermore, we found that a specific conformational change in the C-terminal domain of the monomeric αSyn serves as a molecular switch for the formation of polymorphs. Interestingly, this conformational change can also be triggered by calcium binding to the C-terminus, connecting environmental factors to specific fibril architectures. Our results reveal a conformational role for the C-terminal domain that influences aSyn fibril morphology, providing significant insights into the fibrogenesis of αSyn.</p>","PeriodicalId":144,"journal":{"name":"Chemistry - A European Journal","volume":" ","pages":"e202500650"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144131854","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Aashish Joshi, Sachidananda Mohapatra, Amit Gupta, Bhanu Nandan
{"title":"Review of Metal Nitrides for Lithium-Sulfur Batteries: Design, Mechanisms and Prospects.","authors":"Aashish Joshi, Sachidananda Mohapatra, Amit Gupta, Bhanu Nandan","doi":"10.1002/chem.202500971","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/chem.202500971","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Lithium-sulfur batteries emerge as the next generation battery technology owing to its high theoretical capacity and energy density. However, sluggish redox reactions coupled with severe volume alterations result in under achievement of the merits. Additionally, the atrocious shuttle effect prompts premature failure thereby limiting life cycle count. Transition metal nitrides with excellent properties including good electrical conductivity and catalytic effects have been investigated as functional materials to address the challenges of LSB. Mainly, transition metal nitrides as well as their composites have been employed as hosts and interlayers to boost reaction kinetics and enhance the cycle life. This review focusses on the fundamental mechanisms of metal nitrides towards capture and catalysis of polysulfides. The article highlights battery performance attained with key metal nitrides with inclusion of the synthesis procedures, morphology and size effects. Further, the possible principles for the design of metal nitrides along with future directions are discussed.</p>","PeriodicalId":144,"journal":{"name":"Chemistry - A European Journal","volume":" ","pages":"e202500971"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144126349","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"On-Surface Precise Synthesis of Non-Hexagonal Ring-Embedded Graphene Nanoribbons.","authors":"Hao Qu, Mali Zhao, Wei Xu","doi":"10.1002/chem.202501399","DOIUrl":"10.1002/chem.202501399","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Graphene nanoribbons (GNRs), as quasi-one-dimensional carbon nanostructures, combine the exceptional properties of graphene with tunable bandgaps. The incorporation of periodic non-hexagonal ring motifs into GNR frameworks offers an effective approach to significantly tailor their electronic and magnetic properties. However, synthesis of GNRs incorporating non-hexagonal rings remains challenging, due to the thermodynamic instability compared to their hexagonal counterparts. Advancements in on-surface synthesis and in-situ characterization techniques have emerged as powerful methods for the atomically precise fabrication of novel carbon nanostructures. In this review, we comprehensively summarize the recent progress in on-surface synthesis of non-hexagonal ring-embedded GNRs via sophisticated design of precursors and optimized reaction pathways. This review aims to provide insights into strategies for constructing carbon polygons into nanostructures via surface-mediated chemical reactions, thereby enabling their multifunctional applications in electronics and spintronics.</p>","PeriodicalId":144,"journal":{"name":"Chemistry - A European Journal","volume":" ","pages":"e202501399"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144118452","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Susana Blanco, Andrés Verde, Juan Carlos López, Manuel Yáñez, M. Merced Montero-Campillo, Ibon Alkorta
{"title":"Cover Feature: Unveiling the Dual Nature of the Smallest Aqueous Ferrocene Complex","authors":"Susana Blanco, Andrés Verde, Juan Carlos López, Manuel Yáñez, M. Merced Montero-Campillo, Ibon Alkorta","doi":"10.1002/chem.202582904","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/chem.202582904","url":null,"abstract":"<p><b>Rotational spectroscopy and computational chemistry</b> reveal axial and equatorial binding motifs in a ferrocene–water complex. For the axial arrangement, a two-dimensional energy surface displays a Mexican hat-like potential, allowing nearly free rotation of the water molecule. Moderately strong binding interactions subtly distort the ferrocene framework. More information can be found in the Research Article by J. C. López and co-workers (DOI: 10.1002/chem.202500128).\u0000\u0000 <figure>\u0000 <div><picture>\u0000 <source></source></picture><p></p>\u0000 </div>\u0000 </figure></p>","PeriodicalId":144,"journal":{"name":"Chemistry - A European Journal","volume":"31 29","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/chem.202582904","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144118093","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Rifat N Nabi, Kimberly A Jarquin, Anupam Karmakar, Kyle E Brunner, Daniel K Kim
{"title":"Intramolecular PCET of α-Keto Acids: Synthesis of Trifluoromethyl Ketones via Ketyl Radicals.","authors":"Rifat N Nabi, Kimberly A Jarquin, Anupam Karmakar, Kyle E Brunner, Daniel K Kim","doi":"10.1002/chem.202501613","DOIUrl":"10.1002/chem.202501613","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Due to favourable pharmacological properties, the introduction of the fluorine atom into small molecules has become increasingly more common over the past few decades. In particular, the trifluoromethyl ketone group is of great interest due to its role as a carboxylic acid bioisostere. Recently, these fragments have been accessed via acyl radical equivalents. Herein, we disclose an unconventional intramolecular proton-coupled electron transfer activation of α-keto acids by photoredox catalysis to generate ketyl radicals toward accessing functionalizable lactones. These lactones serve as synthons for modular one-pot syntheses of trifluoromethyl ketones in a net dicarbofunctionalization of electron-rich olefins.</p>","PeriodicalId":144,"journal":{"name":"Chemistry - A European Journal","volume":" ","pages":"e202501613"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144118449","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Utz H. Ermel, Harald Schwalbe, Alexey V. Cherepanov
{"title":"Cover Feature: Nanosecond Hyperquenching for Electron Cryo-Microscopy Without Air-Water Interface Artifacts","authors":"Utz H. Ermel, Harald Schwalbe, Alexey V. Cherepanov","doi":"10.1002/chem.202582903","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/chem.202582903","url":null,"abstract":"<p><b>Partitioning of protein specimens</b> to the air–water interface (AWI) poses an acute problem in electron cryo-microscopy (ECM), causing a loss of biological function, subunit dissociation, protein denaturation and aggregation at the AWI with an insufficient number of visible molecular orientations. The outstanding method of ECM sampling–nanosecond hyperquenching (NHQ) solves this problem, yielding vitrified nanofilms without AWI-bound protein. The Research Article by U. H. Ermel, H. Schwalbe and A. V. Cherepanov (DOI: 10.1002/chem.202403878) offers a detailed characterization of protein distribution in vitrified nanofilms and the mechanism of protein exclusion from AWI in terms of macroscopic shock-wave mechanics.\u0000\u0000 <figure>\u0000 <div><picture>\u0000 <source></source></picture><p></p>\u0000 </div>\u0000 </figure></p>","PeriodicalId":144,"journal":{"name":"Chemistry - A European Journal","volume":"31 29","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/chem.202582903","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144117826","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}