Photolipid excitation triggers depolarizing optocapacitive currents and action potentials

Optically-induced changes in membrane capacitance may regulate neuronal activity without requiring genetic modifications. Previously, they mainly relied on sudden temperature jumps due to light absorption by membrane-associated nanomaterials or water. Yet, nanomaterial targeting or the required high infrared light intensities obstruct broad applicability. Now, we propose a very versatile approach: photolipids (azobenzene-containing diacylglycerols) mediate light-triggered cellular de- or hyperpolarization. As planar bilayer experiments show, the respective currents emerge from millisecond-timescale changes in bilayer capacitance. UV light changes photolipid conformation, which awards embedding plasma membranes with increased capacitance and evokes depolarizing currents. They open voltage-gated sodium channels in cells, generating action potentials. Blue light reduces the area per photolipid, decreasing membrane capacitance and eliciting hyperpolarization. If present, mechanosensitive channels respond to the increased mechanical membrane tension, generating large depolarizing currents that elicit action potentials. Membrane self-insertion of administered photolipids and focused illumination allows cell excitation with high spatiotemporal control

One-pot synthesis of a chromeno[4,3,2-de]-1,6-naphthyridine derivative from 4-chlorocoumarin-3-carbaldehyde

In the reaction of 4-chlorocoumarin-3-carbaldehyde with malononitrile in the presence of piperidine a crystalline piperidinium salt of a novel tetracyclic chromeno[4,3,2-de]-1,6-naphthyridine-2-carboxylic acid was isolated instead of the expected product of the "tert-amino effect". The structure of this piperidinium salt and its corresponding acidic form was characterized through spectral methods (IR, NMR, MS) and elemental analysis. In addition, the structure was established by means of X-ray crystallographic analysis. A theoretical multistep mechanism for this one-pot synthesis is discussed

A systems approach towards an intelligent and self-controlling platform for integrated continuous reaction sequences.

Performing reactions in flow can offer major advantages over batch methods. However, laboratory flow chemistry processes are currently often limited to single steps or short sequences due to the complexity involved with operating a multi-step process. Using new modular components for downstream processing, coupled with control technologies, more advanced multi-step flow sequences can be realized. These tools are applied to the synthesis of 2-aminoadamantane-2-carboxylic acid. A system comprising three chemistry steps and three workup steps was developed, having sufficient autonomy and self-regulation to be managed by a single operator.The authors gratefully acknowledge support from Ralph Raphael Scholarship (RJI), Woolf Fisher Trust (DEF), UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (ES and SVL) and Pfizer Worldwide Research and Development (CB and JMH).This is thefinal version. It was first published by Wiley at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/anie.201409356/abstrac

Direct Dynamic Protein-Affinity Selection Mass-Spectrometry

A new methodology is described enabling the affinity screening of potential ligands towards the human estrogen receptor alpha ligand binding domain (ERα-LBD). In-solution incubation is performed of the analyte and the His-tagged ERα-LBD. The bound complex is immobilized on a nickel-loaded protein-affinity selection column, where after the unbound fraction is removed. The immobilized protein–ligand complex is exposed to a decreased pH value and an increased organic modifier concentration releasing the ligand for MS detection, and precipitating the proteins on a filter positioned between the affinity column and the mass spectrometer. The trapping column can be regenerated for reuse at least 70 times. The advantages of the methodology over existing methodologies are the absence of a pre-concentration as well as a chromatographic separation step, resulting in a significantly shorter analysis time compared to previously described procedures, and in addition, allowing the determination of solutes with unfavorable chromatographic properties. The overall analysis time now can be reduced about 250% to approximately 6 min. Replacing the filters after every measurement results in an intra-day standard deviation of 14.8% and an inter-day standard deviation of 21.3%

Synthesis of metal-organic frameworks by continuous flow

A continuous flow process for the synthesis of a metal-organic framework using only water as the reaction medium and requiring only short residence times is described. This affords a new route to scale-up of materials incorporating many of the principles of green chemistry. The process is demonstrated by the synthesis MIL-53(Al) via continuous flow reaction requiring only 5-6 minutes with a space time yield of 1300 kg m-3 d-1. We have demonstrated the synthesis of 500 g of MIL-53(Al) using this process, which can be scaled-up further by simply feeding further solutions of metal salt and ligand through the reactor. The product has a higher surface area and a better colour than a commercially produced sample of this MOF. In addition, a new and effective method for the extraction of terephthalic acid from within the pores of MIL-53(Al) using supercritical ethanol has been developed, representing a new methodology for activation and removal of substrates from porous hosts

Recyclable glucose-derived palladium(0) nanoparticles as in situ-formed catalysts for cross-coupling reactions in aqueous media

In situ-generated, glucose-derived palladium(0) nanoparticles were shown to be convenient and effective catalysts for aqueous Mizoroki-Heck, Sonogashira and Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reactions. The addition of only 4-10 mol glucose to the reaction mixture lead to a significant increase in yield of the desired products in comparison to processes that omitted the renewable sugar. Interestingly, the Mizoroki-Heck reaction was observed to proceed in good yield even as the reaction reached acidic pH levels. Extensive analysis of the size and morphology of the in situ-formed palladium nanoparticles using advanced analytical techniques showed that the zero valent metal was surrounded by hydrophilic hydroxyl groups. The increased aqueous phase affinity afforded by these groups allowed for facile recycling of the catalyst