Primetime dispute resolution: Reality TV mediation shows in china's "harmonious society"

Through a case study of reality TV mediation shows, this article joins the debate about the recent promotion of formal and informal mediation by the Chinese government, what some scholars have called a "turn against law" (Minzner 2011). We identify three converging reasons for the sudden popularity of mediation shows on Chinese primetime television: (1) the desire of TV producers to commercially exploit interpersonal conflicts without fanning the flames of social instability; (2) the demands of official censors for TV programming promoting a "harmonious society"; and (3) the requirement for courts and other government institutions to publicly demonstrate their support for mediation as the most "appropriate" method for resolving interpersonal and neighborhood disputes. Cases drawn from two top-rated mediation shows demonstrate how they privilege morality and "human feeling" (ganqing) over narrow application of the law. Such shows could be viewed merely as a form of propaganda, what Nader has called a "harmony ideology"-an attempt by the government to suppress the legitimate expression of social conflict. Yet while recognizing that further political, social, and legal reforms are necessary to address the root causes of social conflict in China, we conclude that TV mediation shows can help to educate viewers about the benefits and drawbacks of mediation for resolving certain narrow kinds of domestic and neighborhood disputes. © 2013 Law and Society Association

Coordination Sphere Hydrogen Bonding as a Structural Element in Metal-Organic Frameworks

In the design of new metal–organic frameworks, the constant challenges of framework stability and structural predictability continue to influence ligand choice in favour of well-studied dicarboxylates and similar ligands. However, a small subset of known MOF ligands contains suitable functionality for coordination sphere hydrogen bonding which can provide new opportunities in ligand design. Such interactions may serve to support and rigidity the coordination geometry of mononuclear coordination spheres, as well as providing extra thermodynamic and kinetic stabilisation to meet the challenge of hydrolytic stability in these materials. In this perspective, a collection of pyrazole, amine, amide and carboxylic acid containing species are examined through the lens of (primarily) inner-sphere hydrogen bonding. The influence of these interactions is then related to the overall structure, stability and function of these materials, to provide starting points for harnessing these interactions in future materials design

Fused aza-heterocyclic ligands: expanding the MOF chemist's toolbox

Fused azolate ligands are hydrolytically-stable linkers for metal–organic frameworks. Their unique geometries and capacity for functionalisation have opened new pathways at the convergence of simple N-heterocycles and biologically relevant purines.</jats:p

Synthesis of alpha-amino acid derived (1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)-picolinamide (tzpa) ligands and their corresponding luminescent Tb(iii) complexes

The synthesis of chiral a-amino acid derived (1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)-picolinamide (tzpa) ligands 4-6 designed by combining the coordination properties of two well-known ligand structures within a single unit is described. The self-assembly formation between these ligands and the lanthanide ion Tb(iii) was investigated in solution by probing the ground and the singlet excited state properties of the ligands as well as monitoring the evolution of the Tb(iii) emission at long wavelengths. The spectroscopic results showed that while under thermodynamic control the 1 : 3 (Tb : L) is produced, then analysis of the titration data using non-liner regression analysis demonstrated that the main species in solution is the 1 : 2 (Tb : L) after the addition of 0.5 equivalents of Tb(iii)

Norbornene chaotropic salts as low molecular mass ionic organogelators (LMIOGs)

Phenylalanine functionalised norbornene (9:Na) functions as a potent, low molecular-mass (MW = 333 Da) ionic organogelator with a minimum gelating concentration of 0.5 wt% in THF, i-PrOH, 1,4-dioxane and n-BuOH. Fibrous crystals form in the gel and X-ray crystallography identified a cation mediated helical assembly process controlled by the chirality of the phenylalanine. In additon to excellent gelating properties 9:Na readily forms aqueous biphasic and triphasic systems

Tripodal 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxamide ligand with dipicolinic acid units and its binding with Eu(III) ions

The synthesis and characterisation of tripodal ligand 1 containing 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxamide core and diethyl 4-(phenylethynyl)pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylate is described. The crystal structure of the intermediate tripodal molecule 7 exhibits an unusual staggered hydrogen-bonded chain motif instead of the anticipated helical assembly. We studied the basic photophysical properties of 1 in solvents of various polarity including CH3OH, CH3CN, DMSO, and CHCl3. The self-assembly experiments between 1 and Eu(CF3SO3)3⋅6H2O confirmed the formation of metal-ligand self-assembly species in the solution of CH3CN. It was also shown that the excitation of the Eu(III)-centred emission in such species occurred through the energy transfer from the ligand acting as an antenna to the metal centre. The binding constant values were evaluated using the nonlinear regression analysis software SPECFIT®, and their values correspond to those previously observed for the assemblies between 2,6-dipicolinic acid derivatives and lanthanide ions. This work describes the synthesis of tripodal 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxamide ligand with dipicolinic acid units and its binding with Eu(III) ions in solution. The photophysical properties of the target tripodal ligand were studied in solvents of various polarity. The self-assembly experiments between the ligand and Eu(III) ions in solution confirmed the formation of luminescent metal-ligand self-assembly species.</p

A Series of Manganese(III) Salen Complexes as a Result of Team-Based Inquiry in a Transnational Education Programme.

The development of a team-based approach to research-led transnational practical chemistry teaching is described in which a team of five Chinese students on an articulated transnational degree programme, supported by a team of academic and technical staff, carried out a study examining the structural chemistry of a series of manganese(III) salen complexes. A series of four crystallographically characterized manganese(III) salen complexes with ancillary carboxylate ligands are reported here. The carboxylate coordination modes range from the bridging syn-anti μ2 -κO : κO' mode observed in the predominant cyclohexanoate and isobutyrate species, to a capping terminal monodentate mode for the adamantanoate species, and an unusual mixture of bridging and terminal coordination modes observed in a second minor phase of the cyclohexanoate species. The variation on extended structures based on the weakly interacting aliphatic backbones may provide a useful basis for further structural studies