Nickel(II) metal-organic frameworks with N,N’-di(4-pyridyl)-1,4,5,8-naphthalenetetracarboxydiimide ligands: influence of secondary building unit geometry on dimensionality and framework dimensions

When Ni(NO3)2∙6H2O and N,N’-di(4-pyridyl)-1,4,5,8-naphthalenetetracarboxydiimide (DPNDI) are reacted, a one-dimensional coordination polymer (1) is formed. However, reaction with either terephthalic acid (2) or 2,6-naphthalenedicarboxylic acid (3) affords two-dimensional, pillared metal-organic frameworks. 2 and 3 containing rectangular voids of different dimensions which are dictated by the carboxylate ligand and the arrangement of the [M(k2-O2NO)]2(μ2-O2CR)2] secondary building unit (SBU) that forms the nodes of the framework. The role of SBU geometry, intermolecular face-to-face π–π and lone pair–π interactions involving the DPNDI ligands are discussed

Restricting shuttling in bis(imidazolium)…pillar[5]arene rotaxanes using metal coordination

Metal coordination to a series of bis(imidazolium)…pillar[5]arene [2]rotaxanes through the formation of metal-carbene bonds facilitates a new strategy to restrict the shuttling motion in [2]rotaxanes. Whereas the pillar[5]arene macrocycle rapidly shuttles along the full length of the bis(imidazolium) rod for the parent [2]rotaxane, Ag(I) coordination to the imidazolium groups through the formation of N-heterocyclic carbenes leads to restricted motion, effectively confining the shuttling motion of the [2]rotaxane. The Ag(I) coordinated [2]rotaxanes can be reacted further, either removing the Agcarbene species to recreate the parent [2]rotaxane, or reaction with more bulky Pd(II) species to further restrict the shuttling motion through steric inhibition

Syntheses and characterization of aryl-substituted pyrogallol[4]arenes and resorcin[4]arenes

Thirteen aryl-substituted pyrogallol[4]arene and resorcin[4]arenes structures are synthesized and characterized. The effect of the varying aryl pendent groups on π–π distance, the inward tilt of the pendent –R groups, the twist angle of the pendent –R groups, and the angle between the pendent –R groups is methodically investigated and discussed.</p

Donor-acceptor dyads and triads employing core-substituted naphthalene diimides:a synthetic and spectro (electrochemical) study

Donor-acceptor dyads and triads comprising core-substituted naphthalene diimide (NDI) chromophores and either phenothiazine or phenoxazine donors are described. Synthesis combined with electrochemical and spectroelectrochemical investigations facilitates characterisation of the various redox states of these molecules, confirming the ability to combine arrays of electron donating and accepting moieties into single species that retain the redox properties of these individual moieties

Thionated perylene diimides with intense absorbance in the near-IR

A synthetic strategy involving a combination of tetra-thionation and amine substitution in the bay region of a perylene diimide (PDI) leads to remarkable examples of neutral PDIs with intense absorption maxima in the near infrared. Generation of the corresponding monoanions red shifts the absorption profile to give short-wavelength infrared bands

Influence of hydrogen-bonding interactions on nuclearity and structure of palladium tiara-like complexes

The role of intramolecular hydrogen-bonding interactions upon the nuclearity of palladium tiara-like complexes is reported herein. The synthesis of three palladium tiaras is described with three related thiolate ligands that vary in their hydrogen-bonding capability, amide vs ester for Nacetylcysteamine (tiara 1) vs 2-mercaptoethyl acetate (tiara 2) or ethyl thioglycolate (tiara 3), and in the relative position of the ester group, 2-mercaptoethyl acetate (2) or ethyl thioglycolate (3). Mass spectrometry indicates that, in the absence of protic solvents, N-acetylcysteamine reacts to form exclusively a six-membered tiara, [Pd(SCH2CH2NHCOCH3)2]6, 1, whereas the ester containing analogues form both six- and eight-membered tiaras. Singlecrystal X-ray diffraction studies indicate the significance of intramolecular N−H···O hydrogen bonds in determining the nuclearity of the amide-containing tiara 1. NMR studies indicate that 1 is not in equilibrium with larger tiaras in solution, and that the smaller size of the aggregate inhibits the fluxional behavior of the pendant thiolate ligands, typically observed for larger tiaras. Electrochemical investigations of 1 reveal reductive processes that exhibit an increase in current upon addition of acid, along with the formation of palladium nanoparticles

Thionated naphthalene diimides: tuneable chromophores for applications in photoactive dyads

Varying the degree of thionation of a series of naphthalene diimide (NDI) and naphthalic imides (NI) phenothiazine dyad systems afford a systematic approach for tuning of the system’s donor-acceptor energy gap. Each dyad was compared to model NDI/NI systems and fully characterised through single crystal X-ray diffraction, NMR, cyclic voltammetry, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), transient absorption spectroscopy (TA), time-resolved infra-red spectroscopy (TRIR) and DFT. The measurements reveal that thionation increases both electron affinity of the NDI/NI acceptor dyad component and accessibility of the singly or doubly reduced states. Furthermore, FTIR and TA measurements show that excited state behaviour is greatly affected by thionation of the NDI and induces a decrease in the lifetime of the excited states formed upon the creation of charge-separated states

Worldwide trends in underweight and obesity from 1990 to 2022: a pooled analysis of 3663 population-representative studies with 222 million children, adolescents, and adults

Background Underweight and obesity are associated with adverse health outcomes throughout the life course. We estimated the individual and combined prevalence of underweight or thinness and obesity, and their changes, from 1990 to 2022 for adults and school-aged children and adolescents in 200 countries and territories. Methods We used data from 3663 population-based studies with 222 million participants that measured height and weight in representative samples of the general population. We used a Bayesian hierarchical model to estimate trends in the prevalence of different BMI categories, separately for adults (age ≥20 years) and school-aged children and adolescents (age 5–19 years), from 1990 to 2022 for 200 countries and territories. For adults, we report the individual and combined prevalence of underweight (BMI &lt;18·5 kg/m2) and obesity (BMI ≥30 kg/m2). For school&#x2;aged children and adolescents, we report thinness (BMI &lt;2 SD below the median of the WHO growth reference) and obesity (BMI &gt;2 SD above the median). Findings From 1990 to 2022, the combined prevalence of underweight and obesity in adults decreased in 11 countries (6%) for women and 17 (9%) for men with a posterior probability of at least 0·80 that the observed changes were true decreases. The combined prevalence increased in 162 countries (81%) for women and 140 countries (70%) for men with a posterior probability of at least 0·80. In 2022, the combined prevalence of underweight and obesity was highest in island nations in the Caribbean and Polynesia and Micronesia, and countries in the Middle East and north Africa. Obesity prevalence was higher than underweight with posterior probability of at least 0·80 in 177 countries (89%) for women and 145 (73%) for men in 2022, whereas the converse was true in 16 countries (8%) for women, and 39 (20%) for men. From 1990 to 2022, the combined prevalence of thinness and obesity decreased among girls in five countries (3%) and among boys in 15 countries (8%) with a posterior probability of at least 0·80, and increased among girls in 140 countries (70%) and boys in 137 countries (69%) with a posterior probability of at least 0·80. The countries with highest combined prevalence of thinness and obesity in school-aged children and adolescents in 2022 were in Polynesia and Micronesia and the Caribbean for both sexes, and Chile and Qatar for boys. Combined prevalence was also high in some countries in south Asia, such as India and Pakistan, where thinness remained prevalent despite having declined. In 2022, obesity in school-aged children and adolescents was more prevalent than thinness with a posterior probability of at least 0·80 among girls in 133 countries (67%) and boys in 125 countries (63%), whereas the converse was true in 35 countries (18%) and 42 countries (21%), respectively. In almost all countries for both adults and school-aged children and adolescents, the increases in double burden were driven by increases in obesity, and decreases in double burden by declining underweight or thinness. Interpretation The combined burden of underweight and obesity has increased in most countries, driven by an increase in obesity, while underweight and thinness remain prevalent in south Asia and parts of Africa. A healthy nutrition transition that enhances access to nutritious foods is needed to address the remaining burden of underweight while curbing and reversing the increase in obesit

Finishing the euchromatic sequence of the human genome

The sequence of the human genome encodes the genetic instructions for human physiology, as well as rich information about human evolution. In 2001, the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium reported a draft sequence of the euchromatic portion of the human genome. Since then, the international collaboration has worked to convert this draft into a genome sequence with high accuracy and nearly complete coverage. Here, we report the result of this finishing process. The current genome sequence (Build 35) contains 2.85 billion nucleotides interrupted by only 341 gaps. It covers ∼99% of the euchromatic genome and is accurate to an error rate of ∼1 event per 100,000 bases. Many of the remaining euchromatic gaps are associated with segmental duplications and will require focused work with new methods. The near-complete sequence, the first for a vertebrate, greatly improves the precision of biological analyses of the human genome including studies of gene number, birth and death. Notably, the human enome seems to encode only 20,000-25,000 protein-coding genes. The genome sequence reported here should serve as a firm foundation for biomedical research in the decades ahead

Complexity of two-dimensional self-assembled arrays at surfaces

The developing field of complexity in self-assembled systems on surfaces is discussed.</p