Applications of Boron Cluster Supramolecular Frameworks as Metal-Free Chemodynamic Therapy Agents for Melanoma.

Chemodynamic therapy (CDT) is a highly targeted approach to treat cancer since it converts hydrogen peroxide into harmful hydroxyl radicals (OH·) through Fenton or Fenton-like reactions. However, the systemic toxicity of metal-based CDT agents has limited their clinical applications. Herein, a metal-free CDT agent: 2,4,6-tri(4-pyridyl)-1,3,5-triazine (TPT)/ [closo-B12 H12 ]2- (TPT@ B12 H12 ) is reported. Compared to the traditional metal-based CDT agents, TPT@B12 H12 is free of metal avoiding cumulative toxicity during long-term therapy. Density functional theory (DFT) calculation revealed that TPT@B12 H12 decreased the activation barrier more than 3.5 times being a more effective catalyst than the Fe2+ ion (the Fenton reaction), which decreases the barrier about twice. Mechanismly, the theory calculation indicated that both [B12 H12 ]-· and [TPT-H]2+ have the capacity to decompose hydrogen into 1 O2 , OH·, and O2 -· . With electron paramagnetic resonance and fluorescent probes, it is confirmed that TPT@B12 H12 increases the levels of 1 O2 , OH·, and O2 -· . More importantly, TPT@B12 H12 effectively suppress the melanoma growth both in vitro and in vivo through 1 O2 , OH·, and O2 -· generation. This study specifically highlights the great clinical translational potential of TPT@B12 H12 as a CDT reagent.

Efficient characterization of multiple binding sites of small molecule imaging ligands on amyloid-beta, tau and alpha-synuclein.

PURPOSE: There is an unmet need for compounds to detect fibrillar forms of alpha-synuclein (αSyn) and 4-repeat tau, which are critical in many neurodegenerative diseases. Here, we aim to develop an efficient surface plasmon resonance (SPR)-based assay to facilitate the characterization of small molecules that can bind these fibrils. METHODS: SPR measurements were conducted to characterize the binding properties of fluorescent ligands/compounds toward recombinant amyloid-beta (Aß)42, K18-tau, full-length 2N4R-tau and αSyn fibrils. In silico modeling was performed to examine the binding pockets of ligands on αSyn fibrils. Immunofluorescence staining of postmortem brain tissue slices from Parkinson's disease patients and mouse models was performed with fluorescence ligands and specific antibodies. RESULTS: We optimized the protocol for the immobilization of Aß42, K18-tau, full-length 2N4R-tau and αSyn fibrils in a controlled aggregation state on SPR-sensor chips and for assessing their binding to ligands. The SPR results from the analysis of binding kinetics suggested the presence of at least two binding sites for all fibrils, including luminescent conjugated oligothiophenes, benzothiazole derivatives, nonfluorescent methylene blue and lansoprazole. In silico modeling studies for αSyn (6H6B) revealed four binding sites with a preference for one site on the surface. Immunofluorescence staining validated the detection of pS129-αSyn positivity in the brains of Parkinson's disease patients and αSyn preformed-fibril injected mice, 6E10-positive Aß in arcAß mice, and AT-8/AT-100-positivity in pR5 mice. CONCLUSION: SPR measurements of small molecules binding to Aß42, K18/full-length 2N4R-tau and αSyn fibrils suggested the existence of multiple binding sites. This approach may provide efficient characterization of compounds for neurodegenerative disease-relevant proteinopathies.

Ab initio calculations of the spectra and lifetimes of the lead dimer.

Owing to the key role of the lead dimer (Pb2) as a heavy element benchmark for the Group IV-A dimers the assignment of its spectroscopic properties and chemical bonding is an important undertaking. To meet this demand, the present work provides comprehensive and detailed information on electronic structure and properties comprising a wide set of Pb2 states. Calculations are performed by a high-level ab initio approach. Firstly, the potential energy curves (PECs) of 19 Λ-S states as well as those of 24 ungerade Ω states are calculated by utilizing the multi-reference configuration interaction plus Davidson correction (MRCI + Q) method taking into account core-valence correlation (CV) and spin-orbit coupling (SOC) effect, where Ω is a quantum number of the total (Λ + S) angular momentum projection. Secondly, interactions between the bound F3Σ-u, 23Σ+u states and repulsive 15Πu state induced by strong SOC are discussed based on the PECs analysis and calculated SOC matrix, which also indicates that the F3Σ-u state is predissociative. Thirdly, based on the calculated electric dipole transition moments and energy gaps between the 0+u(III), F0+u(II), C0+u(I) and X0+g states, the intense absorption bands of Pb2 due to these transitions are interpreted. Our results indicate that the trends in intensity of absorption spectra (F0+u(II), C0+u(I) ← X0+g) in the range of 12 600-13 600 and 22 200-23 800 cm-1 are consistent with the previously observed spectra of Pb2 in the qualitatively similar regions (15 200-16 200 and 19 800-21 800 cm-1). Finally, the calculated intensity of the weak magnetic-dipole transitions from the singlet excited b1Σ+g and a1Δg states to the triplet ground X3Σ-g state and their electric quadrupole components are presented for the Pb2 molecule in terms of SOC perturbations for the calculated Ω states expressed in Λ-S state notation. Based on our theoretical assignment, we predict that the weak emission a1Δg2 → X3Σ-g1 bands could be observed experimentally. The present work provides comprehensive electronic structure information and sheds new light on the absorption and emission spectra of the Pb2 dimer.

Engineering Tunable Ratiometric Dual Emission in Single Emitter-based Amorphous Systems.

Molecular emitters with multi-emissive properties are in high demand in numerous fields, while these properties basically depend on specific molecular conformation and packing. For amorphous systems, special molecular arrangement is unnecessary, but it remains challenging to achieve such luminescent behaviors. Herein, we present a general strategy that takes advantage of molecular rigidity and S1 -T1 energy gap balance for emitter design, which enables fluorescence-phosphorescence dual-emission properties in various solid forms, whether crystalline or amorphous. Subsequently, the amorphism of the emitters based polymethyl methacrylate films endowed an in situ regulation of the dual-emissive characteristics. With the ratiometric regulation of phosphorescence by external stimuli and stable fluorescence as internal reference, highly controllable luminescent color tuning (yellow to blue including white emission) was achieved. There properties together with a persistent luminous behavior is of benefit for an irreplaceable set of optical information combination, featuring an ultrahigh-security anti-counterfeiting ability. Our research introduces a concept of eliminating the crystal-form and molecular-conformational dependence of complex luminescent properties through emitter molecular design. This has profound implications for the development of functional materials.

Suppression of Cation Intermixing Highly Boosts the Performance of Core-Shell Lanthanide Upconversion Nanoparticles.

Lanthanide upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) have been extensively explored as biomarkers, energy transducers, and information carriers in wide-ranging applications in areas from healthcare and energy to information technology. In promoting the brightness and enriching the functionalities of UCNPs, core-shell structural engineering has been well-established as an important approach. Despite its importance, a strong limiting issue has been identified, namely, cation intermixing in the interfacial region of the synthesized core-shell nanoparticles. Currently, there still exists confusion regarding this destructive phenomenon and there is a lack of facile means to reach a delicate control of it. By means of a new set of experiments, we identify and provide in this work a comprehensive picture for the major physical mechanism of cation intermixing occurring in synthesis of core-shell UCNPs, i.e., partial or substantial core nanoparticle dissolution followed by epitaxial growth of the outer layer and ripening of the entire particle. Based on this picture, we provide an easy but effective approach to tackle this issue that enables us to produce UCNPs with highly boosted optical properties.

Highly Efficient Room-Temperature Light-Induced Synthesis of Polymer Dots: A Programming Control Paradigm of Polymer Nanostructurization from Single-Component Precursor.

Polymer dots (PDs) have raised considerable research interest due to their advantages of designable nanostructures, high biocompatibility, versatile photoluminescent properties, and recyclability as nanophase. However, there remains a lack of in situ, real-time, and noncontact methods for synthesizing PDs. Here we report a rational strategy to synthesize PDs through a well-designed single-component precursor (an asymmetrical donor-acceptor-donor' molecular structure) by photoirradiation at ambient temperature. In contrast to thermal processes that normally lack atomic economy, our method is mild and successive, based on an aggregation-promoted sulfonimidization triggered by photoinduced delocalized intrinsic radical cations for polymerization, followed by photooxidation for termination with structural shaping to form PDs. This synthetic approach excludes any external additives, rendering a conversion rate of the precursor exceeding 99%. The prepared PDs, as a single entity, can realize the integration of nanocore luminescence and precursor-transferred luminescence, showing 41.5% of the total absolute luminescence quantum efficiency, which is higher than most reported PD cases. Based on these photoluminescent properties, together with the superior biocompatibility, a unique membrane microenvironmental biodetection could be exemplified. This strategy with programming control of the single precursor can serve as a significant step toward polymer nanomanufacturing with remote control, high-efficiency, precision, and real-time operability.

Direct Observation of Photon Induced Giant Band Renormalization in 2D PdSe2 Dichalcogenide by Transient Absorption Spectroscopy.

Insight into fundamental light-matter interaction as well as underlying photo-physical processes is crucial for the development of novel optoelectronic devices. Palladium diselenide (PdSe2 ), an important representative of emerging 2D noble metal dichalcogenides, has gain considerable attention owing to its unique optical, physical, and chemical properties. In this study, 2D PdSe2 nanosheets (NSs) are prepared using the liquid-phase exfoliation method. A broadband carrier relaxation dynamics from visible to near-infrared bands are revealed using a time-resolved transient absorption spectrometer, giving results that indicate band filling and bandgap renormalization (BGR) effects in the 2D PdSe2 NSs. The observed blue-shift of the transient absorption spectra at the primary stage and the subsequent red-shift can be ascribed to this BGR effect. These findings reveal the many-body character of the 2D TMDs material and may hold keys for applications in the field of optoelectronics and ultrafast photonics.

Characterization and protein engineering of glycosyltransferases for the biosynthesis of diverse hepatoprotective cycloartane-type saponins in Astragalus membranaceus.

Although plant secondary metabolites are important source of new drugs, obtaining these compounds is challenging due to their high structural diversity and low abundance. The roots of Astragalus membranaceus are a popular herbal medicine worldwide. It contains a series of cycloartane-type saponins (astragalosides) as hepatoprotective and antivirus components. However, astragalosides exhibit complex sugar substitution patterns which hindered their purification and bioactivity investigation. In this work, glycosyltransferases (GT) from A. membranaceus were studied to synthesize structurally diverse astragalosides. Three new GTs, AmGT1/5 and AmGT9, were characterized as 3-O-glycosyltransferase and 25-O-glycosyltransferase of cycloastragenol respectively. AmGT1G146V/I variants were obtained as specific 3-O-xylosyltransferases by sequence alignment, molecular modelling and site-directed mutagenesis. A combinatorial synthesis system was established using AmGT1/5/9, AmGT1G146V/S and the reported AmGT8 and AmGT8A394F . The system allowed the synthesis of 13 astragalosides in Astragalus root with conversion rates from 22.6% to 98.7%, covering most of the sugar-substitution patterns for astragalosides. In addition, AmGT1 exhibited remarkable sugar donor promiscuity to use 10 different donors, and was used to synthesize three novel astragalosides and ginsenosides. Glycosylation remarkably improved the hepatoprotective and SARS-CoV-2 inhibition activities for triterpenoids. This is one of the first attempts to produce a series of herbal constituents via combinatorial synthesis. The results provided new biocatalytic tools for saponin biosynthesis.

Ethanol in Aqueous Solution Studied by Microjet Photoelectron Spectroscopy and Theory.

By combining results and analysis from cylindrical microjet photoelectron spectroscopy (cMJ-PES) and theoretical simulations, we unravel the microscopic properties of ethanol-water solutions with respect to structure and intermolecular bonding patterns following the full concentration scale from 0 to 100% ethanol content. In particular, we highlight the salient differences between bulk and surface. Like for the pure water and alcohol constituents, alcohol-water mixtures have attracted much interest in applications of X-ray spectroscopies owing to their potential of combining electronic and geometric structure probing. The water mixtures of the two simplest alcohols, methanol and ethanol, have generated particular attention due to their delicate hydrogen bonding networks that underlie their structural and thermodynamic properties. Macroscopically ethanol-water seems to mix very well, however microscopically this is not true. The aberrant thermodynamics of water-alcohol mixtures have been suggested to be caused by energy differences of hydrogen bonding between water-water, alcohol-alcohol and alcohol-water molecules. These networks may perturb the local character of the interaction between X-rays and matter, calling for analysis that go beyond the normally applied local selection and building block rules and that can combine the effects of light-matter, intra- and intermolecular interactions. However, despite decades of ongoing research there are still controversies of the precise nature of hydrogen bonding networks that underlie the mixing of these simple molecules. Our combined analysis indicates that at low concentration ethanol molecules form a film at the surface since ethanol at the surface can expose its hydrophobic part to the vacuum retaining its two (or three) possible hydrogen bonds, while water at the surface cannot retain all its four possible hydrogen bonds. Thus, ethanol at the surface becomes energetically favorable. Ethanol molecules show a tilting angle variation of the C-C axis with respect to the surface normal as large as 60° at very low concentration. In bulk, around ca. ten %, the ethanol oxygen atoms tend to make a third acceptor hydrogen bond to water molecules. At ca. 20 %, there is a U-shaped change in the CH3 to CH2OH binding energy (BE) shift indicating the presence of ring-like agglomerates called clathrate structures. At the surface, between 5 and 25%, ethanol forms a closely packed layer with the smallest C-C tilting angle variation down to ∼20°. Above 25% and below the azeotrope at the surface, ethanol shows an increase in the tilting angle variation, while at very high ethanol concentrations water tends to move to the surface so giving a microscopic explanation of the azeotrope effect. This migration is connected to the presence of longer (shorter) ethanol chains in the bulk (surface). A brief comparison with discussions and predictions from other spectroscopic techniques is also given. We emphasize the execution of an integrated approach that combines molecular structural dynamics with quantum predictions of the core electronic chemical shift, so establishing a protocol with considerable interpretative as well as predictive power for cMJ-PES measurements. We believe that this protocol can valorize cMJ-PES for studies of properties of other alcohol mixtures as well as of binary solutions in general.

Superficial Tale of Two Functional Groups: On the Surface Propensity of Aqueous Carboxylic Acids, Alkyl Amines, and Amino Acids.

The gas-liquid interface of water is environmentally relevant due to the abundance of aqueous aerosol particles in the atmosphere. Aqueous aerosols often contain a significant fraction of organics. As aerosol particles are small, surface effects are substantial but not yet well understood. One starting point for studying the surface of aerosols is to investigate the surface of aqueous solutions. We review here studies of the surface composition of aqueous solutions using liquid-jet photoelectron spectroscopy in combination with theoretical simulations. Our focus is on model systems containing two functional groups, the carboxylic group and the amine group, which are both common in atmospheric organics. For alkanoic carboxylic acids and alkyl amines, we find that the surface propensity of such amphiphiles can be considered to be a balance between the hydrophilic interactions of the functional group and the hydrophobic interactions of the alkyl chain. For the same chain length, the neutral alkyl amine has a lower surface propensity than the neutral alkanoic carboxylic acid, whereas the surface propensity of the corresponding alkyl ammonium ion is higher than that of the alkanoic carboxylate ion. This different propensity leads to a pH-dependent surface composition which differs from the bulk, with the neutral forms having a much higher surface propensity than the charged ones. In aerosols, alkanoic carboxylic acids and alkyl amines are often found together. For such mixed systems, we find that the oppositely charged molecular ions form ion pairs at the surface. This cooperative behavior leads to a more organic-rich and hydrophobic surface than would be expected in a wide, environmentally relevant pH range. Amino acids contain a carboxylic and an amine group, and amino acids of biological origin are found in aerosols. Depending on the side group, we observe surface propensity ranging from surface-depleted to enriched by a factor of 10. Cysteine contains one more titratable group, which makes it exhibit more complex behavior, with some protonation states found only at the surface and not in the bulk. Moreover, the presence of molecular ions at the surface is seen to affect the distribution of inorganic ions. As the charge of the molecular ions changes with protonation, the effects on the inorganic ions also exhibit a pH dependence. Our results show that for these systems the surface composition differs from the bulk and changes with pH and that the results obtained for single-component solutions may be modified by ion-ion interactions in the case of mixed solutions.

Superatom Molecular Orbitals of Endohedral C82.

Understanding superatom molecular orbital (SAMO) states in fullerene derivatives has been in the limelight ever since the first discovery of SAMOs owing to the fundamental interest in this topic as well as to the possible applications in molecular switches and other organic electronics. Nevertheless, very few reports have been published on SAMO states of larger fullerenes so far. Using density functional theory, we attempt to partially remedy this situation by presenting a study on SAMO states in C82 and its Ca and Sc endohedrally doped derivatives, comparing results with previous relevant findings for C60. We find that C82 possesses higher SAMO energies compared to C60, as associated with the symmetry of the molecule, and that endohedral doping leads to energetically favorable side positions of Ca and Sc inside the C82 cage. Among the two, Sc@C82 has more stable SAMO states compared to Ca@C82 as reflected by the shift in the density of states, while the charge states are found to be similar. In the case of the monolayer form, the pz- and 2s-SAMO orbitals overlap with the nearest neighbors, causing parabolic band dispersion with the formation of near free electron states and that the SAMO state energies move closer to the Fermi energy compared to the related molecules. These findings provide promising information about the distribution of SAMO states in C82 fullerene, which can be further relevant in studies of SAMO states of higher fullerenes and for coming applications of these systems.

Prediction of new spin-forbidden transitions in the N2 molecule-the electric dipole A'5Σg + → A3Σu + and magnetic dipole a'1Σu -← A3Σu + transitions.

On the ground of multi-reference configuration interaction calculations with an account of spin-orbit coupling, we have predicted the probability of two unknown spin-forbidden transitions in the spectrum of the N2 molecule: the electric dipole A'5Σg + → A3Σu + emission system and the magnetic dipole a'1Σu - ← A3Σu + transition. The radiative lifetime of the lowest A'5Σg + sublevel is less than a microsecond; the magnetic transition induced by the spin current in the triplet state is predicted with relatively low oscillator strength (f = 10-10), which still could be detectable.

In Silico and In Vitro Study towards the Rational Design of 4,4'-Disarylbisthiazoles as a Selective α-Synucleinopathy Biomarker.

The α-synucleinopathies are a group of neurodegenerative diseases characterized by the deposition of α-synuclein aggregates (α-syn) in the brain. Currently, there is no suitable tracer to enable a definitive early diagnosis of these diseases. We reported candidates based on 4,4'-disarylbisthiazole (DABTA) scaffold with a high affinity towards α-syn and excellent selectivity over Aß and tau fibrils. Based on prior in silico studies, a focused library of 23 halogen-containing and O-methylated DABTAs was prepared. The DABTAs were synthesized via a modified two-step Hantzsch thiazole synthesis, characterized, and used in competitive binding assays against [3H]PiB and [3H]DCVJ. The DABTAs were obtained with an overall chemical yield of 15-71%, and showed a calculated lipophilicity of 2.5-5.7. The ligands demonstrated an excellent affinity to α-syn with both [3H]PiB and [3H]DCVJ: Ki 0.1-4.9 nM and up to 20-3900-fold selectivity over Aß and tau fibrils. It could be concluded that in silico simulation is useful for the rational design of a new generation of DABTAs. Further investigation of the leads in the next step is encouraged: radiolabeling of the ligands with radioisotopes such as fluorine-18 or carbon-11 for in vivo, ex vivo, and translational research and for further in vitro experiments on human-derived protein aggregates.

Boosting the Efficiency of Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells by a Multifunctional Composite Photoanode to 14.13 .

We report a new strategy to fabricate a multifunctional composite photoanode containing TiO2 hollow spheres (TiO2 -HSs), Au nanoparticles (AuNPs) and novel NaYF4 : Yb,Er@NaLuF4 : Eu@SiO2 upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs). The AuNPs are grown on the photoanode film including TiO2 -HSs and UCNPs by a simple in situ plasmonic treatment. As a result, an impressive power conversion efficiency of 14.13 % is obtained, which is a record for N719 dye-based dye-sensitized solar cells, demonstrating great potential for the solar cells toward commercialization. This obvious enhancement is ascribed to a collaborative mechanism of the TiO2 -HSs exhibiting excellent light-scattering ability, of the UCNPs converting near-infrared photons into visible photons and of the AuNPs presenting outstanding surface plasmon resonance effect. Notably, a steady-state experiment further reveals that the champion cell exhibits 95.33 % retainment in efficiency even after 180 h of measurements, showing good device stability.

Antiaromatic Sapphyrin Isomer: Transformation into Contracted Porphyrinoids with Variable Aromaticity.

Sapphyrin is a pentapyrrolic expanded porphyrin with a 22π aromatic character. Herein, we report the synthesis of a 20π antiaromatic sapphyrin isomer 1 by oxidative cyclization of a pentapyrrane precursor P5 with a terminal ß-linked pyrrole. The resulting isomer 1, containing a mis-linked bipyrrole unit in the skeleton, exhibits a reactivity for further oxidation due to the distinct antiaromatic electronic structure, affording a fused macrocycle 2, possessing a spiro-carbon-containing [5.6.5.6]-tetracyclic structure. Subsequent treatment with an acid afforded a weakly aromatic pyrrolone-appended N-confused corrole 3, and thermal fusion gave a [5.6.5.7]-tetracyclic-ring-embedded 14π aromatic triphyrin(2.1.1) analog 4. The cyclization at the mis-linked pyrrole moiety of P5 played a crucial role in synthesizing the antiaromatic porphyrinoid susceptible to facile transformation to novel porphyrinoids with variable aromaticity.

Charge-transfer plasmons of complex nanoparticle arrays connected by conductive molecular bridges.

Charge-transfer plasmons (CTP) in complexes of metal nanoparticles bridged by conductive molecular linkers are theoretically analysed using a statistic approach. The applied model takes into account the kinetic energy of carriers inside the linkers including its dissipation and the Coulomb energy of the charged nanoparticles. The plasmons are statistically investigated for systems containing a large number of complexes of bridged nanoparticles of realistic sizes generated using a simplified molecular dynamics algorithm, where the geometries of the complexes are dependent on the rate of connection of the linkers with the nanoparticles. As illustrated, the distribution of CTP frequencies in the generated nanoparticle complexes is very inhomogeneous. It has a narrow peak, corresponding to CTP plasmons in dimers, and two broad peaks, corresponding mainly to low and high-frequency oscillations in chains of connected nanoparticles. It is found that in general the plasmon frequencies depend inversely on the value of the complex dipole moment of the plasmon oscillation, where the assumption follows that low-frequency plasmons will be more efficiently excited in an external electromagnetic field. To calculate the CTP energy absorption in this field two model modifications are proposed: a system-external electromagnetic field interaction model and a simplified broadening plasmon peak model where the plasmons are calculated at first without damping and where the delta-shaped oscillation peaks are broadened then due to the damping. It is demonstrated that both modifications lead to a wide and almost monotonic absorption in the IR region for all generated systems containing a large number of bridged nanoparticles due to the presence of a large number of CTPs in this region.

An atomistic explanation of the ethanol-water azeotrope.

Ethanol and water form an azeotropic mixture at an ethanol molecular percentage of ∼91% (∼96% by volume), which prohibits ethanol from being further purified via distillation. Aqueous solutions at different concentrations in ethanol have been studied both experimentally and theoretically. We performed cylindrical micro-jet photoelectron spectroscopy, excited by synchrotron radiation, 70 eV above C1s ionization threshold, providing optimal atomic-scale surface-probing. Large model systems have been employed to simulate, by molecular dynamics, slabs of the aqueous solutions and obtain an atomistic description of both bulk and surface regions. We show how the azeotropic behaviour results from an unexpected concentration-dependence of the surface composition. While ethanol strongly dominates the surface and water is almost completely depleted from the surface for most mixing ratios, the different intermolecular bonding patterns of the two components cause water to penetrate to the surface region at high ethanol concentrations. The addition of surface water increases its relative vapour pressure, giving rise to the azeotropic behaviour.

Medium dependent optical response in ultra-fine plasmonic nanoparticles.

We study the influence of media on the interaction of ultra-fine plasmonic nanoparticles (≤ 8 nm) with radiation. The important role of the surface layer of the nanoparticles, with properties that differ from the ones in the inner part, is established. Using an atomistic representation of the nanoparticle material and its interaction with light, we find a highly inhomogeneous distribution of the electric field inside and around the particles. It is predicted that with an increase in the refractive index of the ambient medium, the extension of the surface layer of atoms increases, something that also is accompanied by an enhanced red shift of the plasmon resonance band compared to large particles in which the influence of this layer and its relative volume is reduced. It is shown that the physical origin for the formation of a surface layer of atoms near the nanoparticle boundary is related to the anisotropy of the local environment of atoms in this layer which changes the conditions for the interaction of neighboring atoms with each other and with the incident radiation. It is shown that a growth of the refractive index of the ambient medium results in an increase in the local field in the dielectric cavity in which a plasmonic nanoparticle is embedded and which is accompanied by a growth of the amplitude of the plasmon resonance. We predict that in the ultra-fine regime the refractive index sensitivity shows a decreasing trend with respect to size which is opposite to that for larger particles. With the applied atomistic model this work demonstrates close relations between field distributions and properties of ultra-fine nanoparticles.

Correction: The molecular structure of the surface of water-ethanol mixtures.

Correction for 'The molecular structure of the surface of water-ethanol mixtures' by Johannes Kirschner et al., Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2021, 23, 11568-11578, DOI: 10.1039/D0CP06387H.

Odd-Number Cyclo[n]Carbons Sustaining Alternating Aromaticity.

Cyclo[n]carbons (n = 5, 7, 9, ..., 29) composed from an odd number of carbon atoms are studied computationally at density functional theory (DFT) and ab initio complete active space self-consistent field (CASSCF) levels of theory to get insight into their electronic structure and aromaticity. DFT calculations predict a strongly delocalized carbene structure of the cyclo[n]carbons and an aromatic character for all of them. In contrast, calculations at the CASSCF level yield geometrically bent and electronically localized carbene structures leading to an alternating double aromaticity of the odd-number cyclo[n]carbons. CASSCF calculations yield a singlet electronic ground state for the studied cyclo[n]carbons except for C25, whereas at the DFT level the energy difference between the lowest singlet and triplet states depends on the employed functional. The BHandHLYP functional predicts a triplet ground state of the larger odd-number cyclo[n]carbons starting from n = 13. Current-density calculations at the BHandHLYP level using the CASSCF-optimized molecular structures show that there is a through-space delocalization in the cyclo[n]carbons. The current density avoids the carbene carbon atom, leading to an alternating double aromaticity of the odd-number cyclo[n]carbons satisfying the antiaromatic [4k+1] and aromatic [4k+3] rules. C11, C15, and C19 are aromatic and can be prioritized in future synthesis. We predict a bond-shift phenomenon for the triplet state of the cyclo[n]carbons leading to resonance structures that have different reactivity toward dimerization.