A Universal LC-MS/MS Method for Simultaneous Detection of Antibiotic Residues in Animal and Environmental Samples.

Detecting and monitoring the usage of antibiotics is a critical aspect of efforts to combat antimicrobial resistance. Antibiotic residue testing with existing LC-MS/MS methods is limited in detection range. Current methods also lack the capacity to detect multiple antibiotic residues in different samples simultaneously. In this study, we demonstrate a methodology that permits simultaneous extraction and detection of antibiotic residues in animal and environmental samples. A total of 30 different antibiotics from 13 classes could be qualitatively detected with our methodology. Further study to reduce analytes' matrix effect would allow for quantification of antibiotic residues.

Photophysical and electrochemical properties of platinum(II) complexes bearing a chromophore-acceptor dyad and their photocatalytic hydrogen evolution.

A series of platinum(II) complexes bearing a chromophore-acceptor dyad obtained by reacting 4-(p-bromomethylphenyl)-6-phenyl-2,2'-bipyridine or 4'-(p-bromomethylphenyl)-2,2':6',2''-terpyridine with pyridine, 4-phenylpyridine, 4,4'-bipyridine, 1-methyl-4-(pyridin-4'-yl)pyridinium hexafluorophosphate respectively, were synthesized. Their photophysical properties, emission quenching studies by Pt nanoparticles and methyl viologen, electrochemical properties and photoinduced electron-transfer reactions in a photocatalytic hydrogen-generating system containing triethanolamine and colloidal Pt without an extra electron relay, were investigated. A comparison of the rates of hydrogen production for the two photocatalytic systems, one containing a metal-organic dyad and the other comprising a 1:1 mixture of the parental platinum(II) complexes and the corresponding electron relay, showed that intramolecular electron transfer improves the photocatalytic efficiency. Compared with cyclometalated platinum(II) complexes, the related platinum(II) terpyridyl complexes exhibited poor performance for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution. An investigation into the amount of hydrogen generated by three platinum(II) complexes containing cyclometalated ligands with methyl groups located on different phenyl rings revealed that the efficiency of hydrogen evolution was affected by a subtle change of functional group on ligand, and the hydrogen-generating efficiency in the presence or absence of methyl viologen is comparable, indicating electron transfer from the excited [Pt(C^N^N)] chromophore to colloidal Pt. (1)H NMR spectroscopy of the metal-organic dyads in an aqueous solution in the presence of excess triethanolamine revealed that the dyad with a viologen unit was unstable, and a chemical reaction in the compound occurred prior to irradiation by visible light under basic conditions.

Amidetriazole: a versatile building block for construction of oxyanion anion receptors.

The design and synthesis of efficient receptors for tetrahedral oxyanions is an emerging field in supramolecular chemistry. Herein, we have developed a urea-like anion-recognizing motif, amidetriazole, which can be easily synthesized and derived and shows good solubility. A series of simple acyclic receptors were designed and synthesized to confirm the potential of amidetriazole for the construction of tetrahedral oxyanion receptors. This molecular platform can be used extensively for the construction of numerous receptor systems appended with functional groups, which opens the way to many applications in the field of supramolecular chemistry.

Construction of a functional [2]rotaxane with multilevel fluorescence responses.

A rotaxane incorporating three different stations and fluorescent states (output) was prepared. The movement of the macrocycle can be easily detected by fluorescence change as an output signal and the macrocycle could be easily controlled to locate on three different stations of the thread by the tuning of acid/base (input).

Constructing a blue light photodetector on inorganic/organic p-n heterojunction nanowire arrays.

We described a new structure photodetector, which is constructed by p-n heterojunction nanowire arrays of PANI (polyaniline)/CdS. The nanowire arrays exhibit excellent rectifying features and a diode nature and show a sensitive spectral response to blue light under 420 nm. The rectification ratio plots of different illumination intensities show straight line behavior, implying that the quantitative detection of illumination intensity can be achieved. The p-n heterojunction nanowire array is a great candidate for applications in high-sensitivity and high-speed blue light photodetectors.

Fabrication of a well ordered microspheres film for efficient antibacterial activity.

Using the porphyrin molecule TEOP, highly ordered films of TEOP spheres were fabricated through a convenient and efficient in situ self-assembly approach. The diameter of the spheres can be adjusted by tuning the temperature. The well ordered film of TEOP spheres can be used to efficiently kill gram-negative bacteria under visible light.

Efficient singlet oxygen generation by luminescent 2-(2'-thienyl)pyridyl cyclometalated platinum(II) complexes and their calixarene derivatives.

Luminescent cyclometalated platinum(II) complexes, namely [Pt(Thpy)(PPh3)X]n+ (HThpy = 2-(2'-thienyl)pyridine; X = Cl− (1), n = 0; X = CH3CN (2), pyridine (3), n = 1) and [Pt(Thpy)(HThpy)Y]n+ (Y = Cl− (4), n = 0; Y = pyridine (5), n = 1), exhibit structured emission with peak maximum at ∼556 and 598 nm in degassed acetonitrile and with emission quantum yield and lifetime of up to 0.38 and 26 µs, respectively. These complexes are efficient photosensitizers of singlet oxygen with yields up to >90%. Complex 5 exhibited photocytotoxicity towards cancer cells and fluorescence microscopic images of cells incubated with 5 reveal substantial uptake at the nucleus and mitochondria.

Photo- and vapor-responsive conducting microwires based on Pt...Pt interactions.

The ordered [Pt(CN-tBu)(2)(CN)(2)] semiconducting microwires have been prepared on substrates based on solvent evaporation or dip-and-pull approaches and were found to display photo- and vapor-responsive conducting characteristics.

Self-assembly of indolocarbazole-containing macrocyclic molecules.

A successful approach for the synthesis of indolocarbazole-containing macrocycles based upon pi-pi stacking preorganization of indolocarbazole planes and click-chemistry reactions has been developed. The macrocycles are able to form folded structures with the help of hydrogen-bonding and pi-pi stacking interactions. Two of the receptors were successfully characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Our results confirmed that they showed different interesting self-assembly with the anions due to the N-H...X(-) and the triazole C-H...X(-) hydrogen-bonding.

Photophysical properties and OLED applications of phosphorescent platinum(II) Schiff base complexes.

The syntheses, crystal structures, and detailed investigations of the photophysical properties of phosphorescent platinum(II) Schiff base complexes are presented. All of these complexes exhibit intense absorption bands with lambda(max) in the range 417-546 nm, which are assigned to states of metal-to-ligand charge-transfer ((1)MLCT) (1)[Pt(5d)-->pi*(Schiff base)] character mixed with (1)[lone pair(phenoxide)-->pi*(imine)] charge-transfer character. The platinum(II) Schiff base complexes are thermally stable, with decomposition temperatures up to 495 degrees C, and show emission lambda(max) at 541-649 nm in acetonitrile, with emission quantum yields up to 0.27. Measurements of the emission decay times in the temperature range from 130 to 1.5 K give total zero-field splitting parameters of the emitting triplet state of 14-28 cm(-1). High-performance yellow to red organic light-emitting devices (OLEDs) using these platinum(II) Schiff base complexes have been fabricated with the best efficiency up to 31 cd A(-1) and a device lifetime up to 77 000 h at 500 cd m(-2).

Microwave-assisted synthesis, structure, and tunable liquid-crystal properties of 2,5-diaryl-1,3,4-thiadiazole derivatives through peripheral n-alkoxy chains.

A series of substituted 2,5-diaryl-1,3,4-thiadiazole derivatives are prepared by microwave-assisted synthesis in the absence of an organic solvent. All derivatives are well characterized by (1)H and (13)C NMR, MS, and elemental analyses. The X-ray crystal structure of 2,5-di-(4-decyloxyphenyl)-1,3,4-thiadiazole reveals the tilt lamellar arrangement of rod-shaped molecules, which are stabilized by a variety of weak non-covalent interactions. The liquid crystalline properties are studied by polarized-light optical microscopy (POM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and in situ variable temperature X-ray diffraction (VTXRD). By variations in the peripheral n-alkoxy chains, the calamitic mesogens exhibit enantiotropic smectic (SmC and/or SmA) mesophases with wide mesomorphic temperature ranges, whilst the disc-like mesogens form hexagonal columnar mesophase (Col(h)) at room temperature. The bulk electrical conductivity values of the smectic mesophases of 1-3 are in the range of 10(-3)-10(-4) S cm(-1), which are slightly higher than that of their solid films. In contrast, the solid film made from 2,5-di-(3,4,5-trioctyloxyphenyl)-1,3,4-thiadiazole shows poor conductivity (2x10(-7) S cm(-1)).

cis-Dicyanoosmium(II) diimine complexes bearing phosphine or sulfoxide ligands: spectroscopic and luminescent studies.

A series of cis-dicyanoosmium(II) complexes [Os(PPh3)2(CN)2(N intersectionN)] (N intersectionN = Ph2phen (2a), bpy (2b), phen (2c), Ph2bpy (2d), tBu2bpy (2e)) and [Os(DMSO)2(CN)2(N intersectionN)] (3a-3e, N intersectionN = Br2phen (3f), Clphen (3g)), were synthesized and their spectroscopic and photophysical properties were examined, and [Os(PMe3)2(CN)2(phen)] (4) with axial PMe3 ligands was similarly prepared. The molecular structures of 2a, 2c, [2c.Zn(NO3)2]infinity, 2d, 2e, 3b, 3d, 3e, and 4 were determined by X-ray crystallographic analyses. The two CN ligands are cis to each other with mean Os-C bond distance of 2.0 A. The two PR3 (R = Ph, Me) or DMSO ligands are trans to each other with P/S-Os-P/S angles of approximately 177 degrees . The UV-vis absorption spectra of 2a-2e display an intense absorption band at 268-315 nm (epsilon = approximately (1.54-4.82) x 104 M-1 cm-1) that are attributed to pi --> pi*(N intersection N) and/or pi --> pi*(PPh3) transitions. The moderately intense absorption bands with lambdamax at 387-460 nm (epsilon = approximately (2.4-11.3) x 103 M(-1) cm(-1)) are attributed to a 1MLCT transition. A weak, broad absorption at 487-600 nm (epsilon = approximately 390-1900 M(-1) cm(-1)) is assigned to a 3MLCT transition. Excitation of 2a-2e in dichloromethane at 420 nm gives an emission with peak maximum at 654-703 nm and lifetime of 0.16-0.67 micros. The emission energies, lifetimes, and quantum yields show solvatochromic responses, and plots of numax, tau, and Phi, respectively, versus ET (solvent polarity parameter) show linear correlations, indicating that the emission is sensitive to the local environment. The broad structureless solid-state emission of 2a-2e at 298 (lambdamax 622-707 nm) and 77 (lambdamax 602-675 nm) K are assigned to 3MLCT excited states. The 77 K MeOH/EtOH (1:4) glassy solutions of 2a-2e also exhibit 3MLCT emissions with lambdamax = 560-585 nm. The 1MLCT absorption and 3MLCT emission of 3a-3g occur at lambdamax = 332-390 nm and 553-644 nm, respectively. In the presence of Zn(NO3)2, both the 1MLCT absorption and 3MLCT emission of 2c in acetonitrile blue-shift from 397 to 341 nm and 651 to 531 nm, respectively. The enhancement of emission intensity (I/Io) of 2e at 531 nm reached a maximum of approximately 810 upon the addition of two equivs of Zn(NO3)2. The crystallographic and spectroscopic evidence suggests that 2c undergoes binding of Zn2+ ions via the cyano moieties.

Structural variations and spectroscopic properties of luminescent mono- and multinuclear silver(I) and copper(I) complexes bearing phosphine and cyanide ligands.

Reaction of equimolar amounts of AgCN and PCy3 gave the polymer [(Cy3P)Ag(NCAgCN)]infinity (1), whereas employment of excess PCy3 yielded the discrete compound [(Cy3P)2Ag(NCAgCN)] (2). Reacting bis(dicyclohexylphosphino)methane (dcpm) with AgCN in 1:1 and 1:2 molar ratios gave two crystalline forms, namely [Ag2(mu-dcpm)2][Ag(CN)2]2 x (CH3OH)2 (3a x (CH3OH)2) and [Ag2(mu-dcpm)2][Ag(CN)2]2 (3b), respectively. The similar reaction of CuCN with PCy3 afforded the polymeric compound [{(Cy3P)Cu(CN)}3]infinity (4), whereas treatment of CuCN with dcpm gave [Cu2(mu-dcpm)2(CN)2] (5). Employment of diphosphine ligands with longer -(CH2)n- spacers, such as 1,2-bis(dicyclohexylphosphino)ethane (dcpe, n = 2) and 1,3-bis(diphenylphosphino)propane (dppp, n = 3), in reactions with [Cu(CH3CN)4]PF6 and KCN afforded the macrocylic compounds [{Cu(dcpe)}2(CN)(mu-dcpe)]PF6 (6(PF6)) and [{Cu(dppp)}3(CN)2(mu-dppp)]PF6 (7(PF6)), respectively. The hexanuclear complex [Cu(CN)(PCy3)]6 (8) was obtained by reacting CuCN with PCy3 in the presence of sodium pyridine-2-thiolate. The UV-vis absorption spectrum of 1 in acetonitrile displays a weak shoulder at 245 nm (epsilon = 350 dm3 mol(-1) cm(-1)). For 3a, 3b, and 5, the intense absorption bands at lambdamax = 257-276 nm with epsilon values of (1.73-1.80) x 10(4) dm3 mol(-1) cm(-1) are assigned to [ndsigma --> (n + 1)psigma] transitions. Complexes 3a and 3b emit at lambdamax = 365 nm in CH3CN (quantum yield approximately 6 x10(-3), lifetime approximately 0.2 micros). The solid-state emission of 5 (lambdamax = 470 and 488 nm at 298 and 77 K) is red-shifted in energy from that of 4 (lambdamax = 401 and 405 nm at 298 and 77 K, respectively). In 77 K MeOH/EtOH (1:4) glassy solution, complexes 4-8 display intense emission with lambdamax at 382-416 nm, which is assigned to the [3d --> (4s, 4p)] triplet excited state.

Ditopic redox-active polyferrocenyl zinc(II) dithiocarbamate macrocyclic receptors: synthesis, coordination and electrochemical recognition properties.

The synthesis of a range of ditopic polyferrocenyl zinc(II) dithiocarbamate macrocyclic receptors containing ferrocene groups on the macrocycle's periphery and/or as part of the cyclic cavity is reported. The assemblies have been characterised by a range of spectroscopic techniques, electrochemical studies and in two cases by X-ray structure determination. The ability of these host systems to bind and sense electrochemically anionic guest species, isonicotinate and benzoate, and neutral 4-picoline guest was examined by 1H NMR and cyclic voltammetric titration studies. The strongest association was found between the isonicotinate anion and a dinuclear zinc(II) receptor whose macrocyclic cavity is of complementary size to complex this bidentate guest species in a cooperative manner. Cyclic voltammetric studies demonstrated that all receptors can electrochemically sense the binding of isonicotinate and benzoate via significant cathodic perturbations of the respective ferrocene redox couple.

Electronic spectroscopy, photophysical properties, and emission quenching studies of an oxidatively robust perfluorinated platinum porphyrin.

The highly electron-deficient, beta-octafluorinated meso-tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)-porphyrin (H(2)F(28)TPP) was metalated with platinum to afford the oxidatively robust luminophore [PtF(28)TPP], and its X-ray structure shows that the porphyrin core exists in a slightly saddle-shaped conformation. The absorption spectrum of [PtF(28)TPP] in CH(2)Cl(2) displays a near-UV Soret band (B) at 383 nm (epsilon = 2.85 x 10(5) dm(3) mol(-1) cm(-1)) and two visible Q(1,0) and Q(0,0) bands at 501 (epsilon = 1.45 x 10(4) dm(3) mol(-1) cm(-1)) and 533 (epsilon = 1.36 x 10(4) dm(3) mol(-1) cm(-1)) nm, respectively. These absorption bands of [PtF(28)TPP] are blue-shifted from those in [PtF(20)TPP] (390, 504, and 538 nm, respectively) and [PtTPP] (401, 509, and 539 nm, respectively). Excitation of [PtF(28)TPP] (complex concentration = 1.5 x 10(-6) mol dm(-3)) in dichloromethane at the Soret or Q(1,0) or Q(0,0) band gave a phosphorescence with peak maximum at 650 nm (lifetime = 5.8 micros) and a weak shoulder at 712 nm. Both the emission lifetime and quantum yield vary with solvent polarity, and plots of tau versus E(K) and Phi versus E(K) (where E(K) is the empirical solvent polarity parameter based on the hypsochromic shift of the longest wavelength absorption of the [Mo(CO)(4)[(C(5)H(4)N)HC[double bond]NCH(2)C(6)H(5)]] complex with increasing solvent polarity; see: Kamlet, M. J.; Abboud, J. L. M.; Taft, R. W. Prog. Phys. Org. Chem. 1981, 13, pp 485-630) show linear correlation, indicating that the emission is sensitive to the local environment/medium. Electrochemical studies on [PtF(28)TPP] by cyclic voltammetry showed no porphyrin-centered oxidation at potential < or = 1.5 V versus Ag/AgNO(3), demonstrating that [PtF(28)TPP] is more resistant toward oxidation than [PtF(20)TPP] (E(1/2) = 1.33 V) and [PtTPP] (E(1/2) = 0.97 V). The porphyrin-centered reduction of [PtF(28)TPP] occurs at -0.75 and -1.18 V, which is anodically shifted from those at -1.06 and -1.55 V in [PtF(20)TPP], and -1.51 V in [PtTPP], respectively. The excited-state reduction potential of [PtF(28)TPP] is estimated to be 1.49 V versus Ag/AgNO(3). Over 97% of the emission intensity of [PtF(28)TPP] was retained after irradiation with a high power mercury arc lamp (500 W) for 14 h, compared to 90% and 12% for [PtF(20)TPP] and [PtTPP], respectively; hence, [PtF(28)TPP] exhibits superior photostability. Quenching of the emission of [PtF(28)TPP] by oxygen, alcohol, catechol, and butylamine reveals that [PtF(28)TPP] is an oxidatively robust material with medium-sensitive photoluminescence properties.

Solvatochromic response imposed by environmental changes in matrix/chromophore entities: luminescent cyclometalated platinum (II) complex in Nafion and silica materials.

Luminescent cyclometalated complex [Pt(L)py]+ (1) immobilised in Nafion film exhibits a solvatochromic shift in emission maximum from 530 to 650 nm upon immersion in ethanol but no effect is detected with aprotic organic solvents, whereas the emission of the [Pt(L)]+ luminophore anchored in silica materials shows a blue shift from approximately 665 to 550 nm upon exposure to pentane vapour but no shift is observed for ethanol vapour.

Self-Assembly of Predesigned Trimetallic Macrocycles Based on Benzimidazole as Nonlinear Bridging Motifs: Crystal Structure of a Luminescent Platinum(II) Cyclic Trimer.

A trimetallic macrocycle: Starting from nonlinear N-deprotonated benzimidazole and square-planar cyclometalated platinum(II) precursors, cyclic trimers with three metal vertices can be obtained by a general and rational strategy (shown schematically, M=Pt). A complex is formed with 2-(2-thienyl)pyridine as chelating ligand which photoluminesces in solution at room temperature.