The electronic properties of SrTiO3-δ with oxygen vacancies or substitutions

The electronic properties, including bandgap and conductivity, are critical for nearly all applications of multifunctional perovskite oxide ferroelectrics. Here we analysed possibility to induce semiconductor behaviour in these materials, which are basically insulators, by replacement of several percent of oxygen atoms with nitrogen, hydrogen, or vacancies. We explored this approach for one of the best studied members of the large family of ABO3 perovskite ferroelectrics — strontium titanate (SrTiO3). The atomic and electronic structure of defects were theoretically investigated using the large-scale first-principles calculations for both bulk crystal and thin films. The results of calculations were experimentally verified by studies of the optical properties at photon energies from 25 meV to 8.8 eV for in-situ prepared thin films. It was demonstrated that substitutions and vacancies prefer locations at surfaces or phase boundaries over those inside crystallites. At the same time, local states in the bandgap can be produced by vacancies located both inside the crystals and at the surface, but by nitrogen substitution only inside crystals. Wide-bandgap insulator phases were evidenced for all defects. Compared to pure SrTiO3 films, bandgap widening due to defects was theoretically predicted and experimentally detected.

Aerobic Oxidation Reactivity of Well-Defined CoII and CoIII Aminophenol Complexes

This article describes the synthesis and reactivity studies of three cobalt complexes bearing aminophenol-derived ligands without nitrogen substitution: CoII(tBu2APH)2(tBu2AP)2 (1), Co2III(tBu2APH)2(tBu2AP)2(μ-tBu2BAP)2 (2), and CoIII(tBu2AP)3 (3) (tBu2APH = 2-amino-4,6-di-tert-butylphenol, tBu2AP = 2-amino-4,6-di-tert-butylphenolate, μ-tBu2BAP = bridging 2-amido-4,6-di-tert-butylphenolate). Stoichiometric reactivity studies of these well-defined complexes demonstrate the catalytic com-petency of both CoII and CoIII complexes in the aerobic oxidative cyclization of tBu2APH with tert-butyl isonitrile. Reactions with O2 reveal the aerobic oxidation of CoII complex 1 to generate the CoIII species 2 and 3. UV-visible time-course studies and EPR spectroscopy indicate that this oxidation proceeds through a ligand-based radical intermediate. These studies repre-sent the first example of well-defined cobalt-aminophenol complexes that participate in catalytic aerobic oxidation reactions and highlight a key role for a ligand radical in the oxidation sequence.

Nitrogen-Substitution in the Flapping Wings of Cyclooctatetraene-Fused Molecules

New synthetic protocols to the nitrogen-embedded flapping molecules have been developed. Gram-scale synthesis of a key precursor, tetraamine of dibenzo[<i>a</i>,<i>e</i>]cyclooctatetraene has been established for designing flapping quinoxaline and flapping phenazineimide. The impact of the nitrogen substitution on the photophysical properties and the viscosity-probing function has been investigated in comparison with the reported flapping anthraceneimide.

Nitrogen-Substitution in the Flapping Wings of Cyclooctatetraene-Fused Molecules

New synthetic protocols to the nitrogen-embedded flapping molecules have been developed. Gram-scale synthesis of a key precursor, tetraamine of dibenzo[<i>a</i>,<i>e</i>]cyclooctatetraene has been established for designing flapping quinoxaline and flapping phenazineimide. The impact of the nitrogen substitution on the photophysical properties and the viscosity-probing function has been investigated in comparison with the reported flapping anthraceneimide.

Boron insertion into alkyl ether bonds via zinc/nickel tandem catalysis

Mild methods to cleave the carbon-oxygen (C−O) bond in alkyl ethers could simplify chemical syntheses through the elaboration of these robust, readily available precursors. Here we report that dibromoboranes react with alkyl ethers in the presence of a nickel catalyst and zinc reductant to insert boron into the C−O bond. Subsequent reactivity can effect oxygen-to-nitrogen substitution or one-carbon homologation of cyclic ethers and more broadly streamline preparation of bioactive compounds. Mechanistic studies reveal a cleavage-then-rebound pathway via zinc/nickel tandem catalysis.

Design and Synthesis of π-Extended Resveratrol Analogues and In Vitro Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Activity Evaluation

The research on resveratrol (1) has been conducted intensively over a long time due to its proven antioxidant activity and disease-fighting capabilities. Many efforts have also been made to increase these biological effects. In the present study, six new extended aromatic resveratrol analogues containing naphthalene (2) and its bioisosteres quinoline (3 and 4), isoquinoline (5) quinoxaline (6) and quinazoline (7) scaffolds were designed and synthesized using an annulation strategy. The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of these compounds were investigated. All compounds showed better antioxidant activity than resveratrol in ABTS assay. As for the anti-inflammatory test, 5 and 7 exhibited better activity than resveratrol. It is worth noting that nitrogen substitution on the extended aromatic resveratrol analogues has a significant impact on cell viability. Taking the antioxidant activities and NO inhibition activities into consideration, we conclude that isoquinoline analogue 5 may qualify for the further investigation of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory therapy. Furthermore, our study results suggest that in order to improve the biological activity of polyphenolic compounds, extended aromaticity and nitrogen substitution strategy could be a viable method for the design of future drug candidates.

Modifying Electronic and Elastic Properties of 2-Dimensional [110] Diamond by Nitrogen Substitution

One type of two-dimensional diamonds that are derived from [111] direction, so-called diamane, has been previously shown to be stabilized by N-substitution, where the passivation of dangling bonds is no longer needed. In the present work, we theoretically demonstrated that another type of two-dimensional diamonds derived from [110] direction exhibiting a washboard conformation can also be stabilized by N-substitution. Three structural models of washboard-like carbon nitrides with compositions of C6N2, C5N3, and C4N4 are studied together with the fully hydrogenated washboard-like diamane (C8H4). The result shows that the band gap of this type structure is only open the dangling bonds that are entirely diminished through N-substitution. By increasing the N content, the C11 and C22 are softer and the C33 is stiffer where their bulk modulus are in the same order, which is approximately 550 GPa. When comparing with the hydrogenated phase, the N-substituted phases have higher elastic constants and bulk modulus, suggesting that they are possibly harder than the fully hydrogenated diamane.

Effect of Nitrogen on the Growth of (100)-, (110)-, and (111)-Oriented Diamond Films

The aim of this research is the study of hydrogen abstraction reactions and methyl adsorption reactions on the surfaces of (100), (110), and (111) oriented nitrogen-doped diamond through first-principles density-functional calculations. The three steps of the growth mechanism for diamond thin films are hydrogen abstraction from the diamond surface, methyl adsorption on the diamond surface, and hydrogen abstraction from the methylated diamond surface. The activation energies for hydrogen abstraction from the surface of nitrogen-undoped and nitrogen-doped diamond (111) films were −0.64 and −2.95 eV, respectively. The results revealed that nitrogen substitution was beneficial for hydrogen abstraction and the subsequent adsorption of methyl molecules on the diamond (111) surface. The adsorption energy for methyl molecules on the diamond surface was generated during the growth of (100)-, (110)-, and (111)-oriented diamond films. Compared with nitrogen-doped diamond (100) films, adsorption energies for methyl molecule adsorption were by 0.14 and 0.69 eV higher for diamond (111) and (110) films, respectively. Moreover, compared with methylated diamond (100), the activation energies for hydrogen abstraction were by 0.36 and 1.25 eV higher from the surfaces of diamond (111) and (110), respectively. Growth mechanism simulations confirmed that nitrogen-doped diamond (100) films were preferred, which was in agreement with the experimental and theoretical observations of diamond film growth.