The bis(azido)ruthenium(III) complexes, trans-[Ru(L)(N-3)(2)](+) [L = 14-TMC (1) and 16-TMC (4)] have been prepared. These complexes undergo facile thermal or photo-decomposition in RCN (R = Me, Bu, Ph, 4-MePh, 2-MeOPh) solutions to produce the corresponding azidoruthenium(II) complexes trans[ Ru(L)(N3)(RCN)]+ [ L = 14-TMC, R = Me (2a), Bu (2b), Ph (2c), 4-MePh (2d), 2-MeOPh (2e); L = 16-TMC, R = Me (5a), = Ph (5b)] and cis-[Ru(Tet-Me-6)(N-3)(MeCN)](+) (6). Complex 1 reacted with PPh3, by a nitrogen atom transfer reaction, to give trans-[Ru(14-TMC)(N-3)(NPPh3)](+) (3) in 80% yield. The crystal structures of 2e(PF6), 3(PF6) and 5b(ClO4) have been determined by X-ray diffraction analysis. Complex 3 is the first structurally characterized (phosphoraniminato)ruthenium(III) complex with Ru-N distances of 1.991(7)-2.014(6) angstrom and a nearly linear Ru-N-P moiety [< Ru-N-P = 168.2(5)-171.5(6)degrees]. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations on 3 and the proposed [Ru-V(14-TMC)(N)(N-3)](+) intermediate have been performed.

A method of highly selective N-terminal modification of proteins as well as peptides by an isolated ketene was developed. Modification of a library of unprotected peptides XSKFR (X varies over 20 natural amino acids) by an alkyne-functionalized ketene (1) at room temperature at pH 6.3 resulted in excellent N-terminal selectivity (modified α-amino group/modified ε-amino group = >99:1) for 13 out of the 20 peptides and moderate-to-high N-terminal selectivity (4:1 to 48:1) for 6 of the 7 remaining peptides. Using an alkyne-functionalized N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) ester (2) instead of 1, the modification of peptides XSKFR gave internal lysine-modified peptides for 5 out of the 20 peptides and moderate-to-low N-terminal selectivity (5:1 to 1:4) for 13 out of the 20 peptides. Proteins including insulin, lysozyme, RNaseA, and a therapeutic protein BCArg were selectively N-terminally modified at room temperature using ketene 1, in contrast to the formation of significant or major amounts of di-, tri-, or tetra-modified proteins in the modification by NHS ester 2. The 1-modified proteins were further functionalized by a dansyl azide compound through click chemistry without the need for prior treatment.

We have recently reported a kinetic and mechanistic study on oxidative dissolution of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) by H(2)O(2). In the present study, the parameters that govern the dissolution of AgNPs by O(2) were revealed by using UV/Vis spectrophotometry. Under the same reaction conditions (Tris-HOAc, pH 8.5, I=0.1 M at 25 °C) the apparent dissolution rate (k(app)) of AgNPs (10±2.8 nm) by O(2) is about 100-fold slower than that of H(2)O(2). The reaction rate is first-order with respect to [Ag(0)], [O(2)], and [Tris](T), and inverse first-order with respect to [Ag(+)] (where [Ag(0)]=total concentration of Ag metal and [Tris](T)=total concentration of Tris). The rate constant is dependent on the size of AgNPs. No free superoxide (O(2)(-)) and hydroxyl radical (·OH) were detected by trapping experiments. On the basis of kinetic and trapping experiments, an amine-activated pathway for the oxidation of AgNPs by O(2) is proposed.

Nitric oxide-releasing ruthenium nanoparticles were synthesized by the reaction of alkanethiolate-protected ruthenium nanoparticles with tert-butyl nitrite ((t)BuONO), and their water-soluble derivatives are able to deliver NO to proteins such as reduced myoglobin upon light irradiation in aqueous media.

A silica-supported gold nanoparticle catalyst AuNPs/SiO2 (A) has been prepared by deposition of in situ synthesized gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) onto the surface of silica. A simple method that uses A as the catalyst and oxygen as the oxidant is effective for oxidative cyclization of anilines with aldehydes to form quinolines in a one-pot reaction (20 examples; product yields up to 95%). The "AuNPs/SiO2+O-2" protocol is applicable to the synthesis of nitrogen-containing polyheterocyclic compounds in good to excellent product yields by using bulky polycyclic anilines as the starting materials (10 examples; product yields up to 96%). The A catalyst can be easily recovered by centrifugation and reused for seven consecutive runs without significant loss of catalytic activity.

Our previous study has revealed that silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have potential to promote wound healing by accelerated re-epithelization and enhanced differentiation of fibroblasts. However, the effect of AgNPs on the functionality of repaired skin is unknown. The aim of this study was to explore the tensile properties of healed skin after treatment with AgNPs. Immunohistochemical staining, quantitative assay and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to detect and compare collagen deposition, and the morphology and distribution of collagen fibers. Our results showed that AgNPs improved tensile properties and led to better fibril alignments in repaired skin, with a close resemblance to normal skin. Based on our findings, we concluded that AgNPs were predominantly responsible for regulating deposition of collagen and their use resulted in excellent alignment in the wound healing process. The exact signaling pathway by which AgNPs affect collagen regeneration is yet to be investigated.

The catalyst can be easily recovered by centrifugation and reused for seven consecutive runs without significant loss of activity.

There′s just NO SNAP! RuIII complexes of macrocyclic tertiary amines, especially trans-[Ru(14-TMC)Cl2]Cl (1), could mediate nitric oxide (NO) release from S-nitrosothiols in the presence of biological reductants. Interestingly, complex 1 was found to enhance rat aorta relaxation in the presence of S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine (SNAP) under in vivo conditions. Detailed facts of importance to specialist readers are published as ”Supporting Information”. Such documents are peer-reviewed, but not copy-edited or typeset. They are made available as submitted by the authors. Please note: The publisher is not responsible for the content or functionality of any supporting information supplied by the authors. Any queries (other than missing content) should be directed to the corresponding author for the article.

A G-quadruplex-based luminescent platinum(II) switch-on probe has been developed for the selective detection of nanomolar Ag(+) ions in aqueous solution.

Water-soluble [Ru(II)(4-Glc-TPP)(CO)] (1, 4-Glc-TPP = meso-tetrakis(4-(beta-D-glucosyl)phenyl)porphyrinato dianion) is an active catalyst for the following carbenoid transfer reactions in aqueous media with good selectivities and up to 100% conversions: intermolecular cyclopropanation of styrenes (up to 76% yield), intramolecular cyclopropanation of an allylic diazoacetate (68% yield), intramolecular ammonium/sulfonium ylide formation/[2,3]-sigmatroptic rearrangement reactions (up to 91% yield), and intermolecular carbenoid insertion into N-H bonds of primary arylamines (up to 83% yield). This ruthenium glycosylated porphyrin complex can selectively catalyze alkylation of the N-terminus of peptides (8 examples) and mediate N-terminal modification of proteins (four examples) using a fluorescent-tethered diazo compound (15). A fluorescent group was conjugated to ubiquitin via 1-catalyzed alkene cyclopropanation with 15 in aqueous solution in two steps: (1) incorporation of an alkenic group by the reaction of N-hydroxysuccinimide ester 19 with ubiquitin and (2) cyclopropanation of the alkene-tethered Lys(6) ubiquitin (23) with the fluorescent-labeled diazoacetate 15 in the presence of a catalytic amount of 1. The corresponding cyclopropanation product (24) was obtained with approximately 55% conversion based on MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. The products 23, 24, and the N-terminal modified peptides and proteins were characterized by LC-MS/MS and/or SDS-PAGE analyses.

With advances in nanotechnology, pure silver has been recently engineered into nanometer-sized particles (diameter <100 nm) for use in the treatment of wounds. In conjunction with other studies, we previously demonstrated that the topical application of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) can promote wound healing through the modulation of cytokines. Nonetheless, the question as to whether AgNPs can affect various skin cell types--keratinocytes and fibroblasts--during the wound-healing process still remains. Therefore, the aim of this study was to focus on the cellular response and events of dermal contraction and epidermal re-epithelialization during wound healing under the influence of AgNPs; for this we used a full-thickness excisional wound model in mice. The wounds were treated with either AgNPs or control with silver sulfadiazine, and the proliferation and biological events of keratinocytes and fibroblasts during healing were studied. Our results confirm that AgNPs can increase the rate of wound closure. On one hand, this was achieved through the promotion of proliferation and migration of keratinocytes. On the other hand, AgNPs can drive the differentiation of fibroblasts into myofibroblasts, thereby promoting wound contraction. These findings further extend our current knowledge of AgNPs in biological and cellular events and also have significant implications for the treatment of wounds in the clinical setting.

Platinum-group-metal (Ru, Os, Rh, Ir, Pd and Pt) nanoparticles are synthesized in an aqueous buffer solution of 4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazineethanesulfonic acid (HEPES) (200 mM, pH 7.4) under hydrothermal conditions (180 degrees C). Monodispersed (monodispersity: 11-15%) metal nanoparticles were obtained with an average particle size of less than 5 nm (Ru: 1.8+/-0.2, Os: 1.6+/-0.2, Rh: 4.5+/-0.5, Ir: 2.0+/-0.3, Pd: 3.8+/-0.4, Pt: 1.9+/-0.2 nm). The size, monodispersity, and stability of the as-obtained metal nanoparticles were affected by the HEPES concentration, pH of the HEPES buffer solution, and reaction temperature. HEPES with two tertiary amines (piperazine groups) and terminal hydroxyl groups can act as a reductant and stabilizer. The HEPES molecules can bind to the surface of metal nanoparticles to prevent metal nanoparticles from aggregation. These platinum-group-metal nanoparticles could be deposited onto the surface of graphite, which catalyzed the aerobic oxidation of alcohols to aldehydes.

An efficient method has been developed for the chemoselective cysteine modification of unprotected peptides and proteins in aqueous media through the formation of a vinyl sulfide linkage by using electron-deficient alkynes, including alkynoic amides, esters and alkynones. The terminal alkynone-modified peptides could be converted back into the unmodified peptides (81% isolated yield) by adding thiols under mild conditions. The usefulness of this thiol-assisted cleavage of the vinyl sulfide linkage in peptides has been exemplified by the enrichment of a cysteine-containing peptide (71% recovery) from a mixture of cysteine-containing and non-cysteine-containing peptides.

The production of pure silver in nanoparticle size has opened new dimensions in the clinical use of this precious metal. We and others have demonstrated previously that silver nanoparticles (nAg) possess efficient antimicrobial activity. Herein we show they may also have significant anti-inflammatory effects in a postoperative peritoneal adhesion model. This finding provides further insight into the biological actions of nAg as well as a potentially novel therapy for peritoneal adhesions in clinical surgery.With the advent of nanoscience, pure silver can now be made into nanometer-sized particles. As a result, we are able to explore the potentially beneficial properties of pure silver. In our previous study using a burn wound model in mice, we demonstrated that besides antibacterial action, silver nanoparticles (nAg) appear to have anti-inflammatory properties. Herein we further confirm the anti-inflammatory effects of nAg and explore their potential clinical application through a postoperative peritoneal adhesion model. We also elucidate the potential mechanism of action of silver. Our in vitro and in vivo experimental findings show that nAg are effective at decreasing inflammation in peritoneal adhesions without significant toxic effects. This study thus provides further evidence for and contributes to the understanding of the anti-inflammatory properties of nAg and may also give a novel therapeutic direction for the prevention of postoperative adhesions.

Selective oxidation of amines using oxygen as terminal oxidant is an important area in green chemistry. In this work, we describe the use of graphite-supported gold nanoparticles (AuNPs/C) to catalyze aerobic oxidation of cyclic and acyclic benzylic amines to the corresponding imines with moderate-to-excellent substrate conversions (43-100%) and product yields (66-99%) (19 examples). Oxidation of N-substituted 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinolines in the presence of aqueous NaHCO3 solution gave the corresponding amides in good yields (83-93%) with high selectivity (up to amide/enamide=93:4) (6 examples). The same protocol can be applied to the synthesis of benzimidazoles from the reaction of o-phenylenediamines with benzaldehydes under aerobic conditions (8 examples). By simple centrifugation, AuNPs/C can be recovered and reused for ten consecutive runs for the oxidation of dibenzylamine to N-benzylidene(phenyl)methanamine without significant loss of catalytic activity and selectivity. This protocol "AuNPs/C+O-2" can be scaled to the gram scale, and 8.9 g (84% isolated yield) of 3,4-dihydroisoquinoline can be obtained from the oxidation of 10 g 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline in a one-pot reaction. Based on the results of kinetic studies, radical traps experiment, and Hammett plot, a mechanism involving the hydrogen-transfer reaction from amine to metal and oxidation of M-H is proposed.

A simple and green method that uses [Ru(Me3tacn)Cl3] (1; Me3tacn = N,N',N''-trimethyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane) as catalyst, aqueous H2O2 as the terminal oxidant, and Al2O3 and NaCl as additives is effective in the cis-dihydroxylation of alkenes in aqueous tert-butanol. Unfunctionalized alkenes, including cycloalkenes, aliphatic alkenes, and styrenes (14 examples) were selectively oxidized to their corresponding cis-diols in good to excellent yield (70-96%) based on substrate conversions of up to 100%. The preparation of cis-1,2-cycloheptanediol (119 g, 91% yield) and cis-1,2-cyclooctanediol (128 g, 92% yield) from cycloheptene and cyclooctene, respectively, on the 1-mol scale can be achieved by scaling up the reaction without modification. Results from Hammett correlation studies on the competitive oxidation of para-substituted styrenes (rho = -0.97, R = 0.988) and the detection of the cycloadduct [(Me3tacn)ClRuHO2(C8H14)]+ by ESI-MS for the 1-catalyzed oxidation of cyclooctene to cis-1,2-cyclooctanediol are similar to those of the stoichiometric oxidation of alkenes by cis-[(Me3tacn)(CF3CO2)Ru(VI)O2]+ through [3+2] cycloaddition (W.-P. Yip, W.-Y. Yu, N. Zhu, C.-M. Che, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2005, 127, 14239).

Background Silver nanoparticles have been shown to exhibit promising cytoprotective activities towards HIV-infected T-cells; however, the effects of these nanoparticles towards other kinds of viruses remain largely unexplored. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of silver nanoparticles on hepatitis B virus (HBV). Methods Monodisperse silver nanoparticles with mean particle diameters of ∼10 nm (Ag10Ns) and ∼50 nm (Ag50Ns) were prepared from AgNO3 in HEPES buffer. The in vitro anti-HBV activities of these particles were determined using the HepAD38 cell line as infection model. Results Ag10Ns and Ag50Ns were able to reduce the extracellular HBV DNA formation of HepAD38 cells by >50% compared with the vehicle control (that is, HepAD38 cells in the absence of silver nanoparticles). Silver nanoparticles had little effect on the amount of HBV covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA), but could inhibit the formation of intracellular HBV RNA. Gel mobility shift assays indicated that Ag10Ns bound HBV double-stranded DNA at a DNA:silver molar ratio of 1:50; an absorption titration assay showed that the nanoparticles have good binding affinity for HBV DNA with a binding constant ( Kb) of (8.8 ±1.0)x105 dm3mol-1. As both the viral and Ag10Ns systems are in the nanometer size range, we found that Ag10Ns could directly interact with the HBV viral particles as revealed by transmission electronic microscopy. Conclusions Silver nanoparticles could inhibit the in vitro production of HBV RNA and extracellular virions. We hypothesize that the direct interaction between these nanoparticles and HBV double-stranded DNA or viral particles is responsible for their antiviral mechanism.

Although silver is one of the most potent and rapidly acting toxic metals to bacteria, silver-resistant bacteria do exist with low incidence. A proteomic approach was employed to identify the silver resistance determinants of a silver-resistant Escherichia coli strain isolated from stepwise selection against increasing concentrations of silver (Li et al. J. Bacteriol 1997, 179, 6127-32). Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry analysis revealed that members of the CusCFBA copper/silver chemiosmotic efflux system were highly expressed in the silver-resistant strain but undetectable in the parental silver-sensitive strain. Disruption of the cus locus of the silver-resistant strain resulted in a decrease of the minimum inhibitory concentration of Ag (+) from more than 1 mM to 12 microM. These results suggest that the chromosomally encoded Cus system, which naturally controls the periplasmic copper concentrations, is selectable to confer a constitutive silver resistance phenotype.

Metal octaethylporphyrin M(OEP) (M = Ni, Cu, Zn, Pd, Ag, and Pt) nanowires are fabricated by a simple solution-phase precipitative method. By controlling the composition of solvent mixtures, the diameters and lengths of the nanowires can be varied from 20 to 70 nm and 0.4 to 10 microm, respectively. The Ag(OEP) nanowires have lengths up to 10 microm and diameters of 20-70 nm. For the M(OEP) nanowires, the growth orientation and packing of M(OEP) molecules are examined by powder XRD and SAED measurements, revealing that these M(OEP) nanowires are formed by the self-assembly of M(OEP) molecules through intermolecular pi...pi interactions along the pi...pi stacking axis, and the M(2+) ion plays a key role in the nanowire formation. Using the bottom contact field effect transistor structure and a simple drop-cast method, a single-crystal M(OEP) nanowires-based field effect transistor can be readily prepared with prominent hole transporting behaviour and charge-carrier mobility up to 10(-3)-10(-2) cm(2) V(-1) s(-1) for holes, which are 10 times higher than that of vacuum-deposited M(OEP) organic thin-film transistors (OTFTs).