Determination of the Raman polarizability tensor in the optically anisotropic crystal potassium dihydrogen phosphate and its deuterated analog

The Raman tensor of the dominant A1 modes of the nonlinear optical crystalline material potassium dihydrogen phosphate and its 70% deuterated analog have been ascertained. Challenges in determining the A1 mode tensor element values based on previous reports have been resolved using a specially designed experimental setup that makes use of spherical crystal samples. This novel experimental design enabled the determination of measurement artifacts, including polarization rotation of the pump and/or scattered light propagating through the sample and the contribution of additional overlapping phonon modes, which have hindered previous efforts. Results confirmed that the polarization tensor is diagonal, and matrix elements were determined with high accuracy.

Fusion of Bipolar Tetraether Lipid Membranes Without Enhanced Leakage of Small Molecules

A major challenge in liposomal research is to minimize the leakage of encapsulated cargo from either uncontrolled passive permeability across the liposomal membrane or upon fusion with other membranes. We previously showed that liposomes made from pure Archaea-inspired bipolar tetraether lipids exhibit exceptionally low permeability of encapsulated small molecules due to their capability to form more tightly packed membranes compared to typical monopolar lipids. Here, we demonstrate that liposomes made of synthetic bipolar tetraether lipids can also undergo membrane fusion, which is commonly accompanied by content leakage of liposomes when using typical bilayer-forming lipids. Importantly, we demonstrate calcium-mediated fusion events between liposome made of glycerolmonoalkyl glycerol tetraether lipids with phosphatidic acid headgroups (GMGTPA) occur without liposome content release, which contrasts with liposomes made of bilayer-forming EggPA lipids that displayed ~80% of content release under the same fusogenic conditions. NMR spectroscopy studies of a deuterated analog of GMGTPA lipids reveal the presence of multiple rigid and dynamic conformations, which provide evidence for the possibility of these lipids to form intermediate states typically associated with membrane fusion events. The results support that biomimetic GMGT lipids possess several attractive properties (e.g., low permeability and non-leaky fusion capability) for further development in liposome-based technologies.

Hydration and Ion Pair Formation in Aqueous Lu3+- Solution

Aqueous solutions of Lu3+- perchlorate, triflate and chloride were measured by Raman spectroscopy. A weak, isotropic mode at 396 cm−1 (full width at half height (fwhh) at 50 cm−1) was observed in perchlorate and triflate solutions. This mode was assigned to the totally symmetric stretching mode of [Lu(OH2)8]3+, ν1LuO8. In Lu(ClO4)3 solutions in heavy water, the ν1LuO8 symmetric stretch of [Lu(OD2)8]3+ appears at 376.5 cm−1. The shift confirms the theoretical isotopic effect of this mode. In the anisotropic scattering of aqueous Lu(ClO4)3, five bands of very low intensity were observed at 113 cm−1, 161.6 cm−1, 231 cm−1, 261.3 cm−1 and 344 cm−1. In LuCl3 (aq) solutions measured over a concentration range from 0.105–3.199 mol·L−1 a 1:1 chloro-complex was detected. Its equilibrium concentration, however, disappeared rapidly with dilution and vanished at a concentration < 0.5 mol·L−1. Quantitative Raman spectroscopy allowed the detection of the fractions of [Lu(OH2)8]3+, the fully hydrated species and the mono-chloro complex, [Lu(OH2)7Cl]2+. In a ternary LuCl3/HCl solution, a mixtrure of chloro-complex species of the type [Lu(OH2)8−nCln]+3−n (n = 1 and 2) were detected. DFT geometry optimization and frequency calculations are reported for Lu3+- water cluster in vacuo and with a polarizable dielectric continuum (PC) model including the bulk solvent implicitly. The bond distance and angle for [Lu(OH2)8]3+ within the PC are in good agreement with data from structural experiments. The DFT frequencies for the Lu-O modes of [Lu(OH2)8]3+ and its deuterated analog [Lu(OD2)8]3+ in a PC are in fair agreement with the experimental ones. The calculated hydration enthalpy of Lu3+ (aq) is slightly lower than the experimental value.

Characterization of Pd⋯H–C interactions in bis-dimethyldithiocarbamate palladium(ii) and its deuterated analog by luminescence spectroscopy at variable pressure

Luminescence band maxima of bis-dimethyldithiocarbamate palladium(ii) and its deuterated analog show distinct shifts in three pressure ranges, indicative of three different interactions.