101
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Santos LP, Lermen D, Yoshimura RG, da Silva BL, Galembeck A, Burgo TAL, Galembeck F. Water Reactivity in Electrified Interfaces: The Simultaneous Production of Electricity, Hydrogen, and Hydrogen Peroxide at Room Temperature. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2023; 39:5840-5850. [PMID: 37053576 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.3c00186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Hygroelectric cells deliver hydrogen, hydrogen peroxide, and electric current simultaneously at room temperature from liquid water or vapor. Different cell arrangements allowed the electrical measurements and the detection and measurement of the reaction products by two methods each. Thermodynamic analysis shows that water dehydrogenation is a non-spontaneous reaction under standard conditions, but it can occur within an open, non-electroneutral system, thus supporting the experimental results. That is a new example of chemical reactivity modification in charged interfaces, analogous to the hydrogen peroxide formation in charged aqueous aerosol droplets. Extension of the experimental methods and the thermodynamic analysis used in this work may allow the prediction of interesting new chemical reactions that are otherwise unexpected. On the other hand, this adds a new facet to the complex behavior of interfaces. Hygroelectric cells shown in this work are built from commodity materials, using standard laboratory or industrial processes that are easily scaled up. Thus, hygroelectricity may eventually become a source of energy and valuable chemicals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leandra P Santos
- Galembetech Consultores e Tecnologia Ltda., Campinas 13080-650, Brazil
- University of Campinas, Institute of Chemistry, P.O. Box 6154, Campinas 13083-970, Brazil
| | - Diana Lermen
- University of Campinas, Institute of Chemistry, P.O. Box 6154, Campinas 13083-970, Brazil
| | - Rafael Galiza Yoshimura
- Galembetech Consultores e Tecnologia Ltda., Campinas 13080-650, Brazil
- University of Campinas, Institute of Chemistry, P.O. Box 6154, Campinas 13083-970, Brazil
| | | | - André Galembeck
- Department of Fundamental Chemistry, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife 50740-560, Brazil
| | - Thiago A L Burgo
- Department of Chemistry and Environmental Sciences, Ibilce, São Paulo State University (Unesp), São José do Rio Preto 15054-000, Brazil
| | - Fernando Galembeck
- Galembetech Consultores e Tecnologia Ltda., Campinas 13080-650, Brazil
- University of Campinas, Institute of Chemistry, P.O. Box 6154, Campinas 13083-970, Brazil
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102
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Huang JH, Zhang F, Shi YP, Cai JR, Chuang YH, Hu WP, Lee YY, Wang CC. Water Plays Multifunctional Roles in the Intervening Formation of Secondary Organic Aerosols in Ozonolysis of Limonene: A Valence Photoelectron Spectroscopy and Density Functional Theory Study. J Phys Chem Lett 2023; 14:3765-3776. [PMID: 37052309 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.3c00560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Although water may affect aqueous aerosol chemistry, how it intervenes in the formation of secondary organic aerosols (SOAs) at the molecular level remains elusive. Ozonolysis of limonene is one of the most important sources of indoor SOAs. Here, we report the valence electronic properties of limonene aerosols and SOAs derived from limonene ozonolysis (Lim-SOAs) via aerosol vacuum ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy, with a focus on the effects of water on Lim-SOAs. The first vertical ionization energy of limonene aerosols is measured to be 8.79 ± 0.07 eV. While water significantly increases the total photoelectron yield of Lim-SOAs, three photoelectron features attributable to Lim-SOAs each exhibit distinct dependence on the fraction of water in aerosols, implying that different formation pathways and molecular origins are involved in the formation of Lim-SOAs. Combined with density functional theory calculation and mass spectrometry measurements, this study reveals that water, particularly the water dimer, enhances the formation of Lim-SOAs by altering the ozonolysis energetics and pathways by intervening in its Criegee chemistry, acting as both a catalyst and a reactant. The atmospheric implication is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jhih-Hong Huang
- Department of Chemistry and Aerosol Science Research Center, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, R.O.C. 80424
| | - Fuyi Zhang
- Department of Chemistry and Aerosol Science Research Center, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, R.O.C. 80424
| | - Yan-Pin Shi
- Department of Chemistry and Aerosol Science Research Center, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, R.O.C. 80424
| | - Jia-Rong Cai
- Department of Chemistry and Aerosol Science Research Center, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, R.O.C. 80424
| | - Yu-Hsuan Chuang
- Department of Chemistry and Aerosol Science Research Center, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, R.O.C. 80424
| | - Wei-Ping Hu
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, National Chung Cheng University, Chiayi, Taiwan, R.O.C. 62102
| | - Yin-Yu Lee
- National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center, Hsinchu, Taiwan, R.O.C. 30076
| | - Chia C Wang
- Department of Chemistry and Aerosol Science Research Center, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, R.O.C. 80424
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103
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Li K, Guo Y, Nizkorodov S, Rudich Y, Angelaki M, Wang X, An T, Perrier S, George C. Spontaneous dark formation of OH radicals at the interface of aqueous atmospheric droplets. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2220228120. [PMID: 37011187 PMCID: PMC10104570 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2220228120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Hydroxyl radical (OH) is a key oxidant that triggers atmospheric oxidation chemistry in both gas and aqueous phases. The current understanding of its aqueous sources is mainly based on known bulk (photo)chemical processes, uptake from gaseous OH, or related to interfacial O3 and NO3 radical-driven chemistry. Here, we present experimental evidence that OH radicals are spontaneously produced at the air-water interface of aqueous droplets in the dark and the absence of known precursors, possibly due to the strong electric field that forms at such interfaces. The measured OH production rates in atmospherically relevant droplets are comparable to or significantly higher than those from known aqueous bulk sources, especially in the dark. As aqueous droplets are ubiquitous in the troposphere, this interfacial source of OH radicals should significantly impact atmospheric multiphase oxidation chemistry, with substantial implications on air quality, climate, and health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kangwei Li
- Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, IRCELYON, VilleurbanneF-69626, France
| | - Yunlong Guo
- Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, IRCELYON, VilleurbanneF-69626, France
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Health Risk Control, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Institute of Environmental Health and Pollution Control, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou510006, China
| | | | - Yinon Rudich
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Weizmann Institute, Rehovot76100, Israel
| | - Maria Angelaki
- Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, IRCELYON, VilleurbanneF-69626, France
| | - Xinke Wang
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA92697
| | - Taicheng An
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Health Risk Control, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Institute of Environmental Health and Pollution Control, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou510006, China
| | - Sebastien Perrier
- Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, IRCELYON, VilleurbanneF-69626, France
| | - Christian George
- Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, IRCELYON, VilleurbanneF-69626, France
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104
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Meng Y, Gnanamani E, Zare RN. One-Step Formation of Pharmaceuticals Having a Phenylacetic Acid Core Using Water Microdroplets. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:7724-7728. [PMID: 37011129 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c00773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/05/2023]
Abstract
The properties of water microdroplets strikingly differ from bulk water. Using room-temperature water microdroplets, we find that toluene can react with CO2 to form phenylacetic acid in one step without any catalyst with negative high voltage applied at the sprayer source. The chemical components of these microdroplets are identified by mass spectrometry, and product structures are confirmed by tandem mass spectrometry. In this manner, we generate three drug molecules in a single step: 4-aminophenylacetic acid (epithelial peptide transporter PepT1 inhibitor), 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (dopamine metabolite neurotransmitter), and phenylacetic acid (sodium salt form; treatment of urea cycle disorder). Mechanistic studies show that benzyl radicals formed from hydroxyl radicals at the water microdroplet interface drive these carboxylation reactions. This water microdroplet chemistry is general, allowing activation and subsequent carboxylation of aryl α-C-H groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifan Meng
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Elumalai Gnanamani
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee 247667, India
| | - Richard N Zare
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
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105
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Nguyen D, Lyu P, Nguyen SC. Experimental and Thermodynamic Viewpoints on Claims of a Spontaneous H 2O 2 Formation at the Air-Water Interface. J Phys Chem B 2023; 127:2323-2330. [PMID: 36913256 PMCID: PMC10041628 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.2c07394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/14/2023]
Abstract
Recent claims of the spontaneous H2O2 formation at the air-water interface of water microdroplets have sparked debates on its feasibility. New results from different research groups have provided more insight into these claims, but conclusive proofs are still far from realized. In this Perspective, thermodynamic viewpoints, potential experiments, and theoretical approaches are presented as references for future studies. We suggest that future work should seek for H2 byproduct as indirect evidence to confirm the feasibility of this phenomenon. Examining potential energy surfaces for H2O2 formation reaction when moving from the bulk to the interface under the influence of the local electric fields is also critical to establish this phenomenon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Duy Nguyen
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Merced, California 95343, United States
| | - Pin Lyu
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Merced, California 95343, United States
| | - Son C Nguyen
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Merced, California 95343, United States
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106
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Zhang D, Wang J, Chen H, Gong C, Xing D, Liu Z, Gladich I, Francisco JS, Zhang X. Fast Hydroxyl Radical Generation at the Air-Water Interface of Aerosols Mediated by Water-Soluble PM 2.5 under Ultraviolet A Radiation. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:6462-6470. [PMID: 36913682 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c00300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/15/2023]
Abstract
Due to the adverse health effects and the role in the formation of secondary organic aerosols, hydroxyl radical (OH) generation by atmospheric fine particulate matter (PM) has been of particular research interest in both bulk solutions and the gas phase. However, OH generation by PM at the air-water interface of atmospheric water droplets, a unique environment where reactions can be accelerated by orders of magnitude, has long been overlooked. Using the field-induced droplet ionization mass spectrometry methodology that selectively samples molecules at the air-water interface, here, we show significant oxidation of amphiphilic lipids and isoprene mediated by water-soluble PM2.5 at the air-water interface under ultraviolet A irradiation, with the OH generation rate estimated to be 1.5 × 1016 molecule·s-1·m-2. Atomistic molecular dynamics simulations support the counter-intuitive affinity for the air-water interface of isoprene. We opine that it is the carboxylic chelators of the surface-active molecules in PM that enrich photocatalytic metals such as iron at the air-water interface and greatly enhance the OH generation therein. This work provides a potential new heterogeneous OH generation channel in the atmosphere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongmei Zhang
- College of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Advanced Energy Materials Chemistry (Ministry of Education), Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Centre, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Biosensing and Molecular Recognition, Frontiers Science Centre for New Organic Matter, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Jie Wang
- College of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Advanced Energy Materials Chemistry (Ministry of Education), Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Centre, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Biosensing and Molecular Recognition, Frontiers Science Centre for New Organic Matter, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Huan Chen
- College of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Advanced Energy Materials Chemistry (Ministry of Education), Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Centre, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Biosensing and Molecular Recognition, Frontiers Science Centre for New Organic Matter, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Chu Gong
- College of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Advanced Energy Materials Chemistry (Ministry of Education), Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Centre, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Biosensing and Molecular Recognition, Frontiers Science Centre for New Organic Matter, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Dong Xing
- College of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Advanced Energy Materials Chemistry (Ministry of Education), Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Centre, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Biosensing and Molecular Recognition, Frontiers Science Centre for New Organic Matter, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Ziao Liu
- Department of Earth and Environmental Science and Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104-6316, United States
| | - Ivan Gladich
- Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, P.O. Box 34410, Doha, Qatar
| | - Joseph S Francisco
- Department of Earth and Environmental Science and Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104-6316, United States
| | - Xinxing Zhang
- College of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Advanced Energy Materials Chemistry (Ministry of Education), Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Centre, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Biosensing and Molecular Recognition, Frontiers Science Centre for New Organic Matter, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
- Haihe Laboratory of Sustainable Chemical Transformations, Tianjin 300192, China
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107
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Wang J, Huang D, Chen F, Chen J, Jiang H, Zhu Y, Chen C, Zhao J. Rapid Redox Cycling of Fe(II)/Fe(III) in Microdroplets during Iron-Citric Acid Photochemistry. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:4434-4442. [PMID: 36883325 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c07897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Fe(III) and carboxylic acids are common compositions in atmospheric microdroplet systems like clouds, fogs, and aerosols. Although photochemical processes of Fe(III)-carboxylate complexes have been extensively studied in bulk aqueous solution, relevant information on the dynamic microdroplet system, which may be largely different from the bulk phase, is rare. With the help of the custom-made ultrasonic-based dynamic microdroplet photochemical system, this study examines the photochemical process of Fe(III)-citric acid complexes in microdroplets for the first time. We find that when the degradation extent of citric acid is similar between the microdroplet system and the bulk solution, the significantly lower Fe(II) ratio is present in microdroplet samples due to the rapider reoxidation of photogenerated Fe(II). However, by replacing citric acid with benzoic acid, no much difference in the Fe(II) ratio between microdroplets and bulk solution is observed, which indicates distinct reoxidation pathways of Fe(II). Moreover, the presence of •OH scavenger, namely, methanol, greatly accelerates the reoxidation of photogenerated Fe(II) in both citric acid and benzoic acid situations. Further experiments reveal that the high availability of O2 and the citric acid- or methanol-derived carbon-centered radicals are responsible for the rapider reoxidation of Fe(II) in iron-citric acid microdroplets by prolonging the length of HO2•- and H2O2-involved radical reaction chains. The results in this study may provide a new understanding about iron-citric acid photochemistry in atmospheric liquid particles, which can further influence the photoactivity of particles and the formation of secondary organic aerosols.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinzhao Wang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Photochemistry, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P. R. China
| | - Di Huang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Photochemistry, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P. R. China
| | - Fengxia Chen
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Photochemistry, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P. R. China
| | - Jianhua Chen
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Photochemistry, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P. R. China
| | - Hongyu Jiang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Photochemistry, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P. R. China
| | - Yifan Zhu
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Photochemistry, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P. R. China
| | - Chuncheng Chen
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Photochemistry, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P. R. China
| | - Jincai Zhao
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Photochemistry, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P. R. China
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108
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Jin S, Wang R, Chen H, Yuan X, Zhang X. Spontaneous and Simultaneous Oxidation and Reduction of o-Quinones in Water Microdroplets. J Phys Chem A 2023; 127:2805-2809. [PMID: 36939334 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpca.3c00865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/21/2023]
Abstract
Microdroplet chemistry has been an emerging new field for its large plethora of unique properties, among which an especially intriguing one is the strong oxidizing and reducing powers. The hydroxide ion in water microdroplets is considered to split into a hydroxyl radical and an electron at the air-water interface, and the former is responsible for the oxidizing capability while the latter is responsible for the reducing power, making a unity of opposites. However, to date there are only two examples showing that oxidation and reduction occur simultaneously to the same substrates, which might be a result of the redox properties of the substrate per se. In this study, we carefully chose a group of ο-quinone compounds as the substrates in water microdroplets and discovered that they can be both oxidized by the hydroxyl radical and reduced by the electron. These results keep pushing the limit of the unique redox properties of microdroplet chemistry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuihui Jin
- College of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Advanced Energy Materials Chemistry (Ministry of Education), Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Centre, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Biosensing and Molecular Recognition, Frontiers Science Centre for New Organic Matter, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Ruijing Wang
- College of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Advanced Energy Materials Chemistry (Ministry of Education), Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Centre, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Biosensing and Molecular Recognition, Frontiers Science Centre for New Organic Matter, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Huan Chen
- College of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Advanced Energy Materials Chemistry (Ministry of Education), Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Centre, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Biosensing and Molecular Recognition, Frontiers Science Centre for New Organic Matter, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Xu Yuan
- College of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Advanced Energy Materials Chemistry (Ministry of Education), Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Centre, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Biosensing and Molecular Recognition, Frontiers Science Centre for New Organic Matter, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Xinxing Zhang
- College of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Advanced Energy Materials Chemistry (Ministry of Education), Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Centre, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Biosensing and Molecular Recognition, Frontiers Science Centre for New Organic Matter, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China.,Haihe Laboratory of Sustainable Chemical Transformations, Tianjin 300192, China
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109
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Martins-Costa MTC, Ruiz-López MF. Probing solvation electrostatics at the air–water interface. Theor Chem Acc 2023. [DOI: 10.1007/s00214-023-02969-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/09/2023]
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110
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Namani T, Ruf RJ, Arsano I, Hu R, Wesdemiotis C, Sahai N. Novel Chimeric Amino Acid-Fatty Alcohol Ester Amphiphiles Self-Assemble into Stable Primitive Membranes in Diverse Geological Settings. ASTROBIOLOGY 2023; 23:327-343. [PMID: 36724479 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2022.0056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Primitive cells are believed to have been self-assembled vesicular structures with minimal metabolic components, that were capable of self-maintenance and self-propagation in early Earth geological settings. The coevolution and self-assembly of biomolecules, such as amphiphiles, peptides, and nucleic acids, or their precursors, were essential for protocell emergence. Here, we present a novel class of amphiphiles-amino acid-fatty alcohol esters-that self-assemble into stable primitive membrane compartments under a wide range of geochemical conditions. Glycine n-octyl ester (GOE) and isoleucine n-octyl ester (IOE), the condensation ester products of glycine or isoleucine with octanol (OcOH), are expected to form at a mild temperature by wet-dry cycles. The GOE forms micelles in acidic aqueous solutions (pH 2-7) and vesicles at intermediate pH (pH 7.3-8.2). When mixed with cosurfactants (octanoic acid [OcA]; OcOH, or decanol) in different mole fractions [XCosurfactant = 0.1-0.5], the vesicle stability range expands significantly to span the extremely acidic to mildly alkaline (pH 2-8) and extremely alkaline (pH 10-11) regions. Only a small mole fraction of cosurfactant [XCosurfactant = 0.1] is needed to make stable vesicular structures. Notably, these GOE-based vesicles are also stable in the presence of high concentrations of divalent cations, even at low pHs and in simulated Hadean seawater composition (without sulfate). To better understand the self-assembly behavior of GOE-based systems, we devised complementary molecular dynamics computer simulations for a series of mixed GOE/OcA systems under simulated acidic pHs. The resulting calculated critical packing parameter values and self-assembly behavior were consistent with our experimental findings. The IOE is expected to show similar self-assembly behavior. Thus, amino acid-fatty alcohol esters, a novel chimeric amphiphile class composed of an amino acid head group and a fatty alcohol tail, may have aided in building protocell membranes, which were stable in a wide variety of geochemical circumstances and were conducive to supporting replication and self-maintenance. The present work contributes to our body of work supporting our hypothesis for synergism and coevolution of (proto)biomolecules on early Earth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trishool Namani
- School of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering, University of Akron, Akron, Ohio, USA
| | - Reghan J Ruf
- School of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering, University of Akron, Akron, Ohio, USA
- Integrated Biosciences Program, University of Akron, Akron, Ohio, USA
| | - Iskinder Arsano
- School of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering, University of Akron, Akron, Ohio, USA
| | - Ruibo Hu
- School of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering, University of Akron, Akron, Ohio, USA
| | - Chrys Wesdemiotis
- School of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering, University of Akron, Akron, Ohio, USA
- Department of Chemistry, University of Akron, Akron, Ohio, USA
| | - Nita Sahai
- School of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering, University of Akron, Akron, Ohio, USA
- Integrated Biosciences Program, University of Akron, Akron, Ohio, USA
- Department of Geosciences, and University of Akron, Akron, Ohio, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Akron, Akron, Ohio, USA
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111
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Voci S, Clarke TB, Dick JE. Abiotic microcompartments form when neighbouring droplets fuse: an electrochemiluminescence investigation. Chem Sci 2023; 14:2336-2341. [PMID: 36873831 PMCID: PMC9977408 DOI: 10.1039/d2sc06553c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Many studies have shown chemistry proceeds differently in small volumes compared to bulk phases. However, few studies exist elucidating spontaneous means by which small volumes can form in Nature. Such studies are critical in understanding the formation of life in microcompartments. In this study, we track in real-time the coalescence of two or more water microdroplets adsorbed on an electrified surface in a 1,2-dichloroethane continuous phase by electrogenerated chemiluminescence (ECL) imaging, uncovering the spontaneous generation of multiple emulsions inside the resulting water droplets. During the fusion of adsorbed water droplets with each other on the electrode surface, volumes of organic and water phases are entrapped in between and detected respectively as ECL not-emitting and emitting regions. The diameter of those confined environments inside the water droplets can be less than a micrometer, as described by scanning electron microscopy data. This study adds a new mechanism for the generation of micro- and nano-emulsions and provides insight into confinement techniques under abiotic conditions as well as new potential strategies in microfluidic devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Voci
- Department of Chemistry, Purdue University West Lafayette IN 47907 USA
| | - Thomas B Clarke
- Department of Chemistry, Purdue University West Lafayette IN 47907 USA
| | - Jeffrey E Dick
- Department of Chemistry, Purdue University West Lafayette IN 47907 USA .,Elmore Family School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Purdue University West Lafayette IN 47907 USA
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112
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Li M, Kan Y, Su H, Pöschl U, Parekh SH, Bonn M, Cheng Y. Spatial homogeneity of pH in aerosol microdroplets. Chem 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chempr.2023.02.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/19/2023]
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113
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Al-Abadleh HA, Kubicki JD, Meskhidze N. A perspective on iron (Fe) in the atmosphere: air quality, climate, and the ocean. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE. PROCESSES & IMPACTS 2023; 25:151-164. [PMID: 36004543 DOI: 10.1039/d2em00176d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
As scientists engage in research motivated by climate change and the impacts of pollution on air, water, and human health, we increasingly recognize the need for the scientific community to improve communication and knowledge exchange across disciplines to address pressing and outstanding research questions holistically. Our professional paths have crossed because our research activities focus on the chemical reactivity of Fe-containing minerals in air and water, and at the air-sea interface. (Photo)chemical reactions driven by Fe can take place at the surface of the particles/droplets or within the condensed phase. The extent and rates of these reactions are influenced by water content and biogeochemical activity ubiquitous in these systems. One of these reactions is the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that cause damage to respiratory organs. Another is that the reactivity of Fe and organics in aerosol particles alter surficial physicochemical properties that impact aerosol-radiation and aerosol-cloud interactions. Also, upon deposition, aerosol particles influence ocean biogeochemical processes because micronutrients such as Fe or toxic elements such as copper become bioavailable. We provide a perspective on these topics and future research directions on the reactivity of Fe in atmospheric aerosol systems, from sources to short- and long-term impacts at the sinks with emphasis on needs to enhance the predictive power of atmospheric and ocean models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hind A Al-Abadleh
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo N2L 3C5, Ontario, Canada.
| | - James D Kubicki
- Department of Earth, Environmental & Resource Sciences, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso 79968, Texas, USA.
| | - Nicholas Meskhidze
- Department of Marine, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh 27695, North Carolina, USA.
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114
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Yuan X, Zhang D, Liang C, Zhang X. Spontaneous Reduction of Transition Metal Ions by One Electron in Water Microdroplets and the Atmospheric Implications. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:2800-2805. [PMID: 36705987 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c00037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Freshman chemistry teaches that Fe3+ and Cu2+ ions are stable in water solutions, but their reduced forms, Fe2+ and Cu+, cannot exist in water as the major oxidation state due to the fast oxidation by O2 and/or disproportionation. Contrary to these well-known facts, significant fractions of dissolved Fe and Cu species exist in their reduced oxidation states in atmospheric water such as deliquesced aerosols, clouds, and fog droplets. Current knowledge attributes these phenomena to the stabilization of the lower oxidation states by the complexation of ligands and the various photochemical or thermal pathways that can reduce the higher oxidation states. In this study, by spraying the water solutions of transition metal ions into microdroplets, we show the results of the spontaneous reduction of ligated Fe(III) and Cu(II) species into Fe(II) and Cu(I) species, presenting a previously unknown source of reduced transition metal ions in atmospheric water. It is the spontaneously generated electrons in water microdroplets that are responsible for the reduction. Control experiments in the atmosphere and in a glove box filled with precisely controlled gaseous contents reveal that O2, CO2, and NO2 are the major competitors for the electrons, forming O2-, HCO2-, and NO2-, respectively. Taking these findings together, we opine that microdroplet chemistry might play significant but previously underestimated roles in atmospheric redox chemistry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xu Yuan
- College of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Advanced Energy Materials Chemistry (Ministry of Education), Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Center, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Biosensing and Molecular Recognition, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Dongmei Zhang
- College of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Advanced Energy Materials Chemistry (Ministry of Education), Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Center, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Biosensing and Molecular Recognition, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Chiyu Liang
- College of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Advanced Energy Materials Chemistry (Ministry of Education), Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Center, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Biosensing and Molecular Recognition, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Xinxing Zhang
- College of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Advanced Energy Materials Chemistry (Ministry of Education), Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Center, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Biosensing and Molecular Recognition, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China.,Haihe Laboratory of Sustainable Chemical Transformations, Tianjin 300192, China
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115
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Jin X, Wu Y, Dai C, Sun J, Ye M, Liu J, Cheng H. Catalyst-Free Accelerated Three-Component Synthesis of Betti Bases in Microdroplets. Chempluschem 2023; 88:e202200206. [PMID: 36026555 DOI: 10.1002/cplu.202200206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Revised: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Due to their important roles in medicine and asymmetric metal catalysis, the formation of Betti bases has attracted wide interest in organic chemical community. Traditional multicomponent reaction methods for synthesizing Betti bases normally require long reaction times under harsh conditions (high temperature, microwave or ultrasonic irradiation, etc.) in the presence of various catalysts. In this study, we developed a mild, highly efficient and environmentally friendly method to synthesize Betti bases without the use of any catalysts in microdroplets. The Betti reaction was accelerated by 6.53×103 in microdroplets by comparing the measured rate constant in bulk. Fifteen Betti bases were synthesized by the microdroplet method using a variety of aldehydes, naphthols and amines with 68-98 % yields at a scaled-up amount of 1.9 g h-1 . Overall it is an attractive alternative to classic organic synthesis for the construction of Betti bases and derivatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoxiao Jin
- College of Material, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Organosilicon Chemistry and Material Technology, Hangzhou Normal University, 2318 Yuhangtang Road, Hangzhou, 311121, P. R. China
| | - Yikang Wu
- College of Material, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Organosilicon Chemistry and Material Technology, Hangzhou Normal University, 2318 Yuhangtang Road, Hangzhou, 311121, P. R. China
| | - Chengbiao Dai
- College of Material, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Organosilicon Chemistry and Material Technology, Hangzhou Normal University, 2318 Yuhangtang Road, Hangzhou, 311121, P. R. China
| | - Jiannan Sun
- College of Material, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Organosilicon Chemistry and Material Technology, Hangzhou Normal University, 2318 Yuhangtang Road, Hangzhou, 311121, P. R. China
| | - Meiying Ye
- College of Material, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Organosilicon Chemistry and Material Technology, Hangzhou Normal University, 2318 Yuhangtang Road, Hangzhou, 311121, P. R. China
| | - Jinhua Liu
- College of Material, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Organosilicon Chemistry and Material Technology, Hangzhou Normal University, 2318 Yuhangtang Road, Hangzhou, 311121, P. R. China
| | - Heyong Cheng
- College of Material, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Organosilicon Chemistry and Material Technology, Hangzhou Normal University, 2318 Yuhangtang Road, Hangzhou, 311121, P. R. China
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116
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Chen H, Wang R, Xu J, Yuan X, Zhang D, Zhu Z, Marshall M, Bowen K, Zhang X. Spontaneous Reduction by One Electron on Water Microdroplets Facilitates Direct Carboxylation with CO 2. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:2647-2652. [PMID: 36668682 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c12731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Recent advances in microdroplet chemistry have shown that chemical reactions in water microdroplets can be accelerated by several orders of magnitude compared to the same reactions in bulk water. Among the large plethora of unique properties of microdroplets, an especially intriguing one is the strong reducing power that can be sometimes as high as alkali metals as a result of the spontaneously generated electrons. In this study, we design a catalyst-free strategy that takes advantage of the reducing ability of water microdroplets to reduce a certain molecule, and the reduced form of that molecule can convert CO2 into value-added products. By spraying the water solution of C6F5I into microdroplets, an exotic and fragile radical anion, C6F5I•-, is observed, where the excess electron counter-intuitively locates on the σ* antibonding orbital of the C-I bond as evidenced by anion photoelectron spectroscopy. This electron weakens the C-I bond and causes the formation of C6F5-, and the latter attacks the carbon atom on CO2, forming the pentafluorobenzoate product, C6F5CO2-. This study provides a good example of strategically making use of the spontaneous properties of water microdroplets, and we anticipate that microdroplet chemistry will be a green avenue rich in new opportunities in CO2 utilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huan Chen
- College of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Advanced Energy Materials Chemistry (Ministry of Education), Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Centre, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Biosensing and Molecular Recognition, Frontiers Science Centre for New Organic Matter, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China.,Haihe Laboratory of Sustainable Chemical Transformations, Tianjin 300192, China
| | - Ruijing Wang
- College of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Advanced Energy Materials Chemistry (Ministry of Education), Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Centre, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Biosensing and Molecular Recognition, Frontiers Science Centre for New Organic Matter, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China.,Haihe Laboratory of Sustainable Chemical Transformations, Tianjin 300192, China
| | - Jinheng Xu
- College of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Advanced Energy Materials Chemistry (Ministry of Education), Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Centre, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Biosensing and Molecular Recognition, Frontiers Science Centre for New Organic Matter, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China.,Haihe Laboratory of Sustainable Chemical Transformations, Tianjin 300192, China.,Department of Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, United States
| | - Xu Yuan
- College of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Advanced Energy Materials Chemistry (Ministry of Education), Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Centre, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Biosensing and Molecular Recognition, Frontiers Science Centre for New Organic Matter, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China.,Haihe Laboratory of Sustainable Chemical Transformations, Tianjin 300192, China
| | - Dongmei Zhang
- College of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Advanced Energy Materials Chemistry (Ministry of Education), Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Centre, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Biosensing and Molecular Recognition, Frontiers Science Centre for New Organic Matter, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China.,Haihe Laboratory of Sustainable Chemical Transformations, Tianjin 300192, China
| | - Zhaoguo Zhu
- Department of Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, United States
| | - Mary Marshall
- Department of Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, United States
| | - Kit Bowen
- Department of Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, United States
| | - Xinxing Zhang
- College of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Advanced Energy Materials Chemistry (Ministry of Education), Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Centre, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Biosensing and Molecular Recognition, Frontiers Science Centre for New Organic Matter, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China.,Haihe Laboratory of Sustainable Chemical Transformations, Tianjin 300192, China
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117
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Zou H, Shi H, Hao S, Hao Y, Yang J, Tian X, Yang H. Boosting Catalytic Selectivity through a Precise Spatial Control of Catalysts at Pickering Droplet Interfaces. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:2511-2522. [PMID: 36652392 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c12120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Exploration of new methodologies to tune catalytic selectivity is a long-sought goal in catalytic community. In this work, oil-water interfaces of Pickering emulsions are developed to effectively regulate catalytic selectivity of hydrogenation reactions, which was achieved via a precise control of the spatial distribution of metal nanoparticles at the droplet interfaces. It was found that Pd nanoparticles located in the inner interfacial layer of Pickering droplets exhibited a significantly enhanced selectivity for p-chloroaniline (up to 99.6%) in the hydrogenation of p-chloronitrobenzene in comparison to those in the outer interfacial layer (63.6%) in pure water (68.5%) or in pure organic solvents (46.8%). Experimental and theoretical investigations indicated that such a remarkable interfacial microregion-dependent catalytic selectivity was attributed to the microenvironments of the coexistence of water and organic solvent at the droplet interfaces, which could provide unique interfacial hydrogen-bonding interactions and solvation effects so as to alter the adsorption patterns of p-chloronitrobenzene and p-chloroaniline on the Pd nanoparticles, thereby avoiding the unwanted contact of C-Cl bonds with the metal surfaces. Our strategy of precise spatial control of catalysts at liquid-liquid interfaces and the unprecedented interfacial effect reported here not only provide new insights into the liquid-liquid interfacial reactions but also open an avenue to boost catalytic selectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Houbing Zou
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China.,Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Molecular Engineering of Ministry of Education, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China
| | - Hu Shi
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China
| | - Shijiao Hao
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China
| | - Yajuan Hao
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China
| | - Jie Yang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China
| | - Xinxin Tian
- Institute of Molecular Science, Key Laboratory of Materials for Energy Conversion and Storage of Shanxi Province, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China.,Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Molecular Engineering of Ministry of Education, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China
| | - Hengquan Yang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China.,Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Molecular Engineering of Ministry of Education, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China
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118
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Masaya TW, Goulay F. A Molecular Dynamic Study of the Effects of Surface Partitioning on the OH Radical Interactions with Solutes in Multicomponent Aqueous Aerosols. J Phys Chem A 2023; 127:751-764. [PMID: 36639126 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpca.2c07419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
The surface-bulk partitioning of small saccharide and amide molecules in aqueous droplets was investigated using molecular dynamics. The air-particle interface was modeled using a 80 Å cubic water box containing a series of organic molecules and surrounded by gaseous OH radicals. The properties of the organic solutes within the interface and the water bulk were examined at a molecular level using density profiles and radial pair distribution functions. Molecules containing only polar functional groups such as urea and glucose are found predominantly in the water bulk, forming an exclusion layer near the water surface. Substitution of a single polar group by an alkyl group in sugars and amides leads to the migration of the molecule toward the interface. Within the first 2 nm from the water surface, surface-active solutes lose their rotational freedom and adopt a preferred orientation with the alkyl group pointing toward the surface. The different packing within the interface leads to different solvation shell structures and enhanced interaction between the organic molecules and absorbed OH radicals. The simulations provide quantitative information about the dimension, composition, and organization of the air-water interface as well as about the nonreactive interaction of the OH radicals with the organic solutes. It suggests that increased concentrations, preferred orientations, and decreased solvation near the air-water surface may lead to differences in reactivities between surface-active and surface-inactive molecules. The results are important to explain how heterogeneous oxidation mechanisms and kinetics within interfaces may differ from those of the bulk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tadini Wenyika Masaya
- C. Eugene Bennett Department of Chemistry, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia26506, United States
| | - Fabien Goulay
- C. Eugene Bennett Department of Chemistry, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia26506, United States
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119
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Martins-Costa MTC, Ruiz-López MF. Electrostatics and Chemical Reactivity at the Air-Water Interface. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:1400-1406. [PMID: 36622259 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c12089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
It has been recently discovered that chemical reactions at aqueous interfaces can be orders of magnitude faster compared to conventional bulk phase reactions, but despite its wide-ranging implications, which extend from atmospheric to synthetic chemistry or technological applications, the phenomenon is still incompletely understood. The role of strong electric fields due to space asymmetry and the accumulation of ions at the interface has been claimed as a possible cause from some experiments, but the reorganization of the solvent around the reactive system should provide even greater additional electrostatic contributions that have not yet been analyzed. In this study, with the help of first-principles molecular dynamics simulations, we go deeper into this issue by a careful assessment of solvation electrostatics at the air-water interface. Our simulations confirm that electrostatic forces can indeed be a key factor in rate acceleration compared to bulk solution. Remarkably, the study reveals that the effect cannot simply be attributed to the magnitude of the local electric field and that the fluctuations of the full electrostatic potential resulting from unique dynamical behavior of the solvation shells at the interface must be accounted for. This finding paves the way for future applications of the phenomenon in organic synthesis, especially for charge transfer or redox reactions in thin films and microdroplets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marilia T C Martins-Costa
- Laboratoire de Physique et Chimie Théoriques, UMR CNRS 7019, University of Lorraine, CNRS, BP 70239, 54506 Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy, France
| | - Manuel F Ruiz-López
- Laboratoire de Physique et Chimie Théoriques, UMR CNRS 7019, University of Lorraine, CNRS, BP 70239, 54506 Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy, France
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120
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Wang L, Li K, Liu Y, Gong K, Liu J, Ao J, Ge Q, Wang W, Ji M, Zhang L. Significantly Accelerated Hydroxyl Radical Generation by Fe(III)-Oxalate Photochemistry in Aerosol Droplets. J Phys Chem A 2023; 127:250-260. [PMID: 36595358 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpca.2c05919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Fe(III)-oxalate complexes are ubiquitous in atmospheric environments, which can release reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as H2O2, O•2-, and OH• under light irradiation. Although Fe(III)-oxalate photochemistry has been investigated extensively, the understanding of its involvement in authentic atmospheric environments such as aerosol droplets is far from enough, since the current available knowledge has mainly been obtained in bulk-phase studies. Here, we find that the production of OH• by Fe(III)-oxalate in aerosol microdroplets is about 10-fold greater than that of its bulk-phase counterpart. In addition, in the presence of Fe(III)-oxalate complexes, the rate of photo-oxidation from SO2 to sulfate in microdroplets was about 19-fold faster than that in the bulk phase. The availability of efficient reactants and mass transfer due to droplet effects made dominant contributions to the accelerated OH• and SO42- formation. This work highlights the necessary consideration of droplet effects in atmospheric laboratory studies and model simulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Longqian Wang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Particle Pollution and Prevention, National Observations and Research Station for Wetland Ecosystems of the Yangtze Estuary, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai200433, People's Republic of China.,Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Shanghai200092, People's Republic of China
| | - Kejian Li
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Particle Pollution and Prevention, National Observations and Research Station for Wetland Ecosystems of the Yangtze Estuary, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai200433, People's Republic of China.,Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Shanghai200092, People's Republic of China
| | - Yangyang Liu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Particle Pollution and Prevention, National Observations and Research Station for Wetland Ecosystems of the Yangtze Estuary, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai200433, People's Republic of China
| | - Kedong Gong
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Particle Pollution and Prevention, National Observations and Research Station for Wetland Ecosystems of the Yangtze Estuary, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai200433, People's Republic of China
| | - Juan Liu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Particle Pollution and Prevention, National Observations and Research Station for Wetland Ecosystems of the Yangtze Estuary, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai200433, People's Republic of China
| | - Jianpeng Ao
- State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics and Department of Physics, Fudan University, Shanghai200433, People's Republic of China
| | - Qiuyue Ge
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Particle Pollution and Prevention, National Observations and Research Station for Wetland Ecosystems of the Yangtze Estuary, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai200433, People's Republic of China
| | - Wei Wang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Particle Pollution and Prevention, National Observations and Research Station for Wetland Ecosystems of the Yangtze Estuary, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai200433, People's Republic of China
| | - Minbiao Ji
- State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics and Department of Physics, Fudan University, Shanghai200433, People's Republic of China
| | - Liwu Zhang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Particle Pollution and Prevention, National Observations and Research Station for Wetland Ecosystems of the Yangtze Estuary, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai200433, People's Republic of China.,Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Shanghai200092, People's Republic of China
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121
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Meng Y, Gnanamani E, Zare RN. Catalyst-Free Decarboxylative Amination of Carboxylic Acids in Water Microdroplets. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:32-36. [PMID: 36566437 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c12236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Previous studies have shown that hydroxyl radicals can be formed at the water-gas surface of water microdroplets. We report the use of in situ generated hydroxyl radicals to carry out an organic transformation in one step, namely, the formation of anilines from aryl acids as well as both ammonia and primary/secondary amines via decarboxylation. Benzoic acids and amines are dissolved in water, and the solution is sprayed to form microdroplets whose chemical contents are analyzed mass spectrometrically. All intermediates and products are determined using mass spectrometry (MS) as well as in some cases tandem mass spectrometry (MS2). These results support the following reaction mechanism: NR2OH, formed via reaction of the amine with •OH, reacts with benzoic acid to form an isocyanate via a Lossen rearrangement. Hydrolysis followed by liberation of CO2 then delivers the aniline product. Notably, the scope of this transformation includes a variety of amines and aromatic acids and enables their conversion into aniline and N-substituted anilines, all in a single step. Additionally, this reaction occurs at room temperature and does not require metal catalysts or organic solvents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifan Meng
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Elumalai Gnanamani
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee 247667, India
| | - Richard N Zare
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
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122
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Zhang J, Lin S, Wang ZL. Triboelectric Nanogenerator Array as a Probe for In Situ Dynamic Mapping of Interface Charge Transfer at a Liquid-Solid Contacting. ACS NANO 2023; 17:1646-1652. [PMID: 36602519 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.2c11633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Contact between water droplets with hydrophobic surfaces is a common phenomenon at functional interfaces, and it has been extensively studied. However, quantifying the charge transfer between the liquid-solid interfacial contacting, especially for the charge density distribution throughout the movement of liquid droplet on a dielectric surface, remains to be investigated. Here, we developed a pixeled droplet triboelectric nanogenerator (pixeled droplet-TENG) array with high-density electrode array as a probe for measuring the charge transfer at a liquid-solid interface when a water drop moves on the hydrophobic surface. To intuitively observe the charge transfer between the liquid-solid interface, we "imaged" the transferred charges along movement trajectory of a water droplet as it slides along a tilted solid surface at a spatial resolution of 0.4 mm and time sensitivity of 0.02 s. Our study shows that the transferred charges are not uniformly distributed along the path, which is possibly due to the two-step model of electron transfer and ion adsorbed on the solid surface, and thus the formation of an electric double layer will inevitably shield the net surface on the solid surface. Our study presents a probe technology with potential applications in surface chemistry, physics, material science, and cell biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinyang Zhang
- Beijing Institute of Nanoenergy and Nanosystems, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100083, P.R. China
- School of Nanoscience and Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P.R. China
| | - Shiquan Lin
- Beijing Institute of Nanoenergy and Nanosystems, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100083, P.R. China
- School of Nanoscience and Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P.R. China
| | - Zhong Lin Wang
- Beijing Institute of Nanoenergy and Nanosystems, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100083, P.R. China
- School of Nanoscience and Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P.R. China
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332-0245, United States
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123
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Benjamin SE, LaVerne JA, Sigmon GE, Burns PC. Ozone-Facilitated Formation of Uranyl Peroxide in Humid Conditions. Inorg Chem 2022; 61:20977-20985. [PMID: 36519839 DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.2c03454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Metaschoepite, [(UO2)8O2(OH)12](H2O)10, maintained in a high relative humidity (RH) environment with air initially transformed into an intermediate phase that subsequently was replaced by the peroxide phase studtite, [(UO2)(O2)(H2O)2](H2O)2, over the course of 42 days, as observed using Raman and infrared spectroscopy and powder X-ray diffraction. Addition of atmospheric ozone vastly increased the rate and extent of the transformation to studtite but only in a high-RH atmosphere. Owing to its strong affinity for peroxide, uranyl reacted with hydrogen peroxide as it formed and precipitated stable studtite. In this work, we provide a previously unidentified source of hydrogen peroxide and make a case for the re-examination of storage systems where the consequences of atmospheric ozone are not considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Savannah E Benjamin
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana46556, United States
| | - Jay A LaVerne
- Radiation Laboratory, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana46556, United States
| | - Ginger E Sigmon
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana46556, United States
| | - Peter C Burns
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana46556, United States.,Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana46556, United States
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124
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Ammann M, Artiglia L. Solvation, Surface Propensity, and Chemical Reactions of Solutes at Atmospheric Liquid-Vapor Interfaces. Acc Chem Res 2022; 55:3641-3651. [PMID: 36472357 PMCID: PMC9774673 DOI: 10.1021/acs.accounts.2c00604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
surface is covered by oceans, a large number of liquid aerosol particles fill the air, and clouds hold a tiny but critical fraction of Earth's water in the air to influence our climate and hydrology, enabling the lives of humans and ecosystems. The surfaces of these liquids provide the interface for the transfer of gases, for nucleation processes, and for catalyzing important chemical reactions. Coupling a range of spectroscopic tools to liquid microjets has become an important approach to better understanding dynamics, structure, and chemistry at liquid interfaces. Liquid microjets offer stability in vacuum and ambient pressure environments, thus also allowing X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) with manageable efforts in terms of differential pumping. Liquid microjets are operated at speeds sufficient to allow for a locally equilibrated surface in terms of water dynamics and solute surface partitioning. XPS is based on the emission of core-level electrons, the binding energy of which is selective for the element and its chemical environment. Inelastic scattering of electrons establishes the probing depth of XPS in the nanometer range and thus its surface sensitivity.In this Account, we focus on aqueous solutions relevant to the surface of oceans, aqueous aerosols, or cloudwater. We are interested in understanding solvation and acid dissociation at the interface, interfacial aspects of reactions with gas-phase reactants, and the interplay of ions with organic molecules at the interface. The strategy is to obtain a link between the molecular-level picture and macroscopic properties and reactivity in the atmospheric context.We show consistency between surface tension and XPS for a range of surface-active organic species as an important proof for interrogating an equilibrated liquid surface. Measurements with organic acids and amines offer important insight into the question of apparent acidity or basicity at the interface. Liquid microjet XPS has settled the debate of the surface enhancement of halide ions, shown using the example of bromide and its oxidation products. Despite the absence of a strong enhancement for the bromide ion, its rate of oxidation by ozone is surface catalyzed through the stabilization of the bromide ozonide intermediate at the interface. In another reaction system, the one between Fe2+ and H2O2, a similar intermediate in the form of highly valent iron species could not be detected by XPS under the experimental conditions employed, shedding light on the abundance of this intermediate in the environment but also on the constraints within which surface species can be detected. Emphasizing the importance of electrostatic effects, we show how a cationic surfactant attracts charged bromide anions to the interface, accompanied by enhanced oxidation rates by ozone, overriding the role of surfactants as a barrier for the access of gas-phase reactants. The reactivity and structure at interfaces thus result from a subtle balance between hygroscopic and hydrophobic interactions, electrostatic effects, and the structural properties of both liquids and solutes.
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125
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Ruiz-López MF, Martins-Costa MTC. Disentangling reaction rate acceleration in microdroplets. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2022; 24:29700-29704. [PMID: 36453476 DOI: 10.1039/d2cp04998h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
We have investigated the origin of the unexpected, recently discovered phenomenon of reaction rate acceleration in water microdroplets relative to bulk water. Acceleration factors for reactions of atmospheric and synthetic relevance can be dissected into elementary contributions thanks to the original and versatile kinetic model. The microdroplet is partitioned in two sub-volumes, the surface and the interior, operating as interconnected chemical reactors in the fast diffusion regime. Reaction rate acceleration and its dependence on reaction molecularity and microdroplet dimensions are explained by applying transition-state-theory at thermodynamic equilibrium. We also show that our model, in combination with experimental measurements of rate acceleration factors, can be used to obtain chemical kinetics data at the air-water interface, which has been a long-standing challenge for chemists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel F Ruiz-López
- Laboratoire de Physique et Chimie Théoriques, UMR CNRS 7019, University of Lorraine, CNRS, BP 70239, 54506, Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy, France.
| | - Marilia T C Martins-Costa
- Laboratoire de Physique et Chimie Théoriques, UMR CNRS 7019, University of Lorraine, CNRS, BP 70239, 54506, Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy, France.
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126
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Ghosh J, Mendoza J, Cooks RG. Accelerated and Concerted Aza-Michael Addition and SuFEx Reaction in Microdroplets in Unitary and High-Throughput Formats. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2022; 61:e202214090. [PMID: 36253886 PMCID: PMC10099520 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202214090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
The sulfur fluoride exchange (SuFEx) reaction is significant in drug discovery, materials science, and chemical biology. Conventionally, it involves installation of SO2 F followed by fluoride exchange by a catalyst. We report catalyst-free Aza-Michael addition to install SO2 F and then SuFEx reaction with amines, both occurring in concert, in microdroplets under ambient conditions. The microdroplet reaction is accelerated by a factor of ∼104 relative to the corresponding bulk reaction. We suggest that the superacidic microdroplet surface assists SuFEx reaction by protonating fluorine to create a good leaving group. The reaction scope was established by performing individual reactions in microdroplets of 18 amines in four solvents and confirmed using high-throughput desorption electrospray ionization experiments. The study demonstrates the value of microdroplet-assisted accelerated reactions in combination with high-throughput experimentation for characterization of reaction scope.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jyotirmoy Ghosh
- Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, 560 Oval Drive, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Joshua Mendoza
- Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, 560 Oval Drive, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - R Graham Cooks
- Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, 560 Oval Drive, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
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127
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Uvarov IV, Svetovoy VB. Nanoreactors in action for a durable microactuator using spontaneous combustion of gases in nanobubbles. Sci Rep 2022; 12:20895. [DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-25267-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractA number of recent studies report enhancement of chemical reactions on water microdroplets or inside nanobubbles in water. This finding promises exciting applications, although the mechanism of the reaction acceleration is still not clear. Specifically, the spontaneous combustion of hydrogen and oxygen in nanobubbles opens the way to fabricate truly microscopic engines. An example is an electrochemical membrane actuator with all three dimensions in the micrometer range. The actuator is driven by short voltage pulses of alternating polarity, which generate only nanobubbles. The device operation is, however, restricted by a fast degradation of the electrodes related to a high current density. Here it is demonstrated that the actuator with ruthenium electrodes does not show signs of degradation in the long-term operation. It is the only material able to withstand the extreme conditions of the alternating polarity electrolysis. This property is due to combination of a high mechanical hardness and metallic conductivity of ruthenium oxide. The actuator combines two features considered impossible: on-water catalysis and combustion in a microscopic volume. It provides an exceptional opportunity to drive autonomous microdevices especially for medical or biological applications.
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128
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Basuri P, Chakraborty A, Ahuja T, Mondal B, Kumar JS, Pradeep T. Spatial reorganization of analytes in charged aqueous microdroplets. Chem Sci 2022; 13:13321-13329. [PMID: 36507174 PMCID: PMC9682915 DOI: 10.1039/d2sc04589c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Imprinted charged aqueous droplets of micrometer dimensions containing spherical gold and silver nanoparticles, gold nanorods, proteins and simple molecules were visualized using dark-field and transmission electron microscopies. With such studies, we hoped to understand the unusual chemistry exhibited by microdroplets. These droplets with sizes in the range of 1-100 μm were formed using a home-built electrospray source with nitrogen as the nebulization gas. Several remarkable features such as mass/size-selective segregation and spatial localization of solutes in nanometer-thin regions of microdroplets were visualized, along with the formation of micro-nano vacuoles. Electrospray parameters such as distance between the spray tip and surface, voltage and nebulization gas pressure influenced particle distribution within the droplets. We relate these features to unusual phenomena such as the enhancement of rates of chemical reactions in microdroplets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pallab Basuri
- DST Unit of Nanoscience, Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology, MadrasChennai 600036India
| | - Amrita Chakraborty
- DST Unit of Nanoscience, Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology, MadrasChennai 600036India
| | - Tripti Ahuja
- DST Unit of Nanoscience, Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology, MadrasChennai 600036India
| | - Biswajit Mondal
- DST Unit of Nanoscience, Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology, MadrasChennai 600036India
| | - Jenifer Shantha Kumar
- DST Unit of Nanoscience, Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology, MadrasChennai 600036India
| | - Thalappil Pradeep
- DST Unit of Nanoscience, Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology, MadrasChennai 600036India,International Centre for Clean WaterChennaiTamil Nadu 600113India
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129
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Gong C, Yuan X, Xing D, Zhang D, Martins-Costa MTC, Anglada JM, Ruiz-López MF, Francisco JS, Zhang X. Fast Sulfate Formation Initiated by the Spin-Forbidden Excitation of SO 2 at the Air–Water Interface. J Am Chem Soc 2022; 144:22302-22308. [DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c10830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Chu Gong
- College of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Advanced Energy Materials Chemistry (Ministry of Education), Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Center, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Biosensing and Molecular Recognition, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Xu Yuan
- College of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Advanced Energy Materials Chemistry (Ministry of Education), Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Center, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Biosensing and Molecular Recognition, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Dong Xing
- College of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Advanced Energy Materials Chemistry (Ministry of Education), Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Center, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Biosensing and Molecular Recognition, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Dongmei Zhang
- College of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Advanced Energy Materials Chemistry (Ministry of Education), Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Center, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Biosensing and Molecular Recognition, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Marilia T. C. Martins-Costa
- Laboratoire de Physique et Chimie Théoriques, UMR CNRS 7019, University of Lorraine, CNRS, BP 70239, 54506 Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy, France
| | - Josep M. Anglada
- Departament de Química Biològica (IQAC), CSIC, c/Jordi Girona 18, E-08034 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Manuel F. Ruiz-López
- Laboratoire de Physique et Chimie Théoriques, UMR CNRS 7019, University of Lorraine, CNRS, BP 70239, 54506 Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy, France
| | - Joseph S. Francisco
- Department of Earth and Environmental Science and Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104-6316, United States
| | - Xinxing Zhang
- College of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Advanced Energy Materials Chemistry (Ministry of Education), Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Center, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Biosensing and Molecular Recognition, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
- Haihe Laboratory of Sustainable Chemical Transformations, Tianjin 300192, China
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130
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Rana MS, Guzman MI. Oxidation of Catechols at the Air-Water Interface by Nitrate Radicals. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:15437-15448. [PMID: 36318667 PMCID: PMC9670857 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c05640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Revised: 10/02/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Abundant substituted catechols are emitted to, and created in, the atmosphere during wildfires and anthropogenic combustion and agro-industrial processes. While ozone (O3) and hydroxyl radicals (HO•) efficiently react in a 1 μs contact time with catechols at the air-water interface, the nighttime reactivity dominated by nitrate radicals (NO3) remains unexplored. Herein, online electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (OESI-MS) is used to explore the reaction of NO3(g) with a series of representative catechols (catechol, pyrogallol, 3-methylcatechol, 4-methylcatechol, and 3-methoxycatechol) on the surface of aqueous microdroplets. The work detects the ultrafast generation of nitrocatechol (aromatic) compounds, which are major constituents of atmospheric brown carbon. Two mechanisms are proposed to produce nitrocatechols, one (equivalent to H atom abstraction) following fast electron transfer from the catechols (QH2) to NO3, forming NO3- and QH2•+ that quickly deprotonates into a semiquinone radical (QH•). The second mechanism proceeds via cyclohexadienyl radical intermediates from NO3 attack to the ring. Experiments in the pH range from 4 to 8 showed that the production of nitrocatechols was favored under the most acidic conditions. Mechanistically, the results explain the interfacial production of chromophoric nitrocatechols that modify the absorption properties of tropospheric particles, making them more susceptible to photooxidation, and alter the Earth's radiative forcing.
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131
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Heindel JP, Hao H, LaCour RA, Head-Gordon T. Spontaneous Formation of Hydrogen Peroxide in Water Microdroplets. J Phys Chem Lett 2022; 13:10035-10041. [PMID: 36264238 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.2c01721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
There is accumulating evidence that many chemical reactions are accelerated by several orders of magnitude in micrometer-sized aqueous or organic liquid droplets compared to their corresponding bulk liquid phase. However, the molecular origin of the enhanced rates remains unclear as in the case of spontaneous appearance of 1 μM hydrogen peroxide in water microdroplets. In this Letter, we consider the range of ionization energies and whether interfacial electric fields of a microdroplet can feasibly overcome the high energy step from hydroxide ions (OH-) to hydroxyl radicals (OH•) in a primary H2O2 mechanism. We find that the vertical ionization energies (VIEs) of partially solvated OH- ions are greatly lowered relative to the average VIE in the bulk liquid, unlike the case of the Cl- anion which shows no reduction in the VIEs regardless of solvation environment. Overall reduced hydrogen-bonding and undercoordination of OH- are structural features that are more readily present at the air-water interface, where the energy scale for ionization can be matched by statistically probable electric field values.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph P Heindel
- Kenneth S. Pitzer Theory Center and Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, California94720, United States
- Chemical Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California94720, United States
| | - Hongxia Hao
- Kenneth S. Pitzer Theory Center and Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, California94720, United States
| | - R Allen LaCour
- Kenneth S. Pitzer Theory Center and Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, California94720, United States
- Chemical Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California94720, United States
| | - Teresa Head-Gordon
- Kenneth S. Pitzer Theory Center and Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, California94720, United States
- Chemical Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California94720, United States
- Departments of Bioengineering and Chemical and Biomolecular EngineeringUniversity of California, Berkeley, California94720, United States
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132
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Sun Q, Hu X, Xu B, Lin S, Deng X, Zhou S. Janus Charged Droplet Manipulation Mediated by Invisible Charge Walls. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2022; 9:e2204382. [PMID: 36202749 PMCID: PMC9685436 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202204382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Revised: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The ability to control the mobility and function of droplets is fundamental to developing open surface microfluidics. Despite notable progress in the manipulation of droplets, the existing strategies are still limited in functionalizing droplets. Herein, the coupling of droplet motion and functionalization elicited by an invisible charge wall is reported. The charged superamphiphobic surface is overlapped with a conductor to induce free charge, creating the invisible charge wall at the overlapping boundary. The charge wall can trap droplets and polarize them into Janus charged state. It is found that the trapping degree and the charge distribution in the Janus charged droplet depend on the original surface charge on the superamphiphobic surface. The invisible charge wall can also be established at diverse boundary curvatures, allowing to design pathways for droplet manipulations. Furthermore, the enrichment of protein and nanomaterial in the manipulated Janus charged droplet is demonstrated. The strategy provides a potential microfluidic platform with orthogonal functionalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiangqiang Sun
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Technologies of MaterialsMinistry of EducationSchool of Materials Science and EngineeringSouthwest Jiaotong UniversityChengdu610031China
| | - Xuanming Hu
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Technologies of MaterialsMinistry of EducationSchool of Materials Science and EngineeringSouthwest Jiaotong UniversityChengdu610031China
| | - Boran Xu
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Technologies of MaterialsMinistry of EducationSchool of Materials Science and EngineeringSouthwest Jiaotong UniversityChengdu610031China
| | - Shiji Lin
- School of PhysicsUniversity of Electronic Science and Technology of ChinaChengdu610054China
| | - Xu Deng
- Institute of Fundamental and Frontier SciencesUniversity of Electronic Science and Technology of ChinaChengdu610054China
| | - Shaobing Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Technologies of MaterialsMinistry of EducationSchool of Materials Science and EngineeringSouthwest Jiaotong UniversityChengdu610031China
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133
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Meng Y, Gnanamani E, Zare RN. Direct C(sp 3)–N Bond Formation between Toluene and Amine in Water Microdroplets. J Am Chem Soc 2022; 144:19709-19713. [DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c10032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yifan Meng
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Elumalai Gnanamani
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee 247667, India
| | - Richard N. Zare
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
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134
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Aqueous microdroplets enable abiotic synthesis and chain extension of unique peptide isomers from free amino acids. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2212642119. [PMID: 36191178 PMCID: PMC9586328 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2212642119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Amide bond formation, the essential condensation reaction underlying peptide synthesis, is hindered in aqueous systems by the thermodynamic constraints associated with dehydration. This represents a key difficulty for the widely held view that prebiotic chemical evolution leading to the formation of the first biomolecules occurred in an oceanic environment. Recent evidence for the acceleration of chemical reactions at droplet interfaces led us to explore aqueous amino acid droplet chemistry. We report the formation of dipeptide isomer ions from free glycine or L-alanine at the air-water interface of aqueous microdroplets emanating from a single spray source (with or without applied potential) during their flight toward the inlet of a mass spectrometer. The proposed isomeric dipeptide ion is an oxazolidinone that takes fully covalent and ion-neutral complex forms. This structure is consistent with observed fragmentation patterns and its conversion to authentic dipeptide ions upon gentle collisions and for its formation from authentic dipeptides at ultra-low concentrations. It also rationalizes the results of droplet fusion experiments that show that the dipeptide isomer facilitates additional amide bond formation events, yielding authentic tri- through hexapeptides. We propose that the interface of aqueous microdroplets serves as a drying surface that shifts the equilibrium between free amino acids in favor of dehydration via stabilization of the dipeptide isomers. These findings offer a possible solution to the water paradox of biopolymer synthesis in prebiotic chemistry.
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135
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Qiu L, Cooks RG. Simultaneous and Spontaneous Oxidation and Reduction in Microdroplets by the Water Radical Cation/Anion Pair. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2022; 61:e202210765. [PMID: 35994573 PMCID: PMC9825976 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202210765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Microdroplets show unique chemistry, especially in their intrinsic redox properties, and to this we here add a case of simultaneous and spontaneous oxidation and reduction. We report the concurrent conversions of several phosphonates to phosphonic acids by reduction (R-P → H-P) and to pentavalent phosphoric acids by oxidation. The experimental results suggest that the active reagent is the water radical cation/anion pair. The water radical cation is observed directly as the ionized water dimer while the water radical anion is only seen indirectly though the spontaneous reduction of carbon dioxide to formate. The coexistence of oxidative and reductive species in turn supports the proposal of a double-layer structure at the microdroplet surface, where the water radical cation and radical anion are separated and accumulated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingqi Qiu
- Department of ChemistryPurdue University560 Oval. Dr.West LafayetteIN 47907USA
| | - R. Graham Cooks
- Department of ChemistryPurdue University560 Oval. Dr.West LafayetteIN 47907USA
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136
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Vannoy KJ, Dick JE. Oxidation of Cysteine by Electrogenerated Hexacyanoferrate(III) in Microliter Droplets. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2022; 38:11892-11898. [PMID: 36121813 PMCID: PMC10232928 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.2c01385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Chemical reactivity in droplets is often assumed to mimic reactivity in bulk, continuous water. Here, we study the catalytic oxidation of cysteine by electrogenerated hexacyanoferrate(III) in microliter droplets. These droplets are adsorbed onto glassy carbon macroelectrodes and placed into an immiscible 1,2-dichloroethane phase. We combined cyclic voltammetry, optical microscopy, and finite element simulations to quantify the apparent bimolecular rate constant, kc,app, in microdroplets and bulk water. Statistical analyses reveal that the apparent bimolecular rate constant (kc,app) values formicrodroplets are larger than those in the continuous phase. Reactant adsorption to the droplet boundary has previously been implicated as the cause of such rate accelerations. Finite element modeling of this system suggests that molecular adsorption to the liquid|liquid interface cannot alone account for our observations, implicating kinetics of the bimolecular reaction either at the boundary or throughout the microliter volume. Our results indicate that cysteine oxidation by electrogenerated hexacyanoferrate(III) can be accelerated within a microenvironment, which may have profound implications on understanding biological processes within a cell.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn J Vannoy
- Department of Chemistry, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Jeffrey E Dick
- Department of Chemistry, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, School of Medicine, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
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137
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A triple-cathode electron-Fenton system for efficient Fe2+ regeneration and in-situ H2O2 electro-activation. Sep Purif Technol 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.seppur.2022.121704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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138
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Lee K, Lee HR, Kim YH, Park J, Cho S, Li S, Seo M, Choi SQ. Microdroplet-Mediated Radical Polymerization. ACS CENTRAL SCIENCE 2022; 8:1265-1271. [PMID: 36188353 PMCID: PMC9523774 DOI: 10.1021/acscentsci.2c00694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Micrometer-sized aqueous droplets serve as a unique reactor that drives various chemical reactions not seen in bulk solutions. However, their utilization has been limited to the synthesis of low molecular weight products at low reactant concentrations (nM to μM). Moreover, the nature of chemical reactions occurring outside the droplet remains unknown. This study demonstrated that oil-confined aqueous microdroplets continuously generated hydroxyl radicals near the interface and enabled the synthesis of polymers at high reactant concentrations (mM to M), thus successfully converting the interfacial energy into the synthesis of polymeric materials. The polymerized products maintained the properties of controlled radical polymerization, and a triblock copolymer with tapered interfaces was prepared by the sequential addition of different monomers into the aqueous microdroplets. Furthermore, a polymerization reaction in the continuous oil phase was effectively achieved by the transport of the hydroxyl radicals through the oil/water interface. This interfacial phenomenon is also successfully applied to the chain extension of a hydrophilic polymer with an oil-soluble monomer across the microdroplet interface. Our comprehensive study of radical polymerization using compartmentalization in microdroplets is expected to have important implications for the emerging field of microdroplet chemistry and polymerization in cellular biochemistry without any invasive chemical initiators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyoungmun Lee
- Department
of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Department of Chemistry, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
(KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun-Ro Lee
- Department
of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Department of Chemistry, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
(KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Young Hun Kim
- Department
of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Department of Chemistry, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
(KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Jaemin Park
- Department
of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Department of Chemistry, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
(KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Suchan Cho
- Department
of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Department of Chemistry, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
(KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Sheng Li
- Department
of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Department of Chemistry, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
(KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
- KAIST
Institute for the Nanocentury, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Republic
of Korea
| | - Myungeun Seo
- Department
of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Department of Chemistry, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
(KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
- KAIST
Institute for the Nanocentury, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Republic
of Korea
| | - Siyoung Q. Choi
- Department
of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Department of Chemistry, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
(KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
- KAIST
Institute for the Nanocentury, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Republic
of Korea
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139
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Li K, Wang L, Liu J, Gong K, Wang W, Ge Q, Liu Y, Zhang L. A protocol to study microdroplet photoreaction at an individual droplet level using in situ micro-Raman spectroscopy. STAR Protoc 2022; 3:101704. [PMID: 36129823 PMCID: PMC9494287 DOI: 10.1016/j.xpro.2022.101704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Revised: 07/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Photochemical synthesis and photocatalysis in droplet microreactors represent promising approaches to relieve the global energy and environmental crises. Here, we describe a protocol for studying microdroplet photoreaction at an individual droplet level based on in situ micro-Raman spectroscopy. We provide details of superhydrophobic substrate preparation, microdroplets generation, photoreactions performing, and data analyses. In addition, we show the operational details of preliminary scale-up tests of microdroplet photoreaction for practical application. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Li et al. (2022).
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Affiliation(s)
- Kejian Li
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Particle Pollution and Prevention, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, People's Republic of China; Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Shanghai 200092, People's Republic of China.
| | - Longqian Wang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Particle Pollution and Prevention, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, People's Republic of China
| | - Juan Liu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Particle Pollution and Prevention, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, People's Republic of China
| | - Kedong Gong
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Particle Pollution and Prevention, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, People's Republic of China
| | - Wei Wang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Particle Pollution and Prevention, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, People's Republic of China
| | - Qiuyue Ge
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Particle Pollution and Prevention, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, People's Republic of China
| | - Yangyang Liu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Particle Pollution and Prevention, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, People's Republic of China
| | - Liwu Zhang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Particle Pollution and Prevention, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, People's Republic of China; Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Shanghai 200092, People's Republic of China.
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140
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Chen Z, Liu P, Su H, Zhang YH. Displacement of Strong Acids or Bases by Weak Acids or Bases in Aerosols: Thermodynamics and Kinetics. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:12937-12944. [PMID: 36049086 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c03719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Depletion of chloride, nitrate, or ammonium from atmospheric aerosols represents a unique class of displacement reactions in which strong acids (HCl and HNO3) or bases (NH3) are substituted by weaker ones (i.e., dicarboxylic acids or dicarboxylate salts, respectively). These reactions alter the aerosol composition and perturb the atmospheric cycle of volatile compounds, thereby affecting environmental systems and climate. Despite the profound implications, the mechanism of these unique displacement reactions remains unclear. Here, we elucidate the thermodynamics and kinetics of these reactions using the multiphase buffer theory and a diffusion-controlled mass-transfer function, respectively. On the thermodynamic aspect, we find that the effective dissociation constants of the strong acids and bases in aerosols are 2 to 10 orders of magnitude lower than those in bulk solutions. On the kinetic aspect, we find that displacement reactions occur rapidly in aerosol microdroplets with a radius below 10 μm. Within this size range, the characteristic reaction time is always shorter than the lifetime of the aerosols in the atmosphere. Our findings suggest that the unique displacement reactions can significantly modify the composition of atmospheric aerosols, and consequentially, these aerosols may manifest distinct properties unforeseen by the chemistry of homogeneous bulk systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhe Chen
- Institute of Chemical Physics, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Pai Liu
- Institute of Chemical Physics, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Hang Su
- Multiphase Chemistry Department, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, Mainz 55128, Germany
| | - Yun-Hong Zhang
- Institute of Chemical Physics, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China
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141
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Sulfur radical formation from the tropospheric irradiation of aqueous sulfate aerosols. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2202857119. [PMID: 36037345 PMCID: PMC9457335 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2202857119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
It was found that shining natural or artificial sunlight on concentrated solutions of sulfate ions mixed with organics, a mixture commonly found in atmospheric aerosol particles, can generate sulfur-containing radicals under a variety of conditions. This reaction has not previously been characterized in atmospheric chemistry. These reactive radicals can subsequently degrade organic compounds in atmospheric particles, forming a variety of products that stay in the particle water and small molecules that are volatile enough to partition to the gas phase. In particular, this source of sulfur radicals can produce surface-active organosulfates and organic acids. The sulfate anion radical (SO4•–) is known to be formed in the autoxidation chain of sulfur dioxide and from minor reactions when sulfate or bisulfate ions are activated by OH radicals, NO3 radicals, or iron. Here, we report a source of SO4•–, from the irradiation of the liquid water of sulfate-containing organic aerosol particles under natural sunlight and laboratory UV radiation. Irradiation of aqueous sulfate mixed with a variety of atmospherically relevant organic compounds degrades the organics well within the typical lifetime of aerosols in the atmosphere. Products of the SO4•– + organic reaction include surface-active organosulfates and small organic acids, alongside other products. Scavenging and deoxygenated experiments indicate that SO4•– radicals, instead of OH, drive the reaction. Ion substitution experiments confirm that sulfate ions are necessary for organic reactivity, while the cation identity is of low importance. The reaction proceeds at pH 1–6, implicating both bisulfate and sulfate in the formation of photoinduced SO4•–. Certain aromatic species may further accelerate the reaction through synergy. This reaction may impact our understanding of atmospheric sulfur reactions, aerosol properties, and organic aerosol lifetimes when inserted into aqueous chemistry model mechanisms.
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142
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He J, Zhang H, Wang W, Ma Y, Yang M, He Y, Liu Z, Yu K, Jiang J. Probing autoxidation of oleic acid at air-water interface: A neglected and significant pathway for secondary organic aerosols formation. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 212:113232. [PMID: 35398317 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.113232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2021] [Revised: 02/27/2022] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Fatty acids have been proposed to be a potential source of precursors for SOAs, but the autoxidation process was neglected in the oxidation studies. Here, the autoxidation of oleic acid was explored using microdroplet mass spectrometry. Bulk solution, concentration and solvent composition experiments provided direct evidences for that the autoxidation occurred at or near the air-water interface. The kinetic data showed an acceleration at this interface and was comparable to ozonation, indicating that autoxidation is an important pathway for SOAs formation. In addition, intermediates/products were captured and identified using tandem mass spectrometry, spin-trapping and quenched agents. The autoxidation mechanism was divided into addition intermediates (AIs) and Criegee intermediates (CIs) pathways mediated by hydroxyl radicals (OH). The CI chemistry which is ubiquitous in gas phase was observed at the air-water interface, and this leaded to the mass/volume loss of aerosols. Inversely, the AI chemistry caused the increase of mass, density and hygroscopicity of aerosols. AI chemistry was dominated compared to CI chemistry, but varied by concerning aerosol sizes, ultraviolet light (UV) and charge. Moreover, the MS approach of selectively probing the interfacial substances at the scale of sub-seconds opens new opportunities to study heterogeneous chemistry in atmosphere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing He
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang, 150090, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang, 150090, PR China
| | - Hong Zhang
- School of Marine Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology at Weihai, Weihai, Shandong, 264209, PR China.
| | - Wenxin Wang
- School of Marine Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology at Weihai, Weihai, Shandong, 264209, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang, 150090, PR China
| | - Yingxue Ma
- School of Marine Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology at Weihai, Weihai, Shandong, 264209, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang, 150090, PR China
| | - Miao Yang
- School of Marine Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology at Weihai, Weihai, Shandong, 264209, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang, 150090, PR China
| | - Yuwei He
- School of Marine Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology at Weihai, Weihai, Shandong, 264209, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang, 150090, PR China
| | - Zhuo Liu
- School of Marine Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology at Weihai, Weihai, Shandong, 264209, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang, 150090, PR China
| | - Kai Yu
- School of Marine Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology at Weihai, Weihai, Shandong, 264209, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang, 150090, PR China
| | - Jie Jiang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang, 150090, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang, 150090, PR China.
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143
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Gao XF, Cheng JC, Ye CL, Xiao S, Qiu ZM, Zhang X. Water promoted 9-fluorenylmethyloxycarbonyl detachment from amino acids in charged microdroplets. Org Biomol Chem 2022; 20:7001-7005. [PMID: 36000329 DOI: 10.1039/d2ob01438f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Aqueous microdroplets exhibit unique properties and can trigger reactions that do not occur in bulk solution. Herein, we have demonstrated that water, in microdroplets, can reduce the energy barrier for the lone H transfer of 9-fluorenylmethyloxycarbonyl and promote its detachment from the amino group. This strategy works on various amino acids and opens opportunities of aqueous microdroplets in triggering organic reactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Fei Gao
- Jiangxi Key Laboratory for Mass Spectrometry and Instrumentation, East China University of Technology, Nanchang 330013, China.
| | - Jin-Cai Cheng
- Jiangxi Key Laboratory for Mass Spectrometry and Instrumentation, East China University of Technology, Nanchang 330013, China.
| | - Chun-Lian Ye
- Jiangxi Key Laboratory for Mass Spectrometry and Instrumentation, East China University of Technology, Nanchang 330013, China.
| | - Shan Xiao
- Jiangxi Key Laboratory for Mass Spectrometry and Instrumentation, East China University of Technology, Nanchang 330013, China.
| | - Zai-Ming Qiu
- Jiangxi Key Laboratory for Mass Spectrometry and Instrumentation, East China University of Technology, Nanchang 330013, China.
| | - Xinglei Zhang
- Jiangxi Key Laboratory for Mass Spectrometry and Instrumentation, East China University of Technology, Nanchang 330013, China.
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144
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Qiu L, Cooks RG. Simultaneous and Spontaneous Oxidation and Reduction in Microdroplets by the Water Radical Cation/Anion Pair. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202210765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lingqi Qiu
- Purdue University Chemistry UNITED STATES
| | - R Graham Cooks
- Purdue University Chemistry 560 Oval Drive 47907 West Lafayette UNITED STATES
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145
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Xing D, Meng Y, Yuan X, Jin S, Song X, Zare RN, Zhang X. Capture of Hydroxyl Radicals by Hydronium Cations in Water Microdroplets. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2022; 61:e202207587. [DOI: 10.1002/anie.202207587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Dong Xing
- College of Chemistry Key Laboratory of Advanced Energy Materials Chemistry (Ministry of Education) Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Center (RECAST) Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter Nankai University Tianjin 300071 China
- Haihe Laboratory of Sustainable Chemical Transformations Tianjin 300192 China
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences Beijing 100190 China
| | - Yifan Meng
- Department of Chemistry Stanford University Stanford CA 94305 USA
| | - Xu Yuan
- College of Chemistry Key Laboratory of Advanced Energy Materials Chemistry (Ministry of Education) Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Center (RECAST) Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter Nankai University Tianjin 300071 China
- Haihe Laboratory of Sustainable Chemical Transformations Tianjin 300192 China
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences Beijing 100190 China
| | - Shuihui Jin
- College of Chemistry Key Laboratory of Advanced Energy Materials Chemistry (Ministry of Education) Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Center (RECAST) Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter Nankai University Tianjin 300071 China
- Haihe Laboratory of Sustainable Chemical Transformations Tianjin 300192 China
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences Beijing 100190 China
| | - Xiaowei Song
- Department of Chemistry Stanford University Stanford CA 94305 USA
| | - Richard N. Zare
- Department of Chemistry Stanford University Stanford CA 94305 USA
| | - Xinxing Zhang
- College of Chemistry Key Laboratory of Advanced Energy Materials Chemistry (Ministry of Education) Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Center (RECAST) Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter Nankai University Tianjin 300071 China
- Haihe Laboratory of Sustainable Chemical Transformations Tianjin 300192 China
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences Beijing 100190 China
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146
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Zhang D, Yuan X, Gong C, Zhang X. High Electric Field on Water Microdroplets Catalyzes Spontaneous and Ultrafast Oxidative C-H/N-H Cross-Coupling. J Am Chem Soc 2022; 144:16184-16190. [PMID: 35960958 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c07385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Oxidative C-H/N-H cross-coupling has emerged as an atom-economical method for the construction of C-N bonds. Conventional oxidative C-H/N-H coupling requires at least one of the following: high temperatures, strong oxidizers, transition metal catalysts, organic solvents, light, and electrochemical cells. In this study, by merely spraying the water solutions of the substrates into microdroplets at room temperature, we show a series of oxidative C-H/N-H coupling products that are strikingly produced in a spontaneous and ultrafast manner. The reactions are accelerated by six orders of magnitude compared to the same reactions in the bulk. It has been previously proposed by fluorescence microscopy and theory that the spontaneously generated electric field at the microdroplets peripheries can be in the ∼109 V/m range. Based on mass spectrometric analysis of key radical intermediates, we opine that the ultrahigh electric field catalytically oxidizes the substrates by removing an electron, which further promotes C/N coupling. Taken together, we anticipate that microdroplet chemistry will be an avenue rich in green opportunities of constructing C-heteroatom bonds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongmei Zhang
- College of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Advanced Energy Materials Chemistry (Ministry of Education), Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Center (ReCAST), Shenzhen Research Institute, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Xu Yuan
- College of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Advanced Energy Materials Chemistry (Ministry of Education), Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Center (ReCAST), Shenzhen Research Institute, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Chu Gong
- College of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Advanced Energy Materials Chemistry (Ministry of Education), Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Center (ReCAST), Shenzhen Research Institute, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Xinxing Zhang
- College of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Advanced Energy Materials Chemistry (Ministry of Education), Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage Center (ReCAST), Shenzhen Research Institute, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China.,Haihe Laboratory of Sustainable Chemical Transformations, Tianjin 300192, China.,Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
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147
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Water-solid contact electrification causes hydrogen peroxide production from hydroxyl radical recombination in sprayed microdroplets. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2209056119. [PMID: 35914139 PMCID: PMC9371641 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2209056119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Contact electrification between water and a solid surface is crucial for physicochemical processes at water-solid interfaces. However, the nature of the involved processes remains poorly understood, especially in the initial stage of the interface formation. Here we report that H2O2 is spontaneously produced from the hydroxyl groups on the solid surface when contact occurred. The density of hydroxyl groups affects the H2O2 yield. The participation of hydroxyl groups in H2O2 generation is confirmed by mass spectrometric detection of 18O in the product of the reaction between 4-carboxyphenylboronic acid and 18O-labeled H2O2 resulting from 18O2 plasma treatment of the surface. We propose a model for H2O2 generation based on recombination of the hydroxyl radicals produced from the surface hydroxyl groups in the water-solid contact process. Our observations show that the spontaneous generation of H2O2 is universal on the surfaces of soil and atmospheric fine particles in a humid environment.
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148
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Klebl DP, Wang Y, Sobott F, Thompson RF, Muench SP. It started with a Cys: Spontaneous cysteine modification during cryo-EM grid preparation. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 9:945772. [PMID: 35992264 PMCID: PMC9389043 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.945772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Advances in single particle cryo-EM data collection and processing have seen a significant rise in its use. However, the influences of the environment generated through grid preparation, by for example interactions of proteins with the air-water interface are poorly understood and can be a major hurdle in structure determination by cryo-EM. Initial interactions of proteins with the air-water interface occur quickly and proteins can adopt preferred orientation or partially unfold within hundreds of milliseconds. It has also been shown previously that thin-film layers create hydroxyl radicals. To investigate the potential this might have in cryo-EM sample preparation, we studied two proteins, HSPD1, and beta-galactosidase, and show that cysteine residues are modified in a time-dependent manner. In the case of both HSPD1 and beta-galactosidase, this putative oxidation is linked to partial protein unfolding, as well as more subtle structural changes. We show these modifications can be alleviated through increasing the speed of grid preparation, the addition of DTT, or by sequestering away from the AWI using continuous support films. We speculate that the modification is oxidation by reactive oxygen species which are formed and act at the air-water interface. Finally, we show grid preparation on a millisecond timescale outruns cysteine modification, showing that the reaction timescale is in the range of 100s to 1,000s milliseconds and offering an alternative approach to prevent spontaneous cysteine modification and its consequences during cryo-EM grid preparation.
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Affiliation(s)
- David P. Klebl
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences & Astbury Centre for Structural and Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Yiheng Wang
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences & Astbury Centre for Structural and Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Frank Sobott
- School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences & Astbury Centre for Structural and Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Rebecca F. Thompson
- School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences & Astbury Centre for Structural and Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Rebecca F. Thompson, ; Stephen P. Muench,
| | - Stephen P. Muench
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences & Astbury Centre for Structural and Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Rebecca F. Thompson, ; Stephen P. Muench,
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149
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Xie X, Wang Y, Siu SY, Chan CW, Zhu Y, Zhang X, Ge J, Ren K. Microfluidic synthesis as a new route to produce novel functional materials. BIOMICROFLUIDICS 2022; 16:041301. [PMID: 36035887 PMCID: PMC9410731 DOI: 10.1063/5.0100206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
By geometrically constraining fluids into the sub-millimeter scale, microfluidics offers a physical environment largely different from the macroscopic world, as a result of the significantly enhanced surface effects. This environment is characterized by laminar flow and inertial particle behavior, short diffusion distance, and largely enhanced heat exchange. The recent two decades have witnessed the rapid advances of microfluidic technologies in various fields such as biotechnology; analytical science; and diagnostics; as well as physical, chemical, and biological research. On the other hand, one additional field is still emerging. With the advances in nanomaterial and soft matter research, there have been some reports of the advantages discovered during attempts to synthesize these materials on microfluidic chips. As the formation of nanomaterials and soft matters is sensitive to the environment where the building blocks are fed, the unique physical environment of microfluidics and the effectiveness in coupling with other force fields open up a lot of possibilities to form new products as compared to conventional bulk synthesis. This Perspective summarizes the recent progress in producing novel functional materials using microfluidics, such as generating particles with narrow and controlled size distribution, structured hybrid materials, and particles with new structures, completing reactions with a quicker rate and new reaction routes and enabling more effective and efficient control on reactions. Finally, the trend of future development in this field is also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinying Xie
- Department of Chemistry, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Yisu Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Sin-Yung Siu
- Department of Chemistry, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Chiu-Wing Chan
- Department of Chemistry, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | | | - Xuming Zhang
- Department of Applied Physics, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | | | - Kangning Ren
- Author to whom correspondence should be addressed: and
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150
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Chen Z, Liu P, Wang W, Cao X, Liu YX, Zhang YH, Ge M. Rapid Sulfate Formation via Uncatalyzed Autoxidation of Sulfur Dioxide in Aerosol Microdroplets. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:7637-7646. [PMID: 35638231 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c00112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Severe winter haze events in Beijing and North China Plain are characterized by rapid production of sulfate aerosols with unresolved mechanisms. Oxidation of SO2 by O2 in the absence of metal catalysts (uncatalyzed autoxidation) represents the most ubiquitous SO2 conversion pathway in the atmosphere. However, this reaction has long been regarded as too slow to be atmospherically meaningful. This traditional view was based on the kinetic studies conducted in bulk dilute solutions that mimic cloudwater but deviate from urban aerosols. Here, we directly measure the sulfate formation rate via uncatalyzed SO2 autoxidation in single (NH4)2SO4 microdroplets, by using an aerosol optical tweezer coupled with a cavity-enhanced Raman spectroscopy technique. We find that the aqueous reaction of uncatalyzed SO2 autoxidation is accelerated by two orders of magnitude at the high ionic strength (∼36 molal) conditions in the supersaturated aerosol water. Furthermore, at acidic conditions (pH 3.5-4.5), uncatalyzed autoxidation predominately occurs on droplet surface, with a reaction rate unconstrained by SO2 solubility. With these rate enhancements, we estimate that the uncatalyzed SO2 autoxidation in aerosols can produce sulfate at a rate up to 0.20 μg m-3 hr-1, under the winter air pollution condition in Beijing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhe Chen
- Institute of Chemical Physics, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Pai Liu
- Institute of Chemical Physics, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China
| | | | - Xue Cao
- Institute of Chemical Physics, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Yu-Xin Liu
- Institute of Chemical Physics, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Yun-Hong Zhang
- Institute of Chemical Physics, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Maofa Ge
- State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, Center for Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
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