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Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Analysis Of The Light Responsive Azobenzene Peptide Nucleic Acid Duplexes, Kat Nguyen May 2022

Analysis Of The Light Responsive Azobenzene Peptide Nucleic Acid Duplexes, Kat Nguyen

Honors College Theses

Peptide nucleic acids (PNAs) are oligonucleotide analogues in which the sugar-phosphate backbone has been replaced by a pseudopeptide skeleton. Since PNAs use the natural nucleobases (Adenine, Thymine, Cytosine, Uracil, and Guanine) found in either DNA and/or RNA, they are able to hybridize according to Watson-Crick base-pairing to form duplexes. PNA is a promising therapeutic agent because they can function as antigene or antisense chemical agents. To further enhance their utility, we aim to incorporate a photoswitchable moiety using azobenzene. Here, we report the results of the synthesis and purification of a photoswitchable 11 mer PNA along with initial characterization efforts.


Quantum Chemical Analysis Of Stable Noble Gas Cations For Astrochemical Detection, Carlie M. Novak Apr 2018

Quantum Chemical Analysis Of Stable Noble Gas Cations For Astrochemical Detection, Carlie M. Novak

Honors College Theses

The search for possible, natural, noble gas molecules has led to quantum chemical, spectroscopic analysis of NeCCH+, ArNH+ ArCCH+, and ArCN+. Each of these systems have been previously shown to be a stable minimum on its respective potential energy surface. However, no spectroscopic data are available for laboratory detection or interstellar observation of these species, and the interstellar medium may be the most likely place, in nature, where these noble gas cations are found. The bent shape of NeCCH+ is confirmed here with a fairly large dipole moment and a bright C -- H stretching frequency at 3101.9 cm-1 …


Photodynamic Cancer Therapy A Study Of The Photochemical Properties Of Meso-Tetra (2,3,4-Trifluorophenyl) Porphyrin And Meso-Tetra (2,3,5,6-Tetrafluorophenyl) Porphyrin, Delanie L. Newberry Jan 2017

Photodynamic Cancer Therapy A Study Of The Photochemical Properties Of Meso-Tetra (2,3,4-Trifluorophenyl) Porphyrin And Meso-Tetra (2,3,5,6-Tetrafluorophenyl) Porphyrin, Delanie L. Newberry

Honors College Theses

Photodynamic therapy(PDT) is a type of cancer treatment that utilizes photosensitive molecules that absorb photons and use that energy to create cytotoxic molecules. Porphyrins are photosensitive compounds that can be used selectively at the site of cancerous tumors. Their selectivity is due to the fact the porphyrins are generally not toxic in absence of light; in the presence of light, the drug will be activated to produce the cytotoxic molecule, singlet oxygen(1O2 ). 9,10 diphenyl anthracene(DPA) was used to simulate the cancer cells and monitor how effective the porphyrin was in creating 1O2, because DPA reacts with 1O2 form diphenyl …


Approaches Toward Novel 1,2,3-Triazole Sensors For The Detection Of Anions And Heavy Metal Cations, Richard D. Govan Jan 2017

Approaches Toward Novel 1,2,3-Triazole Sensors For The Detection Of Anions And Heavy Metal Cations, Richard D. Govan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cations and anions play pivotal roles in biological and physiological processes, however an imbalance in concentration of any ion can be detrimental. Therefore, research into the selective recognition of anions and heavy metal cations has acquired much attention. One approach involves the use of chemosensors. Upon interaction with targeted analytes, chemosensors produce a distinct response, in some cases a fluorescent or colorimetric signal. The 1,2,3-triazole unit has much potential as a chemical sensor due to its unique photophysical properties. The specificity, selectivity, and signaling mechanism of triazole sensors can be tuned with conjugation in the motif and choice and placement …


Dipole Bound Excited States Of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Containing Nitrogen And Their Relation To The Interstellar Medium, Mallory L. Theis Apr 2014

Dipole Bound Excited States Of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Containing Nitrogen And Their Relation To The Interstellar Medium, Mallory L. Theis

Honors College Theses

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are the most abundant type of molecule present in the interstellar medium (ISM). It has been hypothesized that nitrogen replacement within a ring is likely for PAHs present in the ISM. Additionally, electrons, protons, and hydrogen atoms are readily added to or removed from PAHs creating a truly diverse set of chemistries in various interstellar regions. The presence of a nitrogen within a PAH (called a PANH herein) that is additionally dehydrogenated leads to a neutral radical with a large dipole moment. It has recently been shown through the use of high-level quantum chemical computations for …