Luminescent Probes of DNA and Semiconductor Surface Structure

南卡罗来纳大学的Catherine J. Murphy博士，因研究发光作为表面结构探针的用途而获得了无机、生物无机和有机金属化学项目的早期职业发展奖。三二亚胺钌（II）配合物将被设计成只有当其中一个二亚胺配体的长度合适，以适应大分子（如DNA）中由于三级结构而形成的空腔时，才能观察到发光。(2)硫化镉“量子点”的发光对表面吸附质的性质和数量的已知敏感性将被研究，作为确定DNA与这些颗粒相互作用性质的一种手段。据推测，可以弯曲的DNA会吸附到直径合适的颗粒上，并且这种吸附可以通过颗粒发光的变化来监测。通过在双链（荧光素和罗丹明）两端的分子标签之间发生能量转移的程度，可以进一步研究包裹在适当大小颗粒上的DNA分子末端之间的距离。(3)将尝试合成空心“量子点”硫化镉粒子，努力模拟多孔半导体粒子的发光。这些粒子的光学/结构关系将用于开发多孔半导体的电子结构模型。本教学计划概述了材料化学将通过正式的课程作业以及本科和研究生的研究引入本科和研究生课程的几种方法。此外，还详细介绍了通过与校园和地方高中和初中的妇女组织的互动促进女科学家发展的计划。发光是某些分子的独特性质，在这些分子中，光的吸收导致光的发射，通常是波长较长的光。这种发光的波长和强度通常对吸收分子周围的环境非常敏感。本研究旨在利用几种材料的发光来探测其环境的结构。这些应用可能提供关于某些类型的DNA结构的独特信息，这些信息是其他技术无法轻易确定的。该教学计划旨在增加本科生和研究生对材料化学的接触，并促进女性科学家的发展。

Dr. Catherine J. Murphy, of the University of South Carolina, is supported by the Inorganic, Bioinorganic and Organometallic Chemistry Program under a Faculty Early Career Advancement Award for the study of uses of luminescence as a probe of surface structure. Three areas are targeted: (1) Trisdiimine ruthenium(II) complexes will be designed such that luminescence will be observed only when one of the diimine ligands is of the appropriate length to fit a cavity in a large molecule such as DNA that is formed as a result of tertiary structure. (2) The known sensitivity of the luminescence of "quantum dots" of cadmium sulfide to the nature and amount of surface adsorbate will be investigated as a means of determining the nature of the interaction of DNA with these particles. It is hypothesized that DNA that can bend will adsorb to particles that are of the appropriate diameter and that this adsorption can be monitored by changes in the luminescence of the particles. Distances between the ends of DNA molecules wrapped about suitably sized particles may be further investigated by the extent to which energy transfer between molecular tags on the two ends of the duplex (fluorescein and rhodamine) occurs. (3) Synthesis of hollow "quantum dot" cadmium sulfide particles will be attempted in an effort to model the luminescence reported for porous semiconductor particles. Optical/structure relationships for these particles will be used to develop a model for the electronic structure of porous semiconductors. The teaching plan outlines several ways in which materials chemistry will be introduced into the undergraduate and graduate curricula through formal course work and through both undergraduate and graduate research. Also detailed are plans to foster the development of female scientists through interactions with women's organizations on campus and in local high schools and middle schools. Luminescence is a unique property of certain classes of molecules in whic h the absorption of light results in emission of light, usually of a longer wavelength. The wavelength and intensity of such luminescence is generally very sensitive to the environment about the absorbing molecule. This research aims to utilize the luminescence of several materials to probe the structures of their environments. These applications may provide unique information about the structure of certain types of DNA that is not readily determined by other techniques. The teaching program is designed to increase the exposure of undergraduate and graduate students to materials chemistry and to foster the development of female scientists.