Making "wheels" and "cubes" from triangles

[Mn(IV)Mn(II)3] triangular units directed by the presence of tripodal alcohols self-assemble in the presence of azide and acetate ligands to form either a [Mn24] "wheel" or a [Mn32] "cube".     

Schlenk's early "free" carbanions

Nearly a century ago, Schlenk published the syntheses and isolation of two most remarkable and unstable complexes: crystalline [Ph(3)C(-)][Me(4)N(+)] and [PhCH(2) (-)][Me(4)N(+)]. The crystal structure of the first complex contains a "free" Ph(3)C(-) ion, which displays the expected planar trigonal geometry at its central carbon atom. The phenyl groups are not orientated in the typical propeller arrangement, but instead display various orientations with respect to the molecular plane. These orientations can be directly related to the extent of charge delocalization and correlate well with other structural characteristics related to charge delocalization. The crystal structure also shows a network of C-H(delta+)...C(delta-) and C-H...pi interactions. Only C-H...pi interactions to the most negative charged phenyl rings are observed. The absolute Br?nsted acidity of Me(4)N(+) is calculated by the G2(MP2) method (287.7 kcal mol(-1)) and is compared to the calculated acidity of Me(4)P(+) (268.4 kcal mol(-1)). On this basis, the pK(a) value for Me(4)N(+) is estimated at 29.6. This makes the existence, and especially Schlenk's early isolation, of the "free" carbanions [Ph(3)C(-)][Me(4)N(+)] and [PhCH(2) (-)][Me(4)N(+)] quite noteworthy.     

"Clickable" polymersomes

Polymersomes, composed of amphiphilic polystyrene-block-poly(acrylic acid) (PS-b-PAA), with the periphery being covered with azide groups, were used for further functionalization using "click" chemistry.     

"n-Doping" of deltahedral Zintl ions

We report a simple and efficient method for replacing germanium atoms in deltahedral Ge(9)(4-) clusters with Sb or Bi. While reactions of Ge(9)(4-) with EPh(3) (E = Sb, Bi) at room temperature are known to produce mono- and disubstituted clusters [Ph(2)E-Ge(9)-Ge(9)-EPh(2)](4-) and [Ph(2)E-Ge(9)-EPh(2)](2-), respectively, at elevated temperatures or with sonication they result in exchange of Ge cluster atoms with Sb or Bi. Structurally characterized from such reactions are the novel "n-doped" deltahedral Zintl ions [(EGe(8))-(Ge(8)E)](4-), (Sb(2)Ge(7))(2-), and [(SbGe(8))-SbPh(2)](2-).     

Amphiphilic Janus gold nanoparticles via combining "solid-state grafting-to" and "grafting-from" methods

Despite the great efforts that have been made toward obtaining Janus architectures, synthesizing sub-10 nanometer Janus nanoparticles (NPs) modified with different types of polymers remains a challenging task. In this Communication, "solid-state grafting-to" and "grafting-from" methods were combined to obtain Janus gold NPs (AuNPs) modified with two types of polymer chains on the opposite sides of the NP. We used functionalized polymer single crystals as the solid substrates to immobilize AuNPs. We then used atom transfer radical polymerization to grow polymer chains on the "free" side of the AuNPs. Amphiphilic polyethylene oxide (PEO)-Au-poly(methyl methacrylate), PEO-Au-poly(tert-butyl acrylate) and hydrophilic PEO-Au-poly(acrylic acid) were synthesized. The Janus nature was demonstrated using a platinum-nanoparticle-decoration method. Using polymer single crystals as the reaction substrates is advantageous because they afford higher throughput compared with self-assembled monolayers. Dissolution of the single crystal also leads to NPs with defined polymer patches. We anticipate that our approach could serve as a generic method for synthesizing polymer-functionalized, sub-10 nm Janus NPs. This unique system holds promises for achieving controlled assembly and tunable optic and electronic properties of NPs.     

Size evolution study of "molecular" and "atom-in-cluster" polarizabilities of medium-size gold clusters

A study on static polarizabilities for a family of gold clusters (Au(n), n = 6, 12, 20, 34, 54) is presented. For each cluster, a density functional theory perturbation theory calculation was performed to compute the cluster polarizability and the polarizability of each atom in the cluster using Bader's "quantum theory of atoms in molecules" formalism. The cluster polarizability tensor, α(cluster), is expressed as a sum of the atom-in-molecule tensors, α(cluster)=∑(Ω)α(Ω). A strong quadratic correlation (R(2) = 0.98) in the isotropic polarizability of atoms in the cluster and their distance to the cluster center of mass was observed. The cluster polarizabilities are in agreement with previous calculations.     

The Immobiline family: from "vacuum" to "plenum" chemistry.

We list here a total of 17 acrylamido acids and bases as potential buffers and titrants for isoelectric focusing separations in immobilized pH gradients. The chemistry of these compounds is reviewed and general guidelines are given for their proper use. In particular, it is shown that the most delicate compounds are the basic species, since they can undergo several degradation pathways, including: (i) spontaneous hydrolysis to acrylic acid and a diamine; (ii) spontaneous autopolymerization to oligomers and n-mers; (iii) oxidation to N-oxides during the persulfate polymerization step. A hydrophobicity scale has been constructed, by partitioning the deprotonated species in water/1-octanol phases. A scale of resistance to alkaline hydrolysis for the basic acrylamido buffers is also given, followed by general consideration on the structure/stability relationship of these chemicals.     

Synthesis of "solid solution" and "core-shell" type cobalt--platinum magnetic nanoparticles via transmetalation reactions

In this article, we report the synthesis of "solid solution" and "core-shell" types of well-defined Co--Pt nanoalloys smaller than 10 nm. The formation of these alloys is driven by redox transmetalation reactions between the reagents without the need for any additional reductants. Also the reaction proceeds selectively as long as the redox potential between the two metals is favorable. The reaction between Co(2)(CO)(8) and Pt(hfac)(2) (hfac = hexafluoroacetylacetonate) results in the formation of "solid solution" type alloys such as CoPt(3) nanoparticles. On the other hand, the reaction of Co nanoparticles with Pt(hfac)(2) in solution results in "Co(core)Pt(shell)" type nanoalloys. Nanoparticles synthesized by both reactions are moderately monodispersed (sigma < 10%) without any further size selection processes. The composition of the alloys can also be tuned by adjusting the ratio of reactants. The magnetic and structural properties of the obtained nanoparticles and reaction byproducts are characterized by TEM, SQUID, UV/vis, IR, EDAX, and XRD.     

Switching "on" and "off" the expression of chirality in peptide rotaxanes

The hydrogen-bond-directed synthesis, X-ray crystal structures, and optical properties of the first chiral peptide rotaxanes are reported. Collectively these systems provide the first examples of single molecular species where the expression of chirality in the form of a circular dichroism (CD) response can selectively be switched "on" or "off", and its magnitude altered, through controlling the interactions between mechanically interlocked submolecular components. The switching is achievable both thermally and through changes in the nature of the environment. Peptido[2]rotaxanes consisting of an intrinsically achiral benzylic amide macrocycle locked onto various chiral dipeptide (Gly-L-Ala, Gly-L-Leu, Gly-L-Met, Gly-L-Phe, and Gly-L-Pro) threads exhibit strong (10-20k deg cm(2) dmol(-1)) negative induced CD (theta;) values in nonpolar solvents (e.g. CHCl(3)), where the intramolecular hydrogen bonding between thread and macrocycle is maximized. In polar solvents (e.g., MeOH), where the intercomponent hydrogen bonding is weakened, or switched off completely, the elliptical polarization falls close to zero in some cases and can even be switched to large positive values in others. Importantly, the mechanism of generating the switchable CD response in the chiral peptide rotaxanes is also determined: a combination of semiempirical calculations and geometrical modeling using the continuous chirality measure (CCM) shows that the chirality is transmitted from the amino acid asymmetric center on the thread via the macrocycle to the C-terminal stopper of the rotaxane. This understanding could have important implications for other areas where chiral transmission from one chemical entity to another underpins a physical or chemical response, such as the seeding of supertwisted nematic liquid crystalline phases or asymmetric synthesis.     

"Adiabatic-hindered-rotor" treatment of the parahydrogen-water complex

Inspired by a recent successful adiabatic-hindered-rotor treatment for parahydrogen pH(2) in CO(2)-H(2) complexes [H. Li, P.-N. Roy, and R. J. Le Roy, J. Chem. Phys. 133, 104305 (2010); H. Li, R. J. Le Roy, P.-N. Roy, and A. R. W. McKellar, Phys. Rev. Lett. 105, 133401 (2010)], we apply the same approximation to the more challenging H(2)O-H(2) system. This approximation reduces the dimension of the H(2)O-H(2) potential from 5D to 3D and greatly enhances the computational efficiency. The global minimum of the original 5D potential is missing from the adiabatic 3D potential for reasons based on solution of the hindered-rotor Schro?dinger equation of the pH(2). Energies and wave functions of the discrete rovibrational levels of H(2)O-pH(2) complexes obtained from the adiabatic 3D potential are in good agreement with the results from calculations with the full 5D potential. This comparison validates our approximation, although it is a relatively cruder treatment for pH(2)-H(2)O than it is for pH(2)-CO(2). This adiabatic approximation makes large-scale simulations of H(2)O-pH(2) systems possible via a pairwise additive interaction model in which pH(2) is treated as a point-like particle. The poor performance of the diabatically spherical treatment of pH(2) rotation excludes the possibility of approximating pH(2) as a simple sphere in its interaction with H(2)O.     

Assembly of molecular "layered" heteropolyoxometalate architectures

Neoclassical architecture: A new family of heteropolyoxometalates with "pagoda"-shaped building blocks [Te(n) W(6n+3) O(21n+12) ]((6+2n)-) (n=1, 2, 3) was discovered by adding {TeW(6) O(21) } layers on a classic {TeW(9) O(33) } fragment. Linking of the units allowed the generation of nanostructured clusters whose gross conformation is cation controlled. Studies of the redox behaviors of the multi-layered clusters indicate that the Te(IV) template is redox-active.     

"Jumping crystals": oxygen-evolving metal-nitroxide complexes

The crystals of heterospin complexes [M(hfac)(2)L(2)] (where M = Cu, Ni, Co, or Mn; hfac = hexafluoroacetylacetonate; and L = nitronyl nitroxide, 4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-2-(1-methyl-1H-imidazol-5-yl)-4,5-dihydro-1H-imidazole-3-oxide-1-oxyl) were found to make unusual jumping motions. Under ambient conditions, the jumping and various displacements of crystals lasted for several weeks. The mechanical motion was accompanied by the cracking and disintegration of crystals, and a solid [M(hfac)(2)(L(1))(2)] complex with the corresponding imino nitroxide 4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-2-(1-methyl-1H-imidazol-5-yl)-4,5-dihydro-1H-imidazole-1-oxyl (L(1)) was detected. The jumping was accompanied by the spontaneous elimination of oxygen, the source of which was the nitronyl nitroxyl fragment of coordinated L. An X-ray study of [M(hfac)(2)L(2)] (where M = Cu, Ni, Co, or Mn) showed that the molecular structure of all [M(hfac)(2)L(2)] and their packing in the solid state were identical. The packing of [M(hfac)(2)L(2)] was concluded to be critical to the mechanical effect. In complexes with different stoichiometries or different sets of diamagnetic ligands ([Cu(hfac)(2)L](2), [Cu(hfac)(acac)L]·EtOH, [CuPiv(2)L(2)]·2CH(2)Cl(2), and [Cu(hfac)(2)L(2)Cu(2)Piv(4)]·3C(7)H(8) (where acac is acetylacetonate and Piv is trimethylacetate), or free L), the effect vanished when the packing changed.     

Rhodium-mediated stereoselective polymerization of "carbenes"

Unprecedented rhodium-catalyzed stereoselective polymerization of "carbenes" from ethyl diazoacetate (EDA) to give high molecular mass poly(ethyl 2-ylidene-acetate) is described. The mononuclear, neutral [(N,O-ligand)M(I)(cod)] (M = Rh, Ir) catalytic precursors for this reaction are characterized by (among others) single-crystal X-ray diffraction. These species mediate formation of a new type of polymers from EDA: carbon-chain polymers functionalized with a polar substituent at each carbon of the polymer backbone. The polymers are obtained as white powders with surprisingly sharp NMR resonances. Solution and solid state NMR data for these new polymers reveal a highly stereoregular polymer, with a high degree of crystallinity. The polymer is likely syndiotactic. Material properties are very different from those of atactic poly(diethyl fumarate) polymer obtained by radical polymerization of diethyl fumarate. Other diazoacetates are also polymerized. Further studies are underway to reveal possible applications of these new materials.     

Hydrogen evolution from organic "hydrides"

Benzimidazolines (dihydrobenzimidazoles) are shown for the first time to eliminate hydrogen (H2) by catalyzed reaction with protic compounds.     

Electrochemical "signal-on" reporter for amyloid aggregates

The synthesis and characterization of four new Ferrocene (Fc) bioconjugates, bearing a podant (Lys)-Leu-Val-Phe-Phe motif, namely the hydrophobic sequence of amyloid-β-peptides (Aβ), is reported. The Fc-peptide conjugates are characterized by a reversible redox activity and the ability to undergo hydrophobic and hydrogen bonding interactions. Biomolecular interactions between Fc-bioconjugates with Aβ(12-28) fragments were studied by circular dichroism (CD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and electrochemistry. All four Fc-peptides interacted favourable with Aβ(12-28) and prevented fibril formation, the extent of which depended on the length of the peptide and the nature of the C-terminal group. The aggregates obtained for the Aβ(12-28)/Fc-peptide mixtures range from short fibrils to spherical aggregates. We demonstrated that in solution the peptide sequence and peptide charge affect the biomolecular interactions. Fc-peptide interactions with immobilized Aβ(12-28)-Cys films on Au surfaces were detected by measuring the current response of the Fc redox process. The formal redox potential, E(0), at ~440 (10) mV and i(pc)/i(pa) at 0.9 were observed characteristic for the monosubstituted Fc-derivative undergoing a one-electron redox process. On the surface, methyl ester-protected Fc-peptides (1 and 3) interacted only weakly with Aβ(12-28)-Cys films, giving rise to minimal redox activity. In contrast, charged Fc-peptides (2 and 4) gave a significant electrochemical readout following the interaction with Aβ(12-28)-Cys films. Interestingly, the Fc-peptide charge dictates the surface-assisted interactions, while hydrophobic and ionic effects contribute to the overall solution behaviour of the Fc-bioconjugates with Aβ(12-28).     

"Asymmetric" catalysis by lanthanide complexes

Catalysis with lanthanide (Ln) complexes has been underestimated for long time, although Ln(III) complexes have great advantages as Lewis acid catalysts for "asymmetric" carbon-carbon bond-forming reactions. Lanthanide complexes are highly active in ligand-substitution reactions, especially with hard ligands. The association with substrates and dissociation of products are achieved fast enough for high catalyst efficiency. The asymmetric catalysis of organic reactions can be greatly advanced by the use of Ln complexes with chiral ligands such as binaphthol (binol). Ln(II) complexes are good reducing agents, which can be used in a wide variety of synthetically important reactions; when chiral ligands are used, many of these reactions are highly stereoselective. In the context of "green chemistry", the development of asymmetric Ln catalysts, and their recyclable use, is of increasing importance. This review gives an overview of the most recent developments in catalysis with lanthanide(II) and lanthanide(III) complexes.     

Characterization of superparamagnetic "core-shell" nanoparticles and monitoring their anisotropic phase transition to ferromagnetic "solid solution" nanoalloys

The structure, magnetism, and phase transition of core-shell type CoPt nanoparticles en route to solid solution alloy nanostructures are systematically investigated. The characterization of Co(core)Pt(shell) nanoparticles obtained by a "redox transmetalation" process by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and, in particular, X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) provides clear evidence for the existence of a core-shell type bimetallic interfacial structure. Nanoscale phase transitions of the Co(core)Pt(shell) structures toward c-axis compressed face-centered tetragonal (fct) solid solution alloy CoPt nanoparticles are monitored at various stages of a thermally induced annealing process and the obtained fct nanoalloys show a large enhancement of their magnetic properties with ferromagnetism. The relationship between the nanostructures and their magnetic properties is in part elucidated through the use of XAS as a critical analytical tool.     

Anion dependent self-assembly of "tetra-decker" and "triple-decker"luminescent Tb(III) salen complexes

The Schiff base complexes [Tb3L4(H2O)2]Cl and [Tb3L3(OAc)2Cl] both have unusual multi-decker architectures formed via intramolecular pi-pi interactions between phenylene units.     

Photoassisted "gate-lock" fluorescence "turn-on" in a new Schiff base and coordination ability of E-Z isomers

Rapid photoresponse (1.0-8.0 min) through fluorescence "turn-on" signaling displayed by a novel Schiff base (L) creating "gate lock" via intramolecular C-H···N interaction in photoisomerized product (L') has been described. Coordination chemistry of pre- and postirradiated species demonstrated a drastic change in the reactivity which has been supported by NMR, HRMS, UV-vis, emission, electrochemical, and complexation studies.     

Tetramethylphosphonium fluoride: "naked" fluoride and phosphorane

Me(4)PF was investigated in the solid state, in the gas phase, and in solutions. Vibrational spectra of the solid and a single-crystal structure show an ionic tetramethylphosphonium fluoride. The compound crystallizes in the space group Pbca with a = 1016.0(1), b = 1018.0(1), c = 1205.8(4) pm, and Z = 8. The fluoride ion is nearly trigonal planar surrounded by three Me(4)P+ cations forming six H...F contacts between 218 and 240 pm. The compound is stable below 120 degrees C and sublimes in a vacuum. It possesses a phosphorane structure in the gas phase that was studied by electron diffraction and vibrational spectra, and additionally by theoretical calculations. The Me(4)PF molecule has a trigonal bipyramidal structure with one methyl group and the fluorine atom in axial positions and bond lengths of d(PC(eq)) = 182.6(4) pm, d(PC(ax)) = 188.4(8) pm, and d(PF) = 175.3(6) pm. The compound is remarkably soluble in acetonitrile, water, and alcohols, and slightly soluble in benzene, dimethyl ether, and diethyl ether. The solutions were studied by (1)H, (13)C, (19)F, and (31)P NMR spectroscopy. The hygroscopic Me(4)PF forms a tetrahydrate which crystallizes in the space group I4(1)/a with a = 1106.1(1) pm, c = 816.3(1) pm, and Z = 4. The fluoride ion in Me(4)PF.4 H(2)O is surrounded by four water molecules. These units form a three-dimensional network in which the Me(4)P+ cations are embedded without any contacts.