Trinuclear Cage‐Like ZnII Macrocyclic Complexes: Enantiomeric Recognition and Gas Adsorption Properties

Three zinc(II) ions in combination with two units of enantiopure [3+3] triphenolic Schiff‐base macrocycles 1 , 2 , 3 , or 4 form cage‐like chiral complexes. The formation of these complexes is accompanied by the enantioselective self‐recognition of chiral macrocyclic units. The X‐ray crystal structures of these trinuclear complexes show hollow metal–organic molecules. In some crystal forms, these barrel‐shaped complexes are arranged in a window‐to‐window fashion, which results in the formation of 1D channels and a combination of both intrinsic and extrinsic porosity. The microporous nature of the [Zn₃ 1 ₂] complex is reflected in its N₂, Ar, H₂, and CO₂ adsorption properties. The N₂ and Ar adsorption isotherms show pressure‐gating behavior, which is without precedent for any noncovalent porous material. A comparison of the structures of the [Zn₃ 1 ₂] and [Zn₃ 3 ₂] complexes with that of the free macrocycle H₃ 1 reveals a striking structural similarity. In H₃ 1 , two macrocyclic units are stitched together by hydrogen bonds to form a cage very similar to that formed by two macrocyclic units stitched together by Zn^II ions. This structural similarity is manifested also by the gas adsorption properties of the free H₃ 1 macrocycle. Recrystallization of [Zn₃ 1 ₂] in the presence of racemic 2‐butanol resulted in the enantioselective binding of (S)‐2‐butanol inside the cage through the coordination to one of the Zn^II ions.     

Amperometric Hydrogen Peroxide Biosensor Based on the Immobilization of Horseradish Peroxidase (HRP) on the Layer‐by‐Layer Assembly Films of Gold Colloidal Nanoparticles and Toluidine Blue

The precursor film was first formed on the Au electrode surface based on the self‐assembly of L ‐cysteine and the adsorption of gold colloidal nanoparticles (nano‐Au). Layer‐by‐layer (LBL) assembly films of toluidine blue (TB) and nano‐Au were fabricated by alternately immersing the electrode with precursor film into the solution of toluidine blue and gold colloid. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) and quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) were adopted to monitor the regular growth of {TB/Au} bilayer films. The successful assembly of {TB/Au}_n films brings a new strategy for electrochemical devices to construct layer‐by‐layer assembly films of nanomaterials and low molecular weight materials. In this article, {TB/Au}_n films were used as model films to fabricate a mediated H₂O₂ biosensor based on horseradish peroxidase, which responded rapidly to H₂O₂ in the linear range from 1.5×10^?7 mol/L to 8.6×10^?3 mol/L with a detection limit of 7.0×10^?8 mol/L. Morphologies of the final assembly films were characterized with scanning probe microscopy (SPM).     

Electrochemical Oxidative Detection of Guanosine‐5′‐triphosphate Based on a New Ionic Liquid Modified Carbon Paste Electrode

An ionic liquid (IL) 1‐(3‐chloro‐2‐hydroxy‐propyl)‐3‐methylimidazolium trifluoroacetate was used as the modifier for the preparation of the modified carbon paste electrode (CPE). The IL‐CPE showed excellent electrocatalytic activity towards the oxidation of guanosine‐5′‐triphosphate (5′‐GTP) in a pH 5.0 Britton‐Robinson buffer solution. Due to the presence of high conductive IL on the electrode surface, the electrooxidation of 5′‐GTP was greatly promoted with a single well‐defined irreversible oxidation peak appeared. The electrode reaction was an adsorption‐controlled process and the electrochemical parameters of 5′‐GTP on IL‐CPE were calculated with the electron transfer coefficient (α) as 0.44, the electron transfer number (n) as 1.99, the apparent heterogeneous electron transfer rate constant (k_s) as 2.21 × 10^?9 s^?1 and the surface coverage (Γ_T) as 1.53 × 10^?10 mol cm^?2. Under the selected conditions a linear calibration curve between the oxidation peak currents and 5′‐GTP concentration was obtained in the range from 2.0 to 1000.0 μmol L^?1 with the detection limit as 0.049 μmol L^?1 (3σ) by differential pulse voltammetry. The proposed method showed good selectivity to the 5‘‐GTP detection without the interferences of coexisting substances and the practical application was checked by measurements of the artificial samples.     

Variations of Rate Coefficients and Termination Mechanism During the After‐Effects of a Light‐ Induced Polymerization of a Dimethacrylate Monomer

This work was aimed at studying variations in the termination mechanism occurring during the after‐effects of a light‐induced polymerization of a dimethacrylate monomer after the irradiation had been discontinued. The experimental method was based on differential scanning calorimetry. The initiation was stopped at various moments of the reaction corresponding to different degrees of double‐bond conversion (starting conversions). Three termination models: monomolecular, bimolecular, and mixed were used to calculate the ratio of the bimolecular termination and propagation rate coefficients k_t^b/k_p and/or the monomolecular termination rate coefficient k_t^m. The models were determined over short time intervals (conversion increments) of the dark reaction giving different values of rate coefficients for each time interval (interval approximation method). Two‐stage statistical analysis was used to find the model that best reproduced the experimental data obtained for each conversion increment. This enabled variations in the termination mechanism during the after‐effects to be followed. It was found that the termination mechanism changed with the time of the dark reaction from the bimolecular reaction to the mixed reaction when the light was cut off at low and medium double‐bond conversions. At higher starting conversions a monomolecular termination mechanism dominated from the beginning of the dark reaction. The mixed termination model was the only model to describe correctly the variations of rate coefficients in the dark, i. e., the increase in k_t^m and the decreasein the k_t^b/k_p ratio.     

Electrochemical Behaviors of Adenosine‐5′‐triphosphate on Molecular Wire Modified Carbon Paste Electrode and Its Sensitive Detection

A new electrochemical method was proposed for the determination of adenosine‐5′‐triphosphate (ATP) based on the electrooxidation at a molecular wire (MW) modified carbon paste electrode (CPE), which was fabricated with diphenylacetylene (DPA) as the binder. A single well‐defined irreversible oxidation peak of ATP appeared on MW‐CPE with adsorption‐controlled process and enhanced electrochemical response in a pH 3.0 Britton‐Robinson buffer solution, which was due to the presence of high conductive DPA in the electrode. The electrochemical parameters of ATP were calculated with the electron transfer coefficient (α) as 0.54, the electron transfer number (n) as 1.9, the apparent heterogeneous electron transfer rate constant (k_s) as 2.67 × 10^?5 s^?1 and the surface coverage (Γ_T) as 4.15 × 10^?10 mol cm^?2. Under the selected conditions the oxidation peak current was proportional to ATP concentration in the range from 1.0 × 10^?7 mol L^?1 to 2.0 × 10^?3 mol L^?1 with the detection limit as 1.28 × 10^?8 mol L^?1 (3σ) by sensitive differential pulse voltammetry. The proposed method showed good selectivity without the interferences of coexisting substances and was successful applied to the ATP injection samples detection.     

Polymerization of neat 2‐ethylhexyl acrylate induced by a pulsed electron beam

The bulk polymerization of 2‐ethylhexyl acrylate (2‐EHA), induced by a pulsed electron beam, was investigated with pulse radiolysis, gravimetry, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The roles of the dose rate, pulse frequency, and added acrylic acid (AA) in the polymerization of 2‐EHA were examined at ambient temperature. In the range of 12.6–71.2 Gy/pulse, the polymerization of 2‐EHA was dose‐rate‐dependent: at the same total dose, a lower dose rate yielded a higher conversion. Also, a lower pulse rate gave a higher conversion at the same total dose. The addition of up to 10 wt % AA showed no increase in the conversion of 2‐EHA at a low conversion (8 kGy), but at a higher conversion (16 kGy), a 20 wt % increase in the conversion of 2‐EHA was observed. The estimated values (1.6 ± 0.3) × 10^?3 (dm³ s)^3/2 mol^?1 s^?1/2 for k_p(G/2k_t)^1/2 and 2.6 ± 0.8 dm³ s J^?1 for 2k_tG (where k_p is the rate constant of propagation, k_t is the rate constant of bimolecular termination, and G is the yield of free radicals) were obtained at relatively low conversions. The reaction rate constant of the addition of 2‐EHA^· free radicals to the monomer was measured by pulse radiolysis and found to be 2.8 × 10² mol^?1 dm³ s^?1. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 196–203, 2003     

Accelerating Effect of Tetramethylthiourea on the Kinetics of Zn2+ Electroreduction

The results of kinetic measurements of Zn²⁺ electroreduction on mercury electrode in the presence of tetramethylthiourea showed the two‐step character of the electrode process. The acquisition of nonlinear wide potential range Tafel plots was found to offer a good opportunity to examine the Zn²⁺ electroreduction mechanism. Three mechanisms including the ion transfer step followed by the electron exchange step (IE mechanism), the adsorption step (IA mechanism) and the chemical step followed by electron transfer (CE) were applied. The accelerating influence of tetramethylthiourea on Zn²⁺ electroreduction was found to result from possible complexes formation in the diffuse layer. The ion transport step is probably combined with the loss or exchange of a ligand. The second step probably consists in the electron transfer or adsorption process connected with partial charge transfer.     

Transitory forms of carotenoids: triplet state and radical cation

Abstract— Reactions between toluidine blue (a thiazine dye) and carotenoids (β-carotene and zeaxanthine) were studied by flash photolysis, in ethanolic solutions. Two types of reactions were evidenced:

• 1 a triplet-triplet energy transfer from the triplet state of monoprotonated toluidine blue to the carotenoid whose triplet state decays rapidly (t_1/2= 5μsec).
• 2 an electron transfer from the carotenoid to the mono- and bi-protonated triplet states of toluidine blue. This produces a radical-cation of the carotenoid (Car⁺) which decays slowly (t_1/2? 200 μsec) and has a strong absorption band around 900 nm.

     

A Novel Dual Channel Fluorescent Probe for Ca2+ and Zn2+ Based on a Coumarin Schiff Base

A novel coumarin Schiff base fluorescent probe ethyl 7‐hydroxycoumarin‐3‐carboxylate‐8‐formaldehyde benzoyl hydrazone ( EBH ) has been designed and synthesized which shows solvent dependent dual sensing, viz., recognition of Ca²⁺ in DMF‐H₂O (9∶1, V /V ) solution based on C = N isomerization, photoinduced electron transfer (PET ) inhibition and chelation‐enhanced fluorescence (CHEF ) mechanism as well as detection of Zn²⁺ in H₂O‐CH₃OH (9∶1, V /V ) solution by excited‐state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT ) and CHEF processes. The structure of the probe EBH has been confirmed by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis. Meanwhile, the probe was also used to image intracellular Zn²⁺ ions in MCF ‐7 cells with a good performance.     

Electron‐Self‐Exchange Kinetics of the Cyclooctatetraene/Cyclooctatetraene Radical‐Anion Couple

Rate constants k_hom and k_het are reported for the homogeneous electron‐self‐exchange and the heterogeneous electrochemical electron‐transfer reactions, respectively, of the cyclooctatetraene/cyclooctatetraene^? (COT/COT^.?) redox couple. In acetonitrile, the values k_hom (298 K)=(5±3)×10⁵ M ^?1 s^?1 and k_het (295 K)=8×10^?3 cm s^?1 are found, whereas slightly faster rates are obtained in dimethylformamide, namely, k_hom (298 K)=(1.6±0.6)×10⁶ M ^?1 s^?1 and k_het (295 K)=2×10^?2 cm s^?1. The k_hom rates are obtained from electron spin resonance (ESR) line broadening whereas the k_het rates are measured at a mercurized Pt electrode by using Nicolson’s method. The slowness of both electron‐transfer reactions is caused by the high inner‐sphere reorganization energy that results from the inevitable conformational change that takes place upon going from the tub‐like COT molecule to the planar COT^.? anion. The rates are well‐understood in terms of Marcus theory, including an additional medium inner‐sphere mode which is responsible for the flattening of COT.     

Electrochemical Behaviours and Detection of Adenosine‐5¢‐triphosphate on an Ionic Liquid Modified Carbon Paste Electrode

In this paper a new electrochemical method based on the ionic liquid modified carbon paste electrode (IL‐CPE) was proposed for the determination of adenosine‐5′‐triphosphate (ATP) in a pH 4.5 Britton‐Robinson (B‐R) buffer solution. IL‐CPE was prepared by using 1‐butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium trifluoroacetate (BMIMCF₃COO) as the modifier. Cyclic voltammetry was used to investigate the electrochemical behaviors of ATP on the IL‐CPE, and the results indicated that IL‐CPE exhibited strong electrocatalytic ability to promote the oxidation of ATP with a single well‐defined irreversible adsorption‐controlled oxidation peak appeared. The electrochemical reaction parameters of ATP were calculated with the results of the electron transfer coefficient (α) as 0.40, the electron transfer number (n) as 1.17, the apparent heterogeneous electron transfer rate constant (ks) as 3.66 × 10^‐6 s^‐1 and the surface coverage (Γ_τ) as 2.48 × 10^‐9 mol cm^‐2. Under the selected conditions the proposed IL‐CPE showed good performances to the ATP detection in the concentration range from 0.1 to 1000.0 μmol L^‐1 with the detection limit as 3.65 × 10^‐8 mol L^‐1 (3σ) by differential pulse voltammetry. The method showed good selectivity to the ATP detection without the interferences of coexisting substances and was successfully applied to the ATP injection samples detection with satisfactory results.     

A Simple Frontal Analysis Equation to Determine the Adsorption Parameters of Solute Molecules on Different Adsorbents

A simple frontal analysis equation to determine the adsorption parameters of solute molecules on different adsorbents was presented. It gives the relationship between the average breakthrough time and the feed solute concentration, and by using its linear form, two important parameters, the thermodynamic equilibrium constant KSL for solute adsorption on the surface of adsorbent and the number nt of total adsorption sites distributed on the surface of adsorbent, can be simultaneously determined. The frontal analyses for some aromatic hydrocarbons on RP-C18 reversed-phase medium, and some protein molecules on RP-C18 reversed-phase, WCX-1 cation-exchange, PEG-400 hydrophobic and Chelating Sepharose Fast-flow separately chelated with Zn^2＋ or Cu^2＋ media, were separately carried out to test this equation and their adsorption parameters KSL and nt were separately obtained. The results show that all these frontal analysis data can be well described by this frontal analysis equation. For all of these frontal analysis systems, their parameters nt can separately approximately keep constant and they are independent of solute molecules used, while their parameters KSL are dependent upon both of the media packed in frontal analysis column and the solute molecules used.     

Synthesis and Characterization of Poly(toluidine blue) Nanowires and Their Application in Amperometric Biosensors

Poly(toluidine blue) nanowires (PTBNWs) with an average diameter of ca. 200 nm and length of ca. 5 μm were synthesized for the first time using a template‐directed electropolymerization strategy with a nanopore polycarbonate (PC) membrane template. Their morphological characterization was carried out by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). By electrochemical polymerization, horseradish peroxidase (HRP) was encapsulated in situ in PTBNWs (denoted as PTBNWs‐HRP) for potential biosensor applications. PTBNWs‐HRP was then modified on a glassy carbon (GC) electrode. In the system obtained, the PTBNWs served as an excellent redox mediator and exhibited high efficiency of electron transfer between the HRP and the GC electrode for the reduction of H₂O₂. The proposed electrode can be used as an excellent amperometric sensor for H₂O₂ at ?0.1 V with a linear response range covering from 1 μM to 28 mM, a detection limit of 1 μM (based on S/N=3) and a fast response time of less than 8 s.     

Modeling Termination Kinetics of Non‐Stationary Free‐Radical Polymerizations

Pulsed‐laser induced polymerization is modeled via an approach presented in a previous paper.^[1] An equation for the time dependence of free‐radical concentration is derived. It is shown that the termination rate coefficient may vary significantly as a function of time after applying the laser pulse despite of the fact that the change in monomer concentration during one experiment is negligible. For the limiting case of t ≫ c^–1 (k_pM)^–1, where c is a dimensionless chain‐transfer constant, k_p the propagation rate coefficient and M the monomer concentration, an analytical expression for k_t is derived. It is also shown that time‐resolved single pulse‐laser polymerization (SP–PLP) experiments can yield the parameters that allow the modeling of k_t in quasi‐stationary polymerization. The influence of inhibitors is also considered. The conditions are analyzed under which M (t) curves recorded at different extents of laser‐induced photo‐initiator decomposition intersect. It is shown that such type of behavior is associated with a chain‐length dependence of k_t.     

Combining Medium Effects and Cofactor Catalysis: Metal‐Coordinated Synzymes Accelerate Phosphate Transfer by 108

The systematic exploration of the modification of polyethylene imine with guanidinium and octyl groups has led to the identification of a catalyst, CD6, which accelerates the phosphate transfer reaction of HPNP (2‐hydroxypropyl‐4‐nitrophenyl phosphate) in the presence of divalent metals such as Zn²⁺, Co²⁺, Mg²⁺ or Ni²⁺. CD6 exhibits saturation kinetics that are described by Michaelis–Menten parameters K_m ranging from 2.5–8 mM and k_cat ranging from 0.0014–0.09 s^?1. For Zn^II–CD6 this corresponds to an overall acceleration k_cat/k_uncat of 3.8×10⁵ and a catalytic proficiency (k_cat/K_m)/k_uncat of 1.5×10⁸. Catalysis by Zn^II–CD6 is specifically inhibited by inorganic phosphate, allowing turnover regulation by product inhibition. This effect stands in contrast to Zn^II‐catalysed transesterification of HPNP in water or by the synzymes Co^II–CD6 and Ni^II–CD6, with which no such interference by product is observed. These characteristics render synzyme Zn^II–CD6 an efficient enzyme model that reflects enzyme‐like properties in a wide range of features.     

Influence of the stereochemical configuration on the radical polymerization of methacrylic monomers: cis‐ and trans‐(2‐cyclohexyl‐1,3‐dioxan‐5‐yl) methacrylate

The synthesis of two new isomeric monomers, cis‐(2‐cyclohexyl‐1,3‐dioxan‐5‐yl) methacrylate (CCDM) and trans‐(2‐cyclohexyl‐1,3‐dioxan‐5‐yl) methacrylate (TCDM), starting from the reaction of glycerol and cyclohexanecarbaldehyde, is reported. The process involved the preparation of different alcohol acetals and esterification with methacryloyl chloride of the corresponding cis and trans 5‐hydroxy compounds of 2‐cyclohexyl‐1,3‐dioxane. The radical polymerization reactions of both monomers, under the same conditions of temperature, solvent, monomer, and initiator concentrations, were studied to investigate the influence of the monomer configuration on the values of the propagation and termination rate constants (k_p and k_t ).The values of the ratio k_p /k_t ^1/2 were determined by UV spectroscopy by the measurement of the changes of absorbance with time at several wavelengths in the range 275–285 nm, where an appropriate change in absorbance was observed. Reliable values of the kinetics constants were determined by UV spectroscopy, showing a very good reproducibility of the kinetic experiments. The values of k_p /k_t ^1/2, in the temperature interval 45–65 °C, lay in the range 0.40–0.50 L^1/2/mol^1/2s^1/2 and 0.20–0.30 L^1/2/mol^1/2s^1/2 for CCDM and TCDM, respectively. Measurements of both the radical concentrations and the absolute rate constants k_p and k_t were also carried out with electron paramagnetic resonance techniques. The values of k_p at 60 °C were nearly identical for both the trans and cis monomers, but the termination rate constant of the trans monomer was about three times that of the cis monomer at the same temperature. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 3883–3891, 2000     

ESI‐MS studies of the non‐covalent interactions between biologically important metal ions and N‐sulfonylcytosine derivatives

The aim of this report is to present the electrospray ionization mass spectrometry results of the non‐covalent interaction of two biologically active ligands, N‐1 ‐ (p‐toluenesulfonyl)cytosine, 1‐TsC, 1 and N‐1 ‐ methanesulfonylcytosine, 1‐MsC, 2 and their Cu(II) complexes Cu(1‐TsC‐N3)₂Cl₂, 3 and Cu(1‐MsC‐N3)₂Cl₂ and 4 with biologically important cations: Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺ and Zn²⁺. The formation of various complex metal ions was observed. The alkali metals Na⁺ and K⁺ formed clusters because of electrostatic interactions. Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ salts produced the tris ligand and mixed ligand complexes. The interaction of Zn²⁺ with 1–4 produced monometal and dimetal Zn²⁺ complexes as a result of the affinity of Zn²⁺ ions toward both O and N atoms. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

EPR Spectroscopy of 4, 4′‐Bis(tert‐butyl)‐2, 2′‐bipyridine‐1, 2‐dithiolatocuprates(II) in Host Lattices with Different Coordination Geometries

A series of new heteroleptic MN₂S₂ transition metal complexes with M = Cu²⁺ for EPR measurements and as diamagnetic hosts Ni²⁺, Zn²⁺, and Pd²⁺ were synthesized and characterized. The ligands are N₂ = 4, 4′‐bis(tert‐butyl)‐2, 2′‐bipyridine (tBu₂bpy) and S₂ =1, 2‐dithiooxalate, (dto), 1, 2‐dithiosquarate, (dtsq), maleonitrile‐1, 2‐dithiolate, or 1, 2‐dicyanoethene‐1, 2‐dithiolate, (mnt). The Cu^II complexes were studied by EPR in solution and as powders, diamagnetically diluted in the isostructural planar [Ni^II(tBu₂bpy)(S₂)] or[Pd^II(tBu₂bpy)(S₂)] as well as in tetrahedrally coordinated[Zn^II(tBu₂bpy)(S₂)] host structures to put steric stress on the coordination geometry of the central CuN₂S₂ unit. The spin density contributions for different geometries calculated from experimental parameters are compared with the electronic situation in the frontier orbital, namely in the semi‐occupied molecular orbital (SOMO) of the copper complex, derived from quantum chemical calculations on different levels (EHT and DFT). One of the hosts, [Ni^II(tBu₂bpy)(mnt)], is characterized by X‐ray structure analysis to prove the coordination geometry. The complex crystallizes in a square‐planar coordination mode in the monoclinic space group P2₁/a with Z = 4 and the unit cell parameters a = 10.4508(10) Å, b = 18.266(2) Å, c = 12.6566(12) Å, β = 112.095(7)°. Oxidation and reductions potentials of one of the host complexes, [Ni(tBu₂bpy)(mnt)], were obtained by cyclovoltammetric measurements.     

1,3‐Dipolar Cycloaddition of Diazo Compounds to Electron‐Deficient Alkenes: Kinetics and Mechanism of Formation of Dimethyl‐4,5‐dihydro‐1H‐pyrazol‐3,5‐dicarboxylate

1,3‐Dipolar cycloaddition of methyl diazoacetate to methyl acrylate was investigated by kinetic ¹Н NMR spectroscopy. It was established that the mechanism of the process includes parallel formation of trans‐ and cis‐dimethyl‐4,5‐dihydro‐3H‐pyrazol‐3,5‐dicarboxylates as a result of [3 + 2]‐cycloaddition of methyl diazoacetate to methyl acrylate; the corresponding rate constants were denoted k_1t and k_1c. The reaction rate of the isomerization of 3Н‐pyrazolines to 4,5‐dihydro‐1H‐pyrazol‐3,5‐dicarboxylate (3Н → 1Н‐pyrazoline rearrangement) was found to be sensitive to both the methyl acrylate (k_2t, k_2c) and 1Н‐pyrazoline concentrations (k_3t, k_3c). Kinetic analysis showed that the proposed scheme is valid for various reagent concentrations. The numerical solution of the system of differential equations corresponded to the reaction scheme and was used to determine the complete set of reaction rate constants (k (× 10⁵ M^–1·s^–1), 298 K; solvent, benzene‐d₆): k_1t = 2.3 ± 0.3, k_1c = 1.6 ± 0.2, k_2t = 1.1 ± 0.3, k_2c = 1.8 ± 0.5, k_3t = 1.2 ± 0.4, k_3c = 2.2 ± 0.7.     

Synthesis and Crystal Structures of t‐Butyl‐Pyridine Adducts of ZnR2 (R = Me,i‐Pr,t‐Bu,Cp*)

Lewis acid‐base adducts of the general type R₂Zn(4‐tBuPy)_x (R = Me 1 , iPr 2 , tBu 3 , Cp* 4 ; x = 1, 2) were obtained in high yields from reactions of ZnR₂ with the Lewis base 4‐tBu‐Pyridine. Compounds 1 – 4 were characterized by multinuclear NMR (¹H, ¹³C) and IR spectroscopy and elemental analyses, 1 and 4 also by X‐ray diffraction at single crystals.