Identification of microcystin-RR and [Dha7]microcystin-RR in commercial standards by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

Three different commercial standards of microcystin-RR were assessed for purity by the liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (LC/ESI/MS) technique. Although the liquid chromatograms with photodiode array detector for each standard looked virtually identical, the analysis of corresponding mass spectra revealed that only one of them contained microcystin-RR per purity assay. The second standard was a mixture of microcystin-RR, and its demethyl variant identified as [Dha7]microcystin-RR, and the third one contained [Dha7]microcystin-RR only. We strongly recommend applying LC coupled with MS for purity assay of microcystin standards.     

NIES certified reference material for microcystins,hepatotoxic cyclic peptide toxins from cyanobacterial blooms in eutrophic water bodies

A certified reference material (CRM) for microcystins has been prepared by the National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES). Microcystins are hepatotoxic cyclic peptides produced by cyanobacteria in eutrophic water bodies. At least seven microcystin variants were found by HPLC analysis of the NIES CRM, of which [Dha⁷]microcystin-RR and -LR were the major microcystins present. Because of the lack of available standards we determined the total microcystin concentration in the CRM by the MMPB method, and elucidated the structures of the main individual microcystin variants following their isolation. Analyses of NMR and MS spectra indicated that the remaining minor variants in the CRM were [D-Asp³, Dha⁷]microcystin-RR and -LR, and [Dha⁷]microcystin-YR, -ThTyrR, and -HilR. The CRM is valuable not only as a standard material for the quantitation of total microcystins but also for the identification of individual [Dha⁷]microcystin variants.     

Cyano-bridged bimetallic complexes of copper(II) with tetracyanonickelate(II). Crystal structure of [Cu(dpt)Ni(CN)4]

Five new complexes of composition [Cu(dpt)Ni(CN)₄] (1) (dpt=dipropylenetriamine), [Cu(dien)Ni(CN)₄]·2H₂O (2) (dien=diethylenetriamine), [Cu(N,N′-dimeen)Ni(CN)₄]·H₂O (3) (N,N′-dimeen=N,N′-dimethylethylenediamine), [Cu(N,N-dimeen)Ni(CN)₄]·H₂O (4) (N,N-dimeen=N,N-dimethylethylenediamine) and [Cu(trimeen)Ni(CN)₄] (5) (trimeen=N,N,N′-trimethylethylenediamine) have been obtained by the reactions of the mixture of Cu(ClO₄)₂·6H₂O, appropriate amine and K₂[Ni(CN)₄] in water and have been characterized by IR and UV–Vis spectroscopies and magnetic measurements. The crystal structure of [Cu(dpt)Ni(CN)₄] (1) has been determined by single-crystal X-ray analysis. The structure of 1 consists of a one-dimensional polymeric chain ---Cu(dpt)---NC---Ni(CN)₂---CN---Cu(dpt)--- in which the Cu(II) and Ni(II) atoms are linked by CN groups. The nickel atom is four coordinate with four cyanide-carbon atoms (two cyano groups are terminal and two cyano groups (in cis fashion) are bridged) in a square-planar arrangement and the copper atom is five coordinate with two cyanide-nitrogen and three dpt-nitrogen atoms, in a distorted square-pyramidal arrangement. The temperature dependence of magnetic susceptibility (2–300 K) was measured for compound 1. The magnetic investigation showed the presence of a very weak antiferromagnetic interaction (J=−0.16 cm⁻¹) between the copper atoms within each chain through the diamagnetic Ni(CN)₄ ²⁻ ions.     

Synthesis, structure and properties of delocalized transition metal chelates: Diazoketiminato chelates of Co(III) and Pt(II)

The reactions of HL 1 [where HL is 1N-(2-pyridyl-2-methyl)-2-arylazoaniline and is formulated as ArN = NC₆H₄N(H)(CH₂C₅H₄N); Ar = C₆H₅ (for HL¹) or p-MeC₆H₄ (for HL²) or p-ClC₆H₄ (for HL³)] with K₂PtCl₄ and Co(ClO₄)₃ · 6H₂O afforded the (L)PtCl and [(L)₂Co]ClO₄ complexes, respectively. The HL ligands bind the platinum(II) and cobalt(III) centres in a tridentate (N,N,N) fashion, forming new diazoketiminato chelates upon dissociating the amino proton. The X-ray structures of (L³)PtCl and [(L³)₂Co]ClO₄ were determined. Redox properties of the new complexes have been examined.     

N, C and Sn NMR and other spectroscopic studies of 8-quinolinol, its O- and N-methyl derivatives, and chelate di- and tri-organotin(IV) complexes

The nature of the 8-quinolinato ligand in various forms has been examined by ¹⁵N, ¹³C and ¹¹⁹Sn NMR spectroscopy, with evidence also from electronic spectroscopy. These forms include 8-quinolinol (HQ), 8-quinolinate, the 8-hydroxyquinolinium ion, O- and N-methyl derivatives, 8-methoxyquinoline (MeQ), the zwitterionic N-methylquinolinium-8-olate and the N-methylquinolinium ion, and the chelating ligand in organotin(IV) complexes. The ¹⁵N shift from MeQ to HQ affords a measure of the intramolecular hydrogen bonding in HQ. The ¹⁵N shifts and ²J(¹⁵N¹H) couplings afford criteria of chelation, and the O- and N-methyl compounds provide useful reference points for its assessment. Evidence for chelation is demonstrated in three groups of compounds, [SnR₂Q₂] (R = Me, Et, Buⁿ, Octⁿ or Ph), [SnR₃Q] (R = Me, Et, Buⁿ or Ph) and [SnR₂ClQ] (R = Me, Et, Buⁿ or Octⁿ), the ¹⁵N and ¹¹⁹Sn shielding increasing from the [SnR₃Q] to the [SnR₂Q₂] compounds.     

Zn(II) complexes with pyridine derived N6 and N8 donor azamacrocyclic ligands

A novel N6 macrocyclic ligand, L¹ (2,8,14,20-tetramethyl-3,7,15,19,25,26-hexaaza-tricyclo[19.3.1.1^9,13]hexacosa-1(24),9,11,13(26),21(25),22-hexaene), was obtained by reduction of the 2 + 2 condensation product of 2,6-diacetylpyridine and propane-1,3-diamine. Zinc(II) complexes of L¹, of a related N8 macrocycle, L³ (3,6,9,17,20,23,29,30-octaaza-tricyclo[23.3.1.1[11,15]]triaconta-1(28),1,13,15(30),25(29),26-hexaene), similarly prepared by 2 + 2 condensation of 2,6-diformylpyridine and diethylenetriamine and of a tetra N-2-cyanoethyl derivative of a homologue of L¹ prepared from diformyl pyridine and ethane-1,2-diamine, L² (3-[6,14,17-tris-(2-cyano-ethyl)-3,6,14,17,23,24-hexaaza-tricyclo[17.3.1.1^8,12] tetracosa-1(23),8(24),9,11,19,21-hexaen-3-yl]-propionitrile), were prepared. Structures were determined for [ZnL¹](ClO₄)₂ · H₂O, [ZnL²](NO₃)₂ and [Zn₂L³(NO₃)₂](NO₃)₂ · H₂O. The [ZnL¹](ClO₄)₂ · H₂O and [ZnL²](NO₃)₂ complexes present a mononuclear endomacrocyclic structure with the metal in an octahedral distorted environment coordinated by the six donor nitrogen atoms from the macrocyclic backbone while the complex [Zn₂L³(NO₃)₂](NO₃)₂ · H₂O is dinuclear with both metal atoms into the macrocyclic cavity coordinated by four donor nitrogen atoms from the macrocyclic framework and one oxygen atom from one monodentate nitrate anion, in a distorted square pyramidal arrangement.     

Ab initio study of 1,1-(methylphosphinylidene) bis(methanamine) and vibrational assignment of its N,N′-coordinated Pt(II) and Pd(II) chloro complexes

Infrared and Raman spectra of 1,1-(methylphosphinylidene) bis(methanamine) [mpbm, (CH₃)PO(CH₂NH₂)₂] and its N,N′-coordinated Pt(II) and Pd(II) have been studied in the 4000–200 cm⁻¹ frequency range. Ab initio calculations have been carried out for different conformations of the mpbm at HF/6-31G* level of the theory from which structural parameters, conformational stability and predicted infrared and Raman spectra have been obtained. A complete vibrational assignment of the lowest energy conformer, tttg⁻, as well as of its N,N′-coordinated Pt(II) and Pd(II) chloro-complexes was done on the basis of the calculated frequencies, relative infrared intensities, Raman activities and potential energy distribution (PED). The theoretical predictions are compared with the experimental results where appropriate.     

Neutral pyridylmethylamide ligands and their mononuclear copper(II) complexes

Mononuclear copper(II) complexes of a family of pyridylmethylamide ligands HL, HL^Me, HL^Ph, HL^Me3 and HL^Ph3, [HL = N-(2-pyridylmethyl)acetamide; HL^Me = N-(2-pyridylmethyl)propionamide; HL^Ph = 2-phenyl-N-(2-pyridylmethyl)acetamide; HL^Me3 = 2,2-dimethyl-N-(2-pyridylmethyl)propionamide; HL^Ph3 = 2,2,2-triphenyl-N-(2-pyridylmethyl)acetamide], were synthesized and characterized. The reaction of copper(II) salts with the pyridylmethylamide ligands yields complexes [Cu(HL)₂(OTf)₂] (1), [Cu(HL^Me)₂](ClO₄)₂ (2), [Cu(HL)₂Cl]₂[CuCl₄] (3), [Cu(HL^Me3)₂(THF)](OTf)₂ (4), [Cu(HL^Me3)₂(H₂O)](ClO₄)₂ (5a and 5b), [Cu(HL^Ph3)₂(H₂O)](ClO₄)₂ (6), [Cu(HL)(2,2′-bipy)(H₂O)](ClO₄)₂ (7), and [Cu(HL^Ph)(2,2′-bipy)(H₂O)](ClO₄)₂ (8). All complexes were fully characterized, and the X-ray structures vary from four-coordinate square-planar, to five-coordinate square-pyramidal or trigonal-bipyramidal. The neutral ligands coordinate via the pyridyl N atom and carbonyl O atom in a bidentate fashion. The spectroscopic properties are typical of mononuclear copper(II) species with similar ligand sets, and are consistent their X-ray structures.     

Metal complexes of biologically important ligands: Synthesis of amino acidato complexes of Pd containing a C,N-cyclometallated group as an ancillary ligand

New amino acidato complexes of Pd^II of stoichiometry [Pd(C---N)(Aa)] (C---N=C,N-cyclometallated ligand, Aa = N,O-amino acidato ligand) have been obtained by reaction of [Pd(C---N)(acac)] (C---N=N,N-dimethylbenzylamine-C²,N (dmba) (1) or N,N-dimethyl(S--phenylethyl)amine-C²,N (S-dmphea) (2)) with glycine, chiral amino acids (alanine, phenylalanine and valine), and amino acid derivatives (N-acetylglycine and N-acetyl-,β-dehydroalanine) in MeOH. The compounds are characterized by IR, ¹H and ¹³C NMR. The geometry of these complexes has been unambiguously determined by NOE difference experiments and NOESY measurements.     

Conformational isomers in the photocyclodimerization of N-acylated dibenz[b,f]azepine derivatives

The benzophenone-sensitised photodimerizations of N-acetyl- and N-propionyldibenz[e,f]azepine were investigated in acetone as the solvent. In both the systems, the ¹H NMR analysis of the products revealed two isomeric photodimers differing in the chemical shifts and coupling constants of the cyclobutane protons, aromatic protons and the protons of the acetyl or propionyl group. Upon raising the temperature to ca. 70 °C the signals merge. The findings can be ascribed to a single thermally restricted conformational process such as the rotation about the C–N amide bond. The process exhibits free activation energies: ΔG^#=(74±2) kJ mol⁻¹ (N-acetyl) and ΔG^#=(70±2) kJ mol⁻¹ (N-propionyl).