Stereocontrolled total synthesis of (-)-englerin a

The total synthesis of (-)-englerin A, a potent and selective inhibitor of renal cancer cell lines, is described. The key feature includes the stereocontrolled construction of the cyclopentane structure by taking advantage of a base-promoted epoxynitrile cyclization.     

Unique photochemical behavior of novel tetracationic pyrene derivative on the clay surface

Novel tetracationic pyrene derivative (1,3,6,8-tetrakis(N-methylpyridinium-4-yl)pyrene, Py⁴⁺) was synthesized. Photochemical properties such as fluorescence quantum yield and fluorescence lifetime were observed for Py⁴⁺ and Py⁴⁺/clay complexes. Judging from Lambert-Beer plot analysis, Py⁴⁺ molecules adsorb on the clay surface without aggregation up to 69% versus cation exchange capacity of the clay. Py⁴⁺ molecule emits strong fluorescence from an excited state of monomer, while the emission from excimer was not detected, in spite of high density adsorption condition on the solid surface. It is supposed that strong interaction between host and guest by the ‘Size-Matching Effect’ inhibits the formation of excimer on the clay surface.     

ε-Keggin-based coordination networks: Synthesis, structure and application toward green synthesis of polyoxometalate@graphene hybrids

Four coordination networks based on the {ε-PMo(V)(8)Mo(VI)(4)O(40)(OH)(4)Zn(4)} Keggin unit (εZn) have been synthesized under hydrothermal conditions. (TBA)(3){PMo(V)(8)Mo(VI)(4)O(36)(OH)(4)Zn(4)}[C(6)H(4)(COO)(2)](2) (ε(isop)(2)) is a 2D material with monomeric εZn units connected via 1,3 benzenedicarboxylate (isop) linkers and tetrabutylammonium (TBA) counter-cations lying between the planes. In (TPA)(3){PMo(V)(8)Mo(VI)(4)O(37)(OH)(3)Zn(4)}[C(6)H(3)(COO)(3)] (TPA[ε(trim)](∞)), 1D inorganic chains formed by the connection of εZn POMs, via Zn-O bonds, are linked via 1,3,5 benzenetricarboxylate (trim) ligands into a 2D compound with tetrapropylammonium (TPA) cations as counter-cations. (TBA){PMo(V)(8)Mo(VI)(4)O(40)Zn(4)}(C(7)H(4)N(2))(2)(C(7)H(5)N(2))(2)·12H(2)O (ε(bim)(4)) is a molecular material with monomeric εZn POMs bound to terminal benzimidazole (bim) ligands. Finally, (TBA)(C(10)H(10)N(4))(2)(HPO(3)){PMo(V)(8)Mo(VI)(4)O(40)Zn(4)}(2)(C(10)H(9)N(4))(3)(C(10)H(8)N(4)) (ε(2)(pazo)(4)) is a 1D compound with dimeric (εZn)(2) POMs connected by HPO(3)(2-) ions and terminal para-azobipyridine (pazo) ligands. In this compound an unusual bond cleavage of the central N[double bond, length as m-dash]N bond of the pazo ligand is observed. We report also a green chemistry-type one-step synthesis method carried out in water at room temperature using ε(2)(pazo)(4) and ε(isop)(2) as reducing agent of graphite oxide (GO) to obtain graphene (G). The POM@G hybrids were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive X-ray analysis, infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and cyclic voltammetry.     

Enzyme treatment-free and ligation-independent cloning using caged primers in polymerase chain reactions

A new simple scheme for constructing recombinant vectors that does not require any restriction enzyme, ligase, or any other special enzyme treatment has been developed. By using caged primers in PCR, unnatural sticky-ends of any sequence, which are sufficiently long for ligation-independent cloning (LIC), are directly prepared on the product after a brief UVA irradiation. Target genes and vectors amplified by this light-assisted cohesive-ending (LACE) PCR join together in the desired arrangement in a simple mixture of them, tightly enough to be repaired and ligated in competent cells.     

Multielectron reduction of diazoalkane and azides via reversible cyclometalation in ditantalum complexes

Reactions of the cyclometalated hydride complexes with diazo and azide substrates are reported. While diazoalkane undergoes four-electron N-N bond cleavage, azides undergo two-electron N(2) extrusion.     

Temperature dependence of one-dimensional hydrogen bonding in morpholinium hydrogen chloranilate studied by (35)Cl nuclear quadrupole resonance and multi-temperature X-ray diffraction

The temperature dependence of (35)Cl NQR frequencies and the spin-lattice relaxation times T(1) has been measured in the wide temperature range of 4.2-420 K for morpholinium hydrogen chloranilate in which a one-dimensional O-HO hydrogen-bonded molecular chain of hydrogen chloranilate ions is formed. An anomalous temperature dependence of the NQR frequencies was analyzed to deduce a drastic temperature variation of the electronic state of the hydrogen-bonded molecular chain. The hydrogen atom distribution in the OHO hydrogen bond is discussed from the results of NQR as well as multi-temperature X-ray diffraction. Above ca. 330 K, the T(1) showed a steep decrease with an activation energy of ca. 70 kJ mol(-1) and with an isotope ratio (37)Cl T(1)/(35)Cl T(1) = 0.97 ± 0.2. The orientational change of the z axis of electric field gradient tensor in conjunction with the hydrogen transfer between adjacent hydrogen chloranilate ions is suggested as a possible relaxation mechanism.     

Centrosymmetric Structures of Three Substituted Malonic Acids

Abstract  

Crystal structures of 2-methylmalonic acid, 2-ethylmalonic acid and 2-phenylmalonic acid, which are derivatives of malonic acid and have found usefulness in diagnostics and biochemical evaluations as markers and organic synthesis, are reported. 2-Methylmalonic acid and 2-ethylmalonic acid both crystallize in triclinic P-1 space group with cell parameters of a = 5.1033(7), b = 5.4231(7), c = 10.0887(14) ?, α = 88.074(4), β = 89.999(5) and γ = 67.955(4)° for 2-methylmalonic acid, and a = 5.2073(4), b = 7.2258(6), c = 8.5655(6) ?, α = 88.086(2), β = 75.307(2) and γ = 85.904(3)° for 2-ethylmalonic acid, 2-phenylmalonic acid on the other hand crystallizes in monoclinic P2₁/c with cell parameters a = 8.6494(4), b = 5.48733(19), c = 17.1706(6) ? and β = 90.1068(17)°. The observed topology of the hydrogen bonding network is to a large extent dictated by the symmetrical substitution pattern with an open arrangement of hydrogen bonds. Each of the C=O double bonds in both 2-methylmalonic acid and 2-ethylmalonic acid is translationally offset, forming planar centrosymmetric carboxy-dimers. Molecules related by centre of inversion in spite of the constraints imposed by substituents are linked by O–H···O hydrogen bonds. This results in the formation of parallel zig-zag chains running along the [101] direction. In 2-phenylmalonic acid, the zig-zag molecular residue is parallely stacked with successive catemers. These laterally displaced catemers are also coiled in a twofold twist on the screw axis (x, ? + y, ? − z) along the b-glide (x, ? − y, ? + z) when viewed along the (101) plane.     

Peripherally cyclometalated iridium complexes of dipyridylporphyrin

Two types of novel iridium pincer complexes bearing a porphyrin backbone were synthesized and characterized from dipyridylporphyrin. One of the complexes has a Lewis acidic site on the iridium center in the mer-coordination mode. The other complex takes the fac-coordination, which is rarely observed in benzene-based pincer complexes.     

Structure and magnetic properties of an unprecedented syn-anti μ-nitrito-1κO:2κO' bridged Mn(III)-salen complex and its isoelectronic and isostructural formate analogue

The preparation, crystal structures and magnetic properties of two new isoelectronic and isomorphous formate- and nitrite-bridged 1D chains of Mn(III)-salen complexes, [Mn(salen)(HCOO)](n) (1) and [Mn(salen)(NO(2))](n) (2), where salen is the dianion of N,N'-bis(salicylidene)-1,2-diaminoethane, are presented. The structures show that the salen ligand coordinates to the four equatorial sites of the metal ion and the formate or nitrite ions coordinate to the axial positions to bridge the Mn(III)-salen units through a syn-antiμ-1κO:2κO' coordination mode. Such a bridging mode is unprecedented in Mn(III) for formate and in any transition metal ion for nitrite. Variable-temperature magnetic susceptibility measurements of complexes 1 and 2 indicate the presence of ferromagnetic exchange interactions with J values of 0.0607 cm(-1) (for 1) and 0.0883 cm(-1) (for 2). The ac measurements indicate negligible frequency dependence for 1 whereas compound 2 exhibits a decrease of χ(ac)' and a concomitant increase of χ(ac)' on elevating frequency around 2 K. This finding is an indication of slow magnetization reversal characteristic of single-chain magnets or spin-glasses. The μ-nitrito-1κO:2κO' bridge seems to be a potentially superior magnetic coupler to the formate bridge for the construction of single-molecule/-chain magnets as its coupling constant is greater and the χ(ac)' and χ(ac)' show frequency dependence.