Two isomeric phosphacarboranes 2,1- and 6,1-PCB(8)H(9), the first representatives of the 10-vertex closo phosphacarborane Series

The reaction between arachno-4-CB(8)H(14) and PCl(3) in the presence of PS (PS = proton sponge = 1,8-dimethylamino naphthalene) (dichloromethane, rt, 24 h) produced the neutral phosphacarborane closo-2,1-PCB(8)H(9) (35% yield), while a similar reaction of nido-1-CB(8)H(12) gave the isomeric compound closo-6,1-PCB(8)H(9) (27% yield). The structures of both compounds were derived on the basis of the combined ab initio/GIAO/NMR ((1)H, (11)B, (13)C) approach. The optimized structures at a correlated level of theory (MP2) with 6-31G* basis set were used as a basis for calculations of the (11)B and (13)C chemical shifts at GIAO-SCF/II and GIAO-MP2/II, the latter showing excellent agreement with experimental data.     

Luminescent properties of PP and LDPE films and rods doped with the Eu(III)‐La(III) complex

The work is devoted to luminescent properties of trivalent lanthanide complexes dispersed in thermoplastic host matrices. Polyethylene films and polypropylene‐rods, both doped with these complexes, were manufactured using an extrusion technique. Two kinds of dopants were used: Eu(III)‐thenoyltrifluoroacetone‐1,10‐phenanthroline complex (1) and Eu(III)‐La(III)‐1,10‐phenanthroline complex (2). Absorption, excitation, emission spectra and lifetime of luminescence were studied. The impact of the polymer matrix on the emission spectra was investigated. Emission spectra of the films were studied at room and helium temperatures. Time‐of‐flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF‐SIMS) surface mapping showed that in the Eu(III)‐La(III) complex europium forms islands (clusters) with a dimension of 1 µm, whereas lanthanum was dispersed more uniformly in the polymer matrix. Dependence of emission intensity on the excitation was determined. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

1‐Oxa‐nido‐dodecaborate [OB11H12]− from the Controlled Oxidation of the closo‐Borates [B11H11]2− and [B12H12]2−

The closo‐dodecaborate [B₁₂H₁₂]^2? is degraded at room temperature by oxygen in an acidic aqueous solution in the course of several weeks to give B(OH)₃. The degradation is induced by Ag²⁺ ions, generated from Ag⁺ by the action of H₂S₂O₈. Oxa‐nido‐dodecaborate(1?) is an intermediate anion, that can be separated from the reaction mixture as [NBzlEt₃][OB₁₁H₁₂] after five days in a yield of 18 %. The action of FeCl₃ on the closo‐undecaborate [B₁₁H₁₁]^2? in an aqueous solution gives either [B₂₂H₂₂]^2? (by fusion) or nido‐B₁₁H₁₃(OH)^? (by protonation and hydration), depending on the concentration of FeCl₃. In acetonitrile, however, [B₁₁H₁₁]^2? is transformed into [OB₁₁H₁₂]^? by Fe³⁺ and oxygen. The radical anions [B₁₂H₁₂] ^{˙ ?} and [B₁₁H₁₁] ^{˙ ?} are assumed to be the primary products of the oxidation with the one‐electron oxidants Ag²⁺ and Fe³⁺, respectively. These radical anions are subsequently transformed into [OB₁₁H₁₂]^? by oxygen. The crystal structure analysis shows that the structure of [OB₁₁H₁₂]^? is derived from the hypothetical closo‐oxaborane OB₁₂H₁₂ by removal of the B3 vertex, leaving a non‐planar pentagonal aperture with a three‐coordinate O vertex, as predicted by NMR spectra and theory.     

Complexing processes in M(II)-dithiomalonamide-diacetyl triple systems (M= Ni,Cu) in ethanol solution and in a metal(II)hexacyanoferrate(II) gelatin-immobilized matrix materials

The complexing processes in the M ^II -dithiomalonamide-diacetyl triple system (M=Ni, Cu) occuring in the nickel(II)- and copper(II)hexacyanoferrate(II) gelatin-immobilized matrix in contact with aqueous alkaline solutions (pH~12) containing dithiomalonamide and diacetyl at room temperature, and between MCl₂, dithiomalonamide and diacetyl in EtOH solutions upon heating to$80°C, have been studied. In the Ni ^II -dithiomalonamide-diacetyl system, template synthesis occurs in EtOH solution but does not occur in the gelatin-immobilized matrix, whereas in the Cu ^II -dithiomalonamide-diacetyl system, template synthesis occurs in the gelatin-immobilized matrix but not in EtOH solution. Dithiomalonamide and diacetyl are the ligand synthons in the processes indicated.     

Deoxygenative α-alkylation and α-arylation of 1,2-dicarbonyls

Construction of C–C bonds at the α-carbon is a challenging but synthetically indispensable approach to α-branched carbonyl motifs that are widely represented among drugs, natural products, and synthetic intermediates. Here, we describe a simple approach to generation of boron enolates in the absence of strong bases that allows for introduction of both α-alkyl and α-aryl groups in a reaction of readily accessible 1,2-dicarbonyls and organoboranes. Obviation of unselective, strongly basic and nucleophilic reagents permits carrying out the reaction in the presence of electrophiles that intercept the intermediate boron enolates, resulting in two new α-C–C bonds in a tricomponent process.

α-Branched carboxylic acids and other carbonyls are readily accessed by a metal- and base-free deoxygenative α-alkylation and α-arylation of 1,2-dicarbonyls via boron enolates, resulting in a tricomponent coupling with unconventional electrophiles.     

Liquid crystal effects on bacterial viability

The primary objective of this research was to test the hypothesis that lyotropic chromonic liquid crystals (neutral grey, red 14, blue 27, cromolyn) are not toxic to bacteria as compared with surfactant-based lyotropic (CPCl and CsPFO) or thermotropic (5CB and E7) liquid crystals. Biocompatibility of most liquid crystals is currently unknown and is required for the development of systems interfacing liquid crystals and biological systems. Potential liquid crystal toxicity was evaluated by two methods. The first examined bacterial survival measured by bacterial growth over 24 hours, after exposure to various liquid crystals. The second toxicity method evaluated liquid crystal effects on bacterial membrane permeability using two fluorescent dyes. Three different types of bacteria were evaluated to assess bacterial structure differences with respect to liquid crystal toxicity. The results of this study indicate that lyotropic chromonic liquid crystals are not toxic to bacteria, whereas thermotropic and surfactant-based lyotropic liquid crystals are toxic to one or more forms of bacteria. We conclude that lyotropic chromonic liquid crystals may be the preferred material in designing liquid crystal-based systems that interact with biological systems, especially in the use of liquid crystal-based biosensors.     

Copper (II) complexes of sterically hindered o-diphenol derivatives: synthesis, characterization and microbiological studies

Cu (II) complexes with the sterically hindered diphenol derivatives 3,5-di(tert-butyl)-1,2-benzenediol (I), 4,6-di(tert-butyl)-1,2,3-benzenetriol (II) and the sulfur-containing 4,6-di(tert-butyl)-3-(2-hydroxyethylsulfanyl)-1,2-benzenediol (III) and 2-[4,6-di(tert-butyl)-2,3-dihydroxyphenylsulfanyl]acetic acid (IV) have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, TG/DTA, FT-IR, ESR, XPS, XPD and conductivity measurements. Compounds I–III can coordinate in their singly deprotonated forms and act as bidentate ligands. These compounds yield Cu (II) complexes of the stoichiometry Cu(L)₂, which have square planar geometry (g_| > g_⊥ > g_e). Unlike them, compound IV behaves as a terdentate ligand, and its complex Cu(L^IV)₂ has distorted octahedral geometry. According to ESR data, only the Cu(L^II)₂ complex contains a very small amount of phenoxyl radicals. Antimicrobial activities of these ligands and their respective Cu (II) complexes have been determined with respect to Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, as well as on yeasts. Their phytotoxic properties against Chlorella vulgaris 157 were also examined.     

Experimental and theoretical study of the structure of N,N-dimethyl-4-nitroaniline derivatives as model compounds for non-linear optical organic materials

Molecular and crystal structure of a series of derivatives of N,N-dimethyl-4-nitroaniline has been studied by both X-ray diffraction method and high-level ab initio calculations. According to these data, the dimethylamino groups were found to have a trigonal-pyramidal configuration and are considerably turned with respect to the ring plane in all molecules having a substituent in the ortho-position; on the contrary, this group is planar in the meta-substituted molecules. Topological analysis of the electron density function for all molecules studied within the framework of Bader's ‘atoms in molecules’ (AIM) theory revealed that introduction of a substituent into the ortho- or meta-position of the ring results in increasing of the contribution of the resonance forms different from the quinoid one. Contribution of the latter form is predominant for the structure of N,N-dimethyl-4-nitroaniline (1). Topological analysis of the electron density distribution was used to explain a decreasing of the molecular hyperpolarisabilites of the ortho- and meta-substituted compounds as compared with those for 1.     

Ab initio study of exciton transfer dynamics from a core–shell semiconductor quantum dot to a porphyrin-sensitizer

The observed resonance energy transfer in nanoassemblies of CdSe/ZnS quantum dots and pyridyl-substituted free-base porphyrin molecules [Zenkevich et al., J. Phys. Chem. B 109 (2005) 8679] is studied computationally by ab initio electronic structure and quantum dynamics approaches. The system harvests light in a broad energy range and can transfer the excitation from the dot through the porphyrin to oxygen, generating singlet oxygen for medical applications. The geometric structure, electronic energies, and transition dipole moments are derived by density functional theory and are utilized for calculating the Förster coupling between the excitons residing on the quantum dot and the porphyrin. The direction and rate of the irreversible exciton transfer is determined by the initial photoexcitation of the dot, the dot–porphyrin coupling and the interaction to the electronic subsystem with the vibrational environment. The simulated electronic structure and dynamics are in good agreement with the experimental data and provide real-time atomistic details of the energy transfer mechanism.     

A convenient route to 1-(2-oxiranyl)-1,4-diketones and their application to the synthesis of endo-brevicomin, endo-isobrevicomin, frontalin and related compounds via alkylated 6,8-dioxabicyclo[3.2.1]octan-2-ones

1-(2-Oxiranyl)-1,4-alkanediones were prepared from the ethylene acetals of ethyl 4-oxoalkanoates via the oxidation of the intermediate 1,2-dialkylcyclopropanols having a protected carbonyl group in an aliphatic chain. Intramolecular acetalization of these epoxy dicarbonyl compounds gave alkylated 6,8-dioxabicyclo[3.2.1]octan-2-ones in good yields. The latter were found suitable to be precursors for (±)-endo-brevicomin and its 2-hydroxy derivative, as well as (±)-endo-isobrevicomin and (±)-frontalin.