Organic-inorganic hybrid materials: hydrothermal syntheses and structural characterization of bimetallic organophosphonate oxides of the type Mo/Cu/O/RPO(3)(2-)/organoimine

The hydrothermal reactions of a Cu(II) starting material, a molybdate source, 2,2'-bipyridine or terpyridine, and the appropriate alkyldiphosphonate ligand yield two series of bimetallic organophosphonate hybrid materials of the general types [Cu(n)(bpy)(m)Mo(x)O(y)(H(2)O)(p)[O(3)P(CH(2))(n)PO(3)](z)] and [Cu(n)(terpy)(m)Mo(x)O(y)(H(2)O)(p)[O(3)P(CH(2))(n)PO(3)](z)]. The bipyridyl series includes the one-dimensional materials [Cu(bpy)(MoO(2))(H(2)O)(O(3)PCH(2)PO(3))] (1) and [[Cu(bpy)(2)][Cu(bpy)(H(2)O)](Mo(5)O(15))(O(3)PCH(2)CH(2)CH(2)CH(2)PO(3))].H(2)O (5.H(2)O) and the two-dimensional hybrids [Cu(bpy)(Mo(2)O(5))(H(2)O)(O(3)PCH(2)PO(3))].H(2)O (2.H(2)O), [[Cu(bpy)](2)(Mo(4)O(12))(H(2)O)(2)(O(3)PCH(2)CH(2)PO(3))].2H(2)O (3.2H(2)O), and [Cu(bpy)(Mo(2)O(5))(O(3)PCH(2)CH(2)CH(2)PO(3))](4). The terpyridyl series is represented by the one-dimensional [[Cu(terpy)(H(2)O)](2)(Mo(5)O(15))(O(3)PCH(2)CH(2)PO(3))].3H(2)O (7.3H(2)O) and the two-dimensional composite materials [Cu(terpy)(Mo(2)O(5))(O(3)PCH(2)PO(3))] (6) and [[Cu(terpy)](2)(Mo(5)O(15))(O(3)PCH(2)CH(2)CH(2)PO(3))] (8). The structures exhibit a variety of molybdate building blocks including isolated [MoO(6)] octahedra in 1, binuclear subunits in 2, 4, and 6, tetranuclear embedded clusters in 3, and the prototypical [Mo(5)O(15)(O(3)PR)(2)](4-) cluster type in 5, 7, and 8. These latter materials exemplify the building block approach to the preparation of extended structures.     

Beyond generative models: superfast traversal,optimization, novelty,exploration and discovery (STONED) algorithm for molecules using SELFIES

Inverse design allows the generation of molecules with desirable physical quantities using property optimization. Deep generative models have recently been applied to tackle inverse design, as they possess the ability to optimize molecular properties directly through structure modification using gradients. While the ability to carry out direct property optimizations is promising, the use of generative deep learning models to solve practical problems requires large amounts of data and is very time-consuming. In this work, we propose STONED – a simple and efficient algorithm to perform interpolation and exploration in the chemical space, comparable to deep generative models. STONED bypasses the need for large amounts of data and training times by using string modifications in the SELFIES molecular representation. First, we achieve non-trivial performance on typical benchmarks for generative models without any training. Additionally, we demonstrate applications in high-throughput virtual screening for the design of drugs, photovoltaics, and the construction of chemical paths, allowing for both property and structure-based interpolation in the chemical space. Overall, we anticipate our results to be a stepping stone for developing more sophisticated inverse design models and benchmarking tools, ultimately helping generative models achieve wider adoption.

Interpolation and exploration within the chemical space for inverse design.     

Diverse evolution of [[Ph(2)P(CH(2))(n)PPh(2)]Pt(mu-S)(2)Pt[Ph(2)P(CH(2))(n)PPh(2)]] (n = 2, 3) metalloligands in CH(2)Cl(2)

The nucleophilicity of the [Pt(2)S(2)] core in [[Ph(2)P(CH(2))(n)PPh(2)]Pt(mu-S)(2)Pt[Ph(2)P(CH(2))(n)PPh(2)]] (n = 3, dppp (1); n = 2, dppe (2)) metalloligands toward the CH(2)Cl(2) solvent has been thoroughly studied. Complex 1, which has been obtained and characterized by X-ray diffraction, is structurally related to 2 and consists of dinuclear molecules with a hinged [Pt(2)S(2)] central ring. The reaction of 1 and 2 with CH(2)Cl(2) has been followed by means of (31)P, (1)H, and (13)C NMR, electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, and X-ray data. Although both reactions proceed at different rates, the first steps are common and lead to a mixture of the corresponding mononuclear complexes [Pt[Ph(2)P(CH(2))(n)PPh(2)](S(2)CH(2))], n = 3 (7), 2 (8), and [Pt[Ph(2)P(CH(2))(n)PPh(2)]Cl(2)], n = 3 (9), 2 (10). Theoretical calculations give support to the proposed pathway for the disintegration process of the [Pt(2)S(2)] ring. Only in the case of 1, the reaction proceeds further yielding [Pt(2)(dppp)(2)[mu-(SCH(2)SCH(2)S)-S,S']]Cl(2) (11). To confirm the sequence of the reactions leading from 1 and 2 to the final products 9 and 11 or 8 and 10, respectively, complexes 7, 8, and 11 have been synthesized and structurally characterized. Additional experiments have allowed elucidation of the reaction mechanism involved from 7 to 11, and thus, the origin of the CH(2) groups that participate in the expansion of the (SCH(2)S)(2-) ligand in 7 to afford the bridging (SCH(2)SCH(2)S)(2-) ligand in 11 has been established. The X-ray structure of 11 is totally unprecedented and consists of a hinged [(dppp)Pt(mu-S)(2)Pt(dppp)] core capped by a CH(2)SCH(2) fragment.     

Self-assembly of tetrahedral and trigonal antiprismatic clusters [Fe4(L4)4] and [Fe6(L5)6] on the basis of trigonal tris-bidentate chelators

In a one-pot reaction, the tetranuclear iron chelate complex [Fe4(L4)4] 6 was generated from benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylic acid trichloride (4), bis-tert-butyl malonate (5a), methyllithium, and iron(II) dichloride under aerobic conditions. Alternatively, hexanuclear iron chelate complex [Fe(L5)6] 7 was formed starting from bis-para-tolyl malonate (5b) by employing identical reaction conditions to those applied for the synthesis of 6. The clusters 6 and 7 are present as racemic mixtures of homoconfigurational (delta,delta,delta,delta)/(lambda,lambda,lambda,lambda)-fac or (delta,delta,delta,delta,delta,delta)/(lambda,lambda,lambda,lambda,lambda,lambda)-fac stereoisomers. The structures of 6 and 7 were unequivocally resolved by single-crystal X-ray analyses. The all-iron(III) character of 6 and 7 was determined by M?ssbauer spectroscopy.     

High acidity of polycyano azatriquinanes—theoretical prediction by the DFT calculations

It is shown by the B3LYP/6-311+G(2d,p)//B3LYP/6-31G(d) calculations that the hexacyano derivative of aza-acepentalene is an extremely powerful superacid both in the gas phase and in DMSO as evidenced by the ΔH_acid = 255.1  kcal mol⁻¹ and pK_a (DMSO) = −26.5. Its synthesis is strongly recommended, in particular, since the related conjugate base hexachloro aza-acepentalenide anion was prepared recently.     

Selective benzylic lithiation of N-Boc-2-phenylpiperidine and pyrrolidine: expedient synthesis of a 2,2-disubstituted piperidine NK1 antagonist

Unlike the lithiation of N-Boc-2-alkylpiperidines, which occurs at the 6-position, N-Boc-2-phenylpiperidine and N-Boc-2-phenylpyrrolidine can be lithiated exclusively at the 2-position. The tertiary carbanions can be trapped with a variety of electrophiles. This chemistry was used for the synthesis of a potent NK₁ ligand (K_i = 0.3 nM). The bioactive configuration at the piperidine quaternary center was determined by X-ray analysis to be (S).     

Synthesis, characterization, and surface immobilization of platinum and palladium nanoparticles encapsulated within amine-terminated poly(amidoamine) dendrimers

Platinum and palladium dendrimer-encapsulated nanoparticles (DENs) were prepared within commercially available, fourth-generation, amine-terminated, poly(amidoamine) dendrimers (G4-NH2). The synthesis is carried out by selectively encapsulating metal complexes within the dendrimer and then reducing the resulting composite. Intradendrimer complexation requires control over the solution pH to prevent attachment of the metal complexes to primary amine groups on the dendrimer periphery. That is, the surface primary amines of the dendrimer must be selectively protonated in the presence of the interior tertiary amines. The metal-ion encapsulation and reduction processes were characterized by UV-vis spectroscopy. Forty-atom Pt and Pd DENs were examined by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, which showed that the mean particle sizes were 1.4 and 1.5 nm, respectively, and that both were nearly monodisperse (standard deviation = 0.3 nm). The free amine groups on the dendrimer surface were used to link Pd DENs to monolithic Au surfaces via an intermediate self-assembled monolayer adhesion layer.     

Anomalous NMR behavior of meso compounds with remote stereogenic centers on addition of chiral shift reagent or chiral solvating agent

A problem has arisen in using chiral shift reagents (CSR) and chiral solvating agents (CSA) to determine meso and racemic forms of diastereoisomers in which the stereogenic centers of the molecules are separated by achiral spacers. It is found that NMR signals of both meso and racemic forms of diastereoisomers may exhibit doubling on addition of CSR/CSA, which means that unequivocal assignments cannot be made without characterizing the effects for separate meso and racemic forms; this is particularly important for additions of CSR/CSA at relatively low concentrations, which always result in the splitting of some NMR signals of diastereoisomers. The phenomenon is demonstrated in the (31)P NMR spectra of meso and racemic forms of three spermine-bridged gem-disubstituted cyclotriphosphazatrienes, 1a-c, and compared with analogous achiral molecules, the per-substituted spermine-bridged cyclotriphosphazatrienes 2a-d. As expected, only one set of (31)P NMR signals was observed for the achiral compounds 2a-d, even on addition of CSA. Two sets of (31)P NMR ABX multiplets corresponding to meso and racemic diastereoisomers were observed for compounds 1a-c; on addition of CSA, the signals of at least one of the multiplets for each compound separated into more than the expected groups of three lines with an intensity distribution of 2:1:1. To understand this phenomenon, the meso and racemic forms of 1a and 1b and the meso form of 1c have been separated and characterized by X-ray crystallography. On addition of CSA to the racemic forms of 1a and 1b, the (31)P NMR spectrum shows the expected doubling of signals, but, unexpectedly, the same is observed for each of the meso forms of 1a-c. Analogous results using both CSA and CSR have been obtained for the meso and racemic forms of the diastereoisomeric piperazine-bridged macrocyclic-phosphazene compound, 3, whereas no effect was observed for the two meso forms of the doubly bridged macrocyclic-phosphazene compound 4. The phenomenon of doubling of the (31)P NMR signals of the meso form of singly bridged cyclotriphosphazatrienes, 1a-c and 3, is explained by consideration of the equilibrium in solution of independent complexation of a chiral ligand with molecules that have two chiral cyclophosphazene moieties separated by an achiral spacer group. The results show that the stereogenicity of such diastereoisomeric molecules in solution cannot be characterized unequivocally by NMR measurements on addition of either CSR or CSA.     

Particle zips: vertical emulsion films with particle monolayers at their surfaces

Vertical emulsion films with particle monolayers at their surfaces have been studied by direct microscope observations. The effects of particle wettability and surface coverage on the structure and stability of water films in octane and octane films in water have been investigated. Monodisperse silica particles (3 microm in diameter) hydrophobized to different extents have been used. It is found that the structure and stability of emulsion films strongly depend on the film type (water-in-oil or oil-in-water), the particle contact angle, the interactions between particles from the same and the opposite monolayer, and the monolayer density. Stable films are observed only when the particle wettability fulfills the condition for stable particle bridges--in agreement with the concept that hydrophilic particles can give stable oil-in-water emulsions, whereas hydrophobic ones give water-in-oil emulsions. In the case of water films with dilute disordered monolayers at their surfaces, the hydrophilic particles are expelled from the film center toward its periphery, giving a dimple surrounded by a ring of particles bridging the film surfaces. In contrast, the thinning of octane films with dilute ordered monolayers at their surfaces finally leads to the spontaneous formation of a dense crystalline monolayer of hydrophobic particles bridging both surfaces at the center of the film. The behaviors of water and octane films with dense close-packed particle monolayers at their surfaces are very similar. In both cases, a transition from bilayer to bridging monolayer is observed at rather low capillary pressures. The implications of the above finding for particle stabilized emulsions are discussed.