Ferromagnetic coupling between low- and high-spin iron(III) ions in the tetranuclear complex fac-[[FeIII[HB(pz)3](CN)2(mu-CN)]3FeIII(H2O)3]* 6H2O ([HB(pz)3]- = hydrotris(1-pyrazolyl)borate)

The novel mononuclear PPh4-fac-[FeIII[HB(pz)3](CN)3]*H2O (1) [PPh4+= tetraphenylphosphonium cation; (HB(pz)3)- = hydrotris(1-pyrazolyl)borate] and tetranuclear fac-[[FeIII[HB(pz)3](CN)2(mu-CN)]3FeIII(H2O)3]*6H2O (2) have been prepared and characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis. Crystal data for compound 1: monoclinic, space group P21/c, a = 9.575(3) A, b = 21.984(4) A, c = 16.863(3) A, beta = 100.34(2) degrees, U = 3486(1) A3, Z = 4. Crystal data for compound 2: orthorhombic, space group Pnam, a = 14.084(3) A, b = 14.799(4) A, c = 25.725(5) A, U = 5362(2) A3, Z = 4. Compound 1 is a low-spin iron(III) compound with three cyanide ligands in fac arrangement and a tridentate pyrazolylborate ligand building a distorted octahedral environment around the iron atom. Compound 2 is the first example of a molecular species containing three peripheral low-spin iron(III) ions linked to a central high-spin iron(III) cation by single cyanide bridges, the anion of 1 acting as a monodentate ligand in 2. Variable-temperature magnetic susceptibility measurements of 2 reveal the occurrence of a significant ferromagnetic coupling between the three peripheral low-spin iron(III) centers and the central high-spin iron(III) ion cations leading to a low-lying nonet spin state.     

Reaction of N-(4-pyridylmethyl)-amide N-oxides with acetic anhydride

Reaction of N-(4-pyridylmethyl)-benzamide N-oxides with acetic anhydride yielded dimerization compounds. This dimerization occurs at the atom attached to the pyridine ring.     

Molar and Partial Molar Excess Volumes of Benzene in Methyl Ester Solutions at 25°C

Molar and partial molar excess volumes of mixtures of benzene with several methyl esters (from methanoate to decanoate) were determined, over the whole concentration range, at 25°C and atmospheric pressure from experimental densities and correlated by a suitable equation. The applicability of the Flory and Priggogine–Flory–Pattersort models for predicting molar excess volumes is tested. The calculated values with Flory and Priggogine–Flory–Patterson are similar and agree poorly with the experimental data.     

Molecular crystals with moving parts: synthesis, characterization, and crystal packing of molecular gyroscopes with methyl-substituted triptycyl frames

We report a highly convergent synthesis for the preparation of molecular gyroscopes consisting of para-phenylene rotors linked by triple bonds to methyl-substituted triptycenes acting as pivots and encapsulating frames. The desired 1,4-bis[2-(2,3,6,7,12,13-hexamethyl-10-alkyl-9-triptycyl)ethynyl]benzenes were prepared from 2,3-dimethyl-1,3-butadiene using Diels-Alder cycloadditions and Pd(0)-catalyzed coupling as the key reactions. The main challenge in the synthesis came about in the preparation of 9-alkynyl-triptycenes by Diels-Alder reaction of benzynes and 9-alkynyl-2,3,6,7-tetramethylanthracenes. These reactions occurred with chemical yields and regioselectivities that were strongly influenced by steric and electronic effects of substituents at C10 of the anthracene core. Anthracenes with methyl, propyl, and phenyl substituents were utilized to complete the synthesis of their corresponding molecular gyroscopes, and their solid-state structures were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Examination of these results indicated that, as expected, the bulky triptycyl groups encourage crystallization motifs that create more free volume around the phenylene rotor, as needed to facilitate fast gyroscopic motion in the solid state.     

Asteriscanolide. A sesquiterpene lactone with a new natural skeleton.

A sesquiterpene lactone was isolated from the hexane extract of $\text{Asteriscus aquaticus}$. Its constitution and stereochemistry were determined by spectroscopic techniques, principally two-dimensional NMR correlations (COSY, HCCORR, RELAY) and with the interpretation of certain chemical transformations. The results were confirmed by X-ray diffraction and the name asteriscane is proposed for the new natural skeleton.     

Understanding of the mode of action of Fe(III)-EDDHA as iron chlorosis corrector based on its photochemical and redox behavior

The very low reduction potential of the chelate Fe(III)-EDDHA (EDDHA = ethylenediamine N,N'-bis(2-hydroxy)phenylacetic acid) makes it unreactive in photochemically or chemically induced electron transfer processes. The lack of reactivity of this complex toward light invalidates photodegradation as an alternative mechanism for environmental elimination. However, in spite of its low reduction potential, the biological reduction of Fe(III)-EDDHA is very effective. Based on electrochemical measurements, it is proposed that Fe(III)-EDDHA itself is not the substrate of the enzyme ferric chelate reductase. Likely, at the more acidic pH in the vicinity of the roots, the ferric chelate in a closed form (FeL-) could generate a vacant coordination site that leads to an open hexacoordinate species (FeHL) where the reduction of the metal by the enzyme takes place.     

Intramolecular interactions in the triplet excited states of benzophenone-thymine dyads

Time-resolved and product studies on the synthesized dyads 1 and 2 have provided evidence that the benzophenone-to-thymine orientation strongly influences intramolecular photophysical and photochemical processes. The prevailing reaction mechanism has been established as a Paterno-Büchi cycloaddition to give oxetanes 3-6; however, the ability of benzophenone to achieve a formal hydrogen abstraction from the methyl group of thymidine has also been evidenced by the formation of photoproducts 7 and 8. These processes have been observed only in the case of the cisoid dyad 1. Adiabatic photochemical cycloreversion of the oxetane ring is achieved upon direct photolysis to give the starting dyad 1 in its excited triplet state. The photobiological implications of the above results are discussed with respect to benzophenone-photosensitized damage of thymidine.     

Synthesis, characterization, and structural study of K2FeZrP3O12 with the langbeinite structure

A potassium iron zirconium phosphate, K₂FeZrP₃O₁₂, was synthesized by thermal treatment of a material obtained by the sol-gel method, mixing two aqueous solutions, the first containing KCl, FeCl₃ and ZrOCl₂, and the second, H₃PO₄. The crystal structure was refined using powder X-ray diffraction data. The unit cell is cubic, a=10.0554(3) Å, space group P2₁3. This compound is the first iron zirconium phosphate described with a langbeinite-type structure.     

Photochemical access to tetra- and pentacyclic terpene-like products from R-(+)-sclareolide

Fused tetracyclic oxetanes 4, highly substituted cyclobutenes 6, and the pentacyclic derivatives 7 and 8 were obtained by irradiation of derivatives 3 that were prepared from commercial R-(+)-sclareolide (1) in three steps. Compounds 4 are formed through a Paterno-Büchi reaction, while tricyclic derivatives 6 are the fragmentation products of the first formed oxetanes. In clear contrast, cyclopentenyl and 3-furyl derivatives, 3e and 3f, gave the [2+2] adducts, namely pentacyclic derivatives 7 and 8. All the reported reactions are totally regio- and stereoselective, with the exception of the cyclization of furyl derivative 3f, which gave the mixture of both the crossed (7b) and the right (8) isomers.