In situ investigation of the oxidative addition in homogeneous Pd catalysts by synchronised time resolved UV-Vis/EXAFS

Simultaneous structuro-kinetic information obtained via time resolved stopped-flow/UV-Vis spectroscopy/dispersive EXAFS (EDE) experiments elucidated a two-step process for the addition of iodobenzene to [(Ph3P)2Pd(dba)].     

Optimizing small molecule activation and cleavage in three-coordinate M[N(R)Ar]3 complexes

The sterically hindered, three-coordinate metal systems M[N(R)Ar]3 (R = tBu, iPr; Ar = 3,5-C6H3Me2) are known to bind and activate a number of fundamental diatomic molecules via a [Ar(R)N]3M-L-L-M[N(R)Ar]3 dimer intermediate. To predict which metals are most suitable for activating and cleaving small molecules such as N(2), NO, CO, and CN(-), the M-L bond energies in the L-M(NH2)3 (L = O, N, C) model complexes were calculated for a wide range of metals, oxidation states, and dn (n = 2-6) configurations. The strongest M-O, M-N, and M-C bonds occurred for the d2, d3, and d4 metals, respectively, and for these d(n) configurations, the M-C and M-O bonds were calculated to be stronger than the M-N bonds. For isoelectronic metals, the bond strengths were found to increase both down a group and to the left of a period. Both the calculated N-N bond lengths and activation barriers for N2 bond cleavage in the (H2N)3M-N-N-M(NH2)3 intermediate dimers were shown to follow the trends in the M-N bond energies. The three-coordinate complexes of Ta(II), W(III), and Nb(II) are predicted to deliver more favorable N2 cleavage reactions than the experimentally known Mo(III) system and the Re(III)Ta(III) dimer, [Ar(R)N]3Re-CO-Ta[N(R)Ar]3, is thermodynamically best suited for cleaving CO.     

On the analysis of conformational dynamics in polymers with several rotational isomers

The ability of different correlation functions to shed some light onto the conformational dynamics of an amorphous polymer has been analyzed. The study has been performed on a polyethylene model polymer, which has been simulated at decreasing temperatures towards its glass transition, via the molecular dynamics technique. Three rotational isomers are allowed by the considered torsional potential. The correlation times associated with the evaluated transition rates have shown to be Arrhenius in nature, with activation energies resulting basically from internal rotation barriers. Overall torsional autocorrelation functions have been calculated. We have observed that they are dominated by slow events. Alternatively, a set of torsional autocorrelation functions associated with every isomeric state has been evaluated. Stretched exponential fits lead to correlation times that display Vogel-Fulcher temperature dependence.     

Synthesis and stability of small molecule probes for Pseudomonas aeruginosa quorum sensing modulation

The human pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa uses N-butyryl-L-homoserine lactone (BHL) and N-(3-oxododecanyl)-L-homoserine lactone (OdDHL) as small molecule intercellular signals in a phenomenon known as quorum sensing (QS). QS modulators are effective at attenuating P. aeruginosa virulence; therefore, they are a potential new class of antibacterial agent. The lactone in BHL and OdDHL is hydrolysed under physiological conditions. The hydrolysis proceeds at a rate faster than racemisation of the alpha-chiral centre. Non-hydrolysable, non-racemic analogues (small molecule probes) were designed and synthesised, replacing the lactone with a ketone. OdDHL analogues were found to be relatively unstable to decomposition unless they were difluorinated between the beta-keto amide. Stability studies on a non-hydrolysable, cyclohexanone analogue indicated that racemisation of the alpha-chiral centre was relatively slow. This analogue was assayed to show that the L-isomer is likely to be responsible for the QS autoinducing activity in P. aeruginosa and Serratia strain ATCC39006.     

Direct experimental observation of the effect of the base pairing on the oxidation potential of Guanine

The effect of complementary base pairing on the oxidation potential of a guanosine derivative has been determined by cyclic and differential pulse voltammetry in CHCl3. The formation of the Watson-Crick H-bonded complex lowers the oxidation potential of the free molecule by 0.34 V, which compares well with the value obtained by DFT/B3LYP/6-311++g** computations.     

Activation and cleavage of dinitrogen by three-coordinate metal complexes involving Mo(III) and Nb(II/III)

Density functional calculations have been employed to rationalize why the heteronuclear N(2)-bridged Mo(III)Nb(III) dimer, [Ar((t)Bu)N](3)Mo(mu-N(2))Nb[N((i)Pr)Ar](3)(Ar = 3,5-C(6)H(3)Me(2)), does not undergo cleavage of the dinitrogen bridge in contrast to the analogous Mo(III)Mo(III) complex which, although having a less activated N-N bond, undergoes spontaneous dinitrogen cleavage at room temperature. The calculations reveal that although the overall reaction is exothermic for both systems, the actual cleavage step is endothermic by 144 kJ mol(-1) for the Mo(III)Nb(III) complex whereas the Mo(III)Mo(III) system is exothermic by 94 kJ mol(-1). The reluctance of the Mo(III)Nb(III) system to undergo N(2) cleavage is attributed to its d(3)d(2) metal configuration which is one electron short of the d(3)d(3) configuration necessary to reductively cleave the dinitrogen bridge. This is confirmed by additional calculations on the related d(3)d(3) Mo(III)Nb(II) and Nb(II)Nb(II) systems for which the cleavage step is calculated to be substantially exothermic, accounting for why in the presence of the reductant KC(8), the [Ar((t)Bu)N](3)Mo(mu-N(2))Nb[N((i)Pr)Ar](3) complex was observed to undergo spontaneous cleavage of the dinitrogen bridge. On the basis of these results, it can be concluded that the level of activation of the N-N bond does not necessarily correlate with the ease of cleavage of the dinitrogen bridge.     

Voltammetric analysis of iron oxide pigments

Eighteen earthy and four pure synthetic pigments containing alpha-Fe2O3 (hematite), alpha-FeOOH (goethite) and poorly crystalline Fe and Mn oxide species were analyzed by voltammetry of microparticles. Three natural samples were subjected to an interlaboratory test to evaluate the reproducibility of the voltammetric peak potentials and peak shapes. The results confirmed that linear-sweep voltammetry is able to distinguish between poorly crystalline, ferrihydrite-like oxides and well-crystalline hematite and goethite and to detect XRD-amorphous Mn(III,IV) oxides via the peak occurrence. Voltammetry is further able to distinguish between pigments containing well-crystalline goethite (according to its structural features) and hematite (according to its particle size). The microsamples of primers from two baroque paintings were also analyzed by XRD and voltammetry and shown to be analogous to common clayey ochres.