Galactose‐Phosphonates as Mimetics of the Sialyltransfer by Trypanosomal Sialidases

In an attempt to find competitive inhibitors of the trans‐sialidase of the pathogen Trypanosoma cruzi, we have synthesized conjugates of carbocyclic sialylmimetics (e.g., cyclohexenephosphonates) and galactose derivatives. A trans‐sialidase inhibition assay revealed an interesting preference for ethylidene‐spacered conjugates involving the 3‐position of the sugar.      

Hydrogen bond dynamics in crystalline β-9-anthracene carboxylic acid--a combined crystallographic and spectroscopic study

We compare results from single crystal X-ray diffraction and FTIR spectroscopy to elucidate the nature of hydrogen bonding in β-9-anthracene carboxylic acid (β-9AC, C(15)H(10)O(2)). The crystallographic studies indicate a disorder for the protons in the cyclic hydrogen bond. This disorder allows the determination of the energy difference between two proton sites along the hydrogen bond. The temperature dependent Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) underpins the crystallographic results. The combination of both methods allows the estimation of a one-dimensional potential curve describing the OH-stretching motion. The dynamical properties of the proton transfer along the hydrogen bond are extracted from this potential. The work presented here has profound implication on future studies of photochemical dynamics of crystalline β-9AC, which can deliver a deeper understanding of the mechanism of photochemical driven molecular machines and the optical and electronic properties of molecular organic semiconductors.     

Wave-function mapping of graphene quantum dots with soft confinement

Using low-temperature scanning tunneling spectroscopy, we map the local density of states of graphene quantum dots supported on Ir(111). Because of a band gap in the projected Ir band structure around the graphene K point, the electronic properties of the QDs are dominantly graphenelike. Indeed, we compare the results favorably with tight binding calculations on the honeycomb lattice based on parameters derived from density functional theory. We find that the interaction with the substrate near the edge of the island gradually opens a gap in the Dirac cone, which implies soft-wall confinement. Interestingly, this confinement results in highly symmetric wave functions. Further influences of the substrate are given by the known moiré potential and a 10% penetration of an Ir surface resonance into the graphene layer.     

A Complete Triad of Zero-Valent 17-Electron Monoradicals of Group 7 Elements Stabilized by m-Terphenyl Isocyanides

The first consistent series of mononuclear 17-electron complexes of three Group 7 elements has been isolated in crystalline form and studied by X-ray diffraction and spectroscopic methods. The paramagnetic compounds have a composition of [M⁰(CO)(CNp-F-Ar^DArF2)₄] (M=Mn, Tc, Re; Ar^DArF2=2,6-(3,5-(CF₃)₂C₆H₃)₂C₆H₂F) and are stabilized by four sterically encumbering isocyanides, which prevent the metalloradicals from dimerization. They have a square pyramidal structure with the carbonyl ligands as apexes. The frozen-solution EPR spectra of the rhenium and technetium compounds are clearly anisotropic with large ⁹⁹Tc and ^185,187Re hyperfine interactions for one component. High-field EPR (Q band and W band) has been applied for the elucidation of the EPR parameters of the manganese(0) complex.