Enantiopure Chiral Macrocyclic Lanthanide Complexes Derived from (R)-2,2′-Diamino-1,1′-binaphthyl and 2,6-Diformylpyridine

The template condensation of (R)-2,2′-diamino-1,1′-binaphthyl and 2,6-diformylpyridine leads to lanthanide(III) complexes of the new chiral hexaaza macrocycle L that adopts highly twisted conformation in [LnL](NO₃)₃ complexes. The complexes have been characterised by ESI MS spectrometry and NMR spectroscopy. The analogous N₂O₄ chiral crown ether L2 that has the same carbon skeleton as L does not exhibit tendency to bind lanthanide(III) ions. The X-ray crystal structure of L2 exhibit squeezed conformation of the macrocycle and spatial disposition of donor atoms that does not predispose it for coordination of lanthanide(III) ions.     

The influence of microhydration on the ionization energy thresholds of uracil and thymine

In the present study the ionization energy thresholds (IET's) of uracil and thymine have been calculated (with the B3LYP, PMP2, and P3 levels of theory using the standard 6-31++G(d,p) basis set) with one to three water molecules placed in the first hydration shell. Then (B3LYP) polarizable continuum model (PCM) calculations were performed with one to three waters of the hydration shell included. Calculations show there is a distinct effect of microhydration on uracil and thymine. For uracil, one added water results in a decrease in the IET of about 0.15 eV. The second and third water molecules cause a further decrease by about 0.07 eV each. For thymine, the first water molecule is seen to decrease the IET by about 0.1 eV, while the second and third water molecules cause a further decrease of less than 0.1 eV each. The changes in IET calculated here for thymine with one to three waters of hydration are smaller than the experimental values determined by Kim et al. (Kim, S. K.; Lee, W.; Herschbach, D. R. J. Phys. Chem. 1996, 100, 7933). Preliminary results presented here indicate that the experimental results may involve keto-enol tautomers of thymine. The results of placing the microhydrated structures of uracil and thymine in a PCM cavity was seen to make very little difference in the IET when compared to the IET of ordinary uracil or thymine in a PCM cavity. The implications are that accurate calculations of the IET's of uracil and thymine can be obtained by simply considering long-range solvation effects.     

Synthesis,Spectral and Magnetic Properties,and Crystal Structures of Copper(II) Pyridinecarboxylate Adducts with N‐Heterocyclic Ligands

Synthesis and characterization of seven new complexes [Cu(2‐MeSnic)₂(CH₃OH)]₂ (where 2‐MeSnic is 2‐methylthionicotinate), [Cu(2‐MeSnic)₂L₂]₂ (where L is pyridine — py, ethylnicotinate — Etnic and butylnicotinate — Bunic), [Cu(2‐MeSnic)₂L₂(H₂O)₂] (where L is py and nicotinamide — nia) and [Cu(2‐MeSnic)₂(N‐Menia)₂(H₂O)₂]·2H₂O (where N‐Menia is N‐methylnicotinamide) are reported. The characterization were based on elemental analysis, infrared, electronic and EPR spectra, and magnetic susceptibility measurements over a temperature range of 1.8 — 300 K or 70 — 300 K. Three complexes of different type were studied by X‐ray analysis. The molecule of [Cu(2‐MeSnic)₂(CH₃OH)]₂ has dimeric paddle‐wheel cage structure with a tetragonal pyramidal arrangement around Cu^II. The dimer results from the fact that carboxyl groups of four 2‐MeSnic anions function as bridging in a syn‐syn arrangement. On the other hand [Cu(2‐MeSnic)₂(py)₂]₂ forms dimers with hexacoordinated Cu^II atoms in highly distorted coordination octahedra, each with two oxygen atoms of bridging carboxyl groups in an anti‐anti arrangement of two 2‐MeSnic anions, with two oxygen atoms of one asymmetrically chelating 2‐MeSnic anion and with two nitrogen atoms of two pyridine ligands. The temperature independent EPR spectrum for this complex exhibits an axial signal which corresponds to almost isolated S = ¹/₂ magnetic ions. Magnetic data for the dimer show a weak antiferromagnetic interaction between the two metal ions with J = —0.65 cm^—1. The Cu^II atom in complex [Cu(2‐MeSnic)₂(py)₂(H₂O)₂] is hexacoordinated in an elongated centrosymmetrical tetragonal‐bipyramidal arrangement (4 + 2). Based on the molecular structure the electronic, infrared, electron paramagnetic resonance spectra and magnetic properties are discussed and stereochemistry as well as the mode of ligand coordination in new solid complexes under study have been determined.     

1,4-dioxane as a solvent in spectroscopy and photochemistry

Commercially available 1,4-dioxane, even of spectroscopic grade, contains various impurities that arise mostly from reaction of the solvent with oxygen. Aspects relevant to the spectroscopy and photochemistry of the dioxane/oxygen system are discussed. Methods of purification and storage of the solvent are presented.     

Synthesis of Open-Chain 2,3-Disubstituted 4-nitroketones by Diastereoselective Michael-addition of (E)-Enamines to (E)-Nitroolefins. A topological rule for C,C-bond forming processes between prochiral centres. Preliminary communication

The Michael-additions of aliphatic, alicyclic, and arylsubstituted nitroolefins and enamines lead to γ-nitroketones 3 in good chemical and excellent (> 90%) diastereomeric yields (see Table 1). The known threo-configuration of one type of adducts 3 (entries 8, 10, and 11 of Table 1) can be arrived at by assuming the approach 8 of the Michael-acceptor and -donor; the reaction follows a topological rule, which is formulated and which is applicable to such diverse reactions as the diene synthesis, cyclopropanations, carbonyl olefinations and methylenations, aldol- and nitroaldol-type additions, as well as additions of lithium, boron, and chromium derivatives to aldehydes (see 9 , 10 , 11 , and Table 2).     

Structures and energies of seleno derivatives of biuret.Ab Initio comparative studies of diselenobiuret, selenobiuret, and selenothiobiuret

Ab initio studies (LCAO-MO method) on conformers of three seleno derivatives of the biuret molecules diselenobiuret [I], selenobiuret [II], and selenothiobiuret [III] were carried out at the Hartree-Fock (HF) and MP2 levels. The molecular geometries of these species were fully optimized at the HF level and characterized by analysis of the harmonic vibrational frequencies using a split-valence triple-zeta basis set augmented by a set ofd polarization functions on heavy atoms andp polarization functions on hydrogen atoms [TZP(d, p)]. The total energies of the HF-optimized structures were calculated at the MP2 (frozen core) level using a larger TZP (2df, 2pd) basis set. The potential energy searches revealed a total of 11 minimum-energy conformers (assigned astrans-trans, trans-cis, cis-trans, andcis-cis) and seven transition-state species for the title molecules. The two predicted conformers for diselenobiuret (Ia=trans-trans andIc=cis-cis) are characterized byC ₂ and the third byC _s symmetry. For selenothiobiuret two forms (IIIa=trans-trans andIIId=cis-cis) possessC ₁ and two (IIIb=trans-cis andIIIc=cis-trans) possessC _s symmetries, respectively. For selenobiuret, four formsIIa=trans-trans (C₁),IIb=trans-cis (C _s),IIc=cis-trans (C ₁), andIId=cis-cis (C₁), were obtained as a result of gradient optimization. Comparison of the relative energies for the considered species indicated that thecis-trans forms are the most stable conformations for all three systems at both the HF and MP2 levels of theory.     

Exchange interactions in copper(II) complexes with tridentate Schiff bases: EPR and magnetic studies

The influence of the nature of ligands upon the magnetic and EPR properties was investigated for the series of polynuclear Cu(II) complexes with tridentate Schiff bases. A similar tendency of changes in the |J| and D parameters was found for binuclear Cu(II) complexes with ligands derived from condensation of 3-amino-1-propanol with 2-hydroxyaldehydes and acetylacetone as well as for Cu(II) complexes with condensation products of o-aminophenol and β-diketones. The Cu(II) complex with Schiff base of 1-amino-2-propanol and acetylacetone exhibits ferromagnetic behaviour suggesting tetrameric structure.     

Microcalorimetry as a possible tool for phenanthrene toxicity evaluation to eukaryotic cells

Microcalorimetry and measurement of culture turbidity using a Bioscreen C Analyzer System were applied to study the toxic effect of phenanthrene on Cunninghamella elegans IM 1785/21Gp spore germination. The results of C. elegans spore incubation in Bioscreen C microbiology reader showed the inhibition of spore germination by 70% (with 25 mg l⁻¹ of phenanthrene) and total inhibition of the fungus growth with a higher content of the xenobiotic (50-100 mg l⁻¹). The microcalorimetric technique showed to be useful for the estimation of metabolic activity of C. elegans spores in growth medium up to xenobiotic concentrations of 90 mg l⁻¹. These data corresponded with the microscopic observations. The obtained results showed that the microcalorimetry method could be a valuable supplement in the study on the mechanism of PAHs detoxification by fungi.     

On a new variational principle in general relativity and the energy of the gravitational field

A new variational principle based on the affine connection in space-time is proposed. This leads to a new formulation of general relativity. The gravitational field is a field of inertial frames in space-time. The metricg appears as a momentum canonically conjugate to the gravitational field. In the case of simple matter fields, e.g., scalar fields, electromagnetic fields, Proca fields, or hydrodynamical matter, the new formulation is equivalent to the traditional one. A new formulation of conservation laws is proposed.