Factors affecting the electrochemical and spectroelectrochemical properties of diruthenium(III,II) complexes containing four identical unsymmetrical bridging ligands

Factors affecting the electrochemical and spectroelectrochemical properties of diruthenium(III,II) complexes containing four unsymmetrical bridging ligands are reported for seven related compounds which were isolated in one or two of the four possible isomeric forms. The investigated compounds are represented as Ru(2)(2-CH(3)ap)(4)Cl, Ru(2)(2,5-F(2)ap)(4)Cl, Ru(2)(2,6-F(2)ap)(4)Cl, and Ru(2)(2,4,6-F(3)ap)(4)Cl where 2-CH(3)ap, 2,5-F(2)ap, 2,6-F(2)ap, and 2,4,6-F(3)ap are, respectively, the 2-(2-methylanilino)pyridinate anion, the 2-(2,5-difluoroanilino)pyridinate anion, the 2-(2,6-difluoroanilino)pyridinate anion, and the 2-(2,4,6-trifluoroanilino)pyridinate anion. Ru(2)(2-CH(3)ap)(4)Cl and Ru(2)(2,5-F(2)ap)(4)Cl exist only in a (4,0) conformation while Ru(2)(2,4,6-F(3)ap)(4)Cl is present in both (3,1) and (4,0) isomeric forms. Ru(2)(2,6-F(2)ap)(4)Cl also exists in two isomeric forms, but only the (3,1) isomer was generated in sufficient quantities to be isolated and structurally characterized. This series of seven closely related metal-metal bonded complexes thus provides the first possibility to systematically examine how differences in position and number of the electron-donating or electron-withdrawing groups on the anionic bridging ligands might be related to the electronic properties and structural features of the compound as well as the type and number of geometric isomers which are formed. Each diruthenium derivative undergoes three one-electron transfers in CH(2)Cl(2) containing 0.1 M tetra-n-butylammonium perchlorate (TBAP). The first reduction and first oxidation products were characterized by thin-layer UV-vis spectroelectrochemistry, and the spectroscopic data, along with E(1/2) values, were then related via linear free energy relationships to the type of isomer and/or position of the electron-donating or electron-withdrawing substituents on the anionic ap bridge. The electrogenerated Ru(2)(6+) and Ru(2)(4+) forms of the compounds were assigned on the basis of electrochemical and UV-vis spectroscopic data as having the electronic configuration sigma(2)pi(4)delta(2)pi(2) and sigma(2)pi(4)delta(2)pi(3)delta, respectively, and seemed to be independent of the isomer type ((3,1) or (4,0)). The spectral and electrochemical properties of the compounds both vary substantially as a function of the isomer type, but this is not reflected in the structural features of the compounds which are within the range of what is seen for other Ru(2)(5+) species described in the literature. The Ru-Ru bond lengths of the four structurally characterized (4,0) isomers of the ap complexes range from 2.275 to 2.296 A while those of the three structurally characterized (3,1) isomers of ap derivatives fall in the range 2.284-2.286 A and show no significant difference among the three compounds. The Ru-Cl bond lengths of the (3,1) isomers do not vary significantly with the bridging ligand and range from 2.458 to 2.471 A whereas those of the (4,0) isomers range from 2.437 to 2.487 A and show larger variations among the compounds. The Ru-Ru-Cl bond angle is virtually independent of the bridging ligand in the case of the (4,0) isomers but decreases with the electron-withdrawing effect of the substituent in the case of the (3,1) isomers.     

Plasma desorption mass spectrometry of transition metal complexes of thio- and selenosemicarbazones of 2-acetylpyridines

Summary Californium-252 plasma desorption mass spectra were recorded for complexes of the anions of various thio-and seleno-semicarbazones of 3-acetylpyridines(1–4) with the transition metal ions iron(III) and cobalt(II). Positive ion spectra gave clear evidence of the cation present and fragmentation with loss of ligands or parts of ligands was straightforward. Negative ion spectra likewise provided evidence of the intact anion except with tetracoordinate metal halide systems [MX₄]^– which lost one or more halide atoms. Evidence of fragmentation of the ligand and recombination of the fragments with the metal ion was also observed in the negative ion mode. Spectra were used to revise the structure of a complex previously reported as [FeLCl₂]⁽¹⁾ to [FeL₂]⁺[FeCl₄]^–.     

Study of metal complexes of a tripodal hydroxypyridinone ligand by electrospray tandem mass spectrometry

The tripodal ligand N,N,N-tris[(1,hydroxy-2-pyridinon-6-yl)amide]propylamine was synthesized. It is composed of an anchor (nitrogen atom), a functional group (hydroxamate), and also a spacer of variable length defined by the number of methylene groups linking the anchor and the functional group. The characterization of this ligand in the presence of several divalent metal cations (Fe(II), Mn(II), Co(II) and Cu(II)), performed by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS and ESI-MS/MS), allowed elucidation of oxidation states and also of different fragmentation patterns. The importance of the spacer length was studied in the case of the iron binary complex by comparing this ligand with another with a shorter spacer. In this way the stabilizing conditions, in which hydrogen bonds are implicated, were clarified.     

Hybridization and Melting Behavior of Peptide Nucleic Acid (PNA) Oligonucleotide Chimeras Conjugated to Gold Nanoparticles

Peptide nucleic acids (PNA) and PNA–DNA chimeras carrying thiol groups were used for surface functionalization of Au nanoparticles. Conjugation of PNA to citrate‐stabilized Au nanoparticles destabilized the nanoparticles causing them to precipitate. Addition of a tail of glutamic acid to the PNA prevented destabilization of the nanoparticles but resulted in loss of interaction with complementary sequences. Importantly, PNA–DNA chimeras gave stable conjugates with Au nanoparticles. The hybridization and melting properties of complexes formed from chimera–nanoparticle conjugates and oligonucleotide–nanoparticle conjugates are described for the first time. Similar to oligonucleotide–nanoparticle conjugates, conjugates with PNA–DNA chimeras gave sharper and more‐defined melting profiles than those obtained with unmodified oligonucleotides. In addition, mismatch discrimination was found to be more efficient than with unmodified oligonucleotides.     

Biosynthesis of conjugatable saccharidic moieties of GM2 and GM3 gangliosides by engineered E. coli

Oligosaccharidic moieties of GM(2) and GM(3) gangliosides bearing an allyl or a propargyl aglycon, are efficiently biosynthesized on the gram scale by growing metabolically engineered Escherichia coli cells in the presence of the corresponding lactoside acceptors and sialic acid.     

Solvent effects on the electrochemistry and spectroelectrochemistry of diruthenium complexes. Studies of Ru2(L)4Cl where L=2-CH3ap, 2-Fap, and 2,4,6-F3ap, and ap is the 2-anilinopyridinate anion

Three Ru2(5+) diruthenium complexes, (4,0) Ru2(2-CH3ap)4Cl, (3,1) Ru2(2-Fap)4Cl, and (3,1) Ru2(2,4,6-F3ap)4Cl where ap is the 2-anilinopyridinate anion, were examined as to their electrochemical and spectroelectrochemical properties in five different nonaqueous solvents (CH2Cl2, THF, PhCN, DMF, and DMSO). Each compound undergoes a single one-electron metal-centered oxidation in THF, DMF, and DMSO and two one-electron metal-centered oxidations in CH2Cl2 and PhCN. The three diruthenium complexes also undergo two reductions in each solvent except for CH2Cl2, and these electrode processes are assigned as Ru2(5+/4+) and Ru2(4+/3+). Each neutral, singly reduced, and singly oxidized species was characterized by UV-vis thin-layer spectroelectrochemistry, and the data are discussed in terms of the most probable electronic configuration of the compound in solution. The three neutral complexes contain three unpaired electrons as indicated by magnetic susceptibility measurements using the Evans method (3.91-3.95 muB), and the electronic configuration is assigned as sigma2pi4delta2pi(*2)delta, independent of the solvent. The three singly oxidized compounds have two unpaired electrons in CD2Cl2, DMSO-d6, or CD3CN (2.65-3.03 muB), and the electronic configuration is here assigned as sigma2pi4delta2pi(*2). The singly reduced compound also has two unpaired electrons (2.70-2.80 muB) in all three solvents, consistent with the electronic configuration sigma2pi4delta2pi(*2)delta(*2) or sigma2pi4delta2pi(*3)delta*. Finally, the overall effect of solvent on the number of observed redox processes is discussed in terms of solvent binding, and several formation constants were calculated.     

Templating S100A9 amyloids on Aβ fibrillar surfaces revealed by charge detection mass spectrometry,microscopy, kinetic and microfluidic analyses

The mechanism of amyloid co-aggregation and its nucleation process are not fully understood in spite of extensive studies. Deciphering the interactions between proinflammatory S100A9 protein and Aβ₄₂ peptide in Alzheimer''s disease is fundamental since inflammation plays a central role in the disease onset. Here we use innovative charge detection mass spectrometry (CDMS) together with biophysical techniques to provide mechanistic insight into the co-aggregation process and differentiate amyloid complexes at a single particle level. Combination of mass and charge distributions of amyloids together with reconstruction of the differences between them and detailed microscopy reveals that co-aggregation involves templating of S100A9 fibrils on the surface of Aβ₄₂ amyloids. Kinetic analysis further corroborates that the surfaces available for the Aβ₄₂ secondary nucleation are diminished due to the coating by S100A9 amyloids, while the binding of S100A9 to Aβ₄₂ fibrils is validated by a microfluidic assay. We demonstrate that synergy between CDMS, microscopy, kinetic and microfluidic analyses opens new directions in interdisciplinary research.

Templating mechanism of S100A9 amyloids on Aβ fibrillar surfaces during amyloid co-aggregation process was revealed by synergy of biophysical methods including charge detection mass spectrometry, microscopy, kinetic and microfluidic analyses.     

Quantum similarity matrices column set as holograms of DF molecular point clouds

A simple argument proves that quantum similarity measures, performed on any density function (DF) tag set of a given quantum object set, create a hologram of such DF tag set.     

Acetylenic and diacetylenic liquid-crystalline monomers: towards ordered conjugated polymers

Abstract

Acetylenic and diacetylenic mesomorphic monomers have been prepared in order to obtain long conjugated polymers able to give high non-linear optical hyperpolarizabilities. Here we report the synthesis of such monomers incorporating cholesteryl and methoxybiphenyl groups; their structural and thermal behaviour are described. The occurrence of mesophases in the acetylenic and diacetylenic derivatives is discussed as a function of the spacer length and of the size of the mesogen moiety. The diacetylenic derivatives containing the methoxybiphenyl groups do not exhibit any liquid-crystalline behaviour but are able to polymerize under U.V. radiation.