Basische Metalle. XXIV [1]. Ein- und zweikernige Cobaltthiolato-Komplexe aus Disulfiden. Spaltung einer S–S-Bindung durch eine Metall-Base

Basic metals. XXIV. Mono- and dinuclear cobaltthiolato complexes obtained from disulfides. Splitting of a S? S bond by a metal base The dinuclear complex C₅H₅(PMe₃)Co(μ-CO)₂Mn(CO)C₅H₄Me ( 3 ) reacts with the disulfides S₂R₂ (R ? Ph, CH₂Ph) by splitting of the sulfur-sulfur bond to form C₅H₅(PMe₃)Co(SR)₂ ( 4, 5 ). From 3 and S₂Me₂ a mixture of C₅H₅(PMe₃)Co(SMe)₂ ( 6 ) and [C₅H₅Co(μ-SMe)]₂ ( 7 ) is obtained. The synthesis of C₅H₅(PMe₃)Co(SCF₃)₂ ( 8 ) succeeds by treating 3 with N(SCF₃)₃. Whereas the reactions of 4 and 5 with MeI lead to the complex C₅H₅(PMe₃)CoI₂ ( 9 ), the dinuclear complex [C₅H₅(PMe₃)Co(μ-SPh)]₂(BF₄)₂ ( 11 ) is formed from 4 and [OMe₃]BF₄. The reactions of 11 with L = PMe₃ and P(OMe)₃ produce the compounds [C₅H₅Co(PMe₃)(L)SPh]BF₄ ( 12, 13 ), which react with [OMe₃]BF₄ to yield [C₅H₅Co(PMe₃)(L)(MeSPh)](BF₄)₂ ( 14, 15 ).     

Basische Metalle. LXIV. Lewis-basische Bis(trimethylphosphan)cobalt-Komplexe mit Indenyl und Trifluormethylcyclopentadienyl als Liganden

Basic Metals. LXIV. Lewis-basic Bis(trimethylphosphine)cobalt Complexes with Indenyl and Trifluormethylcyclopentadienyl as Ligands The half-sandwich type compounds C₉H₇Co(PMe₃)₂ ( 1 ) and (C₅H₄CF₃)Co(PMe₃)₂ ( 6 ) are prepared from CoCl(PMe₃)₃ and C₉H₇Li or TlC₅H₄CF₃, respectively. They behave like metal bases and react with HBF₄, CH₃I (or CF₃SO₃CH₃), I₂, and CH₃COCl by oxidative addition to give the cationic complexes [C₉H₇CoX(PMe₃)₂]⁺ and [(C₅H₄CF₃)CoX(PMe₃)₂]⁺ (X ? H, CH₃, I, COCH₃) which are isolated as the PF₆ salts ( 2–5 and 7–10 ). The ¹HNMR and the IR spectra of the compounds 1–10 are discussed, also in comparison to those of the corresponding cyclopentadienylcobalt complexes.     

Electrokinetic phenomena at grafted polyelectrolyte layers

During the last decades the electrokinetic theory of Smoluchowski (Z. Phys. Chem. 92 (1918) 129) was extended to be applicable for soft surfaces (grafted polyelectrolyte layers (PL), biological and artificial membranes, etc.) by either using the Debye approximation or numerical solutions. In the theory of Ohshima (Colloids Surf. A 103 (1995) 249) the nonlinearized Poisson-Boltzmann (PB) equation for thick and uniform PL is solved analytically and a general hydrodynamic equation is derived in an integral form. These advantages in the theory of Ohshima provided a base for the further development of a generalized electrokinetic theory for soft surfaces. In his theory the final equation for the electroosmotic (electrophoretic) velocity is specified for the case of the complete dissociation of ionic sites within PL. Accordingly, the equation may be used only if the difference between pK and pH is very large. However, it turned out that an analytical solution of the nonlinearized PB equation for thick PL is possible for any degree of dissociation. This was achieved using the approximation of excluded coions if the absolute value of the reduced Donnan potential is larger than 2 and due to the simplification in the case of weak dissociation, when the absolute value of the reduced Donnan potential is less than 2. Combining this generalized double layer (DL) theory for PL and the theory of Ohshima enables to obtain an analytical equation for electroosmosis for the general case of any degree of dissociation. This equation creates for the first time a theoretical base for the interpretation of electrokinetic fingerprinting (EF) for the characterization of soft surfaces.     

A new route to achiral and chiral 1,2-bis(phosphino)ethanes, 1-arsino-2-phosphinoethanes, and 1,3-bis(phosphino)propanes and the molecular structure and catalytic activity of some rhodium(I) complexes derived thereof

A series of unsymmetrical 1,2-bis(phosphino)ethanes R(2)PCH(2)CH(2)PR'(2) and 1-arsino-2-phosphinoethanes R(2)AsCH(2)CH(2)PR'(2) mainly with bulky substituents R and R' were prepared from the cyclic sulfate by stepwise cleavage of the carbon-oxygen bonds by LiPR(2) and LiPR'(2) or LiAsR(2) and LiPR'(2), respectively. Analogously, racemic mixtures of R(2)PCH(2)CH(Me)PPh(2)(R =iPr, Cy ) as well as the enantiomers (R)-, (R)- and (R)-tBu(2)PCH(2)CH(Me)PPh(2)(R)- were obtained from the corresponding unsymmetrical cyclic sulfates and (S)-. On a similar route, the racemates of the 1,3-bis(phosphino)propanes R(2)PCH(2)CH(2)CH(Me)PPh(2)(R =iPr, tBu ), optically pure (R)- and (S,S)-iPr(2)PCH(Me)CH(2)CH(Me)PPh(2)(S,S)- were prepared. The reaction of [[RhCl([small eta](4)-C(8)H(12))](2)] with chelating ligands L-L, where L-L is R(2)PCH(2)P(men)(2)(R =iPr, Ph; men =(1S,2R,5S)-menthyl), Cy(2)AsCH(2)P(men)(2), or (R)-, (R)-, (R)-, (R)- and (S,S)-, in the presence of AgPF(6), gave the complexes [Rh(eta(4)-C(8)H(12))(L-L)]PF(6) which were used as pre-catalysts in the hydrogenation of the methyl ester of alpha-acetamidocinnamic acid (ACM). Depending on L-L, the solvent, the temperature and the pressure of H(2), optical yields of up to 69% ee were achieved. For two of the rhodium complexes, and, the molecular structures were determined by X-ray crystallography.     

6-Pyruvoyl tetrahydropterin synthase assay in extracts of cultured human cells using high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection of biopterin.

An assay for 6-pyruvoyl tetrahydropterin synthase, the second enzyme in the conversion of guanosine triphosphate into tetrahydrobiopterin, has been developed. Cell extracts were incubated with enzymatically prepared dihydroneopterin triphosphate (80 microM) in the presence of Mg2+ (12 mM), excess sepiapterin reductase (EC 1.1.1.153) (2 nmol/min) and NADPH (2 mM). 6-Pyruvoyl tetrahydropterin, the product of the reaction, was thus converted into tetrahydrobiopterin. After oxidation of the reduced biopterin derivatives in acidic iodine solution, biopterin was enriched and separated from the abundant neopterin phosphates by solid-phase extraction on a strong cation exchanger. Biopterin was then directly eluted on a reversed-phase liquid chromatographic column and detected fluorimetrically using excitation at 353 nm and emission at 438 nm. The biopterin concentrations formed by the coupled enzyme reaction increased linearly with incubation times up to 90 min. The assay allows the quantification of 6-pyruvoyl tetrahydropterin synthase in cultured human cells.     

Beta-diiminate platinum complexes for alkane dehydrogenation

New five-coordinate Pt(IV) complexes [{(o-R2-p-R'-C6H2)NC(R' ')}2CH]PtMe3 (R, R', R' ' = alkyl or H) are reported. The complex with R = Me, R' = tBu, R' ' = Me generates unsaturated Pt(II) species capable of alkane C-H bond activation and stoichiometric dehydrogenation.     

Forward and backward pericyclic photochemical reactions have intermediates in common, yet cyclobutenes break the rules.

Photochemical pericyclic reactions are believed to proceed via a so-called pericyclic minimum on the lowest excited potential surface (S(1)), which is common to both the forward and backward reactions. Such a common intermediate has never been directly detected. The photointerconversion of 1,3-butadiene and cyclobutene is the prevailing prototype for such reactions, yet only diene ring closure proceeds with the stereospecificity that the Woodward-Hoffmann rules predict. This contrast seems to exclude a common intermediate. Using ultrafast spectroscopy, we show that the excited states of two cyclobutene/diene isomeric pairs are linked by not one, but by two common minima, p* and ct*. Starting from the diene side (cyclohepta-1,3-diene and cycloocta-1,3-diene), electrocyclic ring closure passes via the pericyclic minimum p*, whereas ct* is mainly responsible for cis-trans isomerization. Starting from the corresponding cyclobutenes (bicyclo[3.2.0]heptene-6 and bicyclo[4.2.0]octene-7), the forbidden isomer is formed from ct*. The path branches at the first (S(2)/S(1)) conical intersection towards p* and ct*. The fact that the energetically unfavorable ct* path can compete is ascribed to a dynamic effect: the momentum in C=C twist direction, acquired--such as in other olefins--in the Franck-Condon region of the cyclobutenes.     

Mechanism of host-guest complexation by cucurbituril

The factors affecting host-guest complexation between the molecular container compound cucurbit[6]uril (CB6) and various guests in aqueous solution are studied, and a detailed complexation mechanism in the presence of cations is derived. The formation of the supramolecular complex is studied in detail for cyclohexylmethylammonium ion as guest. The kinetics and thermodynamics of complexation is monitored by NMR as a function of temperature, salt concentration, and cation size. The binding constants and the ingression rate constants decrease with increasing salt concentration and cation-binding constant, in agreement with a competitive binding of the ammonium site of the guest and the metal cation with the ureido carbonyl portals of CB6. Studies as a function of guest size indicate that the effective container volume of the CB6 cavity is approximately 105 A(3). It is suggested that larger guests are excluded for two reasons: a high activation barrier for ingression imposed by the tight CB6 portals and a destabilization of the complex due to steric repulsion inside. For example, in the case of the nearly spherical azoalkane homologues 2,3-diazabicyclo[2.2.1]hept-2-ene (DBH, volume ca. 96 A(3)) and 2,3-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]oct-2-ene (DBO, volume ca. 110 A(3)), the former forms the CB6 complex promptly with a sizable binding constant (1300 M(-1)), while the latter does not form a complex even after several months at optimized complexation conditions. Molecular mechanics calculations are performed for several CB6/guest complexes. A qualitative agreement is found between experimental and calculated activation energies for ingression as a function of both guest size and state of protonation. The potential role of constrictive binding by CB6 is discussed.     

Efficient search for all low energy conformations of polypeptides by Monte Carlo methods

The Metropolis Monte Carlo method has been added to the program FANTOM for energy refinement of polypeptides and proteins using a Newton–Raphson minimizer in torsion angle space. With this extension, different strategies for global minimization of the semiempirical energy function ECEPP/2 by various temperature schedules and restriction of conformational space were tested for locating local minimum conformations with low energy of the pentapeptide Met-enkephalin. In total, 1881 conformations below ?10 kcal/mol were found. These conformations could be represented by 77 nonidentical conformations which were analysed for their pattern of hydrogen bonds, types of tight turn, pairwise root-mean-square-deviation (rmsd), Zimmermann codes and side chain conformations. All low energy conformations below ?10.4 kcal/mol show strong similarity to the global minimum conformation in the backbone structure.     

α,ω-Diisocyanatocarbodiimides, -Polycarbodiimides,and Their Derivatives

Research in the field of low-molecular weight, oligomeric and polymeric α,ω-diisocyanatocarbodiimides and -polycarbodiimides has been fruitful, not only in connection with these compounds themselves, but also—as so often happens in chemistry—with quite different problems. Novel synthetic methods, discoveries concerning the properties of low-molecular weight carbodiimides and phosphane imide derivatives, as well as results on the fragmentation reactions of four-membered heterocyclic compounds containing oxygen, phosphorus, and nitrogen, and a better understanding of the diisocyanate polyaddition process are among the many by-products of this research. The “high- and low-temperature formation” of polycarbodiimides and the homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis of this process are described, and the fundamental importance of four-membered ring fragmentation mechanisms resulting in the formation of phosphane imide derivatives is outlined. Interesting building blocks for the diisocyanate polyaddition and polycondensation processes can be synthesized by many derivatization reactions of oligomeric and high-molecular weight polycarbodiimides and polyuretonimines. The in situ production of polycarbodiimides via matrix reactions in flexible polyurethane foams leads to a cellular arrangement of the material due to the pronounced symmetrical growth processes. Combination-foams with increased carbonation tendencies are formed in this way. Attention is drawn to several industrial applications of α,ω-diisocyanatopolycarbodiimides, of high-molecular weight cross-linked polyuretonimines, and of polycarbodiimide foams.