2+2] versus [3+2] addition of metal oxides across C=C double bonds: toward an understanding of the surprising chemo- and periselectivity of transition-metal-oxide additions to ketene

The peri-, chemo-, stereo-, and regioselectivity of the addition of the transition-metal oxides OsO4 and LReO3 (L = O-, H3PN, Me, Cp) to ketene were systematically investigated using density-functional methods. While metal-oxide additions to ethylene have recently been reported to follow a [3+2] mechanism only, the calculations reveal a strong influence of the metal on the periselectivity of the ketene addition: OsO4 again prefers a [3+2] pathway across the C=C moiety whereas, for the rhenium oxides LReO3, the [2+2] barriers are lowest. Furthermore, a divergent chemoselectivity arising from the ligand L was found: ReO4- and (H3PN)ReO3 add across the C=O bond while MeReO3 and CpReO3 favor the addition across the C=C moiety. The calculated energy profile for the MeReO3 additions differs from the CpReO3 energy profile by up to 45 kcal/mol due to the stereoelectronic flexibility of the Cp ligand adopting eta5, eta3, and eta1 bonding modes. The selectivity of the cycloadditions was rationalized by the analysis of donor-acceptor interactions in the transition states. In contrast, metal-oxide additions to diphenylketene probably follow a different mechanism: We give theoretical evidence for a zwitterionic intermediate that is formed by nucleophilic attack at the carbonyl moiety and undergoes a subsequent cyclization yielding the thermodynamically favored product. This two-step pathway is in agreement with the results of recent experimental work.     

Thianthrene 5-oxide as a probe for the electronic character of oxygen-transfer reactions: re-interpretation of experiments required

The electronic character of oxidants, i.e., whether they attack substrates in an electrophilic or nucleophilic way, has extensively been investigated using thianthrene 5-oxide (SSO) as probe. The SSO molecule has a sulfide group, which is attacked by electrophilic oxidants, and a sulfoxide moiety, which is oxidized by nucleophilic oxidants. This density-functional study has been carried out in order to gain insight into the origin of the chemo- and stereoselectivity of SSO oxidation. It has been found that the endo and exo stereoisomers of the thianthrene oxides interconvert via ring-inversion with moderate energy barriers. Thus, the stereoselectivity of SSO oxidation has to be interpreted with caution. Furthermore, a topological electron-density analysis of thianthrene 5-oxide reveals that there is an area of charge depletion at the sulfoxide group. The location of this area indicates that the attack of nucleophilic oxidants on SSO is sterically hindered. Therefore, the SSO probe makes oxidants such as dioxiranes appear to be more electrophilic than they actually are.     

Mn site substitution of La0.67Ca0.33MnO3 with closed shell ions: Effect on magnetic transition temperature

Mn site is substituted with closed shell ions (Al, Ga, Ti, Zr and a certain combination of Zr and Al) and also with Fe and Ru ions carrying the magnetic moment (S=5/2 and 2 respectively) at a fixed concentration of 5 at %. Substitution did not change either the crystal symmetry or the oxygen stoichiometry. All substituents were found to suppress both the metal-insulator and ferromagnetic transition temperatures (T _p(ρ) and T _C, respectively) to varied extents. Two main contributions identified for the suppression are the lattice disorder arising due to difference in the ionic radii between the substituent (r _M) and the Mn³⁺ ion (r _Mn ³⁺) and in the case of the substituents carrying a magnetic moment, the type of magnetic coupling between the substituent and that of the neighboring Mn ion.     

Phosphaniminato‐Komplexe von Rhenium(VII). Synthesen und Kristallstrukturen von [ReO3(NPR3)] (R = Ph,Et) sowie von [ReO(OSiMe3)3(Me3SiNPEt3)]

Phosphoraneiminato Complexes of Rhenium(VII). Syntheses and Crystal Structures of [ReO₃(NPR₃)] (R = Ph, Et) and of [ReO(OSiMe₃)₃(Me₃SiNPEt₃)] The phosphoraneiminato complexes [ReO₃(NPR₃)] with R = Ph ( 1 ) and R = Et ( 2 ) are made from dirhenium heptaoxide and the silylated phosphoraneimines Me₃SiNPR₃. The complexes 1 and 2 as well as the red silanolate [ReO(OSiMe₃)₃(Me₃SiNPEt₃)] ( 3 ), which is formed as a by‐product in the synthesis of 2 , are characterized crystallographically. 1 and 2 are monomeric molecules, in which the phosphoraneiminato ligands NPR₃^– realize short ReN bonds of 179.3 pm ( 1 ) and 178.6 pm ( 2 ), respectively, with large ReNP bond angles of 162.0° ( 1 ) and 160.6° ( 2 ), respectively. In the rhenium(V) complex 3 the oxoligand occupies the apical position of the tetragonal pyramidal coordination of the rhenium atom, while the oxygen atoms of the Me₃SiO^– groups take the basic positions along with the nitrogen atom of the phosphaneimine molecule.     

Determination of erythromycin and related substances in commercial samples using liquid chromatography/ion trap mass spectrometry

A sensitive, precise and accurate quantitative liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) method for the measurement of erythromycin A (EA) and related substances in commercial samples was developed and validated. The samples were chromatographed on a reversed-phase column with a polar endcapping and analyzed by ion trap tandem mass spectrometry in the multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode using positive electrospray ionization. The method showed high recovery (>or=98.82%), high sensitivity (lower limit of quantitation of 0.25 ng/mL for EA and less than 7.3 ng/mL for the related substances) and high precision (or=0.991) with a run time of only 13 min. The method was successfully applied to the determination of EA and related substances in commercial samples. Moreover, using the advanced data-dependent acquisition capability of the ion trap software two new unexpected EA related substances could be detected and possible structures for these substances were postulated.     

3D-2D-3D photonic crystal heterostructures fabricated by direct laser writing

Using direct laser writing, we fabricate photoresist templates for 3D-2D-3D photonic crystal heterostructures for what we believe to be the first time. The optical properties of these structures are directly compared with the theoretical ideal, revealing good agreement and hence good sample quality. This provides an experimental starting point for the microfabrication and testing of broadband, 3D air-waveguide microcircuitry in photonic bandgap materials.     

From evolution to green chemistry: rationalization of biomimetic oxygen-transfer cascades

Thermodynamic electron-transfer potentials from biology textbooks elucidate the sequence of electron-transfer events in the respiratory chain in mitochondria. In this study, thermodynamic and kinetic oxygen-transfer potentials have been defined and predicted for oxidants and substrates using density functional theory, aiming to rationalize multiple oxygen-transfer events in chemical catalysis, particularly in current developments of the Sharpless dihydroxylation. Key transition states for competing mechanisms in a recent dihydroxylation method containing the olefin, osmium tetraoxide, methyltrioxorhenium(VII), a chiral tertiary amine, and the green terminal oxidant hydrogen peroxide have been investigated rigorously. The calculations show the amine to function as an oxygen-transfer mediator between rhenium peroxides and osma-2,5-dioxolanes, in addition to its role as a carrier of chiral information. Unique mechanistic and stereoelectronic patterns in this oxygen-transfer cascade explain the unexpected failure of reactivity predictions using simpler models such as Marcus theory.