Identification,synthesis and conformational study of a CN(R,S) synthon by-product: (5R, 10R)-5,10-diphenyl-1,6-diaza-3,8-dioxabicyclo[4.4.1]undecane

The title compound, containing a new heterocyclic skeleton, was identified by X-ray crystallography as the product of condensation of (R)-phenylglycinol with an excess of formaldehyde. The molecule adopts a rigid double twist-chair conformation in both solid and solution states.     

Preparation and spectroscopic studies of some cyclic urea adducts of triphenyl-tin and -lead halides

1,3-Dimethyl-2-imidazolidinone (dimethylethylene urea, DMEU) and 1,3-di- methyl-3,4,5,6-tetrahydro-2(IH)-pyrimidinone (dimethylpropylene urea, DMPU) adducts of the type Ph₃SnX·L (X = Cl, Br and I), Ph₃PbX·L (X = Br, I), 3Ph₃PbCl·2DMEU and 2Ph₃PbCl · DMPU have been prepared and characterized. Assignments are made for ν(CO) and ν(CN) frequencies in the IR, and for skeletal frequencies observed in both the IR and Raman spectra in the range 400 to 100 cm^?1 Infrared measurements show that the adducts are bound through the carbonyl oxygen, and are highly dissociated in dichloromethane solution. ¹H and ¹¹⁹Sn or ²⁰⁷Pb NMR measurements reveal that ligand exchange, fast on the NMR time scale, occurs in solution. Coordination of the ligand causes a large upfield shift in the ¹¹⁹Sn or ²⁰⁷Pb resonances, but Ph₃MI · L have shifts similar to those for the parent iodides, indicating almost complete dissociation. Thermodynamic parameters are reported for the dissociation of Ph₃SnX · DMPU (X = Cl, Br) in CH₂Cl₂ solution.     

Solvothermal syntheses of Cu3P via reactions of amorphous red phosphorus with a variety of copper sources

Polycrystalline Cu₃P was successfully prepared under a wide variety of solvothermal conditions. The reaction of red phosphorus with several copper sources (copper metal, copper (I) iodide, copper (I) chloride and copper (II) chloride) at 150-200 °C for 1-2 days in water produced Cu₃P. Products were examined with powder X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy. Thermal analyses and optical spectroscopy were also performed. A detailed list of reaction conditions, products and impurity phases (where applicable) are reported.     

Synthesis of Amino Acid Derived Cyclic Phosphorus Ylides

Abstract

We recently reported the thermal elimination of Ph₃PO from suitably protected aminoacyl ylides 1 as a route to acetylenic amino acid analogues 2. Pyrolysis of ylides such as 3 with a free amino group takes a different course. Ethanol is eliminated to give the c h i d cyclic ylides 4 which can be viewed as 3-triphenylphosphoranylidene tetramic acids. Specific examples prepared include 4 (R = Me, Pri), the parent compound 5 (from glycine) and the six-membered ring compound 6 (from p-alanine). Using a similar approach, bicyclic ylides such as 7 (from proline) can be prepared. In the case of the glutamate derived ylide 8, thermolysis initially gives a mixturc of 9 and 10 but these both cyclise to the bicyclic product 11 with time. The structure and reactivity of these interesting cyclic ylides are now being examined.     

Synthesis,crystal structure,and electronic structure of Li2PbSiS4: a quaternary thiosilicate with a compressed chalcopyrite‐like structure

The new quaternary thiosilicate, Li₂PbSiS₄ (dilithium lead silicon tetrasulfide), was prepared in an evacuated fused‐silica tube via high‐temperature, solid‐state synthesis at 800 °C, followed by slow cooling. The crystal structure was solved and refined using single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction data. By strict definition, the title compound crystallizes in the stannite structure type; however, this type of structure can also be described as a compressed chalcopyrite‐like structure. The Li⁺ cation lies on a crystallographic fourfold rotoinversion axis, while the Pb²⁺ and Si⁴⁺ cations reside at the intersection of the fourfold rotoinversion axis with a twofold axis and a mirror plane. The Li⁺ and Si⁴⁺ cations in this structure are tetrahedrally coordinated, while the larger Pb²⁺ cation adopts a distorted eight‐coordinate dodecahedral coordination. These units join together via corner‐ and edge‐sharing to create a dense, three‐dimensional structure. Powder X‐ray diffraction indicates that the title compound is the major phase of the reaction product. Electronic structure calculations, performed using the full potential linearized augmented plane wave method within density functional theory (DFT), indicate that Li₂PbSiS₄ is a semiconductor with an indirect bandgap of 2.22 eV, which compares well with the measured optical bandgap of 2.51 eV. The noncentrosymmetric crystal structure and relatively wide bandgap designate this compound to be of interest for IR nonlinear optics.     

Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of a Class of Mitochondrially‐Targeted Gadolinium(III) Agents

A structure–activity relationship study of a library of novel bifunctional Gd^III complexes covalently linked to arylphosphonium cations is reported. Such complexes have been designed for potential application in binary cancer therapies such as neutron capture therapy and photon activation therapy. A positive correlation was found between lipophilicity and cytotoxicity of the complexes. Mitochondria uptake was determined by means of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP‐MS), and Gd uptake was determined by means of quantification using synchrotron X‐ray fluorescence (XRF) imaging. A negative correlation between lipophilicity and tumour selectivity of the Gd^III complexes was demonstrated. This study highlights the delicate balance required to minimise in vitro cytotoxicity and optimise in vitro tumour selectivity and mitochondrial localisation for this new class of mitochondrially‐targeted binary therapy agents. We also report the highest in vitro tumour selectivity for any Gd agent reported to date, with a T/N (tumour/normal cell) ratio of up to 23.5±6.6.