Coordination modes of 2-hydroxynicotinic acid in second- and third-row transition metal complexes

The new Pd(II), Pt(II), Re(V), Mo(VI) and W(VI) complexes of 2-hydroxynicotinic acid (H₂nicO), trans-[PdCl(HnicO)(PPh₃)₂]·0.75CH₃CN (1), K[PdCl(HnicO)₂]·H₂O (2), [Pd(HnicO)₂(bipy)] (3), cis-[PtCl(HnicO)(PPh₃)₂]·0.75CH₃OH·0.5H₂O (4), [PtCl(HnicO)(bipy)] (5), cis-[ReOI₂(HnicO)(PPh₃)] (6), Na₂[Mo₂O₆(HnicO)₂]·5H₂O (7), Na₂[Mo₄O₁₂(HnicO)₂]·2H₂O (8) and Na₂[W₂O₆(HnicO)₂]·5H₂O (9) have been prepared. The crystal structures of 1 and 4, were determined by X-ray diffraction and show the HnicO⁻ ligand coordinated to palladium or platinum through the nitrogen atom only. Infrared, Raman, ¹H and ¹³C{¹H} NMR spectroscopic data for the complexes are presented and are in agreement with the crystallographic results.     

Application of the slurry technique to biological materials: a survey of literature

Summary The literature on the application of the slurry technique to biological materials is reviewed. It is obvious from the various applications that the most frequently employed atomization method for slurry analysis in biological materials is electrothermal atomization using either graphite tube or platform atomizers. The slurry technique is particularly useful when certified reference materials are not available and when the standard addition method is to be avoided. The literature survey revealed that this technique compares favourably with other methods for the determination of trace metals in biological materials.     

Group 11 complexes with the bis(3,5-dimethylpyrazol-1-yl)methane ligand. How secondary bonds can influence the coordination environment of Ag(I): the role of coordinated water in [Ag2(mu-L)2(OH2)2](OTf)2

The complexation properties of the ligand bis(3,5-dimethylpyrazol-1-yl)methane (L) towards group 11 metals have been studied. The reaction in a 1 : 1 molar ratio with [Cu(NCMe)4]PF6 or Ag(OTf) complexes gives the mononuclear [CuL(NCMe)]PF6 (1), with crystallographic mirror symmetry, or dinuclear [Ag2(mu-L)2](OTf)2 (2) (OTf = trifluoromethanesulfonate) in which the ligand bridges both silver centres, an unprecedented mode of coordination for this type of ligands. Compound 2 crystallizes with two water molecules and forms a supramolecular structure through classical hydrogen bonding. The reaction in a 2 : 1 ratio affords in both cases the four-coordinated derivatives [ML2]X (M = Cu, X = PF6 (3); Ag, X = OTf 4). The treatment of [Ag(OTf)(PPh3)] with the ligand L gives [AgL(PPh3)]OTf (5). The gold(I) derivative [Au2(C6F5)2(mu-L)] (6) has also been obtained by reaction of L with two equivalents of [Au(C6F5)(tht)]. These complexes present a luminescent behaviour at low temperature; the emissions being mainly intraligand but enhanced after coordination of the metal. Compounds 1-4 have been characterized by X-ray crystallography. DFT studies showed that, in the silver complex 2, coordination of H2O to Ag in the binuclear complex is favoured by formation of a hydrogen-bonding network, involving the triflato anion, and releasing enough energy to allow distortion of the Ag2 framework.     

Performance of a new nebulizer system for simultaneous determination of Sb,Sn (hydride generation), V,and Zn by ICP–OES

A new nebulizer system is described that extends the analytical capability of the inductively coupled plasma technique to include the simultaneous determination of two elements Sb and Sn (hydride-forming), with two conventional elements, V and Zn. The main advantage of this system is its simultaneous determination of elements that form volatile hydrides and elements that do not, without any instrumental changes. Optimization of reaction and instrumental conditions was performed to characterize the new system. The performance of the new nebulizer system was evaluated by studying the effect of some transition metals (Ni, Cu, Co, and Fe, 1–1000 mg L^–1) on the Sb, Sn, V, and Zn emission signals (1 mg L^–1). Interferences from transition metal ions were found to be insignificant for determination of the four elements in presence of L-cysteine. Long-term and short-term stability was also evaluated. The precision, expressed as RSD for 15 replicate measurements was 0.7% for Sb, 1.7% for Sn, 2.5% for V, and 2.3% for Zn at 200 g L^–1 of each analyte. The detection limits obtained were 0.52, 1.3, 3.2, and 4.7 g L^–1 for Sb, Sn, V, and Zn, respectively. Spike and recovery experiments were performed on the NIST 1643c trace metals in water standard reference material and results were in agreement with the certified values.     

Synthesis and properties of new Mo(II) complexes with N-heterocyclic and ferrocenyl ligands

New Mo(II) complexes with 2,2′-dipyridylamine (L1), [Mo(CH₃CN)(η³-C₃H₅)(CO)₂(L1)]OTf (C1a) and [{MoBr(η³-C₃H₅)(CO)₂(L1)}₂(4,4′-bipy)](PF₆)₂ (C1b), with {[bis(2-pyridyl)amino]carbonyl}ferrocene (L2), [MoBr(η³-C₃H₅)(CO)₂(L2)] (C2), and with the new ligand N,N-bis(ferrocenecarbonyl)-2-aminopyridine (L3), [MoBr(η³-C₃H₅)(CO)₂(L3)] (C3), were prepared and characterized by FTIR and ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy. C1a, C1b, L3, and C2 were also structurally characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction. The Mo(II) coordination sphere in all complexes features the facial arrangement of allyl and carbonyl ligands, with the axial isomer present in C1a and C2, and the equatorial in the binuclear C1b. In both C1a and C1b complexes, the L1 ligand is bonded to Mo(II) through the nitrogen atoms and the NH group is involved in hydrogen bonds. The X-ray single crystal structure of C2 shows that L2 is coordinated in a κ²-N,N-bidentate chelating fashion. Complex C3 was characterized as [MoBr(η³-C₃H₅)(CO)₂(L3)] with L3 acting as a κ²-N,O-bidentate ligand, based on the spectroscopic data, complemented by DFT calculations.The electrochemical behavior of the monoferrocenyl and diferrocenyl ligands L2 and L3 has been studied together with that of their Mo(II) complexes C2 and C3. As much as possible, the nature of the different redox changes has been confirmed by spectrophotometric measurements. The nature of the frontier orbitals, namely the localization of the HOMO in Mo for both in C2 and C3, was determined by DFT studies.     

Modulation of drug activation profiles through carboxylate ligand modification in cytotoxic trans-platinum planar amine compounds

Transplatinum planaramine (TPA) compounds possessing carboxylate ligands in the trans position have been shown to be potential antitumor drugs in a variety of cell types, including cisplatin and oxaliplatin-resistant cell lines. In this work, we ask whether the nature and stability of the carboxylate ligand can be tuned in an attempt to manipulate the extent of serum protein binding; and consequently influence cytotoxicity, cellular drug accumulation and DNA adduct formation. Monitoring the interactions of selected TPAs with N-acetyl-methionine (NAM) by (1)H and (195)Pt NMR spectroscopy shows significant differences in the rate of sulfur binding. TPA-containing acetate ligands show a much lower sulfur binding rate than those possessing formate leaving groups. The same trend was seen when acetate and formate TPA compounds were incubated with human serum albumin and the reaction monitored for 24 h. To understand whether these results could be translated into a cellular medium, MTT cytotoxicity assays were conducted for each compound, before and after incubation with whole serum. Both the formate and acetate compounds, t-[Pt(4-pic)NH(3)(OFm)(2)] and t-[Pt(4-pic)NH(3)(OAc)(2)], showed minimal losses in cytotoxic efficacy and outperformed cisplatin after pre-incubation with serum. The same trends were seen when monitoring the effects of protein binding on cellular uptake and DNA platination. The rate of protein binding/drug deactivation was shown to be directly related to the stability of the leaving group (OAc(-) > OFm(-) > Cl(-)). Thus, our results suggest that utilization of the 'carboxylate strategy' substantially enhances the cellular efficacy of TPA compounds over cisplatin by allowing for an optimal balance between cytotoxic and metabolic efficiency.     

Regioselective alkene carbon-carbon bond cleavage to aldehydes and chemoselective alcohol oxidation of allylic alcohols with hydrogen peroxide catalyzed by [cis-Ru(II)(dmp)2(H2O)2]2+ (dmp = 2,9-dimethylphenanthroline)

[reaction: see text] [cis-Ru(II)(dmp)2(H2O)2]2+ (dmp = 2,9-dimethylphenanthroline) was found to be a selective oxidation catalyst using hydrogen peroxide as oxidant. Thus, primary alkenes were very efficiently oxidized via direct carbon-carbon bond cleavage to the corresponding aldehydes as an alternative to ozonolysis. Secondary alkenes were much less reactive, leading to regioselective oxidation of substrates such as 4-vinylcyclohexene and 7-methyl-1,6-octadiene at the terminal position. Primary allylic alcohols were chemoselectively oxidized to the corresponding allylic aldehydes, e.g., geraniol to citral.     

Nitrogen donor ligands bearing N–H groups: Effect on catalytic and cytotoxic activity of molybdenum η3-allyldicarbonyl complexes

Reactions of [Mo(η³-C₃H₅)Br(CO)₂(NCMe)₂] with the bidentate nitrogen ligands 2-(2′-pyridyl)imidazole (L1), 2-(2′-pyridyl)benzimidazole (L2), N,N′-bis(2′-pyridinecarboxamido)-1,2-ethane (L3), and 2,2′-bisimidazole (L4) led to the new complexes [Mo(η³-C₃H₅)Br(CO)₂(L)] (L = L1, 1; L2, 2; L4, 4) and [{Mo(η³-C₃H₅)Br(CO)₂}₂(μ-L3)] (3).The reaction of complexes 2 and 3 with Tl[CF₃SO₃] afforded [Mo(η³-C₃H₅)(CF₃SO₃)(CO)₂(L2)] (2T) and [{Mo(η³-C₃H₅)(CF₃SO₃)(CO)₂}₂(μ-L3)] (3T).Complexes 3 and 2T were structurally characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction, showing the facial allyl/carbonyls arrangement and the formation of the axial isomer. In 2T, two molecules are assembled in a hydrogen bond dimer.The four complexes 1–4 were tested as precursors in the catalytic epoxidation of cyclooctene and styrene, in the presence of t-butylhydroperoxide (TBHP), with moderate conversions and turnover frequencies for complexes 1–3 and very low ones for 4. The increasing number of N–H groups in the complexes seems to be responsible for the loss of catalytic activity, compared with other related systems. The cytotoxic activities of all the complexes were evaluated against HeLa cells. The results showed that compounds 1, 2, 4, and 2T exhibited significant activity, complexes 2 and 2T being particularly promising.     

Benchmark study of DFT functionals for late-transition-metal reactions

The performance of a wide variety of DFT exchange-correlation functionals for a number of late-transition-metal reaction profiles has been considered. Benchmark ab-initio reference data for the prototype reactions Pd + H2, Pd + CH4, Pd + C2H6 (both C-C and C-H activation), and Pd + CH3Cl are presented, while ab-initio data of lesser quality were obtained for the catalytic hydrogenation of acetone and for the low-oxidation-state and high-oxidation-state mechanisms of the Heck reaction. "Kinetics" functionals such as mPW1K, PWB6K, BB1K, and BMK clearly perform more poorly for late-transition-metal reactions than for main-group reactions, as well as compared to general-purpose functionals. There is no single "best functional" for late-transition-metal reactions, but rather a cluster of several functionals (PBE0, B1B95, PW6B95, and TPSS25B95) that perform about equally well; if main-group thermochemical performance is additionally considered, then B1B95 and PW6B95 emerge as the best performers. TPSS25B95 and TPSS33B95 offer attractive performance compromises if weak interactions and main-group barrier heights, respectively, are also important. In the ab-initio calculations, basis set superposition errors (BSSE) can be greatly reduced by ensuring that the metal spd shell has sufficient radial flexibility in the high-exponent range. Optimal HF percentages in hybrid functionals depend on the class of systems considered, increasing from anions to neutrals to cations to main-group barrier heights; transition-metal barrier heights represent an intermediate situation. The use of meta-GGA correlation functionals appears to be quite beneficial.     

SurfinPES: Performing automated analysis of activation strain,energy decomposition,and reaction force

Analyzing activation strain, energy decomposition, and reaction force models is crucial for studying chemical reactivity and gaining quantitative insights into the factors that control energy barriers. However, manually preparing and processing the necessary data can be challenging and prone to errors. To address this issue, we introduce SurfinPES, a Python-based module in Eyringpy that automates data extraction and processing for these analyses. SurfinPES also allows monitoring of the evolution of primitive properties (geometrical and electronic) along the reaction coordinate. The module is user-friendly with a simple input format, making it accessible to any user in the field of computational chemistry.