The stannylation of carbonyl-stabilised phosphorus ylids,and tin-assisted elimination reactions

The interaction of organotin halides with lithium salts of mono-substituted phosphorus ylids and also with disubstituted ylids is described.     

The mass spectra of 1-arylanthra-9,10-quinones

The mass spectra of 1-phenylanthra-9,10-quinone and 20 substituted l-phenylanthraquinones having alkyl methoxyl, nitro and halogen substituents in the o-, m- and p-positions of the phenyl ring have been measured. The spectra are discussed with particular reference to the loss from the molecular ion of a hydrogen atom and of the substituent.     

A Maltol-Containing Ruthenium Polypyridyl Complex as a Potential Anticancer Agent

Cancer is one of the main causes of death worldwide. Chemotherapy, despite its severe side effects, is to date one of the leading strategies against cancer. Metal-based drugs present several potential advantages when compared to organic compounds and they have gained trust from the scientific community after the approval on the market of the drug cisplatin. Recently, we reported the ruthenium complex ([Ru(DIP)₂(sq)](PF₆) (where DIP is 4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenantroline and sq is semiquinonate) with a remarkable potential as chemotherapeutic agent against cancer, both in vitro and in vivo. In this work, we analyse a structurally similar compound, namely [Ru(DIP)₂(mal)](PF₆), carrying the flavour-enhancing agent approved by the FDA, maltol (mal). To possess an FDA approved ligand is crucial for a complex, whose mechanism of action might include ligand exchange. Herein, we describe the synthesis and characterisation of [Ru(DIP)₂(mal)](PF₆), its stability in solutions and under conditions that resemble the physiological ones, and its in-depth biological investigation. Cytotoxicity tests on different cell lines in 2D model and on HeLa MultiCellular Tumour Spheroids (MCTS) demonstrated that our compound has higher activity than cisplatin, inspiring further tests. [Ru(DIP)₂(mal)](PF₆) was efficiently internalised by HeLa cells through a passive transport mechanism and severely affected the mitochondrial metabolism.     

Spontaneous formation of liquid crystalline phases and phase transitions in highly concentrated plasmid DNA

The liquid crystalline (LC) properties of two supercoiled plasmid DNA samples, pBSK (2958 bp) and pGEM (3000 bp), have been studied using polarised light microscopy (PLM), circular dichroism (CD) and UV–Vis spectroscopy. The influence of methods of isolation on plasmid LC behaviour is described, and using PLM we have demonstrated the spontaneous formation of cholesteric fingerprint-like textures. Preliminary studies of LC phase transitions in pGEM show the irreversibility of LC phase formation, as a consequence of changes in the tertiary structure of supercoiled plasmids. Using UV–Vis spectroscopy a hyperchromic effect was observed with increasing temperature. The CD spectra clearly showed structural changes, and probably mismatching of DNA bases, during cooling. Finally, we have observed an irreversible phase transition in plasmid DNA which is very different from that previously reported in linear DNA.     

Non-Oxido-Vanadium(IV) Metalloradical Complexes with Bidentate 1,2-Dithienylethene Ligands: Observation of Reversible Cyclization of the Ligand Scaffold in Solution

Derivatives of 1,2-dithienylethene (DTE) have superb photochromic properties due to an efficient reversible photocyclization reaction of their hexatriene structure and, thus, have application potential in materials for optoelectronics and (multi-responsive) molecular switches. Transition-metal complexes bearing switchable DTE motifs commonly incorporate their coordination site rather distant from the hexatriene system. In this work the redox active ligand 1,2-bis(2,5-dimethylthiophen-3-yl)ethane-1,2-dione is described, which reacts with [V(TMEDA)₂Cl₂] to give a rare non-oxido vanadium(IV) species 3(M,M/P,P) . This blue complex has two bidentate en-diolato ligands which chelate the V^IV center and give rise to two five-membered metallacycles with the adjacent hexatriene DTE backbone bearing axial chirality. Upon irradiation with UVA light or prolonged heating in solution, the blue compound 3(M,M/P,P) converts into the purple atropisomer 4(para,M/para,P) . Both complexes were isolated and structurally characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis (using lab source and synchrotron radiation). The antiparallel configuration (M or P helicity) present in both 3(M,M/P,P) and 4(para,M/para,P) is a prerequisite for (reversible) 6π cyclization reactions. A CW EPR spectroscopic study reveals the metalloradical character for 3(M,M/P,P) and 4(para,M/para,P) and indicates dynamic reversible cyclization of the DTE backbone in complex 3(M,M/P,P) at ambient temperature in solution.     

Atomistic Simulation Study of Cu0.327Ni0.673 Alloys: from Solid Solution to Phase Segregation

We present a combined Monte‐Carlo/molecular dynamics study of a Cu_0.327Ni_0.673 alloy system. On the basis of nearest‐neighbor coordination number analyses atomic clustering and phase segregation is explored. Along this line, free energy profiles are calculated and separated into entropic and energetic contributions. The competition of both terms was found in accordance to the experimental phase diagrams (phase separation of the solid solution below about 600 Kelvin). Two independent simulation runs were performed. At 1000 Kelvin the observed configurations correspond to solid solutions exhibiting a weak tendency to cluster atoms of identical species. At room temperature the energetic favoring of atomic separation is clearly dominant and leads to the formation of Ni‐rich and Cu‐rich domains. The latter are separated by interfacial regions whose width ranges from 0.5 to 1 nanometers.     

Three New Iron(II) Thiocyanato Coordination Polymers Based on 4,4′‐Bipyridine as Ligand and the Influence of Methanol on Their Structures

Reaction of iron(II) thiocyanate with 4,4‐bipyridine (bipy) in methanol leads to the formation of three new solvates of different composition depending on the reaction conditions: At room temperature two new ligand‐rich 1:2 (1:2 = ratio between metal and N‐donor ligand) polymorphic forms [Fe(NCS)₂(bipy)₂ · 2MeOH]_n ( 1I ) and [Fe(NCS)₂(bipy)(MeOH)₂ · (bipy)]_n ( 1II ) are obtained, whereas solvothermal conditions leads to the formation of the new ligand‐deficient 1:1 compound [{Fe(NCS)₂(bipy)(MeOH)}₂]_n ( 2 ). All crystal structures were determined by X‐ray single crystal structure analysis. In the crystal structure of modification 1I the metal atoms are coordinated by four bridging bipy ligands, which connect them into layers. The methanol molecules occupy voids in the structure. Compared to 1I in modification 1II the crystal structure contains of linear Fe–bipy–Fe chains, which are further connected by hydrogen bonds between coordinating MeOH and noncoordinated bipy ligands into layers. The ligand‐deficient 1:1 compound 2 shows a completely different coordination topology with linear Fe–bipy–Fe chains, which are connected by coordinating methanol molecules into double‐chains. In all compounds the thiocyanato anions are terminal N‐bonded to the metal atoms. Investigation of the thermal behavior of compound 1I shows a two‐step decomposition, in which ligand‐deficient intermediates are formed. Magnetic measurements on 1I reveal Curie–Weiss paramagnetism with increasing antiferromagnetic interactions on cooling.