Reactivity of [Fe4S4(SR)4]2-,3- clusters with sulfonium cations: analogue reaction systems for the initial step in biotin synthase catalysis

The first step in catalysis by a class of iron-sulfur enzymes that includes biotin synthase is the one-electron reductive cleavage of the obligatory cofactor S-adenosylmethionine by an [Fe(4)S(4)](+) cluster to afford methionine and the deoxyadenosyl radical (DOA*). To provide detailed information about the reactions of sulfonium ions with [Fe(4)S(4)](2+,+) clusters, the analogue reaction systems [Fe(4)S(4)(SR')(4)](2)(-)(,3)(-)/[PhMeSCH(2)R](+) (R' = Et (4, 6), Ph (5, 7); R = H (8), COPh (9), p-C(6)H(4)CN (10)) were examined by (1)H NMR spectroscopy. Sulfonium ions 8-10 react completely with oxidized clusters 4 and 5 to afford PhSMe and R'SCH(2)R in equimolar amounts as a result of electrophilic attack by the sulfonium ion on cluster thiolate ligands. Reactions are also complete with reduced clusters 6 and 7 but afford, depending on the substrate, the additional products RCH(3) (R = PhCO, p-C(6)H(4)CN) and the ylid PhMeS=CHR or (p-NCC(6)H(4)CH(2))(2). Redox potentials of 9 and 10 allow electron transfer from 6 or 7. The reaction systems 6/9,10 and 7/9,10 exhibit two reaction pathways, reductive cleavage and electrophilic attack, in an ca. 4:1 ratio inferred from product distribution. Cleavage is a two-electron process and, for example in the system 6/9, is described by the overall reaction 2[Fe(4)S(4)(SR')(4)](3)(-) + 2[PhMeSCH(2)R](+) --> 2[Fe(4)S(4)(SR')(4)](2)(-) + PhSMe + RCH(3) + PhMeS=CHR. This and other reactions may be summarized as [PhMeSCH(2)R](+) + 2e(-) + H(+) --> PhSMe + RCH(3); proposed reaction sequences parallel those for electrochemical reduction of sulfonium ions. This work demonstrates the intrinsic ability of [Fe(4)S(4)](+) clusters with appropriate redox potentials to reductively cleave sulfonium substrates in overall two-electron reactions. The analogue systems differ from the enzymes in that DOA* is generated in a one-electron reduction and is sufficiently stabilized within the protein matrix to abstract a hydrogen atom from substrate or an amino acid residue in a succeeding step. In the present systems, the radical produced in the initial step of the reaction sequence, [Fe(4)S(4)(SR')(4)](3)(-) + [PhMeSCH(2)R](+) --> [Fe(4)S(4)(SR')(4)](2)(-) + PhSMe + RCH(2)*, is not stabilized and is quenched by reduction and protonation.     

The absolute convergence of weighted sums of dependent sequences of random variables

Summary The sum a _n X _n of a weighted series of a sequence {X _n } of identically distributed (not necessarily independent) random variables (r.v.s.) is a.s. absolutely convergent if for some in 0<1, ¦a _n ¦ < and E¦X _n ¦ < ; if a _n =z ⁿ for some ¦z¦<1 then it suffices that E(log¦X _n ¦)₊<. Examples show that these sufficient conditions are not necessary. For mutually independent {X _n } necessary conditions can be given: the a.s. absolute convergence of X _n z ⁿ (all ¦z¦<1) then implies E(log¦X _n ¦)₊ < , while if the X _n are non-negative stable r.v.s. of index , ¦a _n X _n ¦< if and only if ¦a _n ¦ < .     

Synthesis and Crystal Structures of Two Schiff Bases of 2-(Methylthio)aniline with Halogenated Salicylaldehydes

Abstract  

The crystal structures of the new compounds 5-bromo-N-[2-(methylthio)-phenyl]salicylaldimine (1), and 3,5-dichloro-N-[2-(methylthio)phenyl]salicylaldimine (2) were obtained by single crystal X-ray diffraction. Compound 1 crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2₁/c with a = 14.1479(14) ?, b = 5.3058(3) ?, c = 19.104(3) ?; β = 106.218(10)°; and Z = 4. Compound 2 crystallizes in the triclinic space group $ P\bar{1} $ P\bar{1} with a = 11.2249(10) ?, b = 13.863(2) ?, c = 13.9055(9) ?; and α = 99.378(15)°, β = 102.866(7)°, γ = 91.375(11)°; and Z = 6. Details of the synthesis, structures, and spectroscopic properties of the new compounds are discussed.     

The Phosphinoboration Reaction

The synthesis of phosphinoboronate esters containing a single P? B bond is reported, together with preliminary reactivity studies towards a range of organic substrates. These compounds add readily to aldehydes, ketones, aldimines, and α,β‐unsaturated enones to give primarily the corresponding 1,2‐addition products containing a new P? C bond. The first examples of transition‐metal‐catalyzed phosphinoborations of C‐C multiple bonds in which P? C and B? C bonds are formed in a single step are also disclosed; allenes react by a highly regioselective 1,2‐addition whereas terminal alkynes undergo a formal 1,1‐addition.     

Spin-rotation measurements in π−p → K0Λ

The first measurements of spin-rotation in meson-baryon scattering in the resonance region are presented. These measurements, for the reaction π^?p → K⁰Λ, confirm the main predictions of a previous partial-wave analysis. Comments are made on resonant couplings in the reaction π^?p → K⁰Λ.