Influence of hydrogen bonding in competition with lattice interactions on carbonyl coordination at phosphorus. Implications for phosphoryl transfer activated states

A series of phosphorus compounds containing carboxyl groups that serve as mimics for amino acid residues was synthesized. The series was composed of the phosphonium salts 1A, 1B, and 2, the anionic phosphines 3A and 3B, and the anionic phosphine oxide 4. X-ray structural analysis revealed that P-O coordination occurred in the presence of extensive hydrogen bonding and led to pseudo or regular trigonal bipyramidal geometries. (31)P chemical shifts indicated retention of the basic coordination geometries in solution. The two forms observed for 1 and 3 revealed the influence of hydrogen bonding on the P-O donor interactions while 2 and 4 showed the influence of molecular packing effects in competition with hydrogen bonding interactions. The results suggest that phosphoryl transfer enzyme mechanisms should benefit by taking into account P-O donor interactions by residues at active sites that can be manipulated by hydrogen bonding and molecular packing effects in enhancing nucleophilic attack at phosphorus centers.     

Active Site Model for Phosphoryl Transfer Enzymes Via Hexacoordination

Previous work has demonstrated the ease with which phosphorus can increase its coordination geometry. The present study has more closely modeled active sites of phosphoryl transfer enzymes by the inclusion of anionic phosphorus, which allows for oxygen atom donor coordination at phosphorus in the presence of a hydrogen bonding network. The resulting increase in phosphorus-oxygen donor coordination compared to analogous systems containing neutral phosphorus compounds serves as a model applicable to proposed mechanisms at active sites of phosphoryl transfer enzymes.     

Negative hyperconjugation in phosphorus stabilized carbanions

The electronic Fukui function is used to give qualitative electronic proof on the existence of back-bonding from the carbon lone pair toward the sigma* P-Y and P-O orbitals in phosphorus stabilized carbanions. NBO analyses are used to investigate the energetic, electronic, and structural impacts of this negative hyperconjugation interaction. The observed energetic stabilization can indeed be attributed to the electronic delocalization of the lone pair toward the antibonding orbitals. This delocalization is furthermore responsible for the shorter P-C bonds, longer P-Y (P-O) bonds, and wider Y-P-Y angles observed for the anionic compounds compared to their neutral counterparts. From the electronic NBO analysis it becomes clear that phosphorus containing functional groups are best described as sigma donor/pi acceptors.     

The catalytic hydration of nitriles to amides using a homogeneous platinum phosphinito catalyst

New homogeneous catalysts for the hydration of nitriles to amides are described. The catalyst precursors are coordination compounds of Pt(II) with secondary phosphine oxides. They contain a hydrogen bridged mono-anionic didentate phosphinito group, together with a third phosphine oxide ligand and a monodentate anionic ligand, either hydride or chloride. Reacting the chloride with silver ion, or the hydride with water gives a cationic species which is the active catalyst. On coordination to the cation the nitrile becomes susceptible to nucleophilic attack. The hydrolysis gives the amide as the sole product, and there is no tendency towards further hydrolysis to the acid. The effects of substituents on phosphorus are investigated, and a reaction mechanism is suggested. The most active catalyst, [PtH(PMe₂OH)(PMe₂O)₂H], 2a, is derived from dimethylphosphine oxide, and this precursor catalyses the hydration of acrylonitrile to acrylamide with a turnover number of 77,000, without addition to the C=C double bond.     

New half sandwich Ru(II) coordination compounds for anticancer activity

With the aim of expanding the structure-activity relationship investigation, the series of Ru(II) half sandwich coordination compounds of the type [Ru([9]aneS3)(chel)(L)](n+) previously described by us (where [9]aneS3 is the neutral face-capping ligand 1,4,7-trithiacyclononane, chel is a neutral or anonic chelating ligand, L = Cl(-) or dmso-S, n = 0-2) was extended to 1,4,7-triazacyclononane ([9]aneN3). In addition, new neutral N-N, and anionic N-O and O-O chelating ligands, i.e. dach (trans-1,2-diaminocyclohexane), pic(-) (picolinate), and acac(-) (acetylacetonate), were investigated in combination with both [9]aneS3 and [9]aneN3. Overall, ten new half-sandwich complexes were prepared and fully characterized and their chemical behaviour in aqueous solution was established. The single-crystal X-ray structures of eight of them, including the versatile precursor [Ru([9]aneN3)(dmso-S)(2)Cl]Cl (9), were also determined. The results of in vitro antiproliferative tests performed on selected compounds against MDA-MB-231 human mammary carcinoma cells confirmed that, in this series, only compounds that hydrolyse the monodentate ligand at a reasonable rate show moderate activity, provided that the chelate ligand is a hydrogen bond donor.     

Biologically relevant phosphoranes: synthesis and structural characterization of glucofuranose-derived phosphoranes with penta- and hexacoordination at phosphorus

Carbohydrate-based phosphoranes were synthesized by reacting the appropriate diphenol with phosphorus trichloride followed by the addition of chloralose to form 1 and by the addition of isopropylidene-D-glucofuranose to form 2 and 3. Phosphorane 4 was obtained by reacting 1,2-O-isopropylidene-alpha-D-glucofuranosyl-3,5,6-phosphite (13) with a diphenol. For the synthesis of 5-9, the appropriate phosphite was reacted with isopropylidene-glucofuranose. X-ray analyses of 1-9 were carried out successfully. Hexacoordinated structures resulted via oxygen donor action at phosphorus in the cases of phosphoranes 1-3 and via sulfur donor action for phosphoranes 4-6. Trigonal bipyramidal structures formed for 7-9 with the carbohydrate components occupying axial-equatorial sites. The eight-membered ring of the diphenol moiety with weak or no donor groups in 7-9 occupied diequatorial sites of the trigonal bipyramid. Solution NMR data are in agreement with the assigned solid-state structures. Isomerism between penta- and hexacoordination is present in solution for 7. The isomerism observed for 7 and our previous study showing a rapid exchange process that reorients the carbohydrate component of the trigonal bipyramidal phosphorane suggest that these biophosphoranes may serve as models for active sites of phosphoryl-transfer enzymes. At an active site, this type of pseudorotational behavior provides a mechanism that could bring another active site residue into play and account for a means by which some phosphoryl-transfer enzymes express promiscuous behavior.     

Coulombic Basis for Relative Hydrogen-Bonding Basicities and Conformational Energies of Tertiary Amine Oxides and Phosphine Oxides

The structures, energies, and natural atomic charges of 2-dimethylaminophenol oxide, 2-Me₂N-(O)C₆H₄OH, and 2-dimethylphosphinylphenol, 2-Me₂P(O)C₆H₄OH, in three different conformations were computed at the ab initio MP2/6-31G* level. Computed natural charges indicate distributions of electron density in amine oxides and phosphine oxides that are quite different from what is normally assumed on the basis of the formal charges in the usual representations of these compounds. The charges on nitrogen and phosphorus in these compounds are typically computed to be approximately zero on nitrogen and +2 on phosphorus, and the oxygen is considerably more negative in the phosphine oxide than in the amino oxide. Electronegativity differences thus play a larger role and formal charges a smaller one in determining atomic charges in these compounds than is generally believed. Despite the more negative oxygen in phosphine oxides, amine oxides are computed to be considerably more basic when participating in hydrogen bonding. Calculations treating the computed natural charges on these six conformations as point charges for classical approximations of the coulombic energies support the idea that the quantum mechanically computed relative energies are largely determined by coulombic interactions.     

Novel palladium complexes employing mixed phosphine phosphonates and phosphine phosphinates as anionic chelating [P,O] ligands

A route to various substituted phosphine phosphonic acid compounds of the general form Ar(2)PC(6)H(4)PO(OH)(2) (Ar = Ph, o-MeC(6)H(4), o-MeOC(6)H(4)) has been investigated. These compounds were employed as bidentate anionic [P,O] ligands in neutral palladium complexes. The [P,O] chelating coordination was determined by X-ray crystallography of a representative palladium complex. Furthermore, the bifunctional ligand Ph(2)PC(6)H(4)PO(OH)Ph represents the first example of a chelating anionic [P,O] ligand resulting from the combination of a phosphine and a phosphinate moiety.     

Phosphoryl Transfer Enzymes and Hypervalent Phosphorus Chemistry: A Keynote Lecture of the 7th International Conference on Heteroatom Chemistry

The coordination tendencies of phosphorus to form a hexacoordinated state from a pentacoordinated state which might assist in describing mechanistic action of phosphoryl transfer enzymes are delineated. The factors discussed include substrate and transition or intermediate state anionicity; hydrogen bonding; packing effects, i.e., van der Waals forces; the ease of formation of hexacoordinate phosphorus from lower coordinate states; and the pseudorotation problem common to nonrigid pentacoordinate phosphorus. In view of the work reported in this account and recent work on enzyme promiscuity and moonlighting activities, it is suggested that donor action should play a role in determining active-site interactions in phosphoryl transfer enzyme mechanisms.     

Pseudoheptacoordination and pseudohexacoordination in tris(2-N,N-dimethylbenzylamino)phosphane

The phosphane (C(6)H(4)-2-CH(2)NMe(2))(3)P (1) upon recrystallization from various solvents yielded the structurally different forms 1A, 1C, 1B(1), and 1B(2). Phosphane oxide (C(6)H(4)-2-CH(2)NOMe(2))(3)PO (2) was obtained from 1 by oxidation with hydrogen peroxide. X-ray analysis provided molecular structures for 1A, 1B(1), 1B(2), and 2. Phosphanes 1A and 1B(1) have pseudohexacoordinate frameworks as a result of the formation of two P-N donor interactions, 1B(2) has a pseudoheptacoordinate geometry due to the presence of three P-N interactions, and 2 resides in a tetrahedral geometry. The presence of the flexible dimethylaminobenzyl group in 1A, 1C, 1B(1), and 1B(2) is reasoned to be responsible for this variation in coordination geometry. Phosphane oxide 2 has very strong donor oxygen atoms from N-oxide groups but they are involved in competition with the presence of hydrogen bonding, which results in the lack of donor coordination. High-resolution (1)H, (13)C, and (31)P NMR measurements are also reported. The results provide evidence for the low-energy threshold required to allow hypercoordinated phosphorus to alter coordination geometry.     

catena‐Phosphorus Cations

Recent advances towards a systematic development of catena‐phosphorus cations are reviewed. The cations represented in this new and developing chapter in fundamental phosphorus chemistry complement the series of neutral and anionic polyphosphorus compounds.     

Asymmetric Hydrogenation Using Rhodium Complexes Generated from Mixtures of Monodentate Neutral and Anionic Phosphorus Ligands

A series of monodentate neutral and anionic phosphorus ligands was synthesized and evaluated in the asymmetric rhodium‐catalyzed hydrogenation of functionalized olefins by using either catalysts containing identical ligands or catalysts generated from mixtures of two different ligands. We expected that the combination of an anionic ligand with a neutral ligand would favor the formation of hetero over homo bis‐ligand complexes due to charge repulsion. NMR spectroscopic studies confirmed that charge effects can indeed shift the equilibrium toward the hetero bis‐ligand complexes. In several cases, the combination of a neutral phosphane with an anionic phosphane, one chiral and the other achiral, furnished significantly higher enantioselectivities than analogous mixtures of two neutral ligands. The best results were obtained with a mixture of an anionic phosphoramidite and a neutral phosphoric acid diester. It is supposed that in this case a hydrogen bond between the two ligands additionally stabilizes the hetero ligand combination.     

The hydrogen bonding properties of cytosine: a computational study of cytosine complexed with hydrogen fluoride, water, and ammonia

Density functional theory is used to study the hydrogen bonding pattern in cytosine, which does not contain alternating proton donor and acceptor sites and therefore is unique compared with the other pyrimidines. Complexes between various small molecules (HF, H(2)O, and NH(3)) and four main binding sites in (neutral and (N1) anionic) cytosine are considered. Two complexes (O2(N1) and N3(N4)) involve neighboring cytosine proton acceptor and donor sites, which leads to cooperative interactions and bidendate hydrogen bonds. The third (less stable) complex (N4) involves a single cytosine donor. The final (O2-N3) complex involves two cytosine proton acceptors, which leads to an anticooperative hydrogen bonding pattern for H(2)O and NH(3). On the neutral surface, the anticooperative O2-N3 complex is less stable than those involving bidentate hydrogen bonds, and the H(2)O complex cannot be characterized when diffuse functions are included in the (6-31G(d,p)) basis set. On the contrary, the anionic O2-N3 structure is the most stable complex, while the HF and H(2)O N3(N4) complexes cannot be characterized with diffuse functions. B3LYP and MP2 potential energy surface scans are used to consider the relationship between the water N3(N4) and O2-N3 complexes. These calculations reveal that diffuse functions reduce the conversion barrier between the two complexes on both the neutral and anionic surfaces, where the reduction leads to a (O2-N3) energy plateau on the neutral surface and complete (N3(N4)) complex destabilization on the anionic surface. From these complexes, the effects of hydrogen bonds on the (N1) acidity of cytosine are determined, and it is found that the trends in the effects of hydrogen bonds on the (N1) acidity are similar for all pyrimidines.     

Chalcogeno-urea ligands on a phosphadiazonium Lewis acceptor: a new synthetic approach to Ch-P bonds (Ch = O,S, Se)

The isolation and characterization of the first intermolecular chalcogeno-urea complexes of iminophosphines are described. Trifluoromethylsulfonyloxy(2,4,6-tri-tert-butylphenylimino)phosphine, MesNPOTf, reacts quantitatively with chalcogenoimidazolines (ChIm, Ch = O, S, Se) and 1,3-dimethyldiphenylurea (OU) to give Lewis acid-base complexes, [MesNP.ChIm]OTf and [MesNP.OU]OTf. Single crystal X-ray diffraction studies indicate that the closest contact of the chalcogeno-urea donor occurs at phosphorus in all cases, representing compounds that contain examples of O-P, S-P, and Se-P coordinate bonds. In all complexes, coordination of the ligand causes significant displacement of the OTf anion, and the resulting cations [MesNP.L](+) are best described as complexes of a neutral ligand on a phosphadiazonium Lewis acceptor. As such, the complex ions [MesNP.L](+) are novel examples of cationic systems containing dicoordinate phosphorus centers. The complexes highlight the potential for electron-rich centers to behave as Lewis acids despite the presence of a lone pair of electrons at the acceptor site.     

On the nature of the intermediates and the role of chloride ions in Pd-catalyzed allylic alkylations: added insight from density functional theory

The reactivity of intermediates in palladium-catalyzed allylic alkylation was investigated using DFT (B3LYP) calculations including a PB-SCRF solvation model. In the presence of both phosphine and chloride ligands, the allyl intermediate is in equilibrium between a cationic eta(3)-allylPd complex with two phosphine ligands, the corresponding neutral complex with one phosphine and one chloride ligand, and a neutral eta(1)-allylPd complex with one chloride and two phosphine ligands. The eta(1)-complex is unreactive toward nucleophiles. The cationic eta(3)-complex is the intermediate most frequently invoked in the title reaction, but in the presence of halides, the neutral, unsymmetrically substituted eta(3)-complex will be formed rapidly from anionic Pd(0) complexes in solution. Since the latter will prefer both leaving group ionization and reaction with nucleophiles in the position trans to phosphorus, it can rationalize the observed "memory effect" (a regioretention) in the title reaction, even in the absence of chiral ligands.     

Designer amphiphiles based on para-acyl-calix[8]arenes

The synthesis of a series of fully O-derivatised para-acyl-calix[8]arenes is described, where the acyl function is either octanoyl or hexadecanoyl. The groups attached at the phenolic face are, carboxymethoxy (anionic), carboxypropoxy (anionic), 4-sulfonatobutoxy (anionic), ethoxycarboxymethoxy (neutral), ethoxycarboxypropoxy (neutral), 2-methoxyethoxy (neutral) and 2-(2-methoxy)diethoxy (neutral). The use of specific synthetic routes has allowed complete substitution in high yields for all the compounds obtained. The interfacial properties of the compounds have been studied and stable monolayers have been obtained for certain compounds in the series having para-octanoyl substituents; all compounds studied in the series having para-hexadecanoyl substituents formed stable monolayers at the air-water interface. The interactions between O-4-sulfonatobutoxy-para-ocatanoylcalix[8]arene and a series of serum albumins have been studied by dynamic light scattering and specific adsorption of the calix-[8]-arene derivative onto the proteins observed. The anionic derivatives O-4-sulfonatobutoxy-para-ocatanoylcalix[8]arene and O-carboxymethoxy-para-ocatanoylcalix[8]arene have been shown to possess anticoagulant properties but to have no haemolytic toxicity.     

An Evaluation of Ligand Properties of Neutral and Anionic Tris(imidazol‐2‐yl)phosphines

In order to study the applicability of tris(imidazol‐2‐yl)phosphine (PIm₃) as a possible charge‐variable ligand, new neutral N‐butyl and N‐benzyl derivatives and d⁰‐metal complexes thereof were prepared and characterized as reference compounds for planned complexes with high valent metals. In addition, an anionic ligand precursor was characterized by X‐Ray analysis and its reactivity towards transition metal halides assayed.     

First N‐Heterocyclic Carbenes Relying on the Triazolone Structural Motif: Syntheses,Modifications and Reactivity

4‐Phenylsemicarbazide and 1,5‐diphenylcarbazide are suitable starting materials for the syntheses of N‐heterocyclic carbene (NHC) compounds with new backbone structures. In the first case, cyclisation and subsequent methylation leads to a cationic precursor whose deprotonation affords the triazolon‐ylidene 2 , which was converted to the corresponding sulfur and selenium adducts and a range of metal complexes. In contrast, cyclisation of diphenylcarbazide affords a neutral betain‐type NHC‐precursor 7 , which is not in equilibrium with its carbene tautomer 7a . Precursor 7 can either be deprotonated to give the anionic NHC 8 or methylated at the N or O atom of the backbone resulting in two isomeric cationic species 16 and 20 . Deprotonation of the latter two provides neutral NHC compounds with a carboxamide or carboximidate backbone, respectively. The ligand properties of the new NHC compounds were evaluated by IR and ⁷⁷Se NMR spectroscopy. Tolman electronic parameter (TEP) values range from 2050 to 2063 cm^?1 with the anionic NHC 8 being the best overall donor.     

A brief review of structural concepts of novel supramolecular proton transfer compounds and their metal complexes (part II)

In continuation of our previous brief review of structural concepts of novel supramolecular proton transfer compounds and their metal complexes by Aghabozorg et al. [1], we briefly surveyed the current research in the field of proton transfer compounds supramolecular synthons and their self-assembled metallic complexes from the points of view of Crystal Engineering and Density Functional Theory (DFT) since 2008. Our research groups have recently focused on the proton delivery from acids, which are considered to be suitable proton donors, to amines as proton acceptors. The results were the production of several proton transfer ion pairs possessing some remaining donor sites applied for coordination to metal centers in the preparation of metal-organic compounds. Some of the complexes showed contributions of both cationic and anionic fragments of the starting ion pair, while some others contained only one of these species as ligand. Our review and investigation of compounds revealed that they mainly focused on the concept of supramolecular systems, co-crystallization, stereochemically active lone pairs, coordination polyhedron, mainly on the various interactions involved, including van der Waals, ion pairing, hydrogen bondings, face to face ??-?? stackings and edge to face C-H???, C-O???, N-H3?? and S?S. These interactions were the most commonly used strategies in the extension of supramolecular structures.