Synthesis, spectral and structural studies of zinc(II) complexes of salicylaldehyde N4-phenylthiosemicarbazone

Five Zn(II) complexes of salicylaldehyde N(4)-phenylthiosemicarbazone (H(2)L) have been synthesized and physicochemically characterized. Out of the five Zn(II) complexes, one is binuclear {[(ZnL)(2)].3C(2)H(5)OH (1)} and the other four are mononuclear {[Zn(HL)(2)].C(2)H(5)OH (2), [ZnLbipy].1/2H(2)O (3), [ZnLphen].H(2)O (4) and [ZnLdmbipy] (5)} in nature. In complex 2, IR band due to nu(Zn-O) is absent and also the -OH signal due to the phenolic -OH group appears at delta=11.38ppm obtained from the (1)H NMR spectrum supports the existence of free -OH group. Complexes 3-5 are heterocyclic base adducts and their IR spectra display bands characteristic of coordinated heterocyclic bases. The molecular structure of one of the complex 3 is resolved by single crystal X-ray diffraction studies. The complex 3 is orthorhombic with a space group P2(1)cn. The Zn(II) in 3 is five coordinated and is having an approximately trigonal bipyramidal geometry with distortion from square based pyramid (TBDSBP).     

Solution and solid state 13C NMR and X-ray studies of genistein complexes with amines. Potential biological function of the C-7, C-5, and C4'-OH groups

Parent genistein and its new amine complexes with morpholine and piperazine were studied comparatively in the solid and liquid states by X-ray crystallography and 13C and 15N NMR spectroscopy. Biochanine A and its complexes were used as reference. Secondary deuterium isotope effects on 13C chemical shifts in solution were studied in parent isoflavones and their morpholine and piperazine complexes to aid in evaluation of the electronic distribution in both systems. In addition, to quantify the extent of proton transfer as well as to establish strong hydrogen bonding of the 7-OH group in a morpholine complex, proton transfer from the 7-OH group to the piperazine nitrogen atom was also confirmed by 13C NMR in the solid state and by X-ray studies. The effect of 7-OH deprotonation yields a high frequency shift of 7-8 ppm on the C-7 carbon atom of the piperazine complex whereas it is as large as 12 ppm in the morpholine complex in the solid. The former trend is confirmed from solution state concentration studies which also show that the isoflavones have a strong tendency to form complexes with bases. Depending on the pKa difference between the isoflavones and the base this leads either to proton transfer and ion-pair formation or, in the case of a larger pKa difference, to a hydrogen bonded ion pair. The concentration studies show formation of a 1:1 genistein-piperazine complex in DMSO. Addition of water leads to formation of solvent separated ions. The C-5 OH group is involved in strong intramolecular hydrogen bonding leading to a pseudo aromatic ring extending the aromatic part of the drug pharmacophore. The analysis also suggests the way that both the C-7 and C-4' hydroxyl group of genistein may participate in stabilising the ternary inhibitor complexes of tyrosine-specific kinases or DNA topoisomerase II.     

Simultaneous detection of monohydroxybenzo[a]pyrene positional isomers by reversed-phase liquid chromatography coupled to electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

A liquid chromatographic (LC) method has been developed for the separation of 11 monohydroxybenzo[a]pyrenes (OH BaPs) positional isomers, and for their detection using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). All OH BaPs isomers were separated on an octadecylsilyl (C(18))-bonded amorphous organosilica column utilizing gradient elution with acetonitrile-water and triethylamine (TEA) at pH 11.0 and determined by MS, except 2- and 8-OH BaPs which were coeluted. The lower detection limits were in the range from 1.6 micro g/L for 12-OH BaP to 12 micro g/L for 5-OH BaP without any sample enrichment. The relative standard deviations of area response were in the range from 1.8% (9-OH BaP) to 4.9% (12-OH BaP) except for 9.4% (7-OH BaP). The developed method was successfully applied to incubation mixtures of BaP and CYP1A1/epoxide hydrolase. This method identified 1-, 3- and 9-OH BaPs as the major metabolites, and 2- (and/or 8-) and 12-OH BaPs as the minor metabolites in the incubation mixture.     

New Cu(II) complexes based on the hydroxo-bridged dinuclear [Cu(OH)2Cu] units: step-like di- and trimerizations of [Cu(OH)2Cu] units

Four new Cu(II) complexes {[Cu(4)(bpy)(4)(OH)(4)(H(2)O)(2)]}(NO(3))(2)(C(7)H(5)O(2))(2)·6H(2)O 1, {[Cu(4)(bpy)(4)(OH)(4)(H(2)O)(2)]}(NO(3))(2)(C(5)H(6)O(4))·8H(2)O 2, {[Cu(4)(bpy)(4)(OH)(4)(H(2)O)(2)]}(C(5)H(6)O(4))(2)·16H(2)O 3 and {[Cu(6)(bpy)(6)(OH)(6)(H(2)O)(2)]}(C(8)H(7)O(2))(6)·12H(2)O 4 were synthesized (bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine, H(2)(C(5)H(6)O(4)) = glutaric acid, H(C(7)H(5)O(2)) = benzoic acid, H(C(8)H(7)O(2)) = phenyl acetic acid). The building units in 1-3 are the tetranuclear [Cu(4)(bpy)(4)(H(2)O)(2)(μ(2)-OH)(2)(μ(3)-OH)(2)](4+) complex cations, and in 4 the hexanuclear [Cu(6)(bpy)(6)(H(2)O)(2)(μ(2)-OH)(2)(μ(3)-OH)(4)](6+) complex cations, respectively. The tetra- and hexanuclear cluster cores [Cu(4)(μ(2)-OH)(2)(μ(3)-OH)(2)] and [Cu(6)(μ(2)-OH)(2)(μ(3)-OH)(4)] in the complex cations could be viewed as from step-like di- and trimerization of the well-known hydroxo-bridged dinuclear [Cu(2)(μ(2)-OH)(2)] entities via the out-of-plane Cu-O(H) bonds. The complex cations are supramolecularly assembled into (4,4) topological networks via intercationic ππ stacking interactions. The counteranions and lattice H(2)O molecules are sandwiched between the 2D cationic networks to form hydrogen-bonded networks in 1-3, while the phenyl acetate anions and the lattice H(2)O molecules generate 3D hydrogen-bonded anionic framework to interpenetrate with the (4,4) topological cationic networks with the hexanuclear complex cations in the channels. The ferromagnetic coupling between Cu(II) ions in the [Cu(4)(μ(2)-OH)(2)(μ(3)-OH)(2)] cores of 1-3 is significantly stronger via equatorial-equatorial OH(-) bridges than via equatorial-apical ones. The outer and the central [Cu(2)(OH)(2)] unit within the [Cu(6)(μ(2)-OH)(2)(μ(3)-OH)(4)] cluster cores in 4 exhibit weak ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic interactions, respectively. Results about i.r. spectra, thermal and elemental analyses are presented.     

有机催化吲哚碳环上的不对称Friedel⁃Crafts烷基化反应

将金鸡纳碱衍生物双功能催化剂用于有机催化羟基吲哚与靛红的不对称Friedel-Crafts反应, 筛选出最佳反应条件: 催化剂为5%(摩尔分数)6′-脱甲基奎尼丁(1b), 溶剂为四氢呋喃, 反应温度 0 ℃. 以67%~91%的产率和最高达97%的对映选择性获得了苯环上取代的羟基烷基化产品. 拓宽了该反应的催化剂类型和底物范围.     

Effect of cyanato, azido, carboxylato, and carbonato ligands on the formation of cobalt(II) polyoxometalates: characterization, magnetic, and electrochemical studies of multinuclear cobalt clusters

Five Co(II) silicotungstate complexes are reported. The centrosymmetric heptanuclear compound K(20)[{(B-beta-SiW(9)O(33)(OH))(beta-SiW(8)O(29)(OH)(2))Co(3)(H(2)O)}(2)Co(H(2)O)(2)]47 H(2)O (1) consists of two {(B-beta-SiW(9)O(33)(OH))(beta-SiW(8)O(29)(OH)(2))Co(3)(H(2)O)} units connected by a {CoO(4)(H(2)O)(2)} group. In the chiral species K(7)[Co(1.5)(H(2)O)(7))][(gamma-SiW(10)O(36))(beta-SiW(8)O(30)(OH))Co(4)(OH)(H(2)O)(7)]36 H(2)O (2), a {gamma-SiW(10)O(36)} and a {beta-SiW(8)O(30)(OH)} unit enclose a mononuclear {CoO(4)(H(2)O)(2)} group and a {Co(3)O(7)(OH)(H(2)O)(5)} fragment. The two trinuclear Co(II) clusters present in 1 enclose a mu(4)-O atom, while in 2 a mu(3)-OH bridging group connects the three paramagnetic centers of the trinuclear unit, inducing significantly larger Co-L-Co (L=mu(4)-O (1), mu(3)-OH (2)) bridging angles in 2 (theta(av(Co-L-Co))=99.1 degrees ) than in 1 (theta(av(Co-L-Co))=92.8 degrees ). Weaker ferromagnetic interactions were found in 2 than in 1, in agreement with larger Co-L-Co angles in 2. The electrochemistry of 1 was studied in detail. The two chemically reversible redox couples observed in the positive potential domain were attributed to the redox processes of Co(II) centers, and indicated that two types of Co(II) centers in the structure were oxidized in separate waves. Redox activity of the seventh Co(II) center was not detected. Preliminary experiments indicated that 1 catalyzes the reduction of nitrite and NO. Remarkably, a reversible interaction exists with NO or related species. The hybrid tetranuclear complexes K(5)Na(3)[(A-alpha-SiW(9)O(34))Co(4)(OH)(3)(CH(3)COO)(3)]18 H(2)O (3) and K(5)Na(3)[(A-alpha-SiW(9)O(34))Co(4)(OH)(N(3))(2)(CH(3)COO)(3)]18 H(2)O (4) were characterized: in both, a tetrahedral {Co(4)(L(1))(L(2))(2)(CH(3)COO)(3)} (3: L(1)=L(2)=OH; 4: L(1)=OH, L(2)=N(3)) unit capped the [A-alpha-SiW(9)O(34)](10-) trivacant polyanion. The octanuclear complex K(8)Na(8)[(A-alpha-SiW(9)O(34))(2)Co(8)(OH)(6)(H(2)O)(2)(CO(3))(3)]52 H(2)O (5), containing two {Co(4)O(9)(OH)(3)(H(2)O)} units, was also obtained. Compounds 2, 3, 4, and 5 were less stable than 1, but their partial electrochemical characterization was possible; the electronic effect expected for 3 and 4 was observed.     

A new, efficient glycosylation method for oligosaccharide synthesis under neutral conditions: preparation and use of new DISAL donors

Efficient, stereoselective glycosylation methods are required for the synthesis of complex oligosaccharides as tools in glycobiology. All glycosylation methods, which have found wide acceptance, rely on Lewis acid activation of glycosyl donors prior to glycosylation. Here, we present a new and efficient method for glycosylation under neutral or mildly basic conditions. Glycosides of methyl 2-hydroxy-3,5-dinitrobenzoate (DISAL) and its para regioisomer, methyl 4-hydroxy-3,5-dinitrobenzoate, were prepared by nucleophilic aromatic substitution. In a first demonstration of their potential as glycosyl donors, stereospecific glycosylation of methanol was achieved. In the glycosylation of more hindered alcohols, the beta-donor proved more reactive, and alpha-glucosides were predominantly formed. Glycosylation of protected monosaccharides, with free 6-OH or 3-OH, proceeded smoothly in 1-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone (NMP) at 40-60 degrees C in the absence of Lewis acids and bases in good to excellent yields. Glycosylation of 3-OH gave the alpha-linked disaccharide only.     

Theoretical study on the factors controlling the stability of the borate complexes of ribose, arabinose, lyxose, and xylose

Recent experimental studies suggest that complexation with borate minerals stabilizes ribose, and that the borate complex of ribose is more stable than those of related aldopentoses, that is, arabinose, lyxose, and xylose. These findings have revived the debate on the plausibility of the RNA-world theory, because they provide an explanation for the stabilization and selection of ribose in prebiotic conditions. In this paper we unravel the factors that make the ribose-borate complex the most stable one. For this purpose, we have investigated the structure and stability of the ribose-, arabinose-, lyxose-, and xylose-borate complexes using density functional theory and a continuum solvent approach. The computed results reveal that in the aldopentose-borate complexes, the electrostatic field of the borate is strong enough to change the orientation of the nearby hydroxyl groups compared to noncomplexed aldopentoses. In addition, we show that the distinct stability of the ribose-borate 2:1 complex can be attributed to 1) a strong hydrogen bond between the ribose 3-OH and one of the negatively charged borate oxygen atoms, and 2) a favorable contact between the aqueous medium and the 5-CH(2)OH group due to the space separation between the 5-CH(2)OH group and the borate anion.     

Cyclic homooligomers of furanoid sugar amino acids

Cyclic homooligomers of mannose-derived furanoid sugar amino acid 1 [H-Maa(Bn(2))-OH] were synthesized by using BOP reagent in the presence of DIPEA under dilute conditions that converted the sugar amino acid monomer directly into its cyclic homooligomers 3a and 4a. The glucose-based sugar amino acid 2 [H-Gaa(Bn(2))-OH] under the same reaction conditions gave a bicyclic lactam 5a as the major product. Cyclic homooligomers of 2 were prepared by cyclizing their linear precursors 6 and 7 leading to the formation of cyclic peptides 8a and 9a, respectively. Conformational analysis by NMR and constrained MD studies revealed that all the cyclic products, 3, 4, 8, and 9, had symmetrical structures. The deprotected cyclic trimer of Maa 3b displayed a conformation in which all the C=O and the N-H bonds of the molecule point in opposite directions. In the deprotected cyclic tetramer of Maa 4b, the COs and NHs were in the plane of the ring with the former pointing to outside and the latter inside the ring. The structure of the cyclic Gaa dimer 8b displayed an unusual six-membered intramolecular hydrogen bond between NH(i)() --> C3-O(i)()(-)(1) and a syn orientation between the C2-H and CO. In this molecule, the C2-hydrogens and the COs can be seen on one side of the ring while the NHs point to the other side. Addition of the bicyclic lactam 5b resulted in the influx of Na(+) ions across the lipid bilayer leading to the dissipation of valinomycin-mediated K(+) diffusion potential.     

Oxygen adsorption on hydrated gold cluster anions: experiment and theory

The discovery that supported gold clusters act as highly efficient catalysts for low-temperature oxidation reactions has led to a great deal of work aimed at understanding the origins of the catalytic activity. Several studies have shown that the presence of trace moisture is required for the catalysts to function. Using near-atmospheric pressure flow reactor techniques, we have studied humidity and temperature effects on the reactivity of gas-phase gold cluster anions with O2. Near room temperature, the humid source produces abundant gold-hydroxy cluster anions, Au(N)OH(-), and these have a reversed O2 adsorption activity: Nonreactive bare gold clusters become active when in the form Au(N)OH(-), while active bare clusters are inactive when -OH is bound. The binding energies for the stable structures obtained from density functional calculations confirm fully these findings. Moreover, the theory provides evidence that electron-transfer induced by the binding of a OH group enhances the reactivity toward molecular oxygen for odd anionic gold clusters and suppresses the reactivity for the even ones. The temperature dependence of O2 addition to Au(3)OH(-) and Au(4)(-) indicates deviations from equilibrium control at temperatures below room temperature. The effects of humidity on gold cluster adsorption activity support the conclusion drawn for the mechanism of O2 adsorption on "dry" gold cluster anions and provides insight into the possible role of water in the enhanced activity of supported gold cluster catalysts.     

Structure, conformation, stereodynamics, dimer formation, and absolute configuration of axially chiral atropisomers of hindered biphenyl carbinols

NMR spectra of biphenyl derivatives bearing a single CR2OH substituent in the ortho position indicate that they exist as sp (more stable) and ap (less stable) conformers, due to the restricted rotation about the Ar-CR2OH bond. When R = Et (compound 2) the corresponding rotation barrier was determined (7.5 kcal mol-1) by line shape simulation of the low-temperature NMR spectra. Introduction of the prochiral i-Pr group in the position 3' of a biphenyl with the CMe2OH substituent in the position 2 (4) allowed the determination of the enantiomerization barrier (due to the Ar-Ar bond rotation) for the stereolabile axially chiral atropisomers (13.95 kcal mol(-1)). DFT computations of these barriers were all in agreement with the experiments. Biphenyls bearing two CR2OH groups in the 2,2' positions were found to exist as configurationally stable atropisomers: when R = Me (7) they were separated by enantioselective HPLC and the absolute configuration assigned on the basis of the corresponding CD spectra. In solution, compounds 6 (R = H) and 7 (R = Me) were found to originate a dimer, due to H-bond interactions between two enantiomers. In the case of 7, the free energy of activation (9.5 kcal mol-1) for the exchange of the monomer with the dimer could be measured, for the first time, by dynamic NMR. The conformational preferences, predicted by computations for the biphenyls with two CR2OH substituents in the 2,2' positions, were confirmed by X-ray diffraction in the case of R = H (6), R = Me (7), and R = i-Pr (9).     

Synthesis, structure, and magnetic properties of (6-9)-nuclear Ni(II) trimethylacetates and their heterospin complexes with nitroxides

New polynuclear nickel trimethylacetates [Ni6(OH)4(C5H9O2)8(C5H10O2)4] (6), [Ni7(OH)7(C5H9O2)7(C5H10O2)6(H2O)] x 0.5 C6H14 x 0.5 H2O (7), [Ni8(OH)4(H2O)2(C5H9O2)12] (8), and [Ni9(OH)6(C5H9O2)12(C5H10O2)4] x C5H10O2 x 3 H2O (9), where C5H9O2 is trimethylacetate and C5H10O2 is trimethylacetic acid, have been found. Their structures were determined by X-ray crystallography. Because of their high solubility in low-polarity organic solvents, compounds 6-9 reacted with stable organic radicals to form the first heterospin compounds based on polynuclear Ni(II) trimethylacetate and nitronyl nitroxides containing pyrazole (L(1)-L(3)), methyl (L(4)), or imidazole (L(5)) substituent groups, respectively, in side chain [Ni7(OH)5(C5H9O2)9(C5H10O2)2(L(1))2(H2O)] x 0.5 C6H14 x H2O (6+1a), [Ni7(OH)5(C5H9O2)9(C5H10O2)2(L2)2(H2O)] x H2O (6+1b), [Ni7(OH)5(C5H9O2)9(C5H10O2)2(L(3))2(H2O)] x H2O (6+1c), [Ni6(OH)3(C5H9O2)9(C5H10O2)4(L(4))] x 1.5 C6H14 (6'), and [Ni4OH)3(C5H9O2)5(C5H10O2)4(L(5))] x 1.5 C7H8 (4). Their structures were also determined by X-ray crystallography. Although Ni(II) trimethylacetates may have varying nuclearity and can change their nuclearity during recrystallization or interactions with nitroxides, this family of compounds is easy to study because of its topological relationship. For any of these complexes, the polynuclear framework may be derived from the [Ni6] polynuclear fragment {Ni6(mu4-OH)2(mu3-OH)2(mu2-C5H9O2-O,O')6(mu2-C5H9O2-O,O)(mu4-C5H9O2-O,O,O',O')(C5H10O2)4}, which is shaped like an open book. On the basis of this fragment, the structure of 7-nuclear compounds (7 and 6+1a-c) is conveniently represented as the result of symmetric addition of other mononuclear fragments to the four Ni(II) ions lying at the vertexes of the [Ni6] open book. The 9-nuclear complex is formed by the addition of trinuclear fragments to two Ni(II) ions lying on one of the lateral edges of the [Ni6] open book. This wing of the 9-nuclear complex preserves its structure in another type of 6-nuclear complex (6') with the boat configuration. If, however, two edge-sharing Ni(II) ions are removed from [Ni6] (one of these lies at a vertex of the open book and the other, on the book-cover line), we obtain a 4-nuclear fragment recorded in the molecular structure of 4. Twinning of this 4-nuclear fragment forms highly symmetric molecule 8, which is a new chemical version of cubane.     

Lactone enols are stable in the gas phase but highly unstable in solution

2-Hydroxyoxol-2-ene (C(5)-1), the enol tautomer of gamma-butyrolactone, was generated in the gas phase as the first representative of the hitherto elusive class of lactone enols and shown by neutralization-reionization mass spectrometry to be remarkably stable as an isolated species. Ab initio calculations by QCISD(T)/6-311+G(3df,2p) provided the enthalpies of formation, proton affinities, and gas-phase basicities for gaseous lactone enols with four- (C(4)-1), five- (C(5)-1), and six-membered rings (C(6)-1). The acid-base properties of C(4)-C(6) lactones and enols and reference carboxylic acid enols CH(2)=C(OH)(2) (3) and CH(2)=C(OH)OCH(3) (4) were also calculated in aqueous solution. The C(4)-C(6) lactone enols show gas-phase proton affinities in the range of 933-944 kJ mol(-)(1) and acidities in the range of 1401-1458 kJ mol(-)(1). In aqueous solution, the lactone enols are 15-20 orders of magnitude more acidic than the corresponding lactones, with enol pK(a) values increasing from 5.6 (C(4)-1) to 14.5 (C(6)-1). Lactone enols are moderately weak bases in water with pK(BH) in the range of 3.9-8.1, whereas the lactones are extremely weak bases of pK(BH) in the range of -10.5 to -17.4. The acid-base properties of lactone enols point to their high reactivity in protic solvents and explain why no lactone enols have been detected thus far in solution studies.     

气相质子转移反应中热化学和动力学的关系

质子键合的分子簇的离子－分子反应中的热化学和动力学关系的考察结果表明：对于非烷基锁闭的分子簇,如（C2H5OH）nH＋（5＝1-3）和（CH3OH）3H＋;与中性碱B的质子转移反应,属快速反应,其反应效率r是由总反应的自由能变化△γGm控制,而与反应过渡态的本质无关。那些反应可能存在两个中间体,因电子转移导致质子从分子簇内部转移到中性碱,进而导致二个或三个溶剂分子的直接蒸发;烷基锁闭的质子键合的二聚体,如（CH3CN）2H＋,（CH3OCH3）2H＋,（CH3COCH3）2H＋和（C3COOCH3）2H＋,与中性碱的质子转移反应,其效率远小于1;与总反应的△γGm无关     

Structure and thermodynamics of alpha-, beta-, and gamma-cyclodextrin dimers. Molecular dynamics studies of the solvent effect and free binding energies

The alpha-, beta-, and gamma-cyclodextrin (CyDs) dimers were studied by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations in water as an explicit solvent. The relative stability of dimers and the involved molecular interactions were determined. Three possible starting orientations were considered for the dimers: head-to-head, head-to-tail, and tail-to-tail. MD simulations were performed over a period of 5 ns to ensure the stability of the system for both the CyD dimers and monomers. The MM-PBSA methodology was used to obtain the free binding energy of the dimers and to determine the most stable arrangement for each solvated CyD. In a vacuum, MD simulations provided the head-to-head orientation as the most stable orientation for the three CyDs, while in aqueous solution the, the head-to-tail orientation was found to be the most stable for the alpha-CyD dimer and the tail-to-tail orientation the most stable for the beta- and gamma-CyD dimers.     

A diabolo-shaped Dy9 cluster: synthesis, crystal structure and magnetic properties

The reaction of Dy(NO(3))(3)·6H(2)O with the ligand 2-((1-hydroxybutan-2-ylimino)methyl)phenol (H(2)L, ) generates the nonanuclear compound [Dy(9)L(8)(μ(3)-OH)(8)(μ(4)-OH)(2)(CH(3)OH)(8)](OH)(CH(3)OH)(3) (Dy(9)), whose single-crystal X-ray structure reveals the presence of two square pyramidal pentanuclear units assembled via the apical metal center. The square pyramidal core of a previously reported [Dy(5)(μ(4)-OH)(μ(3)-OH)(4)(μ-η(2)-Ph(2)acac)(4)(η(2)-Ph(2)acac)(6)] (Dy(5); Ph(2)acac = dibenzoylmethanide), is structurally related to those herein described; however, the magnetic properties of Dy(9) and Dy(5) are drastically different. Indeed, Dy(5) shows slow relaxation of magnetization while no out-of-phase ac signal is noticed for Dy(9). The underlying mechanism is not clear due to the complexity of such systems; however, the different anisotropy of the respective structures, which is dictated by the combination of the metal topology, the ligands involved and the structural parameters of the molecule, is mostly responsible for the distinctive relaxation dynamics observed.     

Structures and basicity of LiNOH (N = 1 − 5) species

LiOH is one of the strong bases among neutral molecules. What about hydroxides of small Li_n (n = 2 ? 5) clusters? The addition of a single atom to a cluster sometimes has dramatic effects on its reactivity. This fact motivated us to perform an ab initio MP2/6‐311++G(d, p) investigation on Li_nOH species (n = 1 ? 5). These Li_nOH species are stabilized by both ionic as well as covalent interactions, and are found to be stable against elimination of LiOH and OH. We have determined their gas and aqueous phase basicity by considering hypothetical protonation reactions. The calculated proton affinities of Li_nOH (n ≥ 2) suggest their reduced basicity as compared to LiOH by 50–100 kJ/mol. The NBO charges and the highest occupied molecular orbitals also reveal the electride and alkalide characteristics of Li₂OH and Li₃OH, respectively. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Atmospheric oxidation mechanism of naphthalene initiated by OH radical. A theoretical study

The atmospheric oxidation mechanism of naphthalene (Nap) initiated by the OH radical is investigated using density functional theory at B3LYP and BB1K levels. The initial step is dominated by OH addition to the C(1)-position of Nap, forming radical C(10)H(8)-1-OH (R1), followed by the O(2) additions to the C(2) position to form peroxy radical R1-2OO, or by the hydrogen abstraction by O(2) to form 1-naphthol. In the atmosphere, R1-2OO will react with NO to form R1-2O, undergo intramolecular hydrogen transfer from -OH to -OO to form R1-P2O1 radicals, or possibly undergo ring-closure to R1-29OO bi-cyclic radical; while the formation of other bi-cyclic intermediate radicals is negligible because of the extremely high Gibbs energy barriers of >100 kJ mol(-1) (relative to R1+O(2)). The mechanism is different from the oxidation mechanism of benzene, where the bi-cyclic intermediates play an important role. Radicals R1-P2O1 will dissociate to 2-formylcinnamaldehyde, while R1-2O will be transformed to stable products C(10)H(6)O(3) via epoxide-like intermediates. A few reaction pathways suggested in previous experimental studies are found to be invalid.     

Design of radical-resistant amino acid residues: a combined theoretical and experimental investigation

Ab initio calculations have been used to design radical-resistant amino acid residues. Optimized structures of free and protected amino acids and their corresponding alpha-carbon-centered radicals were determined with B3-LYP/6-31G(d). Single-point RMP2/6-31G(d) calculations on these structures were then used to obtain radical stabilization energies, to examine the effect of steric repulsion between the side chains and amide carbonyl groups on the stability of alpha-carbon-centered peptide radicals. Relative to glycine, the destabilization for alanine and valine residues was found to be approximately 9 and 18 kJ mol(-1), respectively, which correlates with the reactivity of analogous amino acid residues in peptides toward hydrogen atom abstraction in conventional free radical reactions. To design amino acid residues that would resist radical reactions, strategies by which the steric effects could be magnified were considered. This resulted in the identification of tert-leucine and 3,3,3-trifluoroalanine as suitable molecules. With these amino acid residues, the destabilization of the alpha-carbon-centered radicals relative to that of glycine is increased substantially to approximately 36 and 41 kJ mol(-1), respectively. The theoretical predictions have been supported by experimental observations: a tert-leucine derivative was shown to be very slow to react with N-bromosuccinimide, while the corresponding trifluoroalanine derivative was found to be inert.     

Toward novel DNA binding metal complexes: structure and basic kinetic data of [M(9MeG)2(CH3OH)(CO)3]+(M = 99Tc,Re)

To study the interaction of the fac-[M(CO)(3)](+) moiety (M = (99m)Tc, (188)Re) with DNA bases, we reacted [M(OH(2))(3)(CO)(3)](+) with 9-methylguanine (9-MeG), guanosine (G), and 2-deoxyguanosine (2dG). Two bases bind to the metal center via the N7 atoms. X-ray structure analysis of [(99)Tc(CH(3)OH)(9-MeG)(2)(CO)(3)](+) (4) (monoclinic, I2/a, a = 28.7533(14) A, b = 8.0631(4) A, c = 32.3600(15) A, beta = 91.543(6) degrees, V = 7499.6(6) A(3), Z = 8) and [Re(OH(2))(9-MeG)(2)(CO)(3)](+) (7) (monoclinic, P2(1)/n, a = 12.2873(11) A, b = 16.0707(13) A, c = 14.1809(16) A, beta = 103.361(12) degrees, V = 2724.4(5) A(3), Z = 4) reveals that the two bases are in a head-to-tail (HT) orientation. Kinetic studies show that the rates of substitution of the purine bases are comparable to that of one of the active forms of cisplatin. The bis-substituted complexes are generally less stable than the platinum adducts, and metalation of the bases is reversible.