The antitumour drug 7‐ethyl‐10‐hydroxycamptothecin monohydrate and its solid‐state hydrolysis mechanism on heating

7‐Ethyl‐10‐hydroxycamptothecin [systematic name: (4S)‐4,11‐diethyl‐4,9‐dihydroxy‐1H‐pyrano[3′,4′:6,7]indolizino[1,2‐b]quinoline‐3,14(4H,12H)‐dione, SN‐38] is an antitumour drug which exerts activity through the inhibition of topoisomerase I. The crystal structure of SN‐38 as the monohydrate, C₂₂H₂₀N₂O₅·H₂O, reveals that it is a monoclinic crystal, with one SN‐38 molecule and one water molecule in the asymmetric unit. When the crystal is heated to 473 K, approximately 30% of SN‐38 is hydrolyzed at its lactone ring, resulting in the formation of the inactive carboxylate form. The molecular arrangement around the water molecule and the lactone ring of SN‐38 in the crystal structure suggests that SN‐38 is hydrolyzed by the water molecule at (x, y, z) nucleophilically attacking the carbonyl C atom of the lactone ring at (x − 1, y, z − 1). Hydrogen bonding around the water molecules and the lactone ring appears to promote this hydrolysis reaction: two carbonyl O atoms, which are hydrogen bonded as hydrogen‐bond acceptors to the water molecule at (x, y, z), might enhance the nucleophilicity of this water molecule, while the water molecule at (−x, y + , −z), which is hydrogen bonded as a hydrogen‐bond donor to the carbonyl O atom at (x − 1, y, z − 1), might enhance the electrophilicity of the carbonyl C atom.     

5,5′‐Bis(hydroxymethyl)‐3,3′‐dimethoxybiphenyl‐2,2′‐diol with a new three‐dimensional 3‐modal topology of synthons

The title lignin model compound, C₁₆H₁₈O₆, resides on a twofold axis parallel with the b axis, with the mid‐point of the internal C—C(−x + 1, y, −z + ) bond located on the twofold axis. The exo angles between the methoxy groups and the benzene rings deviate significantly from the expected value of 120° [125.15 (7) and 114.27 (6)°]. A 12‐coordinated 3‐modal three‐dimensional net with a new topology was identified on the synthon level. A comparison of the flexibility of related o,o′‐disubstituted biphenyl derivatives and biphenyl is presented, with the angles between the ring planes in substituted biphenyls found to be in the range 40–70°.     

Red and yellow solvates of chloro­(2,2′:6′,2′′‐terpyridine)platinum(II) chloride and Pt⋯Pt inter­actions

Crystallization of chloro­(2,2′:6′,2′′‐terpyridine)platinum(II) chloride from dimethyl sulfoxide yields a red polymorph, [PtCl(C₁₅H₁₁N₃)]Cl·C₂H₆OS, (I), which exhibits stacking along the a axis through pairs of Pt⋯Pt(−x, −y, −z) inter­actions of 3.3155 (8) Å. The cations are further associated through close Pt⋯Pt(1 − x, −y, −z) distances of 3.4360 (8) Å. Recrystallization from water gives a mero­hedrally twinned yellow–orange dihydrate form, [PtCl(C₁₅H₁₁N₃)]Cl·2H₂O, (II), with pairwise short Pt⋯Pt(1 − x, 2 − y, −z) contacts of 3.3903 (5) Å but no long‐range stacking through the crystals. Inter­pair Pt⋯Pt(−x, 2 − y, −z) distances between cation pairs in the hydrate are 4.3269 (5) Å.     

Aurophilic interactions in μ‐p‐phenyl­enediethynyl‐bis[(trimethyl phosphite)gold(I)] dichloro­methane hemisolvate

The title compound, [Au₂(C₁₀H₄)(C₃H₉O₃P)₂]·0.5CH₂Cl₂, is a linear monomer in which each Au atom is coordinated by one acetylene and one phosphite group. Molecules are connected through aurophilic interactions, one short and one longer, approximately perpendicular to the intramolecular di(gold acetylide) unit, with an Au⋯Au(x, 1 − y, + z) distance of 3.1733 (2) Å and an Au⋯Au(−x, y, − z) distance of 3.5995 (3) Å. Comparison with related compounds exhibiting aurophilic interactions shows that the packing architecture is not determined by steric factors alone.     

Ferrocene compounds: methyl 1′‐aminoferrocene‐1‐carboxylate

The title compund, [Fe(C₅H₆N)(C₇H₇O₂)], features one strong intermolecular hydrogen bond of the type N—H...O=C [N...O = 3.028 (2) Å] between the amine group and the carbonyl group of a neighbouring molecule, and vice versa, to form a centrosymmetric dimer. Furthermore, the carbonyl group acts as a double H‐atom acceptor in the formation of a second, weaker, hydrogen bond of the type C—H...O=C [C...O = 3.283 (2) Å] with the methyl group of the ester group of a second neighbouring molecule at (x, −y − , z − ). The methyl group also acts as a weak hydrogen‐bond donor, symmetry‐related to the latter described C—H...O=C interaction, to a third molecule at (x, −y − , z + ) to form a two‐dimensional network. The cyclopentadienyl rings of the ferrocene unit are parallel to each other within 0.33 (3)° and show an almost eclipsed 1,1′‐conformation, with a relative twist angle of 9.32 (12)°. The ester group is twisted slightly [11.33 (8)°] relative to the cylopentadienyl plane due to the above‐mentioned intermolecular hydrogen bonds of the carbonyl group. The N atom shows pyramidal coordination geometry, with the sum of the X—N—Y angles being 340 (3)°.     

Ammine(2,2′‐bipyridine‐κ2N,N′)silver(I) nitrate: a dimer formed by π–π stacking and ligand‐unsupported Ag...Ag interactions

Reaction of AgNO₃ and 2,2′‐bipyridine (bipy) under ultrasonic treatment gave the title compound, [Ag(C₁₀H₈N₂)(NH₃)]NO₃. The crystal structure consists of dimers formed by two symmetry‐related Ag^I–bipy monomers connected through intra‐dimer π–π stacking and ligand‐unsupported Ag...Ag interactions. A crystallographic C2 axis passes through the mid‐point of and is perpendicular to the Ag...Agⁱ(−x + 1, y, −z + ) axis. In addition, each Ag^I cation is coordinated by one chelating bipy ligand and one ammine ligand, giving a trigonal coordination environment capped by the symmetry‐equivalent Ag atom. Molecules are assembled by Ag...Ag, π–π, hydrogen‐bond (N—H...O and C—H...O) and weak Ag...π interactions into a three‐dimensional framework. Comparing the products synthesized under different mechanical treatments, we found that reaction conditions have a significant influence on the resulting structures. The luminescence properties of the title compound are also discussed.     

(4aR,8aS,9aR,10aS)‐8a,9a‐Difluoro‐1,4,4a,5,8,8a,9,9a,10,10a‐decahydroanthracene‐4a,10a‐diol hemihydrate

The title compound, C₁₄H₁₈F₂O₂·0.5H₂O, a hemihydrate of a C_s‐symmetric unsaturated difluorodiol, crystallizes in the centrosymmetric space group P2/m (Z = 4). The asymmetric unit contains two crystallographically independent difluorodiol half‐molecules, occupying the mirror planes at (x, 0, z) and (x, , z), and half a molecule of water, lying on the twofold axis at (0, y, 0). Four difluorodiol molecules self‐assemble around each solvent water molecule via O—H...O hydrogen bonds in a near tetrahedral symmetry to generate a cylindrical column‐like architecture.     

Apparent shortening of the Csp3—Csp3 bond analysed via a variable‐temperature X‐ray diffraction study in racemic 1,1′‐binaphthalene‐2,2′‐diyl diethyl bis(carbonate)

Crystal structure determination at room temperature [292 (2) K] of racemic 1,1′‐binaphthalene‐2,2′‐diyl diethyl bis(carbonate), C₂₆H₂₂O₆, showed that one of the terminal carbon–carbon bond lengths is very short [Csp³—Csp³ = 1.327 (6) Å]. The reason for such a short bond length has been analysed by collecting data sets on the same crystal at 393, 150 and 90 K. The values of the corrected bond lengths clearly suggest that the shortening is mainly due to positional disorder at two sites, with minor perturbations arising as a result of thermal vibrations. The positional disorder has been resolved in the analysis of the 90 K data following the changes in the unit‐cell parameters for the data sets at 150 and 90 K, which appear to be an artifact of a near centre of symmetry relationship between the two independent molecules in the space group P at these temperatures. Indeed, the unit cell at low temperature (150 and 90 K) is a supercell of the room‐temperature unit cell.     

Synthesis of nanopowders of the aluminum-substituted lanthanum gallate solid electrolyte by mechanochemical route

The room temperature mechanosynthesis of La_1−xSr_xGa_1−y−zMg_yAl_zO_3−δ nanopowders is successfully demonstrated for a broad compositional range (x ≤ 0.1; y ≤ 0.2, z ≤ 0.4) by resorting to a nearly amorphous alumina precursor with enhanced reactivity. It is shown that ceramics with one single phase and free from open porosity can be obtained by sintering these nanopowders at 1350–1450 °C. Microstructural data show that the substitution of Ga by Al hinders densification and decreases the grain size of ceramics. This is explained assuming the segregation of aluminum cations to the grain boundaries as a result of the decrease of the cationic diffusion coefficients.     

Synthesis,crystal structure and magnetic properties of diaquabis(2,6‐diamino‐7H‐purin‐1‐ium‐κN9)bis(4,4′‐oxydibenzoato‐κO)cobalt(II) dihydrate

The title mononuclear Co^II complex, [Co(C₅H₇N₆)₂(C₁₄H₈O₅)₂(H₂O)₂]·2H₂O, has been synthesized and its crystal structure determined by X‐ray diffraction. The complex crystallizes in the triclinic space group P, with one formula unit per cell (Z = 1 and Z′ = ). It consists of a mononuclear unit with the Co^II ion on an inversion centre coordinated by two 2,6‐diamino‐7H‐purin‐1‐ium cations, two 4,4′‐oxydibenzoate anions (in a nonbridging κO‐monodentate coordination mode, which is less common for the anion in its Co^II complexes) and two water molecules, defining an octahedral environment around the metal atom. There is a rich assortment of nonbonding interactions, among which a strong N⁺—H…O⁻ bridge, with a short N…O distance of 2.5272 (18) Å, stands out, with the H atom ostensibly displaced away from its expected position at the donor side, towards the acceptor. The complex molecules assemble into a three‐dimensional hydrogen‐bonded network. A variable‐temperature magnetic study between 2 and 300 K reveals an orbital contribution to the magnetic moment and a weak antiferromagnetic interaction between Co^II centres as the temperature decreases. The model leads to the following values: A (crystal field strength) = 1.81, λ (spin‐orbit coupling) = −59.9 cm⁻¹, g (Landé factor) = 2.58 and zJ (exchange coupling) = −0.5 cm⁻¹.     

Redetermination of bis[μ3‐1,3,5‐triamino‐1,3,5‐trideoxy‐cis‐inositolato(3–)]tribismuth(III) trichloride hexahydrate

The crystal structure of the title compound, [Bi₃(C₆H₁₂N₃O₃)₂]Cl₃·6H₂O, which was described in the space group R3 [Hegetschweiler, Ghisletta & Gramlich (1993). Inorg. Chem. 32 , 2699–2704], has been redetermined in the revised space group R32 as suggested by Marsh [Acta Cryst. (2002), B 58 , 893–899]. Accordingly, the significant difference in the Bi—N bond distances of 2.43 (2) and 2.71 (1) Å, as noted in the previous study, proved to be an artifact. As a consequence, the [Bi₃(H₋₃taci)₂]Cl_6/3 entity (taci is 1,3,5‐triamino‐1,3,5‐trideoxy‐cis‐inositol) adopts D₃ symmetry and the three Bi atoms lie on C₂ axes with equal Bi—N bond distances of 2.636 (3) Å.     

Two phases of bis­(tetraethyl­ammonium) di‐μ‐chloro‐bis­[di­chloro­palladium(II)]

A phase transition was found to occur at ∼153 K in the title compound, (C₈H₂₀N)₂[PdCl₆]. The structures of the two phases are reported at 292 and 130 K. The low‐temperature phase is twinned. The phase transition is accompanied by a minor displacement of the ions. There are C—H⋯Cl interactions as short as ∼2.80 Å, indicating the existence of hydrogen bonds, and this was confirmed by vibrational spectroscopy. The [Pd₂Cl₆]²⁻ anion occupies sites of mmm and 2/m symmetry in the room‐temperature and low‐temperature phases, respectively.     

2D l‐Di‐toluoyl‐tartaric acid Lanthanide Coordination Polymers: Toward Single‐component White‐Light and NIR Luminescent Materials

A series of five l ‐di‐p‐toluoyl‐tartaric acid (l ‐DTTA) lanthanide coordination polymers, namely {[Ln₄K⁴ L₆(H₂O)_x]?yH₂O}_n, [Ln=Dy ( 1 ), x=24, y=12; Ln=Ho ( 2 ), x=23, y=12; Ln=Er ( 3 ), x=24, y=12; Ln=Yb ( 4 ), x=24, y=11; Ln=Lu ( 5 ), x=24, y=12] have been isolated by simple reactions of H₂L (H₂L= L ‐DTTA) with LnCl₃?6 H₂O at ambient temperature. X‐ray crystallographic analysis reveals that complexes 1 – 5 feature two‐dimensional (2D) network structures in which the Ln³⁺ ions are bridged by carboxylate groups of ligands in two unique coordinated modes. Luminescent spectra demonstrate that complex 1 realizes single‐component white‐light emission, while complexes 2 – 4 exhibit a characteristic near‐infrared (NIR) luminescence in the solid state at room temperature.     

Synthesis,Characterization, and Chemical Vapor Transport of Solid Solutions in the MgMoO4‐NiMoO4 System

Two solid solution series exist in the system MgMoO₄‐NiMoO₄. The α‐Ni_1–yMg_yMoO₄ solution series, isostructural to α‐NiMoO₄, is thermodynamically stable at ambient conditions for compositions between 0 % and about 75 % magnesium content. The solution series β‐Mg_1–xNi_xMoO₄, isostructural to MgMoO₄ and the high temperature β modification of NiMoO₄, is thermodynamically stable at ambient conditions for compositions with < 25 % nickel content. A complete solid solution series β‐Mg_1–xNi_xMoO₄ exists at higher temperatures (> 823 K). The transition temperature for the α → β transition decreases with increasing magnesium content. The coexistence of both polymorphs at room temperature in samples with a wide range of composition is a result of the kinetic inhibition of the phase transition β → α. The chemical vapor transport of β‐Mg_1–xNi_xMoO₄ solid solutions with chlorine was investigated. Crystals with a nickel content up to 25 % were synthesized in temperature gradients 1273 K → 1223 K or 1273 K → 1173 K. Deposited nickel richer crystals are destroyed during cooling down to room temperature due to the phase transition. The observed distinctive nickel enrichment during the transport process is in good agreement with predictions by thermodynamic modeling.     

Enhancement of the positive secondary ion yield during low‐energy,dual‐beam depth profiling of polytetrafluoroethylene with 1‐keV Cs+

This work documents the behaviour of the positive secondary ion yield of bulk polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) under dual‐beam depth profiling conditions employing 1 keV Ar⁺, Cs⁺ and SF₅⁺. A unique chemical interaction is observed in the form of a dramatic enhancement of the positive secondary ion yield when PTFE is dual‐beam profiled with 1 keV Cs⁺. The distinct absence of such an enhancement is noted for comparison on two non‐fluorinated polymers, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). The bulk PTFE was probed using 15‐keV, ⁶⁹Ga⁺ primary ions in dual beam mode under static conditions; 1‐keV Ar⁺ (a non‐reactive, light, noble element), Cs⁺ (a heavier metallic ion known to form clusters) and SF₅⁺ (a polyatomic species) served as the sputter ion species. The total accumulated primary ion dose was of the order of 10¹⁵ ions/cm², which is well beyond the static limit. The enhancement of the positive secondary yield obtained when profiling with 1‐keV Cs⁺ far exceeds that obtained when SF₅⁺ is employed. An explanation of this apparent reactive ion effect in PTFE is offered in terms of polarisation of C? F bonds by Cs⁺ in the vicinity of the implantation site thereby predisposing them to facile scission. The formation of peculiar, periodic Cs_xF_y⁺ (where y = x ? 1) and Cs_xC_yF_z⁺ clusters that can extend to masses approaching 2000 amu are also observed. Such species may serve as useful fingerprints for fluorocarbons that can be initiated via pre‐dosing a sample with low‐energy Cs⁺ prior to static 15‐keV Ga⁺ analysis. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A centrosymmetric polymorph of chloridotris(triphenylphosphine‐κP)copper(I) at 150 K

This study characterizes a new polymorph of the title compound, [CuCl(C₁₈H₁₅P)₃], and analyses the influence of the extensive network of weak hydrogen‐bonding interactions in the generation of this different crystal structure. The compound crystallizes in the centrosymmetric space group C2/c with two crystallographically independent molecules per asymmetric unit, in contrast with the previously determined polymorph which crystallizes in the noncentrosymmetric space group P3 with three crystallographically independent molecules in the asymmetric unit, each with crystallographically imposed C3 symmetry [Gill, Mayerle, Welcker, Lewis, Ucko, Barton, Stowens & Lippard (1976). Inorg. Chem. 15 , 1155–1168]. The geometries of the two molecules of the title compound are very similar, with each having an approximately tetrahedral coordination around the central Cu atom and approximate C_s molecular symmetry. The molecules pack in chains parallel to the crystallographic b axis, connected by C—H...Cl and C—H...π(phenyl) hydrogen bonds.     

Methyl 4‐O‐β‐D‐mannopyranosyl β‐D‐xylopyranoside

Methyl β‐D‐mannopyranosyl‐(1→4)‐β‐D‐xylopyranoside, C₁₂H₂₂O₁₀, (I), crystallizes as colorless needles from water, with two crystallographically independent molecules, (IA) and (IB), comprising the asymmetric unit. The internal glycosidic linkage conformation in molecule (IA) is characterized by a ϕ′ torsion angle (O5′_Man—C1′_Man—O1′_Man—C4_Xyl; Man is mannose and Xyl is xylose) of −88.38 (17)° and a ψ′ torsion angle (C1′_Man—O1′_Man—C4_Xyl—C5_Xyl) of −149.22 (15)°, whereas the corresponding torsion angles in molecule (IB) are −89.82 (17) and −159.98 (14)°, respectively. Ring atom numbering conforms to the convention in which C1 denotes the anomeric C atom, and C5 and C6 denote the hydroxymethyl (–CH₂OH) C atom in the β‐Xylp and β‐Manp residues, respectively. By comparison, the internal glycosidic linkage in the major disorder component of the structurally related disaccharide, methyl β‐D‐galactopyranosyl‐(1→4)‐β‐D‐xylopyranoside), (II) [Zhang, Oliver & Serriani (2012). Acta Cryst. C 68 , o7–o11], is characterized by ϕ′ = −85.7 (6)° and ψ′ = −141.6 (8)°. Inter‐residue hydrogen bonding is observed between atoms O3_Xyl and O5′_Man in both (IA) and (IB) [O3_Xyl...O5′_Man internuclear distances = 2.7268 (16) and 2.6920 (17) Å, respectively], analogous to the inter‐residue hydrogen bond detected between atoms O3_Xyl and O5′_Gal in (II). Exocyclic hydroxymethyl group conformation in the β‐Manp residue of (IA) is gauche–gauche, whereas that in the β‐Manp residue of (IB) is gauche–trans.     

Three polymorphs (α, β, and δ) of d‐mannitol at 100 K

In the monoclinic δ polymorph of d ‐mannitol, C₆H₁₄O₆, both the mol­ecule and the packing have approximate twofold rotational symmetry. The P2₁ structure thus approximates space group C222₁, and the α′ polymorph, previously reported in that space group, is almost certainly identical to the δ polymorph. However, torsion angles along the main backbone of the mol­ecule deviate from twofold symmetry by as much as 7.4 (3)° and the hydrogen‐bonding pattern does not conform to the higher symmetry. The α polymorph reported here is identical to the previously reported κ polymorph, and the low‐temperature structure of the β polymorph agrees well with previously reported room‐temperature determinations. The range of C—O bond lengths over the three polymorphs is 1.428 (2)–1.437 (4) Å, and the range of C—C distances is 1.515 (4)–1.5406 (19) Å. The δ polymorph has the highest density of the three, both at room temperature and at 100 K.     

Combining Neopentyllithium with Potassium tert‐Butoxide: Formation of an Alkane‐Soluble Lochmann–Schlosser Superbase

Mixtures of alkyllithium and heavier alkali‐metal alkoxides are often used to form alkyl compounds of heavier alkali metals, but these mixtures are also known for their high reactivity in deprotonative metalation reactions. These organometallic mixtures are often called LiC–KOR superbases, but despite many efforts their constitution remains unknown. Herein we present mixed alkali‐metal alkyl/alkoxy compounds produced by reaction of neopentyllithium with potassium tert‐butoxide. The key to success was the good solubility and temperature‐stability of neopentyl alkali‐metal compounds, leading to hexane‐soluble mixtures, which allowed handling at ambient temperatures and isolation by crystallization. The compounds in solid state and in solution were identified by X‐ray crystallography and NMR spectroscopy as mixtures of lithium/potassium neopentyl/tert‐butoxy aggregates of varying compositions Li_xK_yNp_z(OtBu)_x+y?z.     

Phase composition and phase transformation in Bi(Sb,Nb,Ta)O4 system

In this work Bi(Sb_xNb_yTa_z)O₄ (x + y + z = 1) samples are prepared using mixed-oxide method. A pseudo-ternary phase diagram of Bi(Sb,Nb,Ta)O₄ system is given below the melting point. It is composed of a monoclinic phase region, an orthorhombic phase region and a monoclinic–orthorhombic co-existing phase region. In the orthorhombic phase region, the transformation from orthorhombic to triclinic phase is found to be sensitive to the composition and sintering temperature. Both the transformation from monoclinic to orthorhombic structure and the transformation from orthorhombic to triclinic structure have been studied by the cell parameters.