NCN-chelated organoantimony(III) and organobismuth(III) phosphates: synthesis and solid-state and solution structures

.Organoantimony(III) and organobismuth(III) phosphates (LM)(3)(PO(4))(2) [M = Sb (3) and Bi (4)], containing the NCN-chelating ligand L [L = 2,6-(CH(2)NMe(2))(2)C(6)H(3)], were prepared by the simple treatment of parent oxides 1 and 2 with H(3)PO(4). Both compounds were characterized by elemental analysis, electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, and IR and NMR spectroscopy and in the case of 3 by X-ray diffraction techniques. Compound 3 has an interesting behavior in solution, i.e., the formation of two possible conformational isomers, which was studied by (1)H, (13)C, and (31)P NMR spectroscopy.     

Reactivity of stoichiometric titanium oxide cations

We present the results of a reactivity study of titanium cationic clusters towards CO, C(2)H(2), C(2)H(4) and C(3)H(6) based on guided-ion-beam mass spectrometry and DFT calculations. We identified Ti(2)O(4)(+) and to a lesser extent TiO(2)(+) species which preferentially undergo oxidation reactions. An oxygen centered radical of Ti(2)O(4)(+) is responsible for selective oxidation. Energy profiles and MD simulations reveal the mechanisms of the reactions. Regeneration of the oxygen centered radical was achieved experimentally and theoretically through the reaction of N(2)O with Ti(2)O(3)(+).     

Polymethylated [Fe(η6-arene)2]2+ dications: methyl-group rearrangements and application of the EINS mechanism

Reactions between the methylated arenes ArMe(n) [where ArMe(n) = C(6)Me(n)H((6-n)), and n = 1-6] and FeCl(2) in heptane at 90 °C in the presence of anhydrous AlCl(3) give, for the arenes with n = 1-5, extensive isomerisations and disproportionations involving the methyl groups on the arene rings, and the formation of mixtures of [Fe(ArMe(n))(2)](2+) dications that defy separation into pure species. GC-MS studies of AlCl(3)/mesitylene and AlCl(3)/durene reactions in the absence of FeCl(2) (90 °C, 2 h) allow quantitative assessments of the rearrangements, and the EINS mechanism (electrophile-induced nucleophilic substitution) is applied to rationalise the phenomena. By contrast, ArMe(n) / FeCl(2) /AlCl(3) reactions in heptane for 24-36 h at room-temperature proceed with no rearrangements, allowing the synthesis of the complete series of pure [Fe(ArMen)](2+) cations in yields of 48-71%. The pure compounds are characterised by (1)H NMR spectroscopy and electrospray-ionization mass-spectrometry (ESI-MS), and the structures of [Fe(m-xylene)(2)][PF(6)](2) and [Fe(durene)(2)][PF(6)](2) are established by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses.     

Cooperative double deprotonation of bis(2-picolyl)amine leading to unexpected bimetallic mixed valence (M(-I), M(I)) rhodium and iridium complexes

Cooperative reductive double deprotonation of the complex [Rh(I)(bpa)(cod)](+) ([4](+), bpa = PyCH(2)NHCH(2)Py) with one molar equivalent of base produces the bimetallic species [(cod)Rh(bpa-2H)Rh(cod)] (7), which displays a large Rh(-I),Rh(I) contribution to its electronic structure. The doubly deprotonated ligand in 7 hosts the two "Rh(cod)" fragments in two distinct compartments: a "square planar compartment" consisting of one of the Py donors and the central nitrogen donor and a "tetrahedral π-imine compartment" consisting of the other pyridine and an "imine C═N" donor. The formation of an "imine donor" in this process is the result of substantial electron transfer from the {bpa-2H}(2-) ligand to one of the rhodium centers to form the neutral imine ligand bpi (bpi = PyCH(2)N═CHPy). Hence, deprotonation of [Rh(I)(bpa)(cod)](+) represents a reductive process, effectively leading to a reduction of the metal oxidation state from Rh(I) to Rh(-I). The dinuclear iridium counterpart, complex 8, can also be prepared, but it is unstable in the presence of 1 mol equiv of the free bpa ligand, leading to quantitative formation of the neutral amido mononuclear compound [Ir(I)(bpa-H)(cod)] (2). All attempts to prepare the rhodium analog of 2 failed and led to the spontaneous formation of 7. The thermodynamic differences are readily explained by a lower stability of the M(-I) oxidation state for iridium as compared to rhodium. The observed reductive double deprotonation leads to the formation of unusual structures and unexpected reactivity, which underlines the general importance of "redox noninnocent ligands" and their substantial effect on the electronic structure of transition metals.     

Like-charge guanidinium pairing from molecular dynamics and ab initio calculations

Pairing of guanidinium moieties in water is explored by molecular dynamics simulations of short arginine-rich peptides and ab initio calculations of a pair of guanidinium ions in water clusters of increasing size. Molecular dynamics simulations show that, in an aqueous environment, the diarginine guanidinium like-charged ion pairing is sterically hindered, whereas in the Arg-Ala-Arg tripeptide, this pairing is significant. This result is supported by the survey of protein structure databases, where it is found that stacked arginine pairs in dipeptide fragments exist solely as being imposed by the protein structure. In contrast, when two arginines are separated by a single amino acid, their guanidinium groups can freely approach each other and they frequently form stacked pairs. Molecular dynamics simulations results are also supported by ab initio calculations, which show stabilization of stacked guanidinium pairs in sufficiently large water clusters.     

A Combined Experimental and Theoretical Study on the Complexation of Ag<Superscript>+</Superscript> with a Hexaarylbenzene-Based Receptor

From extraction experiments and γ-activity measurements, the exchange extraction constant corresponding to the equilibrium Ag⁺(aq) + 1⋅Cs⁺(nb) ⇆ 1⋅Ag⁺(nb) + Cs⁺(aq) taking part in the two-phase water–nitrobenzene system (where 1 = hexaarylbenzene-based receptor; aq = aqueous phase, nb = nitrobenzene phase) was evaluated to be log ₁₀ K _ex(Ag⁺, 1⋅Cs⁺) = −1.0±0.1. Further, the stability constant of the hexaarylbenzene-based receptor⋅Ag⁺ complex (abbreviation 1⋅Ag⁺) in nitrobenzene saturated with water, was calculated at a temperature of 25 °C: log ₁₀ β _nb(1⋅Ag⁺) = 5.5±0.2. By using quantum mechanical DFT calculations, the most probable structure of the 1⋅Ag⁺ complex species was solved. In this complex having C₃ symmetry, the cation Ag⁺ synergistically interacts with the polar ethereal oxygen fence and with the central hydrophobic benzene ring via cation–π interaction.     

Rapid honey characterization and botanical classification by an electronic tongue

In this paper a commercial electronic tongue (αAstree, Alpha M.O.S.) was applied for botanical classification and physicochemical characterization of honey samples. The electronic tongue was comprised of seven potentiometric sensors coupled with an Ag/AgCl reference electrode. Botanical classification was performed by PCA, CCA and ANN modeling on 12 samples of acacia, chestnut and honeydew honey. The physicochemical characterization of honey was obtained by ANN modeling and the parameters included were electrical conductivity, acidity, water content, invert sugar and total sugar. The initial reference values for the physicochemical parameters observed were determined by traditional methods. Botanical classification of honey samples obtained by ANN was 100% accurate while the highest correlation between observed and predicted values was obtained for electrical conductivity (0.999), followed by acidity (0.997), water content (0.994), invert sugar content (0.988) and total sugar content (0.979).All developed ANN models for rapid honey characterization and botanical classification performed excellently showing the potential of the electronic tongue as a tool in rapid honey analysis and characterization. The advantage of using such a technique is a simple sample preparation procedure, there are no chemicals involved and there are no additional costs except the initial measurements required for ANN model development.     

Synthesis and reactions of 1-hydroxy-9,9a-dihydro-1H-imidazo[1,2-a]indol-2-(3H)-ones

1-Hydroxy-9,9a-dihydro-1H-imidazo[1,2-a]indol-2(3H)-ones, as a new type of azaheterocyclic hydroxamic acids, have been synthesized regioselectively from 1-carbamoylmethyl- or 1-(methoxycarbonyl)methyl-2,3,3-trimethyl-3H-indolium salts by reaction with hydroxylamine in the presence of a strong base. The alkylation and reduction with sodium borohydride of these novel heterocycles have been investigated. When treated with protic acids 1-hydroxy- or 1-alkoxy-9,9a-dihydro-1H-imidazo[1,2-a]indol-2(3H)-ones underwent ring opening of the imidazolidine to afford 1-[2-(hydroxyamino)-2-oxoethyl]-2,3,3-trimethyl-3H-indolium salts. The structural assignments are based on extensive ¹H, ¹³C and ¹⁵N NMR spectroscopic studies and single crystal X-ray analyses.