Metal-metal bonds between group 12 metals and tin: structural characterization of the complete series of Sn-M-Sn (M=Zn,Cd, Hg) heterodimetallic complexes

Reaction of the lithium triamidostannate [MeSi[SiMe(2)N(p-Tol)](3)SnLi(OEt(2))] (1) with 0.5 molar equivalents of MCl(2) (M=Zn, Cd, Hg) in toluene afforded the corresponding heterodimetallic complexes [MeSi[SiMe(2)N(p-Tol)](3)Sn](2)M [M=Hg (2), Cd (3), and Zn (4)]. The molecular structures of the mercury and cadmium complexes were determined by X-ray diffraction and found to adopt a linear Sn-M-Sn metal-metal bonded array (d(Sn-Hg) 2.6495(2), d(Sn-Cd) 2.6758(1) A), these being the first Hg-Sn and Cd-Sn bonds to be characterized by X-ray diffraction. That the Hg-Sn bonds are shorter than the Cd-Sn bonds in the isomorphous complexes is attributed to relativistic effects in the mercury system. In contrast, the structure of the Zn analogue is unsymmetrical with one stannate unit being Sn-Zn bonded (d(Sn(1)-Zn) 2.5782(4) A), while the Zn(II) atom bridges two amido functions of the second stannate cage, thus representing a second isomeric form of these complexes. The different degree of metal-metal bond polarity is reflected in the (119)Sn NMR chemical shifts of the three complexes. Variable-temperature NMR studies and a series of (1)H ROESY experiments of the cadmium complex 3 in solution revealed a dynamic exchange between the two isomers.     

Théorie d'Iwasawap-adique locale et globale

Sans résumé     

A new binding motif in molecular clips: 1-D polymeric self-inclusion in a phenol complex of a bis(methoxyphenyl)glycoluril

Nolte's bis(o-xylylenyl)diphenylglycoluril molecular clips, in which the phenyls act as conformational ‘locks’ of the receptor site, have been modified with p-methoxy substituents on the phenyls. While this change does not have a major effect on the complexation of guests such as resorcinol (m-dihydroxybenzene) in chloroform solution, it allows for new binding geometries in the solid state. The crystal structure of new host 1,6:3,4-bis(1,2-xylylene)tetrahydro-3a,6a-bis(4-methoxyphenyl)-imidazo[4,5-d]imidazole-2,5(1H,3H)-dione (11) complexed with 4-phenylphenol (4-PP) has been determined as its toluene solvate [(11):2(4-PP):0.5(C₇H₈)]. Molecules of 11 aggregate in 1-D chains through polymeric self-inclusion via C-H?π(aromatic) interactions: 2-D sheets form via aryl stacking of the 1-D chains and the 3-D structure consists of alternating sheets of 11 in between which sheets of (4-PP):0.5(C₇H₈) reside.     

Phage display of combinatorial peptide libraries: application to antiviral research

Given the growing number of diseases caused by emerging or endemic viruses, original strategies are urgently required: (1) for the identification of new drugs active against new viruses and (2) to deal with viral mutants in which resistance to existing antiviral molecules has been selected. In this context, antiviral peptides constitute a promising area for disease prevention and treatment. The identification and development of these inhibitory peptides require the high-throughput screening of combinatorial libraries. Phage-display is a powerful technique for selecting unique molecules with selective affinity for a specific target from highly diverse combinatorial libraries. In the last 15 years, the use of this technique for antiviral purposes and for the isolation of candidate inhibitory peptides in drug discovery has been explored. We present here a review of the use of phage display in antiviral research and drug discovery, with a discussion of optimized strategies combining the strong screening potential of this technique with complementary rational approaches for identification of the best target. By combining such approaches, it should be possible to maximize the selection of molecules with strong antiviral potential.     

Band gaps and vibration of strongly heterogeneous Reissner–Mindlin elastic plates

We consider an elastic plate governed by the Reissner–Mindlin?s model, i.e., whose equilibrium equations introduce a coupling between the vertical displacement and the rotation of the normal. This structure is made of a composite with a periodic arrangement of strongly heterogeneous materials and some characteristics of the heterogeneities are comparable to the size of the microstructures. We show that, when the size of the microstructures tends to zero, the limit homogeneous structure presents, for some wavelengths, a negative “mass density” tensor. This means that there exist intervals of frequencies – the band gaps – for which wave propagation is suppressed, or restricted to certain polarizations.     

The Charging of Micellar Nanoparticles in Electrospray Ionization

Charging of nanoparticles through electrospray has scarcely been explored. Spherical nanometer‐sized amphiphilic block copolymer nanoparticles with diameters ranging from ～65 to ～150 nm were electrosprayed and analysed by charge detection spectrometry. Herein, we explore the charging of these micellar nano‐objects by conducting a thorough study in different solvents, including pure water, and upon the addition of “supercharging” agents. The charge (z) of micellar nanoparticles electrosprayed from water solution is compared to the Rayleigh’s limiting charge (z_R) of a charged water droplet of the same dimensions. An average ratio (z/z_R) of 0.6–0.65 is observed for the micellar macro‐ions, supporting the charge residue mechanism, where the number of charges available to the micellar macro‐ion is limited by the number of charges on the nanodroplet, which is a function of the surface tension of the solvent. Also we show the possibility of increasing the charging of micellar nanoparticles in the negative mode by adding organic bases (in particular piperidine) to water/methanol solutions.     

Core–Shell Nanoreactors for Efficient Aqueous Biphasic Catalysis

Water‐borne phosphine‐functionalized core‐cross‐linked micelles ( CCM ) consisting of a hydrophobic core and a hydrophilic shell were obtained as stable latexes by reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) in water in a one‐pot, three‐step process. Initial homogeneous aqueous‐phase copolymerization of methacrylic acid (MAA) and poly(ethylene oxide) methyl ether methacrylate (PEOMA) is followed by copolymerization of styrene (S) and 4‐diphenylphosphinostyrene (DPPS), yielding P(MAA‐co‐PEOMA)‐b‐P(S‐co‐DPPS) amphiphilic block copolymer micelles ( M ) by polymerization‐induced self‐assembly (PISA), and final micellar cross‐linking with a mixture of S and diethylene glycol dimethacrylate. The CCM were characterized by dynamic light scattering and NMR spectroscopy to evaluate size, dispersity, stability, and the swelling ability of various organic substrates. Coordination of [Rh(acac)(CO)₂] (acac=acetylacetonate) to the core‐confined phosphine groups was rapid and quantitative. The CCM and M latexes were then used, in combination with [Rh(acac)(CO)₂], to catalyze the aqueous biphasic hydroformylation of 1‐octene, in which they showed high activity, recyclability, protection of the activated Rh center by the polymer scaffold, and low Rh leaching. The CCM latex gave slightly lower catalytic activity but significantly less Rh leaching than the M latex. A control experiment conducted in the presence of the sulfoxantphos ligand pointed to the action of the CCM as catalytic nanoreactors with substrate and product transport into and out of the polymer core, rather than as a surfactant in interfacial catalysis.