Metal carbonyl catalysis of carbon monoxide and formate reactions

The water gas shift reaction (CO + H₂O = CO₂+ H₂) is catalyzed by aqueous metal carbonyl systems derived from simple mononuclear carbonyls such as Fe(CO)₅ and M(CO)₆ (M = Cr, Mo, and W) and bases in the 140–200 °C temperature range. The water gas shift reaction in a basic methanol-water solution containing Fe(CO)₅ is first order in [Fe(CO)₅], zero order in [CO], and essentially independent of base concentration and appears to involve an associative mechanism with a metallocarboxylate intermediate [(CO)₄Fe-CO₂H]^–. The water gas shift reactions using M(CO)₆ as catalyst precursors are first order in [M(CO)₆], inverse first order in [CO], and first order in [HCO₂ ^–] and appear to involve a dissociative mechanism with formatometallate intermediates [(CO)₅M-OCHO]^–.The Reppe hydroformylation of ethylene to produce propionaldehyde and 1-propanol in basic solutions containing Fe(CO)₅ occurs at 110–140 °C. This reaction is second order in [Fe(CO)₅], first order in [C₂H₄] up to a saturation pressure >1.5 MPa, and inhibited by [CO]. These experimental results suggest a mechanism where the rate-determining step involves a binuclear iron carbonyl intermediate. The substitution of Et₃N for NaOH as the base facilitates the reduction of propionaldehyde to 1-propanol but results in a slower rate for the overall reaction.The homogeneous photocatalytic decomposition of the formate ion to H₂ and CO₂ in the presence of Cr(CO)₆ appears to be closely related to the water gas shift reaction. The rate of H₂ production from the formate ion exhibits saturation kinetics in the formate ion and is inhibited by added pyridine. The infrared spectra of the catalyst solutions indicate an LCr(CO)₅ intermediate. Photolysis of the Cr(CO)₆/formate system in aqueous methanol in the presence of an aldehyde RCHO (R =n-heptyl,p-tolyl, andp-anisyl) results in catalytic hydrogenation of the aldehyde to the corresponding alcohol RCH₂OH by the formate ion. Detailed kinetic studies onp-tolualdehyde hydrogenation by this method indicates saturation kinetics in formate ion, autoinhibition by thep-tolualdehyde, and a threshold effect for Cr(CO)₆ at concentrations >0.004 mol L^–1. The presence of an aldehyde can interrupt the water gas shift catalytic cycle by interception of an HCr(CO)₅ ^– intermediate by the aldehyde.Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 9, pp. 1533–1539, September, 1994.     

Concise synthesis of anhydrovinblastine from leurosine

[reaction: see text] The Cp(2)TiCl-mediated deoxygenation of leurosine (1) afforded anhydrovinblastine (4) in good yield. Furthermore, as the reaction proceeded via a carbon-centered radical intermediate, this transient was also trapped by a hydrogen-atom donor to afford selectively reduced alkaloid 10.     

Nature et stabilité des complexes métalliques de cryptands dinucléants en solution II. Polythiamacrotricycles et monocycles apparentés

Nature and Stability of Some Metallic Complexes of Dinucleating Cryptands in Solution II. Polythiamacrotricycles and Related Monocyclic Subunits The stability constants of the Cu²⁺ and Ag⁺ complexes of the cylindrical macrotricycle 1a (1,7,13,19-tetraaza 4,16-dioxa 10,22,27,32-tetrathiatricyclo[17.5.5.5]tetratriacontane) have been determined by pH-metry, as well as those of the Cu²⁺, Co²⁺, Zn²⁺, Cd²⁺, Pb²⁺, and Ag⁺ complexes of the monocyclic subunit 2a (1,7-dimethyl-1,7-diaza 4,10-dithiacyclododecane), in aqueous solutions (NaClO₄) at 25°. In the Cu(II) systems, equilibria were reached slowly, and the results established by pH-metry were confirmed by UV/VIS spectrophotometric studies. The tricycle 1a forms dinuclear cryptates with copper and silver, with overall stability constants log β₂₁₀ (Cu₂- 1a )⁴⁺ = 18.5, log β_21-2 (Cu₂- 1a (OH)₂)²⁺ = 4.8, log β₂₁₀(Ag₂- 1a )²⁺ = 23.0. Ag⁺ also forms a mononuclear (Ag- 1a )⁺ complex, with log β₁₁₀ = 13.1, but no mononuclear species were detected in the Cu- 1a system. The absorption spectra of the bis-Cu(II) complexes of 1a and 2a in aqueous medium, MeOH and propylene carbonate (PC) are given, as well as those, in MeOH and PC, of the bis-copper complexes of the related monocycles 3 and 4 (1,7-diaza-4,10,13-trithiacyclopentadecane and 1.10-diaza 4,7,13,16-tetrathiacyclooctadecane, respectively), and tricycle 5 with two benzyl groups in the lateral chains. The complexing properties of the polyoxa- and polythia macrotricycles (Parts I and II of this series) are compared to those of other bis-chelating ligands, the bicyclic bis-tren and the monocyclic bis-dien.     

Determination de la constante d'acidite intrinseque d'un echangeur d'ions carboxylique

To obtain the intrinsic acidity constant of a carboxylic ion-exchanger, we propose a method of graphical double extrapolation. The results for an ion-exchanger made of polyvinyl alcohol grafted with acrylic acid are close to those published for the corresponding linear polyacid.     

Characterization of PEDOT film functionalized with a series of automated synthesis ferrocenyl-containing oligonucleotides

In previous works we have described a fully automated synthesis of new ferrocene labelled oligonucleotides (Fc-ODNs) probes with one or more electroactive markers at different position in the chain. These Fc-ODNs have shown good properties to detect ODN target in solution. Here we describe the post-functionalization of a conducting co-polymer based on ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) derivatives by a series of Fc-ODNs. The grafting of the Fc-ODNs probes resulted in the appearance of the ferrocene redox couple which directly confirm the effectiveness of the ODN anchoring compared to traditional approach based on IR spectroscopy and X-ray fluorescence of the films. Moreover, the electrochemical response of the modified electrodes analysed in organic media before and after hybridization with ODN target confirm that properties obtain in solution for Fc-ODNs already exist in the film. The changes in the current intensity were found to be dependant on the structure of the grafted ODN that validate our strategy to synthesize an optimal Fc-ODNs.     

1H and 13C NMR characterization of hemiamidal isoniazid-NAD(H) adducts as possible inhibitors of InhA reductase of Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Isoniazid (INH) is easily oxidized with manganese(III) pyrophosphate, a chemical model of the KatG protein involved in activation of INH inside the bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Performed in the presence of NAD(+), this oxidation generates a family of isomeric INH-NAD(H) adducts, which have been shown to be effective inhibitors of InhA, an enzyme essential in mycolic acid biosynthesis. In this work, we fully characterized by (1)H and (13)C NMR spectroscopy four main species of INH-NAD(H) adducts that coexist in solution. Two of them are open diastereoisomers consisting of the covalent attachment of the isonicotinoyl radical at position four of the nicotinamide coenzyme. The other two result from a cyclization involving the amide group from the nicotinamide and the carbonyl group from the isonicotinoyl radical to give diastereoisomeric hemiamidals. Although an INH-NAD(H) adduct with a 4S configuration has been characterized within the active site of InhA from Xray crystallography and this bound adduct interpreted as an open form (Rozwarski et al., Science 1998, 279, 98-102), it is legitimate to raise the question about the effective active form(s), open or cyclic, of INH-NAD(H) adduct(s). Is there a single active form or are several forms able to inhibit the InhA activity with different levels of inhibitory potency?     

Studies on poly(iminomethylenes)

A variety of simple alkyl and aryl isocyanides have been polymerized using 0.5% NiCl₂ in ethanol as a catalyst. The resulting poly(iminomethylenes) have been characterized by carbon-13 NMR spectroscopy and their polystyrene-equivalent molecular weights have been determined by gel permeation chromatography. Straight chain aliphatic isocyanides having from three to ten carbon atoms in the chain form readily solyble polymers having molecular weights (M_w) in the general range 10,000 to 30,000. Neopentyl isocyanide unlike tert-butyl isocyanide forms an insoluble polymer. A number of new soluble aryl isocyanide polymers have been obtained. However, aryl isocyanides having a single alkyl substituent (CH₃, C₂H₅, CF₃) in the ortho position give only insoluble polymers, whereas aryl isocyanides having alkyl substituents in both ortho positions (e.g., 2,6-(CH₃)₂C₆H₃NC and 2,4,6-(CH₃)₃C₆H₂NC) fail to polymerize under these conditions. The highest molecular weight soluble aryl isocyanide homopolymer is obtained from 3-CH₃OC₆H₄NC(M_w = 26,000). The trimethylsilyl substituted isocyanide (CH₃)₃SiCH₂CH₂NC has been obtained from LiCH₂NC and (CH₃)SiCH₂Cl and gives a brown soluble homopolymer with a molecular weight (M_w) of 19,000.