Insight into the drastically different triplet lifetimes of BODIPY obtained by optical/magnetic spectroscopy and theoretical computations

The triplet state lifetimes of organic chromophores are crucial for fundamental photochemistry studies as well as applications as photosensitizers in photocatalysis, photovoltaics, photodynamic therapy and photon upconversion. It is noteworthy that the triplet state lifetime of a chromophore can vary significantly for its analogues, while the exact reason was rarely studied. Herein with a few exemplars of typical BODIPY derivatives, which show triplet lifetimes varying up to 110-fold (1.4–160 μs), we found that for these derivatives with short triplet state lifetimes (ca. 1–3 μs), the electron spin polarization (ESP) pattern of the time-resolved electron paramagnetic resonance (TREPR) spectra of the triplet state is inverted at a longer delay time after laser pulse excitation, as a consequence of a strong anisotropy in the decay rates of the zero-field state sublevel of the triplet state. For the derivatives showing longer triplet state lifetimes (>50 μs), no such ESP inversion was observed. The observed fast decay of one sublevel is responsible for the short triplet state lifetime; theoretical computations indicate that it is due to a strong coupling between the T_z sublevel and the ground state mediated by the spin–orbit interaction. Another finding is that the heavy atom effect on the shortening of the triplet state lifetime is more significant for the T₁ states with lower energy. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first systematic study to rationalize the short triplet state lifetime of visible-light-harvesting organic chromophores. Our results are useful for fundamental photochemistry and the design of photosensitizers showing long-lived triplet states.

The electron spin polarization inversion and anisotropic decay of triplet substates explain the short triplet state lifetime of BODIPY derivatives.     

Analysis of bonding properties in molecular ground and excited states by a Cohen-type bond order

We propose a Cohen-type bond order analysis in terms of orthogonalized atomic basis functions which can be used to analyze NDO wave functions of large organic and metal–organic molecules. It is shown that for small molecules the results gained with this method are in excellent agreement with the same analysis based on ab initio STO -3G wavefunctions. For large planar aromatic systems these all-valence electron bond orders are found to be a consistent generalization of the π-bond order. A simple relation between these bond orders and the corresponding covalent bond energies is established. The method can be easily extended to study excited state multiconfiguration wave functions. We present calculations for C₂H₂, C₂H₄, C₂H₆, and Mn₂(CO)₁₀. The results indicate that the method can be used to discuss the photochemistry of organic and metal–organic compounds.     

Efforts to expand the genetic alphabet: identification of a replicable unnatural DNA self-pair

Six unnatural nucleotides featuring fluorine-substituted phenyl nucleobase analogues have been synthesized, incorporated into DNA, and characterized in terms of the structure and replication properties of the self-pairs they form. Each unnatural self-pair is accommodated in B-form DNA without detectable structural perturbation, and all are thermally stable and selective to roughly the same degree. Furthermore, the efficiency of polymerase-mediated mispair synthesis is similar for each unnatural nucleotide in the template. In contrast, the efficiency of polymerase-mediated self-pair extension is highly dependent on the specific fluorine substitution pattern. The most promising unnatural base pair candidate of this series is the 3-fluorobenzene self-pair, which is replicated with reasonable efficiency and selectivity.     

Aqueous synthesis of derivatized cyclopentadienyl complexes of technetium and rhenium directed toward radiopharmaceutical application

Half-sandwich complexes of the type [(RCOCp)M(CO)(3)] with M = Re and (99(m))Tc were synthesized from [M(OH(2))(3)(CO)(3)](+) in water. The R group can be an organic residue or a receptor binding biomolecule with a spacer to cyclopentadienyl (Cp). This provides a general route to Cp complexes of technetium without the need for starting from [TcBr(CO)(5)]. The X-ray structure of [(C(6)H(5)CH(2)COC(5)H(4))Tc(CO)(3)] has been elucidated. The compound crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2(1)/c with a = 16.1454(9), b = 7.6300(6), and c = 12.3922(7) A and beta = 107.792(6) degrees. We have chosen a serotonergic receptor ligand (WAY) as an example for the derivatization of Cp with a bioactive molecule. WAY is linked to Cp by an aliphatic chain of variable length. The half-sandwich complexes were prepared from water and organic solvents. The structure of [(WAY4-Cp)Re(CO)(3)] could be elucidated. The compound crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2(1)/c with a = 15.7112(6), b = 6.8775(3), and c = 25.5217(12) A and beta = 103.778(5) degrees. Quantification of inhibition constants gave a clear structure-activity relationship. A single methylene group between the receptor binding site and the half-sandwich complex gave an IC(50) of 217 nM for HT(1A), whereas a butylene linker resulted in retention of the inhibition constant with an IC(50) of 6 nM with respect to underivatized WAY. For use as radiopharmaceuticals, the compounds have also been prepared with (99m)Tc in quantitative yield.     

Hydrogen-induced metal-oxide interaction studied on noble metal model catalysts

Summary The effect of hydrogen reduction on the structure and catalytic properties of “thin film”and “inverse”model systems for supported metal catalysts is discussed. Thin film model catalysts were obtained by epitaxial growth of Pt and Rh nanoparticles on NaCl(001), which were coated with amorphous or crystalline supports of alumina, silica, titania, ceria and vanadia. Structural and morphological changes upon hydrogen reduction between 473 and 973 K were examined by high resolution electron microscopy. Metal-oxide interaction sets in at a specific reduction temperature and is characterized by an initial “wetting”stage, followed by alloy formation at increasing temperature, in the order VO_x< TiO_x< SiO₂< CeO_x< Al₂O₃. “Inverse”model systems were prepared by deposition of oxides on a metal substrate, e.g. VO_x/Rh and VO_x/Pd. Reduction of inverse systems at elevated temperature induces subsurface alloy formation. In contrast to common bimetallic surfaces, the stable subsurface alloys of V/Rh and V/Pd have a purely noble metal-terminated surface, with V positioned in near-surface layers. The uniform composition of the metallic surface layer excludes catalytic ensemble effects in favor of ligand effects. Activity and selectivity, e.g. for CO and CO₂methanation and for partial oxidation of ethene, are mainly controlled by the temperature of annealing or reduction. Reduction above 573 K turned out to be beneficial for the catalytic activity of the subsurface alloys, but not for the corresponding thin film systems which tend to deactivate viaparticle encapsulation.</o:p>     

Amidines derived from Pt(IV)-mediated nitrile-amino alcohol coupling and their Zn(II)-catalyzed conversion into oxazolines

The reaction between the platinum(IV) complex trans-[PtCl(4)(EtCN)(2)] and the amino alcohols NH(2)CH(2)CH(2)OH, NH(2)CH(2)CH(Me)OH-(R)-(-), NH(2)CH(Ph)CH(2)OH-(R)-(-), NH(2)CH(Et)CH(2)OH-(R)-(-), NH(2)CH(Et)CH(2)OH-(S)-(+), and NH(2)CH(Pr(n)())CH(2)OH proceeds rapidly at room temperature in CH(2)Cl(2) to furnish the amidine complexes [PtCl(4)(HN=C(Et)NH(arcraise;)OH)(2)] (1-6) in good yield (70-80%). The related reaction between the platinum(II) complex trans-[PtCl(2)(EtCN)(2)] and monoethanolamine in a molar ratio of 1:2 in CH(2)Cl(2) results in the addition of 4 equiv of NH(2)CH(2)CH(2)OH per mole of complex to give [Pt(HN=C(Et)NHCH(2)CH(2)OH)(2)(NH(2)CH(2)CH(2)OH)(2)](2+) (7). Formulation of 1-6 is based upon satisfactory C, H, N elemental analyses, electrospray mass spectrometry, IR spectroscopy, and (1)H, (13)C((1)H), (15)N, and (195)Pt NMR spectroscopies, while the structures of trans-[PtCl(4)((Z)-NH=C(Et)NHCH(2)CH(2)OH)(2)] (1), trans-[PtCl(4)((Z)-NH=C(Et)NHCH(2)CH(Me)OH-(R)-(-))(2)] (2), and trans-[PtCl(4)((Z)-NH=C(Et)NHCH(Et)CH(2)OH-(R)-(-))(2)] (4) were determined by X-ray single-crystal diffraction. The Z-amidine configuration of the ligands is preserved in CDCl(3) solutions as confirmed by gradient-enhanced (15)N,(1)H-HMQC spectroscopy and NOE experiments. The amidines, formed upon Pt(IV)-mediated nitrile-amino alcohol coupling, were liberated from their platinum(IV) complexes 1, 3, and 4 by reaction with Ph(2)PCH(2)CH(2)PPh(2) (dppe) giving free NH=C(Et)NHCHRCH(2)OH (R = H 8, Et 9, Ph 10), with the substituents R of different types, and dppe oxides; the P-containing species were identified by (31)P((1)H) NMR spectroscopy. NOESY spectroscopy indicates that the liberated amidines retained the same configuration relative to the C=N double bond, i.e., syn-(H,Et)-NH=C(Et)NHCHRCH(2)OH. The liberated hydroxo-functionalized amidines 8-10 were converted into oxazolines (11-13) in the presence of a catalytic amount of ZnCl(2). A similar catalytic effect has also been reached using anhydrous MSO(4) (M = Cu, Co, Cd), CdCl(2), and AlCl(3).     

Direct structure determination using residual dipolar couplings: reaction-site conformation of methionine sulfoxide reductase in solution

Residual dipolar couplings (RDC) from partially aligned molecules provide long-range structural data and are thus particularly well adapted to rapid structure validation or protein fold recognition. Extensive measurements in two alignment media can also provide precise de novo structure from RDC alone. We have applied a novel combination of these approaches to the study of methionine sulfoxide reductase (MsrA) from Erwinia chrysanthemi, a 27 kDa enzyme essential for repairing oxidative stress damage. The tertiary fold was initially validated by comparing backbone RDC to expected values from the crystal structure of the homologous MsrA from Escherichia coli. Good agreement was found throughout the chain, verifying the overall topology of the molecule, with the exception of the catalytically important peptide P196-L202, where strong and systematic RDC violation was observed. No evidence for local differential mobility in this region was detected, implying that the structure of the strand differs in the two molecules. We have therefore applied the de novo approach meccano to determine the conformation of this peptide using only RDC. A single conformation is found that is in agreement with all measured data. The aligned peptide can be docked onto the expected covalence of the rest of the template molecule while respecting its strictly defined relative orientation. In contrast to the structure of MsrA from E. coli, the reactive side chain of Cys200 is oriented toward the interior of the molecule and therefore closer to the catalytic Cys53, obviating the need for previously proposed conformational reorganization prior to formation of this disulfide intermediate. This analysis requires only backbone assignment and uses unambiguously assigned and readily measurable structural data, thereby greatly economizing investigation time compared to established nuclear Overhauser effect- (nOe-) based structure calculation methods.     

Self-assembly of tetrahedral and trigonal antiprismatic clusters [Fe4(L4)4] and [Fe6(L5)6] on the basis of trigonal tris-bidentate chelators

In a one-pot reaction, the tetranuclear iron chelate complex [Fe4(L4)4] 6 was generated from benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylic acid trichloride (4), bis-tert-butyl malonate (5a), methyllithium, and iron(II) dichloride under aerobic conditions. Alternatively, hexanuclear iron chelate complex [Fe(L5)6] 7 was formed starting from bis-para-tolyl malonate (5b) by employing identical reaction conditions to those applied for the synthesis of 6. The clusters 6 and 7 are present as racemic mixtures of homoconfigurational (delta,delta,delta,delta)/(lambda,lambda,lambda,lambda)-fac or (delta,delta,delta,delta,delta,delta)/(lambda,lambda,lambda,lambda,lambda,lambda)-fac stereoisomers. The structures of 6 and 7 were unequivocally resolved by single-crystal X-ray analyses. The all-iron(III) character of 6 and 7 was determined by M?ssbauer spectroscopy.     

Modeling features of the non-heme diiron cores in O2-activating enzymes through the synthesis, characterization, and oxidation of 1,8-naphthyridine-based complexes

Multidentate naphthyridine-based ligands were used to prepare a series of diiron(II) complexes. The compound [Fe(2)(BPMAN)(mu-O(2)CPh)(2)](OTf)(2) (1), where BPMAN = 2,7-bis[bis(2-pyridylmethyl)aminomethyl]-1,8-naphthyridine, exhibits two reversible oxidation waves with E(1/2) values at +310 and +733 mV vs Cp(2)Fe(+)/Cp(2)Fe, as revealed by cyclic voltammetry. Reaction with O(2) or H(2)O(2) affords a product with optical and M?ssbauer properties that are characteristic of a (mu-oxo)diiron(III) species. The complexes [Fe(2)(BPMAN)(mu-OH)(mu-O(2)CAr(Tol))](OTf)(2) (2) and [Fe(2)(BPMAN)(mu-OMe)(mu-O(2)CAr(Tol))](OTf)(2) (3) were synthesized, where Ar(Tol)CO(2)(-) is the sterically hindered ligand 2,6-di(p-tolyl)benzoate. Compound 2 has a reversible redox wave at +11 mV, and both 2 and 3 react with O(2), via a mixed-valent Fe(II)Fe(III) intermediate, to give final products that are also consistent with (mu-oxo)diiron(III) species. The paddle-wheel compound [Fe(2)(BBAN)(mu-O(2)CAr(Tol))(3)](OTf) (4), where BBAN = 2,7-bis(N,N-dibenzylaminomethyl)-1,8-naphthyridine, reacts with dioxygen to yield benzaldehyde via oxidative N-dealkylation of a benzyl group on BBAN, an internal substrate. In the presence of bis(4-methylbenzyl)amine, the reaction also produces p-tolualdehyde, revealing oxidation of an external substrate. A structurally related compound, [Fe(2)(BEAN)(mu-O(2)CAr(Tol))(3)](OTf) (5), where BEAN = 2,7-bis(N,N-diethylaminomethyl)-1,8-naphthyridine, does not undergo N-dealkylation, nor does it facilitate the oxidation of bis(4-methylbenzyl)amine. The contrast in reactivity of 4 and 5 is attributed to a difference in accessibility of the substrate to the diiron centers of the two compounds. The M?ssbauer spectroscopic properties of the diiron(II) complexes were also investigated.