Polyphosphate ions encapsulated in oxothiomolybdate rings: synthesis, structure, and behavior in solution

Cyclic oxothiomolybdates containing polyphosphate ions were prepared by simple reactions in aqueous medium of the corresponding polyphosphate ions and the cyclic precursor K(2)I(2)Mo(10)S(10)O(10)(OH)(10)(OH(2))(5).15H(2)O. K(5)[Cl(P(2)O(7)]Mo(12)S(12)O(12)(OH)(12)(H(2)O)(4)].22H(2)O (1) was isolated from concentrated chloride solution (2.5 mol.L(-1)). 1 reveals a remarkable complex containing two different substrates encapsulated in a dodecanuclear ring, a H-bonded Cl(-) ion, and a covalently bonded [P(2)O(7)] group. The chloride ion in 1 can be selectively removed for a monohydrogenophosphate group yielding K(6)[(HPO(4))(P(2)O(7))Mo(12)S(12)O(12)(OH)(12)(H(2)O)(2)].19H(2)O (2), a mixed species containing a [P(2)O(7)] and a [HPO(4)] group. The substitution is accompanied by a significant change of the ring, which adopts a "pear-shape" conformation. In the presence of triphosphate ion, the "heart-shaped" decanuclear ring Rb(3)[(H(2)P(3)O(10))Mo(10)S(10)O(10)(OH)(10)].17.5H(2)O (3) is formed containing a linear [P(3)O(10)] group intimately embedded in the inorganic cyclic host. The three compounds were structurally characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The behaviors of 1, 2, and 3 in solution were studied by (31)P NMR. Variable temperature experiments, supported by a two-dimensional COSY (31)P experiment, revealed that the supramolecular interaction existing between the chloride ion and the ring in solid 1 is maintained in solution. Nevertheless, 1 remains labile, and successive equilibria were evidenced and interpreted as an ion-pair association involving a halide ion (Cl, Br, or I), responsible for the conformational change of the [P(2)O(7)] group within the cavity. The influence of the nature of the halide guest (Cl(-), Br(-), and I(-)) on the successive equilibria was studied, and the thermodynamic constant related to the postulated equilibrium was determined. The stability of the supramolecular association decreases in the order Cl > Br > I. In solution, a phosphate exchange is observed for 2 while for 3 the absence of temperature dependence of the (31)P NMR spectrum confirms the conformation of the host-guest system is blocked. Elemental analysis and infrared characterizations are also supplied.     

Preparative isolation of polyphenolic compounds from Vitis vinifera by centrifugal partition chromatography

This study deals with a centrifugal partition chromatography developed for the separation of phenolic compounds from Vitis vinifera. EtOAc grape seed extracts were separated using the solvent system hexane-ethyl acetate-ethanol-water (1:8:2:7; v/v) in two fractions: one containing about 75% of flavanol monomers (catechin and epicatechin) corresponding to 18% of crude extract and another fraction B-type dimers (22% of crude extract). From the stalk extracts, we could separate stilbenoid compounds (resveratrol and its oligomers; 12% of crude extract) which were eluted in less than 30 min from flavanols (which required a few hours of additional elution). Using the same solvent system but in different ratios (4:5:3:3; v/v), we isolated the trans-resveratrol (7@1000; 90% purity).     

New heteroleptic bis-phenanthroline copper(I) complexes with dipyridophenazine or imidazole fused phenanthroline ligands: spectral, electrochemical, and quantum chemical studies

Two new sterically challenged diimine ligands L(1) (2,9-dimesityl-2-(4'-bromophenyl)imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthroline) and L(2) (3,6-di-n-butyl-11-bromodipyrido[3,2-a:2',3'-c]phenazine) have been synthesized with the aim to build original heteroleptic copper(I) complexes, following the HETPHEN concept developed by Schmittel and co-workers. The structure of L(1) is based on a phen-imidazole molecular core, derivatized by two highly bulky mesityl groups in positions 2 and 9 of the phenanthroline cavity, preventing the formation of a homoleptic species, while L(2) is a dppz derivative, bearing n-butyl chains in α positions of the chelating nitrogen atoms. The unambiguous formation of six novel heteroleptic copper(I) complexes based on L(1), L(2), and complementary matching ligands (2,9-R(2)-1,10-phenanthroline, with R = H, methyl, n-butyl or mesityl) has been evidenced, and the resulting compounds were fully characterized. The electronic absorption spectra of all complexes fits well with DFT calculations allowing the assignment of the main transitions. The characteristics of the emissive excited state were investigated in different solvents using time-resolved single photon counting and transient absorption spectroscopy. The complexes with ligand L(2), bearing a characteristic dppz moiety, exhibit a very low energy excited-state which mainly leads to fast nonradiative relaxation, whereas the emission lifetime is higher for those containing the bulky ligand L(1). For example, a luminescence quantum yield of about 3 × 10(-4) is obtained with a decay time of about 50 ns for C2 ([Cu(I)(nBu-phen)(L(1))](+)) with a weak influence of strong coordinating solvent on the luminescence properties. Overall, the spectral features are those expected for a highly constrained coordination cage. Yet, the complexes are stable in solution, partly due to the beneficial π stacking between mesityl groups and vicinal phenanthroline aromatic rings, as evidenced by the X-ray structure of complex C3 ([Cu(I)(Mes-phen)(L(2))](+)). Electrochemistry of the copper(I) complexes revealed reversible anodic behavior, corresponding to a copper(I) to copper(II) transition. The half wave potentials increase with the steric bulk at the level of the copper(I) ion, reaching a value as high as 1 V vs SCE, with the assistance of ligand induced electronic effects. L(1) and L(2) are further end-capped by a bromo functionality. A Suzuki cross-coupling reaction was directly performed on the complexes, in spite of the handicapping lability of copper(I)-phenanthroline complexes.     

Chemical composition and insecticidal activity of essential oils of two aromatic plants from Ivory Coast against Bemisia tabaci G. (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae)

Essential oils of aromatic plants with insecticidal properties are nowadays considered as alternative insecticides to protect cultures from attack by insect pest. The aims of the present work were to evaluate the toxicity of the essential oils vapors of two aromatic plants (Lippia multiflora Mold. and Aframomum latifolium K. Schum) against Bemisia tabaci and to characterize their chemical composition. The highest fumigant toxicity against B. tabaci adults was observed with the L. multiflora oil: by exposure to 0.4 microL/L air, the lethal time inducing 90% mortality (LT90) was below 2 hours for this essential oil whereas it reached 15 h in the case of the A. latifolium oil. Both oils were analyzed by GC-FID and GC-MS on two capillary columns. The oil of L. multiflora contained a majority of oxygenated terpenoids mainly represented by the two acyclic components linalool (46.6%) and (E)-nerolidol (16.5%); the oil of A. latifolium was dominated by hydrocarbonated terpenoids among them beta-pinene (51.6%) and beta-caryophyllene (12.3%) were the two major components.     

Partition and water/oil adsorption of some surfactants

Adsorption isotherms have been determined at the water/oil interface for five biphasic systems involving surfactants (non-ionic and ionic) present in both phases at partition equilibrium. The systems studied were polyoxyethylene(23)lauryl ether (Brij35) in water/hexane and four ionic surfactants, hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), and a series of three tetraalkylammonium dodecylsulfate (TEADS, TPADS, and TBADS) in water/CH 2Cl 2. Interfacial tension measurements performed at the water/air and water/oil interfaces provided all the necessary information for the determination of the adsorption parameters by taking partition into account. These measurements also allowed the comparison of the adsorption properties at both interfaces which showed an increase of the adsorption equilibrium constant and a decrease of the maximum surface concentration at the water/oil interface compared to water/air. The values of the critical aggregation concentration showed, in all cases, that only the surfactant dissolved in the aqueous phase contribute to the decrease of the water/oil interfacial tension. In the case of the four ionic surfactants, the critical aggregation concentration obtained in biphasic conditions were lowered because of the formation of mixed surfactant-CH 2Cl 2 aggregates.     

Plasmonic properties of silver nanostructures coated with an amorphous silicon-carbon alloy and their applications for sensitive sensing of DNA hybridization

The use of an amorphous silicon-carbon alloy overcoating on silver nanostructures in a localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) sensing platform allows for decreasing the detection limit by an order of magnitude as compared to sensors based on gold nanostructures deposited on glass. In addition, silver based multilayer structures show a distinct plasmonic behaviour as compared to gold based nanostructures, which provides the sensor with an increased short-range sensitivity and a decreased long-range sensitivity.     

A Reevaluation of the Photolytic Properties of 2‐Hydroxybenzophenone‐Based UV Sunscreens: Are Chemical Sunscreens Inoffensive?

The excited states of a set of popular sunscreen agents (2‐hydroxybenzophenone, oxybenzone, and sulisobenzone) are studied by using femto‐ and nanosecond time‐resolved spectroscopy. Upon excitation, the compounds undergo an ultrafast excited‐state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) reaction as the major energy‐wasting process and the rate constant of this reaction is k=2×10¹² s^?1. The ESIPT yields a keto conformer that undergoes a fast, picosecond internal conversion decay. However, a photodegradative pathway is a monophotonic H?O bond breakage that subsequently leads to trace yields of phenoxyl radicals. Because potentially harmful phenoxyl radicals are formed upon irradiation of sunscreen agents, care should be taken about their reactivity towards biologically relevant compounds.     

Cationic Biphotonic Lanthanide Luminescent Bioprobes Based on Functionalized Cross-Bridged Cyclam Macrocycles

Cationic lanthanide complexes are generally able to spontaneously internalize into living cells. Following our previous works based on a diMe-cyclen framework, a second generation of cationic water-soluble lanthanide complexes based on a constrained cross-bridged cyclam macrocycle functionalized with donor-π-conjugated picolinate antennas was prepared with europium(III) and ytterbium(III). Their spectroscopic properties were thoroughly investigated in various solvents and rationalized with the help of DFT calculations. A significant improvement was observed in the case of the Eu³⁺ complex, while the Yb³⁺ analogue conserved photophysical properties in aqueous solvent. Two-photon (2P) microscopy imaging experiments on living T24 human cancer cells confirmed the spontaneous internalization of the probes and images with good signal-to-noise ratio were obtained in the classic NIR-to-visible configuration with the Eu³⁺ luminescent bioprobe and in the NIR-to-NIR with the Yb³⁺ one.     

Palladium-Catalyzed Cyclization of a Pyryne Precursor to Higher Pyrenylenes

The palladium catalyzed cyclotrimerization of ortho-silylaryl triflates as aryne precursors is meanwhile an established method to synthesize polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) with triphenylene cores. During the palladium-catalyzed reaction of a pyrene with an o-silylaryl triflate moiety in the K-region higher homologues with central eight- and ten-membered rings (the pyrenylenes) were found, besides the expected trimer and a protocol was developed to isolate all members of this series. This unprecedented new class of PAHs was fully investigated by all means, including X-ray diffraction of single-crystals, UV/Vis and fluorescence spectroscopy and theoretical calculations. Supported by density-functional theory (DFT) calculations, a mechanism of all higher cyclooligomers is proposed.     

Polyphenol-Enriched Blueberry Preparation Controls Breast Cancer Stem Cells by Targeting FOXO1 and miR-145

Scientific evidence supports the early deregulation of epigenetic profiles during breast carcinogenesis. Research shows that cellular transformation, carcinogenesis, and stemness maintenance are regulated by epigenetic-specific changes that involve microRNAs (miRNAs). Dietary bioactive compounds such as blueberry polyphenols may modulate susceptibility to breast cancer by the modulation of CSC survival and self-renewal pathways through the epigenetic mechanism, including the regulation of miRNA expression. Therefore, the current study aimed to assay the effect of polyphenol enriched blueberry preparation (PEBP) or non-fermented blueberry juice (NBJ) on the modulation of miRNA signature and the target proteins associated with different clinical-pathological characteristics of breast cancer such as stemness, invasion, and chemoresistance using breast cancer cell lines. To this end, 4T1 and MB-MDM-231 cell lines were exposed to NBJ or PEBP for 24 h. miRNA profiling was performed in breast cancer cell cultures, and RT-qPCR was undertaken to assay the expression of target miRNA. The expression of target proteins was examined by Western blotting. Profiling of miRNA revealed that several miRNAs associated with different clinical-pathological characteristics were differentially expressed in cells treated with PEBP. The validation study showed significant downregulation of oncogenic miR-210 expression in both 4T1 and MDA-MB-231 cells exposed to PEBP. In addition, expression of tumor suppressor miR-145 was significantly increased in both cell lines treated with PEBP. Western blot analysis showed a significant increase in the relative expression of FOXO1 in 4T1 and MDA-MB-231 cells exposed to PEBP and in MDA-MB-231 cells exposed to NBJ. Furthermore, a significant decrease was observed in the relative expression of N-RAS in 4T1 and MDA-MB-231 cells exposed to PEBP and in MDA-MB-231 cells exposed to NBJ. Our data indicate a potential chemoprevention role of PEBP through the modulation of miRNA expression, particularly miR-210 and miR-145, and protection against breast cancer development and progression. Thus, PEBP may represent a source for novel chemopreventative agents against breast cancer.