EPR study on ligand-exchange reaction between bis(diethyldiselenocarbamato)copper(II) and some bis(acetylacetonato)copper(II) complexes

The paper is a study on the formation and properties of mixed-chelate copper(II) complexes, in which one ligand is strongly covalently bound diselenocarbamate (dsc), and the other belongs to a series of differently substituted acetylacetonates (acac), all forming weak covalent bonds. Thenoyltrifluoro- and trifluoro- substituted acetylacetonates only partly form mixed-chelate complexes, stable in toluene, benzene or dichloromethane, but gradually decomposing in chloroform or carbontetrachloride by analogy with Cu(Et(2)dsc)(2) behavior in these solvents. Hexafluoro-acetylacetonato copper(II) completely turns into a mixed-chelate Cu(dsc)(hfacac), which remains unchanged for more than 8 months of monitoring in all solvents used. The stability of Cu(dsc)(hfacac) is attributed to the reduced remaining negative charge on selenium atom embarrassing the formation of weak D-A complex with haloalkanes. The obtained EPR parameters suggest significant lowering of the contribution of the 4s AO of copper(II) in the mixed-chelate complexes. It is shown that Cu(acac)(2) does not react with Cu(Et(2)dsc)(2).     

Dimethylamine borane dehydrogenation chemistry: syntheses, X-ray and neutron diffraction studies of 18-electron aminoborane and 14-electron aminoboryl complexes

The reactions of Me(2)NH·BH(3) with cationic Rh(III) and Ir(III) complexes have been shown to generate the 18-electron aminoborane adduct [Ir(IMes)(2)(H)(2){κ(2)-H(2)BNMe(2))](+) and the remarkable 14-electron aminoboryl complex [Rh(IMes)(2)(H)-{B(H)NMe(2))](+). Neutron diffraction studies have been used for the first time to define H-atom locations in metal complexes of this type formed under catalytic conditions.     

Scope of direct arylation of fluorinated aromatics with aryl sulfonates

The scope and limitations of direct arylation of fluorinated aromatics with aryl sulfonates was examined. Pd(OAc)(2), in the presence of MePhos and KOAc in THF, efficiently catalyzed the direct arylation of fluoro aromatics with aryl triflates under ambient conditions. Sterically hindered triflates and heteroaryl triflates gave good to excellent yields of the cross coupled products using a modified catalyst system which involves Pd(OAc)(2)-RuPhos at 100 °C. The direct arylation of electron deficient arenes with aryl mesylates is also established using Pd(OAc)(2)-SPhos as the catalyst in toluene-(t)BuOH at 120 °C.     

A High‐Barrier Molecular Balance for Studying Face‐to‐Face Arene–Arene Interactions in the Solid State and in Solution

An atropisomeric molecular balance was developed to study face‐to‐face arene–arene interactions. The balance has a large central 1,4,5,8‐naphthalene diimide surface that forms intramolecular arene–arene interactions with two pendent arms. The balance adopts distinct syn and anti isomers with varying numbers of intramolecular interactions. Thus, the strength of the arene–arene interaction could be quantitatively measured by NMR spectroscopy from the anti/syn ratios. The size of the arene arms was easily varied, which allowed examination of the relationship between arene size and strength of the interaction. A nonlinear size dependence was observed in solution with larger arene arms having a disproportionately stronger arene–arene interaction. The intramolecular arene–arene interactions were also characterized in the solid state by X‐ray crystallography. These studies were facilitated by the kinetic stability of the syn and anti isomers at room temperature due to the high isomerization barrier (ΔG=27.0 kcal mol^?1). Thus, the anti isomer could be selectively isolated and crystallized in its folded conformation. The X‐ray structures confirmed that the anti isomers formed two strong intramolecular arene–arene interactions with face‐to‐face geometries. The solid‐state structure analysis also reveals that the rigid framework may contribute to the observed nonlinear size trend. The acetate linker is slightly too long, which selectively destabilizes the balances with smaller arene arms. The larger arene arms are able to compensate for the longer linker and form effective intramolecular arene–arene interactions.     

Synthetic versatility in C-H oxidation: a rapid approach to differentiated diols and pyrans from simple olefins

Conventionally, C-H oxidation reactions are used to install functional groups. The use of C-H oxidation to transform simple starting materials into highly versatile intermediates, which enable rapid access to a range of complex target structures, is a new area with tremendous potential in synthesis. Herein we report a Pd(II)/sulfoxide-catalyzed allylic C-H oxidation to form anti-1,4-dioxan-2-ones from homoallylic oxygenates. These versatile building blocks are rapidly elaborated to differentiated syn-1,2-diols, stereodefined amino-polyols, and syn-pyrans, structures ubiquitous in medicinally important complex molecules found in Nature. We also demonstrate that a C-H oxidation approach to the synthesis of these motifs is orthogonal and complementary to other state-of-the-art methods.     

Energetic preference of 8-oxoG eversion pathways in a DNA glycosylase

Base eversion is a fundamental process in the biochemistry of nucleic acids, allowing proteins engaged in DNA repair and epigenetic modifications to access target bases in DNA. Crystal structures reveal end points of these processes, but not the pathways involved in the dynamic process of base recognition. To elucidate the pathway taken by 8-oxoguanine during base excision repair by Fpg, we calculated free energy surfaces during eversion of the damaged base through the major and minor grooves. The minor groove pathway and free energy barrier (6-7 kcal/mol) are consistent with previously reported results (Qi, Y.; Spong, M. C.; Nam, K.; Banerjee, A.; Jiralerspong, S.; Karplus, M.; Verdine, G. L. Nature 2009, 462, 762.) However, eversion of 8-oxoG through the major groove encounters a significantly lower barrier (3-4 kcal/mol) more consistent with experimentally determined rates of enzymatic sliding during lesion search (Blainey, P. C.; van Oijent, A. M.; Banerjee, A.; Verdine, G. L.; Xie, X. S. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 2006, 103, 5752.). Major groove eversion has been suggested for other glycosylases, suggesting that in addition to function, dynamics of base eversion may also be conserved.     

Cerium(IV), neptunium(IV), and plutonium(IV) 1,2-phenylenediphosphonates: correlations and differences between early transuranium elements and their proposed surrogates

The in situ hydrothermal reduction of Np(VI) to Np(IV) and Pu(VI) to Pu(IV) in the presence of 1,2-phenylenediphosphonic acid (PhP2) results in the crystallization of Np[C(6)H(4)(PO(3)H)(2)](2)·2H(2)O (NpPhP2) and Pu[C(6)H(4)(PO(3)H)(PO(3)H(2))][C(6)H(4)(PO(3)H)(PO(3))]·2H(2)O (PuPhP2), respectively. Similar reactions have been explored with Ce(IV) resulting in the isolation of the Ce(IV) phenylenediphosphonate Ce[C(6)H(4)(PO(3)H)(PO(3)H(2))][C(6)H(4)(PO(3)H)(PO(3))]·2H(2)O (CePhP2). Single crystal diffraction studies reveal that although all these three compounds all crystallize in the triclinic space group P1?, only PuPhP2 and CePhP2 are isotypic, whereas NpPhP2 adopts a distinct structure. In the cerium and plutonium compounds edge-sharing dimers of MO(8) polyhedra are bridged by the diphosphonate ligand to create one-dimensional chains. NpPhP2 also forms chains. However, the NpO(8) units are monomeric. The protonation of the ligands is also different in the two structure types. Furthermore, the NpO(8) polyhedra are best described as square antiprisms (D(4d)), whereas the CeO(8) and PuO(8) units are trigonal dodecahedra (D(2d)). Bond-valence parameters of R(o) = 1.972 and b = 0.538 have been derived for Np(4+) using a combination of the data reported in this work with that available in crystallographic databases. The UV-vis-NIR absorption spectra of NpPhP2 and PuPhP2 are also reported and used to confirm the tetravalent oxidation states.     

Spectrophotometric determination of phosphorus as phosphate in organic compounds and materials of biological origin using a flow-injection manifold with a mixing chamber

Summary A flow-injection manifold with mixing chamber has been developed for the determination of phosphate by reaction with molybdate and crystal violet. The insoluble blue dye salt is kept in colloidal solution with poly(vinyl alcohol) and measured at 560 nm. The injection rate is 100 h^–1. The detection limit is 0.01 g PO ₄ ^3– /ml based on 250 l injection volumes. The system has been applied to the determination of phosphate in serum samples and after appropriate mineralisation to organic compounds and to plant materials.