The synthesis, characterisation and reactivity of 2-phosphanylethylcyclopentadienyl complexes of cobalt, rhodium and iridium

2-Phosphanylethylcyclopentadienyl lithium compounds, Li[C(5)R'(4)(CH(2))(2)PR(2)] (R = Et, R' = H or Me, R = Ph, R' = Me), have been prepared from the reaction of spirohydrocarbons C(5)R'(4)(C(2)H(4)) with LiPR(2). C(5)Et(4)HSiMe(2)CH(2)PMe(2), was prepared from reaction of Li[C(5)Et(4)] with Me(2)SiCl(2) followed by Me(2)PCH(2)Li. The lithium salts were reacted with [RhCl(CO)(2)](2), [IrCl(CO)(3)] or [Co(2)(CO)(8)] to give [M(C(5)R'(4)(CH(2))(2)PR(2))(CO)] (M = Rh, R = Et, R' = H or Me, R = Ph, R' = Me; M = Ir or Co, R = Et, R' = Me), which have been fully characterised, in many cases crystallographically as monomers with coordination of the phosphorus atom and the cyclopentadienyl ring. The values of nu(CO) for these complexes are usually lower than those for the analogous complexes without the bridge between the cyclopentadienyl ring and the phosphine, the exception being [Rh(Cp'(CH(2))(2)PEt(2))(CO)] (Cp' = C(5)Me(4)), the most electron rich of the complexes. [Rh(C(5)Et(4)SiMe(2)CH(2)PMe(2))(CO)] may be a dimer. [Co(2)(CO)(8)] reacts with C(5)H(5)(CH(2))(2)PEt(2) or C(5)Et(4)HSiMe(2)CH(2)PMe(2) (L) to give binuclear complexes of the form [Co(2)(CO)(6)L(2)] with almost linear PCoCoP skeletons. [Rh(Cp'(CH(2))(2)PEt(2))(CO)] and [Rh(Cp'(CH(2))(2)PPh(2))(CO)] are active for methanol carbonylation at 150 degrees C and 27 bar CO, with the rate using [Rh(Cp'(CH(2))(2)PPh(2))(CO)] (0.81 mol dm(-3) h(-1)) being higher than that for [RhI(2)(CO)(2)](-) (0.64 mol dm(-3) h(-1)). The most electron rich complex, [Rh(Cp'(CH(2))(2)PEt(2))(CO)] (0.38 mol dm(-3) h(-1)) gave a comparable rate to [Cp*Rh(PEt(3))(CO)] (0.30 mol dm(-3) h(-1)), which was unstable towards oxidation of the phosphine. [Rh(Cp'(CH(2))(2)PEt(2))I(2)], which is inactive for methanol carbonylation, was isolated after the methanol carbonylation reaction using [Rh(Cp'(CH(2))(2)PEt(2))(CO)]. Neither of [M(Cp'(CH(2))(2)PEt(2))(CO)] (M = Co or Ir) was active for methanol carbonylation under these conditions, nor under many other conditions investigated, except that [Ir(Cp'(CH(2))(2)PEt(2))(CO)] showed some activity at higher temperature (190 degrees C), probably as a result of degradation to [IrI(2)(CO)(2)](-). [M(Cp'(CH(2))(2)PEt(2))(CO)] react with MeI to give [M(Cp'(CH(2))(2)PEt(2))(C(O)Me)I] (M = Co or Rh) or [Ir(Cp'(CH(2))(2)PEt(2))Me(CO)]I. The rates of oxidative addition of MeI to [Rh(C(5)H(4)(CH(2))(2)PEt(2))(CO)] and [Rh(Cp'(CH(2))(2)PPh(2))(CO)] are 62 and 1770 times faster than to [Cp*Rh(CO)(2)]. Methyl migration is slower, however. High pressure NMR studies show that [Co(Cp'(CH(2))(2)PEt(2))(CO)] and [Cp*Rh(PEt(3))(CO)] are unstable towards phosphine oxidation and/or quaternisation under methanol carbonylation conditions, but that [Rh(Cp'(CH(2))(2)PEt(2))(CO)] does not exhibit phosphine degradation, eventually producing inactive [Rh(Cp'(CH(2))(2)PEt(2))I(2)] at least under conditions of poor gas mixing. The observation of [Rh(Cp'(CH(2))(2)PEt(2))(C(O)Me)I] under methanol carbonylation conditions suggests that the rhodium centre has become so electron rich that reductive elimination of ethanoyl iodide has become rate determining for methanol carbonylation. In addition to the high electron density at rhodium.     

Kinetics and modeling of the H2?O2?NOx system

The addition of NO (0 to 400ppm) to mixtures of H₂ (ca. 1%) and O₂ (0.7 to 22%) has been studied over the temperature range 700 to 825 K, in a flow reactor at atmospheric pressure. The overall effect of NO is to promote the oxidation of H₂ but high concentrations of O₂ actually inhibit the NO-promoted oxidation of H₂. A detailed kinetic mechanism has been constructed and found to describe the experimental observations. The promotion of the oxidation of H₂ arises through the catalytic cycle The ability of R.34 to reactivate chains normally terminated by the formation of HO₂ is a key feature of this system. The predictions are highly sensitive to the rate of the reaction R.5 and the rate constants for this reaction is the only adjustable parameter required in the model. The value of k_5,N2 found to describe all the results has an absolute uncertainty <35%. The uncertainty relative to other important rate constants in the H₂? O₂ system is less than 10%. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Strategies to potentiate antimicrobial photoinactivation by overcoming resistant phenotypes

Conventional antimicrobial strategies have become increasingly ineffective due to the emergence of multidrug resistance among pathogenic microorganisms. The need to overcome these deficiencies has triggered the exploration of alternative treatments and unconventional approaches towards controlling microbial infections. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) was originally established as an anticancer modality and is currently used in the treatment of age-related macular degeneration. The concept of photodynamic inactivation requires cell exposure to light energy, typically wavelengths in the visible region that causes the excitation of photosensitizer molecules either exogenous or endogenous, which results in the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). ROS produce cell inactivation and death through modification of intracellular components. The versatile characteristics of PDT prompted its investigation as an anti-infective discovery platform. Advances in understanding of microbial physiology have shed light on a series of pathways, and phenotypes that serve as putative targets for antimicrobial drug discovery. Investigations of these phenotypic elements in concert with PDT have been reported focused on multidrug efflux systems, biofilms, virulence and pathogenesis determinants. In many instances the results are promising but only preliminary and require further investigation. This review discusses the different antimicrobial PDT strategies and highlights the need for highly informative and comprehensive discovery approaches.     

Translational diffusion of macromolecules and nanoparticles modeled as non-overlapping bead arrays in an effective medium

There are three objectives to the present work. First, starting from a boundary element (BE) formulation of low Reynolds number hydrodynamics, model the translational diffusion of macromolecules modeled as an array of non-overlapping beads, and show how this approach is equivalent to previous formulations of "bead hydrodynamics" and under what conditions. Second, show how this approach can be improved upon by accounting for the variation in forces over the surfaces of individual beads and also extending the approach to a gel modeled as an effective medium, EM. Third, develop a "combined obstruction and hydrodynamic effect" model of the translational diffusion of irregularly shaped macromolecules in a gel. In one of the cases studied, the BE approach is shown to be equivalent to previous "bead model" formulations in which intersubunit hydrodynamic interaction is modeled using the Rotne-Prager tensor. A bead model that accounts for the variation in hydrodynamic stress forces over the individual bead surfaces is shown to be in best agreement with exact results for simple bead arrays made up of 2-4 subunits. The translational diffusion of rods, modeled as strings of from 2 to 100 touching beads in dilute gels is examined. Interpolation formulas valid over a range of gel concentrations and rod lengths are derived for the parallel and perpendicular components of the diffusion tensor as well as the orientationally averaged diffusion tensor. The EM model accounts for the long-range hydrodynamic interaction exerted by the gel support matrix on the diffusing particle of interest but does not account for the reduction in diffusion caused by the direct obstruction of the gel, or steric effect. Both effects are accounted for by writing the translational diffusion in a gel as the product of two terms representing long-range hydrodynamic interaction and steric effects. Finally, the diffusion of a 564 base pair DNA in a 2% agarose gel is examined and model results are compared to experiment (Pluen, A.; Netti, P. A.; Jain, R. K.; Berk, D. A. Biophys. J. 1999, 77, 542-552). For reasonable choices of model parameters, fair agreement between theory and experiment is achieved.     

Chiral bisphosphinite metalloligands derived from a P-chiral secondary phosphine oxide

Interaction of PdCl(2)(MeCN)(2) with 2 equiv of (S(P))-(t)BuPhP(O)H (1H) followed by treatment with Et(3)N gave [Pd((1)(2)H)](2)(micro-Cl)(2) (2). Reaction of 2 with Na[S(2)CNEt(2)] or K[N(PPh(2)S)(2)] afforded Pd[(1)(2)H](S(2)CNEt(2)) (3) or Pd[(1)(2)H)[N(PPh(2)S)(2)] (4), respectively. Treatment of 3 with V(O)(acac)(2) (acac = acetylacetonate) and CuSO(4) in the presence of Et(3)N afforded bimetallic complexes V(O)[Pd(1)(2)(S(2)CNEt(2))](2) (5) or Cu[Pd(1)(2)(S(2)CNEt(2))](2) (6), respectively. X-ray crystallography established the S(P) configuration for the phosphinous acid ligands in 3 and 6, indicating that 1H binds to Pd(II) with retention of configuration at phosphorus. The geometry around Cu in 6 is approximately square planar with the average Cu-O distance of 1.915(3) A. Treatment of 2 with HBF(4) gave the BF(2)-capped compound [Pd((1)(2)BF(2))](2)(micro-Cl)(2) (7). The solid-state structure of 7 containing a PdP(2)O(2)B metallacycle has been determined. Chloride abstraction of 7 with AgBF(4) in acetone/water afforded the aqua compound [Pd((1)(2)BF(2))(H(2)O)(2)][BF(4)] (8) that reacted with [NH(4)](2)[WS(4)] to give [Pd((1)(2)BF(2))(2)](2)[micro-WS(4)] (9). The average Pd-S and W-S distances in 9 are 2.385(3) and 2.189(3) A, respectively. Treatment of [(eta(6)-p-cymene)RuCl(2)](2) with 1H afforded the phosphinous acid adduct (eta(6)-p-cymene)RuCl(2)(1H) (10). Reduction of [CpRuCl(2)](x)() (Cp = eta(5)-C(5)Me(5)) with Zn followed by treatment with 1H resulted in the formation of the Zn(II) phosphinate complex [(CpRu(eta(6)-C(6)H(5)))(t)BuPO(2))](2)(ZnCl(2))(2) (11) that contains a Zn(2)O(4)P(2) eight-membered ring.     

Impacts of gold nanoparticle charge and ligand type on surface binding and toxicity to Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria

Although nanomaterials facilitate significant technological advancement in our society, their potential impacts on the environment are yet to be fully understood. In this study, two environmentally relevant bacteria, Shewanella oneidensis and Bacillus subtilis, have been used as model organisms to elucidate the molecular interactions between these bacterial classes and Au nanoparticles (AuNPs) with well-controlled and well-characterized surface chemistries: anionic 3-mercaptopropionic acid (MPA), cationic 3-mercaptopropylamine (MPNH₂), and the cationic polyelectrolyte poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH). The data demonstrate that cationic, especially polyelectrolyte-wrapped AuNPs, were more toxic to both the Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. The levels of toxicity observed were closely related to the percentage of cells with AuNPs associated with the cell surface as measured in situ using flow cytometry. The NP concentration-dependent binding profiles were drastically different for the two bacteria strains, suggesting the critical role of bacterial cell surface chemistry in determining nanoparticle association, and thereby, biological impact.     

A cyclopentane conformational restraint for a peptide nucleic acid: design,asymmetric synthesis,and improved binding affinity to DNA and RNA

[structure: see text] A strategy to restrict the highly flexible backbone conformation of a peptide nucleic acid (PNA) by incorporation of a cyclopentane ring is proposed. An asymmetric synthesis of cyclopentane-modified PNA is reported, and its binding properties were determined. The cyclopentane ring leads to a significant improvement in the binding properties of the resulting PNA to DNA and RNA.     

A microfluidic microbial fuel cell array that supports long-term multiplexed analyses of electricigens

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are green energy technologies that exploit microbial metabolism to generate electricity. The widespread implementation of MFC technologies has been stymied by their high cost and limited power. MFC arrays in which device configurations or microbial consortia can be screened have generated significant interest because of their potential for defining aspects that will improve performance featuring high throughput characteristics. However, current miniature MFCs and MFC array systems do not support long-term studies that mimic field conditions, and hence, have limitations in fully characterizing and understanding MFC performances in varieties of conditions. Here, we describe an MFC array device that incorporates microfluidic technology to enable continuous long-term analysis of MFC performance at high throughput utilizing periodic anolyte/catholyte replenishment. The system showed 360% higher power output and 700% longer operating time when compared to MFC arrays without catholyte replenishment. We further demonstrate the utility of the system by reporting its successful use in screening microbial consortia collected from geographically diverse environments for communities that support enhanced MFC performance. Taken together, this work demonstrates that anolyte/catholyte replenishment can significantly improve the long-term performance of microfabricated MFC arrays, and support the characterization of diverse microbial consortia.     

An efficient one-flask synthesis of N-confused tetraphenylporphyrin

[formula: see text] N-Confused meso-substituted porphyrin is a porphyrin isomer previously available from one-flask porphyrin syntheses as a low-yield byproduct (< 7.5%). We have found that methanesulfonic acid catalyzed condensation of pyrrole and benzaldehyde followed by DDQ oxidation provides N-confused tetraphenylporphyrin (NC-TPP) in up to 39% yield in analytical scale experiments. Preparative synthesis provided an isolated yield of 35% (800 mg). This represents a > 5-fold yield improvement and makes significant quantities of NC-TPP readily available.