Coordination and fluorescence of the intracellular Zn2+ probe [2-methyl-8-(4-toluenesulfonamido)-6-quinolyloxy]acetic acid (Zinquin A) in ternary Zn2+ complexes

A potentiometric study of the coordination of the fluorophore, 2-methyl-8-(4-toluenesulfonamido)-6-quinolyloxyacetic acid, (1)LH(2) (the intracellular Zn(2+) probe, Zinquin A) in its deprotonated form, (1)L(2)(-), in Zn(2+) ternary complexes, [Zn(n)L(1)L](n) (where n is the charge of (n)L) at 298.2 K in 50% aqueous ethanol (v/v) and I = 0.10 (NaClO(4)), shows that the formation of [Zn(n)L(1)L](n) from [Zn(n)L]((2+)(n)(+) is characterized by log(K(5)/dm(3) mol(-1)) = 8.23 +/- 0.05, 4.36 +/- 0.18, 8.45 +/- 0.10, 10.00 +/- 0.06, 11.53 +/- 0.06 and 5.92 +/- 0.15, respectively, where (n)L = (2)L - (6)L and (7)L(3-) are 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane, 1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane, 1,4,7-triazacyclononane, 1,5,9-triazacyclododecane, tris(2-aminoethyl)amine and nitrilotriacetate, respectively, and K(5) is the stepwise complexation constant. Dissociation of a hydroxo proton from triethanolamine, (8)L, occurs in the formation of [Zn(8)LH(-1)](+) that subsequently forms [Zn(8)LH(-1)(1)L](-) for which log(K(5)/dm(3) mol(-1)) = 9.87 +/- 0.08. The variation of K(5) and the 5-fold variation of quantum yield of (1)L(2)(-) as its coordination environment changes in Zn(2+) ternary complexes are discussed with reference to the use of (1)L(2-) in the detection of intracellular Zn(2+).     

Production of anti-fullerene C<Subscript>60</Subscript> polyclonal antibodies and study of their interaction with a conjugated form of fullerene

The aim of this study was to produce anti-fullerene C₆₀ antibodies for the development of detection systems for fullerene C₆₀ derivatives. To produce anti-fullerene C₆₀ antibodies, conjugates of the fullerene C₆₀ carboxylic derivative with thyroglobulin, soybean trypsin inhibitor, and bovine serum albumin were synthesized by carbodiimide activation and characterized. Immunization of rabbits by the conjugates led to the production of polyclonal anti-fullerene antibodies. The specificity of the immune response to fullerene was investigated. Indirect competitive immunoenzyme assay was developed for the determination of conjugated fullerene with detection limits of 0.04 ng/mL (calculated for coupled C₆₀) and 0.4 ng/mL (accordingly to total fullerene–protein concentration).     

Anisotropic exchange in a tetranuclear CoII complex

Very high-frequency (50–715 GHz) electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) studies of the tetranuclear Co^II complex [Co(hmp)(dmb)Cl]₄ (1), where dmb is 3,3-dimethyl-1-butanol and hmp^? is the monoanion of 2-hydroxy-methylpyridine, reveal the presence of significant zero-field-splitting (ZFS) within the ground state spin multiplet. Meanwhile, low-temperature hysteresis measurements of 1 (and related Co^II₄ complexes) provide evidence for slow magnetization relaxation, suggesting that it could be a single-molecule magnet (SMM). However, EPR studies of a Zn analog of 1, doped with a small quantity of Co^II, show the ground state of the Co^II ions to be an effective spin S′ = 1/2 Kramers doublet with a highly anisotropic g-tensor. The question then arises as to the origin of the ZFS within the ground state spin multiplet of 1, as well as the slow magnetization relaxation. Here, we consider the effect of anisotropic exchange interactions between the effective spin S′ = 1/2 Kramers ions within the tetranuclear complex. Such exchange anisotropy arises naturally when one treats the ground state of high-spin Co^II as a Kramers doublet. Our model provides an explanation for the ZFS in the ground state observed via EPR, and can also account for qualitative features observed through magnetic measurements.     

Solvent effects on valence tautomerism: A comparison between the interconversion in solution and solid state

A detailed comparative study of the valence tautomeric interconversion of complexes 1–3 in three different environments is reported. The three environments are solid state (both crystalline and amorphous materials), solution and embedded into a polymeric matrix. The VT behavior of the three complexes strongly differs from one to the other, though no systematization can be established. In solution, different solvatational parameters seem to affect the equilibrium. However, such solvate effect cannot be translated either into the solid state or polymeric matrix, where the equilibrium is controlled by the vibrational relaxation of the network.     

One-dimensional chain of tetranuclear manganese single-molecule magnets

A one-dimensional chain of interconnected single-molecule magnets (SMMs) is obtained that consists of [Mn(4)(hmp)(6)](4+) units bridged by chloride ions. Slow magnetization relaxation is evident in the AC susceptibility data and in magnetization hysteresis measurements for [Mn(4)(hmp)(6)Cl(2)](n)(ClO(4))(2)(n). The magnetization hysteresis loops for this complex are similar to those for an SMM and show significant coercive field and steps at regular magnetic intervals. Spin-canted antiferromagnetic coupling due to misalignment of easy axes of neighboring Mn(4) units is also observed for this complex.     

Synthesis and magnetic properties of wheel-shaped [Mn12] and [Fe6] complexes

The reactions of the ligands N-methyldiethanol amine and N-ethyldiethanol amine (abbreviated H(2)mdea and H(2)edea, respectively) with [Mn(12)O(12)(O(2)CCH(3))(16)(H(2)O)(4)] yield novel dodecanuclear wheel-shaped products. The capability of the ligands H(2)mdea and H(2)edea to support wheel structures in metals other than Mn is demonstrated with the crystal structure of a new hexanuclear ferric wheel.