Linear and cyclic polysilanes containing the bis(trimethylsilyl)amino group: synthesis,reactions, and spectroscopic characterization

The reaction of linear (Si(n)Cl(2)(n)(+2); n = 3-5) and cyclic (Si(5)Cl(10)) perchloropolysilanes with 1 or 2 equiv of LiN(SiMe(3))(2) results in the formation of the bis(trimethylsilyl)amino derivatives (Me(3)Si)(2)NSi(3)Cl(7) (1), (Me(3)Si)(2)NSi(4)Cl(9) (2), (Me(3)Si)(2)N(SiCl(2))(n)N(SiMe(3))(2) (n = 3, 4; n = 4, 5; n = 5, 6), cyclo-(Me(3)Si)(2)NSi(5)Cl(9) (7), and cyclo-[(Me(3)Si)(2)N](2)Si(5)Cl(8) (8). 1-8 easily can be hydrogenated with LiAlH(4) to give the corresponding amino and diamino polysilanyl hydrides. The monosubstituted and cyclic compounds 1, 2, 7, and 8 additionally afford Si-Si bond scission products, which cannot be separated in all cases. Chloro- and dichloro derivatives of Si(3)H(8), n-Si(4)H(10), and n-Si(5)H(12) are obtained from the corresponding aminosilanes and dry HCl. All compounds were characterized by standard spectroscopic techniques. For Si-H derivatives the coupled (29)Si NMR spectra were analyzed to obtain an unequivocal structural proof.     

meso-substituted aromatic 34pi core-modified octaphyrins: syntheses,characterization and anion binding properties

Modified octaphyrins with 34pi electrons have been synthesized and characterized following a simple synthetic methodology. An acid-catalyzed alpha,alpha coupling of tetrapyrranes containing furan, thiophene and selenophene rings resulted in the formation of the respective octaphyrins in relatively good yield. Solution studies by (1)H NMR and 2D NMR methods and single crystal Xray structural characterization reveal an almost flat structure with two heterocyclic rings inverted. Specifically, in 14 two selenophene rings (one on each biselenophene unit) are inverted while in 15 two furan rings (one on each bifuran unit) are inverted when the meso substituent are mesityl groups. On changing the mesityl substituent to m-xylyl group as in 19, the location of ring inversion shifts to pyrrole rings (one on each bipyrrole unit) indicating the dependence of structure on the meso substituents. UV/Vis studies, both in freebase and protonated forms reveal typical porphyrinic character and the aromatic nature of the octaphyrins. The Deltadelta values evaluated by (1)H NMR spectroscopy also support their aromatic nature. The protonated forms of octaphyrins bind TFA anion in a 1:2 ratio. The TFA anions are located one above and below the plane of the octaphyrin macrocycle and they are held by weak electrostatic NH-O interactions similar to that observed for protonated rubyrins. However, in the present case, there is an additional non-electrostatic CH-O interaction involving beta-CH of the inverted heterocyclic ring and the carbonyl oxygen of the TFA. Furthermore, inter molecular interactions between the Cbond;H of the meso-mesityl group and the fluorine of CF(3) group of bound TFA leads to the formation of one-dimensional supramolecular arrays with interplanar distance of 13 A between two octaphyrins.     

Syntheses and structures of magnesium pyridine thiolates--model compounds for magnesium binding in photosystem I

Novel magnesium pyridine-2-thiolates were prepared by using alkane elimination chemistry. The resulting complexes display a metal coordination environment composed of sulfur/nitrogen bonding from the intramolecularly stabilized mercaptopyridine ligand, in addition to coordination by the oxygen centers from two THF donors. The compounds are well-suited model compounds for the magnesium centers in Photosystem I, in which magnesium, situated in the central chlorophyll ligand, is bound to sulfur from a nearby methionine residue. All compounds were characterized by (1)H, (13)C NMR, and IR spectroscopy, in addition to Xray crystallography.     

A straightforward method for analysing the grain-size distribution in tungsten carbide - cobalt hardmetals

Measurement of the grain-size distribution of sintered hardmetals is indispensable in research and production. In this study we present a method consisting of etching hardmetals in order to remove the cobalt binder and to analyse the remaining tungsten-cobalt (WC) crystallites on the basis of scanning electron microscopy images subjected to a PC-based image analysis by use of MATLAB®. Sample preparation is easy and quick to perform, i.e. it does not require metallographic polishing. It consists of either deep etching of the cobalt binder of cut and optionally hand-ground surfaces or etching of fracture surfaces. Two different computational routines and one combination thereof are described. Two hardmetal grades with average WC grain sizes slightly larger as well as smaller than 200 nm were investigated. The results of the computer algorithms are compared to data obtained by manual linear intercept analysis. The analysis has good potential to avoid time-consuming metallographic preparation and pre-treatment for grain-size analysis, which is especially true for hardmetals with extremely fine grain size.     

Capillary zone electrophoresis of alpha-helical diastereomeric peptide pairs with anionic ion-pairing reagents

The present study uses an unique capillary electrophoresis (CE) approach, that we have termed ion-interaction capillary zone electrophoresis (II-CZE), for the separation of diastereomeric peptide pairs where a single site in the centre of the non-polar face of an 18-residue amphipathic alpha-helical peptide is substituted by the 19 L- or D-amino acids. Through the addition of perfluorinated acids at very high concentrations (up to 400 mM), such concentration levels not having been used previously in chromatography or CE, to the background electrolyte (pH 2.0), we have been able to achieve baseline resolution of all 19 diastereomeric peptide pairs with an uncoated capillary. Since each diastereomeric peptide pair has the same sequence, identical mass-to-charge ratio and identical intrinsic hydrophobicity, such a separation by CZE has previously been considered theoretically impossible. Excellent resolution was achieved due to maximum advantage being taken of even subtle disruption of peptide structure/conformation (due to the presence of D-amino acids) of the non-polar face of the amphipathic alpha-helix and its interaction with the hydrophobic anionic ion-pairing reagents. In addition, due to the excellent resolution of diastereomeric peptide pairs by this novel CZE approach, we have also been able to separate a mixture of these closely-related alpha-helical peptides.     

Capillary electrophoresis of cationic random coil peptide standards: effect of anionic ion-pairing reagents and comparison with reversed-phase chromatography

The present study compares a charge/hydrophobicity capillary electrophoresis (CE) approach to reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) for the separation of three series of four synthetic, random coil peptide standards. Each series has peptides of the same positive charge (+1, +2 and +3 series) and length but differing in hydrophobicity. Complete resolution of the 12 peptides was achieved via a novel CE approach: a capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) mode effected a separation of identically charged peptides; within each charged group of peptides, the addition of perfluorinated acid anionic ion-pairing reagents allowed resolution of the peptides through a mechanism based on peptide hydrophobicity which we have termed ioninteraction (II)-CZE. The peak capacity and peptide resolution of this CE approach was superior to that of RP-HPLC and stresses an important role for CE for peptide/proteomic applications.     

Heavy alkaline earth metal pyrazolates: synthetic pathways, structural trends, and comparison with divalent lanthanoids

Two series of heavy alkaline earth metal pyrazolates, [M(Ph(2)pz)(2)(thf)(4)] 1 a-c (Ph(2)pz=3,5-diphenylpyrazolate, M=Ca, Sr, Ba; THF=tetrahydrofuran) and [M(Ph(2)pz)(2)(dme)(n)] (M=Ca, 2 a, Sr, 2 b, n=2; M=Ba, 2 c, n=3; DME=1,2-dimethoxyethane) have been prepared by redox transmetallation/ligand exchange utilizing Hg(C(6)F(5))(2). Compounds 1 a and 2 b were also obtained by redox transmetallation with Tl(Ph(2)pz). Alternatively, direct reaction of the alkaline earth metals with 3,5-diphenylpyrazole at elevated temperatures under solventless conditions yielded compounds 1 a-c and 2 a-c upon extraction with THF or DME. By contrast, [M(Me(2)pz)(2)(Me(2)pzH)(4)] 3 a-c (M=Ca, Sr, Ba; Me(2)pzH=3,5-dimethylpyrazole) were prepared by protolysis of [M[N(SiMe(3))(2)](2)(thf)(2)] (M=Ca, Sr, Ba) with Me(2)pzH in THF and by direct metallation with Me(2)pzH in liquid NH(3)/THF. Compounds 1 a-c and 2 a-c display eta(2)-bonded pyrazolate ligands, while 3 a,b exhibit eta(1)-coordination. Complexes 1 a-c have transoid Ph(2)pz ligands and an overall coordination number of eight with a switch from mutually coplanar Ph(2)pz ligands in 1 a,b to perpendicular in 1 c. In eight coordinate 2 a,b the pyrazolate ligands are cisoid, whilst 2 c has an additional DME ligand and a metal coordination number of ten. By contrast, 3 a,b have octahedral geometry with four eta(1)-Me(2)pzH donors, which are hydrogen-bonded to the uncoordinated nitrogen atoms of the two trans Me(2)pz ligands. The application of synthetic routes initially developed for the preparation of lanthanoid pyrazolates provides detailed insight into the similarities and differences between the two groups of metals and structures of their complexes.