Adsorption of tentacled tetragonal star connectors, C4R4-Co-C5(HgX)5, on mercury

For future use in self-assembly of surface structures, the adsorption on the surface of mercury of a series of tetraphenylcyclobutadienecyclopentadienylcobalt double-decker sandwich complexes with five mercury and sulfur containing "tentacles" on the cyclopentadienyl deck has been examined by combined electrochemical and Langmuir trough techniques.     

On the origin of diastereoselectivity in [2 + 2 + 2] cycloisomerization of chiral triynes: controlling helicity of helicene-like compounds by thermodynamic factors

Diastereoselective CoI-mediated [2 + 2 + 2] cycloisomerization of CH(3)O-substituted optically pure aromatic triynes to obtain nonracemic functionalized helicene-like compounds (comprising a penta-, hexa-, and heptacyclic helical scaffold) was studied. The stereochemical outcome of the reaction at 140 degrees C using CpCo(CO)(2) was controlled by thermodynamic factors yielding diastereomeric ratios up to 91:9. Using CpCo(ethylene)(2) at room temperature, a kinetic control took place leading to the loss of stereoselectivity. Barriers to epimerization for selected helicene-like compounds were measured indicating their lower configurational stability in comparison to the parent carbohelicenes. Free energy differences between corresponding pairs of diastereomers (calculated at the DFT B3LYP/TZV+P level) were in excellent agreement with the experimental data and allowed for the prediction of the stereochemical outcome of the reaction. An optically pure hexacyclic helicene-like alcohol was prepared on a multigram scale. Its X-ray structure confirmed the previous helicity assignments being based on (1)H-(1)H correlations in ROESY (1)H NMR spectra.     

On the mechanism of asymmetric allylation of aldehydes with allyltrichlorosilanes catalyzed by QUINOX, a chiral isoquinoline N-oxide

Allylation of aromatic aldehydes 1a-m with allyl- and crotyl-trichlorosilanes 2- 4, catalyzed by the chiral N-oxide QUINOX (9), has been found to exhibit a significant dependence on the electronics of the aldehyde, with p-(trifluoromethyl)benzaldehyde 1g and its p-methoxy counterpart 1h affording the corresponding homoallylic alcohols 6g, h in 96 and 16% ee, respectively, at -40 degrees C. The kinetic and computational data indicate that the reaction is likely to proceed via an associative pathway involving neutral, octahedral silicon complex 22 with only one molecule of the catalyst involved in the rate- and selectivity-determining step. The crotylation with (E) and (Z)-crotyltrichlorosilanes 3 and 4 is highly diastereoselective, suggesting the chairlike transition state 5, which is supported by computational data. High-level quantum chemical calculations further suggest that attractive aromatic interactions between the catalyst 9 and the aldehyde 1 contribute to the enantiodifferentiation and that the dramatic drop in enantioselectivity, observed with the electron-rich aldehyde 1h, originates from narrowing the energy gap between the (R)- and (S)-reaction channels in the associative mechanism (22). Overall, a good agreement between the theoretically predicted enantioselectivities for 1a and 1h and the experimental data allowed to understand the specific aspects of the reaction mechanism.     

General base catalysis for cleavage by the active-site cytosine of the hepatitis delta virus ribozyme: QM/MM calculations establish chemical feasibility

The hepatitis delta virus (HDV) ribozyme is an RNA motif embedded in human pathogenic HDV RNA. Previous experimental studies have established that the active-site nucleotide C75 is essential for self-cleavage of the ribozyme, although its exact catalytic role in the process remains debated. Structural data from X-ray crystallography generally indicate that C75 acts as the general base that initiates catalysis by deprotonating the 2'-OH nucleophile at the cleavage site, while a hydrated magnesium ion likely protonates the 5'-oxygen leaving group. In contrast, some mechanistic studies support the role of C75 acting as general acid and thus being protonated before the reaction. We report combined quantum chemical/molecular mechanical calculations for the C75 general base pathway, utilizing the available structural data for the wild type HDV genomic ribozyme as a starting point. Several starting configurations differing in magnesium ion placement were considered and both one-dimensional and two-dimensional potential energy surface scans were used to explore plausible reaction paths. Our calculations show that C75 is readily capable of acting as the general base, in concert with the hydrated magnesium ion as the general acid. We identify a most likely position for the magnesium ion, which also suggests it acts as a Lewis acid. The calculated energy barrier of the proposed mechanism, approximately 20 kcal/mol, would lower the reaction barrier by approximately 15 kcal/mol compared with the uncatalyzed reaction and is in good agreement with experimental data.     

Supercritical fluid extraction of cynaropicrin and 20-hydroxyecdysone from Leuzea carthamoides DC

Leuzea carthamoides is an adaptogenic plant containing biologically active compounds as ecdysteroids and guaianolide-type sesquiterpene lactones, conventionally extracted from the plant with ethanol. It may be a potential source of the mentioned natural compounds. Ethanol-modified near-critical CO(2) was used as selective solvent with the aim to increase the level of 20-hydroxyecdysone in the extract from L. carthamoides roots and to remove selectively cynaropicrin, a sesquiterpene lactone of bitter taste, from the leaves. The extraction conditions were varied (pressure 20-28 MPa, temperature 40-60 degrees C, ethanol concentration in the solvent 0-7.1%) and the extraction yield and extract composition were compared with the results of ethanolic extraction. The supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) from finely powdered plant was controlled by phase equilibrium. Cynaropicrin was quantitatively removed from the leaves where 89% of 20-hydroxyecdysone was retained. The extraction yield of 20-hydroxyecdysone from roots with ethanol-modified CO(2 )was lower by 30% than with ethanol but its concentration in the extract was higher by 67%.     

Cationic Gold(II) Complexes: Experimental and Theoretical Study**

Gold(II) complexes are rare, and their application to the catalysis of chemical transformations is underexplored. The reason is their easy oxidation or reduction to more stable gold(III) or gold(I) complexes, respectively. We explored the thermodynamics of the formation of [Au^II(L)(X)]⁺ complexes (L=ligand, X=halogen) from the corresponding gold(III) precursors and investigated their stability and spectral properties in the IR and visible range in the gas phase. The results show that the best ancillary ligands L for stabilizing gaseous [Au^II(L)(X)]⁺ complexes are bidentate and tridentate ligands with nitrogen donor atoms. The electronic structure and spectral properties of the investigated gold(II) complexes were correlated with quantum chemical calculations. The results show that the molecular and electronic structure of the gold(II) complexes as well as their spectroscopic properties are very similar to those of analogous stable copper(II) complexes.     

Confidence regions and testing statistical hypotheses in reduced linear models

Let in a linear model with large number of parameters some parameters be neglected and remaining parameters be changed in such a way (if it is possible) that the new model still corresponds with data. In the new (reduced) model problems of confidence regions and testing statistical linear hypotheses are investigated.     

Group contribution method for standard molar volumes of aqueous aliphatic alcohols,ethers and ketones over extended ranges of temperature and pressure

A group contribution method applicable over wide ranges of temperature and pressure was developed for standard molar volume of aqueous oxygenated derivatives of aliphatic hydrocarbons, namely alcohols, ethers, and ketones. Group and structural contributions were evaluated using experimental data measured in the laboratory for 21 solutes at temperatures from (298 to 573) K and under pressures up to 30 MPa. Two variations of the group additivity scheme were considered and the role of a co-volume term was examined. Different characteristics in evolution of group contributions of hydrophobic and hydrophilic groups with temperature and pressure were observed. Predictive abilities of the method were tested using data taken from the literature and those measured in the laboratory for aqueous polyhydric aliphatic alcohols.     

Theoretical calculations of physico-chemical and spectroscopic properties of bioinorganic systems: current limits and perspectives

In the last decade, we have witnessed substantial progress in the development of quantum chemical methodologies. Simultaneously, robust solvation models and various combined quantum and molecular mechanical (QM/MM) approaches have become an integral part of quantum chemical programs. Along with the steady growth of computer power and, more importantly, the dramatic increase of the computer performance to price ratio, this has led to a situation where computational chemistry, when exercised with the proper amount of diligence and expertise, reproduces, predicts, and complements the experimental data. In this perspective, we review some of the latest achievements in the field of theoretical (quantum) bioinorganic chemistry, concentrating mostly on accurate calculations of the spectroscopic and physico-chemical properties of open-shell bioinorganic systems by wave-function (ab initio) and DFT methods. In our opinion, the one-to-one mapping between the calculated properties and individual molecular structures represents a major advantage of quantum chemical modelling since this type of information is very difficult to obtain experimentally. Once (and only once) the physico-chemical, thermodynamic and spectroscopic properties of complex bioinorganic systems are quantitatively reproduced by theoretical calculations may we consider the outcome of theoretical modelling, such as reaction profiles and the various decompositions of the calculated parameters into individual spatial or physical contributions, to be reliable. In an ideal situation, agreement between theory and experiment may imply that the practical problem at hand, such as the reaction mechanism of the studied metalloprotein, can be considered as essentially solved.