Infrared Spectroscopy of Size-Selected Hydrated Carbon Dioxide Radical Anions CO2.−(H2O)n (n=2–61) in the C−O Stretch Region

Understanding the intrinsic properties of the hydrated carbon dioxide radical anions CO₂^.−(H₂O)_n is relevant for electrochemical carbon dioxide functionalization. CO₂^.−(H₂O)_n (n=2–61) is investigated by using infrared action spectroscopy in the 1150–2220 cm⁻¹ region in an ICR (ion cyclotron resonance) cell cooled to T=80 K. The spectra show an absorption band around 1280 cm⁻¹, which is assigned to the symmetric C−O stretching vibration ν_s. It blueshifts with increasing cluster size, reaching the bulk value, within the experimental linewidth, for n=20. The antisymmetric C−O vibration ν_as is strongly coupled with the water bending mode ν₂, causing a broad feature at approximately 1650 cm⁻¹. For larger clusters, an additional broad and weak band appears above 1900 cm⁻¹ similar to bulk water, which is assigned to a combination band of water bending and libration modes. Quantum chemical calculations provide insight into the interaction of CO₂^.− with the hydrogen-bonding network.     

Nitroxide‐Mediated Polymerization of Bio‐Based Farnesene with a Functionalized Methacrylate

Farnesene (Far) is a bio‐based terpene monomer that is similar in structure to commercially used dienes like butadiene and isoprene. Nitroxide‐mediated polymerization (NMP) is adept for the polymerization of dienes, but not particularly effective at controlling the polymerization of methacrylates using commercial nitroxides. In this study, Far is statistically copolymerized with a functional methacrylate, glycidyl methacrylate (GMA), by NMP using N‐succinimidyl modified commercial BlocBuilder (NHS‐BB) initiator. Reactivity ratios are determined to be r _Far = 0.54 ± 0.04 and r _GMA = 0.24 ± 0.02. The ability of the poly(Far‐stat‐GMA) chains to reinitiate for chain extension with styrene showed a clear shift in molecular weight and monomodal distribution. Copolymerizations using a new alkoxyamine, Dispolreg 007 (D7), is explored as it is shown to homopolymerize methacrylates, but not yet reported for statistical copolymerizations. Bimodal molecular weight distributions are observed when an equimolar ratio of Far and GMA is copolymerized with D7 due to slow decomposition of the initiator, but chain ends are active as shown by successful chain extension with styrene. Both NHS‐BB and D7 initiators are used to synthesize poly[Far‐b‐(GMA‐stat‐Far)] and poly(Far‐b‐GMA) diblock copolymers. While the NHS‐BB initiated polymer chains have lower dispersity, D7 exhibits more linear polymerization kinetics and maintains more active chain ends.     

Supramolecular dimer formation through hydrogen bond extensions of carboxylate ligands – Path for magnetic exchange

A new complex of unusual composition [Cu(3-O₂Nbz)₂(nia)(H₂O)₂] (1) (nia = nicotinamide, 3-O₂Nbz = 3-nitrobenzoate) has been prepared and studied together with two other complexes of composition [Cu(4-O₂Nbz)₂(nia)₂(H₂O)₂] (2) and [Cu(4-O₂Nbz)₂(nia)₂]?(4-O₂NbzH)₂ (3) (4-O₂Nbz = 4-nitrobenzoate). The composition of all complexes has been determined by elemental analysis, the complexes have been studied by electronic, infrared and EPR spectroscopy, as well as by magnetization measurements over the temperature range 1.8–300 K, and their structures have been solved. The structure of complex (1) consists of molecules, where Cu(II) atom is monodentately coordinated by the pair of 3-nitrobenzoato anions in trans  -positions together with water and nicotinamide molecules, forming nearly tetragonal basal plane, and by another water molecule in axial position of tetragonal-pyramidal coordination polyhedron. The neighboring molecule coordination polyhedron basal planes are coplanar and allow formation of supramolecular dimers with strong H-bonds between hydrogen atoms from equatorially coordinated water molecules and uncoordinated carboxylate oxygen atoms thus giving the nearest Cu?$?$Cu distance of 4.886(2) Å. Magnetization measurements showed that complex (1) exhibits maximum of magnetic susceptibility at 6.5 K and a fit to Bleaney-Bowers equation gave singlet–triplet energy gap 2J = −6.25 cm⁻¹, and zJ′ = −0.03 cm⁻¹. This might be an experimental proof that the carboxylate bridges extended with hydrogen bonds are the pathway of the spin–spin interactions. The temperature dependence of changes in EPR spectra of (1) and the spectrum at 4.2 K have confirmed its hydrogen bonded dimeric structure. The calculated Cu?$?$Cu distance 4.8 Å is in very good agreement with the value obtained from crystal structure. The complexes (2) and (3) at 300 K exhibit magnetic moment μ_eff = 1.98 B.M. and μ_eff = 1.84 B.M., respectively. These values practically do not change with lowering the temperature up to 5 K and only small drops to μ_eff = 1.87 B.M. (for (2)) and μ_eff = 1.79 B.M. (for (3)) at 1.8 K have been observed. The EPR spectra of complex (2) at room temperature as well as at 77 K are of axial type with g_⊥ = 2.062 and g_|| = 2.285 and exhibit resolved parallel hyperfine splitting with A_|| = 160 Gauss. The EPR spectra of complex (3) at room temperature as well as at 77 K are of axial type with g_⊥ = 2.065 and g_|| = 2.235 and exhibit unresolved parallel hyperfine splitting. EPR spectra of (2) and (3) are consistent with the X-ray structure.     

A facile one‐pot synthesis of novel substituted 1,2,3,4‐tetrahydropyrimidine,part 2: Synthesis of 1‐(aralkyl/aryl)‐3‐(alkyl/aralkyl/aryl)‐5‐aroyl‐1,2,3,4‐tetrahydropyrimidines

1‐(Aralkyl/aryl)‐3‐(alkyyaralkyl)‐5‐aroyl‐1,2,3,4‐tetrahydropyrimidines ( 2a‐c ) have been synthesized by dethiomethylation of 5‐aroyl‐6‐methylthio‐1,2,3,4‐tetrahydropyrimidines ( 1a‐c ). An alternative one‐pot synthetic strategy has been developed for the title compounds 2a‐t by the reaction of enaminones 3 with pri mary amine and formaldehyde in refluxing methanol in good yields.     

Synthesis,Spectral and Magnetic Properties,and Crystal Structures of Copper(II) Pyridinecarboxylate Adducts with N‐Heterocyclic Ligands

Synthesis and characterization of seven new complexes [Cu(2‐MeSnic)₂(CH₃OH)]₂ (where 2‐MeSnic is 2‐methylthionicotinate), [Cu(2‐MeSnic)₂L₂]₂ (where L is pyridine — py, ethylnicotinate — Etnic and butylnicotinate — Bunic), [Cu(2‐MeSnic)₂L₂(H₂O)₂] (where L is py and nicotinamide — nia) and [Cu(2‐MeSnic)₂(N‐Menia)₂(H₂O)₂]·2H₂O (where N‐Menia is N‐methylnicotinamide) are reported. The characterization were based on elemental analysis, infrared, electronic and EPR spectra, and magnetic susceptibility measurements over a temperature range of 1.8 — 300 K or 70 — 300 K. Three complexes of different type were studied by X‐ray analysis. The molecule of [Cu(2‐MeSnic)₂(CH₃OH)]₂ has dimeric paddle‐wheel cage structure with a tetragonal pyramidal arrangement around Cu^II. The dimer results from the fact that carboxyl groups of four 2‐MeSnic anions function as bridging in a syn‐syn arrangement. On the other hand [Cu(2‐MeSnic)₂(py)₂]₂ forms dimers with hexacoordinated Cu^II atoms in highly distorted coordination octahedra, each with two oxygen atoms of bridging carboxyl groups in an anti‐anti arrangement of two 2‐MeSnic anions, with two oxygen atoms of one asymmetrically chelating 2‐MeSnic anion and with two nitrogen atoms of two pyridine ligands. The temperature independent EPR spectrum for this complex exhibits an axial signal which corresponds to almost isolated S = ¹/₂ magnetic ions. Magnetic data for the dimer show a weak antiferromagnetic interaction between the two metal ions with J = —0.65 cm^—1. The Cu^II atom in complex [Cu(2‐MeSnic)₂(py)₂(H₂O)₂] is hexacoordinated in an elongated centrosymmetrical tetragonal‐bipyramidal arrangement (4 + 2). Based on the molecular structure the electronic, infrared, electron paramagnetic resonance spectra and magnetic properties are discussed and stereochemistry as well as the mode of ligand coordination in new solid complexes under study have been determined.     

Algebraic Kekulé structures of benzenoid hydrocarbons

An algebraic Kekulé structure of a benzenoid hydrocarbon is obtained from an ordinary Kekulé structure by inscribing into each hexagon the number of pi-electrons which (according to this Kekulé structure) belong to this hexagon. We show that in the case of catafusenes, there is a one-to-one correspondence between ordinary and algebraic Kekulé structures. On the other hand, in the case of perifusenes, one algebraic Kekulé structure may correspond to several ordinary Kekulé structures.     

Discovery of a small molecule that inhibits the interaction of anthrax edema factor with its cellular activator, calmodulin

The catalytic efficiency of adenylyl cyclase activity of edema factor (EF) from Bacillus anthracis is enhanced by approximately 1000-fold upon its binding to mammalian protein calmodulin (CaM). A tandem cell-based and protein binding-based screen of a 10,000 member library identified a molecule that inhibits the EF-CaM interaction and therefore the adenylyl cyclase activity. A combination of fluorescence spectroscopy and photolabeling studies showed that the molecule targets the CaM binding region of EF. A series of related compounds were synthesized and evaluated to identify one compound, 4-[4-(4-nitrophenyl)-thiazolylamino]-benzenesulfonamide, that maintained activity against EF but showed minimal toxicity to two cultured cell lines. This compound represents an important reagent to study the role of EF in anthrax pathology and may represent a drug lead against anthrax infection.     

Structural analysis of 2,6-[bis(alkyloxy)methyl]-phenyltin derivatives using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

Electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectrometry was applied to the structural analysis of 23 2,6-[bis(alkyloxy)methyl]phenyltin(IV) derivatives. The mass spectra were measured in both polarity modes and multistage tandem mass spectrometric (MS(n)) measurements were performed on the ion trap analyser for positively charged tin-containing ions. The sum of complementary ions observed in the positive-ion mode (i.e. [M-R(3)](+) ion) and in the negative-ion mode (i.e. [R(3)](-) ion) permits molecular mass determination in spite of the fact that the molecular adducts were often missing even in the first-order mass spectra. The subsequent fragmentation of [M-R(3)](+) ions studied by MS(n) and the correlation of observed fragment ions with the expected structures of synthesized organotin(IV) compounds allowed us to understand the fragmentation behaviour and the mechanism of the ion formation for studied compounds. The typical neutral losses are alkenes, alcohols and aldehydes. The fragmentation pattern of one selected compound was supported by MS(n) measurements of an isotopically labelled analogue to confirm unusual ion-molecule reactions of some fragment ions with water in the ion trap.     

Geometry changes of a Cu(I) phenanthroline complex on photoexcitation in a confining medium by time-resolved X-ray diffraction

Using a stroboscopic technique, in which the molecule is repeatedly excited and the structural change is probed more than 5000 times per second immediately after excitation, we performed a 16 K time-resolved single-crystal study of the microsecond lifetime triplet state of the Cu(I)phenanthroline derivative[Cu(I)(dmp)(dppe)][PF6] (dppe = 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane). The geometry changes on excitation differ for the two symmetry-independent molecules, but are in the same direction as calculated for an isolated reference molecule, although the flattening distortion in the crystal is significantly smaller, implying that the reorganization energy is greatly affected by the confining medium.     

Improving the performance of molecular dynamics simulations on parallel clusters

In this article a procedure is derived to obtain a performance gain for molecular dynamics (MD) simulations on existing parallel clusters. Parallel clusters use a wide array of interconnection technologies to connect multiple processors together, often at different speeds, such as multiple processor computers and networking. It is demonstrated how to configure existing programs for MD simulations to efficiently handle collective communication on parallel clusters with processor interconnections of different speeds.