Regioselective Sequential Additions of Nucleophiles and Electrophiles to Perfluoroalkylfullerenes: Which Cage C Atoms Are the Most Reactive and Why?

The sequential addition of CN^? or CH₃^? and electrophiles to three perfluoroalkylfullerenes (PFAFs), C_s‐C₇₀(CF₃)₈, C₁‐C₇₀(CF₃)₁₀, and C_s‐p‐C₆₀(CF₃)₂, was carried out to determine the most reactive individual fullerene C atoms (as opposed to the most reactive C?C bonds, which has previously been studied). Each PFAF reacted with CH₃^? or CN^? to generate metastable PFAF(CN)^? or PFAF(CH₃)₂^2? species with high regioselectivity (i.e., one or two predominant isomers). They were treated with electrophiles E⁺ to generate PFAF(CN)(E) or PFAF(CH₃)₂(E)₂ derivatives, also with high regioselectivity (E⁺=CN⁺, CH₃⁺, or H⁺). All of the predominant products, characterized by mass spectrometry and ¹⁹F NMR spectroscopy, are new compounds. Some could be purified by HPLC to give single isomers. Two of them, C₇₀(CF₃)₈(CN)₂ and C₇₀(CF₃)₁₀(CH₃)₂(CN)₂, were characterized by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction. DFT calculations were used to propose whether a particular reaction is under kinetic or thermodynamic control.     

Microwave‐Assisted Solid‐Phase Synthesis of a 1,2‐Disubstituted Benzimidazole Library by Using a Phosphonium Linker

An efficient and rapid microwave‐assisted solid‐phase method for the synthesis of 5‐methyl‐1,2‐disubstituted benzimidazoles derivatives has been developed. The phosphonium linker, obtained by reaction between polymer‐supported triphenylphosphine and 4‐fluoro‐3‐nitrobenzyl iodide, underwent aromatic substitution with primary amines, followed by one‐pot reaction with aldehydes in the presence of SnCl₂·2H₂O, yielded the benzimidazole system under microwave irradiation. The final products were released from the resin with NaOH under microwave irradiation and were obtained in high purity and good overall yield.     

[6,6]‐Open and [6,6]‐Closed Isomers of C70(CF2): Synthesis,Electrochemical and Quantum Chemical Investigation

Novel difluoromethylenated [70]fullerene derivatives, C₇₀(CF₂)_n (n=1–3), were obtained by the reaction of C₇₀ with sodium difluorochloroacetate. Two major products, isomeric C₇₀(CF₂) mono‐adducts with [6,6]‐open and [6,6]‐closed configurations, were isolated and their homofullerene and methanofullerene structures were reliably determined by a variety of methods that included X‐ray analysis and high‐level spectroscopic techniques. The [6,6]‐open isomer of C₇₀(CF₂) constitutes the first homofullerene example of a non‐hetero [70]fullerene derivative in which functionalisation involves the most reactive bond in the polar region of the cage. Voltammetric estimation of the electron affinity of the C₇₀(CF₂) isomers showed that it is substantially higher for the [6,6]‐open isomer (the 70‐electron π‐conjugated system is retained) than the [6,6]‐closed form, the latter being similar to the electron affinity of pristine C₇₀. In situ ESR spectroelectrochemical investigation of the C₇₀(CF₂) radical anions and DFT calculations of the hyperfine coupling constants provide evidence for the first example of an inter‐conversion between the [6,6]‐closed and [6,6]‐open forms of a cage‐modified fullerene driven by an electrochemical one‐electron transfer. Thus, [6,6]‐closed C₇₀(CF₂) constitutes an interesting example of a redox‐switchable fullerene derivative.     

The Calculus of HLB Values of Polyoxyethylene Fatty Acid Esters from Quality Control Data

In this article, we obtained equations that permit us to calculate the hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) value of polyoxyethylene esters from quality control data of the raw materials (fatty acids and polyethylene glycol) and the finished product (surfactant). These data include the acid value of the fatty acid, the hydroxyl value of the polyethylene glycol, and the hydroxyl value of the surfactant. These calculations permit us, moreover, to know the mean molecular masses of fatty acids, of polyethylene glycol, of monoester and diester, and the proportion of polyoxyethylene monoester and polyoxyethylene diester.     

Nucleophilic substitution of hydrogen in meso-nitroaryl-substituted porphyrins—unprotected at the NH-centers in the core ring

Unprotected 5-(4-nitrophenyl)-10,15,20-triphenylporphyrin and 5,10-bis(4-nitrophenyl)-15,20-diphenylporphyrin react in the presence of a base at low temperature with carbanions (which bear a leaving group X at the carbanionic center) affording vicarious nucleophilic substitution of hydrogen (VNS) products in good yields (50-89%). The reactivity is explained in terms of the predominance of the porphyrin N-anion resonance forms at this temperature.     

1, 5- and 4, 6-Benzo[h]naphthyridines and stability constants of their complexes with nickel(II), cobalt(II), copper(II) and cadmium(II) determined by the potentiometric method

Summary Using the potentiometric method, the protonation constants of 1, 5- and 4, 6-benzo[h]naphthyridine (bn), as well as the stability constants of their complexes with nickel(II), cobalt(II), copper(II), or cadmium(II) were determined.     

Confinement-Driven Photophysics in Hydrazone-Based Hierarchical Materials

Confinement-imposed photophysics was probed for novel stimuli-responsive hydrazone-based compounds demonstrating a conceptual difference in their behavior within 2D versus 3D porous matrices for the first time. The challenges associated with photoswitch isomerization arising from host interactions with photochromic compounds in 2D scaffolds could be overcome in 3D materials. Solution-like photoisomerization rate constants were realized for sterically demanding hydrazone derivatives in the solid state through their coordinative immobilization in 3D scaffolds. According to steady-state and time-resolved photophysical measurements and theoretical modeling, this approach provides access to hydrazone-based materials with fast photoisomerization kinetics in the solid state. Fast isomerization of integrated hydrazone derivatives allows for probing and tailoring resonance energy transfer (ET) processes as a function of excitation wavelength, providing a novel pathway for ET modulation.     

Facile Synthesis of an Octagermacubane with Two Three-Coordinate Germanium(0) Atoms and its Unique Radical Anion

Thermolysis of a 1 : 1 mixture of tris(di-tert-butylmethylsilyl)germane 9 and bis(di-tert-butylmethylsilyl)germane 17 at 100 °C produces unexpectedly octagermacubane 18 , having two 3-coordinate Ge⁰ atoms (40 % yield). 18 was characterized by X-ray crystallography and it is a singlet biradical (according to DFT quantum mechanical calculations and the absence of an EPR signal). Reactions of 18 with CH₂Cl₂ and H₂O yield the novel dichloro-octagermacubane 24 and hydroxy-octagermacubane 25 , respectively. Reduction of 18 with tBuMe₂SiNa in THF produces an isolable octagermacubane radical anion 26-Na . Based on X-ray crystallography, EPR spectroscopy and DFT quantum mechanical calculations, 26-Na is classified as a Ge-centered radical anion.     

Blue-LED Synthesis of Pummerer's Ketones by Peroxidase-Lignin-Catalyzed Oxidative Coupling of Substituted Phenols

Pummerer's ketones resembling the tricyclic scaffold of bioactive natural substances were synthesized by blue-LED driven Horseradish Peroxidase oxidative coupling of substituted phenols in 2-methyltetrahydrofuran by using meso-tetraphenylporphyrin as photosensitizer and dioxygen as primary oxidant. The application of functionalized lignin nanoparticles as a renewable and efficient platform for the immobilization of the enzyme extended the effectiveness of the overall process to heterogeneous catalysis under buffer limiting conditions.     

Characterization of H3PO4/HNO3–NANO2 oxidized bacterial cellulose and its usage as a carrier for the controlled release of cephalexin

Biocompatibility, biodegradation, good sorption characteristics, and unique structure of highly oxidized bacterial cellulose (OBC) are of great interest for the development of new drug delivery systems. In this study, OBC with 9.6, 13.0 and 19.5% carboxyl groups for 5, 20, and 48 h of synthesis, respectively, was successfully obtained using the HNO₃/H₃PO₄–NaNO₂. The results of morphological analysis showed that with an increase in the number of carboxyl groups, OBC fibers become thicker and rougher. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy showed the formation of carboxyl groups in the OBC after the oxidation reaction. The crystallinity of the samples according to X-Ray diffraction analysis decreased with increasing reaction time. The immobilization of cephalexin in the polymer matrix was studied in detail, it took 120 min to achieve balance in the solution with a concentration of 1 mg/ml, and the maximum amount of a sorbed antibiotic reached 43 mg/g. The drug release in vitro at 37 °C in PBS with pH 7.4 and 2.0 was prolonged. Various models were used to describe the release mechanism, the best of which was Ritger-Peppas with a diffusion exponent value ranging from 0.743 to 0.830, which explains the drug release mainly through non-Fickian diffusional release. The cephalexin-loaded OBC showed high antimicrobial activity against Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli and Gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus. The structure and properties of the resulting highly oxidized cellulose make it an excellent candidate as a drug delivery carrier with prolonged antimicrobial drug release characteristics.