A highly efficient dioxo(mu-oxo)molybdenum(VI) dimer catalyst for olefin epoxidation

The oxo-bridged dimer [Mo(2)O(4)(mu(2)-O)Cl(2)(pzH)(4)] (1; pzH = pyrazole) exhibits unusually high activity in the liquid-phase catalytic epoxidation of the cyclic olefins cyclooctene and (R)-(+)-limonene under mild conditions and in the absence of additional organic solvents, using tert-butyl hydroperoxide as the oxidant. The complex is stable under the reaction conditions and can be used in further catalytic runs without significant loss of performance. An X-ray crystallographic investigation reveals that 1 has an unprecedented and extremely rare all-cis configuration at each of the MoO(2)-(mu(2)-O)Cl(pzH)(2) cores, which can be understood by considering supramolecular contacts and geometric factors.     

An octanuclear molybdenum(VI) complex containing coordinatively bound 4,4'-di-tert-butyl-2,2'-bipyridine, [Mo8O22(OH)4(di-tBu-bipy)4]: synthesis, structure, and catalytic epoxidation of bio-derived olefins

The reaction of [MoO(2)Cl(2)(di-tBu-bipy)] (1) (di-tBu-bipy = 4,4'-di-tert-butyl-2,2'-bipyridine) with water at 100-120 °C in a Teflon-lined stainless steel autoclave, in an open reflux system, or in a microwave synthesis system gave the octanuclear complex [Mo(8)O(22)(OH)(4)(di-tBu-bipy)(4)] (2) as a microcrystalline powder in good yields. Single crystals of 2 suitable for X-ray diffraction were obtained by the reaction of MoO(3) and di-tBu-bipy in water at 160 °C for 3 days. The molecular structure of 2 comprises a purely inorganic core, Mo(4)O(8)(μ(3)-OH)(2)(μ(2)-O)(2), attached to two peripheral oxo-bridged binuclear units, Mo(2)O(4)(μ(2)-O)(2)(OH)(di-tBu-bipy)(2). The inorganic core is composed of a unique assembly of four {MoO(5)} distorted square pyramids connected to each other via edge-sharing. Overall, the octanuclear complex adopts a highly distorted form strongly resembling an "S"-shaped molecular unit. Complex 2 was applied in the catalytic epoxidation of the biorenewable olefins DL-limonene (Lim) and methyl oleate (Ole), using tert-butylhydroperoxide (TBHP) as an oxygen donor, under mild reaction conditions (55 °C, air). The reactions of Lim and Ole gave the respective epoxide monomers in fairly high selectivities at high conversions (89% 1,2-epoxy-p-menth-8-ene selectivity at 96% Lim conversion; 99% methyl 9,10-epoxystearate selectivity at 94% Ole conversion, reached within 24 h reaction). Iodometric titrations revealed no measurable "non-productive" decomposition of TBHP.     

High precision delta(17)O isotope measurements of oxygen from silicates and other oxides: method and applications

The use of infrared laser-assisted fluorination to release oxygen from milligram quantities of silicates or other oxide mineral grains is a well-established technique. However, relatively few studies have reported the optimisation of this procedure for oxygen-17 isotope measurements. We describe here details of an analytical system using infrared (10 μm) laser-assisted fluorination, in conjunction with a dual inlet mass spectrometer of high resolving power ( approximately 250) to provide (17)O and (18)O oxygen isotope measurements from 0.5-2 mg of silicates or other oxide mineral grains. Respective precisions (1) of typically 0.08 and 0.04 per thousand are obtained for the complete analytical procedure. Departures from the mass-dependent oxygen isotope fractionation line are quantified by Delta(17)O; our precision (1) of such measurements on individual samples is shown to be +/-0.024 per thousand. In turn, this permits the offset between parallel, mass-dependent fractionation lines to be characterised to substantially greater precision than has been possible hitherto. Application of this system to investigate the (17)O versus (18)O relationship for numerous terrestrial whole-rock and mineral samples, of diverse geological origins and age, indicates that the complete data set may be described by a single, mass-dependent fractionation line of slope 0.5244+/- 0.00038 (standard error). Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Synthesis, characterization and antitumor activity of 1,2-disubstituted ferrocenes and cyclodextrin inclusion complexes

Seven different ferrocene derivatives have been tested in vitro against Ehrlich ascites tumor cells. Neither ferrocene nor the monosubstituted derivative N,N-dimethylaminomethylferrocene showed cytotoxic activity (IC₅₀ > 1000 μM for 3 h treatments). Better results were obtained with 1,2-disubstituted derivatives. The IC₅₀ values ranged from 376.6 μM for 1,2-diformylferrocene to 71.2 μM for racemic 2-(N,N-dimethylaminomethyl)ferrocenecarboxamide. The latter derivative was also encapsulated in native β-cyclodextrin (CD), heptakis-2,3,6-tri-O-methyl-β-CD (TRIMEB) and 2-hydroxypropyl-β-CD (HPβCD) to give 1:1 (host:guest) inclusion compounds. The existence of true inclusion complexes in the solid state was confirmed by a combination of powder X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, FTIR and ¹³C CP MAS NMR spectroscopy. The IC₅₀ value for the β-CD inclusion compound was identical to that obtained for the nonincluded ferrocene derivative. By contrast, the inclusion compounds comprising TRIMEB and HPβCD yielded IC₅₀ values of 25.2 and 20.0 μM, respectively. No obvious relationship could be established between the redox behavior of the compounds determined by cyclic voltammetry and the biochemical data.     

An NHC-Mediated Metal-Free Approach towards an NHC-Coordinated Endocyclic Disilene

A convenient metal-free approach towards an N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-coordinated disilene 2 is described. Compound 2 , featuring the disilene incorporated in cyclopolysilane framework, was obtained in good yield and characterized using NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations of the reaction mechanism provide a rationale for the observed reactivity and give detailed information on the bonding situation of the base-stabilized disilene. Compound 2 undergoes thermal or light- induced (λ=456 nm) NHC loss, and a dimerization process to give a corresponding dimer with a Si₁₀ skeleton. In order to shed light on the dimerization mechanism, DFT calculations were performed. Moreover, the reactivity of 2 was examined with selected examples of transition metal carbonyl compounds.     

A NEW FINITE ELEMENT APPROXIMATION OF A STATE-CONSTRAINED OPTIMAL CONTROL PROBLEM

In this paper, we study numerical methods for an optimal control problem with pointwise state constraints. The traditional approaches often need to deal with the deltasingularity in the dual equation, which causes many difficulties in its theoretical analysis and numerical approximation. In our new approach we reformulate the state-constrained optimal control as a constrained minimization problems only involving the state, whose optimality condition is characterized by a fourth order elliptic variational inequality. Then direct numerical algorithms （nonconforming finite element approximation） are proposed for the inequality, and error estimates of the finite element approximation are derived. Numerical experiments illustrate the effectiveness of the new approach.     

Desymmetrization of diols by a tandem oxidation/Wittig olefination reaction

Diols are desymmetrized by a tandem oxidation/Wittig olefination to give alpha,beta-unsaturated hydroxy esters without the requirement for protecting group strategies; the alpha,beta-unsaturated hydroxy esters are transformed into dienyl diesters using a second oxidation/Wittig olefination sequence using PCC.     

Microwave assisted synthesis of molybdenum and tungsten tetracarbonyl complexes with a pyrazolylpyridine ligand. Crystal structure of cis-[Mo(CO)4{ethyl[3-(2-pyridyl)-1-pyrazolyl]acetate}

We report the one-step syntheses in good yields of the complexes cis-[M(CO)4(pzpy)] {M = Mo, W; pzpy = ethyl[3-(2-pyridyl)-1-pyrazolyl]acetate} directly from the corresponding M(CO)6 starting materials by using microwave-assisted heating and reaction times of either 30 s (M = Mo) or 15 min (M = W). The structure of the molybdenum tetracarbonyl complex was determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction. The compound is monomeric and the molybdenum atom has a highly distorted octahedral geometry. The close packing of the individual cis-[Mo(CO)4(pzpy)] species is essentially driven by the need to fill the space effectively, closely mediated by weak C-H-O and pi-pi interactions.     

Octahedral bipyridine and bipyrimidine dioxomolybdenum(VI) complexes: characterization,application in catalytic epoxidation,and density functional mechanistic study

Complexes of the general formula [MoO(2)X(2)L(2)] (X=Cl, Br, Me; L(2)=bipy, bpym) have been prepared and fully characterized, including X-ray crystallographic investigations of all six compounds. Additionally, the highly soluble complex [MoO(2)Cl(2)(4,4'-bis(hexyl)-2,2'-bipyridine)] has been synthesized. The reaction of the complexes with tert-butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP) is an equilibrium reaction, and leads to MoV(I) eta(1)-alkylperoxo complexes that selectively catalyze the epoxidation of olefins. Neither the Mo-X bonds nor the Mo-N bonds are cleaved during this reaction. These experimental results are supported by theoretical calculations, which show that the attack of TBHP at the Mo center through the X-O-N face is energetically favored and the TBHP hydrogen atom is transferred to a terminal oxygen of the Mo=O moiety. After the attack of the olefin on the Mo-bound peroxo oxygen atom, epoxide and tert-butyl alcohol are formed. The latter compound acts as a competitive inhibitor for the TBHP attack, and leads to a significant reduction in the catalytic activity with increasing reaction time.     

The detection of various opiates and benzodiazepines by comprehensive two‐dimensional gas chromatography/time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry

A technique using comprehensive two‐dimensional gas chromatography/time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (GC × GC/TOFMS) is applied to qualitative and quantitative drug testing. Human serum was ‘spiked’ with known quantities of benzodiazepines and a ‘street heroin’ mixture including some of the major metabolites and impurities. The sample components were extracted from the matrix by solid‐phase extraction (SPE). Constituents containing polar hydroxyl and/or secondary amine groups were derivatised with N‐methyl‐N‐(tert‐butyldimethyl)trifluoroacetamide (MTBSTFA) to improve the chromatographic performance. An orthogonal separation of the matrix constituents was achieved by coupling a DB‐5ms (5% phenyl) to a BPX50 (50% phenyl) GC column. The eluant was focused onto the second column by a twin‐stage cryo‐modulator. Rapid 6 s modulation times were achieved by transfer from a 30 m × 0.25 mm (length × internal diameter) to a 2 m × 0.1 mm column. TOFMS with rapid spectral acquisition (≤500 spectra/s) was employed in the mass range m/z 40–650. A clean mass spectrum was obtained for each analyte using mass spectral deconvolution software. The sensitivity and repeatability of the method were evaluated by the preparation of calibration standards for two benzodiazepines, flunitrazepam and its major metabolite 7‐aminoflunitrazepam (7‐amino‐FN), in the concentration range 5–1000 ng/mL. The limits of detection (LODs) and limits of quantitation (LOQs), calculated by repeat injections (×10) of the lowest standard, were 1.6 and 5.4 ng/mL (flunitrazepam); 2.5 and 8.5 ng/mL (7‐amino‐FN), respectively. There is scope to extend this protocol to screen a large number of drugs and metabolites stored in a library database. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.