Synthesis and structural characterization of five new coordination polymer chain structures using a new,Z-shaped ligand, 2,2′-bis-(4-pyridylethynyl)tolane

Using the new ligand, 2,2-bis-(4-pyridylethynyl)tolane we have synthesized five new coordination polymers: HgBr₂[2,2-bis-(4-pyridylethynyl)tolane] (1), HgI₂[2,2-bis-(4-pyridylethynyl)tolane] (2), Ni(acetylacetonate)₂[2,2-bis-(4-pyridylethynyl)tolane] (3), Zn(acetylacetonate)₂[2,2-bis-(4-pyridylethynyl)tolane] (4), and Cu(hexafluoro acetylacetonate)₂[2,2-bis-(4-pyridylethynyl)tolane]CHCl₃ (5). 2,2-Bis-(4-pyridyl ethynyl)tolane is a rigid ligand with a Z-shape that promotes the formation of zig-zag chains. Compounds 1– 5 were characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction; and compounds 1– 3 were additionally characterized by IR, elemental analysis, and thermogravimetric analysis. Compound 1 crystallizes in the monoclinic space group C2/c with a = 29.761(3) Å, b = 5.0531(5) Å, c = 16.7823(15) Å, = 104.090(2), V = 2447.9(4) ų, Z = 4. Each mercury is bound to two tolane ligands and two bromine anions, resulting in a tetrahedral coordination environment. Compound 2 crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2/c, with a = 20.3061(17) Å, b = 5.6303(5) Å, c = 24.5459(19) Å, = 110.338(2), V = 2631.4(4) ų, Z = 4. Here also, each mercury is bound to two tolane ligands and two iodine anions in a tetrahedral coordination environment. The ligand orientation differs in compounds 1 and 2 being trans oriented in 1 and cis oriented in 2. Compound 3 crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2₁/c with a = 14.5947(14) Å, b = 6.3082(6) Å, c = 18.3939(18) Å, = 112.112(2), V = 1568.9(3) ų, Z = 2. Each nickel is bound to two tolane ligands and two bidentate AcAc anions, resulting in an octahedral coordination environment. Compound 4, which is isostructural with 3, also crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2₁/c with a = 14.6990(9) Å, b = 6.2724(4) Å, c = 18.6433(11) Å, = 112.8610(10), V = 1583.86(17) ų, Z = 2. Compound 5 crystallizes in the triclinic space group P-1 with a = 6.5487(4) Å, b = 11.6471(7) Å, c = 14.3225(9) Å, = 70.1360(10), = 89.3990(10), = 88.7680(10), V = 1027.18(11) ų, Z = 1. Each copper in 5 is bound to two tolane ligands and two bidentate hfAcAc anions, resulting in an octahedral coordination environment identical to that found in 3 and 4.     

Near-IR luminescence of monolayer-protected metal clusters

Visible-near-IR luminescence spectra of gold MPCs that are similar, irrespective of the number of core atoms (all <2 nm diameter) and different monolayers, are reported. The luminescence can be quantitatively invoked by introducing polar ligands into nonpolar MPC monolayers and by galvanic exchange of metal atoms on the MPC core surface with different metals. The observed emissions are believed to result from surface-localized states that depend on both the core metal of the nanoparticle and the ligands attached to the metal surface.     

A fluorescent probe for the detection of myeloperoxidase activity in atherosclerosis-associated macrophages

The myeloperoxidase (MPO)-derived oxidant hypochlorous acid (HOCl/OCl(-)) is implicated in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and other inflammatory states. We have synthesized an imaging probe, sulfonaphthoaminophenyl fluorescein (SNAPF), that selectively reacts with HOCl. SNAPF detects HOCl produced by stimulated MPO-expressing cells cultured from human whole blood, as well as HOCl from bone marrow (BM)-derived macrophages isolated from transgenic mice that express human MPO. Two lines of evidence indicate that SNAPF permits the in vivo imaging of HOCl production. First, we used this approach to demonstrate HOCl production by neutrophils in experimental murine peritonitis. Second, we detected HOCl production by MPO expressing cells in human atherosclerotic arteries. Thus, fluorescence reflectance imaging by SNAPF may provide a valuable noninvasive molecular imaging tool for implicating HOCl and MPO in the damage of inflamed tissues.     

Gas adsorption and storage in metal-organic framework MOF-177

Gas adsorption experiments have been carried out on a zinc benzenetribenzoate metal-organic framework material, MOF-177. Hydrogen adsorption on MOF-177 at 298 K and 10 MPa gives an adsorption capacity of approximately 0.62 wt %, which is among the highest hydrogen storage capacities reported in porous materials at ambient temperatures. The heats of adsorption for H2 on MOF-177 were -11.3 to -5.8 kJ/mol. By adding a H2 dissociating catalyst and using our bridge building technique to build carbon bridges for hydrogen spillover, the hydrogen adsorption capacity in MOF-177 was enhanced by a factor of approximately 2.5, to 1.5 wt % at 298 K and 10 MPa, and the adsorption was reversible. N2 and O2 adsorption measurements showed that O2 was adsorbed more favorably than N2 on MOF-177 with a selectivity of approximately 1.8 at 1 atm and 298 K, which makes MOF-177 a promising candidate for air separation. The isotherm was linear for O2 while being concave for N2. Water vapor adsorption studies indicated that MOF-177 adsorbed up to approximately 10 wt % H2O at 298 K. The framework structure of MOF-177 was not stable upon H2O adsorption, which decomposed after exposure to ambient air in 3 days. All the results suggested that MOF-177 could be a potentially promising material for gas separation and storage applications at ambient temperature (under dry conditions or with predrying).     

Headspace single-drop microextration for the detection of organotin compounds

The performance of single-drop microextraction (SDME), coupled with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, was assessed for the determination of tributyltin compounds in water and solid samples. Experimental parameters impacting the performance of SDME, such as microextraction solvent and sampling and stirring time, were investigated. Analytical results obtained by SDME were compared with those generated by conventional solid phase microextraction (SPME) and liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) for the determination of TBT in PACS-2 sediment certified reference material (CRM).     

Elucidating the hard/soft acid/base principle: a perspective based on half-reactions

A comprehensive analysis is presented for the acid-base double-exchange reaction as well as the associated acid-displacement and base-displacement "half-reactions" with the goal of elucidating the meaning of the hard/soft acid/base (HSAB) principle and the conditions for its validity. When electron-transfer effects are important and other effects are negligible, the HSAB principle is driven by the surpassing stability of the soft acid/soft base product. When electrostatic effects dominate the reactivity, the HSAB principle is driven by the surpassing stability of the hard acid/hard base product. Because electron-transfer effects favor soft/soft interactions, while electrostatic effects favor hard/hard interactions, acid-base exchange reactions may be used to determine whether a reagent's reactivity is dominated by electron-transfer or by electrostatic effects. Because electron-transfer and electrostatic considerations separately favor the HSAB principle whenever the electronic chemical potentials of the acids and bases involved in the reaction are similar, our analysis provides strong support for the HSAB principle. The electronic chemical potential measures the intrinsic strength of acids and bases.     

Palladium-catalyzed amidation of enol triflates: a new synthesis of enamides

[reaction: see text] The palladium-catalyzed coupling of a range of enol triflates with amides, carbamates, and sulfonamides has been developed. This offers a simple and widely applicable synthesis of enamides, which may not be readily available by other means.