Conformational dynamics of a bispyridinium cyclophane

A complete study of the conformational behavior of 4,8-diaza-3(1,4),9(4,1)-dipyridina-1,6(1,4)-dibenzenacyclodecaphan-3(1),9(1)-bis(ilium) bishexafluorophosphate is described. This study allows us to conclude that the process observed by which the different chemical shifts of the pyridinium protons show coalescence at a high-temperature 1H NMR is the rotation around the C-N bond, whereas the conformational equilibrium between the four conformers is produced at low temperature.     

Study of the factors that control the ratio of the products between 5-fluorouracil, uracil, and tetrahydrobenzoxazepine O,O-acetals bearing electron-withdrawing groups on the nitrogen atom

(RS)-1-(2-Nitrobenzenesulfonyl)- and (RS)-1-(4-nitrobenzenesulfonyl)-3-methoxy-1,2,3,5-tetrahydro-4,1-benzoxazepines are better substrates than 1-acyl-3-methoxy-1,2,3,5-tetrahydro-4,1-benzoxazepine derivatives for the Lewis acid mediated condensation reaction with pyrimidine bases to give O,N-acetals. Acetonitrile, stannic chloride, 50 degrees C, and a reaction time higher than 48 h are the optimum conditions for such condensation reactions. Under these conditions, 5-fluorouracil preferably links to the aminalic carbon through its N-1" position, while the attachment of the uracil fragment is through N-3" or N-1" of the cyclic or acyclic products, respectively. The causes that influence the course of the reactions are analyzed and discussed. Examination of the (1)H NMR spectra revealed the presence of a single form for the secondary amine 11 and of two conformers for the tertiary sulfonamides 7a,b, 9a,b, and 10b and for the amides 7d and 13, with the following distribution: 7a, 59/41; 7b, 53/47; 9a, 52/48; 9b, 59/41; 10b, 56/44; 7d, 50/50; 13, 80/20. On increasing the temperature, the (1)H NMR spectrum (DMSO-d(6)) of 7b showed coalescence at 110 degrees C. The torsional barrier determined [DeltaG(c)++ value of 19.0 +/- 0.2 kcal.mol(-1) (79.1 +/- 1.0 kJ.mol(-1))] proved to be the highest ever observed for sulfonamide moieties.     

Unprecedented Ring–Ring Interconversion of N,P,C‐Cage Ligands

The novel N,P,C‐cage complexes 5 a – f and 6 a – f have been obtained by the reaction of the P‐pentamethylcyclopentadienylphosphinidene complex 2 , generated thermally from 2H‐azaphosphirene complex 1 , with N‐methyl‐C‐arylcarbaldimines 3 a – f . Li/Cl phosphinidenoid complex 8 reacted with 3 a , b to give N,P,C‐cage complexes 6 a , b , whereas with 3 c – f , complexes 6 c – f were obtained in negligible amounts only. Both types of ligand N,P,C‐cage structures 5 and 6 were found to be in an unprecedented equilibrium, with 5 a , f as the predominant species. Transient electrophilic terminal phosphinidene complexes 10 a – f serve as intermediates in both ligand interconversions ( 5 a , f ? 6 a , f ), as evidenced through trapping reactions with phenylacetylene and N‐methyl‐C‐phenylcarbaldimine, thus leading to the novel N,P,C‐cage complexes 13 b and 15 . DFT calculations predicted a small difference in the relative energies of the two types of N,P,C‐cage ligands, and a remarkable stabilisation of the aminophosphinidene complex 10 as the common precursor, thereby providing an insight into this surprising 5‐ring–3‐ring interconversion. In depth analysis of intermediate 10 revealed the occurrence of both through‐bond (conventional inductive/mesomeric effects) and through‐space (non‐covalent interactions) mechanisms, which amount to 67.8 and 14.4 kcal mol^?1, respectively, and account for the remarkable stabilisation of this intermediate.     

Structural study of pyrimidine nucleoside analogues. I: Molecular mechanics and semiempirical calculations of 2′-deoxy-2′-fluoroarabinofuranosyluracils

Molecular mechanics (MM) calculations have been performed on the title compounds. For the MM minimum energy conformation obtained by conformational analysis, molecular orbital (MO) calculations (MNDO and AM1) have also been performed. The geometries obtained have been compared with the experimental ones extracted from the Cambridge Structural Database (CSD). A qualitative structure-activity relationship has been pointed out based on the electrostatic potentials calculated at different positions on the electronic surface.     

A simple but effective dual redox and fluorescent ion pair receptor based on a ferrocene-imidazopyrene dyad

The ferrocene-imidazopyrene dyad, bearing the imidazole ring as the only receptor site, acts as a redox and optical molecular sensor for ion pairs, exhibiting an easily detectable signal change in the redox potential of the ferrocene/ferrocinium redox couple and in the emission spectrum. Perturbation of the emission spectrum follows the order Pb(2+) > Hg(2+) > Zn(2+) for cations and H(2)PO(4)(-) > AcO(-) for anions.     

Aldimines generated from aza-Wittig reaction between bis(iminophosphoranes) derived from 1,1'-diazidoferrocene and aromatic or heteroaromatic aldehydes: electrochemical and optical behaviour towards metal cations

Aldimine 4 bearing a 2-quinolyl group was prepared by aza-Wittig reaction between the triphenyliminophosphorane derived from the 1,1'-diazidoferrocene and 2-formylquinoline. However, aldimine 5, bearing a pyrene ring, was prepared using the most reactive tributyliminophosphorane derivative and the corresponding 1-formylpyrene. On the other hand, formation of aldimine 8 involves a tandem process, Staudinger reaction/intramolecular aza-Wittig reaction, by using directly 1,1'-diazidoferrocene and 2-(diphenylphosphonyl)benzaldehyde. Aldimine 4 behaves as chemosensor molecule for Ni(2+), Zn(2+), Cd(2+), Hg(2+) and Pb(2+) cations through two different channels: electrochemical (ΔE(1/2) = 222-361 mV) and chromogenic (Δλ = 122-153 nm), which can be used for the "naked eye" detection of these metal cations. Aldimine 5 behaves as a highly selective redox (in CH(3)CN) and fluorescent (in CH(3)Cl-DMF) probe for Hg(2+) metal cations even in the presence of a large excess of the other metal cations tested. Aldimine 8 displays electrochemical affinity (ΔE(1/2) = 60-288 mV) to Li(+), Ca(2+), Mg(2+), Zn(2+) and Pb(2+) metal cations, with the phosphorus oxide functionality as a binding site. From the (1)H NMR titration data as well as DFT calculations, different tentative binding modes have been established, for these structurally related ferrocenyl derivatives.     

Influence of substrate temperature and N2/Ar flow ratio on the stoichiometry,structure and hardness of TaNx coatings deposited by DC reactive sputtering

The effect of substrate temperature and N2/Ar flow ratio on the stoichiometry, structure and hardness of TaN_x coatings prepared on (111) Si substrates by DC reactive sputtering was investigated. For the structural, chemical and morphological analysis, X‐ray diffraction (XRD), Auger electron scanning and atomic force microscopy were respectively used. Hardness values of thin films were determined using the work of indentation model from nanoindentation measurements. TaN stoichiometric coatings were obtained for samples deposited at room temperature. The stoichiometric TaN phase was not obtained by increasing the temperature up to 773 K, even when increasing the N₂/Ar flow ratio. Even when a saturation in nitrogen content was achieved, nitrogen vacancies are still present in those samples. For coatings prepared at 773 K and low N₂/Ar flow ratio, a phase mixture between TaN_x and cubic α‐Ta was observed, while a cubic structure δ‐TaN was formed by increasing the N₂/Ar flow ratio. A maximum in hardness and (38 GPa) was obtained for the sample deposited at 773 K and a N₂/Ar flow ratio of 0.2, which presented a δ‐TaN cubic crystalline structure and a roughness value of 1.6 nm. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Absorption Spectra of 4‐Nitrophenolate Ions Measured in Vacuo and in Solution

From blue to red: While four π‐conjugated nitrophenolates absorb within a relatively narrow region in solution, they cover the entire visible spectrum when isolated in vacuo (see picture). The work combines gas‐ and solution‐phase spectroscopy and provides the first benchmark of theoretical excitation energies for nitrophenolates.