Trimetallic FePd2 and FePt2 4-ferrocenyl-NCN pincer complexes

Ferrocene-bridged NCN pincer complexes of structural type Fe(η⁵-C₅H₄-4-NCN-1-MX)₂ (X = I: 6, M = Pd; 7, M = Pt; X = Cl: 8, M = Pt; NCN = [4-C₆H₂(CH₂NMe₂)₂-2,6]⁻) are accessible by the subsequent reaction of Fe(η⁵-C₅H₄-4-NCNH)₂ (4) with ⁿBuLi and [PtCl₂(SEt₂)₂] (synthesis of 8) or treatment of Fe(η⁵-C₅H₄-4-NCN-1-I)₂ (5) with [Pd₂(dba)₃] (synthesis of 6) or [Pt(tol)₂(SEt₂)]₂ (synthesis of 7) (dba = dibenzylidene acetone, tol = 4-tolyl). In addition, the Sonogashira cross-coupling of Fe(η⁵-C₅H₄I)₂ (1) with HCC-4-NCNH (2) gives Fe(η⁵-C₅H₄-CC-4-NCNH)₂ (3). The reaction behavior of 3 towards ^tBuLi is reported as well.Cyclovoltammetric studies show that the ferrocene entity can be oxidized reversibly. The Fe(II)/Fe(III) potential decreases with increasing electron density at the NCN pincer units due to the presence of the M-halide moiety (M = Pd, Pt).The solid state structure of Fe(η⁵-C₅H₄-4-NCN-1-PdI)₂ (6) is presented. In 6 the Fe(η⁵-C₅H₄)₂ unit connects two NCN-PdI pincer entities with palladium in a square-planar environment. The cyclopentadienyl ligands show a staggered conformation. The C₆H₂ rings are tilted by 23.5(3)° towards the C₅H₄ entities and the C₆H₂ plane is almost coplanar with the coordination plane (10.3(3)°).     

Structure and thermoelectric properties of the ordered skutterudite CoGe1.5Te1.5

The skutterudite-related material CoGe_1.5Te_1.5 has been synthesised and structurally characterised by powder neutron diffraction. Analysis of the high-resolution powder neutron diffraction data indicates that the structure of CoGe_1.5Te_1.5 retains the a⁺a⁺a⁺ tilt system of the ideal skutterudite structure, while the anions are ordered in layers perpendicular to the [111] direction of the skutterudite unit cell. This anion ordering results in a lowering of the symmetry from cubic to rhombohedral (space group , a=12.3270(5) and c=15.102(1) Å at 293 K). The electrical transport properties have been investigated using four-probe resistivity and Seebeck coefficient measurements. The temperature dependence of the electrical resistivity and the magnitude of the Seebeck coefficient indicate that CoGe_1.5Te_1.5 is an n-type semiconductor.     

Adsorption and activity of a domoic acid binding antibody fragment on mesoporous silicates

The adsorption of an anti-domoic acid single-chain Fv (scFv) antibody fragment onto a range of mesoporous silicate supports was investigated. The scFv fragment adsorbed to all materials investigated, and pI had an apparently large effect on coating, with the greatest-and fastest-adsorption found on the most negatively charged silicates. Maximal coating levels attainable did not reflect the pore diameters of the materials. The immobilized antibody was functional on all materials and bound its antigen, a naturally occurring neurotoxin produced by shellfish, in a rapidly saturating manner that suggested the antibody adsorbed in a multilayer on the mesoporous particles. The antigen:antibody ratio decreased from 1:1.3 to <1:10 with increasing concentration of immobilized antibody, and the immobilized scFv exhibited no detectable reduction in domoic acid binding over a 42-day incubation period.     

A Kinetic and Structural Investigation of DNA‐Based Asymmetric Catalysis Using First‐Generation Ligands

The recently developed concept of DNA‐based asymmetric catalysis involves the transfer of chirality from the DNA double helix in reactions using a noncovalently bound catalyst. To date, two generations of DNA‐based catalysts have been reported that differ in the design of the ligand for the metal. Herein we present a study of the first generation of DNA‐based catalysts, which contain ligands comprising a metal‐binding domain linked through a spacer to a 9‐aminoacridine moiety. Particular emphasis has been placed on determining the effect of DNA on the structure of the Cu^II complex and the catalyzed Diels–Alder reaction. The most important findings are that the role of DNA is limited to being a chiral scaffold; no rate acceleration was observed in the presence of DNA. Furthermore, the optimal DNA sequence for obtaining high enantioselectivities proved to contain alternating GC nucleotides. Finally, DNA has been shown to interact with the Cu^II complex to give a chiral structure. Comparison with the second generation of DNA‐based catalysts, which bear bipyridine‐type ligands, revealed marked differences, which are believed to be related to the DNA microenvironment in which the catalyst resides and where the reaction takes place.     

Solid‐State Structural Characterization of Cutinase–ECE‐Pincer–Metal Hybrids

Crystal‐clear structures : The first crystal structures of organometallic pincer–cutinase hybrids (see figure) provide insight into the 3D structural arrangement of both the protein and the organometallic pincer moiety, and reveal different binding modes for different pincers.

     

Distance-two labellings of Hamming graphs

Let j≥k≥0 be integers. An ?-L(j,k)-labelling of a graph G=(V,E) is a mapping ?:V→{0,1,2,…,?} such that |?(u)−?(v)|≥j if u,v are adjacent and |?(u)−?(v)|≥k if they are distance two apart. Let λ_j,k(G) be the smallest integer ? such that G admits an ?-L(j,k)-labelling. Define to be the smallest ? if G admits an ?-L(j,k)-labelling with ?(V)={0,1,2,…,?} and ∞ otherwise. An ?-cyclic L(j,k)-labelling is a mapping ?:V→Z_? such that |?(u)−?(v)|_?≥j if u,v are adjacent and |?(u)−?(v)|_?≥k if they are distance two apart, where |x|_?=min{x,?−x} for x between 0 and ?. Let σ_j,k(G) be the smallest ?−1 of such a labelling, and define similarly to . We determine λ_2,0, , σ_2,0 and for all Hamming graphs K_q1□K_q2□?□K_qd (d≥2, q₁≥q₂≥?≥q_d≥2) and give optimal labellings, with the only exception being for q≥4. We also prove the following “sandwich theorem”: If q₁ is sufficiently large then for any graph G between K_q1□K_q2 and K_q1□K_q2□?□K_qd, and moreover we give a labelling which is optimal for these eight invariants simultaneously.     

Multiple packets of neutral molecules revolving for over a mile

The level of control that one has over neutral molecules in beams dictates their possible applications. Here we experimentally demonstrate that state-selected, neutral molecules can be kept together in a few mm long packet for a distance of over one mile. This is accomplished in a circular arrangement of 40 straight electrostatic hexapoles through which the molecules propagate over 1000 times. Up to 19 packets of molecules have simultaneously been stored in this ring structure. This brings the realization of a molecular low-energy collider within reach.     

Principal component and linear discriminant analysis of T1 histograms of white and grey matter in multiple sclerosis

Twenty-three relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients and 14 controls were imaged to produce normal-appearing white and grey matter T1 histograms. These were used to assess whether histogram measures from principal component analysis (PCA) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA) out-perform traditional histogram metrics in classification of T1 histograms into control and RRMS subject groups and in correlation with the expanded disability status score (EDSS). The histograms were classified into one of two groups using a leave-one-out analysis. In addition, the patients were scanned serially, and the calculated parameters correlated with the EDSS. The classification results showed that the more complex techniques were at least as good at classifying the subjects as histogram mean, peak height and peak location, with PCA/LDA having success rates of 76% for white matter and 68%/65% for grey matter. No significant correlations were found with EDSS for any histogram parameter. These results indicate that there is much information contained within the grey matter as well as the white matter histograms. Although in these histograms PCA and LDA did not add greatly to the discriminatory power of traditional histogram parameters, they provide marginally better performance, while relying only on data-driven feature selection.     

On the Two Closely Related Phases of [Ru(C5Me5)(η6-1,3-(Me2NCH2)2C6H4)](BF4) and the Reversible Solid–Solid Order–Disorder Phase Transition

Abstract  

Crystals of the complex [Ru(C₅Me₅)(η⁶-1,3-(Me₂NCH₂)₂C₆H₄)](BF₄) have been examined over the temperature range 150–300 K via X-ray diffraction measurements. This study shows that the Ru complex is a two-phase system in this T-range and the solid–solid transition is reversible. At 150 K, phase II (P2₁/c, Z′ = 4) is ordered and non-merohedrally twinned, a = 16.4396 (9) ?, b = 17.3226 (4) ?, c = 32.1874 (11) ?, β = 91.375 (2)°. At 295 K, phase I (Pbca, Z′ = 1) is disordered, a = 8.5071 (3) ?, b = 17.1567 (3) ?, c = 32.8250 (8) ?. The relationship between the two phases is obvious because the packing remains similar in the two phases. The greatest structural changes between the two phases are found in the rows of adjacent cations [Ru(C₅Me₅)(η⁶-1,3-(Me₂NCH₂)₂C₆H₄)]⁺ packed along the a direction. These rows are ordered in phase II but are disordered in phase I. The phase transition is first order. Significant changes in thermal motion for the cations are considered as being the driving force for the occurrence of this phase transition.