Fluorous phase transfer catalysts: From onium salts to crown ethers

Fluorous quaternary ammonium and phosphonium salts, as well as fluorous macrocyclic ligands, such as crown and aza-crown ethers, have been gradually emerging as viable alternatives to classical phase transfer catalysts. The major results thus far obtained in this burgeoning field will be the focus of this review.     

Interaction of methyltin(IV) compounds with carboxylate ligands. Part 2: formation thermodynamic parameters,predictive relationships and sequestering ability

Thermodynamic data of mono‐, di‐ and tri‐methyltin(IV)‐carboxylate complexes (acetate, malonate, succinate, oxydiacetate, diethylenetrioxydiacetate, malate, citrate, 1,2,3‐tricarballylate, 1,2,3,4‐butanetetracarboxylate, 1,2,3,4,5,6‐benzenehexacarboxylate) in aqueous solution are reported at t = 25 °C and I = 0 mol l⁻¹. Thermodynamic parameters obtained were analysed to formulate empirical predictive relationships as a function of different parameters, such as the number of carboxylate groups of the ligand and the charge of the alkyltin(IV) cation. Sequestration diagrams of citrate and 1,2,3‐tricarballylate towards alkyltin(IV) cations at different pH values are also reported and discussed. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Cybotactic nematic phases of photoisomerisable hockey-stick liquid crystals

New five-ring hockey-stick liquid crystalline materials with 4-bromoresorcinol as the central core unit and an azobenzene-based side arm were synthesised and their mesophase behaviour was investigated by polarising optical microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction and under a triangular wave electric field. Additional structural modification was done by introducing a lateral fluorine atom in the terminal ring of one of the side arms. It is found that regardless of the alkyl chain length or the lateral fluorine substitution, all of the prepared materials are liquid crystalline exhibiting nematic phases composed of cybotactic clusters of the SmC-type (N_CybC) in addition to a monotropic SmC phase for the longest homologue.     

Synthesis and characterization of an MRI Gd‐based probe designed to target the translocator protein

DPA‐713 is the lead compound of a recently reported pyrazolo[1,5‐a]pyrimidineacetamide series, targeting the translocator protein (TSPO 18 kDa), and as such, this structure, as well as closely related derivatives, have been already successfully used as positron emission tomography radioligands. On the basis of the pharmacological core of this ligands series, a new magnetic resonance imaging probe, coded DPA‐C₆‐(Gd)DOTAMA was designed and successfully synthesized in six steps and 13% overall yield from DPA‐713. The Gd‐DOTA monoamide cage (DOTA = 1,4,7,10‐tetraazacyclododecane‐1,4,7,10‐tetraacetic acid) represents the magnetic resonance imaging reporter, which is spaced from the phenylpyrazolo[1,5‐a]pyrimidineacetamide moiety (DPA‐713 motif) by a six carbon‐atom chain. DPA‐C₆‐(Gd)DOTAMA relaxometric characterization showed the typical behavior of a small‐sized molecule (relaxivity value: 6.02 mM^?1 s^?1 at 20 MHz). The good hydrophilicity of the metal chelate makes DPA‐C₆‐(Gd)DOTAMA soluble in water, affecting thus its biodistribution with respect to the parent lipophilic DPA‐713 molecule. For this reason, it was deemed of interest to load the probe to a large carrier in order to increase its residence lifetime in blood. Whereas DPA‐C₆‐(Gd)DOTAMA binds to serum albumin with a low affinity constant, it can be entrapped into liposomes (both in the membrane and in the inner aqueous cavity). The stability of the supramolecular adduct formed by the Gd‐complex and liposomes was assessed by a competition test with albumin. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Para‐hydrogen induced polarization of Si‐29 NMR resonances as a potentially useful tool for analytical applications

Para‐hydrogen–induced polarization effects have been observed in the ²⁹Si NMR spectra of trimethylsilyl para‐hydrogenated molecules. The high signal enhancements and the long T₁ values observed for the ²⁹Si hyperpolarized resonances point toward the possibility of using ²⁹Si for hyperpolarization applications. A method for the discrimination of multiple compounds and/or complex mixtures of hydroxylic compounds (such as steroids), consisting of the silylization of alcoholic functionalities with an unsaturated silylalkyl moiety and subsequent reaction with para‐H₂, is proposed. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.