(PPh3)Ag(CB11H6Y6)] (Y = H,Br): highly active,selective and recyclable Lewis acids for a hetero-Diels-Alder reaction

The complex [(PPh3)Ag(CB11H6Br6)] 1 is an effective and selective catalyst (0.1 mol% loading) for a hetero-Diels-Alder reaction, which shows a marked dependence on the presence of trace amounts of water, while addition of Ag[Y] [Y = CB11H12, CB11H6Br6, O3SCF3] to a phosphine functionalized support gives an efficient and recyclable Lewis acid catalyst for this transformation.     

Comparison of femtosecond laser and continuous wave UV sources for protein-nucleic acid crosslinking

Crosslinking proteins to the nucleic acids they bind affords stable access to otherwise transient regulatory interactions. Photochemical crosslinking provides an attractive alternative to formaldehyde-based protocols, but irradiation with conventional UV sources typically yields inadequate product amounts. Crosslinking with pulsed UV lasers has been heralded as a revolutionary technique to increase photochemical yield, but this method had only been tested on a few protein-nucleic acid complexes. To test the generality of the yield enhancement, we have investigated the benefits of using approximately 150 fs UV pulses to crosslink TATA-binding protein, glucocorticoid receptor and heat shock factor to oligonucleotides in vitro. For these proteins, we find that the quantum yields (and saturating yields) for forming crosslinks using the high-peak intensity femtosecond laser do not improve on those obtained with low-intensity continuous wave (CW) UV sources. The photodamage to the oligonucleotides and proteins also has comparable quantum yields. Measurements of the photochemical reaction yields of several small molecules selected to model the crosslinking reactions also exhibit nearly linear dependences on UV intensity instead of the previously predicted quadratic dependence. Unfortunately, these results disprove earlier assertions that femtosecond pulsed laser sources provide significant advantages over CW radiation for protein-nucleic acid crosslinking.     

Silver coordination networks and cages based on a semi-rigid bis(isoxazolyl) ligand

The semi-rigid ligand 1,4-bis((3,5-dimethylisoxazol-4-yl)methyl)benzene (bisox) reacts with a range of silver(i) salts to give products in which the anions dictate the structure. The reactions with AgNO(3) and AgO(2)CCF(3) both lead to compounds in which the anions are coordinated to the silver centres. Thus, the structure of [Ag(2)(NO(3))(2)(bisox)] 1 contains helical silver-nitrate chains that are linked into sheets by bridging bisox ligands, whereas the structures of [Ag(O(2)CCF(3))(bisox)]·0.5X (2a, X = MeOH; 2b, X = MeCN) consist of sheets in which Ag(2)(μ-O(2)CCF(3))(2) dimers act as 4-connecting nodes. In these structures bisox adopts the S-conformation, with the nitrogen donor atoms anti to each other. The reactions of bisox with AgClO(4) and AgBF(4) in methanol give the compounds [Ag(2)(bisox)(3)]X(2) (3, X = ClO(4); 5, X = BF(4)), the structures of which contain triply-interpenetrated sheets with Borromean links and ligands in the S-conformation. Recrystallisation of these compounds from acetonitrile-diethyl ether gives [Ag(2)(bisox)(3)]X(2)·xEt(2)O (4, X = ClO(4), x = 1; 6, X = BF(4), x = 1.2). The structures of 4 and 6 contain similar triply-interpenetrated sheets to those in 3 and 5, though these are sandwiched between sheets of discrete Ag(2)(bisox)(3) cages, in which the bisox ligands are in the C-conformation, with the nitrogen donor atoms syn to each other. Diethyl ether molecules project through the faces of the cages and template cage formation. Both 4 and 6 lose diethyl ether on heating in vacuum, and convert into 3 and 5, respectively. This solid state transformation requires a change in conformation of half the bisox ligands, with conversion of 6 into 5 occurring more readily than conversion of 4 into 3. The reactions of bisox with AgPF(6) and AgSbF(6) in methanol give mixtures of products from which [Ag(bisox)(2)]X·0.5bisox (7, X = PF(6); 8, X = SbF(6)) can be isolated. Both 7 and 8 have structures containing one-dimensional chains, in which the bisox ligands adopt C-conformations and interconnect distorted tetrahedral silver centres in a pairwise manner generating macrocycles. Additional uncoordinated bisox molecules lie within half of these macrocyclic rings. Recrystallisation of the crude AgSbF(6)/bisox reaction mixture from acetonitrile-diethyl ether gives [Ag(bisox)(2)]SbF(6)9, the structure of which consists of a triply-interpenetrated flattened diamondoid network. A similar structure was observed for [Ag(bisox)(2)]CF(3)SO(3)10, which is formed from the reaction of AgO(3)SCF(3) and bisox in methanol.     

Intramolecular ester enolate-imine cyclization reactions for the asymmetric synthesis of polycyclic β-lactams and cyclic β-amino acid derivatives

Enolates of chiral N-(α-methyl-p-methoxybenzyl)-ω-imino-esters undergo intramolecular cyclization reactions to afford (syn)-aza-anions of β-amino esters in high dr that cyclize to afford N-(α-methyl-p-methoxybenzyl)-β-lactams that can be readily deprotected to afford their corresponding cyclic NH-β-lactams, β-amino esters, or β-amino acids.     

Bridgehead nitrogen heterocycles which contain the quinazoline moiety -- synthesis and cycloaddition of 1,2-dihydroquinazoline 3-oxides

A novel synthesis of 1,2-disubstituted 1,2-dihydroquinazoline 3-oxides 8 and the first ever examples of 1,3-dipolar trapping of these nitrones to homonuclear dipolarophiles is described. The new dipoles 8 reacted with N-methyl maleimide, generating diastereomeric adducts 14-16. In the reaction between 8 and dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate, primary cycloadducts 17 and/or stable rearrangement products, azomethine ylides 18, are formed depending on the substitution pattern of the dipole. The structure of 18c is unambiguously assigned by X-ray crystallographic analysis. An X-ray crystal structure determination is also presented for the cyclopropylisoxazoloquinazoline 22 formed by a [3 + 2] addition of 8a to 21, the dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate tetramer.     

Syntheses, structures and properties of cadmium benzenedicarboxylate metal-organic frameworks

The products isolated from the reaction between Cd(NO3)2 x 4H2O and 1,4-benzenedicarboxylic acid (H2bdc) in DMF are very dependent on the conditions. At 115 degrees C, the reaction gives [Cd(bdc)(DMF)]infinity, which has a three-dimensional network structure, whereas at 95 degrees C, 1 is formed alongside [Cd3(bdc)3(DMF)4]infinity 2, which has a two-dimensional network structure. When the reaction is carried out under pressure, it yields [Cd3(bdc)3(DMF)4]infinity 3, which is a supramolecular isomer of 2. The structure of 3 differs from that of 2 regarding the way the Cd3(O2CR)6 units are interlinked to form layers. When the reaction was carried out in DMF that had undergone partial hydrolysis, the only isolated product was [(NMe2H2)2[Cd(bdc)2] x 2DMF]infinity 4. Compound 4 has a three-dimensional triply-interpenetrated diamondoid structure, with dimethylammonium cations and DMF molecules included within the pores. The reaction between Cd(NO3)2 x 4H2O and H2bdc in DEF gave [Cd(bdc)(DEF)]infinity 5, regardless of the solvent quality. Compound 5 has a three-dimensional network structure. The reaction of Cd(NO3)2 x 4H2O and 1,3-benzenedicarboxylic acid (H2mbdc) in DMF gave [Cd(mbdc)(DMF)]infinity 6 which has a bilayer structure. The thermal properties of the new materials have been investigated, and the coordinated DEF molecules from 5 can be removed on heating to 400 degrees C without any change in the powder X-ray diffraction pattern. The H2 sorption isotherm for the desolvated material shows marked hysteresis between adsorption and desorption, and less adsorption than predicted by simulations. Kinetic data indicate that the hysteresis is not due to mass transfer limitations, and the most likely explanation for this behaviour lies in partial collapse of the framework to an amorphous phase under the conditions of activation.     

Reactions of bis(tetrazole)phenylenes. Surprising formation of vinyl compounds from alkyl halides

The reactions of 1,2-bis(tetrazol-5-yl)benzene (1), 1,3-bis(tetrazol-5-yl)benzene (2), 1,4-bis(tetrazol-5-yl)benzene (3), 1,2-(Bu₃SnN₄C)₂C₆H₄ (4), 1,3-(Bu₃SnN₄C)₂C₆H₄ (5) and 1,4-(Bu₃SnN₄C)₂C₆H₄ (6) with 1,2-dibromoethane were carried out by two different methods in order to synthesise pendant alkyl halide derivatives of the parent bis-tetrazoles. This lead to the formation of several alkyl halide derivatives, substituted at either N1 or N2 on the tetrazole ring, as well as the surprising formation of several vinyl derivatives. The crystal structures of both 1,2-[(2-vinyl)tetrazol-5-yl)]benzene (1-N,2-N′) (1b) and 1,3-bis[(2-bromoethyl)tetrazol-5-yl]benzene (2-N,2-N′) (5d) are discussed.     

Sterically hindered electron-withdrawing ligands: the reactions of N-carbazolyl phosphines with rhodium and palladium centres

The series of N-carbazolyl phosphines PPh(3-n)(NC(12)H(8))(n)(n= 1, L1; n= 2, L2; n= 3, L3) has been synthesised using BuLi to generate the N-carbazolyl lithium salt, followed by reaction with the appropriate chlorophosphine. The reactions between [Rh(mu-Cl)(CO)(2)](2) and four equivalents of L1 or L2 gave [RhCl(CO)(L1)(2)] 1 and [RhCl(CO)(L2)(2)] 2, though attempts to synthesise the analogous complex using L3 resulted in the formation of [Rh(mu-Cl)(CO)(L3)](2) 3 instead. The inability of L3 to cleave the chloride bridges can be related to its considerable steric requirements. The electronic properties of L1-3 were assessed by comparison of the nu(CO) values of the [Rh(acac)(CO)(L1-3)] complexes 4-6. The increase in number of N-carbazolyl substituents at the phosphorus atom results in a decrease of the sigma-donor and increase in the pi-acceptor character in the order L1 < L2 < L3. In the reactions of L1-3 with [PdCl(2)(cod)] only L1 was able to displace cod from the metal centre and form [PdCl(2)(L1)(2)] 7. The use of [PdCl(2)(NCMe)(2)] instead of [PdCl(2)(cod)] resulted in the formation of the complexes [PdCl(2)(L1)(2)] 7 from L1, the cyclometallated complex [Pd(mu-Cl)[P(NC(12)H(8))(2)(NC(12)H(7))-kappa(2)P,C]](2) 8 from L3 , and a mixture of [PdCl(2)(L2)(2)] 9 and [Pd(mu-Cl)[PPh(NC(12)H(8))(NC(12)H(7))-kappa(2)P,C]](2) 10 from L2 . The reaction of L3 with [Pd(OAc)(2)] produced the cyclometallated complex [Pd(mu-O(2)CCH(3))[P(NC(12)H(8))(2)(NC(12)H(7))-kappa(2)P,C]](2) 11. The reaction of L3 with [Pd(2)(dba)(3)].CHCl(3) produced the 14-electron complex [Pd(L3)(2)] 12. The X-ray crystal structures of six complexes are reported, all of which show the presence of C-H...Pd hydrogen bonding.     

Structural,spectroscopic, and electrochemical studies of binuclear manganese(II) complexes of bis(pentadentate) ligands derived from bis(1,4,7-triazacyclononane) macrocycles

Structural, electrochemical, ESR, and H2O2 reactivity studies are reported for [Mn(dmptacn)Cl]ClO4 (1, dmptacn = 1,4-bis(2-pyridylmethyl)-1,4,7-triazacyclononane) and binuclear complexes of bis(pentadentate) ligands, generated by attaching 2-pyridylmethyl arms to each secondary nitrogen in bis(1,4,7-triazacyclononane) macrocycles and linked by ethyl (tmpdtne, [Mn2(tmpdtne)Cl2](ClO4)2.2DMF, 2), propyl (tmpdtnp, [Mn2(tmpdtnp)Cl2](ClO4)2.3H2O, 3), butyl (tmpdtnb, [Mn2(tmpdtnb)Cl2](ClO4)2.DMF.2H2O, 4), m-xylyl (tmpdtn-m-X, [Mn2(tmpdtn-m-X)-Cl2](ClO4)2, 5) and 2-propanol (tmpdtnp-OH, [Mn2(tmpdtnp-OH)Cl2](ClO4)2, 6) groups. 1 crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group P2(1)2(1)2(1) (No. 19) with a = 7.959(7) A, b = 12.30(1) A, and c = 21.72(2) A; 2, in the monoclinic space group P2(1)/c (No. 14) with a = 11.455(4) A, b = 15.037(6) A, c = 15.887(4) A, and beta = 96.48(2) degrees; 3, in the monoclinic space group P2(1)/c (No. 14) with a = 13.334(2) A, b = 19.926(2) A, c = 18.799(1) A, and beta = 104.328(8) degrees; and [Mn2(tmpdtnb)Cl2](ClO4)2.4DMF.3H2O (4'), in the monoclinic space group P2(1)/n (No. 14) with a = 13.361(3) A, b = 16.807(5) A, c = 14.339(4) A, and beta = 111.14(2) degrees. Significant distortion of the Mn(II) geometry is evident from the angle subtended by the five-membered chelate (ca. 75 degrees) and the angles spanned by trans donor atoms (< 160 degrees). The Mn geometry is intermediate between octahedral and trigonal prismatic, and for complexes 2-4, there is a systematic increase in M...M distance with the length of the alkyl chain. Cyclic and square-wave voltammetric studies indicate that 1 undergoes a 1e- oxidation from Mn(II) to Mn(III) followed by a further oxidation to MnIV at a significantly more positive potential. The binuclear Mn(II) complexes 2-5 are oxidized to the Mn(III) state in two unresolved 1e- processes [MnII2-->MnIIMnIII-->MnIII2] and then to the MnIV state [MnIII2-->MnIIIMnIV-->MnIV2]. For 2, the second oxidation process was partially resolved into two 1e- oxidation processes under the conditions of square-wave voltammetry. In the case of 6, initial oxidation to the MnIII2 state occurs in two overlapping 1e- processes as was found for 2-5, but this complex then undergoes two further clearly separated 1e- oxidation processes to the MnIIIMnIV state at +0.89 V and the MnIV2 state at +1.33 V (vs Fc/Fc+). This behavior is attributed to formation of an alkoxo-bridged complex. Complexes 1-6 were found to catalyze the disproportionation of H2O2. Addition of H2O2 to 2 generated an oxo-bridged mixed-valent MnIIIMnIV intermediate with a characteristic 16-line ESR signal.