Hydride-alkenylcarbyne to alkenylcarbene transformation in bisphosphine-osmium complexes

The elongated dihydrogen complex [formula: see text](1) reacts with 1,1-diphenyl-2-propyn-1-ol and 2-methyl-3-butyn-2-ol to give the hydride-hydroxyvinylidene-pi-alkynol derivatives [OsH{=C=CHC(OH)R2}{eta2-HC(triple bond)CC(OH)R2}(PiPr3)2]BF4 (R = Ph (2), Me (3)), where the pi-alkynols act as four-electron donor ligands. Treatment of 2 and 3 with HBF(4) and coordinating solvents leads to the dicationic hydride-alkenylcarbyne compounds [OsH((triple bond)CCH=CR2)S2(PiPr3)2][BF4]2 (R = Ph, S = H(2)O (4), CH(3)CN (5); R = Me, S = CH(3)CN (6)), which in acetonitrile evolve into the alkenylcarbene complexes [Os(=CHCH=CR2)(CH3CN)3(PiPr3)2][BF4](2) (R = Ph (7), Me (8)) by means of a concerted 1,2-hydrogen shift from the osmium to the carbyne carbon atom. Treatment of 2-propanol solutions of 5 with NaCl affords OsHCl2((triple bond)CCH=CPh2)(PiPr3)2 (10), which reacts with AgBF(4) and acetonitrile to give [OsHCl((triple bond)CCH=CPh2)(CH3CN)(PiPr3)2]BF(4) (11). In this solvent complex 11 is converted to [OsCl(=CHCH=CPh2)(CH3CN)2(PiPr3)2]BF(4) (12). Complex 5 reacts with CO to give [Os(=CHCH=CPh2)(CO)(CH3CN)2(PiPr3)2][BF(4)](2) (15). DFT calculations and kinetic studies for the hydride-alkenylcarbyne to alkenylcarbene transformation show that the difference of energy between the starting compounds and the transition states, which can be described as eta(2)-carbene species [formula: see text] increases with the basicity of the metallic center. The X-ray structures of 4 and 7 and the rotational barriers for the carbene ligands of 7, 8, and 12 are also reported.     

Synthesis of novel 8-(het)aryl-6H-pyrano[4′,3′:4,5]thieno[3,2-b]pyridines by 6-endo-dig cyclization of Sonogashira products and halolactonizations with Cu salts/NXS. Preliminary antitumor evaluation

Novel 8-(het)aryl-6H-pyrano[4′,3′:4,5]thieno[3,2-b]pyridines were prepared in good to high yields by a tandem one-pot procedure of Sonogashira coupling and 6-endo-dig lactonization from 3-bromothieno[3,2-b]pyridine-2-carboxylic acid and (het)arylalkynes. Sonogashira coupling products were also prepared from the corresponding methyl ester giving in the same reaction the corresponding 6-endo-dig compounds as minor products. The Sonogashira phenyl ester product gave cyclization with electrophiles only in low to moderate yields. Nevertheless, halolactonizations using Cu(I) or (II) salts/N-halosuccinimides (NXS) from either the phenyl ester or the carboxylic acid derivatives occurred in good to high yields. The growth inhibition potential of the compounds was evaluated using human tumor cell lines, HCT-15 (colorectal adenocarcinoma) and NCI-H460 (non-small cell lung cancer) and studies of apoptosis induction were performed for the three most promising compounds in HCT-15?cells. Two of them caused almost 40% of cell death by apoptosis when tested at their 1.5?×?GI₅₀ concentrations. The tricyclic lactone with a F atom in the meta position showed to be the most promising one.     

Effect of temperature on the structure of adsorption layers formed by adsorption of polymers in the transition region from dilute to semidilute solutions

The measurements of adsorption from solutions of polymers (poly(butyl methacrylate) and polystyrene) and their mixtures at various temperatures in the wide concentration region from dilute to semidilute solution have been made. The adsorption isotherms and fraction of bound segments confirm the existence of the transition concentration region near the critical concentration of the chain overlapping when the change of adsorption mechanisms take place. The effect of temperature on adsorption from the mixtures is different for both the polymers depending on the concentration regime. For PBMA, which adsorbs from the mixtures preferentially, the adsorption isotherms are of the same shape as for adsorption from binary solutions and are characterized by the presence of a small forepart in the transition region and by increasing adsorption with temperature. For less adsorbing PS by transition from dilute to semidilute regime the inversion of the temperature effect on adsorption is observed. These results are confirmed by the estimations of the parameters of preferential adsorption at various temperatures. The data on the fraction of bound segments for dilute regime corresponds to the extended conformation of chains at the surface. The transition to semidilute regime leads to the diminishing of the fraction of bound segments as a result of simultaneous adsorption of macromolecular aggregates. Values of adsorption layer thickness have been calculated for various solution regimes and concentration. The dependence of the adsorption layer thickness on the temperature and on the solution regime at which adsorption occurs was established.     

Student Interest in Engineering Design‐Based Science

Current reform efforts in science education around the world call on teachers to use integrated approaches to teach science. As a part of such reform efforts in the United States, engineering practices and engineering design have been identified in K–12 science education standards. However, there is relatively little is known about effective ways of teaching science through engineering design. The study explores the approaches or strategies used by a sixth grade science teacher to teach science and engineering in an integrative manner. Classroom observations, teacher interview, and student surveys were used to study the features of engineering integration implemented by the teacher and the changes in student interest in science and engineering by participating in an engineering design‐based science unit. Findings suggest that the teacher explicitly included practices and core ideas from engineering and science; used an engaging, motivating engineering challenge; and provided students with opportunities to be autonomous. Students engaged in the activities in the engineering unit and their interest level slightly increased. The results suggest that the three strategies that the teacher used to teach engineering and science are important foundations of integrated science and engineering education.     

Effects of Dietary α-Linolenic Acid Treatment and the Efficiency of Its Conversion to Eicosapentaenoic and Docosahexaenoic Acids in Obesity and Related Diseases

The essential fatty acid alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) is present in high amounts in oils such as flaxseed, soy, hemp, rapeseed, chia, and perilla, while stearidonic acid is abundant in echium oil. ALA is metabolized to eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) by desaturases and elongases in humans. The conversion of ALA to EPA and DHA is limited, and these long-chain n−3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are mainly provided from dietary sources (fish and seafood). This review provides an overview of studies that explored the effects of dietary supplementation with ALA in obesity and related diseases. The obesity-associated changes of desaturase and elongase activities are summarized, as they could influence the metabolic conversion of ALA. Generally, supplementation with ALA or ALA-rich oils leads to an increase in EPA levels and has no effect on DHA or omega-3 index. According to the literature data, stearidonic acid could enhance conversion of ALA to long-chain n−3 PUFA in obesity. Recent studies confirm that EPA and DHA intake should be considered as a primary dietary treatment strategy for improving the omega-3 index in obesity and related diseases.     

Selectivity of calix[4]arene-bis(benzocrown-6) in the complexation and transport of francium ion

It is shown for the first time that a representative member of the "cesium-selective" calix[4]arene-crown-6 family exhibits a high affinity for Fr+ ion. In the investigation, the transport of 221Fr+ and Cs+ ions by calix[4]arene-bis(benzocrown-6) from an aqueous sodium nitrate solution into the water-immiscible diluent 1,2-dichloroethane was measured and compared to address the question of selectivity of the calix-crown-6 cavity toward alkali metal ions of increasing size. Selective separation of 221Fr+ from its parent 225Ac and from the matrix Na+ ions was demonstrated. Higher distribution ratios were obtained than those for the Cs+ ion. The extraction equilibria were determined for the case of the Cs+ ion, and the same equilibria were shown to be applicable to the case of Fr+ with inclusion of additional competitive effects.     

Chemical heterogeneity of a crystal built of nanoscale coherently twinned Yb(2-x)(Fe,Ga)(17+2x) polytypes

An X-ray study of single crystals extracted from an arc-melted Yb-Fe-Ga alloy showed that the diffraction pattern can be modeled by an intergrown crystal that has three sorts of domains: one hexagonal (1, LuFe(9.5) type) and two rhombohedral (2 a and 2 b, PrFe(7) type), the last two twinned by reticular merohedry. Crystals 1 and 2 are essentially polytypes with maximum degree of order (MDO polytypes), built up of nearly identical slabs that are stacked along [001] in ABAB em leader (1). and ABCABC em leader (2). sequences. Structure refinement was performed by a newly developed program that allowed us to refine several structures on a single data set. We found that the hexagonal and rhombohedral domains differ in chemical composition: while 1 shows a higher rate of Yb substitution by Fe(2) dumbbells, 2 shows partial substitution of Fe by Ga. Our observation of the nanoscale phase segregation is supported by latest finding of nonrandom distribution of stacking faults in a similar 2:17 alloy. An unequal distribution of chemical substitutions in 1 and 2 apparently compensates the inherent mismatch of basal plane dimensions of the individual MDO polytypes and thus constrains their cell parameters within the syntaxy. According to our knowledge this is the first example of two chemically distinct polytypes constituting a single crystal, refined on a single set of diffraction data.     

Synthetic spectra from rough-surface scattering

We present a method for designing a one-dimensional, deterministic, perfectly conducting rough surface that scatters light at a fixed scattering angle with an intensity whose dependence on the frequency of a plane wave incident normally upon it reproduces the infrared spectrum of a known substance within a specified region of frequencies. Such a surface can therefore be used in a correlation spectrometer for the identification of unknown substances.     

Systematic assignment of the configuration of flexible natural products by spectroscopic and computational methods: the bistramide C analysis

[reaction: see text] The combination of NMR NOE, chemical shift, and J-coupling measurements with molar rotation and circular dichroism (CD) determinations, including RI-DFT BP86/aug-cc-pVDZ calculations, reduced a candidate pool of 1024 possible stereoisomers of (+)-bistramide C to a single absolute configuration assignment for the 10 stereogenic carbons of the marine natural product.     

A polyhedral host constructed using a linear template

A linear template is used to direct the synthesis of a "head-to-head" tetrapyridine in the solid state, which, in a second step, assembles with a transition-metal-ion to form a polyhedral metal-organic host with a structure that conforms to a trigonal antiprism. The application of the linear template is reminiscent of the synthetic strategy of nature.