Diastereoselective Synthesis, Spectroscopy, and Electrochemistry of Ruthenium(II) Complexes of Substituted Pyrazolylpyridine Ligands

We report the synthesis of the hetero- and homoleptic ruthenium(II) complexes Ru(bpy)(2)L(2+), Ru(bpy)L(2)(2+) (bpy is 2,2'-bipyridine), and RuL(3)(2+) of six new bidentates L, the substituted pyrazolylpyridines 1-6 (1-substituted-3-(2-pyridinyl)-4,5,6,7-tetrahydroindazoles with substituents R = H, CH(3), Ph, or C(6)H(4)-4"-COOX where X = H, CH(3), or C(2)H(5)). These were fully characterized by (1)H- and (13)C-NMR spectroscopy and elemental analysis. The UV-visible spectra and redox properties of the complexes, some in the ruthenium(III) and reduced bipyridine oxidation states, are also discussed. The substituents R played a role in determining the stereochemistry of the Ru(bpy)L(2)(2+) and RuL(3)(2+) products. The reaction of Ru(DMSO)(4)Cl(2) with 3 equiv of L bearing aromatic substituents gave only meridional RuL(3)(2+) isomers. The one-step reaction of Ru(bpy)Cl(3).H(2)O with 2 equiv of L provided a mixture of the three possible Ru(bpy)L(2)(2+) isomers, from which one symmetric isomer (labeled beta) was isolated pure. A trans arrangement of the pyrazole groups was deduced by (1)H-NMR and confirmed by X-ray crystallography for one such stereomer (beta-[Ru(bpy)(5)(2)](PF(6))(2), R = C(6)H(4)-4"-COOC(2)H(5)). In contrast, Ru(DMSO)(4)Cl(2) reacted with 2 equiv of L and then 1 equiv of bpy to selectively form the other symmetric isomer (labeled alpha) where the pyridine groups of L are trans. Crystal data for beta-[Ru(bpy)(5)(2)](PF(6))(2) (C(52)H(50)N(8)O(4)F(12)P(2)Ru) with Mo Kalpha (lambda = 0.710 73 ?) radiation at 295 K: a = 28.442(13) ?, b = 18.469(15) ?, c = 23.785(9) ?, beta = 116.76(0) degrees, monoclinic, space group C2/c, Z = 8. Fully anisotropic (except for H and disordered F atoms), full-matrix, weighted least-squares refinement on F(2) gave a weighted R on F(2) of 0.2573 corresponding to R on F of 0.1031 for data where F > 4sigma(F ).     

Structural refinement of the high-pressure phase of aluminum trihydroxide: in-situ high-pressure angle dispersive synchrotron X-ray diffraction and theoretical studies

In-situ high-pressure synchrotron angle-dispersive X-ray diffraction for gibbsite (aluminum trihydroxide) was performed at room temperature up to 20 GPa. A pressure-induced phase transition was observed at 2.6 GPa. The new high-pressure phase can be recovered at ambient pressure. Rietveld refinement shows that the new phase of Al(OH)(3) has an orthorhombic structure, spacegroup Pbca, and the lattice parameters at ambient condition are a = 868.57(5) pm, b = 505.21(4) pm, c = 949.54(6) pm, V = 416.67(6) x 10(6) pm(3) with Z = 8. The compressibility of gibbsite and the high-pressure polymorph was analyzed, and their bulk moduli were estimated as 49.8 +/- 1.8 and 81.0 +/- 5.2 GPa, respectively. First-principles calculations of the high-pressure phase were performed to determine the hydrogen positions and to confirm the structural stability of the new phase.     

High-throughput approaches to the quantitative analysis of ketoconazole, a potent inhibitor of cytochrome P450 3A4, in human plasma

Ketoconazole, an imidazole-piperazine compound, is an orally active antimycotic agent. In addition, ketoconazole is a specific inhibitor of cytochrome P450 3A4. As about 60% of oxidized drugs are biotransformed by this isoform, the potential effect of a concomitant administration of ketoconazole on drug disposition may be of interest during drug development. The present paper describes three different approaches (methods A, B, and C) to attain high-throughput sample preparation and analysis in the quantification of ketoconazole in human plasma. Method A consisted of acetonitrile precipitation in a 96-well plate, transfer of the supernatant via a Tomtec Quadra 96 Model 320, and subsequent injection onto a 50 x 4.6 mm (i.d.) Develosil Combi-RP-5 column (packed with C30 bonded silica particles). Method B consisted of an identical sample preparation to method A with the exception that a Michrom Magic Bullet(trade mark) column, 2.0 --> 0.50 mm (i.d., tapered bore) x25 mm length, was used. Lastly, in method C, a turbulent-flow chromatography (TurboFlow LC/APCI-MS/MS) module was used for the direct analysis of ketoconazole in human plasma. A Sciex API 3000 was used in methods A and B, while a Micromass Quattro LC was employed in method C. Based on the values obtained for the calibrator (standard) and quality control samples, all three protocols yielded satisfactory accuracy, precision, and reduced manual sample preparation time.     

Translation of DNA into synthetic N-acyloxazolidines

The translation of DNA into synthetic molecules enables their manipulation by powerful evolution-based methods previously available only to proteins and nucleic acids. The development of increasingly sophisticated DNA-templated small-molecule syntheses is crucial to broadening the scope of this approach. Here, we report the translation of DNA templates into monocyclic and bicyclic N-acyloxazolidines using multistep DNA-templated organic synthesis. Second-generation template architectures, used for the first time in a multistep DNA-templated synthesis, together with reactions and linker cleavage strategies not previously described in a DNA-templated format, were crucial to the successful translation. The products generated in this work represent the most complex small molecules to date synthesized in a DNA sequence-programmed manner and provide the basis for DNA-templated synthetic heterocycle libraries.     

Determination of terbinafine (Lamisil) in human hair by microbore liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry

An analytical method for the determination of terbinafine (Lamisil(R)) in human hair was developed and validated. Human hair (10 mg) was hydrolyzed in 0.50 mL of 5.0 N sodium hydroxide for 1.5 h. The aqueous layer was extracted with 1.5 mL of n-hexane. The organic layer was separated and re-extracted with 0.20 mL of formic acid (12.5%)/2-propanol (85:15, v/v). The aqueous layer was separated and 0.010 mL of the aqueous extract was injected onto a reversed-phase microbore (50 x 1.0 mm i.d.) column for analysis by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS). The instrument was equipped with an electrospray ionization (ESI) interface and operated in the positive ion mode of detection. Interday and intraday accuracy and precision were assessed from the relative recoveries of spiked samples analyzed on three different days. The method showed excellent specificity and ruggedness with a lower limit of quantitation of 10 ng/g (i.e., 10 ppb) using 10 mg of human hair.     

The coordination chemistry of simple phospholes. Complexes of rhenium,ruthenium, cobalt,rhodium and iridium chlorides and of some chlorocarbonyls of ruthenium and rhodium

The reactions of 1-phenylphosphole (PP), 3-methyl-1-phenylphosphole (mPP), 3,4-dimethyl-1-phenylphosphole (dPP) and, in certain instances, 1-n-butyl-3,4-dimethylphosphole (dBP) with some transition metal chlorides and some metal-Cl-CO systems are reported. These reactions show that simple phospholes in general unexpectedly behave much like ordinary tertiary phosphines and that, unlike the reactions with Ni(II), Pd(II) and Pt(II), the complexes formed are conventional in most respects. However, a few unusual reactions were observed. For example, mPP partially reduces Ru(III) to give a mixed-valent Ru(III)-Ru(II) complex while PP reduces Ir(III) to Ir(I). From infrared spectroscopic studies of the square-planar Rh(I) complexes L₂Rh(CO) Cl (L = phosphole), it appears that donor character decreases with decreasing substitution on the phosphole ring carbon atoms. Phosphorus-phenyl cleavage has been observed in reactions of 1-phenylphosphole with Rh-CO systems. The results are briefly discussed in relation to the behaviour of other phospholes in similar reactions and in the context of the electronic structure of phospholes.     

New-phase retention in colloidal core/shell nanocrystals via pressure-modulated phase engineering

Core/shell nanocrystals (NCs) integrate collaborative functionalization that would trigger advanced properties, such as high energy conversion efficiency, nonblinking emission, and spin–orbit coupling. Such prospects are highly correlated with the crystal structure of individual constituents. However, it is challenging to achieve novel phases in core/shell NCs, generally non-existing in bulk counterparts. Here, we present a fast and clean high-pressure approach to fabricate heterostructured core/shell MnSe/MnS NCs with a new phase that does not occur in their bulk counterparts. We determine the new phase as an orthorhombic MnP structure (B31 phase), with close-packed zigzagged arrangements within unit cells. Encapsulation of the solid MnSe nanorod with an MnS shell allows us to identify two separate phase transitions with recognizable diffraction patterns under high pressure, where the heterointerface effect regulates the wurtzite → rocksalt → B31 phase transitions of the core. First-principles calculations indicate that the B31 phase is thermodynamically stable under high pressure and can survive under ambient conditions owing to the synergistic effect of subtle enthalpy differences and large surface energy in nanomaterials. The ability to retain the new phase may open up the opportunity for future manipulation of electronic and magnetic properties in heterostructured nanostructures.

Core/shell MnSe/MnS nanocrystals with the B31 phase are thermodynamically stable under high pressure and can survive under ambient conditions owing to the synergistic effect of subtle enthalpy differences and high surface energy in nanomaterials.