REMGa3Ge and RE3Ni3Ga8Ge3 (M = Ni, Co; RE = rare-earth element): new intermetallics synthesized in liquid gallium. X-ray, electron, and neutron structure determination and magnetism

New quaternary intermetallic phases REMGa(3)Ge (1) (RE = Y, Sm, Tb, Gd, Er, Tm; M = Ni, Co) and RE(3)Ni(3)Ga(8)Ge(3) (2) (RE = Sm, Gd) were obtained from exploratory reactions involving rare-earth elements (RE), transition metal (M), Ge, and excess liquid Ga the reactive solvent. The crystal structures were solved with single-crystal X-ray and electron diffraction. The crystals of 1 and 2 are tetragonal. Single-crystal X-ray data: YNiGa(3)Ge, a = 4.1748(10) A, c = 23.710(8) A, V = 413.24(2) A(3), I4/mmm, Z = 4; Gd(3)Ni(3)Ga(8)Ge(3), a = 4.1809(18) A, c = 17.035(11) A, V = 297.8(3) A(3), P4/mmm, Z = 1. Both compounds feature square nets of Ga atoms. The distribution of Ga and Ge atoms in the REMGa(3)Ge was determined with neutron diffraction. The neutron experiments revealed that in 1 the Ge atoms are specifically located at the 4e crystallographic site, while Ga atoms are at 4d and 8g. The crystal structures of these compounds are related and could be derived from the consecutive stacking of disordered [MGa](2) puckered layers, monatomic RE-Ge planes and [MGa(4)Ge(2)] slabs. Complex superstructures with modulations occurring in the ab-plane and believed to be associated with the square nets of Ga atoms were found by electron diffraction. The magnetic measurements show antiferromagnetic ordering of the moments located on the RE atoms at low temperature, and Curie-Weiss behavior at higher temperatures with the values of mu(eff) close to those expected for RE(3+) free ions.     

Relevant synthesis parameters for the sequential catalytic growth of carbon nanotubes

Sequential catalytic growth provides an efficient tool for the synthesis of carbon nanotubes periodically inserted with catalyst nanoparticles. Several synthesis parameters were found crucial in order to induce this particular growth mechanism. The presence of phosphorus is required to form metal phosphide particles active for the formation of carbon nanotubes with a matchstick morphology. The metal composition (Ni/Fe ratio) and the carbon supply have no influence on the nanofilament type but strongly affect the nanotube yield. The synthesis temperature induces important changes on both the nanofilament type and yield, which are correlated with important transformations of the catalyst layer in terms of composition, particle size, and physical state.     

Enantioselective guest binding and dynamic resolution of cationic ruthenium complexes by a chiral metal-ligand assembly

A supramolecular metal-ligand assembly encapsulates a variety of cationic half-sandwich ruthenium complexes. Due to the chirality of both host and guest, chiral recognition is observed with diastereomeric excesses up to 70%. The chiral cavity can be used to carry out a dynamic resolution of the rapidly equilibrating enantiomers of the chiral organometallic guest.     

Methyl rotational tunneling dynamics of p-xylene confined in a crystalline zeolite host

The methyl rotational tunneling spectrum of p-xylene confined in nanoporous zeolite crystals has been measured by inelastic neutron scattering (INS) and proton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and analyzed to extract the rotational potential energy surfaces characteristic of the methyl groups in the host-guest complex. The number and relative intensities of the tunneling peaks observed by INS indicate the presence of methyl-methyl coupling interactions in addition to the methyl-zeolite interactions. The INS tunneling spectra from the crystals (space group P2(1)2(1)2(1) with four crystallographically inequivalent methyl rotors) are quantitatively interpreted as a combination of transitions involving two coupled methyl rotors as well as a transition involving single-particle tunneling of a third inequivalent rotor, in a manner consistent with the observed tunneling energies and relative intensities. Together, the crystal structure and the absence of additional peaks in the INS spectra suggest that the tunneling of the fourth inequivalent rotor is strongly hindered and inaccessible to INS measurements. This is verified by proton NMR measurements of the spin-lattice relaxation time which reveal the tunneling characteristics of the fourth inequivalent rotor.     

Electrokinetic investigations of charged porous membranes

Asymmetric ultrafiltration membranes were prepared from fully aromatic polyamides differing in the diamine monomers of the polymeric backbone and from polysulfone. Nanofiltration membranes were made from polysulfone and polyethersulfone. The polysulfone as well as the polyethersulfone were chemically modified to change the surface charges of the membranes that were made from these polymers. This means neutral, positively as well as negatively charged membranes could be employed for the measurements. The surface properties of the membranes as a function of pH were determined by measuring the streaming potential in a perpendicular and horizontal mode. Applying proteins the values of the streaming potential changed depending on the original charges of the membranes as well as on the pH of the solution. The values shifted to either higher or lower absolute values. Thus, characterization of unused and used membranes can be carried out by electrokinetic measurements. This was also demonstrated using a membrane fitted out with invertase. The zeta potential of nanofiltration membranes, however, was only evaluated from the results obtained with the horizontally run cell.     

Synthesis,metal-exchange kinetics and X-ray structure of the nickel(II) complex of the diazacyclam ligand 1,3,6,10,12,15-hexa-azatricyclo [13.3.1.16,10]eicosane, [NiL] (ClO4)2

The preparation of the nickel(II) complex of the diazacyclam ligand 1,3,6,10,12,15-hexaazatricyclo [13.3.1.16,10]eicosane (2) by the reaction of the nickel(II) complex of N-(2-aminoethyl)-1,3-diaminopropane with formaldehyde in MeOH solution is described. The crystal structure of [NiL](ClO4)2 has been determined. The nickel atom is four coordinate and planar with Ni-N bond lengths of 1.969(4) and 1.928(3)Å in a centrosymmetric structure. The basic diazacyclam ring system has a trans III configuration with the two additional six-membered rings fused in a chair conformation.The kinetics of the metal exchange:for the nickel complexes (1) and (2) have been studied in detail. Under the experimental conditions employed, with copper(II) in at least a tenfold excess, the reaction is independent of the copper(II) concentration. The copper(II) effectively scavenges the free ligand as the nickel(II) complex dissociates. For the nickel complex (1) k = 2 × 10–4 s–1 at 60°C and H = 126 ± 5 kJmol–1 and S298 = 61 ± 15 JK–1mol–1. For the complex (2), k = 1.8 × 10–4 s–1 at 60°C and H = 99 ± 6 kJmol–1 and S298 = –21 ± 10 JK–1 mol–1.     

Metrology in chemistry: Rapid developments in the global metrological infrastructure, the CIPM MRA and its economic and social impact

Over the last decade, significant developments in metrology in chemistry have been observed, triggered by rapidly increasing demands by industry, trade, society, regulators, and accreditation bodies. Internal markets like the European Union, and trade agreements, like those agreed between the EU and the United States, Australia, Japan, and others will only really work when technical barriers to trade caused by non-harmonized measurement and testing systems and lack of international recognition of national measurement standards and certificates issued by the National Metrology Institutes have been taken away. Food safety test results and nutritional values, clinical and environmental measurements have to be comparable and reliable worldwide. Food products from all continents are traded year round on a global basis. Individuals are traveling everywhere. The environment and climate influences all of us.Electronic Supplementary Material Supplementary material is available for this article at Presented at International Symposium on Metrology in Chemistry, 2004 Beijing, China.     

The Methoxycarbonylation of Vinyl Acetate Catalyzed by Palladium Complexes of [1,2‐Phenylenebis(methylene)]bis[di(tert‐butyl)phosphine]

Palladium complexes of [1,2‐phenylenebis(methylene)]bis[di(tert‐butyl)phosphine] ( 1 ) catalyze the methoxycarbonylation of vinyl acetate (= ethenyl acetate) in the presence of methanesulfonic acid (Scheme 1). High selectivities to ester products can be obtained if free phosphine ligand is in excess over the amount of added acid (Table 1). Selectivities to methyl 2‐acetoxypropanoate, a precursor to lactate esters, can be as high as 3.6 : 1 at low temperature and pressure (Table 2). Replacing ^tBu by ⁱPr groups leads to less‐active catalysts and lower selectivities to the branched product. Replacing the phenylene moiety by a naphthalenediyl moiety also gives lower activity, but with similar selectivity to the phenylene‐based analogues. Linear hydrocarbon‐chain linkers as the backbone instead of the phenylenebis(methylene) linker leads to poor catalysis, except for a propane‐1,3‐diyl linker, which gives good rates but poor branched selectivity (Table 5). The effect of different reaction conditions on the catalysis is discussed. The syntheses of the new xylene‐based diphosphines 2 – 5 with one to four ⁱPr groups replacing the ^tBu groups at the P‐atoms of 1 and of the ligands 6 and 7 based on 1,2‐ and 2,3‐dimethylnaphthalene are also described (Schemes 2 and 3).     

2-Mercaptomethyl-thiazolidines use conserved aromatic–S interactions to achieve broad-range inhibition of metallo-β-lactamases

Infections caused by multidrug resistant (MDR) bacteria are a major public health threat. Carbapenems are among the most potent antimicrobial agents that are commercially available to treat MDR bacteria. Bacterial production of carbapenem-hydrolysing metallo-β-lactamases (MBLs) challenges their safety and efficacy, with subclass B1 MBLs hydrolysing almost all β-lactam antibiotics. MBL inhibitors would fulfil an urgent clinical need by prolonging the lifetime of these life-saving drugs. Here we report the synthesis and activity of a series of 2-mercaptomethyl-thiazolidines (MMTZs), designed to replicate MBL interactions with reaction intermediates or hydrolysis products. MMTZs are potent competitive inhibitors of B1 MBLs in vitro (e.g., K_i = 0.44 μM vs. NDM-1). Crystal structures of MMTZ complexes reveal similar binding patterns to the most clinically important B1 MBLs (NDM-1, VIM-2 and IMP-1), contrasting with previously studied thiol-based MBL inhibitors, such as bisthiazolidines (BTZs) or captopril stereoisomers, which exhibit lower, more variable potencies and multiple binding modes. MMTZ binding involves thiol coordination to the Zn(ii) site and extensive hydrophobic interactions, burying the inhibitor more deeply within the active site than d/l-captopril. Unexpectedly, MMTZ binding features a thioether–π interaction with a conserved active-site aromatic residue, consistent with their equipotent inhibition and similar binding to multiple MBLs. MMTZs penetrate multiple Enterobacterales, inhibit NDM-1 in situ, and restore carbapenem potency against clinical isolates expressing B1 MBLs. Based on their inhibitory profile and lack of eukaryotic cell toxicity, MMTZs represent a promising scaffold for MBL inhibitor development. These results also suggest sulphur–π interactions can be exploited for general ligand design in medicinal chemistry.

Metallo-β-lactamases (MBLs) are major culprits of resistance to carbapenems in bacteria. A series of thiazolidines are potent MBL inhibitors, restoring the activity of carbapenems. Metal binding and sulphur–π interactions are key to inhibition.