Photochemistry of a chiral salen aluminum complex in nonconventional solvents: use of imidazolium ionic liquids and chiral alcohols

The photochemistry of a chiral (salen)aluminum(III) chloride complex has been studied in nonconventional solvents, namely, two imidazolium ionic liquids differing on the hydrophobicity (hydrophilic BF(4)(-) or hydrophobic PF(6)(-) counter anions) and in chiral 2-butanols (R and S). Upon 355 nm laser excitation, the same transient absorption spectrum (with some solvatochromic shift in lambda(max)) was recorded in all cases and assigned to the (salen)Al(II) complex with radicaloid character at the metal atom. This intermediate arises from the photoinduced homolytic cleavage of the apical Al-Cl bond. The half-life of this radicaloid Al(II) species varies depending on the solvent, indicating that its reactivity is governed by the nature of the ionic liquid and also on the R or S configuration of the chiral alcohol.     

Reactions of trifluoromethanesulfonamide with amides and paraformaldehyde

Two- and three-component condensations of paraformaldehyde with trifluoromethanesulfonamide, acetamide, trifluoroacetamide, 1H-benzotriazole, methanesulfonamide, and malonamide were studied. N-Hydroxymethyl derivatives of trifluoroacetamide and 1H-benzotriazole reacted with trifluoromethanesulfonamide to give N-(trifluoroacetylaminomethyl)- and N-(1H-benzotriazol-1-ylmethyl)-substituted derivatives of tri-fluoromethanesulfonamide, as well as N,N′-methylenebis(trifluoromethylsulfonamide) and N-(trifluoromethyl-sulfonylaminomethyl)trifluoroacetamide as transamination products. Three-component condensation of trifluoromethanesulfonamide with paraformaldehyde and methanesulfonamide led to the formation of 1-methylsulfonyl-3,5-bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)hexahydro-1,3,5-triazine, and the reaction of trifluoromethanesulfonamide with paraformaldehyde and malonamide gave 4,10-bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)-2,4,8,10-tetraazaspiro-[5.5]undecane-1,7-dione whose structure was proved by X-ray analysis.     

Iron Alkynyl Helicenes: Redox‐Triggered Chiroptical Tuning in the IR and Near‐IR Spectral Regions and Suitable for Telecommunications Applications

The combination of a bis‐alkynyl‐helicene moiety with two iron centers leads to novel electroactive species displaying unprecedented redox‐triggered chiroptical switching. Upon oxidation, strong changes of vibrational modes (either local or extended coupled modes) are detected by vibrational circular dichroism and Raman optical activity. Remarkably, the sign of the optical rotation at 1.54 µm (that is, at wavelengths typically used for telecommunications) changes upon oxidation while the topology and stereochemistry of the helicene remain unchanged.     

Feasibility of two multidimensional techniques, heart-cut MDGC and GCxGC, for the separation of PCBs and PBDEs

The feasibility of heart-cut MDGC-ECD and GCxGC-muECD for the separation of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) has been evaluated. Among the different column combinations tested, the best results were obtained when using either a DB-5 type or an HT-8 column as the first dimension combined with a mid-polar stationary phase (50% phenyl) as the second dimension. The co-elutions between the target PCBs and PBDEs in the first dimension were satisfactorily resolved once transferred to the second column. Repeatability and intermediate precision were satisfactory in both systems, considering retention times in both dimensions. Nevertheless, peak area/volume precision was better for heart-cut MDGC since software for the data analysis in the case of GCxGC was still under development. The need for multiple injections of the same extract on the heart-cut MDGC system was the main drawback since the analysis time it increased. GCxGC becomes then a valuable alternative able to achieve the same performance in one injection. However, the GCxGC data analysis is still very time-consuming and needs further development. The applicability of both separation techniques was shown using a human breast milk sample with low concentrations of PCBs (0.2-227 pg/g fresh weight) and PBDEs (1.2-41 pg/g fresh weight).     

3-(2-Pyridyl)-[1,2,3]triazolo[1,5-a]pyridines. An experimental and theoretical (DFT) study of the ring-chain isomerization

An experimental ((1)H NMR) and theoretical (DFT) study of the ring-chain-ring isomerization of 3-(2-pyridyl)-[1,2,3]triazolo[1,5-a]pyrid-7-yl derivatives (A) into 6-{[1,2,3]triazolo[1,5-a]pyrid-3-yl}-2-pyridyl derivatives (B) has been carried out. Based on the calculations, a mechanism of several steps will be proposed. The experimental results as well as the calculations lead to the conclusion that the A-B ratio depends on the electronic properties of the substituents.     

Application of surface science techniques to study a gilded Egyptian funerary mask: A multi-analytical approach

A wide range of analytical techniques has been used to study an Egyptian funerary mask of the Ptolemaic period (305-30 bc ). Secondary electron (SE) and back-scattering (BS) images, recorded by a scanning electron microscope (SEM), provided a detailed representation of the metallurgical techniques used to construct the gilded mask. It is confirmed, that the golden leaf used to cover the mask is the product of an antique refinery practice, so called, cementation process of naturally occurring alloy of gold and silver, namely electrum. Complementary results of SEM-electron dispersion spectroscopy (EDS) and electron probe microanalysis (EPMA)–wavelength dispersion spectroscopy (WDS) provided chemical compositions of the golden leaf as well as in the plaster base of the mask. X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS) revealed the presence of Au, Ag, Si, S, Cl, Ca, and N, in addition to O and C. Relative concentration of Au/Ag at the surface has been measured by XPS to be 70% to 30%. XPS depth profiling verified silver-enrichment at the surface, as ratio of gold to silver is measured to be 80% to 20% at the depth of 15 nm. XPS chemical mapping images of gold and silver confirmed a rather inhomogeneous character of Au/Ag relative concentration at the surface. The main diffraction peaks in the X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectrum coincide with diffraction peaks of pure gold, silver metals, and magnesium calcite Mg_0.03Ca_0.97CO₃. Whereas, Raman spectroscopy results implied the existence of Ag₂S, a tarnishing compound, on the golden area of the mask.     

Total chemical synthesis of 2-ethenyl-3,5-dimethylpyrazine and 3-ethenyl-2,5-dimethylpyrazine

The aroma compounds 2-ethenyl-3,5-dimethylpyrazine 1 and 3-ethenyl-2,5-dimethylpyrazine 2 were synthesized via a new chemical route. The key steps of the synthesis involve cyclocondenzation of 1-[bicyclo[2.2.1]5-hepten-2-yl]-1,2-propanedione and 1,2-propanediamine, aromatization of the resulting 5,6-dihydropyrazines, and subsequent Retro-Diels-Alder reaction to generate pyrazines 1 and 2. Pyrazine 1, a powerful odorant, was obtained in large excess (8:2) when endo-1-[bicyclo[2.2.1]5-hepten-2-yl]-1,2-propanedione was used as intermediate substrate.     

Synthesis and X-ray structure of the MnIICl2 and MnIIIF2 complexes of N,N'-dimethyl-2,11-diaza[3,3](2,6)pyridinophane. High-field electron paramagnetic resonance and density functional theory studies of the MnIII complex. Evidence for a low-lying spin triplet state

Two manganese complexes, (py2(NMe)2)MnIICl2 (1) and [(py2(NMe)2)MnIIIF2]+ (2), are here described with the macrocyclic ligand py2(NMe)2 (py2(NMe)2 = N,N'-dimethyl-2,11-diaza[3,3](2,6)pyridinophane). For both, the crystal structure is reported. The UV-visible spectrum of 2 exhibits a very broad near-infrared (NIR) band corresponding to the transition between the two e(g)-type orbitals split by the Jahn-Teller effect. A negative D value of ca. -4 cm(-1) was estimated by high-field and high-frequency electron paramagnetic resonance (HF-EPR) spectroscopy, which was consistent with symmetry considerations. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations on 2 support the 5B1 electronic ground state predicted from the X-ray structure. Moreover, to explain the large value of the D parameter, a spin triplet first excited spin state was postulated to occur at low energy. This was confirmed by the DFT calculations.     

Differential Behavior of Amino–Imino Constitutional Isomers in Nonlinear Optical Processes

A detailed study of the “blocked” amino–imino tautomers derived from N‐acridine‐substituted 2‐aminobenzothiazole—and their effect on the nonlinear optical response—is presented. The synthesis, characterization, and nonlinear optical properties of these frozen tautomers, namely, N‐methyl‐N‐(2‐nitroacridin‐6‐yl)‐2‐aminobenzothia‐zole and 3‐methyl‐N‐(7‐nitroacridin‐3‐yl)‐2‐iminobenzothiazole, are reported. A theoretical model based on valence–bond theory is also proposed and used to analyze the effects of the nuclear configuration corresponding to each frozen tautomer structure. In the present case, the aromatic form and the allylic‐anion‐like system of the ? N? C? N? group inherent to each isomer are crucial for understanding and analyzing the different responses of each “blocked” tautomer.     

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation inhibited by aporphine and phenanthrene alkaloids semi-synthesized from natural boldine

Four phenanthrene and one aporphine alkaloids semi-synthesized from boldine were evaluated for their inhibitory effect on reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. ROS generation by neutrophils stimulated with N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine was inhibited in a concentration dependent manner. Alkaloids exerted similar inhibitory effect in the hypoxanthine-xanthine oxidase system than in stimulated neutrophils, which could be attributed to a direct ROS scavenging activity. None of the alkaloids assayed had any effect on xanthine oxidase activity. Therefore the synthesized alkaloids might constitute an alternative therapy in inflammation disorders in which ROS generation is involved.