Guided ion beam and theoretical study of the reactions of Os+ with H2, D2, and HD

Reactions of the third-row transition metal cation Os(+) with H(2), D(2), and HD to form OsH(+) (OsD(+)) were studied using a guided ion beam tandem mass spectrometer. A flow tube ion source produces Os(+) in its (6)D (6s(1)5d(6)) electronic ground state level. Corresponding state-specific reaction cross sections are obtained. The kinetic energy dependences of the cross sections for the endothermic formation of OsH(+) and OsD(+) are analyzed to give a 0 K bond dissociation energy of D(0)(Os(+)-H) = 2.45 ± 0.10 eV. Quantum chemical calculations are performed here at several levels of theory, with B3LYP approaches generally overestimating the experimental bond energy whereas results obtained using BHLYP and CCSD(T), coupled-cluster with single, double, and perturbative triple excitations, levels show good agreement. Theory also provides the electronic structures of these species and the potential energy surfaces for reaction. Results from the reactions with HD provide insight into the reaction mechanism and indicate that Os(+) reacts via a direct reaction. We also compare this third-row transition metal system with the first-row and second-row congeners, Fe(+) and Ru(+), and find that Os(+) reacts more efficiently with dihydrogen, forming a stronger M(+)-H bond. These differences can be attributed to the lanthanide contraction and relativistic effects.     

Theoretical investigation into the mechanism of reductive elimination from bimetallic palladium complexes

Reductive elimination of C-Cl and C-C bonds from binuclear organopalladium complexes containing Pd-Pd bonds with overall formal oxidation state +III are explored by density functional theory for dichloromethane and acetonitrile solvent environments. An X-ray crystallographically authenticated neutral complex, [(L-C,N)ClPd(μ-O(2)CMe)](2) (L = benzo[h]quinolinyl) (I), is examined for C-Cl coupling, and the proposed cation, [(L-C,N)PhPd(1)(μ-O(2)CMe)(2)Pd(2)(L-C,N)](+) (II), examined for C-C coupling together with (L-C,N)PhPd(1)(μ-O(2)CMe)(2)Pd(2)Cl(L-C,N) (III) as a neutral analogue of II. In both polar and nonpolar solvents, reaction from III via chloride dissociation from Pd(2) to form II is predicted to be favored. Cation II undergoes Ph-C coupling at Pd(1) with concomitant Pd(1)-Pd(2) lengthening and shortening of the Pd(1)-O bond trans to the carbon atom of L; natural bond orbital analysis indicates that reductive coupling from II involves depopulation of the d(x(2)-y(2)) orbital of Pd(1) and population of the d(z(2)) orbitals of Pd(1) and Pd(2) as the Pd-Pd bond lengthens. Calculations for the symmetrical dichloro complex I indicate that a similar dissociative pathway for C-Cl coupling is competitive with a direct (nondissociative) pathway in acetonitrile, but the direct pathway is favored in dichloromethane. In contrast to the dissociative mechanism, direct coupling for I involves population of the d(x(2)-y(2)) orbital of Pd(1) with Pd(1)-O(1) lengthening, significantly less population occurs for the d(z(2)) orbital of Pd(1) than for the dissociative pathway, and d(z(2)) at Pd(2) is only marginally populated resulting in an intermediate that is formally a Pd(1)(I)-Pd(2)(III) species, (L-Cl-N,Cl)Pd(1)(μ-O(2)CMe)Pd(2)Cl(O(2)CMe)(L-C,N) that releases chloride from Pd(2) with loss of Pd(I)-Pd(III) bonding to form a Pd(II) species. A similar process is formulated for the less competitive direct pathway for C-C coupling from III, in this case involving decreased population of the d(z(2)) orbital of Pd(2) and strengthening of the Pd(I)-Pd(III) interaction in the analogous intermediate with η(2)-coordination at Pd(1) by L-Ph-N, C(1)-C(2).     

Controllable and reversible inversion of the electronic structure in nickel N-confused porphyrin: a case when MCD matters

Nickel N-confused tetraphenylporphyrin, 1, and nickel 2-N-methyl-N-confused tetraphenylporphyrin, 1-Me, exhibit unusual sign-reversed (positive-to-negative intensities in ascending energy) MCD spectra in the Q-type band region, suggesting a rare ΔHOMO < ΔLUMO relationship between π and π* MOs in the porphyrin core. Simple and reversible deprotonation of the external NH proton in 1 dramatically changes the electronic structure of the porphyrin core into the ΔHOMO > ΔLUMO combination characteristic for the meso-(tetraaryl)porphyrins. DFT, time-dependent DFT, and semiempirical ZINDO/S calculations on 1, 1-Me, and 1(-) confirm the experimental finding and successfully explain the MCD pattern in the target compounds.     

Synthesis and study of redox-active acyclic triazenes: toward electrochromic applications

Coupling of various 4-substituted phenyl azides with two distinct quinone-containing N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) afforded the respective mono- and ditopic 1,3-disubstituted acyclic triazenes in moderate to excellent yields (38-92%). Depending on their pendant substituents (derived from the azides), the acyclic triazenes exhibited intense absorptions in the visible spectrum (359-428 nm), which were bathochromically shifted by up to Δλ=68 nm upon reduction of the quinone moiety on the component derived from the NHC. Cyclic voltammetry confirmed that the aforementioned redox processes were reversible, and a related set of UV-vis spectroelectrochemical experiments revealed that bulk electrolysis may also be used to switch reversibly the colors exhibited by these triazenes.     

Polyolefin-supported recoverable/reusable Cr(III)-salen catalysts

The design of functional soluble polyolefins for use as supports for salen ligands and metal complexes is described. Examples and applications that use both polyisobutylene (PIB)- and polyethylene (PE(Olig))-bound recoverable/recyclable salen ligands/metal complexes are detailed. In the case of using PIB as a support, the polymer-bound complexes can be recovered through the use of latent biphasic or a thermomorphic mixed solvent systems. In the case of PE(Olig)-supported complexes, the thermomorphic PE(Olig)-bound salen species can be dissolved in "hot" solvents and quantitatively recovered as solids upon cooling to room temperature. Both the PIB- and PE(Olig)-bound salen catalysts were shown to catalyze the ring-opening of epoxides with various nucleophiles. Both sorts of polyolefin-bound catalysts can be recycled and reused with no observed loss in activity. However, limitations of catalyst concentration make chiral versions of these complexes uncompetitive in comparison to conventional chiral salen catalysts that can be used in neat substrate at higher concentration to produce high enantioselectivity in the ring-opening products. The preparation of a PIB-bound "half-salen" catalyst was also briefly examined.     

Synthesis of amino-1,4-benzoquinones and their use in Diels-Alder approaches to the aminonaphthoquinone antibiotics

A new protocol for the synthesis of protected amino-1,4-benzoquinones by oxidation of the corresponding 2,5-dimethoxyaniline derivatives using PhI(OAc)(2) or PhI(OCOCF(3))(2) in water containing 2.5% methanol is reported. The process represents an improvement over previously reported methods, both in terms of yield and number of steps, and in the range of nitrogen protecting groups that it tolerates. A number of novel aminobenzoquinones were prepared and subsequently used as dienophiles in Diels-Alder reactions to form building blocks for the synthesis of the aminonaphthoquinone antibiotics such as salinisporamycin.     

Evidence for water structuring forces between surfaces

Structured water on apposing surfaces can generate significant energies due to reorganization and displacement of water as the surfaces encounter each other. Force measurements on a multitude of biological structures using the osmotic stress technique have elucidated commonalities that point toward an underlying hydration force. In this review, the forces of two contrasting systems are considered in detail: highly charged DNA and nonpolar, uncharged hydroxypropyl cellulose. Conditions for both net repulsion and attraction, along with the measured exclusion of chemically different solutes from these macromolecular surfaces, are explored and demonstrate common features consistent with a hydration force origin. Specifically, the observed interaction forces can be reduced to the effects of perturbing structured surface water.     

Selective incorporation of functional dicarboxylates into zinc metal-organic frameworks

Zinc(II) nitrate reacts with different ratios of 1,4-benzenedicarboxylic acid (H(2)bdc) and 2-halo-1,4-benzenedicarboxylic acid (H(2)bdc-X, X = Br or I) to give [Zn(4)O(bdc)(3-x)(bdc-X)(x)], in which preferential incorporation of bdc is observed. The selective incorporation is related to crystal growth rates, and the proportion of incorporated bdc-X rises with increasing reaction time.     

Palladium-mediated site-selective Suzuki-Miyaura protein modification at genetically encoded aryl halides

Site-specific genetic incorporation of unnatural p-halophenylalanine amino acid residues as 'tags' coupled with Pd(0)-mediated Suzuki-Miyuara 'modification' has been enabled by discovery of an effective small molecule palladium scavenger.     

Plant cohesins, common themes and unique roles

Cohesin complexes are critical for holding sister chromatids together during nuclear division. They also play important roles in the compaction of chromosomes and their bipolar attachment to the spindle, DNA double strand break repair, and the regulation of gene expression. Studies on sister chromatid cohesion in a wide range of organisms have shown that the proteins involved, and the general events of this important process are conserved between yeast, plants and animals. However, species-specific differences have been identified. In this review a general overview of cohesins, their roles and mechanisms of action is presented, followed by a review of our current state of knowledge on plant cohesins. While plants utilize the same general set of cohesin proteins and similar processes to establish and release sister chromatid cohesion, they also exhibit a number of unique features that are likely to provide interesting new insights into the roles of these important proteins.