Crystal structure and strong antiferromagnetic interaction of a terephthalate-bridged binuclear copper(II) Complex, [{Cu(dipn)}2(μ-TPHA)](ClO4)2 (dipn = N-(3-aminopropyl)-1,3-propanediamine)

Three binuclear copper(II) complexes bridged by three different bridging ligands: μ-TPHA (terephthalato), μ-PHTA (phthalato) and μ-TCB (tetracarboxylatobenzene) have been synthesized. The crystal structure of [{Cu(dipn)}₂(μ-TPHA)](ClO₄)₂ where dipn = N-(3-aminopropyl)-1,3-propanediamine was solved at room temperature. The [{Cudipn}₂(μ-TPHA)](ClO₄)₂ complex consists of a μ-terephthalato bridging binuclear copper(II) cationic unit and two non-coordinated perchlorate anions. The TPHA ligand bridges in a bismonodentate fashion. The environment of the copper(II) ion is a distorted plane-square-planar coordination sphere. The magnetic properties of the three complexes have been investigated in the 75–300 K range, and show that the geometry of the Cu^II atom is the important factor for magnetic interactions in the terephthalato bridging binuclear copper(II) complexes. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Synthesis and crystal structure of an imidazolate-bridged dicopper tris(2-aminoethyl)amine complex

The [Cu(tren)(Im)Cu(tren)](ClO4)3·MeCN complex [tren=tris(2-aminoethyl)amine; Im=imidazolate anion] has been synthesized and characterized spectrally. The X-ray crystal structure analysis reveals that the imidazolate anion serves as a bridge to form a noncentrosymmetric dimeric structure in the complex. The co-ordination geometry about each copper(II) ion is a distorted trigonal bipyramid with three primary amine groups of the tren ligand forming the equatorial plane. The tertiary amine group and the imidazolate anion are in the axial positions. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Sesquiterpenoids and Phenylpropane Derivatives from Sonchus uliginosus

Six new compounds were isolated from the whole plant of Sonchus uliginosus, including three eudesmane‐type sesquiterpenoids (1β,6α)‐1,6,14‐trihydroxyeudesm‐3‐en‐12‐oic acid γ‐lactone ( 1 ), (1β,6α)‐1,6,14‐trihydroxyeudesma‐3,11(13)‐dien‐12‐oic acid γ‐lactone ( 2 ), and (1β,6α)‐1,6‐dihydroxy‐14‐O‐[(4‐hydroxyphenyl)acetyl]eudesma‐3,11(13)‐dien‐12‐oic acid γ‐lactone ( 3 ), and three phenylpropane derivatives, 4‐hydroxy‐γ,3,5‐trimethoxybenzenepropanol ( 6 ), γ,3,4,5‐tetramethoxybenzenepropanol ( 7 ), and γ,3,4,5‐tetramethoxybenzenepropanol acetate ( 8 ), together with the two known compounds 4 and 5 . The new structures were elucidated by means of spectroscopic methods, such as IR, EI‐MS, HR‐ESI‐MS, 1D‐ and 2D‐NMR, and by comparison of the spectroscopic data with those reported for structurally related compounds.     

Copper‐Bismuth Bimetallic Microspheres for Selective Electrocatalytic Reduction of CO2 to Formate

Electrocatalytic carbon dioxide reduction holds great promise for reducing the atmospheric CO₂ level and alleviating the energy crisis. High‐performance electrocatalysts are often required in order to lower the high overpotential and expedite the sluggish reaction kinetics of CO₂ electroreduction. Copper is a promising candidate metal. However, it usually suffers from the issues of poor stability and low product selectivity. In this work, bimetallic Cu‐Bi is obtained by reducing the microspherical copper bismuthate (CuBi₂O₄) for selectively catalyzing the CO₂ reduction to formate (HCOO^–). The bimetallic Cu‐Bi electrocatalyst exhibits high activity and selectivity with the Faradic efficiency over 90% in a wide potential window. A maximum Faradaic efficiency of ~95% is obtained at –0.93 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode. Furthermore, the catalyst shows high stability over 6 h with Faradaic efficiency of ~95%. This study provides an important clue in designing new functional materials for CO₂ electroreduction with high activity and selectivity.     

Coenzyme F430 from Methanogenic Bacteria: Mechanistic studies on the reductive cleavage of sulfonium ions catalyzed by F430 pentamethyl ester

Mechanistic questions regarding the reductive cleavage of sulfonium ions by the Ni^I form of coenzyme F430 pentamethyl ester (F430M) were addressed in a series of kinetic studies and isotope labeling experiments. In neat DMF, methane formation from dialkyl(methyl)sulfonium ions consistently showed a delay time of ca. 1 h. In the presence of excess propanethiol, no delay was observed and methane formation followed pseudo-first-order kinetics with a logarithmic dependence of the initial rate on the concentration of propanethiol. From the temperature dependence of the reaction rate, an estimate for the activation parameters of ΔH^# = 49 kJ mol^?1 and (apparent) ΔS# = –114 J K^?1 mol^?1 was derived. The observation of deuterium incorporation into methane from (CH₃)₂CHOD, but not from (CH₃)₂CDOH, indicates that the fourth H-entity is introduced into CH₄ as a proton, and that free CH₃ radicals are not involved. In contrast to the reaction with the homogeneous one-electron reductant sodium naphthalide, the F430M-catalyzed reduction of mixed dialkyl(methyl)sulfonium ions showed a pronounced selectivity for the cleavage of Me? S over that of alkyl-S (alkyl ≠ Me) bonds. Mechanisms that are consistent with these results, as well as possible explanations for the time delay and the apparent highly negative entropy of activation, are discussed.     

Electrochemical Behavior of Epinephrine at a Penicillamine Self-Assembled Gold Electrode,and its Analytical Application

The fabrication and electrochemical characteristics of a penicillamine (PCA) self-assembled monolayer modified gold electrode were investigated. The self-assembled electrode shows obvious electrocatalytic activity for the oxidation of epinephrine (EP). In phosphate buffer (pH 7.73), a sensitive oxidation peak was observed at 0.190V with the PCA modified Au electrode. The peak current is proportional to the concentration of EP in the range of 2.0×10^–56.0×10^–4molL^–1 and 5.0×10^–6 2.0×10^–4molL^–1 for cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) with the detection limits of 1.8×10^–7 and 1.3×10^–7molL^–1, respectively. The possible reaction mechanism is also discussed. The PCA self-assembled monolayer modified gold electrode is highly stable and can be applied to the determination of EP in practical injection samples. Application is simple, rapid and produces accurate results.     

A new fabrication process for a microchip electrophoresis device integrated with a three-electrode electrochemical detector

We report here a novel and simple process for the fabrication of a poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)-based microchip electrophoresis device, integrated with a screen-printed three-electrode electrochemical detector that does not require a replicate mold. In this approach, a photoresist layer constitutes both an adhesion layer and side walls of 50 mum wide and 50 mum tall microfluidic channels on a screen-printed three-electrode PMMA substrate. Openings were drilled for buffer reservoirs on an additional piece of PMMA, then the final device was bonded in a PMMA/photoresist/PMMA sandwich configuration. This process is inexpensive, less time-consuming, and simpler compared with traditional fabrication methods. The combination of this PMMA-based microchip fabrication together with screen-printed electrode technology holds great promise for the mass production of a single-use micrototal analytical system. Successful determination of uric acid and L-ascorbic acid with the presented system validates its utility. In combination with a suitable electrochemical detector, this device holds much promise for the determination of other analytes in various biological samples for medical and clinical diagnosis.     

New Clerodane Diterpenoids from Casearia membranacea

Bioassay‐guided fractionation of an AcOEt extract of Casearia membranacea resulted in the isolation of six new clerodane diterpenes, caseamembrins G–L ( 1 – 6 ). The structures of the new compounds, including their relative configurations, were established by an extensive study of their spectral data, especially 2D NMR. The cytotoxic activities of the isolated diterpenes against human oral epidermoid (KB), cervical epitheloid (Hela), and liver (Hep59T/VGH) carcinoma cell lines were investigated.     

Synthesis of (r)- and (s)-1-formyl-6,7,8,9-tetrahydro- N,N-(dipropyl)-3H-benz[e]indol-8-amines: Potent and orally active 5-ht1a receptor agonists

An efficient synthesis of the potent and orally active 5-HT_1A agonists, (R)-(+)- and (S)-(-)-1-formyl-6,7,8,9-tetrahydro-N,N-dipropyl-3H-benz[e]indol-8-amines 1a and 1b , is described. This synthesis was accomplished in twelve steps from commercially available 1,5,6,7-tetrahydro-4H-indol-4-one ( 5 ). The key step involved a regio-controlled Friedel-Crafts acylation of 1-(p-toluenesulfonyl)indol-4-acetyl chloride with ethylene to yield a versatile synthon, 3-(p-toluenesulfonyl)-6,7,8,9-tetrahydro-3H-benz[e]indol-8-one ( 10 ). Subsequent coupling of this ketone with chiral α-methylbenzylamine under reductive amination conditions yielded a mixture of diastereomers. These diastereomers were efficiently separated by either chromatography or fractional recrystallization of the derived hydrochloride salts. Debenzylation of the pure diastereomers was followed by alkylation and formylation to yield (R)-(+)- and (S)-(-)-enantiomers 1a and 1b with >99% purity.