The nature of intermolecular CuI...CuI interactions: a combined theoretical and structural database analysis

The nature of intermolecular interactions between dicoordinate Cu(I) ions is analyzed by means of combined theoretical and structural database studies. Energetically stable Cu(I).Cu(I) interactions are only found when the two monomers involved in the interaction are neutral or carry opposite charges, thus allowing us to speak of bonding between the components of the bimolecular aggregate. A perturbative evaluation of the components of the intermolecular interaction energies, by means the IMPT scheme of Stone, indicates that both the Coulombic and dispersion forces are important in determining the Cu(I).Cu(I) bonding interactions, because only a small part of that energy is attributable to Cu.Cu interactions, while a large component results from Cu.ligand interactions. The electrostatic component is the dominant one by far in the interaction between charged monomers, while in the interaction between neutral complexes, the electrostatic component is found to be of the same order of magnitude as the dispersion term. Bimolecular aggregates that have like charges are repulsive by themselves, and their presence in the solid state results from anion.cation interactions with ions external to this aggregate. In these cases, the short-contact Cu.Cu interactions here should be more properly called counterion-mediated Cu.Cu bonds.     

Effects of citrate on the composition and enzymic coagulation of colloidal bovine casein aggregates

Colloidal casein aggregates (CCA) prepared from soluble whole bovine caseinates in the presence of Ca²⁺ and phosphate (Pi) ions by addition of different citrate (Cit) concentrations showed different mineral and proteic composition. Citrate concentration conditions the Ca and Pi concentrations incorporated into CCA, probably due to the complexing effect of this anion on calcium. A significant change in the incorporated Ca/Pi ratio at 8 mM citrate could very likely be associated to changes in CCA net charge. The incorporation of individual caseins to the colloidal particles obtained, as well as their average size and size distribution, depended also on the Cit concentration used [Cit]_P. α_S- and β-caseins assembled in the CCA structure sharply decreased at a [Cit]_P higher than 15 mM, i.e., at a low Ca²⁺ concentration in the aggregates, showing that the presence of this cation is necessary for the incorporation of these caseins. An inverse relationship between the aggregation step rate in CCA enzymic coagulation and their average size was observed. The aggregation rate vs the average size curve obtained at [Cit]_P 8 mM clearly differed from the curves obtained at 10 and 12 mM, respectively, a fact probably related to a change in the CCA net charge. This behavior showed the effect of citrate concentration on CCA functional properties.     

Reactivity of silyl-substituted heterobimetallic iron-platinum hydride complexes towards unsaturated molecules: Part II. Insertion of trifluoropropyne and hexafluorobutyne into the platinum-hydride bond

Insertion of hexafluorobutyne into the Pt-H bond of the heterobimetallic complexes [(OC)₃Fe{Si(OMe)₃}(μ-Ph₂PXPPh₂)Pt(H)(PPh₃)] (1a X = CH₂; 1b X = NH) yields the σ-alkenyl complexes [(OC)₃Fe{μ-Si(OMe)₂(OMe)}(μ-Ph₂PXPPh₂)Pt{C(CF₃)C(H)CF₃}] (3a X = CH₂; 3b X = NH). This insertion reaction is accompanied by dissociation of the platinum bound PPh₃ ligand and saturation of the vacant coordination site by a dative μ−η²-Si-O → Pt interaction. Addition of the Pt-H bond of 1a across the triple bond of 3,3,3-trifluoropropyne affords in a regiospecific manner [(OC)₃Fe{μ-Si(OMe)₂(OMe)}(μ-dppm)Pt{C(CF₃)CH₂}] (2) having the trifluoromethyl substituent on the α-carbon. Addition of RNC to 3 affords the isocyanide adducts [(OC)₃Fe{Si(OMe)₃}(μ-Ph₂PXPPh₂)Pt(CNR){C(CF₃)C(H)CF₃}] (4a R = t-Bu, X = CH₂; 4b R = 2,6-xylyl, X = CH₂; 4c R = 2,6-xylyl, X = NH). In dichloromethane solution 3a is gradually transformed into the C₄F₆-bridged compound [(OC)₃Fe(μ-dppm)(μ-CF₃CCCF₃)Pt(CO)] 5. The Pt-bound carbonyl ligand of 5 is displaced by xylylisocyanide or trimethylphosphite affording the derivatives [(OC)₃Fe(μ-dppm)(μ-CF₃CCCF₃)Pt(CNxylyl)] 6 and [(OC)₃Fe(μ-dppm)(μ-CF₃CCCF₃)Pt{P(OMe)₃}] 7. The molecular structures of 4a, 5 and 6 have been determined by X-ray diffraction studies.     

EVALUATION OF NEW BENZOPORPHYRIN DERIVATIVES WITH ENHANCED PDT EFFICACY*

Abstract— A first report on the biological evaluation of a series of isomerically pure benzoporphyrin derivatives ( cis- and frarcs-isomers) as methyl esters is described. In preliminary in vivo studies, the n- bexyl ether analogues of both cis- and trans -isomers of benzoporphyrin derivatives were found to be more active than the industrially prepared benzoporphyrin derivative, a mixture of monocarboxylic acids (BPDMA, Quadralogic Technologies, Vancouver). Further studies with 4-de-vinyl-4-(I-hexyloxyethyl) benzoporphyrin derivative showed that, like BPDMA, it had reduced residual skin phototoxicity compared in mice with Photofrin®. The uptake and clearance characteristics of BPDMA were also compared with the 4-(1-hexyloxyethyl)-derivative by in vivo reflection spectroscopy.     

Magnetic properties of cyano-bridged Ln3+-M3+ complexes. Part I: trinuclear complexes (Ln3+ = La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm; M3+ = FeLS, Co) with bpy as blocking ligand

The reaction of Ln(NO3)3(aq) with K3[Fe(CN)6] or K3[Co(CN)6] and 2,2'-bipyridine in water/ethanol led to eight trinuclear complexes: trans-[M(CN)4(mu-CN)2{Ln(H2O)4(bpy)2}2][M(CN)6].8H2O (M = Fe3+ or Co3+, Ln = La3+, Ce3+, Pr3+, Nd3+, and Sm3+). The structures for the eight complexes [La2Fe] (1), [Ce2Fe] (2), [Pr2Fe] (3), [Nd2Fe] (4), [Ce2Co] (5), [Pr2Co] (6), [Nd2Co] (7), and [Sm2Co] (8) have been solved; they crystallize in the triclinic space group P and are isomorphous. They exhibit a supramolecular 3D architecture through hydrogen bonding and pi-pi stacking interactions. A stereochemical study of the nine-vertex polyhedra of the lanthanide ions, based on continuous shape measures, is presented. No significant magnetic interaction was found between the lanthanide(III) and the iron(III) ions.     

Conformational studies by dynamic NMR. 74.(1) stereomutations of the conformational enantiomers in peri-substituted 1-acylnaphthalenes

Naphthalenes bearing an acyl and a phenyl group in a peri relationship give rise to a pair of enantiomers in the temperature range where the rotations of the acyl group are slow. Such enantiomers were observed by means of low temperature NMR spectra in chiral environments. The barrier to rotation for the acyl substituents, that causes the interconversion of the enantiomers, was demonstrated to be lower than that for the phenyl group. In an appropriately synthesized derivative it was possible to measure the two barriers that were found equal to 10.4 and 15.9 kcal mol(-)(1), respectively. The barriers for the acyl group rotation increase regularly (from 9.5 to 13.2 kcal mol(-)(1)) with the increasing dimension of the RCO groups (R = Me, Et, Pr(i), Bu(t)). When a bromine atom replaces the phenyl group, the enantiomerization barrier for the corresponding acyl derivatives increases significantly.     

Determination of amino acids in apple extracts by high performance liquid chromatography

Summary A rapid and sensitive method for the simultaneous determination of primary amino acids in apple is described. After sample preparation, amino acids were derivatized with o-phthaldialdehyde/2-mercaptoethanol and separated on a reversed phase column with a gradient of phosphate buffer-tetrahydrofuran-methanol as the mobile phase. Detection was carried out with a fluorescence detector at excitation and emission wavelengths of 340 nm and 425 nm respectively. Recovery studies showed good results for all substances (91–109%) (with coefficients of variation ranging, from 0.1 to 9.0%). This method was applied to the monitoring of amino acids during the ripening of apples.     

Formation of a cyclobutylidene ring: intramolecular [2 + 2] cycloaddition of allyl and vinylidene C=C bonds under mild conditions

Intramolecular [2 + 2] cycloaddition of two C=C bonds in vinylidene complexes [Ru(eta5-C9H7){=C=C(R)H}(PPh3){kappa1-(P)-PPh2(C3H5)][BF4] affords cyclobutylidene complexes [Ru(eta5-C9H7){kappa2-(P,C)-(=CC(R)HCH2CHCH2PPh2)}(PPh3)][BF4], which can be also obtained by reaction of terminal alkynes with [Ru(eta5-C9H7)(PPh3){kappa3-(P,C,C)-PPh2(C3H5)}][PF6]. The reaction proceeds under mild conditions via vinylidene complexes, and the activation parameters were determined by kinetic studies.     

Influence of the aggregation state in solution on the supramolecular organization of adsorbed type I collagen layers

In the last years, adsorbed collagen was shown to form layers with a supramolecular organization depending on the substrate surface properties and on the preparation procedure. If the concentration of collagen and the duration of adsorption are sufficient, fibrillar collagen structures are formed, corresponding to assemblies of a few molecules. This occurs more readily on hydrophobic compared to hydrophilic surfaces. This study aims at understanding the origin of such fibrillar structures and in particular at determining whether they result from the deposition of fibrils formed in solution or from the building of assemblies at the interface. Therefore, type I collagen solutions with an increasing degree of aggregation were prepared, using the “neutral-start” approach, by ageing pH 5.8 solutions at 37 °C for 15 min, 2 or 7 days. The obtained solutions were used to investigate the influence of collagen aggregation in solution on the supramolecular organization of adsorbed collagen layers, which was characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy. Polystyrene and plasma-oxidized polystyrene were chosen as substrates for the adsorption. The size and the density of collagen fibrils at the interface decreased upon increasing the degree of aggregation of collagen in solution. This is explained by a competitive adsorption process between monomers and aggregates of the solution, turning at the advantage of the monomers. More aggregated solutions, which are thus depleted in free monomers, behave like less concentrated solutions, i.e. lead to a lower adsorbed amount and less fibril formation at the interface. This study shows that the supramolecular fibrils observed in adsorbed collagen layers, especially on hydrophobic substrates, are not formed in the solution, prior to adsorption, but are built at the interface, through the assembly of free segments of adsorbed molecules.     

Optimizing vehicle routes in a bakery company allowing flexibility in delivery dates

The work addressed in this paper is motivated from a real problem proposed to the authors by a bakery company in Northern Spain. The objective is to minimize the total distance travelled for the daily routes over the week. In order to reduce this total distance, some flexibility in the dates of delivery is introduced. A mixed-integer linear model for the problem is formulated. In addition, a two-phase method based in GRASP and path-relinking metaheuristic strategies is proposed. Computational experiments show that the method performs very well, obtaining high-quality solutions in short computational times. Moreover, when it is applied to real-data-based instances, the obtained solutions considerably reduce transportation costs over the planning horizon.