Metal–Phenolic Supramolecular Gelation

Materials assembled by coordination interactions between naturally abundant polyphenols and metals are of interest for a wide range of applications, including crystallization, catalysis, and drug delivery. Such an interest has led to the development of thin films with tunable, dynamic properties, however, creating bulk materials remains a challenge. Reported here is a class of metallogels formed by direct gelation between inexpensive, naturally abundant tannic acid and group(IV) metal ions. The metallogels exhibit diverse properties, including self‐healing and transparency, and can be doped with various materials by in situ co‐gelation. The robustness and flexibility, combined with the ease, low cost, and scalability of the coordination‐driven assembly process make these metallogels potential candidates for chemical, biomedical, and environmental applications.     

Synthesis and structural analysis of the first nanosized platinum-gold carbonyl/phosphine cluster, Pt13[Au2(PPh3)2]2(CO)10(PPh3)4, containing a Pt-centered [Ph3PAu-AuPPh3]-capped icosahedral Pt12 cage

The preparation and molecular structure of the initial nanosized platinum-gold carbonyl cluster, Pt(13)[Au(2)(PPh(3))(2)](2)(CO)(10)(PPh(3))(4) (1), are described. A comparative analysis reveals its pseudo-D(2)(h) geometry, consisting of a centered Pt(13) icosahedron encapsulated by two centrosymmetrically related bidentate [Ph(3)PAu-AuPPh(3)]-capped ligands along with 4 PR(3) and 10 CO ligands, to be remarkably similar to that of the previously reported Pt(17)(mu(2)-CO)(4)(CO)(8)(PEt(3))(8) (2). Reformulation of 2 as Pt(13)[(PtPEt(3))(2)(mu(2)-CO)](2)(CO)(10)(PEt(3))(4) emphasizes the steric/electronic resemblance of the bulky-sized bidentate [Ph(3)PAu-AuPPh(3)] and [(PtPEt(3))(2)(mu(2)-CO)] capping ligands in 1 and 2, respectively, as well as their identical electron counts of 162 cluster valence electrons for a centered Pt(13) icosahedron. We hypothesize that analogous steric effects of their ligand polyhedra in 1 and 2 play a crucial role along with electronic effects in the formation and stabilization of these two nanosized clusters that contain an otherwise unknown centered icosahedron of platinum atoms.     

Generation of AuPd22/Au2Pd21 analogues of the high-nuclearity Pd23(CO)20(PEt3)10 cluster containing 19-atom centered hexacapped-cuboctahedral (nu 2-octahedral) metal fragment: structural-to-synthesis approach concerning formation of Au2Pd21(CO)20(PEt3)10

Reactions of Pd(PEt(3))(2)Cl(2) and Au(PPh(3))Cl in DMF with NaOH under CO atmosphere gave rise to the unique capped three-shell homopalladium Pd(145)(CO)(x)(PEt(3))(30)(x approximately 60) and two neutral Au-Pd clusters: Au(2)Pd(21)(CO)(20)(PEt(3))(10) (1) and Au(2)Pd(41)(CO)(27)(PEt(3))(15)(following article). Similar reactions with Pd(PMe(3))(2)Cl(2) being used in place of Pd(PEt(3))(2)Cl(2) afforded Au(2)Pd(21)(CO)(20)(PMe(3))(10) (2), the trimethylphosphine analogue of, and the electronically equivalent [AuPd(22)(CO)(20)(PPh(3))(4)(PMe(3))(6)](-) monoanion (3) as the [PPh(4)](+) salt. Each of these three air-sensitive 23-atom heterometallic Au-Pd clusters was obtained in low yields (7-25%); however, their geometrical similarities with the known cuboctahedral-based homopalladium Pd(23)(CO)(20)(PEt(3))(10) (4), recently obtained in good yields from Pd(10)(CO)(12)(PEt(3))(6), suggested an alternative preparative route for obtaining. This "structure-to-synthesis" approach afforded 1 in 60-70% yields from reactions of Pd(10)(CO)(12)(PEt(3))(6) and Au(PPh(3))Cl in DMF with NaOH under N(2) atmosphere. Both the compositions and atomic arrangements for 1, 2 and 3 were unambiguously established from low-temperature single-crystal CCD X-ray crystallographic determinations in accordance with their nearly identical IR carbonyl frequencies. Cluster 1 was also characterized by (31)P[(1)H] NMR, cyclic voltammetry (CV) and elemental analysis. The virtually identical Au(2)Pd(21) core-architectures of 1 and 2 closely resemble that of 4, which consists of a centered hexa(square capped)-cuboctahedral Pd(19) fragment of pseudo-O(h) symmetry that alternatively may be viewed as a centered Pd(19)nu(2)-octahedron (where nu(n) designates (n + 1) equally spaced atoms along each edge). [AuPd(22)(CO)(20)(PPh(3))(4)(PMe(3))(6)](-) (3) in the crystalline state ([PPh(4)](+) salt) consists of two crystallographically independent monoanions 3A and 3B; a superposition analysis ascertained that their geometries are essentially equivalent. A CV indicates that reversibly undergoes two one-electron reductions and two one-electron oxidations; these reversible redox processes form the basis for an integrated structural/electronic picture that is compatible with the existence of the electronically-equivalent 1-3 along with the electronically-nonequivalent 4 (with two fewer CVEs) and other closely related species.     

Multifunctional Ligands. Phosphinimine-Substituted Cyanofluoroaromatics Including X-ray Molecular Structures of Three Representative Ligands 4,6-(CN)(2)C(6)F(2)-1,3-(N=PPh(3))(2), 4,6-(CN)(2)C(6)F(2)-1,3-(N=PPh(2)Me)(2) and 4,6-(CN)(2)C(6)F(2)-1-(N=PPh(3))-3-(N=PPh(2)Me). Formation of Rhodium(I) Complexes

Reaction of 1,3-dicyanotetrafluorobenzene with 2 equiv of (trimethylsilyl)iminophosphoranes gave the disubstituted derivatives 4,6-(CN)(2)C(6)F(2)-1,3-AB: 1, A = B = (N=PPh(3)); 2, A = B = (N=PPh(2)Me); and 3, A = (N=PPh(3)), B = (N=PPh(2)Me). Monosubstituted compounds of the type 2,4-(CN)(2)C(6)F(3)-1-A; notably 4, A = (N=PPh(3)), and 5, A = (N=PPh(2)Me), were readily obtained by reaction of 1 molar equiv of the silylated iminophosphorane with the cyanofluoro aromatic. Substitution of the fluorine para to the CN group(s) occurs in all cases. Reactions of 1,2- and 1,4-dicyanotetrafluorobenzene with (trimethylsilyl)iminophosphoranes gave only monosubstituted derivatives 3,4-(CN)(2)C(6)F(3)-1-A (6, A = (N=PPh(3)), and 7, A = (N=PPh(2)Me)) and 2,5-(CN)(2)C(6)F(3)-1-A (8, A = (N=PPh(3)), and 9, A = (N=PPh(2)Me)), respectively, as the result of electronic deactivation of the second substitutional point. 1, 4,6-(CN)(2)C(6)F(2)-1,3-(N=PPh(3)), 2, 4,6-(CN)(2)C(6)F(2)-1,3-(N=PPh(2)Me)(2), and 3, 4,6-(CN)(2)C(6)F(2)-1-(N=PPh(3))-3-(N=PPh(2)Me) have been structurally characterized. For 1 (at 21 degrees C), monoclinic, C2/(c) (No. 15), a = 15.289(2) ?, b = 10.196(1) ?, c = 23.491(6) ?, beta = 91.63(2) degrees, V = 3660(2) ?(3), and Z = 4. The P=N bond length is 1.579(2) ? and the P(V)-N-C(phenyl) angle is 134.0(2) degrees. For 2, (at 21 degrees C) monoclinic, C2/(c) (No. 15), a = 18.694(2) ?, b = 8.576(1) ?, c = 40.084(4) ?, beta = 94.00(1) degrees, V = 6411(2) ?(3), and Z = 8. The P(1)=N(1) bond length is 1.570(4) ?, the P(2)=N(2) bond length is 1.589(3) ?, the P(1)-N(1)-C(14) angle is 131.6(3) degrees, and the P(2)-N(2)-C(16) angle is 131.3(3) degrees. For 3, (at -80 degrees C) monoclinic, P2(1)/c (No. 14), a = 9.210(1) ?, b = 18.113(2) ?, c = 20.015(2) ?, beta = 100.07(1) degrees, V = 3287(2) ?(3), and Z = 4. The P(1)=N(1) bond length (PPh(3) group) is 1.567(4) ?, the P(2)=N(2) bond length (PPh(2)Me group) is 1.581(5) ?, the P(1)-N(1)-C(1) angle is 140.4(4) degrees, and the P(2)-N(2)-C(3) angle is 129.4(4) degrees. These new multifunctional chelating ligands readily react with [Rh(cod)Cl](2) and AgClO(4) to give cationic Rh(I) complexes in which the imine and/or the nitrile groups are coordinated to the Rh center.     

The contributions of molecular framework to IMS collision cross-sections of gas-phase peptide ions

Molecular dynamics (MD) is an essential tool for correlating collision cross-section data determined by ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) with candidate (calculated) structures. Conventional methods used for ion structure determination rely on comparing the measured cross-sections with the calculated collision cross-section for the lowest energy structure(s) taken from a large pool of candidate structures generated through multiple tiers of simulated annealing. We are developing methods to evaluate candidate structures from an ensemble of many conformations rather than the lowest energy structure. Here, we describe computational simulations and clustering methods to assign backbone conformations for singly-protonated ions of the model peptide (NH₂-Met-Ile-Phe-Ala-Gly-Ile-Lys-COOH) formed by both MALDI and ESI, and compare the structures of MIFAGIK derivatives to test the ‘sensitivity’ of the cluster analysis method. Cluster analysis suggests that [MIFAGIK + H]⁺ ions formed by MALDI have a predominantly turn structure even though the low-energy ions prefer partial helical conformers. Although the ions formed by ESI have collision cross-sections that are different from those formed by MALDI, the results of cluster analysis indicate that the ions backbone structures are similar. Chemical modifications (N-acetyl, methylester as well as addition of Boc or Fmoc groups) to MIFAGIK alter the distribution of various conformers; the most dramatic changes are observed for the [M + Na]⁺ ion, which show a strong preference for random coil conformers owing to the strong solvation by the backbone amide groups.     

Intermolecular interactions and ­molecular geometry in molecular complexes of N,N‐di­methyl­aniline: the 1:1 complex with 1,2,4,5‐tetra­cyano­benzene

The partner mol­ecules of N,N‐di­methyl­aniline–1,2,4,5‐tetra­cyano­benzene (1/1), C₈H₁₁N·C₁₀H₂N₄, are stacked alternately in infinite columns. The N atom of the N,N‐di­methyl­aniline mol­ecule has a partially tetrahedral character and the distance between neighbouring mol­ecules in the stack is relatively short on the side where the lone‐pair electrons of this atom are located. Molecular‐packing analysis of this and three other complexes of N,N‐di­methyl­aniline shows that there is a close relationship between the strength of the intermolecular interaction on this side and the tetrahedral character of the N atom.     

Layer‐by‐Layer Nano‐Encapsulation of Microbes: Controlled Cell Surface Modification and Investigation of Substrate Uptake in Bacteria

LbL nano self‐assembly coating of A. vinosum with different polyelectrolyte combinations is presented as an example to investigate substrate uptake in bacteria. The effects of surface charge and the formation of a physical barrier provides new insights in the contact mechanisms between the cell surface and insoluble elemental sulfur. Furthermore, uptake of sulfide by encapsulated cells was investigated. Growth experiments of coated cells showed that surface charge did neither affect sulfide uptake nor the contact formation between the cells and solid sulfur. However, increasing layers slowed or inhibited the uptake of sulfide and elemental sulfur. This work demonstrates how defining surface properties of bacteria has potential for microbiological and biotechnological applications.

     

Sixty-Year Saga (1952–2013) of the Solid-State Structure of Triiron Dodecacarbonyl

This article presents the personal saga of one of the authors (LFD) in the determination of the solid-state structure of Fe₃(CO)₁₂. We also present the results of our recent determination of its solid-state structure at low temperature (100 K), in which we have used a modern area-detector diffractometer in order to examine more precisely its temperature-dependent structural variations reported by Braga et al. in 1994 from a point-detector diffractometer. These investigations provide a striking illustration of the remarkable advances over the last six decades in both computational hardware and software packages as well as the recent improvements in hardware data-collection instrumentation that have given rise to X-ray crystallography now being the most powerful (and in most cases the only unambiguous) physical method for elucidating the static structures of complex metal clusters. Other experimental measurements and resulting speculations concerning the dynamic/fluxional behavior of Fe₃(CO)₁₂ and closely related analogues in the solid state and in solution are briefly mentioned, as are recent theoretical analyses.