Non-Template-Centered, Closed Tetravanadium Phosphate and Phosphonate Clusters

Tetranuclear V(III) complexes, [HB(pz)(3)](4)V(4)(&mgr;-C(6)H(5)OPO(3))(4) (I), its acetonitrile solvate (I.4CH(3)CN), and [HB(pz)(3)](4)V(4)(&mgr;-O(2)NC(6)H(4)OPO(3))(4).4C(7)H(8).H(2)O (II), and tetranuclear vanadyl complexes, (t-Bupz)(4)V(4)O(4)(&mgr;-C(6)H(5)PO(3))(4).2H(2)O (III) and (t-Bupz)(5)V(4)O(4)(&mgr;-C(6)H(5)PO(3))(4).4CH(3)CN.0.6 H(2)O (IV), have been prepared and characterized by spectroscopic, magnetic, and electrochemical methods (pz = pyrazole, t-Bupz = tert-butylpyrazole). The use of organic solvents and bulky organic groups as ancillary ligands leads to formation of neutral species instead of the anionic clusters commonly found in the hydrothermal synthesis of vanadium organophosphate/phosphonate systems. Complexes I.4CH(3)CN and IV have also been characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Crystal data: I.4CH(3)CN, triclinic, P&onemacr;, a = 15.495(3) ?, b = 17.000(3) ?, c = 17.949(4) ?, alpha = 89.17(3) degrees, beta = 86.00(3) degrees, gamma = 78.60(3) degrees, Z = 2; IV, triclinic, P&onemacr;, a = 15.541(3) ?, b = 16.340(2) ?, c = 19.069(5) ?, alpha = 83.58(2) degrees, beta = 79.67(2) degrees, gamma = 63.68(1) degrees, Z = 2. Both are closed clusters, the core structure of the first consisting of a cubane-like arrangement of metal octahedra and phosphate tetrahedra and the core structure of the second consisting of a distorted, collapsed variant of the first. Unlike other vanadium phosphate clusters, these compounds form in the absence of a central, templating agent. As such they represent the simplest form of a closed cluster in which steric forces and cluster connectivity requirements play the primary role in organizing the cluster framework.     

Novel carbohydrate-appended metal complexes for potential use in molecular imaging

Seven discrete sugar-pendant diamines were complexed to the {M(CO)(3)}(+) ((99m)Tc/Re) core: 1,3-diamino-2-propyl beta-D-glucopyranoside (L(1)), 1,3-diamino-2-propyl beta-D-xylopyranoside (L(2)), 1,3-diamino-2-propyl alpha-D-mannopyranoside (L(3)), 1,3-diamino-2-propyl alpha-D-galactopyranoside (L(4)), 1,3-diamino-2-propyl beta-D-galactopyranoside (L(5)), 1,3-diamino-2-propyl beta-(alpha-D-glucopyranosyl-(1,4)-D-glucopyranoside) (L(6)), and bis(aminomethyl)bis[(beta-D-glucopyranosyloxy)methyl]methane (L(7)). The Re complexes [Re(L(1)-L(7))(Br)(CO)(3)] were characterized by (1)H and (13)C 1D/2D NMR spectroscopy which confirmed the pendant nature of the carbohydrate moieties in solution. Additional characterization was provided by IR spectroscopy, elemental analysis, and mass spectrometry. Two analogues, [Re(L(2))(CO)(3)Br] and [Re(L(3))(CO)(3)Br], were characterized in the solid state by X-ray crystallography and represent the first reported structures of Re organometallic carbohydrate compounds. Conductivity measurements in H(2)O established that the complexes exist as [Re(L(1)-L(7))(H(2)O)(CO)(3)]Br in aqueous conditions. Radiolabelling of L(1)-L(7) with [(99m)Tc(H(2)O)(3)(CO)(3)](+) afforded in high yield compounds of identical character to the Re analogues. The radiolabelled compounds were determined to exhibit high in vitro stability towards ligand exchange in the presence of an excess of either cysteine or histidine over a 24 h period.     

Synthesis of a new bidentate ferrocenyl N-heterocyclic carbene ligand precursor and the palladium (II) complex trans-[PdCl2(CfcC)], where (CfcC) = 1,1′-di-tert-butyl-3,3′-(1,1′-dimethyleneferrocenyl)-diimidazol-2-ylidene

A new ferrocenyl-N-heterocyclic carbene ligand precursor 1,1′-bis[(1-tert-butylimidazolium)-3-methyl]ferrocene dichloride has been synthesised and structurally characterised. The imidazolium salt was readily deprotonated in situ with KN(SiMe₃)₂ and reacted with [PdCl₂ (cod)] to afford the structurally characterised palladium (II) complex trans-[PdCl₂(C^∧fc^∧C)], where (cod) = 1,5-cyclooctadiene and (C^∧fc^∧C) = 1,1′-di-tert-butyl-3,3′-(1,1′-dimethyleneferrocenyl)-diimidazol-2-ylidene.     

Extraction of phenolic compounds and organic acids by liquid membranes

Liquid membrane emulsions were used to extract phenolic compounds and organic acids from their aqueous solutions. The emulsions contained caustic as the reactive agent. When the phenolic compounds and organic acids permeated through the liquid membranes into the emulsion droplets, they reacted with caustic and became ionized. The ionized species could not permeate through the liquid membranes and therefore were held in the emulsion droplets.

The conclusions of this recent investigation are:

(1) More than 99% of phenol and cresols can be extracted in less than 1 minute.

(2) Acetic and propionic acids can also be extracted but at much slower rates. However, if the amount of caustic is not sufficient to react with all the permeating compounds, the acids will be extracted preferentially to the phenols.

(3) The acids can only be extracted at low pH (acidic) whereas the phenolic compounds can be extracted at pH of 7.

(4) The extraction rates for phenol and acetic acid are the same in individual-compound and binary-mixture permeations.

(5) The extraction can be described by a mass transfer model.     

Phase separation of Lal3 inside single-walled carbon nanotubes.

Simple binary solids can be found to adopt unprecedented structures when confined into nanometre-sized cavities, such as the inner cylindrical bore of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT). In the case of the discussed Lal(x)@SWNT encapsulation composite, the Lal2 "crystal" fragment adopts the structure of bulk Lal3, with one third of the iodine positions unoccupied. A complete characterisation of the encapsulation composite was achieved using an enhanced digital restoration approach of high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) images. The resulting complex exit surface wave provides information about the precise structural data of both filling material and host SWNT, establishing the SWNT's chirality and thus enabling a prediction of the composite's overall electron-transport properties.     

Transformation of aminoacyl tRNAs for the in vitro selection of "drug-like" molecules

Evolutionary approaches are regularly used to isolate single molecules with desired activities from large populations of nucleic acids (approximately 10(15)). Several methods have also been developed to generate libraries of mRNA-encoded peptides and proteins for the in vitro selection of functional polypeptides. In principal, such mRNA encoding systems could be used with libraries of nonbiological polymers if the ribosome can be directed to polymerize tRNAs carrying unnatural amino acids. The fundamental problem is that current chemical aminoacylation systems cannot easily produce sufficient amounts of the numerous misacylated tRNAs required to synthesize a complex library of encoded polymers. Here, we show that bulk-aminoacylated tRNA can be transformed into N-monomethylated aminoacyl tRNA and translated. Because poly-N-methyl peptide backbones are refractory to proteases and are membrane permeable, our method provides an uncomplicated means of evolving novel drug candidates.     

Enthalpic relaxation of convective desiccated trehalose-water glasses

Minimizing molecular mobility for desiccation preservation of biologics close to ambient temperature using trehalose glasses require quantitative characterization of their enthalpic relaxation at various end water contents. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used to characterize three different water contents: 0%, 1.5% and 10% over a wide range of aging temperatures. Results showed the characteristic time (τ) varies both with the water content and the aging temperature. τ increased with lowered aging temperature but showed a non-monotonous relationship as a function of water content. Fragility of trehalose glasses was analyzed using thermophysical parameters obtained from relaxation studies. The study showed trehalose to be a fragile glass former at all water contents, with 0% water samples showing a relatively stronger glass. A compromise between molecular mobility and glass fragility led to an optimal water content close to 1.5% and an aging temperature close to room temperature. This would ensure a τ value of 9000 h, which corresponds to a storage period of a year.     

99Ru Mössbauer spectra of quaternary ruthenium(V) oxides with the hexagonal barium titanate structure

⁹⁹Ru Mössbauer spectra have been recorded at 4.2 K for the quaternary oxides Ba₃Ru₂MO₉ (M = Mg, Ca, Sr; Co, Ni, Cu, Zn; and Cd), all of which crystallize with the hexagonal barium titanate structure. The Ca, Sr, and Cd compounds give sharp symmetrical singlets with chemical isomer shifts typical of ruthenium in the +5 oxidation state. The absence of magnetic hyperfine splitting is consistent with the published interpretation of magnetic susceptibility data in terms of binuclear intracluster spin pairing which leads to an S = 0 ground state. In contrast, magnetic hyperfine splitting is seen for the Mg, Zn, Co, Ni, and Cu compounds; this can be interpreted only in terms of long-range magnetic order and the absence of such an S = 0 ground state at 4.2 K. This differs from the published interpretation of the magnetic susceptibility data for Ba₃Ru₂MgO₉ in the low-temperature region. The magnetic flux densities at the ruthenium nuclei in the magnetically ordered compounds (32.5–51.6 T) are lower than those normally associated with ruthenium(V), and the spectra cannot be curve fitted satisfactorily with single hyperfine patterns having the natural linewidth. Possible reasons for these observations are discussed.     

Donor–acceptor complexes in copolymerization. XLIII. Cyclization of alternating and random styrene–(meth)acrylic ester copolymers

Equimolar alternating copolymers of styrene and methyl methacrylate (prepared with Et_1.5AlCl_1.5, SnCl₄, and ZnCl₂) as well as equimolar random copolymer were treated with polyphosphoric acid at 135°C. The extent of cyclization of the alternating copolymers was about 40%, independent of the cotacticity of the copolymer, and there was little or no crosslinking. The random copolymer underwent only 10% cyclization and considerable crosslinking. The extent of cyclization of the alternating copolymer of styrene and methyl acrylate (prepared with Et_1.5AlCl_1.5) was the same as that of the random copolymer and was lower than that of the corresponding methyl methacrylate copolymer. Both alternating and random copolymers underwent extensive crosslinking.     

Should dithiophosphinate esters function as RAFT agents?

[graph: see text] High-level ab initio calculations indicate that *CH3 addition to the sulfur center of S=P(Z)(Z')SCH3 (Z,Z' = CH3, CN, OCH3, Ph) is considerably less exothermic than addition to the corresponding RAFT agents, S=C(Z)SCH3. This suggests that dithiophosphinate esters may have only limited use in controlling free-radical polymerization, but should make excellent radical chain carriers in organic synthesis. The results cast doubt on the notion that phosphoranyl radicals are more "intrinsically" stabilized than carbon-centered radicals.