Gas‐Phase Electron‐Diffraction Investigation and Quantum‐Chemical Calculations of the Structure of 1,5‐Dimethylsemibullvalene‐2,4,6,8‐tetracarboxylic Dianhydride

The bridged homotropilidines have been of interest for decades because their molecules offer the potential for homoaromaticity. Although many of these have been shown not to be homoaromatic, the energy differences of the delocalized (homoaromatic) forms and the localized (nonhomoaromatic) ones, and the barriers to the interconversion of the localized forms via a Cope rearrangement, have been found to vary greatly. The title compound is a strong candidate for homoaromaticity, and, since the structures of the possible localized and delocalized forms could differ significantly, we have carried out an electron‐diffraction investigation of it augmented by quantum‐mechanical calculations with different basis sets at several levels of theory. Three models were explored: one representing a localized form of C_s symmetry, one a delocalized form of C_2v symmetry, and one a 2 : 1 mixture of the localized/delocalized forms. Although none of the models could be ruled out, the experimental evidence slightly favors the C_s form. These results are consistent with those from the DFT B3PW91 calculations with basis sets ranging from 6‐31G(d) to cc‐pVTZ, which, surprisingly, predict essentially equal thermally corrected free energies for each. The results are discussed.     

General synthesis of di-mu-oxo dimanganese complexes as functional models for the oxygen evolving complex of photosystem II

A series of complexes with the formula [Mn(III/IV)2(mu-O)2(L)2(X)2]3+ have been prepared in situ from Mn(II)LCl2 precursors by a general preparative method (L = terpy, Cl-terpy, Br-terpy, Ph-terpy, tolyl-terpy, mesityl-terpy, t Bu3-terpy, EtO-terpy, py-phen, dpya, Me2N-terpy, or HO-terpy, and X = a labile ligand such as water, chloride, or sulfate). The parent complex, where L = terpy and X = water, is a functional model for the oxygen-evolving complex of photosystem II (Limburg, et al. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2001, 123, 423-430). Crystals of Mn(II)(dpya)Cl2, Mn(II)(Ph-terpy)Cl2, Mn(II)(mesityl-terpy)Cl2, and an organic-soluble di-mu-oxo di-aqua dimanganese complex, [Mn(III/)(IV)2(mu-O)2(mesityl-terpy)2(OH2)2](NO3)3, were obtained and characterized by X-ray crystallography. Solutions of the in situ-formed di-mu-oxo dimanganese complexes were characterized by electrospray mass spectrometry, EPR spectroscopy, and UV-visible spectroscopy, and the rates of catalytic oxygen-evolving activity were assayed. The use of Mn(II)LCl2 precursors leads to higher product purity of the Mn dimers while achieving the 1:1 ligand to Mn stoichiometry appropriate for catalytic activity assay. These methods can be used to screen the catalytic activity of other di-mu-oxo dimanganese complexes generated by using a ligand library.     

Molecular complexes of copper(I): Easy access to CuF(PPh3)3 · 2ROH (R = Me or Et)

Treatment of a CuSO₄ · 5H₂O solution with NH₂OH · HCl and NaOH produces orange–yellow Cu₂O, which on being reacted with Ph₃P and aqueous HF (48%) in MeOH or EtOH yields CuF(PPh₃)₃ · 2ROH (R = Me or Et) in high yield. The volatile compounds have been characterised by spectroscopic techniques in addition to chemical analyses and solution electrical conductance measurements. Typically, CuF(PPh₃)₃ · 2MeOH appears to be stable up to 118 °C and loses 2 MeOH and 3 PPh₃ between 118 and 274 °C yielding volatile CuF at 274 °C.     

Synthesis,spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry of cobalt(III) complexes with 5-methyl-3-formylpyrazole N(4)-cyclohexylthiosemicarbazone (HMPz4Cy): X-ray crystal structure of [Co(MPz4Cy)2]Cl · 2.75H2O

The coordination behaviour of the novel ligand, HMPz4Cy, is reported, together with solid state isolation of its diamagnetic cobalt(III) complexes, [Co(MPz4Cy)₂]X · nH₂O (X = Cl, Br, NO₃, ClO₄ and BF₄). I.r. and ¹H-n.m.r. data for the free ligand and its Co^III complexes confirm that the ligand, HMPz4Cy, acts as a uninegative anion with NNS tridentate function via the pyrazolyl nitrogen (tertiary), azomethine nitrogen and thiol sulphur. Electronic spectra (both solid and solution) are commensurate with a distorted octahedral environment for the reported Co^III species. Cyclic voltammograms of Co^III complexes indicate a quasireversible Co⁺³/Co⁺² couple. X-ray crystallography of a representative species, [Co(MPz4Cy)₂]Cl · 2.75H₂O (C2, monoclinic), has shown unambiguously that the two ligands are orthogonally coordinated to the central Co^III ion with both the thiolato sulphurs and both pyrazolyl nitrogen atoms in cis positions.     

Catalytic efficacy of Schiff-base copper(II) complexes: Synthesis,X-ray structure and olefin oxidation

Three copper(II) Schiff-base complexes, [Cu(L¹)(H₂O)](ClO₄) (1), [Cu(L²)] (2) and [Cu(L³)] (3) have been synthesized and characterized [where HL¹ = 1-(N-ortho-hydroxy-acetophenimine)-2-methyl-pyridine], H₂L² = N,N′-(2-hydroxy-propane-1,3-diyl)-bis-salicylideneimine and H₂L³ = N,N′-(2,2-dimethyl-propane-1,3-diyl)-bis-salicylideneimine]. The structure of complex 1 has been determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. In complex 1, the copper(II) ion is coordinated to one oxygen atom and two nitrogen atoms of the tridentate Schiff-base ligand, HL¹. The fourth coordination site of the central metal ion is occupied by the oxygen atom from a water molecule. All the complexes exhibit high catalytic activity in the oxidation reactions of a variety of olefins with tert-butyl-hydroperoxide in acetonitrile. The catalytic efficacy of the copper(II) complexes towards olefin oxidation reactions has been studied in different solvent media.     

Efficient chemical synthesis of a dodecasaccharidyl lipomannan component of mycobacterial lipoarabinomannan

Lipomannan (LM) is one of the domains of lipoarabinomannan (LAM) glycolipids, the latter being one of several cell surface organic molecules that fortify mycobacterial species against external attack. Some members of mycobacterial families are pathogenic, most notably Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium leprae, while others are nonpathogenic, and used in the clinic, such as Mycobacterium smegmatis. Additional biological significance arises from the fact that LM has been implicated in several health disorders outside of those associated with mycobacterial pathogens, notably for treatment of bladder cancer. LM is comprised of a heavily lipidated phosphoinositide dimannoside headgroup, from which a mannan array, of varied complexity, extends. The latter consists of a 1,6-alpha-linked backbone flanked at position O2, not necessarily regularly, with alpha-linked mannosides. This paper gives an example of lipomannan synthesis in which all of the sugar components, whether functioning as donors or acceptors, are obtained from n-pentenyl orthoesters, themselves in turn prepared in three easy steps from D-mannose. Assembly of the mannan array is facilitated by the exquisite regioselectivity occasioned by the use of ytterbium triflate/N-iodosuccinimide as the trigger for reaction of n-pentenyl orthoesters.     

Use of combinatorial library screening to identify inhibitors of a bacterial two-component signal transduction kinase

Bacterial resistance to antibiotics is emerging as amajor concern to the medical community. Theappearance of several antibiotic-resistant strains,including multidrug-resistant Staphylococcusaureus, raises the prospect that infections by thesebacteria could soon become untreatable with currentlyavailable antibiotics. In order to address thisproblem, increased emphasis is being placed on thediscovery of novel classes of antibacterial agentsthat inhibit novel molecular targets using sources ofcompounds not yet exploited for antibiotic drugdiscovery. Novel classes of compounds can now berapidly investigated using combinatorial chemistryapproaches. This report describes the identificationof novel antibacterial compounds from a combinatoriallibrary of N-acetylated, C-amidated D-amino acidhexapeptides. This library of compounds was screenedfor inhibitors of CheA, a member of the bacterialtwo-component signal transduction kinase family. Several peptides with apparent IC₅₀ values in thelow micromolar range were identified. In addition toinhibiting CheA, these peptides inhibited mammalianprotein kinase C (from rat brain) with comparablepotency. Finally, these peptides were also found tohave significant antibacterial properties, althoughthe true mechanism by which they exhibited inhibitionof bacterial growth remains uncertain.     

Crystal structure of a bulky cyclic sulfite

The structure of the cyclic sulfite derived from the reaction of thionyl chloride withendo-8-hydroxy-exo-8-(endo-8-hydroxypentacyclo[5.4.0.0.^2,6.0^3,10.0^5,9]undec-exo-8-yl)pentacyclo-[5.4.0.0.^2,6.0^3,10.0^5,9]undecane is reported. All bond lengths and angles are consistent with the strained cage geometry. A static disorder of the terminal oxygen was found to be present.