Antimony(III) fluoride: inclusion complexes with crown ethers

Four crystalline molecular complexes between antimony(III) fluoride and 18-membered crown ethers have been obtained and their structures investigated by single crystal X-ray diffraction techniques: [18-crown-6·SbF₃], C₁₂H₂₄F₃O₆Sb,P2₁2₁2₁,a=8.328(4),b=11.573(4),c=18.094(4),V=1744(1)³,Z=4; [benzo-18-crown-6·SbF₃], C₁₆H₂₄F₃O₆Sb,P2₁/n,a=10.490(2),b=13.714(1),c=13.442(2), =101.94(1)°,V=1892(1)³,Z=4; [cis-syn-cis-dicyclohexano-18-crown-6·SbF₃·CH₃OH], C₂₁H₄₀F₃O₇Sb,P2₁/n,a=8.270(4),b=23.386(3),c=12.772(1), =96.31(2)°,V=2455(1)³,Z=4; [cis-anti-cis-dicyclohexano-18-crown-6·SbF₃], C₂₀H₃₆F₃O₆Sb,Pna2₁,a=21.091(8),b=12.829(5),c=8.437(3),V=2283(2)³,Z=4. All species are the perching-type complexes with the antimony fluoride above the cavity and the metal lone pair pointed toward the center of the crown ring. The antimony atom interacts with all six crown oxygen atoms with Sb–O distances of 2.837(2)–3.344(2) . The antimony atom is displaced from the least square plane of the crown oxygen atoms at the distances of 1.288–1.383 .     

Palladium-catalyzed direct heck arylation of dual pi-deficient/pi-excessive heteroaromatics. Synthesis of C-5 arylated imidazo[1,5-a]pyrazines

A general and efficient synthesis of 5-aryl imidazo[1,5- a]pyrazines by palladium-catalyzed coupling of the corresponding 8-substituted derivatives with aryl halides is described. The scope of this new reaction for the imidazo[1,5- a]pyrazine ring system was explored using three readily available 8-substituted precursors, X = NH2, NMe2, and OMe, as well as 8-aryl derivatives, X = Ar'. On the basis of these results as well as studies using a deuterated derivative, a Heck-like mechanism is proposed for this transformation.     

Peptide cysteine thiyl radicals abstract hydrogen atoms from surrounding amino acids: the photolysis of a cystine containing model peptide

Peptide cysteine thiyl radicals were generated through UV-photolysis of disulfide precursors, in order to follow intramolecular reactions of those radicals with neighboring amino acids. When reactions were carried out in D(2)O, there was a significant incorporation of deuterium specifically into the C(alpha)-H bonds of glycine residues in positions i+1 and i-1 to the Cys residue, indicating a fast reversible H-atom transfer. This H-atom transfer occurred prior to the formation of final, nonradical products including free thiol, thioaldehyde, and aldehyde. Such fast H-atom transfer is relevant to biologic conditions of oxidative stress and to the stabilization of proteins against oxidation, where the formation of carbon-centered radicals in proteins may lead to fragmentation, intramolecular cross-linking, aggregation and/or epimerization.     

A general and efficient method for the synthesis of benzo-(iso)quinoline derivatives

A new, short and efficient synthesis of substituted benzo-(iso)quinoline derivatives is reported. The methodology is based on a Suzuki or Negishi cross-coupling followed by a cyclization reaction induced by t-BuOK in DMF to form the central ring. This approach allowed the synthesis of all four benzo-(iso)quinoline isomers and the substitution of each ring of the benzo-(iso)quinoline core.     

Synthesis and evaluation of the cytotoxicity of apoptolidinones A and D

Apoptolidins A-D are microbial secondary metabolites shown to be selectively cytotoxic against several cancer cell lines and noncytotoxic against normal cells. Total syntheses of apoptolidinones A and D are reported. The efficient synthetic strategy leading to the apoptolidinones features construction of the common 20-membered macrolactone by an intramolecular Suzuki reaction and stereocontrolled aldol reactions establishing the C19/C20 and C22/C23 stereocenters. In contrast to apoptolidin A, the aglycones apoptolidinone A and D were shown to be noncytotoxic when evaluated against human lung cancer cells (H292).     

Polyacrylamide‐based material for electrospun humidity‐resistant,water‐soluble nanofilters

A new approach for the collection of aerosol particles is described in which the particles are first collected on a water‐soluble filter and then liberated into an aqueous solution. The filter was manufactured by electrospinning a polyacrylamide (PAA) gel solution containing 2,2′‐(bisacrylamino) diethyl disulfide (BAC) cross‐links after gel dissolution in a water solution of β‐mercaptoethanol. The morphology of the P(AA–BAC) nanofibers was characterized using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and optical microscopy. The filters were characterized for their ability to capture aerosol particles, their stability at high humidity, and their ability to release captured particles. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Photoinduced electron transfer via nonbuttressed metal-metal bonds. The photochemical study of binuclear complexes with platinum-thallium bonds

The photochemistry of binuclear metal-metal bonded complexes [(NC) 5Pt-Tl(solv) x ] (solv is water or dimethylsulfoxide) has been studied in aqueous and dimethylsulfoxide solutions. Both stationary and nanosecond laser flash photolysis have been carried out on the species. The metal-metal bonded complexes have been photolyzed by irradiation into the corresponding intense MMCT absorption bands. Photoexcitation results in the cleavage of the platinum-thallium bond and the formation of a solvated thallous ion and a cyano complex of platinum(IV), [Pt(CN) 5(solv)] (-), in both cases. The species have been characterized by multinuclear NMR and optical spectroscopy. The products of the photoreaction indicate a complementary two-electron transfer occurring between platinum and thallium ions in the binuclear Pt-Tl species. Quantum yield values for the photodecomposition of the species have been determined. The intermediates of the photoinduced metal-to-metal electron transfer have been detected and characterized by optical spectroscopy. The kinetics of transient formation and decomposition have been studied, and mechanisms of the photoactivated redox reaction have been suggested.     

Theoretical study on the reaction mechanism of VO2+ with propyne in gas phase

Possible molecular mechanisms of the gas-phase ion/molecule reaction of VO2+ in its lowest singlet and triplet states (1A1/3A' ') with propyne have been investigated theoretically by density functional theory (DFT) methods. The geometries, energetic values, and bonding features of all stationary and intersystem crossing points involved in the five different reaction pathways (paths 1-5), in both high-spin (triplet) and low-spin (singlet) surfaces, are reported and analyzed. The oxidation reaction starts by a hydrogen transfer from propyne molecule to the vanadyl complex, followed by oxygen migration to the hydrocarbon moiety. A hydride transfer process to the vanadium atom opens four different reaction courses, paths 1-4, while path 5 arises from a hydrogen transfer process to the hydroxyl group. Five crossing points between high- and low-spin states are found: one of them takes place before the first branching point, while the others occur along path 1. Four different exit channels are found: elimination of hydrogen molecule to yield propynaldehyde and VO+ (1Sigma/3Sigma); formation of propynaldehyde and the moiety V-(OH2)+; and two elimination processes of water molecule to yield cationic products, Prod-fc+ and Prod-dc+ where the vanadium atom adopts a four- and di-coordinate structure, respectively.     

Theory of spin-peierls transitions in chains of exchange clusters

A theoretical approach to the analysis of magnetostructural phase transitions of chain polymeric heterospin complexes is suggested. The approach is based on a model of the spin-Peierls transition in chains of exchange clusters. The chain elasticity parameter is found to be a main factor determining the order of phase transition.     

The Laplace transform of the digamma function: An integral due to Glasser, Manna and Oloa

The definite integral

is related to the Laplace transform of the digamma function

by when . Certain analytic expressions for in the complementary range, , are also provided.