Metal-free halonium mediated acetate shifts of ynamides to access α-halo acrylamides/acrylimides

A metal-free acetate shift of 3-acetoxy ynamides to access α-iodo, bromo, and chloro acrylamides/acrylimides under very mild conditions is demonstrated. The inherent alkyne activation of ynamides is sufficient to ensure the α-halo acrylamides/acrylimides in high yields without the addition of a catalyst. In all cases high Z-stereoselectivity is observed.     

Cooperative spin transition in a lipid layer like system

A novel iron(II) mononuclear spin transition complex [FeL(py)(2)] displays an abrupt spin transition around 225 K accompanied by a very wide thermal hysteresis loop (～50 K) that spreads out over 100 K. Crystal structure analysis in both low-spin and high-spin states reveals a lipid layer-like arrangement of the complex molecules and provides insights into the spin switching mechanism.     

Design of robust binary film onto carbon surface using diazonium electrochemistry

The electroreduction of functionalized aryldiazonium salts combined with a protection-deprotection method was evaluated for the fabrication of organized mixed layers covalently bound onto carbon substrates. The first modification consists of the grafting of a protected 4-((triisopropylsilyl)ethynyl)benzene layer onto the carbon surface on which the introduction of a second functional group is possible without altering the first grafted functional group. After deprotection, we obtained an ultrathin robust layer presenting high densities of both active ethynylbenzene groups (available for "click" chemistry) and the second functional group. The strategy was successfully demonstrated using azidomethylferrocene to react with ethynyl moieties in the binary film by "click" chemistry, and NO(2)-phenyl as the second functional group. Two possible modification pathways with different orderings of the various steps were considered to show the influence and importance of the protection-deprotection process on the final surface obtained. Using mild conditions for the grafting of the second layer maintains a concentration of active ethynyl groups similar to that obtained for a one-component monolayer while achieving a high surface concentration of the second modifier. Considering the wide range of functional aryldiazonium salts that could be electrodeposited onto carbon surfaces and the versatility and specificity of the "click" chemistry, this approach appears very promising for the preparation of mixed layers in well-controlled conditions without altering the reactivity of either functional group.     

Multiplexed binding determination of seven glycoconjugates for Pseudomonas aeruginosa lectin I (PA-IL) using a DNA-based carbohydrate microarray

The binding of seven multivalent glycoconjugates displaying linear or antenna-like structures and different electronic environments were evaluated towards PA-IL on a DNA-based carbohydrate microarray. The affinity can be modulated by the charge and the topology of the galactosylated derivatives.     

Ferromagnetic versus antiferromagnetic exchange interactions in tetrathiafulvalene-based 3d/4f heterobimetallic complexes

(TTF-salphen)M compounds (TTF-salphen(2-)=4,5-bis(propylthio)tetrathiafulvalene-N,N'-phenylenebis(salicylideneimine) dianion; M=Cu(II) and Ni(II)) have been treated with Ln(hfac)(3)·2H(2)O precursors (hfac(-)=1,1,1,5,5,5-hexafluoroacetylacetonate anion; Ln=Gd(III), Tb(III), and Dy(III)) to elaborate unprecedented 3d/4f TTF-based heterobimetallic complexes of formula [(TTF-salphen)MLn(hfac)(3)]. All the structures of these compounds have been resolved by X-ray diffraction on single crystals. The structures of these complexes are formed by a TTF-salphen(2-) ligand coordinated to the 3d metal ions in the inert tetradentate N(2)O(2) site. The Ln(hfac)(3) fragment is coordinated to the (TTF-salphen)M one through the two phenolate bridges. Even if the complexes are similar in both Cu(II) and Ni(II) families, the crystal packing is different. In the first case, dimers of TTF-salphen(2-) donors constitute the organic network. In the other case, a reminiscent organic network is observed with S···S contacts. The photophysical properties of [(TTF-salphen)CuDy(hfac)(3)] (3) in chloroform solution highlight the redshift of the TTF→salphen charge transfer (400 cm(-1)) relative to the analogue excitations in (TTF-salphen)Cu, which attest to the stability of these structures in solution. Static magnetic measurements have allowed us to quantify the ferromagnetic interactions (J=+1.29 cm(-1)) between Cu(II) and Gd(III) in the [(TTF-salphen)CuGd(hfac)(3)] complex. Finally, an empirical method that consists of the comparisons of the magnetic properties of [(TTF-salphen)CuTb(hfac)(3)] with [(TTF-salphen)NiTb(hfac)(3)] and [(TTF-salphen)CuDy(hfac)(3)] with [(TTF-salphen)NiDy(hfac)(3)] has established that ferromagnetic interactions take place between Cu(II) and Tb(III) ions, whereas unusual antiferromagnetic interactions have been identified between Cu(II) and Dy(III) ions.     

Development and validation of an ELISA kit for the detection of ricin toxins from biological specimens and environmental samples

Ricin is a toxin that can be easily extracted from seeds of Ricinus communis plants. Ricin is considered to be a major bio-threat as it can be freely and easily acquired in large quantities. A deliberate release of such toxin in civilian populations would very likely overwhelm existing public health systems, resulting in public fear and social unrest. There is currently no commercially available or FDA-approved prophylaxis such as vaccines, or therapeutic antitoxins or antidotes, available for ricin intoxication. Patient treatment is typically supportive care based on symptoms, often designed to reinforce the body’s natural response. This paper describes the development and validation of a robust ELISA test kit, which can be used to screen for ricin in biological specimens such as whole blood and faeces. Faecal specimens are shown in this study to have better diagnostic sensitivity and a wider diagnostic window compared to whole blood. From these results, it is concluded that faeces is the most suitable clinical specimen for diagnosis of ricin poisoning via the oral route. The ELISA test kit can also detect ricin in environmental samples. An advantage of this ELISA kit over other commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) detection kits currently on the market that are developed to screen environmental samples only is its ability to diagnose ricin poisoning from clinical specimens as well as detect ricin from environmental samples.     

An experimental design based strategy to optimize a capillary electrophoresis method for the separation of 19 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

Because of their high toxicity, international regulatory institutions recommend monitoring specific polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in environmental and food samples. A fast, selective and sensitive method is therefore required for their quantitation in such complex samples. This article deals with the optimization, based on an experimental design strategy, of a cyclodextrin (CD) modified capillary zone electrophoresis separation method for the simultaneous separation of 19 PAHs listed as priority pollutants. First, using a central composite design, the normalized peak-start and peak-end times were modelled as functions of the factors that most affect PAH electrophoretic behavior: the concentrations of the anionic sulfobutylether-β-CD and neutral methyl-β-CD, and the percentage of MeOH in the background electrolyte. Then, to circumvent computational difficulties resulting from the changes in migration order likely to occur while varying experimental conditions, an original approach based on the systematic evaluation of the time intervals between all the possible pairs of peaks was used. Finally, a desirability analysis based on the smallest time interval between two consecutive peaks and on the overall analysis time, allowed us to achieve, for the first time in CE, full resolution of all 19 PAHs in less than 18 min. Using this optimized capillary electrophoresis method, a vegetable oil was successfully analyzed, proving its suitability for real complex sample analysis.     

Activation of Open‐Cage Fullerenes with Ruthenium Carbonyl Clusters

Reactions of the open‐cage fullerene C₆₃NO₂(Py)(Ph)₂ ( 1 ) with [Ru₃(CO)₁₂] produce [Ru₃(CO)₈(μ,η⁵‐C₆₃NO₂(Py)(Ph)₂)] ( 2 ), [Ru₂H(CO)₃(μ,η⁷‐C₆₃N(Py)(Ph)(C₆H₄))] ( 3 ), and [Ru(CO)(Py)₂₍η³‐C₆₃NO₂(Py)(Ph)₂)] ( 4 ), in which the orifice sizes are modified from 12 to 8, 11, and 15‐membered ring, through ruthenium‐mediated C?O and C?C bond activation and formation.     

Spin‐State Ordering on One Sub‐lattice of a Mononuclear Iron(III) Spin Crossover Complex Exhibiting LIESST and TIESST

The two‐step spin crossover in mononuclear iron(III) complex [Fe(salpm)₂]ClO₄ ? 0.5 EtOH ( 1 ) is shown to be accompanied by a structural phase transition as concluded from ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy and single crystal X‐ray diffraction, with spin‐state ordering on just one of two sub‐lattices in the intermediate magnetic and structural phase. The complex also exhibits thermal‐ and light‐induced spin‐state trapping (TIESST and LIESST), and relaxation from the LIESST and TIESST excited states occurs via the broken symmetry intermediate phase. Two relaxation events are evident in both experiments, that is, two T(LIESST) and two T(TIESST) values are recorded. The change in symmetry which accompanies the TIESST effect was followed in real time using single crystal diffraction. After flash freezing at 15 K the crystal was warmed to 40 K at which temperature superstructure reflections were observed to appear and disappear within a 10 000 s time range. In the frame of the international year of crystallography, these results illustrate how X‐ray diffraction makes it possible to understand complex ordering phenomena.