Conformational Isomerism in Monomeric,Low‐Coordinate Group 12 Complexes Stabilized by a Naphthyl‐Substituted m‐Terphenyl Ligand

The synthesis and characterization of the first series of low‐coordinate bis(terphenyl) complexes of the Group 12 metals, [Zn(2,6‐Naph₂C₆H₃)₂] ( 1 ), [Cd(OEt₂)(2,6‐Naph₂C₆H₃)₂] ( 2 ) and [Hg(OEt₂)(2,6‐Naph₂C₆H₃)₂] ( 3 ) (Naph=1‐C₁₀H₇) are described. The naphthyl substituents of the terphenyl ligands confer considerable steric bulk, and as a result of limited flexibility introduce multiple conformations to these unusual systems. In the solid state, complex 1 features a two‐coordinate Zn centre with the ligands oriented in a syn/anti conformation, whereas the three‐coordinate distorted T‐shaped complexes 2 and 3 feature the ligands in the syn/syn configurations. The results of DFT calculations are in good agreement with the solid‐state configurations for these complexes and support the spectroscopic measurements, which indicate several conformers in solution.     

Degenerate quantum codes for Pauli channels

A striking feature of quantum error correcting codes is that they can sometimes be used to correct more errors than they can uniquely identify. Such degenerate codes have long been known, but have remained poorly understood. We provide a heuristic for designing degenerate quantum codes for high noise rates, which is applied to generate codes that can be used to communicate over almost any Pauli channel at rates that are impossible for a nondegenerate code. The gap between nondegenerate and degenerate code performance is quite large, in contrast to the tiny magnitude of the only previous demonstration of this effect. We also identify a channel for which none of our codes outperform the best nondegenerate code and show that it is nevertheless quite unlike any channel for which nondegenerate codes are known to be optimal.     

Development of a Neutral Diketopyrrolopyrrole Phosphine Oxide for the Selective Bioimaging of Mitochondria at the Nanomolar Level

Development of novel bioimaging materials that exhibit organelle specific accumulation continues to be at the forefront of research interests and efforts. Among the various subcellular organelles, mitochondria, which are found in the cytoplasm of eukaryotic cells, are of particular interest in relation to their vital function. To date, most molecular probes that target mitochondria utilise delocalised lipophilic cations such as triphenylphosphonium and pyridinium. However, the use of such charged motifs is known to be detrimental to the working function of the mitochondrial transmembrane potential and there remains a strong case for development of neutral mitochondrial fluorescent probes. Herein, we demonstrate for the first time the exploitation of diketopyrrolopyrrole-based chemistries for the realisation of a neutral fluorescent probe that exhibits organelle specific accumulation within the mitochondria at the nanomolar level. The synthesised probe, which bears a neutral triphenylphosphine oxide moiety, exhibits a large Stokes shift and high fluorescence quantum yield in water, both highly sought-after properties in the development of bioimaging agents. In vitro studies reveal no interference with cell metabolism when tested for the human MCF7 breast cancer cell and nanomolar subcellular organelle colocalisation with commercially available mitochondrial staining agent Mitotracker Red. In light of its novelty, neutral structure and the preferential accumulation at nanomolar concentrations we anticipate this work to be of significant interest for the increasingly larger community devoted to the realisation of neutral mitochondrial selective systems and more widely to those engaged in the rational development of superior organic architectures in the biological field.     

Guided self-assembly of electrostatic binary monolayers via isothermal-isobaric control

Self-assembly of a binary monolayer of charged particles is modeled using molecular dynamics and statistical mechanics. The equilibrium phase diagram for the system has three distinct phases: an ionic crystal; a geometrically ordered crystal with disordered charges; and a fluid. We show that self-assembly occurs near the phase transition between the ionic crystal and the fluid, and that the rate of ordering is sensitive to the applied pressure. By assuming an Arrhenius form for the rate of ordering, an optimality condition for the temperature and pressure is derived that maximizes the rate. Using the Clausius-Clapeyron equation, the optimal point on the phase boundary is expressed in terms of the thermodynamic changes in state variables across the boundary. The predicted optimal temperature and pressure conditions are in good agreement with numerical simulations and result in self-organization rates five times that of a simulation without applied pressure.     

Inherent Ethyl Acetate Selectivity in a Trianglimine Molecular Solid

Ethyl acetate is an important chemical raw material and solvent. It is also a key volatile organic compound in the brewing industry and a marker for lung cancer. Materials that are highly selective toward ethyl acetate are needed for its separation and detection. Here, we report a trianglimine macrocycle ( TAMC ) that selectively adsorbs ethyl acetate by forming a solvate. Crystal structure prediction showed this to be the lowest energy solvate structure available. This solvate leaves a metastable, “templated” cavity after solvent removal. Adsorption and breakthrough experiments confirmed that TAMC has adequate adsorption kinetics to separate ethyl acetate from azeotropic mixtures with ethanol, which is a challenging and energy-intensive industrial separation.     

High-performance liquid chromatographic analysis of free long chain fatty acids produced during lipolysis by anaerobic digestor sludge

The development of sample extraction techniques in conjunction with application of a modified version of an established HPLC technique allowed the rapid estimation of concentrations of long chain fatty acids (LCFA) produced by the lipolytic activity of bacteria in anaerobic digestor sludges or experiments using the sludges as inocula. It was established that free long chain fatty acids will preferentially partition into certain phases in the sludge or experimental cultures. These data, and application of the developed techniques for monitoring of LCFA, may lead to the avoidance of toxicity and failure of full-scale anaerobic digestors treating high lipid content waste in the future.     

Hydrogen bonding in redox-modulated molecular recognition. An experimental and theoretical investigation

Two receptors, a diaminotriazine derivative (DAT) and diamidopyridine (DAP), are complementary to the electroactive naphthalimide (N) through three-point hydrogen bonding. The association constants of the two receptors were evaluated for both the fully oxidized and the radical anion forms of N. In the oxidized state, the two receptors displayed identical binding constants. Diamidopyridine, however, lowers the reduction potential of naphthalimide to a far greater extent than does diaminotriazine, indicating a greater affinity for diamidopyridine by naphthalimide in the radical anion form. This behavior was mirrored by EPR experiments that showed small deviations from the hyperfine coupling pattern of N(red) in the presence of DAT, with greater effects seen for the N(red).DAP complex. Computational simulations using the UB3LYP/6-311+G(d,p)//UHF/6-31G(d) hybrid gave theoretical hyperfine constants in good quantitative agreement with the experimental results. Using this correlation, we determined that electrostatics and hydrogen bond polarizability play key roles in controlling redox-modulated molecular recognition.     

Synthesis of functionalised cyclopentanes by intramolecular radical-mediated cyclisations of terminal allenic ketones

Electrolysis of a series of terminal allenic ketones e.g. (7), (10), (17) and (21) is shown to result in intramolecular reductive cyclisation, through the $\text{exo}$-mode, producing five-membered rings, $\text{viz}$ (8), (9), (20) and (22) respectively, incorporating a bridgehead hydroxyl group. The unsaturated alcohols (8), (20) and (22), are also obtained when the allenic ketones (7), (17) and (21) are treated with sodium naphthalenide. By contrast treatment of (10) in the sodium naphthalenide gives a low yield ($\text{ca}$ 7%) of the isomeric indenol (11) by cyclisation through the $\text{endo}$-mode.Reductive cyclisations of the terminal acetylenic ketones (14) and (30) produce the corresponding unsaturated alcohols (26) and (31) respectively. Treatment of the alcohols (26) and (31) with catalytic selenium dioxide then provides the enediols (27) and (32) respectively, which make up the B/C ring systems of the novel marine natural products capnellenediol (1) and isoamijiol (2).     

Unprecedented oxo-titanium citrate complex precipitated from aqueous citrate solutions, exhibiting a novel bilayered Ti8O10 structural core

Aqueous titanium citrate solutions were prepared from the reaction of citric acid with titanium 2-propoxide in a range of molar ratios. Solutions containing two or fewer citrates per titanium resulted in the slow crystallization of an insoluble titanium oxo-citrate complex. Single-crystal X-ray analysis identified the species as Ti(8)O(10)(citrate)(4)(H(2)O)(12).14H(2)O.3HOPr(i)(), crystallized in the tetragonal space group I4(1)/a, with a = 30.775(7) A, c = 14.528(7) A, V = 13 759(8) A(3), and Z = 8. The trianionic citrate ligands supply both carboxylate and alkoxide coordination and stabilize the structure using simultaneous chelating and bridging modes of attachment. The compound is a neutral species, exhibiting titanium in three contrasting environments. Laser Raman microscopy and (13)C CPMAS solid-state NMR data were consistent with those of the X-ray crystal structure. When exposed to air, the crystals rapidly lost water and became a powder. The dehydrated powder was noncrystalline to X-rays and insoluble, but (13)C NMR results demonstrated retention of the carboxylate linkages.     

Model systems for flavoenzyme activity: a tuneable intramolecularly hydrogen bonded flavin-diamidopyridine complex

We report the electrochemically tuneable intramolecular hydrogen bonding interactions between a covalently linked flavin-diamidopyridine unit.