On the Ligand‐to‐Metal Charge‐Transfer Photochemistry of the Copper(II) Complexes of Quercetin and Rutin

In contrast to the UV‐photoinduced ligand photoionization of the flavonoid complexes of Fe^III, redox reactions initiated in ligand‐to‐metal charge‐transfer excited states were observed on irradiation of the quercetin ( 1 ) and rutin ( 2 ) complexes of Cu^II. Solutions of complexes with stoichiometries [Cu^IIL₂] (L=quercetin, rutin) and [Cu^II₂L_n] (n=1, L=quercetin; n=3, L=rutin) were flash‐irradiated at 351 nm. Transient spectra observed in these experiments showed the formation of radical ligands corresponding to the one‐electron oxidation of L and the reduction of Cu^II to Cu^I. The radical ligands remained coordinated to the Cu^I centers, and the substitution reactions replacing them by solvent occurred with lifetimes τ<350 ns. These are lifetimes shorter than the known lifetimes (τ>1 ms) of the quercetin and rutin radical's decay.     

P-Stereogenic monophosphines in Pd-catalysed enantioselective hydrovinylation of styrene

Two groups of P-stereogenic monodentate phosphines containing pendant groups bearing functionalities capable of having secondary interactions, PArPhR (Ar = 2-[(2′,6′-dimethoxy)-1,1′-biphenylyl] and R = OMe (6) or Me (8)) and PMeR(CH₂R′) (13, R = t-Bu or 14 R = Fc and R′ = SiMe₃ (a), SiMe₂Ph (b) or CH₂(2-naphthyl) (c)) have been prepared in enantiomerically pure form by the Jugé and Evans methodologies and characterised, including the crystal structure for the borane adduct of 12b. Reaction of the phosphines with the Pd dimer [Pd(η³-2-Me-allyl)(μ-Cl)]₂ produced neutral allylic complexes C [PdCl(η³-2-Me-C₃H₄)P1], which have been characterised in solution and shown to be a mixture of isomers with different absolute configuration at the Pd atom. After abstraction of the chloride ligand by AgBF₄, the solutions of cationic complexes have been used as catalyst precursors in the hydrovinylation of styrene under mild conditions. Very good activities (up to 1015 h^?1), moderate to good selectivities to 3-phenyl-1-butene and low to moderate enantioselectivities (<45% ee) have been found. Deep differences in the activity and enantioselectivity have been found depending on the structure of the ligand. In spite of that the results did not permit to confirm the improvement of the selectivities of the reaction by stabilization of the catalyst through secondary coordination with the potentially hemilabile ligands.     

Anchoring effects on the electrically controlled optical band gap in twisted photonic liquid crystals

We study a one-dimensional twisted photonic liquid crystal (TPLC), consisting of various nematic liquid crystal cells adopting a twisted configuration intercalated by isotropic dielectric layers, submitted to a dc electric field (E^dc ) aligned along the periodicity axis. We write the corresponding Euler–Lagrange equations describing the nematic layer configuration. By assuming arbitrary anchoring quasi-planar boundary conditions, we calculate the equilibrium textures for the nematic, parametrized by the two types of strength of its interaction (polar and azimuthal) with the plane walls. We write the electromagnetic equations in a 4?×?4 matrix representation and using the transfer matrix formalism, we obtain the transmittance and reflectance coefficients for normal incidence as functions of the external electric field and anchoring strengths. We have observed a remarkable dependence of the electric field on the transmission and reflection spectra in opening and closing band gaps.     

Microbial transformation of two 15α-hydroxy-ent-kaur-16-ene diterpenes by Mucor plumbeus

The microbiological transformation of candidiol (15α,18-dihydroxy-ent-kaur-16-ene) by Mucor plumbeus led to 3β,15α,18-trihydroxy-ent-kaur-16-ene, 6α,15α,18-trihydroxy-ent-kaur-16-ene, 3α,15α,18-trihydroxy-ent-kaur-16-ene, 11β,15α,18-trihydroxy-ent-kaur-16-ene and 15α,17,18-trihydroxy-11β,16β-epoxy-ent-kaurane, whilst the incubation of 15α,19-dihydroxy-ent-kaur-16-ene gave 9β,15α,19-trihydroxy-ent-kaur-16-ene, 3α,15α,19-trihydroxy-ent-kaur-16-ene, 11β,15α,19-trihydroxy-ent-kaur-16-ene, 6α,15α,19-trihydroxy-ent-kaur-16-ene, 15α,17,19-trihydroxy-11β,16β-epoxy-ent-kaurane, 19-(β-d-glucopyranosyl)-15α-hydroxy-ent-kaur-16-ene and 19-(β-d-glucopyranosyl)-15-oxo-ent-kaur-16-ene. An interesting rearrangement in dilute acid medium of 9β,15α,19-trihydroxy-ent-kaur-16-ene into 16-oxo-19-hydroxy-ent-abiet-8(9),15-diene, is also described in this work.     

Coordination Polymer Flexibility Leads to Polymorphism and Enables a Crystalline Solid–Vapour Reaction: A Multi‐technique Mechanistic Study

Despite an absence of conventional porosity, the 1D coordination polymer [Ag₄(O₂C(CF₂)₂CF₃)₄(TMP)₃] ( 1 ; TMP=tetramethylpyrazine) can absorb small alcohols from the vapour phase, which insert into Ag?O bonds to yield coordination polymers [Ag₄(O₂C(CF₂)₂CF₃)₄(TMP)₃(ROH)₂] ( 1‐ROH ; R=Me, Et, iPr). The reactions are reversible single‐crystal‐to‐single‐crystal transformations. Vapour‐solid equilibria have been examined by gas‐phase IR spectroscopy (K=5.68(9)×10^?5 (MeOH), 9.5(3)×10^?6 (EtOH), 6.14(5)×10^?5 (iPrOH) at 295 K, 1 bar). Thermal analyses (TGA, DSC) have enabled quantitative comparison of two‐step reactions 1‐ROH → 1 → 2 , in which 2 is the 2D coordination polymer [Ag₄(O₂C(CF₂)₂CF₃)₄(TMP)₂] formed by loss of TMP ligands exclusively from singly‐bridging sites. Four polymorphic forms of 1 ( 1‐A^LT , 1‐A^HT , 1‐B^LT and 1‐B^HT ; HT=high temperature, LT=low temperature) have been identified crystallographically. In situ powder X‐ray diffraction (PXRD) studies of the 1‐ROH → 1 → 2 transformations indicate the role of the HT polymorphs in these reactions. The structural relationship between polymorphs, involving changes in conformation of perfluoroalkyl chains and a change in orientation of entire polymers (A versus B forms), suggests a mechanism for the observed reactions and a pathway for guest transport within the fluorous layers. Consistent with this pathway, optical microscopy and AFM studies on single crystals of 1‐MeOH / 1‐A^HT show that cracks parallel to the layers of interdigitated perfluoroalkyl chains develop during the MeOH release/uptake process.     

An Optical Approach for Drug Screening Based on Light‐Harvesting Conjugated Polyelectrolytes

Drugs turn the light off : Conjugated polyelectrolytes (CPEs) have been used in fluorescent assays for real‐time screening of small molecules that prevent the RNA–protein complexation that is important for virus replication and thereby can be considered potential initial candidates for drug discovery (see picture).

     

FT-MIR and Raman spectroscopy coupled to multivariate analysis for the detection of clenbuterol in murine model

A fast and simple screening method for the determination of clenbuterol at the ppb level in a murine model was demonstrated by Mid Infrared (MIR) and Raman spectroscopy in conjunction with multivariate analysis. In order to build the calibration models to quantify clenbuterol in rat meat, mixtures of rat meat and clenbuterol were prepared in a range of 5-10,000 ppb. Partial Least Square (PLS) analysis was used to build the calibration model. The results shown that Mid Infrared and Raman spectroscopy were efficient, but Mid Infrared (R(2) = 0.966 and SEC = 0.27) were superior to Raman (R(2) = 0.914 and SEC = 1.167). The SIMCA model developed showed 100% classification rate of rat meat samples with or without clenbuterol. The results were confirmed with contaminated meat samples from animals treated with clenbuterol. Chemometric models represent an attractive option for meat quality screening without sample pretreatments which can identify veterinary medicinal products at the ppb level.     

Characterization via liquid chromatography coupled to diode array detector and tandem mass spectrometry of supercritical fluid antioxidant extracts of Spirulina platensis microalga

Spirulina platensis microalga has been extracted on a pilot scale plant using supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) under various extraction conditions. The extraction yield and the antioxidant activity of the extracts were evaluated in order to select those extracts with both the highest antioxidant capacity and a good extraction yield. These extracts were characterized using LC coupled to diode array detection (DAD) and LC coupled to mass spectrometry (MS) with two different interfaces, atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) and electrospray (ESI) which allowed us to perform tandem MS by using an ion trap analyzer. The best extraction conditions were as follows: CO2 with 10% of modifier (ethanol) as extraction solvent, 55 degrees C (extraction temperature) and 220 bar (extraction pressure). Fractionation was achieved by cascade depressurization providing two extracts with different activity and chemical composition. Several compounds have been identified in the extracts, corresponding to different carotenoids previously identified in Spirulina platensis microalga along with chlorophyll a and some degradation products. Also, the structure of some phenolic compounds could be tentatively identified. The antioxidant activity of the extracts could be attributed to some of the above mentioned compounds.     

New concise total synthesis of (+)-lentiginosine and some structural analogues

An efficient and concise total synthesis of (+)-lentiginosine (1) starting from an L-tartaric acid-derived nitrone using organometallic addition, indium-catalyzed reduction, and ring-closing metathesis reaction as the key steps is reported. Structural analogues of (+)-1 have been also synthesized, and their inhibitory activity toward 22 commercially available glycosidases has been evaluated.     

Solvent effects on the two-photon absorption of distyrylbenzene chromophores

A series of organic- and water-soluble distyrylbenzene-based two-photon absorption (TPA) fluorophores containing dialkylamino donor groups at the termini was designed, synthesized, and characterized. The central core was systematically substituted to modulate intramolecular charge transfer (ICT). These molecules allow an examination of solvent effects on the TPA cross section (delta) and on the TPA action cross section. In toluene, the delta values follow the order of ICT strength. The effect of solvent on delta is nonmonotonic: maximum delta was measured in an intermediate polarity solvent (THF) and was lowest in water. We failed to find a correlation between the observed solvent effect and previous theoretical predictions. Hydrogen bonding to the donor groups and aggregation of the optical units in water, which are not included in calculational analysis, may be responsible for the discrepancies between experimental results and theory.