Rhodium-catalyzed asymmetric aqueous Pauson-Khand-type reaction

An interesting rhodium-catalyzed asymmetric aqueous Pauson-Khand-type reaction was developed. A chiral atropisomeric dipyridyldiphosphane ligand was found to be highly effective in this system. This operationally simple protocol allows both catalyst and reactants to be handled under air without precautions. Various enynes were transformed to the corresponding bicyclic cyclopentenones in good yield and enantiomeric excess (up to 95 % ee). A study of the electronic effects of the enyne substrates revealed a correlation between the electronic properties of the substrates and the ee value obtained in the product of the Pauson-Khand-type reaction. A linear free-energy relationship was observed from a Hammett study.     

Synthesis and evaluation of dioxygen binding [Mn(depe)2X2] complexes (X=Br or NCS)

Summary Synthesis, characterization and oxygen affinity studies for [Mn(depe)₂X₂] [X=Br or NCS; depe=1,2-bis(diethylphosphino)ethane] complexes are reported. [Mn(depe)₂Br₂] crystals were obtained and characterized by single crystal x-ray and elemental analysis. Gravimetric and volumetric dioxygen uptake studies were performed at atmospheric pressure at various temperatures. These transition metal compounds show considerable dioxygen uptake at various partial pressures of dioxygen. Some isotherm and kinetic data for dioxygen coordination by these complexes at ambient pressures are presented.     

Synthesis and characterization of new lead(II) complexes of Schiff bases derived from amino acids

Some new lead(II) complexes of the general formula Pb(L)₂, where HL = Schiff bases derived from the condensation of isatin and chloroisatin with phenylalanine (HL¹/HL⁴), isoleucine (HL²/HL⁵), and glycine (HL³/HL⁶), have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, molar conductance, electronic, infrared, and multinuclear magnetic resonance (¹H and ¹³C) studies. In all cases, the Pb atom is in a four-coordinated environment with two bidentate deprotonated Schiff bases binding as monoanionic ligands through the oxygen and azomethine nitrogen. The 3D molecular modeling and analysis for bond lengths and bond angles have also been carried out for one of the representative compounds, [Pb(L³)₂] to substantiate the proposed structures.     

A new class of versatile chiral-bridged atropisomeric diphosphine ligands: remarkably efficient ligand syntheses and their applications in highly enantioselective hydrogenation reactions

A series of chiral diphosphine ligands denoted as PQ-Phos was prepared by atropdiastereoselective Ullmann coupling and ring-closure reactions. The Ullmann coupling reaction of the biaryl diphosphine dioxides is featured by highly efficient central-to-axial chirality transfer with diastereomeric excess >99%. This substrate-directed diastereomeric biaryl coupling reaction is unprecedented for the preparation of chiral diphosphine dioxides, and our method precludes the tedious resolution procedures usually required for preparing enantiomerically pure diphosphine ligands. The effect of chiral recognition was also revealed in a relevant asymmetric ring-closure reaction. The chiral tether bridging the two aryl units creates a conformationally rigid scaffold essential for enantiofacial differentiation; fine-tuning of the ligand scaffold (e.g., dihedral angles) can be achieved by varying the chain length of the chiral tether. The enantiomerically pure Ru- and Ir-PQ-Phos complexes have been prepared and applied to the catalytic enantioselective hydrogenations of alpha- and beta-ketoesters (C=O bond reduction), 2-(6'-methoxy-2'-naphthyl)propenoic acid, alkyl-substituted beta-dehydroamino acids (C=C bond reduction), and N-heteroaromatic compounds (C=N bond reduction). An excellent level of enantioselection (up to 99.9% ee) has been attained for the catalytic reactions. In addition, the significant ligand dihedral angle effects on the Ir-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of N-heteroaromatic compounds were also revealed.     

A new calix[4]arene based nucleobase for cation recognition

A novel calix[4]arene linked nucleobase molecular receptor bearing two adenine moieties has been synthesized and characterized by UV, IR, NMR and ESI–MS analyses. The synthesized receptor can recognize biologically important Zn²⁺ and Mn²⁺ ions through 1:1 binding stoichiometry. The evaluation of binding constants suggests that adenine alone, in an appropriate supramolecular network, can exhibit efficient binding for Zn²⁺ ions without the presence of any phosphate or sugar unit.     

Structural properties and magnetic interactions in Al3+ and Cr3+ co-substituted CoFe2O4 ferrite

A series of CoAl_xCr_xFe_2−2xO₄ systems (x = 0.1 to 0.5 in steps of x = 0.1) spinel ferrites have been synthesized successfully using wet chemical co-precipitation technique. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared spectroscopy (IR) and magnetization measurements. The powder XRD patterns confirm the single phase spinel structure for the materials synthesized. X -ray diffraction measurements were performed to yield the lattice constant as function of the amount x corresponding to Al-Cr substitution. Lattice parameters, X-ray density, bulk density and particle size decrease whereas porosity increases with the increase in Al-Cr content, ‘x’. Infrared studies show two absorption bands at about 400 cm⁻¹ and 600 cm⁻¹ for octahedral and tetrahedral sites, respectively. Saturation magnetization decreases with the increase in Al-Cr content x. AC magnetic susceptibility measurements were carried out as a function of temperature to measure the Curie temperature, which was found to decrease with Al-Cr content x. The decrease of Curie temperature has been explained by A-B interaction.      

Photoelectron spectroscopy of higher bromine and iodine oxide anions: electron affinities and electronic structures of BrO(2,3) and IO(2-4) radicals

This report details a photoelectron spectroscopy (PES) and theoretical investigation of electron affinities (EAs) and electronic structures of several atmospherically relevant higher bromine and iodine oxide molecules in the gas phase. PES spectra of BrO(2)(-) and IO(2)(-) were recorded at 12 K and four photon energies--355 nm/3.496 eV, 266 nm/4.661 eV, 193 nm/6.424 eV, and 157 nm/7.867 eV--while BrO(3)(-), IO(3)(-), and IO(4)(-) were only studied at 193 and 157 nm due to their expected high electron binding energies. Spectral features corresponding to transitions from the anionic ground state to the ground and excited states of the neutral are unraveled and resolved for each species. The EAs of these bromine and iodine oxides are experimentally determined for the first time (except for IO(2)) to be 2.515 ± 0.010 (BrO(2)), 2.575 ± 0.010 (IO(2)), 4.60 ± 0.05 (BrO(3)), 4.70 ± 0.05 (IO(3)), and 6.05 ± 0.05 eV (IO(4)). Three low-lying excited states along with their respective excitation energies are obtained for BrO(2) [1.69 (A (2)B(2)), 1.79 (B (2)A(1)), 1.99 eV (C (2)A(2))], BrO(3) [0.7 (A (2)A(2)), 1.6 (B (2)E), 3.1 eV (C (2)E)], and IO(3) [0.60 (A (2)A(2)), 1.20 (B (2)E), ～3.0 eV (C (2)E)], whereas six excited states of IO(2) are determined along with their respective excitation energies of 1.63 (A (2)B(2)), 1.73 (B (2)A(1)), 1.83 (C (2)A(2)), 4.23 (D (2)A(1)), 4.63 (E (2)B(2)), and 5.23 eV (F (2)B(1)). Periodate (IO(4)(-)) possesses a very high electron binding energy. Only one excited state feature with 0.95 eV excitation energy is shown in the 157 nm spectrum. Accompanying theoretical calculations reveal structural changes from the anions to the neutrals, and the calculated EAs are in good agreement with experimentally determined values. Franck-Condon factors simulations nicely reproduce the observed vibrational progressions for BrO(2) and IO(2). The low-lying excited state information is compared with theoretical calculations and discussed with their atmospheric implications.     

Conformation and diffusion behavior of ring polymers in solution: a comparison between molecular dynamics, multiparticle collision dynamics, and lattice Boltzmann simulations

We have studied the effect of chain topology on the structural properties and diffusion of polymers in a dilute solution in a good solvent. Specifically, we have used three different simulation techniques to compare the chain size and diffusion coefficient of linear and ring polymers in solution. The polymer chain is modeled using a bead-spring representation. The solvent is modeled using three different techniques: molecular dynamics (MD) simulations with a particulate solvent in which hydrodynamic interactions are accounted through the intermolecular interactions, multiparticle collision dynamics (MPCD) with a point particle solvent which has stochastic interactions with the polymer, and the lattice Boltzmann method in which the polymer chains are coupled to the lattice fluid through friction. Our results show that the three methods give quantitatively similar results for the effect of chain topology on the conformation and diffusion behavior of the polymer chain in a good solvent. The ratio of diffusivities of ring and linear polymers is observed to be close to that predicted by perturbation calculations based on the Kirkwood hydrodynamic theory.     

Synthesis of Potential Impurities of Bicalutamide

Bicalutamide is an oral nonsteroidal, anti-androgen drug used for prostate cancer. It binds to the androgen receptor. During the bulk synthesis of bicalutamide, various impurities are formed. The present work details the development of simple processes for the preparation of impurities of bicalutamide, viz bical-sulfoxides (6), bical-deshydroxy (10), bical-desfluoro (10a), bical-2-fluoro (10b), and bical-3-fluoro (10c).