Phthalocyanines prepared from 4-chloro-/4-hexylthio-5-(4-phenyloxyacetic acid)phthalonitriles and functionalization of the related phthalocyanines with hydroxymethylferrocene

The phthalonitrile derivative chosen for the synthesis of substituted phthalocyanines [M: 2H, Zn(II), Co(II)] with four chloro and four phenyloxyacetic acid substituents on the periphery is 4-chloro-5-(4-phenyloxyacetic acid)phthalonitrile. The sodium salt of carboxyl substituted zinc phthalocyanine is good soluble in water. Further reactions of zinc and cobalt phthalocyanines bearing phenyloxyacetic acid with thionylchloride gave the corresponding acylchlorides. This functional group reacted with hydroxymethylferrocene in dry DMF to obtain ferrocenyl substituted phthalocyanines. Also chloro substituent in new phthalonitrile was substituted with hexylsulfanyl substituent and its cyclotetramerization in the presence of Zn(AcO)₂·2H₂O and 2-(dimethylamino)ethanol resulted with zinc phthalocyanine. The compounds have been characterized by elemental analysis, MALDI-TOF mass, FT-IR, ¹H NMR, UV-Vis and fluorescence data. Aggregations properties of phthalocyanines were investigated at different concentrations in tetrahydrofuran, dimethylformamide, dimethylsulfoxide, water, and water/ethanol mixture. Also fluorescence spectral properties are reported.     

Novel and enantioselective syntheses of (R)- and (S)-3-hydroxy-4-(2,4,5-trifluorophenyl)butanoic acid: a synthon for sitagliptin and its derivatives

A new synthetic strategy for (R)- and (S)-3-hydroxy-4-(2,4,5-trifluorophenyl)butanoic acid, a building block in the preparation of sitagliptin and its derivatives, was developed. Pd(OAc)₂ catalyzed coupling of 2,4,5-trifluoro-1-iodobenzene with allyl alcohol gave 3-(2,4,5-trifluorophenyl)propanal in a yield of 95%. l-Proline catalyzed reaction of the 3-phenylpropanal (in only 1.2 molar equiv) with nitrosobenzene followed by reduction with NaBH₄ and Pd/C catalyzed hydrogenation gave (R)-3-(2,4,5-trifluorophenyl)propane-1,2-diol with >99% ee and 65% yield. Selective tosylation of primary hydroxyl group of the 1,2-propandiol unit followed by cyanide displacement afforded (R)-3-hydroxy-4-(2,4,5-trifluorophenyl)butanenitrile (80%). The nitrile was converted to the title β-hydroxy acid under basic hydrolysis in a yield of 90%. Thus, (R)-3-hydroxy-4-(2,4,5-trifluorophenyl)butanoic acid was prepared enantioselectively from the starting material in four steps and 45% overall yield. The reaction sequence was repeated with d-proline as the catalyst to give (S)-3-hydroxy-4-(2,4,5-trifluorophenyl)butanoic acid in 45% overall yield and >99% enantiomeric excess.     

Metal-ion sensing and aggregation studies on reactive phthalocyanines bearing soft-metal receptor moieties; synthesis, spectroscopy and electrochemistry

Tetrasubstituted metal-free {2H[Pc(S(CH₂)₆OCOC₄H₃S)₄]} and copperphthalocyanine {Cu[Pc(S(CH₂)₆OCOC₄H₃S)₄]}, bearing thiophene-2-carboxylate-hexylthio moieties, have been prepared as isomeric mixtures via cyclo-tetramerization. Both new compounds have been characterized by elemental analysis, FTIR, ¹H and ¹³C NMR, MS (Maldi-TOF) and UV–Vis spectral data. The cation binding abilities of the functional phthalocyanines with Ag^I, Pd^II, Hg^II, Pb^II and Cd^II are evaluated by a monomer–oligomer formation technique with UV–Vis spectroscopy. Spectroscopic properties of the complexes were affected strongly by the electron-donating sulfanyl units on the periphery. Cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry studies show that both compounds give up to three ligand-based reduction processes and one ligand-based oxidation process having diffusion-controlled one-electron transfer properties.     

Synthesis and characterization of nanocomposites films with graphene oxide and reduced graphene oxide nanosheets

Graphene oxide (GO) and reduced graphene oxide (CRGO), as a graphene derivatives, possess unique properties and a high aspect ratio, indicating great potential in nanocomposite fields. The present work reports the fabrication of the nanocomposite films by a simple and environmentally friendly process using aqueous solution and optimized time sonication for better exfoliation of the graphene sheets within Poly(Vinyl alcohol) (PVA) as matrix. The films were characterized using high-resolution TEM (HRTEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Microtensile testing, Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The TEM images revealed a successfully exfoliation of the GO/CRGO nanosheets. XRD combined with TGA and DSC measurements showed an improvement in the thermal stability and tunable thermal properties. In addition, the Young's modulus and tensile yield strength of the composite films containing 1 wt% GO were obtained to be 4.92 GPa and 66 MPa respectively. These excellent reinforcement effects were achieved by the strong interaction between the components.     

Molecular structure,spectroscopic, and density functional theory studies of o-Dianisidine

o-Dianisidine has been characterized by the FT-IR, UV-Vis, and X-ray single-crystal determination. The compound crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group Pbca with a = 7.2593 (4) Å, b = 21.3485 (10) Å, c = 16.5835 (11) Å and Z = 8. Density functional theory has been used in the computation of the molecular geometry and harmonic vibrational wavenumbers. The calculated molecular geometry parameters have been compared with X-ray data. UV-Vis spectra of the compound have been predicted using the time-dependent density functional theory and good agreement between the calculated and experiment is determined. Besides, molecular electrostatic potential, frontier orbital analysis, and nonlinear optical properties were performed by using density functional theory calculations.     

A novel and synthetically facile coumarin-thiophene-derived Schiff base for selective fluorescent detection of cyanide anions in aqueous solution: Synthesis,anion interactions,theoretical study and DNA-binding properties

A colorimetric and fluorescent chemosensor (chemosensor 2) for the detection of cyanide anions in aqueous solution has been designed and synthesized in high yield. The sensing mechanism of the chemosensor was verified via UV–vis, fluorimetric, and NMR titrations, and was theoretically explained using DFT and TD-DFT calculations. The chemosensor could optically discriminate the presence of fluoride ions over other anions by a color change from yellow to red with an enhancement of pink fluorescence in DMSO. However, it showed strong green fluorescence when CN^? was added to a mixture of DMSO/water (6:4 v/v). Thus, the chemosensor can be employed in selective detecting of CN^? besides other interference anions (F^?, AcO^? and H₂PO₄^?) in aqueous solution. Moreover, 2 can be used to detect CN^? at a concentration as low as 0.32?μM, which is lower than the WHO guideline (2.7?μM) for cyanide. A low quantity of CN^? (1.08?μM) can be detected and quantified using the prepared chemosensor. Moreover, the UV–vis and fluorescence spectroscopy studies of the interactions between 2 and dublex DNA revealed intercalative binding of calf thymus DNA to the chemosensor.     

Effects of coumarin substituents on the photophysical properties of newly synthesised phthalocyanine derivatives

In this study, synthesis of new ligands, 8-hydroxy-3-[p-(3′,4′-dicyanophenoxy)-phenyl]coumarin and 8-hexyloxy-3-[p-(3′,4′-dicyanophenoxy)-phenyl]coumarin, and their phthalocyanines, 2,9,16,23-tetrakis[8-hexyloxy-3-(4-oxyphenyl)coumarin]-metal-free and metallophthalocyanines {M[Pc(OBzCou)₄] (M = 2H, Zn(II), Co(II); Bz: benzene; Cou: coumarin)} were synthesised. The novel chromogenic compounds were characterised by elemental analysis: ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, MALDI-TOF, IR and UV–vis spectral data. The effect of coumarin substituents on the photophysical properties of metal-free (H₂Pc) and zinc phthalocyanines (ZnPc) derivatives has been examined. Spectrophotometric measurements revealed that coumarin-substituted ZnPc derivatives were in the unaggregated form, whereas those of H₂Pc species were in aggregated form. It means that substitution of coumarin derivative prevents the cluster formation in the presence of zinc ion in the centre of Pc.