Solvent‐Induced Cluster‐to‐Cluster Transformation of Homoleptic Gold(I) Thiolates between Catenane and Ring‐in‐Ring Structures

Supramolecular ensembles adopting ring‐in‐ring structures are less developed compared with catenanes featuring interlocked rings. While catenanes with inter‐ring closed‐shell metallophilic interactions, such as d¹⁰–d¹⁰ Au^I–Au^I interactions, have been well‐documented, the ring‐in‐ring complexes featuring such metallophilic interactions remain underdeveloped. Herein is described an unprecedented ring‐in‐ring structure of a Au^I‐thiolate Au₁₂ cluster formed by recrystallization of a Au^I‐thiolate Au₁₀ [2]catenane from alkane solvents such as hexane, with use of a bulky dibutylfluorene‐2‐thiolate ligand. The ring‐in‐ring Au^I‐thiolate Au₁₂ cluster features inter‐ring Au^I–Au^I interactions and underwent cluster core change to form the thermodynamically more stable Au₁₀ [2]catenane structure upon dissolving in, or recrystallization from, other solvents such as CH₂Cl₂, CHCl₃, and CH₂Cl₂/MeCN. The cluster‐to‐cluster transformation process was monitored by ¹H NMR and ESI‐MS measurements. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were performed to provide insight into the mechanism of the “ring‐in‐ring? [2]catenane” interconversions.     

Carboxyboronate: A Versatile C1 Building Block

The synthesis and applications of carboxy‐MIDA‐boronate, a novel C1 building block, are described. This molecule is accessible via a ruthenium tetraoxide‐mediated cleavage of commercially available ethynyl‐MIDA‐boronate. In the course of this study, carboxy‐MIDA‐boronate was found to possess ambident reactivity towards nucleophiles. Carboxylic acid derivatization produces a broad range of previously unknown carbamoyl‐, oxycarbo‐ and thiocarboboronates. Carboxy‐MIDA‐boronate and its derivatives undergo condensations to access borylated heterocycles with boron at positions that are difficult to access using alternate methods. The resulting heterocycles participate in the Suzuki–Miyaura cross‐coupling reaction, enabling entry into diverse bis(heteroaryl) motifs. The carbon monoxide‐releasing capacity of carboxy‐MIDA‐boronate was also examined and applied in palladium‐catalyzed carbonylation.     

Engineering reactions in crystalline solids: predicting photochemical decarbonylation from calculated thermochemical parameters

A detailed thermochemical analysis of the alpha-cleavage and decarbonylation reactions of acetone and several ketodiesters was carried out with the B3LYP/6-31G* density functional method. The heats of formation of several ground-state ketones and radicals were calculated at 298 K to determine bond dissociation energies (BDE) and radical stabilization energies (RSE) as a function of substituents. Results show that the radical-stabilizing abilities of the ketone substituents play a very important role on the thermodynamics of the alpha-cleavage and decarbonylation steps. An excellent correlation between calculated values and previous experimental observations suggests that photochemical alpha-cleavage and decarbonylation in crystals should be predictable from knowledge of excitation energies and the RSE of the substituent.     

From D-glucose to biologically potent L-hexose derivatives: synthesis of alpha-L-iduronidase fluorogenic detector and the disaccharide moieties of bleomycin A2 and heparan sulfate

A novel and convenient route for the synthesis of biologically potent and rare L-hexose derivatives from D-glucose is described. Conversion of diacetone-alpha-D-glucose (14) into 1,2:3,5-di-O-isopropylidene-beta-L-idofuranose (19) was efficiently carried out in two steps. Orthogonal isopropylidene rearrangement of compound 19 led to 1,2:5,6-di-O-isopropylidene-beta-L-idofuranose (27), which underwent regioselective epimerization at the C3 position to give the L-talo- and 3-functionalized L-idofuranosyl derivatives. Hydrolysis of compound 19 under acidic conditions furnished 1,6-anhydro-beta-L-idopyranose (35) in excellent yield, which was successfully transformed into the corresponding L-allo, L-altro, L-gulo, and L-ido derivatives via regioselective benzylation, benzoylation, triflation and nucleophilic substitution as the key steps. Applications of these 1,6-anhydro-beta-L-hexopyranoses as valuable building blocks to the syntheses of 4-methylcoumarin-7-yl-alpha-L-iduronic acid and the disaccharide moieties of bleomycin A(2) as well as heparan sulfate are highlighted.     

Cytotoxic Constituents from the Stem Bark of Zanthoxylum Pistaciiflorum

Two new esters, methyl 4‐(prenyloxy)dihydrocinnamate and methyl 4‐(geranyloxy)dihydrocinnamate, together with fourteen known compounds have been isolated from the stem bark of Zanthoxylum pistaciiflorum. The structures of two new compounds were determined through spectral analyses. Among the isolates, four compounds exhibited effective cytotoxicities against P‐388 and HT‐29 cell lines in vitro.     

Reversible carboxylation of N-heterocyclic carbenes

Spectroscopic analysis, thermogravimetric analysis, and crossover experiments performed on a series of imidazolium carboxylates revealed carboxylation was reversible with N-aryl substituted adducts.     

Effect of Surface‐Hydroxylated CdS Nanoparticles on the Morphological Transformation of Polystyrene‐block‐Poly(ethylene oxide) Thin Films

Summary: Polystyrene‐block‐poly(ethylene oxide) (SEO) block copolymer thin films, in which CdS clusters have been sequestered into the PEO domains of the SEO block copolymers, are found to induce the morphological transformation of PEO from cylinders to spheres, as shown by using atomic force microscopy (AFM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). This transformation is caused by the presence of hydrogen‐bonding interactions between surface‐hydroxylated CdS and PEO, as confirmed by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) studies.

Morphological transformation of PEO cylinders into CdS/PEO spheres by hydrogen‐bonding interactions between surface‐hydroxylated CdS and PEO.     

Iron and copper complexes of tetraphenyl-m-benziporphyrin: reactivity of the internal C-H bond

Iron and copper complexes of tetraphenyl-m-benziporphyrin (TPmBPH)H have been prepared and structurally characterized. The iron system, (TPmBPH)Fe(II)Br, contains a high-spin Fe(II) center. In the solid state the complex forms dimeric units linked by weak CH.Br hydrogen bonds. The Cu complex contains a tetrameric copper cluster with a Cu(2)Cl(4)(2)(-) unit bridging two [(TPmBPCl)Cu(II)](+) fragments. The formation of (TPmBPCl)H represents an example of copper-catalyzed chlorination on the internal carbon atom of (TPmBPH)H.     

Constructing sandwich-type rare Earth double-decker complexes with N-confused porphyrinato and phthalocyaninato ligands

Reaction of the half-sandwich complexes M(III)(Pc)(acac) (M = La, Eu, Y, Lu; Pc = phthalocyaninate; acac = acetylacetonate) with the metal-free N-confused 5,10,15,20-tetrakis[(4-tert-butyl)phenyl]porphyrin (H(2)NTBPP) or its N2-position methylated analogue H(CH(3))NTBPP in refluxing 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene (TCB) led to the isolation of M(III)(Pc)(HNTBPP) (M = La, Eu, Y, Lu) or Y(III)(Pc)[(CH(3))NTBPP] in 8-15% yield. These represent the first examples of sandwich-type rare earth complexes with N-confused porphyrinato ligands. The complexes were characterized with various spectroscopic methods and elemental analysis. The molecular structures of four of these double-decker complexes were also determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. In each of these complexes, the metal center is octa-coordinated by four isoindole nitrogen atoms of the Pc ligand, three pyrrole nitrogen atoms, and the inverted pyrrole carbon atom of the HNTBPP or (CH(3))NTBPP ligand, forming a distorted coordination square antiprism. For Eu(III)(Pc)(HNTBPP), the two macrocyclic rings are further bound to a CH(3)OH molecule through two hydrogen bonds formed between the hydroxyl group of CH(3)OH and an aza nitrogen atom of the Pc ring or the inverted pyrrole nitrogen atom of the HNTBPP ring, respectively. The location of the acidic proton at the inverted pyrrole nitrogen atom (N2) of the protonated double-deckers was revealed by (1)H NMR spectroscopy.     

M2 Proton Channel Structural Validation from Full-Length Protein Samples in Synthetic Bilayers and E. coli Membranes

Validation: Membrane protein structures are sensitive to the environment used for structural characterization. NMR spectra of the full-length M2 proton channel from influenza?A were measured directly in E.?coli membranes and compared to spectra of the protein in synthetic lipid bilayers. The results demonstrate that these bilayers provide a native-like membrane environment.