Synthesis and reactivity of low-coordinate iron(II) fluoride complexes and their use in the catalytic hydrodefluorination of fluorocarbons

Transition metal fluoride complexes are of interest because they are potentially useful in a multitude of catalytic applications, including C-F bond activation and fluorocarbon functionalization. We report the first crystallographically characterized examples of molecular iron(II) fluorides: [L(Me)Fe(mu-F)]2 (1(2)) and L(tBu)FeF (2) (L = bulky beta-diketiminate). These complexes react with donor molecules (L'), yielding trigonal-pyramidal complexes L(R)FeF(L'). The fluoride ligand is activated by the Lewis acid Et2O.BF3, forming L(tBu)Fe(OEt2)(eta1-BF4) (3), and is also silaphilic, reacting with silyl compounds such as Me3SiSSiMe3, Me3SiCCSiMe3, and Et3SiH to give new thiolate L(tBu)FeSSiMe3 (4), acetylide L(tBu)FeCCSiMe3 (5), and hydride [L(Me)Fe(mu-H)]2 (6(2)) complexes. The hydrodefluorination (HDF) of perfluorinated aromatic compounds (hexafluorobenzene, pentafluoropyridine, and octafluorotoluene) with a silane R3SiH (R3 = (EtO)3, Et3, Ph3, (3,5-(CF3)2C6H3)Me2) is catalyzed by addition of an iron(II) fluoride complex, giving mainly the singly hydrodefluorinated products (pentafluorobenzene, 2,3,5,6-tetrafluoropyridine, and alpha,alpha,alpha,2,3,5,6-heptafluorotoluene, respectively) in up to five turnovers. These catalytic perfluoroarene HDF reactions proceed with activation of the C-F bond para to the most electron-withdrawing group and are dependent on the degree of fluorination and solvent polarity. Kinetic studies suggest that hydride generation is the rate-limiting step in the HDF of octafluorotoluene, but the active intermediate is unknown. Mechanistic considerations argue against oxidative addition and outer-sphere electron transfer pathways for perfluoroarene HDF. Fluorinated olefins are also hydrodefluorinated (up to 10 turnovers for hexafluoropropene), most likely through a hydride insertion/beta-fluoride elimination mechanism. Complexes 1(2) and 2 thus provide a rare example of a homogeneous system that activates C-F bonds without competitive C-H activation and use an inexpensive 3d transition metal.     

Sequence‐Defined Heteromultivalent Precision Glycomacromolecules Bearing Sulfonated/Sulfated Nonglycosidic Moieties Preferentially Bind Galectin‐3 and Delay Wound Healing of a Galectin‐3 Positive Tumor Cell Line in an In Vitro Wound Scratch Assay

Within this work, a new class of sequence‐defined heteromultivalent glycomacromolecules bearing lactose residues and nonglycosidic motifs for probing glycoconjugate recognition in carbohydrate recognition domain (CRD) of galectin‐3 is presented. Galectins, a family of β‐galactoside‐binding proteins, are known to play crucial roles in different signaling pathways involved in tumor biology. Thus, research has focused on the design and synthesis of galectin‐targeting ligands for use as diagnostic markers or potential therapeutics. Heteromultivalent precision glycomacromolecules have the potential to serve as ligands for galectins. In this work, multivalency and the introduction of nonglycosidic motifs bearing either neutral, amine, or sulfonated/sulfated groups are used to better understand binding in the galectin‐3 CRD. Enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays and surface plasmon resonance studies are performed, revealing a positive impact of the sulfonated/sulfated nonglycosidic motifs on galectin‐3 binding but not on galectin‐1 binding. Selected compounds are then tested with galectin‐3 positive MCF 7 breast cancer cells using an in vitro would scratch assay. Preliminary results demonstrate a differential biological effect on MCF 7 cells with high galectin‐3 expression in comparison to an HEK 293 control with low galectin‐3 expression, indicating the potential for sulfonated/sulfated heteromultivalent glycomacromolecules to serve as preferential ligands for galectin‐3 targeting.     

Evaluation of leishmanicidal and trypanocidal activities of phenolic compounds from Calea uniflora Less.

The phytochemical study of Calea uniflora led to the isolation of nine phenolic compounds identified as noreugenin (1), ethyl caffeate (2), a mixture of butein (3) + orobol (4), α-hydroxy-butein (5), caffeic acid (6), butein 4′-O-glucopyranosyl (7), quercetin 3-O-glucopyranosyl (8) and 3,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid (9). The chemical identity of the isolates was established on the basis of NMR and physical data. The chemical shifts of 5 and 7 have been reassigned and all the isolates were tested against Leishmania amazonensis and Trypanosoma cruzi amastigotes. None of the metabolites showed promising leishmanicidal activity. However, 2 and the mixture of 3 and 4 demonstrated interesting trypanocidal effect with IC₅₀ values of 18.27 and 26.53 μM, respectively. Besides, these compounds did not present cytotoxic effect towards THP-1 cells, and compound 2 was 3.5-fold more selective than the mixture of 3+4.     

Characterization and reactions of previously elusive 17-electron cations: electrochemical oxidations of (C(6)H(6))Cr(CO)(3) and (C(5)H(5))Co(CO)(2) in the presence of [B(C(6)F(5))(4)](-)

The electrochemical oxidations of (C6H6)Cr(CO)3, 1, and (C5H5)Co(CO)2, 2, when carried out in CH2Cl2/[NBu4][B(C6F5)4], allow the physical or chemical characterization of the 17-electron cations 1+ and 2+ at room temperature. The generation of 1+ on a synthetic time scale permits an electrochemical "switch" process involving facile substitution of CO by PPh3 as a route to (C6H6)Cr(CO)2PPh3. The radical 2+ undergoes a second-order reaction to give a product assigned as the metal-metal bonded dimer dication [Cp2Co2(CO)4]2+. The new anodic chemistry of these often-studied 18-electron compounds is made possible by increases in the solubility and thermal stability of the cation radicals in media containing the poorly nucleophilic anion [B(C6F5)4]-, TFAB.     

From monomer zinc-oxamato complexes to tetranuclear inverse 12-membered and octanuclear 12-membered metallacrowns

Interaction of ZnCl(2) with Hpko (Hpko, di-2-pyridyl-ketonoxime) results in the formation of a uninuclear Zn(Hpko)Cl(2) (1) compound or in a 12-membered tetranuclear metallacrown (OH)(2)[inv12-MC(Zn(II)N(pko))-4]Cl(2) (2) depending on the pH of the mother solution. The addition of H(3)shi (H(3)shi, salicylhydroxamic acid) leads to the formation of the octanuclear 12-membered tetranuclear metallacrown [Zn(2)]([Zn(2)(pko)(4)][12-MC(Zn(II)N(shi))-4](CH(3)OH)(2)) (3). The metallacrown core of 2 is characterized as "inverse" because the zinc atoms, rather than oxygen atoms, are oriented toward the central cavity. Two triply bridging hydroxides are accommodated in the center of the metallacrown ring. The pko(-) ligands form a propeller configuration that imposes absolute stereoisomerism with Lambda and Delta chirality. Each hydroxo oxygen bridges two octahedral zinc atoms and a tetrahedral one. The octanuclear cluster Zn(8)(shi)(4)(pko)(4)(CH(3)OH)(2) contains a 12-membered tetranuclear metallacrown core constructed by four Zn metal atoms and four shi(3-) ligands. So, a part of the cluster can be described as having the formally anionic [12-MC(Zn(II)N(shi))-4](4-) core. Two of the zinc atoms are in octahedral coordination environment while for the other two the geometry is best described as distorted trigonal bipyramidal. The metallacrown core accommodates a binuclear compound with the formula [Zn(2)(pko)(4)]. Two of the ring metal ions create binuclear units with two zinc ions, respectively, with two oxamato oxygens, and two phenolato oxygens, of the four interlinked shi(3-) ligands acting as bridging atoms.     

Specific interaction between anionic phospholipids and milk bovine component PP3 and its 119–135 C-terminal fragment

The behaviour of component PP3, a bovine milk protein with emulsifying properties, was investigated at the air–water interface and in a lipidic environment using the monolayer technique. The amphipathic 119–135 C-terminal fragment of PP3 was also tested since we proposed, on the basis of structural analysis, that this region is probably responsible for the surface-active properties of the protein. This hypothesis was confirmed by the tensiometric measurements at the air–water interface in which the addition of the C-terminal peptide increased the surface pressure with a similar amplitude as the whole protein. Penetration measurements into lipidic monolayers indicated that the insertion of component PP3 and its C-terminal peptide is the highest with anionic phospholipids in a gel state. Moreover, the electrostatic attractions provided by anionic phospholipids are essential for the peptide interaction. We also showed by Fourier transform infrared spectra study, that the peptide displays a β-type conformational state in aqueous solution and in the presence of solvant or anionic phospholipid (DPPG). In contrast, the protein adopts in aqueous solution an helical conformation which remains the dominant conformational state in the presence of DPPG although the apparition of β-structure is detected.     

Ni(II)‐NTA Modified Poly(ethylene imine) Glycopolymers: Physicochemical Properties and First In Vitro Study of Polyplexes Formed with HIV‐Derived Peptides

Alternative delivery entities are desirable in immunotherapies in which polyplexes are widely formed by electrostatic interactions to induce cellular uptake processes for bioactive molecules. In our study, biocompatible Ni(II)‐nitrilo(triacetic acid)‐modified poly(ethylene imine)‐maltose ( Ni‐NTA‐DG ) is realized and evaluated as complexation agent against His‐tagged peptides using fluorescence polarization and dynamic light scattering. The polyplexes are stable until a pH of 6.5–6.0, and also up to 50 mM of imidazole. A first uptake approach shows that polyplexes lead to an increase in peptide uptake in monocyte‐derived immature dendritic cells. In summary, Ni‐NTA‐DG represents a promising (delivery) platform for forthcoming in vitro applications.

     

Stereoselective synthesis of (+/-)-rocaglaol analogues

An intramolecular hydroxy epoxide opening was used to access the cyclopenta[b]benzofuran ring system of the natural product rocaglaol (2). Our route allowed the stereocontrolled preparation of the rocaglaol derivative (+/-)-(1S*,3S*,3aR*,8bS*)-3b. The synthesis of the (+/-)-(3R*)-epimer of 3b was also achieved. Our strategy is well-suited for the production of analogues with variation of the western ring. [reaction: see text]     

Interface control of emergent ferroic order in Ruddlesden-Popper Sr(n+1)Ti(n)O(3n+1)

We discovered from first principles an unusual polar state in the low n Sr(n+1)Ti(n)O(3n+1) Ruddlesden-Popper (RP) layered perovskites in which ferroelectricity is nearly degenerate with antiferroelectricity, a relatively rare form of ferroic order. We show that epitaxial strain plays a key role in tuning the "perpendicular coherence length" of the ferroelectric mode, and does not induce ferroelectricity in these low-dimensional RP materials as is well known to occur in SrTiO(3). These systems present an opportunity to manipulate the coherence length of a ferroic distortion in a controlled way, without disorder or a free surface.