From 0 to II in One‐Electron Steps: A Series of Ruthenium Complexes Supported by TropPPh2

We report the synthesis of a series of ruthenium complexes supported by the phosphine olefin ligand tropPPh₂ (trop=5‐H‐dibenzo‐[a,d]cyclohepten‐5‐yl) in the oxidation states 0, +I, and +II, formed via successive one‐electron oxidization steps from Ru⁰(tropPPh₂)₂. The bidentate character of the tropPPh₂ ligand and its steric hindrance force the complexes to adopt uncommon geometries, which were investigated by X‐ray diffraction analysis. EPR data of the mononuclear Ru^I complex reveal couplings of the unpaired spin with the ruthenium and two phosphorus nuclei, as well as the olefinic protons which show that the spin is mainly localized on the Ru^I center.     

Free-Radical Synthesis of Block Copolymers via Dixanthogen-Linked Polymer Sequences

Abstract

Due to high chain transfer and the subsequent terminator properties of the dixanthogen moiety, (AB)_n multiblock copolymers of poly(oxyethylene-block-methyl methacrylate) and ABA triblock copolymers of poly(methyl methacrylate-block-2-ethylhexyl acrylate) could be synthesized from dixanthogen-linked poly(oxyethylene) and poly(methyl methacrylate) pre-polymer sequences, respectively, using free-radical chemistry. A simple and efficient method was developed for the synthesis of dixanthogen-linked polymers: Hydroxyl-functionalized pre-polymers were reduced using NaH to form alkoxide; CS₂ was then added to the alkoxide to form xanthate; and finally the xanthate was oxidized either in an aqueous or organic medium to form the dixanthogen. The synthesis techniques provided in this paper are general and thus, in principle, can be applied to many other block copolymer systems.     

Thieno[2′,3′:5,6]azepino[2,1‐a]isoindolones from hydroxylactam‐alcohols via N‐acyliminium ion olefin cyclization

A one pot synthesis of thienoazepinoisoindolones from the reaction of hydroxylactam‐alcohols, under acidic treatment, is described via an N‐acyliminium olefin cyclization.     

Crystal Structure of 1,3-Alternate 25,26,27,28-Tetra(tert-butoxyethoxy)calix[4]arene: a Selective Ag+ Extractant

Alkylation of calix[4]arene by 2-tert-butoxyethyl bromide led to the tetraalkylatedcalix[4]arene in the 1,3-alternate, the conformation of which has been established byX-ray crystallography. This spatial structure included a cavity potentially useful forhost–guest complexes achieved with metal cations, especially with Ag⁺. The titlecompound crystallizes in the monoclinic space group Cc with cell constants a = 29.901(2),b = 8.139(1), c = 22.264(3) Å, = 90°, = 117.08(1)°and = 90°. This conformer represents an example for Ag⁺-tunnelingacross an aromatic cavity. This behaviour could lead to important implications with regardto the metal cation- interaction expected for metal transport through ion channels,metal inclusion in fullerenes, intercalation of metal cations into graphites, etc.     

Conformational and temperature effects on separation of stereoisomers of a C3,C4-substituted beta-lactamic cholesterol absorption inhibitor on amylose-based chiral stationary phases

A direct liquid chromatography method was developed for the diastereo- and enantioselective analysis of a C3,C4-substituted beta-lactamic hypolipodemic agent (SCH 48461) and its stereoisomers on two commercially available amylose-based chiral stationary phases (CSPs), namely, Chiralpak AS and Chiralpak AD. The mobile phase composition (type and content of alcoholic modifier) was considered to achieve baseline resolutions in a single chromatographic run. In order to investigate the influence of molecular flexibility on chiral recognition process, beta-lactams were ring-opened and converted into beta-amino esters derivatives. Thermodynamic parameters associated with adsorption equilibria between acyclic and cyclic stereoisomers and CSPs were calculated from chromatographic runs at various temperatures.     

Rauvolfianine,a new antimycobacterial glyceroglycolipid and other constituents from Rauvolfia caffra. Sond (Apocynaceae)

The chemical investigation of the extract of the dried leaves of Rauvolfia caffra (Sond) (synonym Rauvolfia macrophylla) (Apocynaceae) led to isolation of a new glycoside derivative, rauvolfianine (1) as well as six known compounds: oleanolic acid (2), sitosterol-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (3), betulinic acid (4), vellosimine (5), sarpagine (6) and D-fructofuranosyl-β-(2→1)-α-D-glucopyranoside (7). Compounds 1, 2, 3, 4 and 7 were evaluated for antitubercular activity. Compounds 1 and 2 were the most active (MIC = 7.8125 and 31.25 μg/mL) towards the Isoniazid resistant strain of Mycobacterium tuberculosis AC45. Their structures and relative stereochemistry were elucidated by spectroscopic methods.     

An ab initio study of the structures and enthalpies of the hydrogen-bonded complexes of the acids H2O,H2S,HCN, and HCl with the anions OH−, SH−, CN−, and Cl−

Ab initio calculations at second-order Møller-Plesset perturbation theory with the 6-31 + G(d,p) basis set have been performed to determine the equilibrium structures and energies of a series of negative-ion hydrogen-bonded complexes with H₂O, H₂S, HCN, and HCl as proton donors and OH^–, SH^–, CN^–, and Cl^– as proton acceptors. The computed stabilization enthalpies of these complexes are in agreement to within the experimental error of 1 kcal mol^–1 with the gas-phase hydrogen bond enthalpies, except for HOHOH^–, in which case the difference is 1.8 kcal mol^–1. The structures of these complexes exhibit linear hydrogen bonds and directed lone pairs of electrons except for complexes with H₂O as the proton donor, in which cases the hydrogen bonds deviate slightly from linearity. All of the complexes have equilibrium structures in which the hydrogen-bonded proton is nonsymmetrically bound, although the symmetric structures of HOHOH^– and ClHCl^– are only slightly less bound than the equilibrium structures. MP2/6-31 + G(d,p) hydrogen bond energies calculated at optimized MP2/B-31 + G(d,p) and at optimized HF/6-31G(d) geometries are similar. Using HF/6-31G(d) frequencies to evaluate zero-point and thermal vibrational energies does not introduce significant error into the computed hydrogen bond enthalpies of these complexes provided that the hydrogen-bonded proton is definitely nonsymmetrically bound at both Hartree-Fock and MP2.     

A Combined NMR and Computational Approach to Determine the RGDechi‐hCit‐αvβ3 Integrin Recognition Mode in Isolated Cell Membranes

The critical role of integrins in tumor progression and metastasis has stimulated intense efforts to identify pharmacological agents that can modulate integrin function. In recent years, α_vβ₃ and α_vβ₅ integrin antagonists were demonstrated to be effective in blocking tumor progression. RGDechi‐hCit, a chimeric peptide containing a cyclic RGD motif linked to an echistatin C‐terminal fragment, is able to recognize selectively α_vβ₃ integrin both in vitro and in vivo. High‐resolution molecular details of the selective α_vβ₃ recognition of the peptide are certainly required, nonetheless RGDechi‐hCit internalization limited the use of classical in cell NMR experiments. To overcome such limitations, we used WM266 isolated cellular membranes to accomplish a detailed NMR interaction study that, combined with a computational analysis, provides significant structural insights into α_vβ₃ molecular recognition by RGDechi‐hCit. Remarkably, on the basis of the identified molecular determinants, we design a RGDechi‐hCit mutant that is selective for α_vβ₅ integrin.