Solvent triggering between conformational states in amphiphilic shape-persistent macrocycles

The amphiphilic shape-persistent macrocycle 1 containing four phenol-OH groups as polar side groups and four hexyloxy groups as nonpolar side groups in an adaptable arrangement was recrystallized from solvents of different polarity. X-ray crystallography reveals that the conformation of the macrocycle is solvent dependent such that in the pyridine solvate only two of the nonpolar side groups point outward while in the THF solvate all four of them point outward. Moreover, in the latter case the three-dimensional packing leads to the formation of a supramolecular channel structure with a large pore size.     

Interplanar torsion in the S1<--S0 electronic spectrum of jet cooled 1-phenylimidazole

The S(1)<--S(0) transition of 1-phenylimidazole (1PI) has been studied in a supersonic jet expansion by resonant two-photon ionization. The origin band at 36 075 cm(-1) is accompanied by a low frequency progression associated with torsion about the bond connecting phenyl and imidazole groups. Torsional potentials have been determined for both states. In S(0), phi(min)=37.2+/-0.5 degrees and the planar barrier is 339+/-20 cm(-1), while in S(1), phi(min)=17.6+/-0.5 degrees and the planar barrier is 57+/-2 cm(-1). The transition moment alignment is observed to be consistent with an excited state of L(b) character, in spite of the "off-axis" conjugation provided by the imidazole ring. These results are compared with ab initio calculations on both states, performed using Hartree-Fock, M?ller-Plesset second-order perturbation, density functional theory with the Becke3-Lee-Yang-Parr functional, time-dependent density functional theory, configuration interaction singles, and complete active space self-consistent field methods. Solution-phase UV spectra of neutral and protonated 1PI are also reported.     

Preparation of methyl (1R,2S,5S)- and (1S,2R,5R)-2-amino-5-tert-butyl-cyclopentane-1-carboxylates by parallel kinetic resolution of methyl (RS)-5-tert-butyl-cyclopentene-1-carboxylate

Comparison of the kinetic and parallel kinetic resolutions of methyl (RS)-5-tert-butyl-cyclopentene-1-carboxylate allows for the efficient synthesis of both (1R,2S,5S)- and (1S,2R,5R)-enantiomers of methyl 2-amino-5-tert-butyl-cyclopentane-1-carboxylate.     

Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of a Class of Mitochondrially‐Targeted Gadolinium(III) Agents

A structure–activity relationship study of a library of novel bifunctional Gd^III complexes covalently linked to arylphosphonium cations is reported. Such complexes have been designed for potential application in binary cancer therapies such as neutron capture therapy and photon activation therapy. A positive correlation was found between lipophilicity and cytotoxicity of the complexes. Mitochondria uptake was determined by means of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP‐MS), and Gd uptake was determined by means of quantification using synchrotron X‐ray fluorescence (XRF) imaging. A negative correlation between lipophilicity and tumour selectivity of the Gd^III complexes was demonstrated. This study highlights the delicate balance required to minimise in vitro cytotoxicity and optimise in vitro tumour selectivity and mitochondrial localisation for this new class of mitochondrially‐targeted binary therapy agents. We also report the highest in vitro tumour selectivity for any Gd agent reported to date, with a T/N (tumour/normal cell) ratio of up to 23.5±6.6.     

Structure determination of sec-butylbenzene rotamers by UV spectroscopy and ab initio calculations

Sec-butylbenzene has been investigated using resonant two-photon ionization (R2PI) and UV–UV hole-burning spectroscopy aided by ab initio calculations. All three conformers predicted from theory are observed in the spectrum, and are assigned by rotational band contour analysis. The most strongly populated conformer (G1) has a gauche arrangement of the side chain dihedral angle τ₂(C₁C_αC_βC_γ). The populations of the anti (A) and the remaining gauche conformer (G2) are about 7% and 2%, respectively. The alpha methyl group is found to significantly affect the conformational preferences in sec-butylbenzene (sec-BB), compared to n-propylbenzene in which the anti conformer is favored.     

Dual NPD/ECD detection in comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography for multiclass pesticide analysis

A comprehensive 2-D GC (GC x GC) dual detection system, coupled to nitrogen-phosphorus detection (NPD) and electron capture detection (ECD) has been developed for multiclass pesticide analysis in vegetable sample matrices. The second dimension column was connected to the parallel detectors via a microfluidic splitting device. The sample set comprised 17 organochlorine pesticides, 15 organophosphorus insecticides and 9 N-containing fungicides. Selective detection of vegetable sample extracts provides increased information content through simultaneous, correlated GC x GC plots for both ECD and NPD, which demonstrated improved separation of pesticide standards from each other, and from the sample matrix. The efficiency of NPD and ECD modes was investigated and compared; the ECD produced broader peaks, with the ECD generating greater response as measured by S/N ratio. Accuracy and precision of the approach were determined as repeatability and reproducibility for selected pesticides. The RSDs of the intraday (n = 5) and interday (3 days) analyses of the selected pesticides are less than 2.5 and 10%, respectively. The relative ratio of the ECD/NPD response is proposed to offer additional identification of individual pesticides, in addition to the (1)t(R) and (2)t(R) retention coordinates; ratios vary from 19 to over 1000 for selected pesticides that also exhibit ECD and NPD activities.     

Reduced Overlap Population Analysis for Triosmium Clusters

The use of reduced overlap population (ROP) analysis from EHMO calculations as a means to gauge the presence of metal–metal bonds in triosmium clusters is examined. A number of triosmium clusters containing bridging ligands have been used as test cases, including the bis-ethoxy bridged cluster Os₃(μ-OEt)₂(CO)₁₀, 1b, and some of its group 15 derivatives Os₃(μ-OEt)₂(CO)₉(EPh₃), 2. These latter clusters are newly synthesized and have been characterized completely, including by single-crystal X-ray crystallographic studies. In honour of Professor Dieter Fenske on his 65th birthday.     

Determination of polymethoxylated flavones in peels of selected Jamaican and Mexican citrus (Citrus spp.) cultivars by high-performance liquid chromatography

The concentrations of the polymethoxylated flavones (PMFs) in peels of selected citrus cultivars grown in Jamaica and Mexico were determined. The PMFs were extracted from sun-dried citrus peels with reagent-grade methanol. Analyses were carried out by reverse-phase HPLC and UV detection. The column used was a C(18) 5 microm (150 x 4.6 mm) Discovery column. Elution was in the gradient mode, using a ternary mobile phase. The results showed that all the citrus cultivars used contained at least three of the six major PMFs quantified. Ortanique peel contained the highest quantity of PMFs (34,393 +/- 272 ppm), followed by tangerine (28,389 +/- 343 ppm) and Mexican sweet orange (sample 1; 21,627 +/- 494 ppm). The major PMFs, i.e. sinensetin, nobiletin, tangeretin, heptamethoxyflavone, tetramethylscutellarein and hexamethyl-o-quercetagetin, present in the peels of 20 citrus cultivars, was quantified. The results were compared with those of Florida citrus peels. A large amount of citrus peels and byproducts are produced in the Caribbean which could provide a cheap and convenient source of PMFs.     

A Computational and Experimental Approach Linking Disorder,High‐Pressure Behavior,and Mechanical Properties in UiO Frameworks

Whilst many metal–organic frameworks possess the chemical stability needed to be used as functional materials, they often lack the physical strength required for industrial applications. Herein, we have investigated the mechanical properties of two UiO‐topology Zr‐MOFs, the planar UiO‐67 ([Zr₆O₄(OH)₄(bpdc)₆], bpdc: 4,4′‐biphenyl dicarboxylate) and UiO‐abdc ([Zr₆O₄(OH)₄(abdc)₆], abdc: 4,4′‐azobenzene dicarboxylate) by single‐crystal nanoindentation, high‐pressure X‐ray diffraction, density functional theory calculations, and first‐principles molecular dynamics. On increasing pressure, both UiO‐67 and UiO‐abdc were found to be incompressible when filled with methanol molecules within a diamond anvil cell. Stabilization in both cases is attributed to dynamical linker disorder. The diazo‐linker of UiO‐abdc possesses local site disorder, which, in conjunction with its longer nature, also decreases the capacity of the framework to compress and stabilizes it against direct compression, compared to UiO‐67, characterized by a large elastic modulus. The use of non‐linear linkers in the synthesis of UiO‐MOFs therefore creates MOFs that have more rigid mechanical properties over a larger pressure range.