Demonstration of the frequency upshifting of microwave radiation byrapid plasma creation

A technique for frequency-upshifting electromagnetic radiation is demonstrated. By ionizing azulene vapor contained in a resonant cavity using a laser pulse, the frequency of the incident RF wave at 33.3 GHz is upshifted by 5% with greater than 10% efficiency. Maximum frequency upshift of 2.3 times the source frequency is observed. There are two mechanisms thought to be operative in producing the observed frequency upshift: the time-dependent dielectric constant due to increasing plasma density, and rapid Q-switching of the cavity. This technique has the potential of being able to generate tunable and chirped radiation over a very broad (Δf/f≳1) frequency range     

Tetra-TTF calix[4]pyrrole: a rationally designed receptor for electron-deficient neutral guests

A calix[4]pyrrole incorporating four appended tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) units has been synthesized, and its receptor abilities toward neutral electron-deficient guests, such as 1,3,5-trinitrobenzene, tetrafluoro-p-benzoquinone, and tetrachloro-p-benzoquinone, have been studied in solution by UV-vis and 1H NMR spectroscopies as well as in the solid-state by X-ray crystallography. In its 1,3-alternate conformation a 1:2 sandwich-like complex-stabilized by charge transfer and hydrogen bonding interactions-is formed between the tetra-TTF calix[4]pyrrole and the guest molecules. However, upon addition of chloride ions to the complex the 1,3-alternate conformation is changed in favor of a cone conformation which serves to effect a release of the guests from the tetra-TTF calix[4]pyrrole.     

Synthesis of 2,2'-bipyrroles and 2,2'-thienylpyrroles from donor-acceptor cyclopropanes and 2-cyanoheteroles

[reaction: see text] Two new series of 2,2'-bipyrroles and 2,2'-thienylpyrroles have been prepared by trimethylsilyl trifluoromethanesulfonate (TMSOTf)-mediated reaction of donor-acceptor cyclopropanes with 2-cyanopyrroles and 2-cyanothiophene, respectively. This method opens the door toward a wide variety of unsymmetrical bipyrroles and thienylpyrroles.     

Pyrrolic and polypyrrolic anion binding agents

This review traces the emergence of pyrrole-based receptors for anion recognition. It outlines how serendipitous findings that the diprotonated form of sapphyrin, a pentapyrrolic expanded porphyrin, formed a centrally-bound complex with fluoride anion made over a decade ago spawned studies of this and other expanded porphyrins as receptors, carriers, and sensors of anions. Further evolutions of the field, including in particular the finding that neutral, non-aromatic oligopyrrole macrocycles, such as the calixpyrroles and calixphyrins, can act as cheap, and easy-to-prepare anion receptors will also be highlighted, as will recent work with acyclic systems, including dipyrrolylquinoxalines (DPQs) and simple derivatives of pyrrole itself.     

Receptors for tetrahedral oxyanions

This review covers the field of anion recognition from the perspective of tetrahedral oxyanion recognition. The bulk of the attention is devoted to metal-free systems that are able to effect the recognition, binding or transport of phosphate and sulfate. Particular emphasis is devoted to design criteria that allow for discrimination and selectivity. In this context, a variety of recognition motifs are discussed and, within each receptor class, general paradigms that allow for the construction of receptor systems with high affinity and specificity are noted.     

Anion-binding behavior of hybrid calixpyrroles

Hybrid calixpyrrole systems are calixpyrrole-like macrocycles that are based on more than one type of small molecule building block. Structurally, these "mixed-breed" macrocycles differ from calixpyrroles in that some pyrrolic units in the latter are replaced by other hetereocyclic units such as furan, thiophene, bipyrrole, and bithiophene. Although several such systems have been reported in recent years, only a few have been studied as possible anion receptors. In this paper, the results of detailed anion binding studies involving several prototypic systems are reported. Taken in concert, these results highlight the fact that some hybrid systems, including compounds 2-5, display anion affinities that are considerably weaker than those of the parent system 1. On the other hand, they also show that compounds 6-8 are good receptors for "Y-shaped" anions, such as carboxylates, and that they bind these species with high affinity. These findings are strongly supported by solid-state structural studies, which reveal an interesting "cross binding mode" for the binding of carboxylate anions by the bis-thiophene, bis-pyrrole system 7.     

Late first-row transition-metal complexes of texaphyrin

The preparation of first-row transition-metal complexes of texaphyrin, a porphyrin-like, monoanionic penta-aza macrocyclic ligand, is reported. Specifically, the synthesis of organic-soluble Mn(II) (1), Co(II) (2), Ni(II) (3), Zn(II) (4), and Fe(III) (5) texaphyrin derivatives and their water-soluble counterparts (6-10) from appropriate metal-free, nonaromatic macrocyclic precursors is described. It was found that metal cations of sufficient reduction potential could act to oxidize the nonaromatic macrocyclic precursor in the course of metal insertion. Complexes were characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis, electrochemistry, flash photolysis, and EPR spectroscopy. The structural and electronic properties of these "expanded porphyrin" complexes are compared with those of analogous porphyrins. Notably, the texaphyrin ligand is found to support the complexation of cations in a lower valence and a higher spin state than do porphyrins. Interactions between the coordinated cation and the ligand pi system appear to contribute to the overall bonding. Texaphyrin complexes of Mn(II), Co(II), and Fe(III) in particular may possess sufficient aqueous stability to permit their use in pharmaceutical applications.     

New polydentate macrocyclic ligands of hybrid amine-imine and amide-imine types as artificial anion receptors. Synthesis and study of anion binding

Three new macrocyclic Schiff bases containing an amine or amide structural fragment along with imine groups were synthesized by condensation of 2,6-bis(2-aminophenyliminomethyl)pyridine (1) and N, N’-bis(2-aminophenyl)pyridine-2,6-dicarboxamide (2) with 2,5-diformylpyrrole (₃) and 2,2-bis(5-formylpyrrol-2-yl)propane (4). The reaction of compound 1 with 3 proceeds abnormally and is accompanied by redox disproportionation of compound 1 in the first step. The structure of the macrocyclic product of this reaction was established by X-ray diffraction analysis. Spectrophotometric titration showed that hybrid macrocycle 10, which was prepared by condensation of compound 2 with 4, possesses the properties of an anion receptor and selectively binds hydrosulfate and dihydrophosphate anions in the presence of bromide and nitrate anions. The structures of 10 and its adduct with the hydrosulfate anion were calculated by density functional theory.__________Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 1, pp. 161–168, January, 2005.