Diastereoselective allylation of planar chiral substituted ferrocenecarboxaldehyde: an efficient entry to chiral ferrocenyl ligands

2,2′-Disubstituted ferrocenecarboxaldehydes are subjected to zinc-mediated allylation to form homoallylic ferrocenyl alcohols. The effects of ortho-substituted functional groups on facial selectivities of planar chiral aldehydes were studied and it was found that the corresponding homoallylic alcohols were obtained as single diastereomers in excellent yields.     

Bifunctional pyridyl alcohols with the bicyclo[3.3.0]octane scaffold in the asymmetric addition of diethylzinc to aldehydes

Some new pyridyl alcohols with the cis-bicyclo[3.3.0]octane scaffold were synthesized and used as chiral ligands for the enantioselective addition of diethylzinc to aldehydes. Ligands 4 were found to be far superior to the C₂-symmetric ligands 2 in terms of enantioselectivities. Quantitative yields and enantiomeric excesses of up to 92% were obtained when the ligand 4 was used. The carbonyl function in 4 proved to be beneficial for the high enantioselectivities in the addition of diethylzinc to aldehydes. Conversion of the carbonyl group into oxime or oxime ether group led to a sort of more active ligands, which catalyzed the same reaction with rate acceleration.     

Structure and Dynamics of Methyl-substituted Beryllocene: [Be(C5Me5)2]

In this paper we study theoretically the molecular structure of [Be(C₅Me₅)₂], with special interest in similarities and differences found in the computed geometric parameters, depending on the treatment of the electron correlation used. Given the low energy differences found between the different configurations studied (less than 4 kcal mol⁻¹), and the high fluxionality found in experimental studies for this compound, we analyzed the dynamics of the system by means of first principles molecular dynamics calculations. A complex dynamics is found and analyzed in terms of two molecular rearrangement processes: 1,2-sigmatropic intraring rearrangement and a ring inversion mechanism that interchanges the roles (with regard to their coordination to the central Be atom) of the two rings.Dedicated to Dr. Jeal Paul Malrieu on occasion of his 65th birthday.     

Microcalorimetry, energetics and binding studies of DNA-dimethyltin dichloride complexes

The interaction of dimethyltin dichloride (Me₂SnCl₂) with calf thymus DNA was studied at 27 °C, pH 7.6 using various techniques including isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) and UV-Vis, fluorescence and IR spectrophotometries. The binding isotherm and enthalpy curve for Me₂SnCl₂-DNA interaction was a biphasic transition process. This was determined by the analysis of the binding data with the Hill equation. The first phase of the enthalpy curve (exothermic process) was consistent with the first set of binding site, the second phase (endothermic process, less exothermicity) was consistent with second set of binding site from the cited interactions. Our results showed that the first set of binding sites is occupied by one mole of ligand bound per near 1 base pair of DNA. The DNA-ethidium bromide (EB) complex, in the presence of Me₂SnCl₂, caused the quenching of the fluorescence emission. The Scatchard plots illustrated a non-intercalating manner for such quenching. The DNA-EB complex results indicated that the binding of Me₂SnCl₂ is with the phosphate groups of DNA at low ligand concentrations (<9 mM). This was confirmed with the IR spectrophotometric spectra. However, the binding at higher ligand concentrations (>9 mM) was with the base groups of DNA. Therefore, these results suggest that the Me₂SnCl₂ binding to DNA at low concentrations occurs through an outside interaction by an exothermic process. However, the partial unfolding of the DNA caused at higher concentrations of Me₂SnCl₂ is through an endothermic process involving interactions with the base groups.     

The First Example of Dinuclear Co(III) Complexes Containing Crown Ether Moieties

The new dinuclear, octahedral cobalt(III) complexes have been synthesized and then their ability to interact with 4,4′-trimethylene dipyridine investigated. The ¹H and ¹³C-NMR, IR and elemental analysis data indicated that the cobalt(III) complexes are dinuclear.     

Spectroscopic Study of the Complexation of DDQ with 1,10-Diaza-18-crown-6 in Chloroform Solution

The formation of charge transfer complexes with 1:1 and 2:1 stoichiometries (acceptor-to-donor) between DDQ and 1,10-diaza-18-crown-6 in chloroform solution was investigated spectrophotometrically. The stepwise formation constants of the resulting complexes were evaluated from the non-linear least-squaresfitting of the absorbance-mole ratio data. The enthalpies and entropiesof the complexation reactions were determined from the temperature dependence of the stepwise formation constants. The resulting 1:1 and 2:1 complexes were isolated in crystalline form and characterized. The results are consistent with the ionic structure of the resulting charge transfer complexes.     

Synthesis, properties, and structure of dimethylgold(III) complexes [(CH3)2AuI]2 and (CH3)2AuS2CN(C2H5)2

Volatile diethyldithiocarbamate of dimethylgold(III) was prepared by the interaction of dimethylgold(III) iodide with sodium diethyldithiocarbamate. The complex is examined by the elemental analysis, DTA, IR and electronic spectroscopy. The starting dimeric complex [(CH₃)₂AuI]₂ and a novel monomeric volatile gold(III) complex (CH₃)₂AuS₂CN(C₂H₅)₂ with the AuC₂S₂ coordination core were investigated by single crystal X-ray diffraction for the first time.     

Synthesis of N-tetrasubstituted cyclam derivatives appended with sulfonyl or sulfinyl groups via aza-Michael addition

Azamacrocycles bearing four arylsulfonyl or arylsulfinyl pendant arms have been synthesised with good yields through nucleophilic addition of 1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane (cyclam) to phenylvinylsulfone, phenylvinylsulfoxide or (R)-tolylvinylsulfoxide in isopropanol/water media. The crystal structure of the tetraethylsulfonylphenyl substituted macrocycle has been determined by X-ray crystallography. Preliminary studies of the coordination properties of these functionalised macrocyles towards Cu(II) and Eu(III) indicate that pendant sulfoxide groups act as oxygen donor coordinating groups.     

Preparation and characterization of Mg(II)-, Ca(II) and Cd(II) complexes of 1,2-ethanediol and water

Mixed ligand complexes of different compositions were prepared with water, sulfate ion and 1,2-ethanediol as ligand. IR spectra and the thermoanalytical curves of the complexes were recorded. Oxygen atoms bound by one or two coordinate bonds to the metal ion, or by hydrogen-bonds in the crystal, were observed. As for the water molecule, 1,2-ethanediol molecules of crystal and monohydrate type were found, depending on the type of binding of the oxygen atoms.This revised version was published online in November 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.