Multiple Bonds between Transition Metals and “Bare” Main Group Elements: Links between Inorganic Solid State Chemistry and Organometallic Chemistry

The last two decades have seen a dramatic development in the study of metal-metal multiple bonds, particular successes being recorded in the field of organometallic chemistry. Syntheses designed to produce novel transition metal complexes with single, double, triple and quadruple metal-metal bonds occupy a most important place in such research, as also do reactivity studies. A striving to establish general principles has provided much of the motivation for such work, but one less obvious goal—the commercial application of the catalytic properties of metal-metal multiple bonding systems, in the medium and long term—should not be overlooked. All aspects of the investigations of metal-metal multiple bonds also apply to a particular class of compound that has, however, enjoyed little lime-light and thus deserves the present review: complexes with multiple bonds between transition metals and substituent-free (“bare”) main group elements. Although based mostly on accidental discoveries, the few noteworthy examples are now beginning to unfold general concepts of synthesis that are capable of being extended and thus are deserving of exploitation in preparative chemistry. The availability of further structural patterns exhibiting multiple bonds between transition metals and ligand-free main group elements might enable preparative organometallic chemistry to expand in a completely new direction (for instance by the stabilizing or activation of small molecules at the metal complex). This essay discusses the chemistry of complexes of bare carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen ligands (carbido-, nitrido-, and oxo-complexes) and their relationships to higher homologues from both a synthetic and a structural point of view.     

Thermal investigations on γ-radiation processed natural medicinal products (Ashwagandha,Amla and Hartiki)

DSC and TG studies were carried out on -radiation processed Indian natural products of medicinal importance, namely Ashwagandha (Withania Somnifera), Amla (Emblica Officinalis) and Hartiki (Terminalia chebula). DSC thermoanalytical curves were recorded from 35 to 400°C in air and nitrogen atmosphere. Similarly, TG thermoanalytical curves were taken from 35 to 700°C in air and nitrogen atmosphere. Irradiated products gave significantly different thermoanalytical profiles in comparison to non-irradiated samples. The differences were observed above decomposition temperature of 200°C and were non-linear with respect to radiation dose. Partial oxidation of the products during irradiation in air could be responsible for the observed differences.     

Determination of the uronic acid composition of seaweed dietary fibre by HPLC

A high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method is described for determination of the ratio of beta-d-mannuronic acid to alpha-l-guluronic acid (M/G ratio) in dietary fibre of edible seaweeds. Total dietary fibre (TDF) content was determined gravimetrically. The TDF fraction was hydrolysed with 12 m and 1 m H(2)SO(4), then neutralized with AG 4 x 4 resin. The uronic acids were separated in a Tracer Extrasil SAX 5 micro m column (25 cm x 4 mm) at 35 degrees C, with 2 mm KH(2)PO(4) containing 5% methanol as mobile phase at a fl ow rate of 1.5 mL/min. The detection wavelength was UV 210 nm. The chromatographic identifications of beta-d-mannuronic acid and alpha-l-guluronic acid were confirmed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). The method precision was 1.4% for beta-d-mannuronic acid and 3.5% for alpha-l-guluronic acid. The method was used to determine M/G ratio in canned seaweeds (Saccorhiza polyschides and Himanthalia elongata) and in dried seaweeds (H. elongata, Laminaria ochroleuca, Undaria pinnatifida, Palmaria sp. and Porphyra sp.).     

Reactive scattering of sodium clusters with molecular oxygen

The first reactive differential scattering study for atomic clusters is reported. Oxidation of Na _x (x8) with O₂ is investigated in a crossed beam apparatus. Sodium oxide (Na _n O,n4) and sodium dioxide (Na _n O₂,n6) are produced with a total reactive cross section from 50 to 80 Ų, depending on the cluster size. The excess energies for these reactions are estimated by an SCF type ab initio calculation and range from 0.5 to 5 eV. The large cross section may then be understood quantitatively in terms of a harpooning mechanism as a first step in the reaction path. Angular distributions have been determined for the most abundant products, showing strong forward scattering. Two different schemes are discussed for the reaction: while the dioxides Na _n O₂ may be formed by an evaporative cooling process from a highly excited collision complex, formation of Na _n O appears to originate from a direct process. In both cases the experimental data suggest that most of the exothermicity remains in the reaction products.     

Dimeric water embedded within a hydrophobic cavity of tetra-(p-tert-butyl)thiacalix[4]arene

X-ray crystallographic analysis and density functional B3LYP/6-31G(d) calculation confirm that dimeric water is embedded within a hydrophobic cavity of tetra-(p-tert-butyl)thiacalix[4]arene and stabilized by hydrogen bondings of aromatic π?H₂O(1) and methyl?H₂O(2) in the dimeric water inclusion complex with binding energies of 1.4 and 0.9 kcal mol⁻¹ respectively, and by hydrogen bonding formed between H₂O(2) and four phenolic OH groups from an adjacent tetra-(p-tert-butyl)thiacalix[4]arene, with binding energy of 3.8-4.2 kcal mol⁻¹.     

Synthesis of Some New Heterobicyclic Nitrogen Systems Bearing 7H‐1,2,4‐Triazolo[1,5‐d]tetrazol‐6‐yl Moiety for Biological Interest

Reaction of 6‐mercapto‐7H‐1,2,4‐triazolo[1,5‐d]tetrazole ( 1 ) wtih 1,2‐phenylenediamine afforded N‐{7H‐1,2,4‐triazolo[1,5‐d]tetrazol‐6‐yl}‐1,2‐phenylenediamine which was cyclized to benzimidazolyl‐1,2,4‐triazolo[1,5‐d]tetrazoles using various one‐carbon cyclizing agents. Also, the treatment of 1 with maleic anhydride or phthalic anhydride gave the corresponding thio derivatives followed by hydrazinolysis to afford the thio heterobicyclic systems. Former structures of the products have been established upon elemental and spectral analyses.     

Pr0.5Ca0.5Mn0.97Ga0.03O3, a strongly strained system due to the coexistence of two orbital ordered phases at low temperature

Combining low-temperature electron (ED) and synchrotron powder diffraction (SPD) techniques, we have precisely determined the phase-separated crystal structure of Pr_0.5Ca_0.5Mn_0.97Ga_0.03O₃. We demonstrate that the phase separation is associated with the onset of charge/orbital ordering at ∼230 K and that two ordered phases coexist at low temperature. In order to account for the significant anisotropic linewidth broadening observed in the SPD patterns, we had to include a specific strain model in the refinements. One of the phases, the most severely strained, is suggested to result from an imperfect charge ordering.     

Survey of ligand field parameters of strong field d complexes obtained from the g matrix

Using a newly proposed approach involving an internally consistent set of equations, the ligand field parameters Δ/ξ, V/ξ and k are obtained from literature values of the g matrix for strong field d⁵ systems of various conformations in which |Δ/ξ|≤10. Qualitative analysis of the observed results is done using the Angular Overlap Model, AOM.     

Optimized POCl3-assisted synthesis of 2-amino-1,3,4-thiadiazole/1,3,4-oxadiazole derivatives as anti-influenza agents

Although recent decades have witnessed the synthesis of 1,3,4-thiadiazoles via phosphorus POCl₃-promoted cyclization reaction, simultaneous access to 2-amino-1,3,4-thiadiazole and 2-amino-1,3,4-oxadiazole analogs remains unexpected and elusive. Herein, a detailed regiocontrolled synthesis of 2-amino-1,3,4-thiadiazoles in good to high yields with good regioselectivities from readily available thiosemicarbazides using POCl₃ was disclosed. Meantime, to establish a comprehensive structure–activity relationship, 2-amino-1,3,4-oxadiazole derivatives as single regioisomers were prepared via EDCI·HCl-triggered cyclization of the thiosemicarbazide intermediates. The in vitro anti-influenza assays proved that the selected compounds with the pyrazine/pyridine ring exhibited certain inhibitory activities against influenza A virus strains A/HK/68 (H3N2) and A/PR/8/34 (H1N1) in MDCK cells. Among them, N-(adamantan-1-yl)-5-(5-(azepan-1-yl)pyrazin-2-yl)-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-amine (4j) was the most active compound, and exhibited favorable activity with EC₅₀ values of 3.5 μM and 7.5 μM, respectively. In addition, the molecular docking results explained the reason why compound 4j had dual inhibitory activity and revealed the reasonable binding mode of this compound with the M2-S31N and M2-WT ion channels. This compound had the potential to be further developed as an anti-influenza drug.     

Deviation from Ohm's law in electric field assisted capillary liquid chromatography

Earlier studies of electric field assisted LC (EF-LC) have shown that the effect on charged analytes of the application of an electric field over a capillary LC column is relatively small. Charged analytes can only be affected by the electric field while present in the mobile phase, which makes the effective time for influence of the electric field t(0) independent of retention time. Because the charged analytes only can be affected for a short time the electric field strength ought to be high in order to increase the impact of the electric field on the separation. We have, however, found that only a relatively low electric field strength can be used in EF-LC when pressure is used as main driving force. The useful field strength was limited by a dramatic increase in the current. This increase in current was found to origin from an increased concentration of buffer ions that have an electrophoretic mobility towards the pumped flow.