Self‐Assembled Tetragonal Prismatic Molecular Cage Highly Selective for Anionic π Guests

The metal‐directed supramolecular synthetic approach has paved the way for the development of functional nanosized molecules. In this work, we report the preparation of the new nanocapsule 3? (CF₃SO₃)₈ with a A₄B₂ tetragonal prismatic geometry, where A corresponds to the dipalladium hexaazamacrocyclic complex Pd‐1 , and B corresponds to the tetraanionic form of palladium 5,10,15,20‐tetrakis(4‐carboxyphenyl)porphyrin ( 2 ). The large void space of the inner cavity and the supramolecular affinity for guest molecules towards porphyrin‐based hosts converts this nanoscale molecular 3D structure into a good candidate for host–guest chemistry. The interaction between this nanocage and different guest molecules has been studied by means of NMR, UV/Vis, ESI‐MS, and DOSY experiments, from which highly selective molecular recognition has been found for anionic, planar‐shaped π guests with association constants (K_a) higher than 10⁹ M ^?1, in front of non‐interacting aromatic neutral or cationic substrates. DFT theoretical calculations provided insights to further understand this strong interaction. Nanocage 3? (CF₃SO₃)₈ can not only strongly host one single molecule of M(dithiolene)₂ complexes (M=Au, Pt, Pd, and Ni), but also can finely tune their optical and redox properties. The very simple synthesis of both the supramolecular cage and the building blocks represents a step forward for the development of polyfunctional supramolecular nanovessels, which offer multiple applications as sensors or nanoreactors.     

Direct Conjugate Addition of Alkynes with α,β‐Unsaturated Carbonyl Compounds Catalyzed by NCN‐Pincer Ru Complexes

NCN‐pincer Ru‐complexes containing bis(oxazolinyl)phenyl ligands serve as suitable catalysts in the direct conjugate additions of α,β‐unsaturated carbonyl compounds, including ketones, esters, and amides, as well as vinylphosphonates, giving various β‐alkynyl carbonyl and phosphonate compounds. A bis(oxazolinyl)phenyl (phebox)–Ru complex also catalyzes the asymmetric conjugate addition of an alkyne with a β‐substituted, α,β‐unsaturated ketone to produce a chiral β‐alkynyl ketone.     

Coumarinylmethyl Caging Groups with Redshifted Absorption

The small and synthetically easily accessible coumarinylmethyl backbone has been modified to generate a family of photolabile protecting groups with redshifted absorption. We relied on introducing electron‐donating groups in the 7 position and electron‐withdrawing groups in the 2‐, and 2‐ and 3 positions. In particular, we showed that the diethylamino‐thiocoumarylmethyl and the diethylamino‐coumarylidenemalononitrilemethyl are relevant for uncaging with cyan light. They both exhibit a significant action cross section for uncaging in the 470–500 nm wavelength range and a low light absorption between 350 and 400 nm. These attractive features are favorable to perform chromatic orthogonal photoactivation with UV and blue‐cyan light sources, respectively.     

Bioconjugatable Azo‐Based Dark‐Quencher Dyes: Synthesis and Application to Protease‐Activatable Far‐Red Fluorescent Probes

We describe the efficient synthesis and one‐step derivatization of novel, nonfluorescent azo dyes based on the Black Hole Quencher‐3 (BHQ‐3) scaffold. These dyes were equipped with various reactive and/or bioconjugatable groups (azido, α‐iodoacetyl, ketone, terminal alkyne, vicinal diol). The azido derivative was found to be highly reactive in the context of copper‐catalyzed azide–alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) reactions and allowed easy synthetic access to the first water‐soluble (sulfonated derivative) and aldehyde‐modified BHQ‐3 dyes, the direct preparation of which failed by means of conventional azo‐coupling reactions. The aldehyde‐ and α‐iodoacetyl‐containing fluorescence quenchers were readily conjugated to aminooxy‐ and cysteine‐containing peptides by the formation of a stable oxime or thioether linkage, respectively. Further fluorescent labeling of the resultant peptide conjugates with red‐ or far‐red‐emitting rhodamine or cyanine dyes through sequential and/or one‐pot bioconjugations, led to novel Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) based probes suitable for the in vivo detection and imaging of urokinase plasminogen activator, a key protease in cancer invasion and metastasis.     

Addition of Organometallic Reagents to Chiral N‐Methoxylactams: Enantioselective Syntheses of Pyrrolidines and Piperidines

Enantioselective iridium‐catalyzed allylic substitutions were used to prepare N‐allyl hydroxamic acid derivatives that were suitable for ring‐closing metathesis, giving N‐methoxylactams. Reactions of these derivatives with Grignard or organolithium compounds gave hemiaminals, which could be reduced diastereoselectively via acyliminium intermediates to give cis‐piperidines or cis‐pyrrolidines with substituents in the 2,6‐ or 2,5‐positions, respectively. In addition, compounds with a quaternary carbon center could be synthesized by corresponding reactions with potassium cyanide/AcOH. The procedures were applied in the syntheses of alkaloids (?)‐209D and (+)‐prosophylline.     

Quantum Chemical Insight of the Dimetallic Sulfide Endohedral Fullerene Sc2S@C70: Does It Possess the Conventional D5h Cage?

Like C₆₀, C₇₀ is one of the most representative fullerenes in fullerene science. Even though there are 8149 C₇₀ isomers, only two of them have been found before: the conventional D_5h and an isolated pentagon rule (IPR)‐violating C_2v(7854). Through the use of quantum chemical methods, we report a new unconventional C₇₀ isomer, C₂(7892), which survives in the form of dimetallic sulfide endohedral fullerene Sc₂S@C₇₀. Compared with the IPR‐obeying C₇₀ and the C_2v(7854) fullerene with three pairs of pentagon adjacencies, the C₂(7892) cage violates the isolated pentagon rule and has two pairs of pentagon adjacencies. In Sc₂S@C₂(7892)‐C₇₀, two scandium atoms coordinate with two pentalene motifs, respectively, presenting two equivalent Sc? S bonds. The strong coordination interaction, along with the electron transfer from the Sc₂S cluster to the fullerene cage, results in the stabilization of the non‐IPR endohedral fullerene. The electronic structure of Sc₂S@C₇₀ can be formally described as [Sc₂S]⁴⁺@[C₇₀]^4?; however, a substantial overlap between the metallic orbitals and cage orbitals has also been found. Electrochemical properties and electronic absorption, infrared, and ¹³C NMR spectra of Sc₂S@C₇₀ have been calculated theoretically.     

One-pot synthesis of 2-(dicyanomethylene)-1,2-dihydropyridine derivatives

The synthesis of 2-(dicyanomethylene)-1,2-dihydropyridine derivatives from the reactions of arylmethylidene derivatives of malononitrile dimers with 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds is described.     

Synthesis and Crystal Structures of Novel Copper(I) Clusters with Bridging Silyl Amide Ligands

Treatment of copper(I) chloride with R₂Si(NLiPh)₂ (R = Me, Ph) in thf led to the formation of the octanuclear cluster compounds [Cu₈{(R₂Si(NPh)₂}₄] [R = Me ( 1 ), Ph ( 2 ).] Compound 1 crystallizes in the tetragonal space group P4/n, with a = 1505.41(5) and c = 1911.32(7) pm. The X‐ray crystal structure determination revealed a cube shaped Cu₈ cluster core with μ₄ bridging Me₂Si(NPh)₂^2– ligands. The copper atoms display an almost linear coordination with Cu–N distances in the range of 191.1(3)–191.4(3) pm. The Cu–Cu distances are 265.7(1)–267.3(1) pm. Compound 2 forms monoclinic crystals, space group P2₁/n, with a = 1461.87(4), b = 2483.77(6), c = 2725.49(8) pm, β = 100.77(1)°. The cluster core of compound 2 consists formally of two mutually perpendicular arranged trigonal prisms, which share a common square face. Like in the case of compound 1 the square faces of the cluster core are capped by μ₄ bridging Ph₂Si(NPh)₂^2– ligands. The copper atoms adopt a nearly linear N–Cu–N coordination with Cu–N distances of 190.0(4)–195.1(4) pm. The Cu–Cu distances are 252.3(1)–305.6(1) pm.     

Separation of natural antioxidants using PDMS electrophoresis microchips coupled with amperometric detection and reverse polarity

This report describes the use of PDMS ME coupled with amperometric detection for rapid separation of ascorbic, gallic , ferulic, p‐coumaric acids using reverse polarity. ME devices were fabricated in PDMS by soft lithography and detection was accomplished using an integrated carbon fiber working electrode aligned in the end‐channel configuration. Separation and detection parameters were investigated and the best conditions were obtained using a run buffer consisting of 5 mM phosphate buffer (pH 6.9) and a detection voltage of 1.0 V versus Ag/AgCl reference electrode. All compounds were separated within 70 s using gated injection mode with baseline resolution and separation efficiencies between 1200 and 9000 plates. Calibration curves exhibited good linearity and the LODs achieved ranged from 1.7 to 9.7 μM. The precision for migration time and peak height provided maximum values of 4% for the intrachip studies. Lastly, the analytical method was successfully applied for the analysis of ascorbic and gallic acids in commercial beverage samples. The results achieved using ME coupled with amperometric detection were in good agreement with the values provided by the supplier. Based on the data reported here, the proposed method shows suitability to be applied for the routine analysis of beverage samples.     

Reactions of enaminones and related compounds with N,N-dimethylacetamide dimethyl acetal. A simple one-pot metal-free synthesis of polysubstituted benzene derivatives

Herein a simple one-pot metal-free synthesis of alkyl-, aryl-, heteroaryl- and alkoxycarbonyl substituted 1,3-bis(dimethylamino)benzene derivatives is described. The products were prepared from the corresponding methyl ketones or compounds with an α-methylene group in regard to the carbonyl group, using N,N-dimethylacetamide dimethyl acetal (DMADMA) as the reagent.