Resonances in Muon Transfer from Muonic Hydrogen to Oxygen and Neon

The influence of resonances on the muon transfer processes from muonic hydrogen to oxygen and neon (pμ)_1s + O⁸⁺ → p + (μO)_nl⁷⁺ and (pμ)_1s + Ne¹⁰⁺ → p + (μNe)_nl⁹⁺ is considered using the Smith lifetime matrix formalism. It is shown that the existence of a long lived resonance in the case of Ne induces a stronger dependence on collision energy of the muon transfer cross-section for this system. Present address: Chemistry Department, Vancouver University, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada     

Single-run analysis of retinal isomers, retinol and photooxidation products by high-performance liquid chromatography

A high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) procedure was developed to allow the rapid separation, in a single run, of a mixture of the main retinal isomers (all-trans, 13-cis, 9-cis), all-trans-retinol, and of the two major photooxygenated photoproducts (5,8-peroxyretinal and 5,6-epoxyretinal). The mixture was separated by HPLC on an octadecyl (ODS) column with 16% (v/v) diethyl ether in hexane as mobile phase and anthracene as the internal standard. A commercial type cosmetic formulation containing 0.05% all-trans-retinal was analyzed successfully for this analyte.     

On the reactivity of isoindolo[2,1-a]quinazoline-5-ones

Base- and acid-catalyzed nucleophilic addition of 11H-isoindolo[2,1-a]quinazoline-5-one to aromatic aldehydes and maleimides was investigated. The aldol adducts and condensation products were obtained stereoselectively. Main diastereomers of the Michael adducts were isolated in 74-89% yield, and converted by N-methylation to new stable α-substituted isoindole derivatives, for which 6-methylisoindolo[2,1-a]]quinazoline-5-one stands as the unsubstituted reference. The stability of the latter was monitored in moist aerated CDCl₃ solution, and one of the oxidative hydrolysis product was characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis as the corresponding N-arylphthalimide. The reactivity of the unsubstituted 6-methylisoindolo[2,1-a]]quinazoline-5-one was also investigated with acetylenic Michael acceptors. Fully conjugated isoindole derivatives possessing an original pull-push-pull structure were obtained. The conformations and molecular orbitals of the dibenzoylacetylene adduct were studied at the DFT level of theory. Its static quadratic hyperpolarizabilty β₀ was also calculated at the ZINDO level.     

Phosphino-(α-sulfinylalkyl)phosphonium ylide complexes (Rh,Pd) with a configurationally stable asymmetric ylidic carbon

The synthesis and structure of Rh(I) and Pd(II) complexes of chiral P,C-chelating phosphino-(α-sulfinylalkyl)phosphonium ylide ligands with a trisubstituted asymmetric ylidic center P⁺–C1R(S1(O)p-Tol)–M (R = alkyl group) have been investigated, and compared to those of the analogous disubstituted ylide complexes (R = H). Reaction of the ethyl onium ylide of o-bis(diphenylphosphino)benzene with (?)-menthyl-(S)-p-tolylsulfinate afforded the corresponding racemic erythro phosphino-(α-sulfinylethyl)phosphonium in 90% de (R = Me). The racemization process is interpreted by a Berry-like pseudorotation mechanism driven by the steric repulsion between the α-methyl substituent and the bulky menthyloxy S-substituent or sulfur lone pair in the intermediate ylide-sulfinyl adduct. The ylide of phosphino-(α-sulfinylethyl)phosphonium reacts with [Rh(cod)₂][PF₆] and PdCl₂(MeCN)₂ to afford the corresponding P,C1-chelated threo-Rh(I) and erythro-Pd(II) mononuclear complexes in 70% yield and total diastereoselectivity. These respective complexes act as efficient catalytic precursors for the hydrogenation of (Z)-α-acetamidocinnamic acid and allylic substitution of 3-acetoxy-1,3-diphenyl-1-propene with sodium dimethyl malonate. The bonding features of the erythro-Pd(II) complex exhibiting a sulfinyl O?Pd interaction are studied theoretically at the DFT level using ELF and MESP analyses. The η²-P,C haptomeric form of the ylide ligand is estimated to compete at 19% with the η¹-C haptomeric form dominating at 81%.     

Towards the limit of atropochiral stability: H-MIOP, an N-heterocyclic carbene precursor and cationic analogue of the H-MOP ligand

The configurational stability of biaryl motifs is addressed for the 1-naphthyl-N-benzimidazolyl motif substituted by a single diphenylphosphinyl group at the 2-position. The atropoenantiomers of the N-methylated cation H-MIOP, a less sterically locked analogue of the neutral H-MOP ligand, were resolved by enantiospecific cleavage of the N(2)C-P bond of the resolved enantiomers of BIMIONAP. The latter were obtained by enantiospecific N-methylation of the previously resolved enantiomers of neutral BIMINAP. PdCl(2) complexes of the P,C-chelating N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-phosphine ligands derived from (R)- and (S)-H-MIOP were prepared by two enantiospecific routes: by N(2)C-P bond cleavage from the (R)- and (S)-BIMIONAP-PdCl(2) complexes, or by simultaneous coordination of the P and C atoms of the in situ generated free NHC-phosphine. The enantiomerization pathways of H-MOP, H-MIOP, and corresponding NHC-phosphine have been investigated at the B3PW91/6-31G(d,p) level of theory. The calculated enantiomerization barriers of H-MOP and H-MIOP in acetonitrile are equal to 176.0 and 146.4 kJ mol(-1), respectively, and are mainly determined by the distortion of the naphthalene and/or benzimidazole motifs in the transition state. Beyond the stability of their optical rotation at room temperature, the respective calculated Oki's racemization temperatures of 334 and 225 °C allowed us to consider both ligands as configurationally stable.     

Flexible diphosphine ligands with overall charges of 0, +1, and +2: critical role of the electrostatics in favoring trans over cis coordination

The influence of the formal electrostatic interaction on the cis/trans coordination mode at a PdCl(2) center is investigated in a family of isostructural flexible diphosphine ligands Ph(2)P-X-C(6)H(4)-Y-PPh(2), where X and Y stand for neutral or cationic N,C-imidazolylene linkers. While the neutral and monocationic diphosphine spontaneously behave as classical cis-chelating ligands, only the dicationic diphosphine, where the electrostatic repulsion between the formal positive charges specifically takes place, is observed to behave as a trans-chelating ligand. The crucial role of electrostatics is analyzed on the basis of (31)P NMR data in solution and X-ray diffraction data in the crystal state. Comparative theoretical studies of the cis- and trans-chelated complexes, including EDA, static (31)P NMR, MESP, and AIM analyses, have been undertaken on the basis of DFT calculations in the gas phase or in the acetonitrile continuum. Whereas the cis-coordination mode is shown to be thermodynamically favored for the neutral ligand, the trans-coordination mode is found to be preferred for the dicationic homologue. The stereochemical preference is thus shown to be parallel to the expected effect of the formal electrostatic interaction. The results open perspectives for control of the cis- and trans-chelating behavior of flexible bidentate ligands by more or less reversible charge transfer at the periphery of the coordination sphere of a metallic center.     

The C-Cl···π interactions inside supramolecular nanotubes of hexaethynylhexamethoxy[6]pericyclyne

Model complexes of hexaethynylhexamethoxy[6]pericyclyne (HM6P) molecules, with or without dichloromethane (DCM) guests, have been calculated at the M05-2X/6-311G(d,p) DFT level. Analysis of nonbonding interactions shows that the cohesion of the supramolecular tubular assemblies previously observed in the crystal state, relies mainly on C-H···O hydrogen bonds between axial ethynyl and equatorial methoxy substituents of stacked HM6P C(18) macrocycles in a cyclohexane-like chair conformation. The intrinsic binding energy of one HM6P molecule with two neighbors is calculated to be more than 40 kcal mol(-1). The inner channel of the stacks (of ca. 8 ? diameter) are suitable for hosting DCM molecules. Using the Atoms In Molecules (AIM) theory, the interaction between DCM molecules and surrounding triple bonds is analyzed in terms of σ-hole-directed C-Cl···π halogen bonds. A σ-hole-directed Cl···Cl interaction between two chlorine atoms of different DCM molecules is also evidenced.