Natural abundance solid-state 67Zn NMR characterization of microporous zinc phosphites and zinc phosphates at ultrahigh magnetic field

Zinc-phosphite and -phosphate based microporous materials are crystalline open framework materials with potential industrial applications. Although (31)P MAS NMR has been used for characterization of these materials, the local environments around zinc centres have never been directly probed by solid-state NMR due to the many unfavourable NMR characteristics of (67)Zn. In this work, we have characterized the local structure around the Zn centres in several representative microporous zinc phosphites and zinc phosphates by acquiring natural abundance (67)Zn solid-state NMR spectra at ultrahigh magnetic field of 21.1 T. The observed line-shapes are mainly determined by the second order quadrupolar interaction. The NMR tensor parameters were extracted from the spectra and are related to the local geometry around the Zn centre. Computational study of the electric field gradient (EFG) tensor at Zn was performed using hybrid density functional theory (DFT) calculations at B3LYP level of theory on model clusters. The calculations using Projector Augmented-Wave (PAW) method were also carried out with the CASTEP code wherever it was possible. The work has shown that it is possible to study Zn environments in porous materials which often have very low Zn concentration by natural abundance (67)Zn SSNMR at very high magnetic fields.     

Characterization of Zn‐Containing Metal–Organic Frameworks by Solid‐State 67Zn NMR Spectroscopy and Computational Modeling

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are an extremely important class of porous materials with many applications. The metal centers in many important MOFs are zinc cations. However, their Zn environments have not been characterized directly by ⁶⁷Zn solid‐state NMR (SSNMR) spectroscopy. This is because ⁶⁷Zn (I=5/2) is unreceptive with many unfavorable NMR characteristics, leading to very low sensitivity. In this work, we report, for the first time, a ⁶⁷Zn natural abundance SSNMR spectroscopic study of several representative zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs) and MOFs at an ultrahigh magnetic field of 21.1 T. Our work demonstrates that ⁶⁷Zn magic‐angle spinning (MAS) NMR spectra are highly sensitive to the local Zn environment and can differentiate non‐equivalent Zn sites. The ⁶⁷Zn NMR parameters can be predicted by theoretical calculations. Through the study of MOF‐5 desolvation, we show that with the aid of computational modeling, ⁶⁷Zn NMR spectroscopy can provide valuable structural information on the MOF systems with structures that are not well described. Using ZIF‐8 as an example, we further demonstrate that ⁶⁷Zn NMR spectroscopy is highly sensitive to the guest molecules present inside the cavities. Our work also shows that a combination of ⁶⁷Zn NMR data and molecular dynamics simulation can reveal detailed information on the distribution and the dynamics of the guest species. The present work establishes ⁶⁷Zn SSNMR spectroscopy as a new tool complementary to X‐ray diffraction for solving outstanding structural problems and for determining the structures of many new MOFs yet to come.     

Fusaspirols A-D,novel oxaspirol derivatives isolated from Fusarium solani B-18

Four novel compounds with γ-methylidene-spirobutanolide core, fusaspirols A-D, were isolated from the brown rice culture of Fusarium solani B-18. Their structures were established by extensive spectroscopic analyses of 1D/2D-NMR, HRESITOFMS, and chemical derivatization. The absolute configurations of secondary alcohols in fusaspirols A and D were determined using modified Mosher's ester method. Fusaspirol A and 4,9-di-O-acetylfusaspirol A activated a signaling pathway in osteoclastic differentiation of murine macrophage derived RAW264.7?cells.     

Solid‐State 73Ge NMR Spectroscopy of Simple Organogermanes

Germanium‐73 is an extremely challenging nucleus to examine by NMR spectroscopy due to its unfavorable NMR properties. Through the use of an ultrahigh (21.1 T) magnetic field, a systematic study of a series of simple organogermanes was carried out. In those cases for which X‐ray structural data were available, correlations were drawn between the NMR parameters and structural metrics. These data were combined with DFT calculations to obtain insight into the structures of several compounds with unknown crystal structures.     

Alkoxyl- and carbon-centered radicals as primary agents for degrading non-phenolic lignin-substructure model compounds

Lignin degradation by white-rot fungi proceeds via free radical reaction catalyzed by oxidative enzymes and metabolites. Basidiomycetes called selective white-rot fungi degrade both phenolic and non-phenolic lignin substructures without penetration of extracellular enzymes into the cell wall. Extracellular lipid peroxidation has been proposed as a possible ligninolytic mechanism, and radical species degrading the recalcitrant non-phenolic lignin substructures have been discussed. Reactions between the non-phenolic lignin model compounds and radicals produced from azo compounds in air have previously been analysed, and peroxyl radical (PR) is postulated to be responsible for lignin degradation (Kapich et al., FEBS Lett., 1999, 461, 115-119). However, because the thermolysis of azo compounds in air generates both a carbon-centred radical (CR) and a peroxyl radical (PR), we re-examined the reactivity of the three radicals alkoxyl radical (AR), CR and PR towards non-phenolic monomeric and dimeric lignin model compounds. The dimeric lignin model compound is degraded by CR produced by reaction of 2,2'-azobis(2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride (AAPH), which under N(2) atmosphere cleaves the α-β bond in 1-(4-ethoxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-2-(2-methoxyphenoxy)-1,3-propanediol to yield 4-ethoxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde. However, it is not degraded by the PR produced by reaction of Ce(4+)/tert-BuOOH. In addition, it is degraded by AR produced by reaction of Ti(3+)/tert-BuOOH. PR and AR are generated in the presence and absence of veratryl alcohol, respectively. Rapid-flow ESR analysis of the radical species demonstrates that AR but not PR reacts with the lignin model compound. Thus, AR and CR are primary agents for the degradation of non-phenolic lignin substructures.     

Fusopoltides B–E,new polyketides isolated from Fusarium solani B-18

Four new polyketides, fusopoltides B–E, were isolated, along with four known compounds, from Fusarium solani B-18 cultured on brown-rice. Fusopoltide B is a diastereomer of its co-isolated known compound, fusopoltide A, featuring a pentaleno[1,2-c]pyran ring system. Fusopoltide C and fusopoltides D–E are incorporated the first natural polyketides featured decahydro-pentaleno[1,2-c]pyran and pentaleno[1,2-c]furan ring systems, respectively. The structural assignments were established using comprehensive spectroscopic techniques, the modified Mosher's ester method, and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculations.     

Nectrianolins A,B, and C,new metabolites produced by endophytic fungus Nectria pseudotrichia 120-1NP

Two sesquiterpene-epoxycyclohexenone conjugates, nectrianolins A (1) and B (2), together with a sesquiterpene, nectrianolin C (3), were isolated from the brown rice culture of Nectria pseudotrichia 120-1NP, an endophytic fungus isolated from Gliricidia sepium. Their structures were determined on the basis of 1D-/2D-NMR spectroscopy and HRESIMS data analyses in combination with chemical means. Nectrianolins A–C (1–3) exhibited cytotoxic activity against both HL60 and HeLa cells.