Synthesis and Stereochemistry of New Bis(1,3-Oxathian-2-yl) Derivatives: Epimerisation and Chair–Twist Equilibria

The synthesis and stereochemistry of some new bis(1,3-oxathian-2-yl) derivatives are reported. The conformational behavior of these compounds and the orientation of their substituents are deduced from the NMR spectra, from the X-ray crystal structures of two compounds and from the ab-initio level calculations. The epimerization of diastereoisomers and the chair ⇌ 22,5-twist equilibria were studied by variable temperature NMR.     

Organotin and tin(IV) derivatives of dimethyldithioarsinic acid

Organotin derivatives of dimethyldithioarsinic (dithocacodylic) acid have been obtained from the appropriate organotin chloride and the sodium salt of the latter. Tin(IV) chloride and NaS₂AsMe₂ · 2 H₂O yielded only two products, namely Cl₂Sn(S₂AsMe₂)₂ and Sn (S₂AsMe₂)₄, regardless of the reagent ratio. Spectroscopic characterization of the compounds (infrared and¹H NMR) provides structural information suggesting that the dimethyldithioarsinato group behaves as monodentate (or anisobidentate) ligand in Me₂Sn(S₂AsMe₂)₂, Bu₂Sn-(S₂AsMe₂)₂ and Cy₃Sn(S₂AsMe₂), as bidentate in Ph₂Sn(S₂AsMe₂)₂, Ph₃Sn(S₂AsMe₂) and Cl₂As(S₂AsMe₂)₂, whereas Sn(S₂AsMe₂)₄ contains both mono- and bidentate ligands, presumably in a six-coordinate structure.     

Density functional theory study of nine-atom germanium clusters: effect of electron count on cluster geometry

Density functional theory (DFT) at the hybrid B3LYP level has been applied to the germanium clusters Ge(9)(z) clusters (z = -6, -4, -3, -2, 0, +2, and +4) starting from three different initial configurations. Double-zeta quality LANL2DZ basis functions extended by adding one set of polarization (d) and one set of diffuse (p) functions were used. The global minimum for Ge(9)(2)(-) is the tricapped trigonal prism expected by Wade's rules for a 2n + 2 skeletal electron structure. An elongated tricapped trigonal prism is the global minimum for Ge(9)(4)(-) similar to the experimentally found structure for the isoelectronic Bi(9)(5+). However, the capped square antiprism predicted by Wade's rules for a 2n + 4 skeletal electron structure is only 0.21 kcal/mol above this global minimum indicating that these two nine-vertex polyhedra have very similar energies in this system. Tricapped trigonal prismatic structures are found for both singlet and triplet Ge(9)(6)(-), with the latter being lower in energy by 3.66 kcal/mol and far less distorted. The global minimum for the hypoelectronic Ge(9) is a bicapped pentagonal bipyramid. However, a second structure for Ge(9) only 4.54 kcal/mol above this global minimum is the C(2)(v)() flattened tricapped trigonal prism structure found experimentally for the isoelectronic Tl(9)(9)(-). For the even more hypoelectronic Ge(9)(2+), the lowest energy structure consists of an octahedron fused to two trigonal bipyramids. For Ge(9)(4+), the global minimum is an oblate (squashed) pentagonal bipyramid with two pendant Ge vertices.     

Linkage isomerism in nitrite reduction by cytochrome cd1 nitrite reductase

Nitrite reduction by cytochrome cd(1) nitrite reductase (cd(1)NIR) is currently accepted to involve coordination of the nitrite nitrogen atom to the ferrous d(1) heme. Here, density functional theory results are reported on the previously unexplored O-binding of nitrite to ferrous and ferric cd(1)NIR. Although the N-isomer (nitro) is energetically favored over the O-nitrite (nitrito), even one single strong hydrogen bond may provide the energy required to put the two isomers on level terms. When hydrogen bonding existent at the cd(1)NIR active site is accounted for in the computational model, the O-nitrite isomer is found to spontaneously protonate and thus yield a ferric-hydroxo species, liberating nitric oxide. An O-nitrite ferrous cd(1)NIR complex appears to be an energetically feasible intermediate for nitrite reduction. O-Coordination would offer an advantage since the end product of nitrite reduction would be a ferric-hydroxo/water complex, rather than the more kinetically inert iron-nitrosyl complex implied by the N-nitrite mechanism.     

Influences of changes in multitopic tris(pyrazolyl)methane ligand topology on silver(I) supramolecular structures

The reactions between silver tetrafluoroborate and the ligands 1,2,4,5-C(6)H(2)[CH(2)OCH(2)C(pz)(3)](4) (L1, pz = pyrazolyl ring), o-C(6)H(4)[CH(2)OCH(2)C(pz)(3)](2) (L2), and m-C(6)H(4)[CH(2)OCH(2)C(pz)(3)](2) (L3) yield coordination polymers of the formula (C(6)H(6)(-)(n)[CH(2)OCH(2)C(pz)(3)](n)(AgBF4)(m))( infinity ) (n = 4, m = 2, 1; n = 2, ortho substitution, m = 1, 2; meta substitution, m = 2, 3). In the solid state, L2 molecules dimerize by a pair of C-H.pi interactions, forming an arrangement that resembles the tetratopic ligand L1. In the solid-state structure of 1, each silver atom is kappa(2)-bonded to two tris(pyrazolyl)methane units from different ligands with the overall structure a polymer made up from 32-atom macrocyclic rings formed by bonding tris(pyrazolyl)methane groups from nonadjacent positions on the central arene rings to the same two silver atoms. In 2, each silver is bonded to two tris(pyrazolyl)methane units in the same kappa(2)-kappa(2) fashion as with 1, forming a polymer chain. The chains are organized into dimeric units by strong face-to-face pi-pi stacking between the central arene rings making bitopic L2 act as half of tetratopic L1. The chains in both structures are organized by weak C-H.F hydrogen bonds and pi-pi stacking interactions into very similar 3D supramolecular architectures. The structure of 3 contains three types of silvers with the overall 3D supramolecular sinusoidal structure comprised of 32-atom macrocycles. Infrared studies confirm the importance of the noncovalent interactions. Calculations at the DFT (B3LYP/6-31G) level of theory have been carried out on L2 and also support C-H.pi interactions. Electrospray mass spectral data collected from acetone or acetonitrile show the presence of aggregated species such as [(L)Ag(2)(BF(4))](+) and [(L)Ag(2)](2+), despite the fact that (1)H NMR spectra of all compounds show that acetonitrile completely displaces the ligand whereas acetone does not.     

Synthesis and antibacterial properties of new phenothiazinyl- and phenyl-nitrones

The synthesis of new phenothiazinyl- and phenyl-nitrones under classical versus microwave heating conditions is described. Better yields were obtained under microwave irradiation in the condensation reactions of phenothiazyl-carbaldehyde with hydroxylamine derivatives. The structures of the new phenothiazinyl-nitrones were assigned on the basis of MS, FT–IR and NMR spectra. The new nitrones and some known phenyl-nitrones were screened for their antibacterial and antifungal activity against several Candida species, Gram negative bacteria, such as E. coli, Citrobacter spp, Morganella spp, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae (± ESBL), Proteus spp, Acinetobacter spp and the Gram positive bacterium Staphylococcus aureus, with moderate results.     

Binuclear cyclopentadienylcobalt sulfur and phosphinidene complexes Cp2Co2E2 (E = S, PX): Comparison with their Iron carbonyl analogues

Density functional theory studies on a series of Cp₂Co₂E₂ derivatives (E = S and PX; X = H, Cl, OH, OMe, NH₂, NMe₂) predict global minimum butterfly structures with one Co-Co bond for the “body” of the butterfly and four Co-E bonds at the edges of the “wings” of the butterfly. Tetrahedrane structures with both Co-Co and E-E bonds are higher in energy for Cp₂Co₂S₂ and Cp₂Co₂(PH)₂ and are not found in the other systems. This differs from the corresponding Fe₂(CO)₆S₂ and Fe₂(CO)₆(PX)₂ derivatives where tetrahedrane structures are predicted to be the lowest energy structures for all cases except X = NR₂ and OH and such a tetrahedrane structure is found experimentally for Fe₂(CO)₆S₂. The butterfly structures for the Cp₂Co₂E₂ derivatives are of two types. For Cp₂Co₂(PX)₂ (X = H, OH, OMe, NH₂, NMe₂) the lowest energy structures are unsymmetrical butterflies Cp₂Co₂(P)(PX₂) with two X groups on one phosphorus atom and a lone pair on the other (naked) phosphorus atom. Related low-energy unsymmetrical butterfly Fe₂(CO)₆(P)(PX₂) structures, not observed in previous theoretical studies, are now found for the corresponding Fe₂(CO)₆(PX)₂ derivatives. Symmetrical butterfly singlet diradical structures with one X group on each phosphorus atom in relative cis or trans positions are also found for the Cp₂Co₂(PX)₂ derivatives and are the global minima for Cp₂Co₂(PCl)₂ as well as Cp₂Co₂S₂. In all cases the cis structures are of lower energy than the corresponding trans structures. Rhombus structures having neither Co-Co nor E-E bonds are also found for all of the Cp₂Co₂(PX)₂ derivatives but always at higher energies than the butterfly structures, ranging from 17 to 29 kcal/mol above the global minima.     

Ab initio calculations of electronic interactions in inclusion complexes of calix- and thiacalix[n]arenes and block s cations

Ab initio calculations at the HF/6-31G(d) level of theory were performed on a series of thiacalix[4]arenes and calix[6]arenes in presence and in absence of monovalent (Li⁺, Na⁺ and Cs⁺) and divalent cations (Ca²⁺ and Ba²⁺) respectively, in order to evaluate their particular bonding properties as host systems towards electrically charged species. NBO, as well as NBO deletion calculations were undertaken to evaluate the energy difference in the circular hydrogen bonding at the lower rim once an ion was placed inside the cavity. Disruption of this H-bonded system is dependent on the position of the ion within the guest and not on its ionic ratio. The basis set superposition error and the NBO deletion energy between the host and guest species were calculated in order to assess the interaction energy between them.