Substrate oxidation by copper-dioxygen adducts: mechanistic considerations

A series of copper-dioxygen adducts [{Cu(II)(MePY2)(R)}(2)(O(2))](B(C(6)F(5))(4))(2) (1(R)()), systematically varying in their electronic properties via ligand pyridyl donor substituents (R = H, MeO, and Me(2)N), oxidize a variety of substrates with varying C-H or O-H bond dissociation enthalpies. Detailed mechanistic studies have been carried out, including investigation of 1(R)() thermodynamic redox properties, 1(R)() tetrahydrofuran (THF) and N,N'-dimethylaniline (DMA) oxidation kinetics (including analyses of substrate dicopper binding equilibria), and application of mechanistic probes (N-cyclopropyl-N-methylaniline (CMA) and (p-methoxyphenyl)-2,2-dimethylpropanol (MDP)), which can distinguish if proton-coupled electron-transfer (PCET) processes proceed through concerted electron-transfer proton-transfer (ETPT) or consecutive electron-transfer proton-transfer (ET/PT) pathways. The results are consistent with those of previous complementary studies; at low thermodynamic driving force for substrate oxidation, an ET/PT is operable, but once ET (i.e., substrate one-electron oxidation) becomes prohibitively uphill, the ETPT pathway occurs. Possible differences in coordination structures about 1(Me)()()2(N)()/1(MeO)() compared to those of 1(H)() are also used to rationalize some of the observations.     

Location and orientation of the N,N-diisopropylethylamine template molecule in the AlPO4-18 framework by X-ray synchrotron diffraction and molecular modelling

Phase pure AlPO4 with the AlPO4-18 (AEI) structure was synthesised using N,N-diisopropylethyla-mine as a template. Using a combination of X-ray powder diffraction and computational methods, the location and orientation of the N,N-diisopropylethylamine molecules inside the cages of the AEI structure were determined. Thermogravimetric analysis confirmed that the number of template molecules per unit cell was consistent with the diffraction study. We unequivocally show that only one template molecule is present in each cage of the crystalline AEI material. Our work demon-strates that a combined approach enables accurate structure resolution of such complex materials.     

Identifying of charge-transfer transitions and reactive centers in M(diimine)(dithiolate) complexes by DFT techniques

This review is focused on theoretical aspects of mixed diimine–dithiolate complexes by means of DFT and TD-DFT methods. Thus, the geometry, the character of charge-transfer transitions and excited states in a series of M(diimine)(dithiolate), where M = Ni, Pd and Pt, is examined by DFT and TD-DFT techniques combined with polarized continuum model. The theoretical calculations reveal not only the role of the ligands – namely diimine and dithiolato and their substituents – but also the role of the metal in the excited triplet and singlet states and as a consequence in the properties of these complexes (electronic and photophysics) and their potential use as photosensitizers, NLO materials, light energy conversion materials and biological agents. The calculated energies of the lowest triplet and singlet state in all these complexes are in good agreement with absorption spectra and luminescence studies—where they are available. The contribution of the metal in the chemical and photophysics properties of this class of compounds is also demonstrated by two indices derived by DFT techniques: NICS (for chemical) and Fukui functions (for chemical and photophysical properties). The former acts as a meter of the delocalization of these molecules whereas the latter identifies the reactive centres of the molecule. All the theoretical results are in accordance with the experimental ones—geometrical structures, absorption, luminescence and ¹H NMR spectra as well as products of given reactions, indicating the applicability of the DFT and TD-DFT techniques in examining the properties of metal coordinated complexes especially in a series of the same class of compounds.     

A vibrational and DFT study of M(diimine)(dithiolate) complexes and their complexation route

A complete vibrational spectra analysis of the Pd(phen)(bdt), the free ligands, where phen=1,10-phenanthroline and bdt=1,2-benzenedithiolate and the starting material of its synthesis, Pd(phen)Cl(2), is performed in this paper. The molecular geometry, binding and spectroscopic properties for the aforementioned compounds are studied in detail by FT-IR, Raman and DFT methods using B3LYP functional together with basis sets of valence triple-zeta quality. Further, changes in FT-IR and Raman spectra during complexation are monitored revealing the electron delocalization over ligands. They are also consistent with pi-back donation theory.     

Sol gel synthesis of 3-n-propyl(4-aminomethyl)pyridinium silsesquioxane chloride and the enhanced electrocatalytic activity of LbL films

Journal of Sol-Gel Science and Technology - A silsesquioxane based on a silica matrix and 4-(aminomethyl)pyridine group was successfully synthesized using the sol–gel process with the...     

Practical synthesis and applications of benzoboroxoles

A convenient one-pot synthesis of benzoboroxoles has been developed via the reaction of o-bromobenzyl alcohols with NaH, ⁿBuLi, and B(OⁱPr)₃ followed by acidic hydrolysis. Applications of these benzoboroxoles have been demonstrated in Pd-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions and the protocol has been extended for the synthesis of a chiral benzoboroxole. Exceptionally short synthesis of a potent antifungal agent AN2690 and several of its analogs has also been realized.     

Concise Syntheses of bis‐Strychnos Alkaloids (−)‐Sungucine, (−)‐Isosungucine,and (−)‐Strychnogucine B from (−)‐Strychnine

The first chemical syntheses of complex, bis‐Strychnos alkaloids (?)‐sungucine ( 1 ), (?)‐isosungucine ( 2 ), and (?)‐strychnogucine B ( 3 ) from (?)‐strychnine ( 4 ) is reported. Key steps included (1) the Polonovski–Potier activation of strychnine N‐oxide; (2) a biomimetic Mannich coupling to forge the signature C23?C5′ bond that joins two monoterpene indole monomers; and (3) a sequential HBr/NaBH₃CN‐mediated reduction to fashion the ethylidene moieties in 1 – 3 . DFT calculations were employed to rationalize the regiochemical course of reactions involving strychnine congeners.     

A Regularity Result of Nikolskii Type for an Evolution Equation on Compact Homogeneous Spaces

In the previous paper [2], we proposed a definition of a class of function spaces of Nikolskii type on a special class of riemannian manifolds, namely the manifolds M admitting a transitive compact connected Lie group of isometries. In this paper we continue the subject and we complete the proof that the spaces we have introduced coincide with the classical ones, defined through (finitely many) local charts of M. Moreover, our equivalent definition of these spaces allows us to prove here a regularity result for the solution of a Stefan-like problem on M, in which the initial datum is assumed to be of Nikolskii type.     

Combined effect of temperature and organic modifier concentration on the retention under single mode gradient conditions in reversed-phase HPLC

The combined effect of temperature, T, and organic modifier concentration, phi, on the retention under gradient conditions in RPLC is studied by considering, both theoretically and experimentally gradients, of phi at constant T and gradients of T at constant phi. Two approaches are examined: in the first approach the prediction of the elution time of a sample solute is based on the isocratic/isothermal properties of this solute. The second approach is based on a direct fitting procedure of a proper retention model to 2-D isocratic/T-gradient or isothermal/phi-gradient retention data. These approaches were tested using alkylbenzes in eluting systems modified by ACN. We found that both approaches can give excellent predictions under certain prerequisites. However, the first approach exhibits the notable advantage that it can be used effectively to predict retention times under any kind of phi-gradients at constant T or T-gradients at constant phi. The second approach has the advantage that it is relatively simple but its applicability is very restricted since its predictions are satisfactory only if the gradients are of the same kind with those used in the fitting procedure and the conditions lie within those used for fitting.