Selective Transesterification to Control Copolymer Microstructure in the Ring-Opening Copolymerization of Lactide and ε-Caprolactone by Lanthanum Complexes.

A series of novel lanthanum amido complexes, supported by ligands designed around the salan framework (salan = N,N'-bis(o-hydroxy, m-di-tert-butylbenzyl)-1,2-diaminoethane) were synthesized and fully characterized in the solid and solution states. The ligands incorporate benzyl or 2-pyridyl substituents at each tertiary amine center. The complexes were investigated as catalysts in the ring-opening homopolymerization of lactide (LA) and ε-caprolactone (ε-CL) and copolymerization of equimolar amounts of LA and ε-CL at ambient temperature. Solvent (THF or toluene) and the number of 2-pyridyl groups in the complex were found to influence the reactivity of the catalysts in copolymerization reactions. In all cases, complete conversion of LA to PLA was observed. The use of THF, a coordinating solvent, suppressed ε-CL polymerization, while the presence of one or more 2-pyridyl groups promoted ε-CL polymerization. Each copolymer gave a monomodal trace in gel permeation chromatography-size-exclusion chromatography (GPC-SEC) experiments, indicative of copolymer formation over homopolymerization. Copolymer microstructure was found to be dependent on catalyst structure and reaction solvent, ranging from blocky to close to alternating. Experiments revealed rapid conversion of LA in the initial stages of the reaction, followed by incorporation of ε-CL into the copolymer by either transesterification or propagation reactions. Significantly, the mode of transesterification (TI or TII) that occurs is determined by the structure of the metal complex and the reaction solvent, leading to the possibility of controlling copolymer microstructure through catalyst design.

Chiral Co3Y Propeller-Shaped Chemosensory Platforms Based on 19F-NMR.

Two propeller-shaped chiral CoIII3YIII complexes built from fluorinated ligands are synthesized and characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction (SXRD), IR, UV-vis, circular dichroism (CD), elemental analysis, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), electron spray ionization mass spectroscopy (ESI-MS), and NMR (1H, 13C, and 19F). This work explores the sensing and discrimination abilities of these complexes, thus providing an innovative sensing method using a 19F NMR chemosensory system and opening new directions in 3d/4f chemistry. Control experiments and theoretical studies shed light on the sensing mechanism, while the scope and limitations of this method are discussed and presented.

Hydrogen bond templated synthesis of catenanes and rotaxanes from a single isophthalic acid derivative.

Hydrogen bond templated [2]catenanes and [2]rotaxanes have been synthesized using azide precursors derived from a single isophthalic acid derivative precursor. The interlocked molecules were prepared using either stoichiometric or near stoichiometric amounts of macrocycle and CuAAC "click" precursors, with yields of up to 70% for the mechanical bond formation step. Successful preparation of the interlocked structures was confirmed by NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry, with detail of co-conformational behaviour being elucidated by a range of 1H NMR spectroscopic experiments.

Photochemical Oxidation of Pt(IV)Me3(1,2-diimine) Thiolates to Luminescent Pt(IV) Sulfinates.

We report the formation of dinuclear complexes from, and photochemical oxidation of, (CH3)3-Pt(IV)(N^N) (N^N = 1,2-diimine derivatives) complexes of thiophenolate ligands to the analogous sulfinates (CH3)3Pt(N^N)(SO2Ph) and structural, spectroscopic, and theoretical studies of the latter revealing tunable photophysics depending upon the 1,2-diimine ligands. Electron-rich thiolate and conjugated 1,2-diimines encourage formation of thiolate-bridged dinuclear complexes; smaller 1,2-diimines or electron-poor thiolates favor mononuclear complexes. Photooxidation of the thiolate ligand yields hitherto unreported Pt(IV)-SO2R complexes, promoted by electron-deficient thiolates such as 4-nitrothiophenol, which exclusively forms the sulfinate complex. Such complexes exhibit expected absorptions due to π-π* ligand transitions of the 1,2-diimines mixed with spin-allowed singlet MLCT (d-π*) at relatively high energy (270-290 nm), as well as unexpected broad, lower energy absorptions between 360 and 490 nm. DFT data indicate that these low energy absorption bands result from excitation of Pt-S and Pt-C σ-bonding electrons to π* orbitals on sulfinate and 1,2-diimine, the latter of which gives rise to emission in the visible range.

An amide hydrogen bond templated [1]rotaxane displaying a peptide motif - demonstrating an expedient route to synthetic mimics of lasso peptides.

The rapid synthesis of an amide hydrogen bond templated [1]rotaxane is reported - demonstrating a potential pathway to synthetic analogues of lasso peptides. The structures of the [1]rotaxane and its unthreaded isomer have been characterized by NMR spectroscopy and modelled using DFT calculations.

Epigallocatechin-3-gallate remodels apolipoprotein A-I amyloid fibrils into soluble oligomers in the presence of heparin.

Amyloid deposits of WT apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I), the main protein component of high-density lipoprotein, accumulate in atherosclerotic plaques where they may contribute to coronary artery disease by increasing plaque burden and instability. Using CD analysis, solid-state NMR spectroscopy, and transmission EM, we report here a surprising cooperative effect of heparin and the green tea polyphenol (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a known inhibitor and modulator of amyloid formation, on apoA-I fibrils. We found that heparin, a proxy for glycosaminoglycan (GAG) polysaccharides that co-localize ubiquitously with amyloid in vivo, accelerates the rate of apoA-I formation from monomeric protein and associates with insoluble fibrils. Mature, insoluble apoA-I fibrils bound EGCG (KD = 30 ± 3 µm; Bmax = 40 ± 3 µm), but EGCG did not alter the kinetics of apoA-I amyloid assembly from monomer in the presence or absence of heparin. EGCG selectively increased the mobility of specific backbone and side-chain sites of apoA-I fibrils formed in the absence of heparin, but the fibrils largely retained their original morphology and remained insoluble. By contrast, fibrils formed in the presence of heparin were mobilized extensively by the addition of equimolar EGCG, and the fibrils were remodeled into soluble 20-nm-diameter oligomers with a largely α-helical structure that were nontoxic to human umbilical artery endothelial cells. These results argue for a protective effect of EGCG on apoA-I amyloid associated with atherosclerosis and suggest that EGCG-induced remodeling of amyloid may be tightly regulated by GAGs and other amyloid co-factors in vivo, depending on EGCG bioavailability.

3d/4f Coordination Clusters as Cooperative Catalysts for Highly Diastereoselective Michael Addition Reactions.

Michael addition (MA) is one of the most well studied chemical transformation in synthetic chemistry. Here, we report the synthesis and crystal structures of a library of 3d/4f coordination clusters (CCs) formulated as [ZnII2YIII2L4(solv)X(Z)Y] and study their catalytic properties toward the MA of nitrostyrenes with barbituric acid derivatives. Each CC presents two borderline hard/soft Lewis acidic ZnII centers and two hard Lewis acidic YIII centers in a defect dicubane topology that brings the two different metals into a proximity of ∼3.3 Å. Density functional theory computational studies suggest that these tetrametallic CCs dissociate in solution to give two catalytically active dimers, each containing one 3d and one 4f metal that act cooperatively. The mechanism of catalysis has been corroborated via NMR, electron paramagnetic resonance, and UV-vis. The present work demonstrates for the first time the successful use of 3d/4f CCs as efficient and high diastereoselective catalysts in MA reactions.

Atomic Details of the Interactions of Glycosaminoglycans with Amyloid-ß Fibrils.

The amyloid plaques associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD) comprise fibrillar amyloid-ß (Aß) peptides as well as non-protein factors including glycosaminoglycan (GAG) polysaccharides. GAGs affect the kinetics and pathway of Aß self-assembly and can impede fibril clearance; thus, they may be accessory molecules in AD. Here we report the first high-resolution details of GAG-Aß fibril interactions from the perspective of the saccharide. Binding analysis indicated that the GAG proxy heparin has a remarkably high affinity for Aß fibrils with 3-fold cross-sectional symmetry (3Q). Chemical synthesis of a uniformly (13)C-labeled octasaccharide heparin analogue enabled magic-angle spinning solid-state NMR of the GAG bound to 3Q fibrils, and measurements of dynamics revealed a tight complex in which all saccharide residues are restrained without undergoing substantial conformational changes. Intramolecular (13)C-(15)N dipolar dephasing is consistent with close (<5 Å) contact between GAG anomeric position(s) and one or more histidine residues in the fibrils. These data provide a detailed model for the interaction between 3Q-seeded Aß40 fibrils and a major non-protein component of AD plaques, and they reveal that GAG-amyloid interactions display a range of affinities that critically depend on the precise details of the fibril architecture.

Cubane-1,3-dicarboxamides as structural isosteres for isophthalamides in hydrogen bond templated interlocked molecules.

The synthesis and characterization of the first examples of cubane containing interlocked molecules are reported. Catenanes and rotaxanes have been prepared by hydrogen bond templation with cubane-1,3-dicarboxamides replacing isophthalamide motifs.

Characterization of Olive Oil Phenolic Extracts and Their Effects on the Aggregation of the Alzheimer's Amyloid-ß Peptide and Tau.

The dietary consumption of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is believed to slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD) symptoms. Its protective mechanisms are unclear, but specific EVOO phenolic compounds can individually impede the aggregation of amyloid-ß (Aß) peptides and the microtubule-associated protein tau, two important pathological manifestations of AD. It is unknown, however, whether the numerous and variable phenolic compounds that are consumed in dietary EVOO can collectively alter tau and Aß aggregation as effectively as the individual compounds. The activity of these complex mixtures against Aß and tau may be moderated by competition between active and nonactive phenolic components and by extensive derivatizations and isomerization. Here, phenolic mixtures extracted from two different EVOO sources are characterized and tested for how they modulate the aggregation of Aß40 peptide and tau peptides in vitro. The chromatographic and NMR analysis of Greek and Saudi Arabian EVOO phenolic extracts reveals that they have different concentration profiles, and over 30 compounds are identified. Thioflavin T fluorescence and circular dichroism measurements show that relatively low concentrations (<20 µg/mL) of the Greek and Saudi extracts reduce the rate of Aß40 aggregation and fibril mass, despite the extracts having different phenolic profiles. By contrast, the Greek extract reduces the rate of tau aggregation only at very high phenolic concentrations (>100 µg/mL). Most compounds in the extracts bind to preformed Aß40 fibrils and release soluble Aß oligomers that are mildly toxic to SH-SY5Y cells. Much higher (500 µg/mL) extract concentrations are required to remodel tau filaments into oligomers, and a minimal binding of phenolic compounds to the preformed filaments is observed. It is concluded that EVOO extracts having different phenol profiles are similarly capable of modulating Aß40 aggregation and fibril morphology in vitro at relatively low concentrations but are less efficient at modulating tau aggregation. Over 2 M tonnes of EVOO are consumed globally each year as part of the Mediterranean diet, and the results here provide motivation for further clinical interrogation of the antiaggregation properties of EVOO as a potential protective mechanism against AD.

Fluorine-based Zn salan complexes.

We synthesised and characterised the racemic and chiral versions of two Zn salan fluorine-based complexes from commercially available materials. The complexes are susceptible to absorbing H2O from the atmosphere. In solution (DMSO-H2O) and at the millimolar level, experimental and theoretical studies identify that these complexes exist in a dimeric-monomeric equilibrium. We also investigated their ability to sense amines via19F NMR. In CDCl3 or d6-DMSO, strongly coordinating molecules (H2O or DMSO) are the limiting factor in using these easy-to-make complexes as chemosensory platforms since their exchange with analytes requires an extreme excess of the latter.

Electrochemically Enhanced Delivery of Pemetrexed from Electroactive Hydrogels.

Electroactive hydrogels based on derivatives of polyethyleneglycol (PEG), chitosan and polypyrrole were prepared via a combination of photopolymerization and oxidative chemical polymerization, and optionally doped with anions (e.g., lignin, drugs, etc.). The products were analyzed with a variety of techniques, including: FT-IR, UV-Vis, 1H NMR (solution state), 13C NMR (solid state), XRD, TGA, SEM, swelling ratios and rheology. The conductive gels swell ca. 8 times less than the non-conductive gels due to the presence of the interpenetrating network (IPN) of polypyrrole and lignin. A rheological study showed that the non-conductive gels are soft (G' 0.35 kPa, G″ 0.02 kPa) with properties analogous to brain tissue, whereas the conductive gels are significantly stronger (G' 30 kPa, G″ 19 kPa) analogous to breast tissue due to the presence of the IPN of polypyrrole and lignin. The potential of these biomaterials to be used for biomedical applications was validated in vitro by cell culture studies (assessing adhesion and proliferation of fibroblasts) and drug delivery studies (electrochemically loading the FDA-approved chemotherapeutic pemetrexed and measuring passive and stimulated release); indeed, the application of electrical stimulus enhanced the release of PEM from gels by ca. 10-15% relative to the passive release control experiment for each application of electrical stimulation over a short period analogous to the duration of stimulation applied for electrochemotherapy. It is foreseeable that such materials could be integrated in electrochemotherapeutic medical devices, e.g., electrode arrays or plates currently used in the clinic.

Accelerated acquisition in pure-shift spectra based on prior knowledge from 1H NMR.

Pure-shift NMR enhances spectral resolution, but the optimal resolution can only be obtained at the cost of acquisition time. We propose to accelerate pure-shift acquisition using optimised 'burst' non-uniform sampling schemes [I. E. Ndukwe, A. Shchukina, K. Kazimierczuk and C. P. Butts, Chem. Commun., 2016, 52, 12769] and then reconstruct the undersampled signal mathematically. Here, we focus on the reliability of this reconstruction depending on the sampling scheme and present a workflow for the sampling optimization. It is ready to be implemented in routine measurements and yields a great improvement in reconstruction of challenging cases.

Self-assembly of singlet-emitting double-helical silver dimers: the curious coordination chemistry and fluorescence of bisquinolylpyridone.

2,6-Bis(2-quinolyl)-4(1H)-pyridone 1, a novel quinoline analogue of the well-known ligand 2-terpyridone, shows unusual fluorescence with a large Stokes shift and low energy emission. Pyridine-pyridone tautomerism is investigated by NMR and theoretical methods and indicates that the low energy emission is from the pyridine form. 1 reacts with Ag(i) salts to give a double helical Ag2N6 core showing a BLUE shift in fluorescence with respect to the free ligand, which has been characterised experimentally and theoretically as involving an unusual mixed MLCT/ILCT excited state and emission from a singlet state.

Dinucleating Schiff base ligand in Zn/4f coordination chemistry: synthetic challenges and catalytic activity evaluation.

Four Zn/4f polynuclear coordination clusters (PCCs) formulated as [ZnII2DyIII2L2(CO3)2(NO3)2] (1), [ZnIIYIIIL(NO3)2(o-van) (MeOH)] (MeOH) [2 (MeOH)] and [ZnIILnIIIL(NO3)2Cl(EtOH)] where Ln is Dy (3) and Y (4) and where H2L is the dinucleating Schiff base ligand N,N'-bis(3-methoxysalicylidene)cyclohexane-1,2-diamine and o-van is ortho-vanillin, were prepared and fully characterised for the first time. These air-stable heterometallic PCCs, obtained in high yields from commercially available materials, were shown to remain stable in solution in their dinuclear [ZnIILnIIIL] form. Their catalytic activity was evaluated in various catalytic transformations including the Friedel-Crafts alkylation of 2-acyl imidazoles with indoles.

Rapid multistep kinetic model generation from transient flow data.

Today, the generation of kinetic models is still seen as a resource intensive and specialised activity. We report an efficient method of generating reaction profiles from transient flows using a state-of-the-art continuous-flow platform. Experimental data for multistep aromatic nucleophilic substitution reactions are collected from an automated linear gradient flow ramp with online HPLC at the reactor outlet. Using this approach, we generated 16 profiles, at 3 different inlet concentrations and 4 temperatures, in less than 3 hours run time. The kinetic parameters, 4 rate constants and 4 activation energies were fitted with less than 4% uncertainty. We derived an expression for the error in the observed rate constants due to dispersion and showed that such error is 5% or lower. The large range of operational conditions prevented the need to isolate individual reaction steps. Our approach enables early identification of the sensitivity of product quality to parameter changes and early use of unit operation models to identify optimal process-equipment combinations in silico, greatly reducing scale up risks.

Tetranuclear Zn/4f coordination clusters as highly efficient catalysts for Friedel-Crafts alkylation.

A series of custom-designed, high yield, isoskeletal tetranuclear Zn/4f coordination clusters showing high efficiency as catalysts with low catalytic loadings in Friedel-Crafts alkylation are described for the first time. The possibility of altering the 4f centers in these catalysts without altering the core topology allows us to further confirm their stability via EPR and NMR, as well to gain insights into the plausible reaction mechanism, showcasing the usefulness of these bimetallic systems as catalysts.

[N,N-Bis(2-hy-droxy-eth-yl)di-thio-carbamato-κ2S,S']bis-(tri-phenyl-phosphane-κP)copper(I) chloro-form monosolvate: crystal structure, Hirshfeld surface analysis and solution NMR measurements.

The title compound, [Cu(C5H5NO2S2)(C18H15P)2]·CHCl3, features a tetra-hedrally coordinated CuI atom within a P2S2 donor set defined by two phosphane P atoms and by two S atoms derived from a symmetrically coordinating di-thio-carbamate ligand. Both intra- and inter-molecular hy-droxy-O-H⋯O(hydroxy) hydrogen bonding is observed: the former closes an eight-membered {⋯HOC2NC2O} ring, whereas the latter connects centrosymmetrically related mol-ecules into dimeric aggregates via eight-membered {⋯H-O⋯H-O}2 synthons. The complex mol-ecules are arranged to form channels along the c axis in which reside the chloro-form mol-ecules, being connected by Cl⋯π(arene) and short S⋯Cl [3.3488 (9) Å] inter-actions. The inter-molecular inter-actions have been investigated further by Hirshfeld surface analysis, which shows the conventional hydrogen bonding to be very localized with the main contributors to the surface, at nearly 60%, being H⋯H contacts. Solution NMR studies indicate that whilst the same basic mol-ecular structure is retained in solution, the tri-phenyl-phosphane ligands are highly labile, exchanging rapidly with free Ph3P at room temperature.

Molecular mapping of the acid catalysed dehydration of fructose.

Several intermediates and different reaction paths were identified for the acid catalysed conversion of fructose to 5-(hydroxymethyl)-2-furaldehyde (HMF) in different solvents. The structural information combined with results of isotopic-labelling experiments allowed the determination of the irreversibility of the three steps from the fructofuranosyl oxocarbenium ion to HMF as well as the analogous pyranose route.