A Rapid, Highly Sensitive and Selective Phosgene Sensor Based on 5,6-Pinenepyridine.

The toxicity of phosgene (COCl2 ) combined with its extensive use as a reactant and building block in the chemical industry make its fast and accurate detection a prerequisite. We have developed a carboxylic derivative of 5,6-pinenepyridine which is able to act as colorimetric and fluorimetric sensor for phosgene in air and solution. For the first time, the formation of a pyrido-[2,1-a]isoindolone was used for this purpose. In solution, the sensing reaction is extremely fast (under 5 s), selective and highly sensitive, with a limit of detection (LOD) of 9.7 nM/0.8 ppb. When fixed on a solid support, the sensor is able to detect the presence of gaseous phosgene down to concentrations of 0.1 ppm, one of the lowest values reported to date.

The role of stereochemistry in the anticancer activity of Re(I) tricarbonyl complexes.

Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide, accounting for about one among six deaths, so the quest for new and improved therapies is of crucial importance. The discovery of cisplatin as an anticancer agent has paved the way for the development of other metal-based therapeutic agents and Re(I)-based candidates have been recently found to show promising results. It is known as well that chirality plays a central role in the interactions of metal-based drugs with intrinsically chiral biomolecules such as membrane transport proteins or DNA. To further exploit this property, we have developed a series of diastereomeric dinuclear Re(I) complexes with chiral ligands containing pinene-bipyridine units. These complexes offer unique insights into the relation between stereochemistry and biological activity. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies, spectroscopic analysis, including UV-Vis and circular dichroism (CD), confirmed the chiral structures of these complexes. Biological activity assessments were carried out against various cancer cell lines, with a particular focus on breast and colon cancer. The diastereomers exhibited distinct anticancer activities, with some displaying promising results. Notably, one diastereomer showed exceptional cytotoxicity against HCT116 and MCF-7 cancer cells. This research underscores the significance of chirality in the design of novel anticancer agents, providing insights into the potential of dinuclear Re(I) complexes as effective candidates for cancer treatment.

Crystal structure of di-µ-chlorido-bis-{chlorido-[(-)-5,6-pinenebi-pyridine]-cobalt(II)} aqua-dichlorido[(-)-5,6-pinenebi-pyridine]cobalt(II).

The crystal structure of [Co2Cl4(C17H18N2)2][CoCl2(C17H18N2)(H2O)] or [Co(L)Cl(µ-Cl)]2[Co(L)(Cl)2(OH2)], where L is the enanti-opure bidentate ligand (-)-5,6-pinenebi-pyridine (C17H18N2), has been determined. Crystals suitable for X-ray structure analysis were obtained by slow evaporation of an ethano-lic solution containing equimolar amounts of L and CoCl2·6H2O. The CoII cations all have a coordination number of five, and in each case the coordination polyhedron is a trigonal bipyramid. The Co-N bonds lengths range from 2.037 (7) to 2.195 (7) Å, and Co-Cl bonds lengths range from 2.284 (2) to 2.509 (2) Å. The asymmetric unit contains two discrete complexes, one dinuclear and the other mononuclear. Between the two mol-ecules, two types of inter-molecular inter-actions have been evidenced: π-π stackings involving the bi-pyridine units, and O-H⋯Cl hydrogen bonds between the hydrogen atoms of the aqua ligand coordinating to the mononuclear complex and the non-bridging chlorido ligand coordinating to the dinuclear mol-ecule. These inter-actions lead to a two-dimensional supra-molecular arrangement parallel to the ab plane.

Direct synthesis of sorbitol and glycerol from cellulose over ionic Ru/magnetite nanoparticles in the absence of external hydrogen.

A sweet catalyst: A catalyst formed of Ru/functionalized silica-coated magnetite nanoparticles is highly efficient in the one-pot production of sorbitol and glycerol, starting from cellulose and in the absence of an external hydrogen source. The ease of recoverability of the catalyst from the solid residues, and its reuse without loss of activity or selectivity for several runs, is an important green element of the process.