Optical Resolution, Determination of Absolute Configuration, and Photoracemization of cis-RuL2(CN)2 (L = 2,2'-Bipyridine and Its Analogues).

We synthesized neutral Ru(II) complexes cis-Ru(bpy)2(CN)2 (bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine), cis-Ru(dmb)2(CN)2 (dmb = 4,4'-dimethyl-2,2'-bipyridine), cis-Ru(dbb)2(CN)2 (dbb = 4,4'-di-tert-butyl-2,2'-bipyridine), and cis-Ru(phen)2(CN)2 (phen = 1,10-phenanthroline) and optically resolved them into respective enantiomers using high-performance liquid chromatography with a chiral column. The absolute configuration of enantiomer of cis-Ru(dbb)2(CN)2 was determined by an X-ray crystallography. Upon photoirradiation, the entire enantiomers of the complexes underwent the racemization with considerably slow rates (k = 1 × 10(-6) to 1 × 10(-5) s(-1)) and small quantum yields (ϕ = 1 × 10(-6) to 1 × 10(-5)). The photoracemization was concluded to proceed via a five-coordinate pyramidal intermediate with the base plane composed of Ru, bidentate polypyridine, and two cyanides and the axial ligand of monodentate polypyridine. We derived the equations for photoracemization rate and quantum yield by a kinetics analysis of the photoracemization reaction that depended on polypyridine ligand, solvent, temperature, wavelength and intensity of irradiation light, and emission lifetime. From the temperature-dependent photoracemization reaction, the energy gap between (3)MLCT (metal-to-ligand charge transfer) and (3)d-d* states was estimated as ΔE = 4000-5000 cm(-1), and the energy of invisible (3)d-d* state was estimated to be ca. 20 500 cm(-1), which was in good agreement with that of [Ru(bpy)3](2+).

Sequential enzymatic epoxidation involved in polyether lasalocid biosynthesis.

Enantioselective epoxidation followed by regioselective epoxide opening reaction are the key processes in construction of the polyether skeleton. Recent genetic analysis of ionophore polyether biosynthetic gene clusters suggested that flavin-containing monooxygenases (FMOs) could be involved in the oxidation steps. In vivo and in vitro analyses of Lsd18, an FMO involved in the biosynthesis of polyether lasalocid, using simple olefin or truncated diene of a putative substrate as substrate mimics demonstrated that enantioselective epoxidation affords natural type mono- or bis-epoxide in a stepwise manner. These findings allow us to figure out enzymatic polyether construction in lasalocid biosynthesis.

Circularly Polarized Luminescence of Chiral Pt(pppb)Cl (pppbH=1-pyridyl-3-(4,5-pinenopyridyl)benzene) Aggregate in the Excited State.

We prepared enantiomers of chiral Pt(II) complexes, Pt(pppb)Cl and Pt(pppb)CN (pppbH=1-pyridyl-3-(4,5-pinenopyridyl)benzene), and measured their CPL (circularly polarized luminescence) spectra for excimer and trimer emission. The contribution of the pinene moiety to CPL was considerably low for the π-π* emission of the monomer but large for MMLCT (metal-metal-to-ligand charge-transfer) of the excimer and trimer which had a helical structure induced in a face-to-face stacking fashion. The trimer CPL for (+)-Pt(pppb)Cl was larger in intensity than that of excimer CPL; on the other hand, that for (+)-Pt(pppb)CN was opposite in sign compared with that of excimer CPL. We conclude that differences in the excited-state structure of the aggregate between Pt(pppb)Cl and Pt(pppb)CN account for the variation in the CPL spectra. By the aid of TD-DFT calculations it was predicted that the dihedral angle θ(Cl-Pt-Pt-Cl) was 50-60° or 110-140° for Pt(pppb)Cl aggregates and 160° for Pt(pppb)CN aggregates.

Allosteric regulation of epoxide opening cascades by a pair of epoxide hydrolases in monensin biosynthesis.

Multistep catalysis of epoxide hydrolase/cyclase in the epoxide opening cascade is an intriguing issue in polyether biosynthesis. A pair of structurally homologous epoxide hydrolases was found in gene clusters of ionophore polyethers. In the epoxide opening reactions with MonBI and MonBII involved in monensin biosynthesis, we found that MonBII and catalytically inactive MonBI mutant catalyzed two-step reactions of bisepoxide substrate analogue to afford bicyclic product although MonBII alone catalyzed only the first cyclization. The X-ray crystal structure of MonBI dimers suggested the importance of the KSD motif in MonBI/MonBI interaction, which was further supported by gel filtration chromatography of wild-type MonBI and mutant MonBI. The involvement of the KSD motif in heterodimer formation was confirmed by in vitro assay. Direct evidence of MonBI/MonBII interaction was obtained by native mass spectrometry. Its dissociation constant was determined as 2.21 × 10(-5) M by surface plasmon resonance. Our results suggested the involvement of an allosteric regulation mechanism by MonBI/MonBII interaction in monensin skeletal construction.