Exploring the Strength of the H-Bond in Synthetic Models for Heme Proteins: The Importance of the N-H Acidity of the Distal Base.

The distal hydrogen bond (H-bond) in dioxygen-binding proteins is crucial for the discrimination of O2 with respect to CO or NO. We report the preparation and characterization of a series of Zn(II) porphyrins, with one of three meso-phenyl rings bearing both an alkyl-tethered proximal imidazole ligand and a heterocyclic distal H-bond donor connected by a rigid acetylene spacer. Previously, we had validated the corresponding Co(II) complexes as synthetic model systems for dioxygen-binding heme proteins and demonstrated the structural requirements for proper distal H-bonding to Co(II) -bound dioxygen. Here, we systematically vary the H-bond donor ability of the distal heterocycles, as predicted based on pKa values. The H-bond in the dioxygen adducts of the Co(II) porphyrins was directly measured by Q-band Davies-ENDOR spectroscopy. It was shown that the strength of the hyperfine coupling between the dioxygen radical and the distal H-atom increases with enhanced acidity of the H-bond donor.

Polymorphism control of superconductivity and magnetism in Cs(3)C(60) close to the Mott transition.

The crystal structure of a solid controls the interactions between the electronically active units and thus its electronic properties. In the high-temperature superconducting copper oxides, only one spatial arrangement of the electronically active Cu(2+) units-a two-dimensional square lattice-is available to study the competition between the cooperative electronic states of magnetic order and superconductivity. Crystals of the spherical molecular C(60)(3-) anion support both superconductivity and magnetism but can consist of fundamentally distinct three-dimensional arrangements of the anions. Superconductivity in the A(3)C(60) (A = alkali metal) fullerides has been exclusively associated with face-centred cubic (f.c.c.) packing of C(60)(3-) (refs 2, 3), but recently the most expanded (and thus having the highest superconducting transition temperature, T(c); ref. 4) composition Cs(3)C(60) has been isolated as a body-centred cubic (b.c.c.) packing, which supports both superconductivity and magnetic order. Here we isolate the f.c.c. polymorph of Cs(3)C(60) to show how the spatial arrangement of the electronically active units controls the competing superconducting and magnetic electronic ground states. Unlike all the other f.c.c. A(3)C(60) fullerides, f.c.c. Cs(3)C(60) is not a superconductor but a magnetic insulator at ambient pressure, and becomes superconducting under pressure. The magnetic ordering occurs at an order of magnitude lower temperature in the geometrically frustrated f.c.c. polymorph (Néel temperature T(N) = 2.2 K) than in the b.c.c.-based packing (T(N) = 46 K). The different lattice packings of C(60)(3-) change T(c) from 38 K in b.c.c. Cs(3)C(60) to 35 K in f.c.c. Cs(3)C(60) (the highest found in the f.c.c. A(3)C(60) family). The existence of two superconducting packings of the same electronically active unit reveals that T(c) scales universally in a structure-independent dome-like relationship with proximity to the Mott metal-insulator transition, which is governed by the role of electron correlations characteristic of high-temperature superconducting materials other than fullerides.

Enantiopure laterally functionalized alleno-acetylenic macrocycles: synthesis, chiroptical properties, and self-assembly in aqueous media.

A family of shape-persistent alleno-acetylenic macrocycles (SPAAMs), peripherally decorated with structurally diverse pendant groups, has been synthesized and characterized in enantiomerically pure form. Their electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra feature a strong chiroptical response, which is more than two times higher than for open-chain tetrameric analogues. A water-soluble oligo(ethylene glycol)-appended SPAAM undergoes self-assembly in aqueous solution. Morphology studies by cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM) revealed the formation of aggregates with fibrous fine structures that correspond to tubular, macrocyclic stacks.

Ion formation pathways of crown ether-fullerene conjugates in the gas phase.

The ion formation of crown ether-[60]fullerene conjugates of the type (crown - H)-C60-H with crown = 12cr4, 15cr5 and 18cr6 has been studied with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation (MALDI) and electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry (ESI MS). In total five different ways of ion formation are presented, including metalation (MALDI, ESI), protonation and oxidation (both in MALDI) in the positive-ion mode and deprotonation (MALDI, ESI) and reduction (MALDI) in the negative-ion mode. In line with thermochemistry, the deprotonation and electron transfer processes involve the C60 moiety as the charge-carrying entity, while protonation and metalation occur at the crown ether. Particular emphasis has been placed on the study of metal cation attachment in MALDI varying the crown ether size in the conjugate and using different alkali metal chlorides in the target preparation. Dissociation reactions of the metalated conjugates are influenced by the interaction strength of the metal cation to the crown ether fullerene conjugate. The data confirm an increase in bond strength with smaller metal cations, supporting the notion of charge density-driven interactions.

Donor-acceptor (D-A)-substituted polyyne chromophores: modulation of their optoelectronic properties by varying the length of the acetylene spacer.

A series of donor-acceptor-substituted alkynes, 2 a-f, was synthesized in which the length of the π-conjugated polyyne spacer between the N,N-diisopropylanilino donor and the 1,1,4,4-tetracyanobuta-1,3-diene (TCBD) acceptor was systematically changed. The effect of this structural change on the optoelectronic properties of the molecules and, ultimately, their third-order optical nonlinearity was comprehensively investigated. The branched N,N-diisopropyl groups on the anilino donor moieties combined with the nonplanar geometry of 2 a-f imparted exceptionally high solubility to these chromophores. This important property allowed for performing INADEQUATE NMR measurements without (13) C labeling, which, in turn, resulted in a complete assignment of the carbon skeleton in chromophores 2 a-f and the determination of the (13) C-(13) C coupling constants. This body of data provided unprecedented insight into characteristic (13) C chemical shift patterns in push-pull-substituted polyynes. Electrochemical and UV/Vis spectroscopic studies showed that the HOMO-LUMO energy gap decreases with increasing length of the polyyne spacer, while this effect levels off for spacers with more than four acetylene units. The third-order optical nonlinearity of this series of molecules was determined by measuring the rotational averages of the third-order polarizabilities (γrot ) by degenerate four-wave mixing (DFWM). These latter studies revealed high third-order optical nonlinearities for the new chromophores; most importantly, they provided fundamental insight into the effect of the conjugated spacer length in D-A polyynes, that can be exploited in the future design of suitable charge-transfer chromophores for applications in optoelectronic devices.

Decatungstate as an efficient photocatalyst in organic chemistry.

In view of its unique photocatalytic properties, decatungstate (W(10)O(32)(4-)) is rapidly emerging as a promising tool in organic chemistry. This tutorial review surveys recent developments in the chemistry of decatungstate, including mostly synthetic, and to a lesser extent mechanistic aspects. We have chosen to present several representative examples that illustrate the diverse uses of decatungstate in organic synthesis. Thus, the decatungstate-mediated radical functionalization of several classes of organic compounds such as alkanes, alkenes, alcohols, aldehydes and sulfides, under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions, represents reactions of fundamental and practical interest in academia and industry. Several new discoveries concerning the heterogenization of decatungstate for the development of sustainable methods with broad applications in catalysis, such as the photooxidation or photodegradation of various organic substrates, are also presented.

Acyl radical reactions in fullerene chemistry: direct acylation of [60]fullerene through an efficient decatungstate-photomediated approach.

A versatile and highly efficient photochemical methodology for the direct acylation of C(60) has been developed. This approach utilizes a wide variety of acyl radicals derived from aldehydes through a hydrogen atom abstraction process mediated by tetrabutylammonium decatungstate [(n-Bu(4)N)(4)W(10)O(32)]. The single addition reaction of these acyl radicals to [60]fullerene proceeded selectively to afford a novel class of previously unexplored fullerene-based materials. Product analysis of this reaction showed that decarbonylation and acylation pathways compete when a tertiary or phenylacetyl aldehyde is the starting material. However, a decrease of the reaction temperature was found to be effective in overcoming the decarbonylation encountered in certain acyl radical additions to C(60); the carbonyl radical addition precedes decarbonylation even in the cases where the decarbonylation rate constant exceeds 10(6) s(-1) (i.e., phenylacetaldehyde). The regiochemistry of the t-butyl radical addition was also found to be thermally controlled. The present methodology is directly applicable even in the cases of the cyclopropyl-substituted aldehydes, where rapid rearrangement of the cyclopropyl acyl radical intermediate can potentially occur. A mechanistic approach for this new reactivity of C(60) has been also provided, based mainly on intra- and intermolecular deuterium isotope effect studies.

One-step synthesis of fullerene hydride C(60)H2 via hydrolysis of acylated fullerenes.

The hitherto unexplored class of acylated fullerene compounds has been shown to be excellent C(60)H2 precursors. Upon a simple treatment with basic Al2O3, they are hydrolyzed quantitatively into C(60)H2. This key feature led to the development of a new, straightforward protocol for the selective synthesis of the simplest [60]fullerene hydride, C(60)H2. This protocol may offer an advantageous alternative to previously known methods for the synthesis of C(60)H2 allowing for a rapid access to C(60)H2 in good yield and high purity without tedious separating processes.

Decatungstate-mediated radical reactions of C60 with substituted toluenes and anisoles: a new photochemical functionalization strategy for fullerenes.

A convenient, highly efficient, decatungstate-mediated chemical methodology to functionalize fullerenes is demonstrated. A variety of radicals have been generated by the photochemical interaction of tetrabutylammonium decatungstate [(n-Bu4N)4W10O32] and para-substituted toluenes, anisoles, and thioanisole and effectively trapped by the [60]fullerene affording the corresponding 1,2-dihydro[60]fullerene monoadducts in moderate to good yields.

A shape-persistent alleno-acetylenic macrocycle with a modifiable periphery: synthesis, chiroptical properties and H-bond-driven self-assembly into a homochiral columnar structure.

A shape-persistent alleno-acetylenic macrocycle, peripherally decorated with eight phenolic rings, has been synthesized in enantiomerically pure form. Its electronic circular dichroism spectrum features a strong chiroptical response. In the solid state, the macrocycle stacks in pillars to form channels and the stacks undergo further self-assembly into a three-dimensional porous architecture through lateral intermolecular hydrogen-bonding.

Photocycloaddition of biscyclopropyl alkenes to C60: an unprecedented approach toward cis-1 tricyclic-fused fullerenes.

A novel, simple, and entirely regioselective tandem cycloaddition of biscyclopropyl-substituted alkenes to [60]fullerene has been revealed. This reaction affords cis-1 tricyclic-fused organofullerenes bearing the hitherto elusive 5-4-5 fused tricyclic ring system.

Hydroxyalkylation of [60]fullerene: free radical addition of alcohols to C60.

A new general reaction for the preparation of isomerically pure hydroxyalkylated C(60) monoadducts, via the free radical photochemical addition of alcohols to [60]fullerene, is described.