Masking the Bioactivity of Hydroxamic Acids by Coordination to Cobalt: Towards Bioreductive Anticancer Agents.

The clinical use of many potent anticancer agents is limited by their non-selective toxicity to healthy tissue. One of these examples is vorinostat (SAHA), a pan histone deacetylase inhibitor, which shows high cytotoxicity with limited discrimination for cancerous over healthy cells. In an attempt to improve tumor selectivity, we exploited the properties of cobalt(III) as a redox-active metal center through stabilization with cyclen and cyclam tetraazamacrocycles, masking the anticancer activity of SAHA and other hydroxamic acid derivatives to allow for the complex to reach the hypoxic microenvironment of the tumor. Biological assays demonstrated the desired low in vitro anticancer activity of the complexes, suggesting effective masking of the activity of SAHA. Once in the tumor, the bioactive moiety may be released through the reduction of the CoIII center. Investigations revealed high long-term stability of the complexes, with cyclic voltammetry and chemical reduction experiments supporting the design hypothesis of SAHA release through the reduction of the CoIII prodrug. The results highlight the potential for further developing this complex class as novel anticancer agents by masking the high cytotoxicity of a given drug, however, the cellular uptake needs to be improved.

Nanoscale Magnetic Arrays through Block Copolymer Templating of Polyoxometalates.

Magnetic nanoarrays promise to enable new energy-efficient computations based on spintronics or magnonics. In this work, we present a block copolymer-assisted strategy for fabricating ordered magnetic nanostructures on silicon and permalloy substrates. Block copolymer micelle-like structures were used as a template in which polyoxometalate (POM) clusters could assemble in an opal-like structure. A combination of microscopy and scattering techniques was used to confirm the structural and organizational features of the fabricated materials. The magnetic properties of these materials were investigated by polarized neutron reflectometry, nuclear magnetic resonance, and magnetometry measurements. The data show that a magnetic structural design was achieved and that a thin layer of patterned POMs strongly influenced an underlying permalloy layer. This work demonstrates that the bottom-up pathway is a potentially viable method for patterning magnetic substrates on a sub-100 nm scale, toward the magnetic nanostructures needed for spintronic or magnonic crystal devices.

Intramolecular C-N bond activation by a transient boryl anion.

Using a flexible diamido framework, a bulky boron bromide has been prepared as a precusor to a boryl anion with an extremely wide N-B-N angle. Reduction of the compound with lithium metal resulted in intramolecular C-N bond activation and migration of an aryl group onto the boron centre. Reaction of the boron bromide with K[FeCp(CO)2] resulted in nucleophilic reactivity of a carbonyl oxygen and the cooperative activation of CO.

One- and two-electron reductions of a bulky BODIPY compound.

The redox reaction between a bulky BODIPY and a magnesium(I) reducing agent leads to the formal one-electron reduction of the BODIPY, initially generating a dipyrromethene-centred radical compound that dimerises via C-C bond formation. In contrast, reduction with magnesium anthracene leads to the formal two-electron reduction of the BODIPY, resulting in the formation of the corresponding anion.

Geometric Frustration and Long-Range Ordering Induced by Surface Pressure Oscillation in a Langmuir-Blodgett Monolayer of Magnetic Soft Spheres.

As a step toward the bottom-up construction of magnonic systems, this paper demonstrates the use of a large-amplitude surface-pressure annealing technique to generate 2-D order in a Langmuir-Blodgett monolayer of magnetic soft spheres comprising a surfactant-encapsulated polyoxometalate. The films show a distorted square lattice interpreted as due to geometric frustration caused by 2-D confinement between soft walls, one being the air interface and the other the aqueous subphase. Hysteresis and relaxation phenomena in the 2-D layers are suggested to be due to folding and time-dependent interpenetration of surfactant chains.

Ab Initio Molecular Dynamics Investigation of Beryllium Complexes.

Structures of aqueous [Be(H2O)4]2+, its outer-sphere and inner-sphere complexes with F-, Cl-, and SO42-, and dinuclear complexes with a [Be2(κ-OH)(κ-SO4)]+ core have been studied through Car-Parrinello molecular dynamics (CPMD) simulations with the BLYP functional. According to constrained CPMD/BLYP simulations and pointwise thermodynamic integration, the free energy of deprotonation of [Be(H2O)4]2+ and its binding free energy with F- are 9.6 and -6.2 kcal/mol, respectively, in good accord with available experimental data. The computed activation barriers for replacing a water ligand in [Be(H2O)4]2+ with F- and SO42-, 10.9 and 13.6 kcal/mol, respectively, are also in good qualitative agreement with available experimental data. These ligand-substitution reactions are indicated to follow associative interchange mechanisms with backside (SN2-like) attack of the anion relative to the aquo ligand it is displacing. Outperforming static density functional theory computations of the salient kinetic and thermodynamic quantities involving simple polarizable continuum solvent models, CPMD simulations are validated as a promising tool for studying the structures and speciation of beryllium complexes in aqueous solution.

Towards more effective beryllium chelation: an investigation of second-sphere hydrogen bonding.

A comparative study between three experimentally known beryllium chelators (EDTA, NTP, and 10-HBQS) and two tetradentate tripodal di-pyridine-based receptors (HL and HL-NH2), specifically designed to bind Be2+ cations, has been undertaken in the aqueous phase at the B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) computational level. The relative binding energies of these five ligand systems to a variety of first row and pre-transition metal cations have been calculated, specifically to investigate their binding strength to Be2+ and the binding enhancement that a second sphere hydrogen bonding interaction could afford to the pyridyl based systems. The complexes of EDTA were calculated to have the highest average binding energy; followed by those of NTP, HL-NH2, HL, and finally 10-HBQS. The calculated binding energy of the HL-NH2Be complex, which includes second sphere interactions, was found to be almost 9% greater than the HL Be complex, with an average binding energy increase of 13.5% observed across all metals upon inclusion of second sphere hydrogen bonding.

Tuning receptors for the encapsulation of beryllium2.

Two series of tetradentate tripodal di-pyridine-based receptors designed to bind Be2+ cations have been studied in the aqueous phase at the B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) computational level. The first series comprise simple tetrahedral receptors; the second series incorporates additional scaffolding groups capable of second sphere hydrogen-bonding in order to more finely tune the binding strength towards the Be2+ cation. Out of the five ligand candidates, one containing a tri-pyridyl N-donor along with a phenolato O-donor (L1) exhibited a significant improvement in binding energy stabilisation (47.8 kJ mol-1) towards the Be2+ cation in the presence of second-sphere H-bonding interactions.

Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometric Study of the Gas-Phase Coordination Chemistry of Be2+ Ions with 1,2- and 1,3-Diketone Ligands.

Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI MS) is a powerful technique for the study of coordination complexes because of its ability to analyze solution systems involving very low concentrations of metal complexes. In this work, the coordination chemistry of Be ions with a selection of well-known 1,3-diketone and related 1,2-diketone ligands has been investigated using ESI MS. With acetylacetone (Hacac), a range of acac-containing ions is observed, including [Be(acac)2H]+, [Be(acac)(MeOH) n]+ ( n = 1, 2), and polynuclear species such as the dinuclear [Be2(acac)3]+ and trinuclear [Be3O(acac)3]+. Density functional theory calculations indicate that the latter species has a central Be3(µ3-O) core, with each Be chelated (as opposed to being bridged) by an acac ligand. The effect of changing the substituents on 1,3-diketone was explored by an investigation of mixtures of Be2+ with other 1,3-diketones such as dibenzoylmethane (Hdbm), where the [Be(dbm)2H]+ ion showed a lesser tendency to undergo fragmentation and aggregation processes. Comparisons with the corresponding aluminum acetylacetone system were also made. In contrast, mixtures of Be2+ and the 1,2-diketones diacetyl and phenanthrenequinone showed poor metal-ligand interactions. Be2+ interacted with the 1,2-diketone benzil [PhC(O)C(O)Ph], forming the [Be(benzil) n]2+ ( n = 2-4) ions. The synthesis (from BeCl2) and X-ray structures of the dibenzoylmethanato (dbm) complex Be(dbm)2 and the benzil complex [BeCl2(benzil)] are also reported.

Main-Group-Element Isophlorin Complexes Revisited: The Question of a Subvalent Central Atom.

A careful density functional theory reexamination of the geometric and electronic structures of reduced main-group porphyrin complexes E(Por)L2 (E = Si or Ge; L = pyridine or tetrahydrofuran), B2(Por), and C2(Por) has confirmed these as pure isophlorin derivatives with normal-valent coordinated central atoms. Only axially unligated Ge(Por) and the dications [B2(Por)]2+ and [C2(Por)]2+ feature aromatic porphyrin ligands. The calculations faithfully reproduce the strong bond-length alternation along the outer rim of the macrocycle in the reduced complexes, consistent with antiaromatic character, as well as much stronger ruffling in the reduced group 14 complexes relative to their nonreduced counterparts such as E(Por)X2 (E = Si or Ge; X = F or Cl). The latter is thought to reflect the lower barrier to nonplanar deformation for the antiaromatic systems. In addition, unlike B2(Por) and its dication, which are planar, C2(Por) and its dication are predicted to be strongly ruffled, reflecting the smaller size of the central C2 unit. The calculations also predict characteristically low ionization potentials and singlet-triplet gaps for the antiaromatic complexes. A brief exploratory study of the as-yet-unknown group 15 complexes E(TPP)(Ph)(py), where E = P and As, also indicated an antiaromatic isophlorin macrocycle coordinated to a pentavalent group 15 center.

Macrocyclic pentamers functionalised around their periphery as potential building blocks.

The elaboration of a five-fold symmetric macrocyclic aromatic pentamer bearing peripheral benzyloxy and hydroxyl groups is described. These could be used to explore further functionalisation for use as pentagonal building blocks. The internal fluorine-substituted macrocycle has been prepared via a one-pot procedure which is an improvement on the stepwise chain growth approach reported in the literature.

Tetrahedral Pegs in Square Holes: Stereochemistry of Diboron Porphyrazines and Phthalocyanines.

The first examples of diboron complexes of the tetrapyrroles octaethylporphyrazine (OEPz) and 2,9,16,23-tetra-t-butyl-phthalocyanine (Pc) are reported, counterpoints to the better known monoboron tripyrroles, subporphyrazine and subphthalocyanine. Two stereochemical possibilities are observed, with cisoid-B2 OF2 (OEPz), both cisoid-B2 OPh2 (OEPz) and transoid-B2 OPh2 (OEPz), transoid-B2 OF2 (Pc) and cisoid-B2 OPh2 (Pc) having been isolated and characterised, including structure determinations for the OEPz complexes. This variation in stereochemistry, which can be extended to include the previously reported transoid-B2 OF2 (porphyrin), cisoid-[B2 OF2 (corrole)]- , and both transoid- and cisoid-B2 OF2 (calixphyrin), prompted a wider DFT study to elucidate the factors influencing the stereochemical preferences. This shows that the cisoid/transoid preference is correlated to the ease with which the macrocycle accommodates a rectangularly distorted N4 cavity.

Campestarenes: new building blocks with 5-fold symmetry.

Campestarene is a planar, shape-persistent macrocycle with 5-fold symmetry. A range of derivatives bearing peripheral functional groups suitable for generating supramolecular interactions has been designed and synthesised for potential applications in creating 2D quasicrystal molecular assemblies. The new campestarene derivatives bear ester, carboxylic acid, methoxy, bromo, 4-pyridyl, 4-cyanophenyl and 4-phenyl carboxylic acid groups, including further derivatives of the latter two bearing alkyl chains on the phenyl groups to improve solubility. The campestarene derivatives were prepared by reductive condensation of phenol precursors bearing nitro and formyl groups using Na2S2O4. The target functional groups were installed either by pre-cyclisation derivatisation or by synthesis of methoxy-substituted campestarene and subsequent derivatisation. The cyclisation reaction is tolerant of the functional groups introduced. The ten new campestarene derivatives were characterised by NMR spectroscopy and MALDI-TOF MS, although the poor solubility of some examples precluded their detailed characterisation.

Diboron Porphyrins: The Raman Signature of the In-Plane Tetragonal Elongation of the Macrocycle.

We describe an unusual in-plane type of porphyrin core distortion, tetragonal elongation (TE), observed experimentally in diboron porphyrins. The vibrational spectra of several of these complexes exhibit shifts that we have assigned to this TE distortion by comparing experimental spectra with DFT computational findings. The influence of TE in porphyrin systems was isolated using DFT analysis of the well-known model compounds Ni(II)porphine and Zn(II)porphine, with the macrocycle ring constrained to eliminate the influence of out-of-plane (OOP) distortions. A significant down-shift in frequencies was observed for porphyrin normal vibrational modes, particularly the in-plane A1g/B1g modes that are dominated by contributions from stretching and bending of Cα-Cm coordinates. In contrast, TE had little effect on the v(Pyrhalfring) and δ(Pyrdef) modes, though the lowered symmetry of the system resulted in significant splitting of the B2u and B3u modes. The impact of the TE distortion upon the diboron porphyrin vibrational spectrum was probed experimentally using Raman spectroscopy of B2O2(BCl3)2(TTP), B2OF2(TTP), and B2OPhOH2(TTP) (TTP = 5,10,15,20-(tetra- p-tolyl)porphyrin). Comparing the experimentally obtained spectral signatures to the computational findings allowed us to assign the large shifts observed for the v2 and v3 modes to the TE distortion in diboron porphyrins.

Boron calixphyrin complexes: exploring the coordination chemistry of a BODIPY/porphyrin hybrid.

Boron complexes of calix[4]phyrins (1.1.1.1) were prepared by reacting the free-base ligands with BF3·Et2O. The reaction conditions can be efficiently tailored to produce mono- or di-boron calixphyrins. Mono-BF2 calixphyrins with boron coordinating to either the dipyrrin, BF2[H(Calix)], or dipyrromethane, BF2[H(Calix)] and BF2[H2(Calix)]+, bonding sites were isolated. The dipyrromethane isomer, BF2[H(Calix)], isomerises into BF2[H(Calix)] which kinetic studies and DFT calculations indicate is an intramolecular process. Two isomers of B2OF2(Calix) were isolated, one isomer bonding via the dipyrrin sites with the FBOBF moiety in cisoid geometry, and the second isomer bonding via the dipyrromethane sites with the FBOBF moiety in transoid geometry. Although the cisoid/dipyrrin isomer was calculated to be most energetically favourable for B2OF2(Calix), the isolation of the transoid/dipyrromethane isomer is postulated to occur via the presumed intermediate (BF2)2(Calix), for which DFT indicated a preference for transoid/dipyrromethane geometry.

Gold Corroles as Near-IR Phosphors for Oxygen Sensing.

The triplet state of gold(III) corroles is exploited for optical oxygen sensing. We report intense phosphorescence for gold(III) corroles in the near-IR, an optical window that is ideal for tissue transparency. Moreover, the triplet excited-state emission exhibits significant changes in intensity and lifetime over the 0-160 Torr O2 pressure range. This renders these compounds sensitive at biologically relevant pressures and overcomes the spectral limitations of palladium and platinum porphyrins for oxygen sensing in biology.

Synthesis, Electronic Structure, and Reactivity Studies of a 4-Coordinate Square Planar Germanium(IV) Cation.

A tetra-coordinate, square planar germanium(IV) cation [(TPFC)Ge](+) (TPFC = tris(pentafluorophenyl)corrole) was synthesized quantitatively by the reaction of (TPFC)Ge-H with [Ph3C](+)[B(C6F5)4](¯). The highly reactive [(TPFC)Ge](+) cation reacted with benzene to form phenyl complex (TPFC)Ge-C6H5 through an electrophilic pathway. The key intermediate, a σ-type germylium-benzene adduct, [(TPFC)Ge(η(1)-C6H6)](+), was isolated and characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Deprotonation of [(TPFC)Ge(η(1)-C6H6)](+) cation led to the formation of (TPFC)Ge-C6H5. [(TPFC)Ge](+) also reacted with ethylene and cyclopropane in benzene at room temperature to form (TPFC)Ge-CH2CH2C6H5 and (TPFC)Ge-CH2CH2CH2C6H5, respectively. The observed electrophilic reactivity is ascribed to the highly exposed cationic germanium center with novel frontier orbitals comprising two vacant sp-hybridized orbitals that are not conjugated to π-system. The three electron-withdrawing pentafluorophenyl groups on the corrole ligand also enhance the electrophilicity of the cationic germanium corrole.

Lighting up sugars: fluorescent BODIPY-gluco-furanose and -septanose conjugates linked by direct B-O-C bonds.

We report the first O-BODIPY-glucose conjugates, in which the sugar is directly attached to the BODIPY boron through covalent B-O-C bonds. The reaction of Cl-BODIPY with glucose in acetonitrile produced the 1 : 1 α-glucofuranose BODIPY (1), 1 : 2 α-glucofuranose BODIPY (2) and 1 : 2 α-glucoseptanose BODIPY (3) esters. Compound 3 is a rare instance of the unnatural septanose form of glucose, and the first example of a septanose borate.

The Mechanism of E-H (E = N, O) Bond Activation by a Germanium Corrole Complex: A Combined Experimental and Computational Study.

(TPFC)Ge(TEMPO) (1, TPFC = tris(pentafluorophenyl)corrole, TEMPO(•) = (2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin-1-yl)oxyl) shows high reactivity toward E-H (E = N, O) bond cleavage in R1R2NH (R1R2 = HH, (n)PrH, (i)Pr2, Et2, PhH) and ROH (R = H, CH3) under visible light irradiation. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) analyses together with the density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal the E-H bond activation by [(TPFC)Ge](0)(2)/TEMPO(•) radical pair, generated by photocleavage of the labile Ge-O bond in compound 1, involving two sequential steps: (i) coordination of substrates to [(TPFC)Ge](0) and (ii) E-H bond cleavage induced by TEMPO(•) through proton coupled electron transfer (PCET).