Photochemical aryl radical cyclizations to give (E)-3-ylideneoxindoles.

(E)-3-Ylideneoxindoles are prepared in methanol in reasonable to good yields, as adducts of photochemical 5-exo-trig of aryl radicals, in contrast to previously reported analogous radical cyclizations initiated by tris(trimethylsilyl)silane and azo-initiators that gave reduced oxindole adducts.

Influence of donor-acceptor distance variation on photoinduced electron and proton transfer in rhenium(I)-phenol dyads.

A homologous series of four molecules in which a phenol unit is linked covalently to a rhenium(I) tricarbonyl diimine photooxidant via a variable number of p-xylene spacers (n = 0-3) was synthesized and investigated. The species with a single p-xylene spacer was structurally characterized to get some benchmark distances. Photoexcitation of the metal complex in the shortest dyad (n = 0) triggers release of the phenolic proton to the acetonitrile/water solvent mixture; a H/D kinetic isotope effect (KIE) of 2.0 ± 0.4 is associated with this process. Thus, the shortest dyad basically acts like a photoacid. The next two longer dyads (n = 1, 2) exhibit intramolecular photoinduced phenol-to-rhenium electron transfer in the rate-determining excited-state deactivation step, and there is no significant KIE in this case. For the dyad with n = 1, transient absorption spectroscopy provided evidence for release of the phenolic proton to the solvent upon oxidation of the phenol by intramolecular photoinduced electron transfer. Subsequent thermal charge recombination is associated with a H/D KIE of 3.6 ± 0.4 and therefore is likely to involve proton motion in the rate-determining reaction step. Thus, some of the longer dyads (n = 1, 2) exhibit photoinduced proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET), albeit in a stepwise (electron transfer followed by proton transfer) rather than concerted manner. Our study demonstrates that electronically strongly coupled donor-acceptor systems may exhibit significantly different photoinduced PCET chemistry than electronically weakly coupled donor-bridge-acceptor molecules.

Water oxidation by mononuclear ruthenium complexes with TPA-based ligands.

The synthesis, characterization, and water oxidation activity of mononuclear ruthenium complexes with tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine (TPA), tris(6-methyl-2-pyridylmethyl)amine (Me(3)TPA), and a new pentadentate ligand N,N-bis(2-pyridinylmethyl)-2,2'-bipyridine-6-methanamine (DPA-Bpy) have been described. The electrochemical properties of these mononuclear Ru complexes have been investigated by both experimental and computational methods. Using Ce(IV) as oxidant, stoichiometric oxidation of water by [Ru(TPA)(H(2)O)(2)](2+) was observed, while Ru(Me(3)TPA)(H(2)O)(2)](2+) has much less activity for water oxidation. Compared to [Ru(TPA)(H(2)O)(2)](2+) and [Ru(Me(3)TPA)(H(2)O)(2)](2+), [Ru(DPA-Bpy)(H(2)O)](2+) exhibited 20 times higher activity for water oxidation. This study demonstrates a new type of ligand scaffold to support water oxidation by mononuclear Ru complexes.

Tetranuclear polybipyridyl complexes of Ru(II) and Mn(II), their electro- and photo-induced transformation into di-mu-oxo Mn(III)Mn(IV) hexanuclear complexes.

Three heterotetranuclear complexes, [{Ru(II)(bpy)(2)(L(n))}(3)Mn(II)](8+) (bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine, n = 2, 4, 6), in which a Mn(II)-tris-bipyridine-like centre is covalently linked to three Ru(II)-tris-bipyridine-like moieties using bridging bis-bipyridine L(n) ligands, have been synthesised and characterised. The electrochemical, photophysical and photochemical properties of these complexes have been investigated in CH(3)CN. The cyclic voltammograms of the three complexes exhibit two successive very close one-electron metal-centred oxidation processes in the positive potential region. The first, which is irreversible, corresponds to the Mn(II)/Mn(III) redox system (E(pa) approximately 0.82 V vs Ag/Ag(+) 0.01 M in CH(3)CN-0.1 M Bu(4)NClO(4)), whereas the second which is, reversible, is associated with the Ru(II)/Ru(III) redox couple (E(1/2) approximately 0.91 V). In the negative potential region, three successive reversible four electron systems are observed, corresponding to ligand-based reduction processes. The three stable dimeric oxidized forms of the complexes, [Mn(2)(III,IV)O(2){Ru(II)(bpy)(2)(L(n))}(4)](11+), [Mn(2)(IV,IV)O(2){Ru(II)(bpy)(2)(L(n))}(4)](12+) and [Mn(2)(IV,IV)O(2){Ru(III)(bpy)(2)(L(n))}(4)](16+) are obtained in fairly good yields by sequential electrolyses after consumption of respectively 1.5, 0.5 and 3 electrons per molecule of initial tetranuclear complexes. The formation of the di-micro-oxo binuclear complexes are the result of the instability of the {[Ru(II)(bpy)(2)(L(n))](3)Mn(III)}(9+) species, which react with residual water, via a disproportionation reaction and the release of one ligand, [Ru(II)(bpy)(2)(L(n))](2+). A quantitative yield can be obtained for these reactions if the electrochemical oxidations are performed in the presence of an added external base like 2,6-dimethylpyridine. Photophysical properties of these compounds have been investigated showing that the luminescence of the Ru(II)-tris-bipyridine-like moieties is little affected by the presence of manganese within the tetranuclear complexes. A slight quenching of the excited states of the ruthenium moieties, which occurs by an intramolecular process, has been observed. Measurements made at low concentration (<1 x 10(-5) M) indicate that some decoordination of Mn(2+) arises in 1a-c. These measurements allow the calculation of the association constants for these complexes. Finally, photoinduced oxidation of the tetranuclear complexes has been performed by continuous photolysis experiments in the presence of a large excess of a diazonium salt, acting as a sacrificial oxidant. The three successive oxidation processes, Mn(II)--> Mn(III)Mn(IV), Mn(III)Mn(IV)--> Mn(IV)Mn(IV) and Ru(II)--> Ru(III) are thus obtained, the addition of 2,6-dimethylpyridine in the medium giving an essentially quantitative yield for the two first photo-induced oxidation steps as found for electrochemical oxidation.

Synthesis of two 8-[(anthraquinone-2-yl)-linked]-2'-deoxyadenosine 3'-benzyl hydrogen phosphates for studies of photoinduced hole transport in DNA.

The challenge in working with anthraquinone-2'-deoxyadenosine (AQ-dA) conjugates is that they are insoluble in water and only sparingly soluble in most organic solvents. However, water-soluble AQ-dA conjugates with short linkers are required for study of their electrochemical and intramolecular electron transfer properties in this solvent prior to their use in laser kinetics investigations of photoinduced hole (cation) transport in DNA. This article first describes the synthesis of a water-soluble, ethynyl-linked AQ-dA conjugate, 8-[(anthraquinone-2-yl)ethynyl]-2'-deoxyadenosine 3'-benzyl hydrogen phosphate, based on initial formation of a 5'-O-(4,4'-dimethoxytrityl) (5'-O-DMTr) intermediate. Because intended H2 over Pd/C reduction of the ethynyl linker in 5'-O-DMTr-protected 2'-deoxyadenosines cleaves the DMTr protecting group and precipitates multiple side products, this work also describes the synthesis of an ethylenyl-linked AQ-dA conjugate, 8-[2-(anthraquinone-2-yl)ethyl]-2'-deoxyadenosine 3'-benzyl hydrogen phosphate, starting with a 5'-O-tert-butyldiphenylsilyl protecting group.

[FeII(bpy)3]2+/TiO2-codoped zeolites: synthesis, characterization, and first application in photocatalysis.

TiO2-codoped [FeII(bpy)3]2+/zeolite Y systems are revealed to be efficient photocatalysts for photochemically enhanced Fenton processes. Preparation, characterization, and tests using 2,4-xylidine as a model pollutant are described, and a first mechanistic hypothesis explaining the rather high photochemical reactivity of the catalyst system is given.

Photoinduced superhydrophilic properties of Ti-B binary oxide thin films and their photocatalytic reactivity for the decomposition of NO.

Characterizations of Ti-B binary oxide thin films by means of various spectroscopic measurements have shown that Ti-B binary oxide thin films are formed by ultra fine TiO2 nanoparticles. A dramatic decrease in the contact angle of water droplets to 0 degree under ultraviolet (UV) light irradiation and a return to only half of its initial value under dark conditions were observed for the Ti-B binary oxide thin films. Moreover, ultraviolet irradiation of these thin film photocatalysts in the presence of NO led to photocatalytic decomposition of NO into N2 and O2. Especially when the Ti content was low, the size of the primary nanoparticles of the thin films was smaller and the photocatalytic reaction proceeded efficiently with a high selectivity for the formation of N2 and O2 from NO.

Antitumor activity of conjugates of the oncofetal protein alpha-fetoprotein and phthalocyanines in vitro.

The several conjugates of aluminium and cobalt complexes of phthalocyanines with human alpha-fetoprotein have been synthesized. Their cytotoxic activity against tumor cells and human peripheral blood lymphocytes was studied. The experimental data demonstrate that the cytotoxic activity of alpha-fetoprotein-phthalocyanine conjugates against three types of tumor cells of various origin is much higher (for aluminium and cobalt complexes more than 1000 and 50 times, respectively) in comparison with phthalocyanines themselves. The application of phthalocyanines as conjugates with alpha-fetoprotein makes it possible to markedly enhance the selective toxicity of phthalocyanines against human tumor cells.

Diesel soot particles catalyze the production of oxy-radicals.

The formation of a strong oxidant similar to the OH. radical is catalyzed by diesel soot particles in the presence of cysteine and hydrogen peroxide or in the presence of light. The oxidant(s) formed causes fragmentation of methylthioketobutyric acid measurable as ethylene release. Furthermore, the model carotenoid crocin is bleached and thiobarbituric-acid-reactive material (malondialdehyde) is produced from linolenic acid. All reactions are inhibited by scavengers (propyl gallate, alpha-tocopherol, diazobicyclooctane) and by catalase. The reactions observed suggest that the toxicity and mutagenicity of diesel soot particles is at least in part due to the formation of reactive oxygen species.