It takes two to tango: synthesis of cytotoxic quinones containing two redox active centers with potential antitumor activity.

We report the synthesis of 47 new quinone-based derivatives via click chemistry and their subsequent evaluation against cancer cell lines and the control L929 murine fibroblast cell line. These compounds combine two redox centers, such as an ortho-quinone/para-quinone or quinones/selenium with the 1,2,3-triazole nucleus. Several of these compounds present IC50 values below 0.5 µM in cancer cell lines with significantly lower cytotoxicity in the control cell line L929 and good selectivity index. Hence, our study confirms the use of a complete and very diverse range of quinone compounds with potential application against certain cancer cell lines.

Unexpected formation of a dodecanuclear {CoII6CuII6} nanowheel under ambient conditions: magneto-structural correlations.

We report the unique heterobimetallic dodecanuclear oxamate-based {CoII6CuII6} nanowheel obtained using an environmentally friendly synthetic protocol. The effective Hamiltonian methodology employed herein allows the rationalisation of magnetic isotropic or anisotropic metal clusters, being a significant advance for future studies of exciting properties only observed at low and ultralow temperatures.

Building-up host-guest helicate motifs and chains: a magneto-structural study of new field-induced cobalt-based single-ion magnets.

In this work, we present the synthetic pathway, a refined structural description, complete solid-state characterization and the magnetic properties of four new cobalt(ii) compounds of formulas [Co(H2O)6][Co2(H2mpba)3]·2H2O·0.5dmso (1), [Co(H2O)6][Co2(H2mpba)3]·3H2O·0.5dpss (2), [Co2(H2mpba)2(H2O)4]n·4nH2O (3), and [Co2(H2mpba)2(CH3OH)2(H2O)2]n·0.5nH2O·2ndpss (4) [dpss = 2,2'-dipyridyldisulfide and H4mpba = 1,3-phenylenebis(oxamic) acid], where 2 and 4 were obtained from [Co(dpss)Cl2] (Pre-I) as the source of cobalt(ii). All four compounds are air-stable and were prepared under ambient conditions. 1 and 2 were obtained from a slow diffusion method [cobalt(ii) : H2mpba2- molar ratio used 1 : 1] and their structures are made up of [Co2(H2mpba)3]2- anionic helicate units and [Co(H2O)6]2+ cations, exhibiting supramolecular three-dimensional structures. Interestingly, a supramolecular honeycomb network between the helicate units interacting with each other through R22(10) type hydrogen bonds occurs in 2 hosting one co-crystallized dpss molecule. On the other hand, for the first time, linear (3) and zigzag (4) cobalt(ii) chains were isolated by slow evaporation of stirred solutions of mixed solvents with cobalt(ii) : H2mpba2- in 1 : 2 molar ratio at room temperature. Magnetic measurements of Pre-I revealed a quasi magnetically isolated S = 3/2 spin state with a significant second-order spin-orbit contribution as expected for tetrahedrally coordinated cobalt(ii) ions. The analysis of the variable temperature static (dc) magnetic susceptibility data through first- (1 and 3) and second-order spin-orbit coupling models (2 and 4) reveals the presence of magnetically non-interacting high-spin cobalt(ii) ions with easy-axis (1 and 4)/easy-plane magnetic anisotropies (2 and 4) with low rhombic distortions. Dynamic (ac) magnetic measurements for Pre-I and 1-4 below 8.0 K show that they are examples of field-induced Single-Ion Magnets (SIMs).

Field-Induced Slow Magnetic Relaxation of a Six-Coordinate Mononuclear Manganese(II) and Cobalt(II) Oxamate Complexes.

Two air-stable, isostructural, mononuclear six-coordinate manganese(II) and cobalt(II) oxamate complexes, [M(4-HOpa)2(H2O)2] [4-HOpa = N-4-hydroxyphenyloxamate; M= Mn2+ (1) or Co2+ (2)], exhibit field-induced slow magnetic relaxation. A bottleneck process is observed throughout the temperature range of 2-20 K for 1, while for 2, it dominates only at low temperatures (2-4 K). Additionally, the Raman process [n = 6.9(2)] is responsible for an increase in the relaxation time at higher temperatures to 2.

Mononuclear lanthanide(III)-oxamate complexes as new photoluminescent field-induced single-molecule magnets: solid-state photophysical and magnetic properties.

Implementing additional optical (luminescent) properties into the well-known class of single-molecule magnets (SMMs) is considered as a promising route toward obtaining the next generation of optomagnetic materials for quantum information storage and computing. Herein, we report a joint optical and magneto-structural study for the two novel series of lanthanide(iii) complexes of general formula Bu4N[LnIII(HL)4(dmso)]·nH2O where H2L = N-(4-Xphenyl)oxamic acid with X = Cl and n = 2 [Ln = Eu (1_Cl), Gd (2_Cl), Dy (3_Cl), and Tb (4_Cl)] and X = F and n = 3 [Ln = Eu (1_F), Gd (2_F), Dy (3_F), and Tb (4_F)]. All these compounds are mononuclear species with each lanthanide(iii) cation in a low-symmetry nine-coordinate environment (LnO9) which is constituted by four didentate monoprotonated oxamate groups and one dmso molecule. Magnetic measurements show the occurrence of field-induced SMM behavior for the Gd3+ (2_Cl and 2_F), Dy3+ (3_Cl and 3_F), and Tb3+ complexes (4_Cl and 4_F). Solid-state photophysical measurements for the Eu3+ (1_Cl and 1_F) and Tb3+ complexes (4_Cl and 4_F) reveal that both monoprotonated chloro- and fluoro-substituted phenyl(oxamate) ligands are able to sensitize the lanthanide(iii)-based luminescence in the visible region, through an energy transfer process ("antenna effect"), as supported by theoretical calculations for Eu3+ compounds. In particular, 1_Cl and 1_F present a quantum efficiency of approximately 50%, being potentially suitable as efficient light conversion molecular devices (LCMDs).

Relatively strong intramolecular antiferromagnetic coupling in a neutral Cr(III)2Nb(V)2 heterobimetallic molecular square.

A relatively large antiferromagnetic interaction between the two chromium(III) ions from the molecular square [{Cr(dmso)4}2{Nb(µ-O)2(C2O4)2}2] () (J = -12.0 cm(-1)) is mediated by the diamagnetic oxo-Nb(V)-oxo pathway, its nature and magnitude being substantiated by DFT type theoretical calculations.

A heterobimetallic [Mn5(II)Cu5(II)] nanowheel modulated by a flexible bis-oxamate type ligand.

The synthesis, crystal structure and preliminary magnetic characterization of a new heterobimetallic [Mn5(II)Cu5(II)] wheel containing a flexible bis-oxamate type ligand are described. This decanuclear compound exhibits a relatively strong intra-wheel antiferromagnetic interaction leading to a ground spin state S = 10.

Discrete trinuclear copper(II) compounds as building blocks: the influence of the peripheral substituents on the magnetic coupling in oxamato-bridged complexes.

Two new trinuclear copper(ii) complexes without end-capping ligands, (Bu4N)2[Cu(dmso)2{Cu(dnopba)(dmso)}2] () and (Bu4N)2[Cu(dmso)2{Cu(dcopba)(dmso)}2] () [dnopba = 4,5-dinitro-ortho-phenylenebis(oxamate), dcopba = 4,5-dichloro-ortho-phenylenebis(oxamate), Bu4N(+) = tetra-n-butylammonium and dmso = dimethylsulfoxide], were synthesized and their structures were determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction. The crystal structures of and consist of two outer bis(oxamato)(dmso)cuprate(ii) units which act as bidentate ligands toward a trans-bis(dmso)copper(ii) inner entity leading to centrosymmetric tricopper(ii) complexes with copper-copper separations across the oxamate bridges of 5.1916(3) () and 5.1776(3) Å (). The peripheral copper(ii) ions in and are five-coordinate in somewhat distorted square pyramidal environments with a dmso molecule filling the apical position whereas the inner copper(ii) ion is six-coordinate in an elongated octahedral environment with two dmso molecules in the axial sites. The investigation of their magnetic properties in the temperature range 2.0-300 K shows the occurrence of a strong intramolecular antiferromagnetic coupling between the copper(ii) ions through the oxamate bridges [J1 = -296(1) () and -334(1) cm(-1) (), the Hamiltonian being defined as H = -J1(SCu2·SCu1 + SCu2·SCu1')], which leads to a low-lying spin doublet at low temperatures. Density functional theory calculations (DFT) have been used to substantiate these magnetic couplings and also to analyse the influence exerted on these interactions by the type of substituent at the 4,5-positions from the phenylene ring of the bis(oxamate) ligand.

Magnetic poles determinations and robustness of memory effect upon solubilization in a Dy(III)-based single ion magnet.

The [Dy(tta)3(L)] complex behaves as a single ion magnet both in its crystalline phase and in solution. Experimental and theoretical magnetic anisotropy axes perfectly match and lie along the most electro-negative atoms of the coordination sphere. Both VSM and MCD measurements highlight the robustness of the complex, with persistence of the memory effect even in solution up to 4 K.

A pH-triggered bistable copper(II) metallacycle as a reversible emulsion switch for biphasic processes.

A unique bistable copper-metallacyclic complex is used as an elegant molecular switch for the reversible formation of emulsions by simple pH variation. This switch may have several exciting applications in biphasic processes such as catalysis and separation science technologies.

Difluorodioxophosphate-based hollow hexanuclear lanthanide(III) clusters decorated with tetrathiafulvalene ligands.

The galvanostatic reaction of the [4,5-bis(2-pyridyl-N-oxidemethylthio)]-4',5'-methyldithiotetrathiafulvalene ligand with lanthanide ions in the presence of hexafluorophosphate (PF6(-)) anions afforded the highest-nuclearity lanthanide clusters decorated by tetrathiafulvalene-based ligands thanks to the original partial hydrolysis of the PF6(-) anions in difluorodioxophosphate (PO2F2(-)) bridging ligands.

A two-dimensional oxamate- and oxalate-bridged Cu(II)Mn(II) motif: crystal structure and magnetic properties of (Bu4N)2[Mn2{Cu(opba)}2ox].

A new compound of formula (Bu4N)2[Mn2{Cu(opba)}2ox] (1) [Bu4N(+) = tetra-n-butylammonium cation, H4opba = 1,2-phenylenebis(oxamic acid), and H2ox = oxalic acid] has been synthesized and magneto-structurally investigated. The reaction of manganese(II) acetate, [Cu(opba)](2-), and ox(2-) in dimethyl sulfoxide yielded single crystals of 1. The structure of 1 consists of heterobimetallic oxamato-bridged Cu(II)Mn(II) chains which are connected through bis-bidentate oxalate coordinated to the manganese(II) ions to afford anionic heterobimetallic layers of 6(3)-hcb net topology. The layers are interleaved by n-Bu4N(+) counterions. Each copper(II) ion in 1 is four-coordinate in a square planar environment defined by two amidate-nitrogen and two carboxylate-oxygen atoms from the two oxamate groups of the obpa ligand. The manganese(II) ion is six-coordinate in a somewhat distorted octahedral surrounding that is built by two oxalate-oxygen and four carbonyl-oxygen atoms from two [Cu(opba)](2-) units. The magnetic properties of 1 in the temperature range 1.9-300 K correspond to those expected for the coexistence of intralayer antiferromagnetic interactions of the type copper(II)-manganese(II) across oxamato and manganese(II)-manganese(II) through oxalato bridges plus a weak spin canting in the very low temperature domain. Simulation of the magnetic data through quantum Monte Carlo methodology reveals the magnitude of the intralayer magnetic interactions [J(CuMn) = -32.5(3) cm(-1), and J(MnMn) = -2.7(3) cm(-1)], their values being within the range of those previously observed in lower nuclearity systems.

Design of 1D and 2D molecule-based magnets with the ligand 4,5-dimethyl-1,2-phenylenebis(oxamato).

Three new bimetallic oxamato-based magnets with the proligand 4,5-dimethyl-1,2-phenylenebis(oxamato) (dmopba) were synthesized using water or dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) as solvents. Single crystal X-ray diffraction provided structures for two of them: [MnCu(dmopba)(H(2)O)(3)](n)·4nH(2)O (1) and [MnCu(dmopba)(DMSO)(3)](n)·nDMSO (2). The crystalline structures for both 1 and 2 consist of linearly ordered oxamato-bridged Mn(II)Cu(II) bimetallic chains. The magnetic characterization revealed a typical behaviour of ferrimagnetic chains for 1 and 2. Least-squares fits of the experimental magnetic data performed in the 300-20 K temperature range led to J(MnCu) = -27.9 cm(-1), g(Cu) = 2.09 and g(Mn) = 1.98 for 1 and J(MnCu) = -30.5 cm(-1), g(Cu) = 2.09 and g(Mn) = 2.02 for 2 (H = -J(MnCu)∑S(Mn),(i)(S(Cu,i) + S(Cu),(i-1))). The two-dimensional ferrimagnetic system [Me(4)N](2n){Co(2)[Cu(dmopba)](3)}(n)·4nDMSO·nH(2)O (3) was prepared by reaction of Co(II) ions and an excess of [Cu(dmopba)](2-) in DMSO. The study of the temperature dependence of the magnetic susceptibility as well as the temperature and field dependences of the magnetization revealed a cluster glass-like behaviour for 3.