Phospha-Münchnones: electronic structures and 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions.

The reaction of imines, acid chlorides, PR(3), and base generates a new class of 1,3-dipoles: phospha-Munchnones. These 1,3-dipoles can undergo cycloadditions with alkynes followed by loss of phosphine oxides to form pyrroles. Cycloaddition reactivity is dependent upon the PR(3) employed, with PhP(catechyl) (catechyl = o-O(2)C(6)H(4)) providing the most rapid cycloadditions and optimal pyrrole yields. (1)H, (13)C, and (31)P NMR analysis and computations indicate that electron-poor catechyl-substituted phosphonites and phosphites favor a cyclic 1,3-dipolar structure, while more electron-rich phosphines instead favor the valence tautomeric acyclic ylides. X-ray crystallographic studies confirm this. Density functional theory calculations support the wide variety of P-O interactions induced by different PR(3) groups and indicate that the most efficient concerted 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions are those for dipoles whose ground-state geometry is most like the transition-state geometry. Reactions of these dipoles with monosubstituted alkynes bearing an electron-withdrawing group are calculated to occur by stepwise mechanisms. The presence of the phosphorus unit creates a large electronic bias across the 1,3-dipole, allowing for regioselective cycloadditions with substituted alkynes.

Two new monofunctional platinum(II) dithiocarbamate complexes: phenanthriplatin-type axial protection, equatorial-axial conformational isomerism, and anticancer and DNA binding studies.

The syntheses of two platinum(ii) dithiocarbamate complexes (1 and 2) that show quinoplatin- and phenanthriplatin-type axial protection of the Pt-plane are described. The Pt-plane of complex 2 is axially more protected than that of complex 1. Furthermore, both complexes adopt two different stereochemical conformations in the solid state (based on single-crystal X-ray structures) owing to the structurally flexible piperazine backbone; i.e., C-e,e-Anti (1) and C-e,a-Syn (2), where "C" stands for the chair configuration, "e" and "a" stand for the equatorial and axial positions and "Anti" (opposite side) and "Syn" (same side) represent the relative orientations in space of the terminal substituents on the piperazine ring. In complex 2, the C-e,a-Syn conformation may provide additional steric hindrance to the Pt-plane. Despite the lower lipophilicity of 2 as compared to that of 1, the in vitro anticancer action against selected cancer cell lines is better for the former revealing the superior role of the axial protection over lipophilicity in modulating anticancer activity. The activity against the cancer promoting protein NF-κB signifies that the mode of cancer cell death may be the result of hindering the activity of NF-κB in the initiation of apoptosis. The apoptotic mode of cell death has been established earlier in a study using Annexin V-FITC. Finally, DNA binding studies revealed that the complex-DNA adduct formation is spontaneous and the mode of interaction is non-intercalative (electrostatic/covalent).

Synthesis, spectroscopic characterization and pH dependent photometric and electrochemical fate of Schiff bases.

A new Schiff base, 1-((4-bromophenylimino) methyl) naphthalen-2-ol (BPIMN) was successfully synthesized and characterized by (1)H NMR, (13)C NMR, FTIR and UV-Vis spectroscopy. The results were compared with a structurally related Schiff base, 1-((4-chlorophenylimino) methyl) naphthalen-2-ol (CPIMN). The photometric and electrochemical fate of BPIMN and CPIMN was investigated in a wide pH range. The experimental findings were supported by quantum mechanical approach. The redox mechanistic pathways were proposed on the basis of results obtained electrochemical techniques. Moreover, pH dependent UV-Vis spectroscopy of BPIMN and CPIMN was carried out and the appearance of isosbestic points indicated the existence of these compounds in different tautomeric forms.

Photoinduced alkyl group exchange of ethylzinc alkoxides: X-ray crystal structure of an iodomethylzinc methoxide.

Irradiation of a solution of ethyl zinc alkoxides and CH2I2 leads to clean formation of iodomethylzinc alkoxides; these intermediates are important species generated in stereoselective cyclopropanation processes; no alkyl group exchange is observed in the absence of irradiation; the solid-state structure of (MeO)8Zn7(CH2I)6 is also reported.

Supramolecular control of organic p/n-heterojunctions by complementary hydrogen bonding.

The supramolecular structure of organic semiconductors (OSCs) is the key parameter controlling their performance in organic electronic devices, and thus methods for controlling their self-assembly in the solid state are of the upmost importance. Recently, we have demonstrated the co-assembly of p- and n-type organic semiconductors through a three-point hydrogen-bonding interaction, utilizing an electron-rich dipyrrolopyridine (P2P) heterocycle which is complementary to naphthalenediimides (NDIs) both in its electronic structure and H bonding motif. The hydrogen-bonding-mediated co-assembly between P2P donor and NDI acceptor leads to ambipolar co-crystals and provides unique structural control over their solid-state packing characteristics. In this paper we expand our discussion on the crystal engineering aspects of H bonded donor-acceptor assemblies, reporting three new single co-crystal X-ray diffraction structures and analyzing the different packing characteristics that arise from the molecular structures employed. Particular attention is given toward understanding the formation of the two general motifs observed, segregated and mixed stacks. Co-assembly of the donor and acceptor components into a single, crystalline material, allows the creation of ambipolar semiconductors where the mutual arrangement of p- and n-conductive channels is engineered by supramolecular design based on complementary H bonding.

Synthesis and characterization of mononuclear iron silanethiolato complexes containing an unsupported Fe-S-Si bond system: X-ray crystal structure of CpFe(CO)2SSiPh3 and its reaction with SO2.

Mononuclear iron silanethiolato complexes of the type CpFe(CO)(2)SSiR(3), where R = Ph (1a) and (i)()Pr (1b), were prepared via treatment of [CpFe(CO)(2)(THF)]BF(4) with LiSSiPh(3).Et(2)O and NaSSi(i)()Pr(3), respectively. The molecular structure of 1a was determined by X-ray crystallography. Complex 1a was reacted with 1 equiv of SO(2) to give the corresponding O-silyl thiosulfite, CpFe(CO)(2)SS(O)OSiPh(3) (2), via 1,2-insertion of SO(2) into the S-Si bond. This reaction models the activation of SO(2) in the homogeneously catalyzed Claus process.

Chlorotris(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)tin(IV) and its ethanol hemisolvate.

Chlorotris(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)tin(IV), crystallizes from ethanol as solvent-free needles, [Sn(C(9)H(11))(3)Cl], (I), and as the hemisolvate, [Sn(C(9)H(11))(3)Cl].0.5C(2)H(6)O, (II). The asymmetric unit in (I) has three independent molecules, whereas in (II), there are two [Sn(C(9)H(11))(3)Cl] molecules together with one ethanol molecule. In the unit cell of (II), the ethanol molecules lie in channels between stacks of (Mes)(3)SnCl molecules (Mes is 2,4,6-trimethylphenyl) and each ethanol molecule is disordered (0.50:0.50) over two positions. A comparison of the structures of the title compounds and other (Mes)(3)SnX (X = F, Br or I) systems with those of the triphenyltin analogues shows that the steric requirements of the o-CH(3) groups are met by a flattening of the SnC(3) skeleton and increases in the average Sn-X and Sn-C values. Comparing Sn-X data for (Mes)(3)SnX (X = F, Cl, Br or I) systems with values for the tris(o-methoxyphenyl)tin analogues suggests that the Sn-F distance of 1.961 A in (Mes)(3)SnF may well be characteristic of sterically unhindered four-coordinate Ar(3)SnF systems.