Synthesis and X-ray structure of a C5-C4-linked glucofuranose-oxazolidin-2-one

The formation of (4R)-4-carbamoyl-4-[(4R)-3-O-benzyl-1,2-O-isopropylidene-β-l-threofuranos-4-C-yl]-oxazolidin-2-one instead of expected imidazolidin-2,4-dione (hydantoin) derivative from 5-amino-5-cyano-5-deoxy-3-O-benzyl-1,2-O-isopropylidene-α-d-glucofuranose or 3-O-benzyl-1,2-O-isopropylidene-α-d-xylo-hexofuranos-5-ulose under Bucherer-Bergs reaction conditions is reported. Single crystal X-ray diffraction data revealed that ³T₄ is the prefered conformation for the furanose ring, while E₂ and ²T₁ conformations are adopted by the 1,3-dioxolane and 2-oxazolidinone five-membered rings, respectively.     

A simple method of the preparation of 2′-O-Methyladenosine Methylation of adenosine with methyl iodide in anhydrous alkaline medium

A simple and effective method of the methylation on the 2′-O position of adenosine is described. Adenosine is treated with CH₃I in an anhydrous alkaline medium at 0°C for 4 h. The major products of this reaction are monomethylated adenosine at either the 2′-O or 3′-O position (total of 64%) and the side products are dimethylated adenosine (2′,3′-O-dimethyladenosi, 21%, and N⁶-2′-O-dimethyladenosine, 11%). The ratio of 2′-O- and 3′-O-methyladenosine has been found to be 8 to 1. Therefore, this reaction preferentially favors the synthesis of 2′-O-methyladenosine. The monomethylated adenosine is isolated from reaction mixture by a silica gel column chromatography. Then the pure 2′-O-methyladenosine can be separated by crystallization in ethanol from the mixture of 2′-O and 3′-O-methylated isomers. The overall yield of 2′-O-methyladenosine is 42%.     

Light-dependent incorporation of selenite and sulphite into selenocysteine and cysteine by isolated pea chloroplasts

Illuminated intact pea chloroplasts in the presence of O-acetylserine (OAS) catalysed incorporation of SeO₃^2- and SO₃^2- into selenocysteine and cysteine at rates of ca 0.36 and 6 μmol/mg Chl per hr respectively. Sonicated chloroplasts catalysed SeO₃^2- and SO₃^2- incorporation at ca 3.9 and 32% respectively of the rates of intact chloroplasts. Addition of GSH and NADPH increased the rates to ca 91 and 98% of the intact rates, but SeO₃^2- incorporation under these conditions was essentially light-independent. In the absence of OAS, intact chloroplasts catalysed reduction of SO₃^2- to S^2- at rates of ca 5.8 μmol/mg Chl per hr. In the presence of OAS, S^2- did not accumulate. Glutathione (GSH) reductase was purified from peas and was inhibited by ZnCl₂. This enzyme, in the presence of purified clover cysteine synthase, OAS, GSH and NADPH, catalysed incorporation of SeO₃^2- into selenocysteine (but not SO₃^2- into cysteine). The reaction was inhibited by ZnCl₂. Incorporation of SeO₃^2- into selenocysteine by illuminated intact chloroplasts and sonicated chloroplasts (with NADPH and GSH) was also inhibited by ZnCl₂ but not by KCN. Conversely, incorporation of SO₃^2- into cysteine was inhibited by KCN but not by ZnCl₂. It was concluded that SeO₃^2- and SO₃^2- are reduced in chloroplasts by independent light-requiring mechanisms. It is proposed that SeO₃^2- is reduced by light-coupled GSH reductase and that the Se^2- produced is incorporated into selenocysteine by cysteine synthase.     

Aerobic hydrogenase activity in Anacystis Nidulans The oxyhydrogen reaction

1. The oxyhydrogen reaction of Anacystis nidulans was studied manometrically and polarographically in whole cells and in cell-free preparations; the activity was found to be associated with the particulate fraction.2. Besides O₂, the isolated membranes reduced artificial electron acceptors of positive redox potential; the reactions were unaffected by O₂ levels <10–15%; aerobically the artificial acceptors were reduced simultaneously with O₂.3. H₂-supported O₂ uptake was inhibited by CO, KCN and 2-n-heptyl-8-hydroxyquinoline-N-oxide. Inhibition by CO was partly reversed by strong light. Uncouplers stimulated the oxyhydrogen reaction.4. The kinetic properties of O₂ uptake by isolated membranes were the same in presence of H₂ and of other respiratory substrates.5. Low rates of H₂ evolution by the membrane preparations were found in presence of dithionite; methyl viologen stimulated the reaction.6. The results indicate that under certain growth conditions Anacystis synthesizes a membrane-bound hydrogenase which appears to be involved in phosphorylative electron flow from H₂ to O₂ through the respiratory chain.     

Hydroxyl Radical Generation Depending on O2 or H2O by a Photocatalyzed Reaction in an Aqueous Suspension of Titanium Dioxide

Photocatalytic production of the electron (e^-) and positive hole (h⁺) in an aqueous suspension of TiO₂ (anatase form) under illumination by near-UV light (295-390 nm) generated the superoxide (O₂ ^-) and hydroxyl radical (?OH), which both proceeded linearly with reaction time, while H₂O₂ accumulated non-linearly. Under anaerobic conditions (introduced Ar gas), the yields of three active species of oxygen were decreased to 10-20% of those detected in the air-saturated reaction. The electron spin resonance (ESR) signal characteristics of ?OH were obtained when a spin trap of 5,5-dimthyl-1-pyrroline-N-oxide (DMPO) was included in the illuminating mixture. The intensity of the ESR signal was increased by Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase, and decreased under anaerobic conditions, amounting to only 20% of the intensity detected in the aerobic reaction. The addition of H₂O₂ to the reaction mixture resulted in about an 8-fold increase of ?OH production in the anaerobic reaction, but only about 1.5-fold in the aerobic reaction, indicating that e^- generated by the photocatalytic reaction reduced H₂O₂ to produce ?OH plus OH^-. On the other hand, D₂O lowered the yield of ?OH generation to 18% under air and 40% under Ar conditions, indicating the oxidation of H₂O by h⁺. The addition of Fe(III)-EDTA as an electron acceptor effectively increased ?OH generation, 2.3-fold in the aerobic reaction and 8.4-fold in the anaerobic reaction, the yield in the latter exceeding that in the air-saturated reaction.     

Ethylene antagonizes the inhibition of germination in Arabidopsis induced by salinity by modulating the concentration of hydrogen peroxide

The capacity of plants to achieve successful germination and early seedling establishment under high salinity is crucial for tolerance of plants to salt. The gaseous hormone ethylene has been implicated in modulating salt tolerance, but the detailed role of how ethylene modulates the response of early seedling establishment to salt is unclear. To better understand the role of the ethylene signal transduction pathway during germination and seedling establishment, an ethylene insensitive mutation (ein2-5) and an ethylene sensitive mutation (ctr1-1) of Arabidopsis were analyzed under saline conditions and compared with the wild type plant (Col-0) as control. High salinity (>100?mM NaCl) inhibited and delayed germination. These effects were more severe in the ethylene insensitive mutants (ein2-5) and less severe in the constitutive ethylene sensitive plants (ctr1-1) compared with Col-0 plants. Addition of the ethylene precursor 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) or inhibitors of ethylene action implied that ethylene was essential for early seedling establishment under normal and saline conditions. Salt stress increased the endogenous concentration of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) in germinating seeds and ACC reduced its concentration. Our results suggest that ethylene promotes germination under salinity by modulating the endogenous concentration of H₂O₂ in germinating seeds. These findings demonstrate that ethylene is involved in regulating germination as an initiator of the process rather than consequence, and that ethylene promotes germination by modulating the endogenous concentration of H₂O₂ in germinating seeds under salinity.     

Hydrogenolysis of benzylidene acetals of 1,6-anhydro-β-d-galactopyranose derivatives with the LiAlH4—AlCl3 reagent

Benzylidenation of 1,6-anhydro-β-d-galactopyranose (1) and its 2-O-acetyl (2) and 2-O-allyl (3) derivatives under various conditions afforded mixtures of 1,6-anhydro-exo- and -endo-3,4-O-benzylidene-β-d-galactopyranose (4 and 5) and the2-O-acetyl (6 and 7) and 2-O-allyl (8 and 9) derivatives, respectively. Hydrogenolysis of the exo (4 and 8) or the endo (5 and 9) derivatives with the LiAlH₂—AlCl₃ reagent gave only the 3-O-benzyl derivatives (10 and 11).     

Studies of carbohydrate derivatives having the -CH2F function

The following primary sulphonates have been converted into the corresponding deoxyfluoro derivatives by reaction with potassium fluoride in ethylene glycol:1,2:3,4-di-O-isopropylidene-6-O-tosyl α-D-galactopyranose (1), methyl 2,3-O2-isopropyliden-5-O-tosyl-α,β-D-ribofuranoside (2), 1,2:3,4-di-O-methylene-6-O-tosyl-α-D-glucofuranose (3), 3,5-di-O-benzylidene-1,2-O-isopropylidene-6-O-tosyl-α-D-glucofuranose (4), and 1,2:3,5-di-O-isopropylidene-6-O-tosyl-α-D-glucofuranose (5). The yields were generally poor; in the reaction of 1, a major by-product was 6-O-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1,2:3,4-di-O-isopropylidene-α-D-galactopyranose (11). The reaction of the primary hydroxyl precursor of each of the above tosylates with N2-(2-chloro- 1,1,2-trifluoroethyl)-N,N-diethylamine generally yielded the O-chlorofluoroacetyl derivative; however, 1,2:3,5-di-O-methylene-α-D-glucofuranose (12) was converted into the 6-deoxy-6-fluoro derivative (8). The ¹⁹F resonances of compounds containing the CH₂F moiety fall between φ_C +213 and φ_C +235 p.p.m. The differences between the vicinal¹⁹F-¹H couplings of compounds having the D-gluco and D-galacto configurations clearly reflect the influence of the C-4O-4 substitutents on the populations of the C-5C-6 rotamers. A novel type of noise-modulated, heteronuclear decoupling experiment is described.     

Glycosidation at C-4 of 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D-glucopyranose derivatives by koenigs-knorr type condensations

The condensation of 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzyl-D-glucopyranosyl bromide and 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzyl-D-mannopyranosyl chloride with benzyl 2-acetamido-3,6-di-O-benzyl-2-deoxy-α-D-glucopyranoside (1), under Koenigs-Knorr conditions, gave the fully benzylated derivatives of benzyl 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-4-O-α-D-glucopyranosyl-α-D-glucopyranoside, benzyl 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-4-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-α-D-glucopyranoside, and benzyl 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-4-O-α-D-mannopyranosyl-α-D-glucopyranoside. Three further compounds, namely, benzyl 2-acetamido-3-O-benzyl-2-deoxy-6-O-(2,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzyl-D-glucopyranosyl)-α-D-glucopyranoside, benzyl 2-acetamido-3-O-benzyl-2-deoxy-6-O-(2,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzyl-D)-mannopyranosyl)-α-D-glucopyranoside, and benzyl 2-acetamido-3-O-benzyl-2-deoxy-4,6-di-O-(2,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzyl-D-mannopyranosyl)-α-D-glucopyranoside, were formed by reaction of the respective glycosyl halide with benzyl 2-acetamido-3-O-benzyl-2-deoxy-α-D-glucopyranoside present as contaminant in 1.     

Synthesis of iminoalditol and N-alkyl iminoalditol derivatives of ribopyranosides

Iminoalditol analogs of ribopyranosides were prepared by reduction of a vinylogous urethane intermediate formed from methyl 2-C-(5-O-methanesulfonyl-β-d-ribofuranosyl)acetate (1) by treatment with sodium azide in DMF at reflux. The N-alkylated analogs were synthesized either by N-alkylation of the corresponding parent iminoaldithol or, more efficiently, from the product of the reaction of 1 with various alkylamines. The latter process involves an S_N2 substitution at C-5 by the amine followed by an intramolecular hetero-Michael reaction under basic conditions. The ‘aglycon’ of the iminoalditol was also modified through amidation and esterification.     

Synthesis of phenyl 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-3-O-α-l-fucopyranosyl-β-d-glucopyranoside and related compounds

The reaction of phenyl 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-4,6- O-(p-methoxybenzylidene)-β-d-glucopyranoside with 2,3,4-tri-O-benzyl-α-l-fucopyranosyl bromide under halide ion-catalyzed conditions proceeded readily, to give phenyl 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-4,6-O-(p-methoxybenzylidene)-3-O-(2,3,4-tri-O-benzyl-α-l-fucopyranosyl)-β-d-glucopyranoside (8). Mild treatment of 8 with acid, followed by hydrogenolysis, provided the disaccharide phenyl 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-3-O-α-l-fucopyranosyl-β-d-glucopyranoside. Starting from 6-(trifluoroacetamido)hexyl 2-acetamido-3,4,6-tri-O-acetyl-2-deoxy-β-d-glucopyranoside, the synthesis of 6-(trifluoroacetamido)hexyl 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-3-O-β-l-fucopyranosyl-β-d-glucopyranoside has been accomplished by a similar reaction-sequence. On acetolysis, methyl 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-3-O-α-l-fucopyranosyl-α-d-glucopyranoside gave 2-methyl-[4,6-di-O-acetyl-1,2-dideoxy-3-O-(2,3,4-tri-O-acetyl-α-l-fucopyranosyl)-α-d-glucopyrano]-[2, 1-d]-2-oxazoline as the major product.     

Biotransformation pathway and kinetics of the hydrolysis of the 3-O- and 20-O-multi-glucosides of PPD-type ginsenosides by ginsenosidase type I

Ginsenosidase type I from Aspergillus niger g.48 can hydrolyze the 3-O- and 20-O-multi-glycosides of PPD-type ginsenosides. The enzyme molecular weight is approximately 74 kDa. When hydrolyzing the glycosides of Rb1, Rb3, Rb2 and Rc, the structures of which only differ in their terminal 20-O-glycosides, ginsenosidase type I hydrolyzes both the 3-O- and 20-O-glycosides of Rb1 and Rb3 using two pathways, but the enzyme first hydrolyzes the 3-O-glucosides of Rb2 and Rc using one pathway. One pathway of Rb1 hydrolyzes the 20-O-Glc of Rb1 to Rd→F2→C-K; another pathway hydrolyzes the 3-O-Glc of Rb1 to Gyp17→Gyp75→C-K. Two hydrolysis pathways are used to hydrolyze the 20-O-Xyl and the 3-O-Glc of Rb3. According to the enzyme reaction parameters K_m, V_max and V₀ at a 10 mM substrate concentration, the enzyme hydrolysis velocity values decrease in the following order: the 20-O-Xyl of Rb3→Rd> the 20-O-Glc of Rb1→Rd> the 3-O-Glc of Rc> the 3-O-Glc of Rb2> the 3-O-Glc of Rd> the 3-O-Glc of Rb3→C-Mx1> the 3-O-Glc of Rb1→Gyp17> the 3-O-Glc of F2> the 3-O-Glc of 20(S)-Rg3.     

Monoacylation of 2-O-α-d-glucopyranosyl-l-ascorbic acid by protease in N,N-dimethylformamide with low water content

2-O-α-d-Glucopyranosyl-l-ascorbic acid (AA-2G) laurate was synthesized from AA-2G and vinyl laurate with a protease from Bacillus subtilis in N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) with low water content. Addition of water to DMF dramatically enhanced monoacyl AA-2G synthesis. Maximum synthetic activity was observed when 3% (v/v) water was added to the reaction medium. Under the optimal reaction conditions, 5-O-dodecanoyl-2-O-α-d-glucopyranosyl-l-ascorbic acid, 2-O-(6′-O-dodecanoyl-α-d-glucopyranosyl)-l-ascorbic acid, and 6-O-dodecanoyl-2-O-α-d-glucopyranosyl-l-ascorbic acid were synthesized in yields of 5.5%, 3.2%, and 20.4%, respectively.     

Response of the Microaerophilic Bifidobacterium Species, B. boum and B. thermophilum, to Oxygen

We investigated the effects of O₂ on Bifidobacterium species using liquid shaking cultures under various O₂ concentrations. Although most of the Bifidobacterium species we selected showed O₂ sensitivity, two species, B. boum and B. thermophilum, demonstrated microaerophilic profiles. The growth of B. bifidum and B. longum was inhibited under high-O₂ conditions accompanied by the accumulation of H₂O₂ in the medium, and growth was restored by adding catalase to the medium. B. boum and B. thermophilum grew well even under 20% O₂ conditions without H₂O₂ accumulation, and growth was stimulated compared to anoxic growth. H₂O-forming NADH oxidase activities were detected dominantly in cell extracts of B. boum and B. thermophilum under acidic reaction conditions (pH 5.0 to 6.0).     

Synthesis of 3-amino-3-deoxy-α-d-mannopyranosyl α-d-mannopyranoside by way of a regioselective Sn2 displacement in an unsymmetrical,disecondary ditriflate of a disaccharide

3-Amino-3-deoxy-α-d-mannopyranosyl α-d-mannopyranoside was synthesized from known 2-O-benzyl-4,6-O-benzylidene-α-d-altropyranosyl 3-O-benzyl-4,6-O-benzylidene-α-d-glucopyranoside, which is available in four steps from commercial α,α-trehalose. The 3,2′-ditriflate of the blocked disaccharide was first treated with sodium azide under phase-transfer conditions, which effected regioselective displacement of the 3-triflyloxy group, and subsequent reaction with sodium benzoate in N,N-dimethylformamide displaced the 2′-triflyloxy group. The blocked, 3-azido-2′-O-benzoyl derivative of α-d-mannopyranosyl α-d-mannopyranoside so obtained was conventionally debenzoylated and debenzylidenated, and subsequent, palladium-catalyzed transfer hydrogenation with formic acid effected reduction of the azido group and cleavage of the benzyl protecting groups, to give the title disaccharide in 13% over-all yield.     

RELATION OF OXYGEN TENSION AND TEMPERATURE TO THE TIME OF REDUCTION OF CYTOCHROME

The time for the appearance of the cytochrome C absorption band after shaking a suspension of bakers'' yeast with various O₂-N₂ mixtures was determined at each of six temperatures. At each temperature a linear relation between this interval—called the reduction time—and O₂ tension was found. It was shown: 1. That under our experimental conditions, absorption bands of cytochrome were seen when the O₂ tension of the suspension was reduced to, or below, a certain pressure which was found to be specific for each temperature (this pressure is provisionally considered to be identical with or very near to the "critical O₂ tension" usually found in Q _OO2-O₂-tension relationships); 2. That the x-axis intercept obtained from the reduction time - O₂-tension plot gives the value of the "critical" O₂ pressure at each temperature; 3. That the O₂ tension within the suspension is reduced by the respiratory activity of the yeast cells. An equation describing these observations is given and is used in calculating rates of O₂ consumption from measurements of reduction time of cytochrome. The average difference between the calculated values and the manometric measurements of Q _OO2 was found to be 6.6 per cent. A rapid optical method of measuring rates of O₂ consumption based on the findings of these experiments is proposed for use with cytochrome-containing microorganisms.     

The behavior of some aldoses with 2,2-dimethoxypropane-N,N-dimethylformamide-p-toluenesulfonic acid. II. At 80 degrees

Four aldohexoses were individually subjected to the reagent mixture and temperature cited in the title; in each case, the 2,2-dimethoxypropane was present in only a small molar excess and the p-toluenesulfonic acid was used in trace amounts. D-Mannose (1) afforded the known 2,3:5,6-di-O-isopropylidene-D-mannofuranose (2) in significantly higher yield than when the reaction was conducted at room temperature. The other three aldoses, however, gave products markedly different from those formed under the milder conditions. 2-Acetamido-2-deoxy-D-mannose (3) gave a mixture of products from which methyl 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-2,3-N,O-isopropylidene-5,6-O-isopropylidene-α-D-mannofuranoside (4), 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-2,3-N,O-isopropylidene-5,6-O-isopropylidene-D-mannofuranose (5a), and methyl 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-5,6-O-isopropylidene-α-D-mannofuranoside (6a) were isolated. 2-Acetamido-2-deoxy-D-galactose (11) gave compounds identified as methyl 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-5,6-O-isopropylidene-β-D-galactofuranoside (12a) and methyl 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-4,6-O-isopropylidene-β-D-galactopyranoside (13a). 2-Acetamido-2-deoxy-D-glucose (16) afforded methyl 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-5,6-O-isopropylidene-β-D-glucofuranoside (17a) and methyl 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-4,6-O-isopropylidene-β-D-glucopyranoside (18a). Evidence in support of the structures assigned to these new derivatives is presented.     

On the metabolic activation of the carcinogen N-hydroxy-N-2-acetylaminofluorene : III. Oxidation with horseradish peroxidase to yield 2-nitrosofluorene and N-acetoxy-N-2-acetylaminofluorene

Previous studies have shown that the carcinogen N-hydroxy-2-acetylaminofluorene is converted by one-electron oxidants to a free nitroxide radical which dismutates to N-acetoxy-2-acetylaminofluorene and 2-nitrosofluorene. The present study shows that the same oxidation can be achieved with horseradish peroxidase and H₂O₂. The free radical intermediate was detected by its ESR signal, and the yields of N-acetoxy-2-acetylaminofluorene and of 2-nitrosofluorene were determined under a number of conditions. Addition of tRNA to the reaction mixture containing N-acetoxy-N-2-acetyl[2′-³H]aminofluorene yielded tRNA-bound radioactivity; addition of guanosine yielded a reaction product which appears to be N-guanosin-8-yl)-2-acetylaminofluorene. The latter compound has previously been identified as a reaction product of N-acetoxy-2-acetylaminofluorene and guanosine. Preliminary attempts to demonstrate the formation of a nitroxide free radical or its dismutation products with rat liver mixed function oxidase systems were not successful.     

Modifying aroylhydrazone prochelators for hydrolytic stability and improved cytoprotection against oxidative stress

BSIH ((E)-N′-(2-(4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-1,3,2-dioxaborolan-2-yl)benzylidene)isonicotinohydrazide) is a prodrug version of the metal chelator SIH ((E)-N′-(2-hydroxybenzylidene)isonicotinohydrazide) in which a boronate group prevents metal chelation until reaction with hydrogen peroxide releases SIH, which is then available for sequestering iron(III) and inhibiting iron-catalyzed oxidative damage. While BSIH has shown promise for conditionally targeting iron sequestration in cells under oxidative stress, the yield of SIH is limited by the fact that BSIH exists in cell culture media as an equilibrium mixture with its hydrolysis products isoniazid and 2-formylphenyl boronic acid. In the current study, several BSIH analogs were evaluated for their hydrolytic stability, reaction outcomes with H₂O₂, and prochelator-to-chelator conversion efficiency. Notably, the para-methoxy derivative (p-OMe)BSIH ((E)-N′-(5-methoxy-2-(4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-1,3,2-dioxaborolan-2-yl)benzylidene)isonicotinohydrazide) and the meta-, para-double substituted (MD)BSIH ((E)-N′-((6-(4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-1,3,2-dioxaborolan-2-yl)benzo[d][1,3]dioxol-5-yl)methylene)isonicotinohydrazide) showed 1.3- and 1.9-fold improved hydrolytic stability compared to BSIH, respectively, leading to a 22 and 50% increase in chelator released. Moreover, both prochelators were found to protect retinal pigment epithelial cells stressed with either H₂O₂ or paraquat insult.     

Reactions of rhodium(II) and iridium(III) complexes bearing a P,O-coordination with tetracyanoethylene in the presence of KPF6

Reactions of Cp*M(MDMPP-P,O)Cl (1a: M=Rh, 1b: M=Ir; MDMPP-P,O=PPh₂(2-O-6-MeOC₆H₃)) with tetracyanoethylene (tcne) in the presence of KPF₆ gave Cp*MCl[PPh₂{2-O-3-(C(CN)₂CH(CN)₂)-6-MeOC₆H₂}] (2), [{Cp*MPPh₂{2-O-3-(C(CN)C(CN)₂)-6-MeOC₆H₂}}₂(CN)](PF₆) (3), [{Cp*IrPPh₂{2-O-3-(C(CN)C(CN)₂)-6-MeOC₆H₂}}(CN){Cp*Ir(MDMPP-P,O)}](PF₆) (4b) and [{Cp*Ir(MDMPP-P,O)}₂(CN)](PF₆) (5b), depending on the reaction conditions. Reaction of 2 with KPF₆ or AgOTf in the absence and presence of xylyl isocyanide (XylNC) gave 3 or [Cp*MCl{PPh₂(2-O-3-(C(CN)₂-CH(CN)₂)-6-MeOC₆H₂)}(XylNC)](OTf) (6). The structure of 3a (M=Rh) was confirmed by X-ray crystal analysis.