Novel structural variation of silver(I)-pyridine complexes in nitromethane as studied by X-ray absorption spectroscopy

The XAFS spectra were measured at around the Ag K-edge of the Ag(I) ion in nitromethane (NM) with a variety of concentrations of pyridine (PY). In NM without PY, the Ag(I) ion is tetrahedrally solvated by four NM molecules similar to those in most solvents. The Ag-O bond length in NM solvent is longer than that in aqueous solution, indicating the low donating ability of NM. The mono-, bis-, tris-, and tetrakis-pyridine complexes are formed in NM by the addition of PY. The EXAFS analyses reveal that the structure of the formed PY complex in NM is linear for Ag(py)(nm)⁺, linear for , triangular for , and tetrahedral for . The longer Ag-O bond length for Ag(py)(nm)⁺ than that for and the release of bound NM molecules at the formation of Ag(py)(nm)⁺ are interpreted to be due to the strong σ donating property of PY. The Ag-N bond length (220 pm) for is intermediate between 216 pm for and 228 pm for . The formation equilibria of and are analyzed on the basis of the changeover of EXAFS spectra as a function of the total concentrations of Ag⁺ and PY in NM.     

Synthesis, crystal structure, magnetic and redox properties of copper(II) complexes of N-alkyl(aryl) tBu-salicylaldimines

A series of novel copper(II) complexes, L₂Cu with newly synthesized 3,5--salicylaldimine (or 5--salicylaldimine) ligands derived from 2,4-di-tert-butyl phenol (or 4-tert-butyl phenol) and alkyl (aryl) amines have been prepared and their spectroscopic (IR, UV-Vis, ESI-MS), X-ray, magnetic and redox properties have been investigated. The X-ray crystallography analysis shows that all complexes are monomeric and their copper(II) centers are surrounded by phenolate oxygens and imine nitrogen atoms. Therefore, the coordination sphere around the copper atoms is N₂O₂ as seen in galactose oxidase active site. In addition, the geometric configurations of all complexes are square planar or slightly distorted square planar. The crystal system for all complexes is monoclinic, except for which is orthorhombic. The temperature dependence of magnetic susceptibility of complexes confirms the mononuclear structure of complexes. Oxidation of the Cu(II) complexes yielded the corresponding Cu(II)-phenoxyl radical species during the cyclic voltammetry experiments.     

Dinuclear gold(III) pyrazolato complexes - Synthesis, structural characterization and transformation to their trinuclear gold(I) and gold(I/III) analogues

The reaction of AuCl₃py with Na(pz∗) (pz∗ = pyrazolato, or substituted pyrazolato anion) yields stable dinuclear [cis-Au^IIICl₂(μ-pz∗)]₂ complexes. In the presence of a base, the latter undergo reduction with concomitant transformation of the dinuclear -structure to trinuclear Au^I, Au^III (containing trans Au^IIICl₂-centres) and species.     

Construction of two novel tungsten(VI)-silver(I) mixed metal clusters controlled by bis(diphenylphosphino) methane and coordinated inorganic anions

By the reaction of [Ag₃(dppm)₃I₂]I with (NH₄)₂WS₄ in MeCN/DMF (1:1), a trigonal bipyramid-shaped cluster [Ag₃ I (dppm)₂ WS₄] (1) was isolated [dppm = bis (diphenylphosphino) methane]. By the reaction of (NH₄)₂WS₄ with AgSCN and dppm in MeCN/DMF (1:1) in the presence of 1,10-phenathroline, an insect-shaped cluster [Ag₄ (SCN)₂ (dppm)₄WS₄]·H₂O (2) was synthesized. Compounds 1 and 2 were characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, luminescence, IR, UV-Vis, ¹H and ³¹P NMR spectroscopy. In 1, and μ₃-I are coordinated to three Ag atoms, which are further bridged by two dppm ligands. In 2, Ag1 and Ag4 are coordinated by two P atoms from two dppm ligands, one μ₃-S from and one S atom from SCN⁻ while Ag2 and Ag3 are coordinated by one μ₂-S atom and one μ₃-S atom from , two P atoms from two dppm ligands.     

Theoretical investigation of the dissociative interchange (Id) mechanism for water exchange on magnesium(II) in aqueous solution

A dissociative (D) and a solvent-assisted dissociative interchange (I_d) water-exchange pathways for magnesium(II) in aqueous solution were simulated with density functional theory calculations. The D mechanism of includes a five-coordinated intermediate, while the I_d water-exchange pathway of proceeds with the assistance of a solvent water molecule, which supports the experimental assignment of the reaction mechanism. The intrinsic activation volume was used to differentiate between I_d and I_a mechanisms despite of the exclusion of the contribution of transmission coefficient. The calculated intrinsic activation volume for the I_d mechanism is consistent with the experimental data, and is closer to the experimental data than that for D mechanism. The I_d mechanism is suggested as the dominate water-exchange pathway of depending on the intrinsic activation volume with the assistance of the activation entropy. The calculations also showed that the influences of the explicit and bulk waters on energy barriers for D and I_d mechanisms are obviously different.     

Further evidence for detection of short-lived transient hypomanganate(V) and manganate(VI) intermediates during oxidation of some sulfated polysaccharides by alkaline permanganate using conventional spectrophotometric techniques

Spectrophotometric evidence for the formation of hypomanganate(V), [CAR-], and manganate(VI), [CAR-], intermediate complexes has been confirmed during the oxidation of iota- and lambda-carrageenan-sulfated polysaccharides (CAR) by alkaline permanganate at pHs ?12 using a conventional spectrophotometer. These short-lived intermediate complexes were identified and characterized. A reaction mechanism in good consistence with the experimental results is suggested.     

Comprehensive inhibitor profiling of the Proteus mirabilis metalloprotease virulence factor ZapA (mirabilysin)

In this study we report for the first time the comprehensive inhibitor profiling of the Proteus mirabilis metalloprotease virulence factor ZapA (mirabilysin) using a 160 compound focused library of N-alpha mercaptoamide dipeptides, in order to map the and binding site preferences of this important enzyme. This study has revealed a preference for the aromatic residues tyrosine and tryptophan in and aliphatic residues in . From this library, six compounds were identified which exhibited sub- to low-micromolar K_i values. The most potent inactivator, SH–CO₂–Y–V–NH₂ was capable of preventing ZapA-mediated hydrolysis of heat-denatured IgA, indicating that these inhibitors may be capable of protecting host proteins against ZapA during colonisation and infection.     

Alkyl dehydrogenation in iridium tri-cyclopentyl phosphines

The iridium cyclooctadiene complex incorporating a tricyclopentyl phosphine ligand (PCyp₃), Ir(η²:η²-C₈H₁₂)(PCyp₃)Cl, has been prepared. Removal of the chloride from this complex using in CH₂Cl₂/arene solvent results in dehydrogenation (C-H activation followed by β-H transfer) of one of the alkyl phosphine rings and formation of the complexes (X = H, F) which contain a hybrid phosphine-alkene ligand. These complexes are formed alongside another product (5-20% yield) that has been identified as , which can be prepared in high yield by an alternative, and slightly modified, route. This complex is with a minor isomer that has been tentatively identified as , which results from allylic C-H activation of cyclooctadiene. Addition of H₂ to and its isomer in arene solvent (C₆H₅X, X = F, H) forms the dihydrido η⁶-arene Ir(III) complexes . In contrast, hydrogenation in CH₂Cl₂ alone results in the formation of in which the anion is now acting as a ligand through one of its aryl rings. The fluorobenzene complex can be cleanly converted to by addition of the hydrogen acceptor tert-butylethene (tbe).     

On the mechanism of formation and spectral properties of radical anions generated by the reduction of -[Re(CO)3(5-nitro-1,10-phenanthroline)] and -[Re(CO)3(3,4,7,8-tetramethyl-1,10-phenanthroline)] pendants in poly-4-vinylpyridine polymers

The electrochemical reduction in aprotic media of -[Re^I(CO)₃L]⁺ pendants in poly-4-vinylpyridine polymers is compared to that of [Re^I(CO)₃L]⁺ complexes (L = 5-nitro-1,10-phenanthroline and 3,4,7,8-tetramethyl-1,10-phenanthroline). The UV-Vis absorption spectra of the reduced radical anions of 5-nitro-1,10-phenanthroline (NO₂-phen) and 3,4,7,8-tetramethyl-1,10-phenanthroline (tmphen) were obtained by spectro-electrochemistry of [Re^I(CO)₃(NO₂-phen)(CH₃CN)]⁺ and [Re^I(CO)₃(tmphen)(CH₃CN)]⁺, respectively. Similar spectra were obtained for the radical anions -phen and tmphen⁻ after pulse radiolysis experiments with -[Re^I(CO)₃L]⁺-containing polymers. The analysis of the time-resolved difference spectra was performed using “multivariate curve resolution” (MCR) techniques. Unlike , CH₂OH radicals were unable to reduce tmphen ligands. The reaction of and/or CH₂OH with -[Re^I(CO)₃(NO₂-phen)]⁺-containing polymers generates -[Re^I(CO)₃(-phen)] pendants which after disproportionation give rise to products with λ_max = 380 nm. The kinetic behavior of -[Re^I(CO)₃(-phen)] pendants under different experimental conditions is discussed.     

Photocatalysis of chloroform degradation by μ-dichlorotetrachlorodipalladate(II)

Unlike other chlorometallate complexes that catalyze the photodecomposition of haloalkanes through photodissociation of a chlorine atom, both and catalyze chloroform decomposition through a process that appears to involve C-H bond breakage from an excited state association complex with chloroform. This would account for the greatly retarded rate of decomposition in CDCl₃ and for the generation of CCl₄ as a side product. In chloroform, and are in slow equilibrium with each other. The rate for the conversion of - in chloroform at 23 °C obeys the expression (0.03 M⁻¹ s⁻¹) [][Cl⁻]. The equilibrium constant, K = [][Cl⁻]²/[]², was estimated to be 3 × 10⁻³ M in CHCl₃.     

Interaction of gold(I) with thiosulfate-sulfite mixed ligand systems

The system was studied at 25 °C and at I = 0.1 M NaClO₄ using hydrodynamic voltammetry, gold potentiometry, UV-Vis spectrophotometry and Raman spectroscopy. The presence of two mixed-ligand species, Au(S₂O₃)(SO₃)³⁻ and , was detected from the Raman experiments and supported by the gold potentiometric experiments. The stepwise formation constant, log K_11r, for the reaction was found to be 1.1 (r = 1) and 4.8 (r = 2) from the hydrodynamic voltammetric experiments.     

Effects of bis(salicylidene)trimethylenediamine and 2,2′-bipyridyl on luminescence and extraction of tris(pivaloyltrifluoroacetonato)Eu(III)

The UV, excitation and luminescence spectra of EuA₃B to be the extracted species as well as the extraction of Eu(III) with pivaloyltrifluoroacetone, HA, and/or Lewis bases, B (2,2′-bipyridyl, bpy, and bis(salicylidene)trimethylenediamine, H₂saltn) into CHCl₃ were measured. The results are summarized: the stability constants of EuA₃bpy and EuA₃H₂saltn complexes are 5.85 ± 0.05 and 2.95 ± 0.06 as , respectively. The present results suggest that because of intramolecular hydrogen bonding, the stability and luminescence of the H₂saltn complex including the quantum yield are smaller than those of the bpy complex. The weaker luminescence is also concerned with the fact that the less stable complexes easily dissociate in solvents to diminish the essential concentration.     

NAD(P)H- and superoxide-dependent nitric oxide degradation by rat liver mitochondria

Mitochondria consume nitric oxide (NO) mainly through reaction with superoxide anion (). Here, we analyzed the sources for NO degradation by isolated rat liver mitochondria. Electron leakage from complex III and reverse electron transport to complex I accounted for -dependent NO degradation by mitochondria in the presence of a protonmotive force. Mitochondria incubated with NAD(P)H also presented intense generation and NO degradation rates that were insensitive to respiratory inhibitors and abolished after proteinase treatment. These results suggest that an outer membrane-localized NAD(P)H oxidase activity, in addition to the electron leakage from the respiratory chain, promotes -dependent NO degradation in rat liver mitochondria.     

Dinuclear and polynuclear Cu(II) azido-bridged compounds with 7-azaindole as a ligand. Synthesis, characterization and 3D structures

In this study three new dinuclear Cu(II) compounds with the ligand 7-azaindole (abbreviated as Haza) and bridging end-on azide anions with the general formula [Cu₂(Haza)₄(N₃)₂(A)₂] (in which A =  (1), (2) and (3)) are reported, as well as a dinuclear-based polymeric compound with the overall formula [Cu₄(L)₆(N₃)₆(ClO₄)₂]_n·(CH₃OH)_2n (4). The latter compound contains both end-on and end-to-end azide anions. Full characterization of all four compounds has been performed by spectroscopic methods and by using 3D X-ray structure analysis.     

A trade-off relationship between energetic cost and entropic cost for in vitro evolution

In this paper, we consider two complementary cost functions for the landscape exploring processes to obtain the global optimum sequence through in vitro evolution protocol: one is the entropic cost C_etp, which is based on the deviation from the uniformity of a mutant distribution in sequence space, and the other is the energetic cost C_eng, which is based on the total number of sequences to be generated and evaluated. Based on a prior knowledge about the structure of a given fitness landscapes, the conductor of the experiment can think up the efficient search algorithm (ESA), which requires the minimum number of points (=sequences) to be searched up to the global optimum. For five typical fitness landscapes, we considered their respective (putative) ESA, and based on the ESA. As a result, we found a trade-off relationship between and for every case, that is, is approximately equal to the logarithm of the volume of the sequence space. and are interpreted in terms of the information-theoretic concepts.     

New applications of ruthenium solar cell sensitizers N3 and N719 as luminescence turn-on anion sensors

Optical sensing of F⁻, Cl⁻, Br⁻, I⁻, OAc⁻, , , and by cis-dithiocyanatobis(2,2′-bipyridyl-4,4′-dicarboxylic acid)ruthenium(II) (N3) and bis(tetrabutylammonium) cis-dithiocyanatobis(2,2′-bipyridine-4-COOH,4′-COO⁻)ruthenium(II) (N719) have been investigated in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), by means of UV-Vis absorption and emission spectrophotometric titrations. Additions of F⁻, OAc⁻, and in DMSO solution caused obvious UV-Vis spectral changes with appearance of several isosbestic points, and remarkable emission enhancements along with large blue shifts in emission bands. The values of F⁻-induced emission intensity enhancement factor (emission quantum yield enhancement factor), I/I₀ (φ/φ₀), were found to be 40 (86) and 38 (58) for N3 and N719, respectively. No obvious spectral changes were observed upon addition of Cl⁻, Br⁻, I⁻, and in DMSO solutions. Luminescent F⁻ sensing in DMSO/H₂O (4:1, v/v) has also been demonstrated to be operative with a luminescence enhancement factor of 12, indicating that N3 is very potential for practical application as fluorescent anion sensor in aqueous solution. An interaction mechanism of anion-induced deprotonation of N3 and N719 was confirmed, and the deprotonation reaction equilibrium constants of N3 and N719 were derived as well.     

Synthesis and characterization of a family of binuclear non-heme iron monooxygenase model compounds: Evidence for a “phenolate/amide carbonyl (PAC) shift” upon oxidation

A series of binuclear iron compounds has been synthesized using diamide, bis-phenolate ligands in which the carbon-linker between the amide nitrogen atoms has been varied. Two diferrous compounds in the series, along with their two-electron oxidized, di-μ-methoxy-bridged counterparts, have been crystallographically characterized, as have the di-μ-methoxy compounds (H₂Hbab = 1,2-bis(2-hydroxybenzamido) benzene, H₂Hbach = trans-1,2-bis(2-hydroxybenzamido) cyclohexane, H₂Hbame = 1,2-bis(2-hydroxybenzamido) ethane, H₂Hbap = 1,3-bis(2-hydroxybenzamido) propane, H₂Hbabn = 1,4-bis(2-hydroxybenzamido) butane, H₂Hbapen = 1,5-bis(2-hydroxybenzamido) pentane, N-MeIM = N-methylimidazole and OMe = methoxide). are structurally very similar to previously reported diferrous compounds of this family of ligands that have been shown to be active as oxygen atom transfer catalysts. Flexibility in the carbon-linker allows some variability in the orientation of the phenolate arms of the ligands in the diferric di-μ-methoxy compounds, but the Fe₂O₂ core remains largely unchanged across the series. Two-electron oxidation of the ferrous compounds in methanol shows a substantial ligand rearrangement that is consistent with other spectroscopic, electrochemical and kinetic investigations. The loss of both phenolate bridges upon oxidation is reminiscent of the “carboxylate shift” observed in binuclear non-heme enzymes and could provide insight into the driving force behind this family of compounds’ function as a catalyst.     

Light and nutrient availability affect the size-scaling of growth in phytoplankton

Communities of marine phytoplankton consist of cells of many different sizes. The size-structure of these communities often varies predictably with environmental conditions in aquatic systems. It has been hypothesized that physiological differences in nutrient and light requirements and acquisition efficiencies contribute to commonly observed correlations between phytoplankton community size structure and resource availability. Using physiological models we assess how light and nutrient availability can alter the relative growth rates of phytoplankton species of different cell sizes. Our models predict a change in the size dependence of growth rate depending on the severity of limitation by light and nutrient availability. Under conditions of growth-saturated resource supply, phytoplankton growth rate (mol C ) scales with cell volume with a size-scaling exponent of ; light limitation reduces the size-scaling exponent to approximately , and nutrient limitation decreases the exponent to as a consequence of the size-scaling of resource acquisition. Exponents intermediate between and occur under intermediate availability of light and nutrients and depend on the size-scaling of pigment photoacclimation and the size range examined.     

Anionic effects on the formation of tridentate 4′-chloro-2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine copper(II) complexes having 1:1 or 1:2 ratio of metal and ligand and their crystal symmetry

A facile synthetic procedure has been used to prepare one five-coordinate and four six-coordinate copper(II) complexes of 4′-chloro-2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine (tpyCl) ligand with different counterions (, , , , and ) in high yields. They are formulated as [Cu(tpyCl-κ³N,N′,N′′)(SO₄-κO)(H₂O-κO)] · 2H₂O (1), trans-[Cu(tpyCl-κ³N,N′,N″)(NO₃-κO)₂(H₂O-κO)] (2), [Cu(tpyCl-κ³N,N′,N″)₂](BF₄)₂ (3), [Cu(tpyCl-κ³N,N′,N″)₂](PF₆)₂ (4) and [Cu(tpyCl-κ³N,N′,N″)₂](ClO₄)₂ (5) and versatile interactions in supramolecular level including coordinative bonding, O-H?O, O-H?Cl, C-H?F, and C-H?Cl hydrogen bonding, π-π stacking play essential roles in forming different frameworks of 1-5. It is concluded that the difference of coordination abilities of the counterions used and the experimental conditions codominate the resulting complexes with 1:1 or 1:2 ratio of metal and ligand.     

Layered iron(II) spin crossover complex constructed by NH?Br hydrogen bonds with 2 K wide thermal hysteresis, [FeH3L]Br·CF3SO3 (H3L = tris[2-(((2-methylimidazol-4-yl)methylidene)amino)ethyl]amine)

A series of compounds [Fe^IIH₃L^Me]Br·Y·nMeOH ( (1), (2), (3), (4); n = 0 or 1) were synthesized, where H₃L^Me is a hexadentate N₆ tripodal ligand of the neutral form, tris[2-(((2-methylimidazol-4-yl)methylidene)amino)ethyl]amine, and their structures and magnetic properties were investigated. The compounds 1−3 with counter anions , , and contain methanol as a crystal solvent, and show no SCO behaviors, while the corresponding Cl⁻ compounds have no crystal solvent and show a variety of SCO behaviors. The compound [Fe^IIH₃L^Me]Br·CF₃SO₃ (4) has no crystal solvent and has isomorphous structure to the Cl⁻ compounds, and shows an abrupt spin transition between the HS (S = 2) and LS (S = 0) states with a hysteresis about 2 K and large frozen-in effect below 72 K. The T_1/2↑ and T_1/2↓ values are 98 and 96 K, whose values are higher than those of corresponding Cl⁻ compound about 15 K and the width of hysteresis is narrower than that of corresponding Cl⁻ compound about 2 K. The crystal structures of 4 were determined at 296 and 93 K, where the crystal system and space group showed no change between these temperatures. The structures at both temperatures have a same 2D layered structure, which is composed of NH?Br⁻ hydrogen bonds between the Br⁻ ion and the imidazole NH groups of three neighboring cations [Fe^IIH₃L^Me]²⁺. This network structure is the same as that of corresponding Cl⁻ compound. The 600 nm light irradiation at 5 K induced the LIESST effect.