Association of TNF-α-308 Polymorphism with Susceptibility to Autoimmune Hepatitis in Tunisians

Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is a chronic hepatitis of unknown etiology and several proinflammatory cytokines are implicated in its pathogenesis. The association of TNF-α gene polymorphism with AIH onset is not fully elucidated especially in the Tunisian population. The aim of this study was to determine the association of TNF-α (-308 G?>?A) polymorphism with AIH susceptibility and with TNF-α expression or clinical manifestations of AIH. A total of 50 AIH patients and 150 controls were included. Evaluation of TNF-α polymorphism was performed by ARMS PCR method. A significantly higher frequence of the AA genotype was found in AIH patients compared to controls (34 vs. 8%, p?=?0.00002, OR 5.88). The frequency of the A-allele was significantly higher in patients with AIH compared to controls (55 vs. 37.3%, p?=?0.002, OR 2.05). The G-allele was significantly more frequent in healthy controls compared to AIH patients [43 vs. 61.3%, p?=?0.001, OR 0.47 (0.3–0.75)]. There was a positive correlation between the A/A genotype and a higher serum expression of TNF-α. The TNF*A allele confer susceptibility to AIH in the Tunisian patients and is associated with increased production of TNF-α. Anti-TNF antibodies could be an alternative to the use of corticotherapy and may avoid the exacerbated immune response in AIH.     

Enantiomeric separation of triazole fungicides with 3-μm and 5-μml particle chiral columns by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography

This study used chiral columns packed with 3‐μm and 5‐μm particles to comparatively separate enantiomers of 9 triazole fungicides, and Lux Cellulose‐1 columns with chiral stationary phase of cellulose‐tris‐(3,5‐dimethylphenylcarbamate) were used on reverse‐phase high‐performance liquid chromatography with flow rates of 0.3 and 1.0 mL min⁻¹ for 3‐μm and 5‐μm columns, respectively. The (+)‐enantiomers of hexaconazole ( 1 ) , tetraconazole ( 4 ) , myclobutanil ( 7 ) , fenbuconazole ( 8 ) and the (−)‐enantiomers of flutriafol ( 2 ) diniconazole ( 3 ) , epoxiconazole ( 5 ) , penconazole ( 6 ) , triadimefon ( 9 ) were firstly eluted from both columns, the elution orders identified with an optical rotation detector didn't change with variety of column particles and mobile phases (acetronitrile/water and methanol/water). The plots of natural logarithms of the selectivity factors (ln α) for all fungicides except penconazole ( 6 ) versus the inverse of temperature (1/T) were linear in range of 5–40°C. The thermodynamic parameters (ΔH°, ΔS°, ΔΔH° and ΔΔS°) were calculated using Van't Hoff equations to understand the thermosynamic driving forces for enantioseparation. This work will be very helpful to obtain good enantiomeric separation and establish more efficient analytical method for triazole fungicides. Chirality, 2011. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

μ- and μ4-η coordination of A2H2 (A = C, Si, Ge, Sn and Pb) ligands with transition metals

The heavier analogs of C₂H₂ have been studied at the B3LYP level for their μ and μ₄-η² coordination properties with the transition metals. Based on known alkyne compounds, transition metal fragments [W₂(μ-NH)(Cp)₂(Cl)₂] and [Fe₄(CO)₁₂] have been chosen. The SBKJC relativistic effective core potentials and their associated basis sets were used on W, Fe, Sn and Pb, and the 6-31G(d) basis set was used on all other elements. All the complexes of Si₂H₂, Ge₂H₂, Sn₂H₂ and Pb₂H₂ are found to be local minima. The trans-twist nature of the ligand A₂H₂ (A = Si-Pb) is large in μ-coordinated complexes of W, and it is very small in μ₄-η² coordinated complexes of Fe. The electronic structure of these complexes was investigated using fragment molecular orbital method (FMO).     

The molecular structure and magnetic properties of the dimeric N,N′-ethylenebis(salicylamine)Fe(II)-μ-methoxo-N,N′-ethylene(o-hydroxylphenylglycine)salicylamine Fe(III): A complex with a μ-monodentate acetato bridge

We have prepared and characterized a dimeric complex of the formula Fe₂L(OCH₃)L′·solvent where L = N,N′-ethylenebis(salicylamine) and L′ = N,N′-ethylene(o-hydroxylphenylglycine)salicylamine. Crystals of the methanol solvate were found to be orthorhombic, space group P2nb, with a = 13.748 (5), b = 22.426(9), c = 11.762(6) Å and d_calc = 1.41 g/cm³. Least squares refinement of 966 reflections gave a final R factor of 0.066. The structure shows that the two iron atoms are coordinated to two different ligands and are bridged by a methoxide ion and a μ-monodentate acetate oxygen from the pendant arm of L′. The magnetic susceptibility was measured over the range 2–300 K and gave a spin coupling constant J = −8.3 cm⁻¹. The significance of acetate bridges to the exchange coupling pathway is discussed.     

Reactivity of [PdCl(μ-med)]2 with monodentate or bidentate ligands. Structure of the dinuclear complexes [Pd(μ-med)(PPh3)]2(BF4)2 and [Pd(μ-med)(bpy)]2(BF4)2. [Hmed=N-(2-mercaptoethyl)-3,5-dimethylpyrazole]

Treatment of the ligand N-(2-mercaptoethyl)-3,5-dimethylpyrazole with [Pd(CH₃COO)₂]₃ and reaction of [PdCl(μ-med)]₂ with pyridine (py) or triphenylphosphine (PPh₃) in the presence of AgBF₄ produced the following complexes: [Pd(CH₃COO)(μ-med)]₂, [Pd(μ-med)(py)]₂(BF₄)₂ and [Pd(μ-med)(PPh₃)]₂(BF₄)₂. Similar reactions carried out with 2,2^′-bipyridine (bpy) or 1,3-bis(diphenylphosphino)propane (dppp) produced [Pd(μ-med)(bpy)]_x(BF₄)_x (x=1 or 2) and [Pd(μ-med)(dppp)]_x(BF₄)_x (x=1 or 2). Treatment of [Pd(μ-med)(bpy)]_x(BF₄)_x with [PdCl₂(CH₃CN)₂] produced [Pd₃Cl₂(μ-med)₂(bpy)₂](BF₄)₂. Treatment of [Pd(μ-med)(dppp)]_x(BF₄)_x with [PdCl₂(CH₃CN)₂] produced a mixture of [Pd(μ-Cl)(dppp)]₂(BF₄)₂ and [Pd(μ-med)₂(dppp)]²⁺. X-ray crystal structures of [Pd(μ-med)(PPh₃)]₂(BF₄)₂ · 2CH₃CN and [Pd(μ-med)(bpy)]₂(BF₄)₂ · 0.5CH₃OH are presented.     

New (NS)2 Schiff base with a flexible spacer: Synthesis and structural characterization of its first coordination polymer [Cu2(μ-I)2(μ-(thio)2dapte)]n (1)

New one-dimensional copper(I) coordination polymer [Cu₂(μ-I)₂(μ-(thio)₂dapte)]_n (1) {(thio)₂dapte = N,N′-di-(thiophenecarbaldehyde)-1,2-di(o-aminophenylthio)ethane} involving a novel (NS)₂ Schiff-base with a flexible spacer has been synthesized and structurally characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis. Each Cu(I) center adopts a distorted [CuN₂S₂] tetrahedron environment arising from two crystallographically equivalent (thio)₂dapte Schiff-base ligands. Each ligand acts as N₂S₂-bis-chelating ligand with the nitrogen atoms of the two imine functions and from the two thioether atoms in anti-form leading to the dinuclear [Cu₂(μ-(thio)₂dapte)] groups. Such [Cu₂] entities are bridged by two iodine anions [(μ-I)₂] to form a neutral one-dimensional copper(I) coordination polymer (1).     

Structural, magnetic and spectroscopic characterization of two unusual end-on bis(μ-acetato/μ-nitrato) bridged copper(II) complexes with N′-[phenyl(pyridin-2-yl)methylidene]furan-2-carbohydrazide and (2E,4Z)-N,2-dimethylhepta-2,4,6-trienamide-1-phenyl-1-pyridin-2-ylmethanimine (1:1) as capping ligands

Two new binuclear end-on bis(μ-acetato/μ-nitrato) bridged complexes with two NNO donor ligands, viz., [(L¹)Cu(μ-CH₃COO)₂Cu(L¹)]·4,4-bipy 1 and [(L²)Cu(μ-NO₃)₂Cu(L²)] 2 where [L¹ = N′-[phenyl(pyridin-2-yl)methylidene]furan-2-carbohydrazide, L² = (2E,4Z)-N,2-dimethylhepta-2,4,6-trienamide-1-phenyl-1-pyridin-2-ylmethanimine (1:1) μ-CH₃COO⁻ = μ-acetato and μ-NO₃⁻ = μ-nitrato) have been prepared and physiochemically characterized. These complexes are structurally characterized by X-ray crystallography. In both complexes, the two copper centers are linked by two acetate or two nitrate groups in end-on bonding fashion. The copper-copper separation is 3.279 Å for 1 and 3.459 Å for 2. The copper ions are pentacoordinated in both complexes. The coordination geometry may be described as close to square pyramidal (SP) stereochemistry with slight distortion to trigonal bipyramidal (TBP) stereochemistry. The polycrystalline epr spectra of these two complexes exhibit the properties commensurate with S = 1 systems. The magnetic moment (μ_eff) for these complexes are below the theoretical value suggesting antiferromagnetic exchange between the copper(II) ions. The cyclic voltammograms (CV) of the two complexes have been investigated. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity of these complexes has also been measured. These complexes can catalyze the dismutation of superoxide.     

Relation among the 2:2-, 1:1- and 1:2-type complexes of hafnium(IV)/zirconium(IV) with mono-lacunary α2-Dawson polyoxometalate ligands: Synthesis and structure of the 2:2-type complexes [{α2-P2W17O61M(μ-OH)(H2O)}2] (M = Hf, Zr)

The synthesis and characterization of di-nuclear Hf^IV and Zr^IV complexes (the Dawson 2:2-type complexes) sandwiched between 2 mono-lacunary α₂-Dawson polyoxometalate (POM) ligands, i.e., (Me₂NH₂)₁₄[{α₂-P₂W₁₇O₆₁Hf(μ-OH)(H₂O)}₂]·17H₂O (Me₂NH₂-1) and (Me₂NH₂)₁₄[{α₂-P₂W₁₇O₆₁Zr(μ-OH)(H₂O)}₂]·16H₂O (Me₂NH₂-2) are described. [Note: the moieties of their polyoxoanions are abbreviated simply as 1 and 2, respectively.] A pair of Hf^IV- and Zr^IV-containing POMs belonging to the same family were herein isolated as dimethylammonium salts and were unambiguously characterized by complete elemental analysis, in addition to potassium analysis, TG/DTA, FTIR, single-crystal X-ray structure analysis, and solid-state (³¹P CPMAS) and solution (³¹P and ¹⁸³W) NMR spectroscopy. Polyoxoanions 1 and 2 were isostructural with each other. The central [M₂(μ-OH)₂(H₂O)₂]⁶⁺ (M = Hf, Zr) cation unit was composed of 2 polyhedral M units, which were linked through 2 μ-OH groups and contained 1 water molecule coordinated to each metal center. Since the mono-lacunary Dawson POM acts as an oxygen-donor quadridentate ligand, the Hf and Zr centers are 7-coordinate. The Dawson 2:2-type complexes were converted to the Dawson 1:2-type complexes [M(α₂-P₂W₁₇O₆₁)₂]¹⁶⁻ (M = Hf, Zr), or vice versa, in solution under appropriate conditions. Also, the Dawson 2:2-type complex can be reversibly converted to the 1:1-type complex under the pH-dependent conditions. The Dawson 2:2-type POMs 1 and 2 can be compared with the recently reported, Keggin 2:2-type POMs, i.e., [M₂(μ-OH)₂(H₂O)₂]⁶⁺ (M = Hf, Zr) complexes sandwiched between 2 mono-lacunary α-Keggin POM ligands.     

Reactions of the complexes [Re2(CO)9(η-P-P)] (P-P=Ph2P(CH2)nPPh2, n=1-6) with Me3NO: formation of close-bridged complexes [Re2(CO)8(μ-P-P)] and phosphine oxide complexes [Re2(CO)9{P-P(O)}]

Reactions of [Re₂(CO)₁₀] with Me₃NO and diphosphines [Ph₂P(CH₂)_nPPh₂, n=1-6] yield mixtures of the monodentate-coordinated diphosphine complexes [Re₂(CO)₉(η¹-P-P)] (P-P=Ph₂P(CH₂)_nPPh₂, n=1-6) (yields 5-40%) and bridged dimers [{Re₂(CO)₉}₂(μ-P-P)] (5-50%). These complexes were isolated as either equatorial or axial isomers, or a mixture of two isomers. Reactions of the monodentate complexes with Me₃NO yield close-bridged complexes [Re₂(CO)₈(μ-P-P)] and phosphine oxide complexes [Re₂(CO)₉{P-P(O)}]. The structures of the close-bridged complexes 1 (n=3) and 2 (n=4), were determined by X-ray crystallography. The Re-Re bond in the close-bridged complex with the longest phosphine chain (n=6) is readily cleaved in CDCl₃ to give the complex [{cis-ReCl(CO)₄}₂(μ-dpph)] (3) as the product, the structure of which was also determined by X-ray crystallography.