Synthesis, spectral and crystallographic characterization of manganese(II) coordination polymers based on aliphatic dicarboxylate and flexible bis(imidazolyl) derivatives

Two structurally related flexible imidazolyl ligands, bis(N-imidazolyl)methane (L₁) and 1,4-bis(N-imidazolyl)butane (L₂) reacted with Mn(II) salts of aliphatic dicarboxylic acids resulted in the formation of a number of novel metal-organic coordination architectures. All complexes have been structurally characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis. The different coordination modes of dicarboxylate anions due to their chain length, rigidity and diimidazolyl functionality lead to a range of different coordination structures. The coordination polymers exhibit 1D single chain, 2D sheet and 3D network structures. The aliphatic dicarboxylates can adopt chelating μ₂, bridging μ₂, and chelating-bridging μ₃ coordination modes, or act as uncoordinated counter anions. The central metal ions are coordinated in N₂O₄ and N₄O₂ fashions depending on the ancillary ligands. The topology of [Mn(male)(L₁)(H₂O)₂] (1, male = maleate) gives rise to singly bridged 1D chains, whereas compound [Mn(mal)(L₁)(H₂O)] · H₂O (2, mal = malonate) exhibits 2D sheets in which the metal centers are bridged by both imidazolyl ligands and dicarboxylates. Compounds [Mn(L₁)₂(H₂O)₂](suc) · 6H₂O (3, suc = succinate) and [Mn(L₁)₂(H₂O)₂](fum) · 6H₂O (4, fum = fumarate) show doubly bridged 1D chains, and the dicarboxylate groups are not coordinated but form 2D corrugated sheets with water molecules intercalated between the cationic layers. Compound [Mn(suc)(L₂)(H₂O)₂] (5, suc = succinate) was built from very flexible succinate and 1,4-bis(N-imidazolyl)butane which yielded three-dimensional interpenetrate networks, both succinate anion and the imidazolyl ligand act as bidentate bridging.     

Syntheses, crystal structures and photoluminescences of two (4,4) topological coordination networks derived from the flexible bipyridyl ligands

Two new 2D coordination polymers, [Ag₄(μ-4,4′-bpp)₃(1,3-bdc)₂]_n · 2nH₂O (1) and [Ag(μ-4,4′-bpp)₂ClO₄]_n(2) (4,4′-bpp = 2,2′-bis(4-pyridylmethyleneoxy)-1,1′-biphenylene; 1,3-bdc = 1,3-benzenedicarboxylate) have been synthesized using three-layer diffusion methods. Single-crystal X-ray analyses reveal that they are both extended grid networks of the (4,4) topology. In complex 1, a chain built by Ag(I) centers with T-shaped and linear geometries is further connected by the interesting ligand-unsupported Ag?Ag interactions as well as the conjugated π systems to form an interdigitated 2-D coordination network. The corrugated (4,4) sheets of 2 are packed in the ab planes and stacked along the c direction with the anions occupying the gaps in the squares.     

A new organic-inorganic hybrid framework containing octahedral hexarhenium cluster and its transformation by ligand exchange

A new organic-inorganic hybrid solid with 3-D framework, [Mn(DMF)₃]₂[Re₆Se₈(CN)₆] (1), has been synthesized and transformed to [H][Mn(salen)]₃[Re₆Se₈(CN)₆] (2) by a ligand exchange. Hexarhenium chalcocyanide clusters are closest packed in cubic symmetry for 1 and rhombohedral symmetry for 2. The manganese complexes in the interstitial sites are three-coordinated to the rhenium cluster in 1 and two-coordinated in 2.     

Hydrothermal synthesis and characterization of a new 1-D polymeric lanthanum ethylenediaminetetraacetate with less metal-aqua coordination: {[La(EDTA)(H2O)]2}n

A new lanthanum ethylenediaminetetraacetate (EDTA) coordination polymer, {[La(EDTA)(H₂O)]₂}_n (EDTA³⁻ = [(CH₂N)₂(CH₂COOH)(CH₂COO⁻)₃]), was hydrothermally prepared from LaCl₃ solution and ethylenediaminetetracetic acid at 448 K. The compound was characterized by elemental analysis, FTIR, TG-DTA, and X-ray crystallography. The structure consists of ladder-like chains of [La(EDTA)(H₂O)]₂ dimers bridged by O-C-O groups. Hydrothermal method successfully reduced the high number of La-aqua coordinations in known lanthanum EDTA to one giving rise to relatively compact structure. It has high thermal stability up to 550 K. Every EDTA ligand with COOH group is involved in eight La-O(N) bonds to three nine-coordinated La centers.     

One-dimensional coordination polymer and its hydrogen bonded 2D network generated from dimeric Ag(I) building units

A new dimeric silver(I) complex [Ag(PhPPy₂)(CH₃CN)]₂(ClO₄)₂ (1) (PhPPy₂ = bis(2-pyridyl)phenylphosphine) was synthesized by a direct reaction of [Ag(CH₃CN)₄]ClO₄ with ligand PhPPy₂. X-ray crystallographical studies revealed that in 1, two silver atoms are bridged by two PhPPy₂ ligands and bonded to each other. Each Ag(I) adopts a distorted trigonally bi-pyramidal geometry, and axially coordinated acetonitrile molecules are collinear with two silver atoms. By using 1 as a building block precursor, a 1D coordination polymer, [Ag₂(PhPPy₂)₂(1,3,5-C₆H₃(CO₂)₂(CO₂H))]_∞ (2) was prepared by replacing axially coordinated acetonitrile molecules in 1 with two carboxylate groups of a bridging ligand, 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylate. In solid state, linear polymeric chains are oriented parallel to each other and interestingly interact by hydrogen bonding through their carboxylic/carboxylate groups to construct a novel wave-shaped 2D network. Both 1 and 2 exhibit similar photoluminescent properties in solid state at room temperature.     

Preparation and characterization of dinuclear palladium tetraamin-thiophenolate complexes coligated by bridging acetate and acetamidate units

The aromatic thioether (2,6-bis((2-(dimethylamino)ethylamino)methyl)phenyl)(tert-butyl)sulfane (6) reacts with [Pd(NCCH₃)₂Cl₂] under S-C bond cleavage to give the dinuclear palladium(II) complex [L³Pd₂(μ-Cl)]²⁺ (7), where (L³)⁻ = 2,6-bis((2-(dimethylamino)ethylamino)methyl)-thiophenolate. Complex 7 reacts readily with sodium acetate and sodium acetamide by the displacement of the bridging chloride group forming [L³Pd₂(μ-OAc)]²⁺ (8) and [L³Pd₂(μ-ONHCCH₃)]²⁺ (9), respectively. Complex 8 can also be prepared by the reaction of 6 with [Pd(OAc)₂]. All complexes were isolated as perchlorate salts and fully characterized by ESI-MS, IR, ¹H, and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy. The structures of 7[ClO₄] and 9[ClO₄]₂ have been determined by X-ray crystallography. The latter structure reveals a μ_1,3-bridging acetamidate unit showing that (L³)⁻ can alter its conformation sufficiently to accommodate a multi-atom bridging species between the two Pd atoms.     

Quantitative delineation of how breathing motions open ligand migration channels in myoglobin and its mutants

Ligand migration and binding are central to the biological functions of many proteins such as myoglobin (Mb) and it is widely thought that protein breathing motions open up ligand channels dynamically. However, how a protein exerts its control over the opening and closing of these channels through its intrinsic dynamics is not fully understood. Specifically, a quantitative delineation of the breathing motions that are needed to open ligand channels is lacking. In this work, we present and apply a novel normal mode‐based method to quantitatively delineate what and how breathing motions open ligand migration channels in Mb and its mutants. The motivation behind this work springs from the observation that normal mode motions are closely linked to the breathing motions that are thought to open ligand migration channels. In addition, the method provides a direct and detailed depiction of the motions of each and every residue that lines a channel and can identify key residues that play a dominating role in regulating the channel. The all‐atom model and the full force‐field employed in the method provide a realistic energetics on the work cost required to open a channel, and as a result, the method can be used to efficiently study the effects of mutations on ligand migration channels and on ligand entry rates. Our results on Mb and its mutants are in excellent agreement with MD simulation results and experimentally determined ligand entry rates. Proteins 2015; 83:757–770. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Loss of recognition by cross-reactive T cells and its relation to a C-terminus-induced conformational reorientation of an HLA-B*2705-bound peptide

The human major histocompatibility complex class I antigen HLA‐B*2705 binds several sequence‐related peptides (pVIPR, RRKWRRWHL; pLPM2, RRRWRRLTV; pGR, RRRWHRWRL). Cross‐reactivity of cytotoxic T cells (CTL) against these HLA‐B*2705:peptide complexes seemed to depend on a particular peptide conformation that is facilitated by the engagement of a crucial residue within the binding groove (Asp116), associated with a noncanonical bulging‐in of the middle portion of the bound peptide. We were interested whether a conformational reorientation of the ligand might contribute to the lack of cross‐reactivity of these CTL with a peptide derived from voltage‐dependent calcium channel α1 subunit (pCAC, SRRWRRWNR), in which the C‐terminal peptide residue pArg9 could engage Asp116. Analyses of the HLA‐B*2705:pCAC complex by X‐ray crystallography at 1.94 Å resolution demonstrated that the peptide had indeed undergone a drastic reorientation, leading it to adopt a canonical binding mode accompanied by the loss of molecular mimicry between pCAC and sequence‐related peptides such as pVIPR, pLMP2, and pGR. This was clearly a consequence of interactions of pArg9 with Asp116 and other F‐pocket residues. Furthermore, we observed an unprecedented reorientation of several additional residues of the HLA‐B*2705 heavy chain near the N‐terminal region of the peptide, including also the presence of double conformations of two glutamate residues, Glu63 and Glu163, on opposing sides of the peptide binding groove. Together with the Arg‐Ser exchange at peptide position 1, there are thus multiple structural reasons that may explain the observed failure of pVIPR‐directed, HLA‐B*2705‐restricted CTL to cross‐react with HLA‐B*2705:pCAC complexes.     

Do Migrants Degrade Coastal Environments? Migration,Natural Resource Extraction and Poverty in North Sulawesi,Indonesia

Recent literature on migration and the environment has identified key mediating variables such as how migrants extract resources from the environment for their livelihoods, the rate and efficiency of extraction, and the social and economic context within which their extraction occurs. This paper investigates these variables in a new ecological setting using data from coastal fishing villages in North Sulawesi, Indonesia. We do not find as many differences between migrant and non-migrant families regarding destructive fishing behavior, technology, and investment as might have been expected from earlier theories. Instead, the context and timing of migrant assimilation seems to be more important in explaining apparent associations of migration and environmental impacts than simply migrants themselves. This finding fits well with recent literature in the field of international migration and immigrant incorporation.     

Critical delay for overshooting in planned arm movements with delayed feedback

The Vector Integration To Endpoint (VITE) circuit describes a real time neural network model which simulates behavioral and neurobiological properties of planned arm movements by the interaction of two populations of neurons. This model is generalized to include delay between the interacting populations, which is found to have a detrimental effect on movement accuracy. Conditions are given on the model parameters for accurate movement and target overshoot, where we show that there exists a non-zero critical value of the delay which the circuit can support while maintaining accurate movement. This critical delay depends on the movement speed, and becomes arbitrarily large for sufficiently slow movement. Thus neurobiological or artificial systems modelled by the VITE sensory-motor loop can tolerate an arbitrarily large delay if the movement speed is sufficiently slow.Acknowledgement This project was partially supported by Mathematics for Information Technology and Complex Systems, by the Canada Research Chairs program, and by the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada.