Characterization of a Ferryl Flip in Electronically Tuned Nonheme Complexes. Consequences in Hydrogen Atom Transfer Reactivity
Two oxoiron(IV) isomers (R2a and R2b) of general formula [FeIV(O)(RPyNMe3)(CH3CN)]2+ are obtained by reaction of their iron(II) precursor with NBu4IO4. The two isomers differ in the position of the oxo ligand, cis and trans to the pyridine donor. The mechanism of isomerization between R2a and R2b has been determined by kinetic and computational analyses uncovering an unprecedented path for interconversion of geometrical oxoiron(IV) isomers. The activity of the two oxoiron(IV) isomers in hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) reactions shows that R2a reacts one order of magnitude faster than R2b, which is explained by a repulsive noncovalent interaction between the ligand and the substrate in R2b. Int…
Metals in supramolecular chemistry
Abstract Metals have played a fundamental role in the development of supramolecular chemistry. The main steps taken from the pre-supramolecular age to the present time are retraced with a brief description of salient examples from the unconscious use of gold nanoparticle in the preparation of the Lycurgus cup (5th or 4th century B.C.) to the modern use of metals as templates, for the preparation of large self-assembled structures, of molecular sensors, switches, motors and machines, for mimicking biological processes, for tissue and organ imaging or for the application of the Boolean logic at the molecular level.
Coordination Chemistry of Cu2+ Complexes of Small N-Alkylated Tetra-azacyclophanes with SOD Activity
A new tetraaza-pyridinophane macrocycle (L1) N-alkylated with two isopropyl and one methyl groups symmetrically disposed has been prepared and its behavior compared with those of the unsubstituted pyridinophane (L3) and the related compound with three methyl groups (L2). The protonation studies show that, first, a proton binds to the central methylated amine group of L1, while, second protonation leads to a reorganization of the protons that are at this stage attached to the lateral isopropylated amines. The X-ray structure of [HL1]+ agrees with the UV–vis and NMR studies as well as with the results of DFT calculations. The stability of the Cu2+ complexes decreases on increasing the bulkine…
Boehmite Supported Pyrene Polyamine Systems as Probes for Iodide Recognition
New organic–inorganic fluorescent probes made by attaching the tripodal polyamine (tris(2-aminoethyl))amine (tren), propylamine, or diethylenetriamine functionalized with pyrene as a fluorophore to an γ-aluminum oxohydroxide matrix have been prepared and studied both in solution and supported on the surface of boehmite nanoparticles. Both kinds of systems have been revealed as sensitive and selective fluorescence turn-off chemosensors for iodide in aqueous solution with an estimated detection limit that reaches 36 ppb. The recognition characteristics and photophysical properties of these molecules are essentially preserved when they are grafted to the surface of the particles. Since the nan…
Tripyridinophane Platform Containing Three Acetate Pendant Arms: An Attractive Structural Entry for the Development of Neutral Eu(III) and Tb(III) Complexes in Aqueous Solution
We report a detailed characterization of Eu3+ and Tb3+ complexes derived from a tripyridinophane macro cycle bearing three acetate side arms (H3tpptac). Tpptac3- displays an overall basicity (Σ log KiH) of 24.5, provides the formation of mononuclear ML species, and shows a good binding affinity for Ln3+ (log KLnL = 17.5-18.7). These complexes are also thermodynamically stable at physiological pH (pEu = 18.6, pTb = 18.0). It should be noted that the pGd value of Gd-tpptac (18.4) is only slightly lower than that of commercially available MRI contrast agents such as Gd-dota (pGd = 19.2). Moreover, a very good selectivity for these ions over the endogenous cations (log KCuL = 14.4, log KZnL = 1…
Spectroscopic and DFT Characterization of a Highly Reactive Nonheme FeV–Oxo Intermediate
The reaction of [(PyNMe3)FeII(CF3SO3)2], 1, with excess peracetic acid at −40 °C generates a highly reactive intermediate, 2b(PAA), that has the fastest rate to date for oxidizing cyclohexane by a nonheme iron species. It exhibits an intense 490 nm chromophore associated with an S = 1/2 EPR signal having g-values at 2.07, 2.01, and 1.94. This species was shown to be in a fast equilibrium with a second S = 1/2 species, 2a(PAA), assigned to a low-spin acylperoxoiron(III) center. Unfortunately, contaminants accompanying the 2(PAA) samples prevented determination of the iron oxidation state by Mossbauer spectroscopy. Use of MeO-PyNMe3 (an electron-enriched version of PyNMe3) and cyclohexyl pero…
Highlights of metal ion-based photochemical switches
Abstract Selected metal complexes behaving as photochemical switches, mostly operating by light emission/absorption without the intervention of any added chemical species, are reviewed. First, the switching mechanisms are analyzed to offer readers an easier understanding of the described systems. Examples of photochemical switching based on complexation/decomplexation processes and photo-bistable systems, comprising metal complexes with azobenzene, azopyridine, diarylethene, spirocyclic and rhodamine ligands, make the central body of the review. These examples were chosen to provide an overview of the evolution of metal-ion based photochemical switches, collecting together historical cases …
Inhibitory Effect of Azamacrocyclic Ligands on Polyphenol Oxidase in Model and Food Systems
[EN] Enzymatic browning is one of the main problems faced by the food industry due to the enzyme polyphenol oxidase (PPO) provoking an undesirable color change in the presence of oxygen. Here, we report the evaluation of 10 different azamacrocyclic compounds with diverse morphologies as potential inhibitors against the activity of PPO, both in model and real systems. An initial screening of 10 ligands shows that all azamacrocyclic compounds inhibit to some extent the enzymatic browning, but the molecular structure plays a crucial role on the power of inhibition. Kinetic studies of the most active ligand (L2) reveal a S-parabolic I-parabolic noncompetitive inhibition mechanism and a remarkab…
Aza-macrocyclic triphenylamine ligands for G-quadruplex recognition
A new series of triphenylamine-based ligands with one (TPA1PY), two (TPA2PY) or three pendant aza-macrocycle(s) (TPA3PY) has been synthesised and studied by means of pH-metric titrations, UV/Vis spectroscopy and fluorescence experiments. The affinity of these ligands for G-quadruplex (G4) DNA and the selectivity they show for G4s over duplex DNA were investigated by Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET) melting assays, fluorimetric titrations and circular dichroism spectroscopy. Interestingly, the interactions of the bi- and especially the tri-branched ligands with G4s lead to a very intense redshifted fluorescence emission band that may be associated with intermolecular aggregation betw…
Solubility and microstructural development of TiO2-containing 3Al2O3·2SiO2 and 2Al2O3·SiO2 mullites obtained from single-phase gels
Abstract The interdependence of the titanium oxide amount and the anisotropic growth of mullites prepared from single-phase gels were investigated. Gels with stoichiometries 3(Al2−xTixO3)·2(SiO2) and 2(Al2−xTixO3)·(SiO2), with 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.15 were prepared by the semialkoxide method. Gels and specimens heated at temperatures between 1200 and 1600 °C were characterized by using infrared spectroscopy (IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission and field emission scanning electron microscopies (TEM and FESEM). Al2TiO5 as minor impurity was detected in both series of mullites for gel precursor compositions x = 0.10 and x = 0.15, obtained at temperatures between 1200 and 1600 °C. Variations of l…
Assembly of Polyiodide Networks with Cu(II) Complexes of Pyridinol-Based Tetraaza Macrocycles
Polyiodide networks are currently of great practical interest for the preparation of new electronic materials. The participation of metals in the formation of these networks is believed to improve their mechanical performance and thermal stability. Here we report the results on the construction of polyiodide networks obtained using Cu(II) complexes of a series of pyridinol-based tetraazacyclophanes as countercations. The assembly of these crystalline polyiodides takes place from aqueous solutions on the basis of similar structural elements, the [CuL]2+ and [Cu(H–1L)]+ (L = L2, L2-Me, L2-Me3) complex cations, so that the peculiarities induced by the increase of N-methylation of ligands, the …
Synthesis and coordination properties of an azamacrocyclic Zn(II) chemosensor containing pendent methylnaphthyl groups
The synthesis of a polyazamacrocycle constituted by two diethylenetriamine bridges functionalized at their central nitrogen with naphth-2-ylmethyl units and interconnected through 2,6-dimethylpyridine spacers (L1) is reported. The protonation behaviour of the new macrocycle in water and in water-ethanol 70/30 v/v mixed solvent has been examined by means of pH-metric, UV-Vis and steady-state fluorescence techniques. The fluorescence emission is slightly quenched following the deprotonation of the central tertiary amines and more deeply quenched upon deprotonation of the secondary amino groups. pH-Metric titrations show that in water-ethanol 70/30 v/v L1 forms stable mononuclear complexes wit…
Enhancement of SOD activity in boehmite supported nanoreceptors
The binuclear Cu2+ complex of a pyridinophane polyamine ligand ranking amongst the fastest SOD mimetics so far reported displays a remarkable SOD activity enhancement when grafted to the surface of boehmite (γ-AlO(OH)) nanoparticles (BNPs).