Anastasios D. Keramidas

Is vanadate reduced by thiols under biological conditions? Changing the redox potential of V(V)/V(IV) by complexation in aqueous solution.

Although dogma states that vanadate is readily reduced by glutathione, cysteine, and other thiols, there are several examples documenting that vanadium(V)-sulfur complexes can form and be observed. This conundrum has impacted life scientists for more than two decades. Investigation of this problem requires an understanding of both the complexes that form from vanadium(IV) and (V) and a representative thiol in aqueous solution. The reactions of vanadate and hydrated vanadyl cation with 2-mercaptoethanol have been investigated using multinuclear NMR, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), and UV-vis spectroscopy. Vanadate forms a stable complex of 2:2 stoichiometry with 2-mercaptoethanol at neutral and alkaline pH. In contrast, vanadate can oxidize 2-mercaptoethanol; this process is favored at low pH and high solute concentrations. The complex that forms between aqueous vanadium(IV) and 2-mercaptoethanol has a 1:2 stoichiometry and can be observed at high pH and high 2-mercaptoethanol concentration. The solution structures have been deduced based on coordination induced chemical shifts and speciation diagrams prepared. This work demonstrates that both vanadium(IV) and (V)-thiol complexes form and that redox chemistry also takes place. Whether reduction of vanadate takes place is governed by a combination of parameters: pH, solute- and vanadate-concentrations and the presence of other complexing ligands. On the basis of these results it is now possible to understand the distribution of vanadium in oxidation states (IV) and (V) in the presence of glutathione, cysteine, and other thiols and begin to evaluate the forms of the vanadium compounds that exert a particular biological effect including the insulin-enhancing agents, antiamoebic agents, and interactions with vanadium binding proteins.

Electroluminescence by a Sm3+-diketonate-phenanthroline complex

Abstract An organic light emitting diode (OLED) emitting reddish-orange light has been constructed using a Sm 3+ complex, composed of 4,4,4-trifluoro-1-phenyl-1,3-butanedione and 1,10-phenanthroline, as emitting layer and poly(vinylcarbazole) (PVK) and 2-(4-biphenylyl)-5-(4- tert -butylphenyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole (PBD) as hole and electron transporters, respectively. Photoluminescence (PL) spectra suggest that energy pumping is made through both Sm 3+ -complexed ligands and poly(vinylcarbazole) providing an efficient electroluminescent system.

Solid state and aqueous solution characterization of rectangular tetranuclear V(IV/V)-p-semiquinonate/hydroquinonate complexes exhibiting a proton induced electron transfer.

Reaction of the non-innocent dinucleating ligand 2,5-bis[N,N-bis(carboxymethyl) aminomethyl]hydroquinone (H 6bicah) with VO (2+) and VO 4 (3-) salts in water in the pH range 2 to 4.5 provides a series of novel tetranuclear V (IV) and/or V (V) macrocycles with the main core consisting of the anions [V (V) 4O 4(mu-O) 2(mu-bicah) 2] (4-) isolated at pH = 2.5 and [V (IV) 2V (V) 2O 4(mu-O) 2(mu-bicas)(mu-bicah)] (5-) and [V (IV) 4O 4(mu-O) 2(mu-bicas) 2] (6-) isolated at pH = 4.5 (bicas (*5-) = 2,5-bis[N,N-bis(carboxymethyl) aminomethyl]- p-semiquinonate), whereas at pH = 2 the dinuclear [(V (IV)O) 2(OH 2) 2(mu-bicah)] (2-) was obtained. All vanadium compounds have been characterized, and the charge of the ligand has been assigned in solid state by X-ray crystallography and infrared spectroscopy. The structures of the tetranuclear anions consist of four vanadium atoms arranged at the corners of a rectangle with the two bridging bicas (*5-) and/or bicah (6-) ligands on the long and the two V (IV/V)-O-V (IV/V) bridges on the short sides of the rectangle. UV-vis, (51)V and (1)H NMR spectroscopy and electrochemistry showed that these complexes interconvert to each other by varying the pH. This pH induced redox transformation of the tetranuclear anions has been attributed to the shift of the reduction potential of the bicas (*5-) to higher values by decreasing the pH. The electron is transferred intramolecularly from the metal ion to the electron accepting semiquinones resulting in reduction of bicas (*5-) to bicah (6-) and concurrent oxidation of the V (IV) to V (V). The resulting complexes are further oxidized by atmospheric oxygen. This system as a model for the H (+) coupled redox reactions in metalloenzymes and its relevance is discussed briefly.

Polynuclear Cobalt(II/III) Sulfites : Synthesis, Structure, and Magnetic Properties of the Octanuclear Cluster (NH4)11(Li⊂[Co4IICo4III(SO3)16(NH3)8])-10H2O Encapsulating a Lithium Cation

Partial oxidation of an aqueous solution of CoIICl(2).6H2O with (NH4)6[Mo7VIO24].4H2O in the presence of (NH4)2SO3.H2O and LiCl, at pH approximately 5.3, leads to isolation of the octanuclear cluster (NH4)11(Li subset[Co4IICo4III(SO3)16(NH3)8].10H2O), 1. The structure of the anion of 1 consists of a central [Co4II], almost ideal square planar unit, and a pair of symmetry-related CoIII dimers above and below the Co4II plane grafting onto the tetramer by 16 bridging sulfite groups. The [Co8(SO3)16(NH3)8]12- cluster encapsulates a lithium cation which lies at the center of the Co4II square.

Vanadium(V) Compounds with the Bis-(hydroxylamino)-1,3,5-triazine Ligand, H2bihyat : Synthetic, Structural, and Physical Studies of [V2VO3(bihyat)2] and of the Enhanced Hydrolytic Stability Species cis-[VVO2(bihyat)]

Reaction of the ligand 2,6-bis[hydroxy(methyl)amino]-4-morpholino-1,3,5-triazine (H(2)bihyat) with NaV(V)O(3) in aqueous solution followed by addition of either Ph(4)PCl or C(NH(2))(3)Cl, respectively, gave the mononuclear vanadium(V) compounds Ph(4)P[V(V)O(2)(bihyat)].1.5H(2)O (1) and C(NH(2))(3)[V(V)O(2)(bihyat)] (2). Treatment of V(IV)OSO(4).5H(2)O with the ligand H(2)bihyat in methyl alcohol under specific conditions gave the oxo-bridged dimer [V(V)(2)O(2)(mu(2)-O)(bihyat)(2)] (3). The structures for 1 and 3 were determined by X-ray crystallography and indicate that these compounds have distorted square-pyramidal arrangement around vanadium. The ligand bihyat(2-) is bonded to vanadium atom in a tridentate fashion at the pyridine-like nitrogen atom and the two deprotonated hydroxylamino oxygen atoms. The high electron density of the triazine ring nitrogen atoms, which results from the resonative contribution of electrons of exocyclic nitrogen atoms (Scheme 4 ), leads to very strong V-N bonds. The cis-[V(V)O(2)(bihyat)](-) species exhibits high hydrolytic stability in aqueous solution over a wide pH range, 3.3-11.0, as it was evidenced by (1)H and (51)V NMR spectroscopy and potentiometry. The high affinity of the H(2)bihyat ligand for the V(V)O(2)(+) unit, its tridentate character, as well as its small size, paves the way for potential applications in medicine, analysis, and catalysis for the C(NH(2))(3)[V(V)O(2)(bihyat)] compound. The molecular structures, vibrational and electronic spectra, and the energetics of the metal-ligand interaction for compounds 1 and 3 have been studied by means of density functional calculations.

Oxidovanadium(IV/V) Complexes as New Redox Mediators in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells: A Combined Experimental and Theoretical Study

Corrosiveness is one of the main drawbacks of using the iodide/triiodide redox couple in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Alternative redox couples including transition metal complexes have been investigated where surprisingly high efficiencies for the conversion of solar to electrical energy have been achieved. In this paper, we examined the development of a DSSC using an electrolyte based on square pyramidal oxidovanadium(IV/V) complexes. The oxidovanadium(IV) complex (Ph4P)2[V(IV)O(hybeb)] was combined with its oxidized analogue (Ph4P)[V(V)O(hybeb)] {where hybeb(4-) is the tetradentate diamidodiphenolate ligand [1-(2-hydroxybenzamido)-2-(2-pyridinecarboxamido)benzenato}and applied as a redox couple in the electrolyte of DSSCs. The complexes exhibit large electron exchange and transfer rates, which are evident from electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy and electrochemistry, rendering the oxidovanadium(IV/V) compounds suitable for redox mediators in DSSCs. The very large self-exchange rate constant offered an insight into the mechanism of the exchange reaction most likely mediated through an outer-sphere exchange mechanism. The [V(IV)O(hybeb)](2-)/[V(V)O(hybeb)](-) redox potential and the energy of highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) of the sensitizing dye N719 and the HOMO of [V(IV)O(hybeb)](2-) were calculated by means of density functional theory electronic structure calculation methods. The complexes were applied as a new redox mediator in DSSCs, while the cell performance was studied in terms of the concentration of the reduced and oxidized form of the complexes. These studies were performed with the commercial Ru-based sensitizer N719 absorbed on a TiO2 semiconducting film in the DSSC. Maximum energy conversion efficiencies of 2% at simulated solar light (AM 1.5; 1000 W m(-2)) with an open circuit voltage of 660 mV, a short-circuit current of 5.2 mA cm(-2), and a fill factor of 0.58 were recorded without the presence of any additives in the electrolyte.

Investigation on uranyl interaction with bioactive ligands. Synthesis and structural studies of the uranyl complexes with glycine and N-(2-mercaptopropionyl)glycine

Summary Three new uranium(VI) compounds have been prepared with glycine (Hgly), N-(2-mercaptopropionyl)glycine (Hmpg) and 2,2′-dithiobis(N-propionylglycine) (tpg). The crystal structure of [UO2(Hgly)2Cl2] has been solved, revealing the uranium atom to be seven-co-ordinated. The two zwitterionic glycines are coordinated to uranium atom by the carboxylate groups, one in a monodentate and the other in a bidentate mode. Solid state studies and low temperature 1H, 13C, 2D COSY and HMQC solution NMR spectra of the [UO2(mpg)(CH3COO)], show that mpg coordinates uranium atom by the carboxylate group.

Oxovanadium(IV)-sulfite compounds : Synthesis and structural and physical studies

Reaction of VIVOCl2 in strongly acidic aqueous solution with either (NH4)2SO3 or Na2SO3 and Bu4NBr at ~70°C in the pH range 2.5-4.5 gives the clusters (NH4)2{[V4IV(μ4-O)2(μ3-OH)2](VIVO)2(μ3-SO3)4O4(H2O)2} and (n-Bu4N)2{[V4IV(μ4-O)2(μ3-OH)2](VIVO)2(μ3-SO3)4O4(H2O)2}, respectively. Reaction of NH4VVO3 with (NH4)2SO3 resulted in the isolation of the first compound. When the latter reaction is carried out in the presence of MgO, compound (NH4)[VIVO(SO3)1.5H2O]∞.2.5H2O was isolated instead. Compound (n-Bu4N)2{[V4IV(μ4-O)2(μ3-OH)2](VIVO)2(μ3-SO3)4O4(H2O)2} and (NH4)[VIVO(SO3)1.5H2O]∞.2.5H2O were characterized by X-ray structure analysis. The crystal structure of species (n-Bu4N)2{[V4IV(μ4-O)2(μ3-OH)2](VIVO)2(μ3-SO3)4O4(H2O)2} revealed a unprecedented hexanuclear cluster consisting of a cubane core [M4(μ4-O)2(μ3-OH)2] connected to two other metal atoms through the core oxo-groups and four μ3-SO3 bridges. Compound (NH4)[VIVO(SO3)1.5H2O]∞.2.5H2O represents a rare example of an open-framework species prepared under mild conditions. Cyclic voltammetric examination of compound (n-Bu4N)2{[V4IV(μ4-O)2(μ3-OH)2](VIVO)2(μ3-SO3)4O4(H2O)2} revealed a redox process which was assigned to the oxidation of one core of vanadium(IV) to vanadium(V).

ORGANIC VANADIUM COMPOUNDS-TRANSITION STATE ANALOGY WITH ORGANIC PHOSPHORUS COMPOUNDS

Abstract Vanadium compounds, particularly in oxidation state V, are potent inhibitors of phosphoryl group transfer enzymes. In this paper the existance of a correlation between the coordination geometry of a series of vanadium dipicolinate complexes and their potency as inhibitors for chicken intestinal alkaline phosphatase is examined. We find that within a limited series of vanadium compounds the five-coordinate derivatives are the most potent inhibitors.

Synthesis, structural and physical studies of tin(IV) complexes with 2-(2-pyridyl)benzimidazole

The tin(IV) complexes [SnX4L][L = 2-(2-pyridyl)benzimidazole; X = Cl, Br or I] and [SnMe2Cl2L] were prepared by a dehydration reaction of N-(2-aminophenyl)pyridine-2-carboxamide L′ with either SnX4(X = Cl, Br or I) or SnMe2Cl2 in chloroform solution. The X-ray crystal structures of [SnMe2Cl2L] and [SnBr4L]·0.5MeNO2 show a distorted octahedral geometry around the tin(IV) atom in both molecules. The ligand L acts as a bidentate chelate with ligated atoms being the pyridine-type nitrogens of the heterocyclic rings. The chlorine atoms in [SnMe2Cl2L] are cis while the methyl groups are trans to each other, Infrared and Mossbauer spectra and a correlation of X-ray structural and anti-tumour (P388 lymphocytic leukaemia) data for the octahedral tin(IV) complexes are also reported. The X-ray structures are the first such reported for metal complexes containing 2-(2-pyridyl)benzimidazole.