Burkhard O. Jahn

Amphiphilic star-shaped block copolymers as unimolecular drug delivery systems: investigations using a novel fungicide

Amphiphilic star-shaped poly(e-caprolactone)-block-poly(oligo(ethylene glycol)methacrylate) [PCLa-b-POEGMAb]4 block copolymers with four arms and varying degrees of polymerization for the core (PCL) and the shell (POEGMA) were used to investigate the solution behavior in dilute aqueous solution using a variety of techniques, including fluorescence and UV/Vis spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, analytical ultracentrifugation, and isothermal titration calorimetry. Particular emphasis has been applied to prove that the systems form unimolecular micelles for different hydrophilic/lipophilic balances of the employed materials. In vitro cytotoxicity and hemocompatibility have further been investigated to probe the suitability of these structures for in vivo applications. A novel fungicide was included into the hydrophobic core in aqueous media to test their potential as drug delivery systems. After loading, the materials have been shown to release the drug and to provoke therewith an inhibition of the growth of different fungal strains.

Metal-free photochemical silylations and transfer hydrogenations of benzenoid hydrocarbons and graphene.

The first hydrogenation step of benzene, which is endergonic in the electronic ground state (S0), becomes exergonic in the first triplet state (T1). This is in line with Bairds rule, which tells that benzene is antiaromatic and destabilized in its T1 state and also in its first singlet excited state (S1), opposite to S0, where it is aromatic and remarkably unreactive. Here we utilized this feature to show that benzene and several polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) to various extents undergo metal-free photochemical (hydro)silylations and transfer-hydrogenations at mild conditions, with the highest yield for naphthalene (photosilylation: 21%). Quantum chemical computations reveal that T1-state benzene is excellent at H-atom abstraction, while cyclooctatetraene, aromatic in the T1 and S1 states according to Bairds rule, is unreactive. Remarkably, also CVD-graphene on SiO2 is efficiently transfer-photohydrogenated using formic acid/water mixtures together with white light or solar irradiation under metal-free conditions.

Organic single molecular structures for light induced spin-pump devices.

We present theoretical results on molecular structures for realistic spin-pump applications. Taking advantage of the electron spin resonance concept, we find that interesting candidates constitute triplet biradicals with two strongly spatially and energetically separated singly occupied molecular orbitals (SOMOs). Building on earlier reported stable biradicals, particularly bis(nitronyl nitroxide) based biradicals, we employ density functional theory to design a selection of potential molecular spin-pumps which should be persistent at ambient conditions. We estimate that our proposed molecular structures will operate as spin-pumps using harmonic magnetic fields in the MHz regime and optical fields in the infrared to visible light regime.

Metal-Mediated Reaction Modeled on Nature: The Activation of Isothiocyanates Initiated by Zinc Thiolate Complexes

On the basis of detailed theoretical studies of the mode of action of carbonic anhydrase (CA) and models resembling only its reactive core, a complete computational pathway analysis of the reaction between several isothiocyanates and methyl mercaptan activated by a thiolate-bearing model complex [Zn(NH(3))(3)SMe](+) was performed at a high level of density functional theory (DFT). Furthermore, model reactions have been studied in the experiment using relatively stable zinc complexes and have been investigated by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and Raman spectroscopy. The model complexes used in the experiment are based upon the well-known azamacrocyclic ligand family ([12]aneN(4), [14]aneN(4), i-[14]aneN(4), and [15]aneN(4)) and are commonly formulated as ([Zn([X]aneN(4))(SBn)]ClO(4). As predicted by our DFT calculations, all of these complexes are capable of insertion into the heterocumulene system. Raman spectroscopic investigations indicate that aryl-substituted isothiocyanates predominantly add to the C═N bond and that the size of the ring-shaped ligands of the zinc complex also has a very significant influence on the selectivity and on the reactivity as well. Unfortunately, the activated isothiocyanate is not able to add to the thiolate-corresponding mercaptan to invoke a CA analogous catalytic cycle. However, more reactive compounds such as methyl iodide can be incorporated. This work gives new insight into the mode of action and reaction path variants derived from the CA principles. Further, aspects of the reliability of DFT calculations concerning the prediction of the selectivity and reactivity are discussed. In addition, the presented synthetic pathways can offer a completely new access to a variety of dithiocarbamates.

New class of molecular conductance switches based on the [1,3]-silyl migration from silanes to silenes

On the basis of first-principles density functional theory calculations, we propose a new molecular photoswitch which exploits a photochemical [1,3]-silyl(germyl) shift leading from a silane to a silene (a Si=C double bonded compound). The silanes investigated herein act as the OFF state, with tetrahedral saturated silicon atoms disrupting the conjugation through the molecules. The silenes, on the other hand, have conjugated paths spanning over the complete molecules and thus act as the ON state. We calculate ON/OFF conductance ratios in the range of 10–50 at a voltage of +1 V. In the low bias regime, the ON/OFF ratio increases to a range of 200–1150. The reverse reaction could be triggered thermally or photolytically, with the silene being slightly higher in relative energy than the silane. The calculated activation barriers for the thermal back-rearrangement of the migrating group can be tuned and are in the range 108–171 kJ/mol for the switches examined herein. The first-principles calculations together with a simple one-level model show that the high ON/OFF ratio in the molecule assembled in a solid state device is due to changes in the energy position of the frontier molecular orbitals compared to the Fermi energy of the electrodes, in combination with an increased effective coupling between the molecule and the electrodes for the ON state.

Allene as the Parent Substrate in Zinc-Mediated Biomimetic Hydration Reactions of Cumulenes†

The aim of our present investigation is to unravel the general mode of biomimetic activation of a wide variety of cumulenes by carbonic anhydrase (CA) models. Carbonic anhydrases allow the specific recognition, activation and transfer not only of CO2 but also of heteroallenes X=C=Y such as the polar or polarizable examples COS, CS2, H2CCO, and RNCS. Therefore, this enzyme class fulfils the requirements of excellent catalysts with a wide variety of important applications. Can this be extended to the isoelectronic but less reactive allene molecule, H2C=C=CH2 and extremely simplified models as mimetic concept for active center of the carbonic anhydrase? Allene is a waste product in the refinery, i.e. the C3-cut of the naphtha distillation; therefore, any addition product that can be obtained from allene in high yields will be of significant value. We investigated the complete catalytic cycle of a very simple model reaction, the hydration of allene, using density functional theory. Additionally, calculations were performed for the uncatalyzed reaction. There are two possible ways for the nucleophilic attack leading to different products. The zinc hydroxide complex and the water molecule can react at the central or the terminal carbon atoms (positional selectivity), the resulting products are 2-propen-1-ol and propen-2-ol, respectively, acetone. The calculations indicate a significant lower energy barrier for the rate determining step of the formation of propen-2-ol and therefore a well-expressed regioselectivity for the addition of such small molecules. The zinc complex has a pronounced catalytic effect and lowers the activation barrier from 262.5 to 123.9 kJ/mol compared with the uncatalyzed reaction. This work suggests the most probable paths for this reaction and discloses the necessity for the development of novel catalysts.

The 6,6‐Dicyanopentafulvene Core: A Template for the Design of Electron‐Acceptor Compounds

The electron-accepting ability of 6,6-dicyanopentafulvenes (DCFs) can be varied extensively through substitution on the five-membered ring. The reduction potentials for a set of 2,3,4,5-tetraphenyl-substituted DCFs, with varying substituents at the para-position of the phenyl rings, strongly correlate with their Hammett σp-parameters. By combining cyclic voltammetry with DFT calculations ((U)B3LYP/6-311+G(d)), using the conductor-like polarizable continuum model (CPCM) for implicit solvation, the absolute reduction potentials of a set of twenty DCFs were reproduced with a mean absolute deviation of 0.10 eV and a maximum deviation of 0.19 eV. Our experimentally investigated DCFs have reduction potentials within 3.67-4.41 eV, however, the computations reveal that DCFs with experimental reduction potentials as high as 5.3 eV could be achieved, higher than that of F4-TCNQ (5.02 eV). Thus, the DCF core is a template that allows variation in the reduction potentials by about 1.6 eV.

The zinc complex catalyzed hydration of alkyl isothiocyanates

AbstractBased upon our preceding studies of the hydration of CO2, COS and CS2, accelerated by the carbonic anhydrase (CA) using simplified [ZnL3OH]+ complexes as model catalysts, we calculated the hydration mechanisms of both the uncatalyzed and the [ZnL3OH]+-catalyzed reactions (L = NH3) of isothiocyanates RNCS on the B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p) level of theory. Interestingly, the transition state for the favored metal mediated reaction with the lowest Gibbs free energy is only slightly higher than in the case of CO2 (depending on the attacking atom (N or S). Calculations under inclusion of solvent corrections show a reduction of the selectivity and a slight decrease of the Gibbs free energy in the rate-determining steps. The most plausible pathway prefers the mechanism via a Lindskog proton-shift transition state leading to the thermodynamically most stable product, the carbamatic-S-acid. Furthermore, powerful electron withdrawing substituents R of the cumulenic substrates influence the selectivity of the reaction to a significant extent. Especially the CF3-group in trifluoromethylisothiocyanate reverses the selectivity. This investigation demonstrates that reaction principles developed by nature can be translated to develop efficient catalytic methods, in this case presumably for the transformation of a wide variety of heterocumulenes aside from CO2, COS and CS2. FigureCompeting transition structures for the [ZnL3OH]+-mediated activation of isothiocyanates

Triplet state homoaromaticity: concept, computational validation and experimental relevance

Conjugation through space can give rise to aromaticity in the lowest excited triplet state, with impact for photochemistry.

Push-Pull-Allenes: The Influences of Substituents on the Activation of Allenes by Biomimetic Zinc Complexes

The influence of substituents at the allene skeleton on the rate-determining step of the reaction with nucleophiles catalyzed by biomimetic zinc complexes was investigated with quantum chemical (especially DFT) methods. Additional examinations were applied to derivatives of the zinc hydroxide complex modeled in analogy to the catalytic center of carbonic anhydrase. Especially suitable substituents in the allene moiety can lead to a significant lowering of the activation barrier. Further we demonstrate that by the application of this principle of a bioanalogous enhancement of reactivity other nucleophiles instead of the biological substrate can also be reactants in completely closed catalytic reaction cycles. Graphical Abstract Push-Pull-Allenes: The Influences of Substituents on the Activation of Allenes by Biomimetic Zinc Complexes