Teresa Calvet

Polymorphism of even saturated carboxylic acids from n-decanoic to n-eicosanoic acid

The polymorphism of normal saturated even carboxylic acids from n-decanoic to n-eicosanoic acid is discussed. Seven crystal modifications, including polymorphs and polytypes, were identified and fully characterized by the combination of calorimetric measurements (DSC) at atmospheric and high pressures, X-ray powder diffraction, FT-IR spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). All seven crystal forms, including polymorphs and polytypes, are observed at room temperature. Forms A2 and Asuper are triclinic, form C is monoclinic and forms E and B show both a monoclinic and an orthorhombic polytype. The triclinic modifications A2 and Asuper predominate for acids up to n-tetradecanoic acid (C14H27O2H). The orthorhombic and the monoclinic forms predominate for acids from n-hexadecanoic (C16H31O2H) up to n-eicosanoic acid (C20H39O2H). When the temperature is increased, all the crystal modifications transform irreversibly to the C form. In the first part of this paper, cell parameters for the different forms are given, the observed temperatures and enthalpies of the transitions are reported and the stability of the different forms is discussed. In the second part, we state the main contribution of each technique for the identification and interpretation of the polymorphism of even numbered carboxylic acids.

Anionic Tuning of the Dimensionality in Copper Oximato Chemistry

Control of the dimensionality and nuclearity in pyraziloximatocopper(II) chemistry has been achieved by tuning of the donor properties of the counteranions.

Triangular Nickel Complexes Derived from 2-Pyridylcyanoxime: An Approach to the Magnetic Properties of the [Ni3(μ3-OH){pyC(R)NO}3]2+ Core

A series of nickel complexes with nuclearity ranging from Ni(3) to Ni(6) have been obtained by treatment of a variety of nickel salts with the 2-pyridylcyanoxime ligand. The reported compounds have as a common structural feature the triangular arrangement of nickel cations bridged by a central μ(3)-oxo/alkoxo ligand. These compounds are simultaneously the first nickel derivatives of the 2-pyridylcyanoxime ligand and the first examples of isolated, μ(3)-O triangular pyridyloximate nickel complexes. Magnetic measurements reveal antiferromagnetic interactions promoted by the μ(3)-O and oximato superexchange pathways and comparison of the experimental structural and magnetic data with DFT calculations give an in-depth explanation of the factors that determine the magnetic interaction in this kind of system.

In situ synchrotron radiation X-ray diffraction study of crystallization kinetics of polymorphs of 1,3-dioleoyl-2-palmitoyl glycerol (OPO)

We examined the influence of kinetics on the polymorphic behavior of 1,3-dioleoyl-2-palmitoyl glycerol (OPO), a triacylglycerol (TAG) present in natural oils such as olive oil and human breast milk. Pure OPO was heated at 15 °C min−1 in all cases. The polymorphic crystallization of OPO was studied at different cooling rates (15, 2, 1, and 0.5 °C min−1), and the dynamic polymorphic transformations were characterized on heating by simultaneously using Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and Synchrotron Radiation X-Ray Diffraction (SR-XRD) with small-angle X-ray diffraction (SAXD) and wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD). Thermo-Optical Microscopy (TOM) was also used in order to observe the polymorphic transitions. Polymorphic forms of OPO were identified and characterized. As the cooling rate decreased, more stable forms crystallized, not following the Ostwald step rule, although in most cases concurrent crystallization occurred and the whole process was highly complex.

Variable coordination behavior of new hybrid pyrazole ligand: synthesis and characterization of several Zn(II), Cd(II), Hg(II), Pd(II), Pt(II), and Ni(II) complexes.

In this paper we describe the synthesis of the new mixed-donor ligand 1,8-bis(3,5-dimethyl-1H-pyrazol-1-yl)-3,6-dioxaoctane (L). The complexes [MCl(2)(L)] (M = Zn(II) (1), Cd(II) (2), Hg(II) (3), Pd(II) (4), Pt(II) (6), Ni(II) (7)) and [PdCl(2)(L)](2) (5) were prepared and fully characterized. X-ray crystal structures of complexes 1, 2, 4, 6, and 7 have been determined. The L ligand behaves either as a NN-bidentate (chelate or bridge) and NOON-tetradentate (equatorial or planar) ligand. In these structures, C-H...X (X = O, N or Cl/Cl(-)) intermolecular interactions have been identified and studied. Moreover, the (113)Cd{(1)H}, (195)Pt{(1)H}, and (199)Hg{(1)H} NMR spectra were measured to investigate the coordination environment of the metal in solution. Diffusion NMR studies have also been performed to characterize monomeric and dimeric species of Pd(II). Finally, we have observed that the dimeric complex 5 is converted into the corresponding monomeric complex 4.

Influence of PPh3 moiety in the anticancer activity of new organometallic ruthenium complexes

The effect of the PPh3 group in the antitumor activity of some new organometallic ruthenium(II) complexes has been investigated. Several complexes of the type [Ru((II))(Cl)(PPh3)(Lig-N)], [Ru((II))(Cl)2(Lig-N)] (where Lig-N=pyridine derivate) and [Ru((II))(Cl)(PPh3)2], have been synthesized and characterized. A noticeable increment of the antitumor activity and cytotoxicity of the complexes due to the presence of PPh3 moiety has also been demonstrated, affording IC50 values of 5.2 μM in HL-60 tumor cell lines. Atomic force microscopy, circular dichroism and electrophoresis experiments have proved that these complexes can bind DNA resulting in a distortion of both secondary and tertiary structures. Ethidium bromide displacement fluorescence spectroscopy studies and viscosity measurements support that the presence of PPh3 group induces intercalation interactions with DNA. Indeed, crystallographic analysis, suggest that intra-molecular π-π interactions could be involved in the intercalation within DNA base pairs. Furthermore, high performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) studies have confirmed a strong interaction between ruthenium complexes and proteins (ubiquitin and potato carboxypeptidase inhibitor - PCI) including slower kinetics due to the presence of PPh3 moiety, which could have an important role in detoxification mechanism and others. Finally, ion mobility mass spectrometry (IMMS) experiments have proved that there is no significant change in the gas phase structural conformation of the proteins owing to their bonding to ruthenium complexes.

Melting behaviour in the n-alkanol family. Enthalpy-entropy compensation

The melting behaviour was studied in ten systems: C15OH–C16OH, C16OH–C17OH, C17OH–C18OH, C18OH–C19OH, C19OH–C20OH with Δn = 1 (difference in chain length), C15OH–C17OH, C16OH–C18OH, C17OH–C19OH, C18OH–C20OH with Δn = 2, and C16OH–C20OH with Δn = 4. The phase that melts is either the monoclinic R′IV(C2/m, Z = 4) or the hexagonal R′II(Rm, Z = 6) rotator form. One of the most important issues in the melting of these systems is that when the two original compounds of the system are isostructural, the phase diagram does not always show total miscibility. In the systems studied here, only the C15OH–C16OH, C18OH–C19OH and C19OH-C20OH systems show total miscibility. In the other systems in which the two original compounds are isostructural, miscibility is partial, as in the systems where the two original compounds are not isostructural. In this family, as in other families of mixed crystals, there is an excess enthalpy-entropy compensation. This compensation has a temperature dimension, and is called the compensation temperature (θ) of the family and/or subfamily. In the case of the R′II and R′IV rotator forms of the n-alkanols family its value is 362 K. This value is in line with the trend show by a large group of organic and inorganic mixed crystalline materials.

Diastereomerically pure platinum(II) complexes as antitumoral agents.: The influence of the mode of binding {(N), (N,O)- or (C,N)}- of (1S,2R)[(η5-C5H5)Fe{(η5-C5H4)CHNCH(Me)CH(OH)C6H5}] and the arrangement of the auxiliary ligands.

The study of the reactivity of (1S,2R) [(η(5)-C(5)H(5))Fe{[(η(5)-C(5)H(4)) CHNCH(Me)CH(OH)C(6)H(5)}] (1a) with cis-[PtCl(2)(DMSO)(2)] under different experimental conditions has allowed to isolate and characterize three pairs of isomeric and diastereomerically pure platinum(II) complexes. Two of the pairs are the trans- and cis- isomers of (1S,2R)[Pt{(η(5)-C(5)H(5))Fe[(η(5)-C(5)H(4))CHNCH(Me)CH(OH)C(6)H(5)]}Cl(2)(DMSO)] [trans-(2a) and cis-(3a), respectively], and of (1S,2R) [Pt{(κ(2)-N,O)(η(5)-C(5)H(5))Fe[(η(5)-C(5)H(4))CHNCH(Me)CH(O)C(6)H(5)]}Cl(DMSO)], {trans-(Cl, N) in (4a)} or a cis-(Cl, N) {in (5a)}; while the third one is formed by platinacycles: [Pt{(κ(2)-C,N[(η(5)-C(5)H(3))]CHN-CH(Me)CH(OH)C(6)H(5)]Fe(η(5)-C(5)H(5))}Cl(DMSO)] with different planar chirality [S(p) (in 6a) or R(p) (in 7a)]. The crystal structures of compounds 2a, 3a, 5a and 6a are also reported. The cytotoxic assessment of 1a-7a on lung (A549), breast (MDA-MB-231) and colon (HCT-116) cancer cell lines is also reported and reveals that the potency of the complexes is strongly dependent on the mode of binding of the iminoalcohol {(N) in 2a and 3a, (N,O)(-) in 4a and 5a or (C,N)(-) in 6a and 7a}, the relative arrangement of the monodentate ligands (in 2a-5a), and the planar chirality of the 1,2-ferrocenylunit in (6a and 7a). Among the new products (2a-7a), compounds 4a and 5a exhibit the highest potency with IC(50) values smaller than cisplatin in the three cancer cell lines assayed. Electrophoretic DNA migration studies in the presence of 2a-7a have been performed in order to get further insights into their mechanism of action. A comparative study of the solution behaviour of all the complexes in DMSO-d(6) or in DMSO-d(6):D(2)O (1:1) mixtures at 298 K is also reported.

In situ observation of transformation pathways of polymorphic forms of 1,3-dipalmitoyl-2-oleoyl glycerol (POP) examined with synchrotron radiation X-ray diffraction and DSC

POP (1,3-dipalmitoyl-2-oleoyl glycerol), a major triacylglycerol component of vegetable and animal fats found in chocolate, fat spread, and other edible fats, crystallizes in seven polymorphic forms: α, γ, δ, β′2, β′1, β2, and β1. The crystallization and transformation pathways of the polymorphs of POP are influenced by many factors. In the present work, we studied the influence of the rates of cooling and heating on the polymorphic crystallization and transformation of POP. The rate of cooling (heating) was changed from 15 to 2, 1, and 0.5 °C min−1 (15 to 2, 1, 0.5, and 0.1 °C min−1). The crystallization and transformation processes were examined with differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and synchrotron radiation X-ray diffraction (SR-XRD). The results indicated that more stable forms were formed in a higher quantity when POP was slowly cooled and heated, whereas less stable forms occurred at higher rates of cooling and heating. Specifically, less stable α and γ forms were directly obtained at cooling rates of 15 to 0.5 °C min−1. The more stable forms of β′ or β did not occur even at a rate of cooling of 0.5 °C min−1, whereas α or γ transformed to β′ or β at heating rates of 0.5 and 0.1 °C min−1. The polymorphic transformations occurred either in solid-state or melt-mediation and were largely influenced by the heating rates. We discuss the present results by considering the differences in activation free energies for the transformations from α or γ to more stable forms, which may determine the heating-rate-dependent transformation pathways.

First Structural and Magnetic Studies of Ni Clusters Containing 2,6-Diacetylpyridine-dioxime as a Ligand

In the present work, coordination possibilities of the system dapdoH(2)/Ni(2+), being dapdoH(2) = 2,6-diacetylpyridine dioxime, have been explored, offering as a result a number of unprecedented clusters with a variety of topologies and magnetic behaviors. Depending on the precursors and reaction conditions, several compounds named [Ni(2)(dapdo)(2)] (1), [Ni(3)(OH)(BzO)(3)(dapdo)(dapdoH(2))(H(2)O)] x1.25 H(2)O (2), [Ni(3)(AcO)(4)(dapdoH)(2)(H(2)O)(2)] x H(2)O (3), and [Ni(4)(AcO)(3)(dapdo)(dapdoH)(2)(H(2)O)(3)] x (AcO) x 3 H(2)O (4) were achieved and structurally well-characterized. Dc magnetic measurements were carried out in the 2-300 K range revealing antiferromagnetic interactions for (2-4) compounds and diamagnetic response for the square planar coordinated complex (1).