Pt(II)-Coordinated Tricomponent Self-Assemblies of Tetrapyridyl Porphyrin and Dicarboxylate Ligands: Are They 3D Prisms or 2D Bow Ties?

Thermodynamically favored heteroleptic coordination of Pt(II) ions with one aza- and another oxo-coordinating ligand yield tricomponent supramolecular coordination complexes (SCCs), which possess much greater structural complexity and functional diversity than traditional bicomponent SCCs containing only one of the ligands. Through X-ray crystallography, 1H, 31P, and 2D NMR spectroscopies, mass spectrometry, and computational studies, herein, we demonstrated that heteroleptic coordination of tetrapyridyl porphyrins (MTPP, M = Zn or H2) and various dicarboxylate ligands (XDC) having different lengths and rigidity with cis-(Et3P)2PtII corners yielded bow-tie (⋈)-shaped tricomponent [{cis-(Et3P)2Pt}4(MTPP)(XDC)2]4+ complexes featuring a MTPP core and two parallel XDC linkers held together by four heteroligated PtII(N,O) corners and ruled out the MTPP-based tetragonal prism formation. Irrespective of the rigidity and length of the XDC linkers within a certain range (~7–11 Å), they intramolecularly bridged two adjacent pyridyl tips of an MTPP ligand via PtII(N,O) corners, which led to the formation of bow-tie complexes instead of prisms. This happened because the angles of projection between the adjacent pyridyl rings of MTPP cores adapted to accommodate the bridging XDC linkers having different lengths, and the bow-tie formation was entropically favored over tetragonal prisms. This work not only unveiled novel bow-tie-shaped coordination complexes, but also accurately defined the actual structures and compositions of MTPP-based tricomponent SCCs. Furthermore, a representative bow-tie complex containing an electron-rich ZnTPP core selectively formed a charge-transfer (CT) complex with highly electron deficient 1,4,5,8,9,12-hexaazatriphenylene-2,3,6,7,10,11-heaxacarbonitrile (HATHCN) but not with π-donors like pyrene.

Photoenzymatic Synthesis of 𝜶-Tertiary Amines By Engineered Flavin-Dependent ‘Ene’-Reductases

𝛼-tertiary amines are a common motif in pharmaceutically important molecules but are challenging to prepare using asymmetric catalysis. Here, we demonstrate engineered flavin-dependent ‘ene’-reductases (EREDs) can catalyze radical additions into oximes to prepare this motif. Two different EREDs were evolved into competent catalysts for this transformation with high levels of stereoselectivity. Mechanistic studies indicate that the oxime contributes to the enzyme templated CT-complex formed between the substrate and cofactor. These products can be further deri-vatized to prepare a variety of motifs, highlighting the ver-satility of ERED photoenzymatic catalysis for organic syn-thesis.

Contrasting mechanisms for photodissociation of methyl halides adsorbed on thin films of C6H6 and C6F6

Photodissociation of CH3X on C6F6 thin films on copper finds that dissociation by photoelectrons is entirely quenched. Different behaviour is observed for these molecules on C6H6 films, including a CT-complex pathway for CH3I on thick C6H6 films.

Exploring the charge transfer dynamics of hydrogen bonded crystals of 2-methyl-8-quinolinol and chloranilic acid: synthesis, spectrophotometric, single-crystal, DFT/PCM analysis, antimicrobial, and DNA binding studies

The chemistry of the CT complex between donor 2-methyl-8-quinolinol (2 MQ) and acceptor chloranilic acid (CHLA) has been studied by using electronic absorption spectroscopy in acetonitrile, methanol, and ethanol at room temperature.

Spectroscopic evidence for direct flavin-flavin contact in a bifurcating electron transfer flavoprotein

A remarkable charge transfer (CT) band is described in the bifurcating electron transfer flavoprotein (Bf-ETF) from Rhodopseudomonas palustris (RpaETF). RpaETF contains two FADs that play contrasting roles in electron bifurcation. The Bf-FAD accepts electrons pairwise from NADH, directs one to a lower-reduction midpoint potential (E°) carrier, and the other to the higher-E° electron transfer FAD (ET-FAD). Previous work noted that a CT band at 726 nm formed when ET-FAD was reduced and Bf-FAD was oxidized, suggesting that both flavins participate. However, existing crystal structures place them too far apart to interact directly. We present biochemical experiments addressing this conundrum and elucidating the nature of this CT species. We observed that RpaETF missing either FAD lacked the 726 nm band. Site-directed mutagenesis near either FAD produced altered yields of the CT species, supporting involvement of both flavins. The residue substitutions did not alter the absorption maximum of the signal, ruling out contributions from residue orbitals. Instead, we propose that the residue identities modulate the population of a protein conformation that brings the ET-flavin and Bf-flavin into direct contact, explaining the 726 nm band based on a CT complex of reduced ET-FAD and oxidized Bf-FAD. This is corroborated by persistence of the 726 nm species during gentle protein denaturation and simple density functional theory calculations of flavin dimers. Although such a CT complex has been demonstrated for free flavins, this is the first observation of such, to our knowledge, in an enzyme. Thus, Bf-ETFs may optimize electron transfer efficiency by enabling direct flavin-flavin contact.