Choosing between Ti(II) and Ti(III): selective reduction of titanocene dichloride by elemental lanthanides.

The reduction of titanocene dichloride CpTiCl with lanthanide metals has led to the discovery of a surprising lanthanide effect: while with most lanthanides, a divalent [CpTi] equivalent was obtained, the use of samarium or ytterbium only led to the reduction to trivalent [CpTiCl]-type complexes, including the structurally characterized heterobimetallic complex [CpTi(μ-Cl)SmCl(THF)]. These results were corroborated by reactivity studies (alkyne coupling and radical reactions), EPR spectroscopy and electrospray mass spectrometry, providing new insights into the reduction chemistry of lanthanide metals.

Divalent -Octaphenyllanthanocenes: Synthesis, Structures, and Eu Luminescence.

Reductive dimerization of fulvenes using low-valent metal precursors is a straightforward one-step approach to access ethylene-bridged metallocenes. This process has so far mainly been employed with fulvenes carrying one or two substituents in the exocyclic position. In this work, a new synthesis of the unsubstituted exocyclic 1,2,3,4-tetraphenylfulvene (), its full structural characterization by NMR spectroscopy and single-crystal X-ray diffraction, as well as some photophysical properties and its first use in reductive dimerization are described.

Influence of Sociodemographic Determinants on the Hodgkin Lymphoma Baseline Characteristics in Long Survivors Patients Enrolled in the Prospective Phase 3 Trial AHL2011.

Introduction: Whereas numerous studies on several cancers describe the link between social conditions and disease severity, little is known about the social and demographic characteristics of Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) patients. At diagnosis, 10-15% of the patients in the advanced stages have a well-known poor outcome owing to their chemoresistance, but the determinants of the more advanced stages remain elusive. The objective of the present study was to decipher the potential impact of social disparities on the disease features at diagnosis and analyze how the sociodemographic patient features could impact the HL outcome of patients with advanced-stage HL enrolled in the AHL2011 trial.

Ruthenium(II) Polypyridyl Complexes as Photosensitizers for Antibacterial Photodynamic Therapy: A Structure-Activity Study on Clinical Bacterial Strains.

As a growing public health concern, the worldwide spread of antimicrobial resistance urges the development of new therapies. Antibacterial photodynamic therapy (a-PDT) may be an alternative to conventional antibiotic therapy. Herein we report the synthesis and characterization of seven original reactive oxygen species (ROS)-producing ruthenium(II) polypyridyl complexes.

Application of Elemental Lanthanides in the Selective C-F Activation of Trifluoromethylated Benzofulvenes Providing Access to Various Difluoroalkenes.

The selective activation of one carbon-fluorine bond in polyfluorinated aromatic molecules or in trifluoromethyl-containing substrates offers the possibility of accessing unique fluorine-containing molecules, which are difficult to obtain by other synthetic pathways. Among various metals, which can undergo C-F activation, lanthanides (Ln) are good candidates as they form strong Ln-F bonds. Lanthanide metals are strong reducing agents with a redox potential Ln/Ln of approximately -2.

Crystal structure of (4b,8a)-1-isopropyl-4b,8,8-trimethyl-7-oxo-4b,7,8,8a,9,10-hexa-hydro-phenanthren-2-yl acetate.

The title compound, CHO, was prepared by a direct acetyl-ation reaction of naturally occurring totarolenone. The mol-ecule contains three fused rings, which exhibit different conformations. The central ring has a half-chair conformation, while the non-aromatic oxo-substituted ring has a screw-boat conformation.

Crystal structure of methyl ()-2-[()-3-methyl-2-({()-1-[(*)-4-methyl-cyclo-hex-3-en-1-yl]ethyl-idene}hydrazinyl-idene)-4-oxo-thia-zolidin-5-yl-idene]acetate.

The new title 4-thia-zolidinone derivative, CHNOS, was obtained from the cyclization reaction of 4-methyl-3-thio-semicarbazone and dimethyl acetyl-enedi-carboxyl-ate (DMAD). The cyclo-hexyl-idene ring has an envelope conformation with the stereogenic centre C atom as the flap. Its mean plane makes a dihedral angle of 56.

Generation of ϵ,ϵ-Difluorinated Metal-Pentadienyl Species through Lanthanide-Mediated C-F Activation.

Heavy metal on Lewis acid: The combination of lanthanide metals and AlCl has been employed for selective single C-F activation in benzofulvenes comprising an exocyclic CF substituent. Intermediate ϵ,ϵ-difluorinated metal-dienyl species react with a large variety of aldehydes in a highly regio- and diastereoselective fashion to afford 1,1-disubstituted indenes bearing a difluorovinyl group. These new building blocks have been further transformed through a hydrogenation-cyclization process into fluorinated heterocyclic spiro compounds.

Silica-Based Nanoparticles as Bifunctional and Bimodal Imaging Contrast Agents.

New bifunctional and bimodal nanoparticles (NPs) have been elaborated and characterised. They are based on silica NPs that incorporate a silylated ruthenium tris-bipyridine complex. The resulting suspension of amine-modified NPs with diameters of 20 nm was post-functionalised with a stable gadolinium ion complex.

Two-photon Absorption Engineering of 5-(Fluorenyl)-1,10-phenanthroline-based Ru(II) Complexes.

This study deals with the fine tuning of the photophysical characteristics, and especially two-photon absorption (2PA) properties, of several homo- and heteroleptic ruthenium(II) complexes involving 5-substituted-1,10-phenanthroline ligands. The 2PA spectra of the complexes were determined in the 700-930 nm range by investigating their two-photon excited luminescence (2PEL). Structure - linear and nonlinear optical properties correlations are discussed, and potential applications (therapy and optical power limiting in the near infrared) can be anticipated.

Solvent tuned single molecule dual emission in protic solvents: effect of polarity and H-bonding.

Phen-PENMe2 has recently been proposed as a promising new molecule displaying solvent-tuned dual emission, highlighting an original and newly-described charge transfer model. The study of the photophysical behaviour of this molecule was extended to include protic solvents. The effects of polarity and hydrogen bonding lead to an even more evident dual emission associated with a large multi-emission band in some solvents like methanol, highlighting Phen-PENMe2 as a promising candidate for white light emission.

Magnetic Dextran Nanoparticles That Bear Hydrophilic Porphyrin Derivatives: Bimodal Agents for Potential Application in Photodynamic Therapy.

Invited for this month's cover is the group of Prof. Vincent Sol from the University of Limoges, France. This study is a collaboration between the Universities of Limoges, Reims, Pierre et Marie Curie (UPMC, Paris), and Paris Sud (Orsay).

Magnetic Dextran Nanoparticles That Bear Hydrophilic Porphyrin Derivatives: Bimodal Agents for Potential Application in Photodynamic Therapy.

This study reports the chemical synthesis of a class of dextran superparamagnetic nanoparticles that bear hydrophilic porphyrin units covalently grafted by a click chemistry reaction in aqueous solution. Magnetic nanoparticles are used in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and hyperthermia, and the grafting of hydrophilic photosensitizers (PS) leads to elaborate new multifunctional platforms for potential diagnostic and targeted photodynamic therapy (PDT). The therapeutic potential for PDT of these nanoparticles is evaluated in vitro against the HaCaT cell line.

Reduced net charge and heterogeneity of pI isoforms in familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis mutants of copper/zinc superoxide dismutase.

Familial cases of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (fALS) are related to mutations of copper/zinc superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1). Aggregation of SOD1 plays a central role in the pathogenesis of fALS and altered metallation of SOD1 mutants could be involved in this process. Using IEF gel electrophoresis under non-denaturating conditions and particle induced X-ray emission (PIXE) analysis, we studied the pI distribution and metallation status of fALS SOD1 mutants (A4V, G93A, D125H) compared to human wild-type (hWT).

Solvent-tuned dual emission: a structural and electronic interplay highlighting a novel planar ICT (OPICT).

Displaying a dual emission, a Phen-PENMe2 compound can be foreseen as a new model for fundamental studies. It is based on an excited state cumulene-type structure, involving orthogonal π orbital (OPICT). In contrast to the "Twisted Intramolecular Charge Transfer" (TICT) emission, the OPICT emissive state is planar.

Bifunctional polypyridyl-Ru(II) complex grafted onto gadolinium-based nanoparticles for MR-imaging and photodynamic therapy.

The synthesis, optical properties and efficiency of new multifunctional nanoparticles as theranostic (fluorescence/MRI/PDT) agents are described. They are based on a polysiloxane network and surrounded by gadolinium(III) chelates and ruthenium(II) complexes. The size of the nanoparticles is maintained under 5 nm in order to permit their efficient elimination from the body.

A modified cyclen azaxanthone ligand as a new fluorescent probe for Zn2+.

A new cyclen derivative L, bearing a methyl-chromeno-pyridinylidene hydrazone moiety, was synthesized and studied in MeOH, as potential fluorescent "OFF-on-ON" sensors for Zn(ii). Photophysical properties of this ligand being PET regulated, L was only weakly emissive in the absence of metal ions (OFF). L fluorescence was increased modestly upon addition of one equivalent of Zn(II), and further increased upon addition of a second equivalent.

Coupling of native IEF and extended X-ray absorption fine structure to characterize zinc-binding sites from pI isoforms of SOD1 and A4V pathogenic mutant.

Extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) has already provided high-resolution structures of metal-binding sites in a wide variety of metalloproteins. Usually, EXAFS is performed on purified metalloproteins either in solution or crystallized form but purification steps are prone to modify the metallation state of the protein. We developed a protocol to couple EXAFS analysis to metalloprotein separation using native gel electrophoresis.

Multimodal analysis of metals in copper-zinc superoxide dismutase isoforms separated on electrophoresis gels.

It has been suggested that copper-zinc superoxide dismutase (CuZnSOD) isoforms of distinct isoelectric point (pI) could result from differences in their metallation state. Our aim was then to develop and validate analytical methods for the determination and understanding of metallation states in human CuZnSOD isoforms. To avoid metal losses during sample preparation steps, CuZnSOD isoforms were separated according to their pI using non-denaturing isoelectric focusing (IEF) gel electrophoresis.

Monodispersed glucose-responsive microgels operating at physiological salinity.

Monodispersed poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) submicrometric microgels modified with a phenylboronic acid (PBA) derivative have been synthesized by precipitation polymerization. Particles with a well-controlled size and adjustable composition were obtained. These particles were found to be glucose responsive at a pH close to the pKa of the PBA derivative, with a swelling degree proportional to the concentration of glucose.