Synthesis and magnetic characteristics of new tetrachloroferrates(III) with 2-methylpyridinium, 3-methylpyridinium and 4-methylpyridinium cations: X-ray crystal structure of 4-methylpyridinium tetrachloroferrate(III)

Herb-Metal Ion Coordination Compounds with Photo/Electromagnetic Wave Response for Developing Various Anti-Infection Strategies

The global rise in infectious diseases and antibiotic overuse exacerbate bacterial drug resistance, particularly in multidrug-resistant pathogens like methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). While plant-derived flavones exhibit multi-target antibacterial mechanisms that overcome resistance, their therapeutic application remains constrained by poor aqueous dispersibility and stability. Herein, a luteolin-iron complex (Lut-Fe3⁺) is engineered through a facile coordination approach, where Fe3⁺ facilitates d-orbital splitting and generation of high-spin electrons. This octahedral complex demonstrates exceptional water dispersibility and exhibits broad-spectrum absorption across ultraviolet to microwave (MW) frequencies. Lut-Fe3⁺ demonstrates dual antimicrobial modalities: long-term antisepsis in the dark and rapid sterilization under light/MW irradiation. This multi-functional complex is further combined with various methods to develop therapeutic strategies for bacterial infections at different depths. Notably, the Lut-Fe3⁺ is engineered into an MW-responsive nebulization system, achieving effective eradication of MRSA-induced deep-tissue pneumonia in mice.

A versatile quinoxaline derivative serves as a colorimetric sensor for strongly acidic pH

A strongly acidic colorimetric pH sensor induced by the acidity of [Fe(H₂O)₆]³⁺, and single crystal to single crystal transformation between the protonated and deprotonated form.

Oxidation triggers extensive conjugation and unusual stabilization of two di-heme dication diradical intermediates: role of bridging group for electronic communication

Synthetic analogs of diheme enzyme MauG have been reported. Unlike the bis-Fe(iv) state in MauG, the 2e-oxidation stabilizes two ferric hemes, each coupled with a porphyrin π-cation radical.

MauG is a diheme enzyme that utilizes two covalently bound c-type hemes to catalyse the biosynthesis of the protein-derived cofactor tryptophan tryptophylquinone. The two hemes are physically separated by 14.5 Å and a hole-hopping mechanism is proposed in which a tryptophan residue located between the hemes undergoes reversible oxidation and reduction to increase the effective electronic coupling element and enhance the rate of reversible electron transfer between the hemes in bis-Fe(iv) MauG. The present work describes the structure and spectroscopic investigation of 2e-oxidations of the synthetic diheme analogs in which two heme centers are covalently connected through a conjugated ethylene bridge that leads to the stabilization of two unusual trans conformations (U and P′ forms) with different and distinct spectroscopic and geometric features. Unlike in MauG, where the two oxidizing equivalents are distributed within the diheme system giving rise to the bis-Fe(iv) redox state, the synthetic analog stabilizes two ferric hemes, each coupled with a porphyrin cation radical, a scenario resembling the binuclear dication diradical complex. Interestingly, charge resonance-transition phenomena are observed here both in 1e and 2e-oxidised species from the same system, which are also clearly distinguishable by their relative position and intensity. Detailed UV-vis-NIR, X-ray, Mössbauer, EPR and ¹H NMR spectroscopic investigations as well as variable temperature magnetic studies have unraveled strong electronic communications between two porphyrin π-cation radicals through the bridging ethylene group. The extensive π-conjugation also allows antiferromagnetic coupling between iron(iii) centers and porphyrin radical spins of both rings. DFT calculations revealed extended π-conjugation and H-bonding interaction as the major factors in controlling the stability of the conformers.

Physicochemical characteristics of 2-, 3- and 4-methylpyridinium tetrachloroferrates(III)

The crystal structure of 2-methylpyridinium tetrachloroferrate(III) was determined. The iron cation is tetracoordinated by chloride anions, and it adopts a slightly distorted tetrahedral coordination with three angles smaller, two almost equal and one larger than the tetrahedral. The compound is isostructural with its 3-, and 4-methylpyridinium analogues. The thermal properties of 2-, 3- and 4-methylpyridinium tetrachloroferrates(III) have been studied using TG and DSC techniques. The compounds exhibit a high stability in the melt.