Syntheses of the first amine-dicarboxyboranes and their bis(methylester) and bis(N-ethylamide) derivatives

Chemistry and biological activities of CO-releasing molecules (CORMs) and transition metal complexes

The advent of CO as a small molecule that, in addition to NO, elicits essential biological functions has initiated the search for compounds and complexes capable of releasing CO in a well defined manner under physiological conditions. Since some pharmacological and therapeutic effects of CO have been established in preclinical studies, tailor-made CO-releasing molecules (CORMs) which could be utilized as pharmaceuticals could be of great benefit for many patients. Release of CO(2) is one of the most common features in chemistry and NO producing molecules are very well established but compounds with CO-releasing properties are rare. Some of the more promising candidates and molecules under study are discussed in this article. Furthermore, molecules that possess intrinsic features to serve as potential CO-RMs and merit in depth investigations are proposed. The focus is thereby on main group compounds and on transition element complexes. It should be emphasized that CORMs not only have encouraging prospects as therapeutic agents but may also be significant for synthetic pathways to novel complexes containing the CO ligand. To underline the prospects of CORMs, the chemical part is embedded in a biological and medicinal context.

Organo-tricyanoborates as tectons: illustrative coordination polymers based on copper(I) derivatives

The first systematic study on the use of tricyanoborates as ligands is presented. The tricyanoborates [RB(CN)3]- (R = oct and Ph) can be prepared by direct cyanation of RBCl2 precursors as well as by thermolysis of the corresponding isocyanides [RB(NC)3]-. The first organo-cyanogallates [RGa(CN)3]- (R = Bu, C6H2-2,4,6-Me3) were prepared from the corresponding dichloride, the structure of Et4N[mesGa(CN3] being confirmed crystallographically. The reaction of equimolar [RB(CN)3]- (R = oct, Ph) and [Cu(MeCN)4]+ afforded two-dimensional polymers [RB(CN)3Cu(NCMe)]. The sheets arise via conjoined hexagonal B3Cu3(CN)6 rings with chair conformations. The reaction of excess [PhB(CN)3]- and [Cu(MeCN)4]+ gives the polymer [K(18-crown-6)]{Cu[PhB(CN)3]2}. Treatment of [PhB(CN)3]- with [Cu(PCy3)2(NCMe)x]PF6 gave the one-dimensional polymer [PhB(CN)3Cu(PCy3)2], wherein two of the three BCN substituents are coordinated.