Arsenic-containing lipids (arsenolipids) are natural products present in fish and algae. Because these compounds occur in foods, there is considerable interest in their human toxicology. We report the synthesis and characterization of seven arsenic-containing lipids, including six natural products. The compounds comprise dimethylarsinyl groups attached to saturated long-chain hydrocarbons (three compounds), saturated long-chain fatty acids (two compounds), and monounsaturated long chain fatty acids (two compounds). The arsenic group was introduced through sodium dimethylarsenide or bis(dimethylarsenic) oxide. The latter route provided higher and more reproducible yields, and consequently, this pathway was followed to synthesize six of the seven compounds. Mass spectral properties are described to assist in the identification of these compounds in natural samples. The pure synthesized arsenolipids will be used for in vitro experiments with human cells to test their uptake, biotransformation, and possible toxic effects.

The O2 binding affinity of a series of dicobalt(II) complexes can be tuned between p(O2)50% = 2.3 × 10(-3) and 700 × 10(-3) atm at 40 °C by varying the number of H and Cl atoms in the bridging acetato ligands of [Co2(bpbp)(CH(3-n)ClnCO2)(CH3CN)2](2+), where bpbp(-) = 2,6-bis(N,N-bis(2-pyridylmethyl)aminomethyl)-4-tert-butylphenolate and n = {0, 1, 2, 3}. O2 binds most strongly to the deoxy complex containing the acetato bridge and the O2 affinity decreases linearly as the number of Cl atoms is increased from 0 to 3 in [Co2(bpbp)(O2)(CH3CO2)](2+), [Co2(bpbp)(O2)(CH2ClCO2)](2+), [Co2(bpbp)(O2)(CHCl2CO2)](2+) and [Co2(bpbp)(O2)(CCl3CO2)](2+). The O2 affinities can be qualitatively correlated with both the pKa value of the parent acetic or chloroacetic acid and the redox potential of the O2(2-)/O2˙(-) couple measured for the peroxide-bridged complexes. The redox potential varies between 510 mV (vs. Fc(0/+)) for the acetato-bridged complex to 696 mV for the trichloroacetato-bridged system. Despite the clear difference in reactivity in solution, there are no clear trends which can be correlated to O2 affinity in the O-O bond lengths in the X-ray crystal structures at 180 K (1.415(4)-1.424(2) Å) or in the frequencies of the peroxido O-O stretch in the solid-state resonance Raman spectra at 298 K (830-836 cm(-1)). Using density functional theory calculations, we conclude that the Co(II) atoms of the deoxy complexes coordinate solvent molecules as auxiliary ligands and that a conformation change of the ligand is involved in the reversible O2 binding process. The alternative of five coordination in the deoxy Co(II) complexes is therefore seen as less likely. The crystal structure and p(O2)50% are also reported for the 1-naphthoato-bridged oxy complex [Co2(bpbp)(O2)(C10H7O2)](2+), and the O2 binding affinity in that case is also qualitatively consistent with the expectation from the pKa of the parent 1-naphthoic acid.

A comparison of the electrochemical properties of a series of dinuclear complexes [M(2)(L)(RCO(2))(2)](+) with M = Mn or Co, L = 2,6-bis(N,N-bis-(2-pyridylmethyl)-sulfonamido)-4-methylphenolato (bpsmp(-)) or 2,6-bis(N,N-bis(2-pyridylmethyl)aminomethyl)-4-tert-butylphenolato (bpbp(-)) and R = H, CH(3), CF(3) or 3,4-dimethoxybenzoate demonstrates: (i) The electron-withdrawing sulfonyl groups in the backbone of bpsmp(-) stabilize the [M(2)(bpsmp)(RCO(2))(2)](+) complexes in their M(II)(2) oxidation state compared to their [M(2)(bpbp)(RCO(2))(2)](+) analogues. Manganese complexes are stabilised by approximately 550 mV and cobalt complexes by 650 mV. (ii) The auxiliary bridging carboxylato ligands further attenuate the metal-based redox chemistry. Substitution of two acetato for two trifluoroacetato ligands shifts redox couples by 300-400 mV. Within the working potential window, reversible or quasi-reversible M(II)M(III)↔ M(II)(2) processes range from 0.31 to 1.41 V for the [Co(2)(L)(RCO(2))(2)](+/2+) complexes and from 0.54 to 1.41 V for the [Mn(2)(L)(RCO(2))(2)](+/2+) complexes versus Ag/AgCl for E(M(II)M(III)/M(II)(2)). The extreme limits are defined by the complexes [M(2)(bpbp)(CH(3)CO(2))(2)](+) and [M(2)(bpsmp)(CF(3)CO(2))(2)](+) for both metal ions. Thus, tuning the ligand field in these dinuclear complexes makes possible a range of around 0.9 V and 1.49 V for the one-electron E(M(II)M(III)/M(II)(2)) couple of the Mn and Co complexes, respectively. The second one-electron process, M(II)M(III)↔ M(III)(2) was also observed in some cases. The lowest potential recorded for the E°(M(III)(2)/M(II)M(III)) couple was 0.63 V for [Co(2)(bpbp)(CH(3)CO(2))(2)](2+) and the highest measurable potential was 2.23 V versus Ag/AgCl for [Co(2)(bpsmp)(CF(3)CO(2))(2)](2+).

Capillary electrophoresis (CE) and electrospray ionisation (ESI) mass spectra of aqueous solutions of manganese(II) complexes of the monoanions of the pentadentate ligands N-methyl-N'-carboxymethyl-N,N'-bis(2-pyridylmethyl)ethane-1,2-diamine (mcbpen(-)) and N-benzyl-N'-carboxymethyl-N,N'-bis(2-pyridylmethyl)ethane-1,2-diamine (bcbpen(-)), show the presence of a mixture of closely related Mn(II) species, assigned to the mono, di-, tri- and poly-cationic complexes [Mn(II)(L)(H(2)O)](n)(n+), L = mcbpen(-) or bcbpen(-) with n = 1, 2, 3, etc. In solution, these complexes are reversibly oxidized by tert-butyl hydrogen peroxide (TBHP), (NH(4))(2)[Ce(NO(3))(6)], Ce(ClO(4))(4), oxone and [Ru(bipy)(3)](3+) to form metastable (t(½) = min to h) higher valent (hydr)oxide species, showing a collective maximum absorbance at 430 nm. The same species can be produced by [Ru(bipy)(3)](2+)-mediated photooxidization in the presence of an electron acceptor. TBHP oxidation of the complexes, in large excesses of the TBHP, is concurrent with an O(2) evolution with turnovers of up to 1.5 × 10(4) mol of O(2) per mol of [Mn] and calculated rate constants from two series of experiments of 0.039 and 0.026 mol[O(2)] s(-1) M(-2). A 1:1 reaction of TBHP with [Mn] is rate determining and the resultant species is proposed to be the mononuclear, catalytically competent, [Mn(IV)(O)(mcbpen)](+). At very close m/z values [Mn(III)(OH)(mcbpen)](+), [Mn(2)(III/IV)(O)(2)(mcbpen)(2)](+) and [Mn(IV)(2)(O)(2)(mcbpen)(2)](2+) are detected by ESI MS and CE when the concentration of TBHP is comparable to or lower than that of [Mn]. These are conditions that occur post catalysis and these species are derived from [Mn(IV)(O)(mcbpen)](+) through condensation reactions.

Given the hexadenticity of the monoanionic ligand in the procatalyst [Mn(tpena)(H2O)](ClO4) {tpena– = N,N,N′‐tris(2‐pyridylmethyl)ethylenediamine‐N′‐acetate}, it is perhaps surprising that this complex can catalyze the epoxidation of alkenes. When peracetic acid is used as terminal oxidant, the selectivity and rates of reactions are comparable with those reported for the manganese complexes of the commonly employed neutral tetradentate N4 ligands under analogous conditions. Cyclooctene conversion rates are similar when tert‐butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP) is used; however, the selectivity is greatly diminished. In the absence of organic substrates, [MnII(tpena)]+ catalyzes water oxidation by TBHP (initial rate ca. 23 mmol/h when [Mn] = 0.1 mM, at room temp.). To explain the variations in the selectivity of catalytic epoxidations and the observation of competing water oxidation, we propose that several metal‐based oxidants (the “cooks”) can be generated from [MnII(tpena)]+. These embody different potencies. The most powerful, and hence least selective, is proposed to be the isobaric isomer of [MnIV2(O)2(tpena)2]2+, namely an oxylic radical complex, [(tpena)MnIII(μ2‐O)MnIV(O·)(tpena)]2+. The formation of this species depends on the catalyst concentration, and it is favoured when TBHP is used as the terminal oxidant. The generation of the less potent [MnIV(O)(tpena)]+, which we propose as the direct oxidant in epoxidation reactions, is favoured in non‐aqueous solutions when peracetic acid is used as the terminal oxidant.

No abstract