Mn12_{12}-Acetate Complexes Studied as Single Molecules

The phenomenon of single molecule magnet (SMM) behavior of mixed valent Mn12 coordination clusters of general formula [Mn$^{III}$$_{8}$Mn$^{IV}$$_{4}$O$_{12}$(RCOO)$_{16}$(H$_{2}$O)$_{4}$] had been exemplified by bulk samples of the archetypal [Mn$^{III}$$_{8}$Mn$^{IV}$$_{4}$O$_{12}$(CH$_{3}$COO)$_{16}$(H$_{2}$O)$_{4}$] (4) molecule, and the molecular origin of the observed magnetic behavior has found support from extensive studies on the Mn12 system within crystalline material or on molecules attached to a variety of surfaces. Here we report the magnetic signature of the isolated cationic species [Mn$_{12}$O$_{12}$(CH$_{3}$COO)$_{15}$(CH$_{3}$CN)]$^{+}$ (1) by gas phase X-ray Magnetic Circular Dichroism (XMCD) spectroscopy, and we find it closely resembling that of the corresponding bulk samples. Furthermore, we report broken symmetry DFT calculations of spin densities and single ion tensors of the isolated, optimized complexes [Mn$_{12}$O$_{12}$(CH$_{3}$COO)$_{15}$(CH$_{3}$CN)]$^{+}$ (1), [[Mn$_{12}$O$_{12}$(CH$_{3}$COO)$_{16}$] (2), [Mn$_{12}$O$_{12}$(CH$_{3}$COO)$_{16}$(H$_{2}$O)$_{4}$] (3), and the complex in bulk geometry [Mn$^{III}$$_{8}$Mn$^{IV}$$_{4}$O$_{12}$(CH$_{3}$COO)$_{16}$(H$_{2}$O)$_{4}$] (5). The found magnetic fingerprints – experiment and theory alike – are of a remarkable robustness: The Mn$^{IV}$$_{4}$ core bears almost no magnetic anisotropy while the surrounding MnIII8 ring is highly anisotropic. These signatures are truly intrinsic properties of the Mn$_{12}$ core scaffold within all of these complexes and largely void of the environment. This likely holds irrespective of bulk packing effects

Sequence and Structure Signatures of Cancer Mutation Hotspots in Protein Kinases

Protein kinases are the most common protein domains implicated in cancer, where somatically acquired mutations are known to be functionally linked to a variety of cancers. Resequencing studies of protein kinase coding regions have emphasized the importance of sequence and structure determinants of cancer-causing kinase mutations in understanding of the mutation-dependent activation process. We have developed an integrated bioinformatics resource, which consolidated and mapped all currently available information on genetic modifications in protein kinase genes with sequence, structure and functional data. The integration of diverse data types provided a convenient framework for kinome-wide study of sequence-based and structure-based signatures of cancer mutations. The database-driven analysis has revealed a differential enrichment of SNPs categories in functional regions of the kinase domain, demonstrating that a significant number of cancer mutations could fall at structurally equivalent positions (mutational hotspots) within the catalytic core. We have also found that structurally conserved mutational hotspots can be shared by multiple kinase genes and are often enriched by cancer driver mutations with high oncogenic activity. Structural modeling and energetic analysis of the mutational hotspots have suggested a common molecular mechanism of kinase activation by cancer mutations, and have allowed to reconcile the experimental data. According to a proposed mechanism, structural effect of kinase mutations with a high oncogenic potential may manifest in a significant destabilization of the autoinhibited kinase form, which is likely to drive tumorigenesis at some level. Structure-based functional annotation and prediction of cancer mutation effects in protein kinases can facilitate an understanding of the mutation-dependent activation process and inform experimental studies exploring molecular pathology of tumorigenesis

Genome Wide DNA Copy Number Analysis of Serous Type Ovarian Carcinomas Identifies Genetic Markers Predictive of Clinical Outcome

Ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer death in women. Ovarian cancers display a high degree of complex genetic alterations involving many oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. Analysis of the association between genetic alterations and clinical endpoints such as survival will lead to improved patient management via genetic stratification of patients into clinically relevant subgroups. In this study, we aim to define subgroups of high-grade serous ovarian carcinomas that differ with respect to prognosis and overall survival. Genome-wide DNA copy number alterations (CNAs) were measured in 72 clinically annotated, high-grade serous tumors using high-resolution oligonucleotide arrays. Two clinically annotated, independent cohorts were used for validation. Unsupervised hierarchical clustering of copy number data derived from the 72 patient cohort resulted in two clusters with significant difference in progression free survival (PFS) and a marginal difference in overall survival (OS). GISTIC analysis of the two clusters identified altered regions unique to each cluster. Supervised clustering of two independent large cohorts of high-grade serous tumors using the classification scheme derived from the two initial clusters validated our results and identified 8 genomic regions that are distinctly different among the subgroups. These 8 regions map to 8p21.3, 8p23.2, 12p12.1, 17p11.2, 17p12, 19q12, 20q11.21 and 20q13.12; and harbor potential oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes that are likely to be involved in the pathogenesis of ovarian carcinoma. We have identified a set of genetic alterations that could be used for stratification of high-grade serous tumors into clinically relevant treatment subgroups

The James Webb Space Telescope Mission

Twenty-six years ago a small committee report, building on earlier studies, expounded a compelling and poetic vision for the future of astronomy, calling for an infrared-optimized space telescope with an aperture of at least $4m$. With the support of their governments in the US, Europe, and Canada, 20,000 people realized that vision as the $6.5m$ James Webb Space Telescope. A generation of astronomers will celebrate their accomplishments for the life of the mission, potentially as long as 20 years, and beyond. This report and the scientific discoveries that follow are extended thank-you notes to the 20,000 team members. The telescope is working perfectly, with much better image quality than expected. In this and accompanying papers, we give a brief history, describe the observatory, outline its objectives and current observing program, and discuss the inventions and people who made it possible. We cite detailed reports on the design and the measured performance on orbit.Comment: Accepted by PASP for the special issue on The James Webb Space Telescope Overview, 29 pages, 4 figure

Transition Metal Complexes of NHC Ligands Functionalized with the Cationic (η5-Cyclopentadienyl)(η6-phenyl)iron(II) Motif

Starting from [(η5-cyclopentadienyl)(η6-phenyl)iron(II)]imidazole, dicationic imidazolium salts were prepared by N-alkylation. Reaction of these compounds with basic metal precursors such as mesityl copper(I) or palladium(II) acetate led to mono respectively dicationic transition metal NHC complexes (NHC=N-heterocyclic carbene). Transmetalation using the copper(I) complexes opened up the access to NHC gold(I) compounds. PEPPSI-type NHC complexes of palladium(II) and platinum(II) were prepared by offering a neutral pyridine ligand to the transition metal center. A rhodium(I) NHC complex was accessible by deprotonation of the dicationic imidazolium precursor and subsequent treatment with [(COD)Rh(μ2-Cl)]2 (COD=1,5-cyclooctadiene). The new NHC complexes were investigated by means of NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry as well as single crystal X-ray structure analysis. Both, the palladium(II) containing PEPPSI-type and the gold(I) complex, were investigated for their catalytic properties in typical model reactions such as cyclization reactions, Suzuki coupling and cyanation. In addition, a selenium adduct was synthesized in order to study the electronic properties of the underlying ligand backbone. Based on the chemical shift in the 77Se NMR spectrum, it is evident that these NHC ligands possess rather poor π-acidity

A Cyclometalated NHC Iridium Complex Bearing a Cationic (η5-Cyclopentadienyl)(η6-phenyl)iron Backbone

Nucleophilic substitution of [(η5-cyclopentadienyl)(η6-chlorobenzene)iron(II)] hexafluorophosphate with sodium imidazolate resulted in the formation of [(η5-cyclopentadienyl)(η6-phenyl)iron(II)]imidazole hexafluorophosphate. The corresponding dicationic imidazolium salt, which was obtained by treating this imidazole precursor with methyl iodide, underwent cyclometallation with bis[dichlorido(η5-1,2,3,4,5-pentamethylcyclopentadienyl]iridium(III) in the presence of triethyl amine. The resulting bimetallic iridium(III) complex is the first example of an NHC complex bearing a cationic and cyclometallated [(η5-cyclopentadienyl)(η6-phenyl)iron(II)]+ substituent. As its iron(II) precursors, the bimetallic iridium(III) complex was fully characterized by means of spectroscopy, elemental analysis and single crystal X-ray diffraction. In addition, it was investigated in a catalytic study, wherein it showed high activity in transfer hydrogenation compared to its neutral analogue having a simple phenyl instead of a cationic [(η5-cyclopentadienyl)(η6-phenyl)iron(II)]+ unit at the NHC ligand

Photoinduced Processes in Cobalt-Complexes: Condensed Phase and Gas Phase

Femtosecond time-resolved, steady-state spectroscopic methods and quantum chemical calculations are employed to study ultrafast photoinduced processes in [Co(III)-(L-N4Me2)(dbc)](BPh4) and [Co(II)-(L-N4tBu2)(dbsq)](B(p-C6H4Cl)4) and to characterise the transient redox- and spin-states in condensed and gas phase