Di-µ-benzoato-di-µ-ethano-lato-tetra-kis-[µ3-5-(hy-droxy-meth-yl)-2-methyl-4-(oxidometh-yl)pyridin-1-ium-3-olato]tetra-kis-[µ3-5-(hy-droxy-meth-yl)-2-methyl-4-(oxidometh-yl)pyridin-3-olato]di-µ3-oxido-hepta-manganese(II,III) ethanol octa-solvate.

Our work in the area of synthesis of polynuclear manganese complexes and their magnetic properties led to the synthesis and crystallization of the title compound, [Mn7(C8H9NO3)4(C8H10NO3)4(C2H5O)2(C7H5O2)2O2]·8C2H5OH. Herein, we report the molecular and crystal structure of the title compound, which was synthesized by the reaction of Mn(C6H5COO)2 with pyridoxine (PNH2, C8H11NO3) followed by the addition of tetra-methyl-ammonium hydroxide (TMAOH). The core of this centrosymmetric complex is a cage-like structure consisting of six MnIII ions and one MnII ion bound together through Mn-O bonds. The compound crystallizes in hydrogen-bonded layers formed by O-H⋯N hydrogen bonds involving the aromatic amine group of the ligand PN2- with the neighboring O atoms from the PNH- ligand. The crystal structure has large voids present in which highly disordered solvent mol-ecules (ethanol) sit. A solvent mask was calculated and 181 electrons were found in a volume of 843 Å3 in one void per triclinic unit cell. This is consistent with the presence of seven ethanol mol-ecules per formula unit, which accounts for 182 electrons per unit cell. Additionally, one ethanol mol-ecule was found to be ordered in the crystal.

Crystal structure and Hirshfeld surface analysis of the elusive trichlorobis(diethyl ether)oxomolybdenum(V).

First reported in 1930, MoCl3O(Et2O)2 is a by-product of the reductive synthesis of MoCl4(OEt2)2 from MoCl5. We report herein the X-ray crystal structure and Hirshfeld surface characteristics of mer-MoCl3O(Et2O)2, or [MoCl3O(C4H10O)2]. The compound crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group P212121. The molybdenyl (Mo=O) bond length is 1.694 (3) Šand the cis- and trans-Mo-O distances are 2.157 (3) and 2.304 (3) Å, respectively. Intermolecular Mo=O...H bonding is present in the lattice, with the shortest distance being 2.572 Å.

Catalytic intramolecular hydroamination of aminoallenes using titanium complexes of chiral, tridentate, dianionic imine-diol ligands.

Alkylation of d- or l-phenylalanine or valine alkyl esters was carried out using methyl or phenyl Grignard reagents. Subsequent condensation with salicylaldehyde, 3,5-di-tert-butylsalicylaldehyde, or 5-fluorosalicylaldehyde formed tridentate, X2L type, Schiff base ligands. Chiral shift NMR confirmed retention of stereochemistry during synthesis. X-ray crystal structures of four of the ligands show either inter- or intramolecular hydrogen bonding interactions. The ligands coordinate to the titanium reagents Ti(NMe2)4 or TiCl(NMe2)3 by protonolysis and displacement of two equivalents of HNMe2. The crystal structure of one example of Ti(X2L)Cl(NMe2) was determined and the complex has a distorted square pyramidal geometry with an axial NMe2 ligand. The bis-dimethylamide complexes are active catalysts for the ring closing hydroamination of di- and trisubstituted aminoallenes. The reaction of hepta-4,5-dienylamine at 135 °C with 5 mol% catalyst gives a mixture of 6-ethyl-2,3,4,5-tetrahydropyridine (40-72%) and both Z- and E-2-propenyl-pyrrolidine (25-52%). The ring closing reaction of 6-methyl-hepta-4,5-dienylamine at 135 °C with 5 mol% catalyst gives exclusively 2-(2-methyl-propenyl)-pyrrolidine. The pyrrolidine products are obtained with enantiomeric excesses up to 17%.

The 1.9 A crystal structure of alanine racemase from Mycobacterium tuberculosis contains a conserved entryway into the active site.

We report the crystal structure of alanine racemase from Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Alr(Mtb)) at 1.9 A resolution. In our structure, Alr(Mtb) is found to be a dimer formed by two crystallographically different monomers, each comprising 384 residues. The domain makeup of each monomer is similar to that of Bacillus and Pseudomonas alanine racemases and includes both an alpha/beta-barrel at the N-terminus and a C-terminus primarily made of beta-strands. The hinge angle between these two domains is unique for Alr(Mtb), but the active site geometry is conserved. In Alr(Mtb), the PLP cofactor is covalently bound to the protein via an internal aldimine bond with Lys42. No guest substrate is noted in its active site, although some residual electron density is observed in the enzyme's active site pocket. Analysis of the active site pocket, in the context of other known alanine racemases, allows us to propose the inclusion of conserved residues found at the entrance to the binding pocket as additional targets in ongoing structure-aided drug design efforts. Also, as observed in other alanine racemase structures, PLP adopts a conformation that significantly distorts the planarity of the extended conjugated system between the PLP ring and the internal aldimine bond.

Crystal structure at 1.45 A resolution of alanine racemase from a pathogenic bacterium, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, contains both internal and external aldimine forms.

The structure of the catabolic alanine racemase, DadX, from the pathogenic bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa, reported here at 1.45 A resolution, is a dimer in which each monomer is comprised of two domains, an eight-stranded alpha/beta barrel containing the PLP cofactor and a second domain primarily composed of beta-strands. The geometry of each domain is very similar to that of Bacillus stearothermophilus alanine racemase, but the rotation between domains differs by about 15 degrees. This change does not alter the structure of the active site in which almost all residues superimpose well with a low rms difference of 0.86 A. Unexpectedly, the active site of DadX contains a guest substrate that is located where acetate and propionate have been observed in the Bacillus structures. It is modeled as d-lysine and oriented such that its terminal NZ atom makes a covalent bond with C4' of PLP. Since the internal aldimine bond between the protein lysine, Lys33, and C4' of PLP is also unambiguously observed, there appears to be an equilibrium between both internally and externally reacted forms. The PLP cofactor adopts two partially occupied conformational states that resemble previously reported internal and external aldimine complexes.

Characterization and crystallization of active domains of a novel luciferase from a marine dinoflagellate.

Lingulodinium polyedrum luciferase is a bioluminescent protein found in the marine dinoflagellate formerly known as Gonyaulax. It is located in organelles called scintillons that emit brief and bright flashes of light that are regulated by an endogenous circadian clock. The complete luciferase molecule has a molecular mass of 136 994 Da and contains three homologous domains, each of which is a separately active luciferase. Two of these domains, D2-LCF and D3-LCF, have been cloned, expressed and crystallized. Crystals of D2-LCF were obtained from PEG 10 000 in space group P2(1)2(1)2(1), with unit-cell parameters a = 49.1, b = 104.7, c = 180.3 A. They diffract to 2.9 A on a rotating anode. Crystals of D3-LCF were grown from PEG 2000 in space group P2(1)2(1)2(1), with unit-cell parameters a = 58.86, b = 63.98, c = 95.76 A. They diffract to 2.3 A on a rotating anode.

The crystal structure of Trichomonas vaginalis ferredoxin provides insight into metronidazole activation.

Crystallographic studies revealing the three-dimensional structure of the oxidized form of the [2Fe-2S] ferredoxin from Trichomonas vaginalis (TvFd) are presented. TvFd, a member of the hydrogenosomal class of ferredoxins, possesses a unique combination of redox and spectroscopic properties, and is believed to be the biological molecule that activates the drug metronidazole reductively in the treatment of trichomoniasis. It is the first hydrogenosomal ferredoxin to have its structure determined. The structure of TvFd reveals a monomeric, 93 residue protein with a fold similar to that of other known [2Fe-2S] ferredoxins. It contains nine hydrogen bonds to the sulfur atoms of the cluster, which is more than the number predicted on the basis of the spectroscopic data. The TvFd structure contains a large dipole moment like adrenodoxin, and appears to have a similar interaction domain. Our analysis demonstrates that TvFd has a unique cavity near the iron-sulfur cluster that exposes one of the inorganic sulfur atoms of the cluster to solvent. This cavity is not seen in any other [2Fe-2S] ferredoxin with known structure, and is hypothesized to be responsible for the high rate of metronidazole reduction by TvFd.