Low-Valent Mx Al3 Cluster Salts with Tetrahedral [SiAl3 ]+ and Trigonal-Bipyramidal [M2 Al3 ]2+ Cores (M=Si/Ge)

Schnöckel's [(AlCp*)4] and Jutzi's [SiCp*][B(C6F5)4] (Cp*=C5Me5) are landmarks in modern main-group chemistry with diverse applications in synthesis and catalysis. Despite the isoelectronic relationship between the AlCp* and the [SiCp*]+ fragments, their mutual reactivity is hitherto unknown. Here, we report on their reaction giving the complex salts [Cp*Si(AlCp*)3][WCA] ([WCA]−=[Al(ORF)4]− and [F{Al(ORF)3}2]−; RF=C(CF3)3). The tetrahedral [SiAl3]+ core not only represents a rare example of a low-valent silicon-doped aluminium-cluster, but also—due to its facile accessibility and high stability—provides a convenient preparative entry towards low-valent Si−Al clusters in general. For example, an elusive binuclear [Si2(AlCp*)5]2+ with extremely short Al−Si bonds and a high negative partial charge at the Si atoms was structurally characterised and its bonding situation analysed by DFT. Crystals of the isostructural [Ge2(AlCp*)5]2+ dication were also obtained and represent the first mixed Al−Ge cluster

Exohedral functionalization vs. core expansion of siliconoids with Group 9 metals: catalytic activity in alkene isomerization

Taking advantage of pendant tetrylene side-arms, stable unsaturated Si6 silicon clusters (siliconoids) with the benzpolarene motif (the energetic counterpart of benzene in silicon chemistry) are successfully employed as ligands towards Group 9 metals. The pronounced σ-donating properties of the tetrylene moieties allow for sequential oxidative addition and reductive elimination events without complete dissociation of the ligand at any stage. In this manner, either covalently linked or core-expanded metallasiliconoids are obtained. [Rh(CO)2Cl]2 inserts into an endohedral Si–Si bond of the silylene-functionalized hexasilabenzpolarene leading to an unprecedented coordination sphere of the Rh centre with five silicon atoms in the initial product, which is subsequentially converted to a simpler derivative under reconstruction of the Si6 benzpolarene motif. In the case of [Ir(cod)Cl]2 (cod = 1,5-cyclooctadiene) a similar Si–Si insertion leads to the contraction of the Si6 cluster core with concomitant transfer of a chlorine atom to a silicon vertex generating an exohedral chlorosilyl group. Metallasiliconoids are employed in the isomerization of terminal alkenes to 2-alkenes as a catalytic benchmark reaction, which proceeds with competitive selectivities and reaction rates in the case of iridium complexes

Indirect and Direct Grafting of Transition Metals to Siliconoids

Unsaturated charge-neutral silicon clusters (siliconoids) are important as gas-phase intermediates between molecules and the elemental bulk. With stable zirconocene- and hafnocene-substituted derivatives, we here report the first examples containing directly bonded transition-metal fragments that are readily accessible from the ligato-lithiated Si6 siliconoid (1Li) and Cp2 MCl2 (M=Zr, Hf). Charge-neutral siliconoid ligands with pending tetrylene functionality were prepared by the reaction of amidinato chloro tetrylenes [PhC(NtBu)2 ]ECl (E=Si, Ge, Sn) with 1Li, thus confirming the principal compatibility of such low-valent functionalities with the unsaturated Si6 cluster scaffold. The pronounced donor properties of the tetrylene/siliconoid hybrids allow for their coordination to the Fe(CO)4 fragment

SNUPN deficiency causes a recessive muscular dystrophy due to RNA mis-splicing and ECM dysregulation

SNURPORTIN-1, encoded by SNUPN, plays a central role in the nuclear import of spliceosomal small nuclear ribonucleoproteins. However, its physiological function remains unexplored. In this study, we investigate 18 children from 15 unrelated families who present with atypical muscular dystrophy and neurological defects. Nine hypomorphic SNUPN biallelic variants, predominantly clustered in the last coding exon, are ascertained to segregate with the disease. We demonstrate that mutant SPN1 failed to oligomerize leading to cytoplasmic aggregation in patients’ primary fibroblasts and CRISPR/Cas9-mediated mutant cell lines. Additionally, mutant nuclei exhibit defective spliceosomal maturation and breakdown of Cajal bodies. Transcriptome analyses reveal splicing and mRNA expression dysregulation, particularly in sarcolemmal components, causing disruption of cytoskeletal organization in mutant cells and patient muscle tissues. Our findings establish SNUPN deficiency as the genetic etiology of a previously unrecognized subtype of muscular dystrophy and provide robust evidence of the role of SPN1 for muscle homeostasis

Low-valent MxAl3 cluster salts with tetrahedral [SiAl3]+ and trigonal-bipyramidal [M2Al3]2+ cores (M=Si/Ge)

Schnöckel's [(AlCp*)4] and Jutzi's [SiCp*][B(C6F5)4] (Cp*=C5Me5) are landmarks in modern main-group chemistry with diverse applications in synthesis and catalysis. Despite the isoelectronic relationship between the AlCp* and the [SiCp*]+ fragments, their mutual reactivity is hitherto unknown. Here, we report on their reaction giving the complex salts [Cp*Si(AlCp*)3][WCA] ([WCA]−=[Al(ORF)4]− and [F{Al(ORF)3}2]−; RF=C(CF3)3). The tetrahedral [SiAl3]+ core not only represents a rare example of a low-valent silicon-doped aluminium-cluster, but also—due to its facile accessibility and high stability—provides a convenient preparative entry towards low-valent Si−Al clusters in general. For example, an elusive binuclear [Si2(AlCp*)5]2+ with extremely short Al−Si bonds and a high negative partial charge at the Si atoms was structurally characterised and its bonding situation analysed by DFT. Crystals of the isostructural [Ge2(AlCp*)5]2+ dication were also obtained and represent the first mixed Al−Ge cluster

Indirekte und direkte Anknüpfung von Übergangsmetallen an Silicoide

Ungesättigte, ladungsneutrale Siliciumcluster (Silicoide) sind wichtige Zwischenprodukte bei der Gasphasenabscheidung an der Grenze zwischen Moleklen und Materialien. Mit den stabilen Zirconocen- und Hafnocensubstituierten Derivaten berichten wir nun ber die ersten Beispiele mit direkt gebundenen bergangsmetallfragmenten, die aus dem ligato-lithiierten Si6-Silicoid (1Li) und Cp2MCl2 (M = Zr, Hf) leicht zugngig sind. Ladungsneutrale Silicoidliganden mit angehngter Tetrylenfunktionalitt werden durch die Umsetzung von 1Li mit Amidinato-Chlortetrylenen (PhC- (NtBu)2ECl (E = Si, Ge, Sn) erhalten, was zudem die prinzipielle Kompatibilitt solcher niedervalenter Funktionalitten mit dem ungesättigten Si6-Clustergerst beweist. Die ausgeprgten Donoreigenschaften der Tetrylen/Silicoid-Hybride ermçglichen deren Koordination an das Fe(CO)4-Fragment