An object of the present invention is to provide a bisphosphite compound giving higher selectivity for the target product with maintaining a high reaction rate. The present invention relates to a dihydroxybiphenyl compound represented by the following formula (1) and a bisphosphite compound represented by the following formula (2): ##STR00001##
wherein in formulae (1) and (2), each of R.sup.1 to R.sup.4, R.sup.11 to R.sup.14, and Z.sup.1 to Z.sup.4 is the same as defined in the description.

The present invention provides biologically active compounds and methods to obtain biologically active compounds that can be used as photosensitizers for diagnostic and therapeutic applications, particularly for PDT of cancer, infections and other hyperproliferative diseases, fluorescence diagnosis and PDT treatment of non-tumorous indications such as arthritis, inflammatory diseases, viral or bacterial infections, dermatological, ophthalmological or urological disorders. As the compounds exhibit also toxicity against targets (tumor cells, bacteria, inflammation-related cells) without light these biologically active compounds may also be used for the light-independent treatment of such indications. Preferred embodiments of the present invention consist of methods to synthesize metal or half-metal complex structures incorporating one or more substituted 2,3,5,6-tetrafluorophenyl-dipyrromethene (2,3,5,6-tetrafluorophenyldipyrrin) units. These dipyrromethenes (dipyrrins) can carry a variety of different substituents in the 4-position enabling a fine tuning of their biological or amphiphilic/hydrophilic properties. Another object of the present invention is to provide amphiphilic compounds with a higher membrane affinity and increased efficacy.

A homogeneous catalytic reaction method and a catalyst for isomerization and hydroformylation of long-chain internal olefins are disclosed. A rhodium-ruthenium metal complex is used as a catalyst; and the ligands are tetradentate phosphine ligands. By means of the catalytic system, homogeneous internal olefin isomerization aid hydroformylation can be performed under a certain temperature and pressure to obtain aldehyde products having high normal to iso ratios. The present invention is applicable to not only long-chain internal olefins (C8) but also internal olefins having a carbon number less than 8.

Methods for deposition of elemental metal films on surfaces using metal coordination complexes comprising nitrogen-containing ligands are provided. Also provided are nitrogen-containing ligands useful in the methods of the invention and metal coordination complexes comprising these ligands.

The present invention refers to a process for a Rh-catalyzed Anti-Markovnikov hydrocyanation of terminal alkynes which process discloses, for the first time, the highly stereo- and regio-selective hydrocyanation of terminal alkynes to furnish E-configured alkenyl nitriles and the catalyst used in the present process.

An object of the present invention is to provide a bisphosphite compound giving higher selectivity for the target product with maintaining a high reaction rate. The present invention relates to a dihydroxybiphenyl compound represented by the following formula (1) and a bisphosphite compound represented by the following formula (2):

##STR00001##

wherein in formulae (1) and (2), each of R.sup.1 to R.sup.4, R.sup.11 to R.sup.14, and Z.sup.1 to Z.sup.4 is the same as defined in the description.

Claimed is a method involving dehydrogenative silylation of aromatic compounds under Rh-catalysis to give an arylalkoxysilane. The method includes the steps of: 1) combining conditions appropriate to form the arylalkoxysilane, starting materials including A) an alkoxysilane having at least one silicon bonded hydrogen atom per molecule; (I) B) an aromatic compound having a carbon-hydrogen bond; and C) a rhodium bisphospholane catalyst. Additional starting materials such as D) a hydrogen acceptor and/or E) a solvent may be added during step 1). The method may further include 2) recovering the arylalkoxysilane. In a preferred embodiment the Rhodium bisphospholane catalyst is of type (II).

##STR00001##

Methods of synthesizing crystalline metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) comprising polytopic organic linkers and cations, where each linker is connected to two or more cations, are provided. In the disclosed methods, the linkers are reacted with a compound of formula M.sub.nX.sub.m, where M is cationic Be, Mg, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Zr, Nb, Mo, Ru, Rh, Pd, Cd, or Hf, X is anionic, n and m are integers. The reacting is buffered by a buffer devoid of metal coordinating functionality when the pKa of the anion is below a threshold related to the lowest pKa of the linker. The reacting is optionally not buffered when the pKa of the anion is at or above this threshold. The disclosed methods lead to product phase MOF in which crystal growth is controlled leading to control over molecular diffusion.

The present invention provides a method for preparing rhodium (III) 2-ethylhexanoate solutions which supplies the reaction product with higher space yield, as well as lower sodium and chloride ion content. An aqueous solution of an alkali salt of 2-ethylhexanoate is thereby initially converted with a rhodium (III) precursor. The rhodium (III) precursor is selected from rhodium (III) chloride solution, rhodium (III) chloride hydrate, and rhodium (III) nitrate. The mixture is heated for several hours. After cooling to room temperature, the rhodium (III) 2-ethylhexanoate formed is extracted from the aqueous solution with an alcohol that is immiscible in water or a carboxylic acid that is immiscible in water, and optionally washed with aqueous mineral acid. The rhodium (III) 2-ethylhexanoate solution obtainable in this way may be used directly as catalyst in hydroformylation reactions.

The present invention provides a method for preparing rhodium (III) 2-ethylhexanoate solutions which supplies the reaction product with higher space yield, as well as lower sodium and chloride ion content. An aqueous solution of an alkali salt of 2-ethylhexanoate is thereby initially converted with a rhodium (III) precursor. The rhodium (III) precursor is selected from rhodium (III) chloride solution, rhodium (III) chloride hydrate, and rhodium (III) nitrate. The mixture is heated for several hours. After cooling to room temperature, the rhodium (III) 2-ethylhexanoate formed is extracted from the aqueous solution with an alcohol that is immiscible in water or a carboxylic acid that is immiscible in water, and optionally washed with aqueous mineral acid. The rhodium (III) 2-ethylhexanoate solution obtainable in this way may be used directly as catalyst in hydroformylation reactions.