Catalytic activity of [L₂.Zn][NO₃]₂] (L = spiro-N₃P₃[O₂C₁₂H₈][N(CH₃)NH₂]) towards the hydrolysis of two phosphodiesters, [bis(p-nitrophenyl)phosphate, bNPP] and [2-(hydroxypropyl)-p-nitrophenyl phosphate, hNPP] has been examined. While the rate of hydrolysis of the former is accelerated over a million-fold, the rate of hydrolysis of the latter also is enhanced considerably. Detailed kinetic evaluation of these reactions has been carried out and all the kinetic parameters including the Michaelis-Menten parameters are reported. The catalyst [L₂.Zn][NO₃]₂] has also been found to be an effective nuclease. Relaxation of supercoiled plasmid DNA, pBR322, occurs in presence of [L₂.Zn][NO₃]₂ without the need for any exogenous reagents.

Phosphonate ligands, [RPO₃]^2-, are extremely versatile in the assembly of multi-tin and multi-copper architectures. We have used organostannoxane cores for supporting multi-ferrocene and multi-porphyrin peripheries. The copper-metalated multi-porphyrin compound is an excellent reagent for facile cleavage of DNA, even in the absence of a co-oxidant. Reaction oft-BuPO₃H₂ with Cu(C10₄)₂. 6H₂O in the presence of 2-pyridylpyrazole (2-Pypz) leads to the synthesis of a decanuclear copper (II) assembly.

Organostannoxane cages and aggregates of well-defined composition and structure can be prepared by the reactions of organotin oxides or organotin oxide-hydroxides with protic acids. The utility of this strategy for the preparation of dendrimer-like molecules containing a stannoxane core and a functional periphery is described.

The reaction of SnBr₄ with in situ generated 2,4,6-trimethylphenylmagnesium bromide afforded a mixture of (2,4,6-Me₃C₆H₂)₂SnBr₂ (1) and (2,4,6-Me₃C₆H₂)₃SnBr (2) which could be separated from each other by their solubility differences in diethyl ether. On the other hand, the reaction of tin metal with 2,4,6-Me₃C₆H₂CH₂Br afforded (2,4,6-Me₃C₆H₂CH₂)₂SnBr₂ (3). Hydrolysis of the latter using triethylamine as the base afforded [{(2,4,6-Me₃C₆H₂CH₂)₂Sn}₂(𝜇-O)(Br)(𝜇-OH)]₂.2CH₂Cl₂ (4) while the use of NaOH as the base afforded [{(2,4,6-Me₃C₆H₂CH₂)₂Sn}₂(𝜇-O)(OH)(𝜇-OH)]₂.2CH₂Cl₂ (5). Compounds 4 and 5 are dimeric tetraorganodistannoxanes consisting of a central distannoxane (Sn₂O₂) motif.

The reactions of p-diphenylphosphinobenzoic acid (LCOOH) with various organotin precursors have been carried out. Accordingly, the reaction of [n-BuSn(O)(OH]_n with LCOOH afforded the hexameric compound, [n-BuSn(O)O₂C–C₆H₄–p-PPh₂]₆(1). On the other hand, the reaction of LCOOH with [n-Bu₂SnO]_n gave the tetrameric compound [{n-Bu₂SnO₂C–C₆H₄–p-PPh₂}₂O]₂ (2). The 1-D coordination polymers [R₃SnO₂C–C₆H₄–p-P(O) Ph₂]_n,[ R=n-Bu (3), R=Ph (4)] were prepared in the reaction of [n-Bu₃Sn]₂O or [Ph₃Sn]₂O with LCOOH. The compounds 1–4 were structurally characterized by multinuclear NMR spectroscopic and single crystal X-ray diffraction studies

Phosphate diesters are well known to form intermolecular H-bonded dimeric structures in their solid-state. Recently, we reported 2,6-(CHPh)₂-4-iPr-phenyl substituted phosphate diester exists as H-bonded monomeric molecular structure along with water dimer in the solid-state. Herein we report 2,6-(CHPh)₂-4-iPr-phenyl substituted phosphate diester forms a monomeric molecular structure in the solid-state upon cocrystallization with dimethylformamide, DMF(Me₂NCHO). The -CHO group of DMF simultaneously acts as an H-bond acceptor to P-OH and an H-bond donor to P=O moieties. We also used the alcohols, ROH (R = Me, Et, iPr, and tBu), for crystallisation of 2,6-(CHPh)₂-4-iPr-phenyl substituted phosphate diester. In these instances, solvent-incorporated dimeric structures are found in the solid-state. We also report the syntheses and molecular structures of anionic phosphate diesters of 2,6-(CHPh)₂-4-iPr-phenyl substitutedphosphate diester possessing various counter cations. Moreover, we also report the syntheses and molecular structures of phosphate diesters based on (-)-menthol, (?)-menthol and (?)/(-)-menthol. These exist as H-bonded dimers in the solid-state.