A series of tripodal cysteine derivatives as water-soluble chelators that are highly selective for copper(I)

A series of tripodal ligands derived from nitrilotriacetic acid and extended by three converging, metal-binding, cysteine chains was synthesised. Their ability to bind soft metal ions thanks to their three thiolate functions was investigated by means of complementary analytical and spectroscopic methods. Three ligands that differ by the nature of the carbonyl group next to the coordinating thiolate functions were studied: L(1) (ester), L(2) (amide) and L(3) (carboxylate). The negatively charged derivative L(3), which bears three carboxylate functions close to the metal binding site, gives polynuclear copper(I) complexes of low stability. In contrast, the ester and amide derivatives L(1) and L(2) are efficient Cu(I) chelators with very high affinities, close to that reported for the metal-sequestering metallothioneins (log K≈19). Interestingly, these two ligands form mononuclear copper complexes with a unique MS(3) coordination in water solution. An intramolecular hydrogen-bond network involving the amide functions in the upper cavity of the tripodal ligands stabilises these mononuclear complexes and was evidenced by the very low chemical-shift temperature coefficient of the secondary amide protons. Moreover, L(1) and L(2) display large selectivities for the targeted metal ion that is, Cu(I), with respect to bioavailable Zn(II). Therefore the two sulfur-based tripods L(1) and L(2) are of potential interest for intracellular copper detoxication in vivo, without altering the homeostasis of the essential metal ion Zn(II).     

Enantiospecific syntheses of copper cubanes, double-stranded copper/palladium helicates, and a (dilithium)-dinickel coronate from enantiomerically pure bis-1,3-diketones--solid-state self-organization towards wirelike copper/palladium strands

Enantiomerically pure, vicinal diols 1 afforded in a two-step synthesis (etherification and subsequent Claisen condensation) chiral bis-1,3-diketones H(2)L((S,S)) (3 a-c) with different substitution patterns. Reaction of these C(2)-symmetric ligands with various transition-metal acetates in the presence of alkali ions generated distinct polynuclear aggregates 4-8 by diastereoselective self-assembly. Starting from copper(II) acetate monohydrate and depending on the ratio of transition-metal ion to alkali ion to ligand, chiral tetranuclear copper(II) cubanes (C,C,C,C)-[Cu(4)(L((S,S)))(2)(OMe)(4)] (4 a-c) or dinuclear copper(II) helicates (P)-[Cu(2)(L((S,S)))(2)] (5) could be synthesized with square-pyramidal and square-planar coordination geometry at the metal center. In analogy to the last case, with palladium(II) acetate double-stranded helical systems (P)-[Pd(2)(L((S,S)))(2)] (6,7) were accessible exhibiting a linear self-organization of ligand-isolated palladium filaments in the solid state with short inter- and intramolecular metal distances. Finally, the introduction of hexacoordinate nickel(II) in combination with lithium hydroxide monohydrate and chiral ligand H(2)L((S,S)) (3 a) allowed the isolation of enantiomerically pure dinuclear nickel(II) coronate [(LiMeOH)(2) subset{(Delta,Lambda)-Ni(2)(L((S,S)))(2)(OMe)(2)}] (8) with two lithium ions in the voids, defined by the oxygen donors in the ligand backbone. The high diastereoselectivity, induced by the chiral ligands, during the self-assembly process in the systems 4-8 could be exemplarily proven by circular dichroism spectroscopy for the synthesized enantiomers of the chiral copper(II) cubane 4 a and palladium(II) helicate 6.     

Tetradentate nitrogen-containing ligands bis-5-(2-pyridylmethylidene)-3,5-dihydro-4<Emphasis Type="Italic">H</Emphasis>-imidazol-4-ones and their coordination compounds with Cu<Superscript>I</Superscript> and Cu<Superscript>II</Superscript>

Tetradentate N₄-type organic ligands containing two 5-(2-pyridylmethylidene)-2-thio-3,5-dihydro-4H-imidazol-4-one fragments linked by two-, four-, or six-carbon polymethylene bridges between the sulfur atoms were synthesized. Mono- and dinuclear complexes of these ligands with copper(II) chloride, as well as with copper(I) and copper(II) perchlorates, were prepared. The structure of the coordination compound (5Z,5′Z)-2,2′-(butane-1,2-diyl-disulfanyldiyl)bis-5-(2-pyridylmethylidene)-3-phenyl-3,5-dihydro-4H-imidazol-4-one with copper(I) perchlorate was established by X-ray diffraction. The copper atom in this complex is in a distorted tetrahedral coordination formed by four nitrogen atoms of two imidazole and two pyridine rings. The perchlorate anion is located in the outer sphere of the complex and is not involved in the coordination with the copper ion. The electrochemical study of the ligands and the complexes was carried out by cyclic voltammetry and rotating disk electrode voltammetry. The initial reduction of the complexes under study occurs at the metal atom. The length of the polymethylene bridge in the ligand has only a slight effect on the redox properties of the ligands and the complexes.     

Synthesis, structure and spectroscopy of new thiopyrone and hydroxypyridinethione transition-metal complexes

The coordination chemistry of several O,S mixed donor ligands, namely thiopyrone and hydroxypyridinethione chelators, with a variety of middle and late first-row transition-metal ions is described. Complexes of 3-hydroxy-2-methyl-4-thiopyrone (thiomaltol) with cobalt(II), copper(II) and zinc(II); 3-hydroxy-1,2-dimethyl-4(1H)-pyridinethione (3,4-HOPTO) with iron(III), nickel(II), copper(II) and zinc(II); and 3-hydroxy-1-methyl-2(1H)-pyridinethione (3,2-HOPTO) with iron(III), nickel(II), copper(II) and zinc(II) have been synthesized and characterized. The structures, absorbance spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry and superconducting quantum interferometer device (SQUID) measurements of selected metal complexes, as well as ligand protonation constants, are reported. Most of the metal complexes show coordination geometries indicative of a strong trans influence by the O,S chelators. The data presented herein provide the most detailed study of the transition-metal coordination chemistry of both thiopyrone and hydroxypyridinethione O,S donor ligands to date, and provide the basis for the investigation of these ligands in realm of biological inorganic chemistry.     

Dioxadiaza- and trioxadiaza-macrocycles containing one dibenzofuran unit selective for cadmium

The binding properties of dioxadiaza- ([17](DBF)N2O2) and trioxadiaza- ([22](DBF)N2O3), macrocyclic ligands containing a rigid dibenzofuran group (DBF), to metal cations and structural studies of their metal complexes have been carried out. The protonation constants of these two ligands and the stability constants of their complexes with Ca2+, Ba2+, and Mn2+, Co2+, Ni2+, Cu2+, Zn2+ and Cd2+, were determined at 298.2 K in methanol-water (1:1, v/v), and at ionic strength 0.10 mol dm-3 in KNO3. The values of the protonation constants of both ligands are similar, indicating that no cavity size effect is observed. Only mononuclear complexes of these ligands with the divalent metal ions studied were found, and their stability constants are lower than expected, especially for the complexes of the macrocycle with smaller cavity size. However, the Cd2+ complex with [17](DBF)N2O2 exhibits the highest value of stability constant for the whole series of metal ions studied, indicating that this ligand reveals a remarkable selectivity for cadmium(II) in the presence of all the metal ions studied, except copper(II), indicating that this ligand reveals a remarkable selectivity for cadmium(II) in the presence of the mentioned metal ions. The crystal structures of H2[17](DBF)N2O3(2+) (diprotonated form of the ligand) and of its cadmium complex were determined by X-ray diffraction. The Cd2+ ion fits exactly inside the macrocyclic cavity exhibiting coordination number eight by coordination to all the donor atoms of the ligand, and additionally to two oxygen atoms from one nitrate anion and one oxygen atom from a water molecule. The nickel(II) and copper(II) complexes with the two ligands were further studied by UV-vis-NIR and the copper(II) complexes also by EPR spectroscopic techniques in solution indicating square-pyramidal structures and suggesting that only one nitrogen and oxygen donors of the ligands are bound to the metal. However an additional weak interaction of the second nitrogen cannot be ruled out.     

Syntheses, spectroscopic characterization and thermal behavior on novel binuclear transition metal complexes of hydrazones derived from 4,6-diacetylresorcinol and oxalyldihydrazine

4,6-Diacetylresorcinol (DAR) serves as precursor for the formation of different hydrazone ligands, which are di-, tetra- or hexa-basic with two symmetrical sets of O(2)N tridentate, O(2)N(2) tetradentate or O(4)N(2) hexadentate chelating sites. The condensation of 4,6-diacetylresorcinol (DAR) with oxalyldihydrazine (ODH), in the molar ratio 1:1 and 1:2, yields the corresponding hydrazone, H(6)L(a) and H(4)L(b), ligands, respectively. The structures of these ligands were elucidated by elemental analyses and IR, mass, (1)H NMR and UV-vis spectra. Reactions of the hydrazone ligands with cobalt(II), nickel(II), copper(II), zinc(II), cadmium(II), iron(III) and chromium(III) ions in 1:2 molar ratio afforded the corresponding transition metal complexes. A variety of binuclear transition metal complexes were obtained in its di-, tetra- or hexa-deprotonated forms. The structures of the newly prepared complexes were identified by elemental analyses and IR, UV-vis, mass, (1)H NMR and ESR spectra, as well as, magnetic susceptibility measurements and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). The bonding sites are the azomethine and CO oxygen atoms in either keto or enol forms and amino nitrogen atoms, and phenolic oxygen atoms. The metal complexes exhibit different geometrical structures such as tetrahedral and octahedral arrangements.     

Some Pt(II)-complexes with dpb,Fdpb and F2dpb ligands as potent anticancer agents and their mode of interaction with AT/GC base pairs: A DFT study

In recent years, various Pt(II) metal complexes with N-based intercalating tridentate ligands, such as dpb, Fdpb, and F₂dpb, have been developed which exhibit strong anticancer properties because they effectively bind with DNA nucleobase pairs. Past literature has also revealed that the anticancer activity of such square planer Pt(II)-complexes is fully controlled by the presence of halide groups (viz., –F, -Cl and –I) which are directly attached to the Pt(II) ion or tridentate ligands. The proper active sites within Pt(II)-complexes and the role of Pt-X bond may also theoretically be determined by using a molecular electrostatic potential (MEP) map diagram. Moreover, the quantum mechanical TD-DFT (Time-dependent density-functional theory) method is quite useful for predicting the theoretical UV–Vis spectra for such Pt(II)-complexes, during interaction with AT/GC base pairs. The density-functional theory (DFT) is one of the low-cost theoretical methods which is also a useful tool for investigating the various binding modes for anticancer agents with DNA nucleobases. In this current study, we aim to analyze the proper interaction between some dpb-based Pt(II)-complexes as potent anticancer agents with AT/GC base pairs.     

Coordination properties of axially unfixed chiral dipyridine ligands towards metal and ammonium ions

New chiral dipyridine ligands with an axially unfixed 1,1′-biphenyl bridge were prepared via homocoupling of bromophenyl pyridines. The conformeric ratios of the free ligands in solution and their coordination properties towards metal ions were studied by NMR spectroscopy. X-Ray crystallography of the silver(I) and copper(I) complexes showed 1:1 metal to ligand complexes and S planar chirality. Interestingly, the biphenyl ligands show a 1:2 stepwise binding towards most ammonium ions tested with strong fluorescence enhancement, but a selectively 1:1 binding towards l-ornithine methyl ester hydrochloride with no fluorescence enhancement.     

New anionic and dianionic polydentate systems featuring ancillary phosphinosulfides as ligands in coordination chemistry and catalysis

This article provides an overview of the chemistry of monoanionic S–P–S and dianionic S–C–S ligands featuring two phosphinosulfide ligands as pendant groups. These new pincer-type structures are easily assembled from phosphinines and the bis-sulfide derivative of the bis(diphenylphosphino)methane, respectively. Monoanionic S–P–S pincer ligands easily coordinate group 10 and group 9 metal fragments through displacement reactions. Palladium(II) complexes of S–P–S ligands efficiently catalyze cross-coupling processes, allowing the formation of boronic esters and biphenyl derivatives. Rh(I) complexes of S–P–S ligands react in a regioselective way with small molecules (O₂, SO₂, CS₂, MeI) to afford the corresponding Rh(I) or Rh(III) derivatives. S–C–S dianonic ligands, which are readily obtained through a bis-metallation at the central carbon atom of Ph₂P(S)CH₂P(S)Ph₂, react with Pd(II) and Ru(II) precursors to afford new carbene complexes. Samarium and thulium alkylidene complexes of these S–C–S dianionic ligands were synthesized in a similar way. Reaction of the lanthanide derivatives with ketones or aldehydes yields olefinic derivatives through a ‘Wittig-like’ process.     

Mono- and dinuclear ruthenium complexes of bridging ligands incorporating two di-2-pyridylamine motifs: Synthesis, spectroscopy and electrochemistry

Mono- and dinuclear ruthenium(II) complexes of six bridging ligands that contain a central arene (phenyl, naphthalenyl or biphenyl) core to which are attached two di-2-pyridylamine groups have been prepared. These complexes possess six-membered chelate rings. Full assignments of their ¹H NMR spectra are described which provides insight into the comformations of the ligands in these complexes. The extent of metal–metal communication in the dinuclear complexes was probed by electrochemical measurements and related to metal–metal distances.     

Coordination polymers of copper(I) halides and neutral heterocyclic thiones with new coordination modes

Reaction of copper(I) chloride or bromide with equimolar amounts of the neutral pyrimidine-2-thione ligand (pymtH) afforded linear chain polymers [Cu(pymtH)X]n (X = Cl, Br) with the pymtH ligand acting as a bridging N, S donor. In contrast, copper(I) iodide under the same conditions gave the dimeric complex [Cu(pymtH)2I]2 with the pymtH ligand adopting monodentate coordination mode through the exocyclic sulfur atom in terminal and bridging modes. Reactions of the heterocyclic thione ligand 2,4,6-trimercaptotriazine (H3TMT) with copper(I) halides afforded novel three-dimensional polymers, which crystallized in the cubic space group Pa. Each copper(I) ion is coordinated by three S atoms of three distinct H3TMT ligands, and each H3TMT acts as a tridentate bridging ligand linking three copper(I) ions through its sulfur atoms, thus forming two independent three-dimensional (3D) networks. The network belongs to a three-connected (10, 3)-a topology, which is enantiometric and interpenetrating. In all complexes the ligands are present in the thione form, and all halides are terminally coordinated to copper(I) ions. The photoluminescent and thermal properties of the complexes have also been investigated.     

Spectroscopic investigations of new binuclear transition metal complexes of Schiff bases derived from 4,6-diacetylresorcinol and 3-amino-1-propanol or 1,3-diamino-propane

The bifunctional carbonyl compound; 4,6-diacetylresorcinol (DAR) serves as precursor for the formation of different Schiff base ligands, which are either di- or tetra-basic with two symmetrical sets of either O2N or N2O tridentate chelating sites. The condensation of 4,6-diacetylresorcinol with 3-amino-1-propanol (3-AP) or 1,3-diaminopropane (DAP), yields the corresponding hexadentate Schiff base ligands, abbreviated as H4La and H2Lb, respectively. The structures of these ligands were elucidated by elemental analyses, IR, mass, 1H NMR and electronic spectra. Reaction of the Schiff base ligands with copper(II), nickel(II), cobalt(II), zinc(II), cadmium(II), iron(III), chromium(III), vanadyl(IV) and uranyl(VI) ions in 1:2 molar ratio afforded the corresponding transition metal complexes. A variety of binuclear complexes for the metal complexes were obtained with the ligands in its di- or tetra-deprotonated forms. The structures of the newly prepared complexes were identified by elemental analyses, infrared, electronic, mass, 1H NMR and ESR spectra as well as magnetic susceptibility measurements and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). The bonding sites are the azomethine and amino nitrogen atoms, and phenolic and alcoholic oxygen atoms. The metal complexes exhibit different geometrical arrangements such as square planar, tetrahedral, square pyramid and octahedral arrangement.     

Influence of steric strain of S,N-heterocycles derivative ligands on the coordination geometry in cadmium(II) nitrato complexes

The new ligands 2-(3,5-dimethyl-1-pyrazolyl)-2-thiazoline (DMPyTn) and 2-(3,5-diphenyl-1-pyrazolyl)-2-thiazoline (DPhPyTn) have been synthesized and characterized, and six cadmium(II) nitrato complexes with these two ligands and four other pyrazole/S,N-heterocyclic derivative ligands with different steric features, previously reported, have been prepared and structurally characterized by means of elemental analysis, single crystal X-ray diffraction and IR spectra, with the objective of determining the role played by the steric strains of the ligands on the metal ion coordination index and geometry. The effect of two factors has been analyzed: the bulk of the pyrazole ring substituents and the size of the S,N-heterocycle. The data indicate that there is a clear influence of the size of the organic ligands on the coordination environment of the Cd(II) ion.     

Synthesis and spectroscopic studies of new binuclear transition metal complexes of Schiff bases derived from 4,6-diacetylresorcinol

Two new series of copper(II), nickel(II), cobalt(II), zinc(II), iron(III), chromium(III), vanadyl(IV) and uranyl(VI) complexes with two bifunctional tridentate Schiff base, H₄L¹ and H₂L² ligands have been prepared. The Schiff base, H₄L¹ and H₂L², ligands were synthesized by the condensation of 4,6-diacetylresorcinol with o-aminophenol or o-phenylenediamine. The ligands are either di- or tetra-basic with two symmetrical sets of either OON or NNO tridentate chelating sites. The ligands and their metal complexes have been characterized by elemental analysis, ¹H-n.m.r., FT-IR, mass, electronic, esr spectra and thermal gravimetric analysis and magnetic susceptibility. With the exception of Co^II ion with H₂L² which afforded a trinuclear complex, a variety of binuclear complexes for the rest of the metal complexes were obtained with the ligands in its di- or tetra-deprotonated forms. The bonding sites are the azomethine and amino nitrogen atoms, and phenolic oxygen atoms. The metal complexes exhibit different geometrical arrangements such as square planar, tetrahedral, square pyramid and octahedral arrangement.     

Synthesis of mono- and di-[12]aneN3 ligands and study on the catalytic cleavage of RNA model 2-hydroxypropyl-p-nitrophenyl phosphate with their metal complexes

A series of mono- and di-[12]aneN(3) ligands 1-6, which contain different substituents on the coordinating backbone, different linkers between two [12]aneN(3) units and different N-methylation on the [12]aneN(3) units, have been synthesized and fully characterized. The catalytic activities of their metal complexes on the cleavage of RNA model phosphate 2-hydroxypropyl-p-nitrophenyl phosphate (HPNPP) varied with the structures of the ligands and metal ions. Click reactions afforded an efficient method to prepare a series of [12]aneN(3) ligands, however, the incorporation of triazole moieties reduced the catalytic activities due to their coordination with metal ions and the strong inhibition from the triflate counter ion. Dinuclear zinc(II) complexes containing an m-xylyl bridge showed higher catalytic activities with synergistic effects up to 700-fold. Copper(II) complexes with the ligands without triazole moieties proved to be highly reactive and showed strong cooperativity between the two copper(II) ions. In terms of k(2), dinuclear complexes Zn(2)-3b, Zn(2)-3d, Zn(2)-4b, and Cu(2)-4b afforded activities of 7.9 × 10(5), 3.9 × 10(4), 9.0 × 10(4), and 8.1 × 10(4)-fold higher than that of methoxide. The ortho arrangement of the two [12]aneN(3) units and the presence of 5- or 2-positioned substituents in the benzene ring as well as N-methylation of [12]aneN(3) units greatly reduced the catalytic activities due to the steric effects. These results clearly indicate that the structures of the linker between two [12]aneN(3) units play very important role in their catalytic synergistic effects.     

Reaction of beta-diketiminate copper(II) complexes and Na2S2

Reaction of beta-diketiminate copper(II) complexes and Na2S2 resulted in formation of (mu-eta2:eta2-disulfido)dicopper(II) complexes (adduct formation) or beta-diketiminate copper(I) complexes (reduction of copper(II)) depending on the substituents of the supporting ligands. In the case of sterically less demanding ligands, adduct formation occurred to provide the (mu-eta2:eta2-disulfido)dicopper(II) complexes, whereas reduction of copper(II) took place to give the corresponding copper(I) complexes with sterically more demanding beta-diketiminate ligands. Spectroscopic examinations of the reactions at low temperature using UV-vis and ESR as well as kinetic analysis have suggested that a 1 : 1 adduct LCuII-S-SNa with an end-on binding mode is initially formed as a common intermediate, from which different reaction pathways exist depending on the steric environment of the metal-coordination sphere provided by the ligands. Thus, with the sterically less demanding ligands, rearrangement of the disulfide adduct from end-on to side-on followed by self-dimerisation occurs to give the (mu-eta2:eta2-disulfido)dicopper(II) complexes, whereas such an intramolecular rearrangement of the disulfide co-ligand does not take place with the sterically more demanding ligands. In this case, homolytic cleavage of the CuII-S bond occurs to give the reduced copper(I) product. The steric effects of the supporting ligands have been discussed on the basis of detailed analysis of the crystal structures of the copper(II) starting materials.     

Crystal structures of triazine-3-thione derivatives by reaction with copper and cobalt salts

The reaction of 5-methoxy-5,6-diphenyl-4,5-dihydro-2H-[1,2,4]triazine-3-thione L1H2OCH3 with copper(II) chloride leads to the formation of an organic molecule L2 containing two triazine rings linked by a new S-S bond. A binuclear copper(II) complex, 1, containing L1 is also isolated. The reaction of L1H2OCH3 with copper(I) chloride yields a hexanuclear cluster of copper(I), 2, in which the copper atoms form a distorted octahedron with the ligand L1 acting as an NS chelate and sulfur bridge, giving to the copper ion a trigonal geometry by one N and two S atoms. In any reaction of the disulfide L2 with metal salts, complexes containing this molecule are isolated. Reactions with copper(I) and copper(II) chloride and nickel(II) and cadmium(II) nitrate produce the S-S bond cleavage, giving complexes containing the triazine L1 behaving as the NS anion, which show spectroscopic characteristics identical with those formed by reaction with L1H2OCH3. However, the reaction with cobalt(II) nitrate gives a low-spin octahedral cobalt(III) complex, in which an asymmetric rupture of the disulfide L2 has been produced, giving an unexpected complex with a new ligand and keeping the S-S bond.     

Crystal and electronic structures of magnesium(II), copper(II), and mixed magnesium(II)-copper(II) complexes of the quinoline half of styrylquinoline-type HIV-1 integrase inhibitors

A new target in AIDS therapy development is HIV-1 integrase (IN). It was proven that HIV-1 IN required divalent metal cations to achieve phosphodiester bond cleavage of DNA. Accordingly, all newly investigated potent IN inhibitors contain chemical fragments possessing a high ability to chelate metal cations. One of the promising leads in the polyhydroxylated styrylquinolines (SQLs) series is (E)-8-hydroxy-2-[2-(4,5-dihydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-ethenyl]-7-quinoline carboxylic acid (1). The present study focuses on the quinoline-based progenitor (2), which is actually the most probable chelating part of SQLs. Conventional and synchrotron low-temperature X-ray crystallographic studies were used to investigate the chelating power of progenitor 2. Mg2+ and Cu2+ cations were selected for this purpose, and three types of metal complexes of 2 were obtained: Mg(II) complex (4), Cu(II) complex (5) and mixed Mg(II)-Cu(II) complexes (6 and 7). The analysis of the crystal structure of complex 4 indicates that two tridentate ligands coordinate two Mg2+ cations, both in octahedral geometry. The Mg-Mg distance was found equal to 3.221(1) A, in agreement with the metal-metal distance of 3.9 A encountered in the crystal structure of Escherichia coli DNA polymerase I. In 5, the complex is formed by two bidentate ligands coordinating one copper ion in tetrahedral geometry. Both mixed Mg(II)-Cu(II) complexes, 6 and 7 exhibit an original arrangement of four ligands linked to a central heterometallic cluster consisting of three octahedrally coordinated magnesium ions and one tetrahedrally coordinated copper ion. Quantum mechanics calculations were also carried out in order to display the electrostatic potential generated by the dianionic ligand 2 and complex 4 and to quantify the binding energy (BE) during the formation of the magnesium complex of progenitor 2. A comparison of the binding energies of two hypothetical monometallic Mg(II) complexes with that found in the bimetallic magnesium complex 4 was made.     

Highly enantioselective Pd(II)-catalyzed Wacker-type cyclization of 2-allylphenols by use of bisoxazoline ligands with axis-unfixed biphenyl backbone

A series of axis-unfixed bisoxazoline ligands with different steric and electronic properties has been synthesized. Due to the different steric interactions, the ligands afforded only one of the two possible diastereomeric Pd(II)-complexes upon metal coordination. The palladium complex (S,aS)-8c showed excellent catalytic activities and enantioselectivities in Wacker-type cyclization of allylphenols with up to 98% ee.     

Functional monomers and polymers. XXXV. Oxidation of hydroquinone catalyzed by Cu(II)–polyelectrolyte complexes

Oxidation of hydroquinone catalyzed by copper(II) complexes of poly-1-vinylimidazole, vinylamine-vinylacetamide copolymer, and polyethyleneimine was studied in aqueous solution at 25°C. The rate of oxidation was determined spectrophotometrically over several pH values. The rate of copper(II) reduction was evaluated from copper(I)–cuproin complex formation, and the reoxidation of copper(I) to copper(II) was observed by visible spectroscopy. Among the copper(II) complexes, poly-1-vinylimidazole complex exhibited excellent catalytic activity, which amounted to over 20 times that of aqueous copper(II) ion solution, while the reduction of copper(II) in the former system was slower than that in the latter system. The reoxidation of copper(I) to copper(II) was found to be completed immediately in the presence of polymer ligands such as poly-1-vinylimidazole, while copper(I) ion was only slowly reoxidized. The discussion of the reaction mechanism emphasizes the importance of the reoxidation process.