Reactions of neodymium(ii), dysprosium(ii), and thulium(ii) diiodides with cyclopentadiene. Molecular structures of complexes CpTmI2(THF)3 and [NdI2(THF)5]+[NdI4(THF)2]–

The reactions of LnI₂ (Ln = Nd (1) or Dy (2)) with cyclopentadiene (CpH) in THF at 0 °C afforded the CpLnI₂(THF)₃ complexes in 65—67% yields. The reaction of thulium diiodide (3) with an excess of CpH at 60 °C produced CpTmI₂(THF)₃, Cp₂TmI(THF)₂, and TmI₃(THF)₃ in 21, 58, and 63% yields, respectively. The reactions of 1 and 2 with pentamethylcyclopentadiene (Cp*H) in THF were accompanied by disproportionation giving rise to the Cp*₂LnI(THF)₂ and LnI₃(THF) _x complexes. Neodymium triiodide was isolated in the ionic form [NdI₂(THF)₅]⁺[NdI₄(THF)₂]^–. Its structure and the structure of CpTmI₂(THF)₃ were established by X-ray diffraction analysis.     

Reduction of 2,5-di-tert-butylcyclopentadienone and pyridine with thulium diiodide. Structures of the complexes TmI2(THF)2[η5-But2C5H2O]TmI2(THF)3 and [TmI2(C5H5N)4]2(μ2-N2C10H10)

Reduction of 2,5-di-tert-butylcyclopentadienone with two equivalents of thulium diiodide in tetrahydrofuran afforded the binuclear thulium(iii) complex with the cyclopentadienyl oxide ligand, viz., TmI₂(THF)₂[⁵-Bu^t ₂C₅H₂O]TmI₂(THF)₃ (1). Shielding of the carbonyl carbon atom with two tert-butyl substituents prevents pinacolization of the ketyl radical anions that formed upon one-electron reduction of cyclopentadienone. The reaction of thulium diiodide with an excess of pyridine in tetrahydrofuran gave a product of reductive coupling of two pyridine radical anions, viz., [TmI₂(C₅H₅N)₄]₂(₂-N₂C₁₀H₁₀) (2). The structures of complexes 1 and 2 were established by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis.     

The coupling of supercritical fluid chromatography and field ionization time-of-flight high-resolution mass spectrometry for rapid and quantitative analysis of petroleum middle distillates

We report the first coupling of supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) with field ionization time-of-flight high-resolution mass spectrometry (FI-ToF HRMS), in parallel with ultraviolet (UV) detection and flame ionization detection (FID), for rapid and quantitative analysis of petroleum middle distillates. SFC separates petroleum middle distillates into saturates and 1- to 3-ring aromatics. FI generates molecular ions for hydrocarbon species eluted from the SFC. The high resolution and exact mass measurements by ToF mass spectrometry provide elemental compositions of the molecules in the petroleum product. The amounts of saturates and aromatic ring types were quantified using the parallel SFC-FID assisted by SFC-UV. With a proper carbon-number calibration, the detailed composition of the petroleum middle distillate was rapidly determined.     

Redox site confinement in highly unsymmetric dimanganese complexes

A set of highly preorganized pyrazolate-bridged dimanganese complexes L(Mn)MnX have been prepared and structurally characterized. They can be described as hybrid organometallic/Werner-type systems that consist of a low-spin CpMn(I)(CO)2 subunit (Mn1) and a proximate tripodal tetradentate {N4} binding pocket accommodating a high-spin Mn(II) ion (Mn2), with Mn...Mn distances of approximately 4.3 A and different coligands bound to Mn2. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations (both the hybrid B3LYP and the pure BP86 functionals and the all-electron basis sets 6-311G and 6-311G*) confirm that the valence alpha and beta Kohn-Sham molecular orbitals (MOs) of these mixed-valent Mn(I)Mn(II) compounds have predominant Mn(3d) character and an almost perfectly localized nature: all five unpaired electrons are essentially localized at the Werner-type Mn2, whereas Mn1 possesses an effective closed-shell structure with the MOs of highest energy centered there. One-electron oxidation occurs in a clean process at approximately E(1/2) = -0.6 V (versus ferrocene/ferrocinium), giving the low-spin/high-spin Mn(II)Mn(II) species. UV/vis and IR spectroelectrochemistry as well as a detailed theoretical analysis reveal that the redox process takes place with strict site control at the organometallic subunit, while it does not significantly influence the spin and charge distribution on the Werner-type site. Positions and shifts of the nu(C[triple bond]O) absorptions are largely reproduced by the DFT calculations. These systems thus represent an exceptional example of the effect the unsymmetry of a dinucleating ligand scaffold has on the spin and charge distribution in homobimetallic complexes and might offer interesting prospects for the study of the cooperative effects of bimetallic arrays.     

Synthese und Charakterisierung neuer intramolekular stickstoffstabilisierter Organoaluminium‐ und Organogalliumalkoxide

Synthesis and Characterization of New Intramolecularly Nitrogen‐stabilized Organoaluminium‐ and Organogallium Alkoxides The intramolecularly nitrogen stabilized organoaluminium alkoxides [Me₂Al{μ‐O(CH₂)₃NMe₂}]₂ ( 1a ), Me₂AlOC₆H₂(CH₂NMe₂)₃‐2,4,6 ( 2a ), [(S)‐Me₂Al{μ‐OCH₂CH(i‐Pr)NH‐i‐Pr}]₂ ( 3a ) and [(S)‐Me₂Al{μ‐OCH₂CH(i‐Pr)NHCH₂Ph}]₂ ( 4 ) are formed by reacting equimolar amounts of AlMe₃ and Me₂N(CH₂)₃OH, C₆H₂[(CH₂NMe₂)₃‐2,4,6]OH, (S)‐i‐PrNHCH(i‐Pr)CH₂OH, or (S)‐PhCH₂NHCH(i‐Pr)CH₂OH, respectively. An excess of AlMe₃ reacts with Me₂N(CH₂)₂OH, Me₂N(CH₂)₃OH, C₆H₂[(CH₂NMe₂)₃‐2,4,6]OH, and (S)‐i‐PrNHCH(i‐Pr)CH₂OH producing the “pick‐a‐back” complexes [Me₂AlO(CH₂)₂NMe₂](AlMe₃) ( 5 ), [Me₂AlO(CH₂)₃NMe₂](AlMe₃) ( 1b ), [Me₂AlOC₆H₂(CH₂NMe₂)₃‐2,4,6](AlMe₃)₂ ( 2b ), and [(S)‐Me₂AlOCH₂CH(i‐Pr)NH‐i‐Pr](AlMe₃) ( 3b ), respectively. The mixed alkyl‐ or alkenylchloroaluminium alkoxides [Me(Cl)Al{μ‐O(CH₂)₂NMe₂}]₂ ( 6 ) and [{CH₂=C(CH₃)}(Cl)Al{μ‐O(CH₂)₂NMe₂}]₂ ( 8 ) are to obtain from Me₂AlCl and Me₂N(CH₂)₂OH and from [Cl₂Al{μ‐O(CH₂)₂NMe₂}]₂ ( 7 ) and CH₂=C(CH₃)MgBr, respectively. The analogous dimethylgallium alkoxides [Me₂Ga{μ‐O(CH₂)₃NMe₂}]₂ ( 9 ), [(S)‐Me₂Ga{μ‐OCH₂CH(i‐Pr)NH‐i‐Pr}]_n ( 10 ), [(S)‐Me₂Ga{μ‐OCH₂CH(i‐Pr)NHCH₂Ph}]_n ( 11 ), [(S)‐Me₂Ga{μ‐OCH₂CH(i‐Pr)N(Me)CH₂Ph}]_n ( 12 ) and [(S)‐Me₂Ga{μ‐OCH₂(C₄H₇NHCH₂Ph)}]_n ( 13 ) result from the equimolar reactions of GaMe₃ with the corresponding alcohols. The new compounds were characterized by elemental analyses, ¹H‐, ¹³C‐ and ²⁷Al‐NMR spectroscopy, and mass spectrometry. Additionally, the structures of 1a , 1b , 2a , 2b , 3a , 5 , 6 and 8 were determined by single crystal X‐ray diffraction.     

Biomimetic hydrolysis of penicillin G catalyzed by dinuclear zinc(II) complexes: structure-activity correlations in beta-lactamase model systems

A series of highly preorganized pyrazolate-based dinuclear zinc complexes has been studied as functional synthetic analogues of metallo-beta-lactamases, a class of bacterial enzymes that cause serious clinical problems because of their degradation of common beta-lactam antibiotics. We have investigated the hydrolytic cleavage of penicillin G mediated by the different dinuclear zinc complexes, and have deduced structure-activity correlations. While cooperative effects of the adjacent metal ions might be operative, these are found to either enhance or diminish beta-lactamase activity with respect to a single free zinc. Drastic differences in activity are ascribed to a lack of accessible binding sites after incorporation of the substrate within the bimetallic pocket of 2 and 4, whereas partial detachment of hemilabile ligand side arms in 1 and 3 opens up available coordination sites for nucleophile activation and/or for binding and polarisation of the beta-lactam amide oxygen atom. This interpretation has been corroborated by NMR spectroscopic and mass spectrometric evidence as well as by X-ray crystallography of several adducts formed between the pyrazolate-based dinuclear zinc scaffolds and the small substrate analogue oxazetidinylacetate (oaa), 5-7. In all adducts, the carboxylate group of oaa is the primary anchoring site and is nested in a bridging position within the bimetallic pocket. However, zinc binding of the beta-lactam amide oxygen atom has been confirmed crystallographically for the first time in 7, in which additional open-site coordination sites are available.     

Targeted self-assembly and quantum Monte Carlo magnetic study of an alternating nickel(II) 1D coordination polymer composed of highly preorganized binuclear tectons

A pyrazolate-based binucleating ligand HL with pyridyl groups in the chelate arms has been used to synthesize the dinickel(II) complex [LNi2(N3)(MeOH)2](ClO4)2 (1) and the corresponding 1D polymeric [LNi2(mu-N3)2]n(NO3)n (2) depending on the amount of NaN3 added. X-Ray crystallography shows that structural parameters of the (LNi2(N3)) units are very similar in both compounds. This is ascribed to pi-pi stacking between the pyridyl rings that leads to rigidification of the framework and a fixed cis-orientation of the remaining coordination sites, which are filled by MeOH molecules in or by a mu1,3-bridging azide that connects the subunits in 2. Variable-temperature magnetic measurements reveal strong antiferromagnetic coupling with parameters g = 2.21 and J = -60.7 cm(-1) for compound 1. Magnetic data for the extended chain 2 have been analyzed by Quantum Monte Carlo (QMC) simulations to give g = 2.34, J1 = -55 cm(-1), and J2 = -12 cm(-1). The known J value for finally allows unambiguous assignment of J1 to the intrasubunit coupling within each bimetallic chain constituent. The alternation ratio gamma = J2/J1 signifies a singlet-dimer ground state of the new 1D polymer 2.     

Schiff base macrocycles containing pyrroles and pyrazoles

A double nucleophilic substitution reaction of 3,5-bis(chloromethyl)pyrazole with pyrroles generates a novel pyrrole-pyrazole hybrid building block, the pyrazole analogue to tripyrrane. Vilsmeier-Haack formylation produces the corresponding dialdehyde, which was used in the formation of a series of nonaromatic Schiff base macrocycles. NMR and UV/Vis spectroscopy and single-crystal diffractometry were used to characterize the novel macrocycles. The solid-state structures of select free bases and protonated members of this class of macrocycles display a range of intra- and intermolecular hydrogen-bonding patterns that suggest their use in molecular-recognition systems. They also contain an acid-sensitive chromophore. Their acid-base and anion-recognition properties were ascertained; alas, only modest anion-selective spectroscopic signatures could be detected by using UV/Vis and (1)H NMR spectroscopy. The macrocycles proved resistant toward oxidation to their aromatic congeners. The pyrrole-pyrazole building blocks presented are potentially useful for the synthesis of a range of pyrazole analogues of all-pyrrole macrocycles.