Intra- and intermolecular fluorescence quenching in 7-(pyridyl)indoles

Three isomeric 7-(pyridyl)indoles reveal very different, solvent-dependent photophysical properties. Due to rapid excited state depopulation involving intramolecular hydrogen bonding, 7-(2′-pyridyl)indole is practically nonfluorescent at room temperature. In nonpolar and polar aprotic solvents, 7-(3′-pyridyl)indole and 7-(4′-pyridyl)indole fluorescence strongly, but the emission is quenched in alcohols. Syn and anti rotameric forms of 7-(3′-pyridyl)indole are detected, each quenched to a different degree. This differential quenching is interpreted as evidence of enhanced S₁ → S₀ internal conversion being more efficient in cyclic solvates, with alcohol molecules forming a bridge between the proton donor and acceptor groups of an excited chromophore.     

2,2';9',2''-Ter[1,10]phenanthroline

The title molecule, 2,2';9',2'-ter[1,10]phenanthroline can be prepared from 2,9-dichloro-1,10-phenanthroline in three steps through the corresponding diacetyl intermediate. The ligand acts as a hexadentate with K+, while two molecules form a trinuclear, helical complex with Cu(I), which evidences pi-stacking interactions and Cu-Cu distances of 3.01-3.04 A. Electrochemical analysis shows a strong interaction between the Cu(I) centers.     

Conformational equilibria and photoinduced tautomerization in 2-(2′-pyridyl)pyrrole

Depending on the polarity and protic abilities of the solvent, 2-(2′-pyridyl)pyrrole can exist in either syn or anti rotameric forms. In nonpolar solvents, intramolecular excited state single proton transfer is observed, manifested by the appearance of low-energy tautomeric emission. The solvent-assisted excited state double proton transfer reaction is also detected. DFT calculations confirm low barriers for both single and double proton transfer processes in the lowest excited singlet state and show different character of the tautomerization in both cases: in the intramolecular reaction, mutual approach of two nitrogen atoms plays an important role.     

Introduction of Benzo[h]quinoline and 1,10-Phenanthroline Subunits by Friedländer Methodology

An improved preparation of 8-amino-7-quinolinecarbaldehyde has been developed. The methyl group of 7-methyl-8-nitroquinoline may be oxidized to an aldehyde by treatment first with dimethylformamide dimethyl acetal followed by sodium periodate. Reduction with iron provides the amino aldehyde. An analogous sequence affords 1-amino-2-naphthalenecarbaldehyde. Friedl?nder condensation of the quinoline derivative with a series of acetylaromatics provides the corresponding 2-aryl-1,10-phenanthrolines. Condensation of either amino aldehyde with 1,3-diacetylbenzene or 2,6-diacetylpyridine provides the expected Friedl?nder product. Similar chemistry is described for reactions of the amino aldehydes with 1,4-diacetylbenzene, 4,4'-diacetylbiphenyl, 1,5-diacetylanthracene, 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8-octahydroacridine-1,8-dione, and tetracyclo[6.3.0.0.(4,11)0(5,9)]undecane-2,7-dione (TCU-2,7-dione).     

Metal ion complexing properties of dipyridoacridine, a highly preorganized tridentate homologue of 1,10-phenanthroline

DPA (dipyrido[4,3-b;5,6-b]acridine) may be considered as a tridentate homologue of phen (1,10-phenanthroline). In this paper some of the metal ion complexing properties of DPA in aqueous solution are reported. Using UV-visible spectroscopy to follow the intense π-π* transitions of DPA as a function of pH gave protonation constants at ionic strength (μ) = 0 and 25 °C of pK(1) = 4.57(3) and pK(2) = 2.90(3). Titration of 10(-5) M solutions of DPA with a variety of metal ions gave log K(1) values as follows: Zn(II), 7.9(1); Cd(II), 8.1(1); Pb(II), 8.3(1); La(III), 5.23(7); Gd(III), 5.7(1); Ca(II), 3.68; all at 25 °C and μ = 0. Log K(1) values at μ = 0.1 were obtained for Mg(II), 0.7(1); Sr(II), 2.20(1); Ba(II), 1.5(1). The log K(1) values show that the high level of preorganization of DPA leads to complexes 3 log units more stable than the corresponding terpyridyl complexes for large metal ions such as La(III) or Ca(II), but that for small metal ions such as Mg(II) and Zn(II) such stabilization is minimal. Molecular mechanics calculations (MM) are used to show that the best-fit M-N length for coordination with DPA is 2.60 ?, accounting for the high stability of Ca(II) or La(III) complexes of DPA, which are found to have close to this M-N bond length in their phen complexes.     

[8]Paratropyliophane

The preparation of [8]paratropyliophane is described and its nmr spectral features are discussed with regard to ring strain and ring current shielding effects.     

Ru(II) complexes of tetradentate ligands related to 2,9-di(pyrid-2'-yl)-1,10-phenanthroline

A series of 1,10-phenanthrolines were prepared having additional ligating substituents at the 2,9-positions. These substituents were either a 4-substituted pyrid-2-yl, quinolin-2-yl, 1,8-naphthyrid-2-yl, N-methyl imidazo-2-yl, or N-methyl benzimidazo-2-yl group. Additionally, 3,6-di-(pyrid-2'-yl)-dipyrido[3,2-a:2',3'-c]phenazine was prepared. All but two of these ligands coordinated Ru(II) in a tetradentate equatorial fashion with two 4-methylpyridines bound in the axial sites. An X-ray structure analysis of the diimidazoyl system indicates considerable distortion from square planar geometry in the equatorial plane. Previously reported variations in the axial ligand for such complexes appear to have a stronger effect on the electronic absorption and redox properties of the system than similar changes in the equatorial ligand. In the presence of excess Ce(IV) as a sacrificial oxidant at pH 1, all the systems examined catalyze the decomposition of water to generate oxygen. Turnover numbers are modest, ranging from 146 to 416.