Synthesis and thermal degradation of some ferrocene-containing polyazines and poly-schiff bases

A series of ferrocene-containing polymeric azines and polymeric Schiff bases have been synthesized by means of acid-catalyzed solution polycondensations. The molecular structures of the polymers synthesized have been determined, and information concerning their thermal behavior has been obtained. Comparative thermal stabilities of the products of polymerization of aliphatic and aromatic diamines with 1,1′-diformylferrocene and 1,1′-diacetylferrocene were investigated by thermogravimetric analysis both in air and in an inert atmosphere. In the inert atmosphere, initial weight loss due to thermal stress did not occur below 300°C in all cases, and in many cases 50–70% residue of polymer sample remained at 700°C. The use of a fluorinated diamine led to the synthesis of a polymer which did not exhibit any significant enhancement of thermal properties. Investigation of the polymer products by direct inlet mass spectroscopy led to the observation that several of the systems contained significant amounts of cyclic dimers, although linear polymers were the major products in most cases. Extraction of the cyclic dimers followed by molecular weight determination by vapor phase osmometry confirmed their molecular structures.     

Coligand role in the NHC nickel catalyzed C–F bond activation: investigations on the insertion of bis(NHC) nickel into the C–F bond of hexafluorobenzene

The reaction of [Ni(Mes₂Im)₂] (1) (Mes₂Im = 1,3-dimesityl-imidazolin-2-ylidene) with polyfluorinated arenes as well as mechanistic investigations concerning the insertion of 1 and [Ni(ⁱPr₂Im)₂] (1ipr) (ⁱPr₂Im = 1,3-diisopropyl-imidazolin-2-ylidene) into the C–F bond of C₆F₆ is reported. The reaction of 1 with different fluoroaromatics leads to formation of the nickel fluoroaryl fluoride complexes trans-[Ni(Mes₂Im)₂(F)(Ar^F)] (Ar^F = 4-CF₃-C₆F₄2, C₆F₅3, 2,3,5,6-C₆F₄N 4, 2,3,5,6-C₆F₄H 5, 2,3,5-C₆F₃H₂6, 3,5-C₆F₂H₃7) in fair to good yields with the exception of the formation of the pentafluorophenyl complex 3 (less than 20%). Radical species and other diamagnetic side products were detected for the reaction of 1 with C₆F₆, in line with a radical pathway for the C–F bond activation step using 1. The difluoride complex trans-[Ni(Mes₂Im)₂(F)₂] (9), the bis(aryl) complex trans-[Ni(Mes₂Im)₂(C₆F₅)₂] (15), the structurally characterized nickel(i) complex trans-[Ni^I(Mes₂Im)₂(C₆F₅)] (11) and the metal radical trans-[Ni^I(Mes₂Im)₂(F)] (12) were identified. Complex 11, and related [Ni^I(Mes₂Im)₂(2,3,5,6-C₆F₄H)] (13) and [Ni^I(Mes₂Im)₂(2,3,5-C₆F₃H₂)] (14), were synthesized independently by reaction of trans-[Ni(Mes₂Im)₂(F)(Ar^F)] with PhSiH₃. Simple electron transfer from 1 to C₆F₆ was excluded, as the redox potentials of the reaction partners do not match and [Ni(Mes₂Im)₂]⁺, which was prepared independently, was not detected. DFT calculations were performed on the insertion of [Ni(ⁱPr₂Im)₂] (1ipr) and [Ni(Mes₂Im)₂] (1) into the C–F bond of C₆F₆. For 1ipr, concerted and NHC-assisted pathways were identified as having the lowest kinetic barriers, whereas for 1, a radical mechanism with fluoride abstraction and an NHC-assisted pathway are both associated with almost the same kinetic barrier.

A combined experimental and theoretical study on the mechanism of the C–F bond activation of C₆F₆ with [Ni(NHC)₂] is provided.     

Conformational analysis of self-organized monolayers with scanning tunneling microscopy at near-atomic resolution

We describe the synthesis and a novel approach to the conformational analysis of 2,2'-bipyridines (bpy) bearing aromatic rich Frechet-type dendritic wedges of the first and second generation as substituents. The evaporation of solutions of these new ligands on graphite surfaces under ambient conditions results in the formation of self-organized monolayers. Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) investigations of the monolayers under ambient conditions (air, 298 K) gave images at submolecular and near-atomic resolution. The analysis of the STM images includes the following processes: (i) identification and reproduction of potential homoconformational domains, (ii) exclusion of improper data using quality criteria for drift and feedback artifacts, (iii) compilation of running averages and checking for averaging artifacts, (iv) analysis of three-dimensional and contour plots, (v) calculation of the HOMO properties of the free molecules, and (vi) final conformational assignment based on all accessible information. Following this procedure, two different conformations could be assigned to domains observed in the monolayers of the first-generation (G1) and second-generation (G2) dendritic compounds. Homoconformational domains are observed side-by-side. The different conformations arise from syn or anti arrangements at the ether substituents. An additional conformational effect is found upon treating the G1 domains with HCl gas, when a partial rearrangement of the bpy from trans to cis occurs, concomitant with protonation.     

Efficient synthesis of [3H]-sanglifehrin A via selective oxidation/reduction of alcohols at C31 and C35

[Reaction: see text]. Sanglifehrin A is a novel complex natural product showing strong immunosuppressive activity and remarkably high affinity for cyclophilin A. To assess its pharmacokinetic properties in vivo, an efficient synthetic route was developed to introduce a tritium label in position C35 of sangliferin A via an oxidation/reduction strategy. The synthetic approach is particularly attractive, because the C35-oxo intermediate 7 is available in good yield on large scale and the reducing agent, lithium tri-sec-butylborotritide, is readily available. An attempt to apply a similar strategy to the alcohol in position C31 led primarily to C31-epi-hydroxy sanglifehrin A under a variety of conditions.     

Synthesis,crystal structure,magnetism, and absorption spectra of A2UX5 Type Halides (A = K,Rb; X = Cl,Br, I)

The ternary uranium(III) halides A₂UX₅ (A = K, Rb; X = Cl, Br, I) have been prepared from the binary components AX and UX₃ in sealed tantalum containers. According to their Guinier X-ray powder patterns, they all crystallize with the K₂PrCl₅/Y₂HfS₅ type of structure. Lattice constants for ambient temperature are reported. Single-crystal structure refinemens were undertaken for K₂UI₅ and Rb₂UCl₅. Magnetic susceptibility data were recorded with a SQUID magnetometer from liquid helium to room temperature. One-dimensional (intrachain) and three-dimensional antiferromagnetic ordering occur at low temperatures dependent upon the U³⁺? U³⁺ distance. Absorption spectra were recorded between 4 000 and 28 000 cm^?1. They show f—f transitions typical for U³⁺ and, depending on the halide, very strong f—d transitions above 14 000 to 15 000 cm^?1, respectively.     

Probing the Helical Secondary Structure of Short-Chain β-Peptides

Structural prerequisites for the stability of the 3₁ helix of β-peptides can be defined from inspection of models (Figs. 1 and 2): lateral non-H-substituents in 2- and 3-position on the 3-amino-acid residues of the helix are allowed, axial ones are forbidden. To be able to test this prediction, we synthesized a series of heptapeptide derivatives Boc-(β-HVal-β-HAla-β-HLeu-Xaa-β-HVal-β-HAla-β-HLeu)-OMe 13–22 (Xaa = α- or β-amino-acid residue) and a β-depsipeptide 25 with a central (S)-3-hydroxybutanoic-acid residue (Xaa = –OCH(Me)CH₂C(O)–) (Schemes 1 3). Detailed NMR analysis (DQF-COSY, HSQC, HMBC, ROESY, and TOCSY experiments) in methanol solution of the β-hexapeptide H(-β-HVal-β-HAla-β-HLeu)₂-OH ( 1 ) and of the β-heptapeptide H-β-HVal-β-HAla-β-HLeu-(S,S)-β-HAla(αMe)-β-HVal-β-HAla- β-HLeu-OH ( 22 ), with a central (2S,3S)-3-amino-2-methylbutanoic-acid residue, confirm the helical structure of such β-peptides (previously discovered in pyridine solution) (Fig.3 and Tables 1–5). The CD spectra of helical β-peptides, the residues of which were prepared by (retentive) Arndt-Eistert homologation of the (S)- or L -α-amino acids, show a trough at 215 nm. Thus, this characteristic pattern of the CD spectra was taken as an indicator for the presence of a helix in methanol solutions of compounds 13–22 and 25 (including partially and fully deprotected forms) (Figs.4–6). The results fully confirm predicted structural effects: incorporation of a single ‘wrong’ residue ((R)-β-HAla, β-HAib, (R,S)-β-HAla(α Me), or N-Me-β-HAla) in the central position of the β-heptapeptide derivatives A (see 17, 18, 20 , or 21 , resp.) causes the CD minimum to disappear. Also, the β-heptadepsipetide 25 (missing H-bond) and the β-heptapeptide analogs with a single α-amino-acid moiety in the middle ( 13 and 14 ) are not helical, according to this analysis. An interesting case is the heptapeptide 15 with the central achiral, unsubstituted 3-aminopropanoic-acid moiety: helical conformation appears to depend upon the presence or absence of terminal protection and upon the solvent (MeOH vs. MeOH/H₂O).     

Mapping the influence of molecular structure on rates of electron transfer using direct measurements of the electron spin-spin exchange interaction

The spin-spin exchange interaction, 2J, in a radical ion pair produced by a photoinduced electron transfer reaction can provide a direct measure of the electronic coupling matrix element, V, for the subsequent charge recombination reaction. We have developed a series of dyad and triad donor-acceptor molecules in which 2J is measured directly as a function of incremental changes in their structures. In the dyads the chromophoric electron donors 4-(N-pyrrolidinyl)- and 4-(N-piperidinyl)naphthalene-1,8-dicarboximide, 5ANI and 6ANI, respectively, and a naphthalene-1,8:4,5-bis(dicarboximide) (NI) acceptor are linked to the meta positions of a phenyl spacer to yield 5ANI-Ph-NI and 6ANI-Ph-NI. In the triads the same structure is used, except that the piperidine in 6ANI is replaced by a piperazine in which a para-X-phenyl, where X = H, F, Cl, MeO, and Me(2)N, is attached to the N' nitrogen to form a para-X-aniline (XAn) donor to give XAn-6ANI-Ph-NI. Photoexcitation yields the respective 5ANI(+)-Ph-NI(-), 6ANI(+)-Ph-NI(-), and XAn(+)-6ANI-Ph-NI(-) singlet radical ion pair states, which undergo subsequent radical pair intersystem crossing followed by charge recombination to yield (3)NI. The radical ion pair distances within the dyads are about 11-12 A, whereas those in the triads are about approximately 16-19 A. The degree of delocalization of charge (and spin) density onto the aniline, and therefore the average distance between the radical ion pairs, is modulated by the para substituent. The (3)NI yields monitored spectroscopically exhibit resonances as a function of magnetic field, which directly yield 2J for the radical ion pairs. A plot of ln 2J versus r(DA), the distance between the centroids of the spin distributions of the two radicals that comprise the pair, yields a slope of -0.5 +/- 0.1. Since both 2J and k(CR), the rate of radical ion pair recombination, are directly proportional to V(2), the observed distance dependence of 2J shows directly that the recombination rates in these molecules obey an exponential distance dependence with beta = 0.5 +/- 0.1 A(-)(1). This technique is very sensitive to small changes in the electronic interaction between the two radicals and can be used to probe subtle structural differences between radical ion pairs produced from photoinduced electron transfer reactions.     

Using spin dynamics of covalently linked radical ion pairs to probe the impact of structural and energetic changes on charge recombination

We have synthesized a series of structurally related, covalently linked electron donor-acceptor triads having highly restricted conformations to study the effects of radical ion pair (RP) structure, energetics, and solvation on charge recombination. The chromophoric electron acceptor in these triads is a 4-aminonaphthalene-1,8-dicarboximide (6ANI), in which the 4-amine nitrogen atom is part of a piperazine ring. The second nitrogen atom of the piperazine ring is part of a para-substituted aniline donor, where the para substituents are X = H, OMe, and NMe(2). The imide group of 6ANI is linked to a naphthalene-1,8:4,5-bis(dicarboximide) (NI) electron acceptor across a phenyl spacer in a meta relationship. The triads undergo two-step photoinduced electron transfer to yield their respective XAn(*)(+)-6ANI-Ph-NI(*)(-) RP states, which undergo radical pair intersystem crossing followed by charge recombination to yield (3)NI. Time-resolved electron paramagnetic resonance experiments on the spin-polarized RPs and triplet states carried out in toluene and in E-7, a mixture of nematic liquid crystals (LCs), show that for all three triads, the XAn(*)(+)-6ANI-Ph-NI(*)(-) RPs are correlated radical pairs and directly yield values of the spin-spin exchange interaction, J, and the dipolar interaction, D. The values of J are all about -1 mT and show that the LC environment most likely enforces the chair conformation at the piperazine ring, for which the RP distance is larger than that for the corresponding boat conformation. The values of D yield effective RP distances that agree well with those calculated earlier from the spin distributions of the radical ions. Within the LC, changing the temperature shows that the CR mechanism can be changed significantly as the energy levels of the RPs change relative to that of the recombination triplet.     

Theoretical study of the CH2 + O photodissociation of formaldehyde adsorbed on the Ag(111) surface

Configuration interaction calculations of the ground and excited states of the H2CO molecule adsorbed on the Ag(111) surface have been carried out to study the photoinduced dissociation process leading to polymerization of formaldehyde. The metal-adsorbate system has been described by the embedded cluster and multireference configuration interaction methods. The pi electron-attachment H2CO- and n-pi* internally excited H2CO* states have been considered as possible intermediates. The calculations have shown that H2CO* is only very weakly bound on Ag(111), and thus that the dissociation of adsorbed formaldehyde due to internal excitation is unlikely. By contrast, the H2CO- anion is strongly bound to Ag(111) and gains additional vibrational energy along the C-O stretch coordinate via Franck-Condon excitation from the neutral molecule. Computed energy variations of adsorbed H2CO and H2CO- at different key geometries along the pathway for C-O bond cleavage make evident, however, that complete dissociation is very difficult to attain on the potential energy surface of either of these states. Instead, reneutralization of the vibrationally excited anion by electron transfer back to the substrate is the most promising means of breaking the C-O bond, with subsequent formation of the coadsorbed O and CH2 fragments. Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that the most stable state for both dissociation fragments on Ag(111) is a closed-shell singlet, with binding energies relative to the gas-phase products of approximately 3.2 and approximately 1.3 eV for O and CH2, respectively. Further details of the reaction mechanism for the photoinduced C-O bond cleavage of H2CO on the Ag(111) surface are also given.