Oxidative decarbonylation of m-terphenyl isocyanide complexes of molybdenum and tungsten: precursors to low-coordinate isocyanide complexes

Synthetic studies are presented addressing the oxidative decarbonylation of molybdenum and tungsten complexes supported by the encumbering m-terphenyl isocyanide ligand CNAr(Dipp2) (Ar(Dipp2) = 2,6-(2,6-(i-Pr)(2)C(6)H(3))(2)C(6)H(3)). These studies represent an effort to access halide or pseudohalide M/CNAr(Dipp2) species (M = Mo, W) for use as precursors to low-coordinate, low-valent group 6 isocyanide complexes. The synthesis and structural chemistry of the tetra- and tricarbonyl tungsten complexes trans-W(CO)(4)(CNAr(Dipp2))(2) and trans-W(NCMe)(CO)(3)(CNAr(Dipp2))(2) are reported. The acetonitrile adducts trans-M(NCMe)(CO)(3)(CNAr(Dipp2))(2) (M = Mo, W) react with I(2) to form divalent, diiodide complexes in which the extent of decarbonylation differs between Mo and W. In the molybdenum example, the diiodide, dicarbonyl complex MoI(2)(CO)(2)(CNAr(Dipp2))(2) is generated, which has an S = 1 ground state in solution. Paramagnetic group 6 MX(2)L(4) complexes are rare, and the structure of MoI(2)(CO)(2)(CNAr(Dipp2))(2) is discussed in relation to other diamagnetic and C(2v)-distorted MX(2)L(4) complexes. Diiodide MoI(2)(CO)(2)(CNAr(Dipp2))(2) reacts further with I(2) to effect complete decarbonylation, producing the paramagnetic tetraiodide complex trans-MoI(4)(CNAr(Dipp2))(2). The reactivity of the trans-M(NCMe)(CO)(3)(CNAr(Dipp2))(2) (M = Mo, W) complexes toward benzoyl peroxide is also surveyed, and it is shown that dicarboxylate complexes can be obtained by oxidative or salt-elimination routes. The reduction behavior of the tetraiodide complex trans-MoI(4)(CNAr(Dipp2))(2) toward Mg metal and sodium amalgam is studied. In benzene solution under N(2), trans-MoI(4)(CNAr(Dipp2))(2) is reduced by Na/Hg to the η(6)-arene-dinitrogen complex, (η(6)-C(6)H(6))Mo(N(2))(CNAr(Dipp2))(2). The diiodide-η(6)-benzene complex (η(6)-C(6)H(6))MoI(2)(CNAr(Dipp2))(2) is an isolable intermediate in this reduction reaction, and its formation and structure are discussed in context of putative low-coordinate, low-valent molybdenum isocyanide complexes.     

Bis axial ligation of simple imine and methyleneamido groups by ruthenium porphyrins

Bis(N-ethylideneethanamine)ruthenium(ii) porphyrins, [Ru11(Por)(N(Et)=CHMe)2] (Por=TTP, 4-Cl-TPP), were prepared by the reaction of dioxoruthenium(VI) porphyrins with triethylamine in approximately 85% yields. The reaction between dioxoruthenium(VI) porphyrins and benzophenone imine afforded bis(diphenylmethyleneamido)ruthenium(IV) porphyrins, [Ru(IV)(Por)(N=CPh2)2] (Por=TTP, 3,4,5-MeO-TPP), in approximately 65% yields. These new classes of metalloporphyrins were characterized by 1H NMR, UV/Vis, and IR spectroscopy as well as by mass spectrometry and elemental analysis. The X-ray crystallographic structures of [Ru(II)(TTP)(N(Et)=CHMe)2] and [Ru(IV)(3,4,5-MeO-TPP)(N=CPh2)2] revealed an axial Ru-N bond length of 2.115(6) A for the imine complex and 1.896(8) A for the methyleneamido complex. Each of the N=CPh2 axial groups in [Ru(IV)(3,4,5-MeO-TPP)(N=CPh2)2] adopts a linear coordination mode with a corresponding Ru-N-C angle of 175.9(9)degrees. Spectral and structural studies revealed essentially single bonding character for the bis(imine) complexes but a multiple bonding character for the bis(methyleneamido) complexes with respect to their axial Ru-N bonds.     

Effect of axial ligation or pi-pi-type interactions on photochemical charge stabilization in "two-point" bound supramolecular porphyrin-fullerene conjugates

Two types of structurally well-defined, self-assembled zinc porphyrin-fullerene conjugates were formed by "two-point" binding strategies to probe the effect of axial ligation or pi-pi-type interactions on the photochemical charge stabilization in the supramolecular dyads. To achieve this, meso-tetraphenylporphyrin was functionalized to possess one or four [18]crown-6 moieties at different locations on the porphyrin macrocycle while fullerene was functionalized to possess an alkyl ammonium cation, and a pyridine or phenyl entities. As a result of the crown ether-ammonium cation complexation, and zinc-pyridine coordination or pi-pi-type interactions, stable zinc porphyrin-fullerene conjugates with defined distance and orientation were formed. Evidence for the zinc-pyridine complexation or pi-pi-type interactions was obtained from the spectral and computational studies. Steady-state and time-resolved emission studies revealed efficient quenching of the zinc-porphyrin singlet excited state in these dyads, and the measured rates of charge separation, k(CS) were found to be slightly better in the case of the dyads held by axial coordination and crown ether-cation complexation. Nanosecond transient absorption studies provided evidence for the electron transfer reactions, and these studies also revealed charge stabilization in these dyads. The lifetimes of the radical ion pairs were found to depend upon the type of porphyrins utilized to form the dyads, that is, porphyrin possessing the crown ether moiety at the ortho position of one of the phenyl rings yielded prolonged charge stabilized states. Addition of pyridine to the supramolecular dyads eliminated the zinc-pyridine coordination or pi-pi-type interactions of the "two-point" bound systems due to the formation of a new zinc-pyridine axial bond thus giving a unique opportunity to probe the effect of axial coordination or pi-pi interactions on k(CS) and k(CR). Under these conditions, the measured electron transfer rates revealed faster k(CS) and slower k(CR) as compared to those obtained in the absence of added pyridine. The evaluated lifetimes of the radical ion-pairs were found to be hundreds of nanoseconds and were longer in the presence of pyridine.     

Design of olfactory detection reactions based on isocyanide formation

Information is provided on the design of olfactory detection reactions based on isocyanide formation. Potential detection, warning or identification schemes can be designed by scanning a listing of reagents or classes of compounds to be detected and then tabulating the reagent combinations which will produce isocyanides.     

Photoinduced axial ligation and deligation dynamics of nonplanar nickel dodecaarylporphyrins

The ground- and excited-state metal-ligand dynamics of nonplanar nickel(II) 2,3,5,7,8,10,12,13,15,17,18,20-dodecaphenylporphyrin (NiDPP) and two fluorinated analogues (NiF(20)DPP and NiF(28)DPP) have been investigated using static and time-resolved absorption spectroscopy in toluene and in ligating media that differ in basicity, aromaticity, and steric encumbrance. Because of the electronic and steric consequences of nonplanarity, NiDPP does not bind axial ligands in the ground state, but metal coordination does occur after photoexcitation with multistep dynamics that depend on the properties of the ligand. Following the structural relaxations that occur in all nickel porphyrins within approximately 10 ps, ligand binding to photoexcited NiDPP is progressively longer in pyridine, piperidine, and 3,5-lutidine (25-100 ps) but does not occur at all in 2,6-lutidine in which the ligating nitrogen is sterically encumbered. The transient intermediate that is formed, which nominally could be either a five- or six-coordinate species, also has a ligand-dependent lifetime (200-550 ps). Decay of this intermediate occurs partially via ligand release to re-form the uncoordinated species, in competition with binding of the second axial ligand and/or conformational/electronic relaxations (of a six-coordinate intermediate) to give the ground state of the bis-ligated photoproduct. The finding that the photoproduct channel principally depends on ligand characteristics along with the time-evolving spectra suggests that the transient intermediate may involve a five-coordinate species. In contrast to NiDPP, the fluorinated analogues NiF(20)DPP and NiF(28)DPP do coordinate axial ligands in the ground state but eject them after photoexcitation. Collectively, these results demonstrate the sensitivity with which the electronic and structural characteristics of the macrocycle, substituents, and solvent (ligands) can govern the photophysical and photochemical properties of nonplanar porphyrins and open new avenues for exploring photoinduced ligand association and dissociation behavior.     

Stereochemical aspects of axial ligation in ferrous iron-porphyrins probed by resonance Raman spectroscopy

We report the concentration-dependent resonance Raman (RR) studies of the FEN_Im stretching modes in the photo-reduced iron-octaethyl porphyrin (Fe^IIOEP) and iron-protoporphyrin-IX dimethylester (Fe^IIPPDME) complexes with 2-methyl imidazole (2-MeIm) and 1,2-dimethyl imidazole (1,2-Me₂Im) as axial ligands. The FeN_Im stretching modes in both iron complexes have revealed two components due to the co-existence of the upright and tilted configurations of the FEN_Im bond with respect to the normal to the heme plane. The frequencies of the two components in both the complexes shift to higher side with an increase in concentration of 2-MeIm as axial ligand. With the more sterically hindered 1,2-Me₂Im as axial ligand, the (1,2-Me₂Im)Fe^II-OEP complex exists mainly with the tilted configuration of the FEN_Im bond while the upright configuration is the dominant species in the (1,2-Me₂Im)Fe^IIPPDME complex. From the comparative study, we infer that the vinyl groups in the protoporphyrin complex play a dominant role in non-bonded interactions with the sterically hindered axial ligands in stabilizing the specific configurations.     

Generation and stabilization of free selenium-containing radicals by complex formation

The reactions of complex formation of some p-XC₆H₄SeSeC₆H₄p-X-MX₃-benzene (or cyclohexane) systems, where X = H, CH₃, F, Cl, Br and MX₃ = GaCl₃ AlBr₃, have been studied by calorimetry, cryoscopy, dielectric measurements, GLC, and ESR spectroscopy. Diaryldiselenides react with gallium trichloride in solution forming 1:1 complexes. The enthalpies of formation and the dipole moments of the complexes have been determined. Formation of diaryldiselenides complexes with aluminium bromide, which is a stronger acceptor, involves cleavage of the SeSe and CSe bonds in the diselenide molecule and yields stable selenium-centred radical complexes of the type ArSeSe^? · AlBr₃ (g-value 2.073) and ArSe^? · AlBr₃ (g value 2.033). In addition, the ESR spectrum reveals a singlet (g value 2.0025) assigned to a hydrocarbon radical. Corresponding di- and mono-selenides as well as biphenyls have been identified by GLC in the products of interaction of free radicals displaced from the mixture of radical complexes by an electron donor (diethyl ether, water) stronger than the radical.     

Tin(IV) porphyrin complexes with unsymmetrical axial ligation

Visible absorption and ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectra have been measured for some meso-tetraphenyl- and meso-tetra(p-tolyl)porphyrin complexes of tin(IV) containing axial hydroxo and formato ligands. The unsymmetrical hydroxo/formato complexes allow assessment of cis and trans influences on NMR chemical shifts and J(SnH) and J(SnC) values, confirming the strong donor properties of the OH ligand bound to six-coordinate tin(IV).     

Equilibria and kinetics for pH-dependent axial ligation of bromomethyl(aquo)cobaloxime by aliphatic amine ligands

Kinetics and equilibria of axial ligation of bromomethyl(aquo) cobaloxime by a series of straight chain primary amines (methylamine, ethylamine, propylamine, butylamine, pentylamine, hexylamine), cycloamines (cyclopentylamine, cyclohexylamine, cycloheptylamine) and secondary amines (N,N-dimethylamine, N,N-diethylamine) have been measured as functions of pH by spectrophotometric technique in aqueous solution, ionic strength 1 M (KCl) at 25°C. The rate of substitution of H₂O varies with the pKa of incoming ligand, thus establishing nucleophilic participation of the ligand in the transition state. Binding and kinetic data are interpreted based on the basicity and steric influence of the entering ligand. To compare the rate constants of the entering ligands, pH independent second-order rate constants (k _on ) are calculated.     

Control of cytochrome C redox potential: axial ligation and protein environment effects

Axial iron ligation and protein encapsulation of the heme cofactor have been investigated as effectors of the reduction potential (E degrees ') of cytochrome c through direct electrochemistry experiments. Our approach was that of partitioning the E degrees ' changes resulting from binding of imidazole, 2-methyl-imidazole, ammonia, and azide to both cytochrome c and microperoxidase-11 (MP11), into the enthalpic and entropic contributions. N-Acetylmethionine binding to MP11 was also investigated. These ligands replace Met80 and a water molecule axially coordinated to the heme iron in cytochrome c and MP11, respectively. This factorization was achieved through variable temperature E degrees ' measurements. In this way, we have found that (i) the decrease in E degrees ' of cytochrome c due to Met80 substitution by a nitrogen-donor ligand is almost totally enthalpic in origin, as a result of the stronger electron donor properties of the exogenous ligand which selectively stabilize the ferric state; (ii) on the contrary, the binding of the same ligands and N-acetylmethionine to MP11 results in an enthalpic stabilization of the reduced state, whereas the entropic effect invariably decreases E degrees ' (the former effect prevails for the methionine ligand and the latter for the nitrogenous ligands). A comparison of the reduction thermodynamics of cytochrome c and the MP11 adducts offers insight on the effect of changing axial heme ligation and heme insertion into the folded polypeptide chain. Principally, we have found that the overall E degrees ' increase of approximately 400 mV, comparing MP11 and native cytochrome c, consists of two opposite enthalpic and entropic terms of approximately +680 and -280 mV, respectively. The enthalpic term includes contributions from both axial methionine binding (+300 mV) and protein encapsulation of the heme (+380 mV), whereas the entropic term is almost entirely manifest at the stage of axial ligand binding. Both terms are dominated by the effects of water exclusion from the heme environment.     

Alkyl peroxides reveal the ring opening mechanism of verdoheme catalyzed by heme oxygenase

Heme oxygenase (HO) catalyzes heme catabolism through three successive oxygenation steps where the substrate heme itself activates O2. Although a rate-determining step of the HO catalysis is considered as third oxygenation, the verdoheme degradation mechanism has been the least understood in the HO catalysis. In order to discriminate three possible pathways proposed for the verdoheme ring-opening, we have examined reactions of the verdoheme-HO-1 complex with alkyl peroxides, namely MeOOH. Under reducing conditions, the MeOOH reaction afforded two novel products whose absorption spectra are similar to but slightly different from that of biliverdin. HPLC, ESI-MS, and NMR analysis show that these products are 1- and 19-methoxy-deoxy-biliverdins. The addition of a methoxy group at one end of the linear tetrapyrrole unambiguously indicates transient formation of the Fe-OOMe intermediate and rearrangement of its terminal methoxy group to the alpha-pyrrole carbon. The corresponding OH transfer of the Fe-OOH species is highly probable in the H2O2-dependent verdoheme degradation and is likely to be the case in the O2-dependent reaction catalyzed by HO as well.     

Oxidative amide synthesis and N-terminal alpha-amino group ligation of peptides in aqueous medium

A new method for oxidative synthesis of amides from alkynes and amines in high yields (up to 96%) using [Mn(2,6-Cl2TPP)Cl] 1 as a catalyst and Oxone/H2O2 as an oxidant in aqueous medium has been developed. This method could be used for N-terminal alpha-amino group ligation of unprotected peptides with aryl, aliphatic, and internal alkynes under mild conditions.     

Ab initio studies of hydrogen bond formation in methyl cyanide or methyl isocyanide and methanol systems

CH₃CN ? HOCH₃ and CH₃NC ? HOCH₃ hydrogen-bonded systems have been studied theoretically by ab initio MO methods using a 4–31 G basis set at their equilibrium geometries. The stabilization energies of these hydrogen bonds are 5.4 and 5.9 kcal/mol, respectively. The nature of these hydrogen bonds is discussed in the light of frontier orbital theory and the topological properties of the charge density of the chemical bond.     

Xylyl isocyanide platinum and palladium complexes

Bis(cycloocta-1,5-diene)platinum reacts with isopropyl isocyanide to give the trinuclear complex [Pt₃(CNPrⁱ)₆]. A related palladium compound was prepared by treating either [Pd(dba)₂] or [Pd₂(dba)₂CHCl₃] with 2,6-dimethylphenyl isocyanide. Reactions of the cluster [Pt₃(CNC₆H₃-2,6-Me₂)₆] and its presumed palladium analogue with the olefins (NC)₂C:C(CN)₂, F₂C:CFCl and (CN)₂C:C(CF₃)₂, give the compounds [M(olefin)(CNC₆H₃-2,6-Me₂)₂] (M  Pt, Pd) in which the metals are η²-bonded to the coordinated olefins. The compound [Pd₃(CNC₆H₃-2,6-Me₂)₆] reacts with F₂C:CFBr and with F₂C:CFCl to give the trans complexes [Pd(X)(C₂F₃)(CNC₆H₃-2,6-Me₂)₂] (X  Br, Cl). Similar compounds [M(L)-(CNC₆H₃-2,6-Me₂)₂] (M  Pt, Pd), (L  MeO₂CHC:CHCO₂Me, OOCH: CHCOO) have also been prepared, and characterised. Two platinum complexes [Pt(CH:NC₆H₃-2,6-Me₂)(SiMePh₂)(CNC₆H₃-2,6-Me₂)₂] and [Pt₂(μ-(PhC)₂CO)(CNC₆H₃-2,6-Me₂) ₄] hav been synthesized by treating the complex [Pt₃(CNC₆H₃-2,6-Me₂)₆] with HSiMePh₂ and cyclopropenone, respectively. NMR and IR data for the new species are reported and discussed.     

Direct carboxamidation of indoles by palladium-catalyzed C-H activation and isocyanide insertion

A selective C3 carboxamidation of indoles including free (N-H) ones by palladium-catalyzed sequential C-H activation-isocyanide insertion has been developed.     

Synthesis and axial ligation behaviour of sterically hindered Zn(II)-porphyrin liquid crystals

A new class of low melting liquid crystalline octaalkyloxyporphyrins have been synthesised. Their Zn(II)-complexes display an interesting ligation behaviour towards amines (of varying shapes and sizes), ascribed to the steric hindrance or hydrophobic pockets on both the faces of the porphryin as evidenced from the crystal structure of Zn(II)-octabutyloxyporphyrin.