Discrete Rh(III)/Fe(II) and Rh(III)/Fe(II)/Co(III) cyanide-bridged mixed valence compounds

The heterotrinuclear complexes trans- and cis-[{cis-VI-L(15)Rh(III)(μ-NC)}{trans-III-L(14S)Co(III)(μ-NC)}Fe(II)(CN)(4)](2+) are unprecedented examples of mixed valence complexes based on ferrocyanide bearing three different metal centers. These complexes have been assembled in a stepwise manner from their {trans-III-L(14S)Co(III)}, {cis-VI-L(15)Rh(III)}, and {Fe(II)(CN)(6)} building blocks. The preparative procedure follows that found for other known discrete assemblies of mixed valence dinuclear Cr(III)/Fe(II) and polynuclear Co(III)/Fe(II) complexes of the same family. A simple slow substitution process of [Fe(II)(CN)(6)](4-) on inert cis-VI-[Rh(III)L(15)(OH)](2+) leads to the preparation of the new dinuclear mixed valence complex [{cis-VI-L(15)Rh(III)(μ-NC)}Fe(II)(CN)(5)](-) with a redox reactivity that parallels that found for dinuclear complexes from the same family. The combination of this dinuclear precursor with mononuclear trans-III-[Co(III)L(14S)Cl](2+) enables a redox-assisted substitution on the transient {L(14S)Co(II)} unit to form [{cis-VI-L(15)Rh(III)(μ-NC)}{trans-III-L(14S)Co(III)(μ-NC)}Fe(II)(CN)(4)](2+). The structure of the final cis-[{cis-VI-L(15)Rh(III)(μ-NC)}{trans-III-L(14S)Co(III)(μ-NC)}Fe(II)(CN)(4)](2+) complex has been established via X-ray diffraction and fully agrees with its solution spectroscopy and electrochemistry data. The new species [{cis-VI-L(15)Rh(III)(μ-NC)}{trans-III-L(14S)Co(III)(μ-NC)}Fe(II)(CN)(4)](2+) and [{cis-VI-L(15)Rh(III)(μ-NC)}Fe(II)(CN)(5)](-) show the expected electronic spectra and electrochemical features typical of Class II mixed valence complexes. Interestingly, in the trinuclear complex, these features appear to be a simple addition of those for the Rh(III)/Fe(II) and Co(III)/Fe(II) moieties, despite the vast differences existent in the electronic spectra and electrochemical properties of the two isolated units.     

Water-activity and double-layer effects on the Fe(II)/Fe(Hg) reaction

The title subject is studied by electrode-kinetic measurements in acetate buffered potassium chloride and magnesium sulphate solutions of varied concentration at 25°C, using literature data for activity and double-layer properties. The results indicate that the Fe(II)/Fe(Hg) reaction occurs by an essentially symmetric (α near 1/2) ferrous-ion transfer (n=2), that this transfer is second order in water-activity dependence, and that it exhibits a smaller than classically expected double-layer effect. No specific interaction appears for any of the ions of the supporting salts. An e.c. reaction scheme is proposed for the Fe(Hg)/Fe(II) electrode in non-complexing aqueous solution.     

Electroanalytical,kinetic, and mechanistic investigations of coordination-inspired electron transfer between Fe(II)/Cu(II)

Herein, we report that the thermodynamic barrier for solution-phase electron transfer (ET) between Cu(II) and Fe(II) in aqueous acidic media can be overcome through the addition of 2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline (Neocuproine [NC]) to the reaction mixture. A detailed discussion of the kinetic and mechanistic aspects of this coordination-inspired ET is presented. We attribute the observed change in the thermodynamic feasibility to the change in the reduction potential of Cu(II)–Cu(I) couple on its ligation with NC. The reaction was found to be slow, following first-order kinetics with respect to each Cu(II) and Fe(II). In the presence of excess NC, the reaction was observed to proceed with a pseudo-second-order rate constant of 3.37?±?0.05?dm³?mol^?1?s^?1 at 298?K, with an activation barrier of ca. 26.22?kJ?mol^?1. The slow reaction is attributed to the significant reorganization energy associated with large-scale changes in the coordination sphere of the oxidant. A two-step mechanism that explains the experimental observations is proposed for the investigated reaction.     

Titration curves in complexometric titrations with the redox system Fe(III)/Fe(II)

Potentiometric titrations of metal ions with EDTA have been carried out with a platinum or graphite electrode and the Fe(III)/Fe(II) redox system. In the absence of oxygen and for pH < 2 the titration curves may be described by an equation similar to that given previously for titrations with silver and mercury electrodes. Titration curves for bismuth and indium, which are more strongly complexed than iron, are asymmetrical and useful for analytical purposes. When the titrated ions are complexed less strongly than iron(III) ions the kinetics of metal complexation have a pronounced effect. The titration curves of thorium and copper, which react more rapidly than iron, are analytically useful. The curves recorded rapidly after titrant additions have a better end-point break than those which correspond to thermodynamic equilibrium. When a metal, e.g., nickel, is weakly bound by EDTA, and reacts more slowly than iron, a very small end-point break or none at all is observed.     

Concatenation of two molecular switches via a Fe(II)/Fe(III) couple

[reaction: see text] Modulation of the fluorescein fluorescence in the presence of spiropyran and ferric ion by light was observed. Such fluorescence modulation was due to the low oxidation potential of complex MC.Fe(2+), which made the electron transfer from MC.Fe(2+) to Flu(+)()(*)() thermodynamically favorable. As a result, the communication between two molecular switches based on fluorescein and spiropyan, respectively, was realized via the reversible Fe(III)/Fe(II) redox couple. The communicating behavior corresponds well to the function of an INHIBIT logic gate.     

Influence of freezing of aqueous samples on the Fe(II)/Fe(III) equilibrium

The influence of freezing of aqueous samples on the Fe(II)/Fe(III) equilibrium has been investigated by ion chromatography. No change has been observed in the pH-range 2–5, irrespective of the freezing temperature.     

Some quantum chemical aspects on outer-sphere electron-transfer reactions: the U(V)/Fe(III)-U(VI)/Fe(II) system

The activation energy and rate constant of U(V)-Fe(III) to U(VI)-Fe(II) outer-sphere electron-transfer reaction was studied using Marcus model. Experimental values were used for Gibbs energy change of the reaction, and energy surfaces were calculated by quantum chemical methods. The calculated rate constant was in reasonable accord with experimental value.     

Revisiting the contribution of FeIVO2+ in Fe(II)/peroxydisulfate system

Recent studies have proposed that the high-valent iron species (such as Fe^IVO²⁺) rather than sulfate radical (SO₄^??) and hydroxyl radical (^?OH) are the main reactive oxidant species (ROS) in Fe(II)/peroxydisulfate (PDS) system with the methyl phenyl sulfoxide (PMSO) as the Fe^IVO²⁺ probe. However, many operational factors may interfere with the accuracy of this method, so the contribution of Fe^IVO²⁺ calculated by this method is controversial. In this study, the possible effect of Fe(II) concentration, pollutant type, reducing agent, or coexisted anions on Fe^IVO²⁺ production and its corresponding contribution to the removal of target pollutants in the Fe(II)/PDS system were investigated in detail, and the intrinsic mechanisms involved were also explored. This study shows that ROS generation is a complex process in the Fe(II)/PDS system, and multiple combinatorial approaches are urgently required to deeply explore the contribution of ROS to the elimination of target contaminants.     

Synthesis, infrared spectra, thermal analyses and structural studies of half-sandwich Fe(III)/Fe(II) complex containing pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylate and 1,10-phenanthroline

A new pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylate iron(III)/iron(II) complex [Fe(phen)₃][Fe₂(PDC)₄]·3CH₃OH was synthesized and characterized (where PDC = pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylate, phen = 1,10-phenanthroline) by using elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy and thermal analyses (TGA and DTA). The molecular structure of the complex has been determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The complex is mixed-ligands and the IR spectra display bands characteristic of coordinated mixed-ligand bases. All the IR results are in agreement with the X-ray crystal result. The bond lengths indicate that this complex has [Fe(phen)₃]²⁺ cation where Fe(II) ion is in typical low-spin state, and in counter ions, [Fe(PDC)₂]⁻ are both in high-spin state.     

Olefin cis-dihydroxylation with bio-inspired iron catalysts. evidence for an Fe(II)/Fe(IV) catalytic cycle

Iron(II) complexes of a series of N-acylated dipyridin-2-ylmethylamine ligands (R-DPAH) have been investigated as catalysts for the cis-dihydroxylation of olefins to model the action of Rieske dioxygenases that catalyze arene cis-dihydroxylation. The Rieske dioxygenases have a mononuclear iron active site coordinated to a 2-histidine-1-carboxylate facial triad motif. The R-DPAH ligands are designed to provide a facial N,N,O-ligand set that mimics the enzyme active site. The iron(II) complexes of the R-DPAH ligands activate H(2)O(2) to effect the oxidation of olefin substrates into cis-diol products. As much as 90% of the H(2)O(2) oxidant is converted into cis-diol, but a large excess of olefin is required to achieve the high conversion efficiency. Reactivity and mechanistic comparisons with the previously characterized Fe(TPA)/H(2)O(2) catalyst/oxidant combination (TPA = tris(pyridin-2-ylmethyl)amine) lead us to postulate an Fe(II)/Fe(IV) redox cycle for the Fe(R-DPAH) catalysts in which an Fe(IV)(OH)(2) oxidant carries out the cis-hydroxylation of olefins. This hypothesis is supported by three sets of observations: (a) the absence of a lag phase in the conversion of the H(2)O(2) oxidant into a cis-diol product, thereby excluding the prior oxidation of the Fe(II) catalyst to an Fe(III) derivative as established for the Fe(TPA) catalyst; (b) the incorporation of H(2)(18)O into the cis-diol product, thereby requiring O-O bond cleavage to occur prior to cis-diol formation; and (c) the formation of cis-diol as the major product of cyclohexene oxidation, rather than the epoxide or allylic alcohol products more commonly observed in metal-catalyzed oxidations of cyclohexene, implicating an oxidant less prone to oxo transfer or H-atom abstraction.     

Electrochemical characterization of the redox couple of Fe(III)/Fe(II) mediated by grafted polymer electrode

A new grafted polymer electrode (GPE) (polystyrene as polymer) was grafted with acrylonitrile as a monomer using gamma irradiation to produce a new grafted polymer. The redox process of K₃Fe(CN)₆ during cyclic voltammetry was studied by the new GPE. The ratio of Ipc/Ipa >1 of GPE to GCE Ipc/Ipa = 1.7, indicating that this electrode is a reversible electrode and can be used in conductivity studies by voltammetric analysis. The physical properties of the new electrode GP have good hardness, insolubility, and stability at different high temperatures and at different pH. Also, the sensitivity under conditions of cyclic voltammetry is significantly dependent on pH, electrolyte, and scan rate. At different scan rates, two oxidation peaks and two reduction peaks of Fe(III) were observed in a reversible process: Fe(III) Fe(II), and Fe(II) Fe(0). Interestingly, the redox reaction of Fe(III) solution using GPE remained constant even after 15 cycles. It is therefore evident that the GPE possesses some degree of stability. The potential use of the grafted polymer as a useful electrode material is therefore clearly evident.     

Orbital interactions in Fe(II)/Co(III) heterobimetallocenes: single versus double bridge

Ferrocenyl cobaltocenium hexafluorophosphate (1) and ferrocenylene cobaltocenylenium hexafluorophosphate (2) are investigated by a range of spectroscopic methods. Both compounds are diamagnetic, in contrast to an earlier report indicating a temperature-dependent paramagnetism of 2. Electronic absorption spectra of 1 and 2 are presented and fully assigned up to 50 000 cm(-1) on the basis of electronic structure (DFT) calculations and spectral comparisons with ferrocene and cobaltocenium. The lowest-energy bands, I, of both 1 and 2 correspond to metal-to-metal CT (MMCT) transitions; further intermetallocene charge-transfer bands are identified at higher energy (bands III and V). On the basis of the spectroscopic properties, a trans geometry and a twisted structure are derived for 1 and 2, respectively, in solution. Analysis of the I bands gives orbital mixing coefficients, alpha, electronic-coupling matrix elements, V(AB), and reorganization energies, lambda. Importantly, alpha and V(AB) are larger for 1 than for 2 (0.07 and 1200 cm(-1) vs 0.04 and approximately 600 cm(-1), respectively), apparently in contrast to the presence of one bridge in 1 and two bridges in 2. This result is explained in terms of the respective electronic and geometric structures. Reorganization energies are determined to be 7600 cm(-1) for 1 and 4600 cm(-1) for 2, in qualitative agreement with the analogous Fe(II)-Fe(III) compounds. The general implications of these findings with respect to the spectroscopic and electron-transfer properties of bimetallocenes are discussed.     

Synthesis, crystal structure, and electron paramagnetic resonance investigations of heteronuclear Co(II)/Zn(II) and Co(II)/Cd(II) coordination polymers

The crystal structures of five new Co(II), Zn(II), and Cd(II) coordination polymers based on pyridine-substituted triazolyl carboxylates are reported. The two isomorphous compounds (∞)3[M(Me-3py-pba)?] (M = Zn, Co) possess {6?} topology (dia). In order to obtain heteronuclear compounds, we synthesized Co(II)-substituted Zn(II) and Cd(II) coordination polymers. At T = 5 K, the powder samples of the diamagnetically diluted Co(II)/Zn(II) and Co(II)/Cd(II) systems [Co/(Zn,Cd) ≈ 0.01] show intense electron paramagnetic resonance spectra, which were analyzed with an effective spin of S' = ?. The g tensor as well as the ??Co hyperfine tensor A(Co) are strongly anisotropic. The g tensor components are used to gain information about the symmetry of the Co(II) coordination sphere and covalency effects. Differential thermal analysis/thermogravimetry-mass spectrometry and temperature-dependent powder X-ray diffraction studies reveal high thermal stability of the three-dimensional coordination polymers up to 390 °C.     

Cyclic voltammetric study of the redox behavior of Fe(II)/Fe(III) systems forming during the oxidation of Fe(II) complexes with saccharin and with saccharin and 1,10-phenanthroline

The electrochemical redox behavior of Fe(II)/Fe(III) systems formed during the oxidation of complexes [Fe(C₇H₄NO₃S)₂(H₂O)₄] · 2H₂O (Fe-sac) and [Fe(C₇H₄NO₃S)₂(C₁₂H₈N₂] · 2H₂O (Fe-sac-phen) have been investigated using cyclic voltammetry in the aqueous medium. In the CVs one pair of well-defined cathodic and anodic peaks appear for the transfer of single electron in the Fe-sac complex. The peak potentials are much wider separated as compared with the free (uncoordinated) Fe(II)/Fe(III) system. The ΔE values demonstrate that the electrode process is irreversible. In the presence of secondary ligand, 1,10-phenanthroline (Fe-sac-phen complex), the redox behavior of iron complexes is quasireversible. The effect of pH on the redox behavior of iron system is studied in acetate buffer. Published in Russian in Elektrokhimiya, 2008, Vol. 44, No. 12, pp. 1504–1509. The text was submitted by author in English     

Electrochemical characterization of the redox couple of Fe(III)/Fe(II) mediated by grafted polymer reference electrode (GPRE)

A grafted polymer reference electrode (GPRE) (polystyrene grafted with acrylonitrile as a monomer using gamma irradiation) was fabricated as a reference electrode using cyclic voltammetry (CV). The redox process of K₃Fe(CN)₆ during CV was studied. It was found that the redox current peaks of Fe(II)/Fe(III) in 0.1 M of KCl as supporting electrolyte is given the same oxidation–reduction current as in the Ag/AgCl reference electrode, indicating a good result of GPRE and, hence, it can be used for voltammetric analysis technique. The physical properties of GPRE include good hardness, insoluble in non-aqueous electrolytes (except dimethyl formamide and chloroform), and good stability at different solvents. In addition, the sensitivity under conditions of CV is significantly dependent on the scan rate (SR) and variation in concentration. At different SRs, redox peaks of K₃Fe(CN)₆ were observed in a reversible process: Fe(II)/Fe(III). Interestingly, the redox reaction of Fe(II)/Fe(III) solution using GCE versus GPRE remains constant even after 15 cyclings. It is therefore evident that the GPRE possesses some degree of stability. Also, the new reference electrode GPRE has improved the properties of electroanalysis of CV on the working electrode GCE in reliability with the relative standard deviation.     

A trimetallic mixed Ru(II)/Fe(II) terpyridyl complex with a long-lived excited state in solution at room temperature

The photophysical behavior of a series of mono- and trimetallic Ru(II) and mixed Ru(II)/Fe(II) bis-terpyridyl complexes was examined. The complexes have bridging terpyridyl ligands linked by phenylene-vinylene substituents on the terpyridyl. For the complexes bridged by a single phenylene-vinylene, the lowest-energy excited state is metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT), and excited-state decay is on the 1-10 ns time scale. The complexes with two phenylene-vinylene groups have thermally equilibrated excited states that are localized on the phenylene-vinylene bridge and have much longer lifetimes (>200 ns). Remarkably, the trimetallic complex having an Fe(II) terpyridyl center also has a long-lived excited state, despite the fact that low-energy iron-localized excited states exist on the complex.     

Osmium(II) and ruthenium(II) arene maltolato complexes: rapid hydrolysis and nucleobase binding

Density functional calculations show that aquation of [Os(eta6-arene)(XY)Cl]n+ complexes is more facile for complexes in which XY=an anionic O,O-chelated ligand compared to a neutral N,N-chelated ligand, and the mechanism more dissociative in character. The O,O-chelated XY=maltolato (mal) [M(eta6-p-cym)(mal)Cl] complexes, in which p-cym=p-cymene, M=OsII (1) and RuII (2), were synthesised and the X-ray crystal structures of 1 and 22 H2O determined. Their hydrolysis rates were rapid (too fast to follow by NMR spectroscopy). The aqua adduct of the OsII complex 1 was 1.6 pKa units more acidic than that of the RuII complex 2. Dynamic NMR studies suggested that O,O-chelate ring opening occurs on a millisecond timescale in coordinating proton-donor solvents, and loss of chelated mal in aqueous solution led to the formation of the hydroxo-bridged dimers [(eta6-p-cym)M(mu-OH)3M(eta6-p-cym)]+. The proportion of this dimer in solutions of the OsII complex 1 increased with dilution and it predominated at micromolar concentrations, even in the presence of 0.1 M NaCl (conditions close to those used for cytotoxicity testing). Although 9-ethylguanine (9-EtG) binds rapidly to Os(II) in 1 and more strongly (log K=4.4) than to RuII in 2 (log K=3.9), the OsII adduct [Os(eta6-p-cym)(mal)(9EtG)]+ was unstable with respect to formation of the hydroxo-bridged dimer at micromolar concentrations. Such insights into the aqueous solution chemistry of metal-arene complexes under biologically relevant conditions will aid the rational design of organometallic anticancer agents.     

The electrochemical Peltier effect observed with electrode reactions of Fe(II)/Fe(III) redox couples at a gold electrode

The electrochemical Peltier effect was studied at a gold electrode in solutions containing some Fe(II)/Fe(III) redox couples by measuring the local temperature change in the electrode/solution interphase under controlled-potential and controlled-current polarization. Relative values of the electrochemical Peltier coefficient for the cathodic process at equilibrium potential, which is denoted by (Π_c)_I=0, were determined by analyzing the observed temperature change as a function of current. The values of (Π_c)_I=0 were found to be positive for the Fe(H₂O)₆²⁺/Fe(H₂O)₆³⁺ systems in HClO₄ (1 M), HNO₃ (1 M), H₂SO₄ (0.5 M), and HCl (1 M), their magnitudes being very similar in the first three acid solutions, but smaller in the HCl solution. On the other hand, a negative value of (Π_c)_I=0 was obtained in the case of a Fe(CN)₆^4?/Fe(CN)₆^3? couple in a H₂SO₄ (0.5 M) solution. Such a difference in the Peltier coefficient is considered to be due to the difference in the ionic species of iron involved in the electrode reaction.     

Novel non-aqueous Fe(III)/Fe(II) redox couple for the catalytic oxidation of hydrogen sulfide to sulfur by air

A series of Fe(III) salts and organic solvents have been screened to develop novel non-aqueous catalysts for the conversion of H2S to sulfur. FeCl3/95% N-methylpyrrolidinone/5% H2O was found to be a most efficient non-aqueous system. The process chemistry, the proposed mechanism of catalytic oxidation of H2S, and the electrochemistry are discussed.