New organometallic Ru(II) and Fe(II) complexes with tetrathia-[7]-helicene derivative ligands

A series of organometallic complexes possessing new tetrathia-[7]-helicene nitrile derivative ligands [TH-7] as chromophores, of general formula [MCp(P–P)(NC{TH-[7]-Y}Z)][PF₆] (M = Ru, Fe, P–P = DPPE, Y = H, NO₂, Z = H, C≡N; M = Ru, L–L = 2PPh₃, Y = H, Z = H) has been synthesized and fully characterized. ¹H NMR, FT-IR and UV–Vis. spectroscopic data were analyzed with in order to evaluate the existence of electronic delocalization from the metal centre to the coordinated ligand to have some insight on the potentialities of these new compounds as non-linear optical molecular materials. Slow crystallization of compound [RuCp(PPh₃)₂(NC{TH-[7]-H}H)][PF₆] 2Ru revealed an interesting isomerization of the helical ligand with formation of two carbon-carbon bonds between the two terminal thiophenes, leading to the total closure of the helix (2*Ru).     

Synthesis and structural characterization of ruthenium(II) and iron(II) complexes containing 1,2-di-(2-thienyl)-ethene derived ligands as chromophores

A new family of three-legged piano stool structured organometallic compounds containing the η⁵-cyclopentadienylruthenium(II)/iron(II) fragments {M(η⁵-C₅H₅) (DPPE)}⁺, {Ru(η⁵-C₅H₅)(PPh₃)₂}⁺ and {Ru(η⁵-C₅H₅)(TMEDA)}⁺ with coordinated thiophene based chromophores, namely 5-(2-thiophen-2-yl-vinyl)-thiophene-2-carbonitrile (L1) and 5-[2-(5-Nitro-thiophen-2-yl)-vinyl]-thiophene-2-carbonitrile (L2) has been synthesized and fully characterized by ¹H, ¹³C, ³¹P NMR, IR and UV-Vis spectroscopies. Also, electrochemical studies were carried out by cyclic voltammetry and all experimental data are interpreted and compared with related compounds under the scope of NLO properties. Compounds [Ru(η⁵-C₅H₅)(DPPE)(NC(C₄H₂S)C(H)C(H)(C₄H₃S))][CF₃SO₃] (1′Ru) [Fe(η⁵-C₅H₅)(DPPE)(NC(C₄H₂S)C(H)C(H)(C₄H₃S))] [PF₆] (1Fe) and [Ru(η⁵-C₅H₅)(DPPE)(NC(C₄H₂S)C(H)C(H)(C₄H₂S)NO₂)][CF₃SO₃] (4′Ru) were also crystallographically characterized.     

Synthesis and second-order nonlinear optical properties of new chromophores containing benzimidazole, thiophene, and pyrrole heterocycles

A new series of thermally stable benzimidazole-based nonlinear optical (NLO) chromophores 4 and 5 have been developed. These chromophores possess a thienylpyrrolyl π-conjugated system attached to functionalized benzimidazole heterocycles. This feature leads to robust chromophores with excellent solvatochromic properties, high thermal stabilities and good molecular optical nonlinearities.     

Synthesis and characterization of new thienylpyrrolyl-benzothiazoles as efficient and thermally stable nonlinear optical chromophores

The synthesis and full characterization of new chromophores with second-order nonlinearities containing thienylpyrrolyl and benzothiazolyl moieties are reported. The solvatochromic behavior of the compounds was investigated. The hyperpolarizabilities β of derivatives 4-6 were measured using hyper-Rayleigh scattering and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) was used to evaluate their thermal stability. The experimental results indicate that strong nonlinearity is balanced by good thermal stability especially for chromophores 6b and 6c, making them good candidates for NLO applications.     

Comparative study on the photophysical properties between carbene-based Fe (II) and Ru (II) complexes

The comparative study on the photophysical properties between cheap metal Fe (II) complexes and noble metal Ru (II) complexes with identical ligand coordination is performed by the combination of density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) to evaluate the potential alternative applications of Fe (II) complexes. RuBIP (BIP = 2,6-bis (imidazol-2- ylidene)pyridine) is theoretically established that the radiative lifetime of the second lowest triplet state is more consistence with experimental value. However, FeBIP retains nonluminous because of low-lying ³MC originated from weak d orbital splitting. FeBIPC (FeBIP with carboxylic acid groups) has twice longer lifetime than its parent complex FeBIP due to the great decrease of the energy gap between ³MLCT and ³MC. What's more, the lifetimes of Fe (II) complexes detected in the experiments are more accessible to nonradiative decay lifetimes of ³MC. The carboxylic acid groups are beneficial for the improvement of luminescent possibility and controllability of Fe (II) complexes, while there is still a huge challenge for effective material replacement comparing with Ru (II) complexes.     

Star-shaped electrochemiluminescent metallodendrimers with central polypyridyl Ru(II) complexes: Synthesis and their photophysical and electrochemical properties

Several dendritic bridging ligands were designed and synthesized to develop more sensitive and efficient electrochemiluminescent (ECL) polynuclear Ru(II) complexes. Various types of novel two-armed, four-armed and six-armed tris(bipyridyl)ruthenium core dendrimers were synthesized by coordinating dendritic polybipyridyl ligands with Ru(II) complexes, and the effect of the ligand and the dendritic network on the ECL characteristics were studied. Their electrochemical redox potentials, UV, photoluminescence (PL), and relative ECL intensities were also investigated in detail. The synthesized metallodendrimers exhibited strong metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT) absorption at 428-451 nm and emission at 591-601 nm. Most of the newly synthesized metallodendrimers showed enhanced ECL intensities compared to the reference complex, [Ru(o-phen)₃](PF₆)₂. In particular, the ECL intensities of the six-armed heptanuclear ruthenium complexes were almost four times greater than that of [Ru(o-phen)₃]²⁺. These metallodendrimers could be utilized as efficient ECL materials and light emitting devices.     

Synthesis and photochemistry of Ru(II) complexes containing phenanthroline-based ligands with fused pyrrole rings

Hydrolysis of 1,10-phenanthrolinopyrrole ethyl ester leads to the acid derivative which is unstable at room-temperature releasing CO(2) and forming 1,10-phenanthrolinopyrrole (php). The ligand reacts with ruthenium(II) to form a series of complexes of the general formula [Ru(php)(n)(bpy)(3-n)](2+), where bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine and n = 1-3. The photochemical properties reveal that the complexes have longer-lived excited states than the standard complex, [Ru(bpy)(3)](2+). Their emission lifetimes range from 9.04 micros (n = 1) to 35.5 micros (n = 3) at 77 K compared to 7.57 micros for the standard. Similarly, at room-temperature, emission lifetimes range from 1.20 micros (n = 1) to 1.70 micros (n = 3) relative to the standard (0.56 micros). The emission quantum yields also have higher values than the standard [Ru(bpy)(3)](2+) under similar conditions. The temperature-dependent studies for the complexes establish the distribution among the radiative, nonradiative, and (3)MLCT to (3)d-d decay channels and are in agreement with the energy gap law.     

Synthesis of tricyanovinyl-substituted thienylpyrroles and characterization of the solvatochromic, electrochemical and non-linear optical properties

Tricyanovinyl-substituted 1-(alkyl)aryl-2-(2′-thienyl)pyrroles 1 have been synthesized by direct tricyanovinylation reaction of 1-(alkyl)aryl-2-(2′-thienyl)pyrroles 2 using TCNE. The tricyanovinyl-derivatives 1 display dramatic reductions in both their optical and electrochemical band gaps relative to thienylpyrrole precursors 2. The solvatochromic behavior of compounds 1 was investigated in a variety of solvents. Hyper-Rayleigh scattering was used to measure the first hyperpolarizabilities β of the mentioned compounds. The β values show that the new compounds prepared could be used on the manufacture of materials with good non-linear (NLO) properties.     

A contribution to 1-azapentadienylmetal chemistry: Si, Sn(II), Fe(II) and Co(II) complexes

Complexes of three related 1-azapentadienyl ligands [N(SiMe₂R¹)C(Bu^t)(CH)₃SiMe₂R]⁻, abbreviated as L (R = Bu^t, R¹ = Me), L′ (R = Me = R¹), and L″ (R = Bu^t = R¹), are described. The crystalline compounds Sn(L)₂ (1), Sn(L′)₂ (2), [Sn(L′)(μ-Cl)]₂ (3) and [Sn(L″)(μ-Cl)]₂ (4) were prepared from SnCl₂ and 2 K(L), 2 K(L′), K(L′) and K(L″), respectively, in thf. Treatment of the appropriate lithium 1-azapentadienyl with Si(Cl)Me₃ yielded the yellow crystalline Me₃Si(L) (5) and the volatile liquid Me₃Si(L′) (6) and Me₃Si(L″) (7), each being an N,N,C-trisilyldieneamine. The red, crystalline Fe(L)₂ (8) and Co(L′)₂ (9) were obtained from thf solutions of FeCl₂ with 2 Li(L)(tmeda) and CoCl₂ with 2 K(L′), respectively. Each of 1-9 gave satisfactory C, H, N analyses; 6 and 7 (GC-MS) and 1, 2, 8 and 9 (MS) showed molecular cations and appropriate fragments (also 3 and 4). The ¹H, ¹³C and ¹¹⁹Sn NMR (1-4) and IR spectra support the assignment of 1-4 as containing Sn-N(SiMe₂R¹)-C(Bu^t)(CH)₃SiMe₂R moieties and 5-7 as N(SiMe₃)(SiMe₂R¹)C(Bu^t)(CH)₃SiMe₂R molecules; for 1-4 this is confirmed by their X-ray structures. The magnetic moments for 8 (5.56 μ_B) and 9 (2.75 μ_B) are remarkably close to the appropriate Fe and Co complex [M{η³-N(SiMe₃)C(Bu^t)C(H)SiMe₃}₂]; hence it is proposed that 8 and 9 have similar metal-centred, centrosymmetric, distorted octahedral structures.     

Synthesis and electrochemical studies of organometallic cobalt(III) complexes with substituted benzonitrile chromophores: NMR spectroscopic data as a probe on the second-order non-linear optical properties

The family of organometallic Co(III) benzonitrile derivatives of general formula [CoCp(dppe)(p-NCR)][PF₆]₂ (R = C₆H₄NMe₂, C₆H₄NH₂, C₆H₄OMe, C₆H₄C₆H₅, C₆H₅, C₆H₄C₆H₄NO₂, and C₆H₄NO₂) have been synthesized. Spectroscopic and electrochemical data were analyzed in order to evaluate the extent of electronic coupling between the organometallic fragment and the nitrile ligands. An attempt of correlation between NMR spectroscopic data and the second-order non-linear optical properties is presented, based on this work and available published data for related η⁵-monocyclopentadienyliron, ruthenium and nickel complexes.     

Heteroleptic half-sandwich Ru(II), Rh(III) and Ir(III) complexes based on 5-ferrocenyldipyrromethene

The synthesis and characterization of heteroleptic complexes with the formulations [(η⁶-arene)RuCl(fcdpm)] (η⁶-arene = C₆H₆, C₁₀H₁₄) and [(η⁵-C₅Me₅)MCl(fcdpm)] (M = Rh, Ir; fcdpm = 5-ferrocenyldipyrromethene) have been reported. All the complexes have been characterized by elemental analyses, IR, ¹H NMR and electronic spectral studies. Structures of [(η⁶-C₆H₆)RuCl(fcdpm)] and [(η⁶-C₁₀H₁₄)RuCl(fcdpm)] have been determined crystallographically. Chelating monoanionic linkage of fcdpm to the respective metal centres has been supported by spectral and structural studies. Further, reactivity of the representative complex [(η⁶-C₁₀H₁₄)RuCl(fcdpm)] with ammonium thiocyanate (NH₄SCN) and triphenylphosphine (PPh₃) have been examined.     

Synthesis,characterization, and antitumor properties of ruthenium(II) anthraquinone complexes

Three new Ru(II) complexes, [Ru(dmb)₂(ipad)](ClO₄)₂ (dmb = 4,4′-dimethyl-2,2′-bipyridine, ipad = 2-(anthracene-9,10-dione-2-yl) imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthroline, 1), [Ru(dmp)₂(ipad)](ClO₄)₂ (dmp = 2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline, 2), and [Ru(dip)₂(ipad)](ClO₄)₂ (dip = 4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline, 3), have been synthesized and characterized. The three Ru(II) complexes intercalate with the base pairs of DNA. The in vitro antiproliferative activities and apoptosis-inducing characteristics of these complexes were investigated. The complexes exhibited cytotoxicity against various human cancer cell lines. BEL-7402 cells displayed the highest sensitivity to 1, accounted for by the greatest cellular uptake. Complex 1 was shown to accumulate preferentially in the nuclei of BEL-7402 cells and cause DNA damage and induce apoptosis, which involved cell cycle arrest and reactive oxygen species generation.     

Synthesis,characterization and DNA-binding properties of Ru(II) complexes coordinated by ofloxacin as potential antitumor agents

Three Ru complexes coordinated by oxfloxacin, [Ru(L)₂(OFX)]Cl·2H₂O (L = bpy, 1; dmbpy, 2; phen, 3; and OFX = ofloxacin), were synthesized and characterized. These complexes can inhibit the growth of cervical cancer HeLa cells efficiently. Furthermore, these three complexes exhibited excellent binding affinities with DNA, as confirmed by spectroscopy methods and viscosity experiments. Therefore, the synthesized Ru(II) complexes have excellent DNA-binding abilities with potential applications in cancer chemotherapy.     

Tuning photophysical properties with ancillary ligands in Ru(II) mono-diimine complexes

The series of complexes [XRu(CO)(L-L)(L′)₂][PF₆] (X = H, TFA, Cl; L-L = 2,2′-bipyridyl, 1,10-phenanthroline, 5-amino-1,10-phenanthroline and 4,4′-dicarboxylic-2,2′-bipyridyl; L′₂ = 2PPh₃, Ph₂PC₂H₄PPh_2, Ph₂PCHCHPPh₂) have been synthesized from the starting complex K[Ru(CO)₃(TFA)₃] (TFA = CF₃CO₂) by first reacting with the phosphine ligand, followed by reaction with the L-L and anion exchange with NaPF₆. In the case of L-L = phenanthroline and L′₂ = 2PPh₃, the neutral complex Ru(Ph₃P)(CO)(1,10-phenanthroline)(TFA)₂ is also obtained and its solid state structure is reported. Solid state structures are also reported for the cationic complexes where L-L = phenanthroline, L₂ = 2PPh₃ and X = Cl and for L-L = 2,2′-bipyridyl, L₂ = 2PPh₃ and X = H. All the complexes were characterized in solution by a combination of ¹H and ³¹P NMR, IR, mass spectrometry and elemental analyses. The purpose of the project was to synthesize a series of complexes that exhibit a range of excited-state lifetimes and that have large Stokes shifts, high quantum yields and high intrinsic polarizations associated with their metal-to-ligand charge-transfer (MLCT) emissions. To a large degree these goals have been realized in that excited-state lifetimes in the range of 100 ns to over 1 μs are observed. The lifetimes are sensitive to both solvent and the presence of oxygen. The measured quantum yields and intrinsic anisotropies are higher than for previously reported Ru(II) complexes. Interestingly, the neutral complex with one phosphine ligand shows no MLCT emission. Under the conditions of synthesis some of the initially formed complexes with X = TFA are converted to the corresponding hydrides or in the presence of chlorinated solvents to the corresponding chlorides, testifying to the lability of the TFA Ligand. The compounds show multiple reduction potentials which are chemically and electrochemically reversible in a few cases as examined by cyclic voltammetry. The relationships between the observed photophysical properties of the complexes and the nature of the ligands on the Ru(II) is discussed.     

Synthesis and structural characterisation of cobalt(II) and iron(II) chloride complexes containing bis(2-pyridylmethyl)amine and tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine ligands

Treatment of (2-C₅H₄N)CH_{2 3}N (TPA) with one equivalent of MCl₂ in n-BuOH at elevated temperatures affords the six-coordinate complexes [(TPA)MCl₂] (M = Co (1), Fe (2)) and, in the case of CoCl₂, the five-coordinate chloride salt [(TPA)CoCl]Cl (3). Conversely, addition of an excess of CoCl₂ in the latter reaction leads to [(TPA)CoCl]₂[CoCl₄] (4) as the only isolable product. Interaction of one equivalent of (2-C₅H₄N)CH_{2 2}NH (DPA) and MCl₂ under similar reaction conditions to that described above affords the dimeric species [(fac-DPA)MCl(μ-Cl)]₂ (M = Co (5), Fe (6)), while the bis(ligand) halide salts [(fac-DPA)₂M]Cl₂ (M = Co (7), Fe (8)) are accessible on addition of two equivalents of DPA. In the presence of air, 6 undergoes oxidation to give [ (fac-DPA)FeCl_{2 2}(μ-O)] (9). Single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies are reported for 1, 2 · MeCN, 3, , 7 · 3MeCN, 8 · 3MeCN and 9.     

Synthesis and characterization of electrochemiluminescent ruthenium(II) complexes containing o-phenanthroline and various alpha-diimine ligands

A series of o-phenanthroline-substituted ruthenium(II) complexes containing 2,2′-dipyridyl, 2-(2-pyridyl)benzimidazole, 2-(2-pyridyl)-N-methylbenzimidazole, 4-carboxymethyl-4′-methyl-2,2′-dipyridyl, and/or 4,4′-dimethyl-2,2′-dipyridyl ligands were synthesized and examined as potent electrochemiluminescent (ECL) materials. The characteristics of these complexes, regarding their electrochemical redox potentials and relative ECL intensities for tripropylamine were studied. As found in a 2,2′-bipyridyl-substituted ruthenium(II) complexes, a good correlation between the observed ECL intensity and the donor ability of α-diimine ligands was observed, i.e., the ECL intensity of the Ru(II) complex decreased with an increase in the ligand donor ability. The ECL efficiency increased as the number of substitutions of o-phenanthroline (o-phen) to metal complexes increased.     

Synthesis, characterization, and reactivity of half-sandwich Ru(II) complexes containing phosphine, arsine, stibine, and bismutine ligands

The synthesis and some reactions of the Ru(II) and Ru(IV) half-sandwich complexes [RuCp(EPh₃)(CH₃CN)₂]⁺ (E=P, As, Sb, Bi) and [RuCp(EPh₃)(η³-C₃H₅)Br]⁺ have been investigated. The chemistry of this class of compounds is characterized by a competitive coordination of EPh₃ either via a RuE or a η⁶-arene bond, where the latter is favored when the former is weaker, that is in going down the series. Thus in the case of Bi, the starting material [RuCp(CH₃CN)₃]⁺ does not react with BiPh₃ to give [RuCp(BiPh₃)(CH₃CN)₂]⁺ but instead gives only the η⁶-arene species [RuCp(η⁶-PhBiPh₂)]⁺ and [(RuCp)₂(μ-η⁶,η⁶-Ph₂BiPh)]²⁺. Similarly, the EPh₃ ligand can be replaced by an aromatic solvent or an arene substrate. Thus, the catalytic performance of [RuCp(EPh₃)(CH₃CN)₂]⁺ for the isomerization of allyl-phenyl ethers to the corresponding 1-propenyl ethers is best with E=P, while the conversion drops significantly using the As and Sb derivatives. By the same token, only [RuCp(PPh₃)(CH₃CN)₂]⁺ is stable in a non-aromatic solvent, whereas both [RuCp(AsPh₃)(CH₃CN)₂]⁺ and [RuCp(SbPh₃)(CH₃CN)₂]⁺ rearrange upon warming to [RuCp(η⁶-PhEPh₂)]⁺ and related compounds. In addition, the potential of [RuCp(EPh₃)(CH₃CN)₂]⁺ as precatalysts for the transfer hydrogenation of acetophenone and cyclohexanone has been investigated. Again aromatic substrates are clearly less suited than non-aromatic ones due to facile η⁶-arene coordination leading to catalyst's deactivation.     

Diastereomeric half-sandwich Ru(II) cationic complexes containing amino amide ligands. Synthesis, solution properties, crystal structure and catalytic activity in transfer hydrogenation of acetophenone

The cationic complexes [(η⁶-arene)Ru(N,O-amino amide)X]Y (arene = p-cymene or indane; N,O-amino amide = (l)-proline amide or (l)-phenylalanine amide; X = Cl or I; Y = Cl, I or PF₆) have been synthesised and fully characterized by spectroscopic and analytical methods. In several cases (1a, 3a, 4a, 4b, 5) the metal configuration has been definitively established by X-ray analysis on single crystal. The lability of the metal center in solution has been studied by ¹H NMR and CD techniques. The highest configurational stability has been found in the complexes of the type [(η⁶-indane)Ru(N,O-proline amide)Cl]Y (4a,b). The complexes 1b, 2a-b, 3b, 4b and 5 are good precatalysts for the transfer hydrogenation of acetophenone in basic i-PrOH, with ee up to 76% at 30 °C. An ESI(+)-MS study of pre-catalytic solutions has provided useful information on the catalytic mechanism.     

Synthesis, characterization and DNA-binding and DNA-photocleavage studies of two Ru(II) complexes containing two main ligands and one ancillary ligand

DNA-binding and DNA-photocleavage properties of two Ru(II) complexes, [Ru(L¹)(dppz)₂](PF₆)₄ (1) and [Ru(L²)(dppz)₂](PF₆)₄ (2) (L¹ = 5,5′-di(1-(triethylammonio)methyl)-2,2′-dipyridyl cation; L² = 5,5′-di(1-(tributylammonio)methyl)-2,2′-dipyridyl cation; dppz = dipyrido[3,2-a:2′,3′-c]phenazine, have been investigated. Experimental results show that the DNA-binding affinity of complex 1 is greater than that of 2, both complexes emit luminescence in aqueous solution, either alone or in the presence of DNA, complex 1 can bind to DNA in an intercalative mode while 2 most likely interacts with DNA in a partial intercalation fashion, and complex 2 serves as a better candidate for enantioselective binding to CT-DNA compared with 1. Moreover, complex 1 reveals higher efficient DNA cleavage activity than 2, during which supercoiled DNA is converted to nicked DNA with both complexes. Theoretical calculations for the two complexes have been carried out applying the density functional theory (DFT) method at the level of the B3LYP/LanL2DZ basis set. The calculated results can reasonably explain the obtained experimental trends in the DNA-binding affinities and binding constants (K_b) of these complexes.     

Synthesis and magnetic properties of polymeric complexes containing ruthenium(II)-ruthenium(III) tetracarboxylato units linked by cyanato,thiocyanato, and selenocyanato ligands

Polymeric complexes of ruthenium(II)-ruthenium(III) tetracarboxylato units linked by cyanato, thiocyanato, and selenocyanato ligands [Ru₂{O₂C(CH₂)_mCH₃}₄(L)] _n (m = 0, 4–7; L = OCN⁻, SCN⁻, and SeCN⁻) were prepared and characterized based on the elemental analyses, IR, and diffuse reflectance spectra. Magnetic susceptibilities were measured at the temperature range of 4.5 K to 300 K, where the interdimer antiferromagnetic interactions were revealed. The strongest interaction was exhibited in case of m = 7 and L = OCN⁻. ¹H-NMR spectra of [Ru{O₂C(CH₂)₇CH₃}₄(SCN)] _n in CD₂Cl₂ showed broad signals which can be ascribed to polymeric species, as the addition of tetrabutylammonium thiocyanate caused sharper signals due to the formation of [Ru₂{O₂C(CH₂)₇CH₃}₄(SCN)₂]⁻ adduct as the main species in the solution. Dedicated to Professor Milan Melník on the occasion of his 70th birthday