Synthesis of Various Water Soluble and Stable Copper Complexes Bearing N‐Heterocyclic Carbene Ligands and Their Activity in DNA Alkylation

We report here the synthesis and catalytic evaluation in DNA alkylation of a series of water‐soluble copper complexes bearing N‐heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligands. The NHC ligands were chosen to cover the gamut of commonly used scaffold variations, but in many cases, copper complexes could not be obtained or were unstable. Nevertheless, we identified several complexes that were both stable and catalytically active. Our studies provide guidance and starting scaffolds for any researchers interested in aqueous copper(I) catalysis. A key practical aspect of our findings is that azide‐bearing copper‐NHC complexes are excellent substrates for the azide‐alkyne cycloaddition, which allows late‐stage tailoring of the copper complexes.     

4-Vinylbenzyl-substituted silver(I) N-heterocyclic carbene complexes and ruthenium(II) N-heterocyclic carbene complexes: synthesis and transfer hydrogenation of ketones

4-Vinylbenzyl-substituted Ag(I) N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) complexes and Ru(II) NHC complexes have been synthesized. The Ag(I) complexes were synthesized from the imidazolium salts and Ag₂O in dichloromethane at room temperature. The Ru(II) complexes were prepared from Ag(I) NHC complexes by transmetallation. The six 4-Vinylbenzyl-substituted Ag(I) NHC complexes and six 4-Vinylbenzyl-substituted Ru(II) NHC complexes have been characterized by spectroscopic techniques and elemental analyses. The Ru(II) NHC complexes show catalytic activity for the transfer hydrogenation of ketones.     

Palladium, rhodium and platinum complexes of ortho-xylyl-linked bis-N-heterocyclic carbenes: Synthesis, structure and catalytic activity

New Pd(II), Pt(II) and Rh(I) N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) complexes containing two NHC units linked by an ortho-xylyl group are described and structurally and spectroscopically characterised. The Pt(II) complexes represent the first examples of Pt-bis(NHC) complexes where the NHC units are linked by an ortho-xylyl group. Functionalisation of the bis(NHC) ligands with heptyl groups has been used as a means of enhancing the solubility of the complexes, in order to facilitate spectroscopic characterisation and catalytic studies. The catalytic activity of the palladium(II) complexes in Heck and Suzuki cross-coupling reactions has been examined to investigate any effects of the diverse structural changes, though these appear to be insignificant.     

Palladium(II) N-heterocyclic carbene complexes: synthesis,structures and cytotoxicity potential studies against breast cancer cell line

Abstract

Mononuclear trans-Pd(II)–NHC complexes (where NHC?=?N-heterocyclic carbene) bearing asymmetrically substituted NHC-ligand have been synthesized via transmetalation reaction between Ag(I)–NHC complexes and [Pd(NCCH₃)₂Cl₂]. The NHC precursors are accessible in two steps by N-n-alkyl reactions of benzimidazole. The resultant benzimidazolium salts were deprotonated with Ag₂O by in situ deprotonation to facilitate the formation of mononuclear Ag(I)–NHC complexes. Single-crystal structural study for Pd(II)–NHC shows that the palladium(II) ion exhibits a square-planar geometry of two NHC ligands and two chloride ions. The cytotoxicity study was investigated against breast cancer cell line (MCF-7). The Ag(I)–NHC complexes exhibit better activities than their corresponding Pd(II)–NHC complexes, whereas all benzimidazolium salts are inactive toward MCF-7 cancer cell line.     

Active trifluoromethylating agents from well-defined Copper(I)-CF3 complexes

The first examples of isolable and structurally characterized Cu(I)-CF3 complexes are reported. N-Heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-supported copper tert-butoxide complexes reacted with Me3Si-CF3 to afford new (NHC)Cu-CF3 complexes whose structures were dependent on whether or not the C4-C5 positions of the five-membered NHC rings were saturated. In situ generated (SIiPr)Cu-CF3 cleanly transferred its trifluoromethyl group to a number of organic halides under mild conditions.     

Dinuclear PdII complexes bearing mixed NHC/Py/PPh3 donor set ligands: Catalytic applications and electrochemical investigations

Bimetallic palladium(II) complexes containing classical NHC donor ligands are becoming increasingly popular owing to their various catalytic applications. However, examples of the aforementioned complexes with mixed NHC/PPh₃ ligands are still rare. Bimetallic palladium(II) complexes possessing these mixed ligands are described starting from a C2-symmetric bis-imidazolium salt containing 4,4′-substituted central biphenyl ring. All the palladium(II) complexes have been tested as precatalysts in α-arylation of oxindole and Suzuki–Miyaura coupling reactions. The complex composed of mixed NHC/PPh₃ donor ligands shows superior catalytic activity compared with the corresponding PEPPSI type complexes when applied in α-arylation of oxindole. The dinuclear complexes display better activity compared with the mononuclear complexes. The preliminary electrochemical measurements show the facile oxidation of Pd^II in the presence of combined NHC/PPh₃ ligands compared with a combination of NHC/Py ligands.     

Structure and bonding in three-coordinate N-heterocyclic carbene adducts of iron(II) bis(trimethylsilyl)amide

The molecular structures, chemical bonding and magnetochemistry of the three-coordinate iron(II) NHC complexes [(NHC)Fe{N(SiMe(3))(2)}(2)] (NHC = IPr, 2; NHC = IMes, 3) are reported.     

(N-Heterocyclic carbene) ion-pair palladium complexes: Suzuki–Miyaura cross-coupling studies in neat water under mild conditions

The synthesis and characterization of a series of (N-heterocyclic carbene)PdCl₃⁻(NMe₃H)⁺ ion-pair complexes are presented. Applying the quaternary ammonium salt as the function with NHC–Pd(II) complexes yields the new ion-pair complexes. The NHC–Pd(II) ion-pair complexes work well by undergoing the Suzuki–Miyaura reaction with aryl chloride substrates in water under mild conditions in air at room temperature. Twenty products resulting from Suzuki–Miyaura coupling reactions carried out in the presence of the new NHC–Pd(II) ion-pair complex under mild optimal conditions were examined to determine the optimum yields.     

Bent metal carbene geometries in amido N-heterocyclic carbene complexes

Lithium(I) and uranium(VI) amido-tethered Bu(t)-substituted N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) complexes exhibit very distorted metal-carbene bonds; the corresponding magnesium(II) and mesityl-substituted NHC uranium(VI) complexes are undistorted; the distortion does not affect the ligand binding strength, suggesting a dominance of electrostatic character in closed-shell electropositive metal-carbene bonds.     

Imidazol(in)ium‐2‐Carboxylates as Efficient Precursors to N‐Heterocyclic Carbene Complexes of Copper and Silver

Copper and silver N‐heterocyclic carbene (NHC) complexes were prepared through a simple, base‐free protocol involving the decomposition of corresponding imidazol(in)ium‐2‐carboxylates under thermolytic conditions and a subsequent reaction of the in situ generated carbenes with copper(I) or silver(I) chloride, respectively. The desired NHC metal complexes were isolated with good yields after simple crystallization.     

Palladium catalyzed asymmetric allylic alkylation using chelating N-heterocyclic carbene–amino ligands

Several silver(I) complexes with chiral amino-N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligands, which are not diastereomerically pure, were prepared and used to generate in situ chelating NHC–amino palladium(II) complexes. The potential of these palladium(II) complexes in asymmetric catalysis was evaluated in the allylic alkylation reaction. The influence of the structure and of the diastereomeric purity of the ligands on enantioselectivity, as well as the role of the silver salts, were studied. Enantiomeric excesses of up to 80% were obtained with the best ligand.     

New tripodal N-heterocyclic carbene chelators for small molecule activation

In an effort to develop new tripodal N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligands for small molecule activation, two new classes of tripodal NHC ligands TIME^R and TIMEN^R have been synthesized. The carbon-anchored tris(carbene) ligand system TIME^R (R = Me, t-Bu) forms bi- or polynuclear metal complexes. While the methyl derivative exclusively forms trinuclear 3:2 complexes [(TIME^Me)₂M₃]³⁺ with group 11 metal ions, the tert-butyl derivative yields a dinuclear 2:2 complex [(TIME^t-Bu)₂Cu₂]²⁺ with copper(I). The latter complex shows both “normal” and “abnormal” carbene binding modes and accordingly, is best formulated as a bis(carbene)alkenyl complex. The nitrogen-anchored tris(carbene) ligands TIMEN^R (R = alkyl, aryl) bind to a variety of first-row transition metal ions in 1:1 stoichiometry, affording monomeric complexes with a protected reactivity cavity at the coordinated metal center. Complexes of TIMEN^R with Cu(I)/(II), Ni(0)/(I), and Co(I)/(II)/(III) have been synthesized. The cobalt(I) complexes with the aryl-substituted TIMEN^R (R = mesityl, xylyl) ligands show great potential for small molecule activation. These complexes activate for instance dioxygen to form cobalt(III) peroxo complexes that, upon reaction with electrophilic organic substrates, transfer an oxygen atom. The cobalt(I) complexes are also precursors for terminal cobalt(III) imido complexes. These imido complexes were found to undergo unprecedented intra-molecular imido insertion reactions to form cobalt(II) imine species. The molecular and electronic structures of some representative metal NHC complexes as well as the nature of the metal–carbene bond of these metal NHC complexes was elucidated by X-ray and DFT computational methods and are discussed briefly. In contrast to the common assumption that NHCs are pure σ-donors, our studies revealed non-negligible and even significant π-backbonding in electron-rich metal NHC complexes.     

NHC–Copper(I) Halide‐Catalyzed Direct Alkynylation of Trifluoromethyl Ketones on Water

An efficient and easily scalable NHC–copper(I) halide‐catalyzed addition of terminal alkynes to 1,1,1‐trifluoromethyl ketones, carried out on water for the first time, is reported. A series of addition reactions were performed with as little as 0.1–2.0 mol % of [(NHC)CuX] (X=Cl, Br, I, OAc, OTf) complexes, providing tertiary propargylic trifluoromethyl alcohols in high yields and with excellent chemoselectivity from a broad range of aryl‐ and more challenging alkyl‐substituted trifluoromethyl ketones (TFMKs). DFT calculations were performed to rationalize the correlation between the yield of catalytic alkynylation and the sterics of N‐heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs), expressed as buried volume (%VBur), indicating that steric effects dominate the yield of the reaction. Additional DFT calculations shed some light on the differential reactivity of [(NHC)CuX] complexes in the alkynylation of TFMKs. The first enantioselective version of a direct alkynylation in the presence of C₁‐symmetric NHC–copper(I) complexes is also presented.     

Copper-carbene complexes as catalysts in the synthesis of functionalized styrenes and aliphatic alkenes

(NHC)-Cu (NHC = N-heterocyclic carbene) complexes efficiently catalyzed the methylenation of a variety of aliphatic and aromatic aldehydes and ketones in the presence of trimethylsilyldiazomethane, triphenylphosphine, and 2-propanol. The copper catalysts are not only inexpensive compared to rhodium complexes, but they also exhibit better functional group compatibility with aromatic aldehydes and ketones. Indeed very high yields were obtained for the formation of styrenes containing nitro, trifluoromethyl, amino, and ester groups, as well as for pyridine-, pyrrole-, and indole-substituted alkenes.     

Synthesis and structures of cyclopentadienyl N-heterocyclic carbene copper(I) complexes

A series of cyclopentadienyl N-heterocyclic carbene copper complexes CpCu(NHC) were synthesized and structurally characterized. The effect of the substituents at the nitrogen atom of the NHC ligands on the structures and thermally stability was discussed.     

Nickel N‐heterocyclic carbene complexes in the vinyl polymerization of norbornene

Vinyl polymerized norbornene has some useful properties such as good mechanical strength, optical transparency and heat resistance. Several transition metal complexes have been described in the literature as active catalysts for the vinyl polymerization of norbornene. We now report the use of three types of nickel(II) complexes with N‐heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligands in the catalytic vinyl polymerization of norbornene under a range of conditions. Specifically, two nickel complexes bearing a chelating bis(NHC) ligand, two nickel complexes bearing two chelating anionic N‐donor functionalized NHC ligands as well as one diiodidonickel(II) complex with two monodentate NHC ligands were tested. The solid‐state structure of bis(1,3‐dimethylimidazol‐2‐ylidene)diiodidonickel(II), as determined by X‐ray crystallography, is presented. The highest polymerization activity of 2.6 × 10⁷ g (mol cat)^?1 h^?1 was observed using the latter nickel complex as catalyst, activated by methylaluminoxane. The norbornene polymers thus obtained are of high molecular weight but with rather low polydispersity. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Platinum (II) N‐heterocyclic carbene complexes: Synthesis,characterization and cytotoxic properties

Platinum (II) complexes bearing N‐heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligands have been widely used in catalytic chemistry, but there are very few reports of biological properties of this type of complexes. A series of [PtCl₂(NHC)(PEt₃)] complexes were synthesized. The structures of all compounds were characterized by ¹H‐NMR, ¹³C‐NMR, IR and elemental analysis techniques, which supported the proposed structures. The single crystal structures of complexes 1a and 1e were determined. The title complexes show slightly distorted square‐planar coordination around the platinum (II) metal center. The cytotoxic properties of the platinum (II)–NHC complexes have been assessed in various human cancer lines, including cisplatin‐sensitive and resistant cells. IC₅₀ values of these four complexes were determined by the MTS‐based assay on three human cell lines—brain (SHSY5Y), colon (HTC116) and liver (HEP3B). These complexes have been highlighted cancer therapeutic agent with unique structures and functions.     

Synthesis,characterization, DNA binding and nuclease activity of binuclear copper(II) complexes of cuminaldehyde thiosemicarbazones

Binuclear copper(II) complexes of thiosemicarbazones derived from cuminaldehyde (p-isopropyl benzaldehyde) and substituted thiosemicarbazides NH₂NHC(S)NHR, where R = H, Me, Et or Ph have been synthesized and characterized. The ESR indicates that the dissociation of dimeric complex into mononuclear [Cu(L)Cl(DMSO)₃] units in polar solvents like DMSO, where L = monoanionic thiosemicarbazone. The molecular ion peak in the LC-MS coincides with the formula weight of the complexes. The absorption titration studies revealed that each of these complexes is an avid binder to calf thymus-DNA. The apparent binding constants are in the order of 10⁷–10⁸ M⁻¹. The nucleolytic cleavage activities of the ligands and their complexes were assayed on pUC18 plasmid DNA using gel electrophoresis in the presence and absence of H₂O₂. The ligands showed increased nuclease activity when administered as copper complexes. All these copper(II) complexes behave as an efficient chemical nucleases with hydrogen peroxide activation. These studies revealed that the complexes exhibit both oxidative and hydrolytic chemistry in DNA cleavage.     

Structural Diversity of Copper(I)–N‐Heterocyclic Carbene Complexes; Ligand Tuning Facilitates Isolation of the First Structurally Characterised Copper(I)–NHC Containing a Copper(I)–Alkene Interaction

The preparation of a series of imidazolium salts bearing N‐allyl substituents, and a range of substituents on the second nitrogen atom that have varying electronic and steric properties, is reported. The ligands have been coordinated to a copper(I) centre and the resulting copper(I)–NHC (NHC=N‐heterocyclic carbene) complexes have been thoroughly examined, both in solution and in the solid‐state. The solid‐state structures are highly diverse and exhibit a range of unusual geometries and cuprophilic interactions. The first structurally characterised copper(I)–NHC complex containing a copper(I)–alkene interaction is reported. An N‐pyridyl substituent, which forms a dative bond with the copper(I) centre, stabilises an interaction between the metal centre and the allyl substituent of a neighbouring ligand, to form a 1D coordination polymer. The stabilisation is attributed to the pyridyl substituent increasing the electron density at the copper(I) centre, and thus enhancing the metal(d)‐to‐alkene(π*) back‐bonding. In addition, components other than charge transfer appear to have a role in copper(I)–alkene stabilisation because further increases in the Lewis basicity of the ligand disfavours copper(I)–alkene binding.     

C(2) symmetric chiral NHC ligand for asymmetric quaternary carbon constructing copper-catalyzed conjugate addition of grignard reagents to 3-substituted cyclohexenones

The asymmetric construction of quaternary carbon centers by conjugate addition of Grignard reagents to 3-methyl- and 3-ethylcyclohexenones was realized in a maximum enantioselectivity of 80% by using a C 2 symmetric chiral N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-copper catalyst, generated from (4 S,5 S)-1,3-bis(2-methoxyphenyl)-4,5-diphenyl-4,5-dihydro-1 H-imidazol-3-ium tetrafluoroborate and copper(II) triflate. The stereostructures of the NHC-Au complexes were analyzed by X-ray crystallography, which rationalized the good stereocontrolling ability of N-aryl NHCs.