Construction of Hetero‐Four‐Layered Tripalladium(II) Cyclophanes by Transannular π⋅⋅⋅π Interactions

A synthetic strategy for the generation of new molecular species utilizing a provision of nature is presented. Nano‐dimensional (23(2)×21(1)×16(1) ų) hetero‐four‐layered trimetallacyclophanes were constructed by proof‐of‐concept experiments that utilize a suitable combination of π???π interactions between the central aromatic rings, tailor‐made short/long spacer tridentate donors, and the combined helicity. The behavior of the unprecedented four‐layered metallacyclophane system offers a landmark in the development of new molecular systems.     

A Crystallographic Charge Density Study of the Partial Covalent Nature of Strong N⋅⋅⋅Br Halogen Bonds

The covalent nature of strong N?Br???N halogen bonds in a cocrystal ( 2 ) of N‐bromosuccinimide ( NBS ) with 3,5‐dimethylpyridine ( lut ) was determined from X‐ray charge density studies and compared to a weak N?Br???O halogen bond in pure crystalline NBS ( 1 ) and a covalent bond in bis(3‐methylpyridine)bromonium cation (in its perchlorate salt ( 3 ). In 2 , the donor N?Br bond is elongated by 0.0954 Å, while the Br???acceptor distance of 2.3194(4) is 1.08 Å shorter than the sum of the van der Waals radii. A maximum electron density of 0.38 e Å^?3 along the Br???N halogen bond indicates a considerable covalent contribution to the total interaction. This value is intermediate to 0.067 e Å^?3 for the Br???O contact in 1 , and approximately 0.7 e Å^?3 in both N?Br bonds of the bromonium cation in 3 . A calculation of the natural bond order charges of the contact atoms, and the σ*(N1?Br) population of NBS as a function of distance between NBS and lut , have shown that charge transfer becomes significant at a Br???N distance below about 3 Å.     

Luminescent Benzoquinolate‐Isocyanide Platinum(II) Complexes: Effect of Pt⋅⋅⋅Pt and π⋅⋅⋅π Interactions on their Photophysical Properties

The neutral compounds [Pt(bzq)(CN)(CNR)] (R=tBu ( 1 ), Xyl ( 2 ), 2‐Np ( 3 ); bzq= benzoquinolate, Xyl=2,6‐dimethylphenyl, 2‐Np=2‐napthyl) were isolated as the pure isomers with a trans‐C_bzq,CNR configuration, as confirmed by ¹³C{¹H} NMR spectroscopy in the isotopically marked [Pt(bzq)(¹³CN)(CNR)] (R=tBu ( 1′ ), Xyl ( 2′ ), 2‐Np ( 3′ )) derivatives (δ¹³C_CN≈110 ppm; ¹J(Pt,¹³C)≈1425 Hz]. By contrast, complex [Pt(bzq)(C≡CPh)(CNXyl)] ( 4 ) with a trans‐N_bzq,CNR configuration, has been selectively isolated from [Pt(bzq)Cl(CNXyl)] (trans‐N_bzq,CNR) using Sonogashira conditions. X‐ray diffraction studies reveal that while 1 adopts a columnar‐stacked chain structure with Pt–Pt distances of 3.371(1) Å and significant π???π interactions (3.262 Å), complex 2 forms dimers supported only by short Pt???Pt (3.370(1) Å) interactions. In complex 4 the packing is directed by weak bzq???Xyl and bzq???C≡E (C, N) interactions. In solid state at room temperature, compounds 1 and 2 both show a bright red emission (?=42.1 % 1 , 57.6 % 2 ). Luminescence properties in the solid state at 77 K and concentration‐dependent emission studies in CH₂Cl₂ at 298 K and at 77 K are also reported for 1 , 1·CHCl3 , 2 , 2' , 2·CHCl3 , 3 , 4 .     

3,6‐Bis(2‐pyridyl)di‐1,2,4‐triazolo­[3,4‐a:4′,3′‐c]­phthalazine

The title compound, C₂₀H₁₂N₈, (I), has been prepared by the reaction of 1,4‐dihydrazinophthalazine and pyridine‐2‐carbox­aldehyde, followed by an oxidative cyclization by treatment with bromine. In the solid state, the mol­ecules of (I) are discrete, comprising a fused and twisted four‐ring system with an overall helical appearance. The distance between the two intramolecular pyridyl N atoms is 3.075 (2) Å, this short contact distance suggesting a π–π interaction.     

A low‐temperature modification of hexa‐tert‐butyldisilane and a new polymorph of 1,1,2,2‐tetra‐tert‐butyl‐1,2‐diphenyldisilane

Crystals of hexa‐tert‐butyldisilane, C₂₄H₅₄Si₂, undergo a reversible phase transition at 179 (2) K. The space group changes from Ibca (high temperature) to Pbca (low temperature), but the lattice constants a, b and c do not change significantly during the phase transition. The crystallographic twofold axis of the molecule in the high‐temperature phase is replaced by a noncrystallographic twofold axis in the low‐temperature phase. The angle between the two axes is 2.36 (4)°. The centre of the molecule undergoes a translation of 0.123 (1) Å during the phase transition, but the conformation angles of the molecule remain unchanged. Between the two tri‐tert‐butylsilyl subunits there are six short repulsive intramolecular C—H...H—C contacts, with H...H distances between 2.02 and 2.04 Å, resulting in a significant lengthening of the Si—Si and Si—C bonds. The Si—Si bond length is 2.6863 (5) Å and the Si—C bond lengths are between 1.9860 (14) and 1.9933 (14) Å. Torsion angles about the Si—Si and Si—C bonds deviate by approximately 15° from the values expected for staggered conformations due to intramolecular steric H...H repulsions. A new polymorph is reported for the crystal structure of 1,1,2,2‐tetra‐tert‐butyl‐1,2‐diphenyldisilane, C₂₈H₄₆Si₂. It has two independent molecules with rather similar conformations. The Si—Si bond lengths are 2.4869 (8) and 2.4944 (8) Å. The C—Si—Si—C torsion angles deviate by between −3.4 (1) and −18.5 (1)° from the values expected for a staggered conformation. These deviations result from steric interactions. Four Si—C(t‐Bu) bonds are almost staggered, while the other four Si—C(t‐Bu) bonds are intermediate between a staggered and an eclipsed conformation. The latter Si—C(t‐Bu) bonds are about 0.019 (2) Å longer than the staggered Si—C(t‐Bu) bonds.     

Short but Weak: The Z‐DNA Lone‐Pair⋅⋅⋅π Conundrum Challenges Standard Carbon Van der Waals Radii

Current interest in lone‐pair???π (lp???π) interactions is gaining momentum in biochemistry and (supramolecular) chemistry. However, the physicochemical origin of the exceptionally short (ca. 2.8 Å) oxygen‐to‐nucleobase plane distances observed in prototypical Z‐DNA CpG steps remains unclear. High‐level quantum mechanical calculations, including SAPT2+3 interaction energy decompositions, demonstrate that lp???π contacts do not result from n→π* orbital overlaps but from weak dispersion and electrostatic interactions combined with stereochemical effects imposed by the locally strained structural context. They also suggest that the carbon van der Waals (vdW) radii, originally derived for sp³ carbons, should not be used for smaller sp² carbons attached to electron‐withdrawing groups. Using a more adapted carbon vdW radius results in these lp???π contacts being no longer of the sub‐vdW type. These findings challenge the whole lp???π concept that refers to elusive orbital interactions that fail to explain short interatomic contact distances.     

Anion⋅⋅⋅Si Interactions in an Inverse Sandwich Complex: A Computational Study

Combination of an electron‐rich molecule (e.g. chloride anion or nitrile group) with a chlorinated cyclohexasilane ring produces a supramolecular inverse sandwich complex formed by two guests (Cl^? or R?C≡N) strongly bonded to both faces of a planar host (Si₆ ring). In‐depth theoretical studies were carried out to investigate the nature of the bonding interactions that generate such a stable complex. Second‐order Møller–Plesset perturbation theory (MP2) calculations confirmed that the presence of the Cl substituents is fundamental to the stability of the supramolecular assemblies. The density functional theory (DFT) functional wB97XD gave an estimation of the contribution of dispersion interactions to the binding energy. These interactions become more important as the Cl atoms of the rings are systematically replaced by methyl groups or hydrogen atoms. Analysis of the topology of the electron density and the reduced density gradient gave insight into the binding of the studied supramolecular assemblies.     

A hydrogen‐bonded dimer of 13‐hydroxy‐13‐[(triisopropyl­silyl)­ethynyl]penta­cen‐6(13H)‐one

The title compound, C₃₃H₃₄O₂Si, has been obtained as a product in the synthesis of 6,13‐bis­[(triisopropyl­silyl)ethynyl]‐6,13‐dihydro­penta­cene‐6,13‐diol. The solid‐state structure reveals a dimer, with strong hydrogen bonds holding the two mol­ecules in a face‐to‐face arrangement [O⋯O = 2.746 (2) Å and O—H⋯O = 173 (2)°]. Within each dimer, the penta­cene units are π‐stacked (the distance between the mean least‐squares planes of 22 C atoms is 3.60 Å).     

SrNi2Si and BaNi2Si – New Layered Silicides with Fused Nickel Six‐membered Rings in a Boat Conformation

Intermetallic compounds SrNi₂Si and BaNi₂Si were prepared by arc‐melting of stoichiometric mixture of the elements and subsequent annealing in welded niobium ampoules. Both compounds were investigated by X‐ray diffraction on powder as well as single crystal methods. The title compounds both crystallize in the BaNi₂Ge structure type (space group Pmmn, Z = 2), a ternary ordered variant of TiCu₃: a = 4.0296(9) Å, b = 6.5121(14) Å, c = 5.6839(21) Å, R₁ = 0.040 for SrNi₂Si and a = 4.0681(9) Å, b = 6.580(4) Å, c = 5.976(5) Å, R₁ = 0.031 for BaNi₂Si. The structure contains corrugated polyanionic [Ni₂Si]^2– layers, stacked according to the primitive sequence AA along the c axis. Six‐membered Ni rings adopt a boat conformation, silicon atoms are in the plane with nickel, and the alkaline earth cations sit between the layers. These two compounds extend the family AeNi₂X (Ae = Ca, Sr, Ba; X = Si, Ge), where up to date CaNi₂Si, SrNi₂Ge, and BaNi₂Ge are known. LMTO band structure calculations, including DOS, COHP, and ELF were performed to gain more insight into the electronic situation of SrNi₂Si and BaNi₂Si.     

catena‐Poly­[[di­aqua­cadmium(II)]‐μ‐5‐carboxyimidazole‐4‐carboxylato‐κ4N1,O5:O4,N3]

A new cadmium coordination polymer, [Cd(C₅H₂N₂O₄)(H₂O)₂]_n, possesses a one‐dimensional zigzag chain structure built from Cd^II centers bridged sequentially by pairs of O and N atoms of the 5‐carboxyimidazole‐4‐carboxylate ligand. The Cd^II center is in a distorted octahedral geometry, being coordinated by two O atoms from two coordinated water mol­ecules [Cd—O = 2.322 (7) and 2.364 (7) Å], and by two N atoms [Cd—N = 2.222 (6) and 2.232 (6) Å] and two carboxyl O atoms [Cd—O = 2.383 (6) and 2.414 (6) Å] from two 5‐carboxyimidazole‐4‐carboxylate ligands.     

5‐Methyl‐2‐thiouracil

The molecular structure of the title compound, also known as 2‐thio­thymine [systematic name: 2,3‐di­hydro‐5‐methyl‐2‐thioxopyrimidin‐4(1H)‐one], C₅H₆N₂OS, is similar to that of thymine, with only small changes in the ring structure, apart from a significant difference at the substitution site [S=C = 1.674 (1) Å]. The mol­ecules are connected by hydrogen bonds, with N—H?O = 2.755 (2) Å and N—H?S = 3.352 (1) Å. The hydrogen‐bond network is different from that in thymine, since it involves all the donor and acceptor atoms.     

7,7‐Di­chloro‐1,6‐di­methyl‐2‐oxa‐5‐thia­bi­cyclo­[4.1.0]­heptane 5,5‐dioxide and 6‐chloro‐2,3‐di­hydro‐7‐methyl‐5‐methyl­ene‐2H,3H,5H‐1,4‐dithiepine 1,1,4,4‐tetraoxide

The structures of a 2‐oxa‐5‐thia­bi­cyclo­[4.1.0]­heptane derivative, C₇H₁₀Cl₂O₃S, (I), and a 2H,3H,5H‐1,4‐dithiepine derivative, C₇H₉ClO₄S₂, (II), are reported. The six‐membered ring in (I) has an envelope conformation and the seven‐membered ring in (II) adopts a chair conformation. There are no untoward intermolecular interactions in (I), but two Cl atoms make a short intermolecular contact across an inversion centre in (II), with a Cl?Cl distance of 3.2784 (9) Å, some 0.22 Å less than the sum of the van der Waals radii.     

3,9‐Bis(dicyanomethylene)‐2,4,8,10‐tetrathiaspiro[5.5]undecane

The title compound, 2,2′‐(2,4,8,10‐tetra­thia­spiro­[5.5]­undec­ane‐3,9‐diyl­idene)­bis­(propane­di­nitrile), C₁₃H₈N₄S₄, has been designed and synthesized for use as a potential new organic molecular electronic material. The spiro‐annulated structure has twofold symmetry and is formed by two equal push–pull ethyl­ene units, with the cyclo­alkyl­thio groups as electron donors and the cyano groups as electron acceptors. The intermolecular S?N non‐bonded separation within a layer in the lattice is 3.296 (6) Å, indicating a strong intermolecular interaction between the cyano groups and the S atoms, while the S atoms in two neighbouring mol­ecules have a shortest S?S contact of 3.449 (3) Å. In addition, attractive C—H?N and C—H?S interactions bridge adjacent mol­ecules either within a layer or between layers. In short, these four types of intermolecular interactions combine to form an extended three‐dimensional network in the lattice, resulting in a highly ordered array of molecular packing.     

Synthese und Kristallstrukturen der Calcium‐Iridiumsilicide Ca3Ir4Si4 und Ca2Ir2Si

Synthesis and Crystal Structures of the Calcium Iridium Silicides Ca₃Ir₄Si₄ and Ca₂Ir₂Si The new compounds Ca₃Ir₄Si₄ und Ca₂Ir₂Si were prepared by reaction of the elemental components in sealed tantalum ampoules at 1200 °C. Their structures were determined from X‐ray single crystal data. Ca₃Ir₄Si₄(cubic, space group I4¯3m, a = 7.4171(2)Å, Z = 2) crystallizes with the Na₃Pt₄Ge₄ type structure. For Ca₂Ir₂Si (monoclinic, space group C2/c, a = 9.6567(5)Å, b = 5.8252(2)Å, c = 7.3019(4)Å, β = 100.212(2)°, Z = 4) a new structure was found. Chains of edge sharing, heavily distorted SiIr₄‐tetrahedra (Ir‐Si: 2.381 and 2.414Å) are connected via short Ir—Ir‐contacts (2.640Å) to form an open Ir/Si‐framework accommodating a three‐dimensional arrangement of calcium atoms (Ca—Ca: 3.413 ‐ 3.948Å).     

BaY2Si3O10: a new flux‐grown trisilicate

BaY₂Si₃O₁₀, barium diyttrium trisilicate, is a new silicate grown from a molybdate‐based flux. The structure is based on zigzag chains, parallel to [010], of edge‐sharing distorted YO₆ octa­hedra, linked by horseshoe‐shaped trisilicate groups and Ba atoms in irregular eight‐coordination. The layered character of the structure is caused by a succession of zigzag chains and trisilicate groups in planes parallel to (01). The Ba atoms occupy narrow channels extending parallel to [100]. The mean Y—O, Si—O and Ba—O bond lengths are 2.268, 1.626 and 1.633, and 2.872 Å, respectively. The two symmetry‐equivalent terminal SiO₄ tetra­hedra in the Si₃O₁₀ unit adopt an eclipsed conformation with respect to the central SiO₄ tetra­hedron; the Si—O—Si and Si—Si—Si angles are 136.35 (9) and 96.12 (4)°, respectively. One Ba, one Si and two O atoms are located on mirror planes; all remaining atoms are in general positions. The geometry of isolated trisilicate groups in inorganic compounds is briefly discussed.     

tert‐Butyl 5‐methoxy‐3‐pentyl­indole‐1‐carboxyl­ate

The molecule of the title compound, C₁₉H₂₇NO₃, is essentially planar, with all non‐H atoms within 0.2 Å of the nine‐membered indole plane, except for the three tert‐butyl C atoms. The C₅ pentyl chain is in an extended conformation, with three torsion angles of 179.95 (13), 179.65 (13) and −178.95 (15)° (the latter two angles include the C atoms of the C₅ chain only). Three intramolecular C—H⋯Ozdbnd;C contacts are present (C⋯O < 3.05 Å and C—H⋯O > 115°), and an intermolecular C—H⋯Ozdbnd;C contact and π–π stacking complete the intermolecular interactions.     

1,14‐Dioxa‐5,10‐di­aza‐2,3:12,13‐dibenzo­cyclo­octadeca‐2,12‐diene monohydrate

The title compound, C₂₂H₃₀N₂O₂·H₂O, is an 18‐membered di­aza‐crown ether ligand containing two ether O and two aza N atoms. In the macrocyclic ring, the mean N⋯O distance is 4.526 (4) Å. The macrocyclic inner‐hole size, estimated as twice the mean distance of the donor atoms from their centroid, is ∼2.29 Å.     

Synthesis and Structure of the Tetrameric [Cp*V(μ‐F)2]4 (Cp* = C5Me5); Preparation of the Imido Molybdenum Fluoride [(2,6‐i‐Pr2C6H3N)2MoF2] · THF and the Structural Investigation of [(2,6‐i‐Pr2C6H3N)6Mo4(μ3‐F)2Me2(μ‐O)4]

Treating [Cp*V(μ‐Cl)₂]₃ (Cp* = C₅Me₅) and [(2,6‐i‐Pr₂C₆H₃N)₂MoMe₂], respectively, with Me₃SnF afforded the title compounds [Cp*V(μ‐F)₂]₄ ( 1 ) and [(2,6‐i‐Pr₂C₆H₃N)₂MoF₂] · THF ( 2 ). 1 has a tetrameric structure, in which four V atoms can be regarded as being arranged at the vertices of a distorted tetrahedron, with four long edges bridged by one F atom and each of the other two short edges bridged by two F atoms with a mean V–F bond length of 2.00 Å. A hydrolyzed product of 2 , [(2,6‐i‐Pr₂C₆H₃N)₆Mo₄(μ₃‐F)₂Me₂(μ‐O)₄] ( 3 ) was characterized by elemental analyses and X‐ray single crystal study. The X‐ray diffraction analysis reveals that 3 has a unique tetranuclear structure, containing two five and two six coordinated Mo atoms connecting each other by four μ‐O and two μ₃‐F atoms. The geometries around the two Mo atoms can be described having distorted trigonal bipyramidal and distorted octahedral coordination spheres, respectively. The Mo–(μ‐O) bond lengths are 1.813 Å (average) for five coordinated Mo atoms and 2.030 Å (average) for those of six coordinated, respectively, indicating an additional π bonding between five coordinated Mo atoms and the μ‐O atoms. The Mo–(μ₃‐F) distances range from 2.291 to 2.352 Å.     

N,N′‐Bis(2‐tosylaminobenzylidene)benzene‐1,2‐di­amine

The conformation of the title compound, C₃₄H₃₀N₄O₄S₂, is strongly influenced by intramolecular N—H?N hydrogen‐bond interactions and by the rigidity endowed by the presence of a phenyl group between the imine N atoms. The molecule is not planar, with very short distances between the imine N atoms [N?N 2.753 (3) Å] and the amine N atoms [N?N 5.148 (4) Å]. Consequently, important changes in its conformation will be required if it is to act as a tetradentate ligand via its four N atoms.