On the Ligand‐to‐Metal Charge‐Transfer Photochemistry of the Copper(II) Complexes of Quercetin and Rutin

In contrast to the UV‐photoinduced ligand photoionization of the flavonoid complexes of Fe^III, redox reactions initiated in ligand‐to‐metal charge‐transfer excited states were observed on irradiation of the quercetin ( 1 ) and rutin ( 2 ) complexes of Cu^II. Solutions of complexes with stoichiometries [Cu^IIL₂] (L=quercetin, rutin) and [Cu^II₂L_n] (n=1, L=quercetin; n=3, L=rutin) were flash‐irradiated at 351 nm. Transient spectra observed in these experiments showed the formation of radical ligands corresponding to the one‐electron oxidation of L and the reduction of Cu^II to Cu^I. The radical ligands remained coordinated to the Cu^I centers, and the substitution reactions replacing them by solvent occurred with lifetimes τ<350 ns. These are lifetimes shorter than the known lifetimes (τ>1 ms) of the quercetin and rutin radical's decay.     

Switching from Metal- to Ligand-Based Oxidation in Cobalt Complexes with Redox-Active Bisguanidine Ligands

The control of the redox reactivity, magnetic and optical properties of the different redox states of complexes with redox-active ligands permits their rational use in catalysis and materials science. The redox-chemistry of octahedrally coordinated high-spin Co^II complexes (three unpaired electrons) with one redox-active bisguanidine ligand and two acetylacetonato (acac) co-ligands is completely changed by replacing the acac by hexafluoro-acetylacetonato (hfacac) co-ligands. The first one-electron oxidation is metal-centered in the case of the complexes with acac co-ligands, giving diamagnetic Co^III complexes. By contrast, in the case of the less Lewis-basic hfacac co-ligands, the first one-electron oxidation becomes ligand-centered, leading to high-spin Co^II complexes with a radical monocationic guanidine ligand unit (four unpaired electrons). Ferromagnetic coupling between the spins on the metal and the organic radical in solution is evidenced by temperature-dependent paramagnetic NMR studies, allowing to estimate the isotropic exchange coupling constant in solution. Second one-electron oxidation leads to high-spin Co^II complexes with dicationic guanidine ligand units (three unpaired electrons) in the presence of hfacac co-ligands, but to low-spin Co^III complexes with radical monocationic, peralkylated guanidine ligand (one unpaired electron) in the presence of acac co-ligands. The analysis of the electronic structures is complemented by quantum-chemical calculations on the spin density distributions and relative energies of the possible redox isomers.     

A Stable Organic π‐Radical of a Zinc(II)–Copper(I)–Zinc(II) Complex of Decaphyrin

A Zn^II‐Cu^I‐Zn^II heterotrimetal complex of decaphyrin was synthesized by stepwise metalations: metalation of a [46]decaphyrin with Zn^II ions to produce a 46π decaphyrin bis(Zn^II) complex and its subsequent metalation with Cu^II ion. In the second metalation step, it has been shown that Cu^II ion is reduced to a Cu^I ion in the complex and a dianionic bis(Zn^II) containing [46]decaphyrin ligand is oxidized to the corresponding monoanionic [45]decaphyrin ligand, indicating a non‐innocent nature of the decaphyrin ligand. Despite the radical nature, the heterotrimetal complex is fairly stable under ambient conditions and exhibits almost no intermolecular magnetic interaction, owing to extensive delocalization of an unpaired electron in the large π‐conjugated circuit of decaphyrin moiety.     

A mixed‐valence chair‐like tetranuclear copper(I,II) cluster with three linking modes of the 3,5‐bis(2‐pyridyl)‐1,2,4‐triazole ligand

In the tetranuclear copper complex tetrakis[μ‐3,5‐bis(2‐pyridyl)‐1,2,4‐triazolido]bis[3,5‐bis(2‐pyridyl)‐1,2,4‐triazolido]dicopper(I)dicopper(II) dihydrate, [Cu^I₂Cu^II₂(C₁₂H₈N₅)₆]·2H₂O, the asymmetric unit is composed of one Cu^I center, one Cu^II center, three anionic 3,5‐bis(2‐pyridyl)‐1,2,4‐triazole (2‐BPT) ligands and one solvent water molecule. The Cu^I and Cu^II centers exhibit [Cu^IN₄] tetrahedral and [Cu^IIN₆] octahedral coordination environments, respectively. The three independent 2‐BPT ligands adopt different chelating modes, which link the copper centers to generate a chair‐like tetranuclear metallomacrocycle with metal–metal distances of about 4.4 × 6.2 Å disposed about a crystallographic inversion center. Furthermore, strong π–π stacking interactions and O—H...N hydrogen‐bonding systems link the tetracopper clusters into a two‐dimensional supramolecular network.     

Thermochromism of CuI Tetrakisguanidine Complexes: Reversible Activation of Metal‐to‐Ligand Charge‐Transfer Bands

Tetranuclear, intensely blue‐coloured Cu^I complexes were synthesised in which two Cu₂X₃^? units (X=Br or I) are bridged by a dicationic GFA (guanidino‐functionalised aromatic) ligand. The UV/Vis spectra show a large metal‐to‐ligand charge‐transfer (MLCT) band around 638 nm. The tetranuclear “low‐temperature” complexes are in a temperature‐dependent equilibrium with dinuclear Cu^I “high‐temperature” complexes, which result from the reversible elimination of two CuX groups. A massive thermochromism effect results from the extinction of the strong MLCT band upon CuX elimination with increasing temperature. For all complexes, quantum chemical calculations predict a small and method‐dependent energy difference between the possible electronic structures, namely Cu^I and dicationic GFA ligand (closed‐shell singlet) versus Cu^II and neutral GFA ligand (triplet or broken‐symmetry state). The closed‐shell singlet state is disfavoured by hybrid‐DFT functionals, which mix in exact Hartree–Fock exchange, and is favoured by larger basis sets and consideration of a polar medium.     

A density functional theory computational study of the role of ligand on the stability of CuI and CuII species associated with ATRP and SET‐LRP

Atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) and single electron‐transfer living radical polymerization (SET‐LRP) both utilize copper complexes of various oxidation states with N‐ligands to perform their respective activation and deactivation steps. Herein, we utilize DFT (B3YLP) methods to determine the preferred ligand‐binding geometries for Cu/N‐ligand complexes related to ATRP and SET‐LRP. We find that those ligands capable of achieving tetrahedral complexes with Cu^I and trigonal bipyramidal with axial halide complexes with [Cu^IIX]⁺ have higher energies of stabilization. We were able to correlate calculated preferential stabilization of [Cu^IIX]⁺ with those ligands that perform best in SET‐LRP. A crude calculation of energy of disproportionation revealed that the same preferential binding of [Cu^IIX]⁺ results in increased propensity for disproportionation. Finally, by examining the relative energies of the basic steps of ATRP and SET‐LRP, we were able to rationalize the transition from the ATRP mechanism to the SET‐LRP mechanism as we transition from typical nonpolar ATRP solvents to polar SET‐LRP solvents. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 4950–4964, 2007     

Redox‐Active Ligand‐Induced Homolytic Bond Activation

Coordination of the novel redox‐active phosphine‐appended aminophenol pincer ligand (PNO^H2) to Pd^II generates a paramagnetic complex with a persistent ligand‐centered radical. The complex undergoes fully reversible single‐electron oxidation and reduction. Homolytic bond activation of diphenyldisulfide by the single‐electron reduced species leads to a ligand‐based mixed‐valent dinuclear palladium complex with a single bridging thiolate ligand. Mechanistic investigations support an unprecedented intramolecular ligand‐to‐disulfide single‐electron transfer process to induce homolytic S? S cleavage, thereby releasing a thiyl (sulfanyl) radical. This could be a new strategy for small‐molecule bond activation.     

p‐Substituted Tris(2‐pyridylmethyl)amines as Ligands for Highly Active ATRP Catalysts: Facile Synthesis and Characterization

A facile and efficient two‐step synthesis of p‐substituted tris(2‐pyridylmethyl)amine (TPMA) ligands to form Cu complexes with the highest activity to date in atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) is presented. In the divergent synthesis, p‐Cl substituents in tris(4‐chloro‐2‐pyridylmethyl)amine (TPMA^3Cl) were replaced in one step and high yield by electron‐donating cyclic amines (pyrrolidine (TPMA^PYR), piperidine (TPMA^PIP), and morpholine (TPMA^MOR)) by nucleophilic aromatic substitution. The [Cu^II(TPMA^NR2)Br]⁺ complexes exhibited larger energy gaps between frontier molecular orbitals and >0.2 V more negative reduction potentials than [Cu^II(TPMA)Br]⁺, indicating >3 orders of magnitude higher ATRP activity. [Cu^I(TPMA^PYR)]⁺ exhibited the highest reported activity for Br‐capped acrylate chain ends in DMF, and moderate activity toward C?F bonds at room temperature. ATRP of n‐butyl acrylate using only 10–25 part per million loadings of [Cu^II(TPMA^NR2)Br]⁺ exhibited excellent control.     

A Valence Tautomeric Dinuclear Copper Tetrakisguanidine Complex

We report on the first valence tautomeric dinuclear copper complex, featuring 2,3,5,6‐tetrakis(tetramethylguanidino)pyridine as a bridging redox‐active GFA (guanidino‐functionalized aromatic) ligand. The preferred electronic structure of the complex is massively influenced by the environment. In the solid state and in nonpolar solvents a paramagnetic, dinuclear Cu^II complex with a neutral GFA ligand is present. In polar solvents, the electronic structure changes to a diamagnetic, dinuclear Cu^I complex with a twofold‐oxidized GFA ligand. Using acetone as a solvent, both electronic structures are accessible due to a temperature‐dependent equilibrium between the two valence tautomeric complexes. Our results pave the way for a broader use of valence tautomeric transition‐metal complexes in catalytic reactions since anionic coligands can now be tolerated owing to the neutral/positively charged GFA ligand.     

Contractile and Extensible Molecular Figures‐of‐Eight

Two large rings, 66‐ (m‐66 ) and 78‐membered ( m‐78 ) rings, each one incorporating two pairs of transition‐metal‐complexing units, have been prepared. The coordinating fragments are alternating bi‐ and tridentate chelating groups, namely, 2,9‐diphenyl‐1,10‐phenanthroline (dpp) and 2,2′,2′,6′′‐terpyridine (terpy) respectively. Both macrocycles form molecular figures‐of‐eight in the presence of Fe^II, affording a classical bis‐terpy complex as the central core. The larger m‐78 ring can accommodate a four‐coordinate Cu^I center with the formation of a {Cu(dpp)₂}⁺ central complex and a highly twisted figure‐of‐eight backbone, whereas m‐66 is too small to coordinate Cu^I. Macrocycle m‐78 thus affords stable complexes with both Fe^II and Cu^I; the ligand around the metal changes from (terpy)₂ to (dpp)₂. This bimodal coordination situation allows for a large amplitude rearrangement of the organic backbone. When coordinated to preferentially octahedrally coordinated Fe^II or Cu^II, the height of the molecule along the coordinating axis of the tridentate terpy ligands is only about 11 Å, whereas the height of the molecule along the same vertical axis is several times as large for the tetrahedral Cu^I complex. Chemically or electrochemically driven contraction and extension motions along a defined axis make this figure‐of‐eight particularly promising as a new class of molecular machine prototype for use as a constitutive element in muscle‐like dynamic systems.     

The coordination chemistry of two symmetric double‐armed oxadiazole‐bridged organic ligands with copper salts

Two new symmetric double‐armed oxadiazole‐bridged ligands, 4‐methyl‐{5‐[5‐methyl‐2‐(pyridin‐3‐ylcarbonyloxy)phenyl]‐1,3,4‐oxadiazol‐2‐yl}phenyl pyridine‐3‐carboxylate (L1) and 4‐methyl‐{5‐[5‐methyl‐2‐(pyridin‐4‐ylcarbonyloxy)phenyl]‐1,3,4‐oxadiazol‐2‐yl}phenyl pyridine‐4‐carboxylate (L2), were prepared by the reaction of 2,5‐bis(2‐hydroxy‐5‐methylphenyl)‐1,3,4‐oxadiazole with nicotinoyl chloride and isonicotinoyl chloride, respectively. Ligand L1 can be used as an organic clip to bind Cu^II cations and generate a molecular complex, bis(4‐methyl‐{5‐[5‐methyl‐2‐(pyridin‐3‐ylcarbonyloxy)phenyl]‐1,3,4‐oxadiazol‐2‐yl}phenyl pyridine‐3‐carboxylate)bis(perchlorato)copper(II), [Cu(ClO₄)₂(C₂₈H₂₀N₄O₅)₂], (I). In compound (I), the Cu^II cation is located on an inversion centre and is hexacoordinated in a distorted octahedral geometry, with the pyridine N atoms of two L1 ligands in the equatorial positions and two weakly coordinating perchlorate counter‐ions in the axial positions. The two arms of the L1 ligands bend inward and converge at the Cu^II coordination point to give rise to a spirometallocycle. Ligand L2 binds Cu^I cations to generate a supramolecule, diacetonitriledi‐μ₃‐iodido‐di‐μ₂‐iodido‐bis(4‐methyl‐{5‐[5‐methyl‐2‐(pyridin‐4‐ylcarbonyloxy)phenyl]‐1,3,4‐oxadiazol‐2‐yl}phenyl pyridine‐4‐carboxylate)tetracopper(I), [Cu₄I₄(CH₃CN)₂(C₂₈H₂₀N₄O₅)₂], (II). The asymmetric unit of (II) indicates that it contains two Cu^I atoms, one L2 ligand, one acetonitrile ligand and two iodide ligands. Both of the Cu^I atoms are four‐coordinated in an approximately tetrahedral environment. The molecule is centrosymmetric and the four I atoms and four Cu^I atoms form a rope‐ladder‐type [Cu₄I₄] unit. Discrete units are linked into one‐dimensional chains through π–π interactions.     

Synthesis,Crystal Structure,DNA‐binding Properties and Antioxidant Activity of a Copper(II) Complex with Naphthalimide Schiff Base

The Schiff N‐allylamine‐4‐(ethylenediamine‐5‐methylsalicylidene)‐1,8‐naphthalimide (H₂L) and its copper(II) complex, [Cu(HL)₂] · 0.5DMF, were synthesized and characterized. The crystal structure of the Cu^II complex reveals a slightly distorted square‐planar arrangement provided by two N and O donors from two deprotonated ligands. In addition, the DNA‐binding properties of the ligand and Cu^II complex were investigated by fluorescence spectra, electronic absorption, and viscosity measurements. The experimental studies of the DNA‐binding properties indicated that the ligand and Cu^II complex reacted with DNA via intercalation binding mode, and binding affinity for DNA takes the order: ligand > Cu^II complex. The antioxidant assay in vitro suggested that both exhibited potential intensely antioxidant properties, and the ligand is more effective than its Cu^II complex.     

Copper‐Mediated Controlled/“Living” Radical Polymerization in Polar Solvents: Insights into Some Relevant Mechanistic Aspects

The field of transition‐metal‐mediated controlled/“living” radical polymerization (CLRP) has become the subject of intense discussion regarding the mechanism of this widely‐used and versatile process. Most mechanistic analyses (atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) vs. single‐electron transfer living radical polymerization (SET‐LRP)) have been based on model experiments, which cannot correctly mimic the true reaction conditions. We present, for the first time, a determination of the [Cu^IBr]/[L] (L=nitrogen‐based chelating ligand) ratio and the extent of Cu^IBr/L disproportionation during CLRP of methyl acrylate (MA) in dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) with Cu⁰ wire as a transition‐metal catalyst source. The results suggest that Cu⁰ acts as a supplemental activator and reducing agent of Cu^IIBr₂/L to Cu^IBr/L. More importantly, the Cu^IBr/L species seem to be responsible for the activation of SET‐LRP.     

Copper(II) and Sodium(I) Complexes based on 3,7‐Diacetyl‐1,3,7‐triaza‐5‐phosphabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane‐5‐oxide: Synthesis,Characterization, and Catalytic Activity

The reaction of 3,7‐diacetyl‐1,3,7‐triaza‐5‐phosphabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane (DAPTA) with metal salts of Cu^II or Na^I/Ni^II under mild conditions led to the oxidized phosphane derivative 3,7‐diacetyl‐1,3,7‐triaza‐5‐phosphabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane‐5‐oxide (DAPTA=O) and to the first examples of metal complexes based on the DAPTA=O ligand, that is, [Cu^II(μ‐CH₃COO)₂(κO‐DAPTA=O)]₂ ( 1 ) and [Na(1κOO′;2κO‐DAPTA=O)(MeOH)]₂(BPh₄)₂ ( 2 ). The catalytic activity of 1 was tested in the Henry reaction and for the aerobic 2,2,6,6‐tetramethylpiperidin‐1‐oxyl (TEMPO)‐mediated oxidation of benzyl alcohol. Compound 1 was also evaluated as a model system for the catechol oxidase enzyme by using 3,5‐di‐tert‐butylcatechol as the substrate. The kinetic data fitted the Michaelis–Menten equation and enabled the obtainment of a rate constant for the catalytic reaction; this rate constant is among the highest obtained for this substrate with the use of dinuclear Cu^II complexes. DFT calculations discarded a bridging mode binding type of the substrate and suggested a mixed‐valence Cu^II/Cu^I complex intermediate, in which the spin electron density is mostly concentrated at one of the Cu atoms and at the organic ligand.     

The Coordination Chemistry of the Versatile Ligand Bis(2‐pyridylthio)methane

Bis(2‐pyridylthio)methane [bpytm, (pyS)₂CH₂] and complexes of this ligand with Zn^II, Hg^II, Cu^I, and Ag^I have been prepared and characterised by elemental analysis, by IR, Raman and ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy, and by X‐ray diffractometry. The ligand is N, N′‐didentate in the Zn^II complexes; N‐monodentate in one Hg^II complex and N, N′‐bis(monodentate) in the other; N‐mono‐N′, S‐didentate in the Cu^I complex; and N, S′‐bis(mono)‐N′, S‐didentate in the Ag^I complex. The structural parameters of the ligand in each coordination mode are compared with those of the free ligand and those of the triiodide salt of the protonated ligand.     

Dioxygen Activation of a Trinuclear CuICuICuI Cluster Capable of Mediating Facile Oxidation of Organic Substrates: Competition between O‐Atom Transfer and Abortive Intercomplex Reduction

The dioxygen activation of a series of Cu^ICu^ICu^I complexes based on the ligands ( L ) 3,3′‐(1,4‐diazepane‐ 1,4‐diyl)bis(1‐{[2‐(dimethylamino)ethyl](methyl)amino}propan‐2‐ol) ( 7‐Me ) or 3,3′‐(1,4‐diazepane‐1,4‐diyl)bis(1‐{[2‐(diethylamino)ethyl](ethyl)amino}propan‐2‐ol) ( 7‐Et ) forms an intermediate capable of mediating facile O‐atom transfer to simple organic substrates at room temperature. To elucidate the dioxygen chemistry, we have examined the reactions of 7‐Me , 7‐Et , and 3,3′‐(1,4‐diazepane‐1,4‐diyl)bis[1‐(4‐methylpiperazin‐1‐yl)propan‐2‐ol] ( 7‐N‐Meppz ) with dioxygen at ?80, ?55, and ?35 °C in propionitrile (EtCN) by UV‐visible, 77 K EPR, and X‐ray absorption spectroscopy, and 7‐N‐Meppz and 7‐Me with dioxygen at room temperature in acetonitrile (MeCN) by diode array spectrophotometry. At both ?80 and ?55 °C, the mixing of the starting [Cu^ICu^ICu^I( L )]¹⁺ complex ( 1 ) with O₂‐saturated propionitrile (EtCN) led to a bright green solution consisting of two paramagnetic species: the green dioxygen adduct [Cu^IICu^II(μ‐η²:η²‐peroxo)Cu^II( L )]²⁺ ( 2 ) and the blue [Cu^IICu^II(μ‐O)Cu^II( L )]²⁺ species ( 3 ). These observations are consistent with the initial formation of [Cu^IICu^II(μ‐O)₂Cu^III( L )]¹⁺ ( 4 ), followed by rapid abortion of this highly reactive species by intercluster electron transfer from a second molecule of complex 1 to give the blue species 3 and subsequent oxygenation of the partially oxidized [Cu^IICu^ICu^I( L )]²⁺ ( 5 ) to form the green dioxygen adduct 2 . Assignment of 2 to [Cu^IICu^II(μ‐η²:η²‐peroxo)Cu^II( L )]²⁺ is consistent with its reactivity with water to give H₂O₂ and the blue species 3 , as well as its propensity to be photoreduced in the X‐ray beam during X‐ray absorption experiments at room temperature. In light of these observations, the development of an oxidation catalyst based on the tricopper system requires consideration of the following design criteria: 1) rapid dioxygen chemistry; 2) facile O‐atom transfer from the activated cluster to substrate; and 3) a suitable reductant to rapidly regenerate complex 1 to accomplish efficient catalytic turnover.     

A square‐pyramidal copper(II) complex with strong intramolecular hydrogen bonds: diaqua(N,N′‐dimethylformamide‐κO)bis[2‐(diphenylphosphoryl)benzoato‐κO]copper(II)

In the title Cu^II complex, [Cu(C₁₉H₁₄O₃P)₂(C₃H₇NO)(H₂O)₂], the molecule is bisected by a twofold axis relating the two 2‐(diphenylphosphoryl)benzoate (ODPPB) ligands. The asymmetric unit consists of a Cu^II metal centre on the symmetry axis, an ODPPB ligand, one water ligand and one dimethylformamide (DMF) ligand (disordered around the twofold axis). The Cu^II ion has fivefold coordination provided by two carboxylate O atoms from two ODPPB ligands, two O atoms from two coordinated water molecules and another O atom from a (disordered) DMF molecule, giving a CuO₅ square‐pyramidal coordination geometry. The ODPPB ligand adopts a terminal monocoordinated mode with two free O atoms forming two strong intramolecular hydrogen bonds with the coordinated water molecules, which may play a key role in the stability of the molecular structure, as shown by the higher release temperature for the coordinated water molecules than for the coordinated DMF molecule. The optical absorption properties of powder samples of the title compound have also been studied.     

A Series of Diamagnetic Pyridine Monoimine Rhenium Complexes with Different Degrees of Metal‐to‐Ligand Charge Transfer: Correlating 13C NMR Chemical Shifts with Bond Lengths in Redox‐Active Ligands

A set of pyridine monoimine (PMI) rhenium(I) tricarbonyl chlorido complexes with substituents of different steric and electronic properties was synthesized and fully characterized. Spectroscopic (NMR and IR) and single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction analyses of these complexes showed that the redox‐active PMI ligands are neutral and that the overall electronic structure is little affected by the choices of the substituent at the ligand backbone. One‐ and two‐electron reduction products were prepared from selected starting compounds and could also be characterized by multiple spectroscopic methods and X‐ray diffraction. The final product of a one‐electron reduction in THF is a diamagnetic metal–metal‐bonded dimer after loss of the chlorido ligand. Bond lengths in and NMR chemical shifts of the PMI ligand backbone indicate partial electron transfer to the ligand. Two‐electron reduction in THF also leads to the loss of the chlorido ligand and a pentacoordinate complex is obtained. The comparison with reported bond lengths and ¹³C NMR chemical shifts of doubly reduced free pyridine monoaldimine ligands indicates that both redox equivalents in the doubly reduced rhenium complex investigated here are located in the PMI ligand. With diamagnetic complexes varying over three formal reduction stages at the PMI ligand we were, for the first time, able to establish correlations of the ¹³C NMR chemical shifts with the relevant bond lengths in redox‐active ligands over a full redox series.     

Evidence of CuI/CuII Redox Process by X‐ray Absorption and EPR Spectroscopy: Direct Synthesis of Dihydrofurans from β‐Ketocarbonyl Derivatives and Olefins

The Cu^I/Cu^II and Cu^I/Cu^III catalytic cycles have been subject to intense debate in the field of copper‐catalyzed oxidative coupling reactions. A mechanistic study on the Cu^I/Cu^II redox process, by X‐ray absorption (XAS) and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopies, has elucidated the reduction mechanism of Cu^II to Cu^I by 1,3‐diketone and detailed investigation revealed that the halide ion is important for the reduction process. The oxidative nature of the thereby‐formed Cu^I has also been studied by XAS and EPR spectroscopy. This mechanistic information is applicable to the copper‐catalyzed oxidative cyclization of β‐ketocarbonyl derivatives to dihydrofurans. This protocol provides an ideal route to highly substituted dihydrofuran rings from easily available 1,3‐dicarbonyls and olefins.     

Synthesis,Structures, and Properties of Crystalline Salts with Radical Anions of Metal‐Containing and Metal‐Free Phthalocyanines

Radical anion salts of metal‐containing and metal‐free phthalocyanines [MPc(3?)]^.?, where M=Cu^II, Ni^II, H₂, Sn^II, Pb^II, Ti^IVO, and V^IVO ( 1 – 10 ) with tetraalkylammonium cations have been obtained as single crystals by phthalocyanine reduction with sodium fluorenone ketyl. Their formation is accompanied by the Pc ligand reduction and affects the molecular structure of metal phthalocyanine radical anions as well as their optical and magnetic properties. Radical anions are characterized by the alternation of short and long C?N_imine bonds in the Pc ligand owing to the disruption of its aromaticity. Salts 1 – 10 show new bands at 833–1041 nm in the NIR range, whereas the Q‐ and Soret bands are blue‐shifted by 0.13–0.25 eV (38‐92 nm) and 0.04–0.07 eV (4–13 nm), respectively. Radical anions with Ni^II, Sn^II, Pb^II, and Ti^IVO have S=1/2 spin state, whereas [Cu^IIPc(3?)]^.? and [V^IVOPc(3?)]^.? containing paramagnetic Cu^II and V^IVO have two S=1/2 spins per radical anion. Central metal atoms strongly affect EPR spectra of phthalocyanine radical anions. Instead of narrow EPR signals characteristic of metal‐free phthalocyanine radical anions [H₂Pc(3?)]^.? (linewidth of 0.08–0.24 mT), broad EPR signals are manifested (linewidth of 2–70 mT) with g‐factors and linewidths that are strongly temperature‐dependent. Salt 11 containing the [Na^IPc(2?)]^? anions as well as previously studied [Fe^IPc(2?)]^? and [Co^IPc(2?)]^? anions that are formed without reduction of the Pc ligand do not show changes in molecular structure or optical and magnetic properties characteristic of [MPc(3?)]^.? in 1 – 10 .