Ruthenium complexes with chiral tetradentate imino-sulfoxide ligands

Treatment of 2-(methylsulfinyl)benzaldehyde (1) with ethylenediamine or (1R,2R)-(-)-1,2-diaminocyclohexane afforded N,N'-bis[2-(methylsulfinyl)benzylidene]ethylenediamine (L(1)) or (1R,2R)-N,N'-bis[2-(methylsulfinyl)benzylidene]-1,2-cyclohexanedia mine (L(2)), respectively. Lithiation of 2-bromobenzaldehyde diethylacetal with n-BuLi/TMEDA followed by reaction with (1R,2S,5R)-(-)-menthyl-(S)-p-toluenesulfinate afforded 2-(S)-(p-tolylsulfinyl)benzaldehyde diethyl acetal (2). Deprotection of 2 with pyridinium tosylate followed by condensation with ethylenediamine, (1R,2R)-(-)-diaminocyclohexane, or (S,S)-(+)-diaminocyclohexane afforded N,N'-bis[2-(S)-(p-tolylsulfinyl)benzylidene]ethylenediamine (L(3)), (1R,2R)-N,N'-bis[2-(S)-(p-tolylsulfinyl)benzylidene]-1,2-cyclohexanediamine ((R,R)-L(4)), or (S,S)-N,N'-bis[2-(S)-(p-tolylsulfinyl)benzylidene]-1,2-cyclohexanediamine ((S,S)-L(4)), respectively. Treatment of [Ru(PPh(3))(3)Cl(2)] with L afforded trans-[Ru(L)Cl(2)] [L = L(1) (3), L(2) (4), L(3) (5), (R,R)-L(4) ((R,R)-6), (S,S)-L(4) ((S,S)-6)]. The X-ray structures of (S(S),R(S))-4, (R,R)-6, and (S,S)-6 have been determined. The average Ru-N, Ru-S, and Ru-Cl distances in (S(S),R(S))-4 are 2.063, 2.2301, and 2.4039 A, respectively. The corresponding distances in (R,R)-6 are 2.071, 2.256, and 2.411 A, and those in (S,S)-6, 2.058, 2.2275, and 2.3831 A. Compound 3 exhibited a reversible Ru(III/II) couple at 0.56 V vs Cp(2)Fe(+/0) in CH(2)Cl(2). Treatment of 3 with AgNO(3) in water afforded the aqua compound trans-[Ru(L(1))Cl(H(2)O)][PF(6)] (7), which has been characterized by X-ray crystallography. The Ru-Cl, Ru-O, average Ru-N, and average Ru-S distances in 7 are 2.3733(6), 2.1469(16), 2.071, and 2.2442 A, respectively. Treatment of 3 with AgNO(3) followed by reaction with PPh(3) afforded [Ru(L(1))(PPh(3))(2)][PF(6)](2) (8). Treatment of [Os(PPh(3))(3)Cl(2)] with L(1) resulted in deoxygenation of one sulfoxide group of L(1) and formation of [Os(L(5))Cl(2)(PPh(3))] (9) (L(5) = N-[2-(methylsulfinyl)benzylidene]-N'-[2-(methylthio)benzylididene]ethylenediamine), which has been characterized by X-ray crystallography. The average Os-S(O), Os-N(trans to P), Os-N(trans to S), Os-P, and Os-Cl distances are 2.1931, 2.085, 2.175, 2.3641, and 2.4266 A, respectively.     

Gold complexes with potentially tri- and tetradentate phosphinothiolate ligands

Reactions of [Au(PPh3)Cl], (Bu4N)[AuCl4] and the organometallic gold complex [Au(damp-C1,N)Cl2] (damp- = 2-(N,N-dimethylaminomethyl)phenyl) with the potentially tri- and tetradentate proligands PhP(C6H3-SH-2-R-3)2 (H2L1a, R = SiMe3; H2L1b, R = H) and P(C6H4-SH-2)3 (H3L2) result in the formation of mono- or dinuclear gold complexes depending on the precursor used. Monomeric complexes of the type [AuL1Cl] are formed upon the reaction with [Au(damp-C1,N)Cl2], but small amounts of dinuclear [AuL1]2 complexes with gold in two different oxidation states, +1 and +3, have been isolated as side-products. The dinuclear compounds are obtained in better yields from [AuCl4]-. A dinuclear complex having two Au(III) centers can be isolated from the reaction of [Au(PPh3)Cl] with H3L2, whereas from the reaction with H2L1b the mononuclear [Au(Ph3P)HL1b] is obtained, which contains a three-coordinate gold atom. Comparatively short gold-gold distances have been found in the dinuclear complexes (2.978(2) and 3.434(1) A). They are indicative of weak gold-gold interactions, which is unusual for gold(III).     

Cobalt(II) and cobalt(III) complexes of thioether-containing hexadentate pyrazine amide ligands: C-S bond cleavage and cyclometallation reaction

Anaerobic reaction of Co(O2CMe)2.4H2O with the thioether-containing acyclic pyrazine amide hexadentate ligand 1,4-bis[o-(pyrazine-2-carboxamidophenyl)]-1,4-dithiobutane (H2L1) (-CH2CH2- spacer between the two pyrazine amide tridentate coordination units) furnishes [CoII(L1)].MeOH (1a) having CoN2(pyrazine)N'2(amide)S2(thioether) coordination. It exhibits an eight-line EPR spectrum, attesting to a low-spin (S = 1/2) state of CoII. A similar reaction in air, however, furnishes [CoIII(L3a)(L3b)].2MeOH (2a) (S = 0), resulting from a C-S bond cleavage reaction triggered by an acetate ion as a base, having CoN2(pyrazine)N'2(amide)S(thioether)S'(thiolate) coordination. On the other hand, the reaction of Co(O2CMe)2.4H2O with 1,4-bis[o-(pyrazine-2-carboxamidophenyl)]-1,5-dithiopentane (H2) (-CH2CH2CH2- spacer between the two pyrazine amide tridentate coordination units) in air affords a cobalt(II) complex [CoII(L2)].MeOH (1b.MeOH) (S = 1/2); its structurally characterized variety has the composition 1b.C6H6. Interestingly, 1b.MeOH undergoes facile metal-centred oxidation by aerial O2-H2O2-[Fe(eta5-C5H5)2][PF6], which led to the isolation of the corresponding cobalt(iii) complex [CoIII(L2)][ClO4] (2b). When treated with methanolic KOH, 2b affords a low-spin (S = 0) organocobalt(III) complex [Co(III)((L2')] (3). Structures of all complexes, except 1a, have been authenticated by X-ray crystallography. A five-membered chelate-ring forming ligand L1(2-) effects C-S bond cleavage and a six-membered chelate-ring forming ligand L2(2-) gives rise to Co-C bond formation, in cobalt(III)-coordinated thioether functions due to alpha C-H bond activation by the base. A rationale has been provided for the observed difference in the reactivity properties. The spectroscopic properties of the complexes have also been investigated. Cyclic voltammetry experiments in MeCN-CH2Cl2 reveal facile metal-centred reversible-to-quasireversible CoIV-CoIII (or a ligand-centred redox process; 2a), CoIII-CoII (1a, 1b.MeOH, 2a, 2b and 3), CoII-CoI (1a, 1b.MeOH, 2aand 2b), and CoI-Co0 (1a, 1b.MeOH and 2b) redox processes.     

Synthesis and characterization of picolinate-containing nickel(II) complexes with tridentate and tripodal tetradentate ligands

Two picolinate-containing nickel(II) complexes [Ni(bbma)(pic)(H₂O)]ClO₄ · CH₃OH (1) and [Ni(ntb)(pic)]Cl · CH₃OH · 3H₂O (2) were synthesized and characterized by infrared, elemental analysis, UV-Vis, and X-ray diffraction analyses, where bbma is bis(benzimidazol-2-yl-methyl)amine, ntb is tris(2-benzimidazolylmethyl)amine, pic is the anion of picolinic acid. X-ray analysis shows that both complexes are mononuclear with picolinate coordinated to Ni(II) in a μ₂-N,O chelating mode. Both complexes adopt distorted octahedral geometry. Intermolecular N–H ··· O and O–H ··· O hydrogen bonds and π–π interactions in 1 and 2 are important in stabilization of the crystal structures.     

Coordination complexes bearing potentially tetradentate phenoxyamine ligands

A series of metal complexes containing potentially tetradentate phenoxyamine ligands is described. The ligands are found to bind to main-group metals and first-row transition-metal centres with variable denticity depending upon the requirements of the particular metal centre. Bidentate [Al(III)], tridentate [Mg(II), Ca(II), Zn(II)] and tetradentate [K(I), Cr(III), Fe(II), Co(II)] binding modes have been established unambiguously through single-crystal X-ray structure determinations.     

Thorium(IV) complexes with tetradentate Schiff base ligands

Summary Some thorium(IV) complexes were synthesized with the tetradentate Schiff base ligands (N₂O₂ donor set) obtained by the condensation of ethylenediamine with salicylaldehyde (H₂salen) or acetylacetone (H₂ acacen). In all cases the neutral Schiff bases and not their anions are coordinated to the central thorium(IV) atom. The complexes have the general formula: ThL₂Xa (L = H₂ salen; X = Cl, Br, 1, NCS and L = lie acacen; X = Cl, 1, NCS, ClO₄) or ThLX₄ (L = H₂ salen; X = NO₃, ClO₄ and L = H₂ acacen; X = Br, NO₃). The stoichiometry and coordination number of the complexes was determined on the basis of elemental analysis, conductivity measurements, i.r. spectra and t.g.a./d.t.a. data. The coordination number of the complexes is either 12 or 8 for the bisor monocomplexes respectively.     

Nickel(II) complexes of tetradentate NSNO pyridylthioazophenol ligands: Synthesis,characterization and crystal structure

Two sets of nickel(II) complexes of a series of tetradentate NSNO ligands were synthesized and isolated in their pure form. All these complexes, formulated as [Ni(L)Cl]₂ and [Ni(L)(N₃)]₂ [HL = pyridylthioazophenols], were characterized using physicochemical and spectroscopic tools. The solid-state structures of two complexes (1a and 2a) were established by X-ray crystallography. The geometry about the nickel ion of the complexes is octahedral and the complexes are dimeric in nature. In 1, two Ni(II) ions are bridged by two Cl⁻ anions while in 2 they are bridged by two azide ions in a μ-1,1-bridging fashion.     

Four copper(II) complexes with potentially tetradentate tripodal ligands

The four title Cu^II compounds are chloro­[(2‐furyl­methyl)­bis(2‐pyridyl­methyl)­amine‐N,N′,N′′]copper(II) perchlorate, [CuCl(C₁₇H₁₇N₃O)]ClO₄, (I), chloro{2‐[bis(2‐pyridyl­methyl)­amino]­ethano­lato‐N,N′,N′′,O}­copper(II) hemi­[tetra­chloro­copper(II)], [CuCl(C₁₄H₁₇N₃O)][CuCl₄]_1/2, (II), chloro­[(2‐morpholino­ethyl)­bis(2‐pyridyl­methyl)­amine‐N,N′,N′′,N′′′]copper(II) perchlorate, [CuCl(C₁₈H₂₄N₄O)]ClO₄, (III), and chloro­[(2‐piperidinyl­ethyl)­bis(2‐pyridyl­methyl)­amine‐N,N′,N′′,N′′′]­copper(II) hexa­fluoro­phosphate, [CuCl(C₁₉H₂₆N₄)]­PF₆, (IV). They have tripodal potentially tetradentate ligands. In (I), the O atom of the furan moiety weakly coordinates to the Cu atom at a distance of 2.750 (3) Å.     

Synthesis and spectroscopic characterization of cationic mononuclear oxovanadium(IV) complexes with tetradentate Schiff bases as ligands

New tetradentate Schiff-base oxovanadium(IV) complexes [VOL']SO4 (where L' = tetradentate ligands derived from 2,4-dihydroxy 5-acetyl acetophenone and substituted diamines) were prepared and characterized by physico-chemical techniques. All the complexes are monomeric in nature and a square-pyramidal geometry is proposed. Various ligand-field and molecular-orbital parameters have been calculated.     

Synthesis and spectroscopic studies of mixed-ligand and polymeric dinuclear transition metal complexes with bis-acylhydrazone tetradentate ligands and 1,10-phenanthroline

Two types of dinuclear copper(II) and nickel(II) complexes with two tetradentate N2O2 donor ligands 1,4-bis(1-anthranoylhydrazonoethyl)benzene (L1), 1,4-bis(1-salicyloylhydrazonoethyl)benzene (L2) and N,N'-bidentate heterocyclic base [1,10-phenonthroline (phen)] have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, infrared spectra, UV-vis electronic absorption spectra and magnetic susceptibility measurements. The reaction of metal(II) acetates with the solution containing ligand and 1,10-phenonthroline in methanol gives mixed-ligand dinuclear metal(II) complexes with general formula [M2L(phen)2]Cl2 (L=L1 or L2), whereas, the ligands react with metal(II) acetates to form polymeric dinuclear complexes with general formula [(M2L2)n] (L=L1 or L2). In the complexes, the ligands act as dianionic tetradentate and coordination takes place in the enol tautomeric form with the enolic oxygen and azomethine nitrogen atoms while the phenolic hydroxyl and amino groups of aroylhydrazone moiety do not participate in coordination. The effect of varying pH and solvent on the absorption behavior of both ligands and complexes has been investigated.     

The copper(II) complexes with tetradentate Schiff base ligands: Synthesis, crystal structures, and computational studies

Mononuclear copper(II) Schiff base complexes, Cu(BrSal₂Pn) (I) and Cu(BrSal₂MePn) (II), where BrSal₂Pn = N,N′-bis(5-bromo-2-hydroxybenzylidene)propane-1,3-diamine and BrSal₂MePn = N,N′-bis(5-bromo-2-hydroxybenzylidene)-2,2-dimethylpropane-1,3-diamine, have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analyses and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Also, the optimized geometries of them have been calculated using density functional theory method (B3LYP/6–31g). Obtained structural parameters are in agreement with the experimental data. The geometry around the copper atoms display a distorted square-planner structure by coordinating with two oxygen atoms from the phenols moieties and two nitrogen atoms from the imino groups of ligands and thus established three 6-membered rings.     

Rhodium complexes bearing tetradentate diamine-bis(phenolate) ligands

Using tetradentate, dianionic ligands, several new rhodium complexes have been prepared. Some of these diamine-bis(phenolate) compounds, are active for C-H activation of benzene. These complexes are air and thermally stable. All four complexes were characterized by X-ray diffraction.     

Cobalt complexes with tripodal ligands: implications for the design of drug chaperones

Extensive research is currently being conducted into metal complexes that can selectively deliver cytotoxins to hypoxic regions in tumours. The development of pharmacologically suitable agents requires an understanding of appropriate ligand-metal systems for chaperoning cytotoxins. In this study, cobalt complexes with tripodal tren (tris-(2-aminoethyl)amine) and tpa (tris-(2-pyridylmethyl)amine) ligands were prepared with ancillary hydroxamic acid, β-diketone and catechol ligands and several parameters, including: pK(a), reduction potential and cytotoxicity were investigated. Fluorescence studies demonstrated that only tpa complexes with β-diketones showed any reduction by ascorbate in situ and similarly, cellular cytotoxicity results demonstrated that ligation to cobalt masked the cytotoxicity of the ancillary groups in all complexes except the tpa diketone derivative [Co(naac)tpa](ClO(4))(2) (naac = 1-methyl-3-(2-naphthyl)propane-1,3-dione). Additionally, it was shown that the hydroxamic acid complexes could be isolated in both the hydroxamate and hydroximate form and the pK(a) values (5.3-8.5) reveal that the reversible protonation/deprotonation of the complexes occurs at physiologically relevant pHs. These results have clear implications for the future design of prodrugs using cobalt moieties as chaperones, providing a basis for the design of cobalt complexes that are both more readily reduced and more readily taken up by cells in hypoxic and acidic environments.     

Chiral manganese complexes with pinene appended tetradentate ligands as stereoselective epoxidation catalysts

A novel family of chiral manganese complexes Lambda-1(CF(3)SO(3)) and Delta-2(CF(3)SO(3)), have been stereoselectively prepared, characterized and studied as epoxidation catalysts. The complexes are structurally related to [Mn(II)(CF(3)SO(3))(2)(alpha-MCP)] (MCP=N,N'-dimethyl-N,N'-bis(2-pyridylmethyl)cyclohexane-trans-1,2-diamine), recently reported as a very efficient epoxidation catalyst in combination with peracetic acid. Pinene rings have been fused to the 4 and 5 positions of the two pyridine groups of the ligand, giving rise to complexes where the two labile binding sites of the manganese ion are confined in a better-defined chiral pocket than in the parent [Mn(II)(CF(3)SO(3))(2)(alpha-MCP)]. Chirality in these complexes arises from the stereochemistry of the trans-diaminocyclohexane ring, from the pinene ring and also from the topological chirality adopted by the ligand upon binding to the manganese ion. While previous studies have demonstrated that small modifications in the structure of the MCP ligand result in a dramatic loss of efficiency, Lambda-1(CF(3)SO(3)) and Delta-2(CF(3)SO(3)) exhibit comparable catalytic activity to [Mn(II)(CF(3)SO(3))(2)(alpha-MCP)]. In addition, the complexes exhibit a remarkable stereoselectivity (up to 46% ee) in the epoxidation of selected substrates. The results reported in this work point towards modification of the 4 and 5 positions of the pyridine groups as a new strategy towards the design of stereoselective versions of this family of highly active and environmentally benign epoxidation catalysts.     

Preparation of heterodinuclear complexes with phenol-based compartmental ligands containing hexa- and tetradentate coordination sites

A series of mono- and heterodinuclear complexes of type MLⁿH₂ and MLⁿM′ where M = Co^III, Cr^III, Zn^II and M′ = Cu^II, Zn^II have been synthesized and characterized. The non-macrocyclic ligands LⁿH₄ contain two geometrically distinct compartments, hexa- (N₄O₂) and tetradentate (O₄) compartments which are bridged by phenolic oxygen atoms. The dinuclear complexes were prepared in stepwise reactions. The non-macrocyclic ligand showed a site specificity of metal ions upon the synthetic procedure. The results obtained reveals that in case of using ligand L²H₄ only an isomer (trans-pyridines and cis-phenolates) among three possible geometrical isomers is formed. The metal site scrambling in the prepared complexes were not also observed in the reaction conditions used. The crystal structure of [Cr^IIIL²H₂]ClO₄ was determined and discussed.     

Cobalt complexes of terpyridine ligands: Crystal structure and nuclease activity

Cobalt(II) (1) and cobalt(III) (2) complexes of tridentate ligand, imidazole terpyridine (Itpy), have been synthesized and characterized by both spectroscopic and electrochemical techniques. Single crystal X-ray diffraction studies of complexes 1 and 2 shows that the complexes belong to monoclinic crystal system, with the two Itpy ligands coordinated to the central metal ion. The binding behavior of both the cobalt complexes to calf thymus DNA has been investigated by UV–Vis, fluorescence spectroscopy, viscosity and electrochemical measurements. The results suggest that complexes 1 and 2 bind to DNA through intercalation. The intrinsic DNA binding constant values obtained from absorption spectral titration studies were found to be (5.07 ± 0.12) × 10³ M⁻¹ and (7.46 ± 0.16) × 10³ M⁻¹, respectively, for complexes 1 and 2. Gel electrophoresis studies with the cobalt complexes show that while complex 1 cleaves DNA in the presence of hydrogen peroxide, complex 2 cleaves DNA in the presence of ascorbic acid and hydrogen peroxide.     

Trans ruthenium(II) complexes with NH-bridged tetradentate symmetric and asymmetric polypyridyl ligands

NH-Bridged tetradentate ligands were synthesized to achieve stable trans Ru(II) bis(polypyridyl) complexes. The polypyridyl part of the ligand was either symmetric, as in N,N-bis(1,10-phenanthroline-2-yl)amine (phen-NH-phen), or asymmetric, as in N-(1,10-phenanthroline-2-yl)-N-(6-yl-dipyridyl[2,3-a:2',3'-c]phenazine)amine (dppz-NH-phen). Protonation of phen-NH-phen with trifluoroacetic acid and the subsequent reaction with RuCl3 yield trans-[Ru(phen-NH-phen)Cl2]. The chloro ligands in this compound can easily be replaced by stronger ligands, such as CH3CN and DMSO. In this way, complexes trans-[Ru(phen-NH-phen)(CH3CN)(DMSO)](PF6)2 (1), trans-[Ru(phen-NH-phen)(DMSO)2](PF6)2 (2), and trans-[Ru(phen-NH-phen)(CH3CN)2](PF6)2 (3) were obtained. X-ray structures were determined for 1 and 3. Following a procedure similar to that used with phen-NH-phen, the complex trans-[Ru(dppz-NH-phen)(CH3CN)2](PF6)2 (4) was obtained. To our knowledge, this is the first reported trans ruthenium(II) bis(polypyridyl) complex with two different polypyridyl ligands in the equatorial plane.     

Stability and acidity constants for ternary ligand-zinc-hydroxo complexes of tetradentate tripodal ligands

Four series of tetradentate tripodal ligands containing pyridyl, 2-imidazolyl, 4-imidazolyl, amino, and/or carboxylic groups were synthesized as hydrolytic zinc enzyme models in order to elucidate the effect of various coordination environments on zinc binding and the acidity of zinc-bound water. In aqueous solution, ligands with same charges showed a good correlation between zinc binding (log K(ZnL)) and zinc-bound water acidity (pK(a) of LZnOH(2)); the stronger the zinc binding, the higher the pK(a). The zinc-bound water acidity decreased as pyridyl groups were replaced by carboxylate groups. However, exchanging amino groups for carboxylate groups gave no change in zinc-bound water acidity regardless of the charge of the atoms in the inner coordination sphere of the metal ion. The results are consistent with the conventional notion that negatively charged carboxylate groups inherently increase zinc binding and result in decreasing zinc-bound water acidity, but also suggest that environmental effects may modulate or dominate control of acidity.     

Copper(II) complexes of N4 tetradentate ligands with flexible alkyl spacers: Crystal structure,DNA binding and cleavage studies

Mononuclear copper(II) complexes, [Cu L1] (ClO₄)₂ (1), [Cu L2] (ClO₄)₂ (2) and [Cu L3] (ClO₄)₂ (3) with quadridentate Schiff base ligands L1 (N,N′-bis-pyridin-2-ylmethyl-butane-1,4-diimine), L2 (N,N′-bis-pyridin-2-ylmethyl-pentane-1,5-diimine) and L3 (N,N′-bis-pyridin-2-ylmethyl-hexane-1,6-diimine) have been synthesized and characterized. The crystal structure data of 1 reveals the existence of the complex in two different geometries, namely a square pyramid and a distorted octahedron, which eventually leads to the packing of the molecule into helical and anti-parallel structures respectively. Absorption titration studies with calf thymus DNA for all three complexes are suggestive of groove binding with binding constant values for 1, 2 and 3 being 2.6 ± 0.2 × 10⁴ M⁻¹, 11.5 ± 0.2 × 10⁴ M⁻¹ and 1.83 ± 0.2 × 10⁴ M⁻¹ respectively. Control cleavage experiments using pBR 322 plasmid DNA and distamycin suggest minor groove binding for these complexes. In the presence of ascorbic acid, the complexes show efficient DNA cleavage, the order of efficiency being 1 > 2 ≅ 3.