Side-chain cholesteric liquid crystalline elastomers containing isosorbide as chiral agent – synthesis and characterisation

In this work the new-style nematic monomer M₁ , chiral crosslinking reagent M_C and a series of new side-chain cholesteric liquid crystalline elastomers derived from M₁ and M_C were prepared. The effect of the content of the chiral crosslinking unit on phase behaviour of the elastomers has been discussed. Polymer P₁ showed nematic phase, P₂ –P₇ showed cholesteric phase, P₃ formed Grandjean texture in the heating cycle and turned out a blue Grandjean texture in the cooling cycle, P₂ –P₃ with less than 6 mol% of chiral crosslinking agent gave rise to selective reflection. The elastomers containing less than 15 mol% of the crosslinking units displayed elasticity, reversible phase transition and high thermal stability. Experimental results demonstrated that the glass transition temperatures reduced first and then increased, and the isotropisation temperatures and the mesophase temperature ranges decreased with increasing content of crosslinking unit.     

Luminescence of ytterium(III) β-diketonate complexes containing different ligands

The spectral and luminescent characteristics of ytterbium(III) β-diketonate complexes containing different nitrogen- and phosphorus-containing ligands are determined. The most intensive luminescence in the IR region is observed for the neutral phosphorus-containing ligands.     

Syntheses and characterization of η 5-pentamethylcyclopentadienyl rhodium(III) and iridium(III) complexes containing polypyridyls

Reaction of [(η ⁵-C₅Me₅)M(μ-Cl)Cl]₂ {M?=?Rh (1), Ir (2)} and [(η ⁵-C₅Me₅)MCl₂(DBT)] (DBT?=?dibenzothiophene) {M?=?Rh (3), Ir (4)} with polypyridyl ligands 2,3-bis(2-pyridyl)pyrazine (bpp), 2,3-bis(2-pyridyl)quinoxaline (bpq), 1,3,5-tris(2-pyridyl)-2,4,6-triazine (tptz), 2,3,5,6-tetrakis(2-pyridyl)pyrazine (tppz) and 4′-pyridyl-2,2′:6′,2′′-terpyridine (py-terpy) results in the formation of mononuclear cationic complexes, [(η ⁵-C₅Me₅)MCl(poly-py)]⁺ (poly-py?=?polypyridyl ligand). The complexes were isolated as hexafluorophosphate salts and characterized by IR and NMR spectroscopy.     

Binuclear bis(β-diketonato) complexes of ruthenium(III) containing triphenylphosphine or triphenylarsine

Stable bis(-diketonato) bridged binuclear complexes prepared by reacting [RuX₃(EPh₃)₃] (X = Cl or Br; E = P or As) with (RCO)(MeCO)CH–Y–CH(COR)(COMe) [R = Me or Ph; Y = (CH₂)₆, (CH₂)₁₀] in a 2:1 molar ratio in benzene, have been characterised by elemental analyses, i.r., electronic, e.p.r. and cyclic voltammetry. The oxidation state of the metal ion in these complexes is confirmed as + 3 by electrochemical and by e.p.r. measurements. The complexes belong to a low-spin d⁵ configuration. An attempt has been made to ascertain the effect of the length of the bridging ligand on the electron transfer processes by cyclic voltammetry in these binuclear complexes. Based on the above studies an octahedral geometry has been tentatively proposed. The new complexes have been subjected to the antifungal activity studies.     

Luminescent characteristics of some mesogenic tris(β-diketonate) europium(III) complexes with Lewis bases

Luminescent properties of liquid-crystalline tris(β-diketonate) europium(III) complexes with Lewis bases (substituted 2,2′-bipyridine and 1,10-phenantroline) are investigated. Absolute and relative quantum yields and lifetimes are determined. Absorption, excitation, and emission spectra of the complexes are investigated.     

Emissive mononuclear Eu(III) and Tb(III) complexes bearing deprotonated 2,2′-bipyridyl-1,2,4-triazole terdentate ligands

A series of new emissive mononuclear Ln(III) complexes with deprotonated 2,2?-bipyridyl-1,2,4-triazole terdentate ligands, [Ln(L)(DMF)₂(NO₃)₂]?n(solvent) (Ln = Eu (1 and 2), Tb (3 and 4), HL = 6-(5-trifluoromethyl-1,2,4-triazol-3-yl)-2,2′-bipyridine, 6-(5-trifluoromethyl-1,2,4-triazol-3-yl)-4,4′-dimethyl-2,2′-bipyridine), have been synthesized and characterized. As revealed by X-ray crystallography, each Ln(III) has a distorted tricapped trigonal prism generated by three nitrogens from one 2,2?-bipyridyl-1,2,4-triazolate chelate and six oxygens from two DMF molecules and two chelating nitrates, where 2,2?-bipyridyl-1,2,4-triazole serves as a mono-anionic tridentate chelate via deprotonation of the 1,2,4-triazolyl-NH. Complexes 1–4 are all emissive at room temperature in solution and solid states, and the introduction of two methyl groups into the 2,2?-bipyridyl ring is efficient in enhancing luminescence efficiencies of Ln(III) complexes.     

Noncovalent ligand-to-ligand interactions alter sense of optical chirality in luminescent tris(β-diketonate) lanthanide(III) complexes containing a chiral bis(oxazolinyl) pyridine ligand

Highly luminescent tris[β-diketonate (HFA, 1,1,1,5,5,5-hexafluoropentane-2,4-dione)] europium(III) complexes containing a chiral bis(oxazolinyl) pyridine (pybox) ligand--[(Eu(III)(R)-Ph-pybox)(HFA)(3)], [(Eu(III)(R)-i-Pr-pybox)(HFA)(3)], and [(Eu(III)(R)-Me-Ph-pybox)(HFA)(3)])--exhibit strong circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) at the magnetic-dipole ((5)D(0) → (7)F(1)) transition, where the [(Eu(III)(R)-Ph-pybox)(HFA)(3)] complexes show virtually opposite CPL spectra as compared to those with the same chirality of [(Eu(III)(R)-i-Pr-pybox)(HFA)(3)] and [(Eu(III)(R)-Me-Ph-pybox)(HFA)(3)]. Similarly, the [(Tb(III)(R)-Ph-pybox)(HFA)(3)] complexes were found to exhibit CPL signals almost opposite to those of [(Tb(III)(R)-i-Pr-pybox)(HFA)(3)] and [(Tb(III)(R)-Me-Ph-pybox)(HFA)(3)] complexes with the same pybox chirality. Single-crystal X-ray structural analysis revealed ligand-ligand interactions between the pybox ligand and the HFA ligand in each lanthanide(III) complex: π-π stacking interactions in the Eu(III) and Tb(III) complexes with the Ph-pybox ligand, CH/F interactions in those with the i-Pr-pybox ligand, and CH/π interactions in those with the Me-Ph-pybox ligand. The ligand-ligand interactions between the achiral HFA ligands and the chiral pybox results in an asymmetric arrangement of three HFA ligands around the metal center. The metal center geometry varies depending on the types of ligand-ligand interaction.     

Catalytic and antimicrobial studies of binuclear ruthenium(III) complexes containing bis-β-diketones

A series of new binuclear Ru(III) complexes of the type {[RuX₃(EPh₃)]₂(bis- β-dk)} [X = Cl/Br; E = P/As bis- β-dk = bis(β-diketone)] have been prepared by reacting [RuCl₃(PPh₃)₃], [RuCl₃(AsPh₃)₃], [RuBr₃(PPh₃)₃], [RuBr₃(AsPh₃)₃] with bis(β-diketones) in a 2:1 molar ratio in benzene. These complexes have been characterized by physico-chemical and spectroscopic methods. The redox property of the complexes were studied by cyclic voltammetric technique. The complexes were found to be effective catalysts for the aryl–aryl coupling and oxidation of benzyl alcohol, cyclohexanol, propan-1-ol and 2-methylpropanol to benzaldehyde, cyclohexanone, propionaldehyde and 2-methylpropionaldehyde, respectively, using molecular oxygen as primary oxidant. All the complexes have been screened for their antibacterial and antifungal activities.     

Thermal behavior and other properties of Pr(III), Sm(III), Eu(III), Gd(III), Tb(III) complexes with 4,4′-bipyridine and trichloroacetates

A novel mixed-ligand complexes with empirical formulae: Ln(4-bpy)_1.5(CCl₃COO)₃·nH₂O (where Ln(III) = Pr, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb; n = 1 for Pr, Sm, Eu and n = 3 for Gd, Tb; 4-bpy = 4,4′-bipyridine) were prepared and characterized by chemical, elemental analysis and IR spectroscopy. Conductivity studies (in methanol, dimethylformamide and dimethylsulfoxide) were also described. All complexes are crystalline. The way of metal–ligand coordination was discussed. The thermal properties of complexes in the solid state were studied under non-isothermal conditions in air atmosphere. During heating the complexes decompose via intermediate products to the oxides: Pr₆O₁₁, Ln₂O₃ (for Sm, Eu, Gd) and Tb₄O₇. TG-MS system was used to analyze principal volatile thermal decomposition and fragmentation products evolved during pyrolysis of Pr(III) and Sm(III) compounds in air.     

Thermal switching characteristics based on smectic-A↔chiral nematic phase transitions of (liquid crystals/chiral dopant) composites,with and without side chain-type liquid crystalline polymer

The light switching characteristics induced by a thermal smectic A (SmA) ? chiral nematic (N*) phase transition were studied for homeotropically aligned [smectic A liquid crystal (SmA-LC)/nematic liquid crystal (N-LC)/chiral dopant] and [side chain type smectic A liquid crystalline polymer (SmA-LCP)/N-LC/chiral dopant] composites. A drastic change from a transparent SmA phase to a light-scattering N* phase occurred in both composites upon heating. In the case of the heat-induced N* phase for the (SmA-LC/N-LC/chiral dopant) composite, the N* phase exhibited weak light scattering due to formation of a scroll texture. On the other hand, in the case of the heat-induced N* phase for the (SmA-LCP/N-LC/chiral dopant) composite, the N* phase showed strong light scattering due to formation of a focalconic texture. The existence of a SmA-LCP was responsible for a higher contrast ratio between the transparent SmA phase and the light scattering N* phase for the (SmA-LCP/ N-LC/chiral dopant) composite than for the (SA-LCN/N-LC/chiral dopant) composite.     

Can a meso-type dinuclear complex be chiral?: dinuclear β-diketonato Ru(III) complexes

Dinuclear Ru(III) complexes, [Ru(III)(acac)(2)(dabe)Ru(III)(acac)(2)] (acacH = acetylacetone; dabeH(2) = 1, 2-diacetyl-1,2-dibenzoylethane) and [Ru(III)(acac)(2)(tbet)Ru(III)(acac)(2)] (tbetH(2) = 1,1,2,2-tetrabenzoylethane) were synthesized by reacting [Ru(acac)(2)(CH(3)CN)(2)]PF(6) with dabeH(2) and tbetH(2) respectively, in toluene. The X-ray structural analysis of a meso-type dinuclear Ru(III) complex, ΔΛ-[Ru(III)(acac)(2)(dabe)Ru(III)(acac)(2)], showed that the bridging part became chiral due to the orthogonal twisting of two non-symmetrical β-diketonato moieties. To confirm this conclusion, the complex was resolved chromatographically to provide a pair of optical antipodes. Such chirality in the bridging part was not generated for [Ru(III)(acac)(2)(tbet)Ru(III)(acac)(2)], because the β-diketonato moieties in tbet(2-) are symmetrical.     

Synthesis and characterisation of main‐chain hydrogen‐bonded supramolecular liquid crystalline complexes formed by azo‐containing compounds

A series of azopyridine‐containing hydrogen bonding acceptors (4a–c) with flexible spacers of oligo(methylene) were synthesised. Hydrogen‐bonded polymeric complexes 4/5 and trimeric complexes 4/6₂ , where 5 and 6 are aromatic dicarboxylic acids and monocarboxylic acids, respectively, were prepared and their liquid crystallinity was examined using differential scanning calorimetry and polarising optical microscopy. The study showed that most of the complexes displayed reversible thermotropic nematic phase. The isotropic to nematic phase transition temperatures of polymeric complexes 4/5 and trimeric complexes 4/6₂ in general decreased with the increase in length of spacers and terminal groups in the corresponding proton acceptors 4 and the proton donors 5 and 6, respectively. Hydrogen bonding interactions in complexes 4/5 and 4/6₂ were studied by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy.     

New luminescent heteronuclear Ln(III)–Bi(III) complexes (Ln = Nd,Eu, Tb,Yb) based on aminopolycarboxylic acids

New heteronuclear Ln(III)–Bi(III) complexes (Ln?=?Nd, Eu, Tb, Yb, Lu) with ethylenediamine-N,N,N′,N′-tetraacetic (H₄edta), trans-1,2-cyclohexane-diamine-N,N,N′,N′-tetraacetic (H₄cdta), diethylenetriamine-N,N,N′,N″,N″-pentaacetic (H₅dtpa), and triethylenetetraamine-N,N,N′,N″,N″′,N″′-hexaacetic (H₆ttha) acids have been synthesized with a different synthetic approach. Bi(III) is a sensitizer of the 4f-luminescence in visible and near IR region. Emission spectra of Eu(III)–Bi(III) complexes were studied and the asymmetry of Eu(III) coordination environment was estimated, in good agreement with molecular models. The complexes synthesized by self-assembly are characterized by higher values of the 4f-luminescence quantum yield than other Ln(III)–Bi(III) complexes.     

Novel photo‐crosslinkable liquid crystalline polymers containing vanillylidene cycloalkanones and azobenzene units

Two series of novel liquid crystalline photo‐crosslinkable bis(vanillylidene‐azobenzene) cycloalkanone containing polymers, namely poly(vanillylidene alkyloxy‐4,4′‐azobenzenedicarboxylic ester)s, have been synthesised from bis[m‐hydroxyalkyloxy(vanillylidene)cycloalkanone] (m = 6, 8, 10) with azobenzene dicarbonylchloride by solution polycondensation method at ambient temperature. Polymers with varying spacer lengths have been synthesised and characterised by spectroscopic techniques. These variations have been correlated with the thermal properties and transition temperatures. Thermal transitions were analysed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and the mesophases were identified by hot stage optical polarised microscopy (HOPM). All of the polymers were found to exhibit liquid crystalline properties. Transition temperatures were observed to decrease with increasing spacer length. The thermogravimetric analysis reveals that all of the polymers were stable up to 280°C undergo two‐stage decomposition. Using the UV–visible photolysis studies we investigated the simultaneous behaviour of reactivity rates of crosslinking in the vanillylidene unit and isomerisation caused by the azobenzene unit in the photo‐crosslinkable main chain liquid crystalline polymers. The photolysis of liquid crystalline bis(vanillylidene)cycloalkanone‐based polymers reveals that there are two kinds of photoreactions in these systems: the EZ photoisomerisation of azobenzene unit and 2p+2p addition by vanillylidene units. The EZ photoisomerisation in the liquid crystal phase disrupts the parallel stacking of the mesogens, resulting in the transition from the liquid crystal phase to isotropic phase. The photoreaction involving 2p+2p addition of the bis(vanillylidene)cycloalkanone units in the polymers results in the conjoining of the chains. The cyclopentanone polymers exhibited a faster rate of photolysis than the cyclohexanone polymers.     

Ferrocene-containing ligands in the self-assembly of trinuclear μ3-oxocentered carboxylate complexes of chromium(III, III, III)carboxylate complexes of chromium(III, III, III)

New trinuclear μ₃-oxocentered chromium(III, III, III) complexes were obtained by the self-assembly of ferrocenecarboxylate ligands and the Cr₃O fragment. The complexes were investigated by fast-atom bombardment (FAB) mass spectrometry, cyclic voltammetry, and electronic and IR spectroscopy. V. I. Vernadskii Institute of General and Inorganic Chemistry, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 32/34 Prospekt Akademika Vernadskogo, Kiev 03142, Ukraine. Translated from Teoreticheskaya i éksperimental'naya Khimiya, Vol. 36, No. 4, pp. 233–237, July–August, 2000.     

Cross-coupling of arene–gold(III) complexes

The reactivity of electron-deficient arene–gold(III) complexes toward nucleophilic aromatic and heteroaromatic counterparts has been studied. 1-Methylindole proved to be the best reaction partner while trimethoxybenzenes did not react. The ancillary ligand on gold also influenced the reactivity in the order PPh₃>P^tBu₃>IPr. An oxidative cross-coupling starting from the corresponding gold(I) complexes in presence of hypervalent iodide oxidants was also studied.     

Bis(2,2′-bipyridine)cobalt(III) complexes containing asymmetric ligands: Synthesis,DNA-binding and photocleavage studies

Three new Co^III complexes: [Co(bpy)₂(pdtb)]³⁺ (1), [Co(bpy)₂(pdta)]³⁺ (2) and [Co(bpy)₂(pdtp)]³⁺ (3) have been synthesized and characterized. The DNA binding behavior of the Co^III complexes has been investigated by spectroscopic methods and viscosity measurements. The results indicate that the size and shape of the intercalated ligand have a marked effect on the binding affinity of complexes involving CT-DNA. Complexes (2) and (3) have been found to promote cleavage of plasmid pBR 322 DNA from the supercoiled form I to the open circular form II upon irradiation. Photocleavage mechanisms are proposed.     

Intensity-tunable micelles and films containing bimetal ions—europium(III) and terbium(III)

In this paper, multicolored micelles were prepared by coordination of lanthanide(III) (europium(III) (Eu(III)) and terbium(III) (Tb(III))) ions with block copolymer in different molar ratios of n _Eu(III)/n _Tb(III). The micelles formed by polymer–Eu(III)/Tb(III) could emit higher quantum yield luminescence than the mixture of polymer–Eu(III) micelles and polymer–Tb(III) micelles. The micelles containing Eu(III) and Tb(III) could emit a yellow-green color, and the intensity varied with the molar ratios of n _Eu(III)/n _Tb(III). In the constant concentrations of Eu(III) and 1,10-phenanthroline (Phen), the intensity of ⁵D₀→⁷F₂ increased with the addition of Tb(III), and the intensity of ⁵D₄→⁷F₅ decreased with the increasing of Eu(III) in the constant concentrations of Tb(III) and Phen. All the multicolored micelles could be spin-coated as intensity-tunable films.     

Syntheses of (imidazole)pentaamminemetal(III) and μ-imidazolatodecaamminedimetal(III) complexes from trifluoromethanesulfonato precursors

The [M(NH₃)₅(imidH)]³⁺ complex ions (M = Co, Rh or Ir; imidH = imidazole) can be readily prepared by reaction of [M(NH₃)₅(OSO₂CF₃)]²⁺ ions with imidazole in sulfolane. Subsequent reaction of [M′(NH₃)₅(OSO₂CF₃)]²⁺ with [M(NH₃)₅(imidH)]³⁺ in sulfolane in the presence of a non-coordinating base permits synthesis of the binuclear imidazolate-bridged complexes [(NH₃)₅M(imid)M′(NH₃)₅]⁵⁺ (M = M′= Co or Rh; M = Co, M′ = Rh), characterized by spectroscopic, chromatographic and voltammetric methods, and by reactivity.