The electrochemical behavior of Os(II) complexes with α,α′-bipyridine and o-phenanthroline in non-aqueous solvents

The electrode reactions of Os(II) complexes with α,α′-bipyridine and o-phenanthroline have been studied in non aqueous solvents. Tris bipyridine and tris phenanthroline complexes of Os(II) give one-step oxidation waves and three-step reduction waves, while bis bipyridine complexes of Os(II) containing py₂, en, CN₂, Cl₂ and Br₂ as mixed ligands give one-step oxidation waves and two-step reduction waves. Most of these waves correspond to reversible single electron transfers. It is noticed that the half-wave potentials or the peak potentials of bis bipyridine complexes are shifted to more negative direction than those of the tris complex in both oxidation and reduction processes. This is attributable to less electron with drawing nature of substituted ligands than bipyridine. These potential data, the shifts of E_1/2 or E_p from those of tris complexes, and δE*, the potential difference between two consecutive single electron waves, are discussed in terms of molecular orbital scheme.     

Electron transfer processes involving ferrocenes. Electrogeneration and reactivity of an unusual species,the monocyclopentadienyliron radical

The very reactive cyclopentadienyliron species, (RC₅H₄)Fe, are relatively easily generated by electrochemical reduction of appropriately substituted and readily available ferrocenes. Thus (MeCOC₅H₄)Fe has been generated by monoelectronic reduction of (MeCOC₅H₄)₂Fe; it reacts with CO leading, after further reduction, to the acetyl cyclopentadienyldicarbonyliron anion. Reactions of this anion give ring-substituted cyclopentadienyldicarbonyliron derivatives containing the electron-withdrawing MeCO substituent.     

Ein neuer Zugang zum tetracyclischen Grundgerüst des Cyclohepta (def)fluorens

A New Synthetic Way to the Tetracyclic Skeleton of Cyclohepta (def)fluorene The synthesis of 2-Methyl-4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10-hexahydrocyclohepta (def)fluorene 2 is described starting with the reduction of the ketone 3 by a (1:1)-mixture of LiAlH₄/AlCl₃ to the hydrocarbon 4 . After metallation with butyllithium 4 was allowed to react with bromoacetic acid to yield 5 . The cyclization of this compound was performed with p-toluenesulfonic acid to give the tetracyclic ketone 6 which was converted to the tetracyclic hydrocarbon 2 by reduction with LiAlH₄/AlCl₃.     

Redox reactions of uranium hexafluoride. Comparison with phosphorus pentafluoride and preparation of copper(I) hexafluorouranate(V) [1]

Molecular iodine is oxidised by phosphorus pentafluoride in iodine pentafluoride at room temperature giving I₂⁺, PF₆^?, and PF₃. I₂⁺ is formed from uranium hexafluoride under similar conditions, but further oxidation occurs depending on the reaction stoicheiometry used. In all cases uranium pentafluoride is formed. Copper(II) fluoride reacts with UF₅ in acetonitrile at room temperature to give copper(II) hexafluorouranate(V), which is reduced by copper metal to give the copper(I) salt. The latter compound is formed from UF₆ and Cu metal, via the Cu^II salt, only if a fresh Cu surface is used for the reduction step.     

Unexpected direct formation of a bridging 4-cyanobuta-1,3-dienylidene group from reaction of [(C5H5)Fe(CO)]2(μ-CCH2) with HCCCN

The ethenylidenediiron complex [C₅H₅Fe(CO)]₂ (μ-CO)(μ-CCh₂) reacts with the nitrile substituted alkyne HCCCn to give high yield of [(C₅H₅)Fe(CO)]₂ (μ-CO)(μ-CCHCHC(CN)H). It is suggested that this bridging 4-cyanobuta-1,3-dien-ylidenediiron complex is formed by attack of the electron rich double bond of the ethenylidenediiron complex on the electrophilic protonated carbon of the alkyne. An IR study has indicated that hydride reduction of the complex occurs selectively at the bridging vinylidene carbon atom to give am anionic bridging cyanovinylalkylidenediiron complex.     

Using the Secondary PH/BH Functional Groups of an Active Geminal Frustrated Lewis Pair for Carbon Monoxide Reduction and Reactions with Nitriles and Isonitriles

Reaction of the secondary alkynyl(Mes*)PH phosphane 2 with (Fmes)BH₂?SMe₂ gives the geminal PH/BH frustrated Lewis pair (FLP) 3 . The PH and the BH functions are jointly used in the reduction of carbon monoxide under mild reaction conditions to give the [P]‐CH₂‐O‐[B] product. A subsequent cycloaddition sequence results in the liberation of formaldehyde. The FLP 3 reacts with benzonitrile to give a P‐benzamidine, and it couples two isonitriles at the FLP framework.     

DFT and Empirical Considerations on Electrocatalytic Water/Carbon Dioxide Reduction by CoTMPyP in Neutral Aqueous Solutions**

A combined experimental and density functional theory (DFT) investigation was employed in order to examine the mechanism of electrochemical CO₂ reduction and H₂ formation from water reduction in neutral aqueous solutions. A water soluble cobalt porphyrin, cobalt [5,10,15,20-(tetra-N-methyl-4-pyridyl)porphyrin], (CoTMPyP), was used as catalyst. The possible attachment of different axial ligands as well as their effect on the electrocatalytic cycles were examined. A cobalt porphyrin hydride is a key intermediate which is generated after the initial reduction of the catalyst. The hydride is involved in the formation of H₂ and formate and acts as an indirect proton source for the formation of CO in these H⁺-starving conditions. The experimental results are in agreement with the computations and give new insights into electrocatalytic mechanisms involving water soluble metalloporphyrins. We conclude that in addition to the porphyrin's structure and metal ion center, the electrolyte surroundings play a key role in dictating the products of CO₂/H₂O reduction.     

Stereoselective Synthesis of Frans-(E)-N-{2-[4-(3,4-Dichlorophenyl)but-2-En-2-Yl]Cyclohexyl}Pyrrolidine as an Alkene Mimetic of the Arylacetamide Analgesics

Diethylaluminum trimethylsilylacctylide reacted stereospecifically with the mesylate of trans-2-(N- pyrrolidinyl)cyclohexanol (2) to give trans-N-[2-(trimethylsilylacetylcnyl)cyclohexyl]pyrrolidine (3). The trimethylsilyl group in 3 was displaced with a 3,4-dichlorobenzoyl group to give ynone 4, which then underwent 1,4-addition with lithium dimethylcuprate to give trans enone 6 and its cis isomer 5 in a ratio 5:1. Reduction of the enones with NaBHVCeCl₃ resulted in cis and trans allylic alcohols 9 and 10. Both 9 and 10 were successfully deoxygenated with Znl₂-NaCNBH₃ reducing system to give trans-(E)-N-{2-[4-(3,4- dichlorophenyl)bul-2-en-2-yl]cyclohexyl}pyrrolidine (11) as the onty product. Olefin 11, a carbon-carbon double bond isostere of the prototypek-selective opioid analgesic U-50488, showed a 10³ fold reduction in K-affinity (K_ik = 1.6 × 10⁴ nM vs 15 nM for U-50488).     

Electrochemical Behavior of Diphenyl Disulfide and Thiophenol on Glassy Carbon and Gold Electrodes in Aprotic Media

The investigation of the electrochemical reduction processes of C₆H₅SSC₆H₅ and C₆H₅SH in CH₃CN using cyclic voltammetry indicates a different behavior on GC and Au electrodes. On GC surface adsorption phenomena are absent, the electrochemical reduction process is irreversible and diffusion controlled. For both the starting molecules the same species, C₆H₅S^?, is formed upon reduction. The E° values of the reduction processes were determined by convolution method and the standard free energy of the S? S bond of C₆H₅SSC₆H₅ estimated. On Au surface instead, a self‐assembled monolayer of C₆H₅SAu_ads originated after the S? S or S? H bond breaking can be observed by simply dipping the electrode in solution of C₆H₅SSC₆H₅ and C₆H₅SH, respectively. The properties of the SAM were investigated by electrochemical reduction of the adsorbed thiolates. On Au electrode the reduction processes involve C₆H₅SAu_ads and give rise to desorbed C₆H₅S^?. A neutral radical is obtained by electrochemical oxidation of thiolate anion. It reacts rapidly with the electrode surface to give the S‐Au bond again.     

Direct cytochrome c electrochemistry at boron-doped diamond electrodes

Highly boron-doped diamond electrodes are characterized voltammetrically employing Ru(NH₃)₆^3+/2+, Fe(CN)₆^3−/4−, benzoquinone/hydroquinone, and cytochrome c redox systems. The diamond electrodes, which are polished to nanometer finish, are initially `activated' electrochemically and then pretreated by oxidation, reduction, or polishing. All electrodes give reversible cyclic voltammetric responses for the reduction of Ru(NH₃)₆³⁺ in aqueous solution.Redox systems other than Ru(NH₃)₆^3+/2+ show characteristic electrochemical behavior as a function of diamond surface pretreatment. In particular, the horse heart cytochrome c redox system is shown to give reversible voltammetric responses at Al₂O₃ polished boron-doped diamond electrodes. No voltammetric response for cytochrome c is detected at anodically pretreated diamond electrodes. The observations are attributed to preferential interaction of the polished diamond surface with the reactive region of the cytochrome c molecule and low interference due to a lack of protein electrode fouling.     

Photocatalytic Reduction of Ag2SO4 by Dawson-Derived Sandwich Complex

Photocatalytic reduction of Ag^I₂SO₄ from aqueous solutions is observed in the presence of Dawson-derived sandwich type polyoxometalates (POMs) [M₄(P₂W₁₅O₅₆)₂]¹⁶⁻, M = Co²⁺, Ni²⁺ and Zn²⁺ as photocatalyst and an organic substrate (propan-2-ol) as sacrificial electron donor. The direct photochemical excitation of the Dawson-derived sandwich type polyoxometalates in the presence of propan-2-ol leads to its reduction. That first reduction step induces electron transfer to Ag⁺ ions to give Ag⁰ metal atoms which then form by aggregation colloidal metal nanoparticles stabilized by POM. In the case of [Co₄(P₂W₁₅O₅₆)₂]¹⁶⁻, TEM experiments reveal that the Ag_n particles obtained with a slight excess of Ag⁺ are almost spherical with size in the range 20 – 50 nm. However, in a large excess of Ag⁺, the obtained colloids are more oblate and assembled together to give larger aggregates.     

A New Path for the Reductive Cleavage of Te-Te Bond by the System of Cp2TiCl2/i-BuMgBr and ITS Utility in Synthesis of Unsymmetrical Tellurides

The cleavage reduction of ditellurides by Cp₂TiCl₂/i-BuMgBr lead to nucleophilic tellurides [Cp₂TiTeAr]. This species reacts with aliphatic bromides to give unsymmetrical tellurides in good yield.     

Shape- and Size-Selective Preparation of Hectorite-Supported Ruthenium Nanoparticles for the Catalytic Hydrogenation of Benzene

The cationic organometallic aqua complexes formed by hydrolysis of [(C₆H₆)₂RuCl₂]₂ in water, mainly [(C₆H₆)Ru(H₂O)₃]²⁺, intercalate into white sodium hectorite, replacing the sodium cations between the anionic silicate layers. The yellow hectorite thus obtained reacts in water with molecular hydrogen (50 bar, 100 °C) to give a dark suspension containing a black hectorite in which large hexagonally shaped ruthenium nanoparticles (20–50 nm) are intercalated between the anionic silicate layers, the charges of which being balanced by hydronium cations. If the reduction with molecular hydrogen (50 bar, 100 °C) is carried out in various alcohols, spherical ruthenium nanoparticles of smaller size (3–38 nm depending on the alcohol) are obtained. In alcohols other than methanol, the reduction also works without H₂ under reflux conditions, the alcohol itself being the reducing agent; the ruthenium nanoparticles obtained in this case are spherical and small (2–9 nm) but tend to aggregate to form clusters of nanoparticles. Whereas the ruthenium nanoparticles prepared by reduction of the yellow hectorite in refluxing alcohols without hydrogen pressure are almost inactive, the nanoparticles formed by hydrogen reduction catalyze the hydrogenation of benzene to give cyclohexane under mild conditions (50 °C) with turnover frequencies up to 6500 catalytic cycles per hour, the best solvent being ethanol. Dedicated to Professor C. N. R. Rao, pioneer of nanocluster chemistry, on the occasion of his 75th birthday.     

Reduction of N‐Nitrosaminoquinolinediones with LiAlH4 – an Easy Path to New Tricyclic Benzoxadiazocines

3‐Butylaminoquinolinediones ( 1 ) react with NaNO₂ in AcOH to give the corresponding N‐nitrosoderivatives ( 2 ). The analogous reactions of 4‐hydroxy‐3‐butylaminoquinolinediones ( 5 ), prepared by the reduction of 1 with NaBH₄, produce the corresponding nitrosamines ( 4 ). The reduction of both 2 and 4 with Zn under different conditions was non‐productive, but the reduction of both compounds with LiAlH₄ at the oxo and lactame groups yielded impure products, generating new tricyclic benzoxadiazocines ( 9 ) by a reaction with HNCO. All compounds were characterized by IR, ¹H‐, and ¹³C‐NMR (in some cases, ¹⁵N‐NMR also) spectroscopy and EI and/or ESI mass spectrometry. The X‐ray structure of compound 9g was determined.     

(L)2C2P2: Dicarbondiphosphide Stabilized by N-Heterocyclic Carbenes or Cyclic Diamido Carbenes

Carbon phosphides, C_nP_m, may have highly promising electronic, optical, and mechanical properties, but they are experimentally almost unexplored materials. Phosphaheteroallenes stabilized by N-heterocyclic carbenes undergo a one-electron reduction to yield compounds of the type (L)₂C₂P₂ with diverse structures. The use of imidazolylidenes as ligands L give complexes with a central four-membered ring C₂P₂, while more electrophilic cyclic diamidocarbenes (DAC) give a compound with an acyclic π-conjugated CP−PC unit. Cyclic C₂P₂ compounds are best described as non-Kekulé molecules that are stabilized by coordination to the NHC ligands NHC→(C₂P₂)←NHC. These species can be easily oxidized to give stable radical cations [(NHC)₂C₂P₂]^+.. The remarkably stable molecules with an acylic C₂P₂ core are best described with electron-sharing bonds (DAC)=C=P−P=C=(DAC).     

Effect of film thickness on the electro-reduction of molecular oxygen on electropolymerized cobalt tetra-aminophthalocyanine films

We studied the electrocatalytic activity of cobalt tetra-aminophthalocyanine (CoTAPc) for the reduction of molecular oxygen (O₂) on adsorbed monomeric and on electropolymerized films of different thicknesses on glassy carbon (GC) electrode. The polymeric films, denoted poly-CoTAPc, were first characterized by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and it appears that the types of phenomena revealed to be occurring depend less on the film thickness in basic than in acid media. For O₂ reduction, the results showed that poly-CoTAPc is more active than the monomeric CoTAPc adsorbed on GC. Indeed, rotating ring-disk electrode data showed that polymeric CoTAPc promotes the four-electron reduction of O₂ to water in parallel to a two-electron reduction to give peroxide. On monomeric and thin films of poly-CoTAPc, a two-electron reduction mechanism predominates. In basic media the activity increases very slightly with thickness, whereas in acid media this increase is more pronounced. This parallels the observed behavior revealed by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy.     

酞菁钴及其衍生物修饰电极对分子氧的电催化还原

在玻碳电极上采用吸附法制备了四溴代酞菁钴(CoPcBr₄)、酞菁钴(CoPc)和四-α-(2,2,4-三甲基-3-戊氧基)酞菁钴(CoPc(OC₈H₁₇)₄)修饰电极。利用循环伏安法和线性扫描伏安法研究了修饰电极在酸性介质中对分子氧的电催化还原,比较了不同取代基的酞菁钴对电催化性质的影响。结果表明,它们对分子氧还原均具有良好的电催化活性,其中酞菁钴和四-α-(2,2,4-三甲基-3-戊氧基)酞菁钴对O₂的催化是2电子还原生成H₂O₂,与裸电极相比,O₂的还原峰电位分别向正方向移动了0.33和0.48 V。而四溴代酞菁钴修饰电极在-0.1和-0.7 V附近产生的2个还原峰,说明它催化O₂到H₂O₂的还原以后还可以促进H₂O₂继续还原到H₂O,最终实现O₂的4电子还原。     

Redox reactions involving rhenium and uranium hexafluorides,a convenient synthesis of β-uranium pentafluoride

Rhenium and uranium hexafluorides oxidise elemental iodine in iodine pentafluoride at ambient temperature to give the I₂⁺ cation. With UF₆ an additional reaction occurs to give β-uranium pentafluoride as one product, β-UF₅ is soluble in acetonitrile without disproportionation and is also formed from the reduction of UF₆ by MeCN. Copper, cadmium, and thallium metals are oxidised by ReF₆ in MeCN giving Cu^I, Cd^II, and Tl^I hexafluororhenates(V) but the reactions are complicated by reaction between ReF₆ and the solvent.     

Electronic Delocalization in Two and Three Dimensions: Differential Aggregation in Indium “Metalloid” Clusters

Reduction of indium boryl precursors to give two‐ and three‐dimensional M−M bonded networks is influenced by the choice of supporting ligand. While the unprecedented nanoscale cluster [In₆₈(boryl)₁₂]⁻ (with an In₁₂@In₄₄@In₁₂(boryl)₁₂ concentric structure), can be isolated from the potassium reduction of a bis(boryl)indium(III) chloride precursor, analogous reduction of the corresponding (benzamidinate)In^IIIBr(boryl) system gives a near‐planar (and weakly aromatic) tetranuclear [In₄(boryl)₄]²⁻ system.