Heterospin complexes based on dinuclear CuII triketonate and nitroxides

Heterospin complexes of bis(μ₂-1,1,2,2,8,8,9,9-octafluorononane-3,5,7-trionato)dicopper(II) ([Cu₂L₂]) with nitronyl nitroxides 2-(1-methyl-1H-pyrazol-4-yl)-4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-4,5-dihydro-1H-imidazole-1-oxyl 3-oxide (2) and 4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-2-(3-pyridinyl)-4,5-dihydro-1H-imidazole-1-oxyl 3-oxide (1) were synthesized and structurally characterized. Crystals of the complexes are formed by the discrete bis[1-methyl-4-(4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-3-oxide-1-oxyl-4,5-dihydro-1H-imidazol-2-yl)-1H-pyrazole]-bis (μ₂-1,1,2,2,8,8,9,9-octafluorononane-3,5,7-trionato)dicopper(II) etherate (3) and bis[3-(4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-3-oxide-1-oxyl-4,5-dihydro-1H-imidazol-2-yl)pyridine]-bis (μ₂-1,1,2,2,8,8,9,9-octafluorononane-3,5,7-trionato)dicopper(II) (4) molecules. Each Cu atom of the dinuclear chelate fragment coordinates one paramagnetic ligand through the N atom of the pyrazole or pyridine fragment, respectively. In complex 3, the paramagnetic ligands are located on one side of the plane of the chelate fragment, whereas the ligands in complex 4 are located above and below the plane of the chelate fragment. The magnetic properties of complexes 3 and 4 are determined by dominant antiferromagnetic exchange interactions between the unpaired electrons of the Cu^II atoms in the dinuclear Cu₂L₂ moiety. Dedicated to Academician O. M. Nefedov on the occasion of his 75th birthday. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 11, pp. 1836–1840, November, 2006.     

Towards Heteroleptic Dicoordinate CuII Complexes

In this work we detail our efforts to systematically generate stable dicoordinate Cu^II complexes. Initial experiments via metathesis reactions of a bulky potassium carbazolide (RK) with copper(II) salts indeed yielded a stable product, RCuOTf ( 1 ). However, subsequent attempts to grasp systematic synthetic access to complexes of the type RCuX (X=monoanionic ligand) proved difficult as many of the complexes rapidly decomposed in solution. By using triflate-related ligands such as ethyl sulfate and bistriflimide, the additional dicoordinate copper complexes RCuOSO₃Et ( 2 ), [RCu(THF)][Cu(NTf₂)₂] ( 3 ) and RCuNTf₂ ( 4 ) could be isolated. Spectroscopic indications corroborate more Cu^I than Cu^II character in all RCuX derivatives.     

Supramolecular Assemblies of Dipyrrolyldiketone CuII Complexes

Dipyrrolyldiketones are essential building units of anion-responsive π-electronic molecules and ion-pairing assemblies. Here, we demonstrated that they form complexes with Cu^II characterized by planar geometries. The solid-state stacking assembled structures, as revealed by single-crystal X-ray analysis, were modulated by the substitution of pyrrole units. The rectangular shapes of the Cu^II complexes resulted in the formation of mesophases upon introduction of aliphatic chains.     

Spirocyclic derivatives of nitronyl nitroxides in the design of heterospin CuII complexes manifesting spin transitions

A method was developed for the synthesis of a nitronyl nitroxide containing cyclopentane substituents in positions 4 and 5 of the imidazoline ring, viz., 2-(3-pyridyl)-4,5-bis(spiropentyl)-4,5-dihydro-1H-imidazole-3-oxide-1-oxyl (L^CP). The reaction of Cu^II hexafluoroacetylacetonate with L^CP affords different products depending on the reaction conditions: mononuclear [Cu(hfac)₂(L^CP)₂], binuclear [Cu(hfac)₂L^CP]₂, tetranuclear {[Cu(hfac)₂]₄(L^CP)₂}, or chain polymer {[Cu(hfac)₂]₃(L^CP)₂} _n . Temperature changes induce structural transformations accompanied by a change in the spin state in exchange clusters in the solid [Cu(hfac)₂L^CP]₂ and {[Cu(hfac)₂]₄(L^CP)₂}.     

Spontaneous racemization and epimerization behavior in solution of chiral nitroxides

[reaction: see text] Enantiomerically enriched samples of chiral cyclic nitroxides with a 4-hydroxyphenyl group on the stereogenic center bearing the NO radical group undergo unprecedented spontaneous racemization and/or epimerization in aprotic solvents, which can be well accounted for by the multistep equilibrations involving planar quinoid intermediates.     

Metal Complexes with a New Tetrapyridyl Pendant Armed Macrocyclic Ligand. X‐ray Crystal Structures of CuII and NiII Complexes

A new pendant‐armed macrocyclic ligand, L¹, bearing four pyridyl pendant groups has been synthesized by N‐alkylation of the tetraazamacrocyclic precursor L with 2‐picolyl chloride hydrochloride. Metal complexes of L¹ have been synthesized and characterized by microanalysis, MS‐FAB, conductivity measurements, IR, UV‐Vis, ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy and magnetic studies. Crystal structures of the ligand L¹ as well as of the complexes [Ni₂L¹](ClO₄)₄·5CH₃CN and [Cu₂L¹](ClO₄)₄·4.5CH₃CN have been determined by single crystal X‐ray crystallography. The X ray studies show the presence of two metal atoms within the macrocyclic ligand in both metal complexes showing five coordination arrangement for the metal ions.     

A reaction of nitroxides with ethyl mercaptane: A mild method for the conversion of nitroxides into their corresponding amines

Summary The mild reduction of the nitroxides1 a–j to the corresponding sterically hindered amines2 a–j by means of ethyl mercaptane is reported. The reaction mixtures of1 a, b, g were analyzed by glc/ms.

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Die Reaktion von Nitroxiden mit Ethylmercaptan: Eine milde Methode für die Umsetzung von Nitroxiden zu den entsprechenden Aminen

Zusammenfassung Es wird über die milde Reduktion der Nitroxide1 a–j zu den entsprechenden sterisch gehinderten Aminen2 a–j mittels Ethylmerkaptan berichtet. Die Reaktionsmischungen von1 a, b, g wurden mittels GLC/MS analysiert.

     

Kinetics and mechanism of hydroxyl radical and OH-adduct radical reactions with nitroxides and with their hydroxylamines

Stable nitroxide radicals are potent antioxidants and are among the most effective non-thiol radioprotectants, although they react with hydroxyl radicals more slowly than typical phenolic antioxidants or thiols. Surprisingly, the reduced forms of cyclic nitroxides, cyclic hydroxylamines, are better reductants yet have no radioprotective activity. To clarify the reason for this difference, we studied the kinetics and mechanisms of the reactions of nitroxides and their hydroxylamines with (*)OH radicals and with OH-adducts by using pulse radiolysis, fluorimetric determination of phenolic radiation products, and electron paramagnetic resonance spectrometric determination of nitroxide concentrations following radiolysis. Competition kinetics with phenylalanine as a reference compound in pulse radiolysis experiments yielded rate constants of (4.5 +/- 0.4) x 10(9) M(-1) s(-1) for the reaction of (*)OH radical with 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-N-oxyl (TPO), 4-hydroxy-TPO (4-OH-TPO), and 4-oxo-TPO (4-O-TPO), (3.0 +/- 0.3) x 10(9) M(-1) s(-1) for deuterated 4-O-TPO, and (1.0 +/- 0.1) x 10(9) M(-1) s(-1) for the hydroxylamine 4-OH-TPO-H. The kinetic isotope effect suggests the occurrence of both (*)OH addition to the aminoxyl moiety of 4-O-TPO and H-atom abstraction from the 2- or 6-methyl groups or from the 3- and 5-methylene positions. This conclusion was further supported by final product analysis, which demonstrated that (*)OH partially oxidizes 4-O-TPO to the corresponding oxoammonium cation. The rate constants for the reactions of the nitroxides with the OH-adducts of phenylalanine and terephthalate have been determined to be near 4 x 10(6) M(-1) s(-1), whereas the hydroxylamine reacted at least 50 times slower, if at all. These findings indicate that the reactivity toward (*)OH does not explain the differences between the radioprotective activities of nitroxides and hydroxylamines. Instead, the radioprotective activity of nitroxides, but not of hydroxylamines, can be partially attributed to their ability to detoxify OH-derived secondary radicals.     

Magnetic resonance studies of imidazoline nitroxides and their photochemical transformations

ESR, ¹H and ¹³C NMR, ENDOR and TRIPLE resonance have been employed to study photochemical reactions of 2,2,5,5-tetramethyl-4-phenyl-3-imidazoline-3-oxide-1-oxyl and to determine the electronic structures of the initial and final radicals. The light-induced isomerization of a phenyl nitron group to an oxaziridine group has been shown to proceed without involving the radical centre.     

Electrochemically Driven Cup‐and‐Ball CuI and CuII Complexes

The conformation of copper “funnel” complexes that contains a coordinating appended arm can be electrochemically switched between endo, which corresponds to the self‐coordination of the arm through the cavity, and exo positions. This process, which is reminiscent of a cup‐and‐ball device, is activated by an exogenous ligand for complexes that contain a hydroxy‐terminated arm. The exchange is electrochemically triggered and is operated in either Cu^I or Cu^II redox states, depending on the exogenous ligand, that is, CO or n‐butylamine, respectively.     

Affinity and nuclease activity of macrocyclic polyamines and their CuII complexes

The stability constants of Cu(II) complexes that consist of either an oxaaza macrocycle with two triamine moieties linked by dioxa chains, or two macrocyclic ligands with a polyamine chain which are connecting the 2 and 9 positions of phenanthroline, have been determined by means of potentiometric measurements. The results are compared to those reported for other ligands with a similar molecular architecture. Of the complexes that contain phenanthroline in their macrocycle, the Cu(II) ion of the complex with the smallest and most rigid macrocycle (L3) has an unsaturated coordination sphere, while in the complex with the largest macrocycle (L5) the Cu(II) ion is coordinatively almost saturated. These results are corroborated by the crystal structure of the [CuL5](ClO4)2 complex. The affinity of the ligands and the complexes towards nucleic acids was studied by measuring the changes in the melting temperature, which showed that the affinity of the macrocyclic ligands towards double-stranded DNA or RNA is generally smaller than that of their linear analogues that bear a similar charge, with a strong preference for polyA-polyU, a model for RNA. However, the complexes of two of the changed macrocyclic ligands which contain a phenanthroline unit (L4, L5) showed a distinctly larger increase in their melting temperature deltaTm with DNA (polydA-polydT), which is reversed again in favor of RNA upon metallation to the dinuclear copper complex with L5. Experiments with supercoiled plasmid DNA showed a particularly effective cleavage with a mononuclear Cu(II) complex that contains a phenanthroline unit (L6). Related ligands showed less activity towards DNA, but not so towards the biocidic bis(p-nitrophenyl)phosphate (BNPP). In both cases (with DNA and BNPP) the activity seemed to increase with decrease of coordinative saturation of the Cu(II) ion, with the exception of one particular ligand (L6). Experiments with radical scavengers in the DNA experiments showed some decrease in cleavage, which indicates the participation of redox processes.     

C2-Symmetric nitroxides and their potential as enantioselective oxidants

The synthesis and evaluation of four C₂-symmetric nitroxides are presented. The nitroxides were evaluated for their ability to mediate the oxidation of several alcohols and found to have good catalytic activity. One enantioenriched nitroxide was found to kinetically resolve selected secondary alcohols with very modest selectivities.     

Copper Complexes with Diazoolefin Ligands and their Photochemical Conversion into Alkenylidene Complexes

Homometallic copper complexes with alkenylidene ligands are discussed as intermediates in catalysis but the isolation of such complexes has remained elusive. Herein, we report the structural characterization of copper complexes with bridging and terminal alkenylidene ligands. The compounds were obtained by irradiation of Cu^I complexes with N-heterocyclic diazoolefin ligands. The complex with a terminal alkenylidene ligand required isolation in a crystalline matrix, and its structural characterization was enabled by in crystallo photolysis at low temperature.     

Two Uranyl Complexes with Pyromellitic Acid. A Heterometallic Complex with U=O–CuII Interaction

Two uranyl complexes based on pyromellitic acid were hydrothermally synthesized, and their X‐ray single‐crystal diffraction structures were determined. Complex [UO₂(Hbtec)]^–(Himd)⁺ · H₂O ( 1 ) (H₄btec = pyromellitic acid, imd = imidazole), is an ionic complex, which shows a typical (4, 4) topological structure in the space. A heterometallic complex, UO₂Cu(btec)(phen) ( 2 ) (phen = 1,10‐phenanthroline) results from the reaction of uranyl nitrate and copper(II) bromide with pyromellitic acid. The structure of complex 2 revealed that the chains of UO₇ and CuO₃N₂ units were connected to each other through the carboxyl groups and U=O–Cu interactions to create a two‐dimensional framework.     

Copper complexes with N-aminotriazolethione azomethines: Structures and magnetochemical properties

Azomethine derivatives of 4-amino-1,2,4-triazole-3-thiones (H₂L) and their metal complexes were obtained. The stabilities of the ligand conformers were calculated using quantum-chemical techniques. Ab initio (B3LYP/LANL2DZ) calculations of the complexes in the lower singlet and triplet states were performed with full geometry optimization. The structures and magnetochemical properties of the chelate complexes obtained were examined over a wide temperature range.     

Substituent effects on exchange coupling: 5-Aryl-substituted semiquinones and their complexes with MnII and CuII

A series of functionalized radical anion semiquinone (SQ-Ar) ligands and their MnII- and CuIIhydro-tris(3-cumenyl-5-methylpyrazolyl)borate (TpCum,MeMII) complexes were prepared and characterized. The semiquinone ligands have substituted phenyl rings (Ar = -C6H5NO2, -C6H5OMe, -C6H5-tert-Bu, etc.) attached to the SQ 5-position. Despite the "remoteness" of the phenyl ring substituents, the MII-SQ exchange parameters, J, were found to vary nearly 3-fold. Attempts to quantify the substituent effects on J are complicated by the fact that not all complexes could be structurally characterized. As such, substituent effects and phenyl-ring torsion angles could conspire to produce the observed variation in J values. Although there is no clear trend in the J values as a function of SQ substituent for the MnII complexes, for the CuII complexes, electron-withdrawing substituents on the phenyl ring have greater ferromagnetic J values than the CuII complexes of SQ ligands with electron-donating substituents. This trend suggests a FM contribution from MLCT excited states in the copper complexes.     

Molecular CuII‐O‐CuII Complexes: Still Waters Run Deep

Research on O₂ activation at ligated Cu^I is fueled by its biological relevance and the quest for efficient oxidation catalysts. A rarely observed reaction is the formation of a Cu^II‐O‐Cu^II species, which is more special than it appears at first sight: a single oxo ligand between two Cu^II centers experiences considerable electron density, and this makes the corresponding complexes reactive and difficult to access. Hence, only a small number of these compounds have been synthesized and characterized unequivocally to date, and as biological relevance was not apparent, they remained unappreciated. However, recently they moved into the spotlight, when Cu^II‐O‐Cu^II cores were proposed as the active species in the challenging oxidation of methane to methanol at the surface of a Cu‐grafted zeolite and in the active center of the copper enzyme particulate methane monooxygenase. This Minireview provides an overview of these systems with a special focus on their reactivity and spectroscopic features.     

A convenient stereoselective access to new bis-phosphorylated pyrrolidines and their corresponding nitroxides

Addition of one equivalent of dialkylphosphite to γ-diketones yielded new 5-phosphorylated 1-pyrrolines 3. Depending on the experimental conditions, the addition of a second equivalent of dialkylphosphite to 3, led either to (±)-2,5-bis-phosphorylated pyrrolidines 4 or a mixture of (±)- and meso-4. Pyrrolidines 4 were isolated and subsequently oxidized to the corresponding stable (±)- or meso-nitroxides, 5. Coupling of (±)-5a with the prochiral 2-phenyl-ethyl radical was investigated.     

Experimental and Theoretical Investigations of the Existence of CuII,CuIII, and CuIV in Copper Corrolato Complexes

The most common oxidation states of copper in stable complexes are +I and +II. Cu^III complexes are often considered as intermediates in biological and homogeneous catalysis. More recently, Cu^IV species have been postulated as possible intermediates in oxidation catalysis. Despite the importance of these higher oxidation states of copper, spectroscopic data for these oxidation states remain scarce, with such information on Cu^IV complexes being non‐existent. We herein present the synthesis and characterization of three copper corrolato complexes. A combination of electrochemistry, UV/Vis/NIR/EPR spectroelectrochemistry, XANES measurements, and DFT calculations points to existence of three distinct redox states in these molecules for which the oxidation states +II, +III, and +IV can be invoked for the copper centers. The present results thus represent the first spectroscopic and theoretical investigation of a Cu^IV species, and describe a redox series where Cu^II, Cu^III, and Cu^IV are discussed within the same molecular platform.