Controlled Synthesis of a Vacancy‐Defect Single‐Atom Catalyst for Boosting CO2 Electroreduction

The reaction of precursors containing both nitrogen and oxygen atoms with Ni^II under 500 °C can generate a N/O mixing coordinated Ni‐N₃O single‐atom catalyst (SAC) in which the oxygen atom can be gradually removed under high temperature due to the weaker Ni?O interaction, resulting in a vacancy‐defect Ni‐N₃‐V SAC at Ni site under 800 °C. For the reaction of Ni^II with the precursor simply containing nitrogen atoms, only a no‐vacancy‐defect Ni‐N₄ SAC was obtained. Experimental and DFT calculations reveal that the presence of a vacancy‐defect in Ni‐N₃‐V SAC can dramatically boost the electrocatalytic activity for CO₂ reduction, with extremely high CO₂ reduction current density of 65 mA cm^?2 and high Faradaic efficiency over 90 % at ?0.9 V vs. RHE, as well as a record high turnover frequency of 1.35×10⁵ h^?1, much higher than those of Ni‐N₄ SAC, and being one of the best reported electrocatalysts for CO₂‐to‐CO conversion to date.     

Physicochemical Characterization of Four Gadolinium(III) DTPA‐like Complexes

The analysis of ¹⁷O NMR transverse relaxation rates and EPR transverse electronic relaxation rates for aqueous solutions of the four DTPA‐like (DTPA = diethylenetriamine‐N,N,N′,N″,N″‐pentaacetic acid) complexes, [Gd(DTPA‐PY)(H₂O)]^? (DTPA‐PY = N′‐(2‐pyridylmethyl)), [Gd(DTPA‐HP)(H₂O)₂]^? (DTPA‐HP = N′‐(2‐hydroxypropyl)), [Gd(DTPA‐H1P)(H₂O)₂]^? (DTPA‐H1P = N′‐(2‐hydroxy‐1‐phenylethyl)) and [Gd(DTPA‐H2P)(H₂O)₂] (DTPA‐H2P = N′‐(2‐hydroxy‐2‐phenylethyl)), at various temperatures allows us to understand the water exchange dynamics of these four complexes. The water‐exchange lifetime (τM) parameters for [Gd(DTPA‐PY)(H₂O)]^?, [Gd(DTPA‐HP)(H₂O)₂]^?, [Gd(DTPA‐H1P)(H₂O)₂]^? and [Gd(DTPA‐H2P)(H₂O)₂] are of 585, 98, 163, and 69 ns, respectively. Compared with [Gd(DTPA)(H₂O)]^2? (τM = 303 ns), the τM value of [Gd(DTPA‐PY)(H₂O)]^? is slightly higher, but the other three complexes values are significantly lower than those of [Gd(DTPA)(H₂O)]^2?. This difference is explained by the fact that the gadolinium(III) complexes of DTPA‐HP, DTPA‐H1P, and DTPA‐H2P have two inner‐sphere waters. The ²H longitudinal relaxation rates of the labeled diamagnetic lanthanum complex allow the calculation of its rotational correlation time (τR). The τR values calculated for DTPA‐PY, DTPA‐HP, DTPA‐H1P, and DTPA‐H2P are of 127, 110, 142 and 147 ps, respectively. These four values are higher than the value of [La(DTPA)]^2? (τR = 103 ps), because the rotational correlation time is related to the magnitude of its molecular weight.     

Piperazine‐1,4‐diium–2,4‐dinitrophenolate–water (1/2/2)

In the title 1/2/2 adduct, C₄H₁₂N₂²⁺·2C₆H₃N₂O₅^?·2H₂O, the dication lies on a crystallographic inversion centre and the asymmetric unit also has one anion and one water mol­ecule in general positions. The 2,4‐di­nitro­phenolate anions and the water mol­ecules are linked by two O—H?O and two C—H?O hydrogen bonds to form molecular ribbons, which extend along the b direction. The piperazine dication acts as a donor for bifurcated N—H?O hydrogen bonds with the phenolate O atom and with the O atom of the o‐nitro group. Six symmetry‐related molecular ribbons are linked to a piperazine dication by N—H?O and C—H?O hydrogen bonds.     

The ternary complex 4‐(2‐pyridyl)pyridinium–3,5‐di­nitro­benzoate–3,5‐di­nitro­benzoic acid (1/1/1)

In the title ternary complex, C₁₀H₉N₂⁺·C₇H₃N₂O₆^?·C₇H₄N₂O₆, the pyridinium cation adopts the role of the donor in an intermolecular N—H?O hydrogen‐bonding interaction with the carboxyl­ate group of the 3,5‐di­nitro­benzoate anion. The mol­ecules of the ternary complex form molecular ribbons perpendicular to the b direction, which are stabilized by one N—H?O, one O—H?O and five C—H?O intermolecular hydrogen bonds. The ribbons are further interconnected by three intermolecular C—H?O hydrogen bonds into a three‐dimensional network.     

4,5‐Di­hydro‐3‐methyl‐5‐(4‐methyl­phenyl)‐1H‐pyrazole‐1‐carboxamidinium acetate acetone hemisolvate

The X‐ray structure analysis of the unexpected product of the reaction between 4‐(4‐methyl­phenyl)­but‐3‐en‐2‐one and amino­guanidine revealed the title compound, C₁₂H₁₇N₄⁺·C₂H₃O₂^?·0.5C₃H₆O, consisting of a protonated amidine moiety joined to a substituted pyrazoline ring at the N1 atom. The amidine group is protonated and the positive charge is delocalized over the three C—N bonds in a similar manner to that found in guanidinium salts. The amidinium moiety of the cation is linked to the acetate anions through four N—H?O hydrogen bonds, with N?O distances of 2.749 (4), 2.848 (4), 2.904 (4) and 2.911 (4) Å. The pyrazoline ring adopts a flattened envelope conformation and the substituted phenyl ring is oriented perpendicular to the attached heterocycle. The acetone solvate molecule lies across a twofold rotation axis.     

Two hydro­chlorides of 7‐methyl‐3,7,11,17‐tetra­aza­bi­cyclo­[11.3.1]­heptadeca‐1(17),13,15‐triene

The X‐ray structure determinations of the two title com­pounds, namely 7‐methyl‐7,17‐di­aza‐3,11‐diazo­niabi­cyclo[11.3.1]­hep­ta­deca‐1(17),13,15‐triene dichloride monohydrate, C₁₄H₂₆N₄²⁺·2Cl^?·H₂O, (I), and 7‐methyl‐17‐aza‐3,7,11‐triazo­niabi­cyclo­[11.3.1]­heptadeca‐1(17),13,15‐triene 2.826‐chloride 0.174‐nitrate, C₁₄H₂₇N₄³⁺·2.826Cl^?·0.174NO₃^?, (II), are re­ported. Protonation occurs at the secondary amine N atoms in (I) and at all three amine N atoms in (II) to which the Cl^? ions are linked via N—H?Cl hydrogen bonds. The macrocyclic hole is quite different in both structures, as is observed by comparing particularly the N3?N4 distances [2.976 (4) and 4.175 (4) Å for (I) and (II), respectively]. In (II), a Cl^? ion alternates with an NO₃^? ion in a disordered structure.     

Compositing Amorphous TiO2 with N‐Doped Carbon as High‐Rate Anode Materials for Lithium‐Ion Batteries

Compositing amorphous TiO₂ with nitrogen‐doped carbon through Ti? N bonding to form an amorphous TiO₂/N‐doped carbon hybrid (denoted a‐TiO₂/C? N) has been achieved by a two‐step hydrothermal–calcining method with hydrazine hydrate as an inhibitor and nitrogen source. The resultant a‐TiO₂/C? N hybrid has a surface area as high as 108 m² g^?1 and, when used as an anode material, exhibits a capacity as high as 290.0 mA h g^?1 at a current rate of 1 C and a reversible capacity over 156 mA h g^?1 at a current rate of 10 C after 100 cycles; these results are better than those found in most reports on crystalline TiO₂. This superior electrochemical performance could be ascribed to a combined effect of several factors, including the amorphous nature, porous structure, high surface area, and N‐doped carbon.     

4,7‐Bis(4‐pyridyl­ethynyl)‐2,1,3‐benzo­thia­diazo­le and its dipyridinium diperchlorate

The title compound, C₂₀H₁₀N₄S, and its dipyridinium salt, 4,4′‐(2,1,3‐benzo­diazol‐4,7‐diyl­diethynyl)­dipyridinium diperchlorate, C₂₀H₁₂N₄S²⁺·2ClO₄^?, display bond alternation in the 2,1,3‐benzo­thia­diazo­le rings, which suggests their quinonoid character. The dipyridinium dication mol­ecules stack along the a axis and form a dimer with short S?N interheteroatom contacts [3.146 (4) Å] between the two 1,2,5‐thia­diazo­le rings. The dimer is surrounded by the perchlorate anions with which it forms a large number of intermolecular N—H?O and C—H?O hydrogen bonds.     

Chlor­amine‐B sesquihydrate

In the title compound, sodium N‐chloro­benzene­sulfon­amide sesquihydrate, Na⁺·C₆H₅ClNO₂S^?·1.5H₂O, the sodium ion exhibits octahedral coordination by O atoms from three water mol­ecules and by three sulfonyl O atoms of three different N‐­chloro­benzene­sulfon­amide anions. A two‐dimensional polymeric layer consists of units, each comprising two face‐sharing octahedra which share four corners with four other such units, the layer running parallel to the ab plane. The water mol­ecules participate in hydrogen bonds of the types O—H?O, O—H?N and O—H?Cl.     

The salt‐type 1:2 adduct of meso‐5,5,7,12,12,14‐hexa‐C‐methyl‐1,4,8,11‐tetraazacyclotetradecane (tet‐a) and 5‐nitroisophthalic acid forms a hydrogen‐bonded sheet ­structure containing two configur­ational isomers of [(tet‐a)H2]2+

The title compound, meso‐5,7,7,12,14,14‐hexa­methyl‐4,11‐di­aza‐1,8‐diazo­nia­cyclo­tetra­decane bis(3‐carboxy‐5‐nitro­benz­oate), C₁₆H₃₈N₄²⁺·2C₈H₄NO₆^?, is a salt in which the cation is present as two configurational isomers, disordered across a common centre of inversion in P, with occupancies of 0.847 (3) and 0.153 (3). The anions are linked into chains by a single O—H?O hydrogen bond [H?O 1.71 Å, O?O 2.5063 (15) Å and O—H?O 156°] and the cations link these anion chains into sheets by means of a range of N—H?O hydrogen bonds [H?O 1.81–2.53 Å, N?O 2.718 (5)–3.3554 (19) Å and N—H?O 146–171°].     

Metal‐Templated,Tight Loop Conformation of a Cys‐X‐Cys Biomimetic Assembles a Dimanganese Complex

With the goal of generating anionic analogues to MN₂S₂ ? Mn(CO)₃Br we introduced metallodithiolate ligands, MN₂S₂^2? prepared from the Cys‐X‐Cys biomimetic, ema^4? ligand (ema=N,N′‐ethylenebis(mercaptoacetamide); M=Ni^II, [V^IV≡O]²⁺ and Fe^III) to Mn(CO)₅Br. An unexpected, remarkably stable dimanganese product, (H₂N₂(CH₂C=O(μ‐S))₂)[Mn(CO)₃]₂ resulted from loss of M originally residing in the N₂S₂^4? pocket, replaced by protonation at the amido nitrogens, generating H₂ema^2?. Accordingly, the ema ligand has switched its coordination mode from an N₂S₂^4? cavity holding a single metal, to a binucleating H₂ema^2? with bridging sulfurs and carboxamide oxygens within Mn‐μ‐S‐CH₂‐C‐O, 5‐membered rings. In situ metal‐templating by zinc ions gives quantitative yields of the Mn₂ product. By computational studies we compared the conformations of “linear” ema^4? to ema^4? frozen in the “tight‐loop” around single metals, and to the “looser” fold possible for H₂ema^2? that is the optimal arrangement for binucleation. XRD molecular structures show extensive H‐bonding at the amido‐nitrogen protons in the solid state.     

Post‐Synthetic Reversible Incorporation of Organic Linkers into Porous Metal–Organic Frameworks through Single‐Crystal‐to‐Single‐Crystal Transformations and Modification of Gas‐Sorption Properties

The porous metal–organic framework (MOF) {[Zn₂(TCPBDA)(H₂O)₂]?30 DMF?6 H₂O}_n ( SNU‐30 ; DMF=N,N‐dimethylformamide) has been prepared by the solvothermal reaction of N,N,N′,N′‐tetrakis(4‐carboxyphenyl)biphenyl‐4,4′‐diamine (H₄TCPBDA) and Zn(NO₃)₂?6 H₂O in DMF/tBuOH. The post‐synthetic modification of SNU‐30 by the insertion of 3,6‐di(4‐pyridyl)‐1,2,4,5‐tetrazine (bpta) affords single‐crystalline {[Zn₂(TCPBDA)(bpta)]?23 DMF?4 H₂O}_n ( SNU‐31 SC ), in which channels are divided by the bpta linkers. Interestingly, unlike its pristine form, the bridging bpta ligand in the MOF is bent due to steric constraints. SNU‐31 can be also prepared through a one‐pot solvothermal synthesis from Zn^II, TCPBDA^4?, and bpta. The bpta linker can be liberated from this MOF by immersion in N,N‐diethylformamide (DEF) to afford the single‐crystalline SNU‐30 SC , which is structurally similar to SNU‐30 . This phenomenon of reversible insertion and removal of the bridging ligand while preserving the single crystallinity is unprecedented in MOFs. Desolvated solid SNU‐30′ adsorbs N₂, O₂, H₂, CO₂, and CH₄ gases, whereas desolvated SNU‐31′ exhibits selective adsorption of CO₂ over N₂, O₂, H₂, and CH₄, thus demonstrating that the gas adsorption properties of MOF can be modified by post‐synthetic insertion/removal of a bridging ligand.     

10‐Methyl‐ and 9,10‐dimethyl­acridinium methyl sulfate

The title compounds, C₁₄H₁₂N⁺·CH₃O₄S^?, (I), and C₁₅H₁₄N⁺·CH₃O₄S^?, (II), respectively, crystallize with the planar 10‐methylacridinium or 9,10‐di­methyl­acridinium cations arranged in layers, parallel to the twofold axis in (I) and perpendicular to the 2₁ axis in (II). Adjacent cations in both compounds are packed in a `head‐to‐tail' manner. The methyl sulfate anion only exhibits planar symmetry in (II). The cations and anions are linked through C—H?O interactions involving three O atoms of the anion, six acridine H atoms and the CH₃ group on the N atom in (I), and the four O atoms of the anion, three acridine H atoms and the carbon‐bound CH₃ group in (II). The methyl sulfate anions are oriented differently in the two compounds relative to the cations, being nearly perpendicular in (I) but parallel in (II). Electrostatic interaction between the ions and the network of C—H?O interactions leads to relatively compact crystal lattices in both structures.     

Strong N−X⋅⋅⋅O−N Halogen Bonds: A Comprehensive Study on N‐Halosaccharin Pyridine N‐Oxide Complexes

A study of the strong N?X???^?O?N⁺ (X=I, Br) halogen bonding interactions reports 2×27 donor×acceptor complexes of N‐halosaccharins and pyridine N‐oxides (PyNO). DFT calculations were used to investigate the X???O halogen bond (XB) interaction energies in 54 complexes. A simplified computationally fast electrostatic model was developed for predicting the X???O XBs. The XB interaction energies vary from ?47.5 to ?120.3 kJ mol^?1; the strongest N?I???^?O?N⁺ XBs approaching those of 3‐center‐4‐electron [N?I?N]⁺ halogen‐bonded systems (ca. 160 kJ mol^?1). ¹H NMR association constants (K_XB) determined in CDCl₃ and [D₆]acetone vary from 2.0×10⁰ to >10⁸ m ^?1 and correlate well with the calculated donor×acceptor complexation enthalpies found between ?38.4 and ?77.5 kJ mol^?1. In X‐ray crystal structures, the N‐iodosaccharin‐PyNO complexes manifest short interaction ratios (R_XB) between 0.65–0.67 for the N?I???^?O?N⁺ halogen bond.     

A quasi‐diamondoid hydrogen‐bonded framework in an­hydro­us sulfanilic acid

The title compound (C₆H₇NO₃S) exists as a zwitterion (4‐ammonio­benzene­sulfonate), ⁺H₃NC₆H₄SO₃^?, and these units are linked into a three‐dimensional framework by two distinct two‐centre N—H?O hydrogen bonds [H?O 1.84 and 1.87 Å; N?O 2.767 (2) and 2.746 (2) Å; N—H?O 166 and 172°] and a planar three‐centre N—H?(O)₂ hydrogen bond [H?O 2.03 and 2.37 Å; N?O 2.816 (2) and 2.877 (2) Å; N—H?O 162 and 111°; O?H?O 86°].     

[N,N′‐Bis­(salicyl­idene)‐2,2‐di­methyl‐1,3‐propane­diaminato]­nickel(II) and [N,N′‐bis­(salicyl­idene)‐2,2‐di­methyl‐1,3‐propane­diaminato]copper(II)

In the title compounds, {2,2′‐[2,2‐di­methyl‐1,3‐propane­diyl­bis­(nitrilo­methyl­idyne)]­diphenolato‐κ⁴N,N′,O,O′}nickel(II), [Ni(C₁₉H₂₀N₂O₂)], and {2,2′‐[2,2‐di­methyl‐1,3‐propane­diyl­bis­(nitrilo­methyl­idyne)]­diphenolato‐κ⁴N,N′,O,O′}copper(II), [Cu(C₁₉H₂₀N₂O₂)], the Ni^II and Cu^II atoms are coordinated by two iminic N and two phenolic O atoms of the N,N′‐bis­(salicyl­idene)‐2,2‐di­methyl‐1,3‐propane­diaminate (SALPD^2?, C₁₇H₁₆N₂O₂^2?) ligand. The geometry of the coordination sphere is planar in the case of the Ni^II complex and distorted towards tetrahedral for the Cu^II complex. Both complexes have a cis configuration imposed by the chelate ligand. The dihedral angles between the N/Ni/O and N/Cu/O coordination planes are 17.20 (6) and 35.13 (7)°, respectively.     

Reactivity of ortho‐Substituted Aryl–Palladium Complexes towards Carbodiimides,Isothiocyanates, Nitriles,and Cyanamides

Complexes [Pd(C₆H₃XH‐2‐R′‐5)Y(N^N)] (X=O, NH; Y=Br, I; R′=H, NO₂; N^N=N,N,N′,N′‐tetramethylethylenediamine (tmeda), 2,2′‐bipyridine (bpy), 4,4′‐di‐tert‐butyl‐2,2′‐bipyridine (dtbbpy)) react with RN?C?E (E=NR, S) or RC≡N (R=alkyl, aryl, NR′′₂) and TlOTf (OTf=CF₃SO₃) to give, respectively, 1) products of the insertion of the C?E group into the C? Pd bond, protonation of the N atom, and coordination of X to Pd, [Pd{κ²‐X,E‐(XC₆H₃{EC(NHR)}‐2‐R′‐4)}(N^N)]OTf or [Pd(κ²‐X,N‐{ZC₆H₃(NH?CR)‐2‐R′‐4})(N^N)]OTf, or products of the coordination of carbodiimides and OH addition, [Pd{κ²‐C,N‐(C₆H₄{OC(NR)}NHR‐2)}(bpy)]OTf; or 2) products of the insertion of the C≡N group to Pd and N‐protonation, [Pd(κ²‐X,N‐{XC₆H₃(NH?CR)‐2‐R′‐4})(N^N)]OTf.     

Gadolinium(III) Complexes of dota‐Derived N‐Sulfonylacetamides (H4(dota‐NHSO2R)=10‐{2‐[(R)sulfonylamino]‐2‐oxoethyl}‐1,4,7,10‐tetraazacyclododecane‐1,4,7‐triacetic Acid): A New Class of Relaxation Agents for Magnetic Resonance Imaging Applications

Four new ligands for lanthanide ions based on the H₃do3a (=1,4,7,10‐tetraazacyclododecane‐1,4,7‐triacetic acid) structure and bearing one N‐sulfonylacetamide arm were synthesized, i.e., H₄dota‐NHSO₂R=10‐{2‐[(R)sulfonylamino]‐2‐oxoethyl}‐1,4,7,10‐tetraazacyclododecane‐1,4,7‐triacetic acids 1a – e . A ¹⁵N‐NMR study of the ¹⁵N‐labelled Eu³⁺ complex of one such ligands, 1d , showed that the coordination of the N‐sulfonylacetamide arm involves the carbonyl O‐atom rather than the N‐atom. The relaxometric properties of the corresponding Gd³⁺ complexes were investigated as a function of pH and temperature. These complexes have relaxivities in the range 4.5–5.3 mM ^?1 s^?1, at 20 MHz and 25°, and are characterized by a single H₂O molecule in their inner coordination sphere. The mean residence lifetime of this molecule is relatively long (500–700 ns) compared to other anionic complexes. The slow rate of H₂O exchange can be justified by the extensive delocalization of the negative charge on the N‐sulfonylacetamide arm. The long residence time of the coordinated H₂O allowed the observation of the effect of the prototropic exchange on the relaxivity. The study of the interaction between the complex [Gd( 1e )]‐ and HSA revealed a weak affinity constant highlighting the importance of a localized negative charge on the complex to promote a strong interaction with the protein.     

Chains of fused rings in the hydrogen‐bonded structure of meso‐­6,13‐di­amino‐6,13‐di­methyl‐1,4,8,11‐tetra­aza­cyclo­tetra­decane–2,2′‐biphenol (1/2)

The title compound is a salt, [C₁₂H₃₂N₆]²⁺·2[HOC₆H₄C₆H₄O]^?. The centrosymmetric cation contains two intramolecular N—H?N hydrogen bonds with an N?N distance of 2.8290 (13) Å, and the pendent amino groups are in axial sites; the anion contains an intramolecular O—H?O hydrogen bond with an O?O distance of 2.4656 (11) Å. The ions are linked into continuous chains by means of four types of N—H?O hydrogen bonds with N?O distances ranging from 2.7238 (12) Å to 3.3091 (13) Å, associated with N—H?O angles in the range 148–160°.     

N,N′‐Di­methyl­piperazinium(2+) phos­phonoacetate: hydrogen‐bonded anion sheets containing cation‐templated R66(28) rings

In the title compound, C₆H₁₆N₂²⁺·2C₂H₄O₅P^?, the cations lie across centres of inversion; in the anions, two of the H‐atom sites have 0.50 occupancy. The anions are linked by short O—H?O hydrogen bonds [O?O 2.465 (3)–2.612 (3) Å and O—H?O 165–171°] into sheets of alternating R(12) and R(28) rings, both of which are centrosymmetric; the cations lie at the centres of the larger rings linked to the anion sheet by N—H?O hydrogen bonds [N?O 2.642 (2) Å and N—H?O 176°].