Reactivity of Lanthanoid Aryloxide Complexes: Isolation of a 1,2‐Dimethoxyethane Cleavage Product

[Yb(OAr)₂(μ‐OMe)(DME)]₂ ( 1 ) (OAr = 2,6‐di‐iso‐propylphenolate) was synthesised via a redox transmetallation ligand exchange reaction between ytterbium metal, diphenylmercury and 2,6‐di‐isopropylphenol in DME. The source of the methoxy groups is from cleavage of DME, and the C‐O bond activation is unexpected given that the reaction was undertaken at ambient temperature. Each Yb³⁺ metal ion in 1 is six coordinate, and the coordination arrangement around each metal ion is distorted trigonal antiprismatic with Yb‐O(OMe) bond lengths (2.191(2) and 2.258(2) Å) shorter than the Yb‐O(aryloxide) bond distances (2.094(2) and 2.074(2) Å).     

Investigations of the Nature of ZnII−SiII Bonds

A series of zinc(II) silylenes was prepared by using the silylene {PhC(NtBu)₂}(C₅Me₅)Si. Whereas reaction of the silylene with ZnX₂ (X=Cl, I) gave the halide‐bridged dimers [{PhC(NtBu)₂}(C₅Me₅)SiZnX(μ‐X)]₂, with ZnR₂ (R=Ph, Et, C₆F₅) as reagent the monomers [{PhC(NtBu)₂}(C₅Me₅)SiZnR₂] were obtained. The stability of the complexes and the Zn?Si bond lengths clearly depend on the substitution pattern of the zinc atom. Electron‐withdrawing groups stabilize these adducts, whereas electron‐donating groups destabilize them. This could be rationalized by quantum chemical calculations. Two different bonding modes in these molecules were identified, which are responsible for the differences in reactivity: 1) strong polar Zn?Si single bonds with short Zn?Si distances, Zn?Si force constants close to that of a classical single bond, and strong binding energy (ca. 2.39 Å, 1.33 mdyn Å^?1, and 200 kJ mol^?1), which suggest an ion pair consisting of a silyl cation with a Zn?Si single bond; 2) relatively weak donor–acceptor Zn?Si bonds with long Zn?Si distances, low Zn?Si force constants, and weak binding energy (ca. 2.49 Å, 0.89 mdyn Å^?1, and 115 kJ mol^?1), which can be interpreted as a silylene–zinc adduct.     

A DFT study of hydride transfers to the carbonyl oxygen of DDQ

Hydride‐transfer reactions between benzylic substrates and 2,3‐dichloro‐5,6‐dicyano‐1,4‐benzoquinone (DDQ) were investigated by DFT (density functional theory) calculations. The lowest unoccupied molecular orbital of DDQ has the largest extension on two carbonyl oxygens, which comes from two‐step mixing of antisymmetric orbitals of fragment π MOs. Transition‐state (TS) geometries and activation energies of reactions of four benzylic substrates R²? CH₂‐para‐C₆H₄? R¹ (R¹, R² = H and/or OCH₃) with DDQ were calculated. M06‐2X/6‐311(+*)G* was found to be a practical computational method, giving energies and geometries similar to those of M06‐2X/6‐311++G(3df,2pd) and wB97xD/6‐311++G(3df,2pd). For toluene (R¹ = R² = H), an initiation‐propagation model was suggested, and the calculated kinetic isotope effect k(H)/k(D) = 5.0 with the tunnel correction at the propagating step is in good agreement with the experimental value 5.2. A reaction of para‐MeO? C₆H₄? CH₂(OMe) + DDQ + (H₂O)₁₄ → para‐MeO? C₆H₄? C(?O)H + HOMe + DDQH₂ + (H₂O)₁₃ was investigated by M06‐2X/6‐311(+*)G*. Four elementary processes were found and the hydride transfer (TS1) is the rate‐determining step. The hydride transfer was promoted by association with the water cluster. The size of the water cluster, (H₂O)_n, at TS1 was examined. Three models of n = 14, 20, and 26 were found to give similar activation energies. Metal‐free neutral hydride transfers from activated benzylic substrates to DDQ were proposed to be ready processes both kinetically and thermodynamically. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Bis(4‐hydroxy­benzoato‐O)(1,4,8,11‐tetra­aza­cyclo­tetra­decane‐κ4N)nickel(II): a three‐dimensional framework built from O—H⋯O and N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds

The title compound, [Ni(C₇H₅O₃)₂(C₁₀H₂₄N₄)], contains octahedral Ni^II in a centrosymmetric trans configuration with Ni—N distances of 2.0637 (17) and 2.0699 (16) Å and an Ni—O distance of 2.1100 (14) Å. The mol­ecules are linked by a single type of O—H?O hydrogen bond [O?O 2.618 (2) Å and O—H?O 161°] into two‐dimensional sheets; a singletype of N—H?O hydrogen bond [N?O 2.991 (2) Å and N—H?O 139°] links these sheets into a three‐dimensional framework.     

Conformational Flexibility of the Methoxyphenyl Group Studied by Statistical Analysis of Crystal Structure Data

In a large sample of observed methoxyphenyl groups, the twist angle τ about the MeO-C_Ph bond measuring internal rotation of the MeO group shows a continuous distribution with maxima at (0°) (coplanar conformation) and (～90°) (perpendicular conformation). The preferred conformation of methoxyphenyl depends on the nature of the ortho--substituents: In general, it is coplanar in the case of one or two ortho-hydrogens, and perpendicular in the case of two substituents. The internal rotation of the MeO group is accompained by systematic variations in bond angles and bond distances: 1 if MeO is twisted out of plane, the bond angle CH₃? O? C_Ph decreases from 117.7°, until it reaches a minimum of 114.9° at τ = ±90°. The O? C? C angle which is syn to CH₃ for τ = 0° decreases from 124.6° to a minimum of 115.4° at τ = ±180°. These angles changes keep the nonbonded distance CH₃ …? ortho substituent maximal during internal rotation of MeO and tend to minimize the corresponding strain energy. (2) In the perpendicular conformation, the O-atom is ～ 0. 06 Å displaced from the Ph plane, O and CH₃ and being on opposite sides of this plane. In addition, small but systematic increases of bond lengths MeO? C_Ph and CH₃? O are observed. These variations indicate a decrease in conjugation with increasing twist angle. Their interdependence during twisting and the magnitudes of the changes are close values obtained by ab initio calculations.     

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°].     

Potassium hydrogen trans‐glutaconate monohydrate at 295, 245 and 40 K,and its rubidium analogue at 298 K

A centrosymmetric and short O—H?O hydrogen bond was found in isomorphic crystals of potassium hydrogen trans‐glutaconate monohydrate (potassium hydrogen trans‐pent‐2‐ene‐1,5‐dioate, K⁺·C₅H₅O₄^?·H₂O), (I), and rubidium hydrogen trans‐glutaconate monohydrate (rubidium hydrogen trans‐pent‐2‐ene‐1,5‐dioate, Rb⁺·C₅H₅O₄^?·H₂O), (II). The O?O distance at room temperature is 2.444 (3) Å in (I), and 2.417 (4) Å in (II). The O?O distance for (I) showed no significant decrease at low temperatures.     

(12,17‐Diethoxy­carbonyl‐2,3,6,­7,11,­18‐hexa­methyl­corrphy­cenato‐­κ4N)iodoiron(III) chloro­form solvate

The title complex, (diethyl 3,4,8,15,19,20‐hexa­methyl‐21,22,23,24‐tetraazopenta­cyclo­[16.2.1.1^2,5.1^7,11.1^14,17]­tetracosa‐1(20),2(22),3,5,7,9,11,13(24),14,16,18‐undecaene‐9,14‐dicarb­oxyl­ate‐κ⁴N)­iodo­iron(III) chloro­form solvate, [Fe(C₃₂H₃₂­N₄O₄)I]·­CHCl₃, shows an almost planar arrangement of the corrphycene moiety with a slightly distorted trapezoid pyramidal core; the Fe^III atom is 0.416 (1) Å from the plane of the C₂₀N₄ system. The Fe—N distances are 2.049 (3), 2.044 (3), 2.079 (3) and 2.075 (3) Å. The solvated chloro­form forms a C—H?O hydrogen bond [C?O 3.107 (10) Å] to an adjacent carbonyl O atom. This is the first X‐ray structure analysis of a corrphycenatoiron(III) derivative.     

The Crystal and Molecular Structure of Mercury Fulminate (Knallquecksilber)

A short survey on the fascinating history of mercury fulminate is given. The crystal structure of Hg(CNO)₂ has been determined using single crystal X‐ray diffraction. Mercury fulminate crystallizes in an orthorhombic cell, space group Cmce with a = 5.3549(2), b = 10.4585(5), c = 7.5579(4) Å and Z = 4. The distances and angles in the O‐N≡C‐Hg‐C≡N‐O molecule are Hg‐C 2.029(6) Å, C≡N 1.143(8) Å, N‐O 1.248(6) Å and C‐Hg‐C 180.0(1)°, Hg‐C≡N 169.1(5)°, C≡N‐O 179.7(6)°. Each mercury atom is surrounded by two oxygen atoms from neighbouring Hg(CNO)₂ molecules with a nonbonding distance of Hg···O 2.833(4) Å. The Hg‐C bond lengths in the linear Hg(CNO)₂ molecules are shorter than those in the tetrahedral complex [Hg(CNO)₄]^2?. This refers to a large contribution of the 6s orbital in the Hg‐C bonds of Hg(CNO)₂. The results of the X‐ray powder investigation on Hg(CNO)₂ are also reported.     

(2‐Methyl­quinolin‐8‐olato)­iron(III) and ‐copper(II) complexes

The crystal structures of tris(2‐methyl­quinolin‐8‐olato‐N,O)­iron(III), [Fe­(C₁₀­H₈­NO)₃], (I), and aqua­bis(2‐methyl­quinolin‐8‐olato‐N,O)­copper(II), [Cu­(C₁₀­H₈NO)₂­(H₂O)], (II), have been determined. Compound (I) has a distorted octahedral configuration, in which the central Fe atom is coordinated by three N atoms and three O atoms from three 2‐methylquinolin‐8‐olate ligands. The three Fe—O bond distances are in the range 1.934 (2)–1.947 (2) Å, while the three Fe—N bond distances range from 2.204 (2) to 2.405 (2) Å. In compound (II), the central Cu^II atom and H₂O group lie on the crystallographic twofold axis and the coordination geometry of the Cu^II atom is close to trigonal bipyramidal, with the three O atoms in the basal plane and the two N atoms in apical positions. The Cu—N bond length is 2.018 (5) Å. The Cu—O bond length in the basal positions is 1.991 (4) Å, while the Cu—O bond length in the apical position is 2.273 (6) Å. There is an intermolecular OW—H?O hydrogen bond which links the mol­ecules into a linear chain along the b axis.     

A Crystallographic Charge Density Study of the Partial Covalent Nature of Strong N⋅⋅⋅Br Halogen Bonds

The covalent nature of strong N?Br???N halogen bonds in a cocrystal ( 2 ) of N‐bromosuccinimide ( NBS ) with 3,5‐dimethylpyridine ( lut ) was determined from X‐ray charge density studies and compared to a weak N?Br???O halogen bond in pure crystalline NBS ( 1 ) and a covalent bond in bis(3‐methylpyridine)bromonium cation (in its perchlorate salt ( 3 ). In 2 , the donor N?Br bond is elongated by 0.0954 Å, while the Br???acceptor distance of 2.3194(4) is 1.08 Å shorter than the sum of the van der Waals radii. A maximum electron density of 0.38 e Å^?3 along the Br???N halogen bond indicates a considerable covalent contribution to the total interaction. This value is intermediate to 0.067 e Å^?3 for the Br???O contact in 1 , and approximately 0.7 e Å^?3 in both N?Br bonds of the bromonium cation in 3 . A calculation of the natural bond order charges of the contact atoms, and the σ*(N1?Br) population of NBS as a function of distance between NBS and lut , have shown that charge transfer becomes significant at a Br???N distance below about 3 Å.     

Hydro­gen‐bonded adducts of ferrocene‐1,1′‐diyl­bis­(di­phenyl­methanol): a finite cyclic 1:1 adduct with 2,2′‐dipyridyl­amine

In ferrocene‐1,1′‐diyl­bis­(di­phenyl­methanol)–2,2′‐dipyridyl­amine (1/1), [Fe(C₁₈H₁₅O)₂]·C₁₀H₉N₃, (I), there is an intramolecular O—H?O hydrogen bond [H?O 2.03 Å, O?O 2.775 (2) Å and O—H?O 147°] in the ferrocenediol component, and the two neutral molecular components are linked by one O—H?N hydrogen bond [H?N 1.96 Å, O?N 2.755 (2) Å and O—H?N, 157°] and one N—H?O hydrogen bond [H?O 2.26 Å, N?O 3.112 (2) Å and N—H?O 164°] forming a cyclic R(8) motif. One of the pyridyl N atoms plays no part in the intermolecular hydrogen bonding, but participates in a short intramolecular C—H?N contact [H?N 2.31 Å, C?N 2.922 (2) Å and C—H?N 122°].     

Di‐μ‐acetato‐O:O′‐di‐μ‐acetato‐O,O′:O′‐bis­{[(cyclo­penta­dienyl)tris­(di­methyl­phosphito‐P)­cobalt‐O,O′,O′′]neodymium(III)}

In the title compound, [{η⁵‐CpCo[P(O)(OMe)₂]₃}Nd(O₂CCH₃)₂]₂, with a centrosymmetric mol­ecule, each Nd atom has an eight‐coordination environment, surrounded by a tripodal {L_OMe = CpCo[P(O)(OMe)₂]₃} and four bridging acetato ligands. The coordination geometry around each Nd centre is described as a distorted square‐antiprism and the two different types of acetato ligands have μ‐O:O′‐ and μ‐O,O′:O′‐acetato coordination modes. The Nd—O distances are in the range 2.378 (4)–2.594 (5) Å and the Nd?Nd distance is 3.9913 (6) Å.     

Fe and Cr K‐edges EXAFS Study of Double Perovskite (Sr2‐xCax)FeMoO6 (0 ≤ x ≤ 2.0) and Sr2CrMO6 (M = Mo,W) Systems

The local structure of the double perovskite (Sr_2‐xCa_x)FeMoO₆ (0 ≤ × ≤ 2.0) and Sr₂CrMO₆ (M = Mo, W) systems have been probed by extended X‐ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy at the Fe and Cr K‐edges. We found Fe‐O (ave) distance apparently decreases from 1.999 Å (x = 0) to 1.991 Å (x = 1.0) in (Sr_2‐xCa_x)FeMoO₆ (tetragonal structure). When x is increased further from 1.5 to 2.0, the Fe‐O bond distance decreased from 2.034 Å to 2.012 Å (monoclinic structure). In addition, Cr‐O, Sr‐Cr, and Cr‐Mo bond distances in Sr₂CrWO₆ are all slightly larger than the bond distances of Sr₂CrMoO₆, which is due to the ionic radius of the W⁵⁺ (0.62 Å) which is larger than the ionic radius of Mo⁵⁺ (0.61 Å). The results are consistent with our XRD refinements data.     

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°].     

A trinuclear cluster of osmium and molybdenum. Crystal structure of the co-crystallized molecules MoOs2(CO)11[P(OMe)3]2 and [(MeO)3P](OC)4OsMo(CO)5

The crystal structure of MoOs₂(CO)₁₁[P(OMe)₃]₂·[(MeO)₃P](OC)₄OsMo(CO)₅ is comprised of a slightly disordered, triangular cluster with a Mo(CO)₅ and two Os(CO)₃[P(OMe)₃] moieties (OsMo bond lengths are 3.041(2) and 3.079(2) Å) together with a [(MeO)₃P](OC)₄OsMo(CO)₅ molecule having a donor-acceptor OsMo bond of length 3.075(2) Å.     

Crystal structure of a liquid crystal non‐symmetric dimer: cholesteryl 4‐[4‐(4‐n‐butylphenylethynyl)phenoxy]butanoate

The crystal structure of cholesteryl 4‐[4‐(4‐n‐butylphenylethynyl)phenoxy]butanoate [phase sequence: Cr 155°C (46.1?J?g^?1) SmA 186.8°C (1.5?J?g^?1) TGB‐N* 204.7 (6?J?g^?1) I] has been solved from single crystal X‐ray diffraction data. The compound crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2₁ with unit cell parameters: a?=?13.129(2), b?=?9.3904(10), c?=?17.4121(8)?Å, β?=?92.790(7)°, Z?=?2. The structure has been solved by direct methods and refined to R?=?0.0606 for 3?250 observed reflections. The bond distances and angles are in good agreement with the corresponding values for compounds containing phenyl and cholesterol moieties. The phenyl rings A and B are planar. The dihedral angle between the least‐squares planes of the two phenyl rings is 28°. The cholesterol moiety has the usual structure: the C and E rings have chair conformations, and the D and F rings adopt half‐chair conformations. The molecules in the unit cell are arranged in an antiparallel manner. The crystal structure is stabilized by an intermolecular C–H…O contact of 2.989(10)?Å.     

Bildung und Kristallstruktur von FcCH(t‐Bu)NHCH(Me)CH2OMe · LiI · Et2O

Formation and Crystal Structure of FcCH( t ‐Bu)NHCH(Me)CH₂OMe · LiI · Et₂O The title compound FcCH(t‐Bu)NHCH(Me)CH₂OMe · LiI · Et₂O ( 1 · LiI · Et₂O) was obtained by reaction of FcCH(t‐Bu)N(Li)CH(Me)CH₂OMe with MeI in a molar ratio 1 : 1 in diethylether. The Li atom is substituted by an H atom yielding the secondary amine. The formation of the expected N‐methyl substituted species could not be observed. 1 creates monomeric molecules with four coordinate Li atoms as a result of Li–N and Li–O interactions of the corresponding atoms of the ferrocenyl ligand and a solvent molecule. 1 · LiI · Et₂O: Space group P2₁2₁2₁, Z = 4, lattice dimensions at –60 °C: a = 10.492(2), b = 13.225(2), c = 18.846(3) Å, β = 90°, R₁ = 0.0478, wR₂ = 0.0801.     

Characterization of the FeV=O Complex in the Pathway of Water Oxidation

Hypervalent Fe^V=O species are implicated in a multitude of oxidative reactions of organic substrates, as well as in catalytic water oxidation, a reaction crucial for artificial photosynthesis. Spectroscopically characterized Fe^V species are exceedingly rare and, so far, were produced by the oxidation of Fe complexes with peroxy acids or H₂O₂: reactions that entail breaking of the O?O bond to form a Fe^V=O fragment. The key Fe^V=O species proposed to initiate the O?O bond formation in water oxidation reactions remained undetected, presumably due to their high reactivity. Here, we achieved freeze quench trapping of six coordinated [Fe^V=O,(OH)(Pytacn)]²⁺ (Pytacn=1‐(2′‐pyridylmethyl)‐4,7‐dimethyl‐1,4,7‐triazacyclononane) ( 2 ) generated during catalytic water oxidation. X‐ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) confirmed the Fe^V oxidation state and the presence of a Fe^V=O bond at ≈1.60 Å. Combined EPR and DFT methods indicate that 2 contains a S=3/2 Fe^V center. 2 is the first spectroscopically characterized high spin oxo‐Fe^V complex and constitutes a paradigmatic example of the Fe^V=O(OH) species proposed to be responsible for catalytic water oxidation reactions.