Heterocorrole Conformations: Little Saddling,Much Ruffling

10‐Heterocorrole complexes with oxygen, sulfur, and selenium at position 10 of the macrocycle and with the divalent ions of nickel, copper, and palladium were prepared and investigated. The focus was set on the size adaptation and matching mechanisms of cavity size versus ionic radius in corrole‐type macrocycles. A full set of single‐crystal X‐ray analytical data revealed that in all but one case the N₄ binding site of the ring‐contracted tetrapyrrole was larger than necessary to bind the metal ion without deformation. In‐plane size adaptation through M−N bond‐length elongation by 2.5–3.2 % was effective, as well as pronounced out‐of‐plane ruffling of the macrocycle for those compounds with a more severe size mismatch. Such ruffling had been excluded for corroles previously, but is apparently the most efficient mechanism to adapt to small central ions.     

Kinetic versus Thermodynamic Control Over Multiple Conformations of Di-2,7-naphthihexaphyrin(1.1.1.1.1.1)

Di-2,7-naphthihexaphyrin(1.1.1.1.1.1), a non-aromatic carba-analogue of the hexaphyrin(1.1.1.1.1.1), incorporating two built-in 2,7-naphthylene moieties was synthesized as two separate, conformationally locked stereoisomers. Both conformers followed complex protonation pathways involving structurally different species, which can be targeted under kinetic and thermodynamic control. The neutralization of the ultimate dicationic product, accessible from both stereoisomers of the free base, allowed to realize the complex conformational switching cycle involving six structurally different species.     

Siamese‐Twin Porphyrin Origami: Oxidative Fusing and Folding

Oxidation of a nonaromatic Siamese‐twin porphyrin, a pyrazole‐containing expanded porphyrin with two porphyrinlike binding pockets, with a stoichiometric amount of the two‐electron, two‐proton oxidizing agent 2,3‐dichloro‐5,6‐dicyano‐1,4‐benzochinone led to the formation of a single N^pz‐C^o‐Ph linkage between the pyrazole unit with a neighboring meso‐phenyl group, forming a pyrazolo‐ [1,5‐a]indole moiety. Repeated treatment with a second equivalent of the oxidant yielded a doubly N‐fused species, involving the second pyrazole moiety. The conversion products were characterized by variable‐temperature and multinuclear 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy. The fusions strongly alter the conformation of the macrocycles, as shown by X‐ray diffraction analyses of all three compounds, eventually leading to a folded structure. UV/Vis and NMR‐spectroscopic investigations indicated the presence of highly delocalized but nonmacrocycle‐aromatic π systems. This behavior of the Siamese‐twin porphyrin in response to oxidation is in contrast to the behavior of related all‐pyrrole‐based expanded macrocycles that switch, by redox processes and protonation, between Hückel and Möbius aromatic states.     

Hexaphyrin–Cyclodextrin Hybrids: A Nest for Switchable Aromaticity,Asymmetric Confinement,and Isomorphic Fluxionality

Conformational control over the highly flexible π‐conjugated system of expanded porphyrins is a key step toward the fundamental understanding of aromaticity and for the development of molecular electronics. We have synthesized unprecedented hexaphyrin–cyclodextrin (HCD) capped hybrids in which the hexaphyrin part is constrained in a planar rectangular conformation in either a 26 or a 28 π‐electron oxidation state ( [26] / [28]HCD ). These structures display strong aromaticity and antiaromaticity, respectively, exhibit markedly different chiroptical properties, and are interconvertible upon the addition of DDQ or NaBH(OAc)₃, thus affording a rare switchable aromatic–antiaromatic system with a free‐base expanded porphyrin. Conformational analysis revealed discrimination of the two coordination sites of the hexaphyrin, one of which was coupled to a confined asymmetric environment, and fluxional behavior consisting of apparent rotation of the hexaphyrin cap through a shape‐shifting mechanism.     

Iron 10‐Thiacorroles: Bioinspired Iron(III) Complexes with an Intermediate Spin (S=3/2) Ground State

A first systematic study upon the preparation and exploration of a series of iron 10‐thiacorroles with simple halogenido (F, Cl, Br, I), pseudo‐halogenido (N₃, I₃) and solvent‐derived axial ligands (DMSO, pyridine) is reported. The compounds were prepared from the free‐base octaethyl‐10‐thiacorrole by iron insertion and subsequent ligand‐exchange reactions. The small N₄ cavity of the ring‐contracted porphyrinoid results in an intermediate spin (i.s., S=3/2) state as the ground state for the iron(III) ion. In most of the investigated cases, the i.s. state is found unperturbed and independent of temperature, as determined by a combination of X‐ray crystallography and magnetometry with ¹H NMR‐, EPR‐, and Mössbauer spectroscopy. Two exceptions were found. The fluorido iron(III) complex is inhomogenous in the solid and contains a thermal i.s. (S=3/2)→high spin (h.s., S=5/2) crossover fraction. On the other side, the cationic bis(pyridine) complex resides in the expected low spin (l.s., S=1/2) state. Chemically, the iron 10‐thiacorroles differ from the iron porphyrins mainly by weaker axial ligand binding and by a cathodic shift of the redox potentials. These features make the 10‐thiacorroles interesting ligands for future research on biomimetic catalysts and model systems for unusual heme protein active sites.     

Towards More Photostable,Brighter, and Less Phototoxic Chromophores: Synthesis and Properties of Porphyrins Functionalized with Cyclooctatetraene

Free base and zinc porphyrins functionalized with cyclooctatetraene (COT), a molecule known as a good triplet-state quencher, have been obtained and characterized in detail by structural, spectral, and photophysical techniques. Substitution with COT leads to a dramatic decrease of the intrinsic lifetime of the porphyrin triplet. As a result, photostability in oxygen-free solution increases by two to three orders of magnitude. In non-degassed solutions, improvement of photostability is about tenfold for zinc porphyrins, but the free bases become less photostable. Similar quantum yields of photodegradation in free base and zinc porphyrins containing the COT moiety indicate a common mechanism of photochemical decomposition. The new porphyrins are expected to be much less phototoxic, since the quantum yield of singlet oxygen formation strongly decreases because of the shorter triplet lifetime. The reduction of triplet lifetime should also enhance the brightness and reduce blinking in porphyrin chromophores emitting in single-molecule regime, since the duration of dark OFF states will be shorter.     

Synthesis,Conformational Interconversion,and Photophysics of Tethered Porphyrin–Fullerene Dyads with Parachute Topology

The synthesis of a porphyrin–fullerene dyad with “parachute” topology is reported. To determine whether the dyad is “flexing” at room temperature, low‐temperature NMR experiments were used. Computational modeling has shown the low‐energy conformation of the dyad to be nonsymmetric. Although, ¹H NMR spectroscopy at room temperature is consistent with a molecule with C_2v symmetry, the spectrum changes on lowering the temperature consistent with “windshield wiper”‐like motion, in which the porphyrin moiety rotates from one side of the C₆₀ sphere to the other. Nanosecond and picosecond fluorescence lifetime experiments show two components contribute to the fluorescence decay, also consistent with the presence of more than one conformer.     

New octahedral Ta(V) hydrazido-substituted compounds for atomic layer deposition: Syntheses,X-ray diffraction structures of TaCl(NMe2)3[N(TMS)NMe2] and Ta(NMe2)4[N(TMS)NMe2], and fluxional behavior of the amido and hydrazido ligands in solution

The synthesis and structural characterization of new tantalum(V) compounds containing a single hydrazido(I) ligand are reported. Hydrazinolysis of TaCl(NMe₂)₄ using trimethylsilyl(dimethyl)hydrazine affords the compound TaCl(NMe₂)₃[N(TMS)NMe₂] in essentially quantitative yield. Metathetical replacement of the chloride ligand in TaCl(NMe₂)₃[N(TMS)NMe₂] by LiNMe₂ gives the all-nitrogen coordinated compound Ta(NMe₂)₄[N(TMS)NMe₂]. VT ¹H NMR studies support the existence of low-energy pathways involving rotation about the Ta–N bonds of the ancillary amido and hydrazido ligands in both hydrazido-substituted compounds. X-ray crystallographic analyses confirm the octahedral disposition about the tantalum metal in TaCl(NMe₂)₃[N(TMS)NMe₂] and Ta(NMe₂)₄[N(TMS)NMe₂] and the presence of an η²-hydrazido(I) ligand. Preliminary data using Ta(NMe₂)₄[N(TMS)NMe₂] as an ALD precursor for the preparation of tantalum nitride and tantalum oxide thin films are presented.     

Reduction of 6/7-substituted 3-phenyltrop-3-en-2-ones: stereoselectivity and conformational analysis of the products

Reduction of 6/7-carboethoxy-3-phenyltrop-3-en-2-ones with H₂/Pd/C and NaBH₄ was studied in order to find a stereoselective route to the corresponding 3-phenyltropan-2-ones and 2α/2β-hydroxy-3-phenyltropanes. The 6/7-exo-carboethoxy-3-phenyltrop-3-en-2-ones were selectively reduced by Pd/C to 3β-phenyltropan-2-ones and 2α-hydroxy-3β-phenyltropanes. The corresponding 2β-hydroxy-3β-phenyl analogues were synthesized using NaBH₄, with a yield of 40%. Reduction of 6-endo-carboethoxy-3-phenyltrop-3-en-2-one yielded several products. The corresponding 7-endo-substituted analogue was selectively reduced with both Pd/C and NaBH₄ to 7-endo-carboethoxy-3β-phenyltropin-2-one. Analysis of stereochemically important ¹H NMR spectroscopy parameters was performed for all the products and used for conformational analysis in solution. X-ray analysis was performed for selected compounds.     

Metalated Hexaphyrins: From Understanding to Rational Design

The heretofore unpredictable behavior of [26] and [28]hexaphyrins upon metalation has been elucidated through quantum chemical calculations. It is demonstrated that the molecular topology of Group 10 and Group 11 metal complexes of hexaphyrins depends on sensitive interplay between the intrinsic ligand strain and the metal–ligand interaction strength. As such, the aromaticity of the ligand and effective charge of the metal are revealed as key factors determining the binding mode and the preference for Möbius or Hückel structures. These findings offer a new perspective to rationalize experimental observations for metalated hexaphyrins. More importantly, the proposed guidelines could be useful for designing novel complexes of hexaphyrins, such as a hitherto unknown Möbius [26]hexaphyrin complex.     

Solid-state structure of (+)-phendimetrazine bitartarate,an anorexic drug

The anorexic drug (+)-(2S, 3S, 4S)-phendimetrazine-2R, 3R)-bitartarate crystallized in the orthorhombic space groupP2₁2₁2₁ and at 293 Ka=7.7710(4),b=13.1379(7),c=15.9913(9) Å,V=1632.6(2) ų,Z=4,R(F)=0.062, andR _w (F)=0.026. A chair conformation 2,3-trans-1,4-oxazine ring with equatorially oriented 2-phenyl,3-methyl, andN-methyl substituents was found as predicted by an earlier reported solid-state CP-MAS¹³C-NMR investigation of crystalline (±)-phendimetrazine bitartarate. The O-CH₂-CH₂-N torsion angle of –58.4(6)° in the solid-state agrees nicely with the 56.0(7)° dihedral angle value estimated by¹H NMR spectroscopy for the major (equatorialN-methyl) phendimetrazine mesylate species in CD₂Cl₂ solution. A common solid-state conformational arrangement was found for (+)-phendimetrazine and a series of six other anorexic drugs structurally analogous to (+)-(2S, 3S)-pseudoephedrine. In this arrangement, NCH(Me)CPh has (S)-configuration, there is a (–)-gaucheMe-CH-C-Ph torsion angle, an antiperiplanarN-CH-C-Ph torsion angle, and the phenyl ring approximately eclipses the C-H bond of the attached carbon (e.g., H-C-C_ipso-C_ortho ca. 4° for 2,3-transphendimetrazine). Nonbonded interactions involving the 3-methyl and the 2-phenyl groups open up the H-C-C_ipso-C_ortho angle in a series of solid-state structures containing the epimeric (–)-(2R, 3S)-ephedrine moiety (e.g., ca. 45° for molecular mechanics calculated 2,3-cis-phendimetrazine model).     

Crystal structure of triethylammonium dicitratoborate monohydrate

Triethylammonium dicitratoborate monohydrate (C₂H₅)₃NH[(C₆H₆O₇)₂B]·H₂O (I) was synthesized for the first time. Its crystal structure was solved from single crystal X-ray diffraction data (a = 9.7821(2) Å, b = 23.2196(4) Å, c = 10.0705(2) Å; β = 90.97(1)°; Z = 4, space group P2₁/n, 5091 reflections with R _int = 0.0219; R1 = 0.0733). The structural units of crystal I (the large dicitrato borate anion with a spirane structure, the triethylammonium cation, and the crystal water molecule) form a layered packing with a system of seven O-H...O and N-H...O hydrogen bonds.     

X-ray crystallographic study of some pentacoordinated organogermanium compounds

The X-ray crystallographic structures of 2-(2-phenyl-5-oxo-1,3,2-oxathiagermolan-2-ylthio)acetic acid (2), its pyridinium salt (3), and the pyridinium salt of 2-(2-t-butyl-5-oxo-1,3,2-oxathiagermolan-2-ylthio)acetic acid (1), (4), together with 2-(2-phenyl-1,3,2-oxathiagermolan-2-ylthio)ethanol (5) were determined and compared with that of 1. All of compounds investigated, 2-5, have the TBP-like, pentacoordinated structure. This fact seems to indicate that the driving force of pentacoordination of this type of compounds is the existence of an oxygen atom δ to the germanium atom that readily forms a five membered ring by hypercoordination.     

Structural Elucidation of Trace Amounts of Volatile Compounds Using the Crystalline Sponge Method

Volatile organic compounds are widely present as scents and odors in our daily lives and are readily found in a variety of natural extracts. Because these compounds are highly volatile and usually available only in minute quantities, little attention has been paid to X‐ray diffraction as a technique for their structure determination. Here, we show that the structures of volatile organic compounds are easily elucidated using minute quantities of the compounds and the crystalline sponge method. The compound vapors can be directly absorbed into the sponge crystals, or alternatively, preparative gas chromatography can be used to separate the desired compound from a natural mixture.     

Unexpected formation of a dimeric cation-anionic complex of hypercoordinated tin in the reaction of bis[(2-oxopyrrolidino)methyl]tin dichloride with AgBF4

A new cation-anionic complex of hypercoordinated tin, {[L₂Sn(OH)]⁺ BF₄ ^?}₂ (L is a bidentate (2-oxopyrrolidino)methyl C,O-chelating ligand), was obtained by the reaction of L₂SnCl₂ with AgBF₄ and structurally characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis. In crystalline form, the BF₄ ^? anions are bound to the dications through O?H...F hydrogen bonds (the H?F distance is 1.78 Å). The octahedral coordination of the Sn atoms is strongly distorted because of a weak additional interaction with solvate molecules of dioxane (the Sn?O distance is 3.16 Å).