Preparation and electrochemical properties of palladium(0) complexes coordinated by quinones and 1,5-cyclooctadiene

The complexes Pd(quinone)(COD) (COD = 1,5-cyclooctadiene) are prepared by a ligand substitution reaction of Pd₂(DBA)₃ (DBA = dibenzylideneacetone) in the presence of both quinone and COD. Palladium(0) complexes coordinated by quinones only are formed in the reaction in the absence of COD. The cyclic voltammetric behavior of Pd(quinone)(COD) has been studied. The reduction potentials for quinones shifted toward negative values on coordination to palladium(0). The oxidation potentials for the central palladium(0) in Pd(quinone)(COD) depend on the electron-withdrawing ability of the free quinones, and are in the following series: quinone = p-benzoquinone < 5,8-dihydro-1,4-naphthoquinone ～ 1,4-naphthoquinone < duroquinone. The shift of oxidation potentials for Pd(quinone)(COD) on changing the quinones as ligands is in contrast to that of Pd(quinone)(triphenylphosphine)₂.     

Efficient and selective alkylation of arenes and heteroarenes with benzyl and allyl ethers using a Ir/Sn bimetallic catalyst

A high-valent heterobimetallic catalyst namely [Ir₂(COD)₂(SnCl₃)₂(Cl)₂(μ-Cl)₂] (5 mol %), or dual catalyst system of [Ir(COD)Cl]₂ (1 mol %) and SnCl₄ (4 mol %), promotes the benzylation or allylation of arenes and heteroarenes using ethers as the alkylating agents. An electrophilic mechanism is proposed from a Hammett correlation.     

Multinuclear NIR luminescent 1,4-BDC bridged Schiff-base complexes of Nd(III)

Solvent and reaction stoichiometry dictate the products isolated from reactions of the dinuclear precursor complex [ZnNdL(H₂O)(NO₃)₃] (H₂L = N,N′-bis(3-methoxy-salicylidene)ethylene-1,2-diamine) with the anionic multidentate linker 1,4-benzenedicarboxylate (1,4-BDC). With a 2:1 molar ratio of ZnNd:Na₂1,4-BDC in CH₃CN–EtOH the tetranuclear complex [Zn₂Nd₂L₂(1,4-BDC)(NO₃)₄(EtOH)₂] · 2MeCN (1) is produced while hexanuclear [Zn₄Nd₂L₄(1,4-BDC)₂] · (NO₃)₂ · 2Et₂O · 4H₂O (2) can be isolated from a DMF–EtOH mixture. A 4:1 mole ratio in DMF–EtOH gave the unusual polynuclear complex [Zn₄Nd₂L₄(1,4-BDC)₂] · [ZnNdL(NO₃)₃(OAc)]₂ (3). The NIR photophysical properties of the new compounds are reported.     

A surface-fluorinated-TiO2-KMnO4 photocatalytic system for determination of chemical oxygen demand

A new method for chemical oxygen demand (COD) determination has been developed, based on photocatalytic oxidative degradation by using a fluorinated-TiO₂-KMnO₄ system. In such a system, a linear correlation is observed between the amount of oxidizable dissolved organic matter and the amount of MnO₄⁻ consumed by the coupled reduction process. Thus, the COD determination is transformed to a simple and direct determination of the deletion of MnO₄⁻. The surface fluorination of TiO₂ nanoparticles can enhance the rate of photocatalytic oxidation of organic matter and the rate of coupled photocatalytic reduction of MnO₄⁻. This makes the method be rapid, environment friendly and easy for operation. Under optimized conditions, this method can respond linearly to COD of potassium hydrogen phthalate (KHP) in the range of 0.1-280 mg L⁻¹, with a detection limit of 0.02 mg L⁻¹ COD. The COD in samples of tap water, lake water and paper industry sewage has been determined satisfactorily by using this method.     

Investigation on the application of titania nanorod arrays to the determination of chemical oxygen demand

In the present paper, the TiO₂ nanorod arrays electrode was developed as a sensor for the determination of chemical oxygen demand (COD) based on a photoelectrochemical degradation principle. Effects of common parameters, such as applied potential, light intensity and pH on its analytical performance were investigated. Under the optimized conditions, the nanorod arrays electrode was successfully applied in the COD determination for both synthetic and real samples. In the COD determination, the proposed method can achieve a practical detection limit of 18.3 mg L⁻¹ and a linear range of 20–280 mg L⁻¹. Furthermore, the results obtained by the proposed method were well correlated with those obtained using the conventional (i.e., dichromate) COD determination method. The main advantages of this COD determination method were its simplicity, long term stability and environmental friendly (corrosive and toxic reagents not consumed). This work would open a new application area (COD determination) of the TiO₂ nanorod arrays.     

Ni(COD)2/4-ClC6H4COR-catalyzed addition reactions of arylboroxines with aldehydes

Ni(COD)₂/4-ClC₆H₄COR (R = H, CH₃, Ph) was found to be an efficient catalyst system for the addition reactions of arylboroxines with aromatic and aliphatic aldehydes. The catalytically active species for Ni(COD)₂/4-ClC₆H₄COR catalyst systems was likely to be their oxidative addition adducts, 4-RCOC₆H₄Ni(II)Cl(COD) complexes.     

Study on photocatalytic oxidation for determination of the low chemical oxygen demand using a nano-TiO2-Ce(SO4)2 coexisted system

A new photocatalytic system, nano-TiO₂-Ce(SO₄)₂ coexisted system, which can be used to determine the low chemical oxygen demand (COD) is described. Nano-TiO₂ powders is used as photocatalyst in this system. The measuring method is based on direct determination of the concentration change of Ce(IV) resulting from photocatalytic oxidation of organic compounds. The mechanism of the photocatalytic oxidation for COD determination was discussed and the optimum experimental conditions were investigated. Under the optimum conditions, a good calibration graph for COD values between 1.0 and 12 mg l⁻¹ was obtained and the LOD value was achieved as low as 0.4 mg l⁻¹. When determining the real samples, the results were in good agreement with those from the conventional methods.     

Heterobimetallic complexes as oxygen donor bidentate ligands: synthesis of early-late trinuclear complexes

The early-late heterometallic complexes [TiCp^∗((OCH₂)₂Py)(μ-O)M(COD)] (M = Rh, Ir) behave as four-electron donor ligands yielding the polynuclear cationic complexes [TiCp^∗(OCH₂)₂ Py(μ-O){M(COD)}₂]OTf (M = Rh (1), Ir (2)). The molecular structure of complex 1 has been established through an X-ray diffraction study.     

Study of chain branching in natural rubber using size-exclusion chromatography coupled with a multi-angle light scattering detector (SEC-MALS)

The different rheological behaviour of natural rubber (NR) compared to industrial synthetic poly(cis-1,4-isoprene) (SR) has been attributed to the gel phase and long-chain branching. Previous studies on branching in NR were carried out using the fractionation technique by precipitation to obtain narrow molar mass distribution. In this study, chain branching of poly(cis-1,4-isoprene) in NR was characterised by size-exclusion chromatography coupled with an online multi-angle light scattering detector (SEC-MALS). The nanoaggregates adsorbed on the column packing interfered with branching characterisation for short and medium chains (M_w < 1000 kg/mol). Using a master curve of linear standard poly(cis-1,4-isoprenes), SEC-MALS revealed no or very little branching in the higher chains (1000 < M_w < 10,000 kg/mol) of natural rubber contrary to previous studies. This study showed that the soluble portion of NR samples was composed of almost linear poly(cis-1,4-isoprene) and nanoaggregates with rather compact structures.     

Cationic rhodium(I) complexes containing 4,4′-disubstituted 2,2′-bipyridines: A systematic variation on electron density over the metal centre

A series of [Rh(COD)(X₂-bipy)]BF₄ complexes (COD = 1,5-cyclooctadiene; X₂-bipy = 4,4′-disubstituted 2,2′-bipyridines; X = OCH₃, CH₃, H, Cl or NO₂) has been prepared from [Rh(COD)Cl]₂. The complexes for X = OCH₃, Cl and NO₂ have not been described previously in the literature. All complexes have been characterised by elemental analysis, IR, ¹H NMR and UV-Vis spectrometry. This series of complexes presents a wide variation on electron density over the metal centre with virtually no variation on its steric environment which discloses interesting possibilities for catalytic and electro-catalytic studies. A preliminary evaluation of these complexes on the hydroformylation of camphene and β-pinene showed that under the rather drastic conditions employed the complexes acted as a precursor for [Rh(CO)₃H], which accounts for most of the catalytic activity.     

Convenient preparation of (η-alkadiene)dichloroplatinum(II) complexes from [PtCl6] anions and their reduction to platinum(0) alkene complexes under phase-transfer catalysis conditions

Convenient one-pot reduction-complexation reactions of hexachloroplatinato(IV) anions to (η⁴-alkadiene)dichloroplatinum(II) complexes (η⁴-alkadiene = COD, DAE, DCPD, NBD) under suitable phase-transfer catalysis conditions are reported. Reduction to zerovalent platinum alkene complexes has been obtained in the presence of an excess of alkene, potassium formate and 18-crown-6 as phase-transfer catalyst (alkene = COD, NB, dba). The crystal and molecular structure of [Pt_1.03(dba)₃]·CH₂Cl₂ has been studied by X-ray diffraction methods: it can be described as a solid solution of Pt(dba)₃ and Pt₂(dba)₃, the mononuclear complex being largely prevailing.     

Preparation of photocatalytic nano-ZnO/TiO2 film and application for determination of chemical oxygen demand

A composite nano-ZnO/TiO₂ film as photocatalyst was fabricated with vacuum vaporized and sol-gel methods. The nano-ZnO/TiO₂ film improved the separate efficiency of the charge and extended the range of spectrum, which showed a higher efficiency of photocatalytic than the pure nano-TiO₂ and nano-ZnO film. The photocatalytic mechanism of nano-ZnO/TiO₂ film was discussed, too. A new method for determination of low chemical oxidation demand (COD) value in ground water based on nano-ZnO/TiO₂ film using the photocatalytic oxidation technology was founded. This method was originated from the direct determination of the Mn(VII) concentration change resulting from photocatalytic oxidation of organic compounds on the nano-ZnO/TiO₂ film, and the COD values were calculated from the absorbance of Mn(VII). Under the optimal operation conditions, the detection limit of 0.1 mg l⁻¹, COD values with the linear range of 0.3-10.0 mg l⁻¹ were achieved. The results were in good agreement with those from the conventional COD methods.     

An inexpensive and highly stable ligand 1,4-bis(2-hydroxy-3,5-di-tert-butylbenzyl)piperazine for Mizoroki-Heck and room temperature Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reactions

A bulky, inexpensive and simple bidentate ligand 1,4-bis(2-hydroxy-3,5-di-tert-butylbenzyl)piperazine (1) has been synthesized and characterized. The palladium catalyst was formed by combination of 1 with [Cl₂Pd(COD)] in a ratio of 1:1, tested in the Suzuki-Miyaura and Mizoroki-Heck cross-coupling reactions. Coupling of a variety of aryl bromides with phenylboronic acid using methanol as solvent at room temperature, or at 60 °C, gave generally high yields of coupled products. Coupling of aryl chlorides with organoboron reagent at 110 °C in DMF afforded good yields of biaryls under aerobic conditions. This non-phosphorus, air and moisture stable catalyst also displays good activity for Mizoroki-Heck coupling reaction in methanol at 60 °C with various aryl chlorides and bromides.     

Dinuclear copper complexes with cyanamide derivatives as bridging ligands

Three mixed-valence copper complexes [{Cu(phen)₂}₂(μ-L)](PF₆)₂ (where phen = 1,10-phenanthroline, L = 1,4-dicyanamidobenzene (dicyd)), 1,4-dicyanamido-2,5-dimethylbenzene (Me₂dicyd) and 1,4-dicyanamido-2,5-dichlorobenzene (Cl₂dicyd), and one dinuclear Cu(II) complex [{Cu(phen)₂}₂(μ-apc)](PF₆)₃ (where apc = monoanion of 4-azo(phenylcyanamido)benzene) have been prepared and characterized by elemental analysis, IR and electronic absorption spectroscopies and cyclic voltammetry. [{Cu(phen)₂}₂(μ-apc)](PF₆)₃ · 2CH₃COCH₃ crystallized in the triclinic system and both five-coordinate Cu(II) ions in the dinuclear unit are linked through a bridging 4-azo(phenylcyanamido)benzene (apc) ligand. The cyanamide group (NCN) of the bridging ligand is coordinated to Cu(II) ions through the cyano-nitrogen and amido-nitrogen. The bond length between Cu(1) and cyano-nitrogen is slightly larger than that formed by Cu(2) and amido-nitrogen. The angular structural index parameters, τ, for Cu(1) and Cu(2) are 0.9 and 0.5, respectively. The copper(II) atoms display a different geometry with a N₅ chromophore group. The intra Cu?Cu separation is 5.156(1) Å. All of the dicyd dinuclear copper complexes show radical anion absorption.     

Triphenylpyrylium salt-sensitized photoreactions of 1,4-diaryl-2,3-dioxabicyclo[2.2.2]octanes through competitive single electron-transfer pathway and proton-catalyzed pathway

2,4,6-Triphenylpyrylium tetrafluoroborate (TPPBF₄)-sensitized photoinduced electron-transfer (PET) reactions of 1,4-diaryl-2,3-dioxabicyclo[2.2.2]octanes 5 (a: Ar¹ = Ar² = p-MeOC₆H₄, b: Ar¹ = Ar² = p-MeC₆H₄, c: Ar¹ = Ar² = Ph) underwent novel fragmentation through their radical cations to give 1,4-diarylbutan-1,4-diones 6 accompanied by elimination of ethylene. On the other hand, 4-aryl-cyclohex-3-en-1-ones 7, p-substituted phenols 8, and 4-aryl-4-aryloxycyclohexanones 9 were produced through proton-catalyzed pathways when the PET reactions of 5 were performed in the absence of a certain base such as 2,6-di-tert-butylpyridine (DTBP). Particularly, the formation of 9 is consistent with the novel cationic rearrangement involving nucleophilic O-1,2-aryl shifts and C-1,4-aryl shifts.     

Some phosphinite complexes of Rh and Ir, their intramolecular reactivity and DFT calculations about their application in biphenyl metathesis

Biphen(OPR₂) (with R: Ph, iPr, Cy) is reacted with [Rh(COE)₂Cl]₂. The corresponding μ-chloro-bridged dimers are received. An X-ray analysis of [Biphen(OPCy₂)RhCl]₂ is included. This compound shows a dynamic behaviour in solution, ascribed to a monomer/dimer equilibrium. The difference of the Biphen ligands to Milsteins PCP pincer-type ligand is shown. A catalytic cycle for biphenyl metathesis containing the coupling of oxidative addition and reductive elimination of the bridging C-C single bond in the biphenyl fragment using Rh^I/III complexes and the concept of chelating assistance was calculated using DFT (B3PW91/LANL2DZ). According to the calculations the activation energy of the oxidative addition is about 30 kcal/mol and for the reductive elimination about 19 kcal/mol. The fac-Rh^III complex is by far the most stable compound, but the formation of it is kinetically strongly disfavoured. Pre-catalysts (COD)M(Ph-O-PR₂) (M: Rh, Ir) were synthesized by pre-coordinating the phosphinite to the metal (X-ray structures of four such compounds included) followed by treatment with 2 equiv. of sec. BuLi (X-ray structures of two such compounds included). In case of Ir this synthesis is complicated by C-H activation (X-ray structure of (COD)Ir(H)(Cl)(2-Br-phenyl-O-(diisopropylphosphinite)) included) and fast oxidative addition of the Ph-C-Halide bond. For (COD)Ir(H)(Cl)(2-phenyl-O-(diisopropylphosphinite)) the C-H activation is reversible and thermodynamic parameters for the ring closure reaction were determined by VT-NMR measurement (ΔH = −21.1 ± 0.5 kJ/mol, ΔS = −62.8 ± 1.7 J/(mol K)). The pre-catalysts were reacted with Biphen(OPR₂) to enter the calculated catalytic cycle. With Rh as center metal this reaction works out cleanly to give new complexes with the three P-atoms coordinated to one Rh center. No hemi-labile character was found for these P-donors even at 105 °C in toluene. If (COD)Rh(2-phenyl-O-(diisopropylphosphinite)) is reacted with 2 equiv. of 2-iodo-phenyl-O-(diisopropylphosphinite) oxidative addition of one C-Iodo bond is observed and the corresponding mer-Rh^III complex is received. Upon treatment with 2 equiv. of sec. BuLi the resulting product is(Biphen(OPiPr₂))Rh^I(2-phenyl-O-(diisopropylphosphinite)) rather than mer-Rh^III(2-phenyl-O-(diisopropylphosphinite))₃. Reaction of [Rh(COD)Cl]₂ with 3 equiv. of 2-bromo-phenyl-O-(diphenylphosphinite) shows a fast scrambling of the chlorine into all possible ortho positions of the phenolate rings in the final Rh^III reaction product.     

Synthesis characterization and X-ray crystal structures of cis-1,4-diaminocyclohexane-platinum(II) nucleobase adducts

Platinum complexes of the type [Pt(cis-1,4-DACH)(L)₂]X, where cis-1,4-DACH = cis-1,4-diaminocyclohexane; L = adenine (ade) (1), hypoxanthine (hyp) (2), 9-methylguanine (9-megua) (3), cytosine (cyt) (4), or 1-methylcytosine (1-mecyt) (5); and X = SO₄ or Cl₂ groups, were synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis and by ¹H, ¹³C, and ¹⁹⁵Pt nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The crystals of [Pt(cis-1,4-DACH)(9-megua)₂]SO₄[9-megua-H]₂SO₄ (3) and [Pt(cis-1,4-DACH)(1-mecyt)₂]Cl₂ · 6H₂O (5) were also subjected to single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The base/PtN4 coordination plane dihedral angles were 74.55° and 85.61° in complex 3 and 78.12° and 81.80° in complex 5. The platinum had distorted square planar geometry in both complexes; the two adjacent corners were occupied by the two nitrogen atoms of cis-1,4-DACH, and the other two corners were occupied by the two N7 atoms of 9-megua in complex 3 and the two N3 atoms of 1-mecyt in complex 5. The cis-1,4-DACH, which has a unique twist-boat configuration, formed a seven-member chelating ring with platinum, which led to considerable strain during bidentate cis-1,4-DACH binding. Cations of both complexes 3 and 5 adopted C₂ molecular symmetry. These adducts were the models for the intrastand cross-links that were relevant to the binding of the Pt(II) antitumor drugs to DNA.     

Synthesis,characterization and antimalarial activity of new iridium–chloroquine complexes

Chloroquine base (CQ) reacts with [Ir(COD)Cl]₂ and IrCl₃ · 3H₂O to yield of Ir(CQ)Cl(COD) (1) and Ir₂Cl₆(CQ) · 3H₂O (2), respectively. Reaction of [Ir(COD)Cl]₂ with CQ in the presence of NH₄PF₆ leaded to [Ir(CQ)(Solv)₂]PF₆ (3). The three new iridium–CQ complexes were characterized by a combination of elemental analysis, IR and NMR spectroscopies and evaluated in vitro against Plasmodium beghei. Comparison of the IC₅₀ values obtained with the experimental compounds with that determined for chloroquine diphosphate indicated a higher activity for complex 2, while complexes 1 and 3 showed a similar and lower activity, respectively.     

Coordination modes of 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-1,4-diphenyl-1,4-benzodiphosphinine (bedip) to Pt and Pd metal ions: Synthesis and structural characterization of mono- and bi-nuclear complexes

Within this study, coordination properties of the cyclic diphosphine 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-1,4-diphenyl-1,4-benzodiphosphinine (bedip) are investigated, through the preparation of neutral and cationic Pt(II), Pt(IV) and Pd(II) complexes. The diphosphine acts as bridging ligand in the neutral Pt(II) and Pd(II) complexes, affording [MX(CH₃)(μ-bedip)]₂ (X = Cl, Br, I, CH₃) species. Chelation is observed in all the remaining complexes. The molecular structures of [PtX(CH₃)(μ-bedip)]₂ (X = Br, I) and [PtI(CH₃)₃(bedip)] are also determined.     

2,5-Disubstituted furans from 1,4-alkynediols

1,4-Alkynediols serve as readily available starting materials for isomerisation to 1,4-diketones, which can be converted in situ into the corresponding furans by acid-catalysed dehydration. A range of 2,5-disubstituted furans was prepared using the ruthenium-based catalyst Ru(PPh₃)₃(CO)H₂ with Xantphos at 1 mol % loading.