Isolation and Characterization,Including by X‐ray Crystallography,of Contact and Solvent‐Separated Ion Pairs of Silenyl Lithium Species

Reaction of bromoacylsilane 1 (pink solution) with tBu₂MeSiLi (3.5 equiv) in a 4:1 hexane:THF solvent mixture at ?78 °C to room temperature yields the solvent separated ion pair (SSIP) of silenyl lithium E‐[(tBuMe₂Si)(tBu₂MeSi)C=Si(SiMetBu₂)]^? [Li?4THF]⁺ 2 a (green–blue solution). Removal of the solvent and addition of benzene converts 2 a into the corresponding contact ion pair (CIP) 2 b (violet–red solution) with two THF molecules bonded to the lithium atom. The 2 a ? 2 b interconversion is reversible upon THF? benzene solvent change. Both 2 a and 2 b were characterized by X‐ray crystallography, NMR and UV/Vis spectroscopy, and theoretical calculations. The degree of dissociation of the Si?Li bond has a large effect on the visible spectrum (and thus color) and on the silenylic ²⁹Si NMR chemical shift, but a small effect on the molecular structure. This is the first report of the X‐ray molecular structure of both the SSIP and the CIP of any R₂E=E′RM species (E=C, Si; E′=C, Si; M=metal).     

Phosphoramides: Synthesis,Spectroscopy, and X‐ray Crystallography

A series of new phosphoramides with general formula RP(O)X₂, where R = amino/p‐methylphenoxy and X = amine, were synthesized and characterized by ¹H, ¹³C, ³¹P nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and infrared (IR) spectroscopy and elemental analysis. The ³¹P{¹H} NMR spectra show that among compounds 7–9 containing 2‐, 3‐, and 4‐aminopyridinyl moieties, respectively, the shielding order of the P atom decreases as 7 > 9 > 8 . Also, the structure of compound 7 was determined by X‐ray crystallography. In this structure, repeated noncentrosymmetric dimers are formed by two strong intermolecular N(1)‐H(1N)…N(2) and N(3)‐H(3N)…O(1) hydrogen bonds. Taking into account weak intermolecular C(17)‐H(17C)…N(4), C(17)‐H(17E)…N(4), C(2)‐H(2A)…O(2), and also weak aromatic C—H…C interactions, a three‐dimensional polymeric chain is created in the crystalline network. The density functional theory calculations at B3LYP, B3PW91, and M06 levels using the 6–31+G** basis set were in good agreement with the X‐ray crystallography data.     

Synthesis,Spectroscopy, X‐ray Crystallography,and DFT Computations of Nanosized Phosphazenes

Nanoparticles of nine phosphazenes with general formula 4‐CH₃C₆H₄S(O)₂N=PX₃ [X = Cl ( A ), NC₄H₈ ( 1 ), NC₆H₁₂ ( 2 ), NC₄H₈N–C(O)OC₂H₅ ( 3 ), NC₄H₈N–C(O)OC₆H₅ ( 4 ), NC₄H₈O ( 5 ), NHCH₂–C₄H₇O ( 6 ), N(CH₃)(C₆H₁₁) ( 7 ), NHCH₂–C₆H₅ ( 8 ), and 2‐NH‐NC₅H₄ ( 9 )] were synthesized using ultrasonic method and characterized by ¹H, ¹³C, ³¹P NMR, FT‐IR, fluorescence, as well as UV/Vis spectroscopy and additionally with XRD, FE‐SEM, N₂ sorption, and elemental analysis. The ³¹P NMR spectra of compounds 1 – 9 reveal the most up field shift δ(³¹P) for 9 at –11.45 ppm reflecting the most electron donation of 2‐aminopyridinyl rings through resonance to the phosphorus atom. The ¹H, ¹³C NMR spectra of 7 exhibit two sets of signals for the hydrogen and carbon atoms of its two isomers present in the solution state in 1:4 ratio. The FE‐SEM micrographs illustrate that the nanoparticles of compounds 1 – 9 have spherical morphology and a size of 27–42 nm. From the XRD patterns, the crystal sizes were estimated to about 24–86 nm. The highest bandgap was measured for 3 (3.81 eV) whereas the smallest was measured for 8 (3.50 eV). The structures of two polymorphs of compound 5 ( 5 , 5′ ) were determined by X‐ray crystallography at 120 K. Both of these polymorphs are triclinic with P1 space group but 5 has a doubled unit cell volume and two symmetrically independent molecules ( 5a and 5b ). In structures 5a and 5′ , the phosphorus and all endocyclic atoms of two morpholinyl rings display disorder, whereas the molecule 5b does not show disorder. The strong intermolecular O–H ··· O hydrogen bonds plus weak intermolecular C–H ··· O and C–H ··· N interactions create three‐dimensional polymers in the crystalline networks of 5 and 5′ . The DFT computations illustrate that molecule 5b is more stable than 5a by –1.1062 and –0.9779 kcal · mol^–1 at B3LYP and B3PW91 levels, respectively. The NBO calculations presented sp³d hybridization for phosphorus and sulfur atoms and sp², sp³ hybrids for the nitrogen and oxygen atoms.     

A Combined Solid‐State NMR and X‐ray Crystallography Study of the Bromide Ion Environments in Triphenylphosphonium Bromides

Multinuclear (³¹P and ^79/81Br), multifield (9.4, 11.75, and 21.1 T) solid‐state nuclear magnetic resonance experiments are performed for seven phosphonium bromides bearing the triphenylphosphonium cation, a molecular scaffold found in many applications in chemistry. This is undertaken to fully characterise their bromine electric field gradient (EFG) tensors, as well as the chemical shift (CS) tensors of both the halogen and the phosphorus nuclei, providing a rare and novel insight into the local electronic environments surrounding them. New crystal structures, obtained from single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction, are reported for six compounds to aid in the interpretation of the NMR data. Among them is a new structure of BrPPh₄, because the previously reported one was inconsistent with our magnetic resonance data, thereby demonstrating how NMR data of non‐standard nuclei can correct or improve X‐ray diffraction data. Our results indicate that, despite sizable quadrupolar interactions, ^79/81Br magnetic resonance spectroscopy is a powerful characterisation tool that allows for the differentiation between chemically similar bromine sites, as shown through the range in the characteristic NMR parameters. ^35/37Cl solid‐state NMR data, obtained for an analogous phosphonium chloride sample, provide insight into the relationship between unit cell volume, nuclear quadrupolar coupling constants, and Sternheimer antishielding factors. The experimental findings are complemented by gauge‐including projector‐augmented wave (GIPAW) DFT calculations, which substantiate our experimentally determined strong dependence of the largest component of the bromine CS tensor, δ₁₁, on the shortest Br? P distance in the crystal structure, a finding that has possible application in the field of NMR crystallography. This trend is explained in terms of Ramsey’s theory on paramagnetic shielding. Overall, this work demonstrates how careful NMR studies of underexploited exotic nuclides, such as ^79/81Br, can afford insights into structure and bonding environments in the solid state.     

Locating Dynamic Species with X‐ray Crystallography and NMR Spectroscopy: Acetone in p‐tert‐Butylcalix[4]arene

The exact location and orientation of dynamic species in structural studies continues to be a serious challenge, yet it is of paramount importance in modeling guest–host interactions so as to improve our understanding of the multiple weak interactions that govern many chemical and biological processes. The acetone guest in the tBC (p‐tert‐butylcalixarene) host presents such a challenge, as initial guest positions obtained from single crystal X‐ray diffraction (XRD) are incompatible with the ²H NMR spectrum. A detailed consideration of the diffraction data showed that more complicated structural models could be constructed that were consistent with the NMR data and still yielded satisfactory diffraction residuals. These models agree that one acetone methyl group is inserted into the deep cavity, and that it exchanges with the second methyl group outside. The outside methyl group in turn can switch positions with the carbonyl group, but the distribution of the methyl and carbonyl groups over the two sites is not equal. One factor that poses additional difficulty in deciding between models is whether the actual space group is tetragonal (P4/n), or twinned monoclinic (P2/n). All of the structural models considered here disagree substantially with the one proposed in an earlier publication.     

Synthesis and X‐ray Crystallography of Two Lead(II) Decahydro‐closo‐Decaborate Hydrates

The reaction of Pb[CO₃] with an aqueous solution of (H₃O)₂[B₁₀H₁₀] in an equimolar ratio leads to two lead(II) decahydro‐closo‐decaborate hydrates both as triclinic, pale yellow single crystals. The water‐rich compound with the formula [Pb(H₂O)₃]₂Pb[B₁₀H₁₀]₃ · 5.5H₂O crystallizes in the space group P1 (a = 711.72(4), b = 1243.14(8), c = 2064.83(12) pm, α = 81.806(3), β = 83.795(3), γ = 80.909(3)°) with Z = 2. The compound with the lower water content, [Pb(H₂O)₃]Pb[B₁₀H₁₀]₂ · 1.5H₂O, also crystallizes in P1 (a = 718.46(4), b = 1288.75(8), c = 1279.91(8) pm, α = 70.145(3), β = 75.976(3), γ = 80.324(3)°) with Z = 2. Both structures can be described as layered arrangements and contain one Pb²⁺ cation each, which is only coordinated by the hydridic hydrogen atoms of the hydroborate anions. All the others are primarily surrounded by three water molecules in a non‐planar fashion and additional hydrogen atoms of [B₁₀H₁₀]^2– anions. The non‐lead‐bonded crystal water molecules in both structures are all connected via hydrogen bonds to the water molecules, which coordinate the Pb²⁺ cations, as well as via non‐classical hydrogen bonds to the cluster anions and reside between the layers. The [B₁₀H₁₀]^2– anions show only slight distortions from their ideal shape as bicapped square antiprisms.     

Evidence of Amine–CO2 Interactions in Two Pillared‐Layer MOFs Probed by X‐ray Crystallography

Two pillared‐layer metal–organic frameworks (MOFs; PMOF‐55 and NH₂‐PMOF‐55) based on 1,2,4‐triazole and terephthalic acid (bdc)/NH₂‐bdc ligands were assembled and display framework stabilities, to a certain degree, in both acid/alkaline solutions and toward water. They exhibit high CO₂ uptakes and selective CO₂/N₂ adsorption capacities, with CO₂/N₂ selectivity in the range of 24–27, as calculated by the ideal adsorbed solution theory method. More remarkably, the site and interactions between the host network and the CO₂ molecules were investigated by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction, which showed that the main interaction between the CO₂ molecules and PMOF‐55 is due to multipoint supramolecular interactions of C?H???O, C???O, and O???O. Amino functional groups were shown to enhance the CO₂ adsorption and identified as strong adsorption sites for CO₂ by X‐ray crystallography.