Self‐assembly of a cobalt(II)‐based metal–organic framework as an effective water‐splitting heterogeneous catalyst for light‐driven hydrogen production

The solar photocatalysis of water splitting represents a significant branch of enzymatic simulation by efficient chemical conversion and the generation of hydrogen as green energy provides a feasible way for the replacement of fossil fuels to solve energy and environmental issues. We report herein the self‐assembly of a Co^II‐based metal–organic framework (MOF) constructed from 4,4′,4′′,4′′′‐(ethene‐1,1,2,2‐tetrayl)tetrabenzoic acid [or tetrakis(4‐carboxyphenyl)ethylene, H₄TCPE] and 4,4′‐bipyridyl (bpy) as four‐point‐ and two‐point‐connected nodes, respectively. This material, namely, poly[(μ‐4,4′‐bipyridyl)[μ₈‐4,4′,4′′,4′′′‐(ethene‐1,1,2,2‐tetrayl)tetrabenzoato]cobalt(II)], [Co(C₃₀H₁₆O₈)(C₁₀H₈N₂)]_n, crystallized as dark‐red block‐shaped crystals with high crystallinity and was fully characterized by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction, PXRD, IR, solid‐state UV–Vis and cyclic voltammetry (CV) measurements. The redox‐active Co^II atoms in the structure could be used as the catalytic sites for hydrogen production via water splitting. The application of this new MOF as a heterogeneous catalyst for light‐driven H₂ production has been explored in a three‐component system with fluorescein as photosensitizer and trimethylamine as the sacrificial electron donor, and the initial volume of H₂ production is about 360 µmol after 12 h irradiation.     

Phenacyl–Thiophene and Quinone Semiconductors Designed for Solution Processability and Air‐Stability in High Mobility n‐Channel Field‐Effect Transistors

Electron‐transporting organic semiconductors (n‐channel) for field‐effect transistors (FETs) that are processable in common organic solvents or exhibit air‐stable operation are rare. This investigation addresses both these challenges through rational molecular design and computational predictions of n‐channel FET air‐stability. A series of seven phenacyl–thiophene‐based materials are reported incorporating systematic variations in molecular structure and reduction potential. These compounds are as follows: 5,5′′′‐bis(perfluorophenylcarbonyl)‐2,2′:5′,‐ 2′′:5′′,2′′′‐quaterthiophene ( 1 ), 5,5′′′‐bis(phenacyl)‐2,2′:5′,2′′: 5′′,2′′′‐quaterthiophene ( 2 ), poly[5,5′′′‐(perfluorophenac‐2‐yl)‐4′,4′′‐dioctyl‐2,2′:5′,2′′:5′′,2′′′‐quaterthiophene) ( 3 ), 5,5′′′‐bis(perfluorophenacyl)‐4,4′′′‐dioctyl‐2,2′:5′,2′′:5′′,2′′′‐quaterthiophene ( 4 ), 2,7‐bis((5‐perfluorophenacyl)thiophen‐2‐yl)‐9,10‐phenanthrenequinone ( 5 ), 2,7‐bis[(5‐phenacyl)thiophen‐2‐yl]‐9,10‐phenanthrenequinone ( 6 ), and 2,7‐bis(thiophen‐2‐yl)‐9,10‐phenanthrenequinone, ( 7 ). Optical and electrochemical data reveal that phenacyl functionalization significantly depresses the LUMO energies, and introduction of the quinone fragment results in even greater LUMO stabilization. FET measurements reveal that the films of materials 1 , 3 , 5 , and 6 exhibit n‐channel activity. Notably, oligomer 1 exhibits one of the highest μ_e (up to ≈0.3 cm² V^?1 s^?1) values reported to date for a solution‐cast organic semiconductor; one of the first n‐channel polymers, 3 , exhibits μ_e≈10^?6 cm² V^?1 s^?1 in spin‐cast films (μ_e=0.02 cm² V^?1 s^?1 for drop‐cast 1 : 3 blend films); and rare air‐stable n‐channel material 5 exhibits n‐channel FET operation with μ_e=0.015 cm² V^?1 s^?1, while maintaining a large I_on:off=10⁶ for a period greater than one year in air. The crystal structures of 1 and 2 reveal close herringbone interplanar π‐stacking distances (3.50 and 3.43 Å, respectively), whereas the structure of the model quinone compound, 7 , exhibits 3.48 Å cofacial π‐stacking in a slipped, donor‐acceptor motif.     

In‐ and Out‐of‐Cavity Interactions by Modulating the Size of Ruthenium Metallarectangles

Cationic (arene)ruthenium‐based tetranuclear complexes of the general formula [Ru₄(η⁶‐p‐cymene)₄(μ‐N∩N)₂(μ‐OO∩OO)₂]⁴⁺ were obtained from the dinuclear (arene)ruthenium complexes [Ru₂(η⁶‐p‐cymene)₂(μ‐OO∩OO)₂Cl₂] (p‐cymene=1‐methyl‐4‐(1‐methylethyl)benzene, OO∩OO=5,8‐dihydroxy‐1,4‐naphthoquinonato(2?), 9,10‐dihydroxy‐1,4‐anthraquinonato(2?), or 6,11‐dihydroxynaphthacene‐5,12‐dionato(2?)) by reaction with pyrazine or bipyridine linkers (N∩N=pyrazine, 4,4′‐bipyridine, 4,4′‐[(1E)‐ethene‐1,2‐diyl]bis[pyridine]) in the presence of silver trifluoromethanesulfonate (CF₃SO₃Ag) (Scheme). All complexes 4 – 12 were isolated in good yield as CF₃SO salts, and characterized by NMR and IR spectroscopy. The host–guest properties of the metallarectangles incorporating 4,4′‐bipyridine and (4,4′‐[(1E)‐ethene‐1,2‐diyl]bis[pyridine] linkers were studied in solution by means of multiple NMR experiments (1D, ROESY, and DOSY). The largest metallarectangles 10 – 12 incorporating (4,4′‐[(1E)‐ethene‐1,2‐diyl]bis[pyridine] linkers are able to host an anthracene, pyrene, perylene, or coronene molecule in their cavity, while the medium‐size metallarectangles 7 – 9 incorporating 4,4′‐bipyridine linkers are only able to encapsulate anthracene. However, out‐of‐cavity interactions are observed between these 4,4′‐bipyridine‐containing rectangles and pyrene, perylene, or coronene. In contrast, the small pyrazine‐containing metallarectangles 4 – 6 show no interaction in solution with this series of planar aromatic molecules.     

Understanding Stability Trends along the Lanthanide Series

The stability trends across the lanthanide series of complexes with the polyaminocarboxylate ligands TETA^4? (H₄TETA=2,2′,2′′,2′′′‐(1,4,8,11‐tetraazacyclotetradecane‐1,4,8,11‐tetrayl)tetraacetic acid), BCAED^4? (H₄BCAED=2,2′,2′′,2′′′‐{[(1,4‐diazepane‐1,4‐diyl)bis(ethane‐2,1‐diyl)]bis(azanetriyl)}tetraacetic acid), and BP18C6^2? (H₂BP18C6=6,6′‐[(1,4,10,13‐tetraoxa‐7,16‐diazacyclooctadecane‐7,16‐diyl)bis(methylene)]dipicolinic acid) were investigated using DFT calculations. Geometry optimizations performed at the TPSSh/6‐31G(d,p) level, and using a 46+4fⁿ ECP for lanthanides, provide bond lengths of the metal coordination environments in good agreement with the experimental values observed in the X‐ray structures. The contractions of the Ln³⁺ coordination spheres follow quadratic trends, as observed previously for different isostructural series of complexes. We show here that the parameters obtained from the quantitative analysis of these data can be used to rationalize the observed stability trends across the 4f period. The stability trends along the lanthanide series were also evaluated by calculating the free energy for the reaction [La( L )]^n+/?_(sol)+Ln³⁺_(sol)→[Ln( L )]^n+/?_(sol)+La³⁺_(sol). A parameterization of the Ln³⁺ radii was performed by minimizing the differences between experimental and calculated standard hydration free energies. The calculated stability trends are in good agreement with the experimental stability constants, which increase markedly across the series for BCAED^4? complexes, increase smoothly for the TETA^4? analogues, and decrease in the case of BP18C6^2? complexes. The resulting stability trend is the result of a subtle balance between the increased binding energies of the ligand across the lanthanide series, which contribute to an increasing complex stability, and the increase in the absolute values of hydration energies along the 4f period.     

A ter­phenyl halide series: 2,6‐Trip2­H3C6X (Trip = 2,4,6‐triiso­propyl­phenyl; X = Cl,Br, I)

The sterically encumbered ter­phenyl halides 2′‐chloro‐2,2′′,4,4′′,6,6′′‐hexaisopropyl‐1,1′:3′,1′′‐terphenyl, C₃₆H₄₉Cl, (I), 2′‐bromo‐2,2′′,4,4′′,6,6′′‐hexaisopropyl‐1,1′:3′,1′′‐terphenyl, C₃₆H₄₉Br, (II), and 2′‐iodo‐2,2′′,4,4′′,6,6′′‐hexaisopropyl‐1,1′:3′,1′′‐terphenyl, C₃₆H₄₉I, (III), crystallize in space group Pnma. They are isomorphous and isostructural with a plane of symmetry through the centre of the mol­ecule. The C–halide bond distances are 1.745 (3), 1.910 (4) and 2.102 (6) Å for (I)–(III), respectively.     

A Titanium Metal–Organic Framework with Visible‐Light‐Responsive Photocatalytic Activity

The one‐step synthesis and characterization of a new and robust titanium‐based metal–organic framework, ACM‐1 , is reported. In this structure, which is based on infinite Ti?O chains and 4,4′,4′′,4′′′‐(pyrene‐1,3,6,8‐tetrayl) tetrabenzoic acid as a photosensitizer ligand, the combination of highly mobile photogenerated electrons and a strong hole localization at the organic linker results in large charge‐separation lifetimes. The suitable energies for band gap and conduction band minimum (CBM) offer great potential for a wide range of photocatalytic reactions, from hydrogen evolution to the selective oxidation of organic substrates.     

Synthesis and Photovoltaic Properties of Cyclopentadithiophene‐Based Low‐Bandgap Copolymers That Contain Electron‐Withdrawing Thiazole Derivatives

We have synthesized four types of cyclopentadithiophene (CDT)‐based low‐bandgap copolymers, poly[{4,4‐bis(2‐ethylhexyl)‐4H‐cyclopenta[2,1‐b:3,4‐b′]dithiophene‐2,6‐diyl}‐alt‐(2,2′‐bithiazole‐5,5′‐diyl)] ( PehCDT‐BT ), poly[(4,4‐dioctyl‐4H‐cyclopenta[2,1‐b:3,4‐b′]dithiophene‐2,6‐diyl)‐alt‐(2,2′‐bithiazole‐5,5′‐diyl)] ( PocCDT‐BT ), poly[{4,4‐bis(2‐ethylhexyl)‐4H‐cyclopenta[2,1‐b:3,4‐b′]dithiophene‐2,6‐diyl}‐alt‐{2,5‐di(thiophen‐2‐yl)thiazolo[5,4‐d]thiazole‐5,5′‐diyl}] ( PehCDT‐TZ ), and poly[(4,4‐dioctyl‐4H‐cyclopenta[2,1‐b:3,4‐b′]dithiophene‐2,6‐diyl)‐alt‐{2,5‐di(thiophen‐2‐yl)thiazolo[5,4‐d]thiazole‐5,5′‐diyl}] ( PocCDT‐TZ ), for use in photovoltaic applications. The intramolecular charge‐transfer interaction between the electron‐sufficient CDT unit and electron‐deficient bithiazole (BT) or thiazolothiazole (TZ) units in the polymeric backbone induced a low bandgap and broad absorption that covered 300 nm to 700–800 nm. The optical bandgap was measured to be around 1.9 eV for PehCDT‐BT and PocCDT‐BT , and around 1.8 eV for PehCDT‐TZ and PocCDT‐TZ . Gel permeation chromatography showed that number‐average molecular weights ranged from 8000 to 14 000 g mol^?1. Field‐effect mobility measurements showed hole mobility of 10^?6–10^?4 cm² V^?1 s^?1 for the copolymers. The film morphology of the bulk heterojunction mixtures with [6,6]phenyl‐C₆₁‐butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) was also examined by atomic force microscopy before and after heat treatment. When the polymers were blended with PCBM, PehCDT‐TZ exhibited the best performance with an open circuit voltage of 0.69 V, short‐circuit current of 7.14 mA cm^?2, and power conversion efficiency of 2.23 % under air mass (AM) 1.5 global (1.5 G) illumination conditions (100 mW cm^?2).     

含铁磁耦合Ni3单元的均苯三甲酸桥联双层镍(II)配合物

使用均苯三甲酸与碳酸镍在水热条件下反应得到了一例新的二维双层Ni(II)配位聚合物Ni3(BTC)2(μ-H2O)26H2O。二维层包含syn-syn羧酸桥和水桥连接的三核Ni3单元,进一步用均苯三甲酸上的苯环连接成二维层状结构。磁性研究表明,相邻Ni2+离子间存在弱的铁磁耦合作用。水桥连镍离子的桥联键角为122.8(3)deg,所以通过该水桥镍离子间应该呈现反铁磁耦合。因此,实验结果证明了syn-syn羧酸桥传递铁磁耦合,而且铁磁耦合大于反铁磁作用,最终配合物呈弱的铁磁耦合。基于本工作和文献报道的含syn-syn 羧酸混合桥联镍配合物的磁性,我们总结出下面结论：Ni–O–C–O–Ni的共面性与否决定了配合物的磁性。共面性好的Ni–O–C–O–Ni导致中等强度的反铁磁耦合,而共面性差会消弱反铁磁作用,甚至出现由反铁磁变为铁磁耦合。标题配合物中羧酸桥所传递的铁磁性可能就归因于Ni–O–C–O–Ni的不共平面性。因此,与含羧酸桥的混合桥联双核铜(II)配合物类似,轨道补偿效应(the orbital complementary effect (OCE))对于解释水/羧酸混合桥联镍(II)配合物的磁性也同样适用。     

Linear hydrogen‐bonded molecular tapes in the cocrystals of squaric acid with 4,4′‐dipyridylacetylene and 1,2‐bis(4‐pyridyl)ethylene

The title compounds, 4,4′‐(ethyne‐1,2‐diyl)­dipyridinium bis(squarate), C₁₂H₁₀N₂²⁺·2C₄HO₄^?, and 4,4′‐(ethene‐1,2‐diyl)­dipyridinium bis­(squarate), C₁₂H₁₂N₂²⁺·2C₄HO₄^?, are isomorphous and crystallize in space group P. The cocrystals contain linear hydrogen‐bonded molecular tape structures along the [120] direction. The squarate monoanions form a ten‐membered dimer linked by two intermolecular O—H?O hydrogen bonds. Each component mol­ecule forms a segregated stack along the c axis. The bond lengths of the squarate monoanion indicate delocalization of the enolate anion.     

Synthesis,characterization and solid‐phase extraction properties of novel bis(diazo‐azomethine) ligands supported on mesoporous silica

The novel mesoporous silica‐supported bis(diazo‐azomethine) compounds have been synthesized and characterized successively. In the first step, 1,3‐phenylenedimethanamine and 4,4′‐diaminodiphenylmethane were diazotized, and the obtained bis(diazonium) cations were coupled with 2,4‐dihydroxybenzaldehyde. The synthesized bis(diazo‐carbonyl) compounds, 5,5′‐((1,3‐phenylenebis(methylene))bis(diazene‐2,1‐diyl))bis(2,4‐dihydroxybenzaldehyde) (A1) and 5,5′‐((methylenebis(4,1‐phenylene))bis(diazene‐2,1‐diyl))bis(2,4‐dihydroxybenzaldehyde) (A2) were chemically supported on amino‐modified silica‐gel (as L1 and L2). Elemental analysis, liquid chromatography‐mass spectroscopy, liquid‐phase NMR (¹H and ¹³C) and solid‐phase NMR (CP‐MAS ²⁹Si and ¹³C), FT‐IR, TG/DTA, scanning electron microscopy and energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy techniques were used for characterizations of all the synthesized compounds. The syringe and batch techniques were applied for the solid‐phase extraction properties of Pb(II), Cu(II), Cd(II) and Cr(III) ions using an inductively coupled plasma‐atomic emission spectroscopy instrument. The recoveries of Pb(II), Cu(II), Cd(II) and Cr(III) ions have been achieved to 95–99% with the (RSDs) of ± 2–3% in optimum conditions.     

Halide‐Free Diarylcalcium Complexes—Syntheses,Structures, and Stability

A general procedure was developed for the synthesis of diarylcalcium complexes by addition of KOtBu to arylcalcium iodides in THF. Intermediate arylcalcium tert‐butanolate dismutates immediately leading to insoluble tert‐butanolate precipitates of calcium. Depending on the steric demand and denticity of additional neutral aliphatic azabases, mononuclear or dinuclear complexes trans‐[Ca(α‐Naph)₂(thf)₄] ( 1 ), [Ca(β‐Naph)₂(thf)₄] ( 2 ), [Ca(Tol)₂(tmeda)]₂ ( 3 ), [Ca(Ph)₂(tmeda)]₂ ( 4 ), [Ca(Ph)₂(pmdta)(thf)] ( 5 ), [Ca(hmteta)(Ph)₂] ( 6 ), and [Ca([18]C‐6)(Ph)₂] ( 7 ) were isolated (Naph=naphthyl; meda=N,N,N′,N′‐tetramethylethylenediamine; pmdta= N,N,N′,N′′,N′′‐pentamethyldiethylenetriamine; hmteta=N,N,N′,N′′,N′′′,N′′′‐hexamethyltriethylenetetramine). The Ca?C bond lengths vary between 250.8 and 263.5 pm, the ipso‐carbon atoms show low‐field‐shifted resonances in the ¹³C NMR spectra.     

A three‐dimensional cadmium(II) coordination polymer: poly[[[μ‐4,4′‐(propane‐1,3‐diyl)dipyridine‐κ2N:N](μ‐3,3′‐thiodipropionato‐κ3O,O′:O)cadmium(II)] monohydrate]

In the title coordination polymer, {[Cd(C₆H₈O₄S)(C₁₃H₁₄N₂)]·H₂O}_n, the Cd^II atom displays a distorted octahedral coordination, formed by three carboxylate O atoms and one S atom from three different 3,3′‐thiodipropionate ligands, and two N atoms from two different 4,4′‐(propane‐1,3‐diyl)dipyridine ligands. The Cd^II centres are bridged through carboxylate O atoms of 3,3′‐thiodipropionate ligands and through N atoms of 4,4′‐(propane‐1,3‐diyl)dipyridine ligands to form two different one‐dimensional chains, which intersect to form a two‐dimensional layer. These two‐dimensional layers are linked by S atoms of 3,3′‐thiodipropionate ligands from adjacent layers to form a three‐dimensional network.     

Three‐Dimensional MOF‐Type Architectures with Tetravalent Uranium Hexanuclear Motifs (U6O8)

Four metal–organic frameworks (MOF) with tetravalent uranium have been solvothermally synthesized by treating UCl₄ with rigid dicarboxylate linkers in N,N‐dimethylfomamide (DMF). The use of the ditopic ligands 4,4′‐biphenyldicarboxylate ( 1 ), 2,6‐naphthalenedicarboxylate ( 2 ), terephthalate ( 3 ), and fumarate ( 4 ) resulted in the formation of three‐dimensional networks based on the hexanuclear uranium‐centered motif [U₆O₄(OH)₄(H₂O)₆]. This motif corresponds to an octahedral configuration of uranium nodes and is also known for thorium in crystalline solids. The atomic arrangement of this specific building unit with organic linkers is similar to that found in the zirconium‐based porous compounds of the UiO‐66/67 series. The structure of [U₆O₄(OH)₄(H₂O)₆(L)₆] ? X (L=dicarboxylate ligand; X=DMF) shows the inorganic hexamers connected in a face‐centered cubic manner through the ditopic linkers to build up a three‐dimensional framework that delimits octahedral (from 5.4 Å for 4 up to 14.0 Å for 1 ) and tetrahedral cavities. The four compounds have been characterized by using single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis (or powder diffraction analysis for 4 ). The tetravalent state of uranium has been examined by using XPS and solid‐state UV/Vis analyses. The measurement of the Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface area indicated very low values (Langmuir <300 m² g^?1 for 1 , <7 m² g^?1 for 2 – 4 ) and showed that the structures are quite unstable upon removal of the encapsulated DMF solvent.     

μ‐2,2′,6,6′‐Tetramethyl‐4,4′‐bipyridine‐κ2N1:N1′‐bis[(diethylenetriamine‐κ3N,N′,N′′)palladium(II)] tetranitrate

The title compound, [Pd₂(C₄H₁₃N₃)₂(C₁₄H₁₆N₂)](NO₃)₄, comprises discrete tetracationic dumbbell‐type dinuclear complex molecules and noncoordinating nitrate anions. Two Pd(dien)²⁺ moieties (dien is diethylenetriamine) are joined by the rigid linear exo‐bidentate bridging 2,2′,6,6′‐tetramethyl‐4,4′‐bipyridine ligand to form the dinuclear complex, which lies across a centre of inversion in the space group P2₁/n, so that the rings in the 2,2′,6,6′‐tetramethyl‐4,4′‐bipyridine bridging ligand are parallel. In the crystal, the primary and secondary amino groups of the dien ligand act as hydrogen‐bond donors towards the nitrate anions to form a three‐dimensional hydrogen‐bond network.     

Auxilary Ligand Directed Zinc(II) Metal‐Organic Frameworks with Different Topological Networks

By altering auxiliary N‐donor ligands, two Zn^II compounds, [Zn₃(HL)₂(4,4′‐bipy)₃]_n ( 1 ) and [Zn₄(L)₂(bpp)]_n ( 2 ) (H₄L = 3‐(2′,4′‐dicarboxylphenoxy)phthalic acid, 4,4′‐bipy = 4,4′‐bipyridine, and bpp = 1,3‐bis(4‐pyridyl)propane), were obtained under hydrothermal conditions. Structural analyses revealed that compound 1 features a trinodal (3,4,4)‐connected 3D topological framework, and compound 2 displays a (3,8)‐connected 3D pillar‐layered framework with a tfz‐d topology. Furthermore, the thermal stabilities and the luminescent properties of compounds 1 and 2 were investigated.     

1H‐NMR relaxometric studies of interaction between apoptosis specific MRI paramagnetic contrast agents and micellar models of apoptotic cells

¹H‐NMR was previously used to analyze the interaction between peptides (E3 and R826) selected by phage display to target apoptotic cells and phospholipidic models of these cells. In order to avoid the use of apoptotic cells and to obtain a fast evaluation of the efficiency of the potential MRI contrast agents obtained by grafting these peptides and their scramble analogs on a paramagnetic gadolinium complex, their proton relaxometric behavior was investigated in the presence of micelles mimicking healthy and apoptotic cells. Their preferential interaction with 1,2‐dipalmitoyl‐sn‐glycero‐3‐phospho‐l ‐serine micelles mimicking apoptotic cells as compared with 1,2‐dipalmitoyl‐sn‐glycero‐3‐phosphocholine micelles modeling healthy cells was shown by nuclear magnetic relaxation dispersion profiles and the enhancement of the transverse proton relaxation rates at 60 MHz. The association constant values confirm the stronger interaction of the selected conjugated peptides (K_a Gd‐PMN‐E3(gadolinium 2,2′,2′′,2′′′‐[((4‐carboxy)pyridine‐2,6‐diyl)bis(methylenenitrilo)]‐tetrakis acetate) grafted with E3 peptide): 2.43 10⁴ m ^?1; K_a Gd‐DTPA‐R826(gadolinium ((1‐p‐isothiocyanatobenzyl)‐diethylenetriaminepentaacetate) grafted with R826 peptide): 2.91 10⁴ m ^?1) as compared with their conjugated scrambles (K_a Gd‐PMN‐E3sc(gadolinium 2,2′,2′′,2′′′‐[((4‐carboxy)pyridine‐2,6‐diyl)bis(methylenenitrilo)]‐tetrakis acetate) grafted with E3 scramble peptide): 0.18 10⁴ m ^?1; K_a Gd‐DTPA‐R826sc(gadolinium ((1‐p‐isothiocyanatobenzyl)‐diethylenetriaminepentaacetate) grafted with R826 scramble peptide): 0.32 10⁴ m ^?1) even if the conjugation of E3 and R826 seems to decrease their interaction. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Ultrafast Intramolecular Relaxation and Wave‐Packet Motion in a Ruthenium‐Based Supramolecular Photocatalyst

The hydrogen‐evolving photocatalyst [(tbbpy)₂Ru(tpphz)Pd(Cl)₂]²⁺ (tbbpy=4,4′‐di‐tert‐butyl‐2,2′‐bipyridine, tpphz=tetrapyrido[3,2‐a:2′,3′‐c:3′′,2′′‐h:2′′′,3′′′‐j]phenazine) shows excitation‐wavelength‐dependent catalytic activity, which has been correlated to the localization of the initial excitation within the coordination sphere. In this contribution the excitation‐wavelength dependence of the early excited‐state relaxation and the occurrence of vibrational coherences are investigated by sub‐20 fs transient absorption spectroscopy and DFT/TDDFT calculations. The comparison with the mononuclear precursor [(tbbpy)₂Ru(tpphz)]²⁺ highlights the influence of the catalytic center on these ultrafast processes. Only in the presence of the second metal center, does the excitation of a ¹MLCT state localized on the central part of the tpphz bridge lead to coherent wave‐packet motion in the excited state.     

Photophysics of an Intramolecular Hydrogen‐Evolving Ru–Pd Photocatalyst

Photoinduced electron‐transfer processes within a precatalyst for intramolecular hydrogen evolution [(tbbpy)₂Ru(tpphz)PdCl₂]²⁺ ( RuPd ; tbbpy=4,4′‐di‐tert‐butyl‐2,2′‐bipyridine, tpphz=tetrapyrido[3,2‐a:2′,3′c:3′′,2′′,‐h:2′′′,3′′′‐j]phenazine) have been studied by resonance Raman and ultrafast time‐resolved absorption spectroscopy. By comparing the photophysics of the [(tbbpy)₂Ru(tpphz)]²⁺ subunit Ru with that of the supramolecular catalyst RuPd , the individual electron‐transfer steps are assigned to kinetic components, and their dependence on solvent is discussed. The resonance Raman data reveal that the initial excitation of the molecular ensemble is spread over the terminal tbbpy and the tpphz ligands. The subsequent excited‐state relaxation of both Ru and RuPd on the picosecond timescale involves formation of the phenazine‐centered intraligand charge‐transfer state, which in RuPd precedes formation of the Pd‐reduced state. The photoreaction in the heterodinuclear supramolecular complex is completed on a subnanosecond timescale. Taken together, the data indicate that mechanistic investigations must focus on potential rate‐determining steps other than electron transfer between the photoactive center and the Pd unit. Furthermore, structural variations should be directed towards increasing the directionality of electron transfer and the stability of the charge‐separated states.     

Three isotypic polymeric complexes with rare earth cations,but‐2‐enoate anions and 4,4′‐(ethane‐1,2‐diyl)dipyridine and 4,4′‐(ethene‐1,2‐diyl)dipyridine bridging ligands

Three isotypic rare earth complexes, catena‐poly[[aquabis(but‐2‐enoato‐κ²O,O′)yttrium(III)]‐bis(μ‐but‐2‐enoato)‐κ³O,O′:O;κ³O:O,O′‐[aquabis(but‐2‐enoato‐κ²O,O′)yttrium(III)]‐μ‐4,4′‐(ethane‐1,2‐diyl)dipyridine‐κ²N:N′], [Y₂(C₄H₅O₂)₆(C₁₂H₁₂N₂)(H₂O)₂], the gadolinium(III) analogue, [Gd₂(C₄H₅O₂)₆(C₁₂H₁₂N₂)(H₂O)₂], and the gadolinium(III) analogue with a 4,4′‐(ethene‐1,2‐diyl)dipyridine bridging ligand, [Gd₂(C₄H₅O₂)₆(C₁₂H₁₀N₂)(H₂O)₂], are one‐dimensional coordination polymers made up of centrosymmetric dinuclear [M(but‐2‐enoato)₃(H₂O)]₂ units (M = rare earth), further bridged by centrosymmetric 4,4′‐(ethane‐1,2‐diyl)dipyridine or 4,4′‐(ethene‐1,2‐diyl)dipyridine spacers into sets of chains parallel to the [20] direction. There are intra‐chain and inter‐chain hydrogen bonds in the structures, the former providing cohesion of the linear arrays and the latter promoting the formation of broad planes parallel to (010).     

Clathrate solvates of tetra­kis(4‐methoxy­carbonyl­phenyl)porphyrin and its zinc(II)–pyridine complex,in which the porphyrin host structures are stabilized by porphyrin–porphyrin stacking and C—H⋯O attractions

Tetra­kis(4‐methoxy­carbonyl­phenyl)porphyrin, or tetra­methyl 4,4′,4′′,4′′′‐porphyrin‐5,10,15,20‐tetra­benzoate, crystallizes as a nitro­benzene 1.9‐solvate, C₅₂H₃₈N₄O₈·1.9C₆H₅NO₂, (I). The solvent mol­ecules are contained in extended channels which propagate through the host lattice between parallel screw/glide‐related columns of offset‐stacked porphyrin entities. Side packing of these columns involves π–π inter­actions between the methoxy­carbonyl­phenyl residues. Mol­ecules of the porphyrin host lie on crystallographic inversion centres. The zinc(II)–pyridine derivative pyridine­(tetra­methyl 4,4′,4′′,4′′′‐porphyrin‐5,10,15,20‐tetra­benzoato)zinc(II), [Zn(C₅₂H₃₆N₄O₈)(C₅H₅N)], (II), is a square‐pyramidal five‐coordinate complex with pyridine as an apical ligand, which crystallizes as a chloro­form–pyridine solvate. The metallo­porphyrin–pyridine units form an open layered arrangement, occluding the non‐coordinated solvent moieties within the intra­layer inter­porphyrin voids. Within such arrays, the host porphyrin mol­ecules are in contact with one another through the peripheral methoxy­carbonyl substituents. The crystal packing consists of a bilayered arrangement of inversion‐related porphyrin layers, with the axial ligands mutually penetrating into the voids of neighbouring arrays and tight offset stacking of these bilayers.