Synthesis and reactions of beta-diketiminato divanadium(I) inverted-sandwich complexes

Reduction of VCl(2)(Nacnac) (Nacnac = HC(C(Me)NC(6)H(3)-iPr(2))(2)) with KC(8) in toluene leads to the formation of a toluene-bridged inverted-sandwich divanadium(I) complex, (mu-eta(6):eta(6)-C(7)H(8))[V(Nacnac)](2), which behaves as a source of V(Nacnac) and a multi-electron reductant in the two reactions studied in this report.     

Complex formation reactions of two sterically hindered platinum(II) complexes with some N-bonding ligands

The kinetics of the complex formation reactions of two [(TL ^tBu)PtCl]⁺ and [Pt(tpdm)Cl]⁺ complexes (TL ^tBu = 2,6-bis[(1,3-di-tert-butylimidazolin-2-imino)methyl]pyridine and tpdm = terpyridinedimethane) with N-donor ligands, l-histidine (L-His), inosine (Ino), inosine-5′-monophosphate (5′-IMP) and guanosine-5′-monophosphate (5′-GMP), were studied. All reactions were studied under pseudo-first-order conditions as a function of nucleophile concentration and temperature in aqueous 0.1 M NaClO₄ solution in the presence of 10 mM NaCl using variable-temperature Uv–Vis spectrophotometry. The order of reactivity of the studied ligands is L-His > Ino > 5′-GMP > 5′-IMP. This order of reactivity is in relation to their electronic properties and structures. The mechanism of the substitution reactions is associative in nature as supported by the negative entropy of activation.     

Mononitrosyl iron complexes supported by sterically hindered carboxylate ligands

Complexes that feature a single NO bound to Fe, as postulated in various carboxylate-rich metalloproteins, were prepared by mixing Fe(II) salts, NO, and the sterically encumbered 2,6-dimesitylbenzoate (Mes2ArCO2-). Among the compounds isolated are the potentially useful heterobimetallic synthon Tl(mu-Mes2ArCO2)3Fe(NO) and a novel cubane Fe4(Mes2ArCO2)4(NO)4(mu3-OH)4 that forms in the presence of added H2O and features syn-[FeNO]2 units.     

Alkali metal complexes of sterically demanding amino-functionalized secondary phosphanide ligands

The reaction between {(Me(3)Si)(2)CH}PCl(2) (4) and one equivalent of either [C(6)H(4)-2-NMe(2)]Li or [2-C(5)H(4)N]ZnCl, followed by in situ reduction with LiAlH(4) gives the secondary phosphanes {(Me(3)Si)(2)CH}(C(6)H(4)-2-NMe(2))PH (5) and {(Me(3)Si)(2)CH}(2-C(5)H(4)N)PH (6) in good yields as colourless oils. Metalation of 5 with Bu(n)Li in THF gives the lithium phosphanide [[{(Me(3)Si)(2)CH}(C(6)H(4)-2-NMe(2))P]Li(THF)(2)] (7), which undergoes metathesis with either NaOBu(t) or KOBu(t) to give the heavier alkali metal derivatives [[{(Me(3)Si)(2)CH}(C(6)H(4)-2-NMe(2))P]Na(tmeda)] (8) and [[{(Me(3)Si)(2)CH}(C(6)H(4)-2-NMe(2))P]K(pmdeta)] (9) after recrystallization in the presence of the corresponding amine co-ligand [tmeda = N,N,N',N'-tetramethylethylenediamine, pmdeta = N,N,N',N',N'-pentamethyldiethylenetriamine]. The pyridyl-functionalized phosphane 6 undergoes deprotonation on treatment with Bu(n)Li to give a red oil corresponding to the lithium compound [{(Me(3)Si)(2)CH}(2-C(5)H(4)N)P]Li (10) which could not be crystallized. Treatment of this oil with NaOBu(t) gives the sodium derivative [{[{(Me(3)Si)(2)CH}(2-C(5)H(4)N)P]Na}(2) x (Et(2)O)](2) (11), whilst treatment of with KOBu(t), followed by recrystallization in the presence of pmdeta gives the complex [[{(Me(3)Si)(2)CH}(2-C(5)H(4)N)P]K(pmdeta)](2) (12). Compounds 5-12 have been characterised by (1)H, (13)C{(1)H} and (31)P{(1)H} NMR spectroscopy and elemental analyses; compounds 7-9, and 12 have additionally been characterised by X-ray crystallography. Compounds 7-9 crystallize as discrete monomers, whereas 11 crystallizes as an unusual dimer of dimers and 12 crystallizes as a dimer with bridging pyridyl-phosphanide ligands.     

Mono- and dinuclear molybdenum complexes with sterically demanding cycloheptatrienyl ligands

Sterically demanding cycloheptatrienylium (tropylium) salts of the type (1,3,5-C7H4R3)BF4 [R = t-Bu, (3a)BF4; R = SiMe3, (3b)BF4] have been prepared from the corresponding 1,3,5-trisubstituted benzene derivatives 1 by ring expansion with diazomethane followed by hydride abstraction with triphenylcarbenium tetrafluoroborate, (Ph3C)BF4. Complexation can be achieved by arene exchange and Mo(CO)3 group transfer employing [(eta6-p-xylene)Mo(CO)3] (4) to yield the cationic complexes (5)BF4. In refluxing mesitylene, [(eta7-C7H4t-Bu3)Mo(CO)3]BF4, (5a)BF4, undergoes CO substitution to furnish the mesitylene sandwich complex (6a)BF4. A cyclic voltammetric study reveals that this complex exhibits a reversible one-electron oxidation to the dicationic 17e complex 6a2+, which can also be accessed by chemical oxidation with AgBF4. On the contrary, the reduction of 6a+ is irreversible and does not yield a stable 19e complex 6a. To study the fate of the reduced 19e form, (5a)BF4 was treated with Na2Hg to diastereoselectively afford the C-C coupled bicycloheptatriene complex 7a. Paramagnetic, dinuclear complexes of the type [(eta7-C7H4R3)Mo(mu-Cl)3Mo(eta7-C7H4R3)] (8) have been obtained from the reaction of (5)BF4 with Me3SiCl. These can be regarded as mixed-valence Mo(0)/Mo(+I) compounds with a metal-metal bond order of 0.5. Cyclic voltammetric studies reveal that both complexes 8a and 8b undergo reversible one-electron oxidation as well as reduction. Treatment with one equivalent of ferrocenium hexafluorophosphate leads to removal of the unpaired electron and formation of the diamagnetic complexes (8)PF6. Theoretical DFT calculations have been carried out to further elucidate the bonding in these systems. In addition, the X-ray crystal structures of (5b)BF4, (6a)BF4 x CH2Cl2, (6a)(BF4)2 x (acetone)2, 7a x CH2Cl2, 8a x 0.5C6H14, and (8a)PF6 x Et2O are reported.     

The preparation of multimetallic complexes using sterically bulky N-centred tripodal dialkyl phosphino ligands

Sterically bulky monodentate and bidentate phosphines have been widely used as ligands for metal complexation and catalyst formation. Bulky tridentate phosphine ligands are however much rarer and have not been widely investigated even though they may be considered attractive ligands for coordination chemistry studies and catalysis. Here we report the synthesis of two new N-centred tripodal phosphine ligands bearing bulky cyclohexyl and tert-butyl groups. The coordination chemistry of the cyclohexyl triphosphine ligand N(CH₂PCy₂)₃ (4) was investigated and found to react with Mo and W hexacarbonyls preferentially forming bidentate metal tetracarbonyl complexes [Mo(CO)₄{N(CH₂PCy₂)₃-κ²P}] (6) and [W(CO)₄{N(CH₂PCy₂)₃-κ²P}] (7) over the expected facial capping tridentate complexes. The steric bulk of the cyclohexyl groups on the phosphorus atoms is sufficient to prevent the third arm of the ligand from coordinating and adopting the required geometry for facial coordination. This ‘steric control’ at the metal centre results in the third arm remaining freely available for further metal coordination. The coordination chemistry of this free phosphine arm on complexes 6 and 7 was investigated further and used to prepare a series of gold, platinum and silver multimetallic complexes. The X-ray crystal structures of the resulting mixed bi and trimetallic complexes [W(CO)₄{N(CH₂PCy₂)₃-κ²P}AuCl] (8), [[Mo(CO)₄{N(CH₂PCy₂)₃-κ²P}]₂(μ-PtCl₂)] (9) and [[W(CO)₄{N(CH₂PCy₂)₃-κ²P}]₂(μ-Ag)]ClO₄ (11) are reported.     

Mononuclear transition metal complexes with sterically hindered carboxylate ligands: Synthesis, structural and spectral properties

The metal coordination geometry in the active site of metalloproteins are very different from the one of small inorganic complexes, due to the inflexibility of the ligand set from amino acid side chains different from freely moving ligand set in synthesis. Using the sterically hindered 2,6-di-(p-fluorophenyl)benzoate(L) ligand, a series of mononuclear Co(II), Ni(II) and Cu(II) complexes of general formula [M(L)₂(Hdmpz)₂] (where, Hdmpz = 3,5-dimethyl pyrazole) have been synthesized and characterized by the variety of spectroscopic methods. A distorted octahedral geometry in case of nickel, tetrahedral geometry for cobalt and square pyramidal in copper was observed in the X-ray studies, which also revealed that the uncoordinated oxygen atom of the carboxylate group forms intramolecular hydrogen bonding with the N-H group of the coordinated 3,5-dimethylpyrazole in case of cobalt and copper.     

Synthesis, structure and electroluminescent properties of cyclometalated iridium complexes possessing sterically hindered ligands

New CN donor ligands incorporating pyridine or benzoimidazole N donors and a sterically hindered cyclometalating aromatic core featuring a polyphenylenephenyl, fluoranthene, or triphenylene segment are prepared and successfully converted into heteroleptic iridium(III) cyclometalated complexes with acetylacetone auxiliary ligands. The X-ray structure of the complex, derived from a ligand containing a fluoranthene fragment, has been solved to unveil the corresponding structure. The results clearly demonstrate that the nature of the sigma-coordinating ligand segment plays a key role in dictating the emission profile and peak position, such that the emission hue has been successfully tuned ranging from green to red. Supplementary support of this viewpoint is also rendered by computational (DFT) approaches. Electroluminescent devices fabricated using a complex as dopant in the PVK matrix were found to exhibit bright greenish yellow emission with promising device characteristics (maximum brightness 26450 cd m(-2) at 30 V and a maximum current efficiency of 40 cd A(-1)).     

Synthesis of zirconium, hafnium, and tantalum complexes with sterically demanding hydrazide ligands

The bulky hydrazine t-BuN(H)NMe2 was synthesized via hydrazone and t-BuN(H)N(H)Me intermediates as the major component in a 90:5:5 mixture consisting of t-BuN(H)NMe2, t-BuN(Me)N(H)Me, and t-BuN(Me)NMe2. Reacting the mixture with n-BuLi followed by distillation and fractional crystallization led to the isolation of the ligand precursor LiN(t-Bu)NMe2. Lithium hydrazides, LiN(R)NMe2, were reacted with metal chlorides to afford the hydrazide complexes M(N(Et)NMe2)4 (M = Zr or Hf), MCl(N(R)NMe2)3 (M = Zr, R = i-Pr or t-Bu; M = Hf, R = t-Bu), and TaCl3(N(i-Pr)NMe2)2. The X-ray crystal structures of [LiN(i-Pr)NMe2]4, [LiN(t-Bu)NMe2.THF]2, ZrCl(N(R)NMe2)3 (R = i-Pr or t-Bu), and TaCl3(N(i-Pr)NMe2)2 were determined. The structural analyses revealed that the hydrazide ligands in ZrCl(N(R)NMe2)3 (R = i-Pr or t-Bu) and TaCl3(N(i-Pr)NMe2)2 are eta2 coordinated.     

An electrochemical and DFT study on selected beta-diketiminato metal complexes

Selected homoleptic metal beta-diketiminates M(I)L and M(II)L2 [M(I) = Li or K, M(II) = Mg, Ca or Yb; L: L(Ph) = [N(SiMe3)C(Ph)]2CH, L(Bu(t)) = N(SiMe3)C(Ph)C(H)C(Bu(t))N(SiMe3), L* = [N(C6H3Pr(i)2-2,6)C(Me)]2CH] have been studied by cyclic voltammetry (CV). The primary reduction (E(p)red, the peak reduction potential measured vs. SCE in thf containing 0.2 M [NBu4][PF6] with a scan rate 100 mV s(-1) at a vitreous carbon electrode at ambient temperature) is essentially ligand-centred: E(p)red being ca. -2.2 V (LiL(Ph) and KL(Ph)) and -2.4 V [Mg(L(Ph))2, LiL(Bu(t)) and Ca(L(Ph))2], while LiL* is significantly more resistant to reduction (E(p)red = -3.1 V). These observations are consistent with the view that the two (L(Ph)) or single (L(Bu(t))) C-phenyl substituent(s), respectively, are available for -electron-delocalisation of the reduced species, whereas the N-aryl substituents of L* are unable to participate in such conjugation for steric reasons. The primary reduction process was reversible on the CV-time scale only for LiL(Bu(t)), Ca(L(Ph))2 and Yb(L(Ph))2. For the latter this occurs at a potential ca. 500 mV positive of Ca(L(Ph))2, consistent with the notion that the LUMO of Yb(L(Ph))2 has substantial metal character. The successive reversible steps, each separated by ca. 500 mV, indicate that there is strong electronic communication between the two ligands of Yb(L(Ph))2. The overall three-electron transfer sequence shows that the final reduction level corresponds to [Yb(II)(L(Ph))2-(L(Ph))3-]. DFT calculations on complexes Li(L(Ph))(OMe2)2 and Li2(L(Ph))(OMe2)3 showed that both HOMO and LUMO orbitals are only based on the ligand with a HOMO-LUMO gap of 4.21 eV. Similar calculations on a doubly reduced complex Yb[(mu-L(Ph))Li(OMe2)]2 demonstrated that there is a considerable Yb atomic orbital contribution to the HOMO and LUMO of the complex.     

A new coupling reaction for the synthesis of ruthenium half-sandwich complexes with sterically demanding cyclopentadienyl ligands

The reaction of RuCl(3)(solv.)(n) with tert-butylacetylene in methanol or ethanol leads to the formation of chloro-bridged half-sandwich complexes with sterically demanding cyclopentadienyl ligands, which are of high interest as starting materials for the synthesis of novel Ru catalysts.     

Novel iron(III) complexes of sterically hindered 4N ligands: regioselectivity in biomimetic extradiol cleavage of catechols

The iron(III) complexes of the 4N ligands 1,4-bis(2-pyridylmethyl)-1,4-diazepane (L1), 1,4-bis(6-methyl-2-pyridylmethyl)-1,4-diazepane (L2), and 1,4-bis(2-quinolylmethyl)-1,4-diazepane (L3) have been generated in situ in CH 3CN solution, characterized as [Fe(L1)Cl 2] (+) 1, [Fe(L2)Cl 2] (+) 2, and [Fe(L3)Cl 2] (+) 3 by using ESI-MS, absorption and EPR spectral and electrochemical methods and studied as functional models for the extradiol cleaving catechol dioxygenase enzymes. The tetrachlorocatecholate (TCC (2-)) adducts [Fe(L1)(TCC)](ClO 4) 1a, [Fe(L2)(TCC)](ClO 4) 2a, and [Fe(L3)(TCC)](ClO 4) 3a have been isolated and characterized by elemental analysis, absorption spectral and electrochemical methods. The molecular structure of [Fe(L1)(TCC)](ClO 4) 1a has been successfully determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction. The complex 1a possesses a distorted octahedral coordination geometry around iron(III). The two tertiary amine (Fe-N amine, 2.245, 2.145 A) and two pyridyl nitrogen (Fe-N py, 2.104, 2.249 A) atoms of the tetradentate 4N ligand are coordinated to iron(III) in a cis-beta configuration, and the two catecholate oxygen atoms of TCC (2-) occupy the remaining cis positions. The Fe-O cat bond lengths (1.940, 1.967 A) are slightly asymmetric and differ by 0.027 A only. On adding catecholate anion to all the [Fe(L)Cl 2] (+) complexes the linear tetradentate ligand rearranges itself to provide cis-coordination positions for bidentate coordination of the catechol. Upon adding 3,5-di- tert-butylcatechol (H 2DBC) pretreated with 1 equiv of Et 3N to 1- 3, only one catecholate-to-iron(III) LMCT band (648-800 nm) is observed revealing the formation of [Fe(L)(HDBC)] (2+) involving bidentate coordination of the monoanion HDBC (-). On the other hand, when H 2DBC pretreated with 2 equiv of Et 3N or 1 or 2 equiv of piperidine is added to 1- 3, two intense catecholate-to-iron(III) LMCT bands appear suggesting the formation of [Fe(L)(DBC)] (+) with bidentate coordination of DBC (2-). The appearance of the DBSQ/H 2DBC couple for [Fe(L)Cl 2] (+) at positive potentials (-0.079 to 0.165 V) upon treatment with DBC (2-) reveals that chelated DBC (2-) in the former is stabilized toward oxidation more than the uncoordinated H 2DBC. It is remarkable that the [Fe(L)(HDBC)] (2+) complexes elicit fast regioselective extradiol cleavage (34.6-85.5%) in the presence of O 2 unlike the iron(III) complexes of the analogous linear 4N ligands known so far to yield intradiol cleavage products exclusively. Also, the adduct [Fe(L2)(HDBC)] (2+) shows a higher extradiol to intradiol cleavage product selectivity ( E/ I, 181:1) than the other adducts [Fe(L3)(HDBC)] (2+) ( E/ I, 57:1) and [Fe(L1)(HDBC)] (2+) ( E/ I, 9:1). It is proposed that the coordinated pyridyl nitrogen abstracts the proton from chelated HDBC (-) in the substrate-bound complex and then gets displaced to facilitate O 2 attack on the iron(III) center to yield the extradiol cleavage product. In contrast, when the cleavage reaction is performed in the presence of a stronger base like piperidine or 2 equiv of Et 3N a faster intradiol cleavage is favored over extradiol cleavage suggesting the importance of bidentate coordination of DBC (2-) in facilitating intradiol cleavage.     

Stereomutations of atropisomers of sterically hindered salophen ligands

[structure: see text] The stereomutations in nonsymmetrical salophen ligands 1-4 were studied by means of dynamic NMR and HPLC methods. DNMR experiments showed that in DMSO-d(6) hindered ligands 2-4 exist in two chiral conformations, depending on whether the imine carbon atoms are in a cis or trans disposition with respect to the plane of the central o-phenylenediamine ring, the latter being more stable by 1.0 kcal mol(-1). Owing to its higher dipole moment, in the apolar solvent C(6)D(6) the cis conformer is destabilized with respect to the trans one, in agreement with the results of ab initio calculations. In DMSO-d(6) solution the two conformers are in equilibrium through the less hindered rotation about the C6-N7 bond aligned to the a(6,7) axis, and the interconversion barriers range from 18.4 to 19.3 kcal mol(-1). The enantiomerization process is a two step-process that implies sequential rotations around the C6-N7 and the C1-N8 bonds, so that the rate determining step is the slower rotation around the more hindered C1-N8 bond aligned to the a(1,8) axis, and the energy barriers range from 21.4 to 21.9 kcal mol(-1). These values compare well with those determined by chromatography on an enantioselective HPLC column at low temperature, thus confirming that DNMR and DHPLC can be conveniently employed as complementary techniques.     

Synthesis,characterization and crystal structures of Nickel(II) complexes containing sterically hindering Benzimidazole ligands

The synthesis, characterization, and crystal structures of two Ni(II) complexes with N,N-bis[2-(2′-benzimidazolyl)ethyl]amine (bbiea) (1) and N,N-bis[2-(1′-methyl-2′-benzimidazolyl)ethyl]amine (bmbea) (2) are reported. The nickel complex Ni(bbiea)(O₂C₂H₃)(ClO₄) (3) crystallizes in the space group C2/c, with a = 35.830(7), b = 14.130(3), c = 10.756(2)?Å, and β = 103.04(3)°. Compound 4, Ni(bmbea)(NO₃)₂, crystallizes in the space group P2₁/c, with a = 17.024(5), b = 16.516(4), c = 8.692(2)?Å, and β = 91.31(2)°. In 3, the bbiea ligand is coordinated to the Ni(II) ion in a facial conformation, whereas the bmbea ligand in 4 adopts meridonal geometry. Both complexes contain a single benzimidazole chelate and the remaining coordination sites are occupied by solvent molecules and/or counterions. Reactions involving large excesses of ligand-to-metal and different solvents produced only the mono-chelated complexes 3 and 4. No evidence for formation of bis-chelated complexes with Ni(II) was observed by MALDI-TOF and ESI-mass spectroscopy. Ligand field parameters for 3 and 4 were determined to be 9606 and 9862?cm^?1, respectively.     

New insights into the aggregation of silver pyrazolides using sterically hindered bidentate pyrazole ligands

Recrystallisation of Ag[L(1)] (HL(1) = 3{5}-[pyrid-2-yl]-5{3}-tert-butylpyrazole) in the presence of halide anions leads to two polymorphs of [Ag(3)(μ-Br)(μ-L(1))(2)], which differ in their mode of supramolecular association, and the cluster [Ag(10)(μ-L(1))(8)]Cl(2). In contrast, Ag[L(2)] (HL(2) = 3{5}-[isoquinol-1-yl]-5{3}-tert-butyl-pyrazole) crystallises as a cyclic tetrameric molecule.     

New phosphite-oxazoline ligands for efficient Pd-catalyzed substitution reactions

We have designed and synthesized a new family of readily available highly modular phosphite-oxazoline ligands for the Pd-catalyzed asymmetric allylic substitution reactions. The introduction of a pi-acceptor flexible bulky biphenyl phosphite moiety in the ligand design is highly adventitious in the product outcome. Thus, this ligand series affords excellent reaction rates (TOF's up to >2400 mol.(mol.h)-1) and enantioselectivities (ee's up to >99%) and, at the same time, shows a broad scope for different substrate types.     

Redox-active metal(II) complexes of sterically hindered phenolic ligands: Antibacterial activity and reduction of cytochrome c

The synthesis and physico-chemical characterization of Fe(II) and Mn(II) complexes of 4,6-di-tert-butyl-3[(2-hydroxyethyl)sulphanyl]-1,2-dihydroxybenzene (HL^I) and 2-amino-4,6-di-tert-butylphenol (HL^II) were carried out. Antibacterial activity of the Co(II), Fe(II) and Mn(II) complexes was evaluated in comparison with Cu(II) complexes and three common antibiotics; it was found to follow the order: (1) Сu(L^I)₂ > Сo(L^I)₂ > Fe(L^I)₂ ? Mn(L^I)₂ > HL^I; (2) Сu(L^II)₂ > Сo(L^II)₂ > HL^II > Fe(L^II)₂ ? Mn(L^II)₂; and their reducing ability (determined electrochemically) followed the same order. Spectrophotometric investigation was carried out in order to estimate the rate of the reduction of bovine heart сytochrome c with the ligands and their metal(II) complexes. NADPH:cytochrome P450-reductase was found to increase the rate of сytochrome c reduction with HL^I and HL^II ligands, while adrenodoxin in couple with NAD(P)H: adrenodoxin reductase had no substantial effect thereon. It was shown that the reduction of сytochrome c with these compounds cannot be related solely to the facility of their oxidation оr ionization.