Zeise,Liebig, Jensen,Hückel,Dewar, and the Olefin π‐Complex Bonds

Zeise's salt, KPt(C₂H₄)Cl₃, was the first characterized organometallic compound; it was also the first olefin π‐complex. It was published in 1825–1830 in the middle of a fight between Dumas on the one hand and Berzelius and Liebig on the other, who defended the etherin (ethylene) and radical theories, respectively. Although Zeise's formulation as a compound containing ethylene was vindicated, the fight went on for many years. This was a time when the theories of organic chemistry were being developed, before any clear understanding of the nature of molecules, bonding, and structure. Zeise thought of the structure of his salt as a product of the addition of PtCl₂ to ethylene. Jensen assumed a central bonding to ethylene but needed theoretical assistance to explain it. His attempt to obtain such an explanation from Hückel failed, and it was Dewar who explained the nature of π‐complexes in molecular orbital terms in 1951.     

Synthesis,structures, and physicochemical properties of Sr<Subscript>2</Subscript>A<Superscript>II</Superscript>UO<Subscript>6</Subscript> (A<Superscript>II</Superscript> = Mg,Ca, Sr,Ba, Mn,Fe, Co,Ni, Zn,and Cd) compounds

Sr₂A^IIUO₆ (A^II = Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Zn, and Cd) compounds were synthesized by high-temperature reactions in the solid phase. The crystal structure (space group P2₁/n) was refined by the Rietveld method for Sr₂MgUO₆, (Sr_0.5Ba_0.5)₂SrUO₄, and Sr₂CdUO₆, which were synthesized for the first time. IR spectral characteristics were studied. The standard enthalpies of formation of the compounds were determined by reaction calorimetry.     

cis,cis‐Ceratospong­amide N,N‐di­methyl­acet­amide hemisolvate in the presence of twinning

Ceratospong­amide (CS) is a potent inhibitor of secreted phospho­lipase A₂, and cis,cis and trans,trans isomers, related with respect to the two proline amide bonds, are known. Crystals of cis,cis‐CS were grown from N,N‐di­methyl­acet­amide solution, giving the title compound, the cyclic ester of isoleucyl­oxazolinyl­phenyl­alanyl­prolyl­thia­zolyl­phenyl­alanyl­pro­line [cyclo(‐Ile–Oxz–Phe–Pro–Thz–Phe–Pro‐)] N,N‐di­methyl­acet­amide hemisolvate, C₄₁H₄₉N₇O₆S·0.5C₄H₉NO. The structure is the third example of cis,cis‐CS to be investigated and comprises twinned crystals, in which the a and b axes are interchanged. The ratio of co‐existing twin crystals is approximately 50%. The peptide has a `saddle‐like' structure and is very similar to previously reported structures of cis,cis‐CS, which implies that the structure of cis,cis‐CS is very stable in spite of differences in crystallization conditions.     

Surface‐Assisted Cyclodehydrogenation; Break the Symmetry,Enhance the Selectivity

Selectivity in chemical reactions is a major objective in industrial processes to minimize spurious byproducts and to save scarce resources. In homogeneous catalysis the most important factor which determines selectivity is structural symmetry. However, a transfer of the symmetry concept to heterogeneous catalysis still requires a detailed comprehension of the underlying processes. Here, we investigate a ring‐closing reaction in surface‐confined meso‐substituted porphyrin molecules by scanning tunneling microscopy, temperature‐programmed desorption, and computational modeling. The identification of reaction intermediates enables us to analyze the reaction pathway and to conclude that the symmetry of the porphyrin core is of pivotal importance regarding product yields.     

On the coordination chemistry of corannulene, the smallest “buckybowl”

A variety of methods, conventional and non-conventional, are used in attempts to prepare the compounds (η⁶-corannulene)M(CO)₃ (M = Cr, Mo, W), all unsuccessful. Conventional methods are also utilized in attempts to prepare the compound [CpFe(η⁶-corannulene)]PF₆, but these result in mixtures of cationic CpFe(arene) complexes containing partially hydrogenated corannulene; similar results have been reported for other polyaromatic hydrocarbons. DFT calculations on the compound (η⁶-corannulene)Cr(CO)₃ suggest that the (η⁶-corannulene)-Cr linkage is only a few kcal/mol weaker than the corresponding bond in (η⁶-benzene)Cr(CO)₃, implying that failures in syntheses arise from kinetic, not thermodynamic problems.     

Potential‐Energy Surfaces,the Born–Oppenheimer Approximations,and the Franck–Condon Principle: Back to the Roots

The concept of a potential‐energy surface (PES) is central to our understanding of spectroscopy, photochemistry, and chemical kinetics. However, the terminology used in connection with the basic approximations is variously, and somewhat confusingly, represented with such phrases as “adiabatic”, “Born–Oppenheimer”, or “Born–Oppenheimer adiabatic” approximation. Concerning the closely relevant and important Franck–Condon principle (FCP), the IUPAC definition differentiates between a classical and quantum mechanical formulation. Consequently, in many publications we find terms such as “Franck–Condon (excited) state”, or a vertical transition to the “Franck–Condon point” with the “Franck–Condon geometry” that relaxes to the excited‐state equilibrium geometry. The Born–Oppenheimer approximation and the “classical” model of the Franck–Condon principle are typical examples of misused terms and lax interpretations of the original theories. In this essay, we revisit the original publications of pioneers of the PES concept and the FCP to help stimulate a lively discussion and clearer thinking around these important concepts.     

The Recently Synthesized Dimagnesiabutadiene and the Analogous Dimetalla‐Beryllium, ‐Calcium, ‐Strontium,and ‐Barium Compounds

The 2014 synthesis of the remarkable dimagnesium compound Mg₂[C₄(CH₃)₂(Si(CH₃)₃)₂](C₃H₇)₂(C₄H₈O)₂ may point the way to a new chapter in alkaline earth organometallic chemistry. Accordingly, we have studied the known Mg compound and the analogous Be, Ca, Sr, and Ba structures. Although most of our theoretical predictions come from density functional methods, the latter have been benchmarked using coupled cluster theory including single, double, and perturbative triplet excitations, CCSD(T) using cc‐pVTZ basis sets. Among our most important predictions are the energies for dissociation to the butadiene plus the RM?MR [R=(C₃H₇)₂(C₄H₈O)₂; M=Be, Mg, Ca, Si, and Ba] entities. The most reliable predictions for the dissociation energies are 99–104 (Be), 85–93 (Mg), 90–99 (Ca), 83–92 (Sr), and 83–94 (Ba) kcal mol^?1. Thus, there is reason to anticipate that the four unknown compounds should be achievable synthetically. The predicted metal–metal distances (not single bonds) are 2.89 Å (Mg???Mg), 3.46 Å (Ca???Ca), 3.75 Å (Sr???Sr), and 4.04 Å (Ba???Ba). The separated RM?MR compounds have longer M?M distances but genuine metal–metal single bonds. This perhaps counter intuitive result is due to the presence of the bridging carbons in the alkaline earth butadiene compounds. All five compounds incorporate metal–carbon ionic interactions.     

Pivalates with the M<Superscript>II</Superscript><Subscript>4</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript> cubane core (M = Co,Ni): synthesis,structure, magnetic properties,and solid-state thermolysis

Methods were developed for the controlled thermal synthesis of high-spin cubane-like pivalates {M^II ₄(μ₃−OR)₄} (M = Co or Ni; R = H or Me) starting from mono-and polynuclear complexes. The solid-state thermal decomposition of the known pivalate clusters [M^II ₄(μ₃−OMe)₄−(μ₂−OOCBu^t)₂(η²−OOCBu^t)₂(MeOH)₄] and the new clusters [M₄^II(μ₃)−OH₄(η¹−OOCBu^t)₃−(μ−(NH₂)₂C₆H₂Me₂)₃(η¹−(NH₂)₂C₆H₂Me₂)₃]⁺(OOCBu^t)− (M = Co or Ni) was studied by differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetry. The thermolysis of cubane-like CoII and NiII pivalates is a destructive process. The phase composition of the decomposition products is determined by the nature of coordinated ligands and the structural features of the metal core.     

Reactivity in the solid-state between ZnWO<Subscript>4</Subscript> and some rare-earth metal molybdates RE<Subscript>2</Subscript>MoO<Subscript>6</Subscript> (<Emphasis Type="Italic">RE</Emphasis>=Y,Sm, Eu,Gd, Dy,Ho, Er and Lu)

Organic peroxides (OPs) have caused many momentous explosions and runaway reactions, resulting from thermal instability, chemical pollutants, and even mechanical shock. In Taiwan, dicumyl peroxide (DCPO), due to its unstable reactive nature, has caused two thermal explosions and runaway reaction incidents in the manufacturing process. To evaluate thermal hazards of DCPO in a batch reactor, we studied thermokinetic parameters, such as heat of decomposition (†H _d), exothermic onset temperature (T ₀), maximum temperature rise ((dT/dt)_max), maximum pressure rise ((dP/dt)_max), self-heating rate (dT/dt), etc., via differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and vent sizing package 2 (VSP2).     

Four New Alkaloids,Brevianamides O – R,from the Fungus Aspergillus versicolor

Four new alkaloids, brevianamides O–R ( 1 – 4 , resp.), were isolated from the AcOEt extract of the solid‐state fermented rice culture of the fungus Aspergillus versicolor. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analyses.     

One‐Pot,Three‐Component Sulfonimidamide Synthesis Exploiting the Sulfinylamine Reagent N‐Sulfinyltritylamine,TrNSO

Sulfonimidamides are increasingly important molecules in medicinal chemistry and agrochemistry, but their preparation requires lengthy synthetic sequences, which has likely limited their use. We describe a one‐pot de novo synthesis of sulfonimidamides from widely available organometallic reagents and amines. This convenient and efficient process uses a stable sulfinylamine reagent, N‐sulfinyltritylamine (TrNSO), available in one step on 10 gram scale, as a linchpin. In contrast to classical approaches starting from thiols or their derivatives, our TrNSO‐based approach facilitates the rapid assembly of the three reaction components into a variety of differentially substituted sulfonimidamides containing medicinally relevant moieties, including pyridines and indoles. Analogues of the sulfonamide‐containing COX‐2 inhibitor Celecoxib were prepared and evaluated.     

One‐Pot,Three‐Component Sulfonimidamide Synthesis Exploiting the Sulfinylamine Reagent N‐Sulfinyltritylamine,TrNSO

Sulfonimidamides are increasingly important molecules in medicinal chemistry and agrochemistry, but their preparation requires lengthy synthetic sequences, which has likely limited their use. We describe a one‐pot de novo synthesis of sulfonimidamides from widely available organometallic reagents and amines. This convenient and efficient process uses a stable sulfinylamine reagent, N‐sulfinyltritylamine (TrNSO), available in one step on 10 gram scale, as a linchpin. In contrast to classical approaches starting from thiols or their derivatives, our TrNSO‐based approach facilitates the rapid assembly of the three reaction components into a variety of differentially substituted sulfonimidamides containing medicinally relevant moieties, including pyridines and indoles. Analogues of the sulfonamide‐containing COX‐2 inhibitor Celecoxib were prepared and evaluated.     

cis,cis,cis‐Tetra­methyl 1,2,4,5‐cyclo­hexane­tetra­carboxyl­ate

The title compound, C₁₄H₂₀O₈, was synthesized from the hydrogenation of tetra­methyl 1,4‐cyclo­hexa­diene‐1,2,4,5‐tetra­carboxyl­ate with a catalytic amount of palladium/carbon. All four carbonyl moieties of the methyl ester groups are on the same face of the chair‐conformed ring. The substantial ring distortion associated with the 1,3‐diaxial methoxycarbonyl substituents is reflected in the large difference between bond angles as well as torsion angles, respectively, that in undistorted cyclo­hexanes would be approximately the same.     

Processing,structure, microstructure,and transport properties of the oxygen-conducting ceramics (La,Sr)(Ga,M)O<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">y</Emphasis></Subscript> (M=Mg,Fe, Ni)

The structure, microstructure, and dielectric and transport properties of (La,Sr)(Ga,M)O_y (M=Mg, Fe, and Ni) ceramic solid solutions have been studied by X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetry, and dilatometry in various gas atmospheres. Enhancement of conductivity and an increase of the thermal expansion coefficient have been confirmed to correlate with an increasing concentration of oxygen vacancies at high temperatures in the samples studied. Transformation from pure ionic to mixed conductivity has been revealed in the samples with increasing iron or nickel content.Presented at the OSSEP Workshop Ionic and Mixed Conductors: Methods and Processes, Aveiro, Portugal, 10–12 April 2003     

Superoxide Compounds of the Large Pseudo‐Alkali‐Metal Ions Tetramethylammonium, ‐Phosphonium,and ‐Arsonium

Compounds of the three large cations tetramethylammonium, tetramethylphosphonium, and tetramethylarsonium with the superoxide radical anion were synthesized by either metathesis or ion exchange in liquid ammonia. They were obtained from concentrated solutions as ammoniates in the form of long needle‐shaped single crystals. [N(CH₃)₄]‐(O₂)?3NH₃ crystallizes in the monoclinic crystal system, whereas the two compounds [E(CH₃)₄](O₂)?2NH₃ (E=P, As) are isostructural and belong to the orthorhombic crystal system. The cation–anion packing in all three crystal structures is related to the sodium chloride structure. All structures contain hydrogen bonds between the ammonia molecules and between ammonia and the superoxide. The solvent of crystallization was easily released from the crystals upon complete removal of the solvent from the reaction vessel, leading to polycrystalline samples. The Raman spectra of all three solvent‐free compounds show the symmetric stretching mode of the superoxide ion at about 1123 cm^?1. The desolvated [N(CH₃)₄](O₂) was investigated by powder X‐ray diffraction, and the crystal structure was solved by ab initio simulated annealing methods by using rigid‐body models of the constituent molecular ions. The superoxide ion shows rotational disorder. The magnetic susceptibility of tetramethylammonium superoxide follows the Curie–Weiss law with a high‐temperature effective magnetic moment of 1.66(3) μ_B and a paramagnetic Curie temperature of Θ=?13(6) K. Complementary electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy revealed that the average g factor is temperature‐dependent. It decreased from 2.15 at 10 K to 1.66 at 100 K, possibly due to the onset of rotational motion of the superoxide ion and in accordance with the lower‐than‐expected effective magnetic moment.