Organosulfonate-Modulated Spin-Crossover Behavior in Three Halogen-Functionalized Cobalt(II) Complexes

We present here the syntheses, crystal structures, and spin crossover (SCO) properties of a series of halogen-functionalized cobalt(II) complexes, [Co(Brphtpy)₂](OTf)₂ ⋅ DMF ⋅ 2H₂O ( 1 ), [Co(Brphtpy)₂](HBS)₂ ⋅ H₂O ( 2 ), [Co(Brphtpy)₂](MQ)₂ ⋅ 2MeCN ⋅ 3H₂O ( 3 ) ( Brphtpy =4′–(4-Bromophenyl)–2,2′:6′,2′′-terpyridine; OTf⁻=trifluoromethanesulfonate; HBS⁻=hydroxybenzenesulfonate dihydrate; MQ⁻=methyl orange). Variable-temperature single-crystal X-ray analyses revealed mononuclear compounds of 1 – 3 consisted of [Co(Brphtpy)₂]²⁺ SCO active units and organosulfonate anions and no structural phase transformation happened in measured high-low temperature. The packing structures of these complexes were tuned by varying organosulfonates. However, no notable supramolecular interactions can be found, in turn leading to gradual, incomplete, and non-hysteretic SCO behaviors. Interestingly, the SCO behaviors of these three complexes were significantly modified after the removal of lattice solvents. Combined structural and magnetic investigations revealed the non-cooperative supramolecular packing structures, guest internal pressure, and the small structural distortions of the SCO units should be responsible for the worse SCO properties of 1 – 3 . The foregoing results show that to achieve high-performance Co²⁺ SCO, both the weak interactions, internal pressure, and structural distortion should be considered during the design and construction of SCO complexes.     

Tautomerization of Phenols,Part III,The Anthrone−Anthrol Equilibrium in Aqueous Solution

The equilibrium between 10H‐anthr‐9‐one and 9‐anthrol favors the ketone, which ionizes as a carbon acid in aqueous base. Rates of equilibration were measured over the pH range 1 – 13 in aqueous solution (25°, ionic strength I=0. M ). Five independent thermodynamic and kinetic parameters were determined by analysis of the pH‐rate profile: the equilibrium constant of enolization, pK_E=2.17, the ionization quotient of anthrol, pQ=7.84, and the rate constants of enolization catalyzed by acid, k=2.2⋅10⁻⁴ M ⁻¹ s⁻¹, base, k=51.0 M ⁻¹ s⁻¹, and water, k=1.21⋅10⁻⁵ s⁻¹. Structure‐reactivity relationships strongly support the view that pH‐independent enolization of anthrone in water proceeds by rate‐determining ionization of the C‐acid.     

Combining Zinc Phthalocyanines,Oligo(p-Phenylenevinylenes), and Fullerenes to Impact Reorganization Energies and Attenuation Factors

A study on electron transfer in three electron donor-acceptor complexes is reported. These architectures consist of a zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc) as the excited-state electron donor and a fullerene (C₆₀) as the ground-state electron acceptor. These complexes are brought together by axial coordination at ZnPc. The key variable in our design is the length of the molecular spacer, namely, oligo-p-phenylenevinylenes. The lack of appreciable ground-state interactions is in accordance with strong excited-state interactions, as inferred from the quenching of ZnPc centered fluorescence and the presence of a short-lived fluorescence component. Full-fledged femtosecond and nanosecond transient absorption spectroscopy assays corroborated that the ZnPc ⋅ ⁺-C₆₀ ⋅ ⁻ charge-separated state formation comes at the expense of excited-state interactions following ZnPc photoexcitation. At a first glance, the ZnPc ⋅ ⁺-C₆₀ ⋅ ⁻ charge-separated state lifetime increased from 0.4 to 86.6 ns as the electron donor-acceptor separation increased from 8.8 to 29.1 Å. A closer look at the kinetics revealed that the changes in charge-separated state lifetime are tied to a decrease in the electronic coupling element from 132 to 1.2 cm⁻¹, an increase in the reorganization energy of charge transfer from 0.43 to 0.63 eV, and a large attenuation factor of 0.27 Å⁻¹.     

Complexation of Anions Including Nucleotide Anions by Open‐Chain Host Compounds with Amide,Urea, and Aryl Functions

A systematical evaluation of association constants between halide, phosphate, and carboxylate anions with N‐methylformamide ( 1 ) and the related bidentate receptors 2 – 6 (derived from, e.g., phthalic acid or ethylenediamine) in CDCl₃ as solvent yielded increments of complexation free‐energy ΔΔG for each single H‐bond, which varied like, e.g., 5.1 kJ/mol (for Cl⁻), 4.0 kJ/mol (for Br⁻), 4.0 kJ/mol (for I⁻) (with values taken from Tables 1 and 2), in line with expected H‐bond strength. The observed complexation induced NH‐NMR shift (CIS) values also showed a regular change, in the case of 1 , e.g., from 5.0 to 2.8 to 2.1 ppm (Table 1), with about half of these values with the bidentate ligands (Tables 2 and 3). Tridentate hosts led to a substantial binding increase, if strain‐free convergence of all NH donor functions towards the anion was possible. The tris[urea] ligand 10 yielded, even in the polar solvent DMSO, with Cl⁻ a ΔG of −21.5 kJ/mol and with Br⁻ of −10⋅5 kJ/mol, whereas with I⁻, no association was detectable. The results demonstrated that small, inexpensive, and conformationally mobile host compounds can exhibit high affinities as well as descrimination with anions, as much as more preorganized receptors do which require multistep synthesis. The corresponding adamantyl derivative 13 allowed measurements also in CDCl₃, with K=4.3⋅10⁴ M ⁻¹ for chloride (Table 7). Complexes with nucleotide anions were again particularly strong with the tridentate urea‐based ligands, the latter being optimal ligands for chloride complexation. For the association of 10 with AMP²⁻ and GMP²⁻in (D₆)DMSO, the association constants were 3⋅10⁴ M ⁻¹ (Table 8) and almost the same as with Cl⁻. In the case of the urea derivatives 17 , 18 , and 21 , containing only one phenyl or pyrenyl substituent, however, the ΔG values decreased in the order A>C>T>G (e.g. −13.6, −11.6, −7.6, −10.5 kJ/mol in the case of 17 , resp.; Table 8). In H₂O, the pyrenyl‐substituted urea derivatives allow measurements with fluorescence, and, unexpectedly, show only smaller nucleobase discrimination, with constants around 3⋅10³ M ⁻¹.     

Self-Assembly of a Redox Active,Metallosupramolecular [Pd3L6]6+ Complex Using a Rotationally Flexible Ferrocene Ligand

A new ferrocene-containing [Pd₃( L_4EFc )₆]⁶⁺(X⁻)₆ ( C ⋅ BF₄ and C ⋅ SbF₆ where X=BF₄⁻ or SbF₆⁻) self-assembled double-walled triangle has been synthesized from the known, rotationally flexible, 1,1′-bis(4-pyridylethynyl)ferrocene ligand ( L_4EFc ), and characterized by ¹H, ¹³C and diffusion ordered (DOSY) NMR spectroscopies, high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HR−ESI−MS), X-ray crystallography and cyclic voltammetry (CV). The molecular structures confirmed that double-walled triangle cage systems ( C ⋅ BF₄ and C ⋅ SbF₆ ) were generated. C ⋅ BF₄ was shown to interact with the anionic guest, p-toluenesulfonate. CV experiments revealed that the triangles were redox active, however addition of the guest did not influence the redox potentials.     

Effect of Axial Ligands on Easy-Axis Anisotropy and Field-Induced Slow Magnetic Relaxation in Heptacoordinated FeII Complexes

A rational approach to modulating easy-axis magnetic anisotropy by varying the axial donor ligand in heptacoordinated Fe^II complexes has been explored. In this series of complexes with formulae of [Fe(H₄L)(NCS)₂] ⋅ 3 DMF ⋅ 0.5 H₂O ( 1 ), [Fe(H₄L)(NCSe)₂] ⋅ 3 DMF ⋅ 0.5 H₂O ( 2 ), and [Fe(H₄L)(NCNCN)₂] ⋅ DMF ⋅ H₂O ( 3 ) [H₄L=2,2′-{pyridine-2,6-diylbis(ethan-1-yl-1-ylidene)}bis(N-phenylhydrazinecarboxamide)], the axial positions are successively occupied by different nitrogen-based π-donor ligands. Detailed dc and ac magnetic susceptibility measurements reveal the existence of easy-axis magnetic anisotropy for all of the complexes, with 1 [U_eff=21 K, τ₀=1.72×10⁻⁶ s] and 2 [U_eff=25 K, τ₀=2.25×10⁻⁶ s] showing field-induced slow magnetic relaxation behavior. However, both experimental studies and theoretical calculations indicate the magnitude of the D value of complex 3 to be larger than those of complexes 1 and 2 due to the axial bond angle being smaller than that for an ideal geometry. Detailed analysis of the field and temperature dependences of relaxation time for 1 and 2 has revealed that multiple relaxation processes (quantum tunneling of magnetization, direct, and Raman) are involved in slow magnetic relaxation for both of these complexes. Magnetic dilution experiments support the role of intermolecular short contacts.     

Engineered Bifunctional Luminescent Pillared-Layer Frameworks for Adsorption of CO2 and Sensitive Detection of Nitrobenzene in Aqueous Media

Through a dual-ligand synthetic approach, five isoreticular primitive cubic (pcu)-type pillared-layer metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), [Zn₂(dicarboxylate)₂(NI-bpy-44)] ⋅ x DMF ⋅ y H₂O, in which dicarboxylate=1,4-bdc ( 1 ), Br-1,4-bdc ( 2 ), NH₂-1,4-bdc ( 3 ), 2,6-ndc ( 4 ), and bpdc ( 5 ), have been engineered. MOFs 1 – 5 feature twofold degrees of interpenetration and have open pores of 27.0, 33.6, 36.8, 52.5, and 62.1 %, respectively. Nitrogen adsorption isotherms of activated MOFs 1′ – 5′ at 77 K all displayed type I adsorption behavior, suggesting their microporous nature. Although 1′ and 3′ – 5′ exhibited type I adsorption isotherms of CO₂ at 195 K, MOF 2′ showed a two-step gate-opening sorption isotherm of CO₂. Furthermore, MOF 3′ also had a significant influence of amine functions on CO₂ uptake at high temperature due to the CO₂–framework interactions. MOFs 1 – 5 revealed solvent-dependent fluorescence properties; their strong blue-light emissions in aqueous suspensions were efficiently quenched by trace amounts of nitrobenzene (NB), with limits of detection of 4.54, 5.73, 1.88, 2.30, and 2.26 μm , respectively, and Stern–Volmer quenching constants (K_sv) of 2.93×10³, 1.79×10³, 3.78×10³, 4.04×10³, and 3.21×10³ m ⁻¹, respectively. Of particular note, the NB-included framework, NB@ 3 , provided direct evidence of the binding sites, which showed strong host–guest π–π and hydrogen-bonding interactions beneficial for donor–acceptor electron transfer and resulting in fluorescence quenching.     

Synthesis,structural characterization,and properties of triorganotin complexes of Schiff base derived from 3-aminobenzoic acid and salicylaldehyde or 2,4-pentanedione

Six new triorganotin 3-(salicylideneamino)benzoates ( 1a – 1c ) and 3-(4-oxo-2-penten-2-ylamino)benzoates ( 2a – 2c ), 3-(2-HOC₆H₄CH=N)C₆H₄COOSnR₃, and 3-(CH₃COCH=C(CH₃)NH)C₆H₄COOSnR₃ (R = Ph, a ; Cy, b ; Bu, c ) have been synthesized by one-pot reaction of 3-aminobenzoic acid, salicylaldehyde (or 2,4-pentanedione), and triorganotin hydroxide and characterized by elemental analysis, infrared, and nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H, ¹³C, and ¹¹⁹Sn) spectra. The crystal structures of 1a , 1b , and 2a – 2c have been determined by the single crystal X-ray diffraction. Complexes 1a and 2a exhibit a 44-membered macrocyclic tetramer and a polymeric zigzag chain, respectively, in which tin atoms show trans-[C₃SnO₂] trigonal bipyramidal geometry with the axial positions being occupied by the carboxylate oxygen atom and the phenolic (or ketone) oxygen atom from another ligand. Complex 1b adopts a distorted tetrahedral geometry at tin, and there are two molecules differing in the relative orientation of the carboxylate toward the imino group. Compounds 2a ⋅CH₃OH, 2b ⋅H₂O, and 2c ⋅H₂O are five-coordinated mononuclear adducts with one coordinated solvent molecule and display different supramolecular organizations in which there are the centrosymmetric R₂²(16), R₄²(22), and R₆⁴(34) macrocycle motifs formed by the O–H⋅⋅⋅O, N–H⋅⋅⋅O, and C–H⋅⋅⋅O hydrogen bonds. The fluorescence spectrum indicates that the complexes may be explored for potential blue luminescent materials. Compared to cisplatin, these compounds exhibit enhanced cytotoxic efficacy and can be considered as anticancer agents for further study.     

Photochemistry of 1‐Cyclopropyl‐6‐fluoro‐1,4‐dihydro‐4‐oxo‐7‐ (piperazin‐1‐yl)quinoline‐3‐carboxylic Acid (=Ciprofloxacin) in Aqueous Solutions

The 1‐cyclopropyl‐6‐fluoro‐1,4‐dihydro‐4‐oxo‐7‐(piperazin‐1‐yl)quinoline‐3‐carboxylic acid (=ciprofloxacin; 1 ) undergoes low‐efficiency (Φ=0.07) substitution of the 6‐fluoro by an OH group on irradiation in H₂O via the ππ* triplet (detected by flash photolysis, λ_max 610 nm, τ 1.5 μs). Decarboxylation is a minor process (≤5%). The addition of sodium sulfite or phosphate changes the course of the reaction under neutral conditions. Reductive defluorination is the main process in the first case, while defluorination is accompanied by degradation of the piperazine moiety in the presence of phosphate. In both cases, the initial step is electron‐transfer quenching of the triplet (k_q=2.3⋅10⁸M ⁻¹ s⁻¹ and 2.2⋅10⁷M ⁻¹ s⁻¹, respectively). Oxoquinoline derivative 1 is much more photostable under acidic conditions, and in this case the F‐atom is conserved, and the piperazine group is stepwise degraded (Φ=0.001).     

Regulating Spin Dynamics of Nitronyl Nitroxide Biradical Lanthanide Complexes through Introducing Different Transition Metals

Four biradical-Ln complexes with different transition metal ions, namely [LnM(hfac)₅(NITPh-PyPzbis)] (M^II=Mn^II and Ln^III=Gd 1 , Dy 2 ; M^II=Ni^II and Ln^III=Tb 3 , Dy 4 ), were prepared by the reaction of Ln(hfac)₃ ⋅ 2H₂O, Mn(hfac)₂ ⋅ 2H₂O or Ni(hfac)₂ ⋅ 2H₂O with NITPh-PyPzbis biradical (hfac=hexafluoroacetylacetonate, NITPh-PyPzbis=5-(3-(2-pyridinyl)-1H-pyrazol-1-yl)-1,3-bis(1’-oxyl-3’-oxido- 4’,4’,5’,5’-tetramethyl-4,5-hydro-1H-imidazol-2-yl)benzene). In complexes 1 – 4 , the NITPh-PyPzbis biradical chelates one Ln^III ion by means of its aminoxyl moieties and the transition metal ion is introduced through the two N donors from the pyridyl pyrazolyl moiety. Magnetic investigations indicate that complex 4 displays visible maxima in frequency/temperature-dependent χ′′ signals with two-step relaxation processes, but complex 2 exhibits no slow magnetization relaxation. The comparison of structure parameters of both Dy complexes indicates that the symmetries of coordination spheres of two Dy ions are D_2d for 2 and C_2v for 4 , which thus probably results in different magnetic relaxation behaviors. This work provides new insight for improving properties of Ln-biradical based SMMs.     

Enhanced and Heteromolecular Guest Encapsulation in Nonporous Crystals of a Perfluorinated Triketonato Dinuclear Copper Complex

The flexible host framework of a perfluorinated mononuclear copper complex, [Cu(L¹)₂] ( 1 , HL¹=3-hydroxy-1,3-bis(pentafluorophenyl)-2-propen-1-one), with a CuO₄ core reversibly encapsulated several organic guest molecules through electrostatic interactions in its crystals. Hence, the corresponding dinuclear complex, [Cu₂(L²)₂] ( 2 , H₂L²=1,5-dihydroxy-1,5-bis(pentafluorophenyl)-1,4-pentadien-3-one), was prepared to enhance guest recognition and the ability to separate molecular mixtures. Complex 2 comprises a Cu₂O₆ core and four pentafluorophenyl groups. In crystal 2 , cavities are formed on the axial sites of the metal core that are surrounded by pentafluorophenyl groups. The crystal of 2 encapsulates various guest molecules, that is, benzene ( 3 ), toluene ( 4 ), xylene ( 5 ), mesitylene ( 6 ), durene ( 7 ), and anisole ( 8 ). X-ray crystallographic and thermogravimetric (TG) studies show that three guest molecules are present in the crystal cavities. The number of guest molecules found in complex 2 was higher than that in complex 1 , for example, ( 2 )₃ ⋅ ( 6 )₁₀> 1⋅ ( 6 )₂, ( 2 )₂ ⋅ ( 7 )₇> 1⋅7 , or 2⋅ ( 8 )₃> 1⋅ ( 8 )₂. Naphthalene ( 9 ), was encapsulated in 2 to give 2⋅ ( 9 )₃, but not in 1 . In the crystal of complex 2 , heteromolecular guest encapsulation was confirmed, designated as 2⋅ ( 3 )₂ ⋅9 . TG analysis indicates that the thermal stability of the guest-included crystals of 2 is higher than that of 1 .     

A New Approach for the Voltammetric Determination of Amoxicillin in the Dosage Form Using Azo Coupling Reaction with Sulphanilamide

The novel method of amoxicillin (AM) determination has been developed using single-sweep polarography. The proposed method is based on the obtaining of yellow coloured azo compound due to azo coupling reaction of previous diazotized sulphanilamide (SA) (in the medium of 0.6 M hydrochloric acid) with amoxicillin at pH=9.0 with the further reduction of the formed analytical form on a dropping mercury electrode. Voltammetric determination of amoxicillin is carried out due to the reduction peak of azo group of the obtained azo compound in the presence of 0.05 mol ⋅ L⁻¹ Na₂B₄O₇ as a background electrolyte at the potential E_c^p2=−0.55 V and potential sweep rate of 2.5 V ⋅ s⁻¹. The developed voltammetric method has two linear ranges of the determined concentrations (0.05–2.0) ⋅ 10⁻⁵ mol ⋅ L⁻¹ and (0.2–1.0) ⋅ 10⁻⁴ mol ⋅ L⁻¹ and the high sensitivity: LOD without the removing of unreacted sodium nitrite is 1.1 ⋅ 10⁻⁶ mol ⋅ L⁻¹, and 7.2 ⋅ 10⁻⁷ mol ⋅ L⁻¹, when NaNO₂ excess is removed using urea. The developed voltammetric technique of AM determination has been approved during the analyses of tablets and oral suspension.     

Field-Induced SMM Behaviour of Tetranuclear Coordination Clusters with a Cubane [Ni4O4] Core

Two tetranuclear Ni(II) complexes: [Ni₄(HL¹)₄] ⋅ H₂O ( 1 ) and [Ni₄(HL²)₄] ⋅ 1.5 dmf ( 2 ) where dmf=dimethylformamide, H₃L¹=4-(tert-butyl)-2-(((2-hydroxy-5-nitrophenyl)imino)methyl)-6-(hydroxymethyl)phenol and H₃L²=4-(tert-butyl)-2-(hydroxymethyl)-6-(((2-hydroxyphenyl)-imino)methyl)phenol, have been prepared and characterized by single crystal X-Ray diffraction, elemental analysis and FT-IR spectroscopy. The solid-state structures reveal the formation of highly symmetric and asymmetric [Ni₄O₄] cubane cores in complexes 1 and 2 , respectively. Extensive magnetic studies show that both complexes present ferromagnetic exchange interactions between the Ni(II) ions within the cubane core with g=2.113(3), J₁=−7.89(8) cm⁻¹, J₂=13.3(1) cm⁻¹ and |D|=11.3(4) cm⁻¹ (for 1 ) and g=2.206(4), J₁=1.0(1) cm⁻¹, J₂=7.8(1) cm⁻¹ and |D|=8.7(2) cm⁻¹ (for 2 ). The large anisotropy, high ground spin state (arising from the ferromagnetic coupling) and the good isolation of the clusters provided by the Schiff base ligands, give rise to the first examples of field-induced single-molecule magnets (FI−SMM) in Ni₄O₄ clusters and to the highest energy barrier reported to date in a Ni₄O₄ cluster.     

Tetrabutylammonium Salts of Aluminum(III) and Gallium(III) Phthalocyanine Radical Anions Bonded with Fluoren‐9‐olato− Anions and Indium(III) Phthalocyanine Bromide Radical Anions

Reduction of aluminum(III), gallium(III), and indium(III) phthalocyanine chlorides by sodium fluorenone ketyl in the presence of tetrabutylammonium cations yielded crystalline salts of the type (Bu₄N⁺)₂[M^III(HFl−O⁻)(Pc^.3−)]^.−(Br⁻) ⋅ 1.5 C₆H₄Cl₂ [M=Al ( 1 ), Ga ( 2 ); HFl−O⁻=fluoren‐9‐olato⁻ anion; Pc=phthalocyanine] and (Bu₄N⁺) [In^IIIBr(Pc^.3−)]^.− ⋅ 0.875 C₆H₄Cl₂ ⋅ 0.125 C₆H₁₄ ( 3 ). The salts were found to contain Pc^.3− radical anions with negatively charged phthalocyanine macrocycles, as evidenced by the presence of intense bands of Pc^.3− in the near‐IR region and a noticeable blueshift in both the Q and Soret bands of phthalocyanine. The metal(III) atoms coordinate HFl−O⁻ anions in 1 and 2 with short Al−O and Ga−O bond lengths of 1.749(2) and 1.836(6) Å, respectively. The C−O bonds [1.402(3) and 1.391(11) Å in 1 and 2 , respectively] in the HFl−O⁻ anions are longer than the same bond in the fluorenone ketyl (1.27–1.31 Å). Salts 1 – 3 show effective magnetic moments of 1.72, 1.66, and 1.79 μ_B at 300 K, respectively, owing to the presence of unpaired S= 1/2 spins on Pc^.3−. These spins are coupled antiferromagnetically with Weiss temperatures of −22, −14, and −30 K for 1 – 3 , respectively. Coupling can occur in the corrugated two‐dimensional phthalocyanine layers of 1 and 2 with an exchange interaction of J /k _B=−0.9 and −1.1 K, respectively, and in the π‐stacking {[In^IIIBr(Pc^.3−)]^.−}₂ dimers of 3 with an exchange interaction of J /k _B=−10.8 K. The salts show intense electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) signals attributed to Pc^.3−. It was found that increasing the size of the central metal atom strongly broadened these EPR signals.     

A Perylene Bisimide Cyclophane as a “Turn‐On” and “Turn‐Off” Fluorescence Probe

A rigid, covalently linked perylene‐3,4:9,10‐tetracarboxylic acid bisimide (PBI) cyclophane was synthesized by imidization of a bay‐substituted perylene bisanhydride with p‐xylylenediamine. The interchromophoric distance of approximately 6.5 Å establishes an ideal rigid cavity for the encapsulation of large aromatic compounds such as perylene and anthracene with binding constants up to 4.6×10⁴ M ^?1 (in CHCl₃). For electron‐poor guest molecules, the complexation process is accompanied by a significantly increased fluorescence, whereas the emission intensity is dramatically quenched by more electron‐rich guests because of the formation of charge‐transfer complexes. Furthermore, the influence of the PBI core twist on the binding constant results in a remarkable selectivity towards more flexible aromatic guest molecules.     

Weak Antiferromagnetic Exchange and Ferromagnetic Alignment of FeII (S=2) Spins in Differently Charged {HAT ⋅ (FeIICl2)3}n (n=2- and 3-) Assemblies of Hexaazatriphenylenes (HAT)

Hexaazatrianthracene (HATA) and hexaazatriphenylenehexacarbonitrile {HAT(CN)₆} are reduced by metallic iron in the presence of crystal violet (CV⁺)(Cl⁻). Anionic ligands are produced, which simultaneously coordinate three Fe^IICl₂ to form (CV⁺)₂{HATA ⋅ (Fe^IICl₂)₃}²⁻ ⋅ 3 C₆H₄Cl₂ ( 1 ) and (CV⁺)₃{HAT(CN)_6. (Fe^IICl₂)₃}³⁻ ⋅ 0.5CVCl ⋅ 2.5 C₆H₄Cl₂ ( 2 ). High-spin (S=2) Fe^II atoms in both structures are arranged in equilateral triangles at a distance of 7 Å. An antiferromagnetic exchange is observed between Fe^II in {HATA ⋅ (Fe^IICl₂)₃}²⁻ ( 1 ) with a Weiss temperature (Θ) of −80 K, the PHI estimated exchange interaction (J) is −4.7 cm⁻¹. The {HAT(CN)₆ ⋅ (Fe^IICl₂)₃}³⁻ assembly is obtained in 2 . The formation of HAT(CN)₆^.3− is supported by the appearance of an intense EPR signal with g=2.0037. The magnetic behavior of 2 is described by a strong antiferromagnetic coupling between the Fe^II and HAT(CN)₆^.3− spins with J₁=−164 cm⁻¹ (−2 J formalism) and by a weaker antiferromagnetic coupling between the Fe^II spins with J₂=−15.4 cm⁻¹. The stronger coupling results in the spins of the three Fe^IICl₂ units to be aligned parallel to each other in the assembly. As a result, an increase of the χ_MT values is observed with the decrease of temperature from 9.82 at 300 K up to 15.06 emu ⋅ K/mol at 6 K, and the Weiss temperature is also positive being at +23 K. Thus, a change in the charge and spin state of the HAT-type ligand to ⋅3⁻ results in ferromagnetic alignment of the Fe^II spins, yielding a high-spin (S=11/2) system. DFT calculations showed that, due to the high symmetry and nearly degenerated LUMO of both HATA and HAT(CN)₆, their complexes with Fe^IICl₂ have a variety of closely lying excited high-spin states with multiplicity up to S=15/2.     

Unusual Encapsulation of Two Anions in the Cavity of Neutral Macrocyclic Octalactam,Preliminary Communication

A new neutral anion receptor – macrocyclic octalactam 2 , possessing a large 36‐membered ring, was synthesized, and its unusual property of encapsulation of two Cl⁻ ions and two H₂O molecules in the cavity was confirmed by X‐ray crystallography (see Figure). The octalactam, consisting of four 2,6‐dicarbamoylpyridine and four ethylene moieties, exhibits a symmetrical, fully expanded conformation in the complex [(Cl)₂( 2 )(H₂O)₂]²⁻ (obtained as 2 ⋅2 Bu₄NCl⋅4 H₂O⋅2 CH₂Cl₂). Inside the cavity, encapsulated species – two Cl⁻ ions and two H₂O molecules – are connected to each other by H‐bonds. This kind of complex‐in‐complex system is formed by means of twenty intra‐ring H‐bonds and additionally four from the ‘outside' H₂O molecules. Considering size and symmetry, it can be stated that the planar (H₂O⋅Cl⁻)₂ dimer fits well into the cavity of octalactam 2 . The ligand has an optimal arrangement of binding sites to form H‐bonds to every corner of the dimer.     

Theoretical Study of the Hydroxyl-Radical-Initiated Degradation Mechanism,Kinetics, and Subsequent Evolution of Methyl and Ethyl Iodides in the Atmosphere

The degradation and transformation of iodinated alkanes are crucial in the iodine chemical cycle in the marine boundary layer. In this study, MP2 and CCSD(T) methods were adopted to study the atmospheric transformation mechanism and degradation kinetic properties of CH₃I and CH₃CH₂I mediated by ⋅OH radical. The results show that there are three reaction mechanisms including H-abstraction, I-substitution and I-abstraction. The H-abstraction channel producing ⋅CH₂I and CH₃C ⋅ HI radicals are the main degradation pathways of CH₃I and CH₃CH₂I, respectively. By means of the variational transition state theory and small curvature tunnel correction method, the rate constants and branching ratios of each reaction are calculated in the temperature range of 200–600 K. The results show that the tunneling effect contributes more to the reaction at low temperatures. Theoretical reaction rate constants of CH₃I and CH₃CH₂I with ⋅OH are calculated to be 1.42×10⁻¹³ and 4.44×10⁻¹³ cm³ molecule⁻¹ s⁻¹ at T=298 K, respectively, which are in good agreement with the experimental values. The atmospheric lifetimes of CH₃I and CH₃CH₂I are evaluated to be 81.51 and 26.07 day, respectively. The subsequent evolution mechanism of ⋅CH₂I and CH₃C ⋅ HI in the presence of O₂, NO and HO₂ indicates that HCHO, CH₃CHO, and I-atom are the main transformation end-products. This study provides a theoretical basis for insight into the diurnal conversion and environmental implications of iodinated alkanes.     

Tetramethylheptalenes and Their Tricarbonylchromium Complexes: Synthesis,Structures, and Thermal Rearrangements

The thermal 4 : 1 equilibrium mixture of 1,3,5,6- and 1,3,5,10-tetramethylheptalene ( 13a and 13b , resp.) has been prepared, starting from the thermal equilibrium mixture of dimethyl 6,8,10-trimethylheptalene-1,2- and -4,5-dicarboxylate ( 6a and 6b , resp.; cf. Scheme 5). These heptalenes undergo double-bond shifts (DBS) even at ambient temperature. Treatment of the mixture 13a / 13b 4 : 1 with [Cr(CO)₃(NH₃)₃] in boiling 1,2-dimethoxyethane resulted in the formation of all four possible mononuclear Cr(CO)₃ complexes 19a – 19d of 13a and 13b , as well as two binuclear Cr(CO)₃ complexes 20a and 20b , respectively, in a total yield of 87% (cf. Scheme 7). The mixture of complexes was separated by column chromatography, followed by preparative HPLC (cf. Fig. 2). The structures of all complexes were established by X-ray crystal-structure analyses (complex 19b and 20b ; cf. Figs. 6 – 8) and extensive ¹H-NMR measurements (cf. Table 3). In 20b , the two Cr(CO)₃ groups are linked in a `syn'-mode to the highly twisted heptalene π-skeleton. The correspondence of the <sup>1</sup>H-NMR data of 20a with that of 20b indicates that the two Cr(CO)<sub>3</sub> groups in 20a also have a `syn'-arrangement. The thermal behavior of the mononuclear complexes 19a – 19d has been studied at 85° in hexafluorobenzene (HFB). At this temperature, all four complexes undergo rearrangement to the same thermal equilibrium mixture (cf. Table 8). The rates for the thermal equilibration of each complex have been determined by ¹H-NMR measurements (cf. Figs. 9 – 12) and analyzed by seven different kinetic schemes (Chapt. 2). The equilibration rates are in agreement with two different haptotropic rearrangements that take place, namely intra- and inter-ring shifts of the Cr(CO)₃ group, whereby both rearrangements are accompanied by DBS of the heptalene π-skeleton (cf. Scheme 9). All individual kinetic steps possess similar ΔG^≠ values in the range of 29 – 31 kcal⋅mol⁻¹ (cf. Table 8). The occurrence of inter-ring haptotropic migrations of Cr(CO)₃ groups has already been established for anellated aromatic systems (cf. Scheme 10); however, it is the first time that these rearrangements have been unequivocally demonstrated for Cr(CO)₃ complexes of non-planar bicyclic [4n]annulenes, such as heptalenes. The mechanism of migration may be similar to that proposed for aromatic systems (cf. Schemes 10 and 11).     

Bonding in Barium Boryloxides,Siloxides, Phenoxides and Silazides: A Comparison with the Lighter Alkaline Earths

Barium complexes ligated by bulky boryloxides [OBR₂]⁻ (where R=CH(SiMe₃)₂, 2,4,6-ⁱPr₃-C₆H₂ or 2,4,6-(CF₃)₃-C₆H₂), siloxide [OSi(SiMe₃)₃]⁻, and/or phenoxide [O-2,6-Ph₂-C₆H₃]⁻, have been prepared. A diversity of coordination patterns is observed in the solid state for both homoleptic and heteroleptic complexes, with coordination numbers ranging between 2 and 4. The identity of the bridging ligand in heteroleptic dimers [Ba(μ₂-X₁)(X₂)]₂ depends largely on the given pair of ligands X₁ and X₂. Experimentally, the propensity to fill the bridging position increases according to [OB{CH(SiMe₃)₂}₂)]⁻<[N(SiMe₃)₂]⁻<[OSi(SiMe₃)₃]⁻<[O(2,6-Ph₂-C₆H₃)]⁻<[OB(2,4,6-ⁱPr₃-C₆H₂)₂]⁻. This trend is the overall expression of 3 properties: steric constraints, electronic density and σ- and π-donating capability of the negatively charged atom, and ability to generate Ba ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ F, Ba ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ C(π) or Ba ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ H−C secondary interactions. The comparison of the structural motifs in the complexes [Ae{μ₂-N(SiMe₃)₂}(OB{CH(SiMe₃)₂}₂)]₂ (Ae = Mg, Ca, Sr and Ba) suggest that these observations may be extended to all alkaline earths. DFT calculations highlight the largely prevailing ionic character of ligand-Ae bonding in all compounds. The ionic character of the Ae-ligand bond encourages bridging coordination, whereas the number of bridging ligands is controlled by steric factors. DFT computations also indicate that in [Ba(μ₂-X₁)(X₂)]₂ heteroleptic dimers, ligand predilection for bridging vs. terminal positions is dictated by the ability to establish secondary interactions between the metals and the ligands.