Gas‐Phase Spectroscopy of Ferric Heme?NO Complexes

Weakly bound complexes between ferric heme cations and NO were synthesised in the gas phase from ion–molecule reactions, and their absorption measured based on photodissociation yields. The Soret band, which serves as an important marker band for heme‐protein spectroscopy, is maximal at 357±5 nm and significantly blue‐shifted compared to ferric heme nitrosyl proteins (maxima between 408 and 422 nm). This is in stark contrast to the Q‐band absorption where the protein microenvironment is nearly innocent in perturbing the electronic structure of the porphyrin macrocycle. Photodissociation is primarily through loss of NO. In contrast to the Q‐band region, two‐photon absorption was seen in the Soret band despite NO loss only requiring ～1 eV. A model based on intersystem crossing to a long‐lived triplet state where a barrier has to be surmounted is suggested. Finally, we summarise the measured absorption maxima of heme and its complexes with amino acids and NO.     

Infrared Spectrum of the Si3H8+ Cation: Evidence for a Bridged Isomer with an Asymmetric Three‐Center Two‐Electron Si?H?Si Bond

The IR spectrum of Si₃H₈⁺ ions produced in a supersonic plasma molecular beam expansion of SiH₄, He, and Ar is inferred from photodissociation of cold Si₃H₈⁺–Ar complexes. Vibrational analysis of the spectrum is consistent with a Si₃H₈⁺ structure ( 2⁺ ) obtained by a barrierless addition reaction of SiH₄ to the disilene ion (H₂Si?SiH₂⁺) in the silane plasma. In this structure, one of the electronegative H atoms of SiH₄ donates electron density into the partially filled electrophilic π orbital of the disilene cation. The resulting asymmetric Si? H? Si bridge of the 2⁺ isomer with a bond energy of approximately 60 kJ mol^?1 is characteristic for a weak three‐center two‐electron bond, which is identified by its strongly IR active asymmetric Si? H? Si stretching fundamental at about 1765 cm^?1. The observed 2⁺ isomer is calculated to be only a few kJ mol^?1 less stable than the global minimum structure of Si₃H₈⁺ ( 1⁺ ), which is derived from vertical ionization of trisilane. Although more stable, 1⁺ is not detected in the measured IR spectrum of Si₃H₈⁺–Ar, and its lower abundance in the supersonic plasma is rationalized by the production mechanism of Si₃H₈⁺ in the silane plasma, in which a high barrier between 2⁺ and 1⁺ prevents the efficient formation of 1⁺ . The potential energy surface of Si₃H₈⁺ is characterized in some detail by quantum chemical calculations. The structural, vibrational, electronic and energetic properties as well as the chemical bonding mechanism are investigated for a variety of low‐energy Si₃H₈⁺ isomers and their fragments. The weak intermolecular bonds of the Ar ligands in the Si₃H₈⁺–Ar isomers arise from dispersion and induction forces and induce only a minor perturbation of the bare Si₃H₈⁺ ions. Comparison with the potential energy surface of C₃H₈⁺ reveals the differences between the silicon and carbon species.     

Hydride Reactivity of NiII?X?NiII Entities: Mixed‐Valent Hydrido Complexes and Reversible Metal Reduction

After the lithiation of PYR‐H₂ (PYR^2?=[{NC(Me)C(H)C(Me)NC₆H₃(iPr)₂}₂(C₅H₃N)]^2?), which is the precursor of an expanded β‐diketiminato ligand system with two binding pockets, its reaction with [NiBr₂(dme)] led to a dinuclear nickel(II)–bromide complex, [(PYR)Ni(μ‐Br)NiBr] ( 1 ). The bridging bromide ligand could be selectively exchanged for a thiolate ligand to yield [(PYR)Ni(μ‐SEt)NiBr] ( 3 ). In an attempt to introduce hydride ligands, both compounds were treated with KHBEt₃. This treatment afforded [(PYR)Ni(μ‐H)Ni] ( 2 ), which is a mixed valent Ni^I? μ‐H? Ni^II complex, and [(PYR‐H)Ni(μ‐SEt)Ni] ( 4 ), in which two tricoordinated Ni^I moieties are strongly antiferromagnetically coupled. Compound 4 is the product of an initial salt metathesis, followed by an intramolecular redox process that separates the original hydride ligand into two electrons, which reduce the metal centres, and a proton, which is trapped by one of the binding pockets, thereby converting it into an olefin ligand on one of the Ni^I centres. The addition of a mild acid to complex 4 leads to the elimination of H₂ and the formation of a Ni^IINi^II compound, [(PYR)Ni(μ‐SEt)NiOTf] ( 5 ), so that the original Ni^II(μ‐SEt)Ni^IIX core of compound 3 is restored. All of these compounds were fully characterized, including by X‐ray diffraction, and their molecular structures, as well as their formation processes, are discussed.     

Catalytic C?C,C?N,and C?O Ullmann‐Type Coupling Reactions

Copper‐catalyzed Ullmann condensations are key reactions for the formation of carbon–heteroatom and carbon–carbon bonds in organic synthesis. These reactions can lead to structural moieties that are prevalent in building blocks of active molecules in the life sciences and in many material precursors. An increasing number of publications have appeared concerning Ullmann‐type intermolecular reactions for the coupling of aryl and vinyl halides with N, O, and C nucleophiles, and this Minireview highlights recent and major developments in this topic since 2004.     

Metal‐Catalyzed α‐Arylation of Carbonyl and Related Molecules: Novel Trends in C?C Bond Formation by C?H Bond Functionalization

α‐Arylated carbonyl compounds are commonly occurring motifs in biologically interesting molecules and are therefore of high interest to the pharmaceutical industry. Conventional procedures for their synthesis often result in complications in scale‐up, such as the use of stoichiometric amounts of toxic reagents and harsh reaction conditions. Over the last decade, significant efforts have been directed towards the development of metal‐catalyzed α‐arylations of carbonyl compounds as an alternative synthetic approach that operates under milder conditions. This Review summarizes the developments in this area to date, with a focus on how the substrate scope has been expanded through selection of the most appropriate synthetic method, such as the careful choice of ligands, precatalysts, bases, and reaction conditions.     

Alkyne Insertion into the M?P and M?H Bonds (M=Pd,Ni, Pt,and Rh): A Theoretical Mechanistic Study of the C?P and C?H Bond‐Formation Steps

In hydrogen‐metal‐phosphorus (H M P) transition metal complexes (proposed as intermediates of H P bond addition to alkynes in the catalytic hydrophosphorylation, hydrophosphinylation, and hydrophospination reactions), alkyne insertion into the metal‐hydrogen bond was found much more facile compared to alkyne insertion into the metal‐phosphorus bond. The conclusion was verified for different metals (Pd, Ni, Pt, and Rh), ligands, and phosphorus groups at various theory levels (B3LYP, B3PW91, BLYP, MP2, and ONIOM). The relative reactivity of the metal complexes in the reaction with alkynes was estimated and decreased in the order of Ni>Pd>Rh>Pt. A trend in relative reactivity was established for various types of phosphorus groups: PR₂>P(O)R₂>P(O)(OR)₂, which showed a decrease in rate upon increasing the number of the oxygen atoms attached to the phosphorus center.     

Kinetics and modeling of the H2?O2?NOx system

The addition of NO (0 to 400ppm) to mixtures of H₂ (ca. 1%) and O₂ (0.7 to 22%) has been studied over the temperature range 700 to 825 K, in a flow reactor at atmospheric pressure. The overall effect of NO is to promote the oxidation of H₂ but high concentrations of O₂ actually inhibit the NO-promoted oxidation of H₂. A detailed kinetic mechanism has been constructed and found to describe the experimental observations. The promotion of the oxidation of H₂ arises through the catalytic cycle The ability of R.34 to reactivate chains normally terminated by the formation of HO₂ is a key feature of this system. The predictions are highly sensitive to the rate of the reaction R.5 and the rate constants for this reaction is the only adjustable parameter required in the model. The value of k_5,N2 found to describe all the results has an absolute uncertainty <35%. The uncertainty relative to other important rate constants in the H₂? O₂ system is less than 10%. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Elevating the Triplet Energy Levels of Dibenzofuran‐Based Ambipolar Phosphine Oxide Hosts for Ultralow‐Voltage‐Driven Efficient Blue Electrophosphorescence: From D?A to D?π?A Systems

A series of donor (D)–π–acceptor (A)‐type phosphine‐oxide hosts ( DBF _x POPhCz _n ), which were composed of phenylcarbazole, dibenzofuran ( DBF ), and diphenylphosphine‐oxide (DPPO) moieties, were designed and synthesized. Phenyl π‐spacer groups were inserted between the carbazolyl and DBF groups, which effectively weakened the charge transfer and triplet‐excited‐state extension. As the result, the first triplet energy levels (T₁) of DBF _x POPhCz _n are elevated to about 3.0 eV, 0.1 eV higher than their D? A‐type analogues. Nevertheless, the electrochemical analysis and DFT calculations demonstrated the ambipolar characteristics of DBF _x POPhCz _n . The phenyl π spacers hardly influenced the frontier molecular orbital (FMO) energy levels and the carrier‐transporting ability of the materials. Therefore, these D? π? A systems are endowed with higher T₁ states, as well as comparable electrical properties to D? A systems. Phosphorescent blue‐light‐emitting diodes (PHOLEDs) that were based on DBF _x POPhCz _n not only inherited the ultralow driving voltages (2.4 V for onset, about 2.8 V at 200 cd m^?2, and <3.4 V at 1000 cd m^?2) but also had much‐improved efficiencies, including about 26 cd A^?1 for current efficiency, 30 Lm W^?1 for power efficiency, and 13 % for external quantum efficiency, which were more than twice the values of devices that are based on conventional unipolar host materials. This performance makes DBFDPOPhCz _n among the best hosts for ultralow‐voltage‐driven blue PHOLEDs reported so far.     

Exploring the Palladium? and Platinum?Bis(pyridine) Complex Motif by NMR Spectroscopy,X‐ray Crystallography, (Tandem) Mass Spectrometry,and Isothermal Titration Calorimetry: Do Substituent Effects Follow Chemical Intuition?

A series of ten palladium? bis(pyridine) complexes, as well as their corresponding platinum complexes, have been synthesized. The pyridine ligands in each series carried different σ‐donor and/or π‐acceptor/donor substituents at the para‐position of their pyridine rings. These complexes were analysed by NMR spectroscopy, X‐ray crystallography, (tandem) MS, and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) to validate whether these methods allowed us to obtain a concise and systematic picture of the relative and absolute thermodynamic stabilities of the complexes, as determined by the electronic effects of the substituents. Interestingly, the NMR spectroscopic data hardly correlated with the expected substituent effects but the heteronuclear platinum? phosphorus coupling constants did. Crystallographic data were found to be blurred by packing effects. Instead, tandem MS and ITC data were in line with each other and followed the expected trends.     

Using Two Simple Methods of Ar?ArF Self‐Assembly and Isolation Chromophores to Further Improve the Comprehensive Performance of NLO Dendrimers

Herein, through a combination of divergent and convergent approaches, coupled with the utilization of the powerful Sharpless “click chemistry” reaction, two series of high‐generation nonlinear optical (NLO) dendrimers have been conveniently prepared in high purity and satisfactory yields. Perfluoroaromatic rings and isolation chromophores were introduced to further improve their comprehensive performance. Thanks to the effects of Ar? Ar^F self‐assembly and the isolation chromophores, coupled with perfect 3D spatial isolation from the highly branched structure of the dendrimer, G5‐PFPh‐NS displayed very large NLO efficiency (up to 257 pm V^?1), which is, to the best of our knowledge, the new record highest value reported so far for simple azo chromophore moieties. High‐quality wide optical transparency and good stability were also achieved.     

Activation Energies and Reaction Energetics for 1,3‐Dipolar Cycloadditions of Hydrazoic Acid with C?C and C?N Multiple Bonds from High‐Accuracy and Density Functional Quantum Mechanical Calculations

The reactions of hydrazoic acid (HN₃) with ethene, acetylene, formaldimine (H₂CNH), and HCN were explored with the high‐accuracy CBS‐QB3 method, as well as with the B3LYP and mPW1K density functionals. CBS‐QB3 predicts that the activation energies for the reactions of hydrazoic acid with ethylene, acetylene, formaldimine, and HCN have remarkably similar activation enthalpies of 19.0, 19.0, 21.6, and 25.2 kcal/mol, respectively. The reactions are calculated to have reaction enthalpies of −21.5 for triazoline formation from ethene, and −63.7 kcal/mol for formation of the aromatic triazole from acetylene. The reaction to form tetrazoline from formaldimine has a reaction enthalpy of −8 kcal/mol (ΔG_rxn=+5.6 kcal/mol), and the formation of tetrazole from HCN has a reaction enthalpy of −23.0 kcal/mol. The trends in the energetics of these processes are rationalized by differences in σ‐bond energies in the transition states and adducts, and the energy required to distort hydrazoic acid to its transition‐state geometry. The density functionals predict activation enthalpies that are in relatively good agreement with CBS‐QB3, the results differing from CBS‐QB3 results by ca. 1–2 kcal/mol. Significant errors are revealed for mPW1K in predicting the reaction enthalpies for all reactions.