Neutral Tridentate PNP Ligands and Their Hybrid Analogues: Versatile Non‐Innocent Scaffolds for Homogeneous Catalysis

Ligands in coordination chemistry and homogeneous catalysis are traditionally “static” spectators that do not actively participate in the catalytic cycle. However, such classic systems do not provide additional “handles” that could facilitate or trigger alternative productive reaction pathways. Recent advances in the use of novel nitrogen‐centered pincer systems have unveiled interesting opportunities for cooperative catalysis. The chemistry of pyridine‐derived, neutral ligands is discussed, with a specific focus on their non‐innocent behavior and potential as facilitators for metal‐mediated organic transformations. This overview should provide inspiration and an incentive to incorporate non‐innocent ligands and their metal complexes within old and new homogeneously catalyzed reactions.     

N‐Heterocyclic Carbenes: A New Concept in Organometallic Catalysis

N‐Heterocyclic carbenes have become universal ligands in organometallic and inorganic coordination chemistry. They not only bind to any transition metal, be it in low or high oxidation states, but also to main group elements such as beryllium, sulfur, and iodine. Because of their specific coordination chemistry, N‐heterocyclic carbenes both stabilize and activate metal centers in quite different key catalytic steps of organic syntheses, for example, C−H activation, C−C, C−H, C−O, and C−N bond formation. There is now ample evidence that in the new generation of organometallic catalysts the established ligand class of organophosphanes will be supplemented and, in part, replaced by N‐heterocyclic carbenes. Over the past few years, this chemistry has been the field of vivid scientific competition, and yielded previously unexpected successes in key areas of homogeneous catalysis. From the work in numerous academic laboratories and in industry, a revolutionary turning point in oraganometallic catalysis is emerging.     

Sterically Constrained Bicyclic Phosphines: A Class of Fascinating Compounds Suitable for Application in Small Molecule Activation and Coordination Chemistry

Bicyclic phosphines with two annulated, electronically unsaturated five-membered heterocycles are available through facile routes. In most cases, their phosphorus atoms are bound to heteroatoms such as oxygen or nitrogen (PN₃ or PN₂O), whereas homoleptic coordination by three sp²-hybridized carbon atoms has been reported only recently. Steric strain causes unique reactivity. Oxidative addition of halogens, N−H or O−H bonds have afforded phosphoranes as valuable materials for secondary processes. Ring opening was identified as an important step for the understanding of these reactions and has been observed experimentally with a diphosphorus-based ring system. A PH₂ derivative has been considered as a model system for small molecule activation, and hydrogen transfer to a diazo compound was observed experimentally. Several of these phosphines are excellent ligands for the coordination of transition-metal atoms. The very bulky PC₃ compound has a basicity similar to that of PPh₃ and may allow the synthesis of complexes with unusually low coordination numbers at the metal atoms. These phosphines found recently renewed interest as promising reagents in various secondary transformations such as the activation of σ-bonds or in coordination chemistry.     

An Evaluation of Ligand Properties of Neutral and Anionic Tris(imidazol‐2‐yl)phosphines

In order to study the applicability of tris(imidazol‐2‐yl)phosphine (PIm₃) as a possible charge‐variable ligand, new neutral N‐butyl and N‐benzyl derivatives and d⁰‐metal complexes thereof were prepared and characterized as reference compounds for planned complexes with high valent metals. In addition, an anionic ligand precursor was characterized by X‐Ray analysis and its reactivity towards transition metal halides assayed.     

Design of targeting ligands in medicinal inorganic chemistry

This tutorial review will highlight recent advances in medicinal inorganic chemistry pertaining to the use of multifunctional ligands for enhanced effect. Ligands that adequately bind metal ions and also include specific targeting features are gaining in popularity due to their ability to enhance the efficacy of less complicated metal-based agents. Moving beyond the traditional view of ligands modifying reactivity, stabilizing specific oxidation states, and contributing to substitution inertness, we will discuss recent work involving metal complexes with multifunctional ligands that target specific tissues, membrane receptors, or endogenous molecules, including enzymes.     

Design and Self-assembly of a Novel Tetranuclear Zinc（ Ⅱ ） Complex via Reaction of 1,3-Thiazolidine-2-thione（tzdtH） with Zn（ NO3）2

Introduction The self-assembly of clusters in inorganic systems is an interesting subject.The self-assembly of big mole-cules has been well established in biological sys-tems[1—5].In addition,the coordination chemistry of metal-sulfur-nitrogen cluster co…     

95Mo NMR: a useful tool for structural studies in solution

Oxomolybdenum(VI) complexes containing diverse ligands from an electronic and topological point of view have been analysed by means of ⁹⁵Mo NMR in solution with the purpose of using this technique as a tool to study their coordination chemistry and reactivity. The relationship between the electronic density on the metal tuned by the electron‐donor ability of the coordinated ligands and the ⁹⁵Mo chemical shift has been proved for mono‐ and bimetallic complexes showing a hexa‐ or hepta‐coordination around the metal centre. The different origins of the signal broadening (associated either to the symmetry of the metallic polyhedron or to the presence of isomers or to the ligand de‐coordination) have been also considered to rationalise the obtained data. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Phosphorylation of imidazo[2,1‐b]thiazoles with phosphorus(III) halides in the presence of bases

The reaction of phosphorus(III) halides with 6‐substituted imidazo[2,1‐b]thiazoles in the presence of bases proceeds regioselectively and affords 5‐phosphinoimidazo[2,1‐b]thiazoles, useful synthons for the preparation of various P(III) and P(V) derivatives. 5‐Phosphinoimidazo[2,1‐b]thiazoles are selectively alkylated at the phosphorus or heterocyclic nitrogen atom, depending on the alkylating agent. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 16:648–655, 2005; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/hc.20166     

Synthesis,Structure and Reactivity of Sulfur-Rich Cyclopentadienyl-Transition Metal Complexes: Sulfur Chemistry from an Organometallic Point of View

Metal-sulfur centers play an important role in the activity of metalloproteins in enzymatic catalysis and the activity of metal sulfides as heterogeneous catalysts. The systematic search for M? S model compounds led to the discovery of an interesting and novel structural chemistry, which stems from the numerous coordination possibilities of sulfur ligands. The intention of this review article is to present and outline new approaches to sulfur chemistry from the organometallic point of view. Reactive cyclopentadienyl-transition metal fragments incorporate elemental sulfur to give polynuclear sulfur-rich complexes, which can contain either mono-, di- or polysulfido ligands or several such ligands in combined form. The versatile structural chemistry of the complexes formed and their reactivity towards organic, inorganic and organometallic compounds are discussed, and examples of some simple and rational procedures for their synthesis starting from cyclopentadienylcarbonyl- and cyclopentadienylhydrido-complexes are outlined. Their reactivity is manifested in numerous metal- and ligandcentered reactions. Finally the, albeit far less extensive, complex chemistry of the other chalcogens (O, Se, Te) is also considered for comparison, thus providing a more detailed survey of particular aspects of this area of chemistry.     

Evidence of polyphenols nitrosation by computer aided ESR spectroscopy

Polyphenols play an important role as model systems in transition metal derivatives for the preparation of macromolecular systems. Among the metal ions ironnitrosyl coordination chemistry has received much attention in the past because of its important role in inorganic and biological processes. In the case of Fe(I)(NO)₂ complexes with polyphenols ligands in solution, difficulties in the interpretation of the ESR spectra arise from complicated patterns due to simultaneous presence of different nitrogen nuclei directly bound to the metal ion or due to the presence of equilibria between species under slow exchange conditions. In order to overcome these difficulties the investigations reported here were carried out using computer simulation of ESR spectra combined with selective isotopic substitution of ¹⁴NO with ¹⁵NO. Resorcinol displays an unexpected nine lines ESR pattern at g=2.018 which can be explained only by considering more than two nitrogen atoms interacting with the unpaired electron delocalized over the metal complex.     

Novel Coordination Polymers Constructed from 4,4'-Bipyridine and Phosphate

The synthesis of open-fiamework metal phosphates has been a subject of intense research owing to their interesting structural chemistry and potential applications as ionexchangers, catalysts and adsorbents. A large number of these materials are synthesized in the presence of organic amines as structure-directing agents. Recently, many research activities have focused on the synthesis of inorganic-organic hybrid frameworks. As compared with inorganic ligands, the advantage of using organic multidentate ligands is the efficacy of rational design of crystalline solids through their coordinating propensities and geometries.     

Si?H and C?H Activation by Transition Metal Complexes: A Step Towards Isolable Alkane Complexes?

The recognition of the fundamental contributions by G. A. Olah on the elucidation of the structure of nonclassical carbocations, in the form of the award of the Nobel prize for chemistry, has recently emphasized the importance of electron-deficient bonds in the understanding of chemical bonding in organic chemistry. In the field of coordination chemistry, the formulation of electron-deficient bonds has been used for some time to describe nonclassical interactions between atoms. Traditional ligands in coordination chemistry such as amines and phosphanes bond to metal centers through their lone pair of electrons. Synergistic bonding effects dominate in the coordination of π-bonded ligands such as alkenes. In the mid-1980s the discovery of dihydrogen complexes having side-on coordination of H₂ gave fresh impetus to transition metal chemistry as well as to the understanding of the interaction of σ-coordinating ligands with transition metals. In the meantime, transiton metal complexes can be obtained with a variety of σ-coordinated X-H fragments, and their mode of bonding can be understood by a common and quite general model. The chemistry of σ-bound silane ligands is particularly varied and well-investigated. These silane ligands enable the investigation of a large range of σ-coordinated metal complex fragments up to complete oxidative addition with cleavage of the Si? H bond and formation of silyl(hydrido) complexes, which has thus also widened our general understanding of the bonding of other σ-bound ligands. Whilst there is a large range of isolable and stable H₂ and SiR₄ complexes available, there are no such alkane analogues known at present. Only when the C? H bond is part of a ligand that is already directly bonded to the transition metal center will the resulting chelate effect stabilize this agostic C-H-M interaction. The complexation of SiH₄, the simplest heavier homologue of CH₄, was achieved recently. This is a further step towards the understanding of the factors which govern σ-complexation of ligands at transition metal centers.     

Complementing Pyridine‐2,6‐bis(oxazoline) with Cyclometalated N‐Heterocyclic Carbene for Asymmetric Ruthenium Catalysis

A strategy for expanding the utility of chiral pyridine‐2,6‐bis(oxazoline) (pybox) ligands for asymmetric transition metal catalysis is introduced by adding a bidentate ligand to modulate the electronic properties and asymmetric induction. Specifically, a ruthenium(II) pybox fragment is combined with a cyclometalated N‐heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligand to generate catalysts for enantioselective transition metal nitrenoid chemistry, including ring contraction to chiral 2H‐azirines (up to 97 % ee with 2000 TON) and enantioselective C(sp³)?H aminations (up to 97 % ee with 50 TON).     

芳基钌抗癌化合物的研究进展

无机药物化学领域正在快速发展,尤其是有机金属配合物作为癌症的治疗和诊断试剂有很大的潜力.芳基钌配合物中芳基对抗癌活性有重要影响,并能调控配合物金属中心的热力学和动力学性能.配合物的构效关系研究,对进一步合理设计/合成具有潜在药用价值的有机金属配合物至关重要.本文选取钌芳基配合物作为抗癌药物的具体实例进行讨论,重点介绍了多种芳基钌配合物的构效关系及抗癌机理.     

Bulky Phosphinines: From a Molecular Design to an Application in Homogeneous Catalysis

The design and preparation of an asymmetrically substituted and bulky phosphinine was achieved by introducing sterically demanding substituents into specific positions of a rigid phosphorus‐heterocyclic framework. Compound 5 shows, at the same time, axial chirality and a sufficiently high energy barrier for internal rotation to prevent enantiomerization. Both enantiomers of 5 were isolated by means of chiral analytical HPLC, and their absolute configurations could be assigned by combining experimental data and DFT calculations. Despite its substitution pattern, 5 can still coordinate to transition‐metal centers through the lone pair of electrons on the phosphorus atom. Rapid C? H activation on the adjacent aryl substituent at the 2‐position of the phosphorus heterocycle was achieved by using [{Cp*IrCl₂}₂] (Cp*=1,2,3,4,5‐pentamethylcyclopentadienyl) as a metal precursor. A racemic mixture of 5 was applied as a π‐accepting low‐coordinate phosphorus ligand in the Rh‐catalyzed hydroformylation of trans‐2‐octene, which showed a clear preference for the formation of 2‐methyloctanal.     

THE CRYSTAL STRUCTURE OF DIBROMO (PHENYL-2-PYRIDYL DIMETHYLHYDRAZONE)PALLADIUM(II)

Abstract

Nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compounds play an important role in several biological processes. Furthermore, their biological activity seems often to depend upon interaction with a metal ion. Interest in the study of hydrazones and their metal complexes has been growing because of their physiological activity, coordination capability and application in analytical chemistry.^1,2 Many hydrazones and their metallic derivatives show very interesting biological activity, e.g., as antitumour or anticonvulsant agents, and behave as cytotoxic compounds toward tumour cells.³ During the past few years, in addition to platinum compounds, coordination compounds of palladium(II) and (IV) seem to be promising in cancer chemotherapy.⁴ Due to the biological activity of heterocyclic hydrazones and in continuing our systematic investigations of the platinum group metals with hydrazones and generally with heterocyclic nitrogen donor ligands,^5–10 we report here the crystal structure of dibromo(phenyl-2-pyridyldimethylhydrazone) palladium(II).     

Medicinal Organometallic Chemistry: Designing Metal Arene Complexes as Anticancer Agents

The field of medicinal inorganic chemistry is rapidly advancing. In particular organometallic complexes have much potential as therapeutic and diagnostic agents. The carbon‐bound and other ligands allow the thermodynamic and kinetic reactivity of the metal ion to be controlled and also provide a scaffold for functionalization. The establishment of structure–activity relationships and elucidation of the speciation of complexes under conditions relevant to drug testing and formulation are crucial for the further development of promising medicinal applications of organometallic complexes. Specific examples involving the design of ruthenium and osmium arene complexes as anticancer agents are discussed.     

Synthesis of Onion‐Peel Nanodendritic Structures with Sequential Functional Phosphorus Diversity

The preparation of novel families of phosphorus‐based macromolecular architectures called “onion peel” phosphorus nanodendritic systems is reported. This construct is based on the versatility of methods of synthesis using several building blocks and on the capability of these systems to undergo regioselective reactions within the cascade structure. Sustainable metal‐free routes such as the Staudinger reaction or Schiff‐base condensation, involving only water and nitrogen as byproducts, allow access to several dendritic macromolecules bearing up to seven different phosphorus units in their backbone, each of them featuring specific reactivity. The presence of the highly aurophilic P?N?P?S fragment enables selective ligation of Au^I within the dendritic framework.