Nanofabrication with metal containing dendrimers

Dendrimers are versatile building blocks for "bottom-up" nanofabrication because they combine molecular structure and nanoscale dimensions. Moreover, dendrimers can be functionalized at their numerous peripheral end groups, in their core, along their branches, and in the voids of their interior. This Frontier highlights the potential of metal containing dendrimers for nanofabrication.     

Liquid crystalline dendrimers containing photoactive cinnamate units

Cinnamate‐containing dendrimers have been prepared by peripheral functionalization of the amine groups of a poly(propyleneimine) dendrimer with 4‐methoxycinnamate‐ or 4‐(N,N‐dimethylamino)cinnamate‐derived units and/or 4‐cyanobiphenyl units in different proportions. The synthesis, full characterization in solution, thermal properties and optical properties of the novel monomers, homodendrimers and codendrimers are reported. The composition of the molecular structure of the codendrimers has been elucidated by matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (MALDI‐TOF MS). These liquid crystalline dendrimers display lamellar SmA mesophases. The codendrimers have been tailored in such a way that the photoactive units and the liquid crystal units absorb in different regions in order to allow better control over the processes induced by light. Linearly polarized UV light irradiation studies performed on thin films of the cinnamate codendrimers show that they are photoresponsive. A photoinduced anisotropy is generated with increasing exposure time, but in‐plane amplification of anisotropy by thermal annealing in the mesophase was not observed. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2011     

Synthesis of novel dendrimers containing pyrimidine units

A novel convergent approach to dendritic macromolecules is described in which 4,6-dichloro-2-(4-methoxyphenyl)-pyrimidine is used as the building block. The nucleophilic aromatic substitution reaction at this AB₂-monomer was used as the key step in the propagation of the dendrons. Different core reagents were used to form the dendrimers, including a 5,15-bis(pyrimidyl)porphyrin core. Fourth-generation dendrons and third-generation dendrimers could be synthesized. The presented dendrimers are promising candidates to be used in applications where a more rigid structure and a larger resistance towards the applied conditions is required.     

Pi-conjugated dendrimers based on bis(enediynyl)benzene units

We have synthesized a new family of pi-conjugated dendrimers that are based on bis(enediynyl)benzene units by using both divergent and convergent approaches. The compounds at all three generations have strong bluish-green fluorescence, especially the third-generation dendrimer, which has the highest extinction coefficient and quantum efficiency in this series. [structure: see text]     

Polynuclear metal complexes of ligands containing phenolic units

The coordination properties of a selected series of acyclic and macrocyclic ligands containing one or more phenolic groups are explored. The formation of polynuclear metal complexes was only considered highlighting the key role played by the phenoxide oxygen atom in binding two metal centres in a bridge disposition. This arrangement allows two metal ions to stay close each other and consequently these dinuclear centres are able to mimic many biological sites, especially those where the two metals can cooperate to form an active centre. Catalytic properties of these polynuclear complexes, when studied, have been reported. Also some of the numerous heterodinuclear metal complexes that have been synthesized are here reviewed, included several crystal structures.     

Transition metal complexes based on thiophene-dithiolene ligands

The chemistry of transition metal dithiolene complexes based on thiophene-dithiolene ligands (TD) is reviewed, from the ligand synthesis and complex preparation to the molecular structure and solid state physical properties of different compounds based on them. The ligands considered are based mainly either on simple thiophene-dithiolates (α-tpdt = 2,3-thiophenedithiolate, dtpdt = 4,5-dihydro-2,3-thiophenedithiolate, and tpdt = 3,4-thiophenedithiolate), or in more extended and delocalised dithiolate ligands (α-tdt = 3-({5-[(2-cyanoethyl)thio]-2-thieno[2,3-d][1,3]dithiol-2-ylidene-1,3-dithiol-4-yl}thio)propanenitrile and dtdt = 3-{5-[(2-cyanoethyl)thio]-2-(5,6-dihydrothieno[2,3-d][1,3]dithiol-2-ylidene-1,3-dithiol-4-yl)thio}propanenitrile) that besides the thiophenic ring also incorporates a fused TTF moiety. Dithiolene complexes based on ligands containing appended thiophenic units will also be briefly considered. The structural variability of these complexes that in addition to the usual square planar coordination geometry, M(TD)₂, can also present dimeric, [M(TD)₂]₂, or cluster structures such as [Cu₄(TD)₃] and [Ni₄(TD)₆], is addressed. The role of the thiophene group and its ability to enhance electronic delocalisation from the metal dithiolene core throughout the ligand and to establish solid state networks of S?S interactions is discussed. The importance of these complexes as useful building blocks to prepare molecular materials with very interesting magnetic and transport properties, ranging from metamagnets to Single Component Molecular Metals, is illustrated by different compounds based on them.     

Comparative IR spectroscopic study of phosphorus-containing dendrimers built of thiophosphoryl, cyclophosphazene and phthalocyanine cores

The FTIR spectra of four generations of phosphorus-containing dendrimers built of thiophosphoryl, cyclophosphazene and phthalocyanine cores with terminal benzaldehyde and P–Cl groups have been recorded and analyzed. FT-Raman spectra of four generations of phosphorus dendrimers built of cyclotriphosphazene core with terminal benzaldehyde groups have been detected. Their spectral pattern is determined by the ratio T_n/R_n (T_n—number of terminal groups, R_n—number of repeating units). This ratio trends to r − 1 (r—branching functionality of repeating unit), and becomes constant, when the generation number is higher than 3. Experimental IR spectra of dendrimers built of thiophosphoryl, cyclophosphazene and phthalocyanine cores are very closely similar. The dependence of band full width at half height in IR spectra on the number of dendrons is established. The possibility appears to separate the bands assigned to the core, repeating units and terminal groups of dendrimers by difference spectroscopy method.     

Zwitterionic macrocyclic metal sulfate extractants containing 3-dialkylaminomethylsalicylaldimine units

10,25-Di-tert-alkyl-14,21-dimethyl-3,6,14,21-tetraazatricyclo[21.3.1.18,12]octacosa-1(27),2,6,8,10,12(28),23,25-octaene-27,28-diol macrocycles form Ni(II) and Cu(II) complexes in which the metal cation and the sulfate anion are bound in separated sites in a zwitterionic form of the ligand. The nonyl-substituted macrocycle shows a higher affinity for SO(4)(2-) and a lower binding strength for Cu(2+) than open chain analogues, the pH-dependences for which fall in ranges which allow loading of CuSO(4) at pH approximately 4 and easy stripping to recycle the ligand. X-Ray structure determinations of the Cu(II) and Ni(II) sulfate complexes of the tert-butyl substituted ligand suggest that the de-tuning of M(2+)-binding results from a distortion from planarity of the "salen" N(2)O(2)(2-) donor set imposed by the incorporation of the hexamethylene strap in the ligand and reveal that the sulfate is bound as a hydrate in a 2:2:2:2, ligand-M(2+)-SO(4)(2-)-H(2)O, assembly.     

Transition metal chemistry of oxime containing ligands,VII

Complexes of pyridine-2-aldoxime (Hpox) with iron(II) and chromium(III) of type, [Fe(Hpox)₂ X ₂] (X=Cl, Br, I or NCS); [Cr(Hpox)₃]Cl₃·3 H₂O; [Cr(Hpox)₂ X ₂]ClO₄ (X=F, Cl or Br) and [Cr(Hpox)₂(H₂O)₂]Br₃·H₂O were prepared and characterized by analytical X-ray powder diffraction, magnetism, vibrational (conventional and far-infrared) and electronic spectroscopy techniques. X-ray and electronic spectral data indicate that all the complexes except [Cr(Hpox)₃]Cl₃·3 H₂O havetrans-pseudo-octahedral microsymmetry around the metal ion. Infrared spectral data indicate that the ligand, Hpox, behaves like a neutral ligand and coordinates to the metal ion through pyridine nitrogen atom and oxime nitrogen atom in all these complexes. The magnetic susceptibilities of chromium(III) complexes, measured over a temperature range 300–78 K, are independent of temperature whereas the magnetic moments of iron(II) complexes over a temperature range 300–20 K are dependent of temperature. The observed temperature dependence of magnetic moments of iron(II) complexes was used to evaluate the magnitude of orbital reduction factor,k, the low-symmetry distortion parameter, , and the extent of reduction in spin-orbital coupling, . In all these iron(II) complexes the magnetic results indicate the presence of an orbitally non-degenerate,⁵B_2g, ground state. Magnetically unperturbed and perturbedMössbauer spectra of iron(II) complexes at various temperatures have also been reported. Magnetically perturbedMössbauer spectra of iron(II) complexes at 4.2 K in an axial field of 60kGauss indicate that the principal component of electric field gradient tensor is positive and consistent with⁵B_2g ground electronic state in a tetragonal (D _4h) local site symmetry.

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Übergangsmetallkomplexe mit Oxim-enthaltenden Liganden, VII. Elektronische und strukturelle Eigenschaften vonFe(II)-undCr(III)-Komplexen mit Pyridin-2-aldoxim

Zusammenfassung Es wurden Komplexe von Pyridin-2-aldoxim (Hpox) mit Fe(II) und Cr(III) vom Typ [Fe(Hpox)₂ X ₂] (X=Cl, Br, I, NCS), [Cr(Hpox)₃]Cl₃·3 H₂O, [Cr(Hpox)₂ X ₂]ClO₄ (X=F, Cl, Br) und [Cr(Hpox)₂(H₂O)₂]Br₃·H₂O hergestellt. Charakterisierung und Diskussion von Geometrie und Bindungsverhalten in den Komplexen erfolgte auf Grund von analytischen Daten, Röntgen-Pulveraufnahmen, Elektronenanregungsspektroskopie, Infrarotspektroskopie, magnetischen Messungen undMössbauer-Spektroskopie.

     

Transition metal based hybrid organic-inorganic copolymers

The synthesis of transition metal based hybrid copolymers is achieved by using transition metal alkoxides modified by chelating ligands functionalized with polymerizable organic groups. The heterofunctional precursor is an acetoacetoxyethylmethacrylate modified zirconium propoxyde. The hybrid copolymers obtained by double polymerization of heterofunctional precursors are characterized in the liquid and in the solid state by using light scattering, SAXS measurements, UV-visible, FTIR, ¹³C MAS NMR spectroscopies and several chemical and gravimetric analyses. Both inorganic polycondensation and organic polymerization occured and the chemical bond between organic and inorganic moities is conserved. These hybrids consist of polyzirconates chemically bonded to polymeric methacrylate chains via the -diketo complexing function. The determination of the conversion degree of both polymerization reactions reveals the competition between the two types of reactions. This competition controls the scale of homogeneity. The modification ratio (R = AAEM/Zr) of zirconium alkoxide appears to be the key parameter for the tuning of the homogeneity. A careful adjustment of this parameter leads to zirconium oxo species with more or less open structures and to the tailoring of the ratio between organic and inorganic components.     

Transition metal complexes with pyrazole based ligands

The deaquation of two isostructural compounds of general formula [M(HL)₂(H₂O)₂](NO₃)₂ (M=Co, Ni, HL=3,5-dimethyl-1H-pyrazole-1-carboxamidine) is discussed in the view of their crystal and molecular structure. The compounds contain the same number and type of hydrogen bonds of the adjacent nitrate ions, only in the opposite orientation. On the basis of their deaquation pattern such a small difference may be detected, i.e., methods of thermal analysis are sensitive enough to show very small structural differences.     

Supramolecular polymer/metal salt complexes containing quadruple hydrogen bonding units

A supramolecular material containing quadruple hydrogen bonding sites was prepared by reacting the amines of methyl isocytosine and the epoxy groups of poly (ethylene glycol diglycidyl ether). This supramolecular polymer was complexed with metal salt, that is potassium iodide, to produce polymer electrolytes, and their physical properties, specific interactions, and conductivity behavior were investigated. The ionic conductivity of polymer electrolytes continuously increased with increasing salt concentration up to 0.4 of salt weight fraction, presenting usually high solubility limit of salt in the supramolecular polymer. Wide angle X‐ray scattering data also presented that the metal salt was completely dissolved in the supramolecular polymer up to 0.4 of salt weight fraction. Upon the introduction of metal salt, the mechanical properties of the supramolecular polymer were significantly enhanced by around 10 times and the glass transition temperature of the polymer increased by about 50 °C, as revealed by complex melt viscosities and differential scanning calorimetry. These unusual behaviors of salt solubility and mechanical properties for supramolecular polymer/metal salt complexes were attributed to the strong, additional metal ion coordination to hydrogen bonding sites as well as ether oxygens of polymer matrix, as supported by FTIR spectroscopy. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 45: 3181–3188, 2007     

Cooperative sulfate binding by metal salt extractants containing 3-dialkylaminomethylsalicylaldimine units

The pH-dependence of simultaneous metal- and sulfate-loading of simple salen derivatives demonstrates the feasibility of their application as extractants for recovery of base metals from the leaching of sulfidic ores. The efficacy of the ligands depends on the templating of the sulfate binding site by the attendant metal ion.     

Synthesis and photochemical behavior of phosphorus dendrimers containing azobenzene units within the branches and/or on the surface

We describe the synthesis of three series of phosphorus-containing dendrimers having azobenzene derivatives specifically placed at some generations in the interior and/or on the surface. The largest compound obtained possesses 48 azobenzene groups on the surface. Irradiation at 350 nm induces isomerization of the azobenzene groups from the E form to the Z form, whatever their location. The thermal back-isomerization to the E form in the dark at room temperature was observed in all cases. The kinetics of this Z-->E back-isomerization was studied in several cases; the rate is not dependent on the number of azobenzene units or of the generation, when the azobenzene groups are linked to the surface of the dendrimer. A different behavior was observed when the azobenzene groups were located within the framework of the dendrimer.     

Transition metal free reductive dimerization of nitrogen containing barbituric acid benzylidenes

Through the NMR monitoring of the reactive intermediates in the condensation of barbituric acid with nitrogen containing heterocyclic 2‐carboxaldehydes, a synthetic procedure was developed for the preparation of each of the intermediates. The simple high yield procedure for the preparation of the reductive dimer from corresponding barbituric acid benzylidenes was developed, although we were not able to elucidate the source of the reduction. The structure of the dimer was confirmed by X‐ray analysis.     

Layer-block dendrimers with alternating thienylenevinylene and phenylenevinylene units

A series of new hybrid, layer-block π-conjugated dendrons and dendrimers with alternating thienylenevinylene and phenylenevinylene units has been prepared by means of an orthogonal and convergent-growth methodology that made use of the Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons (HWE) reaction. The placement of the thiophene and benzene rings can be accurately controlled to afford a large variety of dendritic structures, although access to compounds of high generation proved difficult. The optical properties of the synthesized dendrimers were determined by UV/vis and fluorescence spectroscopy, and the influence of the generation and nature of the core on the behavior of these materials was evaluated.     

Synthesis and investigation of organosilicon dendrimers based on octavinylsilsesquioxane and sulfenyl chlorides of metal acetylacetonates

The addition of sulfenyl chlorides of metal acetylacetonates to octavinylsilsesquioxane was studied. The addition was shown to proceed at four of the eight vinyl groups of the octavinylsilsesquioxane, without the formation of cross-linked polymers. This allowed us to synthesize with high yields new non-functianalized and functianalized dendrimers based on octavinylsilsesquioxane and the sulfenyl chlorides of metal acetylacetonates.     

Transition metal oxides based on conversion reaction for sodium-ion battery anodes

Recently, sodium-ion battery has been extensively explored as one of the most promising alternatives for lithium-ion battery because of the similar physical and chemical properties and its abundance in the earth's crust. Transition metal oxides based on conversion reactions, with high capacity and low cost, have been considered as promising anode materials. In this review, recent progress of conversion reaction–based transition metal oxides for SIBs is summarized; moreover, critical issues, current challenges, and future perspectives are discussed with the hope of casting some light on this type of materials.