Synthesis and Characterization of Tris(oxazolinyl)borato Copper(II) and Copper(I) Complexes

The reaction of To^MTl (To^M=tris(4,4-dimethyl-2-oxazolinyl)phenylborate) and CuBr₂ in benzene at 60 °C provides To^MCuBr ( 1 ) as an entry-point into tris(oxazolinyl)phenylborato copper chemistry. To^MCuO^tBu ( 2 ) and To^MCuOAc ( 3 ) are prepared by the reactions of To^MCuBr with KO^tBu and NaOAc, respectively. To^MCuO^tBu is transformed into (To^MCuOH)₂ ( 4 ) through hydrolysis. NMR, FT-IR, and EPR spectroscopies are used to determine the electronic and structural properties of these copper(II) compounds, and the solid-state structures were characterized by X-ray crystallography. Reduction of copper is observed upon treatment of To^MCuO^tBu with phenylsilane in an attempt to synthesize monomeric copper(II) hydride. To^MCu ( 5 ) and To^M₂Cu ( 6 ) were independently synthesized and characterized for comparison.     

Heterohexanuclear (Cu3Fe3) Complexes of Substituted Hexaazatrinaphthylene (HATN) Ligands: Twofold BF4− Association in the Solid and Stepwise Oxidation (3e) or Reduction (2e) to Spectroelectrochemically Characterized Species

New tris(ferrocenylcopper) compounds [(μ₃‐dqp){Cu(dppf)}₃][X]₃ (dppf=1,1′‐bis(diphenylphosphinoferrocene), dqp=hexamethyl‐, hexachloro‐ or un‐substituted diquinoxalino[2,3‐a:2′,3′‐c]phenazine=hexaazatrinaphthylene (HATN), X^?=BF₄^? or PF₆^?) undergo at least two different, reversible one‐electron reductions and three very closely spaced one‐electron oxidations. While the latter are attributed to the stepwise ferrocene→ferrocenium conversions, the first electron addition occurs in the ligand bridge to yield EPR detectable radical complexes. X‐band EPR measurements at 9.5 GHz showed a partially resolved hyperfine structure, while high‐frequency EPR measurements at 95 or 115 GHz revealed a small but variable axial g tensor anisotropy. All reversible steps were investigated by optically transparent thin‐layer electrode (OTTLE) spectroelectrochemistry (UV/Vis/NIR regions), revealing very low energy transitions for the reduced forms in agreement with the frontier MO arrangement. A crystal structure of the compound with unsubstituted dqp shows notable deviation from the trigonal symmetry and the close association of two tetrafluoroborate anions with the complex trication along the quasi‐trigonal axis to yield [(μ₃‐dqp){Cu(dppf)}₃(BF₄)₂]BF₄.     

Key Intermediate Species Reveal the Copper(II)-Exchange Pathway in Biorelevant ATCUN/NTS Complexes

The amino-terminal copper and nickel/N-terminal site (ATCUN/NTS) present in proteins and bioactive peptides exhibits high affinity towards Cu^II ions and have been implicated in human copper physiology. Little is known, however, about the rate and exact mechanism of formation of such complexes. We used the stopped-flow and microsecond freeze-hyperquenching (MHQ) techniques supported by steady-state spectroscopic and electrochemical data to demonstrate the formation of partially coordinated intermediate Cu^II complexes formed by glycyl–glycyl–histidine (GGH) peptide, the simplest ATCUN/NTS model. One of these novel intermediates, characterized by two-nitrogen coordination, t_1/2≈100 ms at pH 6.0 and the ability to maintain the Cu^II/Cu^I redox pair is the best candidate for the long-sought reactive species in extracellular copper transport.     

Key Intermediate Species Reveal the Copper(II)‐Exchange Pathway in Biorelevant ATCUN/NTS Complexes

The amino‐terminal copper and nickel/N‐terminal site (ATCUN/NTS) present in proteins and bioactive peptides exhibits high affinity towards Cu^II ions and have been implicated in human copper physiology. Little is known, however, about the rate and exact mechanism of formation of such complexes. We used the stopped‐flow and microsecond freeze‐hyperquenching (MHQ) techniques supported by steady‐state spectroscopic and electrochemical data to demonstrate the formation of partially coordinated intermediate Cu^II complexes formed by glycyl–glycyl–histidine (GGH) peptide, the simplest ATCUN/NTS model. One of these novel intermediates, characterized by two‐nitrogen coordination, t_1/2≈100 ms at pH 6.0 and the ability to maintain the Cu^II/Cu^I redox pair is the best candidate for the long‐sought reactive species in extracellular copper transport.     

Structural and Oxidation State Alternatives in Platinum and Palladium Complexes of a Redox-Active Amidinato Ligand

Reaction of [Pt(DMSO)₂Cl₂] or [Pd(MeCN)₂Cl₂] with the electron-rich LH=N,N’-bis(4-dimethylaminophenyl)ethanimidamide yielded mononuclear [PtL₂] ( 1 ) but dinuclear [Pd₂L₄] ( 2 ), a paddle-wheel complex. The neutral compounds were characterized through experiments (crystal structures, electrochemistry, UV-vis-NIR spectroscopy, magnetic resonance) and TD-DFT calculations as metal(II) species with noninnocent ligands L⁻. The reversibly accessible cations [PtL₂]⁺ and [Pd₂L₄]⁺ were also studied, the latter as [Pd₂L₄][B{3,5-(CF₃)₂C₆H₃}₄] single crystals. Experimental and computational investigations were directed at the elucidation of the electronic structures, establishing the correct oxidation states within the alternatives [Pt^II(L⁻)₂] or [Pt^.(L )₂], [Pt^II(L^0.5−)₂]⁺ or [Pt^III(L⁻)₂]⁺, [(Pd^II)₂(μ-L⁻)₄] or [(Pd^1.5)₂(μ-L^0.75−)₄], and [(Pd^2.5)₂(μ-L⁻)₄]⁺ or [(Pd^II)₂(μ-L^0.75−)₄]⁺. In each case, the first alternative was shown to be most appropriate. Remarkable results include the preference of platinum for mononuclear planar [PtL₂] with an N-Pt-N bite angle of 62.8(2)° in contrast to [Pd₂L₄], and the dimetal (Pd₂⁴⁺→Pd₂⁵⁺) instead of ligand (L⁻→L ) oxidation of the dinuclear palladium compound.     

Copper(II) Complexes of a Hexadentate Mixed‐Donor N3S3 Macrobicyclic Cage: Facile Rearrangements and Interconversions

The potentially hexadentate mixed‐donor cage ligand 1‐methyl‐8‐amino‐3,13,16‐trithia‐6,10,19‐triazabicyclo[6.6.6]eicosane (AMME‐N₃S₃sar; sar=sarcophagine) displays variable coordination modes in a complex with copper(II). In the absence of coordinating anions, the ligand adopts a conventional hexadentate N₃S₃ binding mode in the complex [Cu(AMME‐N₃S₃sar)](ClO₄)₂ that is typical of cage ligands. This structure was determined by X‐ray crystallography and solution spectroscopy (EPR and NIR UV/Vis). However, in the presence of bromide ions in DMSO, clean conversion to a five‐coordinate bromido complex [Cu(AMME‐N₃S₃sar)Br]⁺ is observed that features a novel tetradentate (N₂S₂)‐coordinated form of the cage ligand. This copper(II) complex has also been characterized by X‐ray crystallography and solution spectroscopy. The mechanism of the reversible interconversion between the six‐ and five‐coordinated copper(II) complexes has been studied and the reaction has been resolved into two steps; the rate of the first is linearly dependent on bromide ion concentration and the second is bromide independent. Electrochemistry of both [Cu(AMME‐N₃S₃sar)]²⁺ and [Cu(AMME‐N₃S₃sar)Br]⁺ in DMSO shows that upon reduction to the monovalent state, they share a common five‐coordinated form in which the ligand is bound to copper in a tetradentate form exclusively, regardless of whether a six‐ or five‐coordinated copper(II) complex is the precursor.     

The extended view on the empty C2(3)-C82 fullerene: isolation, spectroscopic, electrochemical, and spectroelectrochemical characterization and DFT calculations

An extended study of the spectroscopic and redox properties of the C(82) fullerene is presented. Among the nine isolated-pentagon-rule (IPR) isomers of the C(82) fullerene the C(82)(3) isomer with C(2) symmetry is the only stable, empty fullerene structure formed in the arc burning process that can be isolated in an isomerically pure form. Here, its formation and isolation are described and its structure is confirmed by experimental spectroscopic studies as well as time-dependent DFT calculations. The electrochemistry of the C(82)(3) isomer is studied in detail by cyclic voltammetry and spectroelectrochemistry. The anionic species of C(82) with the charge ranging from C(82) (-) to C(82) (4-) were successively generated in o-dichlorobenzene solution at room temperature and characterized by in situ ESR and visible/near-infrared (Vis/NIR) spectroscopy. The data give new insights into the charged states of the C(82)(3) fullerene.     

A Dicobalt Complex with an Unsymmetrical Quinonoid Bridge Isolated in Three Units of Charge: A Combined Structural, (Spectro)electrochemical,Magnetic and Spectroscopic Study

Quinonoid ligands are excellent bridges for generating redox‐rich dinuclear assemblies. A large majority of these bridges are symmetrically substituted, with examples of unsymmetrically substituted quinonoid bridges being extremely rare. We present here a dicobalt complex in its various redox states with an unsymmetrically substituted quinonoid bridging ligand. Two homovalent forms and one mixed‐valent form have been isolated and characterized by single crystal X‐ray diffraction. The complex displays a large comproportionation constant for the mixed‐valent state which is three orders of magnitude higher than that observed for the analogous complex with a symmetrically substituted bridge. Results from electrochemistry, UV/Vis/NIR spectroelectrochemistry, SQUID magnetometry, multi‐frequency EPR spectroscopy and FIR spectroscopy are used to probe the electronic structures of these complexes. FIR provides direct evidence of exchange coupling. The results presented here display the advantages of using an unsymmetrically substituted bridge: site specific redox chemistry, high thermodynamic stabilization of the mixed‐valent form, isolation and crystallization of various redox forms of the complex. This work represents an important step on the way to generating heterodinuclear complexes for use in cooperative catalysis.     

An Adaptable N‐Heterocyclic Carbene Macrocycle Hosting Copper in Three Oxidation States

A neutral hybrid macrocycle with two trans‐positioned N‐heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) and two pyridine donors hosts copper in three oxidation states (+I–+III) in a series of structurally characterized complexes ( 1 – 3 ). Redox interconversion of [LCu]^+/2+/3+ is electrochemically (quasi)reversible and occurs at moderate potentials (E_1/2=?0.45 V and +0.82 V (vs. Fc/Fc⁺)). A linear C^NHC‐Cu‐C^NHC arrangement and hemilability of the two pyridine donors allows the ligand to adapt to the different stereoelectronic and coordination requirements of Cu^I versus Cu^II/Cu^III. Analytical methods such as NMR, UV/Vis, IR, electron paramagnetic resonance, and Cu Kβ high‐energy‐resolution fluorescence detection X‐ray absorption spectroscopies, as well as DFT calculations, give insight into the geometric and electronic structures of the complexes. The XAS signatures of 1 – 3 are textbook examples for Cu^I, Cu^II, and Cu^III species. Facile 2‐electron interconversion combined with the exposure of two basic pyridine N sites in the reduced Cu^I form suggest that [LCu]^+/2+/3+ may operate in catalysis via coupled 2 e^?/2 H⁺ transfer.     

担载树状高分子铜配合物催化氧化乙基苯性能研究

应用简单、洁净的固相合成方法合成了氯球(氯甲基聚苯乙烯)担载的1-6代聚酰胺-胺树状分子金属铜配合物,通过IR、ICP和XPS对配体和配合物的结构进行了表征,将此类配合物用作在无溶剂情况下分子氧氧化乙基苯的催化剂,研究了其催化性能,并探讨了反应温度、反应时间、催化剂用量、酸碱添加剂以及催化剂重复利用对反应的影响.研究结果表明此类配合物对乙基苯的氧化反应具有一定的催化活性,反应以苯甲酮,1-苯基乙醇,苯偶姻为主要产物.此催化体系使用环境友好的氧化剂,催化剂制备方法简单、催化剂在多次重复利用后活性没有明显降低,可回收和重复利用.     

Two Trinuclear CuII Complexes: Effect of Phosphonate Ligand on the Magnetic Property and Electrocatalytic Reactivity for Water Oxidation

Two trinuclear copper phosphonate complexes, [Cu₃(pda)₃(tBuPO₃)]?2(Et₃NH) ( 1 ) and [Cu₃(pda)₃(PhPO₃)]?2(Et₃NH) ( 2 ), have been synthesized and investigated by a combination of X‐ray crystallography, PXRD, magneto‐ and electrochemistry, EPR, in situ UV‐vis spectroelectrochemistry and DLS. The two complexes feature almost identical crystal structures, the anions of which are both supported by pda^2? and tBuPO₃^2?/PhPO₃^2? groups, bridging three five‐coordinated Cu^II atoms to form a crown‐like structure. This is the first time that trinuclear copper phosphonate complexes have been isolated and characterized. Magnetic susceptibility measurements reveal that complexes 1 and 2 both display overall ferromagnetic characters, but with different exchange interactions between the metal ions within the two clusters. The electrocatalytic activity for water oxidation of the two complexes was preliminarily investigated, which reveals that both of the two complexes can carry out electrocatalytic water oxidation in a neutral system owing to the introduction of phosphonate ligands into the complexes, with a TOF of about 0.82 s^?1 ( 1 ) and 0.58 s^?1 ( 2 ), respectively. We propose that the presence of phosphonate ligands may affect the magnetic property and catalytic activity of the complexes.