Silyl,hydrido-silylene,or other bonding modes: some unusual structures of [(dhpe)Pt(SiHR2)]+ (dhpe = H2P-CH2-CH2-PH2; R = H,Me, SiH3, Cl,OMe, NMe2) and [(dhpe)Pt(SiR3)](+) (R = Me,Cl) from DFT calculations

DFT (B3LYP) calculations have been carried out in order to quantitatively evaluate the energies and stereochemistry of the accessible structures of [(dhpe)Pt(SiHR(2))](+) (dhpe = H(2)P-CH(2)-CH(2)-PH(2); R = H, CH(3), SiH(3), Cl, OMe, SMe, NMe(2)) and of [(dhpe)Pt(SiR(3))](+) (R = CH(3), Cl). A number of different isomers have been located. The expected terminal silyl or hydrido-silylene complexes are often not the most stable complexes. An isomer in which an H or an R group bridges a Pt=SiHR or Pt=SiR(2) bond is found to compete with the terminal silyl or hydrido-silylene isomers. In some cases, isomers derived from cleavage of a C-H bond and formation of a silene or disilene ligand are obtained. The structures of the platinum silyls differ from that of the equivalent alkyl complex, calculated for [(dhpe)Pt(CH(3))](+).     

The evolution of [[Ph2P(CH2)nPPh2]Pt(mu-S)2Pt[Ph2P(CH2)nPPh2]] (n=2, 3) metalloligands in protic acids: a cascade of sequential reactions

Given the nucleophilicity of the [Pt(2)S(2)] ring, the evolution of [Pt(2)(mu-S)(2)(P intersection P)(2)] (P intersection P=1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane (dppe), 1,3-bis(diphenylphosphino)propane (dppp)) metalloligands in the presence of the simplest electrophilic species, the proton, has been studied. Combined use of experimental and theoretical data has allowed the whole set of reactions ensuing the protonation of the [Pt(2)S(2)] core to be established. The titration of [Pt(2)(mu-S)(2)(P intersection P)(2)] with HCl or HClO(4) was monitored mainly by (31)P[(1)H] NMR and mass techniques. Characterization of all the species involved was completed with the determination of the crystal structure of [Pt(SH)(2)(P intersection P)], for dppe and dppp, and [Pt(3)(mu(3)-S)(2)(dppp)(3)](PF(6))(2). The first protonation step of the [Pt(2)S(2)] core leads to the stable [Pt(2)(mu-S)(mu-SH)(P intersection P)(2)](+) complex, but the second step implies disintegration of the ring, thus giving rise to various mononuclear species. The subsequent evolution of some of these species allows regeneration of [Pt(2)(mu-S)(mu-SH)(P intersection P)(2)](+), evidencing the cyclic nature of this process. Whereas the reaction pathway is essentially common for both phosphine ligands, dppe and dppp, the different coordinating ability of Cl(-) or ClO(4) (-) determines the nature of the final products, [PtCl(2)(P intersection P)], [Pt(3)(mu(3)-S)(2)(P intersection P)(3)]Cl(2) or [Pt(3)(mu(3)-S)(2)(P intersection P)(3)](ClO(4))(2). DFT calculations have corroborated the thermodynamic feasibility of the reactions proposed on the basis of experimental data.     

Mechanistic Intricacies of Gold‐Catalyzed Intermolecular Cycloadditions between Allenamides and Dienes

The mechanism of the gold‐catalyzed intermolecular cycloaddition between allenamides and 1,3‐dienes has been explored by means of a combined experimental and computational approach. The formation of the major [4+2] cycloaddition products can be explained by invoking different pathways, the preferred ones being determined by the nature of the diene (electron neutral vs. electron rich) and the type of the gold catalyst (AuCl vs. [IPrAu]⁺, IPr=1,3‐bis(2,6‐diisopropylphenyl)imidazole‐2‐ylidene). Therefore, in reactions catalyzed by AuCl, electron‐neutral dienes favor a concerted [4+3] cycloaddition followed by a ring contraction event, whereas electron‐rich dienes prefer a stepwise cationic pathway to give the same type of formal [4+2] products. On the other hand, the theoretical data suggest that by using a cationic gold catalyst, such as [IPrAuCl]/AgSbF₆, the mechanism involves a direct [4+2] cycloaddition between the diene and the gold‐activated allenamide. The theoretical data are also consistent with the observed regioselectivity as well as with the high selectivity towards the formation of the enamide products with a Z configuration. Finally, our data also explain the formation of the minor [2+2] products that are obtained in certain cases.     

The crystal and molecular structure of mercury(II) bis(isopropyl)dithiophosphate, Hg[S2P(OPri)2]2, revisited: new comments about its supramolecular self-organization

The crystal structure of the title compound, Hg[S₂P(OPrⁱ)₂]₂, has been determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The compound crystallizes in the centrosymmetric P2₁/c space group with a = 11.800(1), b = 8.925(2), c = 22.167(2) Å, = 94.988(7)°, and Z = 4. The same compound has been previously reported but the structure is described there in the space group C2/c. In both cases, one phosphorodithioate moiety acts as a chelating group and the other as a bridging group between neighboring mercury atoms (related to one another by the twofold screw axis), giving rise to an infinite polymer along the direction of the b axis. It turns out that in spite of the difference in space group symmetry, the structures are remarkable similar in that they are formed from infinite polymers of similar geometry. The coordination around the Hg ion shows, however, significant differences, mainly for the bridging Hg—S(4) bond length, which is 0.16 Å smaller than that previously reported.     

Dibenzo[a,o]phenanthro[3,4-s]pycene,a configurationally stable double helicene: synthesis and determination of its conformation by NMR and GIAO calculations

[reaction: see text] A double helicene formed by a pentahelicene and a heptahelicene with two rings in common was obtained by palladium-catalyzed cyclotrimerization of 3,4-didehydrophenanthrene and was characterized conformationally by NMR and GIAO calculations.     

Tris(benzocyclobutadieno)triphenylene and its lower biphenylene homologues by palladium-catalyzed cyclizations of 2,3-didehydrobiphenylene

[reaction: see text] The Pd-catalyzed cycloaddition of didehydrobiphenylenes 2a,b, generated from the corresponding 3-(trimethylsilyl)-2-biphenylenyl triflates with fluoride, furnishes the C3-symmetric trimers 1a,b in which the embedded triphenylene unit is distorted to increase the aromaticity of the central benzene ring. Cocyclization of 2a,b with dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate provides the phenanthrene- and naphthalenecarboxylic ester analogues, depending on the catalyst used.     

Improving chemistry teacher education with the philosophy of chemistry

Foundations of Chemistry -     

An unprecedented hybrid scorpionate/cyclopentadienyl ligand

An efficient method for the preparation of the first hybrid scorpionate/cyclopentadienyllithium compound as a new class of tridentate ligand is described. This compound is an excellent reagent for the introduction of this ligand into transition metal complexes.     

Autonomous learning by simple dynamical systems with a discrete-time formulation

We present a discrete-time formulation for the autonomous learning conjecture. The main feature of this formulation is the possibility to apply the autonomous learning scheme to systems in which the errors with respect to target functions are not well-defined for all times. This restriction for the evaluation of functionality is a typical feature in systems that need a finite time interval to process a unit piece of information. We illustrate its application on an artificial neural network with feed-forward architecture for classification and a phase oscillator system with synchronization properties. The main characteristics of the discrete-time formulation are shown by constructing these systems with predefined functions.