Isolation, observation, and computational modeling of proposed intermediates in catalytic proton reductions with the hydrogenase mimic Fe2(CO)6S2C6H4

Proposed electrocatalytic proton reduction intermediates of hydrogenase mimics were synthesized, observed, and studied computationally. A new mechanism for H(2) generation appears to involve Fe(2)(CO)(6)(1,2-S(2)C(6)H(4)) (3), the dianions {[1,2-S(2)C(6)H(4)][Fe(CO)(3)(μ-CO)Fe(CO)(2)](2-) (3(2-)), the bridging hydride {[1,2-S(2)C(6)H(4)][Fe(CO)(3)(μ-CO)(μ-H)Fe(CO)(2)]}(-), 3H(-)(bridging), and the terminal hydride 3H(-)(term-stag), {[1,2-S(2)C(6)H(4)][HFe(CO)(3)Fe(CO)(3)]}(-), as intermediates. The dimeric sodium derivative of 3(2-), {[Na(2)(THF)(OEt(2))(3)][3(2-)]}(2) (4) was isolated from reaction of Fe(2)(CO)(6)(1,2-S(2)C(6)H(4)) (3) with excess sodium and was characterized by X-ray crystallography. It possesses a bridging CO and an unsymmetrically bridging dithiolate ligand. Complex 4 reacts with 4 equiv. of triflic or benzoic acid (2 equiv. per Fe center) to generate H(2) and 3 in 75% and 60% yields, respectively. Reaction of 4 with 2 equiv. of benzoic acid generated two hydrides in a 1.7 : 1 ratio (by (1)H NMR spectroscopy). Chemical shift calculations on geometry optimized structures of possible hydride isomers strongly suggest that the main product, 3H(-)(bridging), possesses a bridging hydride ligand, while the minor product is a terminal hydride, 3H(-)(term-stag). Computational studies support a catalytic proton reduction mechanism involving a two-electron reduction of 3 that severs an Fe-S bond to generate a dangling thiolate and an electron rich Fe center. The latter iron center is the initial site of protonation, and this event is followed by protonation at the dangling thiolate to give the thiol thiolate [Fe(2)H(CO)(6)(1,2-SHSC(6)H(4))]. This species then undergoes an intramolecular acid-base reaction to form a dihydrogen complex that loses H(2) and regenerates 3.     

Synchrotron far infrared spectroscopy of the ground, ν(5), and ν(15) states of thiirane

The high-resolution (0.001 cm(-1)) spectrum of thiirane has been recorded at the far-infrared beamline at the Australian synchrotron between 760-400 cm(-1) and 170-10 cm(-1). Ro-vibrational transitions of the highly Coriolis coupled ν(5) (628.1 cm(-1)) and ν(15) (669.7 cm(-1)) fundamentals, as well as pure rotational far-IR transitions have been assigned, and rotational, centrifugal distortion, and Coriolis interaction parameters determined. ν(15) gains the vast majority of its intensity from an interesting Coriolis intensity stealing mechanism, which is also outlined.     

Synthesis and reactivity of tris(imido)rhenium complexes containing rhenium-main group element bonds. silicon-carbon bond activations of PhSiH(3) by silyl complexes

The synthesis and reactivity of a series of complexes of the (DippN=)(3)Re (Dipp = 2,6-(i)Pr(2)C(6)H(3)) fragment are reported. The anionic, Re(V) complex (THF)(2)Li(micro,micro-NDipp)(2)Re(=NDipp) (1), prepared by the reaction of (DippN=)(3)ReCl with (THF)(3)LiSi(SiMe(3))(3) or (t)BuLi (2 equiv) in the presence of THF (4 equiv), served as an important starting material for the synthesis of rhenium-element-bonded complexes. For example, treatment of 1 with ClSiR(3) gave the corresponding silyl complexes (DippN=)(3)ReSiR(3) (SiR(3) = SiMe(3) (2a), SiHPh(2) (2b), SiH(2)Ph (2c)). Complexes 2a-c are thought to exist in equilibrium between the Re(VII) (DippN=)(3)ReSiR(3) and Re(V) (DippN=)(2)ReN(SiR(3))Dipp isomers. Complexes 2a,b reacted with PhSiH(3) to give reaction mixtures that included 2c, Ph(2)SiH(2), SiH(4), and C(6)H(6). The silane and organic products arise from Si-C bond formation and cleavage. Treatment of 2a with CO gave (DippN=)(2)Re[N(SiMe(3))Dipp](CO) (3), which appears to result from trapping of the reactive Re(V) isomer of 2a by CO. Complex 1 reacted with the main group halides MeI, Ph(3)GeCl, Me(3)SnCl, Ph(2)PCl, and PhSeCl to give the corresponding rhenium complexes (DippN=)(3)ReER(n) (ER(n)() = Me (4), GePh(3) (5), SnMe(3) (6), PPh(2) (7), SePh (8)) in high yields. X-ray diffraction data for 5 indicate that the germyl ligand is bonded to rhenium, but positional disorder of the phenyl and Dipp groups prevented refinement of accurate metric parameters.     

Equilibrium isotope effects in the preparation and isothermal decomposition of ternary hydrides Pd(HxD1-x)y (0 < x < 1 and y > 0.6)

A Sieverts' apparatus coupled with a residual gas analysis is used to measure the concentration variations of hydrogen isotopes in the gas and solid phases during exchange and isothermal decomposition of mixed hydrides. beta-phase palladium hydrides with known ratios of H:D, Pd(H x D 1- x ) y (0 < x < 1, y > 0.6), are prepared by H 2 with PdD y or D 2 with PdH y exchange, and their desorption isotherms are reported here at 323 K. A higher equilibrium pressure in isothermal desorption of mixed hydrides is associated with a higher ratio of D/H in the initial mixed hydrides in beta-phase. The composition of the gas desorbed from a mixed hydride varies; i.e., the ratio of D/H in gas decreases with the sum of (H + D) in Pd. The values of the separation factor alpha during desorption at 323 K and during H-D exchange at 248 K are discussed and compared with those in the literature. Desorption isotherms of mixed isotope hydrides are between those of the single isotope hydrides of H-Pd and D-Pd, however, plateaus slope more than those of pure isotope hydrides. The origin of the plateau sloping in the mixed hydrides can be attributed to the compositional variations during desorption, i.e., the equilibrium pressure is greater when D/H ratio in solid is greater. A simple model is proposed in this study that agrees well with experimental results.     

Transition metal complexes of the novel hexadentate ligand 1,4-bis(di(N-methylimidazol-2-yl)methyl)phthalazine

The novel polydentate ligand 1,4-bis(di(N-methylimidazol-2-yl)methyl)phthalazine, bimptz, has been synthesized and its coordination chemistry was investigated. Bimptz is neutral and contains a central phthalazine unit, to which two di-(N-methylimidazol-2-yl)methyl groups are attached in the 1,4-positions. This ligand therefore provides up to 6 donor sites for coordination to metal ions. A series of metal complexes of bimptz was prepared and their molecular structures were determined by X-ray diffraction. Upon reaction of bimptz with two equivalents of MnCl(2)·4H(2)O, CoCl(2)·6H(2)O and [Ru(dmso)(4)Cl(2)], the dinuclear complexes [Mn(2)(bimptz)(μ-Cl)(2)Cl(2)] (1), [Co(2)(bimptz)(CH(3)OH)(2)(μ-Cl)(2)](PF(6))(2) (3) and [Ru(2)(bimptz)(dmso)(2)(μ-Cl)(2)](PF(6))(2) (4), respectively, were isolated. The latter were found to have similar solid state structures with octahedrally coordinated metal centers bridged by the phthalazine unit and two chloro ligands. The cobalt and ruthenium complexes 3 and 4 were isolated as PF(6)(-) salts and contain neutral methanol and dmso ligands, respectively, at the terminal coordination sites of the metal centres. The mononuclear ruthenium complex [Ru(Hbimptz)(2)](PF(6))(4) (6) was obtained from the reaction of two equivalents bimptz with [Ru(dmso)(4)Cl(2)]. In complex 6, three donor sites per ligand molecule are used for coordination of the Ru(ii) center. In each bimptz ligand, one of the remaining, dangling N-methylimidazole rings is protonated and forms a hydrogen bond with the unprotonated N-methylimidazole ring of the other bimptz ligand.     

Syntheses and crystal structures of 1,2:5,6:9,10:13,14:17,18:21,22-hexabenzo-3,7,11,15,19,23-hexadehydro[24]annulene (HBC), 1,2:5,6:9,10:13,14-tetrabenzo-3,7,11,15-tetradehydro[16]annulene (QBC) and a tetracobalt complex of QBC. The first example of a transition metal complex of QBC

1,2:5,6:9,10:13,14-Tetrabenzo-3,7,11,15-tetradehydro[16]annulene, or tetrabenzocyclyne (QBC) and 1,2:5,6:9,10:13,14:17,18:21,22-hexabenzo-3,7,11,15,19,23-hexadehydro[24]annulene (HBC) have been structurally characterized by X-ray. crystallography. QBC crystallizes in two different space groups; P2₁/c with a = 10.652(3) Å, b = 10.624(2) Å, c = 19.549(4) Å, β = 93.83(2)°, V = 2207.4(8) ų, and Z = 4 and P4₁2₁2 with a = 9.330(1) Å, c = 25.497(8) Å, V = 2219.6(12) Å, and Z = 4. HBC crystallizes in monoclinic P2₁/n with a = 14.763(3) Å, b = 10.296(2) Å, c = 22.057(4) Å, β = 108.61(3), V = 3177.4(11) ų, T = 133 K, and Z = 4. Reaction of QBC with dicobaltoctacarbonyl has produced a tetracobalt complex which has been characterized by X-ray crystallography. This complex crystallizes in monoclinic P2₁/c with a = 14.699(3) Å, b = 17.188(3) Å, c = 17.254(3) Å, β = 112.63(3)°, V = 4023.5(13) ų, and Z = 4. Only two of the four C---C triple bonds of QBC bind to dicobalthexacarbonyl moieties even when excess dicobaltoctacarbonyl is used.     

Temperature jump and fast photochemical oxidation probe submillisecond protein folding

We report a new mass-spectrometry-based approach for studying protein-folding dynamics on the submillisecond time scale. The strategy couples a temperature jump with fast photochemical oxidation of proteins (FPOP), whereby folding/unfolding is followed by changes in oxidative modifications by OH radical reactions. Using a flow system containing the protein barstar as a model, we altered the protein's equilibrium conformation by applying the temperature jump and demonstrated that its reactivity with OH free radicals serves as a reporter of the conformational change. Furthermore, we found that the time-dependent increase in mass resulting from free-radical oxidation is a measure of the rate constant for the transition from the unfolded to the first intermediate state. This advance offers the promise that, when extended with mass-spectrometry-based proteomic analysis, the sites and kinetics of folding/unfolding can also be followed on the submillisecond time scale.     

Catalytic activity of Ru/tetrahydropyrimidinium salts system for transfer hydrogenation reactions

New 1,3‐dialkyltetrahydropyrimidinium salts as NHC precursors have been synthesized and characterized. The in situ prepared three‐component 1,3‐dialkyltetrahydropyrimidinium salts/[RuCl₂(p‐cymene)]₂ and KOH catalyzes quantitatively the transfer hydrogenation of ketones under mild reaction conditions in 2‐propanol. Also, the molecular structure of 1,3‐bis(2‐methylbenzyl)‐3,4,5,6‐tetrahydropyrimidinium was determined using single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction. Ions of the title compound are linked by C? H…Cl and O? H…Cl hydrogen bonding interactions. The N? C? N bond angle (124.3(2)°) and C? N bond lengths (1.316(3) and 1.314(3) Å) confirm the existence of strong resonance in this part of the molecule. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The Ruthenostannylene Complex [Cp*(IXy)H2Ru‐Sn‐Trip]: Providing Access to Unusual Ru‐Sn Bonded Stanna‐imine,Stannene, and Ketenylstannyl Complexes

Reactivity studies of the thermally stable ruthenostannylene complex [Cp*(IXy)(H)₂Ru? Sn? Trip] ( 1 ; IXy=1,3‐bis(2,6‐dimethylphenyl)imidazol‐2‐ylidene; Cp*=η⁵‐C₅Me₅; Trip=2,4,6‐iPr₃C₆H₂) with a variety of organic substrates are described. Complex 1 reacts with benzoin and an α,β‐unsaturated ketone to undergo [1+4] cycloaddition reactions and afford [Cp*(IXy)(H)₂RuSn(κ²‐O,O‐OCPhCPhO)Trip] ( 2 ) and [Cp*(IXy)(H)₂RuSn(κ²‐O,C‐OCPhCHCHPh)Trip] ( 3 ), respectively. The reaction of 1 with ethyl diazoacetate resulted in a tin‐substituted ketene complex [Cp*(IXy)(H)₂RuSn(OC₂H₅)(CHCO)Trip] ( 4 ), which is most likely a decomposition product from the putative ruthenium‐substituted stannene complex. The isolation of a ruthenium‐substituted stannene [Cp*(IXy)(H)₂RuSn(?Flu)Trip] ( 5 ) and stanna‐imine [Cp*(IXy)(H)₂RuSn(κ²‐N,O‐NSO₂C₆H₄Me)Trip] ( 6 ) complexes was achieved by treatment of 1 with 9‐diazofluorene and tosyl azide, respectively.