The first 1,2-dibora-[2]ferrocenophane and its dynamic behaviour in solution

1,2-Bis(dimethylamino)-1,2-dibora-[2]ferrocenophane (1) was prepared by the reaction of 1,1′-dilithioferrocene with 1,2-dichlorobis(dimethylamino)diborane(4). In addition to hindered rotation about the B-N bond (ΔG^‡ > 80 kJ mol⁻¹), another dynamic process was revealed by ¹H and ¹³C NMR in solution at low temperature, and interpreted as motion of the cyclopentadienyl rings between staggered and eclipsed conformations (ΔG_{(233 K)}^‡ = 44 ± 1 kJ mol⁻¹).     

Synthesis and Hydrogen-Bond Patterns of Aryl-Group Substituted Silanediols and -triols from Alkoxy- and Chlorosilanes

Organosilanols typically show a high condensation tendency and only exist as stable isolable molecules under very specific steric and electronic conditions at the silicon atom. In the present work, various novel representatives of this class of compounds were synthesized by hydrolysis of alkoxy- or chlorosilanes. Phenyl, 1-naphthyl, and 9-phenanthrenyl substituents at the silicon atom were applied to systematically study the influence of the aromatic substituents on the structure and reactivity of the compounds. Chemical shifts in ²⁹Si NMR spectroscopy in solution, correlated well with the expected electronic situation induced by the substitution pattern on the Si atom. ¹H NMR studies allowed the detection of strong intermolecular hydrogen bonds. Single-crystal X-ray structures of the alkoxides and the chlorosilanes are dominated by π-π interactions of the aromatic systems, which are substituted by strong hydrogen bonding interactions representing various structural motifs in the respective silanol structures.     

Models for the Active Center of Pterin-Containing Molybdenum Enzymes: Crystal structure of a molybdenum complex with sulfur and pterin ligands

The first crystal structure of a molybdenum complex 9 with a hydrogenated pterin and a sulfur ligand contributes to the discussion about the active center of molybdenum and tungsten enzymes containing a molybdopterin cofactor. Complex 9 was synthesized through a redox reaction of [Mo^VIO₂ (LN-S₂)] ( 8 ; LN-S₂ = pyridine-2, 6-bis(methanethiolato)) with 5, 6, 7, 8-tetrahydropterin ( 7 ). 2 HCl (H₄Ptr.2 HCl). The complex crystallizes, with a non-coordinating Cl-atom acting as a counterion, in the monoclinic space group C2/c (No. 15) with cell dimensions a = 22.900(5), b = 10.716(2), c = 17.551(4) Å, β = 120.36(3)°, and Z = 8. We interpret 9 as [Mo^IVO(LN-S₂)(H⁺-q-H₂Ptr)]Cl (q = quinonoid; H₂Ptr = dihydropterin), i.e., a Mo^IV monooxo center coordinated by a pyridine-2, 6-bis(methanethiolato) ligand and a protonated dihydropterin. The spectroscopic properties of this new complex are comparable to those of other crystalline molybdenum complexes of hydrogenated pterins without additional S-coordination. The slightly H₂O-soluble complex 9 reacts with the natural enzyme substrate DMSO very slowly, possibly due to the lack of easily dissociable ligands at the metal center.     

Umsetzungen von Ferrocenol und 1,1′-Ferrocendiol mit Cyclotriphosphazenen,P3N3F6 und P3N3Cl6

Reactions of Ferrocenol and 1,1′-Ferrocendiol with Cyclotriphosphazenes, P₃N₃F₆ and P₃N₃Cl₆ The hexahalogeno-cyclotriphosphazenes, P₃N₃X₆ (X ? F ( 1 a ), Cl ( 1 b )), react with ferrocenol (FcOH) in a molar ratio 1 : 1 to give the ferrocenoxy derivatives, FcO[P₃N₃X₅] (X ? F ( 3 a ), Cl ( 3 b )); in an analogous manner the tetrameric ring P₄N₄Cl₈ ( 2 b ) is converted to FcO[P₄N₄Cl₇] ( 4 b ).

1 Abkürzungen: Fc = Ferrocenyl, (C₅H₅)Fe(C₅H_4?); fc = 1,1′-ferrocendiyl, Fe(C₅H_4?)₂; rc = 1,1′-ruthenocendiyl, Ru(C₅H_4?)₂. Fluorphosphazene werden mit a , Chlorphosphazene mit b gekennzeichnet.

With 1,1′-ferrocenediol, (fc(OH) ₂ ), the cyclo triphosphazenes react in a molar ratio 1 : 1 to produce fcO ₂ [P ₃ N ₃ X ₄ ] (X ? F ( 5 a ), Cl ( 5 b )). According to the x-ray structure analysis, the 1,1′-ferrocenediolato group in 5 a , b is bound to two different phosphorus atoms. On the contrary, the 1,1′-ferrocenedithiolato- and 1,1′-ferrocenediselenolato units in fcS ₂ [P ₃ N ₃ X ₅ ] (X ? F ( 6 a ), Cl ( 6 b )) and fcSe ₂ [P ₃ N ₃ X ₅ ] (X ? F ( 7 a ), Cl ( 7 b )) are attached to only one phosphorus atom, and spirocyclic 1,3-dichalcogena-2-phospha-[3]ferrocenophanes are formed. All new products have been characterized on the basis of their ¹ H, ¹³ C and ³¹ P NMR as well as EI mass spectra. The molecular structures of 5 a , b and 6 a have been determined by x-ray structure analyses.     

Photofragmentation of dichloromethanol Cl2CHOH along C-O and C-Cl cleavages: a theoretical study

Multireference configuration interaction calculations are carried out for ground and excited states of dichloromethanol, Cl2CHOH, to investigate two important photofragmentation processes relevant to atmospheric chemistry. Five low-lying excited states (1(1)A", 2(1)A', 1(3)A", 2(3)A" and 1(3)A') in the energy range between 6.4 and 7.5 eV are found to be highly repulsive for C-Cl elongation, leading to ClCHOH (X2A) and Cl (X2P). Photodissociation along the C-O bond resulting in CHCl2 (X2A') and OH (X2II) has to overcome a barrier of about 0.5 eV because the low-lying excited states 1(1)A", 1(3)A' and 1(3)A" become repulsive only after the C-O bond is elongated by about 0.3 A.     

RhIAr/AuIAr′ Transmetalation: A Case of Group Exchange Pivoting on the Formation of M−M′ Bonds through Oxidative Insertion

By combining kinetic experiments, theoretical calculations, and microkinetic modeling, we show that Pf/Rf (C₆F₅/C₆Cl₂F₃) exchange between [AuPf(AsPh₃)] and trans‐[RhRf(CO)(AsPh₃)₂] does not occur by typical concerted Pf/Rf transmetalation via electron‐deficient double bridges. Instead, it involves asymmetric oxidative insertion of the Rh^I complex into the (Ph₃As)Au?Pf bond to produce a [(Ph₃As)Au?RhPfRf(CO)(AsPh₃)₂] intermediate, followed by isomerization and reductive elimination of [AuRf(AsPh₃)]. Interesting differences were found between the LAu?Ar asymmetric oxidative insertion and the classical oxidative addition process of H₂ to Vaska complexes.     

Undesired Bulk Oxidation of LiMn2O4 Increases Overpotential of Electrocatalytic Water Oxidation in Lithium Hydroxide Electrolytes

Chemical and structural changes preceding electrocatalysis obfuscate the nature of the active state of electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), which calls for model systems to gain systematic insight. We investigated the effect of bulk oxidation on the overpotential of ink-casted LiMn₂O₄ electrodes by a rotating ring-disk electrode (RRDE) setup and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) at the K shell core level of manganese ions (Mn−K edge). The cyclic voltammogram of the RRDE disk shows pronounced redox peaks in lithium hydroxide electrolytes with pH between 12 and 13.5, which we assign to bulk manganese redox based on XAS. The onset of the OER is pH-dependent on the scale of the reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE) with a Nernst slope of −40(4) mV/pH at −5 μA monitored at the RRDE ring. To connect this trend to catalyst changes, we develop a simple model for delithiation of LiMn₂O₄ in LiOH electrolytes, which gives the same Nernst slope of delithiation as our experimental data, i. e., 116(25) mV/pH. From this data, we construct an E^RHE-pH diagram that illustrates robustness of LiMn₂O₄ against oxidation above pH 13.5 as also verified by XAS. We conclude that manganese oxidation is the origin of the increase of the OER overpotential at pH lower than 14 and also of the pH dependence on the RHE scale. Our work highlights that vulnerability to transition metal redox may lead to increased overpotentials, which is important for the design of stable electrocatalysts.     

Making Use of the Direct Process Residue: Synthesis of Bifunctional Monosilanes

The industrial production of monosilanes Me_nSiCl_4−n (n=1–3) through the Müller–Rochow Direct Process generates disilanes Me_nSi₂Cl_6−n (n=2–6) as unwanted byproducts (“Direct Process Residue”, DPR) by the thousands of tons annually, large quantities of which are usually disposed of by incineration. Herein we report a surprisingly facile and highly effective protocol for conversion of the DPR: hydrogenation with complex metal hydrides followed by Si−Si bond cleavage with HCl/ether solutions gives (mostly bifunctional) monosilanes in excellent yields. Competing side reactions are efficiently suppressed by the appropriate choice of reaction conditions.     

Hydridoorganostannylene Coordination: Group 4 Metallocene Dichloride Reduction in Reaction with Organodihydridostannate Anions

Organodihydridoelement anions of germanium and tin were reacted with metallocene dichlorides of Group 4 metals Ti, Zr and Hf. The germate anion [Ar*GeH₂]⁻ reacts with hafnocene dichloride under formation of the substitution product [Cp₂Hf(GeH₂Ar*)₂]. Reaction of the organodihydridostannate with metallocene dichlorides affords the reduction products [Cp₂M(SnHAr*)₂] (M=Ti, Zr, Hf). Abstraction of a hydride substituent from the titanium bis(hydridoorganostannylene) complex results in formation of cation [Cp₂M(SnAr*)(SnHAr*)]⁺ exhibiting a short Ti–Sn interaction. (Ar*=2,6-Trip₂C₆H₃, Trip=2,4,6-triisopropylphenyl).     

Cooperativity of Catechols and Amines in High‐Performance Dry/Wet Adhesives

The outstanding adhesive performance of mussel byssal threads has inspired materials scientists over the past few decades. Exploiting the amino‐catechol synergy, polymeric pressure‐sensitive adhesives (PSAs) have now been synthesized by copolymerizing traditional PSA monomers, butyl acrylate and acrylic acid, with mussel‐inspired lysine‐ and aromatic‐rich monomers. The consequences of decoupling amino and catechol moieties from each other were compared (that is, incorporated as separate monomers) against a monomer architecture in which the catechol and amine were coupled together in a fixed orientation in the monomer side chain. Adhesion assays were used to probe performance at the molecular, microscopic, and macroscopic levels by a combination of AFM‐assisted force spectroscopy, peel and static shear adhesion. Coupling of catechols and amines in the same monomer side chain produced optimal cooperative effects in improving the macroscopic adhesion performance.