Fluxional processes in diamagnetic and paramagnetic allyl dicarbonyl and 2-methylallyl dicarbonyl molybdenum histidinato complexes as revealed by spectroscopic data and density functional calculations

This work describes a detailed study on the structure and dynamics of pseudooctahedral low-valent complexes of the type [Mo(His-N(epsilon)-R)(eta-2-R'-allyl)(CO)(2)] (His=N(delta),N,O-L-histidinate; R=H, R'=H (1); R=C(2)H(4)CO(2)Me, R'=H (2); R=H, R'=Me (3); R=C(2)H(4)CO(2)Me, R'=Me (4)). These diamagnetic 18-electron complexes were comprehensively characterized spectroscopically and by X-ray crystallography. In the solid state, the (substituted) allyl ligand is in an endo position in all compounds, but it is trans to the His-N(delta) atom in 1 and 2, whereas it is trans to the carboxylate O atom for the 2-Me-allyl compounds 3 and 4. In solution, both isomers are present in a solvent-dependent equilibrium. The third isomer (allyl trans to His-NH(2)) is not spectroscopically observed in solution. This is in agreement with the results from density functional (DFT) computations (BPW 91 functional) for 1 and 3, which predict a considerably higher energy (+6.3 and +5.9 kJ mol(-1), respectively) for this isomer. A likely path for isomerization is calculated, which is consistent with the activation energy determined by variable temperature NMR measurements. At least for 3, the preferred path involves several intermediates and a rotation of the 2-Me-allyl ligand. For the paramagnetic 17-electron congeners, DFT predicts the exo isomer of 3(+) with the 2-Me-allyl ligand trans to the carboxylate O atom to be by far the most stable isomer. For 1(+), an endo-exo equilibrium between the isomers with the allyl ligand trans to the carboxylate O atom is suggested. These suggestions are confirmed by EPR spectroscopy on the electrochemically generated species, which show signals for one- (4) and two- (2) metal-containing compounds. The appearance of the EPR spectra may be rationalized by inspection of the SOMOs from DFT calculations of the species in question. The notion of a metal-centered oxidation is also substantiated by IR spectroelectrochemistry and by UV/Vis spectra of the 17-electron complexes. Upon depleting the metal of electron density, the stretching vibrations of the carbonyl ligands shift more than 100 cm(-1) to higher wavenumbers, and the carbonyl vibration of the metal-coordinated carboxylate shifts by about 50 cm(-1). A color change from yellow to green upon oxidation is observed visually and quantified by the appearance of a new band at 622 nm (2(+)) and 546 nm (4(+)), respectively.     

Supramolecular assemblies for light-induced electron-transfer reactions

In this paper, we present a summary of our work on highly photostable supramolecular ruthenium complexes, which may be incorporated into more complex systems for artificial solar energy conversion. We have used supramolecular chemistry and photochemistry to synthesize highly photostable ruthenium bipyridine coronates and a bipyridazine podate complex and to enhance photoelectron-transfer reactions in physical model systems for artificial photosynthesis. The recent progress of covalent and non-covalent sensitizer-relay assemblies for highly efficient photoelectron transfer is described.

A detailed mechanistic investigation of the binding behavior of cationic species to crow-ether-modified bipyridine derivatives is presented as an example of supramolecular binding in systems for photoelectron transfer. The host properties of the free ligands and the derived bis-heteroleptic ruthenium complexes are compared using UV—visible, luminescence quenching and proton nuclear magnetic resonance titrations. The combination of these three methods confirms that supramolecular binding of cations and the electron relay methylviologen (MV²⁺) to the complexes can be observed. The binding constants determined are of the order of (1–6) × 10⁴ 1 mol⁻¹ for the crown-ether ruthenium complexes and 1 × 10²−4 × 10³ 1 mol⁻³ for the crown-ether ligands. Single-photon-counting (SPC) investigations give strong indications for the coexistence of different binding mechanisms. The kinetic scheme of Yekta et al. has been adapted to interpret the binding mechanism.     

Ferrocenoyl peptides with sulfur-containing side chains: synthesis, solid state and solution structures

The synthesis and full characterization of a number of amino acid and dipeptide derivatives with sulfur-containing side chains derived from ferrocene carboxylic acid and ferrocene-1,1′-dicarboxylic acid is presented. In particular, compounds Fc-CO-(Aaa)_n-OMe (4) and Fe[C₅H₄-CO-(Aaa)_n-OMe]₂ (3) with (Aaa)_n = Cys(Bzl) (a), Cys(Bzl)-Cys(Bzl) (b), Cys(p-OMe-Bzl) (c), Cys(p-OMe-Bzl)-Cys(p-OMe-Bzl) (d), Met (e), and Met-Met (f) were prepared. Also, the free acid derivatives Fe[C₅H₄-CO-Met-OH]₂ (6e) and Fc-CO-Met-OH (7e) were prepared and characterized. The solid state structures of 3a, 4b, and 4e were determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction. Compound 3a shows a 1,3′ substitution pattern on the Cp rings in the solid state. Structures in solution were determined by NMR, IR and CD spectroscopy, with particular emphasis on the question of hydrogen bonding and helical chirality of the metallocene. As an example, the full assignment for the Cp signals in the disubstituted derivative 3a was achieved by simulation of the ¹H NMR signals from the cyclopentadienyl ring in combination with 2D-NOESY spectra. In solution, 3a has the known 1,2′ substitution pattern, which is stabilized by intramolecular hydrogen bonds.     

Reactions of Group 8, 9, and 10 monocations (Fe+, Co+, Ni+, Ru+, Rh+, Pd+, Os+, Ir+, Pt+) with phosphane in the gas phase

The reactions of Group 8, 9 and 10 monocations with phosphane were studied under single-collision conditions in a Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FT-ICR) mass spectrometer. Fe(+) is completely unreactive, Co(+) reacts slowly and shows both adduct formation and P-H bond activation, and Ni(+) reacts slowly as well but shows adduct formation only. In contrast to their first-row congeners, the investigated second- and third-row transition metal monocations show facile P-H bond activations. Remarkably, extensive dehydrogenations of the collision complexes yield cations MPH(+), MP(2) (+), MP(3)H(+), MP(4) (+) and so on. Exceptional behaviour is shown by the two d(9) cations palladium (whose "dehydrogenation power" is rather limited) and platinum (which gives rise to a great manifold of only partially dehydrogenated species as well). Collision-induced dissociation experiments suggest that P(2) and PH units are formed as ligands.     

Self-consistent solution of the Dyson equation for atoms and molecules within a conserving approximation

We have calculated the self-consistent Green's function for a number of atoms and diatomic molecules. This Green's function is obtained from a conserving self-energy approximation, which implies that the observables calculated from the Green's functions agree with the macroscopic conservation laws for particle number, momentum, and energy. As a further consequence, the kinetic and potential energies agree with the virial theorem, and the many possible methods for calculating the total energy all give the same result. In these calculations we use the finite temperature formalism and calculate the Green's function on the imaginary time axis. This allows for a simple extension to nonequilibrium systems. We have compared the energies from self-consistent Green's functions to those of nonselfconsistent schemes and also calculated ionization potentials from the Green's functions by using the extended Koopmans' theorem.     

Base-freie Tris(trimethylsilyl)methyl-Derivate des Lithiums,Aluminiums, Galliums und Indiums

Base-free Tris(trimethylsilyl)methyl Derivatives of Lithium, Aluminium, Gallium, and Indium Base-free LiR* (R*=-C(SiMe₃)₃) has been prepared from R*Cl and Li-metal in toluene at 85?90°C and used to synthesize the metallanes R*MMe₂ with M = Al, Ga and In, respectively. The NMR (¹H, ¹³C, ²⁹Si) and the vibrational spectra of these trisyl compounds have been discussed. AlCl₃ and LiR*(ratio 1 : 1) forms the metallate metallate Li[R*AlCl₃]. The triclinic unit cell (space group P1 ) consists of a centrosymmetric assoziate, formed by four Li[R*AlCl₃]- units with Al? Cl…?Li bridges, two pairs of Li-atoms differing in their chlorine-coordination and two disordered toluene molecules, inserted in the crystal lattice (R₁wR₂ =0,0444/0,1072). The reaction of GaCl₃ with LiR* (I :1) gives the unusual sesquichloride (R*Ga(Cl_1,33)Me_0,67)₃ in moderate yield. The X-ray structure determination shows a Ga₃Cl₃-skeleton with chairconformation and disordered, terminal gallium ligands (R₁/wR₂= 0,0646/0,2270).     

Few-electron corrections of statistical exchange potential in low-energy electron scattering

In order to allow for the relative increase of self-interaction in few-electron systems, a reduction factor is introduced into the statistical free-electron exchange potential. This net-exchange potential has been used in the calculation of elastic electron scattering by rare-gas atoms in the low-energy region from 0 to 10 eV. Whereas former attempts to treat these phenomena as simple potential scattering have failed, in this work at least a crude qualitative agreement with experimental data has been achieved in most cases.     

Probing cooperative effects in bimetallic clusters: indications of C-N coupling of CH4 and NH3 mediated by the cluster ion PtAu+ in the gas phase

The bimetallic cluster ion PtAu+ activates methane in the gas-phase, yielding the carbene PtAuCH2+ which further reacts with ammonia under C-N coupling. In contrast, neither Pt2+ nor Au2+ mediates C-N bond formation. This example demonstrates how bond activation in the gas phase can be tuned by cooperative effects in bimetallic clusters.     

Spectroscopic Studies of Cyclometallated Pd(II) and Pt(II) Complexes: Optical absorption and emission of single crystals of [Pd(thpy)2] and [Pt(thpy)2]

The polarized optical absorption and emission (spectra, decay times) of single crystals of [Pd(thpy)₂] and [Pt(thpy)₂] (thpy ≡ C(3′)-deprotonated form of 2-(2-thienyl)pyridine) at temperatures 1.9 K ? T ? 80 K are reported. The emission of [Pt(thpy)₂] can be influenced strongly by applied magnetic fields (0 ? H ? 6 T). Depending on the central ions Pd and Pt, the lowest excited electronic states of the single complexes are ligand-centered (LC) states and metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT) states, respectively. This difference leads to distinctly dissimilar properties of the emission of both compounds. The experimental data show that the emission of single crystals of [Pd(thpy)₂] and [Pt(thpy)₂] at T ? 30 K originates from several types of traps (defect states of symmetry ³B₂?stabilized below the exciton band) with LC and MLCT character, respectively. In the Pt compound, the ³B₂ is split by spin-orbit coupling into three states. The states B and A, which determine the emission properties, are separated by Δv ～ 13 cm^?1. Both states can mix under the influence of an applied magnetic field yielding an increase of the emission intensity by a factor of ～ 1.5 at H = 6 T.     

Specific labeling of cell surface proteins with chemically diverse compounds

The specific and covalent labeling of fusion proteins with synthetic molecules opens up new ways to study protein function in the living cell. Here we present a novel method that allows for the specific and exclusive extracellular labeling of proteins on the surfaces of live cells with a large variety of synthetic molecules including fluorophores, protein ligands, or quantum dots. The approach is based on the specific labeling of fusion proteins of acyl carrier protein with synthetic molecules through post-translational modification catalyzed by phosphopantetheine transferase. The specificity and versatility of the labeling should allow it to become an important tool for studying and manipulating cell surface proteins and for complementing existing approaches in cell surface engineering.