Reactivity in polynuclear transition metal chemistry as a means to obtain high-spin molecules: substitution of mu 4-OH- by eta 1,mu 4-N3- increases nine times the ground-state S value of a nonanuclear nickel(II) cage

The reaction of di-2-pyridyl ketone, (2-py)2CO, with Ni(O2CMe)(2).4H2O yields the cage [Ni9(OH)2(O2CMe)8((2-py)2CO2)4], which reacts further with N3- ions to give the structurally similar cluster [Ni9(N3)2(O2CMe)8((2-py)2CO2)4] containing extremely rare eta 1,mu 4-N3- groups; magnetic studies reveal that the spin ground state of the latter is nine times the ground state of the former.     

Site-directed regiocontrolled synthesis of a 'head-to-head' photodimer via a single-crystal-to-single-crystal transformation involving a linear template

Co-crystallisation of 1,8-naphthalenedicarboxylic acid (1,8-nap) with trans-1-(3-pyridyl)-2-(4-pyridyl)ethylene (3,4-bpe) gives a discrete molecular solid-state assembly, 2(3,4-bpe).2(1,8-nap) 1, that is held together by four O-H...N hydrogen bonds wherein the diacid directs a regiocontrolled [2 + 2] photodimerization; the reaction occurs by way of a single-crystal-to-single-crystal transformation.     

Insertion of functional groups into a Nd3+ metal-organic framework via single-crystal-to-single-crystal coordinating solvent exchange

Single-crystal-to-single-crystal (SCSC) transformations represent some of the most fascinating phenomena in chemistry. They are not only intriguing from a basic science point of view but also provide a means to modify or tune the properties of the materials via the postsynthetic introduction of suitable guest molecules or organic functional groups into their structures. Here, we describe UCY-2, a new flexible Nd(3+) metal-organic framework (MOF), which exhibits a unique capability to undergo a plethora of SCSC transformations with some of them being very uncommon. These structural alterations involve the replacement of coordinating solvent molecules of UCY-2 by terminally ligating solvents and organic ligands with multiple functional groups including -OH, -SH, -NH-, and -NH(2) or their combinations, chelating ligands, anions, and two different organic compounds. The SCSC coordinating solvent exchange is thus demonstrated as a powerful method for the functionalization of MOFs.     

Methanolysis as a route to gallium(III) clusters: synthesis and structural characterization of a decanuclear molecular wheel

Treatment of a methanolic solution of gallium(III) nitrate with lithium hydroxide in the presence of benzilic acid resulted in the decanuclear cluster [Ga(OMe)2{O2CC(OH)Ph2}]10 (1). The metal and the organic components have assembled to form a cyclic molecule that adopts the structure of a wheel. The 10 Ga(III) ions are approximately coplanar and are coordinated in a distorted octahedral manner by six oxygen atoms. The integrity of the molecular wheel is retained in solution, as evidenced by the 1NMR spectrum of 1 in DMSO-d6, while no signal in the 71Ga NMR could be detected.     

High-spin Ni(II) clusters: triangles and planar tetranuclear complexes

The exploration of the NiX(2)/py(2)CO/Et(3)N (X = F, Cl, Br, I; py(2)CO = di-2-pyridyl ketone; Et(3)N = triethylamine) reaction system led to the tetranuclear [Ni(4)Cl(2){py(2)C(OH)O}(2){py(2)C(OMe)O}(2)(MeOH)(2)]Cl(2)·2Et(2)O (1·2Et(2)O) and [Ni(4)Br(2){py(2)C(OH)O}(2){py(2)C(OMe)O}(2)(MeOH)(2)]Br(2)·2Et(2)O (2·2Et(2)O) and the trinuclear [Ni(3){py(2)C(OMe)O}(4)]I(2)·2.5MeOH (3·2.6MeOH), [Ni(3){py(2)C(OMe)O}(4)](NO(3))(0.65)I(1.35)·2MeOH (4·2MeOH) and [Ni(3){py(2)C(OMe)O}(4)](SiF(6))(0.8)F(0.4)·3.5MeOH (5·3.5MeOH) aggregates. The presence of the intermediate size Cl(-) and Br(-) anions resulted in planar tetranuclear complexes with a dense hexagonal packing of cations and donor atoms (tetramolybdate topology) where the X(-) anions participate in the core acting as bridging ligands. The F(-) and I(-) anions do not favour the above arrangement resulting in triangular complexes with an isosceles topology. The magnetic properties of 1-3 have been studied by variable-temperature dc, variable-temperature and variable-field ac magnetic susceptibility techniques and magnetization measurements. All complexes are high-spin with ground states S = 4 for 1 and 2 and S = 3 for 3.     

Crystal engineering with 2,1,3-benzoselenadiazole and mercury(II) chloride

The reactions of HgCl₂ with 2,1,3-benzoselenadiazole (bsd) in methanol afforded the polymeric complexes [HgCl₂(bsd)₂]_n (1) and [HgCl₂bsd]_n (2) in good yields. The crystal structures of 1 and 2 have been determined by single-crystal X-ray crystallography. Complex 1 is an one-dimensional (1D) polymer and consists of (HgCl₂)_n chains running parallel to the c-axes. Complex 2 is a two-dimensional (2D) polymer and consists of (HgCl₂)_n chains running parallel to the a-axes and being further bridged by bsd molecules to create a layer lying parallel to the ab plane. Both crystal structures are dominated by π···π interactions between the bsd molecules, while the presence of N···Se interactions increases the dimensionality in 1. Characteristic IR data are discussed in terms of the nature of bonding in the structures of the two complexes.     

Crystal and molecular structure of Rebek's imide

The crystal and molecular structure of Rebek's imide 1 is reported. Crystal data for 1: triclinic, space group , a = 7.8733(7) Å, b = 12.712(1) Å, c = 12.789(1) Å, = 86.628(5)°, = 84.628(5)°, = 72.981(5)°, V = 1217.9(2) ų, and D _c = 1.305 g/cm³ for Z = 2 and R = 0.047. The molecule crystallizes as a cyclic, hydrogen-bonded dimer held together by two N H...O and two O H...O hydrogen bonds involving amide...carboxylic acid interactions. The dimer organizes in the solid state to form 1D ribbons.     

Ferromagnetic coupling in a 1D coordination polymer containing a symmetric [Cu(mu1,1-N3)2Cu(mu1,1-N3)2Cu]2+ core and based on an organic ligand obtained from the solid state

Addition of rctt-tetrakis(2-pyridyl)cyclobutane (2,2'-tpcb) in a Cu(II)/N(3)- solution afforded the 1D coordination polymer [Cu(3)(N(3))(6)(2,2'-tpcb)(DMF)(2)](n) (1). The ligand 2,2'-tpcb serves as a tetradentate bis-chelating ligand by linking linear [(DMF)Cu(mu(1,1)-N(3))(2)Cu(N(3))(2)(mu(1,1)-N(3))(2)Cu(DMF)] trinuclear units to produce a zigzag chain. Within each centrosymmetric trinuclear unit there exist two irregularly asymmetric end-on double azido-bridged [Cu(mu(1,1)-N(3))(2)Cu](2+) cores, while one of the largest Cu-Nazide-Cu angles is observed. Magnetic susceptibility data, measured from 2 to 300 K, show bulk moderate ferromagnetic coupling within the magnetically isolated trinuclear units. These data were fitted to the appropriate equation derived from the Hamiltonian H = -J(1)(S(A1)S(B) + S(A2)S(B)) - J(2)S(A1)S(A2), giving the parameters J1 = +70(3) cm(-1), J2 = -3(2) cm(-1), g = 2.12(1), with an intertrimer interaction parameter theta = -0.74(2) K. The coupling constants were correlated with the structural parameters. Density functional calculations reproduce very well the experimental J values and show that ferromagnetism for this complex is mainly due to the topology of the magnetic orbitals and the different coordination spheres of two neighboring Cu(II) atoms, resulting in a small overlap of the orbitals possessing the unpaired electrons.