Redox‐Active Tetraruthenium Macrocycles Built from 1,4‐Divinylphenylene‐Bridged Diruthenium Complexes

Metallamacrocylic tetraruthenium complexes were generated by treatment of 1,4‐divinylphenylene‐bridged diruthenium complexes with functionalized 1,3‐benzene dicarboxylic acids and characterized by HR ESI‐MS and multinuclear NMR spectroscopy. Every divinylphenylene diruthenium subunit is oxidized in two consecutive one‐electron steps with half‐wave potential splittings in the range of 250 to 330 mV. Additional, smaller redox‐splittings between the +/2+ and 0/+ and the 3+/4+ and 2+/3+ redox processes, corresponding to the first and the second oxidations of every divinylphenylene diruthenium entity, are due to electrostatic effects. The lack of electronic coupling through bond or through space is explained by the nodal properties of the relevant molecular orbitals and the lateral side‐by‐side arrangement of the divinylphenylene linkers. The polyelectrochromic behavior of the divinylphenylene diruthenium precursors is retained and even amplified in these metallamacrocyclic structures. EPR studies down to T=4 K indicate that the dications 1‐H²⁺ and 1‐OBu²⁺ are paramagnetic. The dications and the tetracation of macrocycle 3‐H display intense (dications) or weak ( 3‐H⁴⁺ ) EPR signals. Quantum chemical calculations indicate that the four most stable conformers of the macrocycles are largely devoid of strain. Bond parameters, energies as well as charge and spin density distributions of model macrocycle 5‐H^Me were calculated for the different charge and spin states.     

Stereochemistry-Controlled Supramolecular Architectures of New Tetrahydroxy-Functionalised Amphiphilic Carbocyanine Dyes

The syntheses of novel amphiphilic 5,5′,6,6′-tetrachlorobenzimidacarbocyanine (TBC) dye derivatives with aminopropanediol head groups, which only differ in stereochemistry (chiral enantiomers, meso form and conformer), are reported. For the achiral meso form, a new synthetic route towards asymmetric cyanine dyes was established. All compounds form J aggregates in water, the optical properties of which were characterised by means of spectroscopic methods. The supramolecular structure of the aggregates is investigated by means of cryo-transmission electron microscopy, cryo-electron tomography and AFM, revealing extended sheet-like aggregates for chiral enantiomers and nanotubes for the mesomer, respectively, whereas the conformer forms predominately needle-like crystals. The experiments demonstrate that the aggregation behaviour of compounds can be controlled solely by head group stereochemistry, which in the case of enantiomers enables the formation of extended hydrogen-bond chains by the hydroxyl functionalities. In case of the achiral meso form, however, such chains turned out to be sterically excluded.     

Towards Photochromic Azobenzene-Based Inhibitors for Tryptophan Synthase

Light regulation of drug molecules has gained growing interest in biochemical and pharmacological research in recent years. In addition, a serious need for novel molecular targets of antibiotics has emerged presently. Herein, the development of a photocontrollable, azobenzene-based antibiotic precursor towards tryptophan synthase (TS), an essential metabolic multienzyme complex in bacteria, is presented. The compound exhibited moderately strong inhibition of TS in its E configuration and five times lower inhibition strength in its Z configuration. A combination of biochemical, crystallographic, and computational analyses was used to characterize the inhibition mode of this compound. Remarkably, binding of the inhibitor to a hitherto-unconsidered cavity results in an unproductive conformation of TS leading to noncompetitive inhibition of tryptophan production. In conclusion, we created a promising lead compound for combatting bacterial diseases, which targets an essential metabolic enzyme, and whose inhibition strength can be controlled with light.     

A Further Extension of Pnictide Oxide Chemistry – Synthesis and Structure of La2AuP2O

The phosphide oxide La₂AuP₂O was synthesized from lanthanum filings, dried La₂O₃, gold pieces, and ground red phosphorus in the ideal 1.33:0.33:1:2 ratio in an evacuated silica tube at 1473 K. Small single crystals were obtained by recrystallization in a NaCl/KCl flux. The structure was determined on the basis of single‐crystal X‐ray diffractometer data: new type, C2/m, a = 1537.3(3), b = 427.39(8), c = 1009.2(2) pm, β = 131.02(1) °, wR₂ = 0.046, 1102 F² values, 38 variables. La₂AuP₂O contains two striking structural motifs: The oxygen atoms are located in La₄ tetrahedra. The latter are cis‐edge‐shared forming polymeric cationic [La₂O]⁴⁺ chains. These cationic units are separated and charge‐balanced by [AuP₂]^4– polyanions which have monovalent gold in distorted trigonal planar phosphorus coordination. Two crystallographically independent phosphorus sites occur in the polyanion, i.e. isolated P^3– besides dumb‐bells P₂^4– (P2–P2 223 pm). La₂AuP₂O, which crystallizes in the form of ruby red transparent crystals, is an electron precise phosphide oxide (4La³⁺)(2Au⁺)(2P^3–)(P₂^4–)(2O^2–).     

SYNTHESES,STRUCTURES AND REACTIONS OF NEW AND NOVEL FOUR-, FIVEAND SIX-MEMBERED UNSATURATED N,P-HETEROCYCLE COMPLEXES

Metal-assisted heterocyclic ligand syntheses are reported using 2-H-azaphosphirene complex 1 or 7-phosphanorbornadiene complex 7 as starting material. Thermal decomposition of complex 1 led to 1,2dihydro-1,2,3-azadiphosphete complex 2, which was transformed into 2,6-dihydro-1,3,2,6-diazadiphosphinines 5a, b via ring expansion with carbonitriles 3a, b. Insertion of tert-butyl isonitrile into the P─ P bond of 2 at ambient temperature furnished the first Δ ¹ -1,3,5-azadi-phospholene complex 6─P bond of 2 using 7 failed. The 1,2,3,4-azatriphospholene complexes 9a, b were obtained by thermolysis of complex 2 in the presence of functionalized carbonitriles 8a, b.     

Triphospha-Ferrocenes as Ligands. Crystal Structures of [Fe(η5-C5Me5)(η5-C2 TBu2P3)M(CO)5)], (M= Cr,MO, W) and the Novel ruthenium and Nickel Complexes [Fe(η5-C5Me5) (η5-C2 TBu2P3)Ru3(CO)9] and [Fe(η5-C5Me5)(η5-C2 tBu2P3)Ni(Co)2]2

Abstract

Syntheses and structures of penta- and hexaphosphorus analogues of ferrocene have been described recently¹. Unlike their simple ferrocene analogues, these complexes have further ligating potential towards other transition metal centres by virtue of the availability of the ring phosphorus lone-pair electrons that are not involved in the η⁵-coordination. We now describe the first examples of coordination compounds of the triphospha-ferrocene [Fe(η⁵-C₅Me₅) (η⁵-C₂ ^tBu₂P₃]. In the ruthenium complex [Fe(η⁵-C₅Me₅)(η⁵-C₂ ^tBu₂P₃) Ru₃(CO)₉] ² two adjacent phosphorus atoms of the η⁵-C₂ ^tBu₂P₃ ring are interlinked by a ruthenium carbonyl cluster in which all three ruthenium atoms interact with the phosphorus atoms. The tetrametallic nickel complex [Fe(η⁵-C₅Me₅)(η⁵-C₂ ^tBu₂P₃)Ni(CO)₂]₂ ³ represents the first example of intermolecular interlinkage of two phospha-ferrocene systems by two metal centres.     

ÜBER EINIGE REAKTIONEN DER DIALKYLBENZYLPHOSPHINIMIDE

Abstract

Dialkylbenzylphosphine imides C₆H₅CH₂–PRR′[dbnd]N″ (R, R′ = CH₃, C₂H₅; R″ = H, CH₃, Si(CH₃)₃ react with aliphatic and aromatic aldehydes in benzene solution on heating to 80°C directly and in high yields according to a Horner-Wittig-reaction with formation of an olefine whereas ketones like benzophenone and acetophenone only perform an O/NR″ exchange (R″ = H).

Dialkylbenzylphosphinimide C₆H₅CH₂–PRR′[dbnd]N″ mit R, R′ = CH₃, C₂H₅ und R″ = H, CH₃, Si(CH₃)₃ reagieren mit aliphatischen und aromatischen Aldehyden in benzolischer Lösung beim Erwärmen auf 80°C direkt und mit hohen Ausbeuten im Sinne einer Horner-Wittig-Reaktion unter Olefinbildung, während sich mit Ketonen wie Benzophenon oder Acetophenon nur ein O/NR″-Austausch (R″ = H) vollzieht.