Bi- and trinuclear oxalamidinate complexes of palladium as catalysts in the copper-free Sonogashira reaction and in the Negishi reaction

The binuclear complex [(acac)Pd(oxam)Pd(acac)] 1 (oxam: tetraphenyl oxalic amidinate) has been prepared from H₂oxam and Pd(acac)₂ in excellent yield. The complex was characterized by elemental analyses, mass spectroscopy, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR spectroscopy and in the solid state by X-ray single crystal diffraction analyses. 1 consists of a bimetallic centrosymmetric unit in which the planar oxam ligand acts in a bis-chelating fashion. Each palladium center is in a planar environment.The complex 1 acts as highly selective pre-catalyst in the copper-free Sonogashira reaction between 4-bromoacetophenone and phenylacetylene. Its long-time catalytic activity is higher than that of the related binuclear complex 2 (oxam: tetra-p-tolyl oxalic amidinate) or that of the trinuclear compound [(acac)Pd(oxam)Zn(oxam)Pd(acac)] (3), the solid-state structure of which was also determined by an X-ray structural analysis of single crystals. In addition, 2 is an active and extremely selective pre-catalyst for the Negishi reaction between 3,5,6,8-tetrabromophenanthroline and R-CC-ZnCl (R: Ph, (ⁱprop)₃Si) to form tetra-alkyne-substituted derivatives.     

Radon as a tracer to determine the mean residence times of groundwater in decontamination reactors

The groundwater at a former gasoline production site in Germany is heavily contaminated with aromatic hydrocarbons (mostly benzene) and is currently being treated in bioreactors under anaerobic conditions. To determine the reaction kinetics it is essential to know the mean residence time of the groundwater in these reactors. Most of the commonly used tracers (dyes and salts) did not give reliable results because of their interaction with the mineral matrix in the reactors. In this study radon (²²²Rn) dissolved in the groundwater is used as the tracer. The flow rate of groundwater through the reactors is 1 l/h. Over a period of 8 hours the radon-spiked groundwater was injected into the natural groundwater which has a very low radon concentration. The radon concentration of the discharged water is measured online at the reactor outlet. An increasing radon concentration at the reactor exit indicates the shortest residence time of the water. The time-dependent progress of the radon concentration provides detailed information about the flow behavior and residence times of water in the reactor.     

Phase stability in the systems AeAl(2-x)Mgx (Ae = Ca, Sr, Ba): electron concentration and size controlled variations on the laves phase structural theme

The systems AeAl(2-x)Mgx (Ae = Ca, Sr, Ba) display electron concentration induced Laves phase structural changes. However, the complete sequence MgCu2 --> MgNi2 --> MgZn2 with increasing x (decreasing electron count) is only observed for Ae = Ca. Compounds SrAl(2-x)Mgx (0 < x < or = 2) and BaAl(2-x)Mgx (x = 0.85 and 2.0) were synthesized and structurally characterized by X-ray diffraction experiments. For the Sr system the structural sequence CeCu2 --> MgNi2 --> MgZn2 occurs with increasing Mg content x. Thus, larger Sr does not allow the realization of the MgCu2 structure at low x. For Ae = Ba a binary compound BaAl2 does not exist, but more Ba-rich Ba7Al13 forms. The reinvestigation of the crystal structure of Ba7Al13 by selected area and convergent beam electron diffraction in a transmission electron microscope revealed a superstructure, which subsequently could be refined from single X-ray diffraction data. The formula unit of the superstructure is Ba21Al40 (space group P31m, Z = 1, a = 10.568(1) angstroms, c = 17.205(6) angstroms). In Ba21Al40 a size match problem between Ba and Al present in Ba7Al13 is resolved. The structure of Ba7Al13 (Ba21Al40) can be considered as a Ba excess variant of the hexagonal MgNi2 Laves phase type structure. An incommensurately modulated variant of the MgNi2 structure is obtained for phases BaAl(2-x)Mgx with x = 0.8-1. At even higher Mg concentrations a structural change to the proper MgZn2 type structure takes place.     

Dibenzotetraaza crown ethers: a new family of crown ethers based on o-phenylenediamine

Dibenzotetraaza (DBTA) crown ethers possess two o-phenylenediamine moieties. They are homologues of dibenzo crown ether phase-transfer catalysts and were prepared from the condensation of benzimidazoles with oligo(ethyleneglycol) dichlorides and oligo(ethyleneglycol) ditosylates. Compounds with ring sizes ranging from 18-crown-6 to 42-crown-14 were prepared. In addition, various altered benzimidizoles were used to produce DBTA crown ethers with modified substituents and ether bridges, as well as benzimidazolidine crown ethers. The synthetic approach presented here proved to be a convenient route to a new family of crown ethers with overall yields of up to 48% based on the benzimidazole. Yields for the ring-closing step were generally high, ranging from 51% to 94%, without the need for high-dilution conditions. Reaction of the DBTA crown ethers with alkyl and benzyl halides was found to be a facile way to obtain the corresponding tetra(N-organyl) compounds. Picrate extraction studies were carried out to determine phase-transfer catalytic capabilities. Extraction efficiencies for alkali-metal ions were lower than those for dibenzo-18-crown-6. Efficiencies were higher for other metal ions, with some selectivity for Pb(2+). Tetra(N-methyl) DBTA-18-crown-6 generally exhibited higher extraction efficiencies than its N-H analogue, but the selectivity was lower.     

Stille-type cross-coupling-An efficient way to various symmetrically and unsymmetrically substituted methyl-bipyridines: toward new ATRP catalysts

Various mono- and disubstituted 2,2'-bipyridines were synthesized in high yields and multigram scales utilizing Stille-type coupling procedures. The corresponding bromo-picoline and tributyltin-picoline building blocks were prepared from commercially available amino-picoline compounds. As first examples of metal complexes, 4,5'-dimethyl-2,2'-bipyridine was reacted with copper(II) and iron(II) ions and investigated as catalyst in ATRP.     

Synthese und Charakterisierung funktionalisierter β‐Hydroxydithiozimtsäuren und deren Ester. Komplexchemisches Verhalten gegenüber Nickel(II), Palladium(II) und Platin(II)

Synthesis and Analytical Characterization of Functionalized β‐Hydroxydithiocinnamic Acids and their Esters. Complex Chemistry towards Nickel(II), Palladium(II), and Platin(II) Starting from silyl‐protected 4‐hydroxy acetophenone ( 1 ) the 1,1‐ethenedihiolato complexes 3 – 5 were synthesised using carbon disulfide and potassium‐tert‐butylate as a base. After being deprotected, the resulting 4‐hydroxy‐substituted complexes 6 – 8 were esterified with DL‐α‐lipoic acid to obtain the compounds 9 – 11 . The resulting complexes were characterized using NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry and IR spectroscopy. 3‐substituted β‐hydroxydithiocinnamic acid methyl ester ( 12 ) was obtained via an analogous path of reaction using silyl‐protected 3‐hydroxy acetophenone ( 2 ), carbon disulfide and methyl iodide. After removing of the silyl group the resulting hydroxy group was esterified with DL‐α‐lipoic acid. Using the dithioacid ester 14 as a ligand the Ni^II ( 15 ), Pd^II ( 16 ) and Pt^II ( 17 ) [O,S] complexes were obtained.     

The use of bis(diphenylphosphino)amines with N-aryl functionalities in selective ethylene tri- and tetramerisation

A systematic study was conducted on the Cr catalysed tri- and tetramerisation of ethylene using bis(diphenylphosphino)amine ligands with N-aryl functionality. This study revealed that the oligomerisation reaction product selectivity is primarily dependent on the structure and size of the N-aryl groups.

Addition of sufficient steric bulk to the N-phenyl group via ortho-alkyl substitution increased the combined 1-hexene and 1-octene selectivity (overall alpha selectivity) to above 82% at an overall 1-octene selectivity of 56%. The introduction of a single carbon spacer between the N-atom and the aryl-moiety, as well as the addition of branching on this carbon, resulted in further selectivity improvements, achieving an overall 1-octene selectivity of 64% and an overall alpha selectivity of 84%. This was obtained at catalyst productivities in excess of 1,000,000 g/g Cr/h.     

Characterization of a putative sensory [FeFe]-hydrogenase provides new insight into the role of the active site architecture

[FeFe]-hydrogenases are known for their high rates of hydrogen turnover, and are intensively studied in the context of biotechnological applications. Evolution has generated a plethora of different subclasses with widely different characteristics. The M2e subclass is phylogenetically distinct from previously characterized members of this enzyme family and its biological role is unknown. It features significant differences in domain- and active site architecture, and is most closely related to the putative sensory [FeFe]-hydrogenases. Here we report the first comprehensive biochemical and spectroscopical characterization of an M2e enzyme, derived from Thermoanaerobacter mathranii. As compared to other [FeFe]-hydrogenases characterized to-date, this enzyme displays an increased H₂ affinity, higher activation enthalpies for H⁺/H₂ interconversion, and unusual reactivity towards known hydrogenase inhibitors. These properties are related to differences in active site architecture between the M2e [FeFe]-hydrogenase and “prototypical” [FeFe]-hydrogenases. Thus, this study provides new insight into the role of this subclass in hydrogen metabolism and the influence of the active site pocket on the chemistry of the H-cluster.

Characterization of a group D putative sensory [FeFe]-hydrogenase reveals how the active site can be tuned to decrease CO inhibition and increase stability of a reduced H-cluster while retaining the ability to catalyze H⁺/H₂ interconversion.