Rational design and crystal structure determination of a 3-D metal-organic jungle-gym-like open framework

A new three-dimensional (3-D) jungle-gym-like open metal-organic framework has been synthesized from a two-dimensional (2-D) layer compound using a heterogeneous pillar insertion reaction. Both the starting 2-D layer and the resulting 3-D open compounds have been characterized using X-ray crystallography.     

Cover Picture

The cover picture shows a section of the electron charge density of the first metal carbide endohedral metallofullerene (Sc(2)C(2))@C(84) obtained from a synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction study by the maximum entropy method (MEM). The several density maxima, which correspond to scandium and carbon atoms, are clearly seen inside the C(84) carbon cage. The MEM charge density distribution also reveals that the C(84) cage has D(2d) symmetry (no. 23) and that the C(2) axis is parallel to the <100> face-centered cubic (fcc) direction of the unit cell. As a consequence of the site symmetry being 4mm, the C(2) axis of (Sc(2)C(2))@C(84) is oriented to six equivalent <100> directions and shows a merohedral disorder. The resultant Sc small middle dot small middle dot small middle dotSc distances and C-C bond lengths of the Sc(2)C(2) cluster are 0.429(2) and 0.142(6) nm, respectively. The observed C-C bond length is between that of a typical single and a double bond, and is very close to that of the C-C bond (0.143 nm) combining two pentagons in a C(60) molecule. More about this fascinating structure can be found in the contribution by Shinohara and co-workers on p. 397 ff.     

Manipulating the Through‐Space Spin–Spin Interaction of Organic Radicals in the Confined Cavity of a Self‐Assembled Cage

We show a new approach to manipulating the through‐space spin–spin interaction by utilizing the confined cavity of a self‐assembled M₆L₄ coordination cage. The coordination cage readily encapsulates stable organic radicals in solution, which brings the spin centers of the radicals closer to each other. In sharp contrast to the fact that the radical in solution in the absence of the cage is in a doublet state, in the presence of the cage through‐space spin–spin interaction is induced through cage‐encapsulation effects in solution as well as in the solid state, resulting in the triplet state of the complex. These results were confirmed by ESR spectroscopy and X‐ray crystallography. The quantity of triplet species generated by encapsulation in the cage increases with increasing affinity of the radicals to the cage. We estimated the affinity between several types of guests and the cage in solution by cyclic voltammetry. We also demonstrate that the through‐space interaction of organic radicals within the self‐assembled coordination cage can be controlled by external stimuli such as heat or pH.     

Diastereoselective imino-aldol condensation of chiral 3-(p-Tolylsulfinyl)-2-furaldimine and ester enolates

(Ss)-3-(p-Tolylsufinyl)-2-furaldimine was synthesized, and condensation of the chiral furaldimine with lithium ester enolates has been examined. The product distribution of the reaction is dependent upon reaction conditions and on the kind of the substituent placed on the esters. Disubstituted ester enolate resulted in the exclusive formation of (4R)-beta-lactam, while unsubstituted, tert-butyl ester enolate preferentially gave (3R)-beta-amino ester. With the monosubstituted ester enolates, the condensation afforded (4R)-beta-lactams and/or (3R)-beta-amino esters as major products. This method has been applied to an efficient route to chiral furyl beta-lactams.     

Film structures of poly(amido amine) dendrimers with an azacrown core and long alkyl chain spacers on water or Ag nanoparticle suspension

Newly designed poly(amido amine) dendrimers, which have an azacrown core, hexyl spacers, and methyl ester terminals (aza-C6-PAMAM dendrimer), were spread at the air-water and air-silver nanoparticle suspension interfaces, and their film structures were examined by surface pressure-area (pi-A) and surface potential-area (DeltaV-A) isotherms and epifluorescence microscopy. It was revealed that generation (G) 1.5 aza-C6-PAMAM dendrimer on a water subphase formed homogeneous film with face-on configuration, and this configuration was maintained during compression. On the other hand, a G2.5 dendrimer film on the air-water interface took initially homogeneous and face-on configuration that was followed by the conformational change during compression. Using a silver nanoparticle suspension as subphase, G1.5 film was significantly reinforced, and the partial collapse (cracks) in the film appeared as network texture. For a G2.5 dendrimer film, the pi-A and DeltaV-A isotherm properties were similar to that on the water subphase except for the collapsed film; small spots instead of cracks were formed under the film after collapse. These effects of the silver nanoparticle may be due to the formation of a dendrimer/silver nanoparticle composite. The formation process of the nanocomposite film was verified by UV-vis spectroscopy. For the G1.5 dendrimer, silver clusters and nanoparticles adsorbed to the dendrimer film after spreading and formed a small amount of aggregates. During compression, the aggregation proceeded even at low surface pressure. For the G2.5 dendrimer, a dendrimer/nanoparticle composite was also formed after spreading. However, with the initial compression, the absorption bands of clusters, nanoparticles, and aggregate increased together. Upon further compression, while the bands of cluster and nanoparticles decreased, the bands of aggregate still increased. These results suggest that the G2.5 dendrimer covered the cluster and nanoparticles more efficiently than the G1.5 dendrimer did because of the larger molecular size.     

Investigation of the crystal structure and the structural and magnetic properties of SrCu2(PO4)2

SrCu2(PO4)2 was prepared by the solid-state method at 1153 K. Its structure was solved by direct methods in the space group Pccn (No. 56) with Z = 8 from synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction data measured at room temperature. Structure parameters were then refined by the Rietveld method to obtain the lattice parameters, a = 7.94217(8) A, b = 15.36918(14) A, and c = 10.37036(10) A. SrCu2(PO4)2 presents a new structure type and is built up from Sr2O16 and Cu1Cu2O8 units with Cu1...Cu2 = 3.256 A. The magnetic properties of SrCu2(PO4)2 were investigated by magnetic susceptibility, magnetization up to 65 T, Cu nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR), electron-spin resonance, and specific heat measurements. With spin-dimer analysis, it was shown that the two strongest spin-exchange interactions between Cu sites result from the Cu1-O...O-Cu2 and Cu2-O...O-Cu2 super-superexchange paths with Cu1...Cu2 = 5.861 A and Cu2...Cu2 = 5.251 A, and the superexchange associated with the structural dimer Cu1Cu2O8 is negligible. The magnetic susceptibility data were analyzed in terms of a linear four-spin cluster model, Cu1-Cu2-Cu2-Cu1 with -2J(1)/kB = 82.4 K for Cu1-Cu2 and -2J(2)/k(B) = 59 K for Cu2-Cu2. A spin gap deduced from this model (Delta/kB = 63 K) is in agreement with that obtained from the Cu NQR data (Delta/kB = 65 K). A one-half magnetization plateau was observed between approximately 50 and 63 T at 1.3 K. Specific heat data show that SrCu2(PO4)2 does not undergo a long-range magnetic ordering down to 0.45 K. SrCu2(PO4)2 melts incongruently at 1189 K. We also report its vibrational properties studied with Raman spectroscopy.     

Facile Synthesis and Palladium‐Catalyzed Cross‐Coupling Reactions of 2,3‐Bis(pinacolatoboryl)‐1,3‐butadiene

Treatment of 1,1‐bis(pinacolatoboryl)ethene with an excess of 1‐bromo‐1‐lithioethene gave 2,3‐bis(pinacolatoboryl)‐1,3‐butadiene in high yield. Palladium‐catalyzed cross‐coupling of the resulting diborylbutadiene with aryl iodides took place smoothly in the presence of a catalytic amount of Pd(OAc)₂/PPh₃ and aqueous KOH to give 2,3‐diaryl‐1,3‐butadienes in good yields. The coupling reaction with commercially available 4‐acetoxyphenylmethyl chloride under the same conditions followed by hydrolysis of the acetyl groups gave anolignan B in a one‐pot manner. A variety of [3]‐ to [6]dendralenes were synthesized by palladium‐catalyzed coupling of the diene or 1,1‐bis(pinacolato)borylethene with alkenyl or dienyl halides, respectively, in good yields.     

New Synthetic Method for Bicyclic Compounds Through a Sequence of Ene-Type Chlorination,Palladium Catalyzed Dehydrochlorination,and Intramolecular Diels-Alder Reaction

A sequence of ene-type chlorination, palladium catalyzed dehydrochlorination, and the intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction afforded a new method for conversion of prenyl derivatives into bicyclic compounds.     

1,4‐Bis[2‐(4‐ferrocenylphenyl)ethynyl]anthraquinone from synchrotron X‐ray powder diffraction

The title compound, [Fe₂(C₅H₅)₂(C₄₀H₂₂O₂)] or 1,4‐(FcPh)₂Aq [where FcPh is 2‐(4‐ferrocenylphenyl)ethynyl and Aq is anthraquinone], was synthesized in an attempt to obtain a new solvent‐incorporating porous material with a large void space. Thermodynamic data for 1,4‐(FcPh)₂Aq show a phase transition at approximately 430 K. The crystal structure of solvent‐free 1,4‐(FcPh)₂Aq was determined at temperatures of 90, 300 and 500 K using synchrotron powder diffraction data. A direct‐space method using a genetic algorithm was employed for structure solution. Charge densities calculated from observed structure factors by the maximum entropy method were employed for model improvement. The final models were obtained through multistage Rietveld refinements. In both phases, the structures of which differ only subtly, the planar Aq fragments are stacked alternately in opposite orientations, forming a one‐dimensional column. The FcPh arms lie between the stacks and fill the remaining space, leaving no voids. C—H...π interactions between the Ph and Fc fragments mediate crystal packing and stabilization.