Characterization of Diastereomeric Equilibria of Pseudotetrahedral Bis[(R or S)‐N‐1‐(Ar)Ethylsalicylaldiminato‐κ2N,O]zinc(II) with Λ/Δ‐Chirality‐At‐Metal Induction

A family of bis[(R or S)‐N‐1‐(Ar)ethylsalicylaldiminato‐κ²N,O]‐Δ/Λ‐zinc(II) {Ar=C₆H₅ (ZnRL¹ or ZnSL¹), p‐CH₃OC₆H₄ (ZnRL² or ZnSL²) and p‐ClC₆H₄ (ZnRL³ or ZnSL³)} compounds was synthesized and investigated by multiple methods. They feature Λ/Δ‐chirality‐at‐metal induction along the pseudo‐C ₂ axis of the molecules. The chirality induction is quantitative in the solid state, explored by X‐ray crystallography and powder X‐ray diffraction (PXRD), where R or S‐ligated complexes diastereoselectively yield Λ or Δ‐configuration at the metal. On the other hand, Λ and Δ‐diastereomers co‐exist in solution. The Λ⇆Δ equilibrium is solvent‐ and temperature‐dependent. Electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra confirm the existence of a diastereomeric excess of Λ‐ZnRL¹⁻³ or Δ‐ZnSL¹⁻³ in solution. DSC analysis reveals thermally induced irreversible phase transformation from a crystalline solid to an isotropic liquid phase. ECD spectra were reproduced by DFT geometry optimizations and time‐dependent DFT (TD‐DFT) calculations, providing ultimate proof of the dominant chirality atmetal in solution.     

A Fluoroponytailed NHC–Silver Complex Formed from Vinylimidazolium/AgNO3 under Aqueous–Ammoniacal Conditions

3-(1H,1H,2H,2H-Perfluorooctyl)-1-vinylimidazolium chloride [2126844–17–3], a strong fluorosurfactant with remarkably high solubility in water, was expediently converted into the respective doubly NHC-complexed silver salt with nitrate as counter ion in quantitative yield. Due to its vinyl substituents, [bis(3-(1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorooctyl)-1-vinylimidazol-2-ylidene)silver(I)] nitrate, Ag(FNHC)₂NO₃, represents a polymerizable N-heterocyclic carbene transfer reagent, thus potentially offering simple and robust access to coordination polymers with crosslinking metal bridges. The compound was characterized by infrared and NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry as well as elemental analysis, and supplemented by X-ray single-crystal structure determination. It crystallizes in the monoclinic crystal system in the space group P2₁/c. With 173.3°, the geometry of the Ag-carbene bridge deviates slightly from linearity. The disordered perfluoroalkyl side chains exhibit a helical conformation.     

Trichloropalladate(II) Complexes with Pyridine Ligands – Molecular Structure and Conformational Analysis of [K(18C6)][PdCl3(py)]

[K(18C6)]₂[Pd₂Cl₆] ( 1 ) (18C6 = 18‐crown‐6) was found to react with pyridines in a strictly stoichiometric ratio 1 : 2 in methylene chloride or nitromethane to yield trichloropalladate(II) complexes [K(18C6)][PdCl₃(py*)] (py* = py, 2a ; 4‐Bnpy, 2b ; 4‐tBupy, 2c ; Bn = benzyl; tBu = tert‐butyl). The reaction of 1 with pyrimidine (pyrm) in a 1 : 1 ratio led to the formation of the pyrimidine‐bridged bis(trichloropalladate) complex [K(18C6)]₂[(PdCl₃)₂(μ‐pyrm)] ( 3 ). The identities of the complexes were confirmed by means of NMR spectroscopy (¹H, ¹³C) and microanalysis. The X‐ray structure analysis of 2a reveals square‐planar coordination of the Pd atom in the [PdCl₃(py)]^? anion. The pyridine plane forms with the complex plane an angle of 55.8(2)°. In the [K(18C6)]⁺ cation the K⁺ lies outside the mean plane of the crown ether (defined by the 6 O atoms) by 0.816(1) Å. There are tight K···Cl contacts between the cation and the anion (K···Cl1 3.340(2) Å, K···Cl2 3.166(2) Å). To gain an insight into the conformation of the [PdCl₃(py)]^? anion, DFT calculations were performed showing that the equilibrium structure ( 6eq ) has an angle between the pyridine ligand and the complex plane of 35.3°. Rotation of the pyridine ligand around the Pd–N vector exhibited two transition states where the pyridine ligand lies either in the complex plane ( 6TS _pla, 0.87 kcal/mol above 6eq ) or is perpendicular to it ( 6TS _per, 3.76 kcal/mol above 6eq ). Based on an energy decomposition analysis the conformation of the anion is discussed in terms of repulsive steric interactions and of stabilizing σ and π orbital interactions between the PdCl₃^? moiety and the pyridine ligand.