Supramolecular staircase via self-assembly of disklike molecules at the solid-liquid interface.

A series of soluble hexabenzocoronene (HBC) derivatives with pendant optically active (S)-3,7-dimethyloctanyl and (R,S)-3,7-dimethyloctanyl (mixture of stereoisomers) hydrocarbon side chains with and without a phenylene spacer were assembled into differently ordered arrays at the interface between a solution and the basal plane of highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG). Molecularly resolved scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) images revealed that all derivatives self-assemble into oriented crystals in quasi-two dimensions. However, while for the alkyl-substituted HBCs (1,4) all of the single aromatic cores within a monolayer exhibit the same contrast in the STM, the single aromatic cores with a phenylene group between the alkyl side chains and the aromatic core (2a,2b,3) exhibit different contrasts within a monolayer. For the disks carrying racemic branched or n-alkyl side chains (2b,3) a random distribution of the two different contrasts within the 2D-crystal is observed, while the optically active phenylene-alkyl-substituted HBC (2a) exhibits a periodical distribution of three contrasts within the monolayer. We attribute the different contrasts of the aromatic cores in the presence of the phenylene groups to a loss of the planarity of the whole molecule and different conformations, which allow the conjugated disks to attain different equilibrium positions above the surface of HOPG. In the case of the optically active side chains a regular superstructure with three distinctly different positions such as in a staircase is attained. The self-assembly processes are governed by the interplay of intramolecular as well as intermolecular and interfacial interactions. In the present case, the interactions may induce both the molecules to acquire well distinct positions along the z axis and to adopt different conformations. The reported results open new avenues of exploration. For instance, the different couplings of conjugated molecules with the substrate at different separations can be investigated by means of scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS). Furthermore, experiments on the STM tip-induced switching of single molecules embedded in a monolayer appear feasible.     

Die Kristallpackung von (PPh4)2[NiCl4] · 2 MeCN und PPh4[CoCl0,6Br2,4(NCMe)]

The Crystal Packings of (PPh₄)₂[NiCl₄] · 2 MeCN and PPh₄[CoCl_0.6Br_2.4(NCMe)] (PPh₄)₂[NiCl₄] · 2 MeCN was obtained from the reaction of PPh₄Cl and NiCl₂ in acetonitrile in the presence of S₂Cl₂, PPh₄[Cl₂H] being a side product. The product of the reaction of CoS₂ with S₂Br₂ (containing rests of S₂Cl₂) at 400 °C was treated with PPh₄Br in acetonitrile yielding PPh₄Br₃ and PPh₄[CoCl_0.6Br_2.4(NCMe)]. The crystal structures of the title compounds were determined by X‐ray diffraction. (PPh₄)₂[NiCl₄] · 2 MeCN (space group I 4, a = 1839.3 pm, c = 1375.3 pm) has a crystal packing derived from the BiPh₄[ClO₄] structure type with a fourfold increased unit cell and one half of the ClO₄^– positions substituted by pairsof acetonitrile molecules. The crystal structure of PPh₄[CoCl_0.6Br_2.4(NCMe)] (space group I4₁/a, a = 1804.7 pm, c = 3198.8 pm) is related to the AsPh₄[RuNCl₄] type with an eightfold increased unit cell. The [CoCl_0.6Br_2.4(NCMe)]^– ions are disordered in two orientations and some halogen positions are randomly occupied by Cl and Br atoms. Family trees of group–subgroup relations show the symmetry relations.     

Kaliumtetrachlorooxomolybdat(V), KMoOCl4

Potassium Tetrachlorooxomolybdate(V), KMoOCl₄ KMoOCl₄ was obtained at 200 °C in small yield as a side‐product from the reaction of S₂Cl₂ with molybdenum which contained 0.7% of potassium (the main product was MoS₂Cl₃). Attempts to increase the yield by adding stoichiometric amounts of KOH or of KCl + H₂O failed. An attempt to produce KMoOCl₄ by the reduction of MoOCl₄ with KI yielded K₃Mo₂Cl₉ and a small amount of K₂MoOCl₅. The crystal structure of KMoOCl₄ is monoclinic, space group P2₁/c, a = 657,1; b = 901,6; c = 2327,3 pm; β = 92,81°, Z = 8. Square‐pyramidal MoOCl₄^– ions are associated to infinite zigzag chains by Mo…Cl contacts.     

A Soluble C60 Graphite Segment

At the limits of analytical investigation one finds the nanodimensional C₆₀ graphite segment 1 , which, thanks to its long-chain alkyl substituents, is soluble. Monolayers of 1 on graphite can be characterized by scanning tunneling microscopy.     

Structural Diversity in the Solid-State Structures of the Rubidium and Cesium Salts of 2,6-Dimesitylphenylphosphane

A coordination environment reminiscent of a paddle-wheel is exhibited by aryl groups about one of the two cesium ions in CsP(H)Dmp (Dmp=2,6-dimesitylphenyl; structure depicted on the right), which has now been synthesized and is found to exhibit Cs⁺{Cs₂[P(H)Dmp]₃}⁻ contact ion pairs in the solid state. In contrast, the analogous rubidium compound displays a Rb₄P₄ cube as the central structural motif.     

Kaliumheptachlorodioxodimolybdat(V), KMo2O2Cl7

Potassium Heptachlorodioxodimolybdate(V), KMo₂O₂Cl₇ KMo₂O₂Cl₇ was obtained at 400 °C from the reaction of SCl₂ with molybdenum which contained traces of potassium. Its crystal structure is monoclinic, space group C2/c, a = 1094.1, b = 1139.1, c = 1018.0 pm, β = 110.16°, Z = 4. In the Mo₂O₂Cl₇^– ion two coordination octahedra share a common face with three chlorine atoms. The crystal structure can be derived from the CsNiCl₃ type by vacating one third of the Ni and two thirds of the Cs positions. The crystallographic group-subgroup relationship is given.     

Lessons from 1,3‐Hydride Shifts in Sesquiterpene Cyclizations

Stereospecifically labelled precursors were subjected to conversion by seven bacterial sesquiterpene cyclases to investigate the stereochemistry of their initial 1,10‐cyclisation‐1,3‐hydride shift cascades. Enzymes with products of known absolute configuration showed a coherent stereochemical course, except for (?)‐α‐amorphene synthase, for which the obtained results are better explained by an initial 1,6‐cyclisation. The link between the absolute configuration of the product and the stereochemical course of the 1,3‐hydride shifts enabled assignment of the absolute configurations of three enzyme products, which were confirmed independently through the absolute configuration of the common byproduct germacrene D‐4‐ol.