Second-sphere coordination in hexaamminecobalt(III) salt with organic sulphonate anion: Synthesis, characterisation and X-ray crystal structure of [Co(NH3)6](CH3SO3)3

Reaction of hexaamminecobalt(III) chloride with the silver salt of methanesulphonic acid in aqueous medium (1:3 molar ratio) forms hexaamminecobalt(III) methanesulphonate, [Co(NH₃)₆](CH₃SO₃)₃, in high yield. This cobalt(III) complex has been characterized by spectroscopic techniques (UV/visible, IR and NMR) and its solubility product determined. The X-ray crystal structure shows that the [Co(NH₃)₆]³⁺ cations interact at the second sphere by sharing edges with the anions, via N–H  O hydrogen bonds. The structure is related to that of [Co(NH₃)₆]Cl(CH₃SO₃)₂, but is modified to accommodate additional anions in place of Cl⁻.     

Dendritic liquid-crystalline fullerene-ferrocene dyads

First- and second-generation ferrocene-based dendrimers, fullerene and a second-generation liquid-crystalline poly(arylester) dendrimer carrying four cyanobiphenyl units were assembled to elaborate polyfunctional materials displaying mesomorphic and electronic properties. The targeted compounds gave rise to enantiotropic smectic A phases and organized into bilayer structures within the smectic layers. Cyclic voltammetry investigations revealed oxidation and reduction processes in agreement with the presence of both ferrocene and fullerene units. Finally, strong quenching of the fluorescence was obtained for the fullerene-ferrocene dyads suggesting efficient elecron transfer from the ferrocene-based dendrimer to fullerene.     

Efficient syntheses of new chiral peptidomimetic macrocycles through a configurationally driven preorganization

A new family of 32-membered ring peptidomimetic macrocycles has been efficiently obtained in a simple one-pot two-step reductive amination reaction, from easily prepared precursors. The structural and stereochemical variables have been explored in order to rationalize the obtained selectivity. The formation of the [2A+2B] tetraimine intermediate has been explained in terms of a very favorable configurationally driven preorganization as detected by NMR, CD and molecular modeling.     

Syntheses,Characterization and Crystal Structures of Three Structurally Similar Dinuclear Schiff Base Cadmium(II) Complexes with Bridging Azide or Thiocyanate Ligands

Three novel Schiff base cadmium(II) complexes, derived from the end‐on (μ‐1,1‐N₃) azide or end‐to‐end (μ‐1,3‐NCS) thio cyanate bridges and similar tridentate Schiff base ligands, have been synthesized under similar synthetic procedures and their crystal structures determined by X‐ray diffraction methods. They are the dinuclear double end‐on azide‐bridged [Cd₂(L1)₂(N₃)₂(μ‐1,1‐N₃)₂] ( 1 ), the dinuclear double end‐on azide‐bridged [Cd₂(L2)₂(N₃)₂(μ‐1,1‐N₃)₂] ( 2 ), and the dinuclear double end‐to‐end thiocyanate‐bridged [Cd₂(L3)₂(NCS)₂(μ_1,3‐NCS)₂] ( 3 ), where L1, L2 and L3 are three similar tridentate Schiff bases obtained by condensation of 2‐pyridylaldehyde with N,N‐diethylethane‐1,2‐diamine, of 2‐pyridylaldehyde with N‐isopropylethane‐1,2‐diamine, and of 2‐pyridylaldehyde with N,N‐dimethylpropane‐1,3‐diamine, respectively. Each cadmium(II) centre in the complexes is in a distorted octahedral coordination. There is a crystallographic inversion centre in each of the complexes. The similar small ligands used as the secondary ligands in the preparation of the cadmium(II) complexes with similar Schiff bases can result in similar structures.     

Polymer-supported calix[4]arenes for sensing and conversion of NO2/N2O4

The use of simple calix[4]arenes 1a,b for NO₂/N₂O₄ sensing and conversion is demonstrated, both in solution and in the solid state. Upon reacting with these gases, compounds 1a,b encapsulate reactive NO⁺ cations within their cavities with the formation of deeply colored (λ_max∼570 nm) charge-transfer complexes 2a,b. Further functionalization of the calix[4]arene platform is reported for attachment to solid supports. Polymer-supported calixarene material 3 was prepared, which reversibly traps NO₂/N₂O₄ with the formation of nitrosonium storing polymer 4. Material 4 was effectively used for nitrosation of amides.     

Syntheses and structural characterization of heterometallic bis(pyrazolyl)methane complexes of rhenium and platinum

The new heterometallic complex {μ-1,3,5-[CH(pz)₂]₃C₆H₃}[Re(CO)₃Br][Pt(p-tolyl)₂]₂ has been prepared by reaction of 1 equiv. of the dimer [Pt(p-tolyl)₂(μ-SEt₂)]₂ with the monometallic rhenium precursor {1,3,5-[CH(pz)₂]₃C₆H₃}Re(CO)₃Br, where 1,3,5-[CH(pz)₂]₃C₆H₃ is the tritopic, arene-linked bis(pyrazolyl)methane ligand 1,3,5-tris[bis(1-pyrazolyl)methyl]benzene. Similarly, the heterometallic complex {μ-1,3,5-[CH(pz)₂]₃C₆H₃}[Re(CO)₃Br]₂[Pt(p-tolyl)₂] has been made by the reaction of the dirhenium compound {μ-1,3,5-[CH(pz)₂]₃C₆H₃}[Re(CO)₃Br]₂ and one-half of an equivalent of [Pt(p-tolyl)₂(μ-SEt₂)]₂. X-ray crystallographic studies of the new compounds reveal significant noncovalent interactions in their molecular and supramolecular structures.     

Novel Hydrogen‐bond Three Dimensional Networks Generated from the Reaction of Metal Nitrate Hydrate (M = Co,Ni) with Ammonium Thiocynate and Bidentate Ligand Piperazine

The reaction of Co(NO₃)₂·6H₂O with two equivalents of PPz (PPz = piperazine hexahydrate) and two equivalents of NH₄SCN in CH₃OH afforded the complex [Co(NCS)₂(PPz)₂(CH₃OH)₂]. The reaction of Ni(NO₃)₂·6H₂O with two equivalents of PPz and four equivalents of NH₄SCN in CH₃OH afforded the complex [Ni(NCS)₄(PPz)₂]. Their IR spectra have been recorded and the structures have been determined. Crystal data for 1 : space group P&1bar;, a = 6.7208(6) Å, b = 8.4310(8) Å, c = 8.5923(8) Å, a = 77.881(2)°, β = 76.342(2)°, γ = 83.936(2)°, V = 461.75(1) ų, Z = 1 with final residuals R1 = 0.0650 and wR2 = 0.1725. Crystal data for 2 : space group P2(1)/n, a = 7.4209(6) Å, b = 11.0231(9) Å, c = 12.317(1) Å, β = 96.642(9)°, V = 1000.9(2) ų, Z = 2 with final residuals R1 = 0.0378 and wR2 = 0.0809. Important NCS—H‐N and O‐H—N(PPz) hydrogen‐bonding interactions in compound 1 and NCS···H‐N hydrogen‐bonding interactions and NCS—SCN interactions in compound 2 play a significant role in aligning the polymer strands in crystalline solids.     

Low-molecular-weight photoresponsive supramulecular hydrogel based on a dicationic azobenzene-bridged pyridinium hydrogelator

Photoresponsive supramolecular hydrogel was fabricated from a small azobenzene-bridged dicationic pyridinium salt in the aqueous solution. The UV-vis light triggered reversible gel-sol transformation of such low-molecular-weight supramolecular hydrogel was systematically investigated through various analytical techniques.     

Needle-like calcium carbonate assisted self-assembly of mesostructured hollow silica nanotubes

Mesostructured hollow silica nanotubes (MHSNTs) were successfully produced via the self-assembly of C₁₆TMABr and silica species on the surface of needle-like calcium carbonate nanoparticles in an alkaline medium at room temperature. The characterization of MHSNTs by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), pore size distribution (PSD) and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) indicated that MHSNTs had uniform tubular hollow structures with big openings, a length of 1.5-2.0 μm, an inner diameter of 150-200 nm at the open end and 50-60 nm at the closed end, and a wall thickness of 20-30 nm, as well as a narrow PSD around 2.3 nm in the shells and a BET surface area as high as ∼975.3 m²/g. By small-angle X-ray diffraction (XRD), BET and pore structure analysis, it was found that more uniformly structured mesopores could be formed by the method of removing the double templates simultaneously through a solvent extraction process, as compared to the separate removal of the double templates by calcinating and then etching in an acidic solution, and the amount of C₁₆TMABr affected the mesoporous structures of MHSNTs greatly. The formation processes of MHSNTs were also studied with XRD and FTIR.     

Supramolecular stabilization of the phosphite-based polyoxomolybdate [Mo6(PO3)(HPO3)3O18]

A novel phosphite-based hetero-polyoxomolybdate, [Mo₆(PO₃)(HPO₃)₃O₁₈]⁹⁻, has been isolated and structurally characterized. The most striking feature of this polyanion is the presence of peripheral phosphite groups linked to the MoO₆ octahedra. In the solid state, this cluster shows strong hydrogen bonding interactions that apparently play a key role in its stabilization and isolation from solution.