Rhodium (II) compounds with functionalized metalated phosphines as bridging ligands

The reaction of Rh₂(O₂CCH₃)₄ · 2CH₃OH with the phosphine P(4-BrC₆H₄)₂(C₆H₅), 2, results in the formation of the monometalated compound Rh₂(O₂CCH₃)₃[PC] · 2CH₃CO₂H (PC representing a metalated P(4-BrC₆H₄)₂(C₆H₅)). The reaction involves selective metalation of the phosphine at one Br-substituted ring (12:1 isomer ratio). The reaction of Rh₂(O₂CCH₃)₃[(4-BrC₆H₃)P(4-BrC₆H₄)(C₆H₅)] · 2CH₃CO₂H, 4, with one additional mol of triphenylphosphine yields a mixture of two main stereoisomers Rh₂(O₂CCH₃)₂[(4-BrC₆H₃)P(4-BrC₆H₄)(C₆H₅)] [(C₆H₄)P(C₆H₅)₂] · 2CH₃CO₂H, 5a and 5b, that were isolated as pure compounds. These two compounds were resolved in the corresponding M and P enantiomers as trifluoroacetate derivatives that show good enantioselectivities in catalytic transformation of α-diazocarbonyl compounds.     

Thermoregulated Liquid/Liquid Biphasic Catalysis and Its Application

A brief overview of our recent research results of thermoregulated liquid/liquid biphasic catalysis is presented. Emphasis is given to the general principles of thermoregulated phase-transfer catalysis (TRPTC) and thermoregulated phase-separable catalysis (TPSC). In addition, the applications of TRPTC and TPSC in biphasic catalysis are also discussed. The introduction of TRPTC to biphasic system is free from the shortcomings of classical aqueous/organic two-phase catalysis, in which the application scope is restrained by the water solubility of the substrate. Meanwhile, TPSC provides a very simple and reliable way to deal with the separation of catalyst in homogeneous catalysis. The common advantages of TRPTC and TPSC are characterized by homogeneous catalysis coupled with convenient biphasic separation.     

Coordination solids via assembly of adaptable components: systematic structural variation in alkaline earth organosulfonate networks

A family of alkaline earth organosulfonate coordination solids is reported. In contrast to more typical crystal engineering approaches, these solids are sustained by the assembly of building blocks that are coordinatively adaptable rather than rigid in their bonding preferences. The ligand, 4,5-dihydroxybenzene-1,3-disulfonate, L, progressively evolves from a 0D, 1D, 2D, to a 3D microporous network with the Group II cations Mg(2+), Ca(2+), Sr(2+), and Ba(2+), (compounds 1-4), respectively. This trend in dimensionality can be explained by considering factors such as hard-soft acid-base principles and cation radii, a rationalization which follows salient crystal engineering principles. The selective gas sorption properties of the microporous 3D network [Ba(L)(H(2)O)].H(2)O, 4, with different gaseous guests are also presented.     

New developments in the Pd-catalysed cyclisation-coupling reaction of alkene-containing carbonucleophiles with organic halides (and triflates). The first examples of asymmetric catalysis.

The results of our preliminary investigations directed toward asymmetric catalysis of the cyclocarbopalladation of alkenes bearing a proximate nucleophile with organic halides (or triflates) are disclosed. A series of bidentate phosphine ligands were evaluated in intramolecular versions of this reaction using (E)-2-[7-(2-bromophenyl)-hept-4-enyl]-malonic acid dimethyl ester (1) and (Z)-2-[7-(2-trifluoromethanesulfonyloxy-phenyl)-hept-4-enyl]-malonic acid dimethyl ester (9) as model substrates. The highest enantioselective induction was obtained with aryl triflate 9 which produced the corresponding cyclopentylindane as a single diastereomer in 54% chemical yield and 43% ee by using PdCl₂[S-(−)-TolBINAP] as chiral catalyst and K₂CO₃ as base.     

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.     

Engineering cytochrome P-450s

Cytochrome P-450 isozymes represent a critical component of nature’s spectrum of detoxification catalysts that could be exploited for bioremediation. The ethanol-inducible human cytochrome P-450 2E1 serves as a model eukaryotic P-450 that complements the bacterial P-450 cam in dehalogenation and detoxification of environmental pollutants. We explored the construction of novel chimeric P-450s using cytochrome P-450 camC and 2E1 genes. For construction of chimera 1 (478 amino acids, 55.14 kDa), 145 amino acids from the N-terminus of P-450 2E1 protein (493 amino acids, 56.84 kDa) were replaced with 130 amino acids from the N-terminus of P-450 camC protein (415 amino acids, 46.66 kDa). In chimera 2 (525 amino acids, 60.24 kDa) the strategy involves replacement of 28 amino acids in the C-terminus of chimera 1 with 75 amino acids from the C-terminus of P-450 camC gene. Homology models of both the chimeric proteins were developed using SWISS-MODEL based on the known crystal structure of cytochrome P-450 camC, BM-3, 1DT6A, and 2C17A. The models indicated that the proposed heme-binding site was intact, which is inevitable for catalytic activity of cytochrome P-450s. The expression of chimera 1 and 2 genes in Escherichia coli DH5α was evident from light-pink cell pellets, protein band in sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and diagnostic carbon monoxide-difference spectra. Our studies show that strategies can be developed to exploit the natural diversity of the P-450 superfamily to generate chimeric biocatalysts that would provide new templates amenable to directed evolution.     

Structural and spectroscopic trends in mononuclear arylchalcogenolato-palladium(II) and -platinum(II) complexes: Crystal structures of [M(TeAr)2(dppe)] {M = palladium, platinum; Ar = phenyl, 2-thienyl; dppe = 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane}

A series of mononuclear [M(EAr)₂(dppe)] [M = Pd, Pt; E = Se, Te; Ar = phenyl, 2-thienyl; dppe = 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane] complexes has been prepared in good yields by the reactions of [MCl₂(dppe)] and corresponding ArE⁻ with a special emphasis on the aryltellurolato palladium and -platinum complexes for which the existing structural information is virtually non-existent. The complexes have crystallized in five isomorphic groups: (1) [Pd(SePh)₂(dppe)] and [Pt(SePh)₂(dppe)], (2) [Pd(TePh)₂(dppe)] and [Pt(TePh)₂(dppe)], (3) [Pd(SeTh)₂(dppe)], (4) [Pt(SeTh)₂(dppe)] and [Pd(TeTh)₂(dppe)], and (5) [Pt(TePh)₂(dppe)]. In addition, solvated [Pd(TePh)₂(dppe)] · CH₃OH and [Pd(TeTh)₂(dppe)] · 1/2CH₂Cl₂ could be isolated and structurally characterized. The metal atom in each complex exhibits an approximate square-planar coordination. The Pd-Se, Pt-Se, Pd-Te, and Pt-Te bonds span a range of 2.4350(7)-2.4828(7) Å, 2.442(1)-2.511(1) Å, 2.5871(7)-2.6704(8) Å, and 2.6053(6)-2.6594(9) Å, respectively, and the respective Pd-P and Pt-P bond distances are 2.265(2)-2.295(2) Å and 2.247(2)-2.270(2) Å. The orientation of the arylchalcogenolato ligands with respect to the M(E₂)(P₂) plane has been found to depend on the E-M-E bond angle. The NMR spectroscopic information indicates the formation of only cis-[M(EAr)₂(dppe)] complexes in solution. The trends in the ³¹P, ⁷⁷Se, ¹²⁵Te, and ¹⁹⁵Pt chemical shifts expectedly depend on the nature of metal, chalcogen, and aryl group. Each trend can be considered independently of other factors. The ⁷⁷Se or ¹²⁵Te resonances appear as second-order multiplets in case of palladium and platinum complexes, respectively. Spectral simulation has yielded all relevant coupling constants.     

Synthesis and characterization of poly(amidoamine)-platinum(II) complexes. Detailed speciation by Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Mass Spectrometry

MALDI and ESI-MS have been applied to the characterization of the reaction products between the labile cis-[Pt(DMSO)₂Cl₂] (1) and trans-[Pt(DMSO)₂Cl(CH₃)] (2) complexes with the simplest poly(amidoamine) ligand (PAMAM, G = 0, 1,2-diaminoethane as core). The comparison of the mass spectra of the starting G₀ and those of the metallo-dendrimers formed upon mixing of the reagents in an equimolecular ratio, and the analysis of the isotopic distribution in the ESI spectra, have revealed the formation of cationic and neutral mononuclear complexes with PAMAM as ligand, e.g., cis-[Pt(DMSO)(PAMAM)Cl]Cl or trans-(C,N)[Pt(DMSO)(PAMAM)Cl(CH₃)], together with various minor components, which have been identified as derivatives from defective structures of PAMAM. The geometry of the main products has been deduced from the values of the protons coupling constants with the isotopically abundant ¹⁹⁵Pt. The metal-to-ligand bond is restricted to the peripheral amino groups of PAMAM which shows sufficient flexibility to involve either one or two branches in the coordination bonding.     

Synthesis of a novel rigid molecule family for the investigation of electron and energy transfer

Three new rigid bridging ligands for metal complexation (7=bmb, 8=bqb and 11=btb) were prepared from a rigid triptycene spacer connected to two bipyridine ligands using a Horner–Emmons type reaction. The triptycene spacer is substituted by methoxy groups in the case of bmb and in the case of bqb by a benzoquinone substituent. The corresponding metal complexes (ruthenium and/or osmium) were synthesised and the different luminescence behaviour was tested. They show great potential for the investigation of intramolecular electron and energy transfer reactions. The dinuclear metal complex Ru---bqb---Os is an interesting system in which the bridging ligand bqb acts as a redox switch, able to tune the conductivity for energy or electrons across the bridge.     

Synthesis, structure, and spectroscopy of phenylacetylenylene rods incorporating meso-substituted dipyrrin ligands

The synthesis, structure, and spectroscopic characterization of a series of phenylacetylenylene rodlike molecules containing dipyrromethene (dipyrrin) ligands are described. The combination of the phenylacetylenylene groups with the porphyrinogenic dipyrrin moieties results in a rich absorption spectroscopy for these compounds, although the fluorescence of the phenylacetylenylene moiety is quenched by presence of the dipyrrin chelator. The Cu(2+) and Fe(3+) complexes of these ligands have been prepared and three of these compounds have been structurally characterized by using single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Unlike other octahedral metal-dipyrrin complexes described to date, one of the iron complexes demonstrates ideal threefold symmetry in the solid-state. The elongated structure and high symmetry of these complexes suggests the use of these meso-substituted phenylacetylenylene ligands as an interesting class of extended, branched molecules for the construction of supramolecular architectures.