Synthesis,structure and catalytic polymerization activity of half‐sandwich cyclometallated iridium complexes

A series of mononuclear half‐sandwich cyclometallated iridium complexes with Schiff base ligands were synthesized in good yields. Five air‐stable C,N‐chelate mode complexes were obtained smoothly through metal‐mediated C─H bond activation. Treatments of dimeric metal complexes [Cp*IrCl₂]₂ with ligands L1–L5 afforded the corresponding C,N‐chelate mononuclear half‐sandwich iridium(III) complexes 1 – 5 . These iridium complexes exhibit high catalytic activity for norbornene polymerization. Both steric and electronic effects of the substituted groups have influences on the behaviors of the polymerization process. All complexes were characterized using infrared and NMR spectroscopies and elemental analysis. Molecular structures of complexes 1 , 2 and 5 were further confirmed using single‐crystal X‐ray analysis.     

Seed‐Mediated Synthesis of Gold Tetrahedra in High Purity and with Tunable,Well‐Controlled Sizes

We report a facile synthesis of Au tetrahedra in high purity and with tunable, well‐controlled sizes via seed‐mediated growth. The success of this synthesis relies on the use of single‐crystal, spherical Au nanocrystals as the seeds and manipulation of the reaction kinetics to induce an unsymmetrical growth pattern for the seeds. In particular, the dropwise addition of a precursor solution with a syringe pump, assisted by cetyltrimethylammonium chloride and bromide at appropriate concentrations, was found to be critical to the formation of Au tetrahedra in high purity. Their sizes could be readily tuned in the range of 30–60 nm by simply varying the amount of precursor added to the reaction solution. The current strategy not only enables the synthesis of Au tetrahedra with tunable and controlled sizes but also provides a facile and versatile approach to reducing the symmetry of nanocrystals made of a face‐centered cubic lattice.     

Synthesis,structure and properties of aquabis(2,4′-bipyridine)di(propionato-O)copper(II)

The title complex has been synthesized and characterized by elemental and thermal analysis, IR and electronic spectroscopy, conductivity studies and X-ray crystallography. In the crystal, the complex has two-fold symmetry and the copper atom adopts square pyramidal coordination. Bond valences for Cu were computed. Cu–O_(propionate) bonds are slightly stronger than the Cu–N bonds, and the Cu–O_(water) bond is distinctly weaker. Molecules are linked by O–H···O hydrogen bonds to form infinite hydrogen-bonded chains along the y axis.     

High-spin iron(III) complexes: structural,spectroscopic, and photochemical studies

Reaction of FeCl₃ with one equivalent of acac (acac = pentane-2,4-dionate) and KTp^Me2 (Tp^Me2 = hydrotris(3,5-dimethyl-pyrazol-1-yl)borate) yielded Tp^Me2Fe(acac)Cl (3), which upon reaction with methanolic solution of sodium azide resulted in the formation of a six coordinate compound Tp^Me2Fe(acac)N₃ (4) with a single azide. When the reaction of FeCl₃ and KTp^Me2 was performed with two equivalents of sodium azide and one equivalent of 3,5-dimethylpyrazole (Pz^Me2H), a six coordinate cis azide compound [Tp^Me2Fe(Pz^Me2H)(N₃)₂] (5) was obtained. These compounds were characterized by spectroscopic methods and single crystal X-ray crystallography. Electrochemical studies of 5 show that it can be irreversibly reduced at relatively lower potential than 4. The photolysis of 5 was performed at 77 K at different wavelengths (480, 419, and 330 nm) showing that 5 was photoreduced to a high-spin Fe(II) species instead of photooxidized to Fe(V).     

Synthesis of a bipyridine-derived achiral thiourea trifluoromethanesulfonic acid salt and its application as an additive in organocatalytic asymmetric reactions

The host–guest complex of a proline–thiourea bipyridine trifluoromethanesulfonic acid salt can catalyze organocatalytic asymmetric reactions such as aldol, Michael, and Mannich in polar protic medium with high stereoselectivities. The privileged bipyridine backbone and the thiourea motif are essential to the activity and enantioselectivity through hydrogen bonding interactions.     

Bimetallic Gold(I) Complexes with Ethynyl‐Helicene and Bis‐Phosphole Ligands: Understanding the Role of Aurophilic Interactions in their Chiroptical Properties

Monometallic gold(I)‐alkynyl‐helicene complexes ( 1 a , b ) and bimetallic gold(I)‐alkynyl‐helicene architectures featuring the presence ( 2 a , b ) or absence ( 3 a , b ) of aurophilic intramolecular interactions were prepared by using different types of phosphole ligands (mono‐phosphole L1 or bis‐phospholes L2 , 3 ). The influence of the Au^I d¹⁰ metal center(s) on the electronic, photophysical, and chiroptical properties of these unprecedented phosphole‐gold(I)‐alkynyl‐helicene complexes was examined. Experimental and theoretical results highlight the importance of ligand‐to‐ligand‐type charge transfers and the strong effect of the presence or absence of Au^I–Au^I interactions in 2 a , b .     

The Determination of the Titre of Ascorbic Acid Standard Solutions

Abstract

A new method for the determination of the titre of ascorbic acid standard solutions employing potassium dichromate as a primary standard has been developed. In a pyrophosphate medium, the pyrophosphate complex of divalent manganese is oxidized by dichromate to the pyrophosphate complex of tervalent manganese; the latter oxidizes o-tolidine reversibly with formation of the corresponding quinonediimine, which is visually titrated by the ascorbic acid standard solution.     

Low‐energy ion scattering: Determining overlayer thickness for functionalized gold nanoparticles

With the widespread use of engineered nanoparticles for biomedical applications, detailed surface characterization is essential for ensuring reproducibility and the quality/suitability of the surface chemistry to the task at hand. One important surface property to be quantified is the overlayer thickness of self‐assembled monolayer (SAM) functionalized nanoparticles, as this information provides insight into SAM ordering and assembly. We demonstrate the application of high sensitivity low‐energy ion scattering (HS‐LEIS) as a new analytical method for the fast thickness characterization of SAM functionalized gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). HS‐LEIS demonstrates that a complete SAM is formed on 16‐mercaptohexadecanoic acid (C16COOH) functionalized 14 nm AuNPs. HS‐LEIS also experimentally provides SAM thickness values that are in good agreement with previously reported results from simulated electron spectra for surface analysis of X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy data. These results indicate HS‐LEIS is a valuable surface analytical method for the characterization of SAM functionalized nanomaterials. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Formal (4+1) Cycloaddition of Methylenecyclopropanes with 7‐Aryl‐1,3,5‐cycloheptatrienes by Triple Gold(I) Catalysis

7‐Aryl‐1,3,5‐cycloheptatrienes react intermolecularly with methylenecyclopropanes in a triple gold(I)‐catalyzed reaction to form cyclopentenes. The same formal (4+1) cycloaddition occurs with cyclobutenes. Other precursors of gold(I) carbenes can also be used as the C₁ component of the cycloaddition.