Catalyst‐ and Solvent‐Dependent Stereodivergence in the Intramolecular Et2Zn/Pd0‐Promoted Carbonyl Propargylation: Mechanistic Implications

Carbonyl‐tethered propargylic benzoates undergo intramolecular carbonylpropargylation upon treatment with Et₂Zn in the presence of a catalytic amount of Pd⁰ with the formation of 2‐alkynylcyclopentanol products. A ligand/solvent effect on the cis/trans selectivity (referring to the relative positions of alkynyl and OH groups) of ring‐closure has been found. In a non‐coordinating solvent (benzene), increasing the electron‐donating ability of the phosphine ligand (while decreasing its dissociation ability) leads to an increased tendency towards the trans product. On the other hand, the combination of a coordinating solvent (THF) and PPh₃, an easily dissociated phosphine, results in the exclusive formation of cis products. Experimental and computational results are compatible with a divergent behavior of an allenylethylpalladium intermediate that partitions between competitive carbonyl‐addition and transmetalation pathways, each leading to a different diastereoisomer. These results also suggest that the dissociating ability of the phosphine regulates that behavior.     

Surface‐Mediated Synthesis of Dimeric Rhodium Catalysts on MgO: Tracking Changes in the Nuclearity and Ligand Environment of the Catalytically Active Sites by X‐ray Absorption and Infrared Spectroscopies

The preparation of dinuclear rhodium clusters and their use as catalysts is challenging because these clusters are unstable, evolving readily into species with higher nuclearities. We now present a novel synthetic route to generate rhodium dimers on the surface of MgO by a stoichiometrically simple surface‐mediated reaction involving [Rh(C₂H₄)₂] species and H₂. X‐ray absorption and IR spectra were used to characterize the changes in the nuclearity of the essentially molecular surface species as they formed, including the ligands on the rhodium and the metal‐support interactions. The support plays a key role in stabilizing the dinuclear rhodium species, allowing the incorporation of small ligands (ethyl, hydride, and/or CO) and enabling a characterization of the catalytic performance of the supported species for the hydrogenation of ethylene as a function of the metal nuclearity and ligand environment. A change in the nuclearity from one to two Rh atoms leads to a 58‐fold increase in the catalytic activity for ethylene hydrogenation, a reaction involving unsaturated, but stable, dimeric rhodium species.     

Butterfly‐Shaped Pentanuclear Dysprosium Single‐Molecule Magnets

Two new “butterfly‐shaped” pentanuclear dysprosium(III) clusters, [Dy₅(μ₃‐OH)₃(opch)₆(H₂O)₃] ? 3 MeOH ? 9 H₂O ( 1 ) and [Dy₅(μ₃‐OH)₃(Hopch)₂(opch)₄(MeOH)(H₂O)₂] ? (ClO₄)₂ ? 6 MeOH ? 4 H₂O ( 2 ), which were based on the heterodonor‐chelating ligand o‐vanillin pyrazine acylhydrazone (H₂opch), have been successfully synthesized by applying different reaction conditions. Single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis revealed that the butterfly‐shaped cores in both compounds were comparable. However, their magnetic properties were drastically different. Indeed, compound 1 showed dual slow‐relaxation processes with a transition between them that corresponded to energy gaps (Δ) of 8.1 and 37.9 K and pre‐exponential factors (τ₀) of 1.7×10^?5 and 9.7×10^?8 s for the low‐ and high‐temperature domains, respectively, whilst only a single relaxation process was noted for compound 2 (Δ=197 K, τ₀=3.2×10^?9 s). These significant disparities are most likely due to the versatile coordination of the H₂opch ligands with particular keto–enol tautomerism, which alters the strength of the local crystal field and, hence, the nature or direction of the easy axes of anisotropic dysprosium ions.     

Size‐Selective Encapsulation of Hydrophobic Guests by Self‐Assembled M4L6 Cobalt and Nickel Cages

Subtle differences in metal–ligand bond lengths between a series of [M₄L₆]^4? tetrahedral cages, where M=Fe^II, Co^II, or Ni^II, were observed to result in substantial differences in affinity for hydrophobic guests in water. Changing the metal ion from iron(II) to cobalt(II) or nickel(II) increases the size of the interior cavity of the cage and allows encapsulation of larger guest molecules. NMR spectroscopy was used to study the recognition properties of the iron(II) and cobalt(II) cages towards small hydrophobic guests in water, and single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction was used to study the solid‐state complexes of the iron(II) and nickel(II) cages.     

Well‐Defined Molecular Magnesium Hydride Clusters: Relationship between Size and Hydrogen‐Elimination Temperature

A new tetranuclear magnesium hydride cluster, [{ NN ‐(MgH)₂}₂], which was based on a N? N‐coupled bis‐β‐diketiminate ligand ( NN ^2?), was obtained from the reaction of [{ NN ‐(MgnBu)₂}₂] with PhSiH₃. Its crystal structure reveals an almost‐tetrahedral arrangement of Mg atoms and two different sets of hydride ions, which give rise to a coupling in the NMR spectrum (J=8.5 Hz). To shed light on the relationship between the cluster size and H₂ release, the thermal decomposition of [{ NN ‐(MgH)₂}₂] and two closely related systems that were based on similar ligands, that is, an octanuclear magnesium hydride cluster and a dimeric magnesium hydride species, have been investigated in detail. A lowering of the H₂‐desorption temperature with decreasing cluster size is observed, in line with previously reported theoretical predictions on (MgH₂)_n model systems. Deuterium‐labeling studies further demonstrate that the released H₂ solely originates from the oxidative coupling of two hydride ligands and not from other hydrogen sources, such as the β‐diketiminate ligands. Analysis of the DFT‐computed electron density in [{ NN ‐(MgH)₂}₂] reveals a counterintuitive interaction between two formally closed‐shell H^? ligands that are separated by 3.106 Å. This weak interaction could play an important role in H₂ desorption. Although the molecular product after H₂ release could not be characterized experimentally, DFT calculations on the proposed decomposition product, that is, the low‐valence tetranuclear Mg(I) cluster [( NN ‐Mg₂)₂], predict a structure with two almost‐parallel, localized Mg? Mg bonds. As in a previously reported β‐diketiminate Mg^I dimer, the Mg? Mg bond is not characterized by a bond critical point, but instead displays a local maximum of electron density midway between the atoms, that is, a non‐nuclear attractor (NNA). Interestingly, both of the NNAs in [( NN ‐Mg₂)₂] are connected through a bond path that suggests that there is bonding between all four Mg^I atoms.     

Synthesis and Reactivity of Cationic Triruthenium Clusters Derived from 2‐Methyl‐ and 4‐Methylpyrimidines: From Conventional Cyclometalated Ligands to Novel Types of N‐Heterocyclic Carbenes

The methylation of the uncoordinated nitrogen atom of the cyclometalated triruthenium cluster complexes [Ru₃(μ‐H)(μ‐κ²N¹,C⁶‐2‐Mepyr)(CO)₁₀] ( 1 ; 2‐MepyrH=2‐methylpyrimidine) and [Ru₃(μ‐H)(μ‐κ²N¹,C⁶‐4‐Mepyr)(CO)₁₀] ( 9 ; 4‐MepyrH=4‐methylpyrimidine) gives two similar cationic complexes, [Ru₃(μ‐H)(μ‐κ²N¹,C⁶‐2,3‐Me₂pyr)(CO)₁₀]⁺( 2 ⁺) and [Ru₃(μ‐H)(μ‐κ²N¹,C⁶‐3,4‐Me₂pyr)(CO)₁₀]⁺ ( 9 ⁺), respectively, whose heterocyclic ligands belong to a novel type of N‐heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) that have the C_carbene atom in 6‐position of a pyrimidine framework. The position of the C‐methyl group in the ligands of complexes 2 ⁺ (on C²) and 9 ⁺ (on C⁴) is of key importance for the outcome of their reactions with K[N(SiMe₃)₂], K‐selectride, and cobaltocene. Although these reagents react with 2 ⁺ to give [Ru₃(μ‐H)(μ‐κ²N¹,C⁶‐2‐CH₂‐3‐Mepyr)(CO)₁₀] ( 3 ; deprotonation of the C²‐Me group), [Ru₃(μ‐H)(μ₃‐κ³N¹,C⁵,C⁶‐4‐H‐2,3‐Me₂pyr)(CO)₉] ( 4 ; hydride addition at C⁴), and [Ru₆(μ‐H)₂{μ₆‐κ⁶N¹,N^1′,C⁵,C^5′,C⁶,C^6′‐4,4′‐bis(2,3‐Me₂pyr)}(CO)₁₈] ( 5 ; reductive dimerization at C⁴), respectively, similar reactions with 9 ⁺ have only allowed the isolation of [Ru₃(μ‐H)(μ₃‐κ²N¹,C⁶‐2‐H‐3,4‐Me₂pyr)(CO)₉] ( 11 ; hydride addition at C²). Compounds 3 and 11 also contain novel six‐membered ring NHC ligands. Theoretical studies have established that the deprotonation of 2 ⁺ and 9 ⁺ (that have ligand‐based LUMOs) are charge‐controlled processes and that both the composition of the LUMOs of these cationic complexes and the steric protection of their ligand ring atoms govern the regioselectivity of their nucleophilic addition and reduction reactions.     

Unprecedented Electron‐Poor Octahedral Ta6 Clusters in a Solid‐State Compound: Synthesis,Characterisations and Theoretical Investigations of Cs2BaTa6Br15O3

The crystal structure of Cs₂BaTa₆Br₁₅O₃ has been elucidated by using synchrotron X‐ray powder diffraction and absorption experiments. It is built from edge‐bridged octahedral [(Ta₆${{\rm Br}{{{\rm i}\hfill \atop 9\hfill}}}$ ${{\rm O}{{{\rm i}\hfill \atop 3\hfill}}}$ )${{\rm Br}{{{\rm a}\hfill \atop 6\hfill}}}$ ]^4? cluster units with a singular poor metallic electron (ME) count equal to thirteen. This leads to a paramagnetic behaviour related to one unpaired electron. The arrangement of the Ta₆ clusters is similar to that of Cs₂LaTa₆Br₁₅O₃ exhibiting 14‐MEs per [(Ta₆${{\rm Br}{{{\rm i}\hfill \atop 9\hfill}}}$ ${{\rm O}{{{\rm i}\hfill \atop 3\hfill}}}$ )${{\rm Br}{{{\rm a}\hfill \atop 6\hfill}}}$ ]^5? motif. The poorer electron‐count cluster presents longer metal–metal distances as foreseen according to the electronic structure of edge‐bridged hexanuclear cluster. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations on molecular models were used to rationalise the structural properties of 13‐ and 14‐ME clusters. Periodic DFT calculations demonstrate that the electronic structure of these solid‐state compounds is related to those of the discrete octahedral units. Oxygen–barium interactions seem to prevent the geometry of the octahedral cluster to strongly distort, allowing stabilisation of this unprecedented electron‐poor Ta₆ cluster in the solid state.     

Photoswitchable Hydrogel Surface Topographies by Polymerisation‐Induced Diffusion

Herein, we describe the preparation of patterned photoresponsive hydrogels by using a facile method. This polymer‐network hydrogel coating consists of N‐isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAM), cross‐linking agent tripropylene glycol diacrylate (TPGDA), and a new photochromic spiropyran monoacrylate. In a pre‐study, a linear NIPAAM copolymer (without TPGDA) that contained the spiropyran dye was synthesised, which showed relatively fast photoswitching behaviour. Subsequently, the photopolymerisation of a similar monomer mixture that included TPGDA afforded freestanding hydrogel polymer networks. The light‐induced isomerisation of protonated merocyanine into neutral spiropyran under slightly acidic conditions resulted in macroscopic changes in the hydrophilicity of the entire polymer film, that is, shrinkage of the hydrogel. The degree of shrinkage could be controlled by changing the chemical composition of the acrylate mixture. After these pre‐studies, a hydrogel film with spatially modulated cross‐link density was fabricated through polymerisation‐induced diffusion, by using a patterned photomask. The resulting smooth patterned hydrogel coating swelled in slightly acidic media and the swelling was higher in the regions with lower cross‐linking densities, thus yielding a corrugated surface. Upon exposure to visible light, the surface topography flattened again, thus showing that a hydrogel coating could be created, the topography of which could be controlled by light irradiation.