Chiral bidentate aminophosphine ligands: synthesis, coordination chemistry and asymmetric catalysis

Chiral aminophosphines Ph2PN(R)(CH2)nN(R)PPh2 1-4 [n= 2, R = CH(CH3)(Ph) 1; n= 3, R = CH(CH2CH3)(Ph) 2, n= 2, R = CH(CH3)(1-naphthyl) 3; n= 2, R = CH(CH3)(C6H11) 4] were synthesized by the reaction of ClPPh2 with the appropriate easily accessible enantiopure amine building blocks. For compounds 1 and 2, the corresponding selenides 5 and 6 were prepared to determine the electronic character of the phosphine moieties. By reaction of 1 with either PdCl2(cod) or PdCl(CH3)(cod) the cis-complexes 7 and 8 were obtained. The molecular structure for complex 7, cis-[PdCl2(1)], was determined by X-ray crystallography. Reaction of PtCl2(cod) with 1 or 2 yielded the corresponding monomeric cis-isomers 9 and 10. The rhodium derivative [RhCl(CO)(1)] (11) was obtained as a mixture of cis and trans-isomers. Preliminary results in the rhodium catalyzed hydroformylation of styrene and vinyl acetate, with ee's up to 51% and high regioselectivities, showed the potential of these chiral aminophosphines for homogeneous catalysis.     

Can the new ISO Guide 25/EN 45001 create better confidence in laboratory operations?

 Confidence in laboratory operations is discussed based on the ongoing revision of the ISO/IEC Guide 25. Confidence is a subjective attribute, which also depends on whose interest is considered. New and better-defined quality systems and technical elements will be included, and these are beneficial to the transparency of laboratory operations, as well as to the accreditation process. The ultimate aim is, of course, to satisfy customers. The testing laboratories' industrial customers are, however, generally unfamiliar with the ISO/IEC Guide 25 and accreditation. The main reason for improved confidence in testing and calibration laboratories is foreseen to come from closer interaction between laboratories and their customers.     

Electron-rich diferrous-phosphane-thiolates relevant to Fe-only hydrogenase: is cyanide "nature's trimethylphosphane"?

The two-step one-pot oxidative decarbonylation of [Fe2(S2C2H4)(CO)4(PMe3)2] (1) with [FeCp2]PF6, followed by addition of phosphane ligands, led to a series of diferrous dithiolato carbonyls 2-6, containing three or four phosphane ligands. In situ measurements indicate efficient formation of 1(2+) as the initial intermediate of the oxidation of 1, even when a deficiency of the oxidant was employed. Subsequent addition of PR3 gave rise to [Fe2(S2C2H4)(mu-CO)(CO)3(PMe3)3]2+ (2) and [Fe2(S2C2H4)(mu-CO)(CO)2(PMe3)2(PR3)2]2+ (R = Me 3, OMe 4) as principal products. One terminal CO ligand in these complexes was readily substituted by MeCN, and [Fe2(S2C2H4)(mu-CO)(CO)2(PMe3)3(MeCN)]2+ (5) and [Fe2(S2C2H4)(mu-CO)(CO)(PMe3)4(MeCN)]2+ (6) were fully characterized. Relevant to the H(red) state of the active site of Fe-only hydrogenases, the unsymmetrical derivatives 5 and 6 feature a semibridging CO ligand trans to a labile coordination site.     

Consolidation behavior in sedimentation of TiO(2) suspensions in the presence of electrolytes

The consolidation of TiO(2) suspensions (anatase and rutile) due to gravity sedimentation in the presence of electrolytes has been investigated as a function of pH. Sodium and barium nitrate were used as flocculating electrolytes. The particle interaction was related to the zeta potential and the thickness of the electrical double layer, kappa(-1), by utilizing the repulsive barrier in the classical DLVO theory. The stability of the suspensions was represented as the average final solids content of the sediment cake, phi(fin). The batch sedimentation process was followed by scanning the sample cell with X-rays, from which the solids content and the particle size were calculated. Generally, dense sediments, with phi(fin) up to volume fractions of 0.5, were found for stable suspensions. Flocculated suspensions produced sediments with low phi(fin). The phi(fin) was observed to increase linearly with increasing repulsive barrier. However, at pH values only slightly higher than the isoelectric point (pH(iep)) the phi(fin) remained low until it returned to linearity at a pH much higher than pH(iep). This was attributed to the stronger affinity of sodium than of nitrate for the particle surface, which may be explained by the higher negative hydration energy of sodium. The stronger affinity of sodium was also shown as unsymmetrical distribution of phi(fin) around pH(iep), with stronger flocculation at pH>pH(iep). The interpretation of phi(fin) as a function of the repulsive barrier (or kappa(-1)) also made it possible to distinguish between the adsorption mechanisms of ions from solution. Addition of electrolyte at a fixed low and high pH (surface positively and negatively charged, respectively) clearly showed the specificity in adsorption and consequent flocculation of the barium ion from the indifferent nitrate. Sodium was, however, again observed to flocculate the TiO(2) suspensions slightly more strongly than nitrate.     

Enthalpies of Lyotropic Liquid Crystalline Phases. : 2. The Partial Molar Enthalpies of the Lamellar and Hexagonal Phases in the System N-Pentanol-Sodium N-Octanoate-Water

The relative partial molar enthalpies of the components in the system N-pentanol-sodium N-octanoate-water (C₅OH-NaC₈-H₂O) have been determined in the lamellar (D-) and hexagonal (E-) liquid crystalline phases formed in this system at 25°C. The enthalpies are correlated with Bragg spacings and earlier nmr studies. They indicate that (a) the minimum amount of water needed to hydrate the polar groups limits the region of existence of both D- and E-phase towards low water contents, (b) the interaction between -OH and -COO is especially important in stabilizing the D-phase containing large amounts of water, (c) the Bragg spacings and the enthalpies both change their concentration dependence markedly when the maximum amount of water that can be bound by primary hydration of the polar groups and the counter ions in the D-phase is exceeded, (d) enthalpies of transition from one phase to another are small compared to enthalpy changes with composition within the phases; the same holds for Bragg spacings. Hence, the composition of the sample (above all, the mole fraction of NaC₈) is more important than the phase structure in determining these properties. It is obvious that further studies of enthalpies in similar systems can give important information on the factors governing phase stabilities and structural changes within the phases.     

Redox-Active Supramolecular Heteroleptic M4L2L′2 Assemblies with Tunable Interior Binding Site

Three Pt₄L₂L′₂ heteroleptic rectangles ( 1 – 3 ), containing ditopic redox-active bis-pyridine functionalized perylene bisimide (PBI) ligands PBI-pyr₂ ( L ) are reported. Co-ligand L′ is a dicarboxylate spacer of varying length, leading to modified overall size of the assemblies. ¹H NMR spectroscopy reveals a trend in the splitting and upfield chemical shift of the PBI-hydrogens in the rectangles with respect to free PBI, most pronounced with the largest strut length ( 3 ) and least with the smallest strut length ( 1 ). This is attributed to increased rotational freedom of the PBI-pyr ₂ ligand over its longitudinal axis (N_py-N_py), due to increased distance between the PBI-surfaces, which is corroborated by VT-NMR measurements and DFT calculations. The intramolecular motion entails desymmetrization of the two PBI-ligands, in line with cyclic voltammetry (CV) data. The first (overall two-electron) reduction event and re-oxidation for 1 display a subtle peak-to-peak splitting of 60 mV, whilst increased splitting of this event is observed for 2 and 3 . The binding of pyrene in 1 is probed to establish proof of concept of host-guest chemistry enabled by the two PBI-motifs. Fitting the binding curve obtained by ¹H NMR titration with a 1:1 complex formation model led to a binding constant of 964±55 m ⁻¹. Pyrene binding is shown to directly influence the redox-chemistry of 1 , resulting in a cathodic and anodic shift of approximately 46 mV on the first and second reduction event, respectively.     

An Isolated Nitridyl Radical‐Bridged {Rh(N.)Rh} Complex

Photochemical activation of [(PNNH)Rh(N₃)] (PNNH=6‐di‐(tert‐butyl)phosphinomethyl‐2,2′‐bipyridine) complex 2 produced the paramagnetic (S=1/2), [(PNN)Rh?N^.‐Rh(PNN)] complex 3 (PNN^?=methylene‐deprotonated PNNH), which could be crystallographically characterized. Spectroscopic investigation of 3 indicates a predominant nitridyl radical (^.N^2?) character, which was confirmed computationally. Complex 3 reacts selectively with CO, producing two equivalents of [(PNN)Rh^I(CO)] complex 4 , presumably by nitridyl radical N,N‐coupling.     

Catalytic Synthesis of 8-Membered Ring Compounds via Cobalt(III)-Carbene Radicals

The metalloradical activation of o-aryl aldehydes with tosylhydrazide and a cobalt(II) porphyrin catalyst produces cobalt(III)-carbene radical intermediates, providing a new and powerful strategy for the synthesis of medium-sized ring structures. Herein we make use of the intrinsic radical-type reactivity of cobalt(III)-carbene radical intermediates in the [Co^II(TPP)]-catalyzed (TPP=tetraphenylporphyrin) synthesis of two types of 8-membered ring compounds; novel dibenzocyclooctenes and unprecedented monobenzocyclooctadienes. The method was successfully applied to afford a variety of 8-membered ring compounds in good yields and with excellent substituent tolerance. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations and experimental results suggest that the reactions proceed via hydrogen atom transfer from the bis-allylic/benzallylic C−H bond to the carbene radical, followed by two divergent processes for ring-closure to the two different types of 8-membered ring products. While the dibenzocyclooctenes are most likely formed by dissociation of o-quinodimethanes (o-QDMs) which undergo a non-catalyzed 8π-cyclization, DFT calculations suggest that ring-closure to the monobenzocyclooctadienes involves a radical-rebound step in the coordination sphere of cobalt. The latter mechanism implies that unprecedented enantioselective ring-closure reactions to chiral monobenzocyclooctadienes should be possible, as was confirmed for reactions mediated by a chiral cobalt-porphyrin catalyst.