Zinc Imine Polyhedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxane as a Quattro-Site Catalyst for the Synthesis of Cyclic Carbonates from Epoxides and Low-Pressure CO2

In the present research, the synthesis, spectroscopic characterization, and structural investigations of a unique Zn^II complex of imine-functionalized polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) is designed, and hereby described, as a catalyst for the synthesis of cyclic carbonates from epoxides and CO₂. The uncommon features of the designed catalytic system is the elimination of the need for a high pressure of CO₂ and the significant shortening of reaction times commonly associated with such difficult transformations like that of styrene oxide to styrene carbonate. Our studies have shown that imine-POSS is able to chelate metal ions like Zn^II to form a unique coordination complex. The silsesquioxane core and the hindrance of the side arms (their steric effect) influence the construction process of the homoleptic Zn₄@POSS-1 complex. The compound was characterized in solution by NMR (¹H, ¹³C, ²⁹Si), ESI-MS, UV/Vis spectroscopy and in the solid state by thermogravimetric/differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA), elemental analysis, diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS), cross-polarization magic angle spinning (CP MAS) NMR (¹³C, ²⁹Si) spectroscopy, and X-ray crystallography.     

Gyroscope‐Like Molecules Consisting of PdX2/PtX2 Rotators within Three‐Spoke Dibridgehead Diphosphine Stators: Syntheses,Substitution Reactions,Structures, and Dynamic Properties

Threefold intramolecular ring‐closing metatheses of trans‐[MCl₂(P{(CH₂)_mCH?CH₂}₃)₂] are effected with Grubbs’ catalyst. Following hydrogenation catalyzed by [RhCl(PPh₃)₃], the title complexes trans‐[MCl₂(P((CH₂)_n)₃P )] (n=2m+2; M/n=Pt/14, 4 c ; Pt/16, 4 d ; Pt/18, 4 e ; Pd/14, 5 c ; Pd/18, 5 e ) and sometimes isomers partly derived from intraligand metathesis, trans‐[MCl₂{P(CH₂)_n(CH₂)_n}P (CH₂)_n)] ( 4′c–e , 5′e ), are isolated. These react with LiBr, NaI, and KCN to give the corresponding MBr₂, MI₂, and M(CN)₂ species (58–99 %). ¹³C NMR data show that the MX₂ moieties rapidly rotate within the diphosphine cage on the NMR timescale, even at ?120 °C. The reaction of 4 c and KSCN gives separable Pt(NCS)₂ and Pt(NCS)(SCN) adducts ( 13 c , 28 %; 14 c , 20 %), and those of 4 c , e and Ph₂Zn give PtPh₂ species ( 15 c , 61 %; 15 e , 90 %). ¹³C NMR spectra of 13 c – 15 c show two sets of CH₂ signals (ca. 2:1 intensity ratios), indicating that MX₂ rotation is no longer rapid. Reactions of 4 c or 4′c and excess NaC?CH afford the free diphosphines P{(CH₂)₁₄}₃P (91 %) and (CH₂)₁₄P (CH₂)₁₄P(C H₂)₁₄ (90 %). The latter has been crystallographically characterized as a bis(BH₃) adduct. The crystal structures of eight complexes with P(CH₂)₁₄P linkages (PtCl₂, PtBr₂, PtI₂, Pt(NCS)₂, PtPh₂, PdCl₂, PdBr₂, PdI₂) and 15 e have been determined, and intramolecular distances analyzed with respect to MX₂ rotation. The conformations of the (CH₂)₁₄ moieties and features of the crystal lattices are also discussed.     

Synthesis and EPR Studies of 2′‐Deoxyuridines with Alkynyl,Rodlike Linkages

Sonogashira coupling of diacetyl 5‐ethynyl‐2′‐deoxyuridine with diacetyl 5‐iodo‐2′‐deoxyuridine gave the acylated ethynediyl‐linked 2′‐deoxyuridine dimer ( 3 b ; 63 %), which was deprotected with ammonia/methanol to give ethynediyl‐linked 2′‐deoxyuridines ( 3 a ; 79 %). Treatment of 5‐ethynyl‐2′‐deoxyuridine ( 1 a ) with 5‐iodo‐2′‐deoxyuridine gave the furopyrimidine linked to 2′‐deoxyuridine (78 %). Catalytic oxidative coupling of 1 a (O₂, CuI, Pd/C, N,N‐dimethylformamide) gave butadiynediyl‐linked 2′‐deoxyuridines ( 4 ; 84 %). Double Sonogashira coupling of 5‐iodo‐2′‐deoxyuridine with 1,4‐diethynylbenzene gave 1,4‐phenylenediethynediyl‐bridged 2′‐deoxyuridines ( 5 ; 83 %). Cu‐catalyzed cycloisomerization of dimers 4 and 5 gave their furopyrimidine derivatives. One‐electron addition to 1 a , 3 a , and 4 gave the anion radical, the EPR spectra of which showed that the unpaired electron is largely localized at C6 of one uracil ring (17 G doublet) at 77 K. The EPR spectra of the one‐electron‐oxidized derivatives of ethynediyl‐ and butadiynediyl‐linked uridines 3 a and 4 at 77 K showed that the unpaired electron is delocalized over both rings. Therefore, structures 3 a and 4 provide an efficient electronic link for hole conduction between the uracil rings. However, for the excess electron, an activation barrier prevents coupling to both rings. These dimeric structures could provide a gate that would separate hole transfer from electron transport between strands in DNA systems. In the crystal structure of acylated dimer 3 b , the bases were found in the anti position relative to each other across the ethynyl link, and similar anti conformation was preserved in the derived furopyrimidine–deoxyuridine dinucleoside.     

Deoligomerization by cocomplexation: syntheses and structures of aluminum-calcium alkoxides and aryloxides

Reactions of oligomeric "Ca(dbbfo)2" and Ca9(CH3OCH2CH2O)18(CH3OCH2CH2OH)2 with Al(CH3)3 in toluene gave tetranuclear heterobimetallic [Ca(mu-dbbfo){(mu-dbbfo)(mu-CH3)Al(CH3)2}]2 (71%) and polymeric Ca{(mu-CH3OCH2CH2O)(mu-CH3)Al(CH3)2}2 (86%). The latter can be obtained as monomeric THF adduct Ca{(mu-CH3OCH2CH2O)Al(CH3)3}2(THF)2 (78%) when a mixture of solvents is used. The results, including an initial L-lactide polymerization test, are discussed in the context of calcium alkoxo cluster degradation in solution.     

Photochemical reduction of iron trichloride in ethyl acetate: synthesis,Mössbauer spectra and the crystal structure at 80 K of hexakis(ethyl acetate)iron(II) bis-tetrachloroironate(III)

FeCl₃ in ethyl acetate under the influence of sunlight, undergoes partial reduction yields the [Fe(CH₃CO₂Et)₆](FeCl₄)₂ salt. The Mössbauer spectra showed that the iron atoms are at +2 and +3 oxidation states. The crystal structure determined by X-ray diffraction methods at 80 K and refined by full-matrix least-squares techniques toR=0.028 for 2410 independent non-zero reflections is in good agreement with the Mössbauer results. The [Fe(CH₃CO₂Et)₆]²⁺ cations occupy centers of symmetry and the Fe²⁺ ions are octahedrally coordinated by six carbonyl oxygen atoms of six ethyl acetate molecules.     

Well-Defined Aminophenolate Zinc and Magnesium Complexes as Excellent Inhitiators for the ROP of Lactides

A series of molecular homo and heteroleptic zinc and magnesium compounds with aminophenolate ligands [(µ,η²-L²)ZnEt]₂ ( 1 ), [(η²-L²)Zn(µ-BnO)]₂ ( 2 ), [Zn(η²-L²)₂] ( 3 ), [Zn(η²-L³)₂] ( 4 ), [Mg(η²-L³)₂] ( 5 ) (L²-H = N-[methylene(2-hydroxy-3,5-di-tert-butylphenyl)]-N-methyl-N-cyclohexylamine, L³-H = N-[methylene(2-hydroxy-3,5-di-tert-butylphenyl)]-N-methyl-N-methyl-1,3-dioxolaneamine) have been prepared and characterized. The homoleptic complexes 3–5 are most probably a mixture of diastereoisomers that in solution show an interesting dynamics which plays an important role in their catalytic behavior. The complexes 2 – 5 are efficient initiators in ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of lactides to produce polymers with desired molecular weight and narrow polydispersity.     

New ε-caprolactone diyne monomers aiming for biodegradable polymers

A substitution reaction of cyclohexane-1,4-diol with propargyl bromide gave 4-(prop-2-yn-1-yloxy)cyclohexanol. This compound was oxidized to the corresponding ketone (2-C₂H) and then to acetylene γ-substituted ε-caprolactone (3-C₂H). The latter compound was chain-extended to two butadiynyl monomers: symmetrical 5,5′-[hexa-2,4-diyne-1,6-diylbis(oxy)]bis(oxepan-2-one) (3-C₄-3) and unsymmetrical 5-{[5-(trimethylsilyl)penta-2,4-diyn-1-yl]oxy}oxepan-2-one (3-C₄TMS) via Eglinton and Cadiot–Chodkiewicz couplings, respectively. Both compounds were obtained through an alternative Baeyer–Villiger oxidation of immediate ketone precursors 2-C₄-2 and 2-C₄TMS.     

Zinc-catalyzed cycloisomerizations. Synthesis of substituted furans and furopyrimidine nucleosides

5-Endo-dig cycloisomerization of 1,4- and 1,2,4- mostly aryl-substituted but-3-yn-1-ones in the presence of a catalytic amount of zinc chloride etherate (10 mol %) in dichloromethane at room temperature gave 2,5-di- and 2,3,5-trisubstituted furans in high yields (85-97%). DSC studies confirmed that a solely thermal process does not take place. A relevant catalytic process, employing mu-oxo-tetranuclear zinc cluster Zn4(OCOCF3)6O, yielded bicyclic furopyrimidine nucleosides, when starting from acetyl-protected 5-alkynyl-2'-deoxyuridines (85-86%). Furopyrimidine was deprotected or simultaneously converted into pyrrolopyrimidine nucleoside. The time/concentration dependence for the reaction of 1-phenyl-4-(4-methylphenyl)butynone to 2-(4-methylphenyl)-5-phenylfuran displayed first-order kinetics with the rate dependent on catalyst concentration. The plot of ln k(obs) versus ln[ZnCl2] indicated first-order cycloisomerization, as referred to ZnCl2 concentration, using both NMR and UV-vis reaction monitoring. The crystal structure of propyl furopyrimidine nucleoside (orthorhombic, P2(1)2(1)2(1), a/b/c = 5.684(2)/6.682(2)/36.02(2) A, Z = 4) shows C2'- endo deoxyribose puckering, and the base is found in the anti position in crystalline form.     

Synthesis of Long,Palladium End‐Capped Polyynes through the Use of Asymmetric 1‐Iodopolyynes

The synthesis of a unique series of long, asymmetric 1‐iodopolyynes ( 1 ‐C_nI and 2 ‐C_nI) with the sp‐hybridized carbon chain up to a decapentayne is reported. These compounds were then used as substrates in reactions with Pd(PPh₃)₄ leading to another series of palladium end‐capped polyynes, which were unstable in solution. Organometallic octatetraynes 1 ‐C₈[Pd]I, 2 ‐C₈[Pd]I, and decapentayne 1 ‐C₁₀[Pd]I are palladium end‐capped polyyne compounds with the longest carbon chains reported so far. All the complexes as well as their organic precursors were fully characterized by NMR, HRMS(ESI), IR, TGA‐DTA, and UV/Vis techniques, and the X‐ray crystal structures of two silyl‐protected precursors and one palladium complex are presented. The synthetic approach for palladium species is envisioned as a general route for the synthesis of labile organometallic polyynes.