The site of protonation of bifunctional bases with competing basic centers. I. Aromatic nitriles

The experimental values of the gas-phase proton affinities for a variety of 4-substituted benzonitriles, 4-substitutedN, N-dimethylanilines, and 4-substituted benzaldehydes have been examined by means of correlation analysis techniques and by ab initio quantum mechanical methods (MP2/ 6-31G(d) level). From this study it is concluded that in the gas phase, 4-(dimethylamino)-benzonitrile essentially protonates on the dimethylamino group, while protonated 4-cyanobenzaldehyde is very nearly a 21 mixture of the carbonyl- and cyano-protonated forms.This work is dedicatedin memoriam to Professor Robert W. Taft.     

Coupling of an aldehyde or ketone to pyridine mediated by a tungsten imido complex

The reactivity of W(NPh)(o-(Me3SiN)2C6H4)(py)2 and W(NPh)(o-(Me3SiN)2C6H4)(pic)2 (py=pyridine; pic=4-picoline) with unsaturated substrates has been investigated. Treatment of W(NPh)(o-(Me3SiN)2C6H4)(py)2 with diphenylacetylene or 2,3-dimethyl-1,3-butadiene generates W(NPh)(o-(Me3SiN)2C6H4)(eta2-PhCCPh) and W(NPh)(o-(Me3SiN)2C6H4)(eta4-CH2=C(Me)C(Me)=CH2), respectively, while the addition of ethylene to W(NPh)(o-(Me3SiN)2C6H4)(py)2 generates the known metallacycle W(NPh)(o-(Me3SiN)2C6H4)(CH2CH2CH2CH2). The addition of 2 equiv of acetone to W(NPh)(o-(Me3SiN)2C6H4)(pic)2 provides the azaoxymetallacycle W(NPh)(o-(Me3SiN)2C6H4)(OCH(Me)2)(OC(Me)2-o-C5H3N-p-Me), the result of acetone insertion into the ortho C-H bond of picoline. Similarily, the addition of 2 equiv of RC(O)H [R=Ph, tBu] to W(NPh)(o-(Me3SiN)2C6H4)(py)2 generates W(NPh)(o-(Me3SiN)2C6H4)(OCH2R)(OCHR-o-C5H4N) [R=Ph, tBu,]. In contrast, reaction between W(NPh)(o-(Me3SiN)2C6H4)(py)2 and 2-pyridine carboxaldehyde yields the diolate W(NPh)(o-(Me3SiN)2C6H4)(OCH(C5H4N)CH(C5H4N)O). The synthesis of W(NPh)(o-(Me3SiN)2C6H4)(PMe3)(py)(eta2-OC(H)C6H4-p-Me), formed by the addition of p-tolualdehyde to a mixture of W(NPh)(o-(Me3SiN)2C6H4)(py)2 and PMe3, suggests that an eta2-aldehyde intermediate is involved in the formation of the azaoxymetallacycle, while the isolation of W(NPh)(o-(Me3SiN)2C6H4)(Cl)(OC(Me)(CMe3)-o-C5H4N), formed by the reaction of pinacolone with W(NPh)(o-(Me3SiN)2C6H4)(py)2, in the presence of adventitious CH2Cl2, suggests that the reaction proceeds via the hydride W(NPh)(o-(Me3SiN)2C6H4)(H)(OC(Me)(CMe3)-o-C5H4N).     

A dimeric constrained‐geometry titanium complex linked by double Ti–CH2–Al–CH2 heterocycles

In the structure of bis({N‐[di­methyl(1η⁵‐2,3,4,6‐tetra­methyl­in­den­yl)­silyl]­cyclo­hexyl­amido‐1κN}(methyl‐3κC)‐di‐μ₃‐methyl­ene‐1:2:3κ³C;1:3:3′κ³C‐tris(pentafluorophenyl‐2κC)titanium) benzene disolvate, [Me₂Si(η⁵‐2,3,4,6‐Me₄C₉H₂)(C₆H₁₁N)]Ti[(μ₃‐CH₂)Al(C₆F₅)₃][AlMe(μ₃‐CH₂)]₂ or [Ti₂(C₂₁H₇AlF₁₅)₂(C₂₁H₃₁NSi)₂]·2C₆D₆, the dimer is located on an inversion center, and the two Ti centers are linked by double Ti(μ₃‐CH₂)Al(C₆F₅)₃AlMe(μ₃‐CH₂) heterocycles. The electron‐deficient Ti centers are further stabilized by two α‐agostic interactions between Ti and one H atom of each bridging methyl­ene group.     

Mn12O12(OMe)2(O2CPh)16(H2O)2]2- single-molecule magnets and other manganese compounds from a reductive aggregation procedure

A new synthetic procedure has been developed in Mn cluster chemistry involving reductive aggregation of permanganate (MnO4-) ions in MeOH in the presence of benzoic acid, and the first products from its use are described. The reductive aggregation of NBu(n)4MnO4 in MeOH/benzoic acid gave the new 4Mn(IV), 8Mn(III) anion [Mn12O12(OMe)2(O2CPh)16(H2O)2]2-, which was isolated as a mixture of two crystal forms (NBu(n)4)2[Mn12O12(OMe)2(O2CPh)16(H2O)2].2H2O.4CH2Cl2 (1a) and (NBu(n)4)2[Mn12O12(OMe)2(O2CPh)16(H2O)2].2H2O.CH2Cl2 (1b). The anion of 1 contains a central [Mn(IV)4(mu3-O)2(mu-O)2(mu-OMe)2]6+ unit surrounded by a nonplanar ring of eight Mn(III) atoms that are connected to the central Mn4 unit by eight bridging mu3-O2- ions. This compound is very similar to the well-known [Mn12O12(O2CR)16(H2O)4] complexes (hereafter called "normal Mn12"), with the main difference being the structure of the central cores. Longer reaction times (approximately 2 weeks) led to isolation of polymeric [Mn(OMe)(O2CPh)2]n2, which contains a linear chain of repeating [Mn(III)(mu-O2CPh)2(mu-OMe)Mn(III)] units. The chains are parallel to each other and interact weakly through pi-stacking between the benzoate rings. When KMnO4 was used instead of NBu(n)4MnO4, two types of compounds were obtained, [Mn12O12(O2CPh)16(H2O)4] (3), a normal Mn12 complex, and [Mn4O2(O2CPh)8(MeOH)4].2MeOH (4.2MeOH), a new member of the Mn4 butterfly family. The cyclic voltammogram of 1 exhibits three irreversible processes, two reductions and one oxidation. One-electron reduction of 1 by treatment with 1 equiv of I- in CH2Cl2 gave (NBu(n)4[Mn12O12(O2CPh)16(H2O)3].6CH2Cl2 (5.6CH2Cl2), a normal Mn12 complex in a one-electron reduced state. The variable-temperature magnetic properties of 1, 2, and 5 were studied by both direct current (dc) and alternating current (ac) magnetic susceptibility measurements. Variable-temperature dc magnetic susceptibility studies revealed that (i) complex 1 possesses an S = 6 ground state, (ii) complex 2 contains antiferromagnetically coupled chains, and (iii) complex 5 is a typical [Mn12]- cluster with an S = 19/2 ground state. Variable-temperature ac susceptibility measurements suggested that 5 and both isomeric forms of 1 (1a,b) are single-molecule magnets (SMMs). This was confirmed by the observation of hysteresis loops in magnetization vs dc field scans. In addition, 1a,b, like normal Mn12 clusters, display both faster and slower relaxing magnetization dynamics that are assigned to the presence of Jahn-Teller isomerism.     

Enhanced UV photosensing properties of ZnO nanowires prepared by electrodeposition and atomic layer deposition

A new process enabling the synthesis of zinc oxide (ZnO) and Al-doped ZnO nanowires (NWs) for photosensing applications is reported. By combining atomic layer deposition (ALD) for the seed layer preparation and electrodeposition for the NW growth, high-quality ZnO nanomaterials were prepared and tested as ultraviolet (UV) sensors. The obtained NWs are grown as arrays perpendicular to the substrate surface and present diameters between 70 and 130 nm depending on the Al doping, as seen from scanning electron microscopy (SEM) studies. Their hexagonal microstructure has been determined using X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. An excellent performance in UV sensing has been observed for the ZnO NWs with low Al doping, and a maximal photoresponse current of 11.1 mA has been measured. In addition, initial studies on the stability have shown that the NW photoresponse currents are stable, even after ten UV on/off cycles.     

High-yield syntheses and reactivity studies of Fe10 "ferric wheels": structural, magnetic, and computational characterization of a star-shaped Fe8 complex

Convenient, high-yield routes have been developed to [Fe 10(OMe) 20(O 2CR) 10] ( 1) "ferric wheels" involving the alcoholysis of [Fe 3O(O 2CR) 6(H 2O) 3] (+) salts in MeOH in the presence of NEt 3. Reactivity studies have established [Fe 10(OMe) 20(O 2CMe) 10] ( 1a) to undergo clean carboxylate substitution with a variety of other RCO 2H groups to the corresponding [Fe 10(OMe) 20(O 2CR) 10] product. In contrast, the reaction with phenol causes a nuclearity change to give a smaller [Fe 8(OH) 4(OPh) 8(O 2CR) 12] ( 2) wheel. Similarly, reactions of [Fe 10(OMe) 20(O 2CR) 10] with the bidentate chelate ethylenediamine (en) cause a structural change to give either [Fe 8O 5(O 2CMe) 8(en) 8](ClO 4) 6 ( 3) or [Fe 2O(O 2CBu (t))(en) 4](NO 3) 3 ( 4), depending on conditions. Complex 3 possesses a "Christmas-star" Fe 8 topology comprising a central planar [Fe 4(mu 4-O)] (10+) square subunit edge-fused to four oxide-centered [Fe 3(mu 3-O)] (7+) triangular units. Variable-temperature, solid-state dc and ac magnetization studies on complexes 1a- 4 in the 5.0-300 K range established that all the complexes possess an S = 0 ground state. The magnetic susceptibility data for 4 were fit to the theoretical chi M versus T expression derived by the use of an isotropic Heisenberg spin Hamiltonian and the Van Vleck equation, and this revealed an antiferromagnetic exchange parameter with a value of J = -107.7(5) cm (-1). This value is consistent with that predicted by a previously published magnetostructural relationship. Theoretically computed values of the exchange constants in 3 were obtained with the ZILSH method, and the pattern of spin frustration within its core and the origin of its S = 0 ground state have been analyzed in detail.