Aggregation of [Cu(II)4] building blocks into [Cu(II)8] clusters or a [Cu(II)4]infinity chain through subtle chemical control

Coordination complexes of the ligand H3L [1,3-bis(3-oxo-3-phenylpropionyl)-2-hydroxy-5-methylbenzene] with Cu(II) are reported. Clusters showing various nuclearities or modes of supramolecular organization have been prepared by slightly changing the reaction conditions and have been crystallographically characterized. The reaction of H3L with one equivalent of Cu(OAc)2 in DMF yields the dinuclear complex [Cu2(HL)2(dmf)2] (1). Reaction in MeOH of H3L with an increased amount of metal, in the form of Cu(NO3)2, and excess strong base (nBu4NOH) affords the cluster [Cu8(L)2(OMe)8(NO3)2] (2). Complex 2 is a dimer of two linear [Cu4] arrays bridged by methoxide ligands, where the polynucleating ligand is fully deprotonated. The [Cu4]2 clusters are linked to each other by NO3- bridges to form one-dimensional coordination polymers. The link between [Cu8] units and their relative spatial positioning can be modified by changing the anion of the Cu(II) salt, as demonstrated by the synthesis of the cluster polymers [Cu8(L)2(OMe)8Cl2] (3) and [Cu8(L)(OMe)7.86Br2.14] (4), where only NO3- has been replaced by Cl- or Br-, respectively. Similarly, when ClO4- is used, compound [Cu8(L)2(OMe)8(ClO4)2(MeOH)4] (5) can be isolated. It contains independent [Cu8] units. A slight change in the stoichiometry of the reaction leading to 2 affords the related complex catena-[Cu4(L)(OMe)3(NO3)2(H2O)0.36] (6). This polymer contains essentially the same [Cu4] moiety as 2, albeit organized in a completely different arrangement. Each [Cu4] unit in 6 is linked by OMe- ligands to two such equivalent groups to form an infinite chain. Magnetic susceptibility measurements reveal weak antiferromagnetic exchange between Cu(II) centers in 1 (J = -0.73 cm(-1)) and strong antiferromagnetic coupling within [Cu4] chains in 2, 5, and 6 (most negative J values of -113.8 and -177.3 cm(-1) for 2 and 6, respectively).     

Efficient Synthesis of 3,5,6‐Trisubstituted‐1,2,4‐triazines in the Brønsted Acidic Ionic Liquid, 1‐n‐Butylimidazolium Tetrafluoroborate ([Hbim]BF4)

3,5,6‐Trisubstituted‐1,2,4‐triazines were synthesized in a one‐pot reaction with acid hydrazide, 1,2‐diketone, and ammonium acetate in the Brønsted acidic ionic liquid, 1‐n‐butyl imidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([Hbim]BF₄).     

Visible‐Light‐Induced CS Bond Activation: Facile Access to 1,4‐Diketones from β‐Ketosulfones

A novel method for the synthesis of 1,4‐diketones from β‐ketosulfones was developed by means of a visible light‐induced C?S bond activation process. Symmetrical and unsymmetrical 1,4‐diketones can be easily prepared in moderate to good yields.     

Correlation of substituted aromatic β‐diketones' characteristic protons chemical shifts with Hammett substituent constants

Influence of dibenzoylmethane's substituents in meta and para positions on chemical shift values of tautomers' characteristic protons was investigated in four solvents with ¹H NMR spectroscopy: acetone‐d₆, benzene‐d₆, CDCl₃ and deuterated dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO‐d₆). It was proved that the influence of substituents on chemical shifts strongly depends on the kind of the solvent; the greatest changes were observed in benzene‐d₆ and the smallest in CDCl₃. In acetone‐d₆ and DMSO‐d₆, the influence of substituents on chemical shifts is similar and the most regular. It allowed a fair correlation of chemical shifts of para‐substituted dibenzoylmethane derivatives' characteristic protons with Hammett substituent constants in these solvents. In CDCl₃, characteristic protons' chemical shifts were near ¹H NMR spectroscopy measurement error limits, and, therefore, correlation with Hammett substituent constants in this solvent was unsatisfactory. In benzene, although the changes of chemical shifts are the most evident, the changes are also the most irregular, and, therefore, correlation in this solvent failed completely. Results of meta‐substituted derivatives were much more irregular, and their correlation with Hammett substituent constants was poor in all investigated solvents. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Investigation of pharmacophore and antipharmacophore features of certain dimethyltin(IV) complexes of flexible N‐protected amino acids and fluorinated β‐diketone/β‐diketones

A set of pentacoordinated dimethyltin(IV) complexes of flexible N‐protected amino acids and fluorinated β‐diketone/β‐diketones was screened for their antibacterial activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa , Staphylococcus aureus and Streptomyces griseus . These pentacoordinated complexes of the type Me₂SnAB (where : R = CH(CH₃)C₂H₅, A₁H; CH₂CH(CH₃)₂, A₂H; CH(CH₃)₂, A₃H; CH₂C₆H₅, A₄H; and BH = R'C(O)CH₂C(O)R″: R′ = C₆H₅, R″ = CF₃, B₁H; R′ = R″ = CH₃, B₂H; R′ = C₆H₅, R″ = CH₃, B₃H; R′ = R″ = C₆H₅, B₄H) were generated by the reactions of dimethyltin(IV) dichloride with sodium salts of flexible N‐protected amino acids (ANa) and fluorinated β‐diketone/β‐diketones (BNa) in 1:1:1 molar ratio in refluxing dry benzene solution. Plausible structures of these complexes were elucidated on the basis of physicochemical and spectral studies. ¹¹⁹Sn NMR spectral data revealed the presence of pentacoordinated tin centres in these dimethyltin(IV) complexes.     

Optimal design of experiments applied to headspace solid phase microextraction for the quantification of vicinal diketones in beer through gas chromatography-mass spectrometric detection

Vicinal diketones, namely diacetyl (DC) and pentanedione (PN), are compounds naturally found in beer that play a key role in the definition of its aroma. In lager beer, they are responsible for off-flavors (buttery flavor) and therefore their presence and quantification is of paramount importance to beer producers. Aiming at developing an accurate quantitative monitoring scheme to follow these off-flavor compounds during beer production and in the final product, the head space solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) analytical procedure was tuned through experiments planned in an optimal way and the final settings were fully validated. Optimal design of experiments (O-DOE) is a computational, statistically-oriented approach for designing experiences that are most informative according to a well-defined criterion. This methodology was applied for HS-SPME optimization, leading to the following optimal extraction conditions for the quantification of VDK: use a CAR/PDMS fiber, 5 ml of samples in 20 ml vial, 5 min of pre-incubation time followed by 25 min of extraction at 30 °C, with agitation. The validation of the final analytical methodology was performed using a matrix-matched calibration, in order to minimize matrix effects. The following key features were obtained: linearity (R² > 0.999, both for diacetyl and 2,3-pentanedione), high sensitivity (LOD of 0.92 μg L⁻¹ and 2.80 μg L⁻¹, and LOQ of 3.30 μg L⁻¹ and 10.01 μg L⁻¹, for diacetyl and 2,3-pentanedione, respectively), recoveries of approximately 100% and suitable precision (repeatability and reproducibility lower than 3% and 7.5%, respectively). The applicability of the methodology was fully confirmed through an independent analysis of several beer samples, with analyte concentrations ranging from 4 to 200 g L⁻¹.     

Photochemically initiated oxidative carbon-carbon bond-cleavage reactivity in chlorodiketonate Ni(II) complexes

Three mononuclear Ni(II) complexes containing a 2-chloro-1,3-diketonate ligand and supported by the 6-Ph(2)TPA chelate, as well as analogues that lack the 2-chloro substituent on the β-diketonate ligand, have been prepared and characterized. Upon irradiation at 350 nm under aerobic conditions, complexes containing the 2-chloro-substituted ligands undergo reactions to generate products resulting from oxidative cleavage, α-cleavage, and radical-derived reactions involving the 2-chloro-1,3-diketonate ligand. Mechanistic studies suggest that the oxidative cleavage reactivity, which leads to the production of carboxylic acids, is a result of the formation of superoxide, which occurs through reaction of reduced nickel complexes with O(2). The presence of the 2-chloro substituent was found to be a prerequisite for oxidative carbon-carbon bond-cleavage reactivity, as complexes lacking this functional group did not undergo these reactions following prolonged irradiation. The approach toward investigating the oxidative reactivity of metal β-diketonate species outlined herein has yielded results of relevance to the proposed mechanistic pathways of metalloenzyme-catalyzed β-diketonate oxidative cleavage reactions.     

Copolymerization of benzoquinone with norbornene

For the first time, the conjugated dicarbonyl compound benzoquinone has been copolymerized with the strained cyclo-olefin norbornene using catalytic amounts of the Friedel-Crafts metathesis catalytic system WOCl₄+AlCl₃. All analyses reveal that the products consist of conjugated blocks originating from benzoquinone connected with spacers originating from norbornene. The products are soluble in benzene, toluene, chlorobenzene, etc. but possess properties of the conjugated polymers. They have been synthesized via a very simple one-pot procedure.     

On the reactivity of platina‐β‐diketones: a straightforward synthesis of trans‐acetylchlorobis(phosphine)platinum(II) complexes and their reactivity

The platina‐β‐diketone [Pt₂{(COMe)₂H}₂(µ‐Cl)₂] ( 1 ) was found to react with monodentate phosphines to yield acetyl(chloro)platinum(II) complexes trans‐[Pt(COMe)Cl(PR₃)₂] (PR₃ = PPh₃, 2a ; P(4‐FC₆H₄)₃, 2b ; PMePh₂, 2c ; PMe₂Ph, 2d ; P(n‐Bu)₃, 2e ; P(o‐tol)₃, 2f ; P(m‐tol)₃, 2g ; P(p‐tol)₃, 2h ). In the reaction with P(o‐tol)₃ the methyl(carbonyl)platinum(II) complex [Pt(Me)Cl(CO){P(o‐tol)₃}] ( 3a ) was found to be an intermediate. On the other hand, treating 1 with P(C₆F₅)₃ led to the formation of [Pt(Me)Cl(CO){P(C₆F₅)₃}] ( 3b ), even in excess of the phosphine. Phosphine ligands with a lower donor capability in complexes 2 and the arsine ligand in trans‐[Pt(COMe)Cl(AsPh₃)₂] ( 2i ) proved to be subject to substitution by stronger donating phosphine ligands, thus forming complexes trans‐[Pt(COMe)Cl(L)L′] (L/L′ = AsPh₃/PPh₃, 4a ; PPh₃/P(n‐Bu)₃, 4b ) and cis‐[Pt(COMe)Cl(dppe)] ( 4c ). Furthermore, in boiling benzene, complexes 2a – 2c and 2i underwent decarbonylation yielding quantitatively methyl(chloro)platinum(II) complexes trans‐[Pt(Me)Cl(L)₂] (L = PPh₃, 5a ; P(4‐FC₆H₄)₃, 5b ; PMePh₂, 5c ; AsPh₃, 5d ). The identities of all complexes were confirmed by ¹H, ¹³C and ³¹P NMR spectroscopy. Single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction analyses of 2a ·2CHCl₃, 2f and 5b showed that the platinum atom is square‐planar coordinated by two phosphine ligands (PPh₃, 2a ; P(o‐tol)₃, 2f ; P(4F‐C₆H₄)₃, 5b ) in mutual trans position as well as by an acetyl ligand ( 2a, 2f ) and a methyl ligand ( 5b ), respectively, trans to a chloro ligand. Single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis of 3b exhibited a square‐planar platinum complex with the two π‐acceptor ligands CO and P(C₆F₅)₃ in mutual cis position (configuration index: SP‐4‐3). Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Quinoline formation via a modified Combes reaction: examination of kinetics,substituent effects,and mechanistic pathways

This is the first reported investigation of the Combes condensation employing 19F NMR spectroscopy to monitor intermediate consumption and product formation rates. The reaction was found to be first order in both the diketone and aniline. Product regioselectivity and reaction rates were found to be influenced by substituents on the diketones and anilines with rates varying as much as five fold. The consumption rate of key imine and enamine intermediates mirrored quinoline formation rates, in accord with rate determining annulation. A ρ of ?0.32 was determined for this cyclization. While the sign of the reaction constant is consistent with rate limiting electrophilic aromatic substitution (EAS), the magnitude is likely a composite value, resulting from opposing substituent effects in the nucleophilic addition and EAS steps. Mechanistic details and reaction pathways supporting these findings are proposed. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.