Single-Crystal-to-Single-Crystal Installation of Ln4 (OH)4 Cubanes in an Anionic Metallosupramolecular Framework

Postsynthetic installation of lanthanide cubanes into a metallosupramolecular framework via a single-crystal-to-single-crystal (SCSC) transformation is presented. Soaking single crystals of K₆ [Rh₄ Zn₄ O(l-cys)₁₂ ] (K₆ [1]; l-H₂ cys=l-cysteine) in a water/ethanol solution containing Ln(OAc)₃ (Ln³⁺ =lanthanide ion) results in the exchange of K⁺ by Ln³⁺ with retention of the single crystallinity, producing Ln₂ [1] (2_Ln ) and Ln_0.33 [Ln₄ (OH)₄ (OAc)₃ (H₂ O)₇ ][1] (3_Ln ) for early and late lanthanides, respectively. While the Ln³⁺ ions in 2_Ln exist as disordered aqua species, those in 3_Ln form ordered hydroxide-bridged cubane clusters that connect [1]^6- anions in a 3D metal-organic framework through coordination bonds with carboxylate groups. This study shows the utility of an anionic metallosupramolecular framework with carboxylate groups for the creation of a series of metal cubanes that have great potential for various applications, such as magnetic materials and heterogeneous catalysts.

Lanthaballs: chiral, structurally layered polycarbonate tridecanuclear lanthanoid clusters

New balls please! The viability of using carbonate as the primary anion in cluster formation is demonstrated in the synthesis of 'lanthaballs', spherical tridecanuclear lanthanoid complexes with a novel [Ln(CO(3))(6)] moiety in a [Ln(13)(CO(3))(14)] core (see picture). The chirality of the lanthaballs is evidenced in the configuration of extended columns of pi-stacked phenanthroline ligands. The structural and magnetic properties of lanthaballs are investigated.

Elusive trimethyllanthanum: snapshots of extensive methyl group degradation in la--Al heterobimetallic complexes

Reactions of [La(AlMe4)3] and [Y(AlMe4)3] with PMe3 show that the phosphine can cleave Ln--CH3--Al linkages, separating Me3Al(PMe3). PMe3 (3 mol equiv) reacts with [Y(AlMe4)3] to give [(YMe3)n] contaminated with by-products containing phosphorus and aluminum. The La-based analog, [(LaMe3)n], is not formed selectively from the reaction of [La(AlMe4)3] with PMe3 or Et2O, which rather yields insoluble La/Al heterobimetallic products. Three multi-nuclear La-based clusters were obtained from a reaction of [La(AlMe4)3] with PMe3 (1 equiv) and identified by X-ray structure analyses. Each cluster exhibits extensive methyl group degradation and contains methylene, methine, or carbide moieties. [La4Al8(CH)4(CH2)2(CH3)20(PMe3)] has a [La4(CH)4] cuboid core supported by AlMe3, Me2AlCH2AlMe2, and PMe3 ligands. [La4Al8(C)(CH)2(CH2)2(CH3)22(toluene)] also contains a cuboid core, [La3Al(C)(CH)2(CH2)], which includes one exo cubic lanthanum atom, and is supported by AlMe3, Me3AlCH2AlMe2, (AlMe4)-, and toluene ligands. The lanthanum atoms in [La5Al9(CH)6(CH3)30] are arranged in a trigonal bipyramidal fashion with (CH) functionalities capping each face. The [La5(CH)6]3- core is formally balanced by three AlMe2 + moieties and is additionally supported by six AlMe3 ligands. The unit cell contains two independent La5 clusters, one with pseudo-C3h and the other with pseudo-D3 symmetry, as well as two molecules of the separation co-product Me3Al(PMe3).

Linking Two Distinct Layered Networks of Nanosized {Ln18} and {Cu24} Wheels through Isonicotinate Ligands

A new series of heterolanthanide(III)-copper(I) wheel-cluster complexes [Ln6(micro3-O)2](IN)18-[Cu8(micro4-I)2(micro2-I)3].H3O (IN=isonicotinate; Ln=Y 1, Nd 2, Dy 3, Gd 4, Sm 5, Eu 6, Tb 7) were prepared by hydrothermal reaction at low pH. X-ray crystallographic studies reveal that two unusual trinuclear [Ln3(micro3-O)] and tetranuclear [Cu4(micro4-I)] cores are successfully used as secondary building units to make two different nanosized wheels [Ln18(micro3-O)6(CO2)48](6-), {Ln18}, and [Cu24(micro4-I)6(micro2-I)12]6+, {Cu24}, with 12-rings and a diameter of 26.7 and 26.4 A, respectively. The wheels are further assembled into two-dimensional (2D) {Ln18} and {Cu24} networks, the linkages between two distinct layered networks of {Ln18} and {Cu24} wheels by IN pillars along the c axis giving a series of unprecedented three-dimensional (3D) sandwich frameworks. To our knowledge, compounds 1-7 are the first examples containing two different layered networks of nanosized Ln and transition metal (TM) wheels in wheel-cluster chemistry. The IR, UV/Vis, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), luminescent, and magnetic properties of these complexes were also studied.

Structural, Solid-State NMR and Theoretical Studies of the Inverse-Coordination of Lithium Chloride Using Group 13 Phosphide Hosts

The reaction of MeAlCl2 with 'PhPLi2' in THF gives [{MeAl(PPh)3Li(4).3 THF}4(mu4-Cl)]-Li+ (1). The GaIII and InIII analogues, [{MeE(PPh)3Li(4).3 THF}4(mu4-Cl)]-Li+(THF)3 (E=Ga (2), In (3)), are obtained by the in situ reactions of MeECl2 with PhPLi2 in THF. For all of the complexes, the cage anions have an unusual cubic arrangement that is similar to a zeolite, and contain large voids (ca. 17 A). The location of the Li+ counterions in 1-3 and their coordination environment appears to subtly reflect variations in packing and lattice energy. Whereas in 1 highly mobile, loosely coordinated Li+ counterions are present, 2 and 3 contain less mobile THF-solvated counterions within the cavities. X-ray crystallographic and solid-state NMR studies are reported on 1-3, together with model DFT calculations on the selectivity of halide coordination.

Lanthanide hydroxide cubane clusters anchoring ferrocenes: model compounds for fixation of organometallic fragments on a lanthanide oxide surface

The reaction of the lanthanide trichloride hexahydrates [LnCl(3).6H(2)O] (Ln = Yb, Lu) with two equivalents of benzoylferrocenoylmethane resulted in the tetranuclear lanthanide hydroxo clusters [Ln(4)(mu(3)-OH)(4)(FcacacPh)(8)] (Ln = Yb (1), Lu (2); FcacacPh = benzoylferrocenoylmethanide). Compounds 1 and 2 are made up of a distorted tetranuclear lanthanide Ln(4)O(4) cubane core consisting of four mu(3)-oxygen atoms while the eight FcacacPh ligands build up the peripheral part of the cluster. These compounds contain the maximum number of ferrocene units anchored to any molecular metal-heteroatom framework reported so far and for which the X-ray structures are known.

The First Metal (Nd3+, Mn2+, and Pb2+) Coordination Compounds of 3,5-Dinitrotyrosine and their Nonlinear Optical Properties

The reactions of 3,5-dinitrotyrosine (H2DNTY) with Nd(NO3)3.6H2O, Mn(ClO4)2.6H2O, and Pb(OAc)2 afforded three homochiral compounds: discrete [Nd(Hdnty)2(NO3)(H2O)5].3H2O (1) and two- and three-dimensional coordination polymers, [Mn(Hdnty)2] (2) and [Pb(dnty)(0.5 H2O)] (3), respectively. The Nd atom in 1 displays a tricapped trigonal prism and supramolecular weak interactions, such as pi-pi stacking and H-bonds, between amino and nitro groups result in the formation of a three-dimensional network through these interactions. 2 has a two-dimensional square-grid topological net while 3 has the first three-dimensional homochiral ThSi2 net. To the best of our knowledge, these are the first metal coordination compounds with 3,5-dinitrotyrosine. Preliminary second harmonic generation (SHG) investigations indicated that 1 and 2 are SHG active with estimated responses 5 and 6 times larger than that of urea, respectively, while 3 is SHG non-active (obeying the Klainman symmetry requirement). Strong enhancement of their SHG efficiency, compared with H2DNTY, may be due to 1) the addition of a good donor-pi-acceptor organic chromophore into the compound resulting in superior qualities of both inorganic and organic materials and 2) the H-bonds that persist in them. Crystal data: 1: C18H32N7O25Nd, Mr = 890.75 g mol(-1), monoclinic, P2(1), a=7.0179(7), b=27.060(3), c=8.3097(8) A, alpha=gamma=90.00, beta=95.646(2) degrees , V=1570.4(3) A(3), Z=2, rho(calcd)=1.884 Mg m(-3), R(1)=0.0489, wR(2)=0.1223, mu=17.67 mm(-1), S=0.811, Flack value=0.003(13); 2: C(18)H(16)N(6)O(14)Mn, M(r)=595.31 g mol(-1), orthorhombic, P2(1)2(1)2, a=8.4381(14), b=13.639(2), c=19.697(3) A, alpha=beta=gamma=90.00 degrees , V=2266.9(6) A(3), Z=4, rho(calcd)=1.744 Mg m(-3), R(1)=0.0866, wR(2)=0.2030, mu=6.72 mm(-1), S=1.095, Flack value=0.02(6); 3: C(9)H(8)N(3)O(7.5)Pb, M(r)=485.37 g mol(-1), tetragonal, P4(1)2(1)2, a=12.8136(12), b=12.8136(12), c=14.931(2), alpha=beta=gamma=90.00 degrees , V=2451.5(5) A(3), Z=8, rho(calcd)=1.885 Mg m(-3), R(1)=0.0564, wR(2)=0.1323, mu=6.942 mm(-1), S=0.878, Flack value=0.03(2). For space group P4(3)2(1)2: R(1)=0.0672, wR(2)=0.1656, S=1.034, Flack value=1.02(3); this suggests the chosen space group P4(1)2(1)2 is correct.

Polyoxometalate-Supported Y- and YbIII-Hydroxo/Oxo Clusters from Carbonate-Assisted Hydrolysis

Carbonate-assisted hydrolysis of Y or Yb(III) ions in the presence of the trivacant Wells-Dawson polyoxoanion, alpha-[P(2)W(15)O(56)](12-), produced two polyoxometalate-supported Y- or Yb(III)-hydroxo/oxo clusters, which have been characterized by single-crystal X-ray structure determination. The structure of the Y complex consists of a distorted Y(4)(OH)(4) cubane cluster encapsulated by two lacunary alpha-[P(2)W(15)O(56)](12-) units, while the Yb cluster features a hexametallic core centered around a mu(6)-oxo atom with each Yb(3)(III) triangular face capped by an oxo or a hydroxo group. Magnetization measurements of the ytterbium(III) derivative suggested that intermolecular dipolar exchange is present at low temperatures (below 15 K). Despite its absence in the structures themselves, control experiments show that carbonate not only functions in the hydrolysis, it also influences the structure of the complexes by complexation to yttrium and the f-block elements.