Isolation of Dinuclear (μ-Silylene)(silyl)nickel Complexes and Si−Si Bond Formation on a Dinuclear Nickel Framework

Unusual Ni⋯Ni interaction in Ni(ii) complexes as potential inhibitors for the development of new anti-SARS-CoV-2 Omicron drugs

Two nickel(ii) coordination complexes [Ni(L)]2(1) and [Ni(L)]n(2) of a tetradentate Schiff base ligand (H2L) derived from 2-hydroxy-1-naphthaldehyde with ethylenediamine were synthesized, designed, and characterized via spectroscopic and single crystal XRD analyses. Both nickel(ii) complexes exhibited unusual Ni⋯Ni interactions and were fully characterized via single-crystal X-ray crystallography. Nickel(ii) complexes [Ni(L)]2(1) and [Ni(L)]n(2) crystallize in monoclinic and triclinic crystal systems with P21/c and P1̄ space groups, respectively, and revealed square planar geometry around each Ni(ii) ion. The structure of both the complexes have established the existence of a new kind of metal system containing nickel(ii)-nickel(ii) interactions with a square planar-like geometry about the nickel(ii) atoms. Both square planar Ni(ii) complexes were often stacked with relatively short Ni⋯Ni distances. The non-bonded Ni-Ni distance (Ni⋯Ni separation) seems to be 3.356 Å and 3.214 Å from the nickel atoms of [Ni(L)]2(1) and [Ni(L)]n(2), respectively. These distances are shorter than the sum of their van der Waals radii (4.80 Å) but longer than the sum of their covalent radii (2.50 Å), indicating that there is a Ni⋯Ni interaction but not a Ni-Ni bond. The discrete molecules are π-stacked and connected via weak intermolecular interactions (C-H⋯O and C-H⋯N). Cyclic voltammetry measurements were obtained for both the complexes, and their pharmacokinetic and chemoinformatics properties were also explored. Detailed structural analysis and non-covalent supramolecular interactions were investigated using single-crystal structure analysis and computational approaches. Both the unique structures show good inhibition performance for the Omicron spike proteins of the SARS CoV-2 virus. To gain insights into potential SARS-CoV-2 Omicron drugs and find inhibitors against the Omicron variants of SARS-CoV-2, we examined the molecular docking of the nickel(ii) complexes [Ni(L)]2(1) and [Ni(L)]n(2) with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron spike protein (PDB ID: 7WK2 and 7WVO). A strong binding was predicted between Ni(ii) coordination complexes [Ni(L)]2(1) and [Ni(L)]n(2) with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant receptor protein through the negative value of binding affinity. Molecular docking of Nil(ii) complexes [Ni(L)]2(1) and [Ni(L)]n(2) with a DNA duplex (PDB ID: 7D3T) and RNA (PDB ID: 7TDC) binding protein was also studied. Overall, this study suggests that Ni(ii) complexes can be considered as drug candidates against the Omicron variants of SARS-CoV-2.

The borderless world of chemical bonding across the van der Waals crust and the valence region

The definition of the van der Waals crust as the spherical section between the atomic radius and the van der Waals radius of an element is discussed and a survey of the application of the penetration index between two interacting atoms in a wide variety of covalent, polar, coordinative or noncovalent bonding situations is presented. It is shown that this newly defined parameter permits the comparison of bonding between pairs of atoms in structural and computational studies independently of the atom sizes.

Efficient alkene hydrosilation with bis(8-quinolyl)phosphine (NPN) nickel catalysts. The dominant role of silyl-over hydrido-nickel catalytic intermediates

A cationic nickel complex of the bis(8-quinolyl)(3,5-di-tert-butylphenoxy)phosphine (NPN) ligand, [(NPN)NiCl]+, is a precursor to efficient catalysts for the hydrosilation of alkenes with a variety of hydrosilanes under mild conditions and low catalyst loadings. DFT studies reveal the presence of two coupled catalytic cycles based on [(NPN)NiH]+ and [(NPN)NiSiR3]+ active species, with the latter being more efficient for producing the product. The preferred silyl-based catalysis is not due to a more facile insertion of alkene into the Ni-Si (vs. Ni-H) bond, but by consistent and efficient conversions of the hydride to the silyl complex.

An Air-Stable Heterobimetallic Si2 M2 Tetrahedral Cluster

Air- and moisture-stable heterobimetallic tetrahedral clusters [Cp(CO)2 MSiR]2 (M=Mo or W; R=SitBu3 ) were isolated from the reaction of N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) stabilized silyl(silylidene) metal complexes Cp(CO)2 M=Si(SitBu3 )NHC with a mild Lewis acid (BPh3 ). Alternatively, treatment of the NHC-stabilized silylidene complex Cp(CO)2 W=Si(SitBu3 )NHC with stronger Lewis acids such as AlCl3 or B(C6 F5 )3 resulted in the reversible coordination of the Lewis acid to one of the carbonyl ligands. Computational investigations revealed that the dimerization of the intermediate metal silylidyne (M≡Si) complex to a tetrahedral cluster instead of a planar four-membered ring is due to steric bulk.

Trapping of two mononuclear silyl platinum(ii)/palladium(ii) complexes and a unique dinuclear bis(μ2-disilene)(silyl)nickel(ii) complex

Two rare mononuclear bis(silyl)platinum(ii)/palladium(ii) intermediates and an unprecedented dinuclear bis(μ₂-disilene)(silyl)nickel(ii) complex have been trapped and prepared.

Isolation of two bis(silyl)nickel complexes with Si–Si bond formation in a single-crystal-to-single-crystal fashion

Two unique silyl nickel complexes that generate two new Si–Si single bonds have been prepared unprecedentedly, which exhibit reversible single-crystal-to-single-crystal transformations upon the removal and rebinding of the coordinating PEt₃ molecule.

Bond formation and coupling between germyl and bridging germylene ligands in dinuclear palladium(I) complexes

The dinuclear palladium(I) complexes [L(Ar2 HGe)Pd(μ-GeAr2 )2 Pd(GeHAr2 )L] (Ar=Ph, p-Tol; L=PMe3 , tBuNC) contain terminal germyl and bridging germylene ligands with the experimentally observed Ge⋅⋅⋅Ge bond lengths of 2.8263(4) Å (L=PMe3 ) and 2.928(1) Å (L=tBuNC), which are close to the longest Ge-Ge bond reported to date [2.714(1) Å]. Significant Ge⋅⋅⋅Ge interactions between the germylene and germyl ligands (PMe3 complexes > tBuNC complexes) are supported by DFT calculations, Wiberg bond indices (WBI), and natural bond orbital (NBO) analyses. Exchanging tBuNC for PMe3 ligands increases the Ge⋅⋅⋅Ge interaction, and simultaneously activates two Pd-Ge bonds. Adding the chelating diphosphine 1,2-bis(diethylphosphino)ethane (depe) to the PMe3 complexes results in the intramolecular coupling of germyl and germylene ligands followed by extrusion of a digermane.

Multiple coupling of silanes with imido complexes of Mo

The bis(imido) complexes ((t)BuN[double bond, length as m-dash])2Mo(PMe3)(L) (L = PMe3, C2H4) react with up to three equivalents of silane PhSiH3 to give the imido-bridged disilyl silyl Mo(vi) complex ((t)BuN){μ-(t)BuN(SiHPh)2}Mo(H)(SiH2Ph)(PMe3)2 (3) studied by NMR, IR and X-ray diffraction. NMR data supported by DFT calculations show that complex 3 is an unusual example of a silyl hydride of Mo(VI), without significant SiH interaction. Mechanistic NMR studies revealed that silane addition proceeds in a stepwise manner via a series of Si-H∙∙∙M agostic and silanimine complexes whose structures were further elucidated by DFT calculations.

Nature of Si-H interactions in a series of ruthenium silazane complexes using multinuclear solid-state NMR and neutron diffraction

Three new N-heterocyclic-silazane compounds, 1a-c, were prepared and employed as bidentate ligands to ruthenium, resulting in a series of [Ru(H){(κ-Si,N-(SiMe2-N-heterocycle)}3] complexes (3a-c) featuring the same RuSi3H motif. Detailed structural characterization of the RuSi3H complexes with X-ray diffraction, and in the case of triazabicyclo complex [Ru(H){κ-Si,N-(SiMe2)(C7H12N3)}3] (3a), neutron diffraction, enabled a reliable description of the molecular geometry. The hydride ligand of (3a) is located closer to two of the silicon atoms than it is to the third. Such a geometry differs from that of the previously reported complex [Ru(H){(κ-Si,N-(SiMe2)N(SiMe2H)(C5H4N)}3] (3d), also characterized by neutron diffraction, where the hydride was found to be equidistant from all three silicon atoms. A DFT study revealed that the symmetric and less regular isomers are essentially degenerate. Information on the dynamics and on the Ru···H···Si interactions was gained from multinuclear solid-state ((1)H wPMLG, (29)Si CP MAS, and 2D (1)H-(29)Si dipolar HETCOR experiments) and solution NMR studies. The corresponding intermediate complexes, [Ru{κ-Si,N-(SiMe2-N-heterocycle)}(η(4)-C8H12)(η(3)-C8H11)] (2a-c), involving a single silazane ligand were isolated and characterized by multinuclear NMR and X-ray diffraction. Protonation of the RuSi3H complexes was also studied. Reaction of 3a with NH4PF6 gave rise to [Ru(H)(η(2)-H -SiMe2)κ-N-(C7H12N3){κ-Si,N-(SiMe2)(C7H12N3)}2](+)[PF6](-)(4aPF6) which was isolated and characterized by NMR spectroscopy, X-ray crystallography, and DFT studies. The nature of the Si-H interactions in this silazane series was analyzed in detail.

Trinuclear Nickel Complexes with Metal-Arene Interactions Supported by Tris- and Bis(phosphinoaryl)benzene Frameworks

Triphosphine and diphosphine ligands with backbones designed to facilitate metal-arene interactions were employed to support multinuclear Ni complexes. Di- and trinuclear metal complexes supported by a triphosphine containing a triarylbenzene linker display diverse metal-arene binding modes. Multinuclear Ni halide complexes were isolated with strongly interacting metal centers bound to opposite faces of the coordinated arene. Upon reaction of the trinickel diiodide complex, 2, with disodium tetracarbonylferrate, a cofacial triangulo nickel(0) complex, 4, was isolated. The Ni03 cluster motif can also be supported by a para-terphenyldiphosphine, where a terminal carbon monoxide ligand replaces the third phosphine donor. All multinuclear complexes feature strong metal-arene interactions, demonstrating the use of an arene as a versatile ligand design element for small clusters.

Multinuclear palladium compounds containing palladium centers ligated by five silicon atoms

Palladium (Pd) generally prefers low oxidation states. So far, no stable Pd compound with a +5 oxidation state is known. Here, we report two multinuclear Pd compounds containing Pd centers ligated by five silicon (Si) atoms. A thermal condensation reaction of [{1,2-C(6)H(4)(SiMe(2))(SiH(2))}Pd(II)(Me(2)PCH(2)CH(2)PMe(2))] (Me = methyl) afforded two stereoisomers of dinuclear Pd(II) compounds and a trinuclear Pd compound as major products and a tetranuclear Pd compound as a minor product. The structures of the four Pd compounds were confirmed by single-crystal x-ray structure analysis. The dinuclear Pd compounds have a dimeric structure of [{1,2-C(6)H(4)(SiMe(2))(SiH)}Pd(II)(Me(2)PCH(2)CH(2)PMe(2))] connected through a Si-Si single bond formed by dehydrogenation of two molecules of the starting compound. The trinuclear and tetranuclear Pd compounds proved to have Pd centers bonded to five Si atoms with normal Pd-Si single-bond distances. Theoretical calculations of the trinuclear and tetranuclear Pd compounds accurately reproduced their x-ray structures and suggested that all of the Pd-Si bonds of the central Pd atoms have a relatively high single-bond character.