Bispidine Coordination Chemistry

Synthesis, Characterization, and Reactivity of Bispidine-Iron(IV)-Tosylimido Species

Reported are the synthesis and detailed studies of the iron(IV)-tosylimido complexes of two isomeric pentadentate bispidine ligands (bispidines are 3,7-diazabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane derivatives). This completes a series of five tosylimido complexes with comparable pentadentate amine/pyridine ligands, where the corresponding [(L)FeIV═O]2+ oxidants have been studied in detail. The characterization of the two new complexes in solution (UV-vis-NIR, Mössbauer, HR-ESI-MS) shows that these oxidants have an intermediate spin (S = 1) electronic ground state. The reactivities have been studied as oxidants in C-H activation at 1,3-cyclohexadiene and nitrogen atom transfer to thioanisole. For the latter substrate, the entire set of data for the five ligands and for both nitrogen and oxygen atom transfer is now available and the interesting observation is that oxygen atom transfer is, as expected, generally faster than nitrogen atom transfer, with the exception of the two ligands that have four and three pyridine groups oriented parallel to the Fe-O and Fe-N axes. A thorough DFT analysis indicates that this is due to steric effects in the case of the [(L)FeIV═O]2+ species, which are less important in the [(L)FeIV═NTs]2+ compounds due to partial electron transfer from the thioanisole substrate to the iron(IV)-tosylimido oxidant.

64Cu tumor labeling with hexadentate picolinic acid-based bispidine immunoconjugates

Discussed are two picolinate appended bispidine ligands (3,7-diazabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane derivatives) in comparison with an earlier described bis-pyridine derivative, which are all known to strongly bind CuII. The radiopharmacological characterization of the two isomeric bispidine complexes includes quantitative labeling with 64CuII at ambient conditions with high radiochemical purities and yields (molar activities >200 MBq/nmol). Challenge experiments in presence of EDTA, cyclam, human serum and SOD demonstrate high stability and inertness of the 64Cu-bispidine complexes. Biodistribution studies performed in Wistar rats indicate a rapid renal elimination for both 64Cu-labeled chelates. The bispidine ligand with the picolinate group in N7 position was selected for further biological experiments, and its backbone was therefore substituted with a benzyl-NCS group at C9. Two tumor target modules (TMs), targeting prostate stem cell antigen (PSCA), overexpressed in prostate cancer, and the fibroblast activation protein (FAP) in fibrosarcoma, were selected for thiourea coupling with the NCS-functionalized ligand and lysine residues of TMs. Small animal PET experiments on tumor-bearing mice showed specific accumulation of the 64Cu-labeled TMs in PSCA- and FAP-overexpressing tumors (standardized uptake value (SUV) for PC3: 2.7±0.6 and HT1080: 7.2±1.25) with almost no uptake in wild type tumors.

Radiolabelled 177 Lu-Bispidine-Trastuzumab for Targeting Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 Positive Cancers

Radioimmunotherapy (RIT) is a promising alternative to conventional treatment options. Here, we present experimental work on the synthesis, radiochemistry, and in vivo performance of a lanthanoid-selective nonadentate bispidine ligand suitable for 177 Lu3+ ion complexation. The ligand (bisp,1) was derivatised with a photoactivatable aryl azide (ArN3 ) group as a bioconjugation handle for light-induced labelling of proteins. Quantitative radiosynthesis of [177 Lu]Lu-1+ was accomplished in 10 minutes at 40 °C. Subsequent incubation of [177 Lu]Lu-1+ with trastuzumab, followed by irradiation with light at 365 nm for 15 min, at room temperature and pH 8.0-8.3, gave the radiolabelled mAb, [177 Lu]Lu-1-azepin-trastuzumab ([177 Lu]Lu-1-mAb) in a decay-corrected radiochemical yield of 14 %, and radiochemical purity (RCP)>90 %. Stability studies and cellular binding assays in vitro using the SK-OV-3 human ovarian cancer cells confirmed that [177 Lu]Lu-1-mAb remained biological active and displayed specific binding to HER2/neu. Experiments in immunocompromised female athymic nude mice bearing subcutaneous xenograft models of SK-OV-3 tumours revealed significantly higher tumour uptake in the normal group compared with the control block group (29.8±11.4 %ID g-1 vs. 14.8±6.1 %ID g-1 , respectively; P-value=0.037). The data indicate that bispidine-based ligand systems are suitable starting points for constructing novel, high-denticity chelators for specific complexation of larger radiotheranostic metal ion nuclides.

Bispidine Chelators for Radiopharmaceutical Applications with Lanthanide, Actinide, and Main Group Metal Ions

Octadentate and specifically nonadentate ligands with a bispidine scaffold (3,7-diazabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane) are known to be efficiently coordinated to a range of metal ions of interest in radiopharmaceutical chemistry and lead to exceedingly stable and inert complexes. Nonadentate bispidine L2 (with a tridentate bipyridine acetate appended to N3 and a picolinate at N7) has been shown before to be an ideal chelator for 111In3+, 177Lu3+, and 225Ac3+, nuclides of interest for diagnosis and therapy, and a proof-of-principle study with an SSTR2-specific octreotate has shown potential for theranostic applications. We now have extended these studies in two directions. First, we present ligand derivative L3, in which the bipyridine acetate is substituted with terpyridine, a softer donor for metal ions with a preference for more covalency. L3 did not fulfill the hopes because complexation is much less efficient. While for Bi3+ and Pb2+ the ligand is an excellent chelator with properties similar to those of L2, Lu3+ and La3+ show very slow and inefficient complexation with L3 in contrast to L2, and 225Ac3+ is not fully coordinated, even at an increased temperature (92% radiochemical yield at 80 °C, 60 min, [L3] = 10-4 M). These observations have led to a hypothesis for the complexation pathway that is in line with all of the experimental data and supported by a preliminary density functional theory analysis, which is important for the design of further optimized bispidine chelators. Second, the coordination chemistry of L2 has been extended to Bi3+, La3+, and Pb2+, including solid state and solution structural work, complex stabilities, radiolabeling, and radiostability studies. All complexes of this ligand (La3+, Ac3+, Lu3+, Bi3+, In3+, and Pb2+), including nuclides for targeted α therapy (TAT), single-photon emission computed tomography, and positron emission tomography, are formed efficiently under physiological conditions, i.e., suitable for the labeling of delicate biological vectors such as antibodies, and the complexes are very stable and inert. Importantly, for TAT with 225Ac, the daughter nuclides 213Bi and 209Pb also form stable complexes, and this is important for reducing damage to healthy tissue.

Synthesis of non-symmetric N-benzylbispidinol amides and study of their inhibitory activity against the main protease of the SARS-CoV-2 virus

Based on the data obtained by molecular modeling of the non-covalent interaction of non-symmetric N-benzylbispidin-9-ol amides with the active site of the main protease 3CLpro of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, a series of compounds was synthesized, and their inhibitory activity against 3CLpro was studied and compared with that of the known inhibitor ML188 (IC₅₀ = 1.56±0.55 µmol L^-1). It was found that only compound 1g containing the 1,4-dihydroindeno[1,2-c]pyrazole fragment showed moderate activity (IC₅₀ = 100±5.7µmol L^-1) and was characterized by the highest calculated binding energy among the studied bispidine derivatives according to molecular docking data.

Exceptional Manganese(II) Stability and Manganese(II)/Zinc(II) Selectivity with Rigid Polydentate Ligands

While Mn^II complexes meet increasing interest in biomedical applications, ligands are lacking that enable high Mn^II complex stability and selectivity vs. Zn^II, the most relevant biological competitor. We report here two new bispidine derivatives, which provide rigid and large coordination cavities that perfectly match the size of Mn^II, yielding eight‐coordinate Mn^II complexes with record stabilities. In contrast, the smaller Zn^II ion cannot accommodate all ligand donors, resulting in highly strained and less stable six‐coordinate complexes. Combined theoretical and experimental data (X‐ray crystallography, potentiometry, relaxometry and ¹H NMR spectroscopy) demonstrate unprecedented selectivity for Mn^II vs. Zn^II (K_MnL/K_ZnL of 10⁸–10¹⁰), in sharp contrast to the usual Irving–Williams behavior, and record Mn^II complex stabilities and inertness with logK_MnL close to 25.

Design and Evaluation of Bispidine-Based SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease Inhibitors

For the first time, derivatives of 3,7-diazabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane (bispidine) were proposed as potential inhibitors of the SARS-CoV-2 main viral protease (3-chymotrypsin-like, 3CLpro). Based on the created pharmacophore model of the active site of the protease, a group of compounds were modeled and tested for activity against 3CLpro. The 3CLpro activity was measured using the fluorogenic substrate Dabcyl-VNSTLQSGLRK(FAM)MA; the efficiency of the proposed approach was confirmed by comparison with literature data for ebselen and disulfiram. The results of the experiments performed with bispidine compounds showed that 14 compounds exhibited activity in the concentration range 1-10 μM, and 3 samples exhibited submicromolar activity. The structure-activity relationship studies showed that the molecules containing a carbonyl group in the ninth position of the bicycle exhibited the maximum activity. Based on the experimental and theoretical results obtained, further directions for the development of this topic were proposed.

Novel Bispidine-Monoterpene Conjugates-Synthesis and Application as Ligands for the Catalytic Ethylation of Chalcones

A number of new chiral bispidines containing monoterpenoid fragments have been obtained. The bispidines were studied as ligands for Ni-catalyzed addition of diethylzinc to chalcones. The conditions for chromatographic analysis by HPLC-UV were developed, in which the peaks of the enantiomers of all synthesized chiral products were separated, which made it possible to determine the enantiomeric excess of the resulting mixture. It was demonstrated that bispidine-monoterpenoid conjugates can be used as the ligands for diethylzinc addition to chalcone C=C double bond but not as inducers of chirality. Besides products of ethylation, formation of products of formal hydrogenation of the chalcone C=C double bond was observed in all cases. Note, that this formation of hydrogenation products in significant amounts in the presence of such catalytic systems was found for the first time. A tentative scheme explaining the formation of all products was proposed.

Chelators for Treatment of Iron and Copper Overload: Shift from Low-Molecular-Weight Compounds to Polymers

Iron and copper are essential micronutrients needed for the proper function of every cell. However, in excessive amounts, these elements are toxic, as they may cause oxidative stress, resulting in damage to the liver and other organs. This may happen due to poisoning, as a side effect of thalassemia infusion therapy or due to hereditary diseases hemochromatosis or Wilson's disease. The current golden standard of therapy of iron and copper overload is the use of low-molecular-weight chelators of these elements. However, these agents suffer from severe side effects, are often expensive and possess unfavorable pharmacokinetics, thus limiting the usability of such therapy. The emerging concepts are polymer-supported iron- and copper-chelating therapeutics, either for parenteral or oral use, which shows vivid potential to keep the therapeutic efficacy of low-molecular-weight agents, while avoiding their drawbacks, especially their side effects. Critical evaluation of this new perspective polymer approach is the purpose of this review article.

Pathways of the Extremely Reactive Iron(IV)-oxido complexes with Tetradentate Bispidine Ligands

The nonheme iron(IV)-oxido complex trans-N3-[(L1 )FeIV =O(Cl)]+ , where L1 is a derivative of the tetradentate bispidine 2,4-di(pyridine-2-yl)-3,7-diazabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane-1-one, is known to have an S=1 electronic ground state and to be an extremely reactive oxidant for oxygen atom transfer (OAT) and hydrogen atom abstraction (HAA) processes. Here we show that, in spite of this ferryl oxidant having the "wrong" spin ground state, it is the most reactive nonheme iron model system known so far and of a similar order of reactivity as nonheme iron enzymes (C-H abstraction of cyclohexane, -90 °C (propionitrile), t1/2 =3.5 sec). Discussed are spectroscopic and kinetic data, supported by a DFT-based theoretical analysis, which indicate that substrate oxidation is significantly faster than self-decay processes due to an intramolecular demethylation pathway and formation of an oxido-bridged diiron(III) intermediate. It is also shown that the iron(III)-chlorido-hydroxido/cyclohexyl radical intermediate, resulting from C-H abstraction, selectively produces chlorocyclohexane in a rebound process. However, the life-time of the intermediate is so long that other reaction channels (known as cage escape) become important, and much of the C-H abstraction therefore is unproductive. In bulk reactions at ambient temperature and at longer time scales, there is formation of significant amounts of oxidation product - selectively of chlorocyclohexane - and it is shown that this originates from oxidation of the oxido-bridged diiron(III) resting state.

First-Generation Bispidine Chelators for 213 BiIII Radiopharmaceutical Applications

Hepta- and octadentate bispidines (3,7-diazabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane, diaza-adamantane) with acetate, methyl-pyridine, and methyl-picolinate pendant groups at the amine donors of the bispidine platform have been prepared and used to investigate BiIII coordination chemistry. Crystal structure and solution spectroscopic data (NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry) confirm that the rigid and relatively large bispidine cavity with an axially distorted geometry is well suited for BiIII and in all cases forms nine-coordinate complexes; this is supported by an established hole size and shape analysis. It follows that nonadentate bispidines probably will be more suited as bifunctional chelators for 213 BiIII -based radiopharmaceuticals. However, two isomeric picolinate-/acetate-based heptadentate ligands already show very efficient complexation kinetics with 213 BiIII at ambient temperature and kinetic stability that is comparable with the standard ligands used in this field. The experimentally determined hydrophilicities (log D7.4 values) show that the BiIII complexes reported are relatively hydrophilic and well suited for medicinal applications. We also present a very efficient and relatively accurate method to compute charge distributions and hydrophilicities, and this will help to further optimize the systems reported here.

Versatile Bispidine-Based Bifunctional Chelators for 64 CuII -Labelling of Biomolecules

Bifunctional chelators as parts of modular metal-based radiopharmaceuticals are responsible for stable complexation of the radiometal ion and for covalent linkage between the complex and the targeting vector. To avoid loss of complex stability, the bioconjugation strategy should not interfere with the radiometal chelation by occupying coordinating groups. The C9 position of the very stable CuII chelator 3,7-diazabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane (bispidine) is virtually predestined to introduce functional groups for facile bioconjugation as this functionalisation does not disturb the metal binding centre. We describe the preparation and characterisation of a set of novel bispidine derivatives equipped with suitable functional groups for diverse bioconjugation reactions, including common amine coupling strategies (bispidine-isothiocyanate) and the Cu-free strain-promoted alkyne-azide cycloaddition. We demonstrate their functionality and versatility in an exemplary way by conjugation to an antibody-based biomolecule and validate the obtained conjugate in vitro and in vivo.

Supramolecular Organogels Based on N-Benzyl, N'-Acylbispidinols

The acylation of unsymmetrical N-benzylbispidinols in aromatic solvents without an external base led to the formation of supramolecular gels, which possess different thicknesses and degrees of stability depending on the substituents in para-positions of the benzylic group as well as on the nature of the acylating agent and of the solvent used. Structural features of the native gels as well as of their dried forms were studied by complementary techniques including Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) and attenuated total reflection (ATR) spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and small-angle X-ray scattering and diffraction (SAXS). Structures of the key crystalline compounds were established by X-ray diffraction. An analysis of the obtained data allowed speculation on the crucial structural and condition factors that governed the gel formation. The most important factors were as follows: (i) absence of base, either external or internal; (ii) presence of HCl; (iii) presence of carbonyl and hydroxyl groups to allow hydrogen bonding; and (iv) presence of two (hetero)aromatic rings at both sides of the molecule. The hydrogen bonding involving amide carbonyl, hydroxyl at position 9, and, very probably, ammonium N-H⁺ and Cl- anion appears to be responsible for the formation of infinite molecular chains required for the first step of gel formation. Subsequent lateral cooperation of molecular chains into fibers occurred, presumably, due to the aromatic π-π-stacking interactions. Supercritical carbon dioxide drying of the organogels gave rise to aerogels with morphologies different from that of air-dried samples.

Oxidation of Cobalt(II) Bispidine Complexes with Dioxygen

Bispidine (3,7-diazabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane) ligands, derivatives of diazaadamantane, possess a very rigid backbone and have a high degree of pre-organization for cis-octahedral coordination geometries. Despite their rigidity, they exert a flexible coordination sphere, resulting in stable complexes with a variety of metal ions in various oxidation states. Due to the known high III/II redox potentials of their cobalt complexes, the CoII bispidine complexes are generally resistant to oxidation by dioxygen. Discussed in the present study are various CoII bispidine complexes with tetra- and pentadentate bispidines, with one of these complexes shown to be unstable under aerobic conditions. The decay process has been identified as an oxidative elimination of the 2-methylene pyridine substituent at one of the tertiary amine donors, resulting in picolinate, which is found coordinated to a CoIII product, where the dealkylated N-donor remains unprotonated. The mechanism of this interesting reaction has been studied, and details of the resulting structure of the product complex are discussed.

Copper-Bispidine Complexes: Synthesis and Complex Stability Study

A new series of dicarboxylic derivatives of bispidines have been synthesized to develop novel copper(II) complexes suitable as imaging agents for positron emission tomography. For characterization purposes, copper complexes of bispidines were synthesized in the pure form and in quantitative yields by neutralization of ligands with malachite. The formation of complexes and their stoichiometries were studied by potentiometric titration, cyclic voltammetry, and spectroscopic methods. The stability constants were found to be fairly suitable for copper cation fixation inside dianionic chelate molecules.

Influence of Ligand Architecture in Tuning Reaction Bifurcation Pathways for Chlorite Oxidation by Non-Heme Iron Complexes

Reaction bifurcation processes are often encountered in the oxidation of substrates by enzymes and generally lead to a mixture of products. One particular bifurcation process that is common in biology relates to electron transfer versus oxygen atom transfer by high-valent iron(IV)-oxo complexes, which nature uses for the oxidation of metabolites and drugs. In biomimicry and bioremediation, an important reaction relates to the detoxification of ClO_x^- in water, which can lead to a mixture of products through bifurcated reactions. Herein we report the first three water-soluble non-heme iron(II) complexes that can generate chlorine dioxide from chlorite at ambient temperature and physiological pH. These complexes are highly active oxygenation oxidants and convert ClO₂^- into either ClO₂ or ClO₃¯ via high-valent iron(IV)-oxo intermediates. We characterize the short-lived iron(IV)-oxo species and establish rate constants for the bifurcation mechanism leading to ClO₂ and ClO₃^- products. We show that the ligand architecture of the metal center plays a dominant role by lowering the reduction potential of the metal center. Our experiments are supported by computational modeling, and a predictive valence bond model highlights the various factors relating to the substrate and oxidant that determine the bifurcation pathway and explains the origins of the product distributions. Our combined kinetic, spectroscopic, and computational studies reveal the key components necessary for the future development of efficient chlorite oxidation catalysts.

A Bispidine Iron(IV)-Oxo Complex in the Entatic State

For a series of Fe(IV) =O complexes with tetra- and pentadentate bispidine ligands, the correlation of their redox potentials with reactivity, involving a variety of substrates for alkane hydroxylation (HAT), alkene epoxidation, and phosphine and thioether oxidation (OAT) are reported. The redox potentials span approximately 350 mV and the reaction rates over 8 orders of magnitude. From the experimental data and in comparison with published studies it emerges that electron transfer and the driving force are of major importance, and this is also supported by the DFT-based computational analysis. The striking difference of reactivity of two isomeric systems with pentadentate bispidines is found to be due to a destabilization of the S=1 ground state of one of the ferryl isomers, and this is supported by the experimentally determined redox potentials and published stability constants with a series of first-row transition metal ions with these two isomeric ligands.

Mononuclear nonheme iron(IV)-oxo and manganese(IV)-oxo complexes in oxidation reactions: experimental results prove theoretical prediction

Reactivities of mononuclear nonheme iron(IV)-oxo and manganese(IV)-oxo complexes bearing a pentadentate N4Py ligand, [M(IV)O(N4Py)](2+) (M = Fe and Mn), are compared in hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) and oxygen atom transfer (OAT) reactions; theoretical and experimental results show that Fe(IV)O is more reactive than Mn(IV)O. The latter is shown to react through excited state reactivity (ESR).

Spectroscopic, Structural, and Computational Characterization of Three Bispidinone Derivatives, as Ligands for Enantioselective Metal Catalyzed Reactions

Three chiral derivatives of the alkaloid sparteine (bispidines), characterized by the 3,7-diazabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane moiety, were designed as efficient ligands in a number of enantioselective reactions due to their metal coordination properties. A full evaluation of the 3D properties of the compounds was carried out, as the geometrical features of the bicyclic framework are strictly related to the efficiency of the ligands in the asymmetric catalysis. The selected molecules have different molecular complexity for investigating the effects of different chiral groups on the bicycle conformation. We report here a thorough analysis of their molecular arrangement, by NMR spectroscopy, single crystal X-ray crystallography, and computational techniques, which put in evidence their conformational preferences and the parameters needed for the design of more efficient ligands in asymmetric synthetic routes. The results confirmed the high molecular flexibility of the compounds, and indicated how to achieve a control of the chair-chair/boat-chair conformational ratio, by adjusting the relative size of the substituents on the piperidine nitrogens.

Cu(II)-selective bispidine-dye conjugates

The substitution of tetradentate bispidine ligands with rhodamine and cyanine dye molecules, coupled to an amine donor, forming an amide as potential fifth donor, is described. Bispidines are known to lead to very stable Cu(II) complexes, and the coordination to Cu(II) was expected to efficiently quench the fluorescence of dye molecules. However, at physiological pH the amide is not coordinated, as shown by titration experiments and crystallographic structural data of three possible isomers of these complexes. This may be due to the specific cavity shape of bispidines and the Jahn-Teller lability of the Cu(II) center. While Cu(II) coordination in aqueous solution leads to efficient fluorescence quenching, experiments show that the complex stabilities are not large enough for Cu(II) sensing in biological media, and possibilities are discussed, how this may be achieved by optimized bispidine-dye conjugates.

Fluorous bispidine: a bifunctional reagent for copper-catalyzed oxidation and knoevenagel condensation reactions in water

Fluorous bispidine-type ligands have been developed to demonstrate its bifunctional property as a ligand and base in copper-catalyzed aerobic oxidation, the Knoevenagel condensation and tandem oxidation/condensation in water under mild conditions.

Tuning the Reactivity of Mononuclear Nonheme Manganese(IV)-Oxo Complexes by Triflic Acid

Triflic acid (HOTf)-bound nonheme Mn(IV)-oxo complexes, [(L)Mn^IV(O)]²⁺-(HOTf)₂ (L = N4Py and Bn-TPEN; N4Py = N,N-bis(2-pyridylmethyl)-N-bis(2-pyridyl)methylamine) and Bn-TPEN = N-benzyl-N,N',N'-tris(2-pyridylmethyl)ethane-1,2-diamine), were synthesized by adding HOTf to the solutions of the [(L)Mn^IV(O)]²⁺ complexes and were characterized by various spectroscopies. The one-electron reduction potentials of the Mn^IV(O) complexes exhibited a significant positive shift upon binding of HOTf. The driving force dependence of electron transfer (ET) from electron donors to the Mn^IV(O) and Mn^IV(O)-(HOTf)₂ complexes were examined and evaluated in light of the Marcus theory of ET to determine the reorganization energies of ET. The smaller reorganization energies and much more positive reduction potentials of the [(L)Mn^IV(O)]²⁺-(HOTf)₂ complexes resulted in much enhanced oxidation capacity towards one-electron reductants and para-X-substituted-thioanisoles. The reactivities of the Mn(IV)-oxo complexes were markedly enhanced by binding of HOTf, such as a 6.4 × 10⁵-fold increase in the oxygen atom transfer (OAT) reaction (i.e., sulfoxidation). Such a remarkable acceleration in the OAT reaction results from the enhancement of ET from para-X-substituted-thioanisoles to the Mn^IV(O) complexes as revealed by the unified ET driving force dependence of the rate constants of OAT and ET reactions of [(L)Mn^IV(O)]²⁺-(HOTf)₂. In contrast, deceleration was observed in the rate of H-atom transfer (HAT) reaction of [(L)Mn^IV(O)]²⁺-(HOTf)₂ complexes with 1,4-cyclohexadiene as compared with those of the [(L)Mn^IV(O)]²⁺ complexes. Thus, the binding of two HOTf molecules to the Mn^IV(O) moiety resulted in remarkable acceleration of the ET rate when the ET is thermodynamically feasible. When the ET reaction is highly endergonic, the rate of the HAT reaction is decelerated due to the steric effect of the counter anion of HOTf.

Synthesis and transition metal coordination chemistry of a novel hexadentate bispidine ligand

With the hexadentate bispidine ligand, the Cu^II and Fe^II (red) complexes are hexacoordinated with a semi-coordinated py4, the Mn^II complex (green) is heptacoordinated.

Influence of ligand architecture on oxidation reactions by high-valent nonheme manganese oxo complexes using water as a source of oxygen

Mononuclear nonheme Mn(IV)=O complexes with two isomers of a bispidine ligand have been synthesized and characterized by various spectroscopies and density functional theory (DFT). The Mn(IV)=O complexes show reactivity in oxidation reactions (hydrogen-atom abstraction and sulfoxidation). Interestingly, one of the isomers (L(1) ) is significantly more reactive than the other (L(2) ), while in the corresponding Fe(IV)=O based oxidation reactions the L(2) -based system was previously found to be more reactive than the L(1) -based catalyst. This inversion of reactivities is discussed on the basis of DFT and molecular mechanics (MM) model calculations, which indicate that the order of reactivities are primarily due to a switch of reaction channels (σ versus π) and concomitant steric effects.

Abiotic methanogenesis from organosulphur compounds under ambient conditions

Methane in the environment is produced by both biotic and abiotic processes. Biomethanation involves the formation of methane by microbes that live in oxygen-free environments. Abiotic methane formation proceeds under conditions at elevated temperature and/or pressure. Here we present a chemical reaction that readily forms methane from organosulphur compounds under highly oxidative conditions at ambient atmospheric pressure and temperature. When using iron(II/III), hydrogen peroxide and ascorbic acid as reagents, S-methyl groups of organosulphur compounds are efficiently converted into methane. In a first step, methyl sulphides are oxidized to the corresponding sulphoxides. In the next step, demethylation of the sulphoxide via homolytic bond cleavage leads to methyl radical formation and finally to methane in high yields. Because sulphoxidation of methyl sulphides is ubiquitous in the environment, this novel chemical route might mimic methane formation in living aerobic organisms.

Redox Properties of Iron Complexes with Pentadentate Bispidine Ligands

The solution coordination chemistry of iron complexes with the pentadentate bispidine ligands L1, L2, and L3 (dimethyl 9-oxo-2,4-di(pyridin-2-yl)-3,7-diazabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane-1,5-dicarboxylate derivatives) was examined. While in acetonitrile, (L1,2)FeII/III species have a preference for Cl– as co-ligand. The corresponding aqua and hydroxido complexes also prevail in the presence of Cl– in aqueous solution. The observed FeII/III potentials in water (cyclic voltammetry) and potentials of (L1–3)FeIV=O (buffered and unbuffered aqueous solutions) are strikingly similar, i.e. the latter are assigned to (L1–3)FeII/III potentials, and published potentials of FeIV=O complexes with other ligands with uncharged amine-pyridine donors, obtained by cyclic voltammetry, have to be considered with caution.

Ferro- and antiferromagnetic coupling in a chlorido-bridged, tetranuclear Cu(ii) complex

A binuclear complex of copper(ii) chloride with a heptadentate bispidine-like ligand undergoes dimerisation in the solid state involving chloride bridging and leading to both ferro- and antiferromagnetic coupling of the Cu(ii) centres.