Experimentally Calibrated Analysis of the Electronic Structure of CuO + : Implications for Reactivity

Metal-to-Metal Distance Modulated Au(I)/Ru(II) Cyclophanyl Complexes: Cooperative Effects in Photoredox Catalysis

The modular synthesis of Au(I)/Ru(II) decorated mono- and heterobimetallic complexes with π-conjugated [2.2]paracyclophane is described. [2.2]Paracyclophane serves as a rigid spacer which holds the metal centers in precise spatial orientations and allows metal-to-metal distance modulation. A broad set of architectural arrangements of pseudo -geminal, -ortho, -meta, and -para substitution patterns were employed. Metal-to-metal distance modulation of Au(I)/Ru(II) heterobimetallic complexes and the innate transannular π-communication of the cyclophanyl scaffold provides a promising platform for the investigations of structure-activity relationship and cooperative effects. The Au(I)/Ru(II) heterobimetallic cyclophanyl complexes are stable, easily accessible, and exhibit promising catalytic activity in the visible-light promoted arylative Meyer-Schuster rearrangement.

UV/Vis Spectroscopy of Copper Formate Clusters: Insight into Metal-Ligand Photochemistry

The electronic structure and photochemistry of copper formate clusters, Cu^I₂(HCO₂)₃⁻ and Cu^II_n(HCO₂)_2n+1⁻, n≤8, are investigated in the gas phase by using UV/Vis spectroscopy in combination with quantum chemical calculations. A clear difference in the spectra of clusters with Cu^I and Cu^II copper ions is observed. For the Cu^I species, transitions between copper d and s/p orbitals are recorded. For stoichiometric Cu^II formate clusters, the spectra are dominated by copper d–d transitions and charge‐transfer excitations from formate to the vacant copper d orbital. Calculations reveal the existence of several energetically low‐lying isomers, and the energetic position of the electronic transitions depends strongly on the specific isomer. The oxidation state of the copper centers governs the photochemistry. In Cu^II(HCO₂)₃⁻, fast internal conversion into the electronic ground state is observed, leading to statistical dissociation; for charge‐transfer excitations, specific excited‐state reaction channels are observed in addition, such as formyloxyl radical loss. In Cu^I₂(HCO₂)₃⁻, the system relaxes to a local minimum on an excited‐state potential‐energy surface and might undergo fluorescence or reach a conical intersection to the ground state; in both cases, this provides substantial energy for statistical decomposition. Alternatively, a Cu^II(HCO₂)₃Cu⁰⁻ biradical structure is formed in the excited state, which gives rise to the photochemical loss of a neutral copper atom.

M-O Bonding Beyond the Oxo Wall: Spectroscopy and Reactivity of Cobalt(III)-Oxyl and Cobalt(III)-Oxo Complexes

Terminal oxo complexes of late transition metals are frequently proposed reactive intermediates. However, they are scarcely known beyond Group 8. Using mass spectrometry, we prepared and characterized two such complexes: [(N4Py)CoIII (O)]+ (1) and [(N4Py)CoIV (O)]2+ (2). Infrared photodissociation spectroscopy revealed that the Co-O bond in 1 is rather strong, in accordance with its lack of chemical reactivity. On the contrary, 2 has a very weak Co-O bond characterized by a stretching frequency of ≤659 cm-1 . Accordingly, 2 can abstract hydrogen atoms from non-activated secondary alkanes. Previously, this reactivity has only been observed in the gas phase for small, coordinatively unsaturated metal complexes. Multireference ab-initio calculations suggest that 2, formally a cobalt(IV)-oxo complex, is best described as cobalt(III)-oxyl. Our results provide important data on changes to metal-oxo bonding behind the oxo wall and show that cobalt-oxo complexes are promising targets for developing highly active C-H oxidation catalysts.

Identification of Active Sites and Structural Characterization of Reactive Ionic Intermediates by Cryogenic Ion Trap Vibrational Spectroscopy

Cryogenic ion trap vibrational spectroscopy paired with quantum chemistry currently represents the most generally applicable approach for the structural investigation of gaseous cluster ions that are not amenable to direct absorption spectroscopy. Here, we give an overview of the most popular variants of infrared action spectroscopy and describe the advantages of using cryogenic ion traps in combination with messenger tagging and vibrational predissociation spectroscopy. We then highlight a few recent studies that apply this technique to identify highly reactive ionic intermediates and to characterize their reactive sites. We conclude by commenting on future challenges and potential developments in the field.