Studies on Cage-Type Tetranuclear Metal Clusters with Ferrocenylphosphonate Ligands

Selective Formation of Small and Large Coordination Cages and Their Catalytic Differences

Self-assembly of CuX2 (X- = BF4-, ClO4-, and CF3SO3-) with a new tridentate 5,5',5″-(((2,4,6-trimethylbenzene-1,3,5-triyl)tris(methylene))tris(oxy))triisoquinoline (L) gives rise to single-crystal pairs consisting of small and large cages, [X@Cu2X2L4]X and [Cu6X12L8], respectively, via selection of solvents. In particular, the large cage is transformed into a small cage in acetonitrile above 50 °C. A significant difference in heterogeneous catechol oxidation catalysis between the small and large cages is observed. Such notable catechol-oxidation-catalytic effects can be explained by maintenance of the Cu···Cu distance at the catalytic center. This research is a direct systematic example of both cage-size control via solvent selection and the significance of the Cu···Cu distance in catechol oxidation catalysis with copper (Cu).

Computational studies of Ni(II) photosensitizers complexes containing 1,1′-bis(diphenylphosphino)ferrocene and dithio ligands

Detailed theoretical studies of Ni(II) complexes in a distorted square planar form and containing dithio and (P, P) chelating ligands were performed. These Ni(II) complexes are investigated for their use in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC). Structures and UV–vis spectra are calculated at density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) theories using B3LYP and CAM-B3LYP functionals and 6-31G(d,p) and 6-31G+(d) basis sets. Geometry optimizations result in excellent agreement with the experimental results. Moreover, the analysis of the frontier molecular orbitals (FMOs) allowed a detailed assignment and a clear analysis of the electronic transitions. The TD-DFT calculations reproduce the main spectroscopic properties observed and substituent effects. The results reveal that all absorption spectra are characterized by mixed character mainly dominated by metal to ligand and ligand to ligand charge transfers (MLCT and LLCT). We unveil how the substituent variations affect the DSSCs features of the complexes.

Macrocyclic Se4N2[7,7]ferrocenophane and Se2N[10]ferrocenophane containing benzyl unit: synthesis, complexation, crystal structures, electrochemical and optical properties

Se₄N₂[7,7]ferrocenophane containing benzyl unit shows switch-on third-order NLO responses to Cu²⁺ and Hg²⁺ due to the formation of delocalized π-conjugated systems.

Varying coordination modes of amide ligand in group 12 Hg(ii) and Cd(ii) complexes: synthesis, crystal structure and nonlinear optical properties

Reactions of the amide ligand H2L with CdCl₂ and Hg(CH₃COO)₂, in 1 : 1 ratio, at 298 K yield dimeric [Hg(L)]₂ (1) and trimeric [Cd₃(H₂L)₄Cl₆] (2), respectively.

Molecular and polymeric zinc(II) phosphonates: isolation of an octanuclear ellipsoidal ensemble

The reaction of zinc(II) perchlorate with trichloromethyl phosphonic acid at room temperature afforded, upon crystallization, a two-dimensional layered coordination polymer possessing a dinuclear repeat unit, [{Zn2(Cl3CPO3)2(H2O)3}·1.5H2O]n (1). Modification of the above reaction by involving a co-ligand afforded the tetranuclear complex, [{Zn4(η(1)-DMPzH)6(Cl3C-PO3)2}(μ-OH)2(ClO4)2] (2). The molecular structure of 2 reveals that the tetranuclear core is non-planar and consists of three contiguous inorganic rings which include one 8-membered Zn2P2O4 ring and two six-membered Zn2PO3 rings. Replacement of Zn(ClO4)2·6H2O with ZnCl2 under the same reaction conditions that afforded 2 allowed the formation of the dinuclear complex [{(ZnCl)2(η(2)-Pz)2(Cl3CPO3)}(Et3NH)2] (3). 3 possesses a bicyclic core containing a seven-membered Zn2N2O2P ring. In 3, the phosphoryl oxygen atom (P=O) is involved in a bifurcated hydrogen bonding interaction with the triethylammonium cation. The reaction of ZnCl2 and 2,3,5,6-(Me)4C6HCH2PO3H2 afforded the octanuclear complex [Zn8(Cl)6{2,3,5,6-(Me)4C6HCH2PO3}6(Et3N)2](Et3NH)2]·2n-hexane·3H2O (4). The core of 4 is ellipsoid-shaped with the end-end polar distance (C-C) being ~20 Å.

Di-, tri- and tetranuclear molecular vanadium phosphonates: a chloride encapsulated tetranuclear bowl

Synthesis and characterization of three dinuclear, two dinuclear and one tetranuclear vanadium phosphonates is being reported. These include a chloride encapsulated tetranuclear bowl-shaped complex.

Structural variability, topological analysis and photocatalytic properties of neoteric Cd(ii) coordination polymers based on semirigid bis(thiazolylbenzimidazole) and different types of carboxylic acid linkers

Six interesting architectures with different structural and topological motifs have been obtained. 3, 4 and 6 exhibit good photocatalytic activities for methylene blue degradation.

Heterobimetallic metal-complex assemblies constructed from the flexible arm-like ligand 1,1'-bis[(3-pyridylamino)carbonyl]ferrocene: structural versatility in the solid state

The bidentate ferrocenyl sandwich molecule 1,1'-bis[(3-pyridylamino)carbonyl]ferrocene (3-BPFA) has been employed as an organometallic ligand in reactions with a series of transition metal salts to construct heterobimetallic architectures. X-ray crystallographic characterization reveals that the crystal packing of free ligand 3-BPFA induces spontaneous resolution of helical chains via intermolecular hydrogen bonds. By combining the flexibility from the arm-like molecule (3-BPFA) with the variation of the coordination property from different metal ions and/or the different counteranions, five different types of architectures are prepared: one octahedral coordination cage (copper(II) complex 1); two discrete pseudocapsules for combination of chlorine anions (nickel(II) complex 2 and cobalt(II) complex 3); two dimers with metal-metal interactions (silver(I) complexes 4 and 5); one macrocyclic complex (mercury(II) complex 6); and five two-dimensional mixed-metal-organic frameworks (M'-MOFs) (zinc(II), cadmium(II), and mercury(II) complexes 7-11). The structures of all complexes are characterized in detail by IR, elementary analysis, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The factors inducing the structure variation among the complexes are discussed by taking account of the coordination geometry of different metal ions, the span angle between the two "arms", and the coordination mode of the 3-BPFA ligand.