Stereoselective Aldol Addition to Rhenium(I) Complexes and Reversible Dimerization with Epimerization of the Metal Center

A family of rhodium(i) NHC chelates featuring O-containing tethers for catalytic tandem alkene isomerization-hydrosilylation

The rhodium complex Rh(HL)(COD)Cl, 1, L being a functionalized N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligand with an oxygen-containing pendant arm, has been used as the entry point to synthesize a series of neutral and cationic Rh(i) O,C chelates. While the Rh-carbene interaction is similar in all these 16-electron complexes, structural analysis reveals that the strength of the Rh-O bond is greatly affected by the nature of the O-donor: R-O^- > R-OH > R-OBF₃. These subtle changes in the nature of the O-containing tether are found to be responsible for large differences in the alkene hydrosilylation catalytic activity of these compounds: the stronger the Rh-O interaction, the better the catalytic performances. The most active catalyst, [Rh(L)(COD)], 2, demonstrated good catalytic activity under mild reaction conditions for the hydrosilylation of a range of alkene substrates with the industrially relevant non-activated tertiary silane, 1,1,1,3,5,5,5-heptamethyltrisiloxane (MD^HM). Furthermore, this complex is an effective catalyst for the selective remote functionalization of internal olefins at room temperature via tandem alkene isomerization-hydrosilylation.

Copper complexes for the promotion of iminopyridine ligands derived from β-alanine and self-aldol additions: relaxivity and cytotoxic properties

In the study presented herein, we explore the ability of copper complexes with coordinated pyridine-2-carboxaldehyde (pyca) or 2-acetylpyridine (acepy) ligands to promote the addition of amines (Schiff condensation) and other nucleophiles such as alcohols (hemiacetal formation). Distinct reactivity patterns are observed: unlike pyca complexes, acepy copper complexes can promote self-aldol addition. The introduction of a flexible chain via Schiff condensation with β-alanine allows the possibility of chelate ring ring-opening processes mediated by pH. Further derivatization of the complex [CuCl(py-2-C(H)[double bond, length as m-dash]NCH2CH2COO)] is possible by replacing its chloride ligand with different pseudohalogens (N3-, NCO- and NCS-). In addition to the change in their magnetism, which correlates with their solid-state structures, more unexpected effects in their cytotoxicity and relaxitivities are observed, which determines their possibility to be used as MRI contrast agents. The replacement of a chloride by another pseudohalogen, although a simple strategy, can be used to critically change the cytotoxicity of the Schiff base copper(ii) complex and its selectivity towards specific cell lines.

Copper Complexes in the Promotion of Aldol Addition to Pyridine-2-carboxaldehyde: Synthesis of Homo- and Heteroleptic Complexes and Stereoselective Double Aldol Addition

CuCl₂·2H₂O and Cu(ClO₄)₂·6H₂O are able to promote aldol addition of pyridine-2-carboxaldehyde (pyca) with acetone, acetophenone, or cyclohexenone under neutral and mild conditions. The general and simple one-pot procedure for the aldol addition to Cu(II) complexes accesses novel Cu complexes with a large variety of different structural motifs, from which the aldol-addition ligand can be liberated by treatment with NH₃. Neutral heteroleptic complexes in which the ligand acts as bidentate, or homoleptic cationic complexes in which the ligand acts as tridentate can be obtained depending on the copper salt used. The key step in these reactions is the coordination of pyca to copper, which increases the electrophilic character of the aldehyde, with Cu(ClO₄)₂ leading to a higher degree of activation than CuCl₂, as predicted by DFT calculations. A regio- and stereoselective double aldol addition of pyca in the reaction of Cu(ClO₄)₂·6H₂O with acetone leads to the formation of a dimer copper complex in which the novel double aldol addition product acts as a pentadentate ligand. A possible mechanism is discussed. The work is supported by extensive crystallographic studies.

Facile rhenium-peptide conjugate synthesis using a one-pot derived Re(CO)3 reagent

We have synthesized two Re(CO)3-modified lysine complexes (1 and 2), where the metal is attached to the amino acid at the Nε position, via a one-pot Schiff base formation reaction. These compounds can be used in the solid phase synthesis of peptides, and to date we have produced four conjugate systems incorporating neurotensin, bombesin, leutenizing hormone releasing hormone, and a nuclear localization sequence. We observed uptake into human umbilical vascular endothelial cells as well as differential uptake depending on peptide sequence identity, as characterized by fluorescence and rhenium elemental analysis.

Metallamacrocycle formation through dimerization of metal bioconjugates derived from amino acids and peptides

Metallamacrocycles of 12, 16, and 22 members are obtained by deprotonation of the carboxylic group of the side chain of iminopyridine complexes derived from the amino acid β-alanine, and the peptides Gly-Gly and Gly-Gly-Gly. Instead of the expected intramolecular attack to give tridentate (N,N,O) ligands, the deprotonated carboxylate attacks in an inter-molecular manner to give dimers in which the ligand acts as a bridge bonded in a κ(2)(N,N') chelating fashion to one metal and as κ(O) to the other metal. The formation of the dimers is supported by NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry and X-ray crystallography.

Interesting copper(ii)-assisted transformations of 2-acetylpyridine and 2-benzoylpyridine

Novel Cu^II-assisted transformations have been observed in the reactions of copper(ii) sources and 2-pyridyl ketones.

Structural comparison of group 7 tricarbonyl complexes of 2-{[2-(1H-imidazol-4-yl)ethyl]iminomethyl}-5-methylphenolate

Two tricarbonyl complexes of rhenium(I) and manganese(I) coordinated by the ligand 2-{[2-(1H-imidazol-4-yl)ethyl]iminomethyl}-5-methylphenolate are reported, viz. fac-tricarbonyl(2-{[2-(1H-imidazol-4-yl-κN(3))ethyl]iminomethyl-κN}-5-methylphenolato-κO)rhenium(I) methanol monosolvate, [Re(C16H14N3O4)(CO)3]·CH3OH, (I), and fac-tricarbonyl(2-{[2-(1H-imidazol-4-yl-κN(3))ethyl]iminomethyl-κN}-5-methylphenolato-κO)manganese(I), fac-[Mn(C16H14N3O4)(CO)3], (II), display facial coordination in a distorted octahedral environment. The crystal structure of (I) is stabilized by O-H···O, N-H···O and C-H···O hydrogen-bond interactions, while that of (II) is stabilized by N-H...O hydrogen-bond interactions only. These interactions result in two-dimensional networks and π-π stacking for both structures.