Synthesis, Characterization, and Efficient Catalytic Activities of a Nickel(II) Porphyrin: Remarkable Solvent and Substrate Effects on Participation of Multiple Active Oxidants

Highly Sensitive, Easy-to-Use, One-Step Detection of Peroxide-, Nitrate- and Chlorate-Based Explosives with Electron-Rich Ni Porphyrins

Homemade explosives, such as peroxides, nitrates, and chlorates, are increasingly abused by terrorists, criminals, and amateur chemists. The starting materials are easily accessible and instructions on how to make the explosives are described on the Internet. Safety considerations raise the need to detect these substances quickly and in low concentrations using simple methods. Conventional methods for the detection of these substances require sophisticated, electrically operated, analytical equipment. The simpler chemical detection methods are multistep and require several chemicals. We have developed a simple, one-step method that works similarly to a pH test strip in terms of handling. The analytical reaction is based on an acid-catalyzed oxidation of an electron-rich porphyrin to an unusually stable radical cation and dication. The detection limit for the peroxide-based explosive triacetone triperoxide (TATP), which is very frequently used by terrorists, is 40 ng and thus low enough to detect the substance without direct contact via the gas phase. It is sufficient to bring the stick close to the substance to observe a color change from red to green. Nitrates and chlorates, such as ammonium nitrate, urea nitrate, or potassium chlorate, are detected by direct contact with a sensitivity of 85-350 ng. A color change from red to dark brown is observed. The test thus detects all homemade explosives and distinguishes between the extremely impact-, shock-, and friction-sensitive peroxides and the less sensitive nitrates and chlorates by color change of a simple test strip.

Selective Turn-On Fluorescence Sensing of Cyanide Using the Pyridoxal Platform of a Ni(II) Complex

Cyanide is a very toxic pollutant to aquatic life and the environment. Analytical methods for the quantitative assay of cyanide, which are rapid, sensitive (low limit of detection), and cost-effective, are in great demand. Colorimetric and fluorometric methods are ideally suited for this purpose. In this report, we describe a Ni(II) complex containing a pyridoxal platform for the rapid and sensitive fluorometric estimation of cyanide. The square-planar Ni(II) complex, [Ni(L)(N₃)]·3H₂O, where the ligand LH = 4-[(2-dimethylamino-ethylimino)-methyl]-5-hydroxymtheyl-2-methyl-pyridin-3-ol, a Schiff base formed between pyridoxal and (2-dimethylamino)ethyl amine, was synthesized and characterized by various spectroscopic techniques as well as by single-crystal X-ray structure determination. The complex was found to selectively bind CN^- in the presence of other biologically important anions such as F^-, Cl^-, Br^-, I^-, OAc^-, S^2-, NO₃ ^-, PO₄ ^3-, SO₄ ^2-, and H₂PO₄ ^- in tris-HCl/NaCl buffer [pH = 7.4], and it can be monitored by fluorescence turn-on or by UV-visible spectroscopy. The binding constant of the complex with CN^- was estimated to be 2.046 × 10¹⁴ M^-2 and the limit of detection (LOD) was 9 nM, the LOD being considerably lower than the maximum permissible level of cyanide ions (1.9 μM) in drinking water, as recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO). The effects of pH and temperature on the sensing are also investigated. The Ni(II) complex is also found to bind to calf-thymus DNA very strongly, and the apparent binding constant (K _app) was determined to be 1.33 × 10⁷ M^-1 by the fluorescence quenching of the ethidium bromide-DNA adduct by the complex.

Homogeneous oxidation of C–H bonds with m-CPBA catalysed by a Co/Fe system: mechanistic insights from the point of view of the oxidant

A Co/Fe system efficiently catalyses the oxidation of C–H bonds with m-CPBA. The nitric acid promoter hampers the m-CPBA homolysis, suppressing the free radical activity. Experimental and computational data evidence a concerted oxidation mechanism.

Catalytic Oxidations with Meta-Chloroperoxybenzoic Acid (m-CPBA) and Mono- and Polynuclear Complexes of Nickel: A Mechanistic Outlook

Selective catalytic functionalization of organic substrates using peroxides as terminal oxidants remains a challenge in modern chemistry. The high complexity of interactions between metal catalysts and organic peroxide compounds complicates the targeted construction of efficient catalytic systems. Among the members of the peroxide family, m-chloroperoxybenzoic acid (m-CPBA) exhibits quite complex behavior, where numerous reactive species could be formed upon reaction with a metal complex catalyst. Although m-CPBA finds plenty of applications in fine organic synthesis and catalysis, the factors that discriminate its decomposition routes under catalytic conditions are still poorly understood. The present review covers the advances in catalytic C–H oxidation and olefine epoxidation with m-CPBA catalyzed by mono- and polynuclear complexes of nickel, a cheap and abundant first-row transition metal. The reaction mechanisms are critically discussed, with special attention to the O–O bond splitting route. Selectivity parameters using recognized model hydrocarbon substrates are summarized and important factors that could improve further catalytic studies are outlined.

Proton Switch in the Secondary Coordination Sphere to Control Catalytic Events at the Metal Center: Biomimetic Oxo Transfer Chemistry of Nickel Amidate Complex

High-valent metal-oxo species are key intermediates for the oxygen atom transfer step in the catalytic cycles of many metalloenzymes. While the redox-active metal centers of such enzymes are typically supported by anionic amino acid side chains or porphyrin rings, peptide backbones might function as strong electron-donating ligands to stabilize high oxidation states. To test the feasibility of this idea in synthetic settings, we have prepared a nickel(II) complex of new amido multidentate ligand. The mononuclear nickel complex of this N5 ligand catalyzes epoxidation reactions of a wide range of olefins by using mCPBA as a terminal oxidant. Notably, a remarkably high catalytic efficiency and selectivity were observed for terminal olefin substrates. We found that protonation of the secondary coordination sphere serves as the entry point to the catalytic cycle, in which high-valent nickel species is subsequently formed to carry out oxo-transfer reactions. A conceptually parallel process might allow metalloenzymes to control the catalytic cycle in the primary coordination sphere by using proton switch in the secondary coordination sphere.

Instant and quantitative epoxidation of styrene under ambient conditions over a nickel(ii)dibenzotetramethyltetraaza[14]annulene complex immobilized on amino-functionalized SBA-15

Nickel(ii)dibenzotetramethyltetraaza[14]annulene complex (Nitmtaa) was synthetized and immobilized on post amino-functionalized SBA-15 (N-SBA-15) to obtain a stable and reusable nanocatalyst named as Nitmtaa@N-SBA-15. Here (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES) was first grafted on the surface SBA-15, then Nitmtaa was added and coordinated on the silica surface via APTES amine groups. The structure and morphology, and thermal stability of the prepared nanocatalyst was investigated using SEM, HR-TEM, BET, FT-IR, powder XRD, and TGA. HR-TEM and XRD results revealed a high dispersion of Nitmtaa on the SBA-15 surface. The catalytic activity of this nanocatalyst was evaluated in the epoxidation of styrene, under ambient conditions, using meta-chloroperoxybenzoic acid (m-CPBA) as the oxygen donor. This nanocatalyst showed an immediate and quantitative epoxidation of styrene with high turn-over-frequency ∼31.58 s-1. Moreover, the superior catalytic activity and high stability of Nitmtaa@N-SBA-15 could be maintained after four successive cycles. A possible reaction mechanism is also proposed.

Cu(ii)Cl2 containing bispyridine-based porous organic polymer support prepared via alkyne–azide cycloaddition as a heterogeneous catalyst for oxidation of various olefins

A new type of porous organic polymer (POP) based heterogeneous catalyst Cu-POP was prepared by immobilizing Cu(ii)Cl₂ into bpy containing POP prepared via alkyne–azide cycloaddition. It showed good catalytic oxidations towards various olefins.

Nickel(ii)dibenzotetramethyltetraaza[14]annulene complex immobilized on amino-functionalized TUD-1: an efficient catalyst for immediate and quantitative epoxidation of cyclohexene under ambient conditions

Nickel(ii)dibenzotetramethyltetraaza[14]annulene complex immobilized on amino-functionalized TUD-1 as a new nanocatalyst for spontaneous and quantitative epoxidation of cyclohexene under ambient conditions.

H5PV2Mo10O40 encapsulated into Cu3(BTC)2 as an efficient heterogeneous nanocrystalline catalyst for styrene epoxidation

The nanocrystalline catalyst HPMoV@Cu₃(BTC)₂ prepared using a liquid-assisted grinding method showed excellent catalytic activity for the epoxidation of styrene in O₂.