Protonation of Tris(iminocatecholato) Complexes of Gallium(III) and Titanium(IV)

Imine-Based Catechols and o-Benzoquinones: Synthesis, Structure, and Features of Redox Behavior

Novel sterically hindered catechols of the type 3-(RN=CH)-4,6-DBCatH₂ with iminoalkyl or iminoaryl groups in the third position of the aromatic ring have been synthesized and characterized in detail. The o-benzoquinones 3-(RN=CH)-4,6-DBBQ have been synthesized by the oxidation of the corresponding catechols. The oxidation of methylimino-substituted catechol with K₃[Fe(CN)₆] in alkaline medium leads to the formation of two products: o-quinone and diene-dione, the product of the water addition to the corresponding o-quinone. Some o-benzoquinones react with water or methanol to yield products of water or methanol addition. A prototropic tautomerism is characteristic of catecholaldimines: a quinomethide form is observed in the case of aliphatic amine derivatives, while aryl-substituted catecholaldimines can exist both in the catechol and quinomethide forms in the crystalline state. The formation of dimeric structures motifs is observed in crystals. The electrochemical oxidation of imino-based catechols proceeds via two one-electron processes; the second wave is quasi-reversible, which is unusual for catechols.

Synthesis, dynamics and redox properties of eight-coordinate zirconium catecholate complexes

Reaction of the 9,9-dimethylxanthene-bis(imine)-bis(catechol) ligand XbicH4 with half an equivalent of Zr(acac)4 affords the neutral tetracatecholate complex (XbicH2)2Zr, containing four iminium ions hydrogen bonded to the catecholates. The heteroleptic bis(catecholate)-tetraphenylporphyrin complex (TPP)Zr(XbicH2) is formed from reaction of (TPP)Zr(OAc)2 with XbicH4 in the presence of base. Both compounds adopt an eight-coordinate square antiprismatic geometry around the zirconium center. NMR spectra of (TPP)Zr(XbicH2) show that it is fluxional at room temperature, with homoleptic (XbicH2)2Zr showing fluxionality at higher temperatures. Calculations and kinetic isotope effect measurements suggest that the motions involve dissociation of a single catecholate oxygen and subsequent twisting of the seven-coordinate species. The compounds show reversible one-electron oxidations of each of the bound catecholates to bound semiquinones.

Mono- and bimetallic pentacoordinate silicon complexes of a chelating bis(catecholimine) ligand

Schiff base condensation of 4,5-diamino-9,9-dimethylxanthene with 4,6-di-tert-butylcatechol-3-carboxaldehyde affords the bis(catecholimine) ligand XbicH₄, which can bind metals in both a square bis(catecholate) upper pocket and a pentagonal N₂O₃ lower pocket. Metalation with PhSiCl₃ results in [(XbicH₂)SiPh][HCl₂], where the silicon adopts a five-coordinate, square pyramidal geometry in the upper pocket and the lower pocket binds to two protons on the imine nitrogens. Deprotonation of the imines with LiO^tBu, NaN[SiMe₃]₂, or AgOAc results in binding of the univalent metal ion in the lower pocket, where it adopts an unusual pentagonal monopyramidal geometry in the solid state. The complexes show irreversible electrochemistry, with oxidations taking place at relatively high potentials.

Supramolecular chemistry-general principles and selected examples from anion recognition and metallosupramolecular chemistry

This review gives an introduction into supramolecular chemistry describing in the first part general principles, focusing on terms like noncovalent interaction, molecular recognition, self-assembly, and supramolecular function. In the second part those will be illustrated by simple examples from our laboratories. Supramolecular chemistry is the science that bridges the gap between the world of molecules and nanotechnology. In supramolecular chemistry noncovalent interactions occur between molecular building blocks, which by molecular recognition and self-assembly form (functional) supramolecular entities. It is also termed the "chemistry of the noncovalent bond." Molecular recognition is based on geometrical complementarity based on the "key-and-lock" principle with nonshape-dependent effects, e.g., solvatization, being also highly influential. Self-assembly leads to the formation of well-defined aggregates. Hereby the overall structure of the target ensemble is controlled by the symmetry features of the certain building blocks. Finally, the aggregates can possess special properties or supramolecular functions, which are only found in the ensemble but not in the participating molecules. This review gives an introduction on supramolecular chemistry and illustrates the fundamental principles by recent examples from our group.