Deconvoluting the Innocent vs. Non-innocent Behavior of N,N-diethylphenylazothioformamide Ligands with Copper Sources

The synthesis and structural properties of a chlorido-bis-{N-[(4-meth-oxy-phen-yl)imino]-pyrrolidine-1-carboxamide}-zinc(II) (aceto-nitrile)-trichlorido-zincate coordination complex

The title complex, [ZnCl(C12H15N3O2)2][ZnCl3(CH3CN)], was synthesized and its structure was fully characterized through single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The complex crystallizes in the ortho-rhom-bic system, space group Pbca (61), with a central zinc atom coordinating one chlorine atom and two pyrrolidinyl-4-meth-oxy-phenyl azoformamide ligands in a bidentate manner, utilizing both the nitro-gen and oxygen atoms in a 1,3-heterodiene (N=N-C=O) motif for coordinative bonding, yielding an overall positively (+1) charged complex. The complex is accompanied by a [(CH3CN)ZnCl3]- counter-ion. The crystal data show that the harder oxygen atoms in the heterodiene zinc chelate form bonding inter-actions with distances of 2.002 (3) and 2.012 (3) Å, while nitro-gen atoms are coordinated by the central zinc cation with bond lengths of 2.207 (3) and 2.211 (3) Å. To gain further insight into the inter-molecular inter-actions within the crystal, Hirshfeld surface analysis was performed, along with the calculation of two-dimensional fingerprint plots. This analysis revealed that H⋯H (39.9%), Cl⋯H/H⋯Cl (28.2%) and C⋯H/H⋯C (7.2%) inter-actions are dominant. This unique crystal structure sheds light on arrangement and bonding inter-actions with azo-formamide ligands, and their unique qualities over similar semicarbazone and azo-thio-formamide structures.

Evaluation of azothioformamides and their copper(I) and silver(I) complexes for biological activity

Redox-active azothioformamides (ATFs) contain an NNCS 1,3-heterodiene motif typically found in other molecular subclasses that exhibit a wide range of cytotoxic and anti-neoplastic effects, either alone or as chelation complexes with various metals. For this study, a small library of ATF compounds was synthesized and tested across a range of microbes, fungi, and cancer cell lines for biological activity, both alone and as metal chelates of copper(I) and silver(I) salts. Alone, the ATF compounds exhibited little antimicrobial activity, but all inhibited the cell growth of A549 lung carcinoma cells (IC50 values of 1-6 μM). As copper(I) and silver(I) coordination complexes, several of the ATFs showed antimicrobial activity against gram positive Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis cells (IC50 ∼ 5-20 μM) and the fungi Candida albicans (IC50 ∼ 8-12 μM); as well as cytotoxicity against both lung carcinoma A549 cells and lymphoblastic leukemia K562 cells.

Cu(i) Iodide coordination polymers with aromatic thioamides

The reaction of 4-pyridinethiobenzamide (PyTBA) with CuI and KI aqueous solution in acetone or THF under slow diffusion gives rise to the formation of single crystals of two coordination polymers [CuIPyTBA]_n·nS (S = acetone; 1/3THF).

The synthesis and crystal structure of bis-[3,3-diethyl-1-(phenyl-imino-κN)thio-urea-κS]silver hexa-fluorido-phosphate

The structure of the title complex, [Ag(C11H15N3S)2]PF6, has monoclinic (P21/c) symmetry, and the silver atom has a distorted square-planar geometry. The coordination complex crystallized from mixing silver hexa-fluorido-phosphate with a concentrated tetra-hydro-furan solution of N,N-di-ethyl-phenyl-azo-thio-formamide [ATF; systematic name: 3,3-diethyl-1-(phenyl-imino)-thio-urea] under ambient conditions. The resultant coordination complex exhibits a 2:1 ligand-to-metal ratio, with the silver(I) atom having a fourfold AgN2S2 coordination sphere, with a single PF6 counter-ion. In the crystal, however, one sulfur atom from an ATF ligand of a neighboring complex coordinates to the silver atom, with a bond distance of 2.9884 (14) Å. This creates a polymeric zigzag chain propagating along the c-axis direction. The chains are linked by C-H⋯F hydrogen bonds, forming slabs parallel to the ac plane.

Chelate rings of different sizes with non-innocent ligands

Redox-active unsaturated chelate ligands can be realised with different ring sizes of the resulting metallacycles. An overview is presented, starting from an exposition of non-innocent behaviour and chelate effects. A systematic approach is used to describe the most familiar situation, the metal complexes of 1,4-hetero-1,3-dienes in established forms (e.g. o-quinone, α-dithiolene, and α-diimine ligands) and with less common combinations of O, S, and N heteroatoms. The different steric and electronic conditions in six-membered chelate ring systems derived from the β-diketonate structure will be discussed with examples of substituted and π extended ligands, including 9-oxidophenalenyl, formazanate, and anions derived from indigo or 9,10-anthraquinone. Four-membered chelate rings existing in at least two ligand-based oxidation states are available through steric and electronic stabilisation in amidinate or triazenide complexes. Three-membered and seven-membered chelate ring situations are discussed briefly as further alternatives.