The activation of small molecules by dinuclear complexes of copper and other metals

Electronic structures, bonding aspects and spectroscopic parameters of homo/hetero valent bridged dinuclear transition metal complexes

Bridged dinuclear metal complexes have fascinated scientists worldwide, and remarkable success has been achieved to unravel the electronic structures, structure-function relationship, coordination environments, and fine mechanistic details of the enzymes owing to the repercussion of biomimetic studies carried out on dinuclear model systems. Molecular level study of these systems integrated with spectroscopic study helps in gaining deep insights about structural and electronic aspects of natural enzymatic systems. Considering the same, here first time we report DFT study on bridged non-heme metal complexes based on N-Et-HPTB ligand system containing homovalent (M^IIM^II); {[(Mn^II)₂(O₂CCH₃)(N-Et-HPTB)]²⁺; Species I), [(Fe^II)₂(O₂CCH₃)(N-Et-HPTB)]²⁺; Species II), [(Co^II)₂(O₂CCH₃)(N-Et-HPTB)]²⁺; Species III)} and heterovalent (M^IIIM^II): {[(Mn^III)(Mn^II)(O₂)(N-Et-HPTB)]²⁺; Species Ia) [(Fe^III)(Fe^II)(O₂)(N-Et-HPTB)]²⁺; Species IIa) and [(Co^III)(Co^II)(O₂)(N-Et-HPTB)]²⁺; Species IIIa)} dinuclear metal centres. Bridging oxygen bears a significant spin density which may prompt important chemical reactions involving activation of bonds like C-H/O-H/N-H etc. TD-DFT calculations for UV-Visible absorption have been carried out to further shed light on structural-functional and electronic structures of these dinuclear species. Studying these dinuclear species may be a good starting point for the study of active sites of the bimetallic centre of dinuclear enzymes and thus may serve as fascinating spectroscopic models. Further, FMO analysis, MEP mapping, and NBO calculations were employed to analyze bonding aspects predict theoretical reactivity behaviour and any kind of stabilizing interactions present in the reported species.

New copper(II) μ-Alkoxo-μ-carboxylato double-bridged complexes as models for the active site of catechol oxidase: Synthesis, spectral characterization and DFT calculations

A series of four copper(II) μ-Alkoxo-μ-carboxylato double bridged complexes, [{Cu₂(L)}₂][(μ–O₂C–CO₂] 1, [{Cu₂(L)}₂(μ–O₂C–(CH₂)CO₂] 2, [{Cu₂(L)}₂(μ–O₂C–CH₂–CO₂] 3 and [{Cu₂(L)}₂(μ–O₂C–C₆H₄–CO₂] 4 (H₃L = 4-bromo-2-((E)-((3-(((E)-5-chloro-2-hydroxybenzylidene) amino)-2-hydroxypropyl) imino) methyl)-6-methoxyphenol and μ-dicarboxylate ions = oxalate, malonate, succinate and terephthalate) have been synthesized and characterized using several physicochemical techniques. The tridentate nature of H₃L is interpreted from IR spectra. The Epr spectra of these complexes are characteristic of the quintet state (S = 2) in central features and the triplet state (S = 1) of these tetranuclear complexes. The electrochemical potential of these complexes was investigated using CV (cyclic voltammetry) and DPV (differential pulse voltammetry). All complexes showed quasi reversible reduction peaks in the cathodic region. To explore the stability of these complexes, quantum chemical parameters like electronegativity, ionization potential, electron affinity, global hardness and softness, and electrophilicity were estimated and discussed. The synthesized complexes have been designed as structural and functional models of the catechol oxidase enzymes to investigate the catecholase activity. Additionally, superoxide dismutase activity data of all complexes have also been evaluated and compared with known SOD mimics.

Dirhodium(II)/Xantphos-Catalyzed Relay Carbene Insertion and Allylic Alkylation Process: Reaction Development and Mechanistic Insights

Although dirhodium-catalyzed multicomponent reactions of diazo compounds, nucleophiles and electrophiles have achieved great advance in organic synthesis, the introduction of allylic moiety as the third component via allylic metal intermediate remains a formidable challenge in this area. Herein, an attractive three-component reaction of readily accessible amines, diazo compounds, and allylic compounds enabled by a novel dirhodium(II)/Xantphos catalysis is disclosed, affording various architecturally complex and functionally diverse α-quaternary α-amino acid derivatives in good yields with high atom and step economy. Mechanistic studies indicate that the transformation is achieved through a relay dirhodium(II)-catalyzed carbene insertion and allylic alkylation process, in which the catalytic properties of dirhodium are effectively modified by the coordination with Xantphos, leading to good activity in the catalytic allylic alkylation process.

Reactivity patterns for the activation of CO2 and CS2 with alumoxane and aluminum hydrides

Carbon dioxide is readily fixed when reacting with either alumoxane dihydride [{MeLAl(H)}2(μ-O)] (1) or aluminum dihydride [MeLAlH2] (2) (MeL = HC[(CMe)N(2,4,6-Me3C6H2)]2-) to produce bimetallic aluminum formates [(MeLAl)2(μ-OCHO)2(μ-O)] (3) and [(MeLAl)2(μ-OCHO)2(μ-H)2] (5), respectively. Furthermore, [(MeLAl)2(μ-OCHO)2(μ-OH)2] (4) is easily obtained upon the reaction of 3 or 5 with H2O. The stability of the unusual dialuminum diformate dihydride core observed in 5 stems from the proximity of the Al centers allowing the formation of two Al-HAl bridges and precluding further hydride transfer to the HCO2 moieties. Contrary to this behavior, 1 and 2 react with CS2 giving cyclic alumoxane and aluminum sulfides [(MeLAl)2(μ-S)(μ-O)] (6) and [{MeLAl(μ-S)}2] (7), respectively. The molecular structures of 3-7 were characterized by IR, Raman, solution or solid-state (MAS) NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry and for 4-7 were characterized by X-ray diffraction studies. NMR kinetic studies and DFT calculations suggest that the mechanisms for the formation of 6 and 7 involve the transfer of a hydride group forming transient aluminum thioformate intermediates which proceed to form Al-S-Al moieties through the cleavage of C-S bonds and insertion of a sulfur atom, followed by the elimination of thioformaldehyde.

Synthesis and Structural Properties of Novel Calixarene Analogues having Schiff Base Units

Novel calixarene analogues having Schiff base units have been synthesised by condensation reaction of the bisaldehyde with o-phenylenediamines in the presence of boric acid. The present calixarene analogues form hydrogen bonds between imine nitrogen and phenol hydrogen with 1,2-alternate conformation, confirmed by X-ray crystallography.

The Planar Cyclooctatetraene Bridge in Bis-Metallic Macrocycles: Isolating or Conjugating?

A minor modification of the reported procedure for the synthesis of a corrole dimer that is fused by the cyclooctatetraene (COT) unit, (H₃tpfc)₂COT, allowed for its isolation in 18% yield. Of the two redox isomers that this interesting macrocycle does form, the current focus is on the reduced form, in which each subunit resembles that of monomeric corroles with a trianionic N₄ coordination core. The corresponding bis-gallium(III) complex was prepared as an entry into the potentially rich coordination chemistry of (H₃tpfc)₂COT. Both X-ray crystallography and DFT calculations disclosed that the COT moiety is essentially planar with very unusual nonalternating C-C bonds. The same holds true for the bis-gallium(III) complexes [(Ga-tpfc)₂]COT(py)₂ and [(Ga-tpfc)₂]COT(py)₄, obtained with one and two pyridine molecules coordinated to each metal ion, respectively. The electronic spectra of both the free base and the gallium(III) complexes display an extremely low energy band (λ_max at 720-724 nm), which points toward extensive π delocalization through the COT bridge. This aspect was fully addressed by examining the interactions between the two corrole subunits in terms of electrochemistry and DFT calculations of the oxidized and reduced macrocycle. The new near-IR bands that appear upon both oxidation (λ_max 1250 nm) and reduction (λ_max 1780 nm) serve as additional supporting evidence for this conclusion.

Macrocyclization of N,N′-propylenebis(3-formyl-5-tert-butylsalicylaldimine): a ratiometric fluorescence chemodosimeter for ZnII

Side off compartmental ligandN,N′-propylenebis(3-formyl-5-tert-butylsalicylaldimine) is used as a ratiometric fluorescence chemodosimeter for the selective detection of Zn^IIions.

Unprecedented copper(ii) mediated in situ formation of gem-diol binuclear complexes: a combined experimental and computational study

The two alkoxo bridged complexes [Cu₂(L¹)₂(HL²)₂(H₂O)](NO₃)₂·2H₂O 1 and [Cu₂(L¹)₂(HL²)₂](NO₃)₂·H₂O 2 have been synthesized by metal assisted hydrolysis with two Schiff bases, where L¹ is 2-benzoylpyridine and HL² is phenyl(pyridin-2-yl)methanediol.

Spectroscopic, thermodynamic, kinetic studies and oxidase/antioxidant biomimetic catalytic activities of tris(3,5-dimethylpyrazolyl)borate Cu(II) complexes

A series of copper(ii) complexes, viz. [Tp(MeMe)Cu(Cl)(H2O)] (), [Tp(MeMe)Cu(OAc)(H2O)] (), [Tp(MeMe)Cu(NO3)] () and [Tp(MeMe)Cu(ClO4)] () containing tris(3,5-dimethylpyrazolyl)borate (KTp(MeMe)), have been synthesized and fully characterized. The substitution reaction of with thiourea was studied under pseudo-first-order conditions as a function of concentration, temperature and pressure in methanol and acetonitrile as solvents. Two reaction steps that both depended on the nucleophile concentration were observed for both solvents. Substitution of coordinated methanol is about 40 times faster than the substitution of chloride. In acetonitrile, the rate constant for the displacement of coordinated acetonitrile was more than 20 times faster than the substitution of chloride. The reported activation parameters indicate that both reaction steps follow a dissociative mechanism in both solvents. On going from methanol to acetonitrile, the rate constant for the displacement of the solvent becomes more than 200 times faster due to the more labile acetonitrile, but the substitution mechanism remained to have a dissociative character. The antioxidant activities of were evaluated for superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione-s-transferase (GST0 and glutathione reduced (GSH-Rd) activity. and were found to show (p < 0.05) the highest antioxidant activity in comparison to and , which can be ascribed to the geometric configuration as well as the nature of the co-ligand. showed catechol oxidase activity with turnover numbers of 20 min(-1) and a coordination affinity for 3,5-DTBC of K1, = 31 mM(-1). K1 is rather large and seems to be typical for faster biomimetic models, and also for the enzyme itself (25 mM(-1)). The reaction rate depended linearly on the complex concentration, indicating a first-order dependence on the catalyst concentration.

Mononuclear anionic octahedral cobalt(III) complexes based on N-salicylidene-o-aminophenol and its derivatives: synthetic, structural and spectroscopic studies

The reactions of Co(II) sources with N-salicylidene-o-aminophenol (H2saph), N-salicylidene-o-amino-4-methylphenol (H2saph-4Me) and N-salicylidene-o-amino-4-chlorophenol (H2saph-4Cl) were studied in MeOH. The new solid complexes (Bu4(n)N)[Co(III)(saph)2] (1), (Et3NH)[Co(III)(saph-4Me)2]⋅MeOH⋅MeCO2H (2⋅MeOH⋅MeCO2H) and (Et3NH)[Co(III)(saph-4Cl)2]⋅MeOH⋅MeCO2H (3⋅MeOH⋅MeCO2H) have been isolated and their structures determined by single-crystal, X-ray crystallography. The three compounds contain the mononuclear, low- spin octahedral anion [Co(III)L2](-) (H2L=H2saph, H2saph-4Me, H2saph-4Cl), in which both L(2)(-) ligands act as tridentate chelating, meridional ONO donors. The crystal structures of 2⋅MeOH⋅MeCO2H and 3⋅MeOH⋅MeCO2H are built through H-bonding and π-π stacking interactions. The new complexes were characterized by elemental analyses and spectroscopic (IR, Raman, UV/VIS, (1)H NMR) data. All data are discussed in terms of the nature of bonding and known structures.

A Ni(ii) dinuclear complex bridged by end-on azide-N and phenolate-O atoms: spectral interpretation, magnetism and biological study

A new dinuclear complex, [Ni(L)(μ_1,1-N₃)Ni(L)(OH₂)₂]·ClO₄(1), has been synthesized. It shows the presence of ferromagnetic interactions and is endowed with both anti-mycobacterial and anticancer properties.

Bond and small-molecule activation with low-valent nickel complexes

The use of nickel compounds in low oxidation states allowed a variety of useful transformations of interest for academia, industry and in the solution of environmental issues.