The chemistry of inorganic and organometallic compounds with adamantane-like structures

Rigid PN cages as 3-dimensional building blocks for crystalline or amorphous networked materials

Three-dimensional covalent connectors are valuable synthons for accessing crystalline or amorphous networks. Currently, fused polycyclic alkanes are employed as connectors in this context. We debut phosphorus-nitrogen (PN) cages as new 3-dimensional (3-D) inorganic connectors that yield crystalline and amorphous networks, including examples with gas porosity. We show that the high tunability of PN cages accelerates network diversification and the presence of a responsive 31P NMR spectroscopic handle provides structural insight. Collectively, this work unlocks a new and convenient 3-D synthon for reticular chemistry.

An Improved Synthesis of PN-adamantanoid Cages P4 (NR)6 and a Mechanistic Study of their Fourfold Oxidation

Phosphorus-nitrogen (PN) adamantanoid cages are valuable precursors for materials chemistry, but their syntheses are based on harsh methods that sometimes require access to restricted reagents. We report a new and scalable synthesis of PN adamantanoid compounds by chlorosilane elimination between bis-silylated amines and phosphorus trichloride. We further study the mechanism of the recently-reported four-fold oxidation of such cages with Me3 SiN3 to yield tetravalent tetrahedral connectors for materials chemistry. Reaction monitoring and kinetic modelling revealed the key rate-limiting step, but attempts to accelerate this using Lewis acid additives were unsuccessful. Nevertheless, a new four-fold oxidized PN-adamantanoid cage has been prepared and structurally characterized.

Structure of a Fe4O6-Heteraadamantane-Type Hexacation Stabilized by Chelating Organophosphine Oxide Ligands

Metal-containing heteraadamantanes are compounds of interest due to their spectroscopic and magnetic properties, which make them promising materials for non-linear optics and semiconductors. Herein we report the comprehensive structural characterization of a new coordination compound of the formula [(µ-OH′)₂(µ-OH″)₄(O = P(Ph₂)CH₂CH₂(Ph₂)P = O)₄{Fe(t-BuOH)}₄](PF₆)₄(Cl)₂ with the chelating ligand Ph₂P(O)-CH₂CH₂-P(O)Ph₂. The compound crystallizes as a polynuclear metal complex with the adamantane-like core [Fe₄O₆] in the space group I-43d of a cubic system. The single-crystal XRD analysis showed that the crystal contains one symmetrically independent octahedrally coordinated Fe atom in the oxidation state +3. The adamantine-like scaffold of the Fe complex is formed by hydroxy bridging oxygen atoms only. Hirshfeld surface analysis of the bridging oxygen atoms revealed two types of µ-OH groups, which differ in the degree of exposure and participation in long-range interactions. Additionally, the Hirshfeld surface analysis supported by the enrichment ratio calculations demonstrated the high propensity of the title complex to form C-H^…Cl, C-H^…F and C-H^…O interactions.

N-Bridged Acyclic Trimeric Poly-Cyclodiphosphazanes: Highly Tuneable Cyclodiphosphazane Building Blocks

We have synthesized a completely new family of acyclic trimeric cyclodiphosphazane compounds comprising NH, Nⁱ Pr, N^t Bu and NPh bridging groups. In addition, the first NH-bridged acyclic dimeric cyclophosphazane has been produced. The trimeric species display highly tuneable characteristics so that the distance between the terminal N(H)R moieties can be readily modulated by the steric bulk present in the bridging groups (ranging from ≈6 to ≈10 Å). Moreover, these species exhibit pronounced topological changes when a weak non-bonding NH⋅⋅⋅π aryl interaction is introduced. Finally, the NH-bridged chloride binding affinities have been calculated and benchmarked along with the existing experimental data available for monomeric cyclodiphosphazanes. Our results underscore these species as promising hydrogen bond donors for supramolecular host-guest applications.

The First Synthesis of the Sterically Encumbered Adamantoid Phosphazane P4 (N(t) Bu)6 : Enabled by Mechanochemistry

All reported attempts to synthesize the tert-butyl-substituted adamantoid phosph(III)azane P4 (N(t) Bu)6 have failed, leading to the classification of this molecule as inaccessible and a literature example of steric control in chemistry of phosphorus-nitrogen compounds. We now demonstrate that this structure is readily accessible by a solvent-free mechanochemical milling approach, highlighting the importance of mechanochemical reaction environments in evaluating chemical reactivity.

All-metallagermoxane with an adamantanoid cage structure: [(Cp*Ru(CO)2Ge)4(μ-O)6] (Cp* = η5-C5Me5)

The first tetrametallagermoxane [(Cp*Ru(CO)₂Ge)₄(μ-O)₆], with an adamantanoid cage structure, has been synthesized and structurally characterized with an exo-{Cp*Ru(CO)₂} fragment in each germanium atom.

Rich synthetic and structural chemistry of polynuclear Pb(ii)–Cu(i)/Ag(i) heterobimetallic thiolate clusters, their decomposition and generation of a Cu(ii) hydrosulfide variant

Thermal decomposition of Pb(ii)–Cu(i)/Ag(i) heterobimetallic thiolate clusters yielded PbS nanoparticles along with a sought-after Cu(ii) hydrosulfide complex.

[{Fe(CO)3}4{SnI}6I4]2-: the first bimetallic adamantane-like cluster

Show some metal: the first bimetallic adamantane-like cluster, [{Fe(CO)(3)}(4){SnI}(6)I(4)](2-), was prepared by an ionic-liquid-based synthesis. The valence states of iron and tin were verified based on bond-length considerations, FT-IR and (119)Sn Mössbauer spectroscopy, as well as with DFT calculations.

An adamantane-based coordination framework with the first observation of discrete metal sulfonate clusters

By employing a rigid adamantane-based unit as a spacer, a coordination solid with an open channel layered structure results showing the first observation of metal sulfonate clusters. The design approach employed enforces a structural mismatch of metal and ligand coordinative preferences.

Cationic thiolate and selenolate complexes of platinum(IV)

The reaction of the adamantanoid compounds [Hg4(EPh)6(L)4][ClO4]2 (E = S or Se, L = PEt3 or PPh3) with [PtMe2(bu2bpy)] (bu2bpy = 4,4'-di-tert-butyl-2,2'-bipyridine) occurs easily to give the first examples of cationic thiolate or selenolate derivatives of platinum(IV), [PtMe2(EPh)L(bu2bpy)][ClO4], and the addition is shown to occur with trans stereochemistry. The new complexes are characterized by NMR spectroscopy and when L = PEt3 by X-ray structure determinations. When L = PPh3, a competitive reaction leads to methyl group transfer from platinum to mercury to give MeHgEPh (E = S or Se).Key words: oxidative-addition, platinum, thiolate, selenolate, mercury.

Syntheses, vibrational spectra, and theoretical studies of the adamantanoid Sn(4)Ch(10)(4-) (Ch = Se, Te) anions: X-ray crystal structures of [18-crown-6-K](4)[Sn4Se10]*5en and [18-crown-6-K](4)[Sn4Te10]*3en*2THF

The salts [18-crown-6-K](4)[Sn(4)Se(10)].5en and [18-crown-6-K](4)[Sn(4)Te(10)].3en.2THF were isolated upon addition of THF to the ethylenediamine (en) extracts of the alloys KSn(0.90)Se(1.93) and K(4)Sn(4)Te(10) that had been extracted in the presence of 18-crown-6 (1,4,7,10,13,16-hexaoxacyclooctadecane). The Sn(4)Te(10)(4-) anion has been structurally characterized for the first time by a single-crystal X-ray diffraction study of [18-crown-6-K](4)[Sn(4)Te(10)].3en.2THF: P2(1)/n, a = 22.420(5) A, b = 19.570(4) A, c = 24.680(5) A, beta = 96.90(3)(o), Z = 4, and R(1) = 0.0468 at -183 degrees C. In addition to Si(4)Te(10)(4-) and Ge(4)Te(10)(4-), the Sn(4)Te(10)(4-) anion represents the only other known group 14 adamantanoid telluride. The X-ray crystal structure determination of the related [18-crown-6-K](4)[Sn(4)Se(10)].5en salt has also been determined: P2(1)/n, a = 22.003(2) A, b = 18.966(2) A, c = 24.393(2) A, beta = 97.548(8)(o), Z = 4, and R(1) = 0.0843 at -123 degrees C. The anion geometries are of the adamantanoid type where the Sn(IV) atoms occupy the bridgehead positions and the chalcogen atoms occupy the bridging and terminal sites. The energy minimized geometries of Sn(4)Ch(10)(4-) have also been determined using density functional theory (DFT). Mayer bond order analyses, Mayer valencies, and empirical bond valencies indicate that the terminal Sn-Ch bonds have significant multiple bond character, with the terminal Sn-Se bond having more multiple bond character than the terminal Sn-Te bond. The vibrational frequencies of the Sn(4)Se(10)(4-) and Sn(4)Te(10)(4-) anions have been calculated using DFT methods, allowing the Raman spectrum of Sn(4)Se(10)(4-) to be fully assigned.