Structure, electrochemistry, spectroscopy, and magnetic resonance, including high-field EPR, of {(μ-abpy)[Re(CO)3X]2}o/•−, where abpy=2,2′-azobispyridine and X=F, Cl, Br, I

Rhenium Tricarbonyl Complexes of Azodicarboxylate Ligands

The excellent π-accepting azodicarboxylic esters adcOR (R = Et, iPr, tBu, Bn (CH₂-C₆H₅) and Ph) and the piperidinyl amide derivative adcpip were used as bridging chelate ligands in dinuclear Re(CO)₃ complexes [{Re(CO)₃Cl}₂(µ-adcOR)] and [{Re(CO)₃Cl}₂(µ-adcpip)]. From the adcpip ligand the mononuclear derivatives [Re(CO)₃Cl(adcpip)] and [Re(CO)₃(PPh₃)(µ-adcpip)]Cl were also obtained. Optimised geometries from density functional theory (DFT) calculations show syn and anti isomers for the dinuclear fac-Re(CO)₃ complexes at slightly different energies but they were not distinguishable from experimental IR or UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy. The electrochemistry of the adc complexes showed reduction potentials slightly below 0.0 V vs. the ferrocene/ferrocenium couple. Attempts to generate the radicals [{Re(CO)₃Cl}₂(µ-adcOR)]^•- failed as they are inherently unstable, losing very probably first the Cl^- coligand and then rapidly cleaving one [Re(CO)₃] fragment. Consequently, we found signals in EPR very probably due to mononuclear radical complexes [Re(CO)₃(solv)(adc)]^•. The underlying Cl^-→solvent exchange was modelled for the mononuclear [Re(CO)₃Cl(adcpip)] using DFT calculations and showed a markedly enhanced Re-Cl labilisation for the reduced compared with the neutral complex. Both the easy reduction with potentials ranging roughly from -0.2 to -0.1 V for the adc ligands and the low-energy NIR absorptions in the 700 to 850 nm range place the adc ligands with their lowest-lying π* orbital being localised on the azo function, amongst comparable bridging chelate N^N coordinating ligands with low-lying π* orbitals of central azo, tetrazine or pyrazine functions. Comparative (TD)DFT-calculations on the Re(CO)₃Cl complexes of the adcpip ligand using the quite established basis set and functionals M06-2X/def2TZVP/LANL2DZ/CPCM(THF) and the more advanced TPSSh/def2-TZVP(+def2-ECP for Re)/CPCMC(THF) for single-point calculations with BP86/def2-TZVP(+def2-ECP for Re)/CPCMC(THF) optimised geometries showed a markedly better agreement of the latter with the experimental XRD, IR and UV-Vis absorption data.

UV/Vis absorption spectroelectrochemistry of folic acid

UV/Vis absorption spectroelectrochemistry is a very promising analytical technique due to the complementary information that is simultaneously obtained from electrochemistry and spectroscopy. In this work, this technique is used in a parallel configuration to study the oxidation of folic acid in alkaline medium. Herein, UV/Vis absorption spectroelectrochemistry has been used to detect both the oxidation products and the folic acid consumed at the electrode/solution interface, allowing us to develop an analytical protocol to quantify vitamin B9 in pharmaceutical tablets. Linear ranges of three orders of magnitude have been achieved in basic medium (pH = 12.9), obtaining high repeatability and low detection limits. The spectroelectrochemical determination of folic acid in pharmaceutical tablets at alkaline pH values is particularly interesting because of the changes that occur in the optical signal during the electrochemical oxidation of FA, providing results with very good figures of merit and demonstrating the utility and versatility of this hyphenated technique, UV/Vis absorption spectroelectrochemistry.

A rare earth metallocene containing a 2,2'-azopyridyl radical anion

Introducing spin onto organic ligands that are coordinated to rare earth metal ions allows direct exchange with metal spin centres. This is particularly relevant for the deeply buried 4f-orbitals of the lanthanide ions that can give rise to unparalleled magnetic properties. For efficacy of exchange coupling, the donor atoms of the radical ligand require high-spin density. Such molecules are extremely rare owing to their reactive nature that renders isolation and purification difficult. Here, we demonstrate that a 2,2′-azopyridyl (abpy) radical (S = 1/2) bound to the rare earth metal yttrium can be realized. This molecule represents the first rare earth metal complex containing an abpy radical and is unambigously characterized by X-ray crystallography, NMR, UV-Vis-NIR, and IR spectroscopy. In addition, the most stable isotope ⁸⁹Y with a natural abundance of 100% and a nuclear spin of ½ allows an in-depth analysis of the yttrium–radical complex via EPR and HYSCORE spectroscopy. Further insight into the electronic ground state of the radical azobispyridine-coordinated metal complex was realized through unrestricted DFT calculations, which suggests that the unpaired spin density of the SOMO is heavily localized on the azo and pyridyl nitrogen atoms. The experimental results are supported by NBO calculations and give a comprehensive picture of the spin density of the azopyridyl ancillary ligand. This unexplored azopyridyl radical anion in heavy element chemistry bears crucial implications for the design of molecule-based magnets particularly comprising anisotropic lanthanide ions.

Unambiguous characterization of the first 2,2′-azobispyridine radical-containing rare earth metal complex through X-ray crystallography, DFT computations, EPR and HYSCORE spectroscopy.

Synthesis of Pyridylimido Complexes of Tantalum and Niobium by Reductive Cleavage of the N═N Bond of 2,2'-Azopyridine: Precursors for Early-Late Heterobimetallic Complexes

We report the syntheses of 2-pyridylimido complexes of tantalum and niobium by N═N bond cleavage of 2,2'-azopyridine. Reaction of MCl5 (M = Ta and Nb) with 2,2'-azopyridine in the presence of 0.5 equiv of 1-methyl-3,6-bis(trimethylsilyl)-1,4-cyclohexadiene (abbreviated Si-Me-CHD) afforded a dark red solution (for Ta) and a dark blue solution (for Nb) with some insoluble precipitates. After removing the solids, another 0.5 equiv of Si-Me-CHD was added to each solution, giving [M(═Npy)Cl3]n (1a: M = Ta; 1b: M = Nb) through reductive cleavage of the N═N bond of 2,2'-azopyridine. The initial products of the above reactions were determined to be 2,2'-azopyridine-bridged dinuclear complexes, [(MCl4)2(μ-pyNNpy)] (2a: M = Ta; 2b: M = Nb), which were isolated by treating MCl5 with 2,2'-azopyridine and Si-Me-CHD in a 2:1:1 molar ratio. In 2a and 2b, the N═N bond was reduced to a single bond via two-electron reduction. Further reduction of complexes 2a and 2b with 1 equiv of Si-Me-CHD afforded complexes 1a and 1b. An anionic doubly μ-imido-bridged ditantalum complex, [nBu4N][Ta2(μ-Npy)2Cl7] (3a), was generated upon addition of nBu4NCl to complex 1a, while addition of nBu4NCl to niobium complex 1b gave a polymeric terminal imido complex, [nBu4N]n/2[{Nb(═Npy)Cl3}2(μ-Cl)]n/2 (3b). Complexations of 1a and 1b with 1 equiv of 2,2'-bipyridine resulted in the formation of mononuclear 2-pyridylimido complexes, M(═Npy)Cl3(bipy) (4a: M = Ta; 4b: M = Nb), whose main structural feature is intramolecular hydrogen bonding between the ortho hydrogen atom of 2,2'-bipyridine and the nitrogen atom of the pyridyl group on the imido ligand. Isolated 2-pyridylimido complexes 4a and 4b reacted with [RhCl(cod)]2 to produce the corresponding early-late heterobimetallic complexes, (bipy)MCl3(μ-Npy)RhCl(cod) (5a: M = Ta; 5b: M = Nb).