Bidentate and tridentate coordination modes of bis(3-methylindolyl)-2-pyridylmethane in complexes of aluminum and gallium: Structural characterization of bridging N-indolide in a dialuminum complex

Complexation of Amino Acids with Cadmium and Their Application for Cadmium-Contaminated Soil Remediation

The interaction of amino acids with toxic heavy metals influences their immobilization and bioavailability in soils. However, the complexation ability of amino acids with Cd has not been well studied. The complexes of amino acids and cadmium were investigated by density functional theory (DFT) calculations and Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR) analyses. The complex structures were found to be [COc, COc] for fatty amino-cadmium and PheCd2+, [COc, COc, COs] for GluCd2+ and ThrCd2+, respectively. The complex energy of these conformers followed the order PheCd2+> AlaCd2+ > LeuCd2+ > GluCd2+ > GlyCd2+ > ThrCd2+. Importantly, all of the complex energy values were less than zero, indicating that these complexes could be easily dissolved in water. The Cd2+ concentration decreased with increasing amino acid concentration in aqueous solution. The complex stability constants (logβ) followed the order PheCd2+> AlaCd2+ > LeuCd2+ > GluCd2+ > GlyCd2+ > ThrCd2+, consistent with the order of the calculated complex energy values. The Cd removal efficiencies by Thr, Glu, Gly, Ala, Leu, and Phe were 38.88%, 37.47%, 35.5%, 34.72%, 34.04%, and 31.99%, respectively. In soil batch tests, the total Cd concentration in soil decreased in the presence of amino acids, while the Cd concentration in water increased from 231.97 μg/L to 652.94~793.51 μg/L. The results of sequential extraction showed that the acid-extractable fraction and the reducible fraction of Cd sharply decreased. Consequently, the significant features of amino acids along with their biocompatibility make them potentially applicable chelators in Cd-contaminated soil remediation processes.

Synthesis, Structures, and Solution Dynamics of Titanium and Zirconium Complexes Carrying a Bis(indolyl) and Two Diethylamido Ligands

Indolyl is the anionic species obtained from the deprotonation of the N-H group of indole. Group 4 transition-metal complexes that carry indolyl-based polydentate ligands represent promising homogeneous catalysts for, e.g., olefin polymerization, hydroamination, and nitrogen-fixation reactions due to the weak π-donation and electron-withdrawing properties, as well as the low basicity of indolyl. In this study, we systematically investigated the synthesis and structures of titanium and zirconium complexes that carry deprotonated 2,2'-bis(indolyl)methane ligands (henceforth: bis(indolyl) ligands) and two diethylamido ligands. We found that the coordination geometry of the indolyl nitrogen atom in such bis(indolyl) ligands is affected by the steric impact of the substituents attached to the central aromatic ring. Moreover, we examined the dynamics of such bis(indolyl) ligands in solution for the corresponding zirconium complexes, and the mechanism was discussed in conjunction with DFT calculations. The results of this study suggest that bis(indolyl) ligands may also serve as coordinatively flexible ancillary ligands, and indicate the feasibility of an expansion from bis(indolyl) to bis(indolyl)-donor ligands.

Synthesis and crystal structures of some bis(3-methyl-1H-indol-2-yl)(salicyl)methanes

Four 2,2'-bisindolylmethanes (BIMs), a useful class of polyindolyl species joined to a central carbon, were synthesized using salicylaldehyde derivatives and simple acid catalysis; these are 2-[bis(3-methyl-1H-indol-2-yl)methyl]-6-methylphenol, (IIa), 2-[bis(3-methyl-1H-indol-2-yl)methyl]-4,6-dichlorophenol, (IIb), 2-[bis(3-methyl-1H-indol-2-yl)methyl]-4-nitrophenol, (IIc), and 2-[bis(3-methyl-1H-indol-2-yl)methyl]-4,6-di-tert-butylphenol, (IId). BIMs (IIa) and (IIb) were characterized crystallographically as the dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) disolvates, i.e. C₂₆H₂₄N₂O·2C₂H₆OS and C₂₅H₂₀Cl₂N₂O·2C₂H₆OS, respectively. Both form strikingly similar one-dimensional hydrogen-bonding chain motifs with the DMSO solvent molecules. BIM (IIa) packs into double layers of chains whose orientations alternate every double layer, while (IIb) forms more simply packed chains along the a axis. BIM (IIa) has a remarkably long c axis.