Photoinduced and Thermal Linkage Isomerizations of an Organometallic Ionic Liquid Containing a Half-Sandwich Ruthenium Thiocyanate Complex

Selective Crystallization of Linkage Isomers, [RhIII(NCS)(SCN)5]3- and [RhIII(SCN)6]3-, to Investigate Structural Trans Influence and Thermal Stability

Linkage isomers of homoleptic complexes, [RhIII(SCN)6]3- and [RhIII(NCS)(SCN)5]3-, formed in aqueous solution were successfully separated by employing methyltriphenylphosphonium (MePPh3+) and 1-ethylquinolinium (EtQu+) ions as countercations, respectively. The single-crystal X-ray analysis of (MePPh3)3[RhIII(SCN)6] (1) indicated that all of the SCN- ligands coordinate to the RhIII ion by S atoms with an octahedral symmetry, where the average bond length of Rh-S is 2.374(7) Å. On the other hand, the RhIII ion of (EtQu)3[RhIII(NCS)(SCN)5]·H2O (2) is coordinated by five S atoms and one N atom of the SCN- ligands with a C4v symmetry. Structural trans influence was observed in the shorter bond length of Rh-S at the trans position of Rh-N. The Rh-S bond length is 2.3398(13) Å significantly shorter than those of 1 by ca. 0.04 Å, although DFT calculations based on the crystal structures indicated that the effective bond order of Rh-N is higher than those of Rh-S. Thermal stability examination by thermogravimetric and differential thermal analyses (TG/DTA) and IR spectroscopy indicated that the linkage isomerization of [RhIII(SCN)6]3- to [RhIII(NCS)(SCN)5]3- proceeded after melting around 174 °C. These results clearly indicate that [RhIII(NCS)(SCN)5]3- is thermodynamically more stable than [RhIII(SCN)6]3- in solid states, although further linkage isomerization hardly occurs.

Organometallic Ionic Liquids Containing Sandwich Complexes: Molecular Design, Physical Properties, and Chemical Reactivities

Ionic liquids (ILs) are salts with low melting points and are useful as electrolytes and solvents. We have developed ILs containing cationic metal complexes, which form a family of functional liquids that exhibit unique physical properties and chemical reactivities originating from metal complexes. Our study explores the liquid chemistry in the field of coordination chemistry, where solid-state chemistry is currently the main focus. This review describes the molecular design, physical properties, and reactivities of organometallic ILs containing sandwich or half-sandwich complexes. This paper mainly covers stimuli-responsive ILs, whose magnetic properties, solvent polarities, colors, or structures change by the application of external fields, such as light, heat, and magnetic fields, or by reaction with coordinating molecules.

Triazine Chalcogenones from Thiocyanate or Selenocyanate Addition to Tetrazine Ligands in Ruthenium Arene Complexes

The chemistry of 1,2,4,5-tetrazines has attracted considerable interest both from a synthetic and applicative standpoint. Recently, regioselective reactions with alkynes and alkenes have been reported to be favored once the tetrazine ring is coordinated to Re(I), Ru(II), and Ir(III) centers. Aiming to further explore the effects of metal coordination, herein, we unveil the unexplored reactivity of tetrazines with chalcogenocyanate anions. Thus, ruthenium(II) tetrazine complexes, [RuCl{κ²N-3-(2-pyridyl)-6-R-1,2,4,5-tetrazine}(η⁶-arene)]⁺ (arene = p-cymene, R = H, [1a]⁺, R = Me, [1b]⁺, R = 2-pyridyl, [1c]⁺; arene = C₆Me₆, R = H, [1d]⁺, R = Me, [1e]⁺; PF₆^- salts), reacted quantitatively and in mild conditions with M(ECN) salts (M = Na, K, Bu₄N; E = O, S, Se). The addition of thiocyanate or selenocyanate to the tetrazine ligand is regioselective and afforded, via N₂ release, 1,2,4-triazine-5-chalcogenone heterocycles, the one with selenium being unprecedented. The novel ruthenium complexes [RuCl{κ²N-(2-pyridyl)}{triazine chalcogenone}(η⁶-arene)] 2a-e (sulfur), 3b, 3d, and 3e (selenium) were characterized by analytical (CHNS analyses, conductivity), spectroscopic (IR, multinuclear and two-dimensional (2D) NMR), and spectrometric (electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS)) techniques. According to density functional theory (DFT) calculations, the nucleophilic attack of SCN^- on the tetrazine ring is kinetically driven. Compound 2b is selectively and reversibly mono-protonated on the triazine ring by HCl or other strong acids, affording a single tautomer. When reactions of chalcogenocyanates were performed on the 2,2'-bipyridine (bpy) complex [RuCl(bpy)(η⁶-p-cymene)]⁺, the chloride substitution products [Ru(ECN)(bpy)(η⁶-p-cymene)]⁺ (E = O, [4]⁺; E = S, [5]⁺; E = Se, [6]⁺) were obtained in 82-90% yields (PF₆^- salts). Combined spectroscopic data (IR, ¹H/¹³C/⁷⁷Se NMR) was revealed to be a useful tool to study the linkage isomerism of the chalcogenocyanate ligand in [4-6]⁺.

Diiron Aminocarbyne Complexes with NCE− Ligands (E = O, S, Se)

Diiron μ-aminocarbyne complexes [Fe2Cp2(NCMe)(CO)(μ-CO){μ-CN(Me)(R)}]CF3SO3 (R = Xyl, [1aNCMe]CF3SO3; R = Me, [1bNCMe]CF3SO3; R = Cy, [1cNCMe]CF3SO3; R = CH2Ph, [1dNCMe]CF3SO3), freshly prepared from tricarbonyl precursors [1a–d]CF3SO3, reacted with NaOCN (in acetone) and NBu4SCN (in dichloromethane) to give [Fe2Cp2(kN-NCO)(CO)(μ-CO){μ-CN(Me)(R)}] (R = Xyl, 2a; Me, 2b; Cy, 2c) and [Fe2Cp2(kN-NCS)(CO)(μ-CO){μ-CN(Me)(CH2Ph)}], 3 in 67–81% yields via substitution of the acetonitrile ligand. The reaction of [1aNCMe–1cNCMe]CF3SO3 with KSeCN in THF at reflux temperature led to the cyanide complexes [Fe2Cp2(CN)(CO)(μ-CO){μ-CNMe(R)}], 6a–c (45–67%). When the reaction of [1aNCMe]CF3SO3 with KSeCN was performed in acetone at room temperature, subsequent careful chromatography allowed the separation of moderate amounts of [Fe2Cp2(kSe-SeCN)(CO)(μ-CO){μ-CN(Me)(Xyl)}], 4a, and [Fe2Cp2(kN-NCSe)(CO)(μ-CO){μ-CN(Me)(Xyl)}], 5a. All products were fully characterized by elemental analysis, IR, and multinuclear NMR spectroscopy; moreover, the molecular structure of trans-6b was ascertained by single crystal X-ray diffraction. DFT calculations were carried out to shed light on the coordination mode and stability of the {NCSe-} fragment.

Ultrasound-Promoted Synthesis of α-Thiocyanoketones via Enaminone C═C Bond Cleavage and Tunable One-Pot Access to 4-Aryl-2-aminothiazoles

Ultrasound has been successfully employed to promote the thiocyanation of the C═C bond in enaminones for the synthesis of α-thiocyanoketones and 2-aminothiazoles. The reactions of enaminones with ammonium thiocyanate provide α-thiocyanoketones with ultrasound irradiation at room temperature. More interestingly, simply further heating the vessel after ultrasonic irradiation leads to the selective synthesis of 2-aminothiazoles with an unconventional 4-aryl substructure.

Thermal Properties and Solvent Polarities of Mixed-Valence Ionic Liquids Containing Cationic Biferrocenylene Derivatives

Ionic liquids (ILs) containing cationic mixed-valence biferrocenylene derivatives were synthesized with an octanoyl or octyl substituent in each cation. Their melting points ranged between 25 and 39 °C, and the octanoyl derivatives exhibited higher melting points than the octyl derivatives. In addition, each IL exhibited a glass transition in the temperature ranging from -66 to -45 °C after melting. Their melting points were ∼10 °C higher than those of mononuclear octamethylferrocenium salts bearing the same substituents. The solvent polarity (E_T^N) and Kamlet-Taft parameters (π*, α, and β) of these dinuclear and mononuclear ILs were then examined. The dinuclear ILs bearing octanoyl substituents exhibited significant increases in E_T^N and π* and a decrease in α with the decreasing temperature, whereas the other ILs exhibited a significantly less pronounced temperature dependence. Finally, the intervalence charge-transfer (or charge-resonance) bands of the octanoyl dinuclear ILs exhibited red shifts with the decreasing temperature, which can be regarded as self-thermosolvatochromism.

Role of the (pseudo)halido ligand in ruthenium(II) p-cymene α-amino acid complexes in speciation, protein reactivity and cytotoxicity

The reactions of the dimeric complexes [RuX2(η6-p-cymene)]2 (X = Br, I, SCN) with L-proline (ProH) and trans-4-hydroxy-L-proline (HypH), in methanol in the presence of NaOH, afforded [RuX(κ2N,O-Pro)(η6-p-cymene)] (X = Br, 1b; I, 1c; SCN, 1d) and [RuX(κ2N,O-Hyp)(η6-p-cymene)] (X = Br, 2b; I, 2c; SCN, 2d), respectively. Alternatively, the one-pot, sequential addition of the appropriate α-amino carboxylate and X- salt to [RuCl2(η6-p-cymene)]2 led to [RuX(κ2N,O-Pro)(η6-p-cymene)] (X = N3, 1e; NO2, 1f; CN 1g) and [Ru(N3)(κ2N,O-Hyp)(η6-p-cymene)] (2e). Complexes [Ru(κ3N,O,O'-O2CCH(NH2)(R)O)(η6-p-cymene)] (R = CH2, 3h; R = CHMe, 4h; R = CH2CH2, 5h) were prepared from the reaction of [RuCl2(η6-p-cymene)]2 with the appropriate α-amino acid and NaOH in refluxing isopropanol. Treatment of the L-serine (SerH2) derivative [RuCl(κ2N,O-SerH)(η6-p-cymene)] (3a) with 1,3,5-triaza-7-phosphaadamantane (PTA) in water at reflux produced [Ru(κ2N,O-Ser)(κP-PTA)(η6-p-cymene)]Cl ([3i]Cl). The products were isolated in good to excellent yields, and were characterized by elemental analysis, IR and multinuclear NMR spectroscopy. The structures of 1f and 2b-e were ascertained by X-ray diffraction studies. The behaviour of the complexes in water and cell culture medium was investigated by multinuclear NMR and UV-Vis spectroscopy, revealing a considerable influence of the monodentate ligand on the aqueous chemistry. Complexes 1d-e, 2d-e, 3h, 4h and [3i]Cl, showing substantial inertness in aqueous media, were assessed for their cytotoxicity towards A2780 and A2780cisR cancer cell lines and the noncancerous HEK 293T cell line. A selection of compounds was also investigated for Ru uptake in A2780 cells and interactions with cytochrome c as a model protein. Combined, these studies provide insights into the previously debated role of the 'leaving' ligand on the biological activity of Ru(II) arene α-amino acid complexes.