Heterobimetallic N-Heterocyclic Carbene Complexes: A Synthetic, Spectroscopic, and Theoretical Study

H2 and carbon-heteroatom bond activation mediated by polarized heterobimetallic complexes

The field of heterobimetallic chemistry has rapidly expanded over the last decade. In addition to their interesting structural features, heterobimetallic structures have been found to facilitate a range of stoichiometric bond activations and catalytic processes. The accompanying review summarizes advances in this area since January of 2010. The review encompasses well-characterized heterobimetallic complexes, with a particular focus on mechanistic details surrounding their reactivity applications.

Chemoselective synthesis of heterobimetallic bis-NHC complexes

Bis-NHC precursors composed of an azolium and a 2-halogenoazole group connected by different linkers have been site-selectively metallated to give heterobimetallic complexes from a single-frame bis-NHC ligand. The azolium group reacts with a base and oxidized metal centers to give NHC complexes with no participation of the halogenoazole, while the halogenoazole reacts in an oxidative addition with low-valent transition metals to give azolato complexes with no participation of the azolium group.

A luminescent lipid mimetic iridium(III) N-heterocyclic carbene complex for membrane labelling

Labelling phospholipid membranes with luminophores without altering the biophysical characteristics of the system is particularly challenging due to the small size of the phospholipid molecules and the sensitivity of membrane properties to the presence of fused heterocyclic molecules. Here the design and synthesis of a luminescent lipid mimetic Ir(III) N-heterocyclic carbene complex of the form [Ir(ppy)₂(C^N)] (where ppy = 2-(phenyl)-pyridine and C^N is a N-heterocyclic carbene ligand) conjugated to stearic acid is described. This complex was synthesised by the reaction of an acetate functionalised Ir(III) precursor complex with tert-butyl N-(2-aminoethyl)carbamate (mono-BOC protected ethylene diamine) and after deprotection of the amine group this complex was coupled to stearic acid using the peptide coupling reagent 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide (EDC). The photophysical properties of the synthesised complexes were evaluated and they showed blue-green luminescence in the range of 514-520 nm. Fluorescence microscopy studies showed that the lipid mimetic complex successfully incorporated into liposomes composed of 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DMPC), while dynamic light scattering (DLS) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) studies showed that the complex had negligible influence on the biophysical properties of the liposomes.

Enhanced Metallophilicity in Metal-Carbene Systems: Stronger Character of Aurophilic Interactions in Solution

Metallophilicity is an essential concept that builds upon the attraction between closed shell metal ions. We report on the [M₂ (bisNHC)₂ ]²⁺ (M=Au^I , Ag^I ; NHC=N-heterocyclic carbene) systems, which display almost identical features in the solid state. However, in solution the Au₂ cation exhibits a significantly higher degree of rigidity owed to the stronger character of the aurophilic interactions. Both Au₂ and Ag₂ cationic constructs are able to accommodate Ag⁺ ions via M-M interactions, despite their inherent Coulombic repulsion. When electrostatic repulsion between host and guest is partially diminished, M-M distances are substantially shortened. Quantum chemical calculations estimate intermetallic bond orders up to 0.2. Although at the limit of (or beyond) the van der Waals radii, metallophilic interactions are responsible for their behavior in solution.

Synthesis, conformational analysis and antibacterial activity of Au(i)–Ag(i) and Au(i)–Hg(ii) heterobimetallic N-heterocyclic carbene complexes

A family heterobimetallic Au(i)–Ag(i) and Au(i)–Hg(ii) complexes of bis-N-heterocyclic carbene ligands been prepared and their antibacterial properties evaluated.

Copper(i) complexes bearing mesoionic carbene ligands: influencing the activity in catalytic halo-click reactions

A series of mono- and dicopper complexes with mesoionic carbenes are tested as pre-catalysts for the halo-click reaction.

Caspase-3 mediated programmed cell death by a gold-stabilised peptide carbene

The synthesis of novel N-heterocyclic carbene complexes derived from a tripeptide ligand (L), containing non-natural amino acid, thiazolylalanine is described here. The peptide ligand was reacted with suitable precursors to generate gold and mercury carbene complexes. The plausible structures of both complexes were predicted by spectroscopic data and DFT calculations. The binding energy data was also analyzed to predict their stability. The gold carbene complex (1A), showed activity against MCF7 breast cancer cell line due to mitochondrial triggered caspase-3 mediated programmed cell death. Its internalization inside cells could be observed due to autofluorescence. This study affords a methodology for successful generation of peptide carbene complexes for their therapeutic potential.

Possible Synthetic Approaches for Heterobimetallic Complexes by Using nNHC/tzNHC Heteroditopic Carbene Ligands

The synthesis of heterobimetallic complexes remains a synthetic challenge in the field of organometallic chemistry. A possible approach in this regard might be the use of a bidentate heteroditopic bis(carbene) ligand that combines an imidazol-2-ylidene (nNHC) with a 1,2,3-triazol-5-ylidene (tzNHC) connected by an organic spacer. The optimized strategy to heterobimetallic complexes with this type of ligand involves a 3-step procedure: (i) Coordination of the nNHC, functionalized with a 1,2,3-triazole ring, to a metal center; (ii) formation of the triazolium ring by alkylation of the triazole N-3; (iii) deprotonation of the tzNHC precursor and coordination of the second metal center. Following this procedure, a novel Au(I)-Ag(I) dinuclear complex was isolated and its properties were compared to the analogous homobimetallic Ag(I)-Ag(I) and Au(I)-Au(I) complexes. The study was completed by the determination of the molecular structures of some synthetic intermediates.

Structural and Luminescent Properties of Homoleptic Silver(I), Gold(I), and Palladium(II) Complexes with nNHC-tzNHC Heteroditopic Carbene Ligands

Novel silver(I), gold(I), and palladium(II) complexes were synthesized with bidentate heteroditopic carbene ligands that combine an imidazol-2-ylidene (nNHC) with a 1,2,3-triazol-5-ylidene (tzNHC) connected by a propylene bridge. The silver(I) and gold(I) complexes were dinuclear species, [M₂(nNHC-tzNHC)₂](PF₆)₂ (M = Ag or Au), with the two bidentate ligands bridging the metal centers, whereas in the palladium(II) complex [Pd(nNHC-tzNHC)₂](PF₆)₂, the two ligands were chelated on the same metal center. Because of the presence of two different carbene units, isomers were observed for the gold(I) and palladium(II) complexes. The molecular structures of the head-to-tail isomer for gold(I) complexes, with a twisted or folded-syn conformation of the bridge between the carbene units, were determined by X-ray diffraction analysis. The study was completed with a systematic structural investigation through density functional theory (DFT) calculations. For palladium(II) species, the head-to-head form was structurally characterized. The dinuclear gold(I) complexes were emissive in the solid state in the blue region (PLQY up to 8%); time-dependent density functional theory (abbreviated as TD-DFT) calculations disclosed that the absorption bands have metal-to-ligand-charge-transfer character and evidenced that the emission occurs from the T₁ level (phosphorescence).

Luminescent iridium(iii) complexes of N-heterocyclic carbene ligands prepared using the ‘click reaction’

Luminescent and electrochemiluminescent N-heterocyclic carbene-combined 1,2,3-triazole and 1,2,3-triazolylidene Ir(iii) complexes have been prepared and their potential as luminescent probes in cell imaging has been evaluated.

Highly efficient cold-white light emission in a [Au2CuCl2(P∩N)2]PF6 type salt

In the trinuclear, heterometallic cluster compound [Au₂CuCl₂(P∩N)₂]PF₆ metallophilic interactions give rise to very efficient cold-white light emission as a result of at least two thermally non-equilibrated emissive triplet states (one of mainly Cu → py and the other of Au → py character, respectively) with exceptional spin-orbit coupling and short emission lifetimes, which are competitive to Pt^II- and Ir^III-based emitters.

Influence of wing-tip substituents and reaction conditions on the structure, properties and cytotoxicity of Ag(i)- and Au(i)-bis(NHC) complexes

The formation of different conformers of dinuclear silver(i) and gold(i) 1,1'-(2-hydroxyethane-1,1-diyl) bridge-functionalized bis(NHC) complexes with various wing-tip substituents (R = methyl, isopropyl and mesityl) has been investigated using multinuclear NMR spectroscopy and SC-XRD as well as DFT calculations. The ratio of anti/syn isomers strongly depends both on wing-tip substituents and the metal. Moreover, the reaction temperature plays a significant role during the transmetallation process for the ratio of gold(i) conformers, which is further affected by purification procedures. All obtained Au(i)-bis(NHC) complexes have been applied in a standard MTT assay performed for screening the antiproliferative activity against human lung and liver cancer cells. Strong evidence for a significant influence of both wing-tip substituents and conformation on the cytotoxic properties of the applied complexes has been found.

NHC Hg(ii) and Pd(ii) complexes based on 1,8-dihydroxy-9,10-anthraquinone: synthesis, structure and catalysis

NHC Ag(i) and Hg(ii) complexes were prepared and characterized, and the catalytic activities of the NHC Pd(ii) complex in the Suzuki–Miyaura reaction were investigated.

Synthesis, structures and luminescence properties of amine-bis(N-heterocyclic carbene) copper(i) and silver(i) complexes

Mononuclear Ag(i), Cu(i) and heterometallic Cu(i)/Ag(i) complexes with the tridentate amine-bis(N-heterocyclic carbene) were prepared, among which Cu(i)- and Cu/Ag complexes show luminescence properties.

Synthesis, Characterization and Antimicrobial Activities of Copper Derivatives of NHC-II Complexes

BACKGROUND

Caffeine, 1, 3, 7-trimethylxanthine is one of the xanthine derivatives that are for the most part utilized as a part of solutions as diuretics. The Cu (II) complexes have been synthesized from the N-heterocyclic carbene ligands.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The Cu (II) NHC complexes were characterized using analytical and spectral techniques. Antibacterial and antifungal activities of the Cu (II) NHC complexes were determined using the reported techniques. The SOD activity was assayed using nitrobluetetrazolium as O2 scavenger.

RESULTS

The X-band ESR spectra of the copper complexes in DMSO solution at 300 and 77 K were recorded and their salient features are reported. The in vitro biological screening effects of the investigated compounds were tested against the bacterial species, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus vulgaris and Pseudomonas aeruginosa and fungal species, Aspergillus niger, Rhizopus stolonifer, Aspergillus flavus, Rhizoctonia bataicola and Candida albicans by serial dilution method.

CONCLUSION

The Cu (II) complexes exhibit square planar geometry. A comparative study of inhibition values of the individual metals and their complexes indicate that the complexes exhibit higher antimicrobial activity than the individual metals. Superoxide dismutase and reducing power activities of the copper complexes have also been studied. Depending on the molecular structure, the Cu (II) NHC complex possess promising SOD mimetic activities. Further we are trying to explore more biological properties of Cu (II) NHC complexes in vitro and in vivo.

Metal complexes with di(N-heterocyclic carbene) ligands bearing a rigid ortho-, meta or para-phenylene bridge

Ag(i) complexes with diNHC ligands are efficient transmetalating agents towards transition metals.