Synthesis of Silver(I) and Gold(I) Complexes Containing Enantiopure Pybox Ligands. First Assays on the Silver(I)-Catalyzed Asymmetric Addition of Alkynes to Imines

Ligand-Directed Metalation of a Gold Pyrazolate Cluster

Solid "[AuL]" (HL = 3-[pyrid-2-yl]-5-tertbutyl-1H-pyrazole) can be crystallized as cyclic [Au₃(μ-L)₃] and [Au₄(μ-L)₄] clusters from different solvents. The crystalline tetramer contains a square Au₄ core with an HT:TH:TH:HT arrangement of ligand substituents, which preorganizes the cluster to chelate to additional metal ions via its pendant pyridyl groups. The addition of 0.5 equiv of AgBF₄ to [AuL] yields [Ag₂Au₄(μ₃-L)₄][BF₄]₂, where two edges of the Au₄ square are spanned by Ag⁺ ions via metallophilic Ag···Au contacts. Treatment of [AuL] with [Cu(NCMe)₄]PF₆ affords the metalloligand helicate [Cu₂Au₂(μ-L)₄][PF₆]₂, via oxidation of the copper and partial fragmentation of the cluster.

Molecular squares, coordination polymers and mononuclear complexes supported by 2,4-dipyrazolyl-6H-1,3,5-triazine and 4,6-dipyrazolylpyrimidine ligands

The Fe[BF4]2 complex of 2,4-di(pyrazol-1-yl)-6H-1,3,5-triazine (L1) is a high-spin molecular square, [{Fe(L1)}4(μ-L1)4][BF4]8, whose crystals also contain the unusual HPzBF3 (HPz = pyrazole) adduct. Three other 2,4-di(pyrazol-1-yl)-6H-1,3,5-triazine derivatives with different pyrazole substituents (L2-L4) are unstable in the presence of first row transition ions, but form mononuclear, polymeric or molecular square complexes with silver(i). Most of these compounds involve bis-bidentate di(pyrazolyl)triazine coordination, which is unusual for that class of ligand, and the molecular squares encapsulate one or two BF4-, ClO4- or SbF6- ions through combinations of anionπ, AgX and/or C-HX (X = O or F) interactions. Treatment of Fe[NCS]2 or Fe[NCSe]2 with 4,6-di(pyrazol-1-yl)-2H-pyrimidine (L5) or its 2-methyl and 2-amino derivatives (L6 and L7) yields mononuclear [Fe(NCE)2L2] and/or the 1D coordination polymers catena-[Fe(NCE)2(μ-L)] (E = S or Se, L = L5-L7). Alcohol solvates of isomorphous [Fe(NCS)2L2] and [Fe(NCSe)2L2] compounds show different patterns of intermolecular hydrogen bonding, reflecting the acceptor properties of the anion ligands. These iron compounds are all high-spin, although annealing solvated crystals of [Fe(NCSe)2(L5)2] affords a new phase exhibiting an abrupt, low-temperature spin transition. Catena-[Fe(H2O)2(μ-L5)][ClO4]2 is a coordination polymer of alternating cis and trans iron centres.

Silver(i) complexes of bis- and tris-(pyrazolyl)azine derivatives - dimers, coordination polymers and a pentametallic assembly

Silver(i) complexes of 2,4,6-tri(pyrazol-1-yl)pyridine (tpp), 2,4,6-tri(pyrazol-1-yl)pyrimidine (tpym), 2,4,6-tri(pyrazol-1-yl)-1,3,5-triazine (tpt) and 2,4-di(pyrazol-1-yl)-1,3,5-triazine (bpt) are reported. Dinuclear [Ag2(μ-tpp)2(MeCN)2][BF4]2·2MeCN and [Ag2(μ-tpym)2(MeCN)2][BF4]2 are formed from approximately planar [AgL(NCMe)]+ (L = tpp or bpym) centres, which dimerise via apical interactions to the pendant pyrazolyl donor on each ligand. Two polymeric solvatomorph phases [Ag2(μ-tpp)2][BF4]2·nMeNO2 were obtained by crystallising AgBF4 and tpp from nitromethane solution. One is composed of the same dimeric [Ag2(μ-tpp)2]2+ motif as the MeCN solvates, but with semibridging pyrazolyl substitutents replacing the solvent ligands. The other form has helicate [Ag2(μ-tpp)2]2+ dimers linked into chains by unsupported AgAg interactions. In contrast, [Ag5(μ3-tpym)4][BF4]5·2MeNO2 contains discrete pentametallic assemblies, of a flattened [Ag4(μ-tpym)4]4+ molecular square centred by the fifth silver ion. Three helical or linear 1D coordination polymer topologies are described for [Ag(μ-tpt)]X (X- = BF4- or ClO4-), where ditopic tpt ligands bind one silver ion in a [2 + 1] geometry and the other in bidentate, [1 + 1] or monodentate fashion. Finally, [Ag(bpt)]BF4 is a polymer of square planar silver ions linked by bis-bidentate bpt ligands. Most of the tpt and bpt structures include short anionπ contacts to the ligand triazinyl rings. Electrospray mass spectra confirm the oligomeric nature of the Ag/tpym and tpt complexes in MeNO2 solution.

Synthesis of AgN5 and its extended 3D energetic framework

The pentazolate anion, as a polynitrogen species, holds great promise as a high-energy density material for explosive or propulsion applications. Designing pentazole complexes that contain minimal non-energetic components is desirable in order to increase the material's energy density. Here, we report a solvent-free pentazolate complex, AgN5, and a 3D energetic-framework, [Ag(NH3)2]+[Ag3(N5)4]-, constructed from silver and cyclo-N5-. The complexes are stable up to 90 °C and only Ag and N2 are observed as the final decomposition products. Efforts to isolate pure AgN5 were unsuccessful due to partial photolytical and/or thermal-decomposition to AgN3. Convincing evidence for the formation of AgN5 as the original reaction product is presented. The isolation of a cyclo-N5- complex, devoid of stabilizing molecules and ions, such as H2O, H3O+, and NH4+, constitutes a major advance in pentazole chemistry.

Coordination supramolecules with oxazoline-containing ligands

This highlight focuses on the recent development of oxazoline-based discrete coordination complexes and coordination polymers.