Triisopropylsilyl (TIPS) Alkynes as Building Blocks for Syntheses of Platinum Triisopropylsilylpolyynyl and Diplatinum Polyynediyl Complexes

Reactions of Platinum Terminal Polyynyl Complexes trans-(C6F5)(p-tol3P)2Pt(C≡C)nH (n = 2-4) and n-BuLi, Generation of Functional Equivalents of Pt(C≡C)nLi Species, and Derivatization with Organic and Inorganic Electrophiles

Reactions of the title complexes and n-BuLi (1.5 equiv, -45 °C) afford functional equivalents of the deprotonated species trans-(C6F5)(p-tol3P)2Pt(C≡C)nLi (n = 2-4), as assayed by subsequent additions of MeI or Me3SiCl to give trans-(C6F5)(p-tol3P)2Pt(C≡C)nMe (66-52%) or trans-(C6F5)(p-tol3P)2Pt(C≡C)nSiMe3 (63-49%). However, 31P NMR data suggest more complicated mechanistic scenarios, and small amounts of the hydride complex trans-(C6F5)(p-tol3P)2PtH (independently synthesized from the chloride complex, AgClO4, and NaBH4) are detected in most cases. Analogous sequences involving trans-(C6F5)(p-tol3P)2Pt(C≡C)2H and benzyl bromide, D2O, or W(CO)6/Me3O+ BF4- similarly afford products with Pt(C≡C)2Bn, Pt(C≡C)2D, or Pt(C≡C)2C(OCH3)=W(CO)5 linkages. The crystal structures of the tungsten and corresponding SiMe3 adduct, the three Pt(C≡C)nMe species, and hydride complex are determined.

Monodisperse Molecular Models for the sp Carbon Allotrope Carbyne; Syntheses, Structures, and Properties of Diplatinum Polyynediyl Complexes with to Linkages

Extended conjugated polyynes provide models for the elusive sp carbon polymer carbyne, but progress has been hampered by numerous synthetic challenges. Stabilities appear to be enhanced by bulky, electropositive transition-metal endgroups. Reactions of trans-(C6F5)(p-tol3P)2Pt(C≡C)nSiEt3 (n = 4-6, PtCxSi (x = 2n)) with n-Bu4N+F-/Me3SiCl followed by excess tetrayne H(C≡C)4SiEt3 (HC8Si) and then CuCl/TMEDA and O2 give the heterocoupling products PtCx+8Si, PtCx+16Si, and sometimes higher homologues. The PtCx+16Si species presumably arise via protodesilylation of PtCx+8Si under the reaction conditions. Chromatography allows the separation of PtC16Si, PtC24Si, and PtC32Si (from n = 4), PtC18Si and PtC26Si (n = 5), or PtC20Si and PtC28Si (n = 6). These and previously reported species are applied in similar oxidative homocouplings, affording the family of diplatinum polyynediyl complexes PtCxPt (x = 20, 24, 28, 32, 36, 40 in 96-34% yields and x = 44, 48, 52 in 22-7% yields). These are carefully characterized by 13C NMR, UV-visible, and Raman spectroscopy and other techniques, with particular attention to behavior as the Cx chain approaches the macromolecular limit and endgroup effects diminish. The crystal structures of solvates of PtC20Pt, PtC24Pt, and PtC26Si, which feature the longest sp chains structurally characterized to date, are analyzed in detail. All data support a polyyne electronic structure with a nonzero optical band gap and bond length alternation for carbyne.

Molecular Carbons: How Far Can We Go?

The creation and development of carbon nanomaterials promoted material science significantly. Bottom-up synthesis has emerged as an efficient strategy to synthesize atomically precise carbon nanomaterials, namely, molecular carbons, with various sizes and topologies. Different from the properties of the feasibly obtained mixture of carbon nanomaterials, numerous properties of single-component molecular carbons have been discovered owing to their well-defined structures as well as potential applications in various fields. This Perspective introduces recent advances in molecular carbons derived from fullerene, graphene, carbon nanotube, carbyne, graphyne, and Schwarzite carbon acquired with different synthesis strategies. By selecting a variety of representative examples, we elaborate on the relationship between molecular carbons and carbon nanomaterials. We hope these multiple points of view presented may facilitate further advancement in this field.

Building Blocks for Molecular Polygons Based on Platinum Vertices and Polyynediyl Edges

Reactions of Cl2P(CH2)3PCl2 and p-MgBrC6H4X (X = a/OMe, b/OtBu, c/tBu, d/SiMe3) give the diphosphines (p-XC6H4)2P(CH2)3P(p-C6H4X)2 (1a-d; 47-66%). Additions of 1a,d to (COD)PtCl2 yield (CH2(CH2P(p-C6H4X)2)2)PtCl2 (2a,d; 62-88%), which upon reaction with butadiyne (2 equiv; HNEt2/cat. CuI) give (CH2(CH2P(p-C6H4X)2)2)Pt((C≡C)2H)2 (3a,d; 34-76%). Alternatively, 3a-d can be accessed from trans-(p-tol3P)2Pt((C≡C)2H)2 and 1a-d (30-87%). Reactions of (p-tol3P)2PtCl2 and H(C≡C)2SiR3 (2 equiv, HNEt2/cat. CuI; R = Me/Et/iPr) give trans-(p-tol3P)2Pt((C≡C)2SiR3)2 (77-95%), and subsequent additions of 1a,b,d yield the corresponding adducts (CH2(CH2P(p-C6H4X)2)2)Pt((C≡C)2SiR3)2 (R/X = Me/OMe, 5a; iPr/OMe, 6a; iPr/OtBu, 6b; iPr/SiMe3, 6d; 52-95%) and (for 5a) a luminescent diplatinum byproduct with trans Pt((C≡C)2SiMe3)2 units. 5a and 6b hydrolyze in the presence of F- to 3a,b (92-93%). Reaction of 2a and 3a (HNEt2/cat. CuI) affords the Pt4C16 polygon ([(CH2(CH2P(p-C6H4OMe)2)2)Pt(C≡C)2]4 as an H2NEt2+ Cl- adduct (66%). The 13C{1H} NMR spectra of 3a-d, 5a, and 6a,b,d feature complex AMXX' (CPtPP') spin systems, and simulations allow J values to be extracted. The crystal structures of 2a, 3a,b,d, 5a, and 6a are determined and analyzed.

Advances in Polyynes to Model Carbyne

The formation and study of molecules that model the sp-hybridized carbon allotrope, carbyne, is a challenging field of synthetic physical organic chemistry. The target molecules, oligo- and polyynes, are often the preferred candidates as models for carbyne because they can be formed with monodisperse lengths as well as defined structures. Despite a simple linear structure, the synthesis of polyynes is often far from straightforward, due in large part to a highly conjugated framework that can render both precursors and products highly reactive, i.e., kinetically unstable. The vast majority of polyynes are formed as symmetrical products from terminal alkynes as precursors via an oxidative, acetylenic homocoupling reaction based on the Glaser, Eglinton-Galbraith, and Hay reactions. These reactions are very efficient for the synthesis of shorter polyynes (e.g., hexaynes and octaynes), but yields often drop dramatically as a function of length for longer derivatives, usually starting with the formation of decaynes. The most effective approach to circumvent unstable precursors and products has been through the incorporation of sterically demanding end groups that serve to "protect" the polyyne skeleton. This approach was arguably identified in the early 1950s by Bohlmann and co-workers with the synthesis of tBu-end-capped polyynes. During the next 50 years, a polyyne with 14 contiguous alkyne units remained the longest isolated derivative until 2010, when the record was extended to 22 alkyne units. The record length was broken again in 2020, when a polyyne consisting of 24 alkynes was isolated and characterized. Beyond polyynes, there have been several reports describing the potential synthesis of carbyne, but conclusive characterization and proof of structure have been tenuous. The sole example of synthetic carbyne arises from synthesis within carbon nanotubes, when chains of thousands of sp carbon atoms have been linked to form polydisperse samples of carbyne. Thus, model compounds for carbyne, the polyynes, remain the best means to examine and predict the experimental structure and properties of this carbon allotrope.This Account will discuss the general synthesis of polyynes using homologous series of polyynes with up to 10 alkyne units as examples (decaynes). The limited number of specific syntheses of series with longer polyynes will then be presented and discussed in more detail based on end groups. The monodisperse polyynes produced from these synthetic efforts are then examined toward providing our best extrapolations for the expected characteristics for carbyne based on ¹³C NMR spectroscopy, UV-vis spectroscopy, X-ray crystallography, and Raman spectroscopy.

Tracking Energy Transfer across a Platinum Center

Rigid, conjugated alkyne bridges serve as important components in various transition-metal complexes used for energy conversion, charge separation, sensing, and molecular electronics. Alkyne stretching modes have potential for modulating charge separation in donor–bridge–acceptor compounds. Understanding the rules of energy relaxation and energy transfer across the metal center in such compounds can help optimize their electron transfer switching properties. We used relaxation-assisted two-dimensional infrared spectroscopy to track energy transfer across metal centers in platinum complexes featuring a triazole-terminated alkyne ligand of two or six carbons, a perfluorophenyl ligand, and two tri(p-tolyl)phosphine ligands. Comprehensive analyses of waiting-time dynamics for numerous cross and diagonal peaks were performed, focusing on coherent oscillation, energy transfer, and cooling parameters. These observables augmented with density functional theory computations of vibrational frequencies and anharmonic force constants enabled identification of different functional groups of the compounds. Computations of vibrational relaxation pathways and mode couplings were performed, and two regimes of intramolecular energy redistribution are described. One involves energy transfer between ligands via high-frequency modes; the transfer is efficient only if the modes involved are delocalized over both ligands. The energy transport pathways between the ligands are identified. Another regime involves redistribution via low-frequency delocalized modes, which does not lead to interligand energy transport.

Trapping of Terminal Platinapolyynes by Copper(I) Catalyzed Click Cycloadditions; Probes of Labile Intermediates in Syntheses of Complexes with Extended sp Carbon Chains, and Crystallographic Studies

The silylated hexatriynyl complex trans-(C₆ F₅ )(p-tol₃ P)₂ Pt(C≡C)₃ SiEt₃ (PtC₆ TES) is converted in situ to PtC₆ H (wet n-Bu₄ N⁺ F^- , THF) and cross coupled with the diyne H(C≡C)₂ SiEt₃ (HC₄ TES; CuCl/TMEDA, O₂ ) to give PtC₁₀ TES (71 %). This sequence is repeated twice to afford PtC₁₄ TES (65 %) and then PtC₁₈ TES (27 %). An analogous series of reactions starting with PtC₈ TES gives PtC₁₂ TES (60 %), then PtC₁₆ TES (43 %), and then PtC₂₀ TES (17 %). Similar cross couplings with H(C≡C)₂ Si(i-Pr)₃ (HC₄ TIPS) give PtC₁₂ TIPS (68 %), PtC₁₄ TIPS (68 %), and PtC₁₆ TIPS (34 %). The trialkylsilyl species (up to PtC₁₈ TES) are converted to 3+2 "click" cycloadducts or 1,4-disubstituted 1,2,3-triazoles trans-(C₆ F₅ )(p-tol₃ P)₂ Pt(C≡C)_n-1 C=CHN(CH₂ C₆ H₅ )N=N (29-92 % after workups). The most general procedure involves generating the terminal polyynes PtC_x H (wet n-Bu₄ N⁺ F^- , THF) in the presence of benzyl azide in DMF and aqueous CuSO₄ /ascorbic acid. All of the preceding complexes are crystallographically characterized and the structural and spectroscopic properties analyzed as a function of chain length. Two pseudopolymorphs of PtC₂₀ TES are obtained, both of which feature molecules with parallel sp carbon chains in a pairwise head/tail packing motif with extensive sp/sp van der Waals contacts.

Macrocyclic Complexes Derived from Four cis-L2 Pt Corners and Four Butadiynediyl Linkers; Syntheses, Electronic Structures, and Square versus Skew Rhombus Geometries

The dialkyl malonate derived 1,3-diphosphines R₂ C(CH₂ PPh₂ )₂ (R=a, Me; b, Et; c, n-Bu; d, n-Dec; e, Bn; f, p-tolCH₂ ) are combined with (p-tol₃ P)₂ PtCl₂ or trans-(p-tol₃ P)₂ Pt((C≡C)₂ H)₂ to give the chelates cis-(R₂ C(CH₂ PPh₂ )₂ )PtCl₂ (2 a-f, 94-69 %) or cis-(R₂ C(CH₂ PPh₂ )₂ )Pt((C≡C)₂ H)₂ (3 a-f, 97-54 %). Complexes 3 a-d are also available from 2 a-d and excess 1,3-butadiyne in the presence of CuI (cat.) and excess HNEt₂ (87-65 %). Under similar conditions, 2 and 3 react to give the title compounds [(R₂ C(CH₂ PPh₂ )₂ )[Pt(C≡C)₂ ]₄ (4 a-f; 89-14 % (64 % avg)), from which ammonium salts such as the co-product [H₂ NEt₂ ]⁺ Cl^- are challenging to remove. Crystal structures of 4 a,b show skew rhombus as opposed to square Pt₄ geometries. The NMR and IR properties of 4 a-f are similar to those of mono- or diplatinum model compounds. However, cyclic voltammetry gives only irreversible oxidations. As compared to mono-platinum or Pt(C≡C)₂ Pt species, the UV-visible spectra show much more intense and red-shifted bands. Time dependent DFT calculations define the transitions and principal orbitals involved. Electrostatic potential surface maps reveal strongly negative Pt₄ C₁₆ cores that likely facilitate ammonium cation binding. Analogous electronic properties of Pt₃ C₁₂ and Pt₅ C₂₀ homologs and selected equilibria are explored computationally.

Is It Conjugated or Not? The Theoretical and Experimental Electron Density Map of Bonding in p-CH3CH2COC6H4-C≡C-C≡C-p-C6H4COCH3CH2

The electron density of p-CH3CH2COC6H4-C≡CC≡C-p-C6H4COCH3CH2 has been investigated on the basis of single-crystal X-ray diffraction data collected to high resolution at 100 K and from theoretical calculations. An analysis of the X-ray data of the diyne showed interesting “liquidity” of electron distribution along the carbon chain compared to 1,2-diphenylacetylene. These findings are compatible with the results of topological analysis of Electron Localization Function (ELF), which has also revealed a larger (than expected) concentration of the electron density at the single bonds. Both methods indicate a clear π-type or “banana” character of a single bond and a significant distortion from the typical conjugated structure of the bonding in the diyne with a small contribution of cumulenic structures.

Syntheses, Structures, and Spectroscopic Properties of 1,10-Phenanthroline-Based Macrocycles Threaded by PtC8 Pt, PtC12 Pt, and PtC16 Pt Axles: Metal-Capped Rotaxanes as Insulated Molecular Wires

The platinum polyynyl complexes trans-(C₆ F₅ )(p-tol₃ P)₂ Pt(C≡C)_n/2 H undergo oxidative homocoupling (O₂ , CuCl/TMEDA) to diplatinum polyynediyl complexes trans, trans-(C₆ F₅ )(p-tol₃ P)₂ Pt(C≡C)_n Pt(Pp-tol₃ )₂ (C₆ F₅ ) (n=4, 2; 6, 5; 8, 8; 92-97 %) as reported previously. When related reactions are conducted in the presence of CuI adducts of the 1,10-phenanthroline-based macrocycles 2,9-(1,10-phenanthrolinediyl)(p-C₆ H₄ O(CH₂ )₆ O)₂ (1,3-C₆ H₄ ) (10, 33-membered) or 2,9-(1,10-phenanthrolinediyl)(p-C₆ H₄ O(CH₂ )₆ O)₂ (2,7-naphthalenediyl) (11, 35-membered), excess K₂ CO₃ , and I₂ (oxidant), rotaxanes are isolated that feature a Pt(C≡C)_n Pt axle that has been threaded through the macrocycle (2⋅10, 9 %; 5⋅10, 41 %; 5⋅11, 28 %; 8⋅10, 12 %; 8⋅11, 9 %). Their crystal structures are determined and analyzed in detail, particularly with respect to geometric perturbations and the degree of steric sp carbon chain insulation. NMR spectra show a number of shielding effects. UV/Vis spectra do not indicate significant electronic interactions between the Pt(C≡C)_n Pt axles and macrocycles, although cyclic voltammetry data suggest rapid reactions following oxidation.