Halogeno-Coordinated Iron Corroles

Halogen Transfer to Carbon Radicals by High-Valent Iron Chloride and Iron Fluoride Corroles

High-valent iron halide corroles were examined to determine their reactivity with carbon radicals and their ability to undergo radical rebound-like processes. Beginning with Fe(Cl)(ttppc) (1) (ttppc = 5,10,15-tris(2,4,6-triphenylphenyl)corrolato^3-), the new iron corroles Fe(OTf)(ttppc) (2), Fe(OTf)(ttppc)(AgOTf) (3), and Fe(F)(ttppc) (4) were synthesized. Complexes 3 and 4 are the first iron triflate and iron fluoride corroles to be structurally characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction. The structure of 3 reveals an Ag^I-pyrrole (η²-π) interaction. The Fe(Cl)(ttppc) and Fe(F)(ttppc) complexes undergo halogen transfer to triarylmethyl radicals, and kinetic analysis of the reaction between (p-OMe-C₆H₄)₃C• and 1 gave k = 1.34(3) × 10³ M^-1 s^-1 at 23 °C and 2.2(2) M^-1 s^-1 at -60 °C, ΔH^⧧ = +9.8(3) kcal mol^-1, and ΔS^⧧ = -14(1) cal mol^-1 K^-1 through an Eyring analysis. Complex 4 is significantly more reactive, giving k = 1.16(6) × 10⁵ M^-1 s^-1 at 23 °C. The data point to a concerted mechanism and show the trend X = F^- > Cl^- > OH^- for Fe(X)(ttppc). This study provides mechanistic insights into halogen rebound for an iron porphyrinoid complex.

Iron, iron everywhere: synthesis and characterization of iron 5,10,15-triferrocenylcorrole complexes

A new series of iron triferrocenylcorroles with three different axial ligands, NO, Cl⁻and σ-Ph, is synthesized and characterized using¹H NMR, electrochemical and spectroelectrochemical techniques in nonaqueous media.

Biomimetic Reactivity of Oxygen-Derived Manganese and Iron Porphyrinoid Complexes

Heme proteins utilize the heme cofactor, an iron porphyrin, to perform a diverse range of reactions including dioxygen binding and transport, electron transfer, and oxidation/oxygenations. These reactions share several key metalloporphyrin intermediates, typically derived from dioxygen and its congeners such as hydrogen peroxide. These species are composed of metal-dioxygen, metal-superoxo, metal-peroxo, and metal-oxo adducts. A wide variety of synthetic metalloporphyrinoid complexes have been synthesized to generate and stabilize these intermediates. These complexes have been studied to determine the spectroscopic features, structures, and reactivities of such species in controlled and well-defined environments. In this Review, we summarize recent findings on the reactivity of these species with common porphyrinoid scaffolds employed for biomimetic studies. The proposed mechanisms of action are emphasized. This Review is organized by structural type of metal-oxygen intermediate and broken into subsections based on the metal (manganese and iron) and porphyrinoid ligand (porphyrin, corrole, and corrolazine).

Strategies for Corrole Functionalization

This review covers the functionalization reactions of meso-arylcorroles, both at the inner core, as well as the peripheral positions of the macrocycle. Experimental details for the synthesis of all known metallocorrole types and for the N-alkylation reactions are presented. Key peripheral functionalization reactions such as halogenation, formylation, carboxylation, nitration, sulfonation, and others are discussed in detail, particularly the nucleophilic aromatic substitution and the participation of corroles in cycloaddition reactions as 2π or 4π components (covering Diels-Alder and 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions). Other functionalizations of corroles include a large diversity of reactions, namely Wittig reactions, reactions with methylene active compounds, formation of amines, amides, and imines, and metal catalyzed reactions. At the final section, the reactions involving oxidation and ring expansion of the corrole macrocycle are described comprehensively.

Energy-Related Small Molecule Activation Reactions: Oxygen Reduction and Hydrogen and Oxygen Evolution Reactions Catalyzed by Porphyrin- and Corrole-Based Systems

Globally increasing energy demands and environmental concerns related to the use of fossil fuels have stimulated extensive research to identify new energy systems and economies that are sustainable, clean, low cost, and environmentally benign. Hydrogen generation from solar-driven water splitting is a promising strategy to store solar energy in chemical bonds. The subsequent combustion of hydrogen in fuel cells produces electric energy, and the only exhaust is water. These two reactions compose an ideal process to provide clean and sustainable energy. In such a process, a hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), an oxygen evolution reaction (OER) during water splitting, and an oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) as a fuel cell cathodic reaction are key steps that affect the efficiency of the overall energy conversion. Catalysts play key roles in this process by improving the kinetics of these reactions. Porphyrin-based and corrole-based systems are versatile and can efficiently catalyze the ORR, OER, and HER. Because of the significance of energy-related small molecule activation, this review covers recent progress in hydrogen evolution, oxygen evolution, and oxygen reduction reactions catalyzed by porphyrins and corroles.

Phenyl derivative of iron 5,10,15-tritolylcorrole

The phenyl-iron complex of 5,10,15-tritolylcorrole was prepared by reaction of the starting chloro-iron complex with phenylmagnesium bromide in dichloromethane. The organometallic complex was fully characterized by a combination of spectroscopic methods, X-ray crystallography, and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. All of these techniques support the description of the electronic structure of this phenyl-iron derivative as a low-spin iron(IV) coordinated to a closed-shell corrolate trianion and to a phenyl monoanion. Complete assignments of the (1)H and (13)C NMR spectra of the phenyl-iron derivative and the starting chloro-iron complex were performed on the basis of the NMR spectra of the regioselectively β-substituted bromo derivatives and the DFT calculations.

Molecular redox: revisiting the electronic structures of the group 9 metallocorroles

The electronic structures of monocationic tris[(5,10,15-pentafluorophenyl)-corrolato]iridium compounds, [Ir(tpfc)L2](+), where L = 4-cyanopyridine [1](+), pyridine [2](+), 4-methoxypyridine [3](+), or 4-(N,N'-dimethylamino)pyridine [4](+), have been probed by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, Ir L3,2-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), UV/visible (UV-vis) spectroelectrochemistry, and density functional theoretical (DFT) calculations. The data demonstrate that these complexes, which have been previously formulated as either of the limiting cases [Ir(III)(tpfc(•))L2](+) or [Ir(IV)(tpfc)L2](+), are best described as possessing a singly occupied molecular orbital (SOMO) dominated by tpfc with small but significant Ir admixture. EPR g-values and electronic absorption spectra are reproduced well using a simple DFT approach. These quantities depend profoundly upon Ir orbital contribution to the SOMO. To wit, the calculated Ir spin population ranges from 10.6% for [1](+) to 16.3% for [4](+), reflecting increased Ir d mixing into the SOMO with increasingly electron-rich axial ligation. This gives rise to experimentally measured gz values ranging from 2.335 to 2.533, metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT) bands ranging from 14730 and 14330 cm(-1), and [Ir(tpfc)L2](+/0) reduction potentials ranging from 0.305 to 0.035 V vs Fc(+/0). In addition, the calculated Ir character in the SOMO tracks with estimated Ir L3,2 XAS branching ratios (EBR), reflecting the increasing degree of Ir d orbital character upon proceeding from [1](+) to [4](+).

Synthesis and redox properties of a [meso-tris(4-nitrophenyl) corrolato]Mn(III) complex

The Mn complexated corrole [ T (4- NO 2 P ) Corr ] Mn ( py ) (3) has been prepared ( py = pyridine ) where [ T (4- NO 2 P ) Corr ] is the trianion of the electron-poor 5,10,15-tris(4-nitrophenyl)corrole (1). The preparation of 3 includes a new synthetic method to form the corrole ligand 1 in a two-step synthesis. The Mn(III) complex gives a parallel mode EPR signal centered around g = 8.2 with six distinct hyperfine lines ( A || = 139 × 10-4 cm -1). Electrochemically 3 undergoes one reversible oxidation ( E 1/2 = 0.12 V vs Fc) and two reversible reductions ( E 1/2 = -1.45, -1.61 V). The oxidation is metal-centered and the product has been characterized by EPR spectroscopy as an S = 3/2 Mn(IV) species with no indication for oxidation of the macrocycle. The reductions of complex 3 are ligand based, and at the potential of the second reduction step a stable nitrogen centered radical with g = 2.0055 is generated. Chemical oxidation of 3 by iodosobenzene yields a Mn(IV) complex and epoxidation of cis-stilbene is not catalyzed by the Mn complex.

Fe L- and K-edge XAS of low-spin ferric corrole: bonding and reactivity relative to low-spin ferric porphyrin

Corrole is a tetrapyrrolic macrocycle that has one carbon atom less than a porphyrin. The ring contraction reduces the symmetry from D(4h) to C(2v), changes the electronic structure of the heterocycle, and leads to a smaller central cavity with three protons rather than the two of a porphyrin. The differences between ferric corroles and porphyrins lead to a number of differences in reactivity including increased axial ligand lability and a tendency to form 5-coordinate complexes. The electronic structure origin of these differences has been difficult to study experimentally as the dominant porphyrin/corrole pi --> pi* transitions obscure the electronic transitions of the metal. Recently, we have developed a methodology that allows for the interpretation of the multiplet structure of Fe L-edges in terms of differential orbital covalency (i.e., the differences in mixing of the metal d orbitals with the ligand valence orbitals) using a valence bond configuration interaction model. Herein, we apply this methodology, combined with a ligand field analysis of the Fe K pre-edge to a low-spin ferric corrole, and compare it to a low-spin ferric porphyrin. The experimental results combined with DFT calculations show that the contracted corrole is both a stronger sigma donor and a very anisotropic pi donor. These differences decrease the bonding interactions with axial ligands and contribute to the increased axial ligand lability and reactivity of ferric corroles relative to ferric porphyrins.

Formation of stable and metastable porphyrin- and corrole-iron(IV) complexes and isomerizations to iron(III) macrocycle radical cations

Oxidations of three porphyrin-iron(III) complexes (1) with ferric perchlorate, Fe(ClO(4))(3), in acetonitrile solutions at -40 degrees C gave metastable porphyrin-iron(IV) diperchlorate complexes (2) that isomerized to known iron(III) diperchlorate porphyrin radical cations (3) when the solutions were warmed to room temperature. The 5,10,15,20-tetraphenylporphyrin (TPP), 5,10,15,20-tetramesitylporphyrin (TMP), and 2,3,7,8,12,13,17,18-octaethylporphyrin (OEP) systems were studied by UV-visible spectroscopy. Low temperature NMR spectroscopy and effective magnetic moment measurements were possible with the TPP and TMP iron(IV) complexes. Reactions of two corrole systems, 5,10,15-tris(pentafluorophenyl)corrole (TPFC) and 5,15-bis(pentafluorophenyl)-10-p-methoxyphenylcorrole (BPFMC), also were studied. The corrole-iron(IV) chlorides reacted with silver salts to give corrole-iron(IV) complexes. The corrole-iron(IV) nitrate complexes were stable at room temperature. (TPFC)-iron(IV) toslyate, (TPFC)-iron(IV) chlorate, and (BPFMC)-iron(IV) chlorate were metastable and rearranged to their electronic isomers iron(III) corrole radical cations at room temperature. (TPFC)-iron(III) perchlorate corrole radical cation was the only product observed from reaction of the corrole-iron(IV) chloride with silver perchlorate. For the metastable iron(IV) species, the rates of isomerizations to the iron(III) macrocycle radical cation electronic isomers in dilute acetonitrile solutions were relatively insensitive to electron demands of the macrocyclic ligand but reflected the binding strength of the ligand to iron. Kinetic studies at varying temperatures and concentrations indicated that the mechanisms of the isomerization reactions are complex, involving mixed order reactivity.

Study by liquid secondary ion and electrospray mass spectrometry of synthesized and formed-in-source metallocorroles

Liquid secondary ion and electrospray mass spectrometry were used to study the complexation in-source of 5,10,15-tris(pentafluorophenyl)corrole with several divalent transition-metal ions. The metallocorrole ions formed in-source were identified by comparing their product ion mass spectra with the spectra of the same ions formed from metallocorroles obtained from classical procedures. Positive metallocorrole ion formation is accompanied by oxidation of the metal centre. Mechanisms were proposed for the oxidation processes, and data from negative-ion spectra reinforced these mechanisms.

Corrole-based applications

Despite of the many similarities between corroles and porphyrins, the chemistry of the former remained undeveloped for decades because of severe synthetic obstacles. The recent discoveries of facile methodologies for the synthesis of triarylcorroles and the corresponding metal complexes allowed for their utilization in various fields. This survey reveals many examples where corroles were used as the key components in catalysis, sensing of gaseous molecules and medicine-oriented research. The focus in all these cases was on the special features of corroles: stabilization of high valent transition metal ions, unique photophysical properties, large NH acidity, facile synthetic manipulation and distinct catalytic properties. The latter aspect includes several examples of reactions that are not catalyzed by any non-corrole metal complex, such as the iron-based aziridination by Chloramine-T, the clean disproportionation of peroxynitrite, and the very facile N-H activation of amines.

NMR and structural investigations of a nonplanar iron corrolate: modified patterns of spin delocalization and coupling in a slightly saddled chloroiron(III) corrolate radical

An undecasubstituted chloroiron corrolate, octamethyltriphenylcorrolatoiron chloride, (OMTPCorr)FeCl, has been synthesized and studied by X-ray crystallography and (1)H and (13)C NMR spectroscopy. It is found that, although the structure is slightly saddled, the average methyl out-of-plane distance is only 0.63 Angstroms, while it is much greater for the dodecasubstituted porphyrinate analogue (OMTPP)FeCl (1.19 Angstroms) (Cheng, R.-J.; Chen, P.-Y.; Gau, P.-R.; Chen, C.-C.; Peng, S.-M. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1997, 119, 2563-2569). In addition, the distance of iron from the mean plane of the four macrocycle nitrogens is also smaller for (OMTPCorr)FeCl (0.387 Angstroms) than for (OMTPP)FeCl (0.46 Angstroms). The (1)H and (13)C NMR spectra of (OMTPCorr)FeCl, as well as the chloroiron complexes of triphenylcorrolate, (TPCorr)FeCl; 7,13-dimethyl-2,3,8,12,17,18-hexaethylcorrolate, (DMHECorr)FeCl; 7,8,12,13-tetramethyl-2,3,17,18-tetraethylcorrolate, (TMTECorr)FeCl; and the phenyliron complex of 7,13-dimethyl-2,3,8,12,17,18-hexaethylcorrolate, (DMHECorr)FePh, have been assigned, and the spin densities at the carbons that are part of the aromatic ring of the corrole macrocycle have been divided into the part due to spin delocalization by corrole --> Fe pi donation and the part due to the unpaired electron present on the corrole ring. It is found that although the spin density at the beta-pyrrole positions is fairly similar to that of (TPCorr)FeCl, the meso-phenyl-carbon shift differences delta(m) - delta(p) are opposite in sign of those of (TPCorr)FeCl. This finding suggests that the radical electron is ferromagnetically coupled to the unpaired electrons on iron, rather than antiferromagnetically coupled, as in all of the other chloroiron corrolates. The solution magnetic moment was measured for (OMTPCorr)FeCl and found to be mu(eff) = 4.7 +/- 0.5 micro(B), consistent with S = 2 and ferromagnetic coupling. From this study, two conclusions may be reached about iron corrolates: (1) the spin states of chloroiron corrolates are extremely sensitive to the out-of-plane distance of iron, and (2) pyrrole-H or -C shifts are not useful in delineating the spin state and electron configuration of (anion)iron corrolates.

The metal complexes of N-confused porphyrin as heme model compounds

Recently, metal complexes of the isomers and analogs of porphyrin have become important model compounds for heme enzymes and proteins. While the chemistry of metalloporphyrins as heme models still attracts attention, the isomers and analogs of porphyrins provide insight into the biological choice of porphine as the macrocycle of choice and also help model reactive intermediates, such as high valent oxidation states. In this mini-review, we discuss the heme-relevant chemistry of N-confused porphyrin, an isomer of porphyrin with an inverted pyrrole ring, and focus on the chemistry of manganese, iron, and cobalt. The metallation chemistry of this macrocycle is more diverse than normal porphyrin, and involves tautomerization, C-H bond activation, the Lewis basicity of the external nitrogen, and issues with nucleophilic sensitivity. Despite the challenges posed by N-confused porphyrin, significant progress has been made toward generating heme-model complexes with this macrocycle.

Iron corrolates: Unambiguous chloroiron(III) (corrolate)2− π-cation radicals

The structures, electron configurations, magnetic susceptibilities, spectroscopic properties, molecular orbital energies and spin density distributions, redox properties and reactivities of iron corrolates having chloride, phenyl, pyridine, NO and other ligands are reviewed. It is shown that with one very strong donor ligand such as phenyl anion the electron configuration of the metal is d(4)S=1 Fe(IV) coordinated to a (corrolate)(3-) anion, while with one weaker donor ligand such as chloride or other halide, the electron configuration is d(5)S=3/2 Fe(III) coordinated to a (corrolate)(2-.) pi-cation radical, with antiferromagnetic coupling between the metal and corrolate radical electron. Many of these complexes have been studied by electrochemical techniques and have rich redox reactivity, in most cases involving two 1-electron oxidations and two 1-electron reductions, and it is not possible to tell, from the shapes of cyclic voltammetric waves, whether the electron is added or removed from the metal or the macrocycle; often infrared, UV-Vis, or EPR spectroscopy can provide this information. (1)H and (13)C NMR spectroscopic methods are most useful in delineating the spin state and pattern of spin density distribution of the complexes listed above, as would also be expected to be the case for the recently-reported formal Fe(V)O corrolate, if this complex were stable enough for characterization by NMR spectroscopy. Iron, manganese and chromium corrolates can be oxidized by iodosylbenzene and other common oxidants used previously with metalloporphyrinates to effect efficient oxidation of substrates. Whether the "resting state" form of these complexes, most generally in the case of iron [FeCl(Corr)], actually has the electron configuration Fe(IV)(Corr)(3-) or Fe(III)(Corr)(2-.) is not relevant to the high-valent reactivity of the complex.

Photophysical Properties of a Series of Free-Base Corroles

Four free-base corroles with electron-donating or electron-withdrawing groups on the para or 2 through 6-positons of the meso phenyl rings were prepared via either Paolesse or Gross conditions and investigated for their absorption and emission properties. The triaryl corroles 5,10,15-triphenylcorrole, 5,10,15-tris(pentafluorophenyl)corrole, 5,10,15-tris(p-nitrophenyl)corrole, and 5,10,15-tris(p-methoxyphenyl)corrole were examined. Absorption, steady-state, and time-resolved fluorescence measurements were performed on all compounds in both nonpolar (dichloromethane) and polar (dimethylacetamide) solvents. The experimental evidence points to hydrogen bonding with an internal N-H group as the most likely factor in the solvent-dependent photophysical behavior of these corroles, that is also highly dependent upon substitution.