Heptanuclear Heterometallic [Cu6Ln] Clusters: Trapping Lanthanides into Copper Cages with Artificial Amino Acids

Tuning Electrocatalytic Water Oxidation Activity: Insights from the Active-Site Distance in LnCu6 Clusters

Atomically precise metal clusters serve as a unique model for unraveling the intricate mechanism of the catalytic reaction and exploring the complex relationship between structure and activity. Herein, three series of water-soluble heterometallic clusters LnCu6, abbreviated as LnCu6-AC (Ln = La, Nd, Gd, Er, Yb; HAC = acetic acid), LnCu6-IM (Ln = La and Nd; IM = Imidazole), and LnCu6-IDA (Ln = Nd; H2IDA = Iminodiacetic acid) are presented, each featuring a uniform metallic core stabilized by distinct protected ligands. Crystal structure analysis reveals a triangular prism topology formed by six Cu2+ ions around one Ln3+ ion in LnCu6, with variations in Cu···Cu distances attributed to different ligands. Electrocatalytic oxygen evolution reaction (OER) shows that these different LnCu6 clusters exhibit different OER activities with remarkable turnover frequency of 135 s-1 for NdCu6-AC, 79 s-1 for NdCu6-IM and 32 s-1 for NdCu6-IDA. Structural analysis and Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations underscore the correlation between shorter Cu···Cu distances and improves OER catalytic activity, emphasizing the pivotal role of active-site distance in regulating electrocatalytic OER activities. These results provide valuable insights into the OER mechanism and contribute to the design of efficient homogeneous OER electrocatalysts.

Dinuclear lanthanide(III)/zinc(II) complexes with methyl 2-pyridyl ketone oxime

The first use of methyl 2-pyridyl ketone oxime (mpkoH) in zinc(II)/lanthanide(III) chemistry leads to the [ZnLn(mpko)3(mpkoH)3](ClO4)2 and [ZnLn(NO3)2(mpko)3(mpkoH)] families of dinuclear Zn(II)Ln(III) complexes displaying blue-green, ligand-based photoluminescence; the Zn(II)Dy(III) compound shows field-induced relaxation of magnetization.

Silver complexation by metallacryptates

We report the first complete characterization of metallycryptates encapsulating Ag(I) cations: carboxylato ligands derived from l-proline and l-alanine chelate and bridge six Cu(II) centres arranged in a slightly distorted octahedral fashion. Eight oxygen atoms of these ligands are disposed in square-prismatic geometry and coordinate the monovalent cation. Two alternative metallacryptates based on alanine have been identified which differ with respect to aggregation: a solid in which pairs of encapsulating sites are formed competes with an infinite chain of M(I) coordinating sites. In contrast, the individual encrypting moieties are arranged as overall neutral and isolated molecular species in the proline-based metallacryptate. This proline derivative can accomodate Ag(I) and Na(I) cations and form a solid solution. Susceptibility measurements confirm ferromagnetic interactions between the Cu(II) within the hexanuclear proline cryptate and thus underline the similarity between solids accommodating Na(I) and Ag(I). Spectroscopic results suggest that these metallacryptates hardly dissociate in methanol solution.

Two dodecanuclear heterometallic [Zn6Ln6] clusters constructed by a multidentate salicylamide salen-like ligand: synthesis, structure, luminescence and magnetic properties

We present herein two dodecanuclear heterometallic [Zn₆Ln₆] clusters with interesting structures, luminescence and magnetic properties.

Synthesis, structures and magnetism of a series of dinuclear and one-dimensional Ni–Ln complexes: single-molecule magnetic behavior in one-dimensional nitrate-bridged Dy analogue

By using a salen-type ligand and changing the reaction solvent, a series of Ni^II–Ln^III complexes have been obtained and structurally and magnetically characterized.

A unique 1-amino-1-cyclopropane carboxylate cupric-cryptate hosting sodium

The first cluster containing acc was prepared via supramolecular self-assembly. This Cu(II) cluster traps Na(+), as shown in the solid state by the crystal structure and in solution by ESI-MS. Further characterisations revealed a ferromagnetic intracluster exchange and an irreversible reduction with a rapid intracluster electron transfer.

Bipolar mass spectrometry of labile coordination complexes, redox active inorganic compounds, and proteins using a glass nebulizer for sonic-spray ionization

In this study, we report on the development of a novel nebulizer configuration for sonic-spray ionization (SSI) mass spectrometry (MS), more specifically for a version of SSI that is referred to as Venturi easy ambient sonic-spray ionization (V-EASI) MS. The developed nebulizer configuration is based on a commercially available pneumatic glass nebulizer that has been used extensively for aerosol formation in atomic spectrometry. In the present study, the nebulizer was modified in order to achieve efficient V-EASI-MS operation. Upon evaluating this system, it has been demonstrated that V-EASI-MS offers some distinct advantages for the analysis of coordination compounds and redox active inorganic compounds over the predominantly used electrospray ionization (ESI) technique. Such advantages, for this type of compounds, are demonstrated here for the first time. More specifically, a series of labile heptanuclear heterometallic [Cu(II) 6Ln(III)] clusters held together with artificial amino acid ligands, in addition to easily oxidized inorganic oxyanions of selenium and arsenic, were analyzed. The observed advantages pertain to V-EASI appearing to be a "milder" ionization source than ESI, not requiring electrical potentials for gas phase ion formation, thus eliminating the possibility of unwanted redox transformations, allowing for the "simultaneous" detection of negative and positive ions (bipolar analysis) without the need to change source ionization conditions, and also not requiring the use of syringes and delivery pumps. Because of such features, especially because of the absence of ionization potentials, EASI can be operated with minimal requirements for source parameter optimization. We observed that source temperature and accelerating voltage do not seem to affect labile compounds to the extent they do in ESI-MS. In addition, bipolar analysis of proteins was demonstrated here by acquiring both positive and negative ion mass spectra from the same protein solutions, without the need to independently adjust solution and source conditions in each mode. Finally, the simple and efficient operation of a dual-nebulizer configuration was demonstrated for V-EASI-MS for the first time.

Analogy to a Chinese knot in an ion-pair copper(II)-neodymium(III) complex based on a hexadentate Schiff base condensation product of 5-bromosalicylaldehyde and glycylglycine

Self-assembly of CuCl2, NdCl3, 5-bromosalicylaldehyde and glycylglycine yields the ion-pair copper(II)-neodymium(III) complex, poly[[decaaquabis[μ3-2-({2-[(5-bromo-2-oxidobenzylidene)amino]acetyl}azanidyl)acetato]bis[μ2-2-({2-[(5-bromo-2-oxidobenzylidene)amino]acetyl}azanidyl)acetato]tetracopper(II)dineodymium(III)] bis{[2-({2-[(5-bromo-2-oxidobenzylidene)amino]acetyl}azanidyl)acetato]cuprate(II)} tetradecahydrate], {[Cu4Nd2(C11H8BrN2O4)4(H2O)10][Cu(C11H8BrN2O4)]2·14H2O}n. The anion is planar and mononuclear, showing an approximately square-planar coordination of the metal atom, while the cation is a hexanuclear centrosymmetric transition metal-lanthanide (Cu-Nd) heterometallic complex, with the independent copper cations in square-planar and square-pyramidal coordinations. The asymmetric unit comprises one half of this cation, one anion and seven solvent water molecules. The positions of the six metal centres in the cation reproduce a Chinese knot arrangement. The dipeptidic Schiff base releases three H atoms and can act as a tetradentate, a pentadentate or a hexadentate ligand. Longer interactions between the pentadentate ligands and the Jahn-Teller Cu(II) cation link the hexanuclear aggregates into cationic chains in the [010] direction in which 14- and 22-membered subloops occur. Extensive hydrogen bonding in three dimensions involves both the coordinated and the solvent water molecules.

In search of 3d/4f-metal single-molecule magnets: Nickel(II)/lanthanide(III) coordination clusters

The importance of 3d/4f-metal cluster chemistry is outlined, and the employment of 2-pyridyl ketone- and 2-pyridyl oxime-based ligands for the preparation of low-nuclearity NiII/LnIII complexes (Ln = lanthanide) is reviewed. The synthetic utility of the “metal complexes as ligands” and “one-pot” approaches is critically discussed. The small nuclearity of the products permits the in-depth analysis of their magnetic properties.

Employment of methyl 2-pyridyl ketone oxime in 3d/4f-metal chemistry: dinuclear nickel(II)/lanthanide(III) species and complexes containing the metals in separate ions

The use of methyl 2-pyridyl ketone oxime (mpkoH) for the synthesis of Ni(II)/Ln(III) (Ln = lanthanide) complexes, using "one-pot" reactions in the absence of an external base, is described. Depending on the reaction and crystallization conditions employed, two families of complexes have been obtained. The first family consists of true heterometallic species and involves complexes [NiLn(mpko)(3)(mpkoH)(3)](ClO(4))(2), where Ln = Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho and Er. The second family contains the pseudo heterometallic complexes [Ni(mpkoH)(3)](2)[Ln(NO(3))(6)](ClO(4)), where Ln = La, Ce, Pr, Nd and Sm. The crystal structures of [NiCe(mpko)(3)(mpkoH)(3)](ClO(4))(2) (1), [NiDy(mpko)(3)(mpkoH)(3)](ClO(4))(2) (8) and [Ni(mpkoH)(3)](2)[La(NO(3))(6)](ClO(4)) (11) have been determined by single-crystal, X-ray crystallography. Complexes 1·1.2MeOH·0.6H(2)O and 8·1.2MeOH·0.6H(2)O crystallise in the monoclinic space group P2(1)/a and are isomorphous; there are two crystallographically independent cations in the unit cell, but their interatomic distances and angles differ little. The Ni(II) and Ln(III) ions are bridged by three oximate groups belonging to the η(1):η(1):η(1):μ mpko(-) ligands. The Ni(II) centre is octahedrally coordinated by the six nitrogen atoms of the mpko(-) ligands in a facial arrangement. The Ln(III) centre is bound to an (O(oximate))(3)N(6) set of donor atoms, the nitrogen atoms belonging to the three N,N'-bidentate chelating mpkoH ligands. The stereochemistry of the Ln(III) atoms has been evaluated by means of continuous shape measures (CShM). The two crystallographically independent Ce(III) atoms in 1 have tricapped trigonal prismatic and capped square antiprismatic coordination geometries, while the polyhedra of the Dy(III) atoms in 8 are both close to a tricapped trigonal prism. The octahedral Ni(II) atoms in 11 are both facially bound to a N(6) set of donor atoms from three N,N'-bidentate chelating mpkoH ligands, while the 12-coordinate La(III) centre in [La(NO(3))(6)](3-) is coordinated by six bidentate chelating nitrato groups. Variable-temperature, solid state dc magnetic susceptibility studies were carried out on complexes 2, 6, 7 and 8. The dc susceptibility data for 6 in the 2.0-300 K range have been fit to a model with one J value, revealing an antiferromagnetic Ni(II)···Gd(III) exchange interaction [J = -1.1 cm(-1) based on H = -J (Ŝ(Ni)·Ŝ(Gd))]. Antiferromagnetic Ni(II)···Pr(III), Ni(II)···Tb(III) and Ni(II)···Dy(III) exchange interactions have also been suggested for 2, 7 and 8, respectively. The combined work demonstrates the usefulness of mpko(-) in the preparation of interesting Ni(II)/Ln(III) compounds, without requiring the presence of external base and ancillary organic ligands.