Dinuclear Complexes Containing Linear M–F–M [M = Mn(II), Fe(II), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), Zn(II), Cd(II)] Bridges: Trends in Structures, Antiferromagnetic Superexchange Interactions, and Spectroscopic Properties

Impressive promiscuous biomimetic models of ascorbate, amine, and catechol oxidases

Copper metalloenzymes ascorbate oxidase (AOase), amine oxidase (AmOase), and catechol oxidase (COase) possess copper(II) sites of coordination, which are trimeric, homodimeric, and dimeric, respectively. Two newly mononuclear copper(II) complexes, namely, [Cu(L)(bpy)](ClO4) (1) and [Cu(L)(phen)](ClO4) (2) where HL = Schiff base, have been synthesized. UV-visible, EPR and single-crystal X-ray diffraction examinations were used to validate the geometry in solution and solid state. For complex 1, the metal exhibits a coordination sphere between square pyramidal and trigonal bipyramidal geometry (τ, 0.49). A positive CuII/I redox potential indicates a stable switching between CuII and CuI redox states. Despite the monomeric origin, both homogeneous catalysts (1 or 2) in MeOH were found to favor three distinct chemical transformations, namely, ascorbic acid (H2A) to dehydroascorbic acid (DA), benzylamine (Ph-CH2-NH2) to benzaldehyde (Ph-CHO), and 3,5-di-tert-butylcatechol (3,5-DTBC) to 3,5-di-tert-butylquinone (3,5-DTBQ) [kcat: AOase, 9.6 (1) or 2.0 × 106 h-1(2); AmOase, 13.4 (1) or 9.4 × 106 h-1 (2); COase, 2.0 (1) or 1.9 × 103 h-1 (2)]. They exhibit higher levels of AOase activity as indicated by their kcat values compared to the AOase enzyme. The kcat values for COase activity in buffer solution [5.93 (1) or 2.95 × 105 h-1 (2)] are one order lower than those of the enzymes. This is because of the labile nature of the coordinated donor, the flexibility of the ligand, the simplicity of the catalyst-substrate interaction, and the positive CuII/I redox potential. Interestingly, more efficient catalysis is promoted by 1 and 2 concerning that of other mono- and dicopper(II) complexes.

Bioinspired Binickel Catalyst for Carbon Dioxide Reduction: The Importance of Metal-ligand Cooperation

Catalyst design for the efficient CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) remains a crucial challenge for the conversion of CO2 to fuels. Natural Ni-Fe carbon monoxide dehydrogenase (NiFe-CODH) achieves reversible conversion of CO2 and CO at nearly thermodynamic equilibrium potential, which provides a template for developing CO2RR catalysts. However, compared with the natural enzyme, most biomimetic synthetic Ni-Fe complexes exhibit negligible CO2RR catalytic activities, which emphasizes the significance of effective bimetallic cooperation for CO2 activation. Enlightened by bimetallic synergy, we herein report a dinickel complex, NiIINiII(bphpp)(AcO)2 (where NiNi(bphpp) is derived from H2bphpp = 2,9-bis(5-tert-butyl-2-hydroxy-3-pyridylphenyl)-1,10-phenanthroline) for electrocatalytic reduction of CO2 to CO, which exhibits a remarkable reactivity approximately 5 times higher than that of the mononuclear Ni catalyst. Electrochemical and computational studies have revealed that the redox-active phenanthroline moiety effectively modulates the electron injection and transfer akin to the [Fe3S4] cluster in NiFe-CODH, and the secondary Ni site facilitates the C-O bond activation and cleavage through electron mediation and Lewis acid characteristics. Our work underscores the significant role of bimetallic cooperation in CO2 reduction catalysis and provides valuable guidance for the rational design of CO2RR catalysts.

Coordination of ε-Caprolactone to a Cationic Niobium(V) Alkoxide Complex: Fundamental Insight into Ring-Opening Polymerization via Coordination-Insertion

We report three niobium-based initiators for the catalytic ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of ε-caprolactone, exhibiting good activity and molecular weight control. In particular, we have prepared on the gram-scale and fully characterized a monometallic cationic alkoxo-Nb(V) ε-caprolactone adduct representing, to the best of our knowledge, an unprecedented example of a metal complex with an intact lactone monomer and a functional ROP-initiating group simultaneously coordinated at the metal center. At 80 °C, all three systems initiate the immortal solution-state ROP of ε-caprolactone via a coordination-insertion mechanism, which has been confirmed through experimental studies, and is supported by computational data. Natural bond orbital calculations further indicate that polymerization may necessitate isomerization about the metal center between the alkoxide chain and the coordinated monomer. The observations made in this work are expected to inform mechanistic understanding both of amine tris(phenolate)-supported metal alkoxide ROP initiators, including various highly stereoselective systems for the polymerization of lactides and of coordination-insertion-type ROP protocols more broadly.

Ag(II) as Spin Super-Polarizer in Molecular Spin Clusters

Using quantum mechanical calculations, we examine magnetic (super)exchange interactions in hypothetical, chemically reasonable molecular coordination clusters containing fluoride-bridged late transition metals or selected lanthanides, as well as Ag(II). By referencing to analogous species comprising closed-shell Cd(II), we provide theoretical evidence that the presence of Ag(II) may modify the magnetic properties of such systems (including metal-metal superexchange) to a surprising degree, specifically both coupling sign and strength may markedly change. Remarkably, this happens in spite of the fact that the fluoride ligand is the least susceptible to spin polarization among all monoatomic ligands known in chemistry. In an extreme case of an oxo-bridged Ni(II)₂ complex, the presence of Ag(II) leads to a nearly 17-fold increase of magnetic superexchange and switching from antiferro (AFM)- to ferromagnetic (FM) coupling. Ag(II)─with one hole in its d shell that may be shared with or transferred to ligands─effectively acts as spin super-polarizer, and this feature could be exploited in spintronics and diverse molecular devices.

Macrocycle-Induced Modulation of Internuclear Interactions in Homobimetallic Complexes

A synthetic route has been developed for a series of 3d homobimetallic complexes of Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, and Cu using three different pyridyldiimine and pyridyldialdimine macrocyclic ligands with ring sizes of 18, 20, and 22 atoms. Crystallographic analyses indicate that while the distances between the metals can be modulated by the size of the macrocycle pocket, the flexibility in the alkyl linkers used to construct the macrocycles enables the ligand to adjust the orientation of the PD(A)I fragments in response to the geometry of the [M₂(μ-Cl)₂]²⁺ core, particularly with respect to Jahn-Teller distortions. Analyses by UV-vis spectroscopy and SQUID magnetometry revealed deviations in the properties [M₂(μ-Cl)₂]²⁺-containing complexes bound by standard mononucleating ligands, highlighting the ability of macrocycles to use ring size to control the magnetic interactions of pseudo-octahedral, high-spin metal centers.

Hydrogen-atom and oxygen-atom transfer reactivities of iron(IV)-oxo complexes of quinoline-substituted pentadentate ligands

A series of iron(II) complexes with the general formula [Fe^II(L2-Qn)(L)]ⁿ⁺ (n = 1, L = F^-, Cl^-; n = 2, L = NCMe, H₂O) have been isolated and characterized. The X-ray crystallographic data reveals that metal-ligand bond distances vary with varying ligand field strengths of the sixth ligand. While the complexes with fluoride, chloride and water as axial ligand are high spin, the acetonitrile-coordinated complex is in a mixed spin state. The steric bulk of the quinoline moieties forces the axial ligands to deviate from the Fe-N_axial axis. A higher deviation/tilt is noted for the high spin complexes, while the acetonitrile coordinated complex displays least deviation. This deviation from linearity is slightly less in the analogous low-spin iron(II) complex [Fe^II(L1-Qn)(NCMe)]²⁺ of the related asymmetric ligand L1-Qn due to the presence of only one sterically demanding quinoline moiety. The two iron(II)-acetonitrile complexes [Fe^II(L2-Qn)(NCMe)]²⁺ and [Fe^II(L1-Qn)(NCMe)]²⁺ generate the corresponding iron(IV)-oxo species with higher thermal stability of the species supported by the L1-Qn ligand. The crystallographic and spectroscopic data for [Fe^IV(O)(L1-Qn)](ClO₄)₂ bear resemblance to other crystallographically characterized S = 1 iron(IV)-oxo complexes. The hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) and oxygen atom transfer (OAT) reactivities of both the iron(IV)-oxo complexes were investigated, and a Box-Behnken multivariate optimization of the parameters for catalytic oxidation of cyclohexane by [Fe^II(L2-Qn)(NCMe)]²⁺ using hydrogen peroxide as the terminal oxidant is presented. An increase in the average Fe-N bond length in [Fe^II(L1-Qn)(NCMe)]²⁺ is also manifested in higher HAT and OAT rates relative to the other reported complexes of ligands based on the N4Py framework. The results reported here confirm that the steric influence of the ligand environment is of critical importance for the reactivity of iron(IV)-oxo complexes, but additional electronic factors must influence the reactivity of iron-oxo complexes of N4Py derivatives.

Self-assembly of a trigonal bipyramidal architecture with stabilisation of iron in three spin states

Self-assembly and characterisation of a supramolecular trigonal bipyramidal iron cage containing an [Fe^III(μ₂-F)₆(Fe^II)₃]³⁺ star motif at its core is reported. The complex can be formed in a one step reaction using an heterotopic ligand that supports site-specific incorporation of iron in three distinct electronic configurations: low-spin Fe^II, high-spin Fe^II and high-spin Fe^III, with iron(II) tetrafluoroborate as the source of the bridging fluorides. Formation of a μ₂-F bridged mixed-valence Fe^II-Fe^III star is unprecedented. The peripheral high-spin Fe^II centres of the mixed-valence tetranuclear star incorporated in the iron cage are highly anisotropic and engage in F-mediated antiferromagnetic exchange with the central Fe^III ion.

Rapid Iron(III)-Fluoride-Mediated Hydrogen Atom Transfer

We anticipate high-valent metal-fluoride species will be highly effective hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) oxidants because of the magnitude of the H-F bond (in the product) that drives HAT oxidation. We prepared a dimeric Fe^III (F)-F-Fe^III (F) complex (1) by reacting [Fe^II (NCCH₃ )₂ (TPA)](ClO₄ )₂ (TPA=tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine) with difluoro(phenyl)-λ³ -iodane (difluoroiodobenzene). 1 was a sluggish oxidant, however, it was readily activated by reaction with Lewis or Brønsted acids to yield a monomeric [Fe^III (TPA)(F)(X)]⁺ complex (2) where X=F/OTf. 1 and 2 were characterized using NMR, EPR, UV/Vis, and FT-IR spectroscopies and mass spectrometry. 2 was a remarkably reactive Fe^III reagent for oxidative C-H activation, demonstrating reaction rates for hydrocarbon HAT comparable to the most reactive Fe^III and Fe^IV oxidants.

Crystal structure of bis-{2-hy-droxy-N'-[1-(pyrazin-2-yl)ethyl-idene]benzohydrazidato}cadmium(II)

In the title complex mol-ecule, [Cd(C13H11N4O2)2], the Cd atom is coordinated in a distorted octa-hedral geometry by two tridentate ligands synthesized from 2-hy-droxy-benzohydrazide and 1-(pyrazin-2-yl)ethan-1-one. The mol-ecule has twofold crystallographic symmetry and is isomorphous to its Mn, Co, Ni, Cu and Zn counterparts.

Formation of a four-bladed waterwheel-type chloro-bridged dicopper(ii) complex with dithiamacrocycle via double exo-coordination

A four-bladed waterwheel-like chloro-bridged dicopper(ii) complex! The self-assembly of O₃S₂-macrocycle (L) with copper(ii) nitrate afforded a chloro-bridged tetra(macrocycle) dicopper(ii) complex.

Heterobimetallic complexes from 0D clusters to 3D networks based on various polycyanometallates and [Cu(dmpn)2]2+ (dmpn = 2,2-dimethyl-1,3-diaminopropane): synthesis, crystal structures and magnetic properties

Six new cyanide-bridged complexes (0–3D) have been assembled by employing one copper compound and six cyano precursors. Investigation of the magnetic properties revealed the ferro- or antiferromagnetic coupling between Fe^III/Cr^I ion and Cu^II ion.

Multiple coordination modes of a new ditopic bis(pyrazolyl)methane-based ligand

A new ditopic ligand, N-(2,2-bis(pyrazolyl)ethyl)-2,2-bis(pyrazolyl)acetamide ((pz)₂CH-C(O)-NH-CH₂-CH(pz)₂, L4Pz, pz = pyrazolyl ring), comprising two bis(pyrazolyl)methane donor groups linked via an amide bridge, has been prepared from the reaction of HOOCCH(pz)₂ and H₂NCH₂CH(pz)₂. The ligand coordinates to various metallic salts (i.e. AgO₃SCF₃, PdCl₂, Re(CO)₅Br, and Fe(BF₄)₂), in either a κ²-μ-κ² or a κ³-μ-κ² fashion, depending on the coordination preferences of the metallic center. These compounds were characterized by NMR, UV-Vis and IR spectroscopy, and in solid state by single crystal X-ray diffraction. In the case of silver(i), a mono-dimensional coordination polymer was obtained, while the others were found to be discrete complexes. The synthesis and characterization of a heterobimetallic complex is also described. In solid state, all compounds are associated into supramolecular architectures via hydrogen bonding and pyrazolyl embrace interactions.

Quantitative Assessment of rPM6 for Fluorine- and Chlorine-Containing Metal Complexes: Comparison with Experimental, First-Principles, and Other Semiempirical Results

We report a reparameterization of PM6 parameters for fluorine and chlorine using our training set containing transition metal complexes. Spin unrestricted calculations with the resulting rPM6 (UrPM6) were examined quantitatively using two test sets: (i) the description of magnetic interactions in 25 dinuclear metal complexes and (ii) the prediction of barrier heights and reaction energies for epoxidation and fluorination reactions catalyzed by high-valent manganese-oxo species. The conventional UPM6 and UPM7 methods were also evaluated for comparison on the basis of either experimental or computational (the UB3LYP/SVP level) outcomes. The merits of UrPM6 are highlighted by both the test sets. As regards magnetic exchange coupling constants, the UrPM6 method had the smallest mean absolute errors from the experimental data (19 cm-1), followed by UPM7 (119 cm-1) and UPM6 (373 cm-1). For the epoxidation and fluorination reactions, all of the transition state searches were successful using UrPM6, while the success rates obtained by UPM6 and UPM7 were only 50%. The UrPM6-optimized stationary points also agreed well with the reference UB3LYP-optimized geometries. The accuracy for estimating reaction energies was also greatly remedied.

Assembly of a series of coordination polymers built from rigid a tetracarboxylate ligand and flexible bis(imidazole) linker: syntheses, structural diversities, luminescence sensing, and photocatalytic properties

Hydrothermal reactions of aromatic terphenyl-4,2'',5'',4'-tetracarboxylic acid (H₄tta) and transitional metal cations in the presence of two flexible N-donor ancillary ligands afforded four novel coordination polymers, namely, {[Zn(tta)_0.5(m-bimb)]·H₂O}_n (1), [Ni₂(tta)(m-bimb)₂(H₂O)]_n (2), [Ni(H₂tta)(o-bimb)·H₂O]_n (3), and [Cd(tta)_0.5(o-bimb)]_n (4), from solvothermal reactions in the presence of bis(imidazole) bridging linkers (m-bimb = 1,3-bis(imidazol-1-ylmethyl)benzene, and o-bimb = 1,2-bis(imidazol-1-ylmethyl)benzene). Their structures were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses and further characterized by elemental analyses (EA), powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), and thermogravimetric (TG) analyses. Compound 1 displayed a 2-fold 3D → 3D parallel entangled (4,4)-connected bbf net with the point symbol of (6⁴·8²)(6⁶)₂. Compound 2 featured a predocumented 3D (4,8)-connected (3²·5³·6)(3⁴·4⁴·5⁹·6¹¹) net. Compound 3 exhibited a 2D 4-connected sql sheet with the point symbol of (4⁴·6²), and compound 4 showed a 2D 4-connected (3²·6²·7²) kgm sheet. To our delight, fluorescence measurements showed that compound 1 could selectively and sensitively detect Cr³⁺ cations and nitrobenzene derivatives (nitrobenzene (NB), p-nitrotoluene (PNT), and p-nitroaniline (PNA)), which suggested that CPs of 1 was a promising bifunctional luminescence sensor material that could sense metal ions and small organic molecules. Moreover, 1 showed excellent photocatalytic activity.

A theoretical study of the super exchange mechanism and magneto-structural relationships in the [Mn(iii)2(μ-F)F4(Me3tacn)2](PF6) coordination compound

A detailed theoretical study of the electronic structure and magnetic properties of the dinuclear Mn(iii) complex, [Mn(iii)₂(μ-F)F₄(Me₃tacn)₂] (complex 1), with a single fluoride bridge is reported.

Magnetic Properties of a Dinuclear Nickel(II) Complex with 2,6-Bis[(2-hydroxyethyl)methylaminomethyl]-4-methylphenolate

Magnetic properties of dinuclear nickel(II) complex [Ni₂(sym-hmp)₂](BPh₄)₂·3.5DMF·0.5(2-PrOH) (1), where (sym-hmp)^- is 2,6-bis[(2-hydroxyethyl)methylaminomethyl]-4-methylphenolate anion and DMF indicates dimethylformamide, were investigated using high-frequency and -field electron paramagnetic resonance (HFEPR). To magnetically characterize the mononuclear nickel(II) species forming the dimer, its two dinuclear zinc(II) analogues, [Zn₂(sym-hmp)₂](BPh₄)₂·3.5DMF·0.5(2-PrOH) (2) and [Zn₂(sym-hmp)₂](BPh₄)₂·2acetone·2H₂O (2'), were prepared. One of them (2') was structurally characterized by X-ray diffractometry and doped with 5% mol nickel(II) ions to prepare a mixed crystal 3. From the HFEPR results on complex 1 obtained at 40 K, the spin Hamiltonian parameters of the first excited spin state (S = 1) of the dimer were accurately determined as |D₁| = 9.99(2) cm^-1, |E₁| = 1.62(1) cm^-1, and g₁ = [2.25(1), 2.19(2), 2.27(2)], and for the second excited spin state (S = 2) at 150 K estimated as |D₂| ≈ 3.5 cm^-1. From these numbers, the single-ion zero-field splitting (ZFS) parameter of the Ni(II) ions forming the dimer was estimated as |D_Ni| ≈ 10-10.5 cm^-1. The HFEPR spectra of 3 yielded directly the single-ion parameters for D_Ni = +10.1 cm^-1, |E_Ni| = 3.1 cm^-1, and g_iso = 2.2. On the basis of the HFEPR results, the previously obtained magnetic data (Sakiyama, H.; Tone, K.; Yamasaki, M.; Mikuriya, M. Inorg. Chim. Acta 2011, 365, 183) were reanalyzed, and the isotropic interaction parameter between the Ni(II) ions was determined as J = -70 cm^-1 (H_ex = -J S_A·S_B). Finally, density functional theory calculations yielded the J value of -90 cm^-1 in a qualitative agreement with the experiment.

N9 substituent mediated structural tuning of copper–purine complexes: chelate effect and thin film studies

Six Cu(ii) complexes of strategically designed derivatives of 6-chloropurine, one of which has been explored as a thin film precursor on quartz and Si(111) surfaces by using chemical vapor deposition (CVD).

Magnetostructural relationship for μ2-phenoxido bridged ferric dimers

The magneto-structural correlation between μ₂-phenoxido bridged iron(iii) complexes are studied by structural analyses, magnetic, HF-EPR measurements, and DFT calculations. The magnetic exchange coupling is governed by the Fe–O–Fe angle and the crossover point from AF to F interactions is θ at 97.83°.

Substituent effects of N4 Schiff base ligands on the formation of fluoride-bridged dicobalt(ii) complexes via B–F abstraction: structures and magnetism

We report the synthesis and magnetic studies on two fluoride bridged cobalt(ii) dimers derived from propyl-bridged N4 Schiff base ligands via B–F activation.

Bimetallic MOFs (H3O)x[Cu(MF6)(pyrazine)2]·(4 − x)H2O (M = V4+, x = 0; M = Ga3+, x = 1): co-existence of ordered and disordered quantum spins in the V4+ system

These bimetallic MOFs contain [Cu(pyz)₂]²⁺ sheets and MF₆ⁿ⁻ octahedra whereby only the Cu(ii) moments magnetically order.

Effective catalytic disproportionation of aqueous H2O2 with di- and mono-nuclear manganese(II) complexes containing pyridine alcohol ligands

The two novel manganese(II) complexes with 2-hydroxymethylpyridine (2-CH2OHpy) {[Mn2(μ-Cl)2(2-CH2OHpy)4]Cl2·2H2O (1)} and 2-hydroxyethylpyridine (2-(CH2)2OHpy) {[Mn(2-(CH2)2OHpy)2(NCS)2] (2)} were synthesized and characterized by means of X-ray diffraction, IR, EPR, HF EPR spectroscopy, magnetic and TG/DTG data. The complexes show catalase-like activity in neutral aqueous solution since they were able to disproportionate H2O2 to harmless H2O and O2. Both complexes act as true catalysts since they reverted to their original form after depleting all the H2O2, as suggested by the operando resonant inelastic X-ray spectroscopy (RIXS) measurements.

Effects of terminal dimethylation and metal coordination of proline-2-formylpyridine thiosemicarbazone hybrids on lipophilicity, antiproliferative activity, and hR2 RNR inhibition

The nickel(II), copper(II), and zinc(II) complexes of the proline-thiosemicarbazone hybrids 3-methyl-(S)-pyrrolidine-2-carboxylate-2-formylpyridine thiosemicarbazone (L-Pro-FTSC or (S)-H2L(1)) and 3-methyl-(R)-pyrrolidine-2-carboxylate-2-formylpyridine thiosemicarbazone (D-Pro-FTSC or (R)-H2L(1)), as well as 3-methyl-(S)-pyrrolidine-2-carboxylate-2-formylpyridine 4,4-dimethyl-thiosemicarbazone (dm-L-Pro-FTSC or (S)-H2L(2)), namely, [Ni(L-Pro-FTSC-2H)]2 (1), [Ni(D-Pro-FTSC-2H)]2 (2), [Ni(dm-L-Pro-FTSC-2H)]2 (3), [Cu(dm-L-Pro-FTSC-2H)] (6), [Zn(L-Pro-FTSC-2H)] (7), and [Zn(D-Pro-FTSC-2H)] (8), in addition to two previously reported, [Cu(L-Pro-FTSC-2H)] (4), [Cu(D-Pro-FTSC-2H)] (5), were synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, one- and two-dimensional (1)H and (13)C NMR spectroscopy, circular dichroism, UV-vis, and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Compounds 1-3, 6, and 7 were also studied by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Magnetic properties and solid-state high-field electron paramagnetic resonance spectra of 2 over the range of 50-420 GHz were investigated. The complex formation processes of L-Pro-FTSC with nickel(II) and zinc(II) were studied in aqueous solution due to the excellent water solubility of the complexes via pH potentiometry, UV-vis, and (1)H NMR spectroscopy. The results of the antiproliferative activity in vitro showed that dimethylation improves the cytotoxicity and hR2 RNR inhibition. Therefore, introduction of more lipophilic groups into thiosemicarbazone-proline backbone becomes an option for the synthesis of more efficient cytotoxic agents of this family of compounds.