Unusual Conformation of a Dinuclear Paddle Wheel Copper(II) Complex. Synthesis, Structural Characterization and EPR Studies

Dimolybdenum (II,II) paddlewheel complexes bearing non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug ligands: Insights into the chemico-physical profile and first biological assessment

Multinuclear complexes are metal compounds featured by adjacent bound metal centers that can lead to unconventional reactivity. Some M2L4-type paddlewheel dinuclear complexes with monoanionic bridging ligands feature promising properties, including therapeutic ones. Molybdenum has been studied for the formation of multiple-bonded M2+ compounds due to their unique scaffold, redox, and spectroscopic properties as well as for applications in several fields including catalysis and biology. These latter are much less explored and only sporadic studies have been carried out. Here, a series of four dimolybdenum (II,II) carboxylate paddlewheel complexes were synthesized using different Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) as ligands. The reaction of (NH4)5[Mo2Cl9]·H2O with the selected NSAIDs in methanol produced the complexes Mo2(μ-O2CR)4 where RCO2 is ibuprofen (1), naproxen (2), aspirin (3) and indomethacin (4). The products were obtained in good yields and extensively characterized with integrated techniques. Stability and solution behaviour were studied using a mixed experimental and computational approach. Finally, the biological activity of 1 and 3 (i.e. the most reactive and the most stable compounds of the series, respectively) was preliminarily assessed confirming the disassembling of the molecules in the biological milieu. Overall, some very interesting results emerged for these unconventional compounds from a mechanistic point of view.

Amphoteric reactivity of a putative Cu(II)-mCPBA intermediate

In copper-based enzymes, Cu-hydroperoxo/alkylperoxo species are proposed as key intermediates for their biological activity. A vast amount of literature is available on the functional and structural mimics of enzymatic systems with heme and non-heme ligand frameworks to stabilize high valent metal intermediates, mostly at low temperatures. Herein, we report a reaction between [CuI(NCCH3)4]+ and meta-chloroperoxybenzoic acid (mCPBA) in CH3CN that produces a putative CuII(mCPBA) species (1). 1 was characterized by UV/Vis, resonance Raman, and EPR spectroscopies. 1 can catalyze both electrophilic and nucleophilic reactions, demonstrating its amphoteric behavior. Additionally, 1 can also conduct electron transfer reactions with a weak reducing agent such as diacetyl ferrocene, making it one of the reactive copper-based intermediates. One of the most important aspects of the current work is the easy synthesis of a CuII(mCPBA) adduct with no complicated ligands for stabilization. Over time, 1 decays to form a CuII paddle wheel complex (2) and is found to be unreactive towards substrate oxidation.

Intrinsic room-temperature ferromagnetism in a two-dimensional semiconducting metal-organic framework

The development of two-dimensional (2D) magnetic semiconductors with room-temperature ferromagnetism is a significant challenge in materials science and is important for the development of next-generation spintronic devices. Herein, we demonstrate that a 2D semiconducting antiferromagnetic Cu-MOF can be endowed with intrinsic room-temperature ferromagnetic coupling using a ligand cleavage strategy to regulate the inner magnetic interaction within the Cu dimers. Using the element-selective X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) technique, we provide unambiguous evidence for intrinsic ferromagnetism. Exhaustive structural characterizations confirm that the change of magnetic coupling is caused by the increased distance between Cu atoms within a Cu dimer. Theoretical calculations reveal that the ferromagnetic coupling is enhanced with the increased Cu-Cu distance, which depresses the hybridization between 3d orbitals of nearest Cu atoms. Our work provides an effective avenue to design and fabricate MOF-based semiconducting room-temperature ferromagnetic materials and promotes their practical applications in next-generation spintronic devices.

Broadband EPR Spectroscopy of the Triplet State: Multi-Frequency Analysis of Copper Acetate Monohydrate

Electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy is a long-standing method for the exploration of electronic structures of transition ion complexes. The difficulty of its analysis varies considerably, not only with the nature of the spin system, but more so with the relative magnitudes of the magnetic interactions to which the spin is subject, where particularly challenging cases ensue when two interactions are of comparable magnitude. A case in point is the triplet system S = 1 of coordination complexes with two unpaired electrons when the electronic Zeeman interaction and the electronic zero-field interaction are similar in strength. This situation occurs in the X-band spectra of the thermally excited triplet state of dinuclear copper(II) complexes, exemplified by copper acetate monohydrate. In this study, applicability of the recently developed low-frequency broadband EPR spectrometer to S = 1 systems is investigated on the analysis of multi-frequency, 0.5-16 GHz, data from [Cu(CH3COO)2H2O]2. Global fitting affords the spin Hamiltonian parameters gz = 2.365 ± 0.008; gy = 2.055 ± 0.010; gx = 2.077 ± 0.005; Az = 64 gauss; D = 0.335 ± 0.002 cm-1; E = 0.0105 ± 0.0003 cm-1. The latter two define zero-field absorptions at ca. 630, 7730, and 10,360 MHz, which show up in the spectra as one half of a sharpened symmetrical line. Overall, the EPR line shape is Lorentzian, reflecting spin-lattice relaxation, which is a combination of an unusual, essentially temperature-independent, inverted Orbach process via the S = 0 ground state, and a Raman process proportional to T2. Other broadening mechanisms are limited to at best minor contributions from a distribution in E values, and from dipolar interaction with neighboring copper pairs. Monitoring of a first-order double-quantum transition between 8 and 35 GHz shows a previously unnoticed very complex line shape behavior, which should be the subject of future research.

Cooperative and Orthogonal Switching in the Solid State Enabled by Metal-Organic Framework Confinement Leading to a Thermo-Photochromic Platform

Cooperative behavior and orthogonal responses of two classes of coordinatively integrated photochromic molecules towards distinct external stimuli were demonstrated on the first example of a photo-thermo-responsive hierarchical platform. Synergetic and orthogonal responses to temperature and excitation wavelength are achieved by confining the stimuli-responsive moieties within a metal-organic framework (MOF), leading to the preparation of a novel photo-thermo-responsive spiropyran-diarylethene based material. Synergistic behavior of two photoswitches enables the study of stimuli-responsive resonance energy transfer as well as control of the photoinduced charge transfer processes, milestones required to advance optoelectronics development. Spectroscopic studies in combination with theoretical modeling revealed a nonlinear effect on the material electronic structure arising from the coordinative integration of photoresponsive molecules with distinct photoisomerization mechanisms. Thus, the reported work covers multivariable facets of not only fundamental aspects of photoswitch cooperativity, but also provides a pathway to modulate photophysics and electronics of multidimensional functional materials exhibiting thermo-photochromism.

Stimuli-Modulated Metal Oxidation States in Photochromic MOFs

Tuning metal oxidation states in metal-organic framework (MOF) nodes by switching between two discrete linker photoisomers via an external stimulus was probed for the first time. On the examples of three novel photochromic copper-based frameworks, we demonstrated the capability of switching between +2 and +1 oxidation states, on demand. In addition to crystallographic methods used for material characterization, the role of the photochromic moieties for tuning the oxidation state was probed via conductivity measurements, cyclic voltammetry, and electron paramagnetic resonance, X-ray photoelectron, and diffuse reflectance spectroscopies. We confirmed the reversible photoswitching activity including photoisomerization rate determination of spiropyran- and diarylethene-containing linkers in extended frameworks, resulting in changes in metal oxidation states as a function of alternating excitation wavelengths. To elucidate the switching process between two states, the photoisomerization quantum yield of photochromic MOFs was determined for the first time. Overall, the introduced noninvasive concept of metal oxidation state modulation on the examples of stimuli-responsive MOFs foreshadows a new pathway for alternation of material properties toward targeted applications.

Ring opening polymerization of d,l-lactide and ε-caprolactone catalysed by (pyrazol-1-yl)copper(ii) carboxylate complexes

1,2-Bis{(3,5-dimethylpyrazol-1-yl)methyl}benzene (L) reacts with [Cu(OAc)₂] and C₆H₅COOH, 4-OH-C₆H₄COOH, 2-Cl-C₆H₄COOH and (3,5-NO₂)₂-C₆H₃COOH to afford the copper complexes [Cu₂(C₆H₅COO)₄(L)₂] (1), [Cu₂(4-OH-C₆H₄COO)₄(L)₂] (2), [Cu₂(2-Cl-C₆H₄COO)₄(L)₂]_n (3) and [Cu{(3,5-NO₂)₂-C₆H₃COO}₂L]_n (4) which are characterised by IR, mass spectrometry, elemental analyses, and X-ray crystallography. The structural data revealed two geometries that are adopted by the complexes: (i) paddle wheel in 1, 2·7H₂O, 3 and (ii) regular chains in 3 and 4. Magnetic studies show strong antiferromagnetic couplings in the paddle wheel complexes and a weak antiferromagnetic coupling in the monometallic chain one. Catalysis studies performed with these complexes (1–4) showed that they initiate ring opening polymerization (ROP) of ε-caprolactone (ε-CL) under solvent-free conditions and d,l-lactide in toluene at elevated temperatures. Polycaprolactone (PCL) and poly(d,l-lactide) (PLA) obtained from the polymerization reactions are of low molecular weights (858 for PCL and 602 Da for PLA for initiator 1) and polydispersity indices (typically 2.16 for PCL and 1.64 for PLA with 1 as the initiator). End group analysis of the polymers, determined by MALDI-ToF MS, indicates that the polymers have benzoate, hydroxyl, methoxy and cyclic end groups.

We report the synthesis, structure and complete characterization of four new pyrazolyl carboxylate-based copper(ii) complexes that catalyze the ring opening polymerization of ε-caprolactone under solvent-free conditions and of d,l-lactide in toluene.

Interactions between H-bonded [CuII3(μ3-OH)] triangles; a combined magnetic susceptibility and EPR study

X-band EPR spectroscopy and magnetic susceptibility studies elucidate the magnetic exchange scheme within a triangular CuII3(μ₃-OH) complex and the intermolecular dipolar interactions between two H-bonded CuII3(μ₃-OH) units.

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).

Controllable assembly of Cu(ii) coordination compounds based on a flexible zwitterionic benzimidazole–dicarboxylate ligand: synthesis, structural diversity, reversible SCSC transformation and magnetic properties

The reversible SCSC transformation of a paddle-wheel cluster to a 1D linear polymer could be accomplished.

Supramolecular architectures in Co(II) and Cu(II) complexes with thiophene-2-carboxylate and 2-amino-4,6-dimethoxypyrimidine ligands

The coordination chemistry of mixed-ligand complexes continues to be an active area of research since these compounds have a wide range of applications. Many coordination polymers and metal-organic framworks are emerging as novel functional materials. Aminopyrimidine and its derivatives are flexible ligands with versatile binding and coordination modes which have been proven to be useful in the construction of organic-inorganic hybrid materials and coordination polymers. Thiophenecarboxylic acid, its derivatives and their complexes exhibit pharmacological properties. Cobalt(II) and copper(II) complexes of thiophenecarboxylate have many biological applications, for example, as antifungal and antitumor agents. Two new cobalt(II) and copper(II) complexes incorporating thiophene-2-carboxylate (2-TPC) and 2-amino-4,6-dimethoxypyrimidine (OMP) ligands have been synthesized and characterized by X-ray diffraction studies, namely (2-amino-4,6-dimethoxypyrimidine-κN)aquachlorido(thiophene-2-carboxylato-κO)cobalt(II) monohydrate, [Co(C5H3O2S)Cl(C6H9N3O2)(H2O)]·H2O, (I), and catena-poly[copper(II)-tetrakis(μ-thiophene-2-carboxylato-κ(2)O:O')-copper(II)-(μ-2-amino-4,6-dimethoxypyrimidine-κ(2)N(1):N(3))], [Cu2(C5H3O2S)4(C6H9N3O2)]n, (II). In (I), the Co(II) ion has a distorted tetrahedral coordination environment involving one O atom from a monodentate 2-TPC ligand, one N atom from an OMP ligand, one chloride ligand and one O atom of a water molecule. An additional water molecule is present in the asymmetric unit. The amino group of the coordinated OMP molecule and the coordinated carboxylate O atom of the 2-TPC ligand form an interligand N-H...O hydrogen bond, generating an S(6) ring motif. The pyrimidine molecules also form a base pair [R2(2)(8) motif] via a pair of N-H...N hydrogen bonds. These interactions, together with O-H...O and O-H...Cl hydrogen bonds and π-π stacking interactions, generate a three-dimensional supramolecular architecture. The one-dimensional coordination polymer (II) contains the classical paddle-wheel [Cu2(CH3COO)4(H2O)2] unit, where each carboxylate group of four 2-TPC ligands bridges two square-pyramidally coordinated Cu(II) ions and the apically coordinated OMP ligands bridge the dinuclear copper units. Each dinuclear copper unit has a crystallographic inversion centre, whereas the bridging OMP ligand has crystallographic twofold symmetry. The one-dimensional polymeric chains self-assemble via N-H...O, π-π and C-H...π interactions, generating a three-dimensional supramolecular architecture.

Structure and magnetism of a binuclear Cu(II) pyrophosphate: transition to a 3D magnetic behaviour studied by single crystal EPR

A binuclear Cu(II) compound [Cu2(bpa)2(P2O7)(H2O)2]·2.5H2O, 1, (bpa = 2,2'-bipyridylamine), with pairs of Cu(II) ions bridged by one pyrophosphate tetra-anion, was synthesized and crystallized. Its triclinic structure was determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra of single crystal samples of 1 were recorded for a fixed orientation of the magnetic field (B0) as a function of temperature (T) between 4.7 and 293 K, and at T = 4.7, 50 and 293 K, as a function of the orientation of B0. Below ∼8 K, the spectra are assigned to two types of mononuclear crystal defects hyperfine-coupled to one copper and two nitrogen nuclei. The g-matrices and hyperfine couplings at these T provide information about the structures of these defects. Above 10 K, the spectrum is dominated by the response of the bulk binuclear Cu(II) material, showing hyperfine interactions with two copper nuclei, collapsing to a single peak above 18 K when the units are magnetically connected, and the magnetic behaviour becomes 3D. We attribute the results above 10 K to the interplay of an AFM intrabinuclear exchange interaction J0 = -28(3) cm(-1) (defined as Hex = -J0S1·S2), and three orders of magnitude weaker exchange coupling with average magnitude |J1| ≥ 0.022 cm(-1) between Cu(II) ions in neighbouring binuclear units. The interplays between structure, exchange couplings, magnetic dimension and spin dynamics in the binuclear compound are discussed. A previously unreported situation, where the structure of the spectra arising from the anisotropic spin-spin interaction term (D) within the binuclear unit is averaged out, but the forbidden half field transition is not, is observed and explained.

Synthesis, structure, magnetic properties and EPR spectroscopy of a copper(ii) coordination polymer with a ditopic hydrazone ligand and acetate bridges

The synthesis, structure, EPR spectroscopy and magnetic properties of a 1D coordination polymer of Cu(ii) containing two kinds of acetate bridged dimers is reported.