Copper(II) Dinuclear Pyrazine-Based Rack-Type Complexes: Preparation, Structure, and Magnetic Properties

Recent developments in supramolecular complexes of azabenzenes containing one to four N atoms: synthetic strategies, structures, and magnetic properties

For the last couple of decades, azabenzene-based ligands have drawn much attention from inorganic chemists due to their ability to coordinate with different metal ions to form supramolecular clusters. These azabenzenes are weak σ donors and strong π acceptors and electron-deficient. Metallogrid complexes and non-grid oligomers are well-defined supramolecular clusters, formed by appropriate chelating ligands, and can show interesting optical, magnetic, and electronic properties. Self-assembly of [n × n] metallogrid complexes is dominated by the entropic factor while the formation of oligonuclear metal ion complexes is dominated by other effects like CFSE, electrostatic factors, ligand conformational characters, etc. Herein, the present article gives an overview of six-membered heterocyclic azine-based ligands and their potential for different metal ions to form polynuclear complexes. Moreover, their temperature-dependent magnetic properties and SCO phenomena are well described and tabulated.

Different packing motifs of isomeric (E)-N'-(halo-phenyl-methyl-idene)-N-methyl-2-(thio-phen-2-yl)acetohydrazides controlled by C-H⋯O inter-actions

The crystal structures of three isomeric (E)-N'-(chloro-phenyl-methyl-idene)-N-methyl-2-(thio-phen-2-yl)acetohydrazides (C14H13ClN2OS) are described, with the Cl atom in ortho (I), meta (III) and para (IV) positions in the benzene ring. The ortho-bromo derivative (II) (C14H13BrN2OS), which is isostructural with its chloro congener (I), is also reported. Mol-ecules (I)-(III) have similar conformations, which approximate to l-shapes, as indicated by their N-C-C-Ct (t = thio-phene) torsion angles of -90.1 (3), -91.44 (18) and -90.7 (9)°, respectively. The conformation of (IV) is different, with an equivalent torsion angle of -170.75 (11)° corresponding to a more extended shape for the mol-ecule. The thio-phene ring in each structure features 'flip' rotational disorder. The packing for (I) and (II) features inversion dimers, linked by pairs of C-H⋯O inter-actions, which generate R22(14) loops. In the crystal of (III), [010] C(8) chains arise, with adjacent mol-ecules linked by pairs of C-H⋯O hydrogen bonds. The packing for (IV) features unusually short C-H⋯O inter-actions arising from an H atom attached to the benzene ring (H⋯O = 2.18 Å), which lead to C(9) [301] chains. Hirshfeld fingerprint percentage contact contributions are similar for the four title compounds.

Crystal structures and Hirshfeld surfaces of differently substituted (E)-N'-benzyl-idene-N-methyl-2-(thio-phen-2-yl)acetohydrazides

The syntheses and crystal structures of (E)-N'-(3-cyano-benzyl-idene)-N-methyl-2-(thio-phen-2-yl)acetohydrazide, C15H13N3OS, (I), and (E)-N'-(4-meth-oxy-benzyl-idene)-N-methyl-2-(thio-phen-2-yl)acetohydrazide, C15H16N2O2S, (II), with different substituents in the meta and para position of the benzene ring are described. Compounds (I) and (II) both crystallize with two mol-ecules in the asymmetric unit, with generally similar conformations [r.m.s. overlay fits for (I) and (II) of 0.334 and 0.280 Å, respectively] that approximate to L-shapes. The thio-phene rings in (I) are well ordered, whereas those in (II) exhibit 'flip' rotational disorder [occupancies 0.662 (2) and 0.338 (2) for mol-ecule 1, and 0.549 (3) and 0.451 (3) for mol-ecule 2]. The packing for (I) features short C-H⋯O inter-actions arising from the C-H grouping adjacent to the cyanide group and C-H⋯Nc (c = cyanide) links arising from the methine groups to generate [110] double chains. Weak C-H⋯π inter-actions inter-link the chains into a three-dimensional network. The packing for (II) features numerous C-H⋯O and C-H⋯π inter-actions arising from different donor groups to generate a three-dimensional network. Hirshfeld fingerprint plots indicate significant differences in the percentage contact surfaces for (I) and (II).

Self-Assembly of Cyclohelicate [M3 L3 ] Triangles Over [M4 L4 ] Squares, Despite Near-Linear Bis-terdentate L and Octahedral M

Self-assembly of 1:1:2 M^II (BF₄ )₂ (M=Zn or Fe), pyrazine-2,5-dicarbaldehyde (1) and 2-(2-aminoethyl)pyridine gave trimetallic triangle architectures rather than the anticipated tetrametallic [2×2] squares. Options for the nontrivial synthesis of 1 are considered, and synthetic details provided for both preferred routes. Rare cyclohelicate triangle architectures are observed for the pair of structurally characterized yellow-brown [Zn₃ L₃ ](BF₄ )₆ and dark green [Fe₃ L₃ ](BF₄ )₆ complexes of the neutral bis-terdentate Schiff base L. In order to form these pyrazine-edged triangles, the octahedral metal ions-with all 6 N-donors provided by the terdentate binding pockets of two L-are located 0.4-0.5 Å out of the plane of the bridging pyrazines, towards the center of the triangle. Density functional theory calculations confirm that simple particle counting entropic arguments, which predict triangles over squares, are correct here, with the triangles shown to be energetically favored over the corresponding squares. However, importantly, DFT analysis of these and related triangle versus square systems also show that vibrational contributions to entropy dominate and may significantly influence the preferred architecture, such that simple particle counting cannot in general be reliably employed to predict the observed architecture.

Different weak inter-actions in the crystals of three isomeric (E)-N-methyl-N'-(nitro-benzyl-idene)-2-(thio-phen-2-yl)acetohydrazides

The crystal structures of three isomeric (E)-N-methyl-N'-(nitro-benzyl-idene)-2-(thio-phen-2-yl)acetohydrazides (formula C14H13N3O3S) are described, with the nitro group in ortho, meta and para positions in the benzene ring. In each crystal structure, mol-ecules are linked by various weak inter-actions (C-H⋯O and C-H⋯π bonds, and π-π stacking), leading to three-dimensional networks in each case, but with little similarity between them.

Understand, elucidate and rationalize the coordination mode of pyrimidylmethylamines: an intertwined study combining NMR and DFT methods

Elucidation of the coordination modes in the pyrimidylmethylamines by NMR and DFT methods.

Metal-coordination-driven dynamic heteroleptic architectures

Dynamic heteroleptic coordination at metal centres is quite common in Nature and often related to a specific biological function, such as in zinc finger proteins and in hemoglobin for oxygen transport. To achieve the required high heteroleptic fidelity, representative biological systems avail themselves of "intramolecular" multidentate coordination using the protein backbone as a "superligand". In contrast, dynamic heteroleptic coordination at a single metal centre in solution requires to bind different freely exchanging ligands under thermodynamic control. In this tutorial review we present the emerging principles of how to assemble dissimilar ligands at dynamically exchanging metal centres, with a particular emphasis on using the precepts for the fabrication of heteroleptic supramolecular assemblies in solution.

Design and synthesis of a stable supramolecular trigonal prism formed by the self-assembly of a linear tetrakis(Zn2+-cyclen) complex and trianionic trithiocyanuric acid in aqueous solution and its complexation with DNA (cyclen = 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane)

A new supramolecular complex, {(Zn(4)L(4))(3)-(TCA(3-))(4)}(12+), was designed and synthesized by the 3:4 self-assembly of a linear tetrakis(Zn(2+)-cyclen) complex (Zn(4)L(4))(8+) and trianionic trithiocyanurate (TCA(3-)) in aqueous solution (cyclen = 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane). The {(Zn(4)L(4))(3)-(TCA(3-))(4)}(12+) complex, which should have a trigonal prism configuration, was found to be very stable in aqueous solution at neutral pH and 25 degrees C, as evidenced by (1)H NMR titration, potentiometric pH and UV titrations, and MS measurements. The complex does not dissociate into the starting building blocks in the presence of Zn(2+)-binding anions such as phosphates and double-stranded DNA. The results of the competitive binding assays with ethidium bromide and calf-thymus DNA, thermal melting experiments, gel mobility shift assays, and dynamic light-scattering data strongly indicated that the trigonal prism functions as a polycationic template to induce the aggregation of double-stranded DNA.

catena-Poly[[chloridomercury(II)]-μ-1,4-diaza-bicyclo-[2.2.2]octane-κN:N'-[chlorido-mercury(II)]-di-μ-chlorido]

In the title coordination polymer, [Hg(2)Cl(4)(C(6)H(12)N(2))](n), each Hg(II) center within the chain is four-coordinated by one terminal Cl atom, two bridging μ(2)-Cl atoms, and one N-atom donor from a μ(2)-1,4-diaza-bicyclo-[2.2.2]octane (μ(2)-daco) ligand in a distorted tetra-hedral geometry. The daco ligand acts as an end-to-end bridging ligand and bridges adjacent Hg(II) centers, forming a chain running along [001]. Weak C-H⋯Cl hydrogen-bonding inter-actions link the chains into a three-dimensional network. Comparison of the structural differences with previous findings suggests that the space between the two N donors, as well as the skeletal rigidity in N-heterocyclic linear ligands, may play an important role in the construction of such supra-molecular networks.