[PdS2C2(COOMe)2](6n) (n = 0, -1, -2, -3, -4): hexanuclear homoleptic palladium dithiolene complexes

C2-isomer of [Pd(tfd)]6 [tfd is S2C2(CF3)2] as its benzene solvate: a new member of the small but growing class of homoleptic palladium(II) monodi-thio-lenes in the form of hexa-meric cubes

The title compound, hexa-kis-[μ3-1,2-bis-(tri-fluoro-meth-yl)ethene-1,2-di-thiol-ato]-octa-hedro-hexa-palladium(II), [Pd(C4F6S2)]6, crystallizes as its benzene solvate, [Pd(tfd)]6·2.5C6H6, where tfd is the di-thiol-ene S2C2(CF3)2. The mol-ecular structure of [Pd(tfd)]6 is of the hexa-metallic cube type seen previously in three examples of hexa-meric homoleptic palladium monodi-thiol-ene structures. All structures have in common: (a) the cluster closely approximates a cube containing six PdII atoms, one at the centre of each cube face; (b) 12 S atoms occupy the mid-points of all 12 cube edges, providing for each PdII atom an approximately square-planar S4 environment; (c) each S atom is part of a di-thiol-ene mol-ecule, where the size of the di-thiol-ene ligand necessitates that only sulfur atoms on adjacent cube edges can be part of the same di-thiol-ene. This general cube-type framework has so far given rise to two isomeric types: an S6-symmetric isomer and a C2-chiral type (two isomers that are enanti-omers of each other). The structure of [Pd(tfd)]6 is of the C2-type. Out of the 12 CF3 groups, three are rotationally disordered over two positions. Further, we answer the question of whether additional, previously undiscovered, isomers could follow from the cube rules (a) through (c) above. An exhaustive analysis shows that no additional isomers are possible and that the list of isomers (one S6 isomer, two C2 enanti-omers) is complete. Each isomer type could give rise to an unlimited number of compounds if the specific di-thiol-ene used is varied.

Multi-site reactivity: reduction of six equivalents of nitrite to give an Fe6(NO)6 cluster with a dramatically expanded octahedral core

Reaction of NO(2)(-) with the octahedral cluster ((H)L)(2)Fe(6) in the presence of a proton source affords the hexanitrosyl cluster ((H)L)(2)Fe(6)(NO)(6). This species forms via a proton-induced reduction of six nitrite molecules per cluster, utilizing each site available on the polynuclear core. Formation of the hexanitrosyl cluster is accompanied by a near 2-fold expansion of the ((H)L)(2)Fe(6) core volume, where intracore Fe-Fe interactions are overcome by strong π-bonding between Fe centers and NO ligands. A core volume of this magnitude is rare in octahedral metal clusters not supported by interstitial atoms. Moreover, the structural flexibility afforded by the ((H)L)(2)Fe(6) platform highlights the potential for other reaction chemistry involving species with metal-ligand multiple bonds. Carrying out the reaction of the cluster [((H)L)(2)Fe(6)(NCMe)(6)](4+) with nitrite in the absence of a proton source serves to forestall the nitrite reduction and enables clean isolation of the intermediate hexanitro cluster [((H)L)(2)Fe(6)(NO(2))(6)](2-).

Efficient transfer of either one or two dithiolene ligands from nickel to ruthenium: synthesis and crystal structures of [Ru(SCR=CPhS)(2)(PPh(3))] and [RuCl(2)(SCR=CPhS)(PPh(3))(2)] (R = Ph, H)

High yields of two different types of ruthenium dithiolene complex have been obtained by reactions that involve transfer of the dithiolene ligands from the nickel complexes [Ni(SCR=CPhS)(2)] (R = Ph, H) to [RuCl(2)(PPh(3))(3)]. At room temperature one dithiolene is rapidly transferred to yield [RuCl(2)(SCR=CPhS)(PPh(3))(2)], whereas under thermal conditions (refluxing toluene) two dithiolene ligands are incorporated to give [Ru(SCR=CPhS)(2)(PPh(3))]. The crystal structures of the ruthenium bis(dithiolene) complexes indicate that the dithiolene ligands are bonded in the monoanionic form, whereas in the monodithiolene complexes the dithioketone canonical form of the dithiolene ligand is more in evidence, as shown by the average C-S and C=C bond distances in the ligands. This is consistent with both complexes containing Ru(II) centers. The synthesis of the mixed-ligand bis(dithiolene) complex [Ru(SCH=CPhS)(S(2)C(2)Ph(2))(PPh(3))] has been achieved and it is shown that the bis(dithiolene) complexes undergo relatively slow scrambling of the dithiolene ligands in solution. The complex [Ru(SCH=CFcS)(2)(PPh(3))], containing two ferrocenyl-substituted dithiolene ligands, was also prepared, but attempts to establish the degree of electrochemical communication between them were hampered by instability and the irreversible nature of the redox processes.

Zinc, cadmium, and mercury 1,2-benzenedithiolates with intramolecular NH...S hydrogen bonds

Mononuclear Zn, Cd, and Hg 1,2-benzenedithiolates with intramolecular NH...S hydrogen bonds, [M(II){1,2-S2-3,6-(RCONH)2C6H2}2](2-) (R = CH 3, t-Bu; M = Zn, Cd, Hg), were synthesized and characterized by X-ray analysis and spectral measurements. The presence of intramolecular NH...S hydrogen bonds was established by the IR spectra. (199)Hg and (113)Cd nuclear magnetic resonance showed a stabilized four-thiolate coordinated structure and suggested the influence of the NH...S hydrogen bonds to ppi(Hg)-ppi(S) interactions. The NH stretching bands show that the NH...S hydrogen bonds in Cd and Hg complexes are stronger than those in the corresponding Zn complex. These results are supported by theoretical calculations. The experimental and theoretical results suggested that the NH...S hydrogen bond influences the efficient capture of toxic Cd and Hg ions by metallothioneins.

Neutral Molecular Pd6 Hexagons Using κ3-P2O-Terdentate Ligands

The one-step synthesis of three new P2O-terdentate carboxylic acid ditertiary phosphines 2-{(Ph2PCH2)2N}-3-(X)C6H3CO2H (X = OCH3, L1; X = OH, L2) and 2-{(Ph2PCH2)2N}-5-(OH)C6H3CO2H (L3) by a phosphorus-based Mannich condensation reaction using Ph2PCH2OH and the appropriate amine in CH3OH is reported. Compounds L1-L3 function as typical kappa2-P2-didentate ligands upon complexation to Pd(CH3)Cl(cod) (cod = cycloocta-1,5-diene), affording the neutral, mononuclear complexes Pd(CH3)Cl(L1-L3) (1-3). Metathesis of 1 with NaX (X = Br, I) gave the corresponding (methyl)bromopalladium(II) (4) and (methyl)iodopalladium(II) (5) complexes, respectively. When chloroform or chloroform/methanol solutions of 1-3 (or 5) were allowed to stand, at ambient temperatures, yellow crystalline solids were isolated in very high yields (71-88%) and were analyzed for the novel hexameric palladium(II) compounds 6-9. All new compounds reported have been fully characterized by a combination of spectroscopic (multinuclear NMR, Fourier transform IR, electrospray mass spectrometry, matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry) and analytical methods. The self-assembly reactions are remarkably clean as monitored by 31P{1H} and 1H NMR spectroscopy. Single-crystal X-ray structures have been determined for L1, 4, 7.17CDCl3.2Et2O, 8.6CHCl3.8CH3OH, and 9.17CDCl3. In hexamers 7-9, all six square-planar palladium(II) metal centers comprise a kappa2-P2-chelating diphosphine, a kappa1-O-monodentate carboxylate, and either a chloride or iodide ligand, leading to 48-membered metallomacrocycles (with outside diameters of ca. 2.5 nm). Whereas only intramolecular O-H...N hydrogen bonding between the hydroxy group and tertiary amine has been observed in 7, strong intermolecular O-H...O hydrogen bonding of the type CO...HO(CH3)...HO, involving a methanol solvate, has been found in 8, leading to an unprecedented three-dimensional network motif.

Pinwheel motifs: formation of unusual homo- and hetero-nuclear aggregates via bridging thiolates

The homohexanuclear complexes [Ni2[Ni(L1)]4](BF4)4 x MeCN, 1, [Pd2(Pd(L2)]4](BF4)4, 2, and the heteropentanuclear aggregate [Cu2[Ni(L3)]3](PF6)2, 3, all adopt a 'pinwheel' type structural motif via thiolate bridging between square-planar Ni(II) or Pd(II) and between trigonal planar Cu(I) centres, respectively.