(Bis(imino)aryl)rhodium(III) Halide and Methyl Compounds

In silico and in vivo neuropharmacological evaluation of two γ-amino acid isomers derived from 2,3-disubstituted benzofurans, as ligands of GluN1-GluN2A NMDA receptor

The GABAergic and glutamatergic neurotransmission systems are involved in seizures and other disorders of the central nervous system (CNS). Benzofuran derivatives often serve as the core in drugs used to treat such neurological disorders. The aim of this study was to synthesize new γ-amino acids structurally related to GABA and derived from 2,3-disubstituted benzofurans, analyze in silico their potential toxicity, ADME properties, and affinity for the GluN1-GluN2A NMDA receptor, and evaluate their potential activity and neuronal mechanisms in a murine model of pentylenetetrazol (PTZ)- and 4-aminopyridine (4-AP)-induced seizures. The in silico analysis evidenced a low risk of toxicity for the test compounds as well as the probability that they can cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) to reach their targets in the CNS. According to docking simulations, these compounds bind at the active site of the NMDA glutamate receptor with high affinity. The in vivo assays demonstrated that 4 protects against 4-AP-induced seizure episodes, suggesting negative allosteric modulation (NAMs) at the glutamatergic NMDA receptor. Contrarily, 3 (the regioisomer of 4) and its racemic derivatives (cis-2,3-dihydrobenzofurans) were previously described to exacerbate such episodes, pointing to their positive allosteric modulation (PAMs) of the same receptor.

Rhodium Diamidobenzene Complexes: A Tale of Different Substituents on the Diamidobenzene Ligand

Diamidobenzene ligands are a prominent class of redox-active ligands owing to their electron reservoir behaviour, as well as the possibility of tuning the steric and the electronic properties of such ligands through the substituents on the N-atoms of the ligands. In this contribution, we present Rh(iii) complexes with four differently substituted diamidobenzene ligands. By using a combination of crystallography, NMR spectroscopy, electrochemistry, UV-vis-NIR/EPR spectroelectrochemistry, and quantum chemical calculations we show that the substituents on the ligands have a profound influence on the bonding, donor, electrochemical and spectroscopic properties of the Rh complexes. We present, for the first time, design strategies for the isolation of mononuclear Rh(ii) metallates whose redox potentials span across more than 850 mV. These Rh(ii) metallates undergo typical metalloradical reactivity such as activation of O₂ and C–Cl bond activations. Additionally, we also show that the substituents on the ligands dictate the one versus two electron nature of the oxidation steps of the Rh complexes. Furthermore, the oxidative reactivity of the metal complexes with a [CH₃]⁺ source leads to the isolation of a unprecedented, homobimetallic, heterovalent complex featuring a novel π-bonded rhodio-o-diiminoquionone. Our results thus reveal several new potentials of the diamidobenzene ligand class in organometallic reactivity and small molecule activation with potential relevance for catalysis.

Diamidobenzene ligands are versatile platforms in organometallic Rh-chemistry. They allow the isolation of tunable mononuclear ate-complexes, and the formation of a unprecedented homobimetallic, heterovalent complex.

One-pot synthesis of cobalt complexes with 2,6-bis(arylimino)phenoxyl/phenthioxyl ligands and catalysis on isoprene polymerization

Several cobalt complexes supported by 2,6-bis(arylimino)phenoxyl/phenthioxyl ligands κ2N,X-Ar[NXN]CoCl(THF) (1a, X = O, Ar = 2,6-Me2C6H3; 1b, X = O, Ar = 2,6-iPr2C6H3; 2a, X = S, Ar = 2,6-Me2C6H3; 2b, X = S, Ar = 2,6-iPr2C6H3) were synthesized by direct oxygen(sulfur) insertion into the C-Co bond of the mixed-valence cobalt complexes {κ2C,N,η6-Ar[NCN]Co-κN-CoCl(μ-Cl)}2. Crystallization of 1b in the presence of water gave the hydrolysis product 1b'. Treatment of Ar[NCN]Li with dioxygen followed by the addition of CoCl2 afforded the heteroatomic complexes {κ2N,O-Ar[NON]Co(μ-Cl)2Li}2 (3a, Ar = 2,6-Me2C6H3; 3b, Ar = 2,6-iPr2C6H3) or κ2N,O-Ar[NON]Co2Cl2(μ-Cl)2Li(THF)2 (4a, Ar = 2,6-Me2C6H3; 4b, Ar = 2,6-iPr2C6H3) depending on the amount of CoCl2 used. The Co(iii)/Li heterometallic complex 3b' with imino-phenoxyl-amino ligands was formed probably via a redox reaction of 3b. The reactions of Ar[NCN]Li with elemental sulfur and CoCl2 gave κ2N,S-Ar[NSN]Co2Cl2(μ-Cl)2Li(THF)2 (5a, Ar = 2,6-Me2C6H3; 5b, Ar = 2,6-iPr2C6H3) respectively. These complexes were well characterized by FT-IR and elemental analyses, and the molecular structures of 1b', 3b', 4a, and 4b were confirmed by X-ray crystallography. Upon activation with Al2Et3Cl3 in toluene, these complexes showed high activities in isoprene polymerization affording cis-1,4 enriched polymers with a moderate molecular weight (0.85-4.72 × 104 Da).

Bis(imino)aryl NCN pincer cobalt complexes: synthesis and disproportionation

Treatment of iPr[NCN]Br (2,6-(2,6-iPr2C6H3C[double bond, length as m-dash]N)2C6H3Br) with nBuLi in THF and the subsequent addition of 1 equiv. of CoCl2, CoCl2(Ph3P)2, and CoBr2 gave pincer Co(ii) complexes {iPr[NCN]Co(μ-Cl)}2 (1d), iPr[NCN]CoClPh3P (1d-Ph3P), and iPr[NCN]CoBr2·Li(THF)4 (1d-LiBr) respectively in moderate yields, whereas the slow addition of in situ prepared iPr[NCN]Li to CoCl2 in THF afforded an unexpected mixed-valence cobalt(i/ii) complex κ2C,N,η6-iPr[NCN]Co-κN-CoCl3·Li(THF)4 (2d). Complex 2d was probably formed via a disproportionation reaction of the iPr[NCN]Co(ii) species with excess CoCl2 during the reaction. Nevertheless, addition of CoCl2 to in situ formed 1d-THF at room temperature did not lead to 2d but gave a trinuclear Co(ii) complex {iPr[NCN]Co(μ-Cl)(μ-Br/Cl)}2Co (1d-CoCl2) in moderate yield. Similar reactions using ligands containing small ortho groups in the imine moieties R[NCN]Br (2,6-(2,6-Me2C6H3C[double bond, length as m-dash]N)2C6H3Br, Me[NCN]Br; 2,6-(2,6-Et2C6H3C[double bond, length as m-dash]N)2C6H3Br, Et[NCN]Br; 2,6-(2,4,6-Me3C6H2C[double bond, length as m-dash]N)2C6H3Br, Mes[NCN]Br) and CoBr2, regardless of the reactant addition sequence, afforded mixed-valence cobalt(i/ii) complexes {κ2C,N,η6-R[NCN]Co-κN-CoBr(μ-Br)}2 (Me[NCN] (2a), Et[NCN] (2b), and Mes[NCN] (2c)), suggesting that the bulkiness of the ortho-groups in the imine moieties of the ligands plays an important role in the disproportionation reaction. In the presence of PMe3, Co(ii) complexes κ2C,N-R[NCN]CoBr(PMe3)2 (3a-d) and a bisligated cobalt(ii) complex κ3N,C,N-κ2C,N-iPr[NCN]2CoPMe3 (4d) can be prepared respectively in high yields. The molecular structures of 1d-LiBr, 1d-CoCl2, 2b, 2d, 3a, and 4d were confirmed by X-ray crystallographic analysis and the detailed mechanisms of the disproportionation reaction were proposed.

Modulation of the coordination geometries of NCN and NCNC Rh complexes for ambidextrous chiral catalysts

A chirality switch between novel NCN pincer Rh complexes and a related double cyclometalated NCNC Rh complex containing secondary amino groups is described.

Chelation-assisted carbon-halogen bond activation by a rhodium(I) complex

Chelation-assisted activation of C-X bonds (X = Cl, Br, and I) took place in the reaction of [Rh(PPh(3))(2)(acetone)(2)](+) and 2-(2-halophenyl)pyridine or 10-halobenzo[h]quinoline. A series of 16-electron five-coordinate cationic rhodium(III) monohalide complexes was synthesized at room temperature. Neutral octahedral rhodium(III) dihalide complexes were obtained when the corresponding cationic monohalide complexes were further heated in acetone. Rhodium and iridium diiodides with these cyclometalation motifs could be alternatively synthesized from the reaction of the corresponding cyclometalated hydride complexes and I(2). X-ray crystal structures of representative monohalide and dihalide complexes are reported. Octahedral rhodium(III) dihalide complexes are active catalysts for the dimerization of terminal alkynes, while 16-electron cationic rhodium(III) monohalides are inactive.

Highly cis-1,4 selective polymerization of dienes with homogeneous Ziegler-Natta catalysts based on NCN-pincer rare earth metal dichloride precursors

The first aryldiimine NCN-pincer ligated rare earth metal dichlorides (2,6-(2,6-C6H3R2N=CH)2-C6H3)LnCl2(THF)2 (Ln = Y, R = Me (1), Et (2), iPr (3); R = Et, Ln = La (4), Nd (5), Gd (6), Sm (7), Eu (8), Tb (9), Dy (10), Ho (11), Yb (12), Lu (13)) were successfully synthesized via transmetalation between 2,6-(2,6-C6H3-R2N=CH)2-C6H3Li and LnCl3(THF)(1-3.5). These complexes are isostructural monomers with two coordinating THF molecules, where the pincer ligand coordinates to the central metal ion in a kappaC:kappaN:kappaN' tridentate mode, adopting a meridional geometry. Complexes 1-6, 9-11, and 13 combined with aluminum tris(alkyl)s and [Ph3C][B(C6F5)4] established a homogeneous Ziegler-Natta catalyst system, which exhibited high activities and excellent cis-1,4 selectivities for the polymerizations of butadiene (T(p) = 25 degrees C, 99.9%; 0 degrees C, 100%) and isoprene (T(p) = 25 degrees C, 98.8%). Remarkably, such high cis-1,4 selectivity almost remained at elevated polymerization temperatures up to 80 degrees C and did not vary with the type of the central lanthanide element, however, which was influenced obviously by the ortho substituent of the N-aryl ring of the ligands and the bulkiness of the aluminum alkyls. The Ln-Al bimetallic cations were considered as the active species. These results shed new light on improving the catalytic performance of the conventional Ziegler-Natta catalysts for the specific selective polymerization of dienes.

NCN Pincer Palladium Complexes: Their Preparation via a Ligand Introduction Route and Their Catalytic Properties

A wide range of NCN pincer palladium complexes, [4-tert-butyl-2,6-bis(N-alkylimino)phenyl]chloropalladium (alkyl = n-butyl, benzyl, cyclohexyl, tert-butyl, adamantyl, phenyl, 4-methoxyphenyl), were readily prepared from trans-(4-tert-butyl-2,6-diformylphenyl)chlorobis(triphenylphosphine)palladium via dehydrative introduction of the corresponding alkylimino ligand groups (ligand introduction route) in excellent yields (71-98%). NMR studies on this route for forming pincer complexes revealed the intermediacy of [4-tert-butyl-2,6-bis(N-alkylimino)phenyl]chlorobis(triphenylphosphine)palladium which is in equilibrium with the corresponding NCN pincer complexes via coordination/dissociation of the intramolecular imino groups and triphenylphosphine ligands. A series of chiral NCN pincer complexes bearing pyrroloimidazolone units as the trans-chelating donor groups, [4-tert-butyl-2,6-bis{(3R,7aS)-2-phenylhexahydro-1H-pyrrolo[1,2-c]imidazol-1-on-3-yl}phenyl]chloropalladium, were also prepared from the same precursor via condensation with proline anilides in high yields. The catalytic properties of the NCN imino and the NCN pyrroloimidazolone pincer palladium complexes were examined in the Heck reaction and the asymmetric Michael reaction to demonstrate their high catalytic activity and high enantioselectivity.