Hemilabile bonding of 1-oxa-4,7-dithiacyclononane in cyclometallated palladium(ii) complexes

The synthesis and characterization of a series of cyclometallated complexes of Pd(ii) incorporating the mixed donor ligand 1-oxa-4,7-dithiacyclononane ([9]aneS₂O) are presented in this study. Complexes of the form [Pd(C^N)([9]aneS₂O)](PF₆) (C^N = 2-phenylpyridine (ppy) 1b, 4-(2-pyridyl)benzaldehyde (ppyCHO) 2b, 7,8-benzoquinoline (bzq) 3b, 2-benzothienylpyridine (btp) 4b, 2-phenylbenzothiazole (pbt) 5b), were obtained in high-yield from a simple two-step synthetic scheme. All of these complexes were fully characterized by NMR, ESI-MS, IR, combustion analyses, and most (1b, 2b, 4b, 5b) by X-ray crystallography. Solution ¹H and ¹³C NMR studies of [Pd(C^N)([9]aneS₂O)](PF₆) complexes demonstrate complicated [9]aneS₂O behavior at room temperature. Variable temperature NMR reveals dynamic bonding of the [9]aneS₂O ligand consistent with the presence of both endodentate and exodentate bonding modes. This is in stark contrast to the related [9]aneS₃ (1,4,7-trithiacyclononane) cogeners that demonstrate fluxional endodentate bonding only in solution. X-ray structures reveal only exodenate [9]aneS₂O bonding in this series, unlike the related [9]aneS₃ complexes that show endodenate bonding with an axial PdS interaction. DFT calculations performed on endo and exo [9]aneS₂O bonding forms of 4b, as well as a transition state calculation for interconversion, suggest reasonable access to both bonding forms based on the energy barrier. Natural bond order calculations provide further evidence for a weak axial PdO interaction in the endo form of 4b.

Halide exchange studies of novel Pd(ii) NNN-pincer complexes

Halide exchange in palladium(ii) complexes with NNN-type pincer ligands is investigated.

An Extended Chain and Trinuclear Complexes Based on Pt(II)-M (M = Tl(I), Pb(II)) Bonds: Contrasting Photophysical Behavior

The syntheses and structural characterizations of a Pt-Tl chain [{Pt(bzq)(C6F5)2}Tl(Me2CO)]n 1 and two trinuclear Pt2M clusters (NBu4)[{Pt(bzq)(C6F5)2}2Tl] 2 and [{Pt(bzq)(C6F5)2}2Pb] 3 (bzq = 7,8-benzoquinolinyl), stabilized by donor-acceptor Pt → M bonds, are reported. The one-dimensional heterometallic chain 1 is formed by alternate "Pt(bzq)(C6F5)2" and "Tl(Me2CO)" fragments, with Pt-Tl bond separations in the range of 2.961(1)-3.067(1) Å. The isoelectronic trinuclear complexes 2 (which crystallizes in three forms, namely, 2a, 2b, and 2c) and 3 present a sandwich structure in which the Tl(I) or Pb(II) is located between two "Pt(bzq)(C6F5)2" subunits. NMR studies suggest equilibria in solution implying cleavage and reformation of Pt-M bonds. The lowest-lying absorption band in the UV-vis spectra in CH2Cl2 and tetrahydrofuran (THF) of 1, associated with (1)MLCT/(1)L'LCT (1)[5dπ(Pt) → π*(bzq)]/(1)[(C6F5) → bzq], displays a blue shift in relation to the precursor, suggesting the cleavage of the chain maintaining bimetallic Pt-Tl fragments in solution, also supported by NMR spectroscopy. In 2 and 3, it shows a blue shift in THF and a red shift in CH2Cl2, supporting a more extensive cleavage of the Pt-M bonds in THF solutions than in CH2Cl2, where the trinuclear entities are predominant. The Pt-Tl chain 1 displays in solid state a bright orange-red emission ascribed to (3)MM'CT (M' = Tl). It exhibits remarkable and fast reversible vapochromic and vapoluminescent response to donor vapors (THF and Et2O), related to the coordination/decoordination of the guest molecule to the Tl(I) ion, and mechanochromic behavior, associated with the shortening of the intermetallic Pt-Tl separations in the chain induced by grinding. In frozen solutions (THF, acetone, and CH2Cl2) 1 shows interesting luminescence thermochromism with emissions strongly dependent on the solvent, concentration, and excitation wavelengths. The Pt2Tl complex 2 shows an emission close to 1, ascribed to charge transfer from the platinum fragment to the thallium [(3)(L+L')MM'CT]. 2 also shows vapoluminescent behavior in the presence of vapors of Me2CO, THF, and Et2O, although smaller and slower than those of 1. The trinuclear neutral complex Pt2Pb 3 displays a blue-shift emission band, tentatively assigned to admixture of (3)MM'CT (3)[Pt(d) → Pb(sp)] with some metal-mediated intraligand ((3)ππ/(3)ILCT) contribution. In contrast to 1 and 2, 3 does not show vapoluminescent behavior.

Gold(iii) assisted C–H activation of 1,4,7-trithiacyclononane: synthesis and spontaneous resolution of a bicyclic chiral sulfonium salt

A trithiamacrocyclic ligand complex of Au(iii) undergoes a redox-mediated thermal reaction to form a chiral bicyclic sulfonium salt.

Rollover cyclometalation with 2-(2'-pyridyl)quinoline

Rollover cyclometalation of 2-(2'-pyridyl)quinoline, L, allowed the synthesis of the family of complexes [Pt(L-H)(X)(L')] and [Pt(L*)(X)(L')][BF4] (X = Me, Cl; L' = neutral ligand), the former being the first examples of Pt(II) rollover complexes derived from the ligand L. The ligand L* is a C,N cyclometalated, N-protonated isomer of L, and can also be described as an abnormal-remote pyridylene. The corresponding [Pt(L-H)(Me)(L')]/[Pt(L*)(Me)(L')](+) complexes constitute an uncommon Brønsted-Lowry acid-base conjugated couple. The species obtained were investigated in depth through NMR and UV-vis spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, and density functional theory (DFT) methods to correlate different chemico-physical properties with the nature of the cyclometalated ligand (e.g., L vs bipy or L* vs L) and of the neutral ligand (DMSO, CO, PPh3). The crystal structures of [Pt(L-H)(Me)(PPh3)], [Pt(L-H)(Me)(CO)] and [Pt(L*)(Me)(CO)][BF4] were determined by X-ray powder diffraction methods, the latter being the first structure of a Pt(II)-based, protonated, rollover complex to be unraveled. The isomerization of [Pt(L*)(Me)(PPh3)](+) in solution proceeds through a retro-rollover process to give the corresponding adduct [Pt(L)(Me)(PPh3)](+), where L acts as a classical N,N chelating ligand. Notably, the retro-rollover reaction is the first process, among the plethora of Pt-C bond protonolysis reactions reported in the literature, where a Pt-C(heteroaryl) bond is cleaved rather than a Pt-C(alkyl) one.