Development of ruthenium complexes with S-donor ligands for application in synthesis, catalytic acceptorless alcohol dehydrogenation and crossed-aldol condensation

The reaction of [Ru(dmso)4Cl2] with a potassium salt of four xanthate (RO-C(S)S-; R = Me, Et, iPr and tBu) ligands (depicted as Ln; n = 1-4) in hot methanol afforded a group of mixed-ligand complexes of type [Ru(Ln)2(dmso)2]. The crystal structures of all the four complexes have been determined, which show that the xanthate ligands are bound to the metal center forming four-membered chelates and dmso is coordinated through sulfur and they are mutually cis. The relative thermodynamic stability of this cis and the other possible trans-isomers of these complexes has been assessed with the help of DFT calculations, which have revealed that the cis-isomer is the more stable isomer. The coordinated dmso in the [Ru(Ln)2(dmso)2] complexes could be easily displaced by chelating bidentate ligands (depicted as L') to furnish complexes of type [Ru(Ln)2(L')], as demonstrated through isolation of two such complexes, viz. [Ru(L3)2(bpy)] and [Ru(L2)2(phen)] (bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine and phen = 1,10-phenanthroline). The crystal structure of [Ru(L3)2(bpy)] has been determined and the structure of [Ru(L2)2(phen)] has been optimized by the DFT method. The electronic spectra of the four [Ru(Ln)2(dmso)2] complexes and the two derivatives ([Ru(Ln)2(L')]; n = 3, L' = bpy; n = 2, L' = phen), recorded in dichloromethane solutions, show intense absorptions spanning the visible and ultraviolet regions, which have been analyzed by the TDDFT method. The [Ru(Ln)2(dmso)2] complexes are found to serve as efficient catalyst precursors for the acceptorless dehydrogenation of 2-propanol followed by crossed-aldol condensation with substituted benzaldehydes (and related aldehydes), using tert-butoxide as the co-catalyst, producing dibenzylideneacetone derivatives in good yields.

Metallostar Assemblies Based on Dithiocarbamates for Use as MRI Contrast Agents

Two different octadentate gadolinium chelates based on DO3A and DOTAGA chelates (hydration number q = 1) have been used to prepare a series of bi-, tri-, and tetrametallic d-f mixed-metal complexes. The piperazine-based dithiocarbamate linker ensures that rotation of the gadolinium chelates is restricted, leading to enhanced relaxivity (r₁) values, which increase with the overall mass and number of gadolinium units. The r₁ value (at 10 MHz, 25 °C) per gadolinium unit rises from 5.0 mM^-1 s^-1 for the Gd-DO3A-NH₂ monogadolinium chelate to 9.2 mM^-1 s^-1 in a trigadolinium complex with a ruthenium(III) core. Using a 1.5 T clinical scanner operating at 63.87 MHz (25 °C), an 86% increase in the relaxivity per gadolinium unit is observed for this multimetallic compound compared to clinically approved Dotarem. The gadolinium complexes based on the DOTAGA chelate also performed well at 63.87 MHz, with a relaxivity value of 9.5 mM^-1 s^-1 per gadolinium unit being observed for the trigadolinium d-f mixed-metal complex with a ruthenium(III) core. The versatility of dithiocarbamate coordination chemistry thus provides access to a wide range of d-f hybrids with potential for use as high-performance MRI contrast agents.

Heteromultimetallic compounds based on polyfunctional carboxylate linkers

Polyfunctional linkers bearing carboxylate, bipyridine and alkyne functionalities allow the stepwise construction of multimetallic assemblies incorporating redox and photophysical properties.

Highly efficient structurally characterised novel precatalysts: di- and mononuclear heteroleptic Cu(i) dixanthate/xanthate–phosphine complexes for azide–alkyne cycloadditions

Prominent catalytic activities of novel di- and mononuclear Cu(i) xanthate/phosphine complexes have been investigated for the synthesis of triazolyl glycoconjugates using Click approach.

Synthesis, characterization, and catalytic evaluation of ruthenium–diphosphine complexes bearing xanthate ligands

Nine ruthenium chelates with the generic formula [Ru(S₂COEt)₂(diphos)] were synthesized and fully characterized. Their catalytic activity was probed in three distinct reactions.

The stepwise generation of multimetallic complexes based on a vinylbipyridine linkage and their photophysical properties

The versatile rhenium complex [ReCl(CO)₃(bpyC[triple bond, length as m-dash]CH)] (HC[triple bond, length as m-dash]Cbpy = 5-ethynyl-2,2'-bipyridine) is used to generate a series of bimetallic complexes through the hydrometallation of [MHCl(CO)(BTD)(PPh₃)₂] (M = Ru, Os; BTD = 2,1,3-benzothiadiazole). The ruthenium complex [Ru{CH[double bond, length as m-dash]CH-bpyReCl(CO)₃}Cl(BTD)(CO)(PPh₃)₂] was characterised structurally. Ligand exchange reactions with bifunctional linkers bearing oxygen and sulfur donors provide access to tetra- and pentametallic complexes such as [{M{CH[double bond, length as m-dash]CH-bpyReCl(CO)₃}(CO)(PPh₃)₂}₂(S₂CNC₄H₈NCS₂)] and Fe[C₅H₄CO₂M{CH[double bond, length as m-dash]CH-bpyReCl(CO)₃}(CO)(PPh₃)₂]₂. The effect of the group 8 metal on the photophysical properties of the rhenium centre was investigated using the complexes [Ru{CH[double bond, length as m-dash]CH-bpyReCl(CO)₃}Cl(BTD)(CO)(PPh₃)₂] and [M{CH[double bond, length as m-dash]CH-bpyReCl(CO)₃}{S₂P(OEt)₂}(CO)(PPh₃)₂] (M = Ru, Os). This revealed the quenching of the rhenium-based emission in favour of weak radiative processes based on the Ru and Os centres. The potential for exploiting this effect is illustrated by the reaction of [Ru{CH[double bond, length as m-dash]CH-bpyReCl(CO)₃}Cl(CO)(BTD)(PPh₃)₂] with carbon monoxide, which results in a 5-fold fluorescence enhancement in the dicarbonyl product, [Ru{CH[double bond, length as m-dash]CH-bpyReCl(CO)₃}Cl(CO)₂(PPh₃)₂], as the quenching effect is disrupted.

The functionalisation of ruthenium(II) and osmium(II) alkenyl complexes with amine- and alkoxy-terminated dithiocarbamates

The complex cis-[RuCl(2)(dppm)(2)] reacts with the amine-terminated dithiocarbamates KS(2)CN(CH(2)CH(2)NEt(2))(2) and KS(2)CN(CH(2)CH(2)CH(2)NMe(2))(2) to form the compounds [Ru{S(2)CN(CH(2)CH(2)NEt(2))(2)}(dppm)(2)](+) and [Ru{S(2)CN(CH(2)CH(2)CH(2)NMe(2))(2)}(dppm)(2)](+), respectively. The methoxy-terminated dithiocarbamate compound [Ru{S(2)CN(CH(2)CH(2)OMe)(2)}(dppm)(2)](+) was also prepared from the same precursor using KS(2)CN(CH(2)CH(2)OMe)(2). The alkenyl complexes [RuRCl(CO)(BTD)(PPh(3))(2)] (R = CH=CHBu(t), CH=CHC(6)H(4)Me-4, CH=CHCPh(2)OH), [Ru(C(C[triple bond]CBu(t))=CHBu(t))Cl(CO)(PPh(3))(2)] and [Os(CH=CHC(6)H(4)Me-4)Cl(CO)(BTD)(PPh(3))(2)] also react cleanly with KS(2)CN(CH(2)CH(2)CH(2)NMe(2))(2) and KS(2)CN(CH(2)CH(2)NEt(2))(2) to yield [MR{S(2)CN(CH(2)CH(2)CH(2)NMe(2))(2)}(CO)(PPh(3))(2)] and [MR{S(2)CN(CH(2)CH(2)NEt(2))(2)}(CO)(PPh(3))(2)], respectively. In a similar fashion, the compounds [RuR{S(2)CN(CH(2)CH(2)OMe(2))(2)}(CO)(PPh(3))(2)] (R = CH=CHBu(t), CH=CHC(6)H(4)Me-4, C(C[triple bond]CBu(t))=CHBu(t)) were also prepared. Treatment of [Ru(CH=CHBu(t)){S(2)CN(CH(2)CH(2)CH(2)NMe(2))(2)}(CO)(PPh(3))(2)] and [Ru{S(2)CN(CH(2)CH(2)NEt(2))(2)}(dppm)(2)](+) with trifluoroacetic acid affords the ammonium complexes [Ru(CH=CHBu(t)){S(2)CN(CH(2)CH(2)CH(2)NHMe(2))(2)}(CO)(PPh(3))(2)](2+) and [Ru{S(2)CN(CH(2)CH(2)NHEt(2))(2)}(dppm)(2)](2+), while the same reagent generates the tricationic vinylcarbene complex [Ru(=CHCH=CPh(2)){S(2)CN(CH(2)CH(2)CH(2)NHMe(2))(2)}(CO)(PPh(3))(2)](3+) through loss of water from [Ru(CH=CHCPh(2)OH){S(2)CN(CH(2)CH(2)CH(2)NMe(2))(2)}(CO)(PPh(3))(2)]. The structures of [Ru{S(2)CN(CH(2)CH(2)OMe)(2)}(dppm)(2)]PF(6) and [Ru(CH=CHC(6)H(4)Me-4){S(2)CN(CH(2)CH(2)OMe)(2)}(CO)(PPh(3))(2)] were determined crystallographically.