Crystal structure and Hirshfeld surface analysis of di-chlorido-[2-(3-cyclo-pentyl-1,2,4-triazol-5-yl-κN 4)pyridine-κN]palladium(II) di-methyl-formamide monosolvate

This study presents the synthesis, characterization and Hirshfeld surface analysis of the title mononuclear complex, [PdCl2(C12H14N4)]·C3H7NO. The compound crystalizes in the P21/c space group of the monoclinic system. The asymmetric unit contains one neutral complex Pd(HL c-Pe)Cl2 [HL c-Pe is 2-(3-cyclo-pentyl-1,2,4-triazol-5-yl)pyridine] and one mol-ecule of DMF as a solvate. The Pd atom has a square-planar coordination. In the crystal, mol-ecules are linked by inter-molecular N-H⋯O and C-H⋯N hydrogen bonds, forming layers parallel to the bc plane. A Hirshfeld surface analysis showed that the H⋯H contacts dominate the crystal packing with a contribution of 41.4%. The contribution of the N⋯H/H⋯N and H⋯O/O⋯H inter-actions is somewhat smaller, amounting to 12.4% and 5%, respectively.

Improving the mesomorphism in bispyrazolate Pd(II) metallomesogens: an efficient platform for ionic conduction

The introduction of structural asymmetry in metallomesogens is an established strategy to improve their mesomorphic behaviour in terms of lower melting temperatures and higher stability ranges of the mesophase, which is particularly important for metallomesogens that have potential application as electrolytes that require wide operational temperature ranges. Here in this work, a novel series of unsymmetrical bis(isoquinolinylpyrazolate)palladium(II) compounds bearing four alkyl side-chains with different lengths are described. Rectangular and hexagonal columnar mesophases were formed with low melting temperatures of 42-45 °C in most cases, whereas the clearing temperatures reached values up to 412 °C. The charge transport properties have been studied by complex impedance spectroscopy, showing that the mesophase favours proton conduction in the absence of water or humidity. The exceptional thermal stability of these species makes them promising candidates to act as a platform for ionic conduction via the nanochannels originated in the columnar mesophases. The results presented confirm that introducing structural asymmetry in the Pd(II) metallomesogens studied is a valid strategy to enhance the liquid crystalline properties, which opens new ways to develop water-free electrolytes based on unsymmetrical bis(isoquinolinylpyrazolate) Pd(II) compounds for potential applications such as proton exchange membranes (PEMs).

Cyclometalated Platinum(II) Metallomesogens Based on Half-Disc-Shaped β-Diketonate Ligands with Hexacatenar: Crystal Structures, Mesophase Properties, and Semiconductor Devices

A series of new half-disc-shaped platinum(II) complexes [Pt(ppy)(ALⁿ-6OC_nH_2n+1)] (Pt-An), [Pt(ppyF)(ALⁿ-6OC_nH_2n+1)] (Pt-Bn), and [Pt(ppyCF₃)(ALⁿ-6OC_nH_2n+1)] (Pt-Cn) (ALⁿ-6OC_nH_2n+1 = 1,3-bis(3,4,5-trialkoxyphenyl)propane-1,3-dionato; n = 1, 6, 12) with concise structures have been designed and synthesized, in which 2-phenylpyridine (ppy) derivatives were used as cyclometalated ligands and hexacatenar β-diketonate derivatives ALⁿ-6OC_nH_2n+1 as auxiliary ligands. The single-crystal data of the methoxy diketonate analogues Pt-A1, Pt-B1, and Pt-C1 indicate that they all display excellent square planarity. These platinum(II) complexes show a certain emission tunability (ranging from λ = 506-535 nm) by the introduction of fluorine or trifluoromethyl into ppy. Thermal studies reveal that the fluorine-substituted complexes are liquid crystals but the trifluoromethyl-substituted complexes are not. The platinum(II) complexes Pt-A12, Pt-B6, and Pt-B12 can form a hexagonal columnar mesophase via intermolecular π-π interactions. In addition, compared to the reported platinum(II) metallomesogens, Pt-A12 and Pt-B12 exhibit improved ambipolar carrier mobility behaviors in semiconductor devices at the liquid crystal states.

Ligand isomerism fine-tunes structure and stability in zinc complexes of fused pyrazolopyridines

Fused-ring pyrazoles offer a versatile platform for derivitization to give finely tuned and functional ligands in coordination assemblies. Here, we explore the pyrazolo[4,3-b]pyridine (HL1) and pyrazolo[3,4-c]pyridine (HL2) backbones and their N-substituted derivatives, using their coordination chemistry with zinc(II) in the solid state and in solution to examine the steric and electronic effects of varying their substitution pattern. The parent heterocycles HL1 and HL2 both generate robust and permanently porous isomeric MOFs on reaction with zinc and a dicarboxylate co-ligand. The subtle geometric change offered by the position of the backbone pyridyl nitrogen atom leads to substantial changes in the pore size and total pore volume, which is reflected in both their surface areas and CO₂ uptake performance. Both materials are also unusually resilient to atmospheric water vapour by virtue of the strong metal-azolate bonding. The isomeric chelating ligands L3-L6, generated by N-arylation of the parent heterocycles with a 2-pyridyl group, each coordinate to zinc to give either mononuclear or polymeric coordination compounds depending on the involvement of the backbone pyridine nitrogen atom. While crystal packing influences based on the steric preferences of the ligands are dominant in the crystalline phase, fluorescence spectroscopy is used to show that the 2H isomers L4 and L6 show distinct coordination behaviour to the 1H isomers L3 and L5, forming competing [ML] and [ML₂] species in soution. The first stability constant for L6 with zinc(II) is an order of magnitude larger than for the other three ligands, suggesting an improved binding strength based on the electron configuration in this isomer. These results show that careful control of remote substitution on fused pyrazole ligands can lead to substantial improvements in the stability of the resulting complexes, with consequences for the design of stable coordination assemblies containining labile metal ions.

Synthesis of 1H-Pyrazol-5-yl-pyridin-2-yl-[1,2,4]triazinyl Soft-Lewis Basic Complexants via Metal and Oxidant Free [3 + 2] Dipolar Cycloaddition of Terminal Ethynyl Pyridines with Tosylhydrazides

Soft-Lewis basic complexants that facilitate chemoselective separation of the minor actinides from the lanthanides are critical to the closure of the nuclear fuel cycle. Complexants that modulate covalent orbital interactions with relevant metals of interest can facilitate desired outcomes in liquid-liquid separation, allowing for further transmutative processes that decrease issues related with storage of spent nuclear fuel from energy and weapons production. Synthesis of previously unexplored scaffolds seeks to improve performance over benchmark complexants. In the current work, an intermolecular, thermally initiated, and DBU-assisted [3 + 2] cycloaddition of 3-(6-ethynyl-pyridin-2-yl)-5,6-diphenyl-[1,2,4]triazine dipolarophiles with structurally diverse 4-methylbenzenesulfono-hydrazides afforded 21 yet-to-be reported examples in 42-68% yield and modest regioselectivity for the desired regioisomer. Preparation of requisite starting materials, method definition, dipole and dipolarophile scope, ten-fold scale-up reaction, and downstream functional group interconversion are reported herein.

Heat-Triggered Crystallization of Liquid Crystalline Macrocycles Allowing for Conductance Switching through Hysteretic Thermal Phase Transitions

A polymesomorphic thermal phase-transition of a macrocyclic amphiphile consisting of aromatic groups and oligoethylene glycol (OEG) chains is reported. The macrocyclic amphiphile exists in a highly-ordered liquid crystal (LC) phase at room temperature. Upon heating, this macrocycle shows phase-transition from columnar-lamellar to nematic LC phases followed by crystallization before melting. Spectroscopic studies suggest that the thermally induced crystallization is triggered by a conformational change at the OEG chains. Interestingly, while the macrocycle returns to the columnar-lamellar phase after cooling from the isotropic liquid, it retains the crystallinity after cooling from the thermally-induced crystal. Thanks to this bistability, conductance switching was successfully demonstrated. A different macrocyclic amphiphile also shows an analogous phase-transition behavior, suggesting that this molecular design is universal for developing switchable and memorizable materials, by means of hysteretic phase-transition processes.

Acetylenes in the Superbase-Promoted Assembly of Carbocycles and Heterocycles

In this Account, we briefly discuss the recently discovered and rapidly developing superbase-promoted self-organization reactions of several equivalents of acetylenes and ketones to afford complex compounds that represent promising synthetic building blocks common in natural products. Notably, acetylenes play a special role in these reactions because of their dual (acting as an electrophile and a nucleophile) and flexible reactivity. These unique properties of acetylenes are elegantly expressed in superbasic media, where acetylenes are more deprotonated and their electrophilicity increases as a result of complexation with alkali metal cations, with simultaneous enhancement of the nucleophilic reactants due to desolvation. Under these conditions, acetylenes behave as a driving and organizing force toward other reactants. Various combinations of nucleophilic addition to the triple bond and acetylene deprotonation in the presence of other reactants with dual reactivity (e.g., ketones) enables the self-organization of complex molecular architectures that are inaccessible by conventional reactions. Herein we analyze recent achievements in this area concerning the reactions of acetylenes with ketones in superbasic KOH/DMSO-type systems that selectively afford synthetically and pharmaceutically valuable carbo- and heterocycles. Most of the reactions are triggered by the nucleophilic addition of deprotonated ketones (enolate anions) to acetylenes (superbase-catalyzed C-vinylation of ketones with acetylenes, which was recently introduced by our group into a toolkit of organic chemistry). The β,γ-ethylenic ketones thus formed can then take part in cascade processes with ketones and acetylenes to afford either carbocycles (e.g., hexahydroazulenones, acyl terphenyls, functionalized and cyclopentenols) or heterocycles (e.g., furans, benzoxepines, dioxabicyclo[3.2.1]octanes, and dioxadispiro[5.1.5.2]pentadecanes), depending on the structure of the reactants and the reaction conditions. Most of these compounds are selectively built from several equivalents of ketones and acetylenes in different combinations, and despite the presence of two or more asymmetric carbons in the products, they are generated as single diastereomers. When other nucleophiles (hydroxylamine, hydrazines, guanidine, and oximes) and ketones are involved in these self-organization processes, the intermediate β,γ-ethylenic ketones allow the formation of diverse heterocyclic systems (pyrroles, isoxazolines, pyrazolines, aminopyrimidines, and azabicyclo[3.1.0]hexanes). The discovered unique chemical transformations do not require transition metal catalysts and proceed under mild and operationally simple conditions. Most of these syntheses involve cascade addition reactions and therefore represent pot-, atom-, step-, and energy-saving processes that meet the requirements of green chemistry. The significance of the approach discussed herein is that it represents a viable alternative to existing classic and modern transition-metal-based catalytic syntheses of some fundamental carbo- and heterocycles. This is demonstrated by its employment of readily available, inexpensive starting materials like acetylenes and ketones and simple, widely accessible superbasic systems such as KOH/DMSO, which serves as a highly active universal catalyst and auxiliary. As shown in this Account, as this approach has developed, the number of preparatively attractive methods for the synthesis of diverse and potentially useful compounds has rapidly ballooned. The impressive experimental results presented in this Account will hopefully draw the attention of large circles of organic chemists involved in the design of rational and ecologically sound synthetic procedures and thus increase the application of these techniques in medicinal chemistry and materials science.

Nanostructured discotic Pd(ii) metallomesogens as one-dimensional proton conductors

Bis(isoquinolinylpyrazolate) Pd(ii) metallomesogens may be a promising step forward in the design of highly-stable proton conducting water-free electrolyte materials.

Water-Free Proton Conduction in Discotic Pyridylpyrazolate-based Pt(II) and Pd(II) Metallomesogens

In this work we report on water-free proton conductivity in liquid-crystal pyridylpyrazolate-based Pt(II) and Pd(II) complexes [M(pz(R(n,n)py))2] (pz(R(n,n)py) = 3-(3,5-dialkyloxyphenyl)-5-(pyridin-2-yl)pyrazolate, R(n,n) = C6H3(OCnH2n+1)2; n = 4, 12, 16, M = Pd; n = 12, M = Pt) with potential application as electrolyte materials in proton exchange membrane fuel cells. The columnar ordering of the complexes in the liquid-crystalline phase opens nanochannels, which are used for fast proton exchange as detected by impedance spectroscopy and NMR. The NMR spectra indicate that the proton conduction mechanism is associated with a novel C-H···N proton transfer, which persists above the clearing point of the material. The highest conductivity of ∼0.5 μS cm(-1) at 180 °C with an activation energy of 1.2 eV is found for the Pt(II) compound in the mesophase. The Pd(II) complexes with different chain length (n = 4, 12, and 16) show lower conductivity but smaller activation energies, in the range of 0.74-0.93 eV.

Bis(pyridylpyrazolate)platinum(ii): a mechanochromic complex useful as a dopant for colour-tunable polymer OLEDs

A novel metallomesogenic Pt(ii) dopant on the PFO-matrix allows induction of colour changes from bluish-green to orange-red with just 5% complex concentration.