Novel ligands from direct benzylic functionalisation of tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine

Tris-(2-pyridylmethyl)amines (TPA or TPMA) are polipyrydine-based ligands extensively used in catalysis and supramolecular chemistry due their capability to form stable tetradentate complexes with a large variety of metals. The unsubstituted ligand, which is also commercially available, can be synthesised by consecutive alkylation of a picoline or by reductive amination of a pyridine aldehyde. In this article, we report a novel synthetic method which opens to the post-functionalisation of these ligands in the benzylic position. This novel derivatization strategy, beside providing synthetic access to novel structures and functions, has been used to prepare a series of metal complexes which have been tested in photochemical hydrogen evolution.

Polypyridyl Co complex-based water reduction catalysts: why replace a pyridine group with isoquinoline rather than quinoline?

The electronic effect of the substituent has been fully leveraged to improve the activity of molecular water reduction catalysts (WRCs). However, the steric effect of the substituents has received less attention. In this work, a steric hindrance effect was observed in a quinoline-involved polypyridyl Co complex-based water reduction catalyst (WRC), which impedes the formation of Co(iii)-H from Co(i), two pivotal intermediates for H₂ evolution, leading to significantly impaired electrocatalytic and photocatalytic activity with respect to its parent complex, [Co(TPA)Cl]Cl (TPA = tris(2-pyridinylmethyl)-amine). In sharp contrast, two isoquinoline-involved polypyridyl Co complexes exhibited significantly improved H₂ evolution efficiencies compared to [Co(TPA)Cl]Cl, benefitting mainly from the more basic and conjugated features of isoquinoline over pyridine. The dramatically different influences caused by the replacement of a pyridine group in the TPA ligand by quinoline and isoquinoline fully demonstrates the important roles of both the electronic and steric effects of a substituent. Our results may provide novel insights for designing more efficient WRCs.

Electronic effects on polypyridyl Co complex-based water reduction catalysts

Three new isomeric cobalt complexes of TPA (tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine) based on methoxy substitution at the ortho, meta and para positions, respectively, were constructed and their photocatalytic proton reduction efficiencies were compared. It was found that there are good linear correlations with the Hammett constants of the substituents for the computed Co–N bond lengths, redox potentials of Co^II/I and Co^I/0 events, and the photocatalytic activities of the complexes. The ortho-substituted Co complex distinguished itself from the others remarkably in all these comparisons, demonstrating the presence of a steric effect besides the electronic effect. For other examined complexes, a stronger electron-donating substituent may lead to a higher hydrogen evolution efficiency, suggesting that the formation of a Co(iii) hydride intermediate is the rate-limiting step.

Three isomeric Co complexes showed a significant substituent electronic effect in photocatalytic hydrogen production.

Electrocatalytic hydrogen production by dinuclear cobalt(ii) compounds containing redox-active diamidate ligands: a combined experimental and theoretical study

The chiral dicobalt(ii) complex [Co^II₂(μ₂-L)₂] (1) (H₂L = N²,N⁶-di(quinolin-8-yl)pyridine-2,6-dicarboxamide) and its tert-butyl analogue [Co^II₂(μ₂-LBu)₂] (2) were structurally characterized and their catalytic evolution of H₂ was investigated.

Role of Anation on the Mechanism of Proton Reduction Involving a Pentapyridine Cobalt Complex: A Theoretical Study

Kinetic and thermodynamic aspects of proton reduction involving pentapyridine cobalt(II) complex were investigated with the help of quantum chemical calculations. Free energy profile of all possible mechanistic routes for proton reduction was constructed with the consideration of both anation and solvent bound pathways. The computed free energy profile shows that acetate ion plays a significant role in modulating the kinetic aspects of Co(III)-hydride formation which is found to be the key intermediate for proton reduction. Upon replacing solvent by acetate ion, one electron reduction and protonation of Co^I species become more rapid along with slow displacement reaction. Most favorable pathways for hydrogen evolution from Co(III)-hydride species is also investigated. Among the four possible pathways, reduction followed by protonation of Co(III)-hydride (RPP) is found to be the most feasible pathway. On the basis of QTAIM and NBO analyses, the electronic origin of most favorable pathway is explained. The basicity of cobalt center along with thermodynamic stability of putative Co^III/II-H species is essentially a prime factor in deciding the most favorable pathway for hydrogen evolution. Our computed results are in good agreement with experimental observations and also provided adequate information to design cobalt-based molecular electrocatalysts for proton reduction in future.

Laser assisted anticancer activity of benzimidazole based metal organic nanoparticles

Recent studies showed that the photothermal therapy can be effectively used for the targeted cancerous cells destruction. Hence, in the present study, benzimidazole based metal organic complex nanoparticles, dichloro cobalt(II) bis-benzimidazole (Co-BMZ) and dichloro copper(II) bis-benzimidazole (Cu-BMZ), were synthesized by reprecipitation method and their anti-cancer activity by means of photothermal effect has been studied. Transmission electron microscopy analysis shows that the particle size of Cu-BMZ is ∼100 nm and Co-BMZ is in the range between 100 and 400 nm. Zeta potential analysis ensures the stability of the synthesized nanoparticles. It is found that the nonlinear absorption of the nanoparticles increases with increase in laser power intensity. Phototoxicity of human lung cancer (A549) and the normal mouse embryonic fibroblast (NIH-3T3) cells was studied using a 650 nm laser. Even though both the cell lines were affected by laser irradiation, A549 cells show higher cell destruction and lower IC₅₀ values than the normal cells. Docking studies were used to analyse the interaction site and the results showed that the Cu-BMZ molecules have higher dock score than the Co-BMZ molecules. The obtained results indicate that Cu-BMZ samples have lesser particle size, higher nonlinear absorption and higher interaction energy than the Co-BMZ samples.

Efficient photocatalytic water reduction by a cobalt(ii) tripodal iminopyridine complex

Enhanced reactivity is observed in a cobalt tripodal iminopyridine WRC bearing a metal active site with a trigonal pyramidal coordination geometry.

Electro- and Photocatalytic Generation of H2 Using a Distinctive CoII "PN3 P" Pincer Supported Complex with Water or Saturated Saline as a Hydrogen Source

Efficient electrocatalytic production of H₂ from mixed water/acetonitrile solutions was achieved using three new Co^II complexes supported by the neutral pincer ligand bis(diphenylphosphino)-2,6-di(methylamino)pyridine ("PN₃ P"). At -1.9 V vs. Fc/Fc⁺ , these catalysts showed 96 % Faradaic efficiency with added water or saturated aqueous saline at rates of up to 316 L(mol cat)^-1 (cm² )^-1  h^-1 using a glassy carbon working electrode. The complex [Co(κ³ -2,6-{Ph₂ PNMe}₂ (NC₅ H₃ )Br₂ ] (1) was also able to photocatalytically reduce water to hydrogen in the presence of a Ru(bpy)₃²⁺ photosensitizer and a reductant.