Single source precursor route to nanometric tin chalcogenides

Low-temperature solution phase synthesis of nanomaterials using designed molecular precursors enjoys tremendous advantages over traditional high-temperature solid-state synthesis. These include atomic-level control over stoichiometry, homogeneous elemental dispersion and uniformly distributed nanoparticles. For exploiting these advantages, however, rationally designed molecular complexes having certain properties are usually required. We report here the synthesis and complete characterization of new molecular precursors containing direct Sn-E bonds (E = S or Se), which undergo facile decomposition under different conditions (solid/solution phase, thermal/microwave heating, single/mixed solvents, varying temperatures, etc.) to afford phase-pure or mixed-phase tin chalcogenide nanoflakes with defined ratios.

Alkali Metal Adducts of an Iron(0) Complex and Their Synergistic FLP-Type Activation of Aliphatic C-X Bonds

We report the formation and full characterization of weak adducts between Li⁺ and Na⁺ cations and a neutral iron(0) complex, [Fe(CO)₃(PMe₃)₂] (1), supported by weakly coordinating [BAr^F₂₀] anions, [1·M][BAr^F₂₀] (M = Li, Na). The adducts are found to synergistically activate aliphatic C-X bonds (X = F, Cl, Br, I, OMs, OTf), leading to the formation of iron(II) organyl compounds of the type [FeR(CO)₃(PMe₃)₂][BAr^F₂₀], of which several were isolated and fully characterized. Stoichiometric reactions with the resulting iron(II) organyl compounds show that this system can be utilized for homocoupling and cross-coupling reactions and the formation of new C-E bonds (E = C, H, O, N, S). Further, we utilize [1·M][BAr^F₂₀] as a catalyst in a simple hydrodehalogenation reaction under mild conditions to showcase its potential use in catalytic reactions. Finally, the mechanism of activation is probed using DFT and kinetic experiments that reveal that the alkali metal and iron(0) center cooperate to cleave C-X via a mechanism closely related to intramolecular FLP activation.

Synthesis and characterization of new Pd(ii) and Pt(ii) complexes with 3-substituted 1-(2-pyridyl)imidazo[1,5-a]pyridine ligands

Several palladium(ii) and platinum(ii) complexes (1-20) of general formula [M(Lⁿ)(X)(Y)] [M = Pd, X = Y = Cl (1-Cl-4-Cl), X = Y = OAc (1-OAc-4-OAc); M = Pt: X = Y = Cl (5-8); M = Pd, X = Cl, Y = CH₃ (9-12); M = Pt, X = Cl, Y = CH₃ (13-16) or X = Y = CH₃ (17-20); n = 1-4] have been synthesized by reaction of different Pd(ii) and Pt(ii) derivatives with various 3-substituted 1-(2-pyridyl)-imidazo[1,5-a]pyridines; i.e.Lⁿ = 1-(2-pyridyl)-3-arylimidazo[1,5-a]pyridine (aryl = Phenyl, L¹; 2-o-Tolyl, L²; Mesityl, L³) and 1-(2-pyridyl)-3-benzylimidazo[1,5-a]pyridine (L⁴). Detailed spectroscopic investigation (including IR, mono- and bi-dimensional ¹H NMR) and elemental analysis has been performed for all these species, allowing their complete characterization. Lⁿ act as N,N-bidentate ligands and coordinate the metal centers in a chelate fashion through the pyridyl (N_py) and the pyridine-like nitrogen atom of the imidazo[1,5-a]pyridine group (N_im). The X-ray structural analysis performed on two of Pd(ii) and three Pt(ii) complexes, namely [Pd(L²)(CH₃)Cl] (10), [Pd(L³)(CH₃)Cl] (11) and [Pt(L¹)Cl₂] (5), [Pt(L⁴)Cl₂] (8), [Pt(L²)(CH₃)Cl] (14) confirmed the spectroscopic and analytical data. Finally DFT studies unveiled the structural reasons behind the inertia of the synthesised compounds toward metalation, identified as the higher angle steric strain in comparison with the analogous bipyridine complexes.

Palladium(0) complexes of diferrocenylmercury diphosphines: synthesis, X-ray structure analyses, catalytic isomerization, and C-Cl bond activation

Palladium(0) phosphine complexes are of great importance as catalysts in numerous bond formation reactions that involve oxidative addition of substrates. Highly active catalysts with labile ligands are of particular interest but can be challenging to isolate and structurally characterize. We investigate here the synthesis and chemical reactivity of Pd⁰ complexes that contain geometrically adaptable diferrocenylmercury-bridged diphosphine chelate ligands (L) in combination with a labile dibenzylideneacetone (dba) ligand. The diastereomeric diphosphines 1a (pSpR, meso-isomer) and 1b (pSpS-isomer) differ in the orientation of the ferrocene moieties relative to the central Ph₂PC₅H₃-Hg-C₅H₃PPh₂ bridging entity. The structurally distinct trigonal LPd⁰(dba) complexes 2a (meso) and 2b (pSpS) are obtained upon treatment with Pd(dba)₂. A competition reaction reveals that 1b reacts faster than 1a with Pd(dba)₂. Unexpectedly, catalytic interconversion of 1a (meso) into 1b (rac) is observed at room temperature in the presence of only catalytic amounts of Pd(dba)₂. Both Pd⁰ complexes, 2a and 2b, readily undergo oxidative addition into the C-Cl bond of CH₂Cl₂ at moderate temperatures with formation of the square-planar trans-chelate complexes LPd^IICl(CH₂Cl) (3a, 3b). Kinetic studies reveal a significantly higher reaction rate for the meso-isomer 2a in comparison to (pSpS)-2b.

Structural and chemical properties of half-sandwich rhodium complexes supported by the bis(2-pyridyl)methane ligand

[Cp*Rh] complexes (Cp* = pentamethylcyclopentadienyl) supported by bidentate chelating ligands are a useful class of compounds for studies of redox chemistry and catalysis. Here, we show that the bis(2-pyridyl)methane ligand, also known as dipyridylmethane or dpma, can support [Cp*Rh] complexes in the formally +iii and +ii rhodium oxidation states. Specifically, two new rhodium complexes ([Cp*Rh(dpma)(L)]ⁿ⁺, L = Cl^-, CH₃CN) have been isolated and structurally characterized, and the properties of the complexes have been compared with those of [Cp*Rh] complexes bearing the related dimethyldipyridylmethane (Me₂dpma) ligand. Complex [Cp*Rh(dpma)(NCCH₃)]²⁺ displays a quasireversible rhodium(iii/ii) reduction by cyclic voltammetry; related electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopic studies confirm access to the unusual rhodium(ii) oxidation state. Further reduction to the formally rhodium(i) oxidation state, however, is followed by deprotonation of dpma, as observed in electrochemical studies and chemical reduction experiments. This reactivity can be understood to occur as a consequence of the presence of doubly benzylic protons in the dpma ligand, since use of the analogous Me₂dpma enables reduction to rhodium(i) without involvement of ligand deprotonation. These findings highlight the important role of the ligand backbone substitution pattern in influencing the stability of highly-reduced complexes, a key class of metal species for study of electron and proton management in catalysis.

Models for Cooperative Catalysis: Oxidative Addition Reactions of Dimethylplatinum(II) Complexes with Ligands Having Both NH and OH Functionality

The role of NH and OH groups in the oxidative addition reactions of the complexes [PtMe₂(κ²-N,N'-L)], L = 2-C₅H₄NCH₂NH-x-C₆H₄OH [3, x = 2, L = L1; 4, x = 3, L = L2; 5, x = 4, L = L3], has been investigated. Complex 3 is the most reactive. It reacts with CH₂Cl₂ to give a mixture of isomers of [PtMe₂(CH₂Cl)(κ³-N,N',O-(L1-H)], 6, and decomposes in acetone to give [PtMe₃(κ³-N,N',O-(L1-H)], 7, both of which contain the fac tridentate deprotonated ligand. Complex 3 reacts with MeI to give complex 7, whereas 4 and 5 react to give [PtIMe₃(κ²-N,N'-L2))], 8, or [PtIMe₃(κ²-N,N'-L3)], 9, respectively. Each complex 3, 4, or 5 reacts with either dioxygen or hydrogen peroxide to give the corresponding complex [Pt(OH)₂Me₂(κ²-N,N'-L)], 10, L = L1; 11, L = L2; 12, L = L3. The ligand L3 in complexes 9 and 12 is easily oxidized to the corresponding imine ligand 2-C₅H₄NCH=N-4-C₆H₄OH, L4, in forming the complexes [PtIMe₃(κ²-N,N'-L4)], 13, and [Pt(OH)₂Me₂(κ²-N,N'-L4)], 14, respectively. The NH and OH groups play a significant role in supramolecular polymer or sheet structures of the complexes, formed through intermolecular hydrogen bonding, and these structures indicate how either intramolecular or intermolecular hydrogen bonding may assist some oxidative addition reactions.

Supramolecular Organoplatinum(IV) Chemistry: Dimers and Polymers Formed by Intermolecular Hydrogen Bonding

The reaction of [PtMe₂(6-dppd)], 1, where 6-dppd is a 1,4-bis(2-pyridyl)pyridazine derivative, with bromoalkanes BrCH₂R, having a hydrogen-bond donor group R, gave the corresponding chiral products of trans oxidative addition [PtBrMe₂(CH₂R)(6-dppd)], 2a, R = CO₂H; 3, R = 4-C₆H₄CO₂H; 4, R = 4-C₆H₄CH₂CO₂H; 7, R = 2-C₆H₄CH₂OH; 8, R = 4-C₆H₄B(OH)₂; 9, R = 3-C₆H₄B(OH)₂; and 10, R = 2-C₆H₄B(OH)₂. Complex 2a was formed in equilibrium with two isomers formed by cis oxidative addition, while the reaction of 1 with BrCH₂CH₂CO₂H gave mostly [PtBrMe(6-dppd)], 6. The supramolecular chemistry was studied by structure determination of six of the platinum(IV) complexes, with emphasis on the preference of the hydrogen bond acceptor (O, pyridyl N, or Br atom), formation of monomer, dimer, or polymer, and self-recognition or self-discrimination in self-assembly. Complex 7 formed a monomer with the OH···N hydrogen bond, and complexes 2a and 10 formed racemic dimers by complementary hydrogen bonding with self-discrimination between CO₂H or B(OH)₂ groups, respectively. Complexes 3, 4, and 9 formed polymers by intermolecular hydrogen bonding with self-recognition, with 4 containing OH···N and 3 and 9 containing OH···Br hydrogen bonds. It is concluded that there is no clear preference for the hydrogen bond acceptor group, and that the observed product depends also on the orientation of the hydrogen bond donor group.

An in-depth investigation on the C–I bond activation by rollover cycloplatinated(ii) complexes bearing monodentate phosphane ligands: kinetic and kinetic isotope effect

The oxidative addition reaction of MeI reagent to some cycloplatinated(ii) complexes was performed and kinetically investigated.

Dual ligand-based fluorescence and phosphorescence emission at room temperature from platinum thioxanthonyl complexes

Platinum complexes with σ-bonded thioxanthonyl (Tx) ligands exhibit, on irradiation into the Tx π→π* band, dual Tx-based fluorescence and phosphorescence emission with phosphorescence quantum yields of up to 19% in fluid solution at room temperature.

Moilanen J, Roemmele TL, Boeré RT, Konu J, Tuononen HM. Group 13 complexes of dipyridylmethane, a forgotten ligand in coordination chemistry

A comprehensive study of the coordination properties of dipyridylmethane (dpma) was performed. The preparation of metal complexes of the type [(dpma)₂MCl₂]⁺, [(dpma)MCl₂]⁺, (M = Al, Ga), (dpma)InCl₃ and (dpma)(BCl₃)₂ is described along with their characterization.