Mol-ecular structure of tris-[(6-bromo-pyridin-2-yl)meth-yl]amine

Coordination compounds of polydentate nitro-gen ligands with metals are used extensively in research areas such as catalysis, and as models of complex active sites of enzymes in bioinorganic chemistry. Tris(2-pyridyl-meth-yl)amine (TPA) is a tripodal tetra-dentate ligand that is known to form coordination compounds with metals, including copper, iron and zinc. The related compound, tris-[(6-bromo-pyridin-2-yl)meth-yl]amine (TPABr3), C18H15Br3N4, which possesses a bromine atom on the 6-position of each of the three pyridyl moieties, is also known but has not been heavily investigated. The mol-ecular structure of TPABr3 as determined by X-ray diffraction is reported here. The TPABr3 molecule belongs to the triclinic, P space group and displays interesting intermolecular Br⋯Br interactions that provide a stabilizing influence within the molecule.

Synthetic Fe/Cu Complexes: Toward Understanding Heme-Copper Oxidase Structure and Function

Heme-copper oxidases (HCOs) are terminal enzymes on the mitochondrial or bacterial respiratory electron transport chain, which utilize a unique heterobinuclear active site to catalyze the 4H+/4e- reduction of dioxygen to water. This process involves a proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) from a tyrosine (phenolic) residue and additional redox events coupled to transmembrane proton pumping and ATP synthesis. Given that HCOs are large, complex, membrane-bound enzymes, bioinspired synthetic model chemistry is a promising approach to better understand heme-Cu-mediated dioxygen reduction, including the details of proton and electron movements. This review encompasses important aspects of heme-O2 and copper-O2 (bio)chemistries as they relate to the design and interpretation of small molecule model systems and provides perspectives from fundamental coordination chemistry, which can be applied to the understanding of HCO activity. We focus on recent advancements from studies of heme-Cu models, evaluating experimental and computational results, which highlight important fundamental structure-function relationships. Finally, we provide an outlook for future potential contributions from synthetic inorganic chemistry and discuss their implications with relevance to biological O2-reduction.

Determination of the Cu(III)-OH Bond Distance by Resonance Raman Spectroscopy Using a Normalized Version of Badger's Rule

The stretching frequency, ν(Cu-O), of the [CuOH]2+ core in the complexes LCuOH (L = N,N'-bis(2,6-diisopropyl-4-R-phenyl)pyridine-2,6-dicarboxamide, R = H or NO2, or N,N'-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)-1-methylpiperidine-2,6-dicarboxamide) was determined to be ∼630 cm-1 by resonance Raman spectroscopy and verified by isotopic labeling. In efforts to use Badger's rule to estimate the bond distance corresponding to ν(Cu-O), a modified version of the rule was developed through use of stretching frequencies normalized by dividing by the appropriate reduced masses. The modified version was found to yield excellent fits of normalized frequencies to bond distances for >250 data points from theory and experiment for a variety of M-X and X-X bond distances in the range ∼1.1-2.2 Å (root mean squared errors for the predicted bond distances of 0.03 Å). Using the resulting general equation, the Cu-O bond distance was predicted to be ∼1.80 Å for the reactive [CuOH]2+ core. Limitations of the equation and its use in predictions of distances in a variety of moieties for which structural information is not available were explored.

Synthesis of binucleating macrocycles and their nickel(II) hydroxo- and cyano-bridged complexes with divalent ions: anatomical variation of ligand features

The planar NNN-pincer complexes [M(II)(pyN(2)(Me2))(OH)](1-) (M(II) = Ni, Cu) fix CO(2) in η(1)-OCO(2)H complexes; results for the copper system are described. Mn(II), Fe(II), Co(II), and Zn(II) behave differently, forming [M(II)(pyN(2)(Me2))(2)](2-) with N(4)O(2) coordination. Incorporation of the Ni(II) pincer into binucleating macrocycle 2 containing a triamino M(II) locus connected by two 1,3-biphenylene groups affords proximal Ni(II) and M(II) sites for investigation of the synthesis, structure, and reactivity of Ni-X-M bridge units. This ligand structure is taken as a reference for variations in M(II) atoms and binding sites and bridges X = OH(-) and CN(-) to produce additional members of the macrocyclic family with improved properties. Macrocycle 2 with a 22-membered ring is shown to bind M(II) = Mn, Fe, and Cu with hydroxo bridges. Introduction of the 4-Bu(i)O group (macrocycle 3) improves the solubility of neutral complexes such as those with Ni(II)-OH-Cu(II) and Ni(II)-CN-Fe(II) bridges. Syntheses of macrocycle 5 with a 7-Me-[12]aneSN(3) and macrocycle 6 with a 1,8-Me(2)-[14]aneN(4) M(II) binding site are described together with hydoxo-bridged Ni/Cu and cyano-bridged Ni/Fe complexes. This work was motivated by the presence of a Ni···(HO)-Fe bridge grouping in a reactive state of carbon monoxide dehydrogenase. Attempted decrease in Ni-(OH)-M distances (3.70-3.87 Å) to smaller values observed in the enzyme by use of macrocycle 4 having 1,2-biphenylene connectors led to a mononuclear octahedral Ni(II) complex. Bridge structural units are summarized, and the structures of 14 macrocyclic complexes including 8 with bridges are described.

Synthesis and characterization of cobalt(II) complexes with tripodal polypyridine ligand bearing pivalamide groups. Selective formation of six- and seven-coordinate cobalt(II) complexes

The reactions of CoX(2) (X = Cl(-), Br(-), I(-) and ClO(4)(-)) with the tripodal polypyridine N(4)O(2)-type ligand bearing pivalamide groups, bis(6-(pivalamide-2-pyridyl)methyl)(2-pyridylmethyl)amine ligand (H(2)BPPA), afforded two types of Co(II) complexes as follows. One type is purple-coloured Co(II) complexes, [CoCl(2)(H(2)BPPA)] (1(Cl)) and [CoBr(2)(H(2)BPPA)] (1(Br)) which were prepared when X = Cl(-) and Br(-), respectively. The other type is pale pink-coloured Co(II) complexes, [Co(MeOH)(H(2)BPPA)](ClO(4)(-))(2) (2·(ClO(4)(-))(2)) and [Co(MeCN)(H(2)BPPA)](I(-))(2) (2·(I(-))(2)), which were obtained when X = I(-) and ClO(4)(-), respectively. From the reaction of 1(Cl) and NaN(3), a purple-coloured complex, [Co(N(3))(2)(H(2)BPPA)] (1(azide)), was obtained. These Co(II) complexes were characterized by X-ray structural analysis, IR and reflectance spectroscopies, and magnetic susceptibility measurements. All these Co(II) complexes were shown to be in a d(7) high-spin state based on magnetic susceptibility measurements. The former Co(II) complexes revealed a six-coordinate octahedron with one amine nitrogen, three pyridyl nitrogens, and two counter anions, and one coordinated anion, Cl(-), Br(-) and N(3)(-), forming intramolecular hydrogen bonds with two pivalamide N-H groups. On the other hand, the latter Co(II) complexes showed a seven-coordinate face-capped octahedron with one amine nitrogen, three pyridyl nitrogens, two pivalamide carbonyl oxygens and MeCN or MeOH. In these structures, intramolecular hydrogen bonding interaction was not observed, and the metal ion was coordinated by the pivalamide carbonyl oxygens and solvent molecule instead of the counter anions. The difference in coordination geometries might be attributable to the coordination ability and ionic radii of the counteranions; smaller strongly binding anions such as Cl(-), Br(-) and N(3)(-) gave the former complexes, whereas bulky weakly binding anions such as I(-) and ClO(4)(-) afforded the latter ones. In order to demonstrate this hypothesis, the small stronger coordinating ligand, azide, was added to complexes 2·(ClO(4)(-))(2) to obtain the dinuclear cobalt(II) complex in which two six-coordinate octahedral cobalt(II) species were bridged with azide, 3·(ClO(4)(-)). Also, the abstraction reaction of halogen anions from complexes 1(Cl) by AgSbF(6) gave a pale pink Co(II) complex assignable to 2·(SbF(6)(-))(2).

Co-ordination behaviour of a novel bisthiourea tripodal ligand: structural, spectroscopic and electrochemical properties of a series of transition metal complexes

The synthesis of a thiourea substituted derivative of tris(pyridyl-2-methyl)amine (TPA) is reported. Two of the three pyridine rings are substituted in the 6-position with benzoylthiourea groups. These thiourea groups undergo intramolecular hydrogen bonding to form six-membered rings which leaves one N-H group available to form hydrogen bonds with other molecules. This reports details how the complexation of this new ligand with transition metal ions yields complexes with differing geometries. Seven co-ordinate Mn(II) and Cd(II), six co-ordinate Ni(II) and five co-ordinate Co(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II) complexes have been isolated.

Nickel(II) complexes stabilized by bis[N-(6-pivalamido-2-pyridylmethyl)]benzylamine: Synthesis and characterization of complexes stabilized by a hydrogen bonding network

Hydrogen bonds in metalloproteins are key in directing reactivity yet to be achieved in synthetic systems. We have been developing a synthetic system that uses hydrogen-bonding interactions to modulate the secondary coordination around a transition metal ion. This was accomplished with the ligand bis[N-(6-pivalamido-2-pyridylmethyl)]benzylamine (H(2)pmb), which contains two carboxyamido units appended from pyridine rings. Several nickel complexes were prepared and structurally characterized. In particular, we found that the appended carboxyamido groups either provide intramolecular H-bond donors or can be converted to bind directly to a metal center. We established that the complex Ni(II)H(2)pmb(Cl)(2) can be sequentially deprotonated with potassium tert-butoxide, causing coordination of the carboxyamido oxygen atoms and concomitant loss of the chloro ligands. The chloro ligands were also removed with silver(I) salts-in the presence of acetate ions, the complex Ni(II)H(2)pmb(κ(2)-OAc)(κ(1)-OAc) was isolated, in which an intramolecular H-bonding network occurs between the H(2)pmb ligand and the coordinate acetato ligands.

Role of the secondary coordination sphere in metal-mediated dioxygen activation

Alfred Werner proposed nearly 100 years ago that the secondary coordination sphere has a role in determining the physical properties of transition-metal complexes. We now know that the secondary coordination sphere impacts nearly all aspects of transition-metal chemistry, including the reactivity and selectivity in metal-mediated processes. These features are highlighted in the binding and activation of dioxygen by transition-metal complexes. There are clear connections between control of the secondary coordination sphere and the ability of metal complexes to (1) reversibly bind dioxygen or (2) bind and activate dioxygen to form highly reactive metal-oxo complexes. In this Forum Article, several biological and synthetic examples are presented and discussed in terms of structure-function relationships. Particular emphasis is given to systems with defined noncovalent interactions, such as intramolecular H-bonds involving dioxygen-derived ligands. To further illustrate these effects, the homolytic cleavage of C-H bonds by metal-oxo complexes with basic oxo ligands is described.

Mononuclear copper(ii)–hydroperoxo complex derived from reaction of copper(i) complex with dioxygen as a model of DβM and PHM

A mononuclear copper(II)-hydroperoxo species has been generated by the reaction of Cu(I)-H2BPPA complex with dioxygen, which illustrates the enzymatic reaction process of the CuB site in the DbetaM and PHM.

Steric and hydrogen-bonding effects on the stability of copper complexes with small molecules

A series of the copper(II) complexes with tripodal tetradentate tris(pyridyl 2-methyl)amine-based ligands possessing the hydrogen-bonding 6-aminopyridine units (tapa, three amino groups; bapa, two amino groups; mapa, one amino group) have been synthesized, and their copper(II) complexes with a small molecule such as dioxygen and azide have been studied spectroscopically and structurally. The reaction of their Cu(II) complexes with NaN(3) have given the mononuclear copper complexes with azide in an end-on mode, [Cu(tapa)(N(3))]ClO(4) (1a), [Cu(bapa)(N(3))]ClO(4) (2a), [Cu(mapa)(N(3))]ClO(4) (3a), and [Cu(tpa)(N(3))]ClO(4) (4a) (tpa, no amino group). The crystal structures have revealed that the coordination geometries around the metal centers are almost a trigonal-bipyramidal rather than a square-planar except for 1a with an intermediate between them. The UV-vis and ESR spectral data indicate that the increase of NH(2) groups of ligands causes the structural change from trigonal-bipyramidal to square-pyramidal geometry, which is regulated by a combination of steric repulsion and hydrogen bond. The steric repulsion of amino groups with the azide nitrogen gives rise to elongation of the Cu-N(py) bonds, which leads to the positive shift of the redox potentials of the complexes. The hydrogen bonds between the coordinated azide and amino nitrogens (2.84-3.05 A) contribute clearly to the fixation of azide. The Cu(I) complexes with bapa and mapa ligands have been obtained as a precipitate, although that with tapa was not isolated. The reactions of the Cu(I) complexes with dioxygen in MeOH at -75 degrees C have given the trans-micro-1,2 peroxo dinuclear Cu(II) complexes formulated as [((tapa)Cu)(2)(O(2))](2+) (1c), [((bapa)Cu)(2)(O(2))](2+) (2c), and [((mapa)Cu)(2)(O(2))](2+) (3c), whose characterizations were confirmed by UV-vis, ESR, and resonance Raman spectroscopies. UV-vis spectra of 1c, 2c, and 3c exhibited intense bands assignable to pi(O(2)(2)(-))-to-d(Cu) charge transfer (CT) transitions at lambda(max)/nm (epsilon/M(-1)cm(-1)) = 449 (4620), 474 (6860), and 500 (9680), respectively. The series of the peroxo adducts generated was ESR silent. The resonance Raman spectra exhibited the enhanced features assignable to two stretching vibrations nu((16)O-(16)O/(18)O-(18)O)/cm(-1) and nu(Cu-(16)O/Cu-(18)O)/cm(-1) at 853/807 (1c), 858/812 (2c), 847/800 (3c), and at 547/522 (2c), 544/518 (3c), respectively. The thermal stability of the peroxo-copper species has increased with increase in the number of the hydrogen-bonding interactions between the peroxide and amino groups.

Preparation, Structure Characterization, and Oxidation Activity of Ruthenium Complexes with Tripodal Ligands Bearing Noncovalent Interaction Sites

Ruthenium(II/III) complexes with tripodal tris(pyridylmethyl)amine ligands bearing one, two, or three pivalamide groups (MPPA, BPPA, TPPA: amide-series ligands) or neopentylamine ones (MNPA, BNPA, TNPA: amine-series ligands) at the 6-position of the pyridine ring have been synthesized and structurally characterized. The X-ray structure analyses of the single crystals of these complexes reveal that they complete an octahedral geometry with the tripodal ligand and some monodentate ligands. The amide-series ligands prefer to form a Ru(II) complex, while the amine-series ones give a Ru(III) complex. In the presence of PhIO oxidant, the catalytic activities for epoxidation of olefins, hydroxylation of alkane, and dehydrogenation of alcohol have been investigated using the six ruthenium complexes [Ru(II)(tppa)Cl(2)] (1), [Ru(III)(tnpa)Cl(2)]PF(6) (2), [Ru(II)(bppa)Cl]PF(6) (3), [Ru(III)(bnpa)Cl(2)]PF(6) (4), [Ru(II)(mppa)Cl]PF(6) (5), and [Ru(III)(mnpa)Cl(2)]PF(6) (6). Among them, the amide-series complexes, 1, 3, and 5, showed a higher epoxidation activity in comparison with the amine-series ones, 2, 4, and 6. On the other hand, the latter showed a higher reactivity for hydroxylation, allylic oxidation, and C=C bond cleavage reactions compared with the former. Such a complementary reactivity is interpreted by the character of the ruthenium-oxo species involving electronically equivalent formulas, Ru(V)=O and Ru(IV)-O.

Mononuclear N3S(thioether)-ligated copper(II) methoxide complexes: synthesis, characterization, and hydrolytic reactivity

Mononuclear copper(II) methoxide complexes supported by N(3)S(thioether) chelate ligands having two internal hydrogen bond donors have been prepared, comprehensively characterized, and evaluated for hydrolytic reactivity.