Click-Derived Triazoles and Triazolylidenes of Manganese for Electrocatalytic Reduction of CO2

Modification of Glassy Carbon Electrodes with Complexes of Manganese(II) with Some Phenanthroline Derivatives Immobilized in Nafion Layer

Manganese(II) complexes with phenanthroline derivatives modified with different substituents were synthesized and incorporated into Nafion layers covering the surfaces of glassy carbon electrodes and were studied electrochemically. Formal potentials and apparent diffusion coefficients were calculated and discussed. The suitability for electrocatalytic oxidation of ascorbic acid and glycolic acid was examined. The surfaces of modified electrodes were characterized using atomic force microscopy.

Antimicrobial Activity of Manganese(I) Tricarbonyl Complexes Bearing 1,2,3-Triazole Ligands

BACKGROUND

Antimicrobial resistance is one of the most pressing health issues of our time. The increase in the number of antibiotic-resistant bacteria allied to the lack of new antibiotics has contributed to the current crisis. It has been predicted that if this situation is not dealt with, we will be facing 10 million deaths due to multidrug resistant infections per year by 2050, surpassing cancer-related deaths. This alarming scenario has refocused attention into researching alternative drugs to treat multidrug-resistant infections.

AIMS

In this study, the antimicrobial activities of four manganese complexes containing 1,2,3,-triazole and clotrimazole ligands have been evaluated. It is known that azole antibiotics coordinated to manganese tricarbonyl complexes display interesting antimicrobial activities against several microbes. In this work, the effect of the introduction of 1,2,3,-triazole-derived ligands in the [Mn(CO)3(clotrimazole)] fragment has been investigated against one Gram-positive bacterium and five Gram-negative bacteria.

METHODS

The initial antimicrobial activity of the above-mentioned complexes was assessed by determining the minimum inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations using the broth microdilution method. Growth curves in the presence and absence of the complexes were performed to determine the effects of these complexes on the growth of the selected bacteria. A possible impact on cellular viability was determined by conducting the MTS assay on human monocytes.

RESULTS

Three of the Mn complexes investigated (4-6) had good antimicrobial activities against all the bacteria tested, with values ranging from 1.79 to 61.95 µM with minimal toxicity.

CONCLUSIONS

Due to the increased problem of antibiotic resistance and a lack of new antibacterial drugs with no toxicity, these results are exciting and show that these types of complexes can be an avenue to pursue in the future.

Mechanism and Selectivity of Electrochemical Reduction of CO2 on Metalloporphyrin Catalysts from DFT Studies

Electrochemical reduction of CO₂ to value-added chemicals has been hindered by poor product selectivity and competition from hydrogen evolution reactions. This study aims to unravel the origin of the product selectivity and competitive hydrogen evolution reaction on [MP]⁰ catalysts (M = Fe, Co, Rh and Ir; P is porphyrin ligand) by analyzing the mechanism of CO₂ reduction and H₂ formation based on the results of density functional theory calculations. Reduction of CO₂ to CO and HCOO^- proceeds via the formation of carboxylate adduct ([MP-COOH]⁰ and ([MP-COOH]^-) and metal-hydride [MP-H]^-, respectively. Competing proton reduction to gaseous hydrogen shares the [MP-H]^- intermediate. Our results show that the pK_a of [MP-H]⁰ can be used as an indicator of the CO or HCOO^-/H₂ preference. Furthermore, an ergoneutral pH has been determined and used to determine the minimum pH at which selective CO₂ reduction to HCOO^- becomes favorable over the H₂ production. These analyses allow us to understand the product selectivity of CO₂ reduction on [FeP]⁰, [CoP]⁰, [RhP]⁰ and [IrP]⁰; [FeP]⁰ and [CoP]⁰ are selective for CO whereas [RhP]⁰ and [IrP]⁰ are selective for HCOO^- while suppressing H₂ formation. These descriptors should be applicable to other catalysts in an aqueous medium.

A Mesoionic Carbene-Pyridine Bidentate Ligand That Improves Stability in Electrocatalytic CO2 Reduction by a Molecular Manganese Catalyst

Tricarbonyl Group 7 complexes have a longstanding history as efficacious CO₂ electroreduction catalysts. Typically, these complexes feature an auxiliary 2,2'-bipyridine ligand that assists in redox steps by delocalizing the electron density into the ligand orbitals. While this feature lends to an accessible redox potential for CO₂ electroreduction, it also presents challenges for electrocatalysis with Mn because the electron density is removed from metal-ligand bonding orbitals. The results presented here thus introduce a mesoionic carbene (MIC) as a potent ligand platform to promote Mn-based electrocatalysis. The strong σ donation of the N,C-bidentate MIC is shown to help centralize the electron density on the Mn center while also maintaining relevant redox potentials for CO₂ electroreduction. Mechanistic investigation supports catalytic turnover at two operative potentials separated by 400 mV. In the low operating potential regime at -1.54 V, Mn(0) species catalyze CO₂ to CO and CO₃^2-, which has a maximum rate of 7 ± 5 s^-1 and is stable for up to 30.7 h. At higher operating potential at -1.94 V, "Mn(-1)" catalyzes CO₂ to CO and H₂O with faster turnovers of 200 ± 100 s^-1, with the trade-off being less stability at 6.7 h. The relative stabilities of Mn complexes bearing MIC and 4,4'-di-tert-butyl-2,2'-bipyridine were compared by evaluation under the same electrolysis conditions and therefore elucidated that the MIC promotes longevity for CO evolution throughout a 5 h period.

Mesoionic Imines (MIIs): Strong Donors and Versatile Ligands for Transition Metals and Main Group Substrates

We report the synthesis and the reactivity of 1,2,3‐triazolin‐5‐imine type mesoionic imines (MIIs). The MIIs are accessible by a base‐mediated cycloaddition between a substituted acetonitrile and an aromatic azide, methylation by established routes and subsequent deprotonation. C=O‐stretching frequencies in MII−CO₂ and −Rh(CO)₂Cl complexes were used to determine the overall donor strength. The MIIs are stronger donors than the N‐heterocyclic imines (NHIs). MIIs are excellent ligands for main group elements and transition metals in which they display substituent‐induced fluorine‐specific interactions and undergo C−H activation. DFT calculations gave insights into the frontier orbitals of the MIIs. The calculations predict a relatively small HOMO–LUMO gap compared to other related ligands. MIIs are potentially able to act as both π‐donor and π‐acceptor ligands. This report highlights the potential of MIIs to display exciting properties with a huge potential for future development.