Photodynamics of [FeFe]-Hydrogenase Model Compounds with Bidentate Heterocyclic Ligands.

Two asymmetrically structured model compounds for the hydrogen-generating [Fe-Fe]-hydrogenase active site were investigated to determine the ultrafast photodynamics, structural intermediates, and photoproducts compared to more common symmetric di-iron species. The bidentate-ligand-containing compounds studied were Fe2(µ-S2C3H6)(CO)4(bipy), 1, and Fe2(µ-S2C3H6)(CO)4(phen), 2, in dilute room temperature acetonitrile solution and low-temperature 2Me-THF matrix isolation using static FTIR difference and time-resolved infrared spectroscopic methods (TRIR). Ultraviolet-visible spectra were also compared to time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) to ascertain the orbital origins of long wavelength electronic absorption features. The spectroscopic evidence supports the conclusions that only a propyl-bridge flip occurs in low-temperature matrix, while early time CO ejection leads to the formation of solvated isomeric species on the 25 ps time scale in room temperature solution.

Intramolecular CH Activation and Metallacycle Aromaticity in the Photochemistry of [FeFe]-Hydrogenase Model Compounds in Low-Temperature Frozen Matrices.

The [FeFe]-hydrogenase model complexes [(µ-pdt){Fe(CO)3 }2 ], [(µ-edt){Fe(CO)3 }2 ], and [(µ-mdt){Fe(CO)3 }2 ], where pdt=1,3-propanedithiolate, edt=1,2-ethanedithiolate, and mdt=methanedithiolate, undergo wavelength dependent photodecarbonylation in hydrocarbon matrices at 85 K resulting in multiple decarbonylation isomers. As previously reported in time-resolved solution photolysis experiments, the major photoproduct is attributed to a basal carbonyl-loss species. Apical carbonyl-loss isomers are also generated and may undergo secondary photolysis, resulting in ß-hydride activation of the alkyldithiolate bridge, as well as formation of bridging carbonyl isomers. For [(µ-bdt){Fe(CO)3 }2 ], (bdt=1,2-benzenedithiolate), apical photodecarbonylation results in generation of a 10 π-electron aromatic FeS2 C6 H4 metallacycle that coordinates the remaining iron through an η(5) mode.

Rotameric transformations in the photochemistry of TpM(CO)2(η(3)-C3H4R), where Tp = tris(pyrazolyl)borate, M = Mo or W, and R = H or Me.

Low energy photolysis of TpM(CO)2(η(3)-C3H4R), where Tp = tris(pyrazolyl)borate, M = Mo or W, and R = 2-H or 2-Me in PVC matrices at 85 K results in exo/gauche isomerism of the allyl ligand. This transformation comes in contrast to the behaviour observed in cyclopentadienyl analogues which undergo exo/endo isomerism. DFT computations reveal an η(3) → η(1)* → η(3) mechanism for the allyl rotameric interconversion where the η(1)*-allyl intermediate is generated upon MLCT excitation.

Photochemistry of the permanganate ion in low-temperature frozen matrices.

Photolysis of the permanganate anion, MnO4(-), in tetralkylammonium tetrafluoroborate matrices at 85 K results in formation of a single product, the metastable manganese(V) peroxo complex MnO2(η(2)-O2)(-). Although previously unobserved, this peroxo species has been postulated to be an intermediate in the photodecomposition of permanganate, yielding O2 and MnO2(-). Results from variable-temperature and intensity-dependence photolysis experiments in solution, however, suggest that MnO2(η(2)-O2)(-) does not lose O2 thermally or photochemically and is not an intermediate in the photodecomposition reaction. A mechanism is proposed in which MnO2(η(2)-O2)(-) is formed through vibrational relaxation of an excited [MnO4(-)]* species, which may also follow an alternative relaxation pathway that results in the formation of MnO2(-) and O2 photodecomposition products.

Photochemically induced intramolecular six-electron reductive elimination and oxidative addition of nitric oxide by the nitridoosmate(VIII) anion.

UV photolysis of the nitridoosmate(VIII) anion, OsO3 N(-) , in low-temperature frozen matrices results in nitrogen-oxygen bond formation to give the Os(II) nitrosyl complex OsO2 (NO)(-) . Photolysis of the Os(II) nitrosyl product with visible wavelengths results in reversion to the parent Os(VIII) complex. Formally a six-electron reductive elimination and oxidative addition, respectively, this represents the first reported example of such an intramolecular transformation. DFT modelling of this reaction proceeds through a step-wise mechanism taking place through a side-on nitroxyl Os(VI) intermediate, OsO2 (η(2) -NO)(-) .

Multivariate analysis of micro-Raman spectra of thermoplastic polyurethane blends using principal component analysis and principal component regression.

Probing the specific hydrogen-bonding behavior of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) blends using vibrational spectroscopies remains the sin qua non for understanding the link between hydrogen-bonding and phase-segregation behavior. However, current literature holds to more traditional univariate approaches when studying the morphologically interesting normal molecular vibrations of TPUs. In the present study, multivariate analysis, including principal component analysis (PCA) and principal component regression (PCR), is used to scrutinize the relevant Raman bands acquired from a binary mixture of analogous TPU copolymer blends. Considering the near identical behavior of selected spectral regions, PCA was capable of isolating linear and nonlinear composition-dependent trends on PC-scores plots. From here, the PC scores, extracted from wavelengths comprising the carbonyl stretching region (1681-1764 cm(-1)), CH(2) deformations (1380-1500 cm(-1)), aromatic stretch from the hard segment (1617 cm(-1)), and amide II mixed band (1540 cm(-1)), were used to explicitly predict the mole fraction of hard segment present in each blend using PCR. Spectral preprocessing, wavelength selection, and variable scaling were major factors in PCR accurately predicting the weight fraction of each copolymer in spite of the clearly evident, blend-specific spectroscopic behavior.

8-aminoquinoline functionalized silica nanoparticles: a fluorescent nanosensor for detection of divalent zinc in aqueous and in yeast cell suspension.

Zinc is one of the most important transition metal of physiological importance, existing primarily as a divalent cation. A number of sensors have been developed for Zn(II) detection. Here, we present a novel fluorescent nanosensor for Zn(II) detection using a derivative of 8-aminoquinoline (N-(quinolin-8-yl)-2-(3 (triethoxysilyl)propylamino)acetamide (QTEPA) grafted on silica nanoparticles (SiNPs). These functionalized SiNPs were used to demonstrate specific detection of Zn(II) in tris-HCl buffer (pH 7.22), in yeast cell (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) suspension, and in tap water. The silane QTEPA, SiNPs and final product were characterized using solution and solid state nuclear magnetic resonance, Fourier transform infrared, ultraviolet-visible absorption spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, elemental analysis, thermogravimetric techniques, and fluorescence spectroscopy. The nanosensor shows almost 2.8-fold fluorescence emission enhancement and about 55 nm red-shift upon excitation with 330 ± 5 nm wavelength in presence of 1 µM Zn(II) ions in tris-HCl (pH 7.22). The presence of other metal ions has no observable effect on the sensitivity and selectivity of nanosensor. This sensor selectively detects Zn(II) ions with submicromolar detection to a limit of 0.1 µM. The sensor shows good applicability in the determination of Zn(II) in tris-HCl buffer and yeast cell environment. Further, it shows enhancement in fluorescence intensity in tap water samples.

Fluorescence sensing of zinc(II) using ordered mesoporous silica material (MCM-41) functionalized with N-(quinolin-8-yl)-2-[3-(triethoxysilyl)propylamino]acetamide.

A novel fluorescent zinc sensor was designed and synthesized on ordered mesoporous silica material, MCM-41, with N-(quinolin-8-yl)-2-[3-(triethoxysilyl)propylamino]acetamide (QTEPA; 3) using a simple one-step molecular self-assembly of the silane. The solution and solid samples were characterized using solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance, transmission electron microscopy, diffuse-reflectance infrared Fourier transform, and thermogravimetric analysis techniques. The QTEPA-modified MCM-41 (4) shows 3-fold fluorescence emission enhancement and about a 55 nm red shift upon addition of 1 µM Zn(II) ions in a Tris-HCl (pH 7.22) aqueous buffer solution. The UV-vis absorption maximum is at 330 ± 5 nm, and the fluorescence emission maximum wavelength is at 468 nm, with an increase in quantum yield from 0.032 to 0.106 under the same conditions. The presence of other metal ions has no observable effect on the sensitivity and selectivity of 4. This system selectively detects Zn(II) ions with submicromolar detection to a limit of 0.1 µM. The MCM-41-based systems have the advantage that they can be employed in aqueous solutions without any aggregation.

Stopped-flow ultra-rapid-scanning Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy on the millisecond time scale.

Full-range mid-infrared spectra were measured during the reaction of CpCo(CO)(2) with nitrosyl chloride by interfacing a rapid-mixing stopped-flow device with an ultra-rapid-scanning Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectrometer having a temporal resolution of 5 ms. Changes to the data acquisition hardware of this spectrometer now allow a sequence of well over 2000 spectra to be collected without interruption. Two transient species were observed spectroscopically during the first 500 ms of the reaction of CpCo(CO)(2) with nitrosyl chloride. The shortest-lived species that was observed, [CpCo(CO)(2)(NO)](+), had a half-life of approximately 20 ms at 25 degrees C and approximately 70 ms at 10 degrees C. This intermediate transformed into a longer-lived (approximately 0.5 s) intermediate, CpCo(NO)Cl. Potential intermediate species with one CO and one NO ligand, such as [CpCo(CO)(NO)](+) and CpCo(CO)(NO)Cl, were not observed, although the possibility that they exist cannot be ruled out.

Activation of the S-H group in Fe(mu(2)-SH)Fe clusters: S-H bond strengths and free radical reactivity of the Fe(mu(2)-SH)Fe cluster.

Absolute rate constants were determined for the abstraction of hydrogen atoms from (OC)(3)Fe(mu-SH)(2)Fe(CO)(3) (Fe(2)S(2)H(2)) and (OC)(3)Fe(mu-SCH(3))(mu-SH)Fe(CO)(3) (Fe(2)S(2)MeH) by benzyl radicals in benzene. From the temperature-dependent rate data for Fe(2)S(2)H(2), DeltaH(++) and DeltaS(++) were determined to be 2.03 +/- 0.56 kcal/mol and -19.3 +/- 1.7 cal/(mol K), respectively, giving k(abs) = (1.2 +/- 0.49) x 10(7) M(-1) s(-1) at 25 degrees C. For Fe(2)S(2)MeH, DeltaH(++) and DeltaS(++) were determined to be 1.97 +/- 0.46 kcal/mol and -18.1 +/- 1.5 cal/(mol K), respectively, giving k(abs) = (2.3 +/- 0.23) x 10(7) M(-1) s(-1) at 25 degrees C. Temperature-dependent rate data are also reported for hydrogen atom abstraction by benzyl radical from thiophenol (DeltaH(++) = 3.62 +/- 0.43 kcal/mol, DeltaS(++) = -21.7 +/- 1.3 cal/(mol K)) and H(2)S (DeltaH(++) = 5.13 +/- 0.99 kcal/mol, DeltaS(++) = -24.8 +/- 3.2 cal/(mol K)), giving k(abs) at 25 degrees C of (2.5 +/- 0.33) x 10(5) and (4.2 +/- 0.51) x 10(3) M(-1) s(-1), respectively, both having hydrogen atom abstraction rate constants orders of magnitude slower than those of Fe(2)S(2)H(2) and Fe(2)S(2)MeH. Thus, Fe(2)S(2)MeH is 100-fold faster than thiophenol, known as a fast donor. All rate constants are reported per abstractable hydrogen atom (k(abs)/M(-1) s(-1)/H). DFT calculations predict S-H bond strengths of 73.1 and 73.2 kcal/mol for Fe(2)S(2)H(2) and Fe(2)S(2)MeH, respectively. Free energy and NMR chemical shift calculations confirm the NMR assignments and populations of Fe(2)S(2)H(2) and Fe(2)S(2)MeH isomers. Derived radicals Fe(2)S(2)H(*) and Fe(2)S(2)Me(*) exhibit singly occupied HOMOs with unpaired spin density distributed between the two Fe atoms, a bridging sulfur, and d(sigma)-bonding between Fe centers. The S-H solution bond dissociation free energy (SBDFE) of Fe(2)S(2)MeH was found to be 69.4 +/- 1.7 kcal/mol by determination of its pK(a) (16.0 +/- 0.4) and the potential for the oxidation of the anion, Fe(2)S(2)Me(-), of -0.26 +/- 0.05 V vs ferrocene in acetonitrile (corrected for dimerization of Fe(2)S(2)Me(*)). This SBDFE for Fe(2)S(2)MeH corresponds to a gas-phase bond dissociation enthalpy (BDE) of 74.2 kcal/mol, in satisfactory agreement with the DFT value of 73.2 kcal/mol. Replacement of the Fe-Fe bond in Fe(2)S(2)MeH with bridging mu-S (Fe(2)S(3)MeH) or mu-CO (Fe(2)S(2)(CO)MeH) groups leads to (DFT) BDEs of 72.8 and 66.2 kcal/mol, the latter indicating dramatic effects of the choice of bridge structure on S-H bond strengths. These results provide a model for the reactivity of hydrosulfido sites of low-valent heterogeneous FeS catalysts.

Interplay among tetrahedrane, butterfly diradical, and planar rhombus structures in the chemistry of the binuclear iron carbonyl phosphinidene complexes Fe2(CO)6(PX)2.

Density functional theory studies on a series of Fe2(CO)6(PX)2 derivatives show the tetrahedrane to be the most stable for the alkyl (X = Me, tBu), P-H (X = H), and chloro (X = Cl) derivatives. However, butterfly diradical and planar rhombus structures are found to be more stable than tetrahedranes for the amino (X = NH2, NMe2, and NiPr2) and aryloxy (R = 2,6-tBu2-4-Me-C6H2O) derivatives. For the chloro (X = Cl) and methoxy (X = OMe) derivatives energetically accessible bishomotetrahedrane Fe2(CO)6P2(mu-X)2 isomers are observed in which the X substituents on the phosphorus atoms interact with the iron atom to form two direct Fe-X bonds at the expense of two of the four Fe-P bonds. In addition, the global minimum for the hydroxy (X = OH) derivative is an unusual FeP-butterfly structure with a central Fe-P bond as well as two external Fe-P bonds, one external P-P bond, and one external Fe=Fe double bond. Comparison of calculated with experimental nu(CO) frequencies shows that low-temperature Nujol matrix photolysis of (iPr2NP)2COFe2(CO)6 leads to a planar rhombus rather than a tetrahedrane isomer of Fe2(CO)6(PNiPr2)2.

Butterfly diradical intermediates in photochemical reactions of Fe2(CO)6(mu-S2).

Photolysis of the tetrahedrane Fe2(CO)6(mu-S2) at 450 +/- 35 nm in a Nujol matrix at low temperatures gives an isomer characterized by its nu(CO) infrared frequencies. Comparison of these experimental frequencies with those calculated by density functional theory using the BP86 functional indicates this photoisomer to be the butterfly singlet diradical Fe2(CO)6S2 isomer in which the S-S bond of the tetrahedrane is broken but the Fe-Fe bond is retained. Photolysis at higher energies (420-280 nm) results in CO loss from this singlet butterfly diradical as indicated again by comparison of the experimental infrared nu(CO) frequencies with those calculated for an Fe2(CO)5S2 isomer of this type.

Solid-state 93Nb and 13C NMR investigations of half-sandwich niobium(I) and niobium(V) cyclopentadienyl complexes.

Solid-state 93Nb and 13C NMR experiments, in combination with theoretical calculations of NMR tensors, and single-crystal and powder X-ray diffraction experiments, are applied for the comprehensive characterization of structure and dynamics in a series of organometallic niobium complexes. Half-sandwich niobium metallocenes of the forms Cp'Nb(I)(CO)4 and CpNb(V)Cl4 are investigated, where Cp = C5H5- and Cp' = C5H4R- with R = COMe, CO2Me, CO2Et, and COCH2Ph. Anisotropic quadrupolar and chemical shielding (CS) parameters are extracted from 93Nb MAS and static NMR spectra for seven different complexes. It is demonstrated that 93Nb NMR parameters are sensitive to changes in temperature and Cp' ring substitution in the Cp'Nb(I)(CO)4 complexes. There are dramatic differences in the 93Nb quadrupolar coupling constants (C(Q)) between the Nb(I) and Nb(V) complexes, with C(Q) between 1.0 and 12.0 MHz for Cp'Nb(CO)4 and C(Q) = 54.5 MHz for CpNbCl4. The quadrupolar Carr-Purcell Meiboom-Gill (QCPMG) pulse sequence is applied to rapidly acquire, in a piecewise fashion, a high signal-to-noise ultra-wide-line 93Nb NMR spectrum of CpNbCl4, which has a breadth of ca. 400 kHz. Solid-state 93Nb and 13C NMR spectra and powder XRD data are used to identify a new metallocene adduct coordinated at the axial position of the metal site by a THF molecule: CpNb(V)Cl4.THF. 13C MAS and CP/MAS NMR experiments are used to assess the purity of samples, as well as for measuring carbon CS tensors and the rare instance of one-bond 93Nb, 13C J-coupling, 1J(93Nb,13C). Theoretically calculated CS and electric field gradient (EFG) tensors are utilized to determine relationships between tensor orientations, the principal components, and molecular structures.

Photochemical Carbonylation of Ethane under Supercritical Conditions.

Feasible photocatalysis: The rhodium catalyst [Rh(CO)(PMe3 )2 Cl] photochemically transforms ethane to propionaldehyde in single-phase mixtures of ethane and in carbon dioxide/ethane single phases [Eq. (1)]. A side reaction of carbon dioxide with the catalyst to give OPMe3 and [Rh(CO)2 (PMe3 )Cl] or [Rh2 (CO)2 (PMe3 )2 (µ-Cl)2 ] has also been observed.