Synthesis and Thermal Studies of Two Phosphonium Tetrahydroxidohexaoxidopentaborate(1-) Salts: Single-Crystal XRD Characterization of [iPrPPh3][B5O6(OH)4]·3.5H2O and [MePPh3][B5O6(OH)4]·B(OH)3·0.5H2O.

Two substituted phosphonium tetrahydoxidohexaoxidopentaborate(1-) salts, [iPrPPh3][B5O6(OH)4]·3.5H2O (1) and [MePPh3][B5O6(OH)4]·B(OH)3·0.5H2O (2), were prepared by templated self-assembly processes with good yields by crystallization from basic methanolic aqueous solutions primed with B(OH)3 and the appropriate phosphonium cation. Salts 1 and 2 were characterized by spectroscopic (NMR and IR) and thermal (TGA/DSC) analysis. Salts 1 and 2 were thermally decomposed in air at 800 °C to glassy solids via the anhydrous phosphonium polyborates that are formed at lower temperatures (<300 °C). BET analysis of the anhydrous and pyrolysed materials indicated they were non-porous with surface areas of 0.2-2.75 m2/g. Rhe recrystallization of 1 and 2 from aqueous solution afforded crystals suitable for single-crystal XRD analyses. The structure of 1 comprises alternating cationic/anionic layers with the H2O/pentaborate(1-) planes held together by H-bonds. The cationic planes have offset face-to-face (off) and vertex-to-face (vf) aromatic ring interactions with the iPr groups oriented towards the pentaborate(1-)/H2O layers. The anionic lattice in 2 is expanded by the inclusion of B(OH)3 molecules to accommodate the large cations; this results in the formation of a stacked pentaborate(1-)/B(OH)3 structure with channels occupied by the cations. The cations within the channels have vf, ef (edge-to-face), and off phenyl embraces. Both H-bonding and phenyl embrace interactions are important in stabilizing these two solid-state structures.

cis-Bis(L-DOPA-κ2N,O)copper(II) monohydrate: synthesis, crystal structure, and approaches to the analysis of pseudosymmetry.

The crystal structure of the cis isomer of cis-bis(L-DOPA-κ2N,O)copper(II) monohydrate (L-DOPA is 3,4-dihydroxy-L-phenylalanine) (CuLD), [Cu(C9H10NO4)2]·H2O, is a singular example of a structurally characterized, homoleptic, crystalline metal L-DOPA complex. CuLD crystallizes in the space group P21, with Z' = 2. The two independent molecules are square planar, and are interconnected by a linear hydrogen-bonded chain containing 12 independent hydrogen bonds. The copper ions in both molecules have weak apical intermolecular Cu...O interactions [2.739 (2) and 2.973 (2) Å] with catechol -OH groups. A survey of the Cambridge Structural Database suggested that cis and trans isomers of Cu(NH2-C-CO2)2 amino acid complexes are equally likely to occur. 12 strong O-H...O and N-H...O hydrogen bonds stabilize an unusual linear arrangement of the Cu complexes. The Cu...Cu' distances along the chain are nearly equal [5.0739 (3) and 5.1107 (3) Å] and the Cu...Cu'...Cu angles are nearly linear [176.75 (1)°]. The MATCH procedure available in the Oxford University Crystals for Windows package was used to carry out a detailed analysis of the relationship between the two independent molecules. MATCH has some particular advantages in studying the details of pseudosymmetry, which include: (i) no atomic-order requirements; (ii) the pseudosymmetry matrix is readily available, which allows quick insight into the symmetry elements involved and their location; and (iii) the differences between molecular centroids, as well as between all atomic positions and torsion angles, are listed. A tutorial presentation is designed to attract new users to the technique. In the present case, a search for a pseudosymmetric relationship between the two independent molecules showed that they are related by a pseudo-42 axis along the crystallographic c direction. A detailed analysis shows that the pseudo-42 symmetry is disrupted by torsions about the CH2-C(ipso) bonds, and that there is no supergroup that can be used to describe the crystal structure.

Complex structures arising from the self-assembly of a simple organic salt.

Molecular self-assembly is the spontaneous association of simple molecules into larger and ordered structures1. It is the basis of several natural processes, such as the formation of colloids, crystals, proteins, viruses and double-helical DNA2. Molecular self-assembly has inspired strategies for the rational design of materials with specific chemical and physical properties3, and is one of the most important concepts in supramolecular chemistry. Although molecular self-assembly has been extensively investigated, understanding the rules governing this phenomenon remains challenging. Here we report on a simple hydrochloride salt of fampridine that crystallizes as four different structures, two of which adopt unusual self-assemblies consisting of polyhedral clusters of chloride and pyridinium ions. These two structures represent Frank-Kasper (FK) phases of a small and rigid organic molecule. Although discovered in metal alloys4,5 more than 60 years ago, FK phases have recently been observed in several classes of supramolecular soft matter6-11 and in gold nanocrystal superlattices12 and remain the object of recent discoveries13. In these systems, atoms or spherical assemblies of molecules are packed to form polyhedra with coordination numbers 12, 14, 15 or 16. The two FK structures reported here crystallize from a dense liquid phase and show a complexity that is generally not observed in small rigid organic molecules. Investigation of the precursor dense liquid phase by cryogenic electron microscopy reveals the presence of spherical aggregates with sizes ranging between 1.5 and 4.6 nanometres. These structures, together with the experimental procedure used for their preparation, invite interesting speculation about their formation and open different perspectives for the design of organic crystalline materials.

Photoconducting Devices with Response in the Visible-Near-Infrared Region Based on Neutral Ni Complexes of Aryl-1,2-dithiolene Ligands.

Metal bis(1,2-dithiolene) complexes belonging to the class [Ni(Ar-edt)2]x- [Ar-edt2- = arylethylene-1,2-dithiolate; Ar = phenyl, (1x-), 2-naphthyl (2x-); x = 0 and 1] were fully characterized by NMR, UV-visible-near-infrared (UV-vis-NIR), diffuse reflectance, and FT-IR spectroscopy, as well as cyclic voltammetry and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. These complexes have emerged as new photoconducting materials that allowed for the development of a prototype of photodetectors with response in the vis-NIR region. The photodetecting devices showed in some cases quantum efficiencies orders of magnitude higher than those of previously reported 1,2-dithiolene systems.

Radical-cation salts of BEDT-TTF with lithium tris(oxalato)metallate(III).

The first radical-cation salts in the extensive family (BEDT-TTF)x[(A)M(C2O4)3]·Guest containing lithium as the counter cation have been synthesized and characterised.

Describing hydrogen-bonded structures; topology graphs, nodal symbols and connectivity tables, exemplified by five polymorphs of each of sulfathiazole and sulfapyridine.

BACKGROUND: Structural systematics is the comparison of sets of chemically related crystal structures with the aim to establish and describe relevant similarities and relationships. An important topic in this context is the comparison of hydrogen-bonded structures (HBSs) and their representation by suitable descriptors. RESULTS: Three different description methods for HBSs are proposed, a graphical representation, a symbolic representation and connectivity tables. The most comprehensive description is provided by a modified graph of the underlying net topology of an HBS which contains information on the multiplicity of links, the directionality and chemical connectivity of hydrogen bonds and on symmetry relations. By contrast, the alternative symbolic representation is restricted to essential properties of an HBS, i.e. its dimensionality, topology type and selected connectivity characteristics of nodes. A comparison of their connectivity tables readily identifies differences and similarities between crystal structures with respect to the intermolecular interaction modes adopted by their functional groups. The application of these methods to the known polymorphs of sulfathiazole and sulfapyridine is demonstrated and it is shown that they enable the rationalisation of previously reported and intricate relationships. CONCLUSIONS: The proposed methods facilitate the comprehensive description of the most important relevant aspects of an HBS, including its chemical connectivity, net topology and symmetry characteristics, and they represent a new way to recognise similarities and relationships in organic crystal structures. Graphical AbstractGraphical Representation of mixing of structures StzIV and StzV to give structure StzIII.

A mechanophysical phase transition provides a dramatic example of colour polymorphism: the tribochromism of a substituted tri(methylene)tetrahydrofuran-2-one.

BACKGROUND: Derivatives of fulgides have been shown to have interesting photochromic properties. We have synthesised a number of such derivatives and have found, in some cases, that crystals can be made to change colour on crushing, a phenomenon we have termed "tribochromism". We have studied a number of derivatives by X-ray crystallography, to see if the colour is linked to molecular structure or crystal packing, or both, and our structural results have been supported by calculation of molecular and lattice energies. RESULTS: A number of 5-dicyanomethylene-4-diphenylmethylene-3-disubstitutedmethylene-tetrahydrofuran-2-one compounds have been prepared and structurally characterised. The compounds are obtained as yellow or dark red crystals, or, in one case, both. In two cases where yellow crystals were obtained, we found that crushing the crystals gave a deep red powder. Structure determinations, including those of the one compound which gave both coloured forms, depending on crystallisation conditions, showed that the yellow crystals contained molecules in which the structure comprised a folded conformation at the diphenylmethylene site, whilst the red crystals contained molecules in a twisted conformation at this site. Lattice energy and molecular conformation energies were calculated for all molecules, and showed that the conformational energy of the molecule in structure IIIa (yellow) is marginally higher, and the conformation thus less stable, than that of the molecule in structure IIIb (red). However, the van der Waals energy for crystal structure IIIa, is slightly stronger than that of structure IIIb - which may be viewed as a hint of a metastable packing preference for IIIa, overcome by the contribution of a more stabilising Coulomb energy to the overall more favourable lattice energy of structure IIIb. CONCLUSIONS: Our studies have shown that the crystal colour is correlated with one of two molecular conformations which are different in energy, but that the less stable conformation can be stabilised by its host crystal lattice. Graphical abstractGraphical representation of the structural and colour change in the tribochromic compound (III).

A racemic and enantiopure unsymmetric diiron(III) complex with a chiral o-carborane-based pyridylalcohol ligand: combined chiroptical, magnetic, and nonlinear optical properties.

The design of molecule-based systems combining magnetic, chiroptical and second-order optical nonlinear properties is still very rare. We report an unusually unsymmetric diiron(III) complex 1, in which three bulky chiral carboranylpyridinealkoxide ligands (oCBhmp(-)) bridge both metal ions and the complex shows the above-mentioned properties. The introduction of o-carborane into the 2-(hydroxymethyl)pyridine (hmpH) architecture significantly alters the coordination of the simple or aryl-substituted 2-hmpH. The unusual architecture observed in 1 seems to be triggered by the poor nucleophilicity of our alkoxide ligand (oCBhmp(-)). A very rare case of spontaneous resolution takes place on precipitation or exposure to solvent vapor for the bulk compound, as confirmed by a combination of single-crystal and powder X-ray diffraction, second-harmonic generation, and circular dichroism. The corresponding enantiopure complexes (+)1 and (-)1 have also been synthesized and fully characterized. This research provides a new building block with unique geometry and electronics to construct coordination complexes with multifunctional properties.

Reactivity of fluoro-substituted bis(thiocarbonyl) donors with diiodine: an XRD, FT-Raman, and DFT investigation.

The reactions of 1,3,8,10-tetrakis(4'-fluorophenyl)-4,5,6,7-tetrathiocino[1,2-b:3,4-b']diimidazolyl-2,9-dithione (4) and molecular diiodine afforded spoke adducts with stoichiometries 4·I2 and 4·3I2 , isolated in the compound 4·3I2·xCH2Cl2·(1-x)I2 (x=0.70), and characterized by single-crystal XRD and FT-Raman spectroscopy. The nature of the reaction products was investigated under the prism of theoretical calculations carried out at the DFT level. The structural data, FT-Raman spectroscopy, and quantum mechanical calculations agree in indicating that the introduction of fluorophenyl substituents results in a lowering of the Lewis basicity of this class of bis(thiocarbonyl) donors compared with alkyl-substituted tetrathiocino donors and fluorine allows for extended interactions that are responsible for solid-state crystal packing.

Eight isostructural 4,4'-disubstituted N-phenylbenzenesulfonamides.

The isostructural crystals of 4-cyano-N-(4-methoxyphenyl)benzenesulfonamide, C(14)H(12)N(2)O(3)S, (I), N-(4-methoxyphenyl)-4-(trifluoromethyl)benzenesulfonamide, C(14)H(12)F(3)NO(3)S, (II), 4-iodo-N-(4-methoxyphenyl)benzenesulfonamide, C(13)H(12)INO(3)S, (III), 4-bromo-N-(4-methoxyphenyl)benzenesulfonamide, C(13)H(12)BrNO(3)S, (IV), 4-chloro-N-(4-methoxyphenyl)benzenesulfonamide, C(13)H(12)ClNO(3)S, (V), 4-fluoro-N-(4-methoxyphenyl)benzenesulfonamide, C(13)H(12)FNO(3)S, (VI), N-(4-chlorophenyl)-4-methoxybenzenesulfonamide, C(13)H(12)ClNO(3)S, (VII), and 4-cyano-N-phenylbenzenesulfonamide, C(13)H(10)N(2)O(2)S, (VIII), contain infinite chains composed of N-H···O(sulfonyl) hydrogen-bonded molecules. The crystal structures of (I)-(VIII) have been compared using the XPac software and quantitative descriptors of isostructurality were generated [Gelbrich, Threlfall & Hursthouse (2012). CrystEngComm, 14, 5454-5464]. Certain isostructural relationships in this series involve molecules with substantially different spatial demands, e.g. (VI) and (VIII) are related by the simultaneous interchange of F→CN on the benzenesulfonamide ring and OMe→H on the N-phenyl ring, which indicates that the geometry of the three-dimensional crystal-packing mode of (I)-(VIII) is unusually adaptable to different molecular shapes.

Ruthenium cryptates with an unusual selectivity for nitrate.

The synthesis of two new tripodal complexes [Ru(L3)](PF(6))(2) and [Ru(L4)](PF(6))(2), encapsulating a ruthenium(II) cation, has been successfully achieved and the products fully characterized, including by X-ray structural determination. The smaller cavity, built around a tris(2-aminoethyl)amido scaffold demonstrated only moderate and predictable interactions with a range of anions and no significant spectroscopic change with nitrate, chloride and bromide, although dihydrogen phosphate did result in an almost stoichiometric precipitation. The expansion of the cavity to include the more rigid 1,3,5-benzenetricarbonylamide group creates a larger cavity, which shows a decrease in the emission on the introduction of chloride, bromide, hydrogen sulfate and nitrate salts, with the (1)H NMR titrations giving a surprisingly high binding affinity for nitrate over the smaller and simpler halides.

Reactivity of phosphonodithioato-dppt Ni(II) mixed ligand complexes with halogens: first example of a metal-coordinating tribromide anion.

The first example of a metal complex containing a tribromide anion is presented and characterised by X-ray diffraction. Hybrid DFT calculations were used to investigate the nature of the bond in coordinating trihalides and the differences with the corresponding mono-halide complexes.

Selective formation of a polar incomplete coordination cage induced by remote ligand substituents.

Instead of highly symmetrical T-symmetry cages common in self-assembly, the p-NMe(2)-substituted triphosphine CH(3)C{CH(2)P(4-C(6)H(4)NMe(2))(3) gives open, polar C(3) symmetry cages [Ag(6)(triphos)(4)X(3)](3+) which lack one of the expected face-capping anions; despite its subtlety this difference occurs selectively in solution and two examples have been crystallographically characterised.

Templated heptaborate and pentaborate salts of cyclo-alkylammonium cations: structural and thermal properties.

The synthesis and characterization of a series of cyclo-alkylammonium pentaborate salts {[cyclo-C(n)H(2n-1)NR(3)][B(5)O(6)(OH)(4)] (R = H, n = 3, 5-7 (1-4); R = Me, n = 6 (5))} are reported. Compounds 1, 2 and 5 have been further characterized by single-crystal XRD studies. Attempted recrystallization of 3 and 4 yielded small crops of the unexpected heptaborate salts, [cyclo-C(6)H(11)NH(3)](2)[B(7)O(9)(OH)(5)]·3H(2)O·B(OH)(3) (6) and [cyclo-C(7)H(13)NH(3)](2)[B(7)O(9)(OH)(5)]·2H(2)O·2B(OH)(3) (7) which were also characterized crystallographically. All compounds show extensive supramolecular H-bonded anionic lattices templated by the cations. H-bond interactions are described in detail. TGA-DSC analysis of the pentaborates 1-5 showed that they thermally decomposed in air at 800 °C to 2.5B(2)O(3), in a 2 step process involving dehydration (<250 °C) and oxidative decomposition (250-600 °C). BET analysis of materials derived from the pentaborates had internal porosities of <1 m(2) g(-1).

Further studies of fluoride ion entrapment in octasilsesquioxane cages; X-ray crystal structure studies and factors that affect their formation.

A range of fluoride-encapsulated octasilsesquioxane cage compounds have been prepared using the TBAF route. Our studies suggest that whilst it is relatively straightforward to prepare fluoride-encapsulated octasilsesquioxane cage compounds with adjacent sp(2) carbons, leading to a range of aryl and vinyl substituted compounds, the corresponding sp(3) carbon derivatives are more capricious, requiring an electron withdrawing group that can stabilize the cage whilst not acting as a leaving group. Analysis by X-ray crystallography and solution (19)F/(29)Si NMR spectroscopy of R(8)T(8)@F(-) reveal very similar environments for the encapsulated fluoride octasilsesquioxane cages. Migration of a fluoride ion from inside the cage to outside the cage without breaking the T(8) framework and the possibility of encapsulating other anions within silsesquioxane cages have been also investigated.

Dynamic and static behaviors of N-Z-N σ(3c-4e) (Z = S, Se, and Te) interactions: atoms-in-molecules dual functional analysis with high-resolution X-ray diffraction determination of electron densities for 2-(2-pyridylimino)-2H-1,2,4-thiadiazolo[2,3-a]pyridine.

The structure of 2-(2-pyridylimino)-2H-1,2,4-thiadiazolo[2,3-a]pyridine (NSN) indicates that the molecule has a planar geometry with a linear N···S···N linkage, creating a tetracyclic structure of the formal C(2v) symmetry. To clarify the nature of the NSN σ(3c-4e) bonding, together with the related NSeN and NTeN, the dynamic and static behaviors are investigated by applying atoms-in-molecules (AIM) dual functional analysis to both the fully optimized and perturbed structures. The structures were optimized computationally, retaining C(2v) symmetry. All bond critical points are detected as expected and exhibited on both sides of the N···Z···N moiety which supports the formation of NZN σ(3c-4e). It is confirmed that N···S···N is of the covalent nature close to Me(2)S(+)-∗-Cl or Me(2)Se(+)-∗-Br, whereas N···Se···N and N···Te···N have the (regular) CS nature close to the CT adducts of Me(2)S(-∗-Cl)(2) (TBP) and Me(2)Se-∗-Br(2) (MC), respectively. An experimental high-resolution charge density determination has been performed on NSN, which thoroughly supports the theoretical results. Very similar results are obtained in the analogous pyrimidyl derivatives for N···S···N, N···Se···N, and N···Te···N. AIM dual functional analysis, as validated by experimental high-resolution charge densities, is thus confirmed to be an excellent method to elucidate the nature of these interactions.

Binaphthyl platform as starting materials for the preparation of electron rich benzo[g,h,i]perylenes. Application to molecular architectures based on amino benzo[g,h,i]perylenes and carborane combinations.

Valuable amino benzo[g,h,i]perylenes have been obtained through a one pot electrophilic aromatic substitution--Scholl reaction sequence. Novel molecular architectures combining 3D-o-carborane and planar amino benzo[g,h,i]perylene units are described. Photophysical properties of amino benzo[g,h,i]perylene and the carborane-appended derivatives are discussed.

Structure and magnetism of new hybrid cobalt hydroxide materials built from decorated brucite layers.

The structure, synthesis and magnetic properties of three new complex cobalt hydroxyl oxalates are presented, showing a modification of the 2-D double layer hydroxide structure. Co(12)(OH)(18)(ox)(3)(pip) [ox = oxalate, C(2)O(4)(2-); pip = piperazine, C(4)N(2)H(10)] (1), is essentially built from brucite-like layers with a one ninth depletion of the octahedral sites and a preservation of a trigonal crystallographic symmetry. ACo(28)(OH)(43)(ox)(6)Br(2)(H(2)O)(2) [A = Na (2), K (3)] are similarly composed of a brucite-like layer with three nineteenths depletion of octahedral sites, again preserving a trigonal symmetry. Both 2 and 3 show a small degree of structural disorder within the framework. All of these compounds have alternating layers of a mineral-like metal hydroxide structure and a metal oxalate coordination network, with the depletion in the hydroxyl layers being templated by the coordination network. Magnetic studies of 1 reveal a metamagnetic character, with the onset of an antiferromagnetic phase below T(c) = 23.5 K (H = 0 G), and a first order antiferromagnet to metamagnet transition at H(c) = 500-1000 G (T = 20-6 K). Compound 3 shows a more conventional ferrimagnetic ordering below 33(±1) K with a small coercive field of 107(±5) G at 10 K.

Redox-active tetrathiafulvalene and dithiolene compounds derived from allylic 1,4-diol rearrangement products of disubstituted 1,3-dithiole derivatives.

We present a series of compounds by exploiting the unusual 1,4-aryl shift observed for electron-rich 1,3-dithiole-2-thione and tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) derivatives in the presence of perchloric acid. The mechanistic features of this rearrangement are discussed since this synthetic strategy provides an alternative route for the synthesis and functionalisation of sulfur rich compounds including redox active compounds of TTFs, and a Ni dithiolene.

Synthesis and structure of pillared molybdates and tungstates with framework layers.

Six new layered lanthanide molybdate and tungstate phases pillared by either naphthalenedisulfonate (NDS) or fumarate anions have been synthesized hydrothermally and structurally characterized. Five of these materials, [Nd(H(2)O)MoO(4)](2)[2,6-NDS] (1), [Nd(H(2)O)MoO(4)](2)[1,5-NDS] (2), [La(H(2)O)WO(4)](2)[1,5-NDS] (3), [La(H(2)O)WO(4)](2)[2,6-NDS] (4), and [Ce(H(2)O)MoO(4)](2)[fumarate] (6), have a closely related cationic inorganic layer structure which comprises a bilayer of polyhedra leading to the formation of a framework layer containing small, inaccessible pores. These layers are pillared by the organic anions which also bridge between the lanthanide cations within the layers. In the La/WO(4)/2,6-NDS system, a second polymorph, [La(2)(H(2)O)(2)W(2)O(8)][2,6-NDS] (5), is observed. In this compound, the tungstate anions have dimerized, forming W(2)O(8)(4-). This dimer is unique and comprises two square-based pyramidal tungsten centers which are opposed to each other.