Borophosphate glass as an active media for CuO nanoparticle growth: an efficient catalyst for selenylation of oxadiazoles and application in redox reactions.

Herein, we report the preparation of CuO@ borophosphate nanoparticles (CuOnano@glass) and their wide catalytic applications. The glass annealing, under a controlled atmosphere, enables the growth of copper nanoparticles on the glass surface (not within) by an uncommon bottom-up process. Following the thermal annealing of metallic nanoparticles under air atmosphere, supported copper oxide nanoparticles CuONPs on the glass surface can be obtained. The approach enables the glass matrix to be explored as a precursor and a route for the synthesis of supported copper-based nanoparticles in a solvent-free process without immobilization steps or stabilizing agents. In order to demonstrate the wide synthetic utility of this CuONPs glass-based catalyst, one-pot three-component domino reactions were performed under an air atmosphere, affording the desired selenylated oxadiazoles in good to excellent yields. We also extended the application of these new materials as a glass-based catalyst in the phenol hydroxylation and the reduction of 4-nitrophenol.

Synthesis, characterization and biological evaluation of new manganese metal carbonyl compounds that contain sulfur and selenium ligands as a promising new class of CORMs.

Three new manganese carbonyl compounds with heavy atom donors were synthesized and their potential use as photoCORMS was evaluated. Interestingly, all compounds had an elusive binding mode, in which the ligands adopted a κ2-X coordination (where X = S or Se), confirmed both by X-ray crystallography and IR spectroscopy. The stability of the title compounds in the dark was determined by monitoring the changes in the UV spectra of the compounds in both dichloromethane and acetonitrile. These studies show that in coordinating solvents there is an exchange of the bromide bonded to the metal centre by a solvent molecule, which is evidenced by the changes in the UV and IR spectra and by DFT analysis. EDA and natural bond order analyses were conducted to evaluate the influence of the heavy atom donors in the first coordination sphere of the compounds. Photoexcitation at 380 nm demonstrated that all compounds showed release of all three COs, as seen in the photoproducts detected by IR spectroscopy. Furthermore, CO release was observed when the photoCORMs were incubated with living cells, and we observed a CO-dependent inhibition of cell viability.