Rhodium and iridium complexes of a new ferrocene-derived chelating bis(NHC) ligand.

Rhodium and iridium complexes of a new ferrocene-derived bis(N-heterocyclic carbene) ligand, [M(cod){1,2-(MeNCHCHNCCH(2))(2)C(5)H(3)}Fe(C(5)H(5))]BF(4) (M = Rh, 8a; M = Ir, 8b; cod = 1,5-cyclooctadiene), were synthesized from the corresponding bis(imidazolium) salt 6. The molecular structure of 8a was determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Complexes 8a and 8b smoothly react with CO with displacement of the chelating cod ligand to give the corresponding dicarbonyl derivatives 9a and 9b.

Synthesis and characterization of fluorophenylpalladium pincer complexes: electronic properties of some pincer ligands evaluated by multinuclear NMR spectroscopy and electrochemical studies.

Palladium fluorophenyl complexes with different pincer ligands Pd(Ar)[2,6-(tBu(2)PCH(2))(2)C(6)H(3)] (13), Pd(Ar)[2,6-(tBu(2)PO)(2)C(6)H(3)] (14), Pd(Ar)[{2,5-(tBu(2)PCH(2))(2)C(5)H(2)}Fe(C(5)H(5))] (15), and Pd(Ar)[{2,5-(tBu(2)PCH(2))(2)C(5)H(2)}Ru(C(5)H(5))] (16) were synthesized by the reaction of LiAr (Ar = C(6)H(4)F-4) with the respective trifluoroacetate palladium pincer complexes 9-12. The molecular structures of 14 and 16 were determined by an X-ray crystallographic method. Complexes 13-16 and {Pd(Ar)[{2,5-(tBu(2)PCH(2))(2)C(5)H(2)}Fe(C(5)H(5))]}PF(6) (17) were studied by multinuclear NMR spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry. On the basis of (19)F NMR chemical shifts and (1)J((13)C-(19)F) coupling constants, as well as Pd(II)/Pd(IV) oxidation potentials, electronic characteristics of the corresponding pincer ligands were elucidated.

Simple synthesis of ruthenium pi complexes of aromatic amino acids and small peptides.

The interaction of [Ru(eta(6)-C(10)H(8))(Cp)](+) (Cp=C(5)H(5)) with aromatic amino acids (L-phenylalanine, L-tyrosine, L-tryptophane, D-phenylglycine, and L-threo-3-phenylserine) under visible-light irradiation gives the corresponding [Ru(eta(6)-amino acid)(Cp)](+) complexes in near-quantitative yield. The reaction proceeds in air at room temperature in water and tolerates the presence of non-aromatic amino acids (except those which are sulfur containing), monosaccharides, and nucleotides. The complex [Ru(eta(6)-C(10)H(8))(Cp)](+) was also used for selective labeling of Tyr and Phe residues of small peptides, namely, angiotensin I and II derivatives.

Synthesis of monosubstituted functional derivatives of carboranes from 1-mercapto-ortho-carborane: 1-HOOC(CH(2))(n)S-1,2-C(2)B(10)H(11) and [7-HOOC(CH(2))(n)S-7,8-C(2)B(9)H(11)](-) (n = 1-4).

A general approach to synthesis of monosubstituted functional derivatives of 1,2-dicarba-closo-dodecaborane (ortho-carborane) is proposed. Reactions of the triethylammonium salt of 1-mercapto-ortho-carborane (Et(3)NH)[1-S-1,2-C(2)B(10)H(11)] with ethyl omega-bromoalkyl carboxylates and omega-bromoalkylnitriles in ethanol result in the corresponding carboranyl esters and nitriles that in turn can be converted to carborane-based carboxylic acids 1-HOOC(CH(2))(n)S-closo-1,2-C(2)B(10)H(11) (n = 1-4). Mild deboronation of the closo-carborane cage with CsF in ethanol gives caesium salts of the corresponding nido-carboranes Cs[7-HOOC(CH(2))(n)S-nido-7,8-C(2)B(9)H(11)]. This approach is suitable for synthesis of compounds to be used in boron neutron capture therapy and radionuclide diagnostics of cancer.

Chiral phosphites derived from carboranes: electronic effect in catalytic asymmetric hydrogenation.

A series of new fine-tunable monodentate phosphite and phosphoramidite ligands based on carboranes have been synthesized and used for asymmetric Rh-catalyzed hydrogenation of prochiral olefins with the result of up to 99.8% ee. Dependence of the enantioselectivity on the electron-withdrawing or electron-donating properties of the carboranyl substituent has been studied.

Novel boronated derivatives of 5,10,15,20-tetraphenylporphyrin: synthesis and toxicity for drug-resistant tumor cells.

We have developed the synthesis of boronated porphyrins for potential application in cancer treatment, based on the functional derivatives of 5,10,15,20-tetraphenylporphyrin. Boronated amide derivatives starting from 5,10,15,20-tetra(p-aminophenyl)porphyrin and 9-o- and 9-m-carborane carboxylic acid chlorides were prepared. Also, the reaction of 2-formyl-5,10,15,20-tetraphenylporphyrin with closo-C-lithium-o- and m-carboranes, as well as with closo-C-lithium monocarbon carborane, yielded neutral and anionic boronated hydroxy derivatives of 5,10,15,20-tetraphenylporphyrin, respectively. Water-soluble forms of neutral compounds were prepared by deboronation of closo-polyhedra with Bu4NF into nido-7,8- and nido-7,9-dicarbaundecaborate anions. Monocarbon carborane conjugated with copper (II) complex of 5,10,15,20-tetraphenylporphyrin was active for a variety of tumor cell lines (IC50 approximately 5 microM after 48-72 h of exposure) but was inert for non-malignant fibroblasts at up to 100 microM. At low micromolar concentrations, this compound caused the death of cells that express P-glycoprotein and other mechanisms of resistance to conventional anticancer drugs.

Synthesis and rearrangements of aminosubstituted ferra- and ruthenatricarbaboranes.

A room-temperature reaction between the [7-tBuNH-nido-7,8,9-C3B8H10]- anion (1a) and [Cp*RuCl]4 leads to the ruthenatricarbollide [1-Cp*-12-tBuNH-1,2,4,12-RuC3B8H10] (2) (yield 85%). Analogously, the room-temperature photochemical reaction of 1a with [CpFe(C6H6)]PF6 gives the previously reported iron complex [1-Cp-12-tBuNH-1,2,4,12-FeC3B8H10] (3) (yield 82%). Both reactions are associated with extensive polyhedral rearrangement, which occurs under very mild conditions and brings the carbon atoms to positions of maximum separation within the framework. Compounds 2 and 3 were also surprisingly obtained via complexation of the isomeric [8-tBuNH-nido-7,8,9-C3B8H10]- (1b) anion. Complex 2 rearranges further to [1-Cp*-10-tBuNH-1,2,4,10-RuC3B8H10] (4) upon refluxing in xylene (145 degrees C). Density functional theory calculations at the B3LYP/SDD level were used to estimate relative stabilities of these metallacarborane isomers. Compounds 2 and 4, along with the 11-vertex closo compounds [1-Cp*-1,2,3,10-RuC3B7H10] (5) and [1-Cp*-10-tBuNH-1,2,3,10-RuC3B7H9] (6), were also isolated from the reaction between [Cp*RuCl2]2 and 1a in boiling xylene. The structure of 2 was established by an X-ray diffraction study, and the constitution of all compounds was determined unambiguously by multinuclear NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and elemental analyses.

Synthesis and characterization of novel monocarbollide exo-closo-(pi-arene)biruthenacarboranes [(PPh3)mClRu(eta6-C6H5R)Ru'CB10H11-n(OMe)n] (where R = H, m = 2, n = 1; R = mu-PPh2, m = 1, n = 0, 1).

The monocarbon carborane [Cs][nido-7-CB(10)H(13)] reacts with the 16-electron [RuCl(2)(PPh(3))(3)] in a solution of benzene/methanol in the presence of N,N,N',N'-tetramethylnaphthalene-1,8-diamine as the base to give a series of 12-vertex monocarbon arene-biruthenacarborane complexes of two types: [closo-2-[7,11-exo-RuClPPh(3)(mu,eta(6)-C(6)H(5)PPh(2))]-7,11-(mu-H)(2)-2,1-RuCB(10)H(8)R] (5, R = H; 6, R = 6-MeO; 7, R = 3-MeO) and [closo-2-(eta(6)-C(6)H(6))-10,11,12-[exo-RuCl(PPh(3))(2)]-10,11,12-(mu-H)(3)-2,1-RuCB(10)H(7)R(1)] (8a, R(1) = 6-MeO; 8b, R(1) = 3-MeO, inseparable mixture of isomers) along with trace amounts of 10-vertex mononuclear hypercloso/isocloso-type complexes [2,2-(PPh(3))(2)-2-H-3,9-(MeO)(2)-2,1-RuCB(8)H(7)] (9) and [2,5-(Ph(3)P)-2-Cl-2-H-3,9-(MeO)(2)-2,1-RuCB(8)H(6)] (10). Binuclear ruthenacarborane clusters of both series were characterized by a combination of analytical and multinuclear NMR spectroscopic data and by single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies of three selected complexes, 6-8. In solution, isomers 8a,b have been shown to undergo the isomerization process through the scrambling of the exo-[RuCl(PPh(3))(2)] fragment about two adjacent triangular cage boron faces B(7)B(11)B(12) and B(8)B(9)B(12).