Isomer dependence in the assembly and lability of silver(I) trifluoromethanesulfonate complexes of the heteroditopic ligands, 2-, 3-, and 4-[di(1H-pyrazolyl)methyl]phenyl(di-p-tolyl)phosphine.

Three isomers of a new heteroditopic ligand that contains a di(1H-pyrazolyl)methyl (-CHpz2) moiety connected to a di(p-tolyl)phosphine group via a para-, meta-, or ortho-phenylene spacer (pL, mL, and oL, respectively) have been synthesized by using a palladium(0)-catalyzed coupling reaction between HP(p-tolyl)2 and the appropriate isomer of (IC6H4)CHpz2. The 1:1 complexes of silver(I) trifluoromethanesulfonate, Ag(OTf), were prepared to examine the nature of ligand coordination and the type of supramolecular isomer (monomeric, cyclic oligomeric, or polymeric) that would be obtained. The single crystal X-ray diffraction studies showed that [Ag(pL)](OTf), 1, and [Ag(mL)](OTf), 2, possessed cyclic dimeric dications, whereas [Ag(oL)](OTf), 3, was a coordination polymer. The polymeric chain in 3 could be disrupted by reaction with triphenylphosphine, and the resulting complex, [Ag(oL)(PPh3)](OTf), 4, possessed a monometallic cation where the ligand was bound to silver in a chelating κ(2)P,N- coordination mode. The solution structures of 1-4 were probed via a combination of IR, variable-temperature multinuclear ((1)H, (13)C, (31)P) NMR spectroscopy, as well as by electron spray ionization (ESI)(+) mass spectrometry. A related complex [Ag(m-IC6H4CHpz2)2](OTf), 5, was also prepared, and its solid-state and solution spectroscopic properties were studied for comparison purposes. These studies suggest that the cyclic structures of 1 and 2 are likely preserved but are dynamic in solution at room temperature. Moreover, both 3 and 4 have dynamic solution structures where 3 is likely extensively dissociated in CH3CN or acetone rather than being polymeric as in the solid state.

Homoleptic nickel(II) complexes of redox-tunable pincer-type ligands.

Different synthetic methods have been developed to prepare eight new redox-active pincer-type ligands, H(X,Y), that have pyrazol-1-yl flanking donors attached to an ortho-position of each ring of a diarylamine anchor and that have different groups, X and Y, at the para-aryl positions. Together with four previously known H(X,Y) ligands, a series of 12 Ni(X,Y)2 complexes were prepared in high yields by a simple one-pot reaction. Six of the 12 derivatives were characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, which showed tetragonally distorted hexacoordinate nickel(II) centers. The nickel(II) complexes exhibit two quasi-reversible one-electron oxidation waves in their cyclic voltammograms, with half-wave potentials that varied over a remarkable 700 mV range with the average of the Hammett σ(p) parameters of the para-aryl X, Y groups. The one- and two-electron oxidized derivatives [Ni(Me,Me)2](BF4)n (n = 1, 2) were prepared synthetically, were characterized by X-band EPR, electronic spectroscopy, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction (for n = 2), and were studied computationally by DFT methods. The dioxidized complex, [Ni(Me,Me)2](BF4)2, is an S = 2 species, with nickel(II) bound to two ligand radicals. The mono-oxidized complex [Ni(Me,Me)2](BF4), prepared by comproportionation, is best described as nickel(II) with one ligand centered radical. Neither the mono- nor the dioxidized derivative shows any substantial electronic coupling between the metal and their bound ligand radicals because of the orthogonal nature of their magnetic orbitals. On the other hand, weak electronic communication occurs between ligands in the mono-oxidized complex as evident from the intervalence charge transfer (IVCT) transition found in the near-IR absorption spectrum. Band shape analysis of the IVCT transition allowed comparisons of the strength of the electronic interaction with that in the related, previously known, Robin-Day class II mixed valence complex, [Ga(Me,Me)2](2+).

Comment on "synthesis, characterization, and structures of persistent aniline radical cation": it is a protonated aniline and not an aniline radical cation.

The same, but different: The reaction of tri-tert-butylaniline (TBA) with AgSbF6 in CH2 Cl2 produces a green-colored intermediate which undergoes decomposition to form a protonated aniline (TBAH(+) SbF6 (-) ). Crystals of the protonated aniline salt were analyzed by X-ray diffraction and found to have the same crystal characteristics as the crystals of the supposed cation radical first identified in 2012.

Electronic communication across diamagnetic metal bridges: a homoleptic gallium(III) complex of a redox-active diarylamido-based ligand and its oxidized derivatives.

Complexes with cations of the type [Ga(L)(2)](n+) where L = bis(4-methyl-2-(1H-pyrazol-1-yl)phenyl)amido and n = 1, 2, 3 have been prepared and structurally characterized. The electronic properties of each were probed by electrochemical and spectroscopic means and were interpreted with the aid of density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The dication, best described as [Ga(L(-))(L(0))](2+), is a Robin-Day class II mixed-valence species. As such, a broad, weak, solvent-dependent intervalence charge transfer (IVCT) band was found in the NIR spectrum in the range 6390-6925 cm(-1), depending on the solvent. Band shape analyses and the use of Hush and Marcus relations revealed a modest electronic coupling, H(ab) of about 200 cm(-1), and a large rate constant for electron transfer, k(et), on the order of 10(10) s(-1) between redox active ligands. The dioxidized complex [Ga(L(0))(2)](3+) shows a half-field ΔM(s) = 2 transition in its solid-state X-band electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectrum at 5 K, which indicates that the triplet state is thermally populated. DFT calculations (M06/Def2-SV(P)) suggest that the singlet state is 21.7 cm(-1) lower in energy than the triplet state.

Syntheses and electronic properties of rhodium(III) complexes bearing a redox-active ligand.

A series of rhodium(III) complexes of the redox-active ligand, H(L = bis(4-methyl-2-(1H-pyrazol-1-yl)phenyl)amido), was prepared, and the electronic properties were studied. Thus, heating an ethanol solution of commercial RhCl(3)·3H(2)O with H(L) results in the precipitation of insoluble [H(L)]RhCl(3), 1. The reaction of a methanol suspension of [H(L)]RhCl(3) with NEt(4)OH causes ligand deprotonation and affords nearly quantitative yields of the soluble, deep-green, title compound (NEt(4))[(L)RhCl(3)]·H(2)O, 2·H(2)O. Complex 2·H(2)O reacts readily with excess pyridine, triethylphosphine, or pyrazine (pyz) to eliminate NEt(4)Cl and give charge-neutral complexes trans-(L)RhCl(2)(py), trans-3, trans-(L)RhCl(2)(PEt(3)), trans-4, or trans-(L)RhCl(2)(pyz), trans-5, where the incoming Lewis base is trans- to the amido nitrogen of the meridionally coordinating ligand. Heating solutions of complexes trans-3 or trans-4 above about 100 °C causes isomerization to the appropriate cis-3 or cis-4. Isomerization of trans-5 occurs at a much lower temperature due to pyrazine dissociation. Cis-3 and cis-5 could be reconverted to their respective trans- isomers in solution at 35 °C by visible light irradiation. Complexes [(L)Rh(py)(2)Cl](PF(6)), 6, [(L)Rh(PPh(3))(py)Cl](PF(6)), 7, [(L)Rh(PEt(3))(2)Cl](PF(6)), 8, and [(L)RhCl(bipy)](OTf = triflate), 9, were prepared from 2·H(2)O by using thallium(I) salts as halide abstraction agents and excess Lewis base. It was not possible to prepare dicationic complexes with three unidentate pyridyl or triethylphosphine ligands; however, the reaction between 2, thallium(I) triflate, and the tridentate 4'-(4-methylphenyl)-2,2':6',2"-terpyridine (ttpy) afforded a high yield of [(L)Rh(ttpy)](OTf)(2), 10. The solid state structures of nine new complexes were obtained. The electrochemistry of the various derivatives in CH(2)Cl(2) showed a ligand-based oxidation wave whose potential depended mainly on the charge of the complex, and to a lesser extent on the nature and the geometry of the other supporting ligands. Thus, the oxidation wave for 2 with an anionic complex was found at +0.27 V versus Ag/AgCl in CH(2)Cl(2), while those waves for the charge-neutral complexes 3-5 were found between +0.38 to +0.59 V, where the cis- isomers were about 100 mV more stable toward oxidation than the trans- isomers. The oxidation waves for 6-9 with monocationic complexes occurred in the range +0.74 to 0.81 V while that for 10 with a dicationic complex occurred at +0.91 V. Chemical oxidation of trans-3, cis-3, and 8 afforded crystals of the singly oxidized complexes, [trans-(L)RhCl(2)(py)](SbCl(6)), cis-[(L)RhCl(2)(py)](SbCl(4))·2CH(2)Cl(2), and [(L)Rh(PEt(3))(2)Cl](SbCl(6))(2), respectively. Comparisons of structural and spectroscopic features combined with the results of density functional theory (DFT) calculations between nonoxidized and oxidized forms of the complexes are indicative of the ligand-centered radicals in the oxidized derivatives.

Structural classification of metal complexes with three-coordinate centres.

Attempts to describe the geometry about three-coordinate silver(i) complexes have proven difficult because interatomic angles generally vary wildly and there is no adequate or readily available classification system found in the literature. A search of the Cambridge Structural Database shows that complexes formed between any metal centre and three non-metal donors (18 001 examples) usually adopt geometries that are quite different than ideal 'textbook' extremes of either trigonal planar (~4% with α = ß = γ = 120 ± 2°), T-shaped (~0.05% with α = 180 ± 2°, ß = γ = 90 ± 2°), or trigonal pyramidal (~0.3% with α = ß = γ = 110 ± 2°). Moreover, there are multiple variations of "Y-type" and "other" shapes that require elaboration. Thus, to assist in future structural descriptions, we developed a classification system that spans all known and yet-to-be-discovered three-coordinate geometries. A spreadsheet has also been constructed that utilizes the "shape-space" approach to extract the structural description from a user input of three angles about a tri-coordinate centre and the number of atoms in a plane. The structures of two silver(i) complexes of new N-donor ligands p-NH2C6H4C6H4CH(pz = pyrazol-1-yl)2, L1, and 2-ferrocenyl-4,5-di(2-pyridyl)imidazole, L2, illustrate the utility of this classification system.