A ferric guest inside a spin crossover ferrous helicate.

A designed dimetallic Fe(II) helicate made with biphenylene-bridged bispyrazolylpyridine ligands and exhibiting a process of spin crossover at temperatures above ambient is shown to encapsulate an S = 5/2 tris-oxalato Fe(III) ion. The spin relaxation dynamics of this guest are strongly reduced upon encapsulation.

Heterometallic palladium-iron metal-organic framework as a highly active catalyst for cross-coupling reactions.

Palladium-based metal-organic frameworks (Pd-MOFs) are an emerging class of heterogeneous catalysts extremely challenging to achieve due to the facile leaching of palladium and its tendency to be reduced. Herein, Pd(ii) was successfully incorporated in the framework of a MOF denoted as MUV-22 using a solvent assisted reaction. This stable MOF, with square-octahedron (soc) topology as MIL-127, and a porosity of 710 m2 g-1, is highly active, selective, and recyclable for the Suzuki-Miyaura allylation of aryl and alkyl boronates as exemplified with the coupling between cinnamyl bromide and Me-Bpin, a typically reluctant reagent in cross-coupling reactions.

Combining valproate and bipyridyl ligands to construct a 0D core-shell Zn5(µ3-OH)2 cluster and a 2D layered coordination network with a [Zn3(µ3-OH)]2 SBU.

Starting from the proposed zinc carboxylate cluster tetrakis(µ-2-propylpentanoato)dizinc(II), Zn2(µ2-valp)4 (I), of valproic acid, a branched short-chain fatty acid, and bipyridine ligands, two new mixed-ligand coordination compounds, namely, bis(2,2'-bipyridine)di-µ3-hydroxido-hexakis(µ-2-propylpentanoato)bis(2-propylpentanoato)pentazinc(II), [Zn5(C8H15O2)8(OH)2(C10H8N2)2] (II), and poly[[bis(µ-4,4'-bipyridine)di-µ3-hydroxido-octakis(µ-2-propylpentanoato)bis(2-propylpentanoato)hexazinc(II)] dimethylformamide disolvate], {[Zn6(C8H15O2)10(OH)2(C10H8N2)2]·2C3H7NO}n (III), were synthesized. Compound II is a core-shell-type zero-dimensional discrete Zn5(µ3-OH)2 metal-organic cluster with Zn ions in double-triangle arrangements that share one Zn ion coincident with an inversion centre. The cluster contains three crystallographically non-equivalent Zn ions exhibiting three different coordination geometries (tetrahedral, square pyramidal and octahedral). The cluster cores are well separated and embedded in a protective shell of the aliphatic branched short chains of valproate. As a result, there is no specific interaction between the discrete clusters. Conversely, compound III, a 2D layered coordination network with a secondary building unit (SBU), is formed by Zn6(µ3-OH)2 clusters exhibiting a chair-like hexagonal arrangement. This SBU is formed from two Zn3(µ3-OH) trimers related by inversion symmetry and connected by two syn-anti bridging carboxylate groups. Each SBU is connected by four 4,4'-bipyridine ligands producing a 63-hcb net topology. 2D coordination layers are sandwiched within layers of dimethylformamide molecules that do not interact strongly with the network due to the hydrophobic protection provided by the valproate ligands.

MOF-Mediated Synthesis of Supported Fe-Doped Pd Nanoparticles under Mild Conditions for Magnetically Recoverable Catalysis*.

Metal-organic framework (MOF)-driven synthesis is considered as a promising alternative for the development of new catalytic materials with well-designed active sites. This synthetic approach is used here to gradually transform a new bimetallic MOF, with Pd and Fe as the metal components, by the in situ generation of aniline under mild conditions. This methodology results in a compositionally homogeneous nanocomposite formed by Fe-doped Pd nanoparticles that, in turn, are supported on iron oxide-doped carbon. The nanocomposite has been fully characterized by several techniques such as IR and Raman spectroscopy, TEM, XPS, and XAS. The performance of this nanocomposite as an heterogeneous catalyst for hydrogenation of nitroarenes and nitrobenzene coupling with benzaldehyde has been evaluated, proving it to be an efficient and reusable catalyst.

Designed asymmetric coordination helicates with bis-ß-diketonate ligands.

A new bis-(ß-diketone) ligand featuring built-up structural asymmetry yields non-symmetric Fe(iii) and Ga(iii) dinuclear, triple-stranded helicates by design. Their structural properties have been studied, both in solid state and in solution, and compared with their corresponding symmetric analogues. The robustness observed shows the potential of this synthetic strategy to develop non-symmetric helicoidal motifs with specific functional groups.

Coordination [CoII2] and [CoIIZnII] Helicates Showing Slow Magnetic Relaxation.

The slow magnetic relaxation of CoII ions in the elusive intermediate geometry between the trigonal prism and antiprism has been studied on the new [Co2L3]4+ and [CoZnL3]4+ coordination helicates [L is a bis(pyrazolylpyridine) ligand]. Solution paramagnetic 1H NMR and solid-state magnetization measurements unveil single-molecule-magnet behavior with small axial anisotropy, as predicted previously.

Encapsulation of a CrIII Single-Ion Magnet within an FeII Spin-Crossover Supramolecular Host.

Single functional molecules are regarded as future components of nanoscale spintronic devices. Supramolecular coordination chemistry provides unlimited resources to implement multiple functions to individual molecules. A novel coordination [Fe2 ] helicate exhibiting spin-crossover is demonstrated to be ideally suited to encapsulate a [Cr(ox)3 ]3- complex anion (ox=oxalate), unveiling for the first-time single ion slow relaxation of the magnetization for this metal. A possibility of tuning the dynamics of this relaxation as well as the performance of the CrIII center as qubit arises from the observation that metastable high spin FeII centers from the host can be generated by irradiation with green light at low temperature.

Guest-, Light- and Thermally-Modulated Spin Crossover in [Fe(II) 2 ] Supramolecular Helicates.

A new bis(pyrazolylpyridine) ligand (H2 L) has been prepared to form functional [Fe2 (H2 L)3 ](4+) metallohelicates. Changes to the synthesis yield six derivatives, X@[Fe2 (H2 L)3 ]X(PF6 )2 ⋅xCH3 OH (1, x=5.7 and X=Cl; 2, x=4 and X=Br), X@[Fe2 (H2 L)3 ]X(PF6 )2 ⋅yCH3 OH⋅H2 O (1 a, y=3 and X=Cl; 2 a, y=1 and X=Br) and X@[Fe2 (H2 L)3 ](I3 )2 ⋅3 Et2 O (1 b, X=Cl; 2 b, X=Br). Their structure and functional properties are described in detail by single-crystal X-ray diffraction experiments at several temperatures. Helicates 1 a and 2 a are obtained from 1 and 2, respectively, by a single-crystal-to-single-crystal mechanism. The three possible magnetic states, [LS-LS], [LS-HS], and [HS-HS] can be accessed over large temperature ranges as a result of the structural nonequivalence of the Fe(II) centers. The nature of the guest (Cl(-) vs. Br(-) ) shifts the spin crossover (SCO) temperature by roughly 40 K. Also, metastable [LS-HS] or [HS-HS] states are generated through irradiation. All helicates (X@[Fe2 (H2 L)3 ])(3+) persist in solution.

Synthesis, characterization and biological activity of new mixed ligand complexes of Zn(II) naproxen with nitrogen based ligands.

A series of novel Zn(II) complexes [Zn2(nap)4] (1), [Zn(nap)21,10-phen](2), [Zn(nap)22,9-dmphen] (3), [Zn(nap)2(2-ampy)2] (4), [Zn(nap)2(imid)2] (5), [Zn(nap)2(1,2-dmimid)2] (6) (nap = naproxen, 1,10-phen = 1,10-phenanthroline, 2,9-dmphen = 2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline, 2-ampy = 2-aminopyridine, imid = imidazole, 1,2-dmimid = 1,2-dimethyl imidazole) were synthesized and characterized using IR, UV-Vis, (1)H NMR, (13)C{(1)H} NMR spectroscopy. The crystal structure of complex 3 was determined using single-crystal X-ray diffraction. In order to assess the effect of the metal ions on the anti-bacterial activity, complexes 1-6 have been screened in vitro, against (G(+)) bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus and Micrococcus luteus) and (G(-)) bacteria (Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus mirabilis and Escherichia coli) using the agar well diffusion method. Complex 2 was the only complex that showed antibacterial activity against P. aeruginosa, where the complexation of the parent ligand 1,10-phenathroline enhanced significantly the activity. All the complexes showed different activity against the different bacteria, and were compared with activity of the parent ligands. The complexes were tested also for their anti-malarial activity using two methods: a semi-quantitative micro-assay and a previously self-developed quantitative in-vitro method. Both were used to study the efficiency of these complexes in inhibiting the formation of the Malaria pigment. This is considered an important target of many known anti-malarial drugs such as Chloroquine and Amodaquine. Results showed that the efficiency of complex 3 in preventing the formation of ß-hematin was 75%. The efficiency of Amodiaquine as a standard drug was reported to give 92.5.

New mixed ligand zinc(II) complexes based on the antiepileptic drug sodium valproate and bioactive nitrogen-donor ligands. Synthesis, structure and biological properties.

Starting from the precursor [Zinc Valproate complex] (1), new mixed ligand zinc(II) complexes of valproic acid and nitrogen-based ligands, formulating as, [Zn(valp)22,9-dmphen] (2), [Zn2(valp)4(quin)2] (3), [Zn(valp)2(2-ampy)2] (4), and [Zn(valp)2(2-ampic)2] (5) (valp = valproate, 2,9-dmphen = 2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline, quin = quinoline, 2-ampy = 2-aminopyridine, 2-ampic = 2-amino-6-picoline) were synthesized and characterized using IR, (1)H NMR, (13)C{(1)H} NMR and UV-Vis spectrometry. The crystal structures of complexes 2, 3 and 4 were determined using single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The complexes were also evaluated for their anti-bacterial activity using in-vitro agar diffusion method against three Gram-positive (Micrococcus luteus, Staphylococcus aureus, and Bacillus subtilis) and three Gram-negative (Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Proteus mirabilis) species. Complex 2 showed considerable activity against all tested microorganisms and the effect of complexation on the anti-bacterial activity of the parent ligand of 2 was also investigated. The anti-bacterial activity of 2,9-dmphen against Gram-negative bacteria was enhanced upon complexation with zinc valproate. On the other hand, complexes 1 and 3 showed weak inhibition activity against the tested species and complexes 4 and 5 didn't show any activity at all. Two methods were used for testing the inhibition of ferriprotoporphyrinIX bio-mineralization: a semi-quantitative micro-assay and a previously self-developed quantitative in-vitro method. Both were used to study the efficiency of these complexes in inhibiting the formation of the Malaria pigment which considered being the target of many known anti-malarial drugs such as Chloroquine and Amodiaquine. Results showed that the efficiency of complex 2 in preventing the formation of ß-Hematin was 80%. The efficiency of Amodiaquine as a standard drug was reported to give 91%.