Preparation, optical and electrochemical properties, and molecular orbital calculations of tetraazaporphyrinato ruthenium (II) bis(4-methylpyridine) fused with one to four diphenylthiophene units.

2,5-Diphenyl-3,4-dicyanothiophene (1) and phthalonitrile (2) were mixed and treated with ruthenium (III) trichloride, 4-methylpyridine, and 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene (DBU) in 2-ethoxyethanol at 135°C, to produce low-symmetrical tetraazaporphyrins (TAPs) (3), (4), (5), and (6) with one to three thiophene rings. Two thiophene-annelated tetraazaporphyrins were isolated as opposite and adjacent isomers 4 and 5. The structure of 3 was determined by X-ray crystallography, showing that the thiophene ring linked at the 3,4-positions on the tetraazaporphyrin scaffold deviates from the mean plane of the four central pyrrole nitrogen atoms (N1-N3-N5-N7). Optical and electrochemical properties of the products were examined by UV-vis and magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) spectroscopy, together with cyclic voltammetry. In the (1)H NMR spectra, the signals of 4-methylpyridine coordinating to the central ruthenium atom appeared at a higher magnetic field than those of uncoordinated 4-methylpyridine itself due to the shielding effect of the TAP ring. Increasing the number of fused thiophene rings resulted in 1) lower magnetic field shifts of the signals of axially coordinated 4-methylpyridine in the (1)H NMR spectra, 2) lower energy shifts of the Q band absorption in the UV-vis spectra, and 3) decreasing (cathodic shift) of the first oxidation potentials. The structures of simplified model compounds were optimized using the DFT method with the Gaussian 09 program at the B3LYP/LANL2DZ level for the Ru atom and the B3LYP/6-31G (d, p) level for the C, H, N, and S atoms. The optimized structures were utilized to calculate the NMR shielding constants, the HOMO and LUMO orbital energies, and the electronic absorption spectra.

Chiral metal nanoparticles encapsulated by a chiral phosphine cavitand with the tetrakis-BINAP moiety: their remarkable stability toward ligand exchange and thermal racemization.

A chiral phosphine cavitand 1 induced the formation of chiral metal (Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag, Pt, and Au) nanoparticles (NPs). The ligand 1 of the chiral metal NPs prevents both thermal racemization and ligand exchange with a thiol, but the organic molecules can react with the metal surfaces. In contrast to the 1-protected Au NPs, the BINAP-protected Au NPs easily undergo ligand exchange and thermal racemization with aggregation.

Plasmonic hybrid nanotubes of fullerene C60-polythiophene-silver or gold nanoparticles: fabrication and enhancement of the Raman scattering.

We determined the surface-enhanced Raman scattering of the plasmonic hybrid nanotubes of fullerene C60-polythiophene-Ag or Au nanoparticles (NPs) which were synthesized via the template-based electrocopolymerization of terthiophene-linked fullerene C60 and terthiophene-modified Ag NPs or Au NPs using a nanoporous alumina membrane as the template. The combination of plasmonic activity and chemical stability may allow for a variety of new applications.

4,5-Dicyano-3,6-diethylbenzo-1,2-diselenete, a highly stable 1,2-diselenete: its preparation, structural characterization, calculated molecular orbitals, and complexation with tetrakis(triphenylphosphine)palladium.

The first isolable benzo-1,2-diselenete, 4,5-dicyano-3,6-diethylbenzo-1,2-diselenete (4), was prepared by the reaction of 4,5-(o-xylylenediseleno)-3,6-diethylphthalonitrile (3) with aluminum chloride in toluene. X-ray crystallographic analysis demonstrated that 4 contains a trapezoidal diselenide ring rather than a benzo-1,2-diselenone structure. In crystal form, 4 undergoes self-assembly and generates structures based on layered molecular sheets since the unit cell contains only one molecule. While the cyclic voltammogram of 4 exhibited only one irreversible peak (Ep = 1.59 V) during oxidation and two quasireversible couples during reduction, three peaks were observed in the differential pulse voltammogram of the reduction couples (E1/2 = -1.19, -0.75, and -0.69 V). Although a THF solution of 4 in the presence of sodium metal was EPR silent, various signals were readily observed in its (1)H, (13)C, and (77)Se NMR spectra. Molecular orbital calculations for 4 demonstrated that the HOMO orbital is primarily localized at the two selenium atoms and four of the benzene carbon atoms while the LUMO orbital is situated solely on the diselenete ring. It appears that the HOMO and LUMO orbitals of 4 receive significant stabilization from the nitrile groups compared to the level of stabilization in the unsubstituted benzo-1,2-diselenete (BDS). The reaction of 4 with tetrakis(triphenylphosphine)palladium in benzene was found to produce a dinuclear palladium complex (8), and the structure of this complex was determined by X-ray crystallographic analysis. The central four membered ring of 8 consists of the Pd1, Se2, Pd2, and Se3 atoms and is not planar but rather adopts a folded arrangement.

Synthesis of chiral hybrid nanotubes of magnetite nanoparticles and conducting polymers.

New chiral magnetite nanoparticles with a polymerizable group produced polymer composite films on an electrode surface and the hybrid nanotubes of magnetite nanoparticles and polythiophene from their template-based electropolymerization.

Redox-active π-conjugated polymer nanotubes with viologen for encapsulation and release of fluorescent dye in the nanospace.

We report the encapsulation of negatively charged Au nanoparticles and anionic fluorescent (FL) dye in the inner cavity of redox-active cationic polymer nanotubes with viologen via electrostatic interaction and the release of the FL dye from the FL dye confined in the cavity of the polymer nanotubes by electrochemical and chemical reduction.

Synthesis of heterosegment-junctioned hybrid nanotubes of polythiophene and heterometallic nanoparticles by sequential template-based electropolymerization.

New heterosegment-junctioned hybrid nanotubes of polythiophene and heterometallic nanoparticles (Pd, Au NPs) have been synthesized by sequential electropolymerization of terthiophene-modified Pd and Au NPs in a nanoporous template.

Synthesis of small palladium nanoparticles stabilized by bisphosphine BINAP bearing an alkyl chain and their palladium nanoparticle-catalyzed carbon-carbon coupling reactions under room-temperature.

A new bisphosphine ligand, C8-BINAP, and C8-BINAP-stabilized palladium nanoparticles have been prepared; C8-BINAP was found to be an effective protecting ligand for preparing and stabilizing palladium nanoparticles with very small core size and narrow size distribution and the C8-BINAP-Pd nanoparticles behave as an efficient catalyst for carbon-carbon coupling reactions at room temperature.

Chiroptical activity of BINAP-stabilized undecagold clusters.

Undecagold cluster compounds [Au11(BINAP)4X2]+ (X = Cl and Br) were synthesized by chemical reduction of the corresponding precursor complexes, Au2X2(BINAP), where BINAP represents the bidentate phosphine ligand 2,2'-bis(diphenylphosphino)-1,1'-binaphthyl. The circular dichroism spectra of Au11 stabilized by the enantiomers [Au11(R-BINAP)4X2]+ and [Au11(S-BINAP)4X2]+ exhibited intense and mirror-image Cotton effect, whereas those of Au11(3+) clusters stabilized by achiral monodentate phosphine ligands did not. The origin of the chiroptical activity of [Au11(BINAP)4X2]+ is discussed in the context of the structural deformation of the Au11(3+) core.

Dendritic effects on the ordered assembly and the interfacial one-electron oxidation of redox-active dendron-functionalized gold nanoparticles.

A higher generation dendron with a long-alkyl chain thiol (DA2-SH) induced the formation of nanoparticles with a small core with quite a narrow size distribution (1.5 +/- 0.1 nm), the self-assembly of one-dimensional arrays of these gold nanoparticles (DA2-Au), and the stabilization for the formation of the radical cation of the phenothiazine of DA2-Au nanoparticles from the interfacial one-electron oxidation of the nanoparticles with NOBF4.

New method for facile synthesis of amphiphilic thiol-stabilized ruthenium nanoparticles and their redox-active ruthenium nanocomposite.

The one-phase reduction of RuCl3 with lithium triethylborohydride as a reductant in tetrahydrofuran in the presence of 1-octanethiol, 1-octadecanethiol, 1,1'-binaphthalene-2,2'-dithiol, or oligoethyleneoxythiol gave organic solvent- and water-soluble thiol-stabilized ruthenium nanoparticles. The oligoethyleneoxythiol-stabilized ruthenium nanoparticles were soluble in both water and organic solvents. The ruthenium nanoparticles were stable in the solid state and did not aggregate in solution. Transmission electron microscope images of the ruthenium nanoparticles reveal small dispersed particles with a narrow size distribution. The ligand-exchange reaction of octadecanethiol-stabilized ruthenium nanoparticles (2.0 nm) with phenothiazine-linked decanethiol afforded redox-active phenothiazine-functionalized ruthenium nanoparticles (1.9 nm) that showed a reversible redox peak at +0.51 V (vs Ag/0.1 M AgNO3) in the cyclic voltammogram.

Remarkably stable gold nanoparticles functionalized with a zwitterionic liquid based on imidazolium sulfonate in a high concentration of aqueous electrolyte and ionic liquid.

A new type of gold nanoparticle with a zwitterionic liquid function (zwitter-Au) has been prepared using an imidazolium sulfonate-terminated thiol as a capping agent. Zwitter-Au was found to be remarkably stable in high concentrations of aqueous electrolytes, ionic liquids, and protein.

Chiral bisphosphine BINAP-stabilized gold and palladium nanoparticles with small size and their palladium nanoparticle-catalyzed asymmetric reaction.

The reduction of tetrachloroaurate or potassium tetrachloropalladate with sodium borohydride in the presence of optically active 2,2'-bis(diphenylphosphino)-1,1'-binaphthyl [BINAP] gave the chiral (S)- or (R)-BINAP-stabilized gold or palladium nanoparticles which showed the small core (1.7 nm for BINAP-Au and 2.0 nm for BINAP-Pd) with narrow size distribution and remarkably high stability. Asymmetric hydrosilylation of styrene with trichlorosilane in the presence of chiral BINAP-Pd nanoparticles afforded an optically active 1-phenyl-1-trichlorosilylethane which was converted into an optically active 1-phenylethanol (95% enantiomeric excess) by oxidative cleavage of the carbon-silicon bond.

Preparation and electrochemical polymerization of new multifunctional pyrrolethiolate-stabilized gold and palladium nanoparticles.

New pyrrolylalkanethiolate-stabilized gold and palladium nanoparticles have been prepared: electrochemical polymerization of their metal nanoparticles and their TEMPO-derivatized metal nanoparticles gave the remarkably stable poly(pyrrole metal nanoparticle) films on metal electrodes.