Copper Chloride Catalysis: Do µ4-Oxido Copper Clusters Play a Significant Role?

Copper chloride catalysis is a well-established field in organic and inorganic chemistry. However, in most cases a detailed mechanistic understanding of the individual reaction steps and identification of reactive intermediates are still missing. The present study reports the results of spectroscopic and spectrometric measurements that support formation of copper agglomerates during catalytic processes. The composition of CuCl2·2H2O in several coordinating solvents and the influence of basic coreagents such as NaO(t)Bu and K2CO3 on the structure in the solid state as well as in solution were investigated. Several experiments involving crystal structure determination, IR spectroscopy, and ultra-high-resolution cryospray-ionization mass spectrometry were performed. The crystal structures of [CuCl2(H2O)]·0.5(CH3)2CO (1), [Cu2(CH3CN)2Cl4] (2), [Cu3(CH3CN)3Cl6] (3), [Cu3Cl6(THF)4] (4), [Cu(DMSO)2Cl2] (5), (H2N(CH3)2)2[CuCl3] (6), and [Cu4OCl6(THF)(urea)3]·3THF·urea (8) are reported herein. It can be clearly demonstrated that µ4-oxido copper clusters of the formula [Cu4OCl6(solvent)4] are the main product from the reactions of CuCl2·2H2O and basic coreagents. As a final result of these experiments, it can be stated that µ4-oxido copper clusters most likely play an important role in the mechanism of copper chloride-catalyzed reactions.

Hexacoordinate Ru-based olefin metathesis catalysts with pH-responsive N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) and N-donor ligands for ROMP reactions in non-aqueous, aqueous and emulsion conditions.

Three new ruthenium alkylidene complexes (PCy3)Cl2(H2ITap)Ru=CHSPh (9), (DMAP)2Cl2(H2ITap)Ru=CHPh (11) and (DMAP)2Cl2(H2ITap)Ru=CHSPh (12) have been synthesized bearing the pH-responsive H2ITap ligand (H2ITap = 1,3-bis(2',6'-dimethyl-4'-dimethylaminophenyl)-4,5-dihydroimidazol-2-ylidene). Catalysts 11 and 12 are additionally ligated by two pH-responsive DMAP ligands. The crystal structure was solved for complex 12 by X-ray diffraction. In organic, neutral solution, the catalysts are capable of performing standard ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) and ring closing metathesis (RCM) reactions with standard substrates. The ROMP with complex 11 is accelerated in the presence of two equiv of H3PO4, but is reduced as soon as the acid amount increased. The metathesis of phenylthiomethylidene catalysts 9 and 12 is sluggish at room temperature, but their ROMP can be dramatically accelerated at 60 °C. Complexes 11 and 12 are soluble in aqueous acid. They display the ability to perform RCM of diallylmalonic acid (DAMA), however, their conversions are very low amounting only to few turnovers before decomposition. However, both catalysts exhibit outstanding performance in the ROMP of dicyclopentadiene (DCPD) and mixtures of DCPD with cyclooctene (COE) in acidic aqueous microemulsion. With loadings as low as 180 ppm, the catalysts afforded mostly quantitative conversions of these monomers while maintaining the size and shape of the droplets throughout the polymerization process. Furthermore, the coagulate content for all experiments stayed <2%. This represents an unprecedented efficiency in emulsion ROMP based on hydrophilic ruthenium alkylidene complexes.

Reactions of copper(II) chloride in solution: facile formation of tetranuclear copper clusters and other complexes that are relevant in catalytic redox processes.

Mixing CuCl2⋅2 H2O with benzylamine in alcoholic solutions led to an extremely colorful chemistry caused by the formation of a large number of different complexes. Many of these different species could be structurally characterized. These include relatively simple compounds such as [Cu(L(1))4Cl2] (L(1) = benzylamine) and (HL(1))2[CuCl4]. Most interestingly is the easy formation of two cluster complexes, one based on two cluster units Cu4OCl6(L(1))4 connected through one [Cu(L(1))2Cl2] complex and one based on a cubane-type cluster ([Cu4O4](C11H14)4Cl4). Both clusters proved to be highly reactive in a series of oxidation reactions of organic substrates by using air or peroxides as oxidants. Furthermore, it was possible to isolate and structurally characterize ([Cu(L(1))Cl]3 and [Cu(benz2mpa)2]CuCl2 (benz2mpa = benzyl-(2-benzylimino-1-methyl-propylidene)-amine), two copper(I) complexes that formed in solution, demonstrating the high redox activity of the cluster systems. In addition, it was possible to solve the molecular structures of the compounds Cu4OCl6(MeOH)4, [Cu(MeOH)2Cl2], [Cu(aniline)2Cl2], and an organic side product (HC13 H19 NOCl). In fact all determined structures are of a known type but the chemical relation between these compounds could be explained for the first time. The paper describes these different compounds and their chemical equilibria. Some of these complexes seem to be relevant in catalytic oxidation reactions and their reactivity is discussed in more detail.

Hexakis(tetra-aqua-sodium) deca-vanadate(V) dihydrate.

The title compound, {[Na(H(2)O)(4)](6)[V(10)O(28)]·2H(2)O}(n), crystallized from a H(2)O/THF/CH(3)CN solution (pH ca 6) containing equimolar amounts of NaVO(3) and N-(2-hydroxy-benz-yl)-N-(2-picol-yl)glycine. In the crystal structure, the deca-vanadate [V(10)O(28)](6-) anion ( symmetry) is coordinated, via four terminal oxide ligands of V centres, to two dinuclear [{Na(H(2)O)(3)}(2)(µ-H(2)O)(2)](2+) units. Inter-connection of these aquasodium-ion-sandwiched deca-vanadates to chains parallel to [001] is effected by µ-[{Na(H(2)O)(3)}(2)(µ-H(2)O)(2)](2+) units, bridging adjacent deca-vanadates via O=V. The structure is consolidated by an extensive network of O-H⋯O hydrogen bonds.

Syntheses and Structures of Bis(azole)difluorosulfuranes.

Bis(imidazole)sulfur difluoride (4), bis(pyrazole)sulfur difluoride (6), and bis(1,2,4-triazole)sulfur difluoride (8) are formed in the reactions of N-(trimethylsilyl)imidazole, N-(trimethylsilyl)pyrazole, and 1-(trimethylsilyl)-1,2,4-triazole with SF(4), in high yield. The ring systems in these three molecules occupy equatorial positions in the pseudo-trigonal-bipyramidal coordination sphere of the central sulfur atoms. The angles between the planes of the ring substituents and the FSF axis for 4 and 6 are in the range 23.6-35.3 degrees, and in 8 the triazole rings are almost parallel (deviation 1.7 degrees ). The interaction between the heterocyclic substituents and the sulfur centers and their influence on the axial and equatorial bonds is discussed.

Synthesis of 1,4,7,10-tetra-azacyclododecan-1,4,7,10-tetra-azidoethylacetic acid (DOTAZA) and related "clickable" DOTA derivatives.

Herein, we report the synthesis of two enantiomeric DOTAZA esters and a related DOT3AZA ester. These compounds are tunable analogues of the well-known chelator DOTA and can be easily functionalized through click chemistry of the side-chain azide groups. Like DOTA, DOTAZA forms complexes with various di- and trivalent metals, as demonstrated in the synthesis and structural analysis of CuDOTAZA and the preparation of GdDOTAZA.

Salicylamide and salicylglycine oxidovanadium complexes with insulin-mimetic properties.

Reaction of N-(2-hydroxybenzyl)-N-(2-picolyl) glycine (H(2)papy) with VOSO(4) in water gives the oxidovanadium(V) oxido-bridged dimer [{(papy)(VO)}(2) µ-O)] (1). Similarly, reaction of N-(2-hydroxybenzyl) glycine (H(2)glysal) with VOSO(4) gives [(glysal)VO(H(2)O)] (2) and reaction of salicylamide (Hsalam) with VOSO(4) in methanol gives [(salam)(2)VO] (3). The crystal structure of the oxido-bridged complex 1 is reported. The insulin-mimetic activity of all three complexes was evaluated with respect to their ability to phosphorylate protein kinase B (PKB). The speciations of complexes 1 and 2 were studied over the pH range 2-10. Complex 1 shows greater stability over the whole pH range but only 2 and 3 exhibit an insulin-mimetic effect.

Tris(dimethylamino)oxosulfonium difluorotrimethylsilicate, (Me(2)N)(3)SO(+)Me(3)SiF(2)(-) (TAOS Fluoride).

In the OSF(4)/Me(2)NSiMe(3) system besides the long known Me(2)NS(O)F(3) only the trisubstituted derivative is isolated as (Me(2)N)(3)SO(+)Me(3)SiF(2)(-) (3). Similar to (Me(2)N)(3)S(+)Me(3)SiF(2)(-) compound 3 is an excellent fluoride ion donor. With AsF(5) and HF the corresponding hexafluoroarsenate (Me(2)N)(3)SO(+)AsF(6)(-) (4) and the hydrogen bifluoride (Me(2)N)(3)SO(+)HF(2)(-) (5) are formed in almost quantitative yield. X-ray structure determinations of 3-5 surprisingly showed two different types of structures for the cation. In 3 and 5 this cation has C(3) symmetry, while in the hexafluoroarsenate 4 a (Me(2)N)(3)S(+)-like structure with C(s)() symmetry is determined. The experimental results for (Me(2)N)(3)SO(+) and (Me(2)N)(3)S(+) are compared with theoretical calculations for these cations and their isoelectronic neutral counterparts, the phosphorus amides (Me(2)N)(3)PO and (Me(2)N)(3)P, respectively.