Overcoming Fundamental Limitations in Adsorbent Design: Alkene Adsorption by Non-porous Copper(I) Complexes.

Purifying alkenes from alkanes requires cryogenic distillation. This consumes energy equivalent to countries of ca. 5 million people. Replacing distillation with adsorption processes would significantly increase energy efficiency. Trade-offs between kinetics, selectivity, capacity, and heat of adsorption have prevented production of an optimal adsorbent. We report adsorbents that overcome these trade-offs. [Cu-Br]3 and [Cu-H]3 are air-stable trinuclear complexes that undergo reversible solid-state inter-molecular rearrangements to produce dinuclear [Cu-Br⋅(alkene)]2 and [Cu-H⋅(alkene)]2 . The reversible solid-state rearrangement, confirmed in situ using powder X-ray diffraction, allows adsorbent design trade-offs to be overcome, coupling low heat of adsorption (-10 to -17 kJ mol-1alkene ), high alkene:alkane selectivity (47; 29), and uptake capacity (>2.5 molalkene mol-1Cu3 ). Most remarkably, [Cu-H]3 displays fast uptake and regenerates capacity within 10 minutes.

Acetylene and terminal alkyne complexes of copper(i) supported by fluorinated pyrazolates: syntheses, structures, and transformations.

Trinuclear {µ-[3,5-(CF3)2Pz]Cu}3 reacts with acetylene to produce the 2 : 1 copper(i) acetylene complex, Cu4(µ-[3,5-(CF3)2Pz])4(µ-HC[triple bond, length as m-dash]CH)2. Related Cu4(µ-[4-Br-3,5-(CF3)2Pz])4(µ-HC[triple bond, length as m-dash]CH)2 and Cu4(µ-[4-Cl-3,5-(CF3)2Pz])4(µ-HC[triple bond, length as m-dash]CH)2 have also been isolated using the corresponding copper(i) pyrazolate and acetylene. The 1 : 1 adducts Cu2(µ-[3,5-(CF3)2Pz])2(HC[triple bond, length as m-dash]CH)2 and Cu2(µ-[4-Br-3,5-(CF3)2Pz])2(HC[triple bond, length as m-dash]CH)2 are significantly less stable to the acetylene loss and can be observed in solution at low temperatures under excess acetylene. The X-ray crystal structures of 2 : 1 and 1 : 1 complexes, Cu4(µ-[3,5-(CF3)2Pz])4(µ-HC[triple bond, length as m-dash]CH)2 and Cu2(µ-[4-Br-3,5-(CF3)2Pz])2(HC[triple bond, length as m-dash]CH)2 are reported. Raman data show a reduction in [small nu, Greek, macron]C[triple bond, length as m-dash]C stretching frequency by about ∼340 and ∼163 cm-1 in the 2 : 1 and 1 : 1 Cu(i)/acetylene complexes, respectively, from that of the free acetylene. Copper(i) pyrazolate complexes of the terminal alkynes, phenylacetylene, 1,8-nonadiyne, and 1,7-octadiyne are also reported. They form adducts involving one copper atom on each alkyne moiety. The {µ-[3,5-(CF3)2Pz]Cu}3 is also a very versatile and competent catalyst for alkyne transformations as evident from its ability to catalyze the alkyne C(sp)-H bond carboxylation chemistry with CO2, azide-alkyne cycloadditions leading to 1,2,3-triazoles including the use of acetylene itself as a substrate, and thiol addition to phenylacetylene affording vinyl sulfides.

Carbonyl complexes of copper(i) stabilized by bridging fluorinated pyrazolates and halide ions.

Syntheses of neutral and anionic, di- and tetra-nuclear copper carbon monoxide complexes using binary copper(i) pyrazolate precursors are reported. The reaction of {[3,5-(CF3)2Pz]Cu}3 (2), {[4-Cl-3,5-(CF3)2Pz]Cu}3 (3) or {[3,4,5-(CF3)3Pz]Cu}3 (4) with CO in CH2Cl2 led to copper carbonyl complexes. They however, lose CO quite easily if not kept under a CO atmosphere. Compounds {[3,5-(CF3)2Pz]Cu(CO)}2 (5) and {[3,4,5-(CF3)3Pz]Cu(CO)}2 (7) were characterized by X-ray crystallography. They are dinuclear species with a Cu2N4 core. The reaction of {[3,5-(CF3)2Pz]Cu}3 with CO in the presence of [NEt4]Br or [NEt4][3,5-(CF3)2Pz] affords relatively more stable [NEt4][{[3,5-(CF3)2Pz]Cu(CO)}4(µ4-Br)] (8) and [NEt4]{[3,5-(CF3)2Pz]3Cu2(CO)2} (9). The related [NEt4][{[4-Cl-3,5-(CF3)2Pz]Cu(CO)}4(µ4-Br)] (10) and [NEt4][{[4-Cl-3,5-(CF3)2Pz]Cu(CO)}4(µ4-Cl)] (11) can be synthesized using {[4-Cl-3,5-(CF3)2Pz]Cu}3, CO and [NEt4]Br or [NEt4]Cl. The X-ray structures show that 8, 10 and 11 are tetranuclear species with terminal Cu-CO groups and quadruply bridging Cl- and Br- ions. Compound 9 features an anionic cage of nearly D3h symmetry formed by three bridging [3,5-(CF3)2Pz]- ions and two terminal Cu-CO moieties. Theoretical calculations show that bonding in these 16- and 18-electron copper complexes follows Dewar-Chatt-Duncanson (DCD) model, where the CO stretching frequencies correlate well to the orbital interaction energy ΔEorb. The major Cu-CO interaction however is electrostatic in nature. Further theoretical exploration of the role of the substituent at pyrazolyl ring 4-position between -H, -Cl, and -CF3, shows a slight decrease in covalent character of the Cu-CO interaction and diminished π-back bonding as pyrazolate groups become more weakly donating with added electron withdrawing substituents.

Low Heat of Adsorption of Ethylene Achieved by Major Solid-State Structural Rearrangement of a Discrete Copper(I) Complex.

The trinuclear copper(I) pyrazolate complex [Cu3 ] rearranges to the dinuclear analogue [Cu2 ⋅(C2 H4 )2 ] when exposed to ethylene gas. Remarkably, the [Cu3 ]↔[Cu2 ⋅(C2 H4 )2 ] rearrangement occurs reversibly in the solid state. Furthermore, this transformation emulates solution chemistry. The bond-making and breaking processes associated with the rearrangement in the solid-state result in an observed heat of adsorption (-13±1 kJ mol-1 per Cu-C2 H4 interaction) significantly lower than other Cu-C2 H4 interactions (≥-24 kJ mol-1 ). The low overall heat of adsorption, "step" isotherms, high ethylene capacity (2.76 mmol g-1 ; 7.6 wt % at 293 K), and high ethylene/ethane selectivity (136:1 at 293 K) make [Cu3 ] an interesting basis for the rational design of materials for low-energy ethylene/ethane separations.

Coinage Metal Pyrazolates [(3,5-(CF3)2Pz)M]3 (M = Au, Ag, Cu) as Buckycatchers.

The synthesis and characterization of supramolecular assemblies {C60[M3]4}∞ consisting of C60 and coinage metal pyrazolates [M3] (i.e., [(3,5-(CF3)2Pz)M]3, where Pz = pyrazolate and M = Au, Ag, and Cu) are reported. {C60[Cu3]4}∞, {C60[Ag3]4}∞ and {C60[Au3]4}∞ form isomorphous crystals. The [M3] moieties adopt a concave conformation to complement the convex C60 surface. They exist as dimers of trimers (i.e., hexanuclear [M3]2 units) that are held together by three close M···M metallophilic interactions at 3.1580(17), 3.2046(7), and 3.2631(7) Å for copper, silver, and gold systems, respectively. The [M3]2 moieties surround each C60 in a tetrahedral fashion, while each [M3]2 is sandwiched by two C60 molecules to form a supramolecular 3D assembly.

Zinc(II)-Mediated Carbene Insertion into C-H Bonds in Alkanes.

The cationic zinc adduct {[HB(3,5-(CF3)2Pz)3]Zn(NCMe)2}ClO4 catalyzes the functionalization of tertiary, secondary, and primary C-H bonds of alkanes via carbene insertion. Ethyl diazoacetate serves as the :CHCO2Et carbene precursor. The counteranion, supporting ligand, and coordinating solvents affect the catalytic activity. An in situ generated {[HB(3,5-(CF3)2Pz)3]Zn}(+) species containing a bulkier {B[3,5-(CF3)2C6H3]4}(-) anion gives the best results among the zinc catalysts used.

Zinc-Mediated Carbene Insertion to C-Cl Bonds of Chloromethanes and Isolable Zinc(II) Isocyanide Adducts.

The zinc adduct {[HB(3,5-(CF3)2Pz)3]Zn}(+), which was generated from [HB(3,5-(CF3)2Pz)3]ZnEt and [Ph3C]{B[3,5-(CF3)2C6H3]4}, catalyzes the activation of C-halogen bonds of chloromethanes via carbene insertion. Ethyl diazoacetate serves as the carbene precursor. The presence of {[HB(3,5-(CF3)2Pz)3]Zn}(+) in the reaction mixture was confirmed by obtaining {[HB(3,5-(CF3)2Pz)3]Zn(CN(t)Bu)3}(+) using CN(t)Bu as a trapping agent. {[HB(3,5-(CF3)2Pz)3]Zn(CN(t)Bu)3}(+) loses one zinc-bound CN(t)Bu easily to produce five-coordinate {[HB(3,5-(CF3)2Pz)3]Zn(CN(t)Bu)2}(+).

Silver(I) complexes of tris(pyrazolyl)borate ligands bearing six trifluoromethyl and three additional electron-withdrawing substituents.

Sodium salts of two new tris(pyrazolyl)borates [HB(4-Cl-3,5-(CF3)2Pz)3](-) and [HB(4-(NO2)-3,5-(CF3)2Pz)3](-), which are not only highly fluorinated, but also loaded with additional electron-withdrawing substituents, have been synthesized by reacting 4-Cl-3,5-(CF3)2PzH or 4-(NO2)-3,5-(CF3)2PzH with NaBH4 under nitrogen in a solventless process, and isolated after a work up in tetrahydrofuran (THF) or diethyl ether (Et2O), as their THF or Et2O adducts. Metathesis of these sodium salts with AgOTf in THF leads to [HB(4-Cl-3,5-(CF3)2Pz)3]Ag(THF) and [HB(4-(NO2)-3,5-(CF3)2Pz)3]Ag(THF). The corresponding cis-cyclooctene (c-COE) complexes [HB(4-Cl-3,5-(CF3)2Pz)3]Ag(c-COE) and [HB(4-(NO2)-3,5-(CF3)2Pz)3]Ag(c-COE) were obtained by displacing THF with cis-cyclooctene. The related [HB(3,5-(CF3)2Pz)3]Ag(c-COE) can also be obtained via a similar process. X-ray crystal structures show that [HB(4-(R)-3,5-(CF3)2Pz)3]Ag(c-COE) (R = H, Cl, NO2) feature pseudo-tetrahedral silver sites supported by κ(3)-bound tris(pyrazolyl)borate ligands. [HB(4-(NO2)-3,5-(CF3)2Pz)3]Ag(c-COE) displays the smallest upfield shift of the alkene carbon peak (versus free alkene) followed by [HB(4-Cl-3,5-(CF3)2Pz)3]Ag(c-COE) and [HB(3,5-(CF3)2Pz)3]Ag(c-COE). Experimental and computational data indicate very electron poor silver(I) sites in all three [HB(4-(R)-3,5-(CF3)2Pz)3]Ag(c-COE) adducts with minimal Ag → (cis-cyclooctene) backbonding. Although the impact of R (H, Cl, NO2) on the alkene carbon chemical shift of these adducts and the olefin π/π* populations is small, the (13)C NMR chemical shifts and NBO analysis suggest that [HB(4-(NO2)-3,5-(CF3)2Pz)3]Ag(c-COE) possesses the most electrophilic metal site, which correlates with the pKa values of the free pyrazoles. [HB(4-(R)-3,5-(CF3)2Pz)3]Ag(c-COE) adducts effectively catalyze the insertion of the carbene moiety of ethyl diazoacetate into C-H bonds of 2,3-dimethylbutane. The [HB(4-(NO2)-3,5-(CF3)2Pz)3]Ag(c-COE) catalyst shows a higher selectivity for primary C-H bonds compared to the reactions catalyzed by [HB(3,5-(CF3)2Pz)3]Ag(c-COE).

Silver(I) and copper(I) adducts of a tris(pyrazolyl)borate decorated with nine trifluoromethyl groups.

Silver and copper ethylene adducts and the silver carbonyl complex of the tris(pyrazolyl)borate [HB(3,4,5-(CF(3))(3)Pz)(3)](-) (which is based on one of the most acidic pyrazoles known) have been synthesized. (13)C NMR resonance signals of metal-bound ethylene carbon atoms of [HB(3,4,5-(CF(3))(3)Pz)(3)]Ag(C(2)H(4)) and [HB(3,4,5-(CF(3))(3)Pz)(3)]Cu(C(2)H(4)) appear at δ 111.6 and 94.9, respectively. The CO stretching frequency of the silver adduct [HB(3,4,5-(CF(3))(3)Pz)(3)]Ag(CO) is significantly higher than that of free CO, but it appears at a region less sensitive to the ligand electronic effects of tris(azolyl)borate silver adducts.

2-Phenyl-2-(pyridin-2-yl)hexahydro-pyrimidine.

The title compound, C(15)H(17)N(3), was prepared by reaction of benzoyl-pyridine and hexahydropyrimidine. The 1,3-diazinane ring adopts a chair conformation with one N-H group axial and the other equatorial. The axial N-H group participates in very weak hydrogen bonding to the lone pair of electrons of the N atom with the equatorial H atom producing a very weakly hydrogen-bonded dimer. The pyridine N atom accepts an inter-nal hydrogen bond from the equatorial H atom. The phenyl ring adopts an equatorial position while the pyridine ring is axial. The phenyl ring exhibits a slight twist (ca 25°) relative to the hexahydropyrimidine ring. The pyridine ring stacks with symmetry-related pyridine rings.