Cage-like Fe,Na-Germsesquioxanes: Structure, Magnetism, and Catalytic Activity.

A series of four unprecedented heterometallic metallagermsesquioxanes were synthesized. Their cage-like architectures have a unique type of molecular topology consisting of the hexairon oxo {Fe6 O19 } core surrounded in a triangular manner by three cyclic germoxanolates [PhGe(O)O]5 . This structural organization induces antiferromagnetic interactions between the FeIII ions through the oxygen atoms. Evaluated for this first time in catalysis, these compounds showed a high catalytic activity in the oxidation of alkanes and the oxidative formation of benzamides from alcohols.

Novel Cage-Like Hexanuclear Nickel(II) Silsesquioxane. Synthesis, Structure, and Catalytic Activity in Oxidations with Peroxides.

New hexanuclear nickel(II) silsesquioxane [(PhSiO1.5)12(NiO)6(NaCl)] (1) was synthesized as its dioxane-benzonitrile-water complex (PhSiO1,5)12(NiO)6(NaCl)(C4H8O2)13(PhCN)2(H2O)2 and studied by X-ray and topological analysis. The compound exhibits cylinder-like type of molecular architecture and represents very rare case of polyhedral complexation of metallasilsesquioxane with benzonitrile. Complex 1 exhibited catalytic activity in activation of such small molecules as light alkanes and alcohols. Namely, oxidation of alcohols with tert-butylhydroperoxide and alkanes with meta-chloroperoxybenzoic acid. The oxidation of methylcyclohexane gave rise to the isomeric ketones and unusual distribution of alcohol isomers.

Unusual penta- and hexanuclear Ni(ii)-based silsesquioxane polynuclear complexes.

Fine-tuning of the reaction between alkali metal siloxanolate [PhSi(O)ONa]n and [Ni(NH3)6]Cl2 allowed us to design new hexa- [(PhSiO1,5)12(NiO)6(H2O)(DMSO)9] () and pentanuclear [(PhSiO1,5)10(NiO)5(NaOH)(DMF)7] () cage-like silsesquioxanes. Their specific structures were studied by single crystal X-ray diffraction and topological analyses. Compound is the first example of a pentanuclear "cylinder"-like metallasilsesquioxane. Magnetic property investigations demonstrate the presence of a slow relaxation of the magnetization, induced by spin glass-like behavior in both cases.

Heterometallic Na6Co3 Phenylsilsesquioxane Exhibiting Slow Dynamic Behavior in its Magnetization.

A heterometallic phenylsilsesquioxane [(PhSiO1,5)22(CoO)3(NaO0.5)6]⋅(EtOH)6⋅(H2O) 1 cage architecture of Co(II) ions in a triangular topology exhibits a slow dynamic behavior in its magnetization, induced by the freezing of the spins of individual molecules.

Cage-like copper(II) silsesquioxanes: transmetalation reactions and structural, quantum chemical, and catalytic studies.

The transmetalation of bimetallic copper-sodium silsesquioxane cages, namely, [(PhSiO1.5 )10 (CuO)2 (NaO0.5 )2 ] ("Cooling Tower"; 1), [(PhSiO1.5 )12 (CuO)4 (NaO0.5 )4 ] ("Globule"; 2), and [(PhSiO1.5 )6 (CuO)4 (NaO0.5 )4 (PhSiO1.5 )6 ] ("Sandwich"; 3), resulted in the generation of three types of hexanuclear cylinder-like copper silsesqui- oxanes, [(PhSiO1.5 )12 (CuO)6 (C4 H9 OH)2 (C2 H5 OH)6 ] (4), [(PhSiO1.5 )12 (CuO)6 (C4 H8 O2 )4 (PhCN)2 (MeOH)4 ] (5), and [(PhSiO1.5 )12 (CuO)6 (NaCl)(C4 H8 O2 )12 (H2 O)2 ] (6). The products show a prominent "solvating system-structure" dependency, as determined by X-ray diffraction. Topological analysis of cages 1-6 was also performed. In addition, DFT theory was used to examine the structures of the Cooling Tower and Cylinder compounds, as well as the spin density distributions. Compounds 1, 2, and 5 were applied as catalysts for the direct oxidation of alcohols and amines into the corresponding amides. Compound 6 is an excellent catalyst in the oxidation reactions of benzene and alcohols.

Solvent-controlled synthesis of tetranuclear cage-like copper(II) silsesquioxanes. Remarkable features of the cage structures and their high catalytic activity in oxidation with peroxides.

Two principally different in their molecular architecture isomeric tetranuclear copper(ii) silsesquioxanes, "Globule"-like compound [(PhSiO1.5)12(CuO)4(NaO0.5)4] (1) and "Sandwich"-like derivative [(PhSiO1.5)6(CuO)4(NaO0.5)4(PhSiO1.5)6] (2), were synthesized by the partial cleavage of polymeric copper(ii) silsesquioxane [(PhSiO1.5)2(CuO)]n by tetraphenylcyclotetrasiloxanolate. The route leading to the formation of either 1 or 2 entirely depends on the nature and composition of the solvent used for this reaction. Thus, the process in an ethanol-1-butanol solution gives compound 1. When a 1,4-dioxane-methanol mixture was used, compound 2 was prepared. The structures and unusual crystal packing of the cages were confirmed by the X-ray studies. It has been found that the reaction of benzene with H2O2 in acetonitrile solution at 50 °C catalyzed by 1 requires addition of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) in low concentration and gives phenol with a turnover number (TON) of 250 after 3 h. The initial reaction rate W0 linearly depends on the concentration of catalyst 2. The oxidation of 1-phenylethanol to acetophenone with hydrogen peroxide catalyzed by complex 1 in the presence of TFA is not efficient. In contrast, 1 exhibited excellent activity in the oxidation with tert-butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP) in the absence of any acid (the yield of acetophenone was close to the quantitative, TON attained 475 after 2 h). A kinetic study of this reaction led to the conclusion that the process occurs with the participation of radicals tert-BuO˙ produced in the Cu-promoted decomposition of TBHP. The mode of dependence of W0 on the initial concentration of TBHP indicates the formation of an intermediate adduct between the catalyst 1 and TBHP (characterized by the equilibrium constant K1≈ 2 M(-1) for the conditions of conducted experiments) followed by subsequent decomposition of the adduct (k2≈ 0.2 s(-1)) to generate an intermediate species tert-BuO˙ which induces the alcohol oxidation.