Double-resonance 17O NMR experiments reveal unique configurational information for surface organometallic complexes.

Obtaining three-dimensional (3D) configurational information of surface organometallic complexes is a persistent challenge due to the low spatial sensitivity of most spectroscopic methods. We show that employing 17O-enriched supports enables highly informative multidimensional NMR experiments, including radial and vertical distance measurements, that can be used to elucidate site geometry.

Catalytic Chemical Recycling of Post-Consumer Polyethylene.

Among commercial plastics, polyolefins are the most widely produced worldwide but have limited recyclability. Here, we report a chemical recycling route for the conversion of post-consumer high-density polyethylene (HDPE) into telechelic macromonomers suitable for circular reprocessing. Unsaturation was introduced into HDPE by catalytic dehydrogenation using an Ir-POCOP catalyst without an alkene acceptor. Cross-metathesis with 2-hydroxyethyl acrylate followed by hydrogenation transformed the partially unsaturated HDPE into telechelic macromonomers. The direct repolymerization of the macromonomers gave a brittle material due to the low overall weight-average molecular weight. Aminolysis of telechelic macromonomers with a small amount of diethanolamine increased the overall functionality. The resulting macromonomers were repolymerized through transesterification to generate a polymer with comparable mechanical properties to the starting post-consumer HDPE waste. Depolymerization of the repolymerized material catalyzed by an organic base regenerated the telechelic macromonomers, thereby allowing waste polyethylene materials to enter a chemical recycling pathway.

Aqueous Stability and Ligand Substitution of a Layered Cu(I)/Isocyanide-Based Organometallic Network Material with a Well-Defined Channel Structure.

Isocyanide coordination networks (ISOCNs), which consist of multitopic isocyanide linker groups and transition-metal-based secondary building units (SBUs), are a promising class of organometallic framework materials for the inclusion of low-valent metal centers as primary structural components. Previously, it was demonstrated that the ditopic m-terphenyl isocyanide ligand, [CNArMes2]2 (ArMes2 = 2,6-(2,4,6-Me3C6H2)2C6H3), could provide single-metal node frameworks based on Cu(I) and Ni(0) centers. However, the relatively short linker length in [CNArMes2]2 precluded the formation of networks with significant porosity. Here, it is shown that expansion of the [CNArMes2]2 scaffold with a central phenylene spacer allows for the formation of a robust Cu(I)-based framework with a distinct and solvent accessible channel structure. This new framework, denoted Cu-ISOCN-4, is prepared as single-crystalline samples from a solvothermal reaction between [Cu(NCMe)4]PF6 and expanded linker 1,4-(CNArMes2)2C6H4. Crystallographic characterization of Cu-ISOCN-4 revealed mononuclear [Cu(THF)(CNR)3]+ structural nodes. The expanded diisocyanide linker results in fourfold interpenetrated (6,3) internal morphology. However, interpenetration in Cu-ISOCN-4 results in discrete layer domains, each of which possesses well-defined 29 × 19 Å channels along the crystallographic b axis. Thermogravimetric analysis on Cu-ISOCN-4 revealed THF solvent loss from the channels between 100-200 °C and dissociation of the Cu-coordinated THF ligand at 290 °C. The overall integrity of the network remains intact up to 400 °C, thereby signifying the robust nature of materials produced from metal-isocyanide M-C linkages. Aqueous stability studies revealed that Cu-ISOCN-4 remains chemically resistant to exposure to liquid water for several days. In addition, ligand exchange studies in both THF and aqueous solution demonstrate that the Cu-coordinated THF group in Cu-ISOCN-4 can be readily substituted with pyridine. This ligand exchange process occurs via single-crystal-to-single-crystal transformations and can also be readily monitored by infrared spectroscopy.

Dicyanometalates as Building Blocks for Multinuclear Iron(II) Spin-Crossover Complexes.

A synthetic strategy featuring dicyanometalates [M(CN)2]- (M = Ag, Au) as N-coordinating ditopic linkers connecting partially blocked FeII centers has been employed to produce heterometallic hexanuclear complexes, which exhibit spin-crossover (SCO) behavior at the FeII sites. The reaction between tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine (tpma)-capped FeII ions and [Ag(CN)2]- proceeded with partial decomposition of the dicyanoargentate and led to the formation of {[Fe(tpma)]4(µ-CN)2[µ-Ag(CN)2]2}(ClO4)4·3H2O (1), in which both [Ag(CN)2]- and CN- act as bridging ligands, and the opposite [Ag(CN)2]- bridges are engaged in a pronounced argentophilic d10-d10 interaction. In an analogous synthesis, the more stable [Au(CN)2]- species remained intact and furnished the complex {[Fe(tpma)]2[µ-Au2(CN)4]2} (2), which features two FeII centers bridged by two [Au2(CN)4]2- dimers. The use of S,S'-bis(2-pyridylmethyl)-1,2-thioethane (bpte) as a mixed-donor, N2S2-coordinating capping ligand yielded {[Fe(bpte)]2[µ-Au2(CN)4]2} (3), with a structure analogous to that of 2. Variable-temperature magnetic susceptibility measurements revealed that complexes 1-3 exhibit an onset of SCO above 350 K. Measurements above 400 K further confirmed the occurrence of a gradual spin-state conversion for complex 2.

Crystalline Coordination Networks of Zero-Valent Metal Centers: Formation of a 3-Dimensional Ni(0) Framework with m-Terphenyl Diisocyanides.

A permanently porous, three-dimensional metal-organic material formed from zero-valent metal nodes is presented. Combination of ditopic m-terphenyl diisocyanide, [CNArMes2]2, and the d10 Ni(0) precursor Ni(COD)2, produces a porous metal-organic material featuring tetrahedral [Ni(CNArMes2)4]n structural sites. X-ray absorption spectroscopy provides firm evidence for the presence of Ni(0) centers, whereas gas-sorption and thermogravimetric analysis reveal the characteristics of a robust network with a microdomain N2-adsorption profile.

Spin Crossover in Fe(II) Complexes with N4S2 Coordination.

Reactions of Fe(II) precursors with the tetradentate ligand S,S'-bis(2-pyridylmethyl)-1,2-thioethane (bpte) and monodentate NCE(-) coligands afforded mononuclear complexes [Fe(bpte)(NCE)2] (1, E = S; 2, E = Se; 3, E = BH3) that exhibit temperature-induced spin crossover (SCO). As the ligand field strength increases from NCS(-) to NCSe(-) to NCBH3(-), the SCO shifts to higher temperatures. Complex 1 exhibits only a partial (15%) conversion from the high-spin (HS) to the low-spin (LS) state, with an onset around 100 K. Complex 3 exhibits a complete SCO with T1/2 = 243 K. While the γ-2 polymorph also shows the complete SCO with T1/2 = 192 K, the α-2 polymorph exhibits a two-step SCO with the first step leading to a 50% HS → LS conversion with T1/2 = 120 K and the second step proceeding incompletely in the 80-50 K range. The amount of residual HS fraction of α-2 that remains below 60 K depends on the cooling rate. Fast flash-cooling allows trapping of as much as 45% of the HS fraction, while slow cooling leads to a 14% residual HS fraction. The slowly cooled sample of α-2 was subjected to irradiation in the magnetometer cavity resulting in a light-induced excited spin state trapping (LIESST) effect. As demonstrated by Mössbauer spectroscopy, an HS fraction of up to 85% could be achieved by irradiation at 4.2 K.

Spin crossover in tetranuclear Fe(II) complexes, {[(tpma)Fe(µ-CN)]4}X4 (X = ClO4(-), BF4(-)).

Two Fe(II) complexes, {[(tpma)Fe(µ-CN)]4}X4 (X = ClO4(-) (1a), BF4(-) (1b); tpma = tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine), were prepared by reacting the {Fe(tpma)}(2+) building block with (Bu4N)CN. The crystal structures of 1a and 1b feature a tetranuclear cation composed of cyanide-bridged Fe(II) ions, each capped with a tetradentate tpma ligand. The Fe4(µ-CN)4 core of the complex is strongly distorted, assuming a butterfly-like geometry. Both complexes exhibit gradual temperature-driven spin crossover (SCO) associated with the high-spin (HS) ↔ low-spin (LS) transition at two out of four metal centers. The evolution of HS and LS Fe(II) ions with temperature was followed by a combination of X-ray crystallography, magnetic measurements, and Mössbauer spectroscopy. Only the Fe(II) ions surrounded by six N atoms undergo the SCO. A comparison of the temperature-dependent SCO curves for the samples stored under solvent and the dried samples shows that the former exhibit a much more abrupt SCO. This finding was interpreted in terms of the increased structural disorder and decreased crystallinity caused by the loss of the interstitial solvent molecules in the dried samples.