Photo- and Electroluminescent Neutral Iridium(III) Complexes Bearing Imidoylamidinate Ligands.

Imidoylamidinate-based heteroleptic bis(2-phenylbenzothiazole)iridium(III) and -rhodium(III) complexes [(bt)2M(N∩N)] (bt = 2-phenylbenzothiazole, N∩N = N'-(benzo[d]thiazol-2-yl)acetimidamidyl (Ir1 and Rh1), N'-(6-fluorobenzo[d]thiazol-2-yl)acetimidamidyl (Ir2), N'-(benzo[d]oxazol-2-yl)acetimidamidyl (Ir3), N'-(1-methyl-1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)acetimidamidyl (Ir4); yields 70-84%) were obtained by the reaction of the in situ-generated solvento-complex [(bt)2M(NCMe)2]NO3 and benzo[d]thia/oxa/N-methylimidozol-2-amines in the presence of NaOMe. Complexes Ir1-4 exhibited intense orange photoluminescence, reaching 37% at room temperature quantum yields, being immobilized in a poly(methyl methacrylate) matrix. A photophysical study of these species in a CH2Cl2 solution, neat powder, and frozen (77 K) MeOC2H4OH-EtOH glass matrix─along with density-functional theory (DFT), ab initio methods, and spin-orbit coupling time-dependent DFT calculations─verified the effects of substitution in the imidoylamidinate ligands on the excited-state properties. Electrochemical (cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry) and theoretical DFT studies demonstrated noninnocent behavior of the imidoylamidinate ligands in Ir1-4 and Rh1 complexes due to the significant contribution coming from these ligands in the HOMO of the complexes. The iridium(III) species exhibit a ligand (L, 2-phenylbenzothiazole)-centered (3LC), metal-to-ligand (L', imidoylamidinate) charge-transfer (3ML'CT,3MLCT) character of their emission. The imidoylamidinate-based iridium(III) species were proved to be effective as the emissive dopant in an organic light-emitting diode device, fabricated in the framework of this study.

Metal-Involving Chalcogen Bond. The Case of Platinum(II) Interaction with Se/Te-Based σ-Hole Donors.

Platinum(II) complexes exhibiting an expressed dz2-nucleophilicity of the positively charged metal centers, namely, [Pt(ppy)(acac)] (1; acacH is acetylacetone; ppyH is 2-Ph-pyridine) and [Pt(ppy)(tmhd)] (2; tmhdH is 2,2,6,6-tetramethylheptanedione-3,5), were cocrystallized with the chalcogen bond donors (4-NC5F4)2Ch (Ch = Se, Te) to form two isostructural cocrystals 1·1/2(4-NC5F4)2Ch, and 2·2/3(4-NC5F4)2Se and 2·(4-NC5F4)2Te. The X-ray data for these cocrystals and appropriate theoretical DFT calculations (PBE0-D3BJ) allowed the recognition of the metal-involving chalcogen bond, namely, Ch···dz2-PtII (its energy spans from -7 to -12 kcal/mol). In 1·1/2(4-NC5F4)2Ch, Ch···dz2-PtII bonding is accompanied by the C···dz2-PtII interaction, representing a three-center bifurcate, whereas in 2·(4-NC5F4)2Te the chalcogen bond Te···dz2-PtII is purely two-centered and is stronger than that in 1·1/2(4-NC5F4)2Ch because of more efficient orbital overlap. The association of 2 with (4-NC5F4)2Te and the structure of the formed adduct in CDCl3 solutions was studied by using 1H, 13C, 19F, 195Pt, 125Te NMR, 19F-1H HOESY, and diffusion NMR methods. The 195Pt and 125Te NMR titration and the isothermal titration calorimetry results revealed a 1:1 association of 2 with (4-NC5F4)2Te.

Strength of the [Z-I···Hal]- and [Z-Hal···I]- Halogen Bonds: Electron Density Properties and Halogen Bond Length as Estimators of Interaction Energy.

Bond energy is the main characteristic of chemical bonds in general and of non-covalent interactions in particular. Simple methods of express estimates of the interaction energy, Eint, using relationships between Eint and a property which is easily accessible from experiment is of great importance for the characterization of non-covalent interactions. In this work, practically important relationships between Eint and electron density, its Laplacian, curvature, potential, kinetic, and total energy densities at the bond critical point as well as bond length were derived for the structures of the [Z-I···Hal]- and [Z-Hal···I]- types bearing halogen bonds and involving iodine as interacting atom(s) (totally 412 structures). The mean absolute deviations for the correlations found were 2.06-4.76 kcal/mol.

Copper(II)-Mediated Iodination of 1-Nitroso-2-naphthol.

The 3-Iodo-1-nitrosonaphthalene-2-ol (I-NON) was obtained by the copper(II)-mediated iodination of 1-nitroso-2-naphthol (NON). The suitable reactants and optimized reaction conditions, providing 94% NMR yield of I-NON, included the usage of Cu(OAc)2·H2O and 1:2:8 CuII/NON/I2 molar ratio between the reactants. The obtained I-NON was characterized by elemental analyses (C, H, N), high-resolution ESI+-MS, 1H and 13C{1H} NMR, FTIR, UV-vis spectroscopy, TGA, and X-ray crystallography (XRD). The copper(II) complexes bearing deprotonated I-NON were prepared as follows: cis-[Cu(I-NON-H)(I-NON)](I3) (1) was obtained by the reaction between Cu(NON-H)2 and I2 in CHCl3/MeOH, while trans-[Cu(I-NON-H)2] (2) was synthesized from I-NON and Cu(OAc)2 in MeOH. Crystals of trans-[Cu(I-NON-H)2(THF)2] (3) and trans-[Cu(I-NON-H)2(Py)2] (4) were precipitated from solutions of 2 in CHCl3/THF and Py/CHCl3/MeOH mixtures, respectively. The structures of 1 and 3-4 were additionally verified by X-ray crystallography. The characteristic feature of the structures of 1 and 3 is the presence of intermolecular halogen bonds with the involvement of the iodine center of the metal-bound deprotonated I-NON. The nature of the I···I and I···O contacts in the structures of 1 and 3, correspondingly, were studied theoretically at the DFT (PBE0-D3BJ) level using the QTAIM, ESP, ELF, NBO, and IGM methods.

Resonance Assisted Chalcogen Bonding as a New Synthon in the Design of Dyes.

Intramolecular chalcogen bonding in arylhydrazones of sulfamethizole is strengthened by conjugation in the π-system of a noncovalent five-membered ring. The S⋅⋅⋅O distance in the sulfamethizole moiety of these compounds ranges from 2.698(3) to 2.806(15) Å, which indicates its strong dependence on the attached arylhydrazone fragments. Information on the nature of the intramolecular chalcogen bond was afforded by DFT calculations.

Zn(II)-to-Cu(II) Transmetalation in an Amide Functionalized Complex and Catalytic Applications in Styrene Oxidation and Nitroaldol Coupling.

The mononuclear zinc(II) complex cis-[ZnL2(H2O)2] (1; L = 4-(pyridin-3-ylcarbamoyl)benzoate) was synthesized and characterized. By soaking crystals of 1 in a mixture of DMF-H2O solution containing a slight excess of Cu(NO3)2 × 3H2O a transmetalation reaction occurred affording the related copper(II) complex trans-[CuL2(H2O)2] (2). The structures of the compounds were authenticated by single crystal X-ray diffraction revealing, apart from a change in the isomerism, an alteration in the relative orientation of the chelating carboxylate groups and of the pyridine moieties. H-bond interactions stabilize both geometries and expand them into two-dimensional (2D) networks. The transmetalation was confirmed by SEM-EDS analysis. Moreover, the thermodynamic feasibility of the transmetalation is demonstrated by density-functional theory (DFT) studies. The catalytic activities of 1 and 2 for the oxidation of styrene and for the nitroaldol (Henry) C-C coupling reaction were investigated. The copper(II) compound 2 acts as heterogeneous catalyst for the microwave-assisted oxidation of styrene with aqueous hydrogen peroxide, yielding selectively (>99%) benzaldehyde up to 66% of conversion and with a turnover frequency (TOF) of 132 h-1. The zinc(II) complex 1 is the most active catalyst (up to 87% yield) towards the nitroaldol (Henry) coupling reaction between benzaldehyde and nitro-methane or -ethane to afford the corresponding ß-nitro alcohols. The reaction of benzaldehyde with nitroethane in the presence of 1 produced 2-nitro-1-phenylpropanol in the syn and the anti diastereoisomeric forms, with a considerable higher selectivity towards the former (66:34).

Relationships between Interaction Energy and Electron Density Properties for Homo Halogen Bonds of the [(A)nY-X···X-Z(B)m] Type (X = Cl, Br, I).

Relationships between interaction energy (Eint) and electron density properties at the X···X bond critical point or the d(X···X) distance were established for the large set of structures [(A)nY-X···X-Z(B)m] bearing the halogen bonds Cl···Cl, Br···Br, and I···I (640 structures in total). The best estimator of Eint is the kinetic energy density (Gb), which reasonably approximates the whole set of the structures as -Eint = 0.128Gb2 - 0.82Gb + 1.66 (R2 = 0.91, mean absolute deviation 0.39 kcal/mol) and demonstrates low dispersion. The potential and kinetic energy densities, electron density, and the d(X···X) distance behave similarly as estimators of Eint for the individual series Cl···Cl, Br···Br, and I···I. A number of the Eint(property) correlations are recommended for the practical application in the express estimates of the strength of the homo-halogen bonds.

Nitrite Reduction in Aqueous Solution Mediated by Amavadin Homologues: N2 O Formation and Water Oxidation.

Reactions of two vanadium(IV) complex anions that are homologues of amavadin, [V(HIDPA)2 ]2- and [V(HIDA)2 ]2- (HIDPA=N-oxyiminodipropionate, HIDA=N-oxyiminodiacetate), with the nitrite ion (NO2- ) in aqueous solution were investigated by experimental (absorption spectroscopy in the visible range, through measurements of dioxygen formed in solution from water oxidation and identification of nitrogen oxide species of a gaseous atmosphere from nitrite reduction by using an IR analyser) and theoretical methods. Two reactions, mediated by the vanadium complexes, with environmental and biological significance, were observed in this system, namely, reduction of nitrite to N2 O and oxidation of water to molecular oxygen. The reduction of nitrite, as studied by DFT calculations, occurs through the formation of NO (ΔG≠ =14.3 kcal mol-1 ), which is strongly dependent on pH and slightly endergonic, and is then easily converted into N2 O, with an overall activation barrier of ΔG≠ =11.8 kcal mol-1 . The later process includes dimerisation of NO assisted by one molecule of the V complex, protonation and oxidation of the formed ONNO.- ligand by another amavadin molecule or by nitrite, and NO bond cleavage/proton transfer in the ONNOH- ligand. The results indicate that amavadin exhibits an unusual nitrite reductase type activity that could be involved in nitrogen metabolism of Amanita muscaria and other fungi containing this vanadium complex.

High Catalytic Activity of Vanadium Complexes in Alkane Oxidations with Hydrogen Peroxide: An Effect of 8-Hydroxyquinoline Derivatives as Noninnocent Ligands.

Five monomeric oxovanadium(V) complexes [VO(OMe)(N∩O)2] with the nitro or halogen substituted quinolin-8-olate ligands were synthesized and characterized using Fourier transform infrared, 1H and 13C NMR, high-resolution mass spectrometry-electrospray ionization as well as X-ray diffraction and UV-vis spectroscopy. These complexes exhibit high catalytic activity toward oxidation of inert alkanes to alkyl hydroperoxides by H2O2 in aqueous acetonitrile with the yield of oxygenate products up to 39% and turnover number 1780 for 1 h. The experimental kinetic study, the C6D12 and 18O2 labeled experiments, and density functional theory (DFT) calculations allowed to propose the reaction mechanism, which includes the formation of HO· radicals as active oxidizing species. The mechanism of the HO· formation appears to be different from those usually accepted for the Fenton or Fenton-like systems. The activation of H2O2 toward homolysis occurs upon simple coordination of hydrogen peroxide to the metal center of the catalyst molecule and does not require the change of the metal oxidation state and formation of the HOO· radical. Such an activation is associated with the redox-active nature of the quinolin-8-olate ligands. The experimentally determined activation energy for the oxidation of cyclohexane with complex [VO(OCH3)(5-Cl-quin)2] (quin = quinolin-8-olate) is 23 ± 3 kcal/mol correlating well with the estimate obtained from the DFT calculations.

Reaction between Indazole and Pd-Bound Isocyanides-A Theoretical Mechanistic Study.

The mechanism of the addition of indazole (Ind)-a bifunctional aromatic N,NH-nucleophile-to cyclohexyl isocyanide coordinated to the palladium(II) center in the model complex cis-[PdCl2(CNMe)(CNCy)] (1) to give the corresponding aminocarbene ligand was investigated in detail by theoretical (DFT) methods. The most plausible mechanism of this reaction is that of the associative type involving nucleophilic attack of Ind by its unprotonated N atom at the isocyanide carbon atom followed by the stepwise proton transfer from the nucleophile molecule to the isocyanide N atom via deprotonation/protonation steps. Two reaction channels based on two tautomeric forms of indazole were found. The channel leading to the experimentally isolated aminocarbene product is based on the less stable tautomeric form. Another channel based on the more stable tautomer of Ind is slightly kinetically more favorable but it is endergonic. Thus, the regioselectivity of this reaction is thermodynamically rather than kinetically driven. The bonding situation in key species was analyzed.

Metal-Mediated Addition of N-Nucleophiles to Isocyanides: Mechanistic Aspects.

Despite the long history of the investigation of nucleophilic addition to metal-bound isocyanides, some important aspects of the reaction mechanism remain unclear even for the simplest systems. In this work, the addition of the sp³-N, sp²-N, and mixed sp²/sp³-N nucleophiles (i.e., HNMe2, HN=CPh2, and H2N-N=CPh2, respectively) to isocyanides C≡NR coordinated to the platinum(II) centers in the complexes cis-[Pt(C≡NCy)(2-pyz)(dppe)]⁺ (2-pyz = 2-pyrazyl, dmpe = Me2PCH2CH2PMe2) and cis-[PtCl2(C≡NXyl)(C≡NMe)] was studied in detail by theoretical (DFT) methods. The mechanism of these reactions is stepwise associative rather than concerted and it includes the addition of a nucleophile to the isocyanide C atom, deprotonation of the nucleophilic moiety in the resulting intermediate, and protonation of the isocyanide N atom to give the final product. The calculated activation energy (ΔG≠) of all reactions is in the range of 19.8-22.4 kcal/mol.

Versatile Reactivity and Theoretical Evaluation of Mono- and Dinuclear Oxidovanadium(V) Compounds of Aroylazines: Electrogeneration of Mixed-Valence Divanadium(IV,V) Complexes.

The substituted hydrazones H2L(1-4) (L(1-4) = dibasic tridentate ONO(2-) donor ligands) obtained by the condensation of 2-hydroxy-1-naphthaldehyde and 2-aminobenzoylhydrazine (H2hnal-abhz) (H2L(1)) , 2-hydroxy-1-naphthaldehyde and 2-hydroxybenzoylhydrazine (H2hnal-hbhz) (H2L(2)), 2-hydroxy-1-acetonaphthone and benzoylhydrazine (H2han-bhz) (H2L(3)), or 2-hydroxy-1-acetonaphthone and 2-aminobenzoylhydrazine (H2han-abhz) (H2L(4)) are prepared and characterized. Reaction of ammonium vanadate with the appropriate H2L(1-4) results in the formation of oxidoethoxidovanadium(V) [V(V)O(OEt)(L(1-4))] (1-4) complexes. All compounds are characterized in the solid state and in solution by spectroscopic techniques (IR, UV-vis, (1)H, (13)C, and (51)V NMR, and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry). Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis of 1, 3, and 4 confirms the coordination of the corresponding ligands in the dianionic (ONO(2-)) enolate tautomeric form. In solution, the structurally characterized [V(V)O(OEt)(L)] compounds transform into the monooxido-bridged divanadium(V,V) [(V(V)OL)2-µ-O] complexes, with the processes being studied by IR and (1)H, (13)C, and (51)V NMR. The density functional theory (DFT) calculated Gibbs free energy of reaction 2[V(V)O(OEt)(L(4))] + H2O ⇆ [(V(V)OL(4))2-µ-O] + 2EtOH is only 2-3 kcal mol(-1), indicating that the dinuclear complexes may form in a significant amount. The electrochemical behavior of the complexes is investigated by cyclic voltammetry, with the V(V)-V(IV) E1/2(red) values being in the range 0.27-0.44 V (vs SCE). Upon controlled potential electrolysis, the corresponding (L)(O)V(IV)-O-V(V)(O)(L) mixed-valence species are obtained upon partial reduction of the [(V(V)OL)2-µ-O] complexes formed in solution, and some spectroscopic characteristics of these dinuclear mixed-valence complexes are investigated using DFT calculations and by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), with the formation of V(IV)-O-V(V) species being confirmed by the observation of a 15-line pattern in the EPR spectra at room temperature.

Amavadin and Homologues as Mediators of Water Oxidation.

The vanadium(IV) N-hydroxyiminodicarboxylate complexes [V(HIDPA)2](2-) and [V(HIDA)2](2-), close models of the amavadin (a natural product from Amanita fungi lacking the V=O group but exhibiting a rare NO-bound oxyiminate moiety), are shown to be the first recognized complexes of the early transition metals (up to periodic Group 7) that mediate the oxidation of water. The reactions were analyzed by visible spectrophotometry, mass spectrometry, and measurement of evolved dioxygen using Ce(4+) as sacrificial oxidant. A mechanism proposed on the basis of DFT calculations involves the reversible oxidation to the mononuclear V(V)-{ON<} center, where the redox active oxyimino group plays a key role and metal oxidation state variation is only one unit. The more similar model of the metallobiomolecule, [V(HIDPA)2](2-), displays a lower oxidation rate than [V(HIDA)2](2-) but does not undergo appreciable degradation, in contrast to the latter.

Regio- and Stereoselective 1,3-Dipolar Cycloaddition of Cyclic Azomethine Imines to Platinum(IV)-Bound Nitriles Giving Δ(2)-1,2,4-Triazoline Species.

The complex trans-[PtCl4(EtCN)2] (14) reacts smoothly at 25 °C with the stable cyclic azomethine imines R(1)CH═N(a)NC(O)CH(NHC(O)C6H4R(3))C(b)H(C6H4R(2))((a-b)) [R(1)/R(2)/R(3) = p-Me/H/H (8); p-Me/p-Me/H (9); p-Me/p-MeO/H (10); p-Me/p-Cl/p-Cl (11); p-MeO/p-Me/H (12); p-MeO/p-Cl/m-Me (13)], and the reaction proceeds as stereoselective 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition to one of the EtCN ligands accomplishing the monocycloadducts trans-[PtCl4(EtCN){N(a)═C(Et)N(b)C(O)CH(NHC(O)C6H4R(3))CH(C6H4R(2))N(c)C(d)HR(1)}])((a-d;b-c)) [R(1)/R(2)/R(3) = p-Me/H/H (15); p-Me/p-Me/H (16); p-Me/p-MeO/H (17); p-Me/p-Cl/p-Cl (18); p-MeO/p-Me/H (19); p-MeO/p-Cl/m-Me (20)]. Inspection of the obtained and literature data indicate that the cycloaddition of the azomethine imines to the C≡N bonds of HCN and of Pt(IV)-bound EtCN has different regioselectivity leading to Δ(2)-1,2,3-triazolines and Δ(2)-1,2,4-triazolines, respectively. Platinum(II) species trans-[PtCl2(EtCN){N(a)═C(Et)N(b)C(O)CH(NHC(O)C6H4R(3))CH(C6H4R(2))N(c)C(d)HR(1)}]((a-d;b-c)) [R(1)/R(2)/R(3) = p-Me/H/H (21); p-Me/p-Me/H (22); p-Me/p-MeO/H (23); p-Me/p-Cl/p-Cl (24); p-MeO/p-Me/H (25); p-MeO/p-Cl/m-Me (26)] were obtained by a one-pot procedure from 14 and 8-13 followed by addition of the phosphorus ylide Ph3P═CHCO2Me. Δ(2)-1,2,4-Triazolines N(a)═C(Et)N(b)C(O)CH(NHC(O)C6H4R(3))CH(C6H4R(2))N(c)C(d)HR(1(a-d;b-c)) [R(1)/R(2)/R(3) = p-Me/H/H (27); p-Me/p-Me/H (28); p-Me/p-MeO/H (29); p-Me/p-Cl/p-Cl (30); p-MeO/p-Me/H (31); p-MeO/p-Cl/m-Me (32)] were liberated from 21-26 by the treatment with bis(diphenylphosphyno)ethane (dppe). Platinum(II) complexes 21-26 were characterized by elemental analyses (C, H, N), high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS), and IR and (1)H and (13)C{(1)H} NMR spectroscopies and single crystal X-ray diffraction in the solid state for 25·CH3OH, 26·(CHCl3)0.84. The structure of 26 was also determined by COSY-90 and NOESY NMR methods in solution. Quantitative evaluation of several pairs of interproton distances obtained by NMR and X-ray diffraction agrees well with each other and with those obtained by the MM+ calculation method. Platinum(IV) complexes 15-20 were characterized by (1)H NMR spectroscopy. Metal-free 6,7-dihydropyrazolo[1,2-a][1,2,4]triazoles (27-32) were characterized by high-resolution ESI-MS and IR and (1)H and (13)C{(1)H} NMR spectroscopies and single crystal X-ray diffraction for 29·CDCl3. Theoretical density functional theory calculations were carried out for the investigation of the reaction mechanism, interpretation of the reactivity of Pt-bound and free nitriles toward azomethine imines and analysis of the regio- and stereoselectivity origin.

Bifunctional reactivity of amidoximes observed upon nucleophilic addition to metal-activated nitriles.

Treatment of the aromatic nitrile complexes trans-[PtCl2(RC6H4CN)2] (R = p-CF3 NC1, H NC2, o-Cl NC3) with the aryl amidoximes p-R'C6H4C(NH2)=NOH (R' = Me AO1, H AO2, Br AO3, CF3 AO4, NO2 AO5) in all combinations, followed by addition of 1 equiv of AgOTf and then 5 equiv of Et3N, leads to the chelates [PtCl{HN=C(RC6H4)ON=C(C6H4R'-p)NC(RC6H4)═NH}] (1-15; 15 examples; yields 71-88% after column chromatography) derived from the platinum(II)-mediated coupling between metal-activated nitriles and amidoximes. The mechanism of this reaction was studied experimentally by trapping and identification of the reaction intermediates, and it was also investigated theoretically at the DFT level of theory. The combined experimental and theoretical results indicate that the coupling with the nitrile ligands involves both the HON and monodeprotonated NH2 groups of the amidoximes, whereas in the absence of the base, the NH2 functionality is inactive toward the coupling. The observed reaction represents the first example of bifunctional nucleophilic behavior of amidoximes. The complexes 1-16 were characterized by elemental analyses (C, H, N), high-resolution ESI(+)-MS, FTIR, and (1)H NMR techniques, whereas unstable 17 was characterized by HRESI(+)-MS and FTIR. In addition, 8·C4H8O2, 12, and 16·CHCl3 were studied by single-crystal X-ray diffraction.

New RuII (arene) complexes with halogen-substituted bis- and tris(pyrazol-1-yl)borate ligands.

[RuCl(arene)(µ-Cl)]2 dimers were treated in a 1:2 molar ratio with sodium or thallium salts of bis- and tris(pyrazolyl)borate ligands [Na(Bp(Br3))], [Tl(Tp(Br3))], and [Tl(Tp(iPr, 4Br))]. Mononuclear neutral complexes [RuCl(arene)(κ(2)-Bp(Br3))] (1: arene=p-cymene (cym); 2: arene=hexamethylbenzene (hmb); 3: arene=benzene (bz)), [RuCl(arene)(κ(2)-Tp(Br3))] (4: arene=cym; 6: arene=bz), and [RuCl(arene)(κ(2)-Tp(iPr, 4Br))] (7: arene=cym, 8: arene=hmb, 9: arene=bz) have been always obtained with the exception of the ionic [Ru2 (hmb)2-(µ-Cl)3][Tp(Br3)] (5'), which formed independently of the ratio of reactants and reaction conditions employed. The ionic [Ru-(CH3OH)(cym)(κ(2)-Bp(Br3))][X] (10: X=PF6, 12: X=O3SCF3) and the neutral [Ru(O2CCF3)(cym)(κ(2)-Bp(Br3))] (11) have been obtained by a metathesis reaction with corresponding silver salts. All complexes 1-12 have been characterized by analytical and spectroscopic data (IR, ESI-MS, (1)H and (13)C NMR spectroscopy). The structures of the thallium and calcium derivatives of ligand Tp(Br3), [Tl(Tp(Br3))] and [Ca(dmso)6][Tp(Br3)]2 ⋅2 DMSO, of the complexes 1, 4, 5', 6, 11, and of the decomposition product [RuCl(cym)(Hpz(iPr, 4Br))2][Cl] (7') have been confirmed by using single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Electrochemical studies showed that 1-9 and 11 undergo a single-electron Ru(II) →Ru(III) oxidation at a potential, measured by cyclic voltammetry, which allows comparison of the electron-donor characters of the bis- and tris(pyrazol-1-yl)borate and arene ligands, and to estimate, for the first time, the values of the Lever EL ligand parameter for Bp(Br3), Tp(Br3), and Tp(iPr, 4Br). Theoretical calculations at the DFT level indicated that both oxidation and reduction of the Ru complexes under study are mostly metal-centered with some involvement of the chloride ligand in the former case, and also demonstrated that the experimental isolation of the µ(3)-binuclear complex 5' (instead of the mononuclear 5) is accounted for by the low thermodynamic stability of the latter species due to steric reasons.

Anionic halide···alcohol clusters in the solid state.

The cationic (1,3,5-triazapentadiene)Pt(II) complexes [1](Cl)2, [2](Cl)2, [3](Br)2, and [4](Cl)2, were crystallized from ROH-containing systems (R = Me, Et) providing alcohol solvates studied by X-ray diffraction. In the crystal structures of [1-4][(Hal)2(ROH)2] (R = Me, Et), the Hal(-) ion interacts with two or three cations [1-4](2+) by means of two or three or four contacts thus uniting stacked arrays of complexes into the layers. The solvated MeOH or EtOH molecules occupy vacant space, giving contacts with [1-4](2+), and connects to the Hal(-) ion through a hydrogen bridge via the H(1O)O(1S) H atom forming, by means of the Hal(-)···HOR (Hal = Cl, Br) contact, the halide-alcohol cluster. Properties of the Cl(-)···HO(Me) H-bond in [1][(Cl)2(MeOH)2] were analyzed using theoretical DFT methods.

Theory of the formation and decomposition of N-heterocyclic aminooxycarbenes through metal-assisted [2+3]-dipolar cycloaddition/retro-cycloaddition.

The theoretical background of the formation of N-heterocyclic oxadiazoline carbenes through a metal-assisted [2+3]-dipolar cycloaddition (CA) reaction of nitrones R(1)CH=N(R(2))O to isocyanides C≡NR and the decomposition of these carbenes to imines R(1)CH=NR(2) and isocyanates O=C=NR is discussed. Furthermore, the reaction mechanisms and factors that govern these processes are analyzed in detail. In the absence of a metal, oxadiazoline carbenes should not be accessible due to the high activation energy of their formation and their low thermodynamic stability. The most efficient promotors that could assist the synthesis of these species should be "carbenophilic" metals that form a strong bond with the oxadiazoline heterocycle, but without significant involvement of π-back donation, namely, Au(I), Au(III), Pt(II), Pt(IV), Re(V), and Pd(II) metal centers. These metals, on the one hand, significantly facilitate the coupling of nitrones with isocyanides and, on the other hand, stabilize the derived carbene heterocycles toward decomposition. The energy of the LUMO(CNR) and the charge on the N atom of the C≡N group are principal factors that control the cycloaddition of nitrones to isocyanides. The alkyl-substituted nitrones and isocyanides are predicted to be more active in the CA reaction than the aryl-substituted species, and the N,N,C-alkyloxadiazolines are more stable toward decomposition relative to the aryl derivatives.

Oxorhenium complexes bearing the water-soluble tris(pyrazol-1-yl)methanesulfonate, 1,3,5-triaza-7-phosphaadamantane, or related ligands, as catalysts for Baeyer-Villiger oxidation of ketones.

New rhenium(VII or III) complexes [ReO3(PTA)2][ReO4] (1) (PTA = 1,3,5-triaza-7-phosphaadamantane), [ReO3(mPTA)][ReO4]I (2) (mPTA = N-methyl-1,3,5-triaza-7-phosphaadamantane cation), [ReO3(HMT)2][ReO4] (3) (HMT = hexamethylenetetramine), [ReO3(η(2)-Tpm)(PTA)][ReO4] (4) [Tpm = hydrotris(pyrazol-1-yl)methane, HC(pz)3, pz = pyrazolyl], [ReO3(Hpz)(HMT)][ReO4] (5) (Hpz = pyrazole), [ReO(Tpms)(HMT)] (6) [Tpms = tris(pyrazol-1-yl)methanesulfonate, O3SC(pz)3(-)] and [ReCl2{N2C(O)Ph}(PTA)3] (7) have been prepared from the Re(VII) oxide Re2O7 (1-6) or, in the case of 7, by ligand exchange from the benzoyldiazenido complex [ReCl2{N2C(O)Ph}(Hpz)(PPh3)2], and characterized by IR and NMR spectroscopies, elemental analysis and electrochemical properties. Theoretical calculations at the density functional theory (DFT) level of theory indicated that the coordination of PTA to both Re(III) and Re(VII) centers by the P atom is preferable compared to the coordination by the N atom. This is interpreted in terms of the Re-PTA bond energy and hard-soft acid-base theory. The oxo-rhenium complexes 1-6 act as selective catalysts for the Baeyer-Villiger oxidation of cyclic and linear ketones (e.g., 2-methylcyclohexanone, 2-methylcyclopentanone, cyclohexanone, cyclopentanone, cyclobutanone, and 3,3-dimethyl-2-butanone or pinacolone) to the corresponding lactones or esters, in the presence of aqueous H2O2. The effects of a variety of factors are studied toward the optimization of the process.

Recognition of a novel type X═N-Hal···Hal (X = C, S, P; Hal = F, Cl, Br, I) halogen bonding.

The chlorination of the eight-membered platinum(II) chelates [PtCl2{NH═C(NR2)N(Ph)C(═NH)N(Ph)C(NR2)═NH}] (R = Me (1); R2 = (CH2)5 (2)) with uncomplexed imino group with Cl2 gives complexes bearing the ═N-Cl moiety [PtCl4{NH═C(NR2)N(Ph)C(═NCl)N(Ph)C(NR2)═NH}] (R = Me (3); R2 = (CH2)5 (4)). X-ray study for 3 revealed a novel type intermolecular halogen bonding ═N-Cl···Cl(-), formed between the Cl atom of the chlorinated imine and the chloride bound to the platinum(IV) center. The processing relevant structural data retrieved from the Cambridge Structural Database (CSDB) shows that this type of halogen bonding is realized in 18 more molecular species having X═N-Hal moieties (X = C, P, S, V, W; Hal = Cl, Br, I), but this weak ═N-Hal···Hal(-) bonding was totally neglected in the previous works. The presence of the halogen bonding in 3 was confirmed by theoretical calculations at the density functional theory (DFT, M06-2X) level, and its nature was analyzed.