Catalytic activation via π-backbonding in halogen bonds.

The role of halogen bonding (XB) in chemical catalysis has largely involved using XB donors as Lewis acid activators to modulate the reactivity of partner Lewis bases. We explore a more uncommon scenario, where a Lewis base modulates reactivity via a spectator halogen bond interaction. Our computational studies reveal that spectator halogen bonds may play an important role in modulating the rate of SN2 reactions. Most notably, π acceptors such as PF3 significantly decrease the barrier to substitution by decreasing electron density in the very electron rich transition state. Such π-backbonding represents an example of a heretofore unexplored situation in halogen bonding: the combination of both σ-donation and π-backdonation in this "non-covalent" interaction. The broader implications of this observation are discussed.

Preparation of Carbon-Based Solid Acid Catalyst from High-Sulfur Petroleum Coke with Nitric Acid and Ball Milling, and a Computational Evaluation of Inherent Sulfur Conversion Pathways.

A series of petroleum coke (petcoke)-derived solid acid catalysts were prepared via nitric acid treatment with or without ball milling pretreatment. The inherent sulfur in petcoke was converted to sulfonic groups, which were active sites for the esterification of octanoic acid and methanol at 60 °C, with ester yields of 14-43%. More specifically, samples without ball milling treated at 120 °C for 3 h had a total acidity of 4.67 mmol/g, which was 1.6 times that of the samples treated at 80 °C, despite their -SO3H acidities being similar (~0.08 mmol/g). The samples treated for 24 h had higher -SO3H (0.10 mmol/g) and total acidity (5.25 mmol/g) but not increased catalytic activity. Ball milling increased the defects and exposed aromatic hydrogen groups on petcoke, which facilitated further acid oxidation (0.12 mmol -SO3H/g for both materials and total acidity of 5.18 mmol/g and 5.01 mmol/g for BP-N-3/120 and BP-N-8/90, respectively) and an increased ester yield. DFT calculations were used to analyze the pathways of sulfonic acid group formation, and the reaction pathway with NO2• was the most thermodynamically and kinetically favourable. The activities of the prepared catalysts were related to the number of -SO3H acid sites, the total acidity, and the oxygen content, with the latter two factors having a negative impact.

Reaction of 3-Cl/OMe-Substituted 5-Nitrobenzisothiazoles with Hydrazine: Structural and Computational Evidence for Rearrangement Pathways Implicating Intramolecular Formation of Pivotal Meisenheimer Complexes.

In projected structure-activity relationship studies of the novel diheteroarylamide-based anti-HIV agent 2 (1C8), one objective was to evaluate the influence of incorporating the central amide motif in 2 into a five-membered pyrazolone ring, as found in 3. It was envisaged that compound 3 could be prepared through reaction of 3-hydrazino-5-nitrobenzisothiazole 5 with the methyl ester of 4-chloropyridine-3-carboxylic acid, followed by N-methylation of the pyridine nitrogen. However, the reaction of 3-methoxyl-5-nitrobenzisothiazole with hydrazine resulted in formation of ring-opened hydrazonate product 18. In the corresponding reaction with 3-chloro-5-nitrobenzisothiazole, a different rearrangement product 19 was formed, in which two 2,1-benzisothiazole units are joined by a sulfur bridge. Meisenheimer complex formation, favored by the presence of the 5-nitro substituent on the benzisothiazole ring, was postulated to be a key feature in the formation of these deep-seated rearrangement products. Support for the proposed formation of the pivotal Meisenheimer complexes and their subsequent evolution to the observed products in which the benzisothiazole sulfur atom is either expelled or maintained in the isomeric 2,1-benzisothiazole system was obtained by density function theory calculations.

Nature of S-N Bonding in Sulfonamides and Related Compounds: Insights into π-Bonding Contributions from Sulfur K-Edge X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy.

Molecules containing sulfur-nitrogen bonds, like sulfonamides, have long been of interest because of their many uses and interesting chemical properties. Understanding the factors that cause sulfonamide reactivity is important, yet there continues to be controversy regarding the relevance of S-N π bonding in describing these species. In this paper, we use sulfur K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) in conjunction with density functional theory (DFT) to investigate the role of S3p contributions to π-bonding in sulfonamides, sulfinamides, and sulfenamides. We explore the nature of the electron distribution of the sulfur atom to its nearest neighbors and widen our scope to its effects on rotational barriers along the sulfur-nitrogen axis. The experimental XAS data together with time-dependent DFT calculations confirm that sulfonamides-and the other sulfinated amides in this series-have essentially no S-N π bonding involving S3p contributions and that electron repulsion is the dominant force affecting rotational barriers along the S-N axis.

Five Nitrogen Oxidation States from Nitro to Amine: Stabilization and Reactivity of a Metastable Arylhydroxylamine Complex.

Redox noninnocent ligands enhance the reactivity of the metal they complex, a strategy used by metalloenzymes and in catalysis. Herein, we report a series of copper complexes with the same ligand framework, but with a pendant nitrogen group that spans five different redox states between nitro and amine. Of particular interest is the synthesis of a unprecedented copper(I)-arylhydroxylamine complex. While hydroxylamines typically disproportionate or decompose in the presence of transition metal ions, the reactivity of this metastable species is arrested by the presence of an intramolecular hydrogen bond. Two-electron oxidation yields a copper(II)-(arylnitrosyl radical) complex that can dissociate to a copper(I) species with uncoordinated arylnitroso. This combination of ligand redox noninnocence and hemilability provides opportunities in catalysis for two-electron chemistry via a one-electron copper(I/II) shuttle, as exemplified with an aerobic alcohol oxidation.

Anthracene as a Launchpad for a Phosphinidene Sulfide and for Generation of a Phosphorus-Sulfur Material Having the Composition P2S, a Vulcanized Red Phosphorus That Is Yellow.

Thermolysis of a pair of dibenzo-7-phosphanorbornadiene compounds is shown to lead to differing behaviors: phosphinidene sulfide release and formation of amorphous P2S. These compounds, tBuP(S)A (1, A = C14H10 or anthracene; 59% isol. yield) and HP(S)A (2; 63%), are available through thionation of tBuPA and the new secondary phosphine HPA (5), prepared from Me2NPA and DIBAL-H in 50% yield. Phosphinidene sulfide [ tBuP═S] transfer is shown to proceed efficiently from 1 to 2,3-dimethyl-1,3-butadiene to form Diels-Alder product 3 with a zero-order dependence on diene. Platinum complex (Ph3P)2Pt(η2- tBuPS) (4, 47%) is also accessed from 1 and structurally characterized. In contrast, heating parent species 2 (3 h, 135 °C) under vacuum instead produces an insoluble, nonvolatile yellow residual material 6 of composition P2S that displays semiconductor properties with an optical band gap of 2.4 eV. Material 6 obtained in this manner from molecular precursor 2 is in a poorly characterized portion of the phosphorus-sulfur phase diagram and has therefore been subjected to a range of spectroscopic techniques to gain structural insight. X-ray spectroscopic and diffraction techniques, including Raman, XANES, EXAFS, and PDF, reveal 6 to have similarities with related compounds including P4S3, Hittorf's violet phosphorus. Various possible structures have been explored as well using quantum chemical calculations under the constraint that each phosphorus atom is trivalent with no terminal sulfide groups, and each sulfur atom is divalent. The structural conclusions are supported by data from phosphorus-31 magic angle spinning (MAS) solid state NMR spectroscopy, bolstering the structural comparisons to other phosphorus-sulfur systems while excluding the formulation of P2S as a simple mixture of P4S3 and phosphorus.

The Importance of Ligand-Induced Backdonation in the Stabilization of Square Planar d10 Nickel π-Complexes.

The electronic nature of Ni π-complexes is underexplored even though these complexes have been widely postulated as intermediates in organometallic chemistry. Herein, the geometric and electronic structure of a series of nickel π-complexes, Ni(dtbpe)(X) (dtbpe=1,2-bis(di-tert-butyl)phosphinoethane; X=alkene or carbonyl containing π-ligands), is probed using a combination of 31 P NMR, Ni K-edge XAS, Ni Kß XES, and DFT calculations. These complexes are best described as square planar d10 complexes with π-backbonding acting as the dominant contributor to M-L bonding to the π-ligand. The degree of backbonding correlates with 2 JPP from NMR and the energy of the Ni 1s→4pz pre-edge in the Ni K-edge XAS data, and is determined by the energy of the π*ip ligand acceptor orbital. Thus, unactivated olefinic ligands tend to be poor π-acids whereas ketones, aldehydes, and esters allow for greater backbonding. However, backbonding is still significant even in cases in which metal contributions are minor. In such cases, backbonding is dominated by charge donation from the diphosphine, which allows for strong backdonation, although the metal centre retains a formal d10 electronic configuration. This ligand-induced backbonding can be formally described as a 3-centre-4-electron (3c-4e) interaction, in which the nickel centre mediates charge transfer from the phosphine σ-donors to the π*ip ligand acceptor orbital. The implications of this bonding motif are described with respect to both structure and reactivity.

Regiocontrolled and Stereoselective Syntheses of Tetrahydrophthalazine Derivatives using Radical Cyclizations.

Tetrahydrophthalazine derivatives have found important applications in pharmaceutical research, but existing synthetic methods are unable to access them regio- and stereoselectively. Here, a new approach is presented that addresses these challenges by utilizing a 6-endo-trig radical cyclization in the key step. The desired tetrahydrophthalazines can be accessed in high yields (55-98 %) and high diastereoselectivities for the trans-product (>95:5) starting either from readily accessible hydrazones, or from the corresponding aldehydes and substituted Boc-hydrazides in a one-pot process. The synthetic versatility of the tetrahydrophthalazine core was demonstrated by its straightforward conversion to dihydro-phthalazines, phthalazines, or pyrazolo dione derivatives. Furthermore, the N-N bond was reduced to afford a new route to 1,4-diamines.

Direct experimental evaluation of ligand-induced backbonding in nickel metallacyclic complexes.

The details of ligand-induced backbonding in nickel diphosphine π complexes are explored using nickel L-edge (3d←2p) X-ray absorption spectroscopy as a means of quantifying the degree of backbonding derived from direct Ni 3d donation into the π ligand. It is observed that backbonding into weakly π acidic ligands such as alkenes and arenes is dominated by contributions from the diphosphine ligand via σ-donation, leading to activated metallacycles with a Ni(0) d10 metal centre. With more strongly π acidic ligands, however, metal contributions to backbonding increase substantially leading to a more electron-deficient metal centre that is best described as having a Ni(i) spectroscopic oxidation state.

Probing covalency in halogen bonds through donor K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy: polyhalides as coordination complexes.

The properties of halogen bonds (XBs) in solid-state I2X- and I4X- materials (where X = Cl, Br) are explored using donor K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) to experimentally determine the degree of charge transfer in such XB interactions. The degree of covalency in these bonds is substantial, even in cases where significantly weaker secondary interactions are observed. These data, in concert with previous work in this area, suggests that certain halogen bonds have covalent contributions to bonding that are similar to, and even exceed, those observed in transition metal coordinate bonds. For this reason, we suggest that XB interactions of this type be denoted in a similar way to coordination bonds (X → Y) as opposed to using a representation that is the same as for significantly less covalent hydrogen bonds (XY).

Reexamining Oxidation States during the Synthesis of 2-Rhodaoxetanes from Olefins.

Herein, we report experimental, spectroscopic, and computational data that indicate that a rhodium ethylene complex, formally described as rhodium(I) and which forms a 2-rhoda(III) oxetane following reaction with H2O2, is more accurately described as a rhodium(III) metallacyclopropane. X-ray absorption spectroscopy clearly demonstrates a change in the oxidation state at rhodium following ligand coordination with tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine. Both NMR and density functional theory studies suggest a high energy barrier to rotation of the coordinated ethylene, which is attributed to large geometric and electronic reorganization resulting from the loss of π-back-bonding. These results imply that the role of H2O2 in the formation of 2-rhoda(III) oxetanes is to oxidize the C2H4 fragment rather than the metal center, as has been previously suggested.

Evidence for halogen bond covalency in acyclic and interlocked halogen-bonding receptor anion recognition.

The synthesis and anion binding properties of novel halogen-bonding (XB) bis-iodotriazole-pyridinium-containing acyclic and [2]catenane anion host systems are described. The XB acyclic receptor displays selectivity for acetate over halides with enhanced anion recognition properties compared to the analogous hydrogen-bonding (HB) acyclic receptor. A reversal in halide selectivity is observed in the XB [2]catenane, in comparison to the acyclic XB receptor, due to the interlocked host's unique three-dimensional binding cavity, and no binding is observed for oxoanions. Notable halide anion association constant values determined for the [2]catenane in competitive organic-aqueous solvent mixtures demonstrate considerable enhancement of anion recognition as compared to the HB catenane analogue. X-ray crystallographic analysis of a series of halide catenane complexes reveal strong XB interactions in the solid state. These interactions were studied using Cl and Br K-edge X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy (XAS) indicating intense pre-edge features characteristic of charge transfer from the halide to its bonding partner (σ(AX←X(-))(*) ← X1s), and providing a direct measure of the degree of covalency in the halogen bond(s). The data reveal that the degree of covalency is similar to that which is observed in transition metal coordinate covalent bonds. These results are supported by DFT results, which correlate well with the experimental data.

Electrophilic Activation of Oxidized Sulfur Ligands and Implications for the Biological Activity of Ruthenium(II) Arene Anticancer Complexes.

Surprisingly, the anticancer activity of half-sandwich Ru arene complexes [(η(6)-arene)Ru(en)Cl](+) appears to be promoted and not inhibited by binding to the intracellular thiol glutathione. Labilization of the Ru-S bond allowing DNA binding appeared to be initiated by oxygenation of the thiolate ligand, although oxidation by itself did not seem to weaken the Ru-S bond. In this study, we have investigated the solvation and acidic perturbations of mono (sulfenato) and bis (sulfinato) oxidized species of [(η(6)-arene)Ru(en) (SR)](+) complex in the presence of Brønsted and Lewis acids. Sulfur K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy together with density functional theory calculations show that solvation and acidic perturbation of sulfenato species produce a significant decrease in the S3p character of the Ru-S bond (Ru4dσ* ← S1s charge donation). Also there is a drastic fall in the overall ligand charge donation to the metal center in both sulfenato and sulfinato species. Our investigation clearly shows that mono oxidized sulfenato species are most susceptible to ligand exchange, hence providing a possible pathway for in vivo activation and biological activity.

3-Rhoda-1,2-diazacyclopentanes: a series of novel metallacycle complexes derived from C-N functionalization of ethylene.

Rh-containing metallacycles, [(TPA)Rh(III)(κ(2)-(C,N)-CH2CH2(NR)2-]Cl; TPA = N,N,N,N-tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine have been accessed through treatment of the Rh(I) ethylene complex, [(TPA)Rh(η(2)-CH2CH2)]Cl ([1]Cl) with substituted diazenes. We show this methodology to be tolerant of electron-deficient azo compounds including azo diesters (RCO2N=NCO2R; R = Et [3]Cl, R = iPr [4]Cl, R = tBu [5]Cl, and R = Bn [6]Cl) and a cyclic azo diamide: 4-phenyl-1,2,4-triazole-3,5-dione (PTAD), [7]Cl. The latter complex features two ortho-fused ring systems and constitutes the first 3-rhoda-1,2-diazabicyclo[3.3.0]octane. Preliminary evidence suggests that these complexes result from N-N coordination followed by insertion of ethylene into a [Rh]-N bond. In terms of reactivity, [3]Cl and [4]Cl successfully undergo ring-opening using p-toluenesulfonic acid, affording the Rh chlorides, [(TPA)Rh(III)(Cl)(κ(1)-(C)-CH2CH2(NCO2R)(NHCO2R)]OTs; [13]OTs and [14]OTs. Deprotection of [5]Cl using trifluoroacetic acid was also found to give an ethyl substituted, end-on coordinated diazene [(TPA)Rh(III)(κ(2)-(C,N)-CH2CH2(NH)2-](+) [16]Cl, a hitherto unreported motif. Treatment of [16]Cl with acetyl chloride resulted in the bisacetylated adduct [(TPA)Rh(III)(κ(2)-(C,N)-CH2CH2(NAc)2-](+), [17]Cl. Treatment of [1]Cl with AcN=NAc did not give the Rh-N insertion product, but instead the N,O-chelated complex [(TPA)Rh(I)(κ(2)-(O,N)-CH3(CO)(NH)(N=C(CH3)(OCH=CH2))]Cl [23]Cl, presumably through insertion of ethylene into a [Rh]-O bond.