Equatorial Ligands Research Articles

Geometrical isomerization and acceptorless dehydrogenative alcohol oxidation based on pyrrole-based Ru(Ⅱ) complexes

Under the condition of room temperature, trans-pyr-Ru-H Ru(pp)H(CO)(PPh3)2] (complex 1) can be obtained by treating RuHCl(CO)(PPh3)3 with deprotonated 2-(1H-pyrrol-2-yl) pyridine (Hpp) ligand in the tetrahydrofuran(THF) solvent, whereas under refluxing condition, cis-pyr-Ru-H Ru(pp)H(CO)(PPh3)2] (complex 2) can be generated. The full characterizations of the above two complexes include 1H NMR, 31P NMR, IR and X-ray single crystal diffraction, which indicates that complexes 1 and 2 are geometric isomer. With two PPh3 as axial ligands, and pp-, hydride and CO as equatorial ligands, Ru is located at the geometric center of octahedron, As observed, the almost complete conversion of complex 1 to complex 2 under refluxing THF conditions indicates that complex 2 is thermodynamically more stable. In this paper, the catalytic effects of complexes 1 and 2 on the acceptorless dehydrogenation of alcohols to carboxylic acids were studied.

Switching the coordination geometry to enhance erbium(III) single-molecule magnets

Two erbium(III) complexes [ErCl(OArAd)3][Na(THF)6] (1) and Er(OArAd)3 (2) are successfully prepared by using one variety of "hard" base ligand with large steric hindrance. The coordination geometry around the Er(III) site changes from distorted tetrahedral to flat trigonal pyramid geometry in different solvent environment due to the removal of the coordinated chloride. Such an alternation significantly enhances the single-molecule magnet (SMM) behavior and makes the field-induced effective energy barrier (Ueff) arrive at 43(1) cm−1 for the latter. Together with theoretical calculations, this study shows that strong equatorial ligand field and high local symmetry are critical to suppress the quantum tunneling of the magnetization (QTM) and achieve high-performance erbium(III) based SMMs.

New Strategies for Direct Methane-to-Methanol Conversion from Active Learning Exploration of 16 Million Catalysts.

Despite decades of effort, no earth-abundant homogeneous catalysts have been discovered that can selectively oxidize methane to methanol. We exploit active learning to simultaneously optimize methane activation and methanol release calculated with machine learning-accelerated density functional theory in a space of 16 M candidate catalysts including novel macrocycles. By constructing macrocycles from fragments inspired by synthesized compounds, we ensure synthetic realism in our computational search. Our large-scale search reveals that low-spin Fe(II) compounds paired with strong-field (e.g., P or S-coordinating) ligands have among the best energetic tradeoffs between hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) and methanol release. This observation contrasts with prior efforts that have focused on high-spin Fe(II) with weak-field ligands. By decoupling equatorial and axial ligand effects, we determine that negatively charged axial ligands are critical for more rapid release of methanol and that higher-valency metals [i.e., M(III) vs M(II)] are likely to be rate-limited by slow methanol release. With full characterization of barrier heights, we confirm that optimizing for HAT does not lead to large oxo formation barriers. Energetic span analysis reveals designs for an intermediate-spin Mn(II) catalyst and a low-spin Fe(II) catalyst that are predicted to have good turnover frequencies. Our active learning approach to optimize two distinct reaction energies with efficient global optimization is expected to be beneficial for the search of large catalyst spaces where no prior designs have been identified and where linear scaling relationships between reaction energies or barriers may be limited or unknown.

Photoinduced bond oscillations in ironpentacarbonyl give delayed synchronous bursts of carbonmonoxide release

Early excited state dynamics in the photodissociation of transition metal carbonyls determines the chemical nature of short-lived catalytically active reaction intermediates. However, time-resolved experiments have not yet revealed mechanistic details in the sub-picosecond regime. Hence, in this study the photoexcitation of ironpentacarbonyl Fe(CO)5 is simulated with semi-classical excited state molecular dynamics. We find that the bright metal-to-ligand charge-transfer (MLCT) transition induces synchronous Fe-C oscillations in the trigonal bipyramidal complex leading to periodically reoccurring release of predominantly axial CO. Metaphorically the photoactivated Fe(CO)5 acts as a CO geyser, as a result of dynamics in the potential energy landscape of the axial Fe-C distances and non-adiabatic transitions between manifolds of bound MLCT and dissociative metal-centered (MC) excited states. The predominant release of axial CO ligands and delayed release of equatorial CO ligands are explained in a unified mechanism based on the σ*(Fe-C) anti-bonding character of the receiving orbital in the dissociative MC states.

Air-Stable Dy(III)-Macrocycle Enantiomers: From Chiral to Polar Space Group

Air-Stable Dy(III)-Macrocycle Enantiomers: From Chiral to Polar Space Group

Prediction of heptagonal bipyramidal nonacoordination in highly viable [OB-M\xa9B7O7-BO]\u2212 (M\u2009=\u2009Fe, Ru, Os) complexes

Non-spherical distributions of ligand atoms in coordination complexes are generally unfavorable due to higher repulsion than for spherical distributions. To the best of our knowledge, non-spherical heptagonal bipyramidal nonacoordination is hitherto unreported, because of extremely high repulsion among seven equatorial ligand atoms. Herein, we report the computational prediction of such nonacoordination, which is constructed by the synergetic coordination of an equatorial hepta-dentate centripetal ligand (B7O7) and two axial mono-dentate ligands (-BO) in the gear-like mono-anionic complexes [OB-M©B7O7-BO]– (M = Fe, Ru, Os). The high repulsion among seven equatorial ligand B atoms has been compensated by the strong B–O bonding. These complexes are the dynamically stable (up to 1500 K) global energy minima with the HOMO-LUMO gaps of 7.15 to 7.42 eV and first vertical detachment energies of 6.14 to 6.66 eV (being very high for anions), suggesting their high probability for experimental realization in both gas-phase and condensed phases. The high stability stems geometrically from the surrounded outer-shell oxygen atoms and electronically from meeting the 18e rule as well as possessing the σ + π + δ triple aromaticity. Remarkably, the ligand-metal interactions are governed not by the familiar donation and backdonation interactions, but by the electrostatic interactions and electron-sharing bonding.

Using N-Heterocyclic Carbenes as Weak Equatorial Ligands to Design Single-Molecule Magnets: Zero-Field Slow Relaxation in Two Octahedral Dysprosium(III) Complexes.

We report the synthesis, structures, and magnetic investigations of two new octahedral dysprosium complexes, based on the original N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) tridentate bis(phenoxide) ligand, of the respective formulas mer-[DyL(THF)2Cl] (1) and mer-[DyL(THF)3][BPh4] (2), where L = 1,3-bis(3,5-di-tert-butyl-2-oxidophenyl)-5,5-dimethyl-3,4,5,6-tetrahydropyrimidin-1-ium chloride and THF = tetrahydrofuran. The short Dy-O distances in the axial direction in association with the weak donor ability of the NHC moiety provide a suitable environment for slow relaxation of magnetization, overcoming the previous single-molecule magnets based on NHC ligands.

Air-stable chiral mono- and dinuclear dysprosium single-molecule magnets: steric hindrance of hexaazamacrocycles

Two pairs of air-stable chiral Dy-SMMs were constructed using different sterically hindered hexaazamacrocycles as equatorial ligands, leading to a nuclearity increase from 1 to 2.

Synthesis and Characterization of Disodium Aquabis(malonato)oxovanadate(IV)

The complex, disodium aquabis(malonato)oxovanadate(IV) monohydrate, has been synthesized and its structure determined by X-ray diffraction analysis. The geometry around the metal is octahedral and the two malonate ligands are coordinated in a trans-arrangement with respect to one another, forming an equatorial plane, with oxo and aqua ligands occupying the axial positions. The V=O bond length is 1.596(2) Å and the four equatorial V–O distances range between 1.995(2) and 2.012(2) Å. An intensive network of weak hydrogen bonds is observed between crystalline water molecules and between oxygen atoms of the anion and sodium cations.

Effective tuning of magnetic anisotropy in distorted pentagonal bipyramidal Ni(II) complexes via substitution of axial coligands.

A series of Ni(II) complexes with pyridine-based macrocyclic ligand L (3,12,18-triaza-6,9-dioxabicyclo[12.3.1]octadeca-1(18),14,16-triene) with general formula [Ni(L)(X)2]0/2+ (X = Br- (1), I- (2), CH3CN (3), NCS- (4), imidazole (5)) was prepared and thoroughly investigated. X-ray molecular structures confirmed pentagonal bipyramidal geometry for all studied complexes with a strong Jahn-Teller distortion in the pentagonal equatorial plane and significantly elongated Ni-O distance(s) with a decrease of this distortion by varying axial coligands (CH3CN > Br- > I- > NCS- > imidazole). Direct current magnetic measurements revealed the easy-axis type of magnetic anisotropy with negative as well as positive axial zero-field-splitting parameter D ranging from +6.8 to -14.5 cm-1, which remains not affected in the halogenido series Cl- → Br- → I-, but which increases in the series with N-axial ligands in order CH3CN → NCS- → imidazole. Theoretical calculations helped to elucidate (i) the final coordination numbers 6 + 1 for 1 and 2, and 5 + 2 for 2-5, (ii) the pattern of splitting of d-orbitals, contributions of excited states to the final D-values and their final signs, and (iii) the complexity in the variation of the D and E parameters with elongation of axial bond distances in such strongly distorted systems. The studied complexes did not show any alternating magnetic susceptibility signal, but it was clearly documented that the magnetic anisotropy of the pentagonal bipyramidal Ni(II) complexes can be modulated/tuned by variation of axial coligands. Nevertheless, great care has to be taken for symmetry of the equatorial ligand field.

Modulation of the magnetic dynamics of pentagonal-bipyramidal Co(II) complexes by fine-tuning the coordination microenvironment.

Four air-stable mononuclear Co(II) complexes, with the formulas [Co(dapbh)(H2O)(CH3OH)] (1), [Co(Hdapbh)(N3)(CH3OH)]·(CH3OH) (2), [Co(H2aapbh)(CH3OH)2]·(NO3)2 (3) and [Co(H2bapbh)(H2O)(NO3)]·(NO3) (4), have been synthesized and structurally characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction. In all of the complexes, the Co(II) centers constrained by the rigid pentadentate ligand H2LR with two protonable hydrogens adopt a heptacoordinated pentagonal-bipyramidal geometry. The combined analyses of magnetic data and ab initio calculations unveil large easy-plane magnetic anisotropies for these complexes (D = +37.338, +37.273, +41.138 and +41.139 cm-1 for 1-4, respectively), which indicate that the chemical alterations of the equatorial ligand and the ligand field strength in the axial positions synergistically fine-tune the magnitude of the D values. Magnetic investigations demonstrate the field-induced single-ion magnetic behavior in complexes 1, 2 and 4 with diverse energy barriers (Ueff) of 12.25 for 1, 44.15 for 2 and 48.72 K for 4, corresponding to the geometrical distortion of the heptacoordinated Co(II) ion. That is, the greatest deviation from the ideal D5h symmetry in 4 is responsible for the highest barrier.

Ligand Field Theory for Linear ML2Complexes

AbstractPoint‐charge crystal field theory (CFT) for linear ML2systems guarantees dz2>dxz/dyz>dxy/dx2‐y2 (i. e. dσ>dπ>dδ). This is not what is found for CuCl2and other linear, divalent MX2complexes where dπ>dσ. This failure of CFT has also been attributed to its successor, ligand field theory (LFT). However, taking LFT to be parameterised CFT, any d orbital sequence is possible. The real test is whether the LFT parameters make chemical sense. A new cellular ligand field (CLF) analysis of CuCl2, including the equatorial toroidal void, which affects all the d orbitals, confirms eπ(Cl)>eσ(Cl). To account for this, the ‘distributed donation’ model is proposed linking σ and π bonding such that enhanced π donation is at the expense of reduced σ bonding and vice versa. This is the π‐donor analogue of the Dewar‐Chatt‐Duncanson model for π‐acceptor ligands. Ab initio LFT (AI LFT) calculations support a progressive π‐donation increase/σ donation decrease from Cu(II) to Sc(II) with eσfinally becoming negative. The model further predicts that adding equatorial ligands will force the π density back into the σ bond which is also confirmed by AI LFT calculations fortrans‐[CuCl2(NH3)4] where eσ(Cl)>eπ(Cl) even though the CuCl2unit is unchanged. The distributed donation model for linear σ‐only [MII(Lσ)2]nsystems (Lσ=NH3, H), where increasing π donation is not possible, implies that the M−L bonding in linear systems should be inherently weak.

Magneto-structural Correlations in Ni2+-Halide···Halide-Ni2+ Chains.

We present the magnetic properties of a new family of S = 1 molecule-based magnets, NiF2(3,5-lut)4·2H2O and NiX2(3,5-lut)4, where X = HF2, Cl, Br, or I (lut = lutidine C7H9N). Upon creation of isolated Ni–X···X–Ni and Ni–F–H–F···F–H–F–Ni chains separated by bulky and nonbridging lutidine ligands, the effect that halogen substitution has on the magnetic properties of transition-metal-ion complexes can be investigated directly and in isolation from competing processes such as Jahn–Teller distortions. We find that substitution of the larger halide ions turns on increasingly strong antiferromagnetic interactions between adjacent Ni2+ ions via a novel through-space two-halide exchange. In this process, the X···X bond lengths in the Br and I materials are more than double the van der Waals radius of X yet can still mediate significant magnetic interactions. We also find that a simple model based on elongation/compression of the Ni2+ octahedra cannot explain the observed single-ion anisotropy in mixed-ligand compounds. We offer an alternative that takes into account the difference in the electronegativity of axial and equatorial ligands.

Kinetic and Computational Analysis of CO Substitution in a Dinuclear Osmium Carbonyl Complex: Intersection between Dissociative and Dissociative-Interchange Mechanisms.

The mechanism for the CO substitution reaction involving the diosmium carbonyl sawhorse complex Os2(μ-O2CH)2(CO)6, which contains an Os-Os single bond, two axial CO ligands, and four equatorial CO ligands, was investigated experimentally and theoretically. Kinetic measurements show 13CO axial substitution proceeding by a dissociative reaction that is first-order in the complex and zero-order in 13CO but with an unexpectedly negative entropy of activation. The corresponding electronic structure calculations yield an enthalpy of activation for axial CO dissociation that is much larger than that determined by the kinetic experiments, but in agreement with the complex's stability with respect to CO loss. Additional calculations yield a dissociative interchange transition state whose free energy, enthalpy, and entropy of activation are in good agreement with those obtained from the kinetic measurements for the apparently dissociative substitution. These results point to an exchange reaction mechanism that is surprisingly close to the poorly understood transition from a dissociative mechanism with a CO-loss intermediate to a dissociative interchange mechanism with a transition state involving both the entering and the leaving COs. The key to explain these findings is provided by the vibrational analysis, which shows very low energy wagging motions for the axial COs. Thus, the incoming CO only displaces the outgoing CO when the complex has an outgoing CO near the wag's turning point. This dissociative interchange mechanism predicted by the calculation explains the unexpected combination of kinetics and stability characteristics. Kinetics reveals that the reaction is first-order in the Os dimer with a negative Eyring entropy, while a stability study shows that the Os dimer's decomposition rate is several orders of magnitude slower than CO exchange.

Effect of the chemical structure of a tetradentate equatorial ligand on the spin-crossover properties of the Fe (III) complexes chain structures: Electron paramagnetic resonance study.

The effect of the chemical structure of the equatorial ligand on the spin state of the Fe (III) ion in a series of 1-D chain complexes of the general formula [Fe(L)(tvp)]BPh4 ·nCH3 OH, where L = dianions of Schiff base containing a different number of aromatic groups: N,N'-ethylenebis (salicylaldimine) (salen) 1, N,N'-ethylenebis (acetylacetone)2,2'-imine (acen) 2, N,N'-ethylenebis (benzoylacetylacetone)2,2'-imine (bzacen) 3, and tvp = 1,2-di(4-pyridyl)ethylene, was studied by ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) methods. The values of exchange interactions, thermodynamic parameters of spin-crossover, and electronic structure features of the Fe (III) complexes were estimated from the EPR data. The substitution of a fragment of the equatorial ligand L in the series salen-acen-bzacen changes the local symmetry of the complex in the 1-D chain, thereby affecting the spin variable properties.

Mono- and di-phosphine oxide complexes of aluminium, gallium and indium with weakly coordinating triflate anions – Synthesis, structures and properties

Reaction of the Group 13 triflates, M(OTf)3 (M = Al, Ga, In; OTf = CF3SO3−), with 3 mol. eq. of R3PO (R = Ph or Me) gives the six-coordinate complexes, [M(OTf)3(R3PO)3], with coordinated triflate, as white powdered solids. Similarly, using 3 mol. eq. of PyNO (pyridine-N-oxide) readily forms [In(OTf)3(PyNO)3], whose crystal structure confirms a mer octahedral arrangement. In contrast, reaction of the harder Lewis acids Al(III) and Ga(III) with PyNO produce mixtures, mostly likely of the 3:1 and 4:1 species, [M(OTf)3(PyNO)3] and [M(OTf)2(PyNO)4][OTf] (M = Al, Ga). Both of the tetrakis species have been confirmed via single crystal X-ray studies and shown to exist as trans isomers. Higher ratios (4:1, 5:1 and 6:1) of Me3PO coordinated to In(OTf)3 can also be achieved by varying the reaction stoichiometry appropriately, with the coordinated OTf groups readily displaced by the Me3PO.Crystal structures of two polymorphs of the salt, [In(OTf)2(Me3PO)4][In{(OH2)2(OTf)4}(Me3PO)4], in which the [In{(OH2)2(OTf)4}(Me3PO)4]− anion is (unusually) comprised of a ‘InIII(OH2)2(Me3PO)4′ unit with four OTf anions H-bonded to the aquo ligands, giving the overall monoanionic charge. A similar arrangement is present in [In(OTf)2(Ph3PO)4][In{(OH2)4(OTf)4}(Ph3PO)2], the structure of which shows that all of the H atoms associated with the four aquo ligands in the [In{(OH2)4(OTf)4}(Ph3PO)2]− form significant H-bonds to the OTf groups; specifically, the four OTf− anions each show two O⋯H interactions, forming bridges that link the equatorial aquo ligands into a 24-membered ‘pseudo-macrocyclic’ ring. The crystal structure of the mononuclear 5:1 complex, [Ga(Me3PO)5(MeCN)][OTf]3, is also described.Using the diphosphine dioxide, dppmO2 (Ph2P(O)CH2P(O)Ph2), with M(OTf)3 in a 3:1 ratio readily affords the tris-chelate species, [M(dppmO2)3][OTf]3 for all three metals, while a 2:1 ratio also gives [Ga(OTf)2(dppmO2)2][OTf]. Crystal structures of both [Al(dppmO2)3][OTf]3·MeCN and [Ga(dppmO2)3][OTf]3·2CHCl3 are reported.Multinuclear (1H, 13C{1H}, 19F{1H}, 31P{1H}, 27Al, 71Ga and 115In, where appropriate) NMR data show that in CD3CN the complexes are labile and the different R3PO coordination environments are not distinguished (although exchange between coordinated and ‘free’ Me3PO is slow on the 31P NMR timescale), while the MeCN solvent also replaces OTf in the metal coordination sphere.

Polymeric coordination complex of lithium(I) with aqua and cyanurate ligands.

The polymeric title complex, poly[hexa-μ-aqua-diaquatetra-μ-cyanurato-tetralithium] [Li4(C3H2N3O3)4(H2O)7] n , synthesized at room temperature from an aqueous solution of lithium hydroxide and cyanuric chloride, crystallizes in the triclinic space group P . There are two distinct Li+ cations in the asymmetric unit, one of which, Li1, has distorted trigonal-bipyramidal geometry and is coordinated via oxygen to two cyanurate anions occupying equatorial positions, and three water mol-ecules, two in the axial positions and the third in an equatorial position. One of the axial water ligands and the equatorial water ligand are involved in bridging to a crystallographically equivalent Li1 cation. A centre of inversion lies between the two Li1 cations and the Li1⋯Li1 distance is 3.037 (5) Å. The remaining axial water ligand bridges to the second Li cation, Li2, which is disordered over two crystallographic sites with approximately equal occupancy, and has an Li1⋯Li2 distance of 3.438 (7) Å. The terminal Li2 cation is coordinated to three water mol-ecules and an oxygen atom from a cyanuric anion and has a distorted tetra-hedral geometry. A three-dimensional network of inter-molecular hydrogen bonds involving N-H⋯O, O-H⋯O and O-H⋯N inter-actions serves to hold the structure together. The title compound was further characterized using IR and UV-vis spectroscopy and TG-DTA analysis.

Computational study of copper binding to DAHK peptide

Ligand Field Molecular Mechanics (LFMM), Density Functional Theory (DFT) and Semi-Empirical methods are used to study Cu(II) binding to the tetrapeptide Asp-Ala-His-Lys (DAHK). Two conformational searching tools, LFMM/AMBER and CREST/xTB, are used to predict the energy and geometry of Cu-DAHK, using DFT as a benchmark. In addition, DFT-predicted electronic spectra are used to evaluate the binding modes found. LFMM and DFT reproduce the experimentally determined coordination, a distorted square planar arrangement of 4 nitrogen ligands with axial coordination to a fifth, oxygen ligand. However, CREST conformational search was unsuccessful in predicting the coordination mode of Cu-DAHK, changing the bonding equatorial ligands from 4 N to 3N1O.

Triple Resonance Experiments for the Rapid Detection of 103Rh NMR Shifts: A Combined Experimental and Theoretical Study into Dirhodium and Bismuth-Rhodium Paddlewheel Complexes.

A H(C)Rh triple resonance NMR experiment makes the rapid detection of 103Rh chemical shifts possible, which were previously beyond reach. It served to analyze a series of dirhodium and bismuth–rhodium paddlewheel complexes of the utmost importance for metal–carbene chemistry. The excellent match between the experimental and computed 103Rh shifts in combination with a detailed analysis of the pertinent shielding tensors forms a sound basis for a qualitative and quantitative interpretation of these otherwise (basically) inaccessible data. The observed trends clearly reflect the influence exerted by the equatorial ligands (carboxylate versus carboxamidate), the axial ligands (solvents), and the internal “metalloligand” (Rh versus Bi) on the electronic estate of the reactive Rh(II) center.

Air-Stable Chiral Single-Molecule Magnets with Record Anisotropy Barrier Exceeding 1800 K.

Design and synthesis of air-stable and easily tailored high-performance single-molecule magnets (SMMs) are of great significance toward the implementation of SMMs in molecular-based magneto-electronic devices. Here, by introducing electron-withdrawing fluorinated substituents on equatorial ligand, two chiral Dy(III) macrocyclic complexes, RRRR-Dy-D6hF12 (1) and SSSS-Dy-D6hF12 (2), with a record anisotropy barrier exceeding 1800 K and the longest relaxation time approaching 2500 s at 2.0 K for all known air-stable SMMs, were obtained. The nearly perfect axiality of the ground Kramers doublet (KD) enables the open hysteresis loops up to 20 K in the magnetically diluted sample. It is notable that they are structurally rigid with high thermal stability and the apical ligand can be tailored to carry proper surface-binding groups. This finding not only improves the magnetic properties for air-stable SMMs but also provides a new avenue for deposition of SMMs on surfaces.