Organometallic Research Articles

Enhancing the Metalating Power of ZnEt2 via Formation of an Alkyl/Alkoxide Potassium Zincate

AbstractAdvancing the use of alkali‐metal alkoxides as additives to activate organometallic reagents, here we report the synthesis and characterization of a novel potassium zincate [{(PMDETA)KZn(OtBu)Et2}2] obtained by co‐complexation of equimolar amounts of potassium tert‐butoxide, diethyl zinc and the tridentate donor PMDETA (N,N,N’,N’’,N’’‐pentamethyldiethylenetriamine). Demonstrating its ability to activate both of the Et groups towards alkyne C−H metalation, this zincate reacts at room temperature with 2 equivalents of phenylacetylene to furnish [(THF)2KZn(CCPh)2(OtBu)}2], whereas, for the homometallic [ZnEt2(TMEDA)] (TMEDA=N,N,N’,N’‐tetramethylethylendiamine) only one Et group is reactive towards the same substrate under the same conditions. Investigations on the reactivity of these complexes to undergo N−H amine metalation using 2, 6‐diisopropylphenylamine (NH2Dipp) and 1,2,3,4‐tetrahydroquinoline (THQ(H)) as model substrates revealed that while homometallic [ZnEt2(TMEDA)] is completely inert towards these amines, heterobimetallic [{(PMDETA)KZn(OtBu)Et2}2] reacts through one of its Et groups to form [(THF)2KZn(OtBu)(Et)(NHDipp)] as well as [(THF)4K2Zn(THQ)4]. The latter is obtained as a side product of ligand redistribution of a putative [(THF)nKZn(OtBu)(Et)(THQ)] intermediate. An alternative method to access mixed amide/alkoxide potassium zincates is also described by assessing the co‐complexation of KOtBu with Zn(HMDS)2 in the presence of PMDETA which gave [(PMDETA)KZn(HMDS)2(OtBu)].

An Ir (III) complex with multiphoton absorption in the near-infrared region as a probe for mtDNA-specific recognition and mitochondrial imaging

The multiphoton absorbing (MPA) materials have been extensively investigated due to their crucial merits of long wavelength excitation and short wavelength emission, of which the organometallic complexes are the most promising but still challenging candidates for developing efficient MPA materials. Herein, a novel cyclometallated iridium complex (abbreviated as SQ) is reported as a multiphoton absorption phosphorescent probe, which is constructed by coordinating the central metal Ir with diethoxyphenyl terpyridine, phenyl pyridine and SCN ligands. The single crystal of SQ exhibits a twisted octahedral structure that can avoid phosphorescence quenching caused by π-π stacking, and the push-pull electron effect of the ligand endows SQ with excellent nonlinear optical (NLO) properties under near-infrared excitation. As a result, two-photon imaging with deep tissue penetration depths is realized at the excitation wavelength of 750 nm. Meanwhile, the planar conjugated structure of diethoxyphenyl terpyridine facilitates the insertion of SQ into base pairs of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), thus limiting the intramolecular rotation. Consequently, the emission intensity of the SQ solution enhanced approximately 10-fold after mtDNA was introduced, which led to mtDNA-specific recognition. Our work proves a new way of designing a phosphorescence probe that can specifically identify mtDNA, thus realizing dynamic monitoring of mitochondria.

Synergistic effects of Pt single atomic site and Cu nanoclusters for catalytic oxidation of methyl mercaptan

Here, we report a catalyst design strategy, which uses hydrotalcite as a precursor to obtaining uniformly loaded nano copper clusters and further load single atom Pt to form a synergistic catalytic effect between precious metals and transition metals and is applied to the catalytic oxidation of CH3SH. The ability of adsorption-activation of molecular oxygen can be enhanced by constructing copper nanoclusters on the surface of metal oxides, and the catalytic oxidation path of methanethiol can be changed from MVK scheme to ER scheme. However, it is still not enough to obtain the ideal methanethiol conversion efficiency. Inspired by the organometallic chemistry of platinum, the element sulfur has a good bonding ability with platinum. We introduced platinum single atoms onto copper nanoclusters. Confirmation of atomically dispersed Pt by spherical aberration corrected electron microscopy and XAFS. Combined with the above characterization and calculation, it can be seen that the introduction of single-atom Pt is conducive to the adsorption of CH3SH, Cu nanoclusters can activate oxygen molecules, and the synergistic effect of the two active sites can significantly improve the catalytic oxidation activity of the catalyst for CH3SH. The oxidation of CH3SH occur via the Langmuir-Hinshelwood scheme (L-H scheme).

Arylgold nanoclusters: Phenyl-stabilized Au44 with thermal-controlled NIR single/dual-channel phosphorescence.

Arylation of gold holds paramount importance in the domain of organometallic chemistry; however, the exploration of arylgold nanoclusters remains in its infancy primarily due to the synthetic challenge. Here, we present a facile and effective arylation strategy to directly synthesize two arylgold nanoclusters (Au44a and Au44b), by using tetraarylborates, capable of transferring aryl fragments to metal centers. X-ray crystallography reveals that both Au44 nanoclusters contain an Au44 kernel co-protected by six aryl groups, two tetrahydrothiophene, and 16 alkynyl-ether ligands, the latter is generated in situ through Williamson ether reaction during the assembly processes. Notably, Au44 nanoclusters exhibit near-infrared (NIR) phosphorescence (λmax = 958 nm) and microsecond radiative relaxation at ambient condition, which is a thermal-controlled single/dual-channel phosphorescent emission revealed by temperature-dependent NIR, time-resolved emission, and femtosecond/nanosecond transition absorption spectra. This work represents a breakthrough in using aryl as protective ligands for the construction of gold nanoclusters, which is poised to have a transformative impact on organometallic nanoclusters.

Pioneers and Influencers in Organometallic Chemistry: Professor David Carrillo Contreras, an Inspiring Contributor to Chemistry in Chile

Pioneers and Influencers in Organometallic Chemistry: Professor David Carrillo Contreras, an Inspiring Contributor to Chemistry in Chile

Nickel-organo compounds as potential enzyme precursors under simulated early Earth conditions

The transition from inorganic catalysis through minerals to organic catalysis by enzymes is a necessary step in the emergence of life. Our work is elucidating likely reactions at the earliest moments of Life, prior to the existence of enzymatic catalysis, by exploring essential intersections between nickel bioinorganic chemistry and pterin biochemistry. We used a prebiotically-inspired acetylene-containing volcanic hydrothermal experimental environment to shed light on the efficient formation of nickel-organo complexes. The simplest bis(dithiolene)nickel complex (C2H2S2)2Ni was identified by UV/Vis spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, nuclear magnetic resonance. Its temporal progression and possible function in this simulated early Earth atmosphere were investigated by isolating the main bis(dithiolene)nickel species from the primordial experimental setup. Using this approach, we uncovered a significant diversity of nickel-organo compositions by identifying 156 elemental annotations. The formation of acetaldehyde through the subsequent degradation of these organo-metal complexes is intriguing, as it is reminiscent of the ability of Pelobacter acetylenicus to hydrate acetylene to acetaldehyde via its bis(dithiolene)-containing enzyme acetylene hydratase. As our findings mechanistically characterize the role of nickel sulfide in catalyzing the formation of acetaldehyde, this fundamental pre-metabolic reaction could play the role of a primitive enzyme precursor of the enzymatic acetylene metabolism and further strengthen the role of acetylene in the molecular origin of life.

Pioneers and Influencers in Organometallic Chemistry: Professor John E. Ellis Takes Metals to the Limit

Pioneers and Influencers in Organometallic Chemistry: Professor John E. Ellis Takes Metals to the Limit

Anticancer Metallocenes and Metal Complexes of Transition Elements from Groups 4 to 7.

With the progression in the field of bioinorganic chemistry, the role of transition metal complexes as the most widely used therapeutics is becoming a more and more attractive research area. The complexes of transition metals possess a great variety of attractive pharmacological properties, including anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-infective, etc., activities. Transition metal complexes have proven to be potential alternatives to biologically active organic compounds, especially as antitumor agents. The performance of metal coordination compounds in living systems is anticipated to differ generally from the action of non-metal-containing drugs and may offer unique diagnostic and/or therapeutic opportunities. In this review, the rapid development and application of metallocenes and metal complexes of elements from Groups 4 to 7 in cancer diagnostics and therapy have been summarized. Most of the heavy metals discussed in the current review are newly discovered metals. That is why the use of their metal-based compounds has attracted a lot of attention concerning their organometallic and coordination chemistry. All of this imposes more systematic studies on their biological activity, biocompatibility, and toxicity and presupposes further investigations.

Nickel-Catalyzed Reductive anti-Arylative Cyclization of Alkynyl Enones with Aryl Halides.

A nickel-catalyzed reductive anti-arylative cyclization of alkynyl enones with aryl halides has been developed. The reaction avoids the use of stoichiometric organometallic reagents and has a broad reaction scope and high functional group tolerance. This method offers an efficient way to access a variety of synthetically useful carbocycles that are widely found in many natural products and biologically active molecules.

Antifungal and Antiparasitic Activities of Metallocene-Containing Fluconazole Derivatives.

The search for new anti-infectives based on metal complexes is gaining momentum. Among the different options taken by researchers, the one involving the use of organometallic complexes is probably the most successful one with a compound, namely, ferroquine, already in clinical trials against malaria. In this study, we describe the preparation and in-depth characterization of 10 new (organometallic) derivatives of the approved antifungal drug fluconazole. Our rationale is that the sterol 14α-demethylase is an enzyme part of the ergosterol biosynthesis route in Trypanosoma and is similar to the one in pathogenic fungi. To demonstrate our postulate, docking experiments to assess the binding of our compounds with the enzyme were also performed. Our compounds were then tested on a range of fungal strains and parasitic organisms, including the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi) responsible for Chagas disease, an endemic disease in Latin America that ranks among some of the most prevalent parasitic diseases worldwide. Of high interest, the two most potent compounds of the study on T. cruzi that contain a ferrocene or cobaltocenium were found to be harmless for an invertebrate animal model, namely, Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans), without affecting motility, viability, or development.

Metals in Cancer Research: Beyond Platinum Metallodrugs.

The discovery of the medicinal properties of platinum complexes has fueled the design and synthesis of new anticancer metallodrugs endowed with unique modes of action (MoA). Among the various families of experimental antiproliferative agents, organometallics have emerged as ideal platforms to control the compounds' reactivity and stability in a physiological environment. This is advantageous to efficiently deliver novel prodrug activation strategies, as well as to design metallodrugs acting only via noncovalent interactions with their pharmacological targets. Noteworthy, another justification for the advance of organometallic compounds for therapy stems from their ability to catalyze bioorthogonal reactions in cancer cells. When not yet ideal as drug leads, such compounds can be used as selective chemical tools that benefit from the advantages of catalytic amplification to either label the target of interest (e.g., proteins) or boost the output of biochemical signals. Examples of metallodrugs for the so-called "catalysis in cells" are considered in this Outlook together with other organometallic drug candidates. The selected case studies are discussed in the frame of more general challenges in the field of medicinal inorganic chemistry.

Synthesis of Boronic Esters from Organometallic Reagents and Bis(pinacolato)diboron.

Synthesis of alkyl, aryl, and vinyl boronic esters carrying various chiral and achiral diol-protecting groups were synthesized starting from the corresponding alkyl, aryl, and vinyl lithium or Grignard reagents. Good to excellent yields were obtained for a large range of substrates. The reaction can be conducted in a gram scale to obtain the product over 80 % yield. This approach provides direct access to neopentyl, pinene, and other boronic esters that are difficult to achieve. Using trimethoxyborane or 2-isopropoxy pinacolboronic ester. Detailed mechanistic studies have been conducted to understand the mechanism behind the formation of boronic ester starting from organometallic reagents.

A facile strategy of designing a new crystalline cobalt metal–organic framework as a new efficient and robust heterogeneous catalyst for olefin oxidation reaction

A novel three-dimensional (3D) metal-organic compound Co3(BDC)3(DMF)2(H2O)4.2DMF (DMF= N,N-dimethylformamide; BDC= 1,4-benzenedicarboxylate) (Co-BDC (1)) has been synthesized under solvothermal method using Co2+ salt and BDC as a rigid ligand. The material was structurally characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction (SXRD), powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), thermogravimetric (TGA), inductively coupled plasma (ICP), and elemental (CHN) techniques. Oxidation of some olefins was evaluated with tert‑butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP) in acetonitrile in the presence of Co-BDC (2) (activated Co-BDC (1)) as a heterogeneous catalyst. Among the substrates used for the oxidation reaction, desirable conversions of 97 %, 81.6 %, and 76 % were obtained for cyclooctene, 1-hexene, and norbornene, respectively. Finally, the catalyst was recycled and reused (four times) without a remarkable decrease in the catalytic activity.

ENDOR Spectroscopy Reveals the "Free" 5'-Deoxyadenosyl Radical in a Radical SAM Enzyme Active Site Actually is Chaperoned by Close Interaction with the Methionine-Bound [4Fe-4S]2+ Cluster.

1/2H and 13C hyperfine coupling constants to 5'-deoxyadenosyl (5'-dAdo•) radical trapped within the active site of the radical S-adenosyl-l-methionine (SAM) enzyme, pyruvate formate lyase-activating enzyme (PFL-AE), both in the absence of substrate and the presence of a reactive peptide-model of the PFL substrate, are completely characteristic of a classical organic free radical whose unpaired electron is localized in the 2pπ orbital of the sp2 C5'-carbon (J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2019, 141, 12139-12146). However, prior electron-nuclear double resonance (ENDOR) measurements had indicated that this 5'-dAdo• free radical is never truly "free": tight van der Waals contact with its target partners and active-site residues guide it in carrying out the exquisitely precise, regioselective reactions that are hallmarks of RS enzymes. Here, our understanding of how the active site chaperones 5'-dAdo• is extended through the finding that this apparently unexceptional organic free radical has an anomalous g-tensor and exhibits significant 57Fe, 13C, 15N, and 2H hyperfine couplings to the adjacent, isotopically labeled, methionine-bound [4Fe-4S]2+ cluster cogenerated with 5'-dAdo• during homolytic cleavage of cluster-bound SAM. The origin of the 57Fe couplings through nonbonded radical-cluster contact is illuminated by a formal exchange-coupling model and broken symmetry-density functional theory computations. Incorporation of ENDOR-derived distances from C5'(dAdo•) to labeled-methionine as structural constraints yields a model for active-site positioning of 5'-dAdo• with a short, nonbonded C5'-Fe distance (∼3 Å). This distance involves substantial motion of 5'-dAdo• toward the unique Fe of the [4Fe-4S]2+ cluster upon S-C(5') bond-cleavage, plausibly an initial step toward formation of the Fe-C5' bond of the organometallic complex, Ω, the central intermediate in catalysis by radical-SAM enzymes.

Exploiting Organometallic Chemistry to Functionalize Small Cuprous Oxide Colloidal Nanocrystals.

The ligand chemistry of colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals mediates their solubility, band gap, and surface facets. Here, selective organometallic chemistry is used to prepare small, colloidal cuprous oxide nanocrystals and to control their surface chemistry by decorating them with metal complexes. The strategy is demonstrated using small (3-6 nm) cuprous oxide (Cu2O) colloidal nanocrystals (NC), soluble in organic solvents. Organometallic complexes are coordinated by reacting the surface Cu-OH bonds with organometallic reagents, M(C6F5)2, M = Zn(II) and Co(II), at room temperature. These reactions do not disrupt the Cu2O crystallinity or nanoparticle size; rather, they allow for the selective coordination of a specific metal complex at the surface. Subsequently, the surface-coordinated organometallic complex is reacted with three different carboxylic acids to deliver Cu-O-Zn(O2CR') complexes. Selective nanocrystal surface functionalization is established using spectroscopy (IR, 19F NMR), thermal gravimetric analyses (TGA), transmission electron microscopy (TEM, EELS), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Photoluminescence efficiency increases dramatically upon organometallic surface functionalization relative to that of the parent Cu2O NC, with the effect being most pronounced for Zn(II) decoration. The nanocrystal surfaces are selectively functionalized by both organic ligands and well-defined organometallic complexes; this synthetic strategy may be applicable to many other metal oxides, hydroxides, and semiconductors. In the future, it should allow NC properties to be designed for applications including catalysis, sensing, electronics, and quantum technologies.

A novel aminated Fe3O4/GO/carboxylated cross-linked β-CDP composite for effective sorption of cationic and anionic dyes from water

A novel adsorbent, aminated Fe3O4 (Fe3O4-NH2)/graphite oxide (GO)/carboxylated cross-linked β-cyclodextrin polymer (CDP-COOH) composite, was fabricated for influential removal of various types of dyes from waters. The morphology and structure of resulting Fe3O4-NH2/GO/CDP-COOH composite was studied by SEM, two-dimensional EDS map, FTIR, WAXD, XPS, TGA, and zeta potential meter, and its saturation magnetization was determined to be 46.3 emu/g by VSM. The maximal sorption capacities of Fe3O4-NH2/GO/CDP-COOH composite for methylene blue (MB, as a model of cationic dyes) and Congo red (CR, as a model of anionic dyes) at 303 K were 201.75 mg/g and 2211.05 mg/g, respectively, which can be mainly assigned to multiple adsorptive forces like electrostatic attractions, hydrogen bonds, host–guest self-assembly interactions, π-π electron cloud interactions, and Lewis acid-base interactions. The dye sorption by the Fe3O4-NH2/GO/CDP-COOH composite had a spontaneous nature according to the sorption thermodynamic calculation and can be well explained by pseudo-second-order model. The Langmuir and Freundlich models could explain the sorption isotherms of Fe3O4-NH2/GO/CDP-COOH composite for MB and GO, respectively. The Fe3O4-NH2/GO/CDP-COOH composite possessed many other advantages including the good sorption capability for different heavy metal ions (like Pb2+, Ni2+, and Cu2+) and organic compounds (like dichlorophenol and propranolol) as well as the good recyclability and reusability.

Observation and Characterization of Single Elementary Reactions of Organometallics

Observation and Characterization of Single Elementary Reactions of Organometallics

Technology for obtaining VO2 films from the gas phase during thermal decomposition

The paper considers the process of obtaining films of vanadium dioxide by the method of deposition of inorganic coatings and films from the vapor phase during the thermal decomposition of organometallic compounds. In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the practical use of organometallic compounds. This has led to the development of many devices that include various vapor deposition techniques. This technology is currently being used as the latest technology. The design of the technological installation for pyrometric film deposition is presented and the principle of operation is given. In the course of the study, film samples were obtained and experimental work was carried out. The results obtained are presented in the form of graphs.

Kinetics and Composition of Gaseous Products of Pyrolysis of Organometallic Complexes of Nickel, Iron, and Copper with Inorganic Anions

Kinetics and Composition of Gaseous Products of Pyrolysis of Organometallic Complexes of Nickel, Iron, and Copper with Inorganic Anions

Autonomous execution of highly reactive chemical transformations in the Schlenkputer

We design a modular programmable inert-atmosphere Schlenkputer (Schlenk-line computer) for the synthesis and manipulation of highly reactive compounds, including those that are air and moisture sensitive or pyrophoric. Here, to do this, we constructed a programmable Schlenk line using the Chemputer architecture for the inertization of glassware that can achieve a vacuum line pressure of 1.5 × 10−3 mbar, and integrated a range of automated Schlenk glassware for the handling, storage and isolation of reactive compounds at sub-ppm levels of O2 and H2O. This has enabled automation of a range of common organometallic reaction types for the synthesis of four highly reactive compounds: [Cp2TiIII(MeCN)2]+, CeIII{N(SiMe3)2}3, B(C6F5)3 and {DippNacNacMgI}2, which are variously sensitive to temperature, pressure, water and oxygen. Automated crystallization, filtration and sublimation are demonstrated, along with analysis using inline nuclear magnetic resonance or reaction sampling for ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy. Finally, we demonstrate low-temperature reactivity down to −90 °C as well as safe handling and quenching of alkali metal reagents using dynamic feedback from an in situ temperature probe.