Pyridyl Units Research Articles

Regulating the Topologies and Photoresponsive Properties of Lanthanum-Organic Frameworks.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) show potential application in many domains, in which photochromic MOFs (PMOFs) have received enormous attention. Researchers mainly utilize photoactive ligands to build PMOFs. Recently, the mixed electron donating and accepting ligands strategies have also been used to construct PMOFs driven by the electron transfer between nonphotochromic moieties. However, the potential interligand competition inhibits the formation of PMOFs. Therefore, the exploration of single-ligand-guided assembly is conductive for building PMOFs. Considering the existing electron accepting and donating role of pyridyl and carboxyl, the pyridinecarboxyate derived from the fusion of pyridyl and carboxyl units may serve as single ligand to yield PMOFs (Figure 1d). In this work, the coordination assembly of bipyridinedicarboxylate (2,2'-bipyridine-4,4'-dicarboxylic acid, H2bpdc; 1,10-phenanthroline-2,9-dicarboxylic acid, H2pda) and LaCl3 generate two PMOFs, [La(bpdc)(H2O)Cl] (1) and [La(pda)(H2O)2Cl]⋅2H2O (2). Both complexes feature dinuclear lanthanum as building blocks with differences in the connecting number of likers, in which 1 has (4,8)-connected topology and 2 exhibits sql topology. Their structural differences result in the diversities of photoresponsive functionalities. Compared with reported PMOFs built from photoactive ligands and mixed ligands, this study provides new available categories of single ligand for generating PMOFs and tuning the structure and photoresponsive properties via ligand substitution and external photostimulus.

Synthesis of Molybdenum Complexes Bearing Pyridine-Based PNP-Type Pincer Ligands with Pendent Pyridyl Unit and Their Catalytic Activity for Ammonia Formation

Synthesis of Molybdenum Complexes Bearing Pyridine-Based PNP-Type Pincer Ligands with Pendent Pyridyl Unit and Their Catalytic Activity for Ammonia Formation

Synthesis of β-Pyridyl α-Amino Acids: Conformationally Sensitive Charge Transfer-Based Fluorophores.

Unnatural α-amino acids with charge transfer-based poly aromatic side chains have been designed as conformationally sensitive fluorophores. These were prepared using a hetero-Diels-Alder reaction and a Knoevenagel-Stobbe process to generate a biaryl pyridyl unit, followed by iron-catalyzed bromination and a Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reaction to complete the triaryl system. A photophysical study led to the discovery of a p-methoxy analogue which exhibited viscosity-sensitive fluorescence in which emission could be controlled between twisted and planar conformations.

Investigations of the Influence of Two Pyridyl-Mesoionic Carbene Constitutional Isomers on the Electrochemical and Spectroelectrochemical Properties of Group 6 Metal Carbonyl Complexes

Metal complexes of mesoionic carbenes (MICs) of the triazolylidene type and their derivatives have gained increasing attention in the fields of electrocatalysis and photochemistry. The redox activity of these metal complexes is critical for their applications in both the aforementioned fields. Easy accessibility and modular synthesis open a wide field for the design of ligands, such as bidentate ligands. The combination of an MIC with a pyridyl unit in a bidentate ligand setup increases the π acceptor properties of the ligands while retaining their strong σ donor properties. The analogy with the well-established 2,2′-bipyridine ligand allows conclusions to be drawn about the influence of the mesoionic carbene (MIC) moiety in tetracarbonyl group 6 complexes in cyclic voltammetry and (spectro)electrochemistry (SEC). However, the effects of the different connectivity in pyridyl-MIC ligands remain underexplored. Based on our previous studies, we present a thorough investigation of the influence of the two different pyridyl-MIC constitutional isomers on the electrochemical and the UV-vis-NIR/IR/EPR spectroelectrochemical properties of group 6 carbonyl complexes. Moreover, the presented complexes were investigated for the electrochemical conversion of CO2 using two different working electrodes, providing a fundamental understanding of the influence of the electrode material in the precatalytic activation.

A hydrogen-bonded organic framework containing fluorescent carbazole and responsive pyridyl units for sensing organic acids

Hydrogen-bonded organic frameworks (HOFs) are a promising candidate for optical sensing, but the lack of effective design strategies poses significant challenges to the construction of HOFs for organic acid sensing. In this work, the first HOF for organic acid sensing is reported by constructing a multiple-pyridine carbazole-based dense HOF, namely HOF-FJU-206, from a tripyridine-carbazole molecular 3,6-bis(pyridin-4-yl)-9-(4-(pyridin-4-yl)phenyl)-9H-carbazole (CPPY) with carbazole center for luminescence, pyridyl sites for its responsive of hydrogen proton, and narrow channels in the dense framework for the diffusion of hydrogen protons. HOF-FJU-206 exhibits differential responsively fluorescence sensing and recovery properties to formic, acetic, and propionic acids with different molecular sizes and pKa value (acid dissociation constant). The dissociation degree of various acids can be determined by analyzing the slope of changes in both peak wavelength and intensity of in-situ fluorescence, which easily enables the dual-corrective recognition of different acids. The varying degree of protonation at pyridine sites is proved to be the reason for differential sensing of various acids, as demonstrated by 1H NMR spectra, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) characterization, and modeling studies.

Ruthenium arene complexes with chalcone ligands incorporating pyridyl and anthryl units: Synthesis, aqueous stability and interaction with quadruplex DNA

Twelve ruthenium(II) arene complexes incorporating chalcone ligands with pyridyl and anthryl units, as well as chlorido or oxalato ancillary ligands, have been synthesized and structurally characterized by 1H NMR spectroscopy, ESI mass spectrometry and elemental analysis. Compared to the oxalato compounds, the chlorido complexes were less stable and more susceptible to aquation in solution; the dissociation was suppressed in the presence of chloride ions. All six of the chlorido complexes and three of the oxalato complexes were able to bind to quadruplex DNA, exhibiting greater selectivity for HTelo over c-myc. The cationic species 3f, in which the chalcone chelates to the metal center, was found to bind to HTelo most strongly. These results indicate that the ancillary ligand, the location of the N-donor atom in the pyridyl ring, the position of the α,β-unsaturated ketone relative to the pyridyl and anthryl entities in the chalcone moiety, as well as the presence of the metal center all play significant roles in improving the binding of such complexes to quadruplex DNA.

Anion Capture at the Open Core of a Geometrically Flexible Dicopper(II,II) Macrocycle Complex

Multicopper active sites for small molecule activation in materials and enzymatic systems rely on controlled but adaptable coordination spheres about copper clusters for enabling challenging chemical transformations. To translate this constrained flexibility into molecular multicopper complexes, developments are needed in both ligand design for clusters and synthetic strategies for modifying the cluster cores. The present study investigates the chemistry of a class of pyridyldiimine-derived macrocycles with geometrically flexible aliphatic linkers of varying lengths (nPDI2, n = 2, 3). A series of dicopper complexes bound by the nPDI2 ligands are described and found to exhibit improved solubility over their parent analogs due to the incorporation of 4-tBu groups on the pyridyl units and the use of triflate counterions. The ensuing synthetic study investigated methods for introducing various bridging ligands (µ-X; X = F, Cl, Br, N3, NO2, OSiMe3, OH, OTf) between the two copper centers within the macrocycle-supported complexes. Traditional anion metathesis routes were unsuccessful, but the abstraction of bridging halides resulted in “open-core” complexes suitable for capturing various anions. The geometric flexibility of the nPDI2 macrocycles was reflected in the various solid-state geometries, Cu–Cu distances, and relative Cu coordination spheres on variation in the identity of the captured anion.

Spirally Configured cis-Stilbene/fluorene (STIF), 10,11-Benzo-, and Imidazole-fused STIF Hybrids as Electron-Transporting Materials for Organic Light-Emitting Diode Applications.

A new class of cis-stilbene/fluorene (STIF) and 10,11-benzo- and imidazole-fused dibenzosuberane/fluorene (Bz-STIF and Imd-STIF) spiro hybrid systems with paired cyanophenyl, pyridyl, and/or pyrimidyl units was synthesized as electron transporting materials (ETMs) for blue fluorescent OLEDs (FOLEDs) and phosphorescent organic light emitting diodes (PhOLEDs). Their photophysical (UV-Vis absorption and emission), electrochemical (Eox /Ered ), morphological (glassy transition temperature, Tg ), and thermal stability (decomposition temperature, Td ) properties are systematical compared. Their correlations regarding the effects of the fused unit/substituent(s) in the STIF core on the morphological/thermal stability, HOMO/LUMO energy level, π-electron distribution profiles by DFT calculations, and electron mobility are established. Blue FOLEDs are fabricated by using them and TmPyPB (a control) as ETMs. The effects of their LUMO energy levels and electron mobilities on the device turn-on voltage, performance efficiencies including external quantum efficiency/current efficiency (EQE/CE), power efficiency (PE), and device lifetime at 5% luminescence decay (T95 ) are correlated. Among them, three best ETMs and TmPyPB (a control) are selected for further green and blue PhOLED fabrications. The effects of their LUMO energy levels and electron mobilities on the device turn-on voltage and performance efficiencies are confirmed, allowing for potential commercial applications.

A 2-Anilidomethylpyridine Ligand Framework Showcasing Hydride Storage and Transfer Abilities in Its Aluminum Chemistry.

Dearomatized 1,4-dihydropyridyl motifs are significant in both chemistry and biology for their potential abilities to deliver the stored hydride, driven by rearomatization. Biological cofactors like nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) and organic 'hydride sources' like Hantzsch esters are prime examples. An organoaluminum chemistry on a 2-anilidomethylpyridine framework is reported, where such hydride storage and transfer abilities are displayed by the ligand's pyridyl unit. The pyridylmethylaniline proligand (NN LH) is simultaneously deprotonated and 1,4-hydroaluminated by AlH3 (NMe2 Et) to [(NN Lde )AlH(NMe2 Et)] (1; NN Lde =hydride-inserted dearomatized version of NN L). A hydride abstraction by B(C6 F5 )3 rearomatizes the pyridyl moiety to give the cationic aluminum hydride [(NN L)AlH(NMe2 Et)][HB(C6 F5 )3 ] (6). Notably, such chemical non-innocence is priorly unseen in this established ligand class. The hydroalumination mechanism is investigated by isolating the intermediate [(NN L)AlH2 ] (2) and by control experiments, and is also analyzed by DFT calculation. The results advocate an intriguing 'self-promoting' pathway, which underlines alane's Lewis acid/Brønsted base duality. NMe2 Et carrying the alane also plays a crucial role. In contrast, the chemistry between NN LH and AlMe3 is much different, giving only [(NN L)AlMe2 ] (4) from the adduct [(NN LH)AlMe3 ] (3) by deprotonation but not a subsequent pyridyl dearomatization in the presence or absence of NMe2 Et. This divergence is also justified by DFT analyses.

Porphyrin-silica gel hybrids as effective and selective copper(II) adsorbents from industrial wastewater

Porphyrins are an important class of ligands with a tremendous ability to capture metal ions closely related to the rich coordination chemistry of porphyrins. Herein we use this characteristic to develop silica gel grafted derivatives for water remediation applications. Therefore, two porphyrin derivatives, one with three and the other with four mercaptopyridyl units were grafted on silica gel functionalized with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane. The new adsorbents Si3PyS and Si4PyS were characterized using a suitable set of techniques confirming the covalent attachment of the porphyrins to the silica surface. Additionally, microscopy and N2 adsorption analysis confirmed the structural integrity and preservation of the mesoporous structure of Si during surface modification. The results show that both hybrid materials exhibit good chemical and thermal stability and an outstanding Cu2+ removal capability, with a chemical adsorption capacity of 176.32 mg g–1 and 184.16 mg g–1, respectively. These materials have also been used in real water and industrial wastewater samples with minimal interference in their adsorption capabilities. Density Functional Theory calculations were performed to confirm the good performance of the hybrid materials Si3PyS and Si4PyS towards metal ions. The functionalization of silica surface with porphyrin-based ligands bearing additional binding motifs drastically improves the adsorption capability of the new hybrids towards metal ions. The presence of pyridyl units brings a meaningful advantage, since both porphyrin core and appended pyridyl groups are able of binding Cu2+ ions with high affinity, contributing to the enhancement of the chelating features of the adsorbents prepared when compared with other ligands supported in silica-based materials.

Ultrafast electron injection in TiO2 surface-anchored aluminum(III) porphyrin stacks

Two surface-anchored aluminum(III) porphyrin (AlPorF[Formula: see text] stacks, AlPorF3(Py)-COO/TiO2 and AlPorF3(Ph)-COO/TiO2, have been constructed to investigate the interfacial electron injection from the AlPorF3 into the conduction band of the TiO2 nanoparticles as a function of stacking topology. The Lewis acid properties of AlPorF3 were combined with the electronic and surface properties of TiO2 to obtain the investigated porphyrin stacks. The axial Lewis base, pyridyl (Py) unit, in AlPorF3(Py)-COO/TiO2 directs the porphyrins to stack on the TiO2 surface in a layered fashion. The absence of a Lewis base in AlPorF3(Ph)-COO/TiO2 is unable to form such defined stacks. The AlPorF3(Py)-COO/TiO2 and AlPorF3(Ph)-COO/TiO2 were characterized by steady-state and transient spectroscopic techniques. Transient absorption spectral studies show that surface-stacked hybrids exhibit electron injection from AlPorF3 to the conduction band of TiO2. However, the injection efficiencies and kinetics are not very different in the investigated stacks AlPorF3(Py)-COO/TiO2 and AlPorF3(Ph)-COO/TiO2 indicating that the axial self-assembly does not alter the electronic communication within the AlPorF3 layer to a significant level to perturb the photodynamics.

Novel 3-Methyleneisoindolinones Diversified via Intramolecular Heck Cyclization Induce Oxidative Stress, Decrease Mitochondrial Membrane Potential, Disrupt Cell Cycle, and Induce Apoptosis in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cells.

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the sixth most prevalent cancer in the world and the most prevalent cancer of developing countries. Increased disease burden and a smaller number of approved targeted therapies are a growing concern worldwide. Isoindolinone motifs have been a central part of many pharmacological compounds, and their derivatives possess substantial anticancer potential. However, their anticancer potential against HNSCC has not been well investigated. In the current study, a series of 3-methyleneisoindolinones have been designed and synthesized and their late-stage intramolecular Heck cyclization was achieved to evaluate their anticancer potential against HNSCC cells. Additionally, in silico ADME profiling of synthesized compounds revealed their drug-likeness properties as potential drug candidates. Among the synthesized compounds, 3-bromo-5-methylpyridin-2-yl-3-methyleneisoindolin-1-one, i.e., 3n, with a pyridyl unit exhibited the most significant cytotoxicity against HNSCC cells. The cytotoxic potential of synthesized compounds varied depending on the nature of substituents present and has been well established with structure-activity relationship studies. Further, flow cytometric analysis showed that 3f, 3h, and 3n triggered intracellular oxidative stress, disrupted mitochondrial membrane potential, and interrupted the cell cycle of HNSCC cells in the S-phase and sub-G1 phase. Further, 3f, 3h, and 3n also exhibited pro-apoptotic potential and induced cellular apoptosis in the HNSCC cells. Overall, the findings of this study attributed 3-methyleneisoindolinone chemistry and efficacy evaluation and corroborated their anticancer potential against HNSCC. It will pave the way to further design and optimize novel 3-methyleneisoindolinone as effective antitumor agents, which may provide effective treatment modalities against HNSCC.

Chelating Rare-Earth Metals (Ln3+) and 225Ac3+ with the Dual-Size-Selective Macrocyclic Ligand Py2-Macrodipa.

Radioisotopes of metallic elements, or radiometals, are widely employed in both therapeutic and diagnostic nuclear medicine. For this application, chelators that efficiently bind the radiometal of interest and form a stable metal-ligand complex with it are required. Toward the development of new chelators for nuclear medicine, we recently reported a novel class of 18-membered macrocyclic chelators that is characterized by their ability to form stable complexes with both large and small rare-earth metals (Ln3+), a property referred to as dual size selectivity. A specific chelator in this class called py-macrodipa, which contains one pyridyl group within its macrocyclic core, was established as a promising candidate for 135La3+, 213Bi3+, and 44Sc3+ chelation. Building upon this prior work, here we report the synthesis and characterization of a new chelator called py2-macrodipa with two pyridyl units fused into the macrocyclic backbone. Its coordination chemistry with the Ln3+ series was investigated by NMR spectroscopy, X-ray crystallography, density functional theory (DFT) calculations, analytical titrations, and transchelation assays. These studies reveal that py2-macrodipa retains the expected dual size selectivity and possesses an enhanced thermodynamic affinity for all Ln3+ compared to py-macrodipa. By contrast, the kinetic stability of Ln3+ complexes with py2-macrodipa is only improved for the light, large Ln3+ ions. Based upon these observations, we further assessed the suitability of py2-macrodipa for use with 225Ac3+, a large radiometal with valuable properties for targeted α therapy. Radiolabeling and stability studies revealed py2-macrodipa to efficiently incorporate 225Ac3+ and to form a complex that is inert in human serum over 3 weeks. Although py2-macrodipa does not surpass the state-of-the-art chelator macropa for 225Ac3+ chelation, it does provide another effective 225Ac3+ chelator. These studies shed light on the fundamental coordination chemistry of the Ln3+ series and may inspire future chelator design efforts.

Synthetic Supramolecular Host for D-(-)-Ribose: Ratiometric Fluorescence Response via Multivalent Lectin-Carbohydrate Interactions.

Easily synthesizable, carbazole-based organic nanoaggregates have been designed for selective detection of D-(-)-ribose at physiological pH. The addition of D-ribose results in a ratiometric change in fluorescence color from green to cyan (LOD: ∼12 μM). The mechanistic studies indicate the presence of multipoint noncovalent interactions, such as hydrogen bonding and CH⋅⋅⋅π interactions between D-ribose and acyl hydrazone and terminal pyridyl units of the probe molecule. However, such multipoint interactions dissociate the preformed self-assembled nanoclusters and induce change in optical response. The probe molecule was further exploited in analyzing D-ribose content in biological fluids (diluted human urine and blood serum) and oral supplements. The small standard deviation values (2-3.8 %) with nearly quantitative recovery (93.5-105.5 %) indicate the high accuracy of the presented method. Further, low-cost portable device based coated paper strips were designed for 'on-location' rapid, detection of D-ribose even at remote locations.

Supramolecular Template-Assisted Catalytic [2+2] Photocycloaddition in Homogeneous Solution

Supramolecular Template-Assisted Catalytic [2+2] Photocycloaddition in Homogeneous Solution

Electron-withdrawing bulky group substituted carbazoles for blue TADF emitters: Simultaneous improvement of blue color purity and RISC rate constants

Carbazole is a weak electron donor suitable to construct blue thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) emitters, but the less repulsion effect of its five-member-ring structure can't guarantee the frontier molecular orbital separation and TADF feature. A group of carbazole-π-triazine based blue fluorescence emitters is designed by introducing the steric hindrance groups with different electronic properties at the donor or π-bridge. When electron-withdrawing pyridyl with moderate steric hindrance is introduced to the 1-site of 3,6-Di-tert-butyl-9H-carbazole, PyBuCz-TRZ and PyBuCz-MeTRZ gain the blue-shifted TADF. The observed charge transfer triplet excited state within the donor (3CTD) between carbazole and pyridyl units has different spatial orbital angular momentum and allowed spin-orbit coupling (SOC) with the charge transfer singlet excited state (1CT) of the whole molecule from carbazole donor to triazine acceptor, thus, acting as the media state to facilitate efficient multi-channel reverse intersystem crossing (RISC) process. This is the first time to introduce an electron-withdrawing group into the 1-position of carbazole donors to construct TADF molecules, not only achieving the blue-shifted TADF at 455 nm but also improving the external quantum efficiency to 15.3% in organic light-emitting diodes. This donor strategy should be valid to design more blue TADF materials.

Solid‐State Fluorescence of Excited‐State Cation–Anion Intermolecular Proton Transfer in 2‐(2‐Hydroxypyridyl)benzothiazole

AbstractA basic pyridyl unit is introduced to the excited‐state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) of 2‐(2‐hydroxyphenyl)benzothiazole fluorescent molecule, forming 2‐(2‐hydroxypyridyl)benzothiazole (1). The formation of the proton‐transferred H1+•X− salts is confirmed in X− = Cl−, Br−, BF4−, and CF3COO− (trifluoroacetate, TFA−) wherein the highly acidic HX species are easily transferred to the pyridyl unit of 1. Normal ESIPT fluorescence is observed in H1+•BF4− crystals as the ESIPT active intramolecular O−H•••N= hydrogen‐bonding conformation (Stokes shift ≈ 8500 cm−1). In contrast, the H1+•Cl−, H1−•Br−, and H1+•TFA− salts exhibit an ESIPT inert structure without any intramolecular O−H•••N= hydrogen‐bonding structure (Stokes shift ≈ 9500 cm−1), which could not be sufficiently explained by normal ESIPT fluorescence. The excited‐state monoprotonated H1+ exhibits an intermolecular cation–anion proton transfer from N−H+•••X− to N•••HX, which transforms the cationic H1+ to neutral 1, and exhibits intense green fluorescence with a large Stokes shift.

Soluble, transparent and heat-resistant fluorinated copoly(ether imide)s containing pyridyl and biphenyl units in the main chain

A series of new fluorinated copoly(ether imide)s containing pyridyl and biphenyl moieties were prepared by thermal imidization of poly(amic acid)s derived from 1,4-bis(4-amino-2-trifluoromethylphenoxy)benzene (BATB), 4-(4-trifluoromethylphenyl)-2,6-bis(4-aminophenyl)pyridine (TFMPBPP) and 3,3’,4,4’-biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride with various mole ratios of BATB and TFMPBPP ranging from 80/20 to 20/80. All copoly(ether imide)s were amorphous and soluble in polar solvents such as N,N-dimethylacetamide and N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone at room temperature or upon heating at 70 °C, and displayed good thermal properties with gradually increasing of a glass transition temperature ranged from 282 to 347 °C as an increase of the TFMPBPP component, the temperature at 5% weight loss of 574–586 °C, and the residue of 57–62% at 750 °C in nitrogen. Tough and flexible polymer films also exhibited outstanding mechanical properties with tensile strengths of 109.1–111.9 MPa, tensile moduli of 1.3–1.5 GPa, and elongations at break of 27.9–48.7%, low dielectric constants of 2.98–3.15 (1 MHz) and water uptake 0.36–0.55%, as well as high optical transparency with the UV-vis cutoff wavelength in the 370–382 nm range and the wavelength of 80% transparency in the range 518–550 nm.

Road Map for the Construction of High-Valued N-Heterocycles via Denitrogenative Annulation.

The pursuit for the discovery of new and powerful synthetic methods to access high-value N-heterocycles has been at the forefront of organic chemistry research for more than a century. Considering the importance of N-scaffolds in modern science, over the past few decades, great research efforts have been made to develop efficient synthetic methods for the construction of nitrogen-rich molecules. Among many efforts, transition metal catalyzed denitrogenative annulation reaction has emerged as a cornerstone due to its innate versatility and wider scope of application.The denitrogenative annulation approach offers clear advantages over many existing methods, as it enables effective, single-step interconversion of easily available feedstocks into a variety of other important N-containing heterocyclic frameworks. Recently, transition metal catalyzed denitrogenative annulation reaction of the 1,2,3-triazole via a metal carbene intermediate sparked significant interest in the application of various important heterocycle syntheses. Denitrogenative annulation reaction of 1,2,3-triazoles proceeds via an ionic mechanism. Recently, we demonstrated a new concept for the denitrogenative reaction of triazoles with alkenes and alkynes via in situ generated 2-(diazomethyl)pyridines. The method takes advantage of the inherent properties of a Co(III)-carbene radical intermediate and is the first report of the denitrogenative annulation/cyclopropanation by a radical-activation mechanism.On the other hand, in contrast to the denitrogenative annulation of 1,2,3-triazole, annulation reaction of 1,2,3,4-tetrazole (a surrogate of azide having an important pyridyl unit) via metal nitrene remains a big challenge. Previously, flash vacuum pyrolysis studies had been used for nitrene-nitrene rearrangement of 1,2,3,4-tetrazole at high temperature. This Account summarizes our recent efforts in developing transition metal catalyzed denitrogenative annulation of 1,2,3-triazoles via a radical mechanism and 1,2,3,4-tetrazoles via metal nitrene to access important nitrogen-rich molecules. We demonstrated that the 1,2,3,4-tetrazole under Ir-catalyzed reaction conditions can produce a productive Ir-nitrene intermediate that can successfully be employed for the construction of a wide number of α-carbolines and 7-azaindoles. Moreover, we developed an iron-based unique strategy for the intermolecular denitrogenative annulation reaction between tetrazoles and alkynes. The reaction overcomes the traditional click reaction and proceeds via an unprecedented metalloradical activation mechanism. Furthermore, we used our understanding of tetrazole reactivity to design an iron-catalyzed intramolecular denitrogenative C(sp3)-H amination reaction of primary, secondary, and tertiary centers by using a metalloradical activation concept. At the same time, we also developed a general catalytic method to enable two distinct reactions (1,3-cycloaddition and denitrogenative annulation) using Mn(TPP)Cl that afforded two different classes of nitrogen heterocycles. Mechanistic studies showed that although the click reaction likely proceeds through an ionic mechanism and the denitrogenative annulation reaction likely proceeds via an electrophilic metallonitrene intermediate rather than a metallonitrene radical intermediate. Finally, we report an iron-catalyzed rearrangement reaction (ring expansion/migration) that proceeded with an unprecedented level of selectivity, reactivity, and functional group tolerance offering rapid access to numerous complex N-heterocycles. We believe that our continuous efforts in this field would be beneficial for pharmaceutical industries, drug discovery, and other fields of medicinal chemistry.

Modulation of the optical properties of soluble N-alkylated 4-pyridyl diketopyrrolopyrrole derivatives

The absorption and fluorescence properties of N-alkylated 3,6-di (pyridin-4-yl)-2,5-dihydropyrrolo [3,4-c]pyrrole-1,4-dione (PyrDPP NH) derivatives in solution and the solid state are reported, along with the modulation of these properties under varying acidity or basicity. The compounds with hexyl (PyrDPP N-Hex) and methoxy ethoxy ethyl (PyrDPP N-MEE) chains were synthesised from PyrDPP NH giving highly soluble dyes. In addition, the mono-substituted derivatives were also isolated. A range of solvents was explored to provide understanding regarding their potential use in applications ranging from organic electronics to sensors. Optically the dyes are highly fluorescent and, as a result of N-alkylation breaking the hydrogen bond network, emissive in the solid state with large Stokes shifts. The nature of the chain dictates the π interactions and packing of the materials, resulting in modulation of the solid-state absorption spectra and theoretical mobility predicted from the crystal structures. The methoxy ethoxy ethyl chain twists out of the plane and bends to allow considerable molecular overlap and small interchromophore displacement with strikingly similar π interactions to the parent PyrDPP NH, resulting in a contribution of H-type aggregation to the absorption band and an order of magnitude improvement in theoretical mobility compared with the hexyl analogue. In contrast, PyrDPP N-Hex possesses a distorted CH-π interaction between pyridyl and lactam units, with greater molecular displacement manifesting in dominant J -aggregation contribution to absorption band and moderate mobility. The results emphasise the potential for sidechain modification and show structural evidence for the potential benefits of the flexible polar chains. The nitrogen lone pair of the pyridyl ring can be protonated in acidic environment to produce a photometric response suggesting potential as a proton sensor. The mono-substituted compounds are responsive to both base and acid, making them interesting for molecular logic applications.