A Thallium Mediated Route to \u3cem\u3eσ\u3c/em\u3e-Arylalkynyl Complexes of Bipyridyltricarbonylrhenium(I)

A simple, one-pot preparation of rhenium(I) σ-arylalkynyl complexes is reported using thallium(I) hexafluorophosphate as a halogen abstraction agent. This new route to rhenium σ-alkynyls enjoys higher yields compared to analogous preparations using silver salts by eliminating potential electrochemical degradation pathways

Manipulating Self-Assembly in Silver(I) Complexes of 1,3-Di-\u3cem\u3eN\u3c/em\u3e-pyrazolylorganyls

Three di-N-pyrazolylorganyls with different conformational flexibilities in the three-atom organyl spacers have been prepared, and the self-assembly properties with AgBF4 have been studied both in solution and in the solid state. All ligands give low-coordinate silver(I) centers that are capable of participating in multiple noncovalent interactions, but only the rigid 1,8-dipyrazolylnaphthalene ligand promotes very short Ag−Ag contacts

Chemical Switching Behaviour of Tricarbonylrhenium(I) Complexes of a New Redox Active ‘Pincer’ Ligand

The structures and optoelectronic properties of tricarbonylrhenium(I) complexes of di(2-pyrazolyl-p-tolyl)amine in its neutral and deprotonated (uninegative amido) form were investigated. Reactions of the complexes with Brønsted acids or bases result in distinctive changes of colour and electrochemical activity owing to the non-innocent nature of the ligand

Ligand-Promoted Solvent-Dependent Ionization and Conformational Equilibria of Re(CO)\u3csub\u3e3\u3c/sub\u3eBr[CH\u3csub\u3e2\u3c/sub\u3e(\u3cem\u3eS\u3c/em\u3e-tim)\u3csub\u3e2\u3c/sub\u3e] (tim = 1-methylthioimidazolyl). Crystal Structures of Re(CO)\u3csub\u3e3\u3c/sub\u3eBr[CH\u3csub\u3e2\u3c/sub\u3e(\u3cem\u3eS\u3c/em\u3e-tim)\u3csub\u3e2\u3c/sub\u3e] and {Re(CO)\u3csub\u3e3\u3c/sub\u3e(CH\u3csub\u3e3\u3c/sub\u3eCN)[CH\u3csub\u3e2\u3c/sub\u3e(S-tim)\u3csub\u3e2\u3c/sub\u3e]}(PF\u3csub\u3e6\u3c/sub\u3e)

The compounds Re(CO)3Br[CH2(S-tim)2] (1) and {Re(CO)3(CH3CN)[CH2(S-tim)2]}(PF6) (2), where tim is 1-methylthioimidazolyl, were prepared in high yields and characterized both in the solid state and in solution. The solid-state structures show that the ligand acts in a chelating binding mode where the eight-member chelate ring adopts twist-boat conformations in both compounds. A comparison of both solid-state IR data for CO stretching frequencies and the solution-phase voltammetric measurements for the Re1+/2+ couples between 1, 2, and related N,N-chelates of the rhenium tricarbonyl moiety indicate that the CH2(S-tim)2 ligand is a stronger donor than even the ubiquitous dipyridyl ligands. A combination of NMR spectroscopic studies and voltammetric studies revealed that compound 1 undergoes spontaneous ionization to form {Re(CO)3(CH3CN)[CH2(S-tim)2]+}(Br-) in acetonitrile. Ionization does not occur in solvents such as CH2Cl2 or acetone that are less polar and Lewis basic (less coordinating). The equilibrium constant at 293 K for the ionization of 1 in CH3CN is 4.3 × 10-3. The eight-member chelate rings in each 1 and 2 were found to be conformationally flexible in all solvents, and boat-chair conformers could be identified. Variable-temperature NMR spectroscopic studies were used to elucidate the various kinetic and thermodynamic parameters associated with the energetically accessible twist-boat to twist-boat and twist-boat to boat-chair interconversions

Preparation, Properties, and Reactivity of carbonylrhodium(I) Complexes of di(2-pyrazolylaryl)amido-pincer Ligands

A series of six carbonylrhodium(I) complexes of three new and three previously reported di(2-3R-pyrazolyl)-p-Z/X-aryl)amido pincer ligands, (RZX)Rh(CO), (R is the substituent at the 3-pyrazolyl position proximal to the metal; Z and X are the aryl substituents para- to the arylamido nitrogen) were prepared. The metal complexes were studied to assess how their properties and reactivities can be tuned by varying the groups along the ligand periphery and how they compared to other known carbonylrhodium(I) pincer derivatives. This study was facilitated by the discovery of a new CuI-catalyzed coupling reaction between 2-(pyrazolyl)-4-X-anilines (X = Me or CF3) and 2-bromoaryl-1H-pyrazoles that allow the fabrication of pincer ligands with two different aryl arms. The NNN-pincer scaffolds provide an electron-rich environment for the carbonylrhodium(I) fragment as indicated by carbonyl stretching frequencies that occur in the range of 1948–1968 cm−1. As such, the oxidative addition (OA) reactions with iodomethane proceed instantaneously to form trans-(NNN-pincer)Rh(Me)(CO)(I) in room temperature acetone solution. The OA reactions with iodoethane proceeded at a convenient rate in acetone near 45 °C which allowed detailed kinetic studies. The relative order of reactivity was found to be (CF3CF3)Rh(CO) \u3c (iPrMeMe)Rh(CO) \u3c (MeMeMe)Rh(CO) ∼ (CF3Me)Rh(CO) \u3c (MeH)Rh(CO) \u3c (MeMe)Rh(CO) with the second order rate constant of the most reactive in the series, k2 = 8 × 10−3 M−1 s−1, being about three orders of magnitude greater than those reported for [Rh(CO)2I2]− or CpRh(CO)(PPh3). After oxidative addition, the resultant rhodium(III) complexes were found to be unstable. Although a few trans-(RMeMe)Rh(E = Me, Et, or I)(CO)(I) could be isolated in pure form, all were found to slowly decompose in solution to give different products depending on the 3R-pyrazolyl substituents. Those with unsubstituted pyrazolyls (R = H) decompose with CO dissociation to give insoluble dimeric [(RMeMe)Rh(E)(μ-I)]2 while those with 3-alkylpyrazolyls (R = Me, iPr) decompose to give soluble, but unidentified products

Tricarbonylrhenium(I) and Manganese(I) Complexes of 2-(pyrazolyl)-4-toluidine

A series of tricarbonyl rhenium(I) and manganese(I) complexes of the electroactive 2-(pyrazolyl)-4-toluidine ligand, H(pzAnMe), has been prepared and characterized including by single crystal X-ray diffraction studies. The reactions between H(pzAnMe) and M(CO)5Br afford fac-MBr(CO)3[H(pzAnMe)] (M = Mn, 1a; Re, 1b) complexes. The ionic species {fac-M(CH3CN)(CO)3[H(pzAnMe)]}(PF6) (M = Mn, 2a; Re, 2b) were prepared by metathesis of 1a or 1b with TlPF6 in acetonitrile. Complexes 1a and 1b partly ionize to {M(CH3CN)(CO)3[H(pzAnMe)]+}(Br−) in CH3CN but retain their integrity in less donating solvents such as acetone or CH2Cl2. Each of the four metal complexes reacts with (NEt4)(OH) in CH3CN to give poorly-soluble crystalline [fac-M(CO)3(μ-pzAnMe)]2 (M = Mn, 3a; Re, 3b). The solid state structures of 3a and 3b are of centrosymmetric dimeric species with bridging amido nitrogens and with pyrazolyls disposed trans- to the central planar M2N2 metallacycle. In stark contrast to the diphenylboryl derivatives, Ph2B(pzAnMe), none of the tricarbonyl group 7 metal complexes are luminescent

BORAZANs: Tunable Fluorophores Based on 2-(Pyrazolyl)aniline Chelates of Diphenylboron

The reaction between 2-pyrazolyl-4-X-anilines, H(pzAnX), (X = para-OMe (L1), Me (L2), H (L3), Cl (L4), CO2Et (L5), CF3 (L6), CN (L7)) and triphenylboron in boiling toluene affords the respective, highly emissive N,N‘-boron chelate complexes, BPh2(pzAnX) (X = para-OMe (1), Me (2), H (3), Cl (4), CO2Et (5), CF3 (6), CN (7)) in high yield. The structural, electrochemical, and photophysical properties of the new boron complexes can be fine-tuned by varying the electron-withdrawing or -donating power of the para-aniline substituent (delineated by the substituent\u27s Hammett parameter). Those complexes with electron-withdrawing para-aniline substituents such as CO2Et (5), CF3 (6), and CN (7) have more planar chelate rings, more ‘quinoidal\u27 disortion in the aniline rings, greater chemical stability, higher oxidation potentials, and more intense (φF = 0.81 for 7 in toluene), higher-energy (blue) fluorescent emission compared to those with electron-donating substituents. Thus, for 1 the oxidation potential is 0.53 V versus Ag/AgCl (compared to 1.12 V for 7), and the emission is tuned to the yellow-green but at an expense in terms of lower quantum yields (φF = 0.07 for 1 in toluene) and increased chemical reactivity. Density functional calculations (B3LYP/6-31G*) on PM3 energy-minimized structures of the ligands and boron complexes reproduced experimentally observed data and trends and provided further insight into the nature of the electronic transitions

Electronic Communication Across Diamagnetic Metal Bridges: A Homoleptic Gallium(III) Complex of a Redox-Active Diarylamido-Based Ligand and Its Oxidized Derivatives

Complexes with cations of the type [Ga(L)2]n+ where L = bis(4-methyl-2-(1H-pyrazol-1-yl)phenyl)amido and n = 1, 2, 3 have been prepared and structurally characterized. The electronic properties of each were probed by electrochemical and spectroscopic means and were interpreted with the aid of density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The dication, best described as [Ga(L–)(L0)]2+, is a Robin-Day class II mixed-valence species. As such, a broad, weak, solvent-dependent intervalence charge transfer (IVCT) band was found in the NIR spectrum in the range 6390–6925 cm–1, depending on the solvent. Band shape analyses and the use of Hush and Marcus relations revealed a modest electronic coupling, Hab of about 200 cm–1, and a large rate constant for electron transfer, ket, on the order of 1010 s–1 between redox active ligands. The dioxidized complex [Ga(L0)2]3+ shows a half-field ΔMs = 2 transition in its solid-state X-band electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectrum at 5 K, which indicates that the triplet state is thermally populated. DFT calculations (M06/Def2-SV(P)) suggest that the singlet state is 21.7 cm–1 lower in energy than the triplet state

Homoleptic Nickel(II) Complexes of Redox-Tunable Pincer-type Ligands

Different synthetic methods have been developed to prepare eight new redox-active pincer-type ligands, H(X,Y), that have pyrazol-1-yl flanking donors attached to an ortho-position of each ring of a diarylamine anchor and that have different groups, X and Y, at the para-aryl positions. Together with four previously known H(X,Y) ligands, a series of 12 Ni(X,Y)2 complexes were prepared in high yields by a simple one-pot reaction. Six of the 12 derivatives were characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, which showed tetragonally distorted hexacoordinate nickel(II) centers. The nickel(II) complexes exhibit two quasi-reversible one-electron oxidation waves in their cyclic voltammograms, with half-wave potentials that varied over a remarkable 700 mV range with the average of the Hammett σp parameters of the para-aryl X, Y groups. The one- and two-electron oxidized derivatives [Ni(Me,Me)2](BF4)n (n = 1, 2) were prepared synthetically, were characterized by X-band EPR, electronic spectroscopy, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction (for n = 2), and were studied computationally by DFT methods. The dioxidized complex, [Ni(Me,Me)2](BF4)2, is an S = 2 species, with nickel(II) bound to two ligand radicals. The mono-oxidized complex [Ni(Me,Me)2](BF4), prepared by comproportionation, is best described as nickel(II) with one ligand centered radical. Neither the mono- nor the dioxidized derivative shows any substantial electronic coupling between the metal and their bound ligand radicals because of the orthogonal nature of their magnetic orbitals. On the other hand, weak electronic communication occurs between ligands in the mono-oxidized complex as evident from the intervalence charge transfer (IVCT) transition found in the near-IR absorption spectrum. Band shape analysis of the IVCT transition allowed comparisons of the strength of the electronic interaction with that in the related, previously known, Robin–Day class II mixed valence complex, [Ga(Me,Me)2]2+

Syntheses and Electronic Properties of Rhodium(III) Complexes Bearing a Redox-Active Ligand

A series of rhodium(III) complexes of the redox-active ligand, H(L = bis(4-methyl-2-(1H-pyrazol-1-yl)phenyl)amido), was prepared, and the electronic properties were studied. Thus, heating an ethanol solution of commercial RhCl3·3H2O with H(L) results in the precipitation of insoluble [H(L)]RhCl3, 1. The reaction of a methanol suspension of [H(L)]RhCl3 with NEt4OH causes ligand deprotonation and affords nearly quantitative yields of the soluble, deep-green, title compound (NEt4)[(L)RhCl3]·H2O, 2·H2O. Complex 2·H2O reacts readily with excess pyridine, triethylphosphine, or pyrazine (pyz) to eliminate NEt4Cl and give charge-neutral complexes trans-(L)RhCl2(py), trans-3, trans-(L)RhCl2(PEt3), trans- 4, or trans-(L)RhCl2(pyz), trans-5, where the incoming Lewis base is trans- to the amido nitrogen of the meridionally coordinating ligand. Heating solutions of complexes trans-3 or trans-4 above about 100 °C causes isomerization to the appropriate cis-3 or cis-4. Isomerization of trans-5 occurs at a much lower temperature due to pyrazine dissociation. Cis-3 and cis- 5 could be reconverted to their respective trans- isomers in solution at 35 °C by visible light irradiation. Complexes [(L)Rh(py)2Cl](PF6), 6, [(L)Rh(PPh3)(py)Cl](PF6), 7, [(L)Rh(PEt3)2Cl](PF6), 8, and [(L)RhCl(bipy)](OTf = triflate), 9, were prepared from 2·H2O by using thallium(I) salts as halide abstraction agents and excess Lewis base. It was not possible to prepare dicationic complexes with three unidentate pyridyl or triethylphosphine ligands; however, the reaction between 2, thallium(I) triflate, and the tridentate 4′-(4-methylphenyl)-2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine (ttpy) afforded a high yield of [(L)Rh(ttpy)]- (OTf)2, 10. The solid state structures of nine new complexes were obtained. The electrochemistry of the various derivatives in CH2Cl2 showed a ligand-based oxidation wave whose potential depended mainly on the charge of the complex, and to a lesser extent on the nature and the geometry of the other supporting ligands. Thus, the oxidation wave for 2 with an anionic complex was found at +0.27 V versus Ag/AgCl in CH2Cl2, while those waves for the charge-neutral complexes 3−5 were found between +0.38 to +0.59 V, where the cis- isomers were about 100 mV more stable toward oxidation than the trans- isomers. The oxidation waves for 6−9 with monocationic complexes occurred in the range +0.74 to 0.81 V while that for 10 with a dicationic complex occurred at +0.91 V. Chemical oxidation of trans-3, cis-3, and 8 afforded crystals of the singly oxidized complexes, [trans- (L)RhCl2(py)](SbCl6), cis-[(L)RhCl2(py)](SbCl4)·2CH2Cl2, and [(L)Rh(PEt3)2Cl](SbCl6)2, respectively. Comparisons of structural and spectroscopic features combined with the results of density functional theory (DFT) calculations between nonoxidized and oxidized forms of the complexes are indicative of the ligand-centered radicals in the oxidized derivatives