Piano-stool iron(ii) complexes as probes for the bonding of n-heterocyclic carbenes: indications for -acceptor ability

A series of new piano-stool iron(II) complexes comprising mono- and bidentate chelating N-heterocyclic carbene ligands [Fe(cp)(CO)(NHC)(L)]X have been prepared and analyzed by spectroscopic, electrochemical, crystallographic, and theoretical methods. Selectively substituting the L site with a series of ligands going from carbene to pyridine to CO suggests that CO is the strongest π acceptor, while the behavior of pyridine and carbene is nearly identical. This suggests that in these complexes comprising an electron-rich iron(cp)(carbene) fragment, N-heterocyclic carbenes are not pure σ donors but also moderate π acceptors. Theoretical calculations support this bonding model and indicate charge saturation at the metal as key for π back-bonding to N-heterocyclic carbenes. On the basis of voltammetric measurements, the Lever electrochemical parameter of these carbenes has been determined: EL = +0.29. Systematic substitution of the wingtip groups of the carbene revealed only subtle changes in the electronic properties of the iron center, thus providing a suitable methodology for ligand-induced fine-tuning of the coordinated metal

Probing the potential of N-heterocyclic carbenes in molecular electronics: redox-active metal centers interlinked by a rigid ditopic carbene ligand

Bimetallic homonuclear iron(II) and ruthenium(II) N-heterocyclic carbene complexes have been synthesized and crystallographically analyzed. As a spacer ligand for interconnecting the two redox-active metal centers, a ditopic carbene ligand has been used that comprises two carbene sites annelated to benzene. Detailed electrochemical and spectroelectrochemical analyses of the bimetallic systems revealed that despite the potentially π-delocalized nature of the ditopic ligand, the iron centers are only moderately coupled. In the ruthenium complexes, the intermetallic interactions are very weak and the centers are electrochemically nearly independent. A model is proposed for rationalizing these observations which is based on (i) relatively weak charge delocalization in the spacer ligand and (ii) on electrostatic factors governing the metal–carbene bond

The Potential of N-Heterocyclic Carbene Complexes as Components for Electronically Active Materials

The application of N-heterocyclic carbene complexes as active sites in materials other than catalysis has been remarkably scarce. Inspired by the — often misleading — ‘carbene’ label, which implies a substantial degree of M=C π bonding, we have been interested in evaluating the potential of N-heterocylclic carbene complexes as building blocks for constructing electronically active materials. Electron mobility via the metal-carbon bond has been investigated in monometallic imidazol-2-ylidene complexes and subsequently expanded to polymetallic systems. In particular, ditopic benzobisimidazolium-derived ligands have been explored for the fabrication of bimetallic molecular switches and main-chain conjugated organometallic polymers. Electrochemical analyses have allowed for quantifying the degree of electronic coupling between the metal sites and for identifying the key parameters that govern the intermetallic communication.European Research CouncilSwiss National Science Foundatio

Main-chain organometallic polymers comprising redox-active iron(II) centers connected by ditopic N-heterocyclic carbenes

Main-chain organometallic polymers were synthesized from bimetallic iron(II)complexes containing a ditopic N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligand [(cp)(CO)LFe(NHC~NHC)Fe (cp)(CO)L]X2 (where NHC~NHC represents a bridging dicarbene ligand, L = I– or CO). Addition of a diimine ligand such as pyrazine or 4,4’-bipyridine interconnected these bimetallic complexes and gave the corresponding co-polymers containing iron centers that are alternately linked by a dicarbene and a diimine ligand. Diimine coordination was depending on the wingtip groups at the carbene ligands and was accomplished either by photolytic activation of a carbonyl ligand from the cationic [Fe(cp)(NHC)(CO)2]+ precursor (alkyl wingtips) or by AgBF4-mediated halide abstraction from the neutral complex [FeI(cp)(NHC)(CO)] (mesityl wingtips). Remarkably, the polymeric materials were substantially more stable than the related bimetallic model complexes. Electrochemical analyses indicated metal-metal interactions in the pyrazine-containing polymers, whereas in 4,4’-bipyridine-linked systems the metal centers were electronically decoupled.Other funderSwiss National Science FoundationAlfred Werner Foundationsp, ke, ab, jo, is - TS 15.05.1

Probing Intermetallic Coupling in Dinuclear N-Heterocyclic Carbene Ruthenium(II) Complexes

A series of bimetallic N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ruthenium(II) complexes were synthesized, which comprise two [RuCl2(cymene)(NHC)] units that are interlinked via the NHC nitrogens by alkyl chains of different length. Electrochemical characterization revealed two mutually dependent oxidation processes for the complex with a methylene linker, indicating moderate intramolecular electronic coupling of the two metal centers (class II system). The degree of coupling decreases rapidly upon increasing the number of CH2 units in the linker and provides essentially decoupled class I species when propylene or butylene linkers are used. Electrochemical analyses combined with structural investigations suggest a through-bond electronic coupling. Replacement of the alkyl linker with a p-phenylene group afforded cyclometalated complexes, which were considerably less stable. The electronic coupling in the methylene-linked complex and the relatively robust NHC–ruthenium bond may provide access to species that are switchable on the molecular scale.Swiss National Science Foundatio

Chiral luminescent lanthanide complexes possessing strong (samarium, SmIII) circularly polarised luminescence (CPL), and their self-assembly into Langmuir–Blodgett films

The lanthanide directed self-assembly of chiral amphiphilic 2,6-pyridinedicarboxylic acid based ligands 1 and 2 with various Ln(CF3SO3)3 (Ln = TbIII, SmIII, LuIII, DyIII) salts was studied in CH3CN and evaluated with the expected 1 : 3 and 1 : 1 Ln : Ligand species forming in solution. Ligand chirality was retained and transferred, as depicted by circular dichroism (CD) and circularly polarised luminescence (CPL) measurements (for TbIII and SmIII), to the lanthanide centre upon complexation with high dissymmetry factor values for the SmIII complexes obtained (glum = -0.44 and 0.29 and 0.45 and -0.23 for the 4G5/2 → 6H5/2 and the 4G5/2 → 6H7/2 transitions of Sm·13 and Sm·23, respectively). The ability of the complexes to form stable Langmuir monolayers at the air-water interface was also established while Langmuir-Blodgett films of Tb·L3 and Sm·L3 exhibited lanthanide luminescent emission

Beyond catalysis: N-heterocyclic carbene complexes as components for medicinal, luminescent, and functional materials applications

This tutorial review compiles the advances that have been achieved in using transition metal complexes containing N-heterocyclic carbene ligands as components for materials. Applications of metal carbene complexes in fields different from catalysis are remarkably scarce. During the last few years, promising results have been accomplished in particular by utilizing such complexes as antimicrobial and cytotoxic agents, as photoactive sites in luminescent materials, for self-assembly into liquid crystalline materials and metallasupramolecular structures, and as synthons for molecular switches and conducting polymeric materials. These initial achievements clearly underline the great potential of N-heterocyclic carbene complexes in various fields of materials science.Other funderSwiss National Science FoundationAlfred Werner FoundationERA-net Chemistr

Main-chain organometallic polymers comprising redox-active iron(II) centers connected by ditopic N-heterocyclic carbenes

Main-chain organometallic polymers were synthesized from bimetallic iron(II)complexes containing a ditopic N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligand [(cp)(CO)LFe(NHC~NHC)Fe (cp)(CO)L]X2 (where NHC~NHC represents a bridging dicarbene ligand, L = I– or CO). Addition of a diimine ligand such as pyrazine or 4,4’-bipyridine interconnected these bimetallic complexes and gave the corresponding co-polymers containing iron centers that are alternately linked by a dicarbene and a diimine ligand. Diimine coordination was depending on the wingtip groups at the carbene ligands and was accomplished either by photolytic activation of a carbonyl ligand from the cationic [Fe(cp)(NHC)(CO)2]+ precursor (alkyl wingtips) or by AgBF4-mediated halide abstraction from the neutral complex [FeI(cp)(NHC)(CO)] (mesityl wingtips). Remarkably, the polymeric materials were substantially more stable than the related bimetallic model complexes. Electrochemical analyses indicated metal-metal interactions in the pyrazine-containing polymers, whereas in 4,4’-bipyridine-linked systems the metal centers were electronically decoupled.Other funderSwiss National Science FoundationAlfred Werner Foundationsp, ke, ab, jo, is - TS 15.05.1

Probing intermetallic coupling in dinuclear N-heterocyclic carbene ruthenium(II) complexes

A series of bimetallic N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ruthenium(II) complexes were synthesized, which comprise two [RuCl₂(cymene)(NHC)] units that are interlinked via the NHC nitrogens by alkyl chains of different length. Electrochemical characterization revealed two mutually dependent oxidation processes for the complex with a methylene linker, indicating moderate intramolecular electronic coupling of the two metal centers (class II system). The degree of coupling decreases rapidly upon increasing the number of CH₂ units in the linker and provides essentially decoupled class I species when propylene or butylene linkers are used. Electrochemical analyses combined with structural investigations suggest a through-bond electronic coupling. Replacement of the alkyl linker with a p-phenylene group afforded cyclometalated complexes, which were considerably less stable. The electronic coupling in the methylene-linked complex and the relatively robust NHC–ruthenium bond may provide access to species that are switchable on the molecular scale