Influence of modelling disorder on Hirshfeld atom refinement results of an organo-gold(I) compound.

Details of the validation of disorder modelling with Hirshfeld atom refinement (HAR) for a previously investigated organo-gold(I) compound are presented here. The impact of refining disorder on HAR results is discussed using an analysis of the differences of dynamic structure factors. These dynamic structure factor differences are calculated from thermally smeared quantum mechanical electron densities based on wavefunctions that include or exclude electron correlation and relativistic effects. When disorder is modelled, the electron densities stem from a weighted superposition of two (or more) different conformers. Here this is shown to impact the relative importance of electron correlation and relativistic effect estimates expressed by the structure factor magnitudes. The role of disorder modelling is also compared with the effect of the treatment of hydrogen anisotropic displacement parameter (ADP) values and atomic anharmonicity of the gold atom. The analysis of ADP values of gold and disordered carbon atoms showed that the effect of disorder significantly altered carbon ADP values and did not influence those of the gold atom

Aurophilic Interactions Studied by Quantum Crystallography.

This is the first use of a wave-function-based crystallographic method to characterize aurophilic interactions from X-ray diffraction data. Theoretical calculations previously suggested the importance of electron correlation and dispersion forces, but no influence of relativistic corrections to the Au...Au interaction energy was found. In this study, we confirm the importance of relativistic corrections in the characterization of aurophilic interactions in addition to electron correlation and dispersion

Fast Initiating Furan-Containing Hoveyda-Type Complexes: Synthesis and Applications in Metathesis Reactions

Two new ruthenium complexes with chelating-ether benzylidene ligands bearing a furan moiety were synthesized and characterized, including X-ray crystallography. They initiated fast, also at 0 °C, and were found to be highly active in a variety of ring-closing, ene-yne, and cross-metathesis reactions, including an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) model, which makes them good candidates for the transformation of complex polyfunctional compounds that require mild reaction conditions

Fast Initiating Furan-Containing Hoveyda-Type Complexes: Synthesis and Applications in Metathesis Reactions

Two new ruthenium complexes with chelating-ether benzylidene ligands bearing a furan moiety were synthesized and characterized, including X-ray crystallography. They initiated fast, also at 0 °C, and were found to be highly active in a variety of ring-closing, ene-yne, and cross-metathesis reactions, including an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) model, which makes them good candidates for the transformation of complex polyfunctional compounds that require mild reaction conditions

Relation between Crystal Structures of Precursors and Final Products: Example of Vitamin D Intermediates

In this paper, we proved that the solid-state structure of vitamin D analog is well represented by the structures of its structural fragments. This is important in predicting the biological activity of vitamin D analogs that are not available in the solid form. The previously published crystal structure of advanced vitamin D intermediate provided additional insights into vitamin D properties. A similar analysis based on simple vitamin D intermediate analogues showed that precursors crystallized in the space groups typical for vitamins D; geometrical parameters were related to the corresponding parameters in the vitamin D analogues; and crystal structures of the basic intermediates and their final products contained similar intermolecular interactions, essential for the infinite hydrogen bond motif observed in the vitamin D analogues. The energy of these interactions is related as shown by theoretical calculations, that is, energy frameworks analysis. Moreover, analysis of the hydrogen bonds motifs revealed a relation between these motifs and the absolute configuration of basic intermediates as well as the space orientation of the exocyclic methylene group in the final structures

A Missing Relative: A Hoveyda–Grubbs Metathesis Catalyst Bearing a Peri-Substituted Naphthalene Framework

Molecular scaffolds of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons can serve as unique tools to control the molecular and electronic structure of coordination compounds. Herein, we report the synthesis and properties of a Hoveyda–Grubbs metathesis catalyst bearing a chelating benzylidene ligand assembled on peri-substituted naphthalene. In contrast to other reported naphthalene-based complexes (Barbasiewicz, M.; Grela, K. Chem. Eur. J. 2008, 14, 9330−9337), it exhibits a very fast initiation behavior, attributed to a distorted molecular structure and reduced π-electron delocalization within the chelate ring

Synthesis and Properties of Bimetallic Hoveyda–Grubbs Metathesis Catalysts

The catalytic activity of ruthenium Hoveyda–Grubbs complexes in olefin metathesis is a function of complex steric and electronic effects acting on initiation and propagation steps. In order to study the π-electron factors influencing the initiation process, we attempted syntheses of bimetallic complexes with common organic ligands bearing two chelate rings. While most of the studied ligand exchange reactions of the isomeric bis-chelating benzene derivatives gave mixtures of unstable complexes, a homodinuclear derivative of 1,4-dimethoxy-2,5-divinylbenzene was sparingly soluble and precipitated from the reaction mixture in a pure form. The complex was studied with spectroscopic and X-ray methods, which confirmed the symmetrical bimetallic structure. However, in model metathesis reactions the catalyst displayed activity very comparable to the related monometallic complexes. This suggests that in the bimetallic system two consecutive initiation processes of the metathesis catalyst (first, bimetallic complex + olefin → monometallic complex + propagating species; second, monometallic complex + olefin → styrene + propagating species) proceed at similar rates and, thus, no cooperativity between the two steps is displayed. Properties of the family of bimetallic complexes were probed with NMR studies, and π-electronic effects operating in the systems were discussed

Synthesis and Properties of Bimetallic Hoveyda–Grubbs Metathesis Catalysts

The catalytic activity of ruthenium Hoveyda–Grubbs complexes in olefin metathesis is a function of complex steric and electronic effects acting on initiation and propagation steps. In order to study the π-electron factors influencing the initiation process, we attempted syntheses of bimetallic complexes with common organic ligands bearing two chelate rings. While most of the studied ligand exchange reactions of the isomeric bis-chelating benzene derivatives gave mixtures of unstable complexes, a homodinuclear derivative of 1,4-dimethoxy-2,5-divinylbenzene was sparingly soluble and precipitated from the reaction mixture in a pure form. The complex was studied with spectroscopic and X-ray methods, which confirmed the symmetrical bimetallic structure. However, in model metathesis reactions the catalyst displayed activity very comparable to the related monometallic complexes. This suggests that in the bimetallic system two consecutive initiation processes of the metathesis catalyst (first, bimetallic complex + olefin → monometallic complex + propagating species; second, monometallic complex + olefin → styrene + propagating species) proceed at similar rates and, thus, no cooperativity between the two steps is displayed. Properties of the family of bimetallic complexes were probed with NMR studies, and π-electronic effects operating in the systems were discussed

A Missing Relative: A Hoveyda–Grubbs Metathesis Catalyst Bearing a Peri-Substituted Naphthalene Framework

Molecular scaffolds of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons can serve as unique tools to control the molecular and electronic structure of coordination compounds. Herein, we report the synthesis and properties of a Hoveyda–Grubbs metathesis catalyst bearing a chelating benzylidene ligand assembled on peri-substituted naphthalene. In contrast to other reported naphthalene-based complexes (Barbasiewicz, M.; Grela, K. Chem. Eur. J. 2008, 14, 9330−9337), it exhibits a very fast initiation behavior, attributed to a distorted molecular structure and reduced π-electron delocalization within the chelate ring

Relativistic Hirshfeld atom refinement of an organo-gold(I) compound

The main goal of this study is the validation of relativistic Hirshfeld atom refinement (HAR) as implemented in Tonto for high-resolution X-ray diffraction datasets of an organo-gold(I) compound. The influence of the relativistic effects on statistical parameters, geometries and electron density properties was analyzed and compared with the influence of electron correlation and anharmonic atomic motions. Recent work in this field has indicated the importance of relativistic effects in the static electron density distribution of organo-mercury compounds. This study confirms that differences in electron density due to relativistic effects are also of significant magnitude for organo-gold compounds. Relativistic effects dominate not only the core region of the gold atom, but also influence the electron density in the valence and bonding region, which has measurable consequences for the HAR refinement model parameters. To study the effects of anharmonic motion on the electron density distribution, dynamic electron density difference maps were constructed. Unlike relativistic and electron correlation effects, the effects of anharmonic nuclear motion are mostly observed in the core area of the gold atom