Which functional groups of the molybdopterin ligand should be considered when modeling the active sites of the molybdenum and tungsten cofactors? A density functional theory study

A density functional theory study of the influence of the various functional groups of the molybdopterin ligand on electronic and geometric properties of active-site models for the molybdenum and tungsten cofactors has been undertaken. We used analogous molybdenum and tungsten complexes with increasingly accurate representation of the molybdopterin ligands and compared bond lengths, angles, charge distribution, composition of the binding orbitals, as well as the redox potentials in relation to each other. On the basis of our findings, we suggest using ligand systems including the pyrane and the pyrazine rings, besides the dithiolene function, to obtain sufficiently reliable computational, but also synthetic, models for the molybdenum and tungsten cofactors, whereas the second ring of the pterin might be neglected for efficiency reasons

Fingerprinting the oxidation state of U(IV) by emission spectroscopy

The solid-state structure of the known complex [Et4N][U(NCS)5(bipy)2] has been re-determined and a detailed spectroscopic and magnetic study has been performed in order to confirm the oxidation states of both metal and bipy ligand. Electronic absorption and infrared spectroscopy suggest that the uranium is in its +4 oxidation state and this has been corroborated by emission spectroscopy and variable temperature magnetic measurements, as well as theoretical calculations. Therefore the bipy ligands are neutral, innocent ligands and not, as would be inferred from just a solid state structure, radical anions.We thank TCD and MINECO (MAT2012-38318-C03), and EC for a Marie Curie-IEF (PIEF-GA-2011-299356 to GL) for funding this work.Peer reviewe

CAAC‐Based Thiele and Schlenk Hydrocarbons

Diradicals have been of tremendous interest for over a century ever since the first reports of p ‐ and m ‐phenylene‐bridged diphenylmethylradicals in 1904 by Thiele and 1915 by Schlenk. Reported here are the first examples of cyclic(alkyl)(amino)carbene (CAAC) analogues of Thiele's hydrocarbon, a Kekulé diradical, and Schlenk's hydrocarbon, a non‐Kekulé diradical, without using CAAC as a precursor. The CAAC analogue of Thiele's hydrocarbon has a singlet ground state, whereas the CAAC analogue of Schlenk's hydrocarbon contains two unpaired electrons. The latter forms a dimer, by an intermolecular double head‐to‐tail dimerization. This straightforward synthetic methodology is modular and can be extended for the generation of redox‐active organic compounds

Non‐Identical Stepwise Reversible Double‐Redox Coupled Bond Activation Reactions

This work presents a stepwise reversible two‐electron transfer induced hydrogen shift leading to the conversion of a bis‐pyrrolinium cation to an E ‐diaminoalkene and vice versa. Remarkably, the forward and the reverse reaction, which are both reversible, follow two completely different reaction pathways. Establishing such unprecedented property in this type of processes was possible by developing a novel synthetic route towards the starting dication. All intermediates involved in both the forward and the backward reactions were comprehensively characterized by a combination of spectroscopic, crystallographic, electrochemical, spectroelectrochemical, and theoretical methods. The presented synthetic route opens up new possibilities for the generation of multi‐pyrrolinium cation scaffold‐based organic redox systems, which constitute decidedly sought‐after molecules in contemporary chemistry

Twisted Push-Pull Alkenes Bearing Geminal Cyclicdiamino and Difluoroaryl Substituents

The systematic combination of N-heterocyclic olefins (NHOs) with fluoroarenes resulted in twisted push-pull alkenes. These alkenes carry electron-donating cyclicdiamino substituents and two electron-withdrawing fluoroaryl substituents in the geminal positions. The synthetic method can be extended to a variety of substituted push-pull alkenes by varying the NHO as well as the fluoroarenes. Solid-state molecular structures of these molecules reveal a notable elongation of the central C-C bond and a twisted geometry in the alkene motif. Absorption properties were investigated with UV-vis spectroscopy. The redox properties of the twisted push-pull alkenes were probed with electrochemistry as well as UV-vis/NIR and EPR spectroelectrochemistry, while the electronic structures were computationally evaluated and validated.Fil: Kundu, Abhinanda. International Centre Of Theoretical Science. Tata Institute Of Fundamental Research; EspañaFil: Chandra, Shubhadeep. Universitat Stuttgart; AlemaniaFil: Mandal, Debdeep. International Centre Of Theoretical Science. Tata Institute Of Fundamental Research; EspañaFil: Neuman, Nicolás Ignacio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto de Desarrollo Tecnológico para la Industria Química. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto de Desarrollo Tecnológico para la Industria Química; ArgentinaFil: Mahata, Alok. International Centre Of Theoretical Science. Tata Institute Of Fundamental Research; EspañaFil: Anga, Srinivas. International Centre Of Theoretical Science. Tata Institute Of Fundamental Research; EspañaFil: Rawat, Hemant. International Centre Of Theoretical Science. Tata Institute Of Fundamental Research; EspañaFil: Pal, Sudip. International Centre Of Theoretical Science. Tata Institute Of Fundamental Research; EspañaFil: Schulzke, Carola. ERNST MORITZ ARNDT UNIVERSITÄT GREIFSWALD (UG);Fil: Sarkar, Biprajit. Universität Stuttgart; AlemaniaFil: Chandrasekhar, Vadapalli. Indian Institute Of Technology Kanpur; IndiaFil: Jana, Anukul. Tata Institute Of Fundamental Research, Hyderabad; Indi

Activation of Aromatic C‐F Bonds by a N‐Heterocyclic Olefin (NHO)

A N-heterocyclic olefin (NHO), a terminal alkeneselectively activates aromatic C-F bonds without the need of anyadditional catalyst. As a result, a straightforward methodology wasdeveloped for the formation of different fluoroaryl substituted alkenesin which the central carbon-carbon double bond is in a twistedgeometry.Fil: Mandal, Debdeep. International Centre Of Theoretical Science. Tata Institute Of Fundamental Research; EspañaFil: Chandra, Shubhadeep. Freie Universität Berlin.; AlemaniaFil: Neuman, Nicolás Ignacio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto de Desarrollo Tecnológico para la Industria Química. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto de Desarrollo Tecnológico para la Industria Química; ArgentinaFil: Mahata, Alok. International Centre Of Theoretical Science. Tata Institute Of Fundamental Research; EspañaFil: Sarkar, Arighna. International Centre Of Theoretical Science. Tata Institute Of Fundamental Research; EspañaFil: Kundu, Abhinanda. International Centre Of Theoretical Science. Tata Institute Of Fundamental Research; EspañaFil: Anga, Srinivas. International Centre Of Theoretical Science. Tata Institute Of Fundamental Research; EspañaFil: Rawat, Hemant. International Centre Of Theoretical Science. Tata Institute Of Fundamental Research; EspañaFil: Schulzke, Carola. ERNST MORITZ ARNDT UNIVERSITÄT GREIFSWALD (UG);Fil: Sarkar, Biprajit. Freie Universität Berlin.; AlemaniaFil: Mote, Kaustubh R.. International Centre Of Theoretical Science. Tata Institute Of Fundamental Research; EspañaFil: Chandrasekhar, Vadapalli. International Centre Of Theoretical Science. Tata Institute Of Fundamental Research; EspañaFil: Jana, Anukul. International Centre Of Theoretical Science. Tata Institute Of Fundamental Research; Españ

Molecular enneanuclear CuII phosphates containing planar hexanuclear and trinuclear sub-units: syntheses, structures, and magnetism

Highly symmetric enneanuclear copper(II) phosphates [Cu9(Pz)6(μ-OH)3(μ3-OH)(ArOPO3)4(DMF)3] (PzH =pyrazole, Ar = 2,6-(CHPh2)2-4-R-C6H2; R = Me, 2MeAr; Et, 2EtAr; iPr, 2iPrAr; and Ar = 2,6-iPr2C6H3, 2Dip) comprising nine copper(II) centers and pyrazole, hydroxide and DMF as ancillary ligands were synthesized by a reaction involving the arylphosphate monoester, 1, copper(I)chloride, pyrazole, and triethylamine in a 4 : 9 : 6 : 14 ratio. All four complexes were characterized by single crystal structural analysis. The complexes contain two distinct structural motifs within the multinuclear copper scaffold: a hexanuclear unit and a trinuclear unit. In the latter, the three Cu(II) centres are bridged by a µ3-OH. Each pair of Cu(II) centers in the trinuclear unit are bridged by a pyrazole ligand. The hexanuclear unit is made up of three dinuclear Cu(II) motifs where the two Cu(II) centres are bridged by an -OH and a pyrazole ligand. The three dinuclear units are connected to each other by phosphate ligands. The latter also aid the fusion of the trinuclear and the hexanuclear motifs. Magnetic studies reveal a strong antiferromagnetic exchange between the Cu(II) centres of the dinuclear units in the hexanuclear part and a strong spin frustration in the trinuclear part leading to a degenerate ground state

The difference one ligand atom makes an altered oxygen transfer reaction mechanism caused by an exchange of selenium for sulfur

The influence of sulfur versus selenium coordination to molybdenum on the oxo transfer reaction mechanisms of functional models for oxidoreductases has been studied. The solution structure of the dimeric molybdenum compound with tridentate bis-anionic ligands containing a thioether function (?O(CH2)3S(CH2)3O?) has been determined using EXAFS spectroscopy to be able to compare a feature of its solution structure to that of its selenoether analogue. A significant difference is found for the solution structures of the two compounds. The thioether group remains coordinated in solution, whereas the selenoether does not. The influence of this difference on the catalytic oxo transfer has been investigated in detail by following the catalytic transition of PPh3 to OPPh3 with DMSO as oxygen donor with variation of both substrate concentrations