Self-assembly in polyoxometalate and metal coordination-based systems: synthetic approaches and developments

Utilizing new experimental approaches and gradual understanding of the underlying chemical processes has led to advances in the self-assembly of inorganic and metal–organic compounds at a very fast pace over the last decades. Exploitation of unveiled information originating from initial experimental observations has sparked the development of new families of compounds with unique structural characteristics and functionalities. The main source of inspiration for numerous research groups originated from the implementation of the design element along with the discovery of new chemical components which can self-assemble into complex structures with wide range of sizes, topologies and functionalities. Not only do self-assembled inorganic and metal–organic chemical systems belong to families of compounds with configurable structures, but also have a vast array of physical properties which reflect the chemical information stored in the various “modular” molecular subunits. The purpose of this short review article is not the exhaustive discussion of the broad field of inorganic and metal–organic chemical systems, but the discussion of some representative examples from each category which demonstrate the implementation of new synthetic approaches and design principles

Synthesis, structural and physicochemical characterization of a new type Ti6-oxo cluster protected by a cyclic imide dioxime ligand

Reaction of the cyclic ligand (2Z,6Z)-piperidine-2,6-dione dioxime with TiCl4 and KOH yielded the hexanuclear cluster K6[TiIV6(μ3-O)2(μ2-O)3(CH3O)6(μ2–η1,η1,η2-Hpidiox-O,N,O′)4(μ2–η1,η1,η2-pidiox-O,N,O′)2]·7.5CH3OH possessing a new {Ti6O5} structural motif. The cluster core {Ti6O5} is wrapped by external tripodal imide dioxime ligands, showing good solubility and stability and thus, allowing its solution to be studied by means of electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, electrochemistry and 2D NMR, c. w. EPR and UV-vis spectroscopies. Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations reveal that the cyclo-Ti3 metallic cores exhibit metallaromaticity which is expected to contribute to the stabilization of this system

Synthesis, structural and physicochemical characterization of a titanium(IV) compound with the hydroxamate ligand N,2-dihydroxybenzamide

The siderophore organic ligand N,2-dihydroxybenzamide (H2dihybe) incorporates the hydroxamate group, in addition to the phenoxy group in the ortho-position and reveals a very rich coordination chemistry with potential applications in medicine, materials, and physical sciences. The reaction of H2dihybe with TiCl4 in methyl alcohol and KOH yielded the tetranuclear titanium oxo-cluster (TOC) [TiIV4(μ-O)2(HOCH3)4(μ-Hdihybe)4(Hdihybe)4]Cl4∙10H2O∙12CH3OH (1). The titanium compound was characterized by single-crystal X-ray structure analysis, ESI-MS, 13C, and 1H NMR spectroscopy, solid-state and solution UV–Vis, IR vibrational, and luminescence spectroscopies and molecular orbital calculations. The inorganic core Ti4(μ-O)2 of 1 constitutes a rare structural motif for discrete TiIV4 oxo-clusters. High-resolution ESI-MS studies of 1 in methyl alcohol revealed the presence of isotopic distribution patterns which can be attributed to the tetranuclear clusters containing the inorganic core {Ti4(μ-O)2}. Solid-state IR spectroscopy of 1 showed the presence of an intense band at ~800 cm−1 which is absent in the spectrum of the H2dihybe and was attributed to the high-energy ν(Ti2–μ-O) stretching mode. The ν(C=O) in 1 is red-shifted by ~10 cm−1, while the ν(N-O) is blue-shifted by ~20 cm−1 in comparison to H2dihybe. Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations reveal that in the experimental and theoretically predicted IR absorbance spectra of the ligand and Ti-complex, the main bands observed in the experimental spectra are also present in the calculated spectra supporting the proposed structural model. 1H and 13C NMR solution (CD3OD) studies of 1 reveal that it retains its integrity in CD3OD. The observed NMR changes upon addition of base to a CD3OD solution of 1, are due to an acid–base equilibrium and not a change in the TiIV coordination environment while the decrease in the complex’s lability is due to the improved electron-donating properties which arise from the ligand deprotonation. Luminescence spectroscopic studies of 1 in solution reveal a dual narrow luminescence at different excitation wavelengths. The TOC 1 exhibits a band-gap of 1.98 eV which renders it a promising candidate for photocatalytic investigations

Hafnium(IV) chemistry with imide-dioxime and catecholate-oxime ligands: unique {Hf₅} and metalloaromatic {Hf₆}-oxo clusters exhibiting fluorescence

Hafnium(IV) molecular species have gained increasing attention due to their numerous applications ranging from high-resolution nanolithography, heterogeneous catalysis, and electronics to the design of molecule-based building blocks in metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), with applications in gas separation, sorption, luminescence sensing, and interim storage of radioactive waste. Despite great potential, their chemistry is relatively underdeveloped. Here, we use strong chelators (2Z-6Z)-piperidine-2,6-dione (H3pidiox) and 2,3-dihydroxybenzaldehyde oxime (H3dihybo) to synthesize the first ever reported pentanuclear {Hf5/H3pidiox} and hexanuclear {Hf6/H3dihybo} clusters (HfOCs). The {Hf6} clusters adopt unique core structures [Hf6IV(μ3-O)2(μ-O)3] with a trigonal-prismatic arrangement of the six hafnium atoms and have been characterized via single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis, UV–vis spectroscopy in the solid state, NMR, fluorescence spectroscopy, and high-resolution mass spectrometry in solution. One-dimensional (1D) and two-dimensional (2D) 1H NMR and mass spectroscopies reveal the exceptional thermodynamic stability of the HfOCs in solution. Interestingly, the conjunction of the oxime group with the catechol resulted in the remarkable reduction of the clusters’ band gap, below 2.51 eV. Another prominent feature is the occurrence of pronounced metalloaromaticity of the triangular {Hf3} metallic component revealed by its NICSzz scan curve calculated by means of density functional theory (DFT). The NICSzz(1) value of −44.6 ppm is considerably higher than the −29.7 ppm found at the same level of theory for the benzene ring. Finally, we investigated the luminescence properties of the clusters where 1 emits light in the violet region despite the lack of fluorescence of the free H3pidiox ligand, whereas the {Hf6} 3 shifts the violet-emitting light of the H3dihybo to lower energy. DFT calculations show that this fluorescence behavior stems from ligand-centered molecular orbital transitions and that HfIV coordination has a modulating effect on the photophysics of these HfOCs. This work not only represents a significant milestone in the construction of stable low-band-gap multinuclear HfIV clusters with unique structural features and metal-centered aromaticity but also reveals the potential of Hf(IV) molecule-based materials with applications in sensing, catalysis, and electronic devices

Acid/base responsive assembly/dis-assembly of a family of zirconium(iv) clusters with a cyclic imide-dioxime ligand

The hydrolytically stable dioxime ligand (2Z-6Z)-piperidine-2,6-dione (H3pidiox) acts as a strong chelator mainly with hard metals in high oxidation states, a pre-requisite for potential applications in metal sequestering processes from aqueous solutions. Reaction of ZrCl4 with H3pidiox in methanol gives the mononuclear compound [ZrIV(η1,η1,η2-H2pidiox-O,N,O′)2(OH2)2]Cl2·H2O·CH3OH (1), while the same reaction mixture in the presence of KOH gave the pentanuclear ZrOC [ZrIV5(μ2-OH)4(OH2)4(μ2–η1,η1,η2-Hpidiox-O,N,O′)4(η1,η1,η1-HpidioxO,N,O′)4]·5KCl·3CH3OH·8H2O (2). Compound 1 is formed at very acidic pH = 0, and the pentanuclear ZrOC 2 at higher pH values (pH = 2). Compounds 1 and 2 were characterized by single crystal X-ray structure analysis, multi-nuclear NMR spectroscopy and ESI-MS spectrometry. The single crystal X-ray structure analysis of 1 revealed a mononuclear zirconium(IV) compound containing an eight-coordinate zirconium atom bound to two singly deprotonated H2pidiox− ligands and two water molecules in a severely distorted bicapped octahedral geometry. The pentanuclear ZrOC 2 constitutes the second example of a Zr5 cluster to be reported and the first one in which the four zirconium atoms are arranged in a tetrahedral arrangement with the fifth occupying the center of the tetrahedron. 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopies of the acidic CD3OD solutions of complex 1 reveal a fast equilibrium between 1 and 2. Addition of KOH into a CH3OH solution of 2 results in the controlled fast transformation of 2 to an asymmetric hexanuclear ZrOC 3 as evidenced by the NMR and real-time ESI-MS solution studies. Further addition of KOH to the solution of 3 leads to the ZrOC 4, and on the basis of NMR and ESI-MS data and in comparison with the known hexanuclear titanium(IV)/H3pidiox cluster, it is concluded that the cluster 4 should have a hexanuclear structure. Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) demonstrated not only the structural stability 1 and 2 in solution, but also revealed the reversible pH driven dis-assembly/re-assembly process between the monomeric 1 and the pentanuclear ZrOC 2

Synthesis, Bonding, and Reactivity of Vanadium(IV) Oxido-Fluorido Compounds with Neutral Chelate Ligands of the General Formula cis-[VIV(=O)(F)(LN-N)2]+

Reaction of the oxidovanadium(IV)-LN-N species (LN-N is bipy = 2,2′-bipyridine or bipy-like molecules) with either BF4- or HF and/or KF results in the formation of compounds of the general formula cis-[VIV(=O)(F)(LN-N)2]+. Structural and spectroscopic (electron paramagnetic resonance) characterization shows that these compounds are in the tetravalent oxidation state containing a terminal fluorido ligand. Density functional theory calculations reveal that the VIV-F bond is mainly electrostatic, which is reinforced by reactivity studies that demonstrate the nucleophilicity of the fluoride ligand in a halogen exchange reaction and in fluorination of various organic substrates

Synthesis, structural, and physicochemical characterization of a Ti6 and a unique type of Zr6 oxo clusters bearing an electron-rich unsymmetrical {OON} catecholate/oxime ligand and exhibiting metalloaromaticity

The chelating catechol/oxime ligand 2,3-dihydroxybenzaldehyde oxime (H3dihybo) has been used to synthesize one titanium(IV) and two zirconium(IV) compounds that have been characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction and 1H and 13C NMR, solid-state UV–vis, and ESI-MS spectroscopy. The reaction of TiCl4 with H3dihybo and KOH in methanol, at ambient temperature, yielded the hexanuclear titanium(IV) compound K2[TiIV6(μ3-O)2(μ-O)3(OCH3)4(CH3OH)2(μ-Hdihybo)6]·CH3OH (1), while the reaction of ZrCl4 with H3dihybo and either nBu4NOH or KOH also gave the hexanuclear zirconium(IV) compounds 2 and 3, respectively. Compounds 1–3 have the same structural motif [MIV6(μ3-Ο)2(μ-Ο)3] (M = Ti, Zr), which constitutes a unique example with a trigonal-prismatic arrangement of the six zirconium atoms, in marked contrast to the octahedral arrangement of the six zirconium atoms in all the Zr6 clusters reported thus far, and a unique Zr6 core structure. Multinuclear NMR solution measurements in methanol and water proved that the hexanuclear clusters 1 and 3 retain their integrity. The marriage of the catechol moiety with the oxime group in the ligand H3dihybo proved to be quite efficient in substantially reducing the band gaps of TiO2 and ZrO2 to 1.48 and 2.34 eV for the titanium and zirconium compounds 1 and 3, respectively. The application of 1 and 3 in photocurrent responses was investigated. ESI-MS measurements of the clusters 1 and 3 revealed the existence of the hexanuclear metal core and also the initial formation of trinuclear M3 (M = Ti, Zr) building blocks prior to their self-assembly into the hexanuclear M6 (M = Ti, Zr) species. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations of the NICSzz scan curves of these systems revealed that the triangular M3 (M = Ti, Zr) metallic ring cores exhibit pronounced metalloaromaticity. The latter depends upon the nature of the metallic center with NICSzz(1) values equal to −30 and −42 ppm for the Ti (compound 1) and Zr (compound 2) systems, respectively, comparable to the NICSzz(1) value of the benzene ring of −29.7 ppm calculated at the same level of theory