SOMC grafting of vanadium oxytriisopropoxide (VO(O i Pr)3) on dehydroxylated silica; analysis of surface complexes and thermal restructuring mechanism.

Vanadium oxytriisopropoxide (VO(O i Pr)3), 1, was grafted on highly dehydroxylated silica (SiO2-700: aerosil silica treated at 700 °C under high vacuum) to generate compound 2 following the concepts and methodology of surface organometallic chemistry (SOMC). The resulting compound was analyzed by elemental analysis, FT-IR, 1H, 13C and 51V solid state (SS) NMR, Raman and EPR spectroscopies. The grafting reaction of 1 to generate 2 was found to lead to the formation of a monopodal surface complex [([triple bond, length as m-dash]Si-O-)V(O)(O i Pr)2], 2m, as well as bipodal [([triple bond, length as m-dash]Si-O-)2V(O)(O i Pr)], 2b, formed along with ([triple bond, length as m-dash]Si-O- i Pr) moieties as an effect of the classical rearrangement of 2m with strained siloxane bridges. Upon controlled thermal treatment at 200 °C under high vacuum, 2m and 2b were found to mainly rearrange to tetrahedral VO4 moieties [([triple bond, length as m-dash]Si-O-)3V(O)] (3) with formation of propylene whereas the ([triple bond, length as m-dash]Si-O- i Pr) groups were preserved. The mechanism of the thermal rearrangement of the isopropoxide groups was investigated by a DFT approach revealing the occurrence of a concerted γ-H-transfer and olefin elimination mechanism.

Binding of molecular oxygen by an artificial heme analogue: investigation on the formation of an Fe-tetracarbene superoxo complex.

The dioxygen reactivity of a cyclic iron(ii) tetra-NHC-complex (NHC: N-heterocyclic carbene) is investigated. Divergent oxidation behavior is observed depending on the choice of the solvent (acetonitrile or acetone). In the first case, exposure to molecular oxygen leads to an oxygen free Fe(iii) whereas in the latter case an oxide bridged Fe(iii) dimer is formed. In acetone, an Fe(iii)-superoxide can be trapped, isolated and characterized as intermediate at low temperatures. An Fe(iii)-O-Fe(iii) dimer is formed from the Fe(iii) superoxide in acetone upon warming and the molecular structure has been revealed by single crystal X-ray diffraction. It is shown that the oxidation of the Fe(ii) complex in both solvents is a reversible process. For the regeneration of the initial Fe(ii) complex both organic and inorganic reducing agents can be used.