Unprecedented Mechanochemical Synthesis and Heterogenization of a C-Scorpionate Au(III) Catalyst for Microwave-Assisted Biomass Valorization.

The transformation of biomass, a carbon resource presenting a huge potential to produce valuable chemicals, requires the search for sustainable catalytic routes. This work proposes the microwave-assisted oxidation of biomass -derived substrates, such as glycerol and the furfural derivatives 5-(hydroxymethyl)furfural (HMF) and 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furancarboxylic acid (HFCA), using the C-scorpionate dichloro-gold(III) complex [AuCl2(κ2-Tpm)]Cl (Tpm = HCpz3; pz = pyrazol-1-yl) as a catalyst, as prepared and supported on graphene, in solvent-free conditions. The unprecedented application of a mechanochemical procedure (in a planetary ball mill, in solid state) to synthesize a C-scorpionate complex, the [AuCl2(κ2-Tpm)]Cl, is disclosed. The immobilization of [AuCl2(κ2-Tpm)]Cl on graphene was performed using different methods, including some (e.g., microwave irradiation and liquid assisted grinding) for the first time. The structural properties and the performance of the prepared catalytic materials are presented and discussed.

Mechanochemical Preparation of Pd(II) and Pt(II) Composites with Carbonaceous Materials and Their Application in the Suzuki-Miyaura Reaction at Several Energy Inputs.

Pd(II) and Pt(II) composites with activated carbon (AC), graphene oxide, and multiwalled carbon nanotubes were prepared by ball milling and used as catalysts for the Suzuki-Miyaura reaction, under several energy inputs (mechanical grinding, conventional heating, and microwave irradiation). The catalytic composites were characterized by ICP-MS, BET, XPS analyses, TEM, and SEM. The average particle size of the prepared composites was estimated to be in the range of 6-30 nm, while the loadings of Pd and Pt did not significantly affect the surface area of the AC support due to the tendency to agglomerate as observed by the TEM analysis. The Pd/AC composites exhibit high mechanochemical catalytic activity in cross-coupling of bromobenzene and phenylboronic acid with molar yields up to 80% with TON and TOF of 222 and 444 h-1, respectively, achieved with Pd(4.7 wt%)-AC catalyst under the liquid assisted grinding for 0.5 h at ambient conditions, using cyclohexene as an additive.

Ultrasound and Radiation-Induced Catalytic Oxidation of 1-Phenylethanol to Acetophenone with Iron-Containing Particulate Catalysts.

Iron-containing particulate catalysts of 0.1-1 µm size were prepared by wet and ball-milling procedures from common salts and characterized by FTIR, TGA, UV-Vis, PXRD, FEG-SEM, and XPS analyses. It was found that when the wet method was used, semi-spherical magnetic nanoparticles were formed, whereas the mechanochemical method resulted in the formation of nonmagnetic microscale needles and rectangles. Catalytic activity of the prepared materials in the oxidation of 1-phenylethanol to acetophenone was assessed under conventional heating, microwave (MW) irradiation, ultrasound (US), and oscillating magnetic field of high frequency (induction heating). In general, the catalysts obtained by wet methods exhibit lower activities, whereas the materials prepared by ball milling afford better acetophenone yields (up to 83%). A significant increase in yield (up to 4 times) was observed under the induction heating if compared to conventional heating. The study demonstrated that MW, US irradiations, and induction heating may have great potential as alternative ways to activate the catalytic system for alcohol oxidation. The possibility of the synthesized material to be magnetically recoverable has been also verified.

Synergistic catalytic action of vanadia-titania composites towards the microwave-assisted benzoin oxidation.

Intensification of chemical processes according to the motto "faster, simpler, greener" is among the main concerns nowadays. One of the ways of intensification is the application of synergistic catalytic effects when the overall efficiency of a composite catalyst is much higher than the sum of the component activities. Here, we report on the preparation of synergistic catalytic materials by a simple and straightforward ball milling procedure. Oxidation of benzoin was selected as a model reaction to demonstrate the viability of the concept. For the V2O5-TiO2 (95 : 5) composite material, the synergistic effect is triggered by low power microwave irradiation with more than a tenfold jump in the catalytic activity in comparison to the activities of the individual components.

Comparison of microwave and mechanochemical energy inputs in the catalytic oxidation of cyclohexane.

The effect of microwave and mechanochemical ball milling energy inputs was studied for the peroxidative oxidation (with aqueous H2O2) of cyclohexane to cyclohexanol and cyclohexanone, over CoCl2 and/or V2O5 dispersed (µm scale) catalysts. A maximum total yield of cyclohexanol and cyclohexanone of 43% after 1 h of reaction at 30 °C, in acetonitrile and under microwave irradiation (5 W), was achieved over the CoCl2-V2O5 (3 : 1) catalyst prepared by ball milling. Cyclohexanol is the main final product with a selectivity of up to 93% over cyclohexanone. Conducting the oxidation reaction under microwave irradiation under the same conditions but without any mechanochemical treatment of the catalyst prior to use resulted in a lower total yield of 30% with a lower selectivity (69%) towards cyclohexanol over cyclohexanone. The sole application of mechanochemical treatment for the catalyst preparation and the catalytic oxidation of cyclohexane allowed to reach yields of 29% after 1 h of reaction, at room temperature, without microwave irradiation and any additive and in the absence of any organic solvent. Ball milling is shown to provide a convenient, solvent-free method to disperse these solid catalysts and to promote the above cyclohexane oxidation, although, in the latter case, not so effectively as microwave irradiation.

Chalcogen bonding in synthesis, catalysis and design of materials.

Chalcogen bonding is a type of noncovalent interaction in which a covalently bonded chalcogen atom (O, S, Se or Te) acts as an electrophilic species towards a nucleophilic (negative) region(s) in another or in the same molecule. In general, this interaction is strengthened by the presence of an electron-withdrawing group on the electron-acceptor chalcogen atom and upon moving down in the periodic table of elements, from O to Te. Following a short discussion of the phenomenon of chalcogen bonding, this Perspective presents some demonstrative experimental observations in which this bonding is crucial for synthetic transformations, crystal engineering, catalysis and design of materials as synthons/tectons.

Lanthanide derivatives comprising arylhydrazones of ß-diketones: cooperative E/Z isomerization and catalytic activity in nitroaldol reaction.

Two complexes [KLa(HL(1))2{(CH3)2NCHO}2(H2O)3] (1) and [Sm(H2O)9](E-H2L(2))3·2H2O (2) were synthesized by the reaction of lanthanum(III) and samarium(III) nitrates with potassium 3-(2-(2,4-dioxopentan-3-ylidene)hydrazinyl)-2-hydroxy-5-nitrobenzenesulfonate (KH2L(1)) and potassium (E,Z)-5-chloro-3-(2-(1,3-dioxo-1-phenylbutan-2-ylidene)hydrazinyl)-2-hydroxybenzenesulfonate (KH2L(2)), respectively. Both complexes were fully characterized by elemental analysis, IR, (1)H and (13)C NMR spectroscopy, ESI-MS and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Cooperative E,Z→E isomerization of KH2L(2), induced by resonance assisted hydrogen bonding and ionic interactions, occurs upon the interaction with Sm(III). Catalytic activities of KH2L(1,2) and their lanthanide derivatives were evaluated in the Henry reaction of nitroethane with a variety of aromatic and aliphatic aldehydes. Good yields (up to 91%) and diastereoselectivities (syn/anti 3 : 1) were observed in the reactions catalyzed by 1 in water.

Cooperative metal-ligand assisted E/Z isomerization and cyano activation at Cu(II) and Co(II) complexes of arylhydrazones of active methylene nitriles.

New (E/Z)-2-(2-(1-cyano-2-methoxy-2-oxoethylidene)hydrazinyl)benzoic acid (H2L(4)) and known sodium 2-(2-(dicyanomethylene)hydrazinyl)benzenesulfonate (NaHL(1)), 2-(2-(dicyano-methylene)hydrazinyl)benzoic acid (H2L(2)), and sodium (E/Z)-2-(2-(1-cyano-2-methoxy-2-oxoethylidene)hydrazinyl)benzenesulfonate (NaHL(3)) were used in the template synthesis of a series of Cu(II) and Co(II) complexes [Cu(H2O)2L(1a)]·H2O (1), [Cu(H2O)(3-pyon)L(1b)]·H2O (2), [Cu(H2O)(4-pyon)L(1b)] (3), [Co(H2O)((CH3)2NCHO)(µ-L(2a))]2·(CH3)2NCHO (4), [Cu3(µ3-OH)(NO3)(CH3OH)(µ2-X)3(µ2-HL(3))] (5), [Cu(H2O)(py)L(3)]·H2O (6), [Cu(H2O)2(µ-L(4))]6·6H2O (7), [Cu(2-cnpy(b))2(L(1b))2]·2H2O (8), [Cu(2-cnpy(a))2(L(1a))2]·2H2O (9), and [Cu(H2O)(4-cnpy)(L(1a))2] (10), where 3-pyon = 1-(pyridin-3-yl)ethanone, 4-pyon = 1-(pyridin-4-yl)ethanone, py = pyridine, HX = syn-2-pyridinealdoxime, 4-cnpy = 4-cyanopyridine; 2-cnpy(a), 2-cnpy(b), L(1a), L(1b), L(2a) are the ligands derived from nucleophilic attack of methanol (a) or water (b) on a cyano group of 2-cyanopyridine (2-cnpy), L(1) or L(2), respectively, giving the corresponding iminoesters (2-cnpy(a), L(1a) or L(2a)) or carboxamides (2-cnpy(b) or L(1b)). An auxiliary ligand, namely syn-2-pyridinealdoxime or pyridine, acting cooperatively with the metal ion (Cu(II) in this case), induced an E/Z isomerization of the H2L(4) ligand; the E- and Z-isomers were isolated separately and fully characterized (compounds 9 and 10, respectively). A one-pot activation of nitrile groups in different molecules was achieved in the syntheses of 8 and 9. Complexes 1-10 are catalyst precursors for the solvent-free microwave (MW)-assisted selective oxidation of secondary alcohols to the corresponding ketones, with typical yields in the 29-99% range (TOFs up to 4.94 × 10(3) h(-1)) after 30 min of MW irradiation.

2-Dihydromethylpiperazinediium-M(II) (M(II) = Cu(II), Fe(II), Co(II), Zn(II)) double sulfates and their catalytic activity in diastereoselective nitroaldol (Henry) reaction.

A series of double dihydromethylpiperazinediium metallic sulfates 1-7 [H(2)mpz]M(II)(SO(4))(2)·nH(2)O (mpz = 2-methylpiperazine, C(5)H(12)N(2)) are prepared by slow evaporation using a racemic (R/S)-mpz (for 1, 2) or enantiopure R-mpz (for 3), S-mpz (for 4-7) and sulfates of Cu(II) (for 5), Fe(II) (for 1, 4), Co(II) (for 7) and Zn(II) (for 2, 3, 6), and characterized by infrared spectroscopy, elemental analysis and single crystal X-ray diffraction. The [M(II)(H(2)O)(6)](2+), [(R/S)-H(2)mpz](2+), [(R)-H(2)mpz](2+) or [(S)-H(2)mpz](2+) cations and 2SO(4)(2-) anions are linked together via two types of hydrogen bonds, Ow-Hw···O and N-H···O, leading to supramolecular arrangements. The use of the racemic 2-mpz provides alternatives in crystallization: a centrosymmetric structure where the enantiomers are related by an appropriate crystallographic symmetry operation or one where the enantiomers occupy the same crystallographic position, generating disorder. Compounds 1-7 act as diastereoselective catalysts for the nitroaldol (Henry) reaction. The diastereoselectivity can be regulated from exclusive threo to exclusive erythro isomer preparation with typical yields of 50-99%, depending on the catalyst and the substrate used.

Template syntheses of copper(II) complexes from arylhydrazones of malononitrile and their catalytic activity towards alcohol oxidations and the nitroaldol reaction: hydrogen bond-assisted ligand liberation and E/Z isomerisation.

A one-pot template condensation of 2-(2-(dicyanomethylene)hydrazinyl)benzenesulfonic acid (H(2)L(1), 1) or 2-(2-(dicyanomethylene)hydrazinyl)benzoic acid (H(2)L(2), 2) with methanol (a), ethylenediamine (b), ethanol (c) or water (d) on copper(II), led to a variety of metal complexes, that is, mononuclear [Cu(H(2)O)(2)(κO(1),κN(2)L(1a)] (3) and [Cu(H(2)O)(κO(1),κN(3)L(1b))] (4), tetranuclear [Cu(4)(1κO(1),κN(2):2κO(1)L(2a))(3)-(1κO(1), κN(2):2κO(2)L(2a))] (5), [Cu(2)(H(2)O)(1κO(1), κN(2):2κO(1)L(2c))-(1κO(1),1κN(2):2κO(1),2 κN(1)- L(2c))](2) (6) and [Cu(2)(H(2)O)(2)(κO(1),κN(2)- L(1dd))-(1κO(1),κN(2):2κO(1)L(1dd))(µ-H(2)O)](2·) 2H(2)O (7·2H(2)O), as well as polymer- ic [Cu(H(2)O)(κO(1),1κN(2):2κN(1)L(1c))](n) (8) and [Cu(NH(2)C(2)H(5))(κO(1),1κN(2):2κN(1)L(2a))](n) (9). The ligands 2-SO(3)H-C(6)H(4)-(NH)N=C{(CN)[C(NH(2))-(=NCH(2)CH(2)NH(2))]} (H(2)L(1b), 10), 2-CO(2)H-C(6)H(4)-(NH)N={C(CN)[C(OCH(3))-(=NH)]} (H(2)L(2a), 11) and 2-SO(3)H-C(6)H(4)-(NH)N=C{C(=O)-(NH(2))}(2) (H(2)L(1dd), 12) were easily liberated upon respective treatment of 4, 5 and 7 with HCl, whereas the formation of cyclic zwitterionic amidine 2-(SO(3)(−))-C(6)H(4)-N=NC(-C=(NH(+))CH(2)CH(2)NH)(=CNHCH(2)CH(2)NH) (13) was observed when 1 was treated with ethylenediamine. The hydrogen bond-induced E/Z isomerization of the (HL(1d))(−) ligand occurs upon conversion of [{Na(H(2)O)(2)(µ-H(2)O)(2)}(HL(1d))](n) (14) to [Cu(H(2)O)(6)][HL(1d)](2)·2H(2)O (15) and [{CuNa(H(2)O)-(κN(1),1κO(2):2κO(1)L(1d))(2)}K(0.5)(µ-O)(2)]n·H(2)O (16). The synthesized complexes 3­9 are catalyst precursors for both the selective oxidation of primary and secondary alcohols (to the corresponding carbonyl compounds) and the following diastereoselective nitroaldol (Henry) reaction, with typical yields of 80­99%.

Aquasoluble iron(III)-arylhydrazone-ß-diketone complexes: structure and catalytic activity for the peroxidative oxidation of C5-C8 cycloalkanes.

The aquasoluble Fe(III) complexes [Fe(H(2)O)(3)(L(1))]∙4H(2)O (3) and [Fe(H(2)O)(3)(L(2))]∙3H(2)O (4), bearing the basic forms of 5-chloro-3-(2-(4,4-dimethyl-2,6-dioxocyclohexylidene)hydrazinyl)-2-hydroxy-benzenesulfonic acid (H(3)L(1), 1) and 3-(2-(2,4-dioxopentan-3-ylidene)hydrazinyl)-2-hydroxy-5-nitrobenzenesulfonic acid (H(3)L(2), 2), were synthesized and fully characterized including by X-ray crystal structural analysis. In the channels of the water-soluble 3D networks of 3 and 4, the uncoordinated water molecules are held by oxygen atoms of the carbonyl and sulfonyl groups, and by the water ligands. The Fe(III) coordination environment resembles that in the active sites of some mononuclear non-heme iron-containing enzymes. The complexes show a high catalytic activity for the peroxidative oxidation (with aqueous H(2)O(2)) of C(5)-C(8) cycloalkanes to the corresponding alcohols and ketones under mild conditions. The effects of various factors, such as amounts of oxidant, catalyst and HNO(3) additive, were investigated allowing to reach overall yields of ca. 25% and turnover numbers (TONs) up to 290. The catalytic reactions proceed via both oxygen- and carbon-radicals as shown by radical trap experiments.

Alkoxy-1,3,5-triazapentadien(e/ato) copper(II) complexes: template formation and applications for the preparation of pyrimidines and as catalysts for oxidation of alcohols to carbonyl products.

Template combination of copper acetate (Cu(AcO)(2)⋅H(2)O) with sodium dicyanamide (NaN(C≡N)(2), 2 equiv) or cyanoguanidine (N≡CNHC(=NH)NH(2), 2 equiv) and an alcohol ROH (used also as solvent) leads to the neutral copper(II)-(2,4-alkoxy-1,3,5-triazapentadienato) complexes [Cu{NH=C(OR)NC(OR)=NH}(2)] (R = Me (1), Et (2), nPr (3), iPr (4), CH(2)CH(2)OCH(3) (5)) or cationic copper(II)-(2-alkoxy-4-amino-1,3,5-triazapentadiene) complexes [Cu{NH=C(OR)NHC(NH(2))=NH}(2)](AcO)(2) (R = Me (6), Et (7), nPr (8), nBu (9), CH(2)CH(2)OCH(3) (10)), respectively. Several intermediates of this reaction were isolated and a pathway was proposed. The deprotonation of 6-10 with NaOH allows their transformation to the corresponding neutral triazapentadienates [Cu{NH=C(OR)NC(NH(2))=NH}(2)] 11-15. Reaction of 11, 12 or 15 with acetyl acetone (MeC(=O)CH(2)C(=O)Me) leads to liberation of the corresponding pyrimidines NC(Me)CHC(Me)NCNHC(=NH)OR, whereas the same treatment of the cationic complexes 6, 7 or 10 allows the corresponding metal-free triazapentadiene salts {NH(2)C(OR)=NC(NH(2))=NH(2)}(OAc) to be isolated. The alkoxy-1,3,5-triazapentadiene/ato copper(II) complexes have been applied as efficient catalysts for the TEMPO radical-mediated mild aerobic oxidation of alcohols to the corresponding aldehydes (molar yields of aldehydes of up to 100 % with >99 % selectivity) and for the solvent-free microwave-assisted synthesis of ketones from secondary alcohols with tert-butylhydroperoxide as oxidant (yields of up to 97 %, turnover numbers of up to 485 and turnover frequencies of up to 1170 h(-1)).

Reactivity of the antitumor complex (H2trz)[trans-RuCl4(N2-Htrz)2] in the presence of DNA purines within a fluorinated silica matrix.

The stability of the antitumor Ru(III) complex (H(2)trz)[trans-RuCl(4)(N(2)-Htrz)(2)] within a tailored sol-gel silica matrix was studied, combining the information from UV-vis and infrared spectroscopies. The matrix was synthesized by a one-step sol-gel process catalyzed by hydrofluoric acid, resulting extremely light, hydrophobic and fluorinated. It is shown that upon encapsulation, the complex undergoes a series of processes, starting with the increase in charge density on the metal center, followed by hydrolysis reactions. The modified complex interacts with the matrix through hydrogen bonds between the aquo/hydroxo ligands and the fluorine atoms. Its interactions with DNA purines (guanine and adenine) were probed within the confined medium defined by the same silica matrix. It is found that coencapsulated guanine does not interfere with the complex aquation processes, while coencapsulated adenine has a delaying effect. No covalent bonding between the complex and the purines is detected, but interactions between the triazole ligands and the imidazole ring of guanine and the imidazole and pyrimidine rings of adenine are observed. Hydrogen bonding is established between the carbonyl and the ammine groups of guanine and the aquo/hydroxo ligands of the complex. For adenine, those interactions involve mostly the N9H of the purine and the NH groups of the triazole ligands, in addition to π-π interactions.

Unusual shift of a nitro group in a phenylhydrazo-ß-diketone.

A novel para to meta shift of a nitro group at the phenyl ring of 3-(2-hydroxy-4-nitrophenylhydrazo)pentane-2,4-dione (H(2)L(1), 1), with formation of the new 3-(2-hydroxy-3,5-dinitrophenylhydrazo)pentane-2,4-dione (H(2)L(2), 2), occurs upon nitration of 1 with an equimolar amount of NaNO(2), under basic conditions. 2 acts as a polydentate ligand for the synthesis of the polymeric potassium [K(µ(5)-HL(2))](n) (3) and monomeric nickel(II) [Ni(H(2)O)(3)(L(2))]·H(2)O (4) compounds. They have been fully characterized, including single crystal X-ray analysis, and the complexes feature metal-organic (in 3) or supramolecular (in 4) 3D networks. The topological analysis of 3 reveals a uninodal 5-connected underlying net with the point symbol of (4(6).6(4)) and a very rare 5/4/t5 topology, which had not yet been observed in coordination polymers.

Hydrogen bond assisted activation of a dinitrile towards nucleophilic attack.

The possibility of tunable regioselective activation of a dinitrile towards nucleophilic attack was demonstrated. For that, a sulfo-arylhydrazone unit was introduced into malononitrile and the thus formed intramolecular hydrogen bond systems assisted specific nucleophilic attacks to the cyano moieties leading to a variety of amidines, carboxamides and iminoesters depending on the nucleophiles and conditions used.

Zinc(II) ortho-hydroxyphenylhydrazo-ß-diketonate complexes and their catalytic ability towards diastereoselective nitroaldol (Henry) reaction.

The zinc(II) complexes with ortho-hydroxy substituted arylhydrazo-ß-diketonates [Zn(2)(CH(3)OH)(2)(µ-L(1))(2)] (5), [Zn{(CH(3))(2)SO}(H(2)O)(L(2))] (6), [Zn(2)(H(2)O)(2)(µ-L(3))(2)] (7) and [Zn(H(2)O)(2)(L(4))]·H(2)O (8) were synthesized by reaction of a zinc(II) salt with the appropriate hydrazo-ß-diketone, HO-2-C(6)H(4)-NHN=C{C(=O)CH(3)}(2) (H(2)L(1), 1), HO-2-O(2)N-4-C(6)H(3)-NHN=C{C(=O)CH(3)}(2) (H(2)L(2), 2), HO-2-C(6)H(4)-NHN=CC(=O)CH(2)C(CH(3))(2)CH(2)C(=O) (H(2)L(3), 3) or HO-2-O(2)N-4-C(6)H(3)-NHN=[CC(=O)CH(2)C(CH(3))(2)CH(2)C(=O) (H(2)L(4), 4). They were fully characterized, namely by X-ray diffraction analysis that disclosed the formation of extensive H-bonds leading to 1D chains (5 and 6), 2D layers (7) or 3D networks (8). The thermodynamic parameters of the Zn(II) reaction with H(2)L(2) in solution, as well as of the thermal decomposition of 1-8 were determined. Complexes 5-8 act as diastereoselective catalysts for the nitroaldol (Henry) reaction. The threo/erythro diastereoselectivity of the ß-nitroalkanol products ranges from 8:1 to 1:10 with typical yields of 80-99%, depending on the catalyst and substrate used.

Complexes of copper(II) with 3-(ortho-substituted phenylhydrazo)pentane-2,4-diones: syntheses, properties and catalytic activity for cyclohexane oxidation.

Reactions of copper(II) with 3-phenylhydrazopentane-2,4-diones X-2-C(6)H(4)-NHN=C{C(=O)CH(3)}(2) bearing a substituent in the ortho-position [X = OH (H(2)L(1)) 1, AsO(3)H(2) (H(3)L(2)) 2, Cl (HL(3)) 3, SO(3)H (H(2)L(4)) 4, COOCH(3) (HL(5)) 5, COOH (H(2)L(6)) 6, NO(2) (HL(7)) 7 or H (HL(8)) 8] lead to a variety of complexes including the monomeric [CuL(4)(H(2)O)(2)]·H(2)O 10, [CuL(4)(H(2)O)(2)] 11 and [Cu(HL(4))(2)(H(2)O)(4)] 12, the dimeric [Cu(2)(H(2)O)(2)(µ-HL(2))(2)] 9 and the polymeric [Cu(µ-L(6))](n)] 13 ones, often bearing two fused six-membered metallacycles. Complexes 10-12 can interconvert, depending on pH and temperature, whereas the Cu(II) reactions with 4 in the presence of cyanoguanidine or imidazole (im) afford the monomeric compound [Cu(H(2)O)(4){NCNC(NH(2))(2)}(2)](HL(4))(2)·6H(2)O 14 and the heteroligand polymer [Cu(µ-L(4))(im)](n)15, respectively. The compounds were characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction (complexes), electrochemical and thermogravimetric studies, as well as elemental analysis, IR, (1)H and (13)C NMR spectroscopies (diones) and ESI-MS. The effects of the substituents in 1-8 on the HOMO-LUMO gap and the relative stability of the model compounds [Cu(OH)(L(8))(H(2)O)]·H(2)O, [Cu(L(1))(H(2)O)(2)]·H(2)O and [Cu(L(4))(H(2)O)(2)]·H(2)O are discussed on the basis of DFT calculations that show the stabilization follows the order: two fused 6-membered > two fused 6-membered/5-membered > one 6-membered metallacycles. Complexes 9, 10, 12 and 13 act as catalyst precursors for the peroxidative oxidation (with H(2)O(2)) of cyclohexane to cyclohexanol and cyclohexanone, in MeCN/H(2)O (total yields of ca. 20% with TONs up to 566), under mild conditions.

Ortho-hydroxyphenylhydrazo-ß-diketones: tautomery, coordination ability, and catalytic activity of their copper(II) complexes toward oxidation of cyclohexane and benzylic alcohols.

New hydrazone o-HO-phenylhydrazo-ß-diketones (OHADB), R(1)NHN═CR(2)R(3) [R(1) = HO-2-C(6)H(4), R(2) = R(3) = COMe (H(2)L(1), 1), R(2)R(3) = COCH(2)C(Me)(2)CH(2)CO (H(2)L(2), 2), R(2) = COMe, R(3) = COOEt (H(2)L(4), 4); R(1) = HO-2-O(2)N-4-C(6)H(3), R(2)R(3) = COCH(2)C(Me)(2)CH(2)CO (H(2)L(3), 3), R(2) = COMe, R(3) = COOEt (H(2)L(5), 5), R(2)R(3) = COMe (H(2)L(6), 6A)], and their Cu(II) complexes [Cu(2)(CH(3)OH)(2)(µ-L(1))(2)] 7, [Cu(2)(H(2)O)(2)(µ-L(2))(2)] 8, [Cu(H(2)O)(L(3))] 9, [Cu(2)(µ-L(4))(2)](n) 10, [Cu(H(2)O)(L(5))] 11, [Cu(2)(H(2)O)(2)(µ-L(6))(2)] 12A and [Cu(H(2)O)(2)(L(6))] 12B were synthesized and fully characterized, namely, by X-ray analysis (4, 5, 7-12B). Reaction of 6A, Cu(NO(3))(2) and ethylenediamine (en) leads, via Schiff-base condensation, to [Cu{H(2)NCH(2)CH(2)N═C(Me)C(COMe)═NNC(6)H(3)-2-O-4-NO(2)}] (13), and reactions of 12A and 12B with en give the Schiff-base polymer [Cu{H(2)NCH(2)CH(2)N═C(Me)C(COMe)═NNC(6)H(3)-2-O-4-NO(2)}](n) 14. The dependence of the OHADB tautomeric equilibria on temperature, electronic properties of functional groups, and solvent polarity was studied. The OHADB from unsymmetrical ß-diketones exist in solution as a mixture of enol-azo and hydrazo tautomeric forms, while in the solid state all the free and coordinated OHADB crystallize in the hydrazo form. The relative stabilities of various tautomers were studied by density functional theory (DFT). 7-14 show catalytic activities for peroxidative oxidation (in MeCN/H(2)O) of cyclohexane to cyclohexanol and cyclohexanone, for selective aerobic oxidation of benzyl alcohols to benzaldehydes in aq. solution, mediated by TEMPO radical, under mild conditions and for the MW-assisted solvent-free synthesis of ketones from secondary alcohols with tert-butylhydroperoxide as oxidant.

Poly(vinyl) chloride membrane copper-selective electrode based on 1-phenyl-2-(2-hydroxyphenylhydrazo)butane-1,3-dione.

1-Phenyl-2-(2-hydroxyphenylhydrazo)butane-1,3-dione (H(2)L) was used as an effective ionophore for copper-selective poly(vinyl) chloride (PVC) membrane electrodes. Optimization of the composition of the membrane and of the conditions of the analysis was performed, and under the optimized conditions the electrode has a detection limit of 6.30×10(-7) M Cu(II) at pH 4.0 with response time 10s and displays a linear EMF versus log[Cu(2+)] response over the concentration range 2.0×10(-6) to 5.0×10(-3) M Cu(II) with a Nernstian slope of 28.80±0.11 mV/decade over the pH range of 3.0-8.0. The sensor is stable for 9 weeks and exhibits good selectivity with respect to alkali, alkali earth and transition metal ions (e.g. Na(+), K(+), Ba(2+), Ca(2+), Zn(2+), Cd(2+), Co(2+), Mn(2+), Ni(2+), Fe(2+), Al(3+)) in the 3.0-8.0 pH range. It was successfully applied for the direct determination of copper(II) in zinc, aluminum and nickel based alloys, in soils polluted by oil, and as an indicator electrode for potentiometric titration of copper ions with EDTA.

Self-assembled 3D heterometallic Cu(II)/Fe(II) coordination polymers with octahedral net skeletons: structural features, molecular magnetism, thermal and oxidation catalytic properties.

The new three-dimensional (3D) heterometallic Cu(II)/Fe(II) coordination polymers [Cu(6)(H(2)tea)(6)Fe(CN)(6)](n)(NO(3))(2n)·6nH(2)O (1) and [Cu(6)(Hmdea)(6)Fe(CN)(6)](n)(NO(3))(2n)·7nH(2)O (2) have been easily generated by aqueous-medium self-assembly reactions of copper(II) nitrate with triethanolamine or N-methyldiethanolamine (H(3)tea or H(2)mdea, respectively), in the presence of potassium ferricyanide and sodium hydroxide. They have been isolated as air-stable crystalline solids and fully characterized including by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses. The latter reveal the formation of 3D metal-organic frameworks that are constructed from the [Cu(2)(µ-H(2)tea)(2)](2+) or [Cu(2)(µ-Hmdea)(2)](2+) nodes and the octahedral [Fe(CN)(6)](4-) linkers, featuring regular (1) or distorted (2) octahedral net skeletons. Upon dehydration, both compounds show reversible escape and binding processes toward water or methanol molecules. Magnetic susceptibility measurements of 1 and 2 reveal strong antiferromagnetic [J = -199(1) cm(-1)] or strong ferromagnetic [J = +153(1) cm(-1)] couplings between the copper(II) ions through the µ-O-alkoxo atoms in 1 or 2, respectively. The differences in magnetic behavior are explained in terms of the dependence of the magnetic coupling constant on the Cu-O-Cu bridging angle. Compounds 1 and 2 also act as efficient catalyst precursors for the mild oxidation of cyclohexane by aqueous hydrogen peroxide to cyclohexanol and cyclohexanone (homogeneous catalytic system), leading to maximum total yields (based on cyclohexane) and turnover numbers (TONs) up to about 22% and 470, respectively.