A Self-Assembled Palladium(II) Barrel for Binding of Fullerenes and Photosensitization Ability of the Fullerene-Encapsulated Barrel.

Fullerene extracts obtained from fullerene soot lack their real application due to their poor solubility in common solvents and difficulty in purification. Encapsulation of these extracts in a suitable host is an important approach to address these issues. We present a new Pd6 barrel (1), which is composed of three 1,4-dihydropyrrolo[3,2-b]pyrrole panels, clipped through six cis-PdII acceptors. Large open windows and cavity make it an efficient host for a large guest. Favorable interactions between the ligand and fullerene (C60 and C70 ) allows the barrel to encapsulate fullerene efficiently. Thorough investigation reveals that barrel 1 has a stronger binding affinity towards C70 over C60 , resulting in the predominant extraction of C70 from a mixture of the two. Finally, the fullerene encapsulated barrels C60 ⊂1 and C70 ⊂1 were found to be efficient for visible-light-induced singlet oxygen generation. Such preferential binding of C70 and photosensitizing ability of C60 ⊂1 and C70 ⊂1 are noteworthy.

Coordination-Assisted Reversible Photoswitching of Spiropyran-Based Platinum Macrocycles.

Control over the stimuli-responsive behavior of smart molecular systems can influence their capability to execute complex functionalities. Herein, we report the development of a suite of spiropyran-based multi-stimuli-responsive self-assembled platinum(II) macrocycles (5-7), rendering coordination-assisted enhanced photochromism relative to the corresponding ligands. 5 showed shrinking and swelling during photoreversal, while 6 and 7 are fast and fatigue-free supramolecular photoswitches. 6 turns out to be a better fatigue-resistant photoswitch and can retain an intact photoswitching ability of up to 20 reversible cycles. The switching behavior of the macrocycles can also be precisely controlled by tuning the pH of the medium. Our present strategy for the construction of rapid stimuli-responsive supramolecular architectures via coordination-driven self-assembly represents an efficient route for the development of smart molecular switches.

Linkage induced enhancement of fluorescence in metal-carbene bond directed metallacycles and metallacages.

Two new 1,4-dihydropyrrolo[3,2-b]pyrrole based aggregation induced emission (AIE)-inactive di- and tetra-imidazolium salts were employed with Ag(i) for the synthesis of a Ag-carbene bond directed metallacycle (1) and metallacage (2), respectively. Transmetalation of these complexes allowed their facile conversion to their respective Au(i)-metallacycle (3) and metallacage (4). The final assemblies exhibit linkage induced enhancement of fluorescence (LIEF). The free ligands are almost non-fluorescent (ΦF = 3.2, 3.4) in comparison to their metal-carbene counterparts (ΦF up to 32.0). Thus, without using any AIEgen, obtaining high emission efficiencies in complexes AgI-CNHC (1, 2) via linkage is a nice approach towards turn-on fluorescence.

Synthesis and magneto-structural studies on a new family of carbonato bridged 3d-4f complexes featuring a [CoLn(CO3)] (Ln = La, Gd, Tb, Dy and Ho) core: slow magnetic relaxation displayed by the cobalt(ii)-dysprosium(iii) analogue.

A new family of [3 + 3] hexanuclear 3d-4f complexes [(µ3-CO3){CoIILnIIIL(µ3-OH)(OH2)}3]-(ClO4)·mC2H5OH·nH2O (1-5) [Ln = La (1), Gd (2), Tb (3), Dy (4), and Ho (5)] have been prepared in moderate to high yields (62-78%) following a self-assembly reaction between the ligand 6,6',6''-(nitrilotris(methylene))tris-(2-methoxy-4-methylphenol) (H3L), Co(OAc)2·4H2O and the lanthanide ion precursors in the mandatory presence of tetrabutylammonium hydroxide. During the reaction, atmospheric carbon dioxide is fixed in the product molecule as a bridging carbonato ligand which connects all the three lanthanide centers of this molecular assembly through a rare η2:η2:η2-µ3 mode of bridging as revealed from X-ray crystallography. The metal centers in all these compounds, except the GdIII analogue (2), are coupled in antiferromagnetic manner while the nature of coupling in the CoGd complex is ferromagnetic. DFT calculations revealed that this ferromagnetic interaction occurs most likely by the CoII-GdIII superexchange, mediated via the bridging oxygen atoms. Only the CoII-DyIII compound (4) displayed a slow relaxation of the magnetization at a very low temperature as established by AC susceptibility measurements. The data provides an estimation of the activation energy U/kB = 9.2 K and the relaxation time constant τ0 = 1.0 × 10-7 s.

Pentanuclear 3d-4f Heterometal Complexes of M(II)3Ln(III)2 (M = Ni, Cu, Zn and Ln = Nd, Gd, Tb) Combinations: Syntheses, Structures, Magnetism, and Photoluminescence Properties.

A new family of pentanuclear 3d-4f heterometal complexes of general composition [Ln(III)2(M(II)L)3(µ3-O)3H](ClO4)·xH2O (1-5) [Ln = Nd, M = Zn, 1; Nd, Ni, 2; Nd, Cu, 3; Gd, Cu, 4; Tb, Cu, 5] have been synthesized in moderate yields (50-60%) following a self-assembly reaction involving the hexadentate phenol-based ligand, viz., N,N-bis(2-hydroxy-3-methoxy-5-methylbenzyl)-N('),N(')-diethylethylenediamine (H2L). Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses have been used to characterize these complexes. The compounds are all isostructural, having a 3-fold axis of symmetry that passes through the 4f metal centers. The [M(II)L] units in these complexes are acting as bis-bidentate metalloligands and, together with µ3-oxido bridging ligands, complete the slightly distorted monocapped square antiprismatic nine-coordination environment around the 4f metal centers. The cationic complexes also contain a H(+) ion that occupies the central position at the 3-fold axis. Magnetic properties of the copper(II) complexes (3-5) show a changeover from antiferromagnetic in 3 to ferromagnetic 3d-4f interactions in 4 and 5. For the isotropic Cu(II)-Gd(III) compound 4, the simulation of magnetic data provides very weak Cu-Gd (J1 = 0.57 cm(-1)) and Gd-Gd exchange constants (J2 = 0.14 cm(-1)). Compound 4 is the only member of this triad, showing a tail of an out-of-phase signal in the ac susceptibility measurement. A large-spin ground state (S = 17/2) and a negative value of D (-0.12 cm(-1)) result in a very small barrier (8 cm(-1)) for this compound. Among the three Nd(III)2M(II)3 (M = Zn(II), Ni(II), and Cu(II)) complexes, only the Zn(II) analogue (1) displays an NIR luminescence due to the (4)F(3/2) → (4)I(11/2) transition in Nd(III) when excited at 290 nm. The rest of the compounds do not show such Nd(III)/Tb(III)-based emission. The paramagnetic Cu(II) and Ni(II) ions quench the fluorescence in 2-5 and thereby lower the population of the triplet state.

Tetranuclear hetero-metal [Co(II)2Ln(III)2] (Ln = Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, La) complexes involving carboxylato bridges in a rare µ4-η(2):η(2) mode: synthesis, crystal structures, and magnetic properties.

A new family of 3d-4f heterometal 2 × 2 complexes [Co(II)2(L)2(PhCOO)2Ln(III)2(hfac)4] (1-5) (Ln = Gd (compound 1), Tb (compound 2), Dy (compound 3), Ho (compound 4), and La (compound 5)) have been synthesized in moderate yields (48-63%) following a single-pot protocol using stoichiometric amounts (1:1 mol ratio) of [Co(II)(H2L)(PhCOO)2] (H2L = N,N'-dimethyl-N,N'-bis(2-hydroxy-3,5-dimethylbenzyl)ethylenediamine) as a metalloligand and [Ln(III)(hfac)3(H2O)2] (Hhfac = hexafluoroacetylacetone) as a lanthanide precursor compound. Also reported with this series is the Zn-Dy analog [Zn(II)2(L)2(PhCOO)2Dy(III)2(hfac)4] 6 to help us in understanding the magnetic properties of these compounds. The compounds 1-6 are isostructural. Both hexafluoroacetylacetonate and benzoate play crucial roles in these structures as coligands in generating a tetranuclear core of high thermodynamic stability through a self-assembly process. The metal centers are arranged alternately at the four corners of this rhombic core, and the carboxylato oxygen atoms of each benzoate moiety bind all of the four metal centers of this core in a rare µ4-η(2):η(2) bridging mode as confirmed by X-ray crystallography. The magnetic susceptibility and magnetization data confirm a paramagnetic behavior, and no remnant magnetization exists in any of these compounds at vanishing magnetic field. The metal centers are coupled in an antiferromagnetic manner in these compounds. The [Co(II)2Dy(III)2] compound exhibits a slow magnetic relaxation below 6 K, as proven by the AC susceptibility measurements; the activation energy reads U/kB = 8.8 K (τ0 = 2.0 × 10(-7) s) at BDC = 0, and U/kB = 7.8 K (τ0 = 3.9 × 10(-7) s) at BDC = 0.1 T. The [Zn(II)2Dy(III)2] compound also behaves as a single-molecule magnet with U/kB = 47.9 K and τ0 = 2.75 × 10(-7) s.

Homo- and heterometal complexes of oxido-metal ions with a triangular [V(V)O-MO-V(V)O] [M = V(IV) and Re(V)] core: reporting mixed-oxidation oxido-vanadium(V/IV/V) compounds with valence trapped structures.

A new family of trinuclear homo- and heterometal complexes with a triangular [V(V)O-MO-V(V)O] (M = V(IV), 1 and 2; Re(V), 3] all-oxido-metal core have been synthesized following a single-pot protocol using compartmental Schiff-base ligands, N,N'-bis(3-hydroxysalicylidene)-diiminoalkanes/arene (H4L(1)-H4L(3)). The upper compartment of these ligands with N2O2 donor combination (Salen-type) contains either a V(IV) or a Re(V) center, while the lower compartment with O4 donor set accommodates two V(V) centers, stabilized by a terminal and a couple of bridging methoxido ligands. The compounds have been characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses, which reveal octahedral geometry for all three metal centers in 1-3. Compound 1 crystallizes in a monoclinic space group P2(1)/c, while both 2 and 3 have more symmetric structures with orthorhombic space group Pnma that renders the vanadium(V) centers in these compounds exactly identical. In DMF solution, compound 1 displays an 8-line EPR at room temperature with and values of 1.972 and 86.61 × 10(-4) cm(-1), respectively. High-resolution X-ray photoelectron spectrum (XPS) of this compound shows a couple of bands at 515.14 and 522.14 eV due to vanadium 2p(3/2) and 2p(1/2) electrons in the oxidation states +5 and +4, respectively. All of these, together with bond valence sum (BVS) calculation, confirm the trapped-valence nature of mixed-oxidation in compounds 1 and 2. Electrochemically, compound 1 undergoes two one-electron oxidations at E(1/2) = 0.52 and 0.83 V vs Ag/AgCl reference. While the former is due to a metal-based V(IV/V) oxidation, the latter one at higher potential is most likely due to a ligand-based process involving one of the catecholate centers. A larger cavity size in the upper compartment of the ligand H4L(3) is spacious enough to accommodate Re(V) with larger size to generate a rare type of all-oxido heterotrimetallic compound (3) as established by X-ray crystallography.

Syntheses, structures, and magnetic properties of a family of tetranuclear hydroxido-bridged Ni(II)2Ln(III)2 (Ln = La, Gd, Tb, and Dy) complexes: display of slow magnetic relaxation by the zinc(II)-dysprosium(III) analogue.

A new family of [2 × 2] tetranuclear 3d-4f heterometallic complexes have been synthesized. These are [Zn(2)Dy(2)L(2)(µ(3)-OH)(2)(µ(4)-OH)(dbm)(2)(MeOH)(2)](NO(3))·2H(2)O·MeOH (3), [Ni(2)Dy(2)L(2)(µ(3)-OH)(2)(µ(4)-OH)(dbm)(2)(MeOH)(2)](NO(3))·MeOH (4), [Ni(2)La(2)L(2)(µ(3)-OH)(2)(µ(4)-OH)(dbm)(2)(MeOH)(2)](ClO(4))·H(2)O·2MeOH (5), [Ni(2)Tb(2)L(2)(µ(3)-OH)(2)(µ(4)-OH)(dbm)(2) (MeOH)(2)](NO(3))·MeOH (6), and [Ni(2)Gd(2)L(2)(µ(3)-OH)(2)(µ(4)-OH)(dbm)(2)(MeOH)(2)](NO(3))·MeOH (7), [H(2)L = N,N'-dimethyl-N,N'-bis(2-hydroxy-3,5-dimethylbenzyl)ethylenediamine and Hdbm = dibenzoylmethane] obtained through a single-pot synthesis using [Zn(HL)(dbm)] (for 3)/[Ni(HL)(dbm)]·2CH(3)OH (for 4, 5, 6, and 7) as 3d-metal ion precursors. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis and electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectroscopy have been used to establish their identities. Compounds are isostructural, in which the metal ions are all connected together by a bridging hydroxido ligand in a rare µ(4)-mode. In complexes 3-7, the metal ions are antiferromagnetically coupled. Taking a cue from the results of 3 and 5, precise estimations have been made for the antiferromagnetic Ni···Ni (J(Ni) = -50 cm(-1)), Ni···Gd (J(NiGd) = -4.65 cm(-1)), and Gd···Gd (J(Gd) = -0.02 cm(-1)) exchange interactions in 7, involving the gadolinium(III) ions. The Zn(II)(2)Dy(III)(2) compound 3 has shown the tail of an out-of-phase signal in alternating current (AC) susceptibility measurement, indicative of slow relaxation of magnetization. Interestingly, the Ni(II)(2)Dy(III)(2) compound 4 in which both the participating metal ions possess large single ion anisotropy, has failed to show up any slow magnetic relaxation.

Targeted synthesis of heterobimetallic compounds containing a discrete vanadium(V)-µ-oxygen-iron(III) core.

Heterobimetallic compounds [L(1)OV(V)═O→Fe(metsalophen)(H(2)O)] (1) and [L(2)OV(V)═O→Fe(metsalophen)(H(2)O)]CH(3)CN (2), where H(2)L(1) and H(2)L(2) are tridentate dithiocarbazate-based Schiff base ligands, containing a discrete V(V)-µ-O-Fe(III) angular core have been synthesized for the first time through a targeted synthesis route: confirmation in favor of such a heterobimetallic core structure has come from single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry.

Reporting a unique example of electronic bistability observed in the form of valence tautomerism with a copper(II) helicate of a redox-active nitrogenous heterocyclic ligand.

Valence tautomeric compounds involving nondixolene-type ligands are rare. The triple-helicate copper(II) complex [Cu(II)(2)(L)(3)](ClO(4))(4)·3CH(3)CN (1) containing a redox-active N-heterocyclic ligand (L) has been prepared and displays VT equilibrium in solution, as established by electronic spectroscopy, electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy, and cyclic and differential pulse voltammetry carried out at variable temperatures. The process involves intramolecular transfer of an electron from one of the L ligands to a copper(II) center, leading to the oxidation of L to an L(•+) radical with concomitant reduction of the Cu(II) center to Cu(I), as shown by the equilibrium [Cu(II)Cu(I)L(•+)L(2)](4+) ⇄ [Cu(II)(2)L(3)](4+).

Tri- and tetranuclear nickel(II) inverse metallacrown complexes involving oximato oxygen linkers: role of the guest anion (oxo versus alkoxo) in controlling the size of the ring topology.

A trinuclear oximato complex, [(NiHL(1))(3)(µ(3)-O)]ClO(4) (1), with inverse metallacrown 9-MC-3 topology has been synthesized using a Schiff-base ligand (H(2)L(1)) formed by condensation of ethanolamine (Hea) and diacetylmonoxime (Hdamo). The diamagnetic compound has been characterized by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry as well as by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. In the solid state, the alcoholic OH group in this molecule stays away from coordination. Surprisingly in a similar chemical reaction, when intact Hea and Hdamo have been used as ligands instead of their Schiff-base forms, the product obtained is a 12-MC-4-type metallacrown, (Et(3)NH)[Ni(4)(damo)(4)(Hea)(2)(ea)(2)](ClO(4))(3) (2), with a larger cavity size needed to accommodate a pair of hydrogen-bonded (O-H···O)(-) anions. Unlike in 1, the alcoholic OH groups in 2 take part in metal coordination. Compound 2 on being refluxed with lithium hydroxide in methanol is converted to 1 in almost quantitative yield. This appears to be a novel reaction type, leading to contraction of a metallacrown ring size. A family of 12-MC-4 Ni(4) metallacrowns in inverse topology, viz., [Ni(4)(damo)(4)(H(2)dea)(2)(Hdea)(2)](ClO(4))(2)·2H(2)O (3), [Ni(4)(dpko)(4)(Hea)(2)(ea)(2)](ClO(4))(2)·4H(2)O (4), and [Ni(4)(mpko)(4)(Hmea)(2)(mea)(2)](ClO(4))(2) (5), have been synthesized following a methodology similar to that adopted for 2, using different combinations of free oximes [viz., dipyridylketonoxime (Hdpko) and methylpyridylketonoxime (Hmpko)] and amino alcohols [viz., diethanolamine (H(2)dea), and N-methylethanolamine (Hmea)]. Crystal and molecular structures of 3-5 have been reported, each involving either a quasi (in 3) or a perfect (in 4 and 5) square plane (S(4) symmetry) with four octahedral Ni centers occupying the corners, and serve as a backbone of puckered metallacrown rings that accommodate a pair of hydrogen-bonded (O-H···O)(-) anions. Antiferromagnetic interactions within the [Ni(4)] core [J/k(B) ≈ -20 to -27 K based on the following spin Hamiltonian: H = -2J(S(1)·S(2) + S(2)·S(3) + S(3)·S(4) + S(4)·S(1))] lead to an S(T) = 0 ground state for these complexes.

Building metallacrown topology around a discrete [M(3)(mu(3)-O)] (M = Ni(II) and Pd(II)) core using oximato oxygen linkers: synthesis, structures, and spectroscopic characterization of a new family of compounds with an inverse-9-MC-3 motif.

A family of trinuclear oximato complexes [(M(II)L)(3)(mu(3)-O)]ClO(4) (M = Ni, 1-3; Pd, 4 and 5) (HL = 2-alkylamino-3-oximobutane) involving a discrete [M(3)(mu(3)-O)](4+) core have been synthesized in moderate to high yields by a simple one-pot reaction. The products were characterized by ESI-mass and (1)H NMR spectroscopy as well as by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis of representative compounds viz., 1, 2, and 4. The oximato oxygen atoms from the ligands and the central mu(3)-O atom connect the metal centers, forming an inverse metallacrown topology in these complexes. In the isostructural nickel compounds (1, 2), the metal centers are situated at the vertices of an equilateral triangle with its centroid position being occupied by the mu(3)-O atom; the Ni-O-Ni angles vary in the range 119.0(2)-120.2(2) degrees . In the palladium complex 4, the geometry of the Pd(3)O core is better described as a regular trigonal pyramid with the metal centers and the mu(3)-O atom occupying the apexes; the Pd-O-Pd angles are close to 109 degrees . The coordination square planes around the individual palladium centers bend appreciably from each other (dihedral angles vary in the range 28.62-34.53 degrees ), providing more of a bowl shape compared to the overall metallacrown topology that remains virtually planar in the nickel complexes. The mu(3)-oxygen atom in 4 is displaced by 0.687 A from the center of the triangular plane with corners occupied by the Pd(II) ions. The protons of the metallacrown peripheral rings in 4 and 5 are more deshielded compared to their nickel(II) counterparts, as revealed from their (1)H NMR spectra in dichloromethane-d(2) solution.