Structural Features of Eu3+ and Tb3+-Bipyridinedicarboxamide Complexes.

Photoluminescent lanthanide complexes of Eu3+ and Tb3+ as central atoms and N6,N6'-diisopropyl-[2,2'-bipyridine]-6,6'-dicarboxamide as ligand were synthesized. The structure of these complexes was established by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, mass spectrometry, 1H and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance, ultraviolet-visible, infrared spectroscopy, and thermogravimetry. Bipyridinic ligands provide formation of coordinatively saturated complexes of lanthanide ions and strong photoluminescence (PL). The Eu3+- and Tb3+-complexes exhibit PL emission in the red and green regions observed at a 340 nm excitation. The quantum yield for the complexes was revealed to be 36.5 and 12.6% for Tb3+- and Eu3+-complexes, respectively. These lanthanide compounds could be employed as photoluminescent solid-state compounds and as emitting fillers in polymer (for example, polyethylene glycol) photoluminescent materials.

Copper(II)-Mediated Iodination of 1-Nitroso-2-naphthol.

The 3-Iodo-1-nitrosonaphthalene-2-ol (I-NON) was obtained by the copper(II)-mediated iodination of 1-nitroso-2-naphthol (NON). The suitable reactants and optimized reaction conditions, providing 94% NMR yield of I-NON, included the usage of Cu(OAc)2·H2O and 1:2:8 CuII/NON/I2 molar ratio between the reactants. The obtained I-NON was characterized by elemental analyses (C, H, N), high-resolution ESI+-MS, 1H and 13C{1H} NMR, FTIR, UV-vis spectroscopy, TGA, and X-ray crystallography (XRD). The copper(II) complexes bearing deprotonated I-NON were prepared as follows: cis-[Cu(I-NON-H)(I-NON)](I3) (1) was obtained by the reaction between Cu(NON-H)2 and I2 in CHCl3/MeOH, while trans-[Cu(I-NON-H)2] (2) was synthesized from I-NON and Cu(OAc)2 in MeOH. Crystals of trans-[Cu(I-NON-H)2(THF)2] (3) and trans-[Cu(I-NON-H)2(Py)2] (4) were precipitated from solutions of 2 in CHCl3/THF and Py/CHCl3/MeOH mixtures, respectively. The structures of 1 and 3-4 were additionally verified by X-ray crystallography. The characteristic feature of the structures of 1 and 3 is the presence of intermolecular halogen bonds with the involvement of the iodine center of the metal-bound deprotonated I-NON. The nature of the I···I and I···O contacts in the structures of 1 and 3, correspondingly, were studied theoretically at the DFT (PBE0-D3BJ) level using the QTAIM, ESP, ELF, NBO, and IGM methods.

Predicting the catalytic activity of azolium-based halogen bond donors: an experimentally-verified theoretical study.

This report demonstrates the successful application of electrostatic surface potential distribution analysis for evaluating the relative catalytic activity of a series of azolium-based halogen bond donors. A strong correlation (R2 > 0.97) was observed between the positive electrostatic potential of the σ-hole on the halogen atom and the Gibbs free energy of activation of the model reactions (i.e., halogen abstraction and carbonyl activation). The predictive ability of the applied approach was confirmed experimentally. It was also determined that the catalytic activity of azolium-based halogen bond donors was generally governed by the structure of the azolium cycle, whereas the substituents on the heterocycle had a limited impact on the activity. Ultimately, this study highlighted four of the most promising azolium halogen bond donors, which are expected to exhibit high catalytic activity.

Phosphorescent Iridium(III) Complexes with Acyclic Diaminocarbene Ligands as Chemosensors for Mercury.

A new application for bis(cyclometalated) iridium(III) species containing ancillary acyclic diaminocarbene ligands, viz. for sensing of mercury(II) ions, is disclosed. A family of bis(cyclometalated) iridium(III) species supported by both parent isocyanide and acyclic diaminocarbene ligands was prepared, and their electrochemical and photophysical properties were evaluated, revealing efficient blue-green phosphorescence in solution with quantum yields of up to 55%. We uncovered that the photophysical properties of these complexes are dramatically altered by the presence of metal ions and that the complex [Ir(ppy)2(CN){C(NH2)(NHC6H4-4-X)}] with an ADC ligand reacts selectively with Hg2+ ions, enabling its use for sensing of mercury(II) ions in solution. The limit of detection was as low as 2.63 × 10-7 M, and additional mechanistic studies indicated the formation of an unusual dinuclear iridium(III) cyclometalated intermediate, bridged by a mercury dicyano fragment as a driving force of mercury sensing.

Cleavage of acyclic diaminocarbene ligands at an iridium(iii) center. Recognition of a new reactivity mode for carbene ligands.

Reaction of [Ir(µ-Cl)(ppy)2]2 (1) with 4 equivs of CNC6H4X (X = F 2a, Cl 2b, Br 2c, I 2d) in the presence of 2 equivs of AgOTf in dichloromethane at 20-25 °C furnished the bisisocyanide complexes [Ir(ppy)2(CNC6H4X)2](OTf) ([3a-d](OTf); 72-87%). Reaction of [3a-d](OTf) with an excess of gaseous ammonia at room temperature gave the bisdiaminocarbene species [Ir(ppy)2{C(NH2)NHC6H4X}2](OTf) [5a-d](OTf) (73-83%); the two-step addition proceeds through an intermediate formation of appropriate monocarbene complexes [4a-d](OTf). Further reaction of [5a-d](OTf) with an excess of gaseous ammonia at 50 °C led to the cleavage of one diaminocarbene ligand to the cyanide ligand in [Ir(ppy)2(CN){C(NH2)NHC6H4X}] (6a-d) and this transformation is accompanied with the elimination of a substituted aniline. Treatment of [5a-d](OTf) with N(CH2CH2OH)3 at 50 °C resulted in the cleavage of the diaminocarbene ligand to the isocyanide and uncomplexed NH3; isocyanide remains bound to the iridium(iii) center in [Ir(ppy)2{C(NH2)NHC6H4X}(CNC6H4X)](OTf) (4a-d). All isolated compounds were characterized by elemental analyses (C, H, N), molar conductivity measurements, TG/DTA, HRESI+/--MS, FTIR, 1D (1H, 13C{1H}, 19F{1H}) and 2D (1H,1H-COSY, 1H,13C-HMQC/1H,13C-HSQC, 1H,13C-HMBC) NMR, and also by X-ray diffraction (for the bisisocyanide 3, the diaminocarbene/isocyanide 4, the bisdiaminocarbene 5, and the diaminocarbene/cyanide 6 type complexes).

TfOH-Promoted Reaction of 2,4-Diaryl-1,1,1-Trifluorobut-3-yn-2-oles with Arenes: Synthesis of 1,3-Diaryl-1-CF3-Indenes and Versatility of the Reaction Mechanisms.

The TfOH-mediated reactions of 2,4-diaryl-1,1,1-trifluorobut-3-yn-2-oles (CF3-substituted diaryl propargyl alcohols) with arenes in CH2Cl2 afford 1,3-diaryl-1-CF3-indenes in yields up to 84%. This new process for synthesis of such CF3-indenes is complete at room temperature within one hour. The synthetic potential, scope, and limitations of this reaction were illustrated by more than 70 examples. The proposed reaction mechanism invokes the formation of highly reactive CF3-propargyl cation intermediates that can be trapped at the two mesomeric positions by the intermolecular nucleophilic attack of an arene partner with a subsequent intramolecular ring closure.

Reactions of 1,5-Diaryl-3-(trifluoromethyl)pent-1-en-4-yn-3-yl Cations with Benzene in TfOH. Synthesis of CF3-"Helicopter"-Like Molecules.

Trimethylsilyl ethers of 1,5-diaryl-3-(trifluoromethyl)pent-1-en-4-yn-3-oles in superacid CF3SO3H (TfOH) give rise to the corresponding intermediate CF3-pentenynyl cations. These species react with benzene to afford conjugated CF3-pentenynes, which undergo subsequent cyclization, first, into CF3-cycloheptadienes and, finally, into unusual CF3-"helicopter"-like bicyclic structures.

3-Dialkylamino-1,2,4-triazoles via ZnII-Catalyzed Acyl Hydrazide-Dialkylcyanamide Coupling.

Zinc(II)-catalyzed (10 mol % ZnCl2) coupling of acyl hydrazides and dialkylcyanamides in ethanol leads to 3-dialkylamino-1,2,4-triazoles (76-99%; 17 examples). This reaction represents a novel, straightforward, and high-yielding approach to practically important 3-NR2-1,2,4-triazoles, which utilizes commercially available and/or easily generated substrates. Seventeen new 3-NR2-1,2,4-triazoles were characterized by HRESI+-MS and IR, 1H, and 13C{1H} NMR spectroscopies and five species additionally by single-crystal X-ray diffraction (XRD). The ZnII-catalyzed reaction proceeds via initial generation of the [Zn{RC(=O)NHNH2}3](ZnCl4) complexes (exemplified by isolation of the complex with R = Ph, 76%; characterized by HRESI+-MS, IR, CP-MAS TOSS 13C{1H} NMR, and XRD). Electronic effects of substituents at the acyl hydrazide moiety do not significantly affect the reaction rate and the yield of the target triazoles, whereas the steric hindrances reduce the reaction rate without affecting the yield of the heterocycles.

Metal-mediated reactions between dialkylcyanamides and acetamidoxime generate unusual (nitrosoguanidinate)nickel(ii) complexes.

The nitrosoguanidinate complexes [Ni{NH[double bond, length as m-dash]C(NR2)NN(O)}2] (R2 = Me21, (CH2)4O 2, (CH2)43, (CH2)54, (Me)Ph 5, Ph26, (p-MeC6H4)27) were obtained in low-to-moderate (12-26%) yields but reproducible yields in an unexpected metal-mediated reaction in MeOH between the nickel salt NiCl2·2H2O, N,N-disubstituted cyanamides NCNR2, and the amidoxime MeC([double bond, length as m-dash]NOH)NH2. These complexes were formed along with a spectrum of cyanamide-oxime coupling products. The IR and X-ray data indicate the delocalization within the NNO and NCN systems of the nitrosoguanidinate ligand. This delocalization was additionally confirmed by inspection of Wiberg bond indices for the selected bonds. In the X-ray structure of 5, the rare metallophilic contacts NiNi between stacks of the square-planar complexes were detected and these non-covalent interactions were studied by non-relativistic and relativistic DFT calculations and topological analysis of the electron density distribution within the framework of Bader's theory (QTAIM method). The estimated strength of the NiNi interactions is 1.3-1.9 kcal mol-1 and they are mostly determined by crystal packing effects and weak attractive interactions between adjacent metal centers due to the overlapping of their dz2 and pz orbitals.