Inner-Sphere and Outer-Sphere Water Interactions in Co(II) paraCEST Agents.

High-spin Co(II) complexes are promising for development as paraCEST agents (paraCEST = paramagnetic chemical exchange saturation transfer) for magnetic resonance imaging applications. The first examples of Co(II) paraCEST agents with bound water ligands are presented here. Four Co(II) macrocyclic complexes based on 1,4,7-triazacyclononane and containing either pendent alcohol or pendent amide groups were prepared. Two of the macrocycles encapsulate the Co(II) and contain no water ligands as shown by X-ray crystallographic studies, and two complexes have macrocycles with only five ligand donor groups to leave an open coordination site for bound water. The ionization of alcohol, water, or amide groups in the complexes was characterized by using pH potentiometry. These data show that one of the complexes has a readily deprotonated group with a pKa close to 6, which is assigned as an alcohol pendent. Amide pendents deprotonate at high pH (>8), and the water ligands of the Co(II) complexes are not deprotonated at neutral pH. All complexes produce CEST peaks through either alcohol OH or amide NH proton exchange. The water ligands exchange too rapidly to produce a CEST effect as shown by variable-temperature 17O NMR spectroscopy studies. The complexes with available coordination sites for inner-sphere water ligands produce large paramagnetic shifts and broadening of the 17O resonances of bulk water, whereas the encapsulated complexes show much less shifting and broadening of 17O resonances. All complexes produce substantial paramagnetic shifts of the 1H resonances of bulk water, which is promising for the development of supramolecular CEST agents.

Fe(ii) and Co(ii) N-methylated CYCLEN complexes as paraSHIFT agents with large temperature dependent shifts.

Several complexes of Co(ii) or Fe(ii) with 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane (CYCLEN) appended with 1,7-(6-methyl)2-picolyl groups are studied as 1H NMR paraSHIFT agents (paramagnetic shift agents) for the registration of temperature. Two of the complexes, [Co(BMPC)]2+ and [Fe(BMPC)]2+, contain methyl groups only on the methyl picolyl pendents. Two other complexes, [Co(2MPC)]2+ and [Fe(2MPC)]2+, contain picolyl groups and also methyl groups on the macrocyclic amines. All macrocyclic complexes are in high spin form as shown by solution magnetic moments in the range of 5.0-5.9µBM and 5.3-5.8µBM for Co(ii) and Fe(ii) complexes, respectively. The 1H NMR spectra of both of the Fe(ii) complexes and one of the Co(ii) complexes are consistent with a predominant diastereomeric form in deuterium oxide solutions. The highly shifted methyl proton resonances for [Co(2MPC)]2+ appear at 164 and -113 ppm for macrocycle and pendent picolyl methyls and show temperature coefficients of -0.58 ppm °C-1 and 0.49 ppm °C-1, respectively. Fe(ii) complexes have less shifted methyl proton resonances and smaller temperature coefficients. The 1H resonances of [Fe(2MPC)]2+ appear at 105 ppm and -46 ppm with corresponding temperature coefficients (CT) of -0.29 ppm °C-1 and 0.22 ppm °C-1, respectively. The relatively narrow linewidths of [Fe(2MPC)]2+, however, produce superior CT/FWHM values of 0.44 and 0.31 °C-1 for the N-methyl and picolyl proton resonances where FWHM is the full width at half maximum of the 1H resonance. The crystal structure of [Co(BMPC)]Cl2 shows a six-coordinate Co(ii) bound to the macrocyclic amines and two pendent picolyl groups. The distorted trigonal prismatic geometry of the complex resembles that of an analogous complex containing four 6-methyl-2-picolyl groups, in which only two picolyl pendents are coordinated.

An FeIII Azamacrocyclic Complex as a pH-Tunable Catholyte and Anolyte for Redox-Flow Battery Applications.

A reversible Fe3+ /Fe2+ redox couple of an azamacrocyclic complex is evaluated as an electrolyte with a pH-tunable potential range for aqueous redox-flow batteries (RFBs). The FeIII complex is formed by 1,4,7-triazacyclononane (TACN) appended with three 2-methyl-imidazole donors, denoted as Fe(Tim). This complex exhibits pH-sensitive redox couples that span E1/2 (Fe3+ /Fe2+ )=317 to -270 mV vs. NHE at pH 3.3 and pH 12.8, respectively. The 590 mV shift in potential and kinetic inertness are driven by ionization of the imidazoles at various pH values. The Fe3+ /Fe2+ redox is proton-coupled at alkaline conditions, and bulk electrolysis is non-destructive. The electrolyte demonstrates high charge/discharge capacities at both acidic and alkaline conditions throughout 100 cycles. Given its tunable redox, fast electrochemical kinetics, exceptional stability/cyclability, this complex is promising for the design of aqueous RFB catholytes and anolytes that utilize the earth-abundant element iron.