Syntheses and Properties of Gold-Organotin Sulfide Clusters.

We report that reactions of the binary organotin sulfide cluster [(R1Sn)3S4]Cl [A; R1 = CMe2CH2C(O)Me] with gold(I) phosphane complexes yield discrete ternary complexes [(R1Sn)2(AuPMe3)2S4] (1) and [(R2Sn)2(AuPMe3)2S4] [2; R2 = CMe2CH2C(NNH2)Me], which are related to recently published complexes [(R1,2Sn)2(AuPPh3)2S4] (B and C). Further, we present a binary tin sulfide cluster that cocrystallizes with a structure-directing salt of a gold phosphane complex in [Au(dppe)2][(R3Sn)4S6Cl] [3; R3 = CMe2CH2C(NNHPh)Me]. The nature of the product depends on the choice of the phosphane ligand as well as the addition of hydrazine hydrate or phenylhydrazine. Additionally, we report on the photophysical properties of 1, 2, B, and C, which indicate that the different phosphane ligands only have a slight influence on the optical responses. The structure, however, has a significant impact on the luminescence efficiency.

Polymer-coated nanoparticles: Carrier platforms for hydrophobic water- and air-sensitive metallo-organic compounds.

Many of the relevant compounds for anticancer therapy are metal-based compounds (metallodrugs), being platinum-based drugs such as cisplatin, carboplatin (Paraplatin®), and oxaliplatin (Eloxatin®) the most widely used. Despite this, their application is limited by issues such as cell-acquired platinum resistance and manifold side effects following systemic delivery. Thus, the development of new metal-based compounds is highly needed. The catalytic properties of a variety of metal-based compounds are nowadays very well known, which opens new opportunities to take advantage of them inside living cells or organisms. However, many of these compounds are hydrophobic and thus not soluble in aqueous solution, as they lack stability against water or oxygen presence. Thus, versatile platforms capable of enhancing the features of these compounds in aqueous solutions are of importance in the development of new drugs. Surface engineered nanoparticles may render metallodrugs with good colloidal stability in water and in complex media containing high salt concentration and/or proteins. Herein, polymer coated nanoparticles are proposed as a platform to link insoluble and water/oxygen sensitive drugs. The linkage of insoluble and oxygen sensitive tin clusters to nanoparticles is presented, aiming to enhance both, the solubility and the stability of these compounds in water, which may be an alternative approach in the development of metal-based drugs. The formation of the cluster-nanoparticle system was confirmed via inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry experiments. The catalytic activity and the stability of the cluster in water were studied through the reduction of methylene blue. Results demonstrate that in fact the tin clusters could be transferred into aqueous solution and retained their catalytic activity.

Organotetrel Chalcogenide Clusters: Between Strong Second-Harmonic and White-Light Continuum Generation.

Highly directional white-light generation was recently reported for the organotin sulfide cluster [(StySn)4S6] (Sty = p-styryl). This effect was tentatively attributed to the amorphous nature of the material in combination with the specific combination of an inversion-symmetry-free T/E cluster core (T = tetrel, E = chalcogen) with the attachment of ligands that allow π delocalization of the electron density. Systematic variation of T and the organic ligand (R) that runs from T = Si through Ge to Sn and from R = methyl through phenyl and p-styryl to 1-naphthyl provides a more comprehensive view. According to powder X-ray data, only [(PhSi)4S6] is single-crystalline among the named combinations. Here we demonstrate the fine-tuneability of the nonlinear response, i.e., changing from white-light generation to second-harmonic generation as well as controlling the white-light properties. These are investigated as a function of T, π delocalization of the electron density within R, and the order within the molecular solids.

A highly efficient directional molecular white-light emitter driven by a continuous-wave laser diode.

Tailored light sources have greatly advanced technological and scientific progress by optimizing the emission spectrum or color and the emission characteristics. We demonstrate an efficient spectrally broadband and highly directional warm-white-light emitter based on a nonlinear process driven by a cheap, low-power continuous-wave infrared laser diode. The nonlinear medium is a specially designed amorphous material composed of symmetry-free, diamondoid-like cluster molecules that are readily obtained from ubiquitous resources. The visible part of the spectrum resembles the color of a tungsten-halogen lamp at 2900 kelvin while retaining the superior beam divergence of the driving laser. This approach of functionalizing energy-efficient state-of-the-art semiconductor lasers enables a technology complementary to light-emitting diodes for replacing incandescent white-light emitters in high-brilliance applications.

Formation and Reactivity of Organo-Functionalized Tin Selenide Clusters.

Reactions of R(1) SnCl3 (R(1) =CMe2 CH2 C(O)Me) with (SiMe3 )2 Se yield a series of organo-functionalized tin selenide clusters, [(SnR(1) )2 SeCl4 ] (1), [(SnR(1) )2 Se2 Cl2 ] (2), [(SnR(1) )3 Se4 Cl] (3), and [(SnR(1) )4 Se6 ] (4), depending on the solvent and ratio of the reactants used. NMR experiments clearly suggest a stepwise formation of 1 through 4 by subsequent condensation steps with the concomitant release of Me3 SiCl. Furthermore, addition of hydrazines to the keto-functionalized clusters leads to the formation of hydrazone derivatives, [(Sn2 (µ-R(3) )(µ-Se)Cl4 ] (5, R(3) =[CMe2 CH2 CMe(NH)]2 ), [(SnR(2) )3 Se4 Cl] (6, R(2) =CMe2 CH2 C(NNH2 )Me), [(SnR(4) )3 Se4 ][SnCl3 ] (7, R(4) =CMe2 CH2 C(NNHPh)Me), [(SnR(2) )4 Se6 ] (8), and [(SnR(4) )4 Se6 ] (9). Upon treatment of 4 with [Cu(PPh3 )3 Cl] and excess (SiMe3 )2 Se, the cluster fragments to form [(R(1) Sn)2 Se2 (CuPPh3 )2 Se2 ] (10), the first discrete Sn/Se/Cu cluster compound reported in the literature. The derivatization reactions indicate fundamental differences between organotin sulfide and organotin selenide chemistry.

Synthesis and Thorough Investigation of Discrete Organotin Telluride Clusters.

Systematic experimental and theoretical investigations of reactions of R(1)SnCl3 (R(1) = CMe2CH2C(Me)O) with (Me3Si)2Te allowed for the stepwise formation and single-crystalline isolation of the first tin sesquitelluride clusters with functional organic ligands. Subsequent derivatization of the latter took place under reorganization of the inorganic core, affording clusters with complex hybrid architectures.

Revisiting [(RSn(IV))6Sn(III)2S12]: directed synthesis, crystal transformation, and luminescence properties.

We report the synthesis of the mixed-valence cluster [(R(5)Sn(IV))6Sn(III)2S12] [1; R(5) = CMe2CH2C(O)Me] under optimization of the reaction conditions. A new crystalline form of 1 in the orthorhombic space group Pbca was found at 250 K, which undergoes crystal transformation into the known monoclinic one at lower temperature. Further, we have studied the luminescence properties of 1. Time-resolved photoluminescence measurements confirm the lability of the tin-chalcogenide bonds to UV irradiation, while the organic ligands are much less affected by it.

Bronze, silver and gold: functionalized group 11 organotin sulfide clusters.

The synthesis, properties and reactivity of group 11 organotin sulfide clusters [(R(1)Sn)4(SnCl)2(MPPh3)2S8] (M = Cu, Ag), [(R(3)Sn)10Ag10S20], and [(R(1,3)Sn)2(AuPPh3)2S4] with covalently bound, carbonyl or hydrazine-terminated ligands R(1) = CMe2CH2C(Me)O or R(3) = CMe2CH2C(Me)NNH2 are reported.

Functionalized organotin-chalcogenide complexes that exhibit defect heterocubane scaffolds: formation, synthesis, and characterization.

The synthesis of new functionalized organotin-chalcogenide complexes was achieved by systematic optimization of the reaction conditions. The structures of compounds [(R(1, 2) Sn)3 S4 Cl] (1, 2), [((R(2) Sn)2 SnS4 )2 (µ-S)2 ] (3), [(R(1, 2) Sn)3 Se4 ][SnCl3 ] (4, 5), and [Li(thf)n ][(R(3) Sn)(HR(3) Sn)2 Se4 Cl] (6), in which R(1) =CMe2 CH2 C(O)Me, R(2) =CMe2 CH2 C(NNH2 )Me, and R(3) =CH2 CH2 COO, are based on defect heterocubane scaffolds, as shown by X-ray diffraction, (119) Sn NMR spectroscopy, and ESI mass spectrometry analyses. Compounds 4, 5, and 6 constitute the first examples of defect heterocubane-type metal-chalcogenide complexes that are comprised of selenide ligands. Comprehensive DFT calculations prompted us to search for the formal intermediates [(R(1) SnCl2 )2 (µ-S)] (7) and [(R(1) SnCl)2 (µ-S)2 ] (8), which were isolated and helped to understand the stepwise formation of compounds 1-6.