Ion mobility mass spectrometry uncovers regioselectivity in the carboxylate-assisted C-H activation of palladium N-heterocyclic carbene complexes.

Carboxylate-assisted Pd-catalyzed C-H bond activation constitutes a mild and versatile synthetic tool to efficiently and selectively cleave inert C-H bonds. Herein, we demonstrate a simple method to experimentally evaluate both reactivity and selectivity in such systems using mass spectrometry (MS) methods. The N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) cations [(NHC)PdX]+, bearing as X- ligand bases commonly used to promote the C-H activation (carboxylates and bicarbonate), are generated in the gas-phase by ESI-MS. Their C-H bond activation at the N-bound groups of the NHC is then studied using Collision Induced Dissociation (CID) experiments. Ion Mobility Spectrometry (IM)-MS is exploited to identify a number of regioisomers associated with the distinctive site selective C-H activations. It is demonstrated that such C-H activation concomitant with acetic acid release occurs from a mixture of activated [(NHC-H)Pd(CH3CO2H)]+ and non-activated [(NHC)Pd(CH3CO2)]+ complexes. The identity of the X-type ligands (X = Cl-, carboxylates and bicarbonate) has a significant impact on the regioisomer branching ratio upon CID conditions. IM-MS in conjunction with a DFT mechanistic study is presented for the acetate-assisted C-H activation of the [(NHC)Pd(CH3CO2)]+ cation featuring butyl and aryl as N-donor groups.

Pseudopeptidic host adaptation in peptide recognition unveiled by ion mobility mass spectrometry.

Complexation of the glutamic-tyrosine-glutamic tripeptide (EYE) with a series of pseudopeptidic cages has been thoroughly investigated using different analytical techniques. The stoichiometry and affinities of the supramolecular host : guest complexes both in aqueous solution and in the gas-phase were obtained from a suitable combination of fluorescence spectroscopy, NMR, and mass spectrometry (MS) methods. The cages bearing basic groups (lysine, ornitine and histidine) display the tightest EYE binding in aqueous media following the order CyHis > CyLys > CyOrn, thus suggesting that Tyr side chain encapsulation is additionally modulated by the identity of the cage side chains and their ability to be engaged in polar interactions with the EYE peptide. Similarly, binding affinities estimated by MS methods clearly point towards a reduced affinity for the Cy cages with acidic pendant groups and a higher affinity of the CyHis cage over CyLys and CyOrn. Ion mobility spectrometry (IMS)-MS, assisted by molecular modelling, has been used to uncover the structural and conformational characteristics of the pseudopeptidic hosts and their supramolecular adducts with the EYE peptide. The cages display a collisional cross-section increase upon EYE inclusion that is associated with the expansion of the binding pocket of the cage cavity, thus constituting a unique example of conformational pseudopeptidic host adaptation to accommodate the inclusion of the guest.

Introducing Ion Mobility Mass Spectrometry to Identify Site-Selective C-H Bond Activation in N-Heterocyclic Carbene Metal Complexes.

The activation of C-H bonds in a selective manner still constitutes a major challenge from a synthetic point of view; thus, it remains an active area of fundamental and applied research. Herein, we introduce ion mobility spectrometry mass spectrometry-based (IM-MS) approaches to uncover site-selective C-H bond activation in a series of metal complexes of general formula [(NHC)LMCl]+ (NHC = N-heterocyclic carbene; L = pentamethylcyclopentadiene (Cp*) or p-cymene; M = Pd, Ru, and Ir). The C-H bond activation at the N-bound groups of the NHC ligand is promoted upon collision induced dissociation (CID). The identification of the resulting [(NHC-H)LM]+ isomers relies on the distinctive topology that such cyclometalated isomers adopt upon site-selective C-H bond activation. Such topological differences can be reliably evidenced as different mobility peaks in their respective CID-IM mass spectra. Alternative isomers are also identified via dehydrogenation at the Cp*/p-cymene (L) ligands to afford [(NHC)(L-H)M]+. The fragmentation of the ion mobility-resolved peaks is also investigated by CID-IM-CID. It enables the assignment of mobility peaks to the specific isomers formed from C(sp2)-H or C(sp3)-H bond activation and distinguishes them from the Cp*/p-cymene (L) dehydrogenation isomers. The conformational change of the NHC ligands upon C-H bond activation, concomitant with cyclometalation, is also discussed on the basis of the estimated collision cross section (CCS). A unique conformation change of the pyrene-tagged NHC members is identified that involves the reorientation of the NHC ring accompanied by a folding of the pyrene moiety.

Clippane: A Mechanically Interlocked Molecule (MIM) Based on Molecular Tweezers.

In this study we report the preparation of a new mechanically interlocked molecule formed by the self-aggregation of two metallotweezers composed by two pyrene-imidazolylidene gold(I) arms and a pyridine-centered pentacyclic bis-alkynyl linker. The mechanically interlocked nature of this molecule arises from the presence of the bulky tert-butyl groups attached to the sides of the pyrene moieties of the arms of the tweezer, which act as stoppers avoiding the dissociation of the self-aggregated metallotweezer dimer once it is formed. By combining experimental techniques, we were able to confirm the mechanically interlocked nature of this molecule in solution, in the gas phase and in the solid state. The behavior of the tert-butyl substituted tweezer differs greatly form that shown by the tweezer lacking of these bulky groups, whose dimeric structure is in equilibrium with the monomeric structure, therefore not showing any mechanical coercion that avoids the disassembly of the self-aggregated structure.

Unveiling anion-induced folding in tripodal imidazolium receptors by ion-mobility mass spectrometry.

The anion-induced folding of tripodal imidazolium receptors has been investigated by NMR spectroscopy, electrospray ionization ion mobility mass spectrometry and DFT calculations. Such folding can be switched by anion release upon collision induced dissociation.

Ion Mobility Mass Spectrometry Uncovers Guest-Induced Distortions in a Supramolecular Organometallic Metallosquare.

The encapsulation of the tetracationic palladium metallosquare with four pyrene-bis-imidazolylidene ligands [1]4+ with a series of organic molecules was studied by Electrospray ionization Travelling Wave Ion-Mobility Mass Spectrometry (ESI TWIM-MS). The method allowed to determine the Collision Cross Sections (CCSs), which were used to assess the size changes experienced by the host upon encapsulation of the guest molecules. When fullerenes were used as guests, the host is expanded ΔCCS 13 Å2 and 23 Å2 , for C60 or C70 , respectively. The metallorectangle [1]4+ was also used for the encapsulation of a series of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and naphthalenetetracarboxylic diimide (NTCDI), to form complexes of formula [(NTCDI)2 (PAH)@1]4+ . For these host:guest adducts, the ESI IM-MS studies revealed that [1]4+ is expanded by 47-49 Å2 .. The energy-minimized structures of [1]4+ , [C60 @1]4+ , [C70 @1]4+ , [(NTCDI)2 (corannulene)@1]4+ in the gas phase were obtained by DFT calculations.Introduction.

pH-Controlled One Pot Syntheses of Giant Mo2O2S2-Containing Seleno-Tungstate Architectures.

Self-assembly reactions of Na2WO4, SeO2/SeO32-, and [Mo2O2(µ-S)2(H2O)6]2+ give, depending on the pH value, two new large polyoxometalate complexes: i.e., [(γ-Se2W14O52)3(Mo2O2(µ-S)2(H2O)2)6]24- (1) isolated at pH 3.5 and [(γ-Se2W14O52)4(WO3(H2O))8(W2O5)2(W4O12)2(Mo2O2(µ-S)2(H2O)2)4(Mo2O2(µ-S)2(SeO3))4]36- (2) isolated at pH 2. Both compounds were characterized in the solid state by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, EDX, elemental analysis, TGA, and FT-IR and in solution by ESI-MS and NMR.

Synthesis and Characterization of [(OH)TeNb5O18](6-) in Water Solution, Comparison with [Nb6O19](8-).

Reaction of [Nb6O19](8-) with H6TeO6 in water gives telluropentaniobate [(OH)TeNb5O18](6-) (1) as single product, which was isolated as Na(+) and mixed Na(+)/K(+) salts. Crystal structures were determined for Na6[(OH)TeNb5O18]·15H2O (Na6-1) and K6Na[Nb(5.5){Te(OH)}(0.5)O(18.5)]·26H2O (K6Na-1). Formation of 1 was monitored with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) and (125)Te NMR techniques. Capillary electrophoresis was used to calculate electrophoretic mobilities and radii of the anionic species in solutions of [(OH)TeNb5O18](6-) and [Nb6O19](8-) in borate buffer. No condensation or degradation products were detected. Reactions of 1 with {Cp*Rh}(2+) sources gives 1:1 and 2:1 hybrid polyoxometalate, which are present in solution as a mixture of isomers, as detected by (125)Te NMR. The isomerism is related to various possibilities of coordination of {Cp*Rh}(2+) to different {M3O3} faces, relative to the unique Te atom. According to ESI-MS experiments in water and methanol, rapid redistribution of the organometallic fragments between the 1:1 and 2:1 complexes takes place. The 1:1 complexes are more stable in water, while 2:1 complexes dominate in methanol. X-ray structural analysis of the crystals isolated from 2:1 reaction mixture allowed identification of Na3[{Cp*Rh}2TeNb5O19]·24H2O (Cp*2Rh2-1) with two {Cp*Rh}(2+) fragments capping the opposing faces of the Lindqvist anion.

New Perspectives for Old Clusters: Anderson-Evans Anions as Building Blocks of Large Polyoxometalate Frameworks in a Series of Heterometallic 3 d-4 f Species.

A series of nine [Sb7W36O133Ln3M2(OAc)(H2O)8](17-) heterometallic anions (Ln3M2; Ln=La-Gd, M=Co; Ln=Ce, M=Ni and Zn) have been obtained by reacting 3 d metal disubstituted Krebs-type tungstoantimonates(III) with early lanthanides. Their unique tetrameric structure contains a novel {MW9O33} capping unit formed by a planar {MW6O24} fragment to which three {WO2} groups are condensed to form a tungstate skeleton identical to that of a hypothetical trilacunary derivative of the ɛ-Keggin cluster. It is shown, for the first time, that classical Anderson-Evans {MW6O24} anions can act as building blocks to construct purely inorganic large frameworks. Unprecedented reactivity in the outer ring of these disk-shaped species is also revealed. The Ln3M2 anions possess chirality owing to a {Sb4O4} cluster being encapsulated in left- or right-handed orientations. Their ability to self-associate in blackberry-type vesicles in solution has been assessed for the Ce3Co2 derivative.

Supramolecular Adducts of Cucurbit[7]uril and Amino Acids in the Gas Phase.

The complexation of the macrocyclic cavitand cucurbit[7]uril (Q7) with a series of amino acids (AA) with different side chains (Asp, Asn, Gln, Ser, Ala, Val, and Ile) is investigated by ESI-MS techniques. The 1:1 [Q7 + AA + 2H](2+) adducts are observed as the base peak when equimolar Q7:AA solutions are electrosprayed, whereas the 1:2 [Q7 + 2AA + 2H](2+) dications are dominant when an excess of the amino acid is used. A combination of ion mobility mass spectrometry (IM-MS) and DFT calculations of the 1:1 [Q7 + AA + 2H](2+) (AA = Tyr, Val, and Ser) adducts is also reported and proven to be unsuccessful at discriminating between exclusion or inclusion-type conformations in the gas phase. Collision induced dissociation (CID) revealed that the preferred dissociation pathways of the 1:1 [Q7 + AA + 2H](2+) dications are strongly influenced by the identity of the amino acid side chain, whereas ion molecule reactions towards N-butylmethylamine displayed a common reactivity pattern comprising AA displacement. Special emphasis is given on the differences between the gas-phase behavior of the supramolecular adducts with amino acids (AA = Asp, Asn, Gln, Ser, Ala, Val, and Ile) and those featuring basic (Lys and Arg) and aromatic (Tyr and Phe) side chains.

Catalytic N-Alkylation of Amines Using Carboxylic Acids and Molecular Hydrogen.

A convenient, practical and green N-alkylation of amines has been accomplished by applying readily available carboxylic acids in the presence of molecular hydrogen. Applying an in situ formed ruthenium/triphos complex and an organic acid as cocatalyst, a broad range of alkylated secondary and tertiary amines are obtained in good to excellent yields. This novel method is also successfully applied for the synthesis of unsymmetrically substituted N-methyl/alkyl anilines through a direct three-component coupling reaction of the corresponding amines, carboxylic acids, and CO2 as a C1 source.

Stereoselective recognition of the Ac-Glu-Tyr-OH dipeptide by pseudopeptidic cages.

Pseudopeptidic molecular cages are appealing receptors since they can display different polar and non-polar interaction sites in a modular framework and a controlled disposition. Inspired by previous host-guest knowledge, two pseudopeptidic molecular cages based on serine and threonine (CySer and CyThr, respectively) were designed and synthesized as hosts for the binding of the four possible stereoisomers of the Ac-Glu-Tyr-OH dipeptide, a target sequence of tyrosine kinases. The careful NMR titration experiments in aqueous acetonitrile allowed the determination of the binding constants and reflected a difference in the stability of the corresponding diastereomeric host-guest complexes. The CySer cage proved to be slightly more efficient than the CyThr counterpart, although both showed similar stereoselectivity trends: LL > DD ≥ LD > DL. This stereoselective binding was retained in the gas phase, as shown by ESI-MS competition experiments using the enantiomer-labelled method (EL), as well as CID experiments. Thus, the MS-determined discriminations follow the same trends observed by NMR, suggesting that the stereoselectivity observed for these systems must be mainly dictated by the polar host-guest interactions. Despite the stereoselective binding of short peptide sequences in competitive media being a challenging issue in supramolecular chemistry, our results demonstrate the power of pseudopeptidic cages in molecular recognition with foreseen implications in chemical biology.

Convenient Reductive Methylation of Amines with Carbonates at Room Temperature.

Methylation of amines is a fundamental and commonly used reaction in organic synthesis. Many methods are known including various reductive methylations using formaldehyde, formic acid, or carbon dioxide in the presence of reductants. However, several of these methods suffer from limited substrate scope and chemoselectivity because of the different nucleophilicities of substrates. In this respect, the combination of carbonates and hydrosilanes is a valuable methylation source in the presence of Pt-based catalysts. This highly tunable method allows for methylation of both aromatic and aliphatic amines, and chemoselective methylation of aminoalcohols and diamines. Notably, the in situ-formed catalyst can also be used for the reduction of carbonates to methanol at room temperature. Mechanistic insights on intermediates formed during the reaction pathway were obtained by using ESI mass spectrometry.

A Tetraferrocenyl-Resorcinarene Cavitand as a Redox-Switchable Host of Ammonium Salts.

Tetraannulation of a resorcinarene-octaamino cavitand with ferrocenecarboxaldehyde allows the preparation of a tetrabenzimidazole-resorcinarene cavitand with four ferrocenyl moieties directly linked to the C2 atom of the imidazole units. Oxidation of the four ferrocenyl moieties produces important structural modifications of the molecule, as indicated by DFT calculations performed for the neutral and tetraoxidized forms of the cavitand. By means of (1) H NMR spectroscopic analysis, the encapsulating properties of the new tetraferrocenyl-resorcinarene cavitand toward a series of ammonium salts were evaluated, and a clear cutoff point in binding affinity with respect to size was observed. Cyclic voltammetric studies allowed us to estimate the relative association constants for the neutral and oxidized forms of the cavitand, thus indicating that the guest was bound to the neutral (reduced) state of the cavitand and was released from the oxidized form. These redox-addressable conformational and binding properties of the resorcinarene-tetraferrocenyl cavitand constitute all the necessary features of a redox-switchable molecular gripper. By means of mass-spectrometric analysis, we could unambiguously confirm the molar stoichiometry of the host-guest complex (1:1) and assess the strong guest encapsulation, as indicated by triggering the covalent coupling between host and guest in the gas phase.

Crown-shaped tungstogermanates as solvent-controlled dual systems in the formation of vesicle-like assemblies.

Reaction of early lanthanides, GeO2 , and Na2 WO4 in a NaOAc buffer results in large crown-shaped polyoxometalates based on [Ln2 GeW10 O38 ](6-) subunits. By using Ni(2+) as a crystallizing agent, [Na⊂Ln12 Ge6 W60 O228 (H2 O)24 ](35-) (Na⊂Ln12 ) hexamers formed by alternating ß(1,5)/ß(1,8) subunits were obtained for Ln=Pr, Nd. The addition of K(+) led to a similar anion for Ln=Sm, namely, [K⊂Sm12 Ge6 W60 O228 (H2 O)22 ](35-) (K⊂Sm12 ) and [K⊂K7 Ln24 Ge12 W120 O444 (OH)12 (H2 O)64 ](52-) (K⊂Ln24 ) dodecamers that consist of a central core identical to K⊂Sm12 decorated with six external γ(3,4) subunits for Ln=Pr, Nd. These anions dissociate in water into hexameric cores and monomeric entities, as shown by ESI mass spectrometry. The former self-assemble into spherical, hollow, and single-layered blackberry-type structures with radii of approximately 75 nm, as monitored by laser light scattering (LLS) and TEM techniques. Analogous studies performed for K⊂Nd24 in water/acetone mixtures show that the dodecamers remain stable and form in turn their own type of blackberries with sizes that increase from approximately 20 to 50 nm with increasing acetone content. This control over both the composition and size of the vesicle-like assemblies is achieved for the first time by modifying the architecture of the species that undergoes supramolecular association through the solvent polarity.

Selenate as a novel ligand for keplerate chemistry. New {W72Mo60} keplerates with selenates inside the cavity.

The synthesis and characterization of three novel keplerate-type compounds containing the {W72Mo60} mixed-metal core are reported. Complexes (NH4)72[{W6O21(H2O)6}12{Mo2O4(SeO4)}30]·150H2O·6(NH4)2SeO4 (1a) and (NH4)25(NH2Me2)47[{W6O21(H2O)6}12{Mo2O4(SeO4)}30]·130H2O·3(NH4)2SeO4 (1b) were prepared by ligand substitution from the acetate anionic complex [{W6O21(H2O)5(CH3COO)0.5}12{Mo2O4(CH3COO)}30](48-) and selenate. The selenate anions in keplerate ions [{W6O21(H2O)6}12{Mo2O4(SeO4)}30](72-) are very labile and easily aquate with the formation of [{W6O21(H2O)6}12{Mo2O4}30(SeO4)20(H2O)20](52-), which was isolated as (NH4)20(NH2Me2)32[{W6O21(H2O)6}12{Mo2O4}30(SeO4)20(H2O)20]·150H2O (2) and structurally characterized. In the crystal structure of 2 selenate has several coordination modes, preferentially bonding to the {Mo2O4}(2+) units, and, additionally, to the {(W)W5} pentagonal blocks. The compounds have been characterized by elemental analysis, Raman, IR and (77)Se NMR spectroscopy, and by ESI mass spectrometry. Capillary electrophoresis was used for characterization of keplerates in solution for the first time.

Chemoselective hydrogenation of carbonyl compounds and acceptorless dehydrogenative coupling of alcohols.

OsHCl(CO)[κ(3)-PyCH2NHC2H4NHPtBu2] is the first efficient catalyst for chemoselective reduction of challenging unsaturated esters to enols and for acceptorless coupling of amines with MeOH and EtOH affording formamides and acetamides. The NMR, ESI-MS, and DFT data indicate a mechanism proceeding in the metal coordination sphere and producing no free organic intermediates.

Rearrangement of a Krebs-type polyoxometalate upon coordination of N,O-bis(bidentate) ligands.

Selective coordination of 2,3-pyzdc to the Krebs-type [{Ni(H2O)3}2(WO2)2(SbW9O33)2](10-) anion promotes a skeletal rearrangement that results in the [(2,3-pyzdc)2{NaNi2(H2O)4Sb2W20O70}2](22-) (Ni4) hybrid dimer showing a novel dinickel containing a 20-tungsto-2-antimonate(III) framework stabilized by N,O-bis(bidentate) bridging ligands. The solution stability and magnetism of Ni4 is discussed.

Mechanism of [3+2] cycloaddition of alkynes to the [Mo3 S4 (acac)3 (py)3 ][PF6 ] cluster.

A study, involving kinetic measurements on the stopped-flow and conventional UV/Vis timescales, ESI-MS, NMR spectroscopy and DFT calculations, has been carried out to understand the mechanism of the reaction of [Mo3 S4 (acac)3 (py)3 ][PF6 ] ([1]PF6 ; acac=acetylacetonate, py=pyridine) with two RCCR alkynes (R=CH2 OH (btd), COOH (adc)) in CH3 CN. Both reactions show polyphasic kinetics, but experimental and computational data indicate that alkyne activation occurs in a single kinetic step through a concerted mechanism similar to that of organic [3+2] cycloaddition reactions, in this case through the interaction with one Mo(µ-S)2 moiety of [1](+) . The rate of this step is three orders of magnitude faster for adc than that for btd, and the products initially formed evolve in subsequent steps into compounds that result from substitution of py ligands or from reorganization to give species with different structures. Activation strain analysis of the [3+2] cycloaddition step reveals that the deformation of the two reactants has a small contribution to the difference in the computed activation barriers, which is mainly associated with the change in the extent of their interaction at the transition-state structures. Subsequent frontier molecular orbital analysis shows that the carboxylic acid substituents on adc stabilize its HOMO and LUMO orbitals with respect to those on btd due to better electron-withdrawing properties. As a result, the frontier molecular orbitals of the cluster and alkyne become closer in energy; this allows a stronger interaction.

Cation-directed dimeric versus tetrameric assemblies of lanthanide-stabilized dilacunary Keggin tungstogermanates.

Reaction of mid- to late lanthanide ions with GeO2 and Na2WO4 in NaOAc buffer results in a library of [Ln2 (GeW10O38)](6-) clusters (Ln2), which consist of dilacunary Keggin fragments stabilized by the insertion of 4f atoms in the vacant sites and show the ability to undergo cation-directed self-assembly processes. In the presence of Na(+), two ß-Ln2 subunits assemble by means of Ln-O(WO5)-Ln bridges to form the chiral [Ln4(H2O)6(ß-GeW10O38)2](12-) dimeric anions (ßß-Ln4, Ln = Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu). When Cs(+) is present, two Ln4-like dimers further assemble into the [{Ln4(H2O)5(GeW10O38)2}2](24-) species (Ln8, Ln = Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu). Two types of tetramers coexist in the solid state: One shows a full ßß-Ln8 architecture, whereas the other one is a mixed αß-Ln8 assembly in which each ß-subunit is linked to its corresponding α-Ln2 derivative. Regardless of differences in isomeric forms and the relative arrangement of Ln2 subunits, all anions display virtually identical {Ln4} cores as a common structural feature. A combination of ESI mass spectrometry and (183)W NMR spectroscopy experiments indicates that Ln8 tetramers fragment into Ln4 dimers upon dissolution, which undergo partial dissociation into Ln2 monomers and slow dimer/monomer equilibration. This is most likely followed by ß-to-α isomerization of Ln2 clusters with consequent reassembly, as indicated by isolation of three additional αα-Ln4 derivatives. Magnetic and photoluminescence properties in the Na-ßß-Ln4 series are also discussed.