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Mono‐ and bis‐salen functionalised [2]rotaxanes have been synthesised from the esterification of [2]rotaxanes containing phenol‐terminated threads (salen=N,N′‐bis(salicylidene)ethylenediamine). The [2]rotaxanes have general formula [RH][Cr7NiF8(O2CtBu)16], where [RH]+ is a thread with a central secondary ammonium site that templates a [Cr7NiF8(O2CtBu)16]− ring. The threads are terminated at one or both ends by carboxylic acid functionalised salen groups. The {M(salen)} groups can be free‐base [M=(H+)2] or metallated [M=Cu2+, Ni2+, (VO)2+]. The [2]rotaxanes have been characterised by single crystal XRD and solid‐ and solution‐state EPR spectroscopy. Where two paramagnetic M ions are involved [M=Cu2+ and/or (VO)2+] the [2]rotaxanes contain three electron spin S=1/2 ${{ 1/2 }}$ centres, since the {Cr7Ni} ring has an S=1/2 ${{ 1/2 }}$ ground state which is well isolated at low temperatures. These three‐spin [2]rotaxanes have been characterised in solution by pulsed dipolar EPR spectroscopies (DEER, also known as PELDOR, and RIDME). The M⋅⋅⋅M and M⋅⋅⋅{Cr7Ni} interactions measured are consistent with dipolar interactions and also with the distances from single crystal XRD. The authors declare no competing financial interest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report three new polymers, based on mechanically interlocked inorganic–organic rotaxanes. They are made in very mild conditions and involve pyrimidine head groups binding to copper(ii) linking units. A two-dimensional 6,3 net and a three-dimensional 10,3b net are found depending on the solvent used in the reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the design of dynamic supramolecular systems used in molecular machines, it is important to understand the binding preferences between the macrocycle and stations along the thread. Here, we apply 1H NMR spectroscopy to investigate the relative stabilities of a series of linear alkylammonium templated pseudorotaxanes with the general formula [H2NRR'][Cr7CoF8(O2CCH2tBu)16] by exchanging the cation in solution. Our results show that the pseudorotaxanes are able to exchange threads via a dissociative mechanism. The position of equilibrium is dependent upon the ammonium cation and solvent used. Short chain primary ammonium cations are shown to be far less favourable macrocycle stations than secondary ammonium cations. Collision‐induced dissociation mass spectrometry (CID‐MS) has been used to look at disassembly of the pseudorotaxanes in a solvent‐free environment and stability trends compared to those in acetone‐d6. The energy needed to induce 50 % of the precursor ion loss (E50) is used and shows a similar trend to the equilibria measured by NMR. The relative stabilities of these hybrid inorganic‐organic pseudo‐rotaxanes are different to those of host‐guest compounds involving crown ethers and this may be valuable for the design of molecular machines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are crystalline synthetic porous materials formed by binding organic linkers to metal nodes: they can be either rigid.sup.1,2 or flexible.sup.3. Zeolites and rigid MOFs have widespread applications in sorption, separation and catalysis that arise from their ability to control the arrangement and chemistry of guest molecules in their pores via the shape and functionality of their internal surface, defined by their chemistry and structure.sup.4,5. Their structures correspond to an energy landscape with a single, albeit highly functional, energy minimum. By contrast, proteins function by navigating between multiple metastable structures using bond rotations of the polypeptide.sup.6,7, where each structure lies in one of the minima of a conformational energy landscape and can be selected according to the chemistry of the molecules that interact with the protein. These structural changes are realized through the mechanisms of conformational selection (where a higher-energy minimum characteristic of the protein is stabilized by small-molecule binding) and induced fit (where a small molecule imposes a structure on the protein that is not a minimum in the absence of that molecule).sup.8. Here we show that rotation about covalent bonds in a peptide linker can change a flexible MOF to afford nine distinct crystal structures, revealing a conformational energy landscape that is characterized by multiple structural minima. The uptake of small-molecule guests by the MOF can be chemically triggered by inducing peptide conformational change. This change transforms the material from a minimum on the landscape that is inactive for guest sorption to an active one. Chemical control of the conformation of a flexible organic linker offers a route to modifying the pore geometry and internal surface chemistry and thus the function of open-framework materials.A new metal-organic framework has several conformational degrees of freedom that can be modified by the external chemical environment to change the structure and trigger the uptake of a guest molecule., Author(s): Alexandros P. Katsoulidis [sup.1] , Dmytro Antypov [sup.1] , George F. S. Whitehead [sup.1] , Elliot J. Carrington [sup.1] , Dave J. Adams [sup.1] [sup.2] , Neil G. Berry [...]

We report the synthesis of a series of temperature‐sensitive non‐classical early Ln(II) (Ln=lanthanide) complexes, [K(2.2.2‐cryptand)][Ln(Cptt)3] (Cptt=C5H3tBu2‐1,3; 1‐Ln; Ln=La−Nd). Complexes 1‐Ln were typically prepared using Schlenk line techniques rather than more common glove box protocols, by the reduction of the parent Ln(III) complexes [Ln(Cptt)3] (2‐Ln) with KC8 in THF in the presence of 2.2.2‐cryptand at −30 °C. The majority of the 2‐Ln series have been reported previously by the salt metathesis reactions of 3 eq. KCptt with parent LnCl3, and these methods were adapted here to afford 2‐Pr. Complexes 1‐Ln and 2‐Pr were characterized by single crystal XRD, elemental analysis, ATR‐IR and UV‐Vis‐NIR spectroscopy; 1‐La and 2‐Pr were additionally characterized by c.w. EPR spectroscopy, and variable temperature magnetic susceptibility measurements were performed on 2‐Pr. During attempts to synthesize 2‐Nd and 2‐Sm we also obtained small crops of crystals of [Nd(Cptt)2(μ‐I)]2 (3) and [Sm(Cptt)2(μ‐Cl)]2 ⋅ C7H8 (4 ⋅ C7H8), respectively; these complexes were also structurally authenticated, and magnetic data was collected for 4 ⋅ C7H8. The combination of data obtained indicate that the Ln(II) centers in 1‐Ln adopt 4fn5d1 electron configurations, in common with other literature examples of [Ln(CpR)3]− anions (CpR=substituted cyclopentadienyl) for these metals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A synthetic strategy is demonstrated to prepare two distinct trimers of antiferromagnetically coupled {Cr7Ni} rings, substantially varying the magnetic interactions between the spin centres. The interactions were studied using multi‐frequency cw EPR: in a trimer linked via non‐covalent H‐bonding interactions no measurable interaction between rings was seen, while in a trimer linked via iso‐nicotinate groups isotropic and anisotropic exchange interactions of +0.42 and −0.8 GHz, respectively, were observed. The latter are the same as those for a simpler hetero‐dimer system, showing how the spin‐spin interactions can be built in a predictable and modular manner in these systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite p-block clusters being known for over a century, their application as catalysts to mediate organic transformations is underexplored. Here, the boron functionalized [P7] cluster [(BBN)P7]2- ([1]²-; BBN = 9-borabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane) is applied in the dearomatized reduction of pyridines, as well as the hydroboration of imines and nitriles. These transformations afford amine products, which are important precursors to pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, and polymers. Catalyst [1]2- has high stability in these reductions: recycling nine times in quinoline hydroboration led to virtually no loss in catalyst performance. The catalyst can also be recycled between two different organic transformations, again with no loss in catalyst competency. The mechanism for pyridine reduction was probed experimentally using variable time normalization analysis, and computationally using density functional theory. This work demonstrates that Zintl clusters can mediate the reduction of nitrogen containing substrates in a transition metal-free manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relaying conformational change over several nanometers is central to the function of allosterically regulated proteins. Replicating this mechanism artificially would provide important communication tools, but requires nanometer‐sized molecules that reversibly switch between defined shapes in response to signaling molecules. In this work, 1.8 nm long rigid rod oligo(phenylene‐ethynylene)s are scaffolds for switchable multi‐squaramide hydrogen‐bond relays. Each relay can adopt either a parallel or an antiparallel orientation relative to the scaffold; the preferred orientation is dictated by a director group at one end. An amine director responded to proton signals, with acid‐base cycles producing multiple reversible changes in relay orientation that were reported by a terminal NH, which is 1.8 nm distant. Moreover, a chemical fuel acted as a dissipative signal. As the fuel was consumed, the relay reverted to its original orientation, illustrating how information from out‐of‐equilibrium molecular signals can be communicated to a distant site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the synthesis and structural characterization of a series of heterometallic rings templated via alkylammonium or imidazolium cations. The template and preference of each metal's coordination geometry can control the structure of heterometallic compounds, leading to octa-, nona-, deca-, dodeca-, and tetradeca-metallic rings. The compounds were characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, elemental analysis, magnetometry, and EPR measurements. Magnetic measurements show that the exchange coupling between metal centres is antiferromagnetic. EPR spectroscopy shows that the spectra of {Cr7Zn} and {Cr9Zn} have S = 3/2 ground states, while the spectra of {Cr12Zn2} and {Cr8Zn} are consistent with S = 1 and 2 excited states. The EPR spectra of {(ImidH)-Cr6Zn2}, {(1-MeImH)-Cr8Zn2}, and {(1,2-diMeImH)-Cr8Zn2} include a combination of linkage isomers. The results on these related compounds allow us to examine the transferability of magnetic parameters between compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High‐entropy (HE) metal chalcogenides are a class of materials that have great potential in applications such as thermoelectrics and electrocatalysis. Layered 2D transition‐metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) are a sub‐class of high entropy metal chalcogenides that have received little attention to date as their preparation currently involves complicated, energy‐intensive, or hazardous synthetic steps. To address this, a low‐temperature (500 °C) and rapid (1 h) single source precursor approach is successfully adopted to synthesize the hexernary high‐entropy metal disulfide (MoWReMnCr)S2. (MoWReMnCr)S2 powders are characterized by powder X‐ray diffraction (pXRD) and Raman spectroscopy, which confirmed that the material is comprised predominantly of a hexagonal phase. The surface oxidation states and elemental compositions are studied by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) whilst the bulk morphology and elemental stoichiometry with spatial distribution is determined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with elemental mapping information acquired from energy‐dispersive X‐ray (EDX) spectroscopy. The bulk, layered material is subsequently exfoliated to ultra‐thin, several‐layer 2D nanosheets by liquid‐phase exfoliation (LPE). The resulting few‐layer HE (MoWReMnCr)S2 nanosheets are found to contain a homogeneous elemental distribution of metals at the nanoscale by high angle annular dark field‐scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF‐STEM) with EDX mapping. Finally, (MoWReMnCr)S2 is demonstrated as a hydrogen evolution electrocatalyst and compared to 2H‐MoS2 synthesized using the molecular precursor approach. (MoWReMnCr)S2 with 20% w/w of high‐conductivity carbon black displays a low overpotential of 229 mV in 0.5 M H2SO4 to reach a current density of 10 mA cm−2, which is much lower than the overpotential of 362 mV for MoS2. From density functional theory calculations, it is hypothesised that the enhanced catalytic activity is due to activation of the basal plane upon incorporation of other elements into the 2H‐MoS2 structure, in particular, the first row TMs Cr and Mn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Controlling aspects of the μ2‐X− bridging anion in the metal–organic framework Ga‐MIL‐53 [GaX(bdc)] (X−=(OH)− or F−, bdc=1, 4‐benzenedicarboxylate) is shown to direct the temperature at which thermally induced breathing transitions of this framework occur. In situ single crystal X‐ray diffraction studies reveal that substituting 20 % of (OH)− in [Ga(OH)(bdc)] (1) for F− to produce [Ga(OH)0.8F0.2(bdc)] (2) stabilises the large pore (lp) form relative to the narrow pore (np) form, causing a well‐defined decrease in the onset of the lp to np transition at higher temperatures, and the adsorption/desorption of nitrogen at lower temperatures through np to lp to intermediate (int) pore transitions. These in situ diffraction studies have also yielded a more plausible crystal structure of the int‐[GaX(bdc)] ⋅ H2O phases and shown that increasing the heating rate to a flash heating regime can enable the int‐[GaX(bdc)] ⋅ H2O to lp‐[GaX(bdc)] transition to occur at a lower temperature than np‐[GaX(bdc)] via an unreported pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite being known for decades, the solution-state molecular chemistry of heptapnictogen ([Pn7]3−; Pn = P, As) clusters is not well established. Here we study heavy element derivatives of tetrel functionalized heptapnictogen clusters towards heteroallene capture, specifically isocyanates, an isothiocyanate and CO2 are probed. Clusters (Me3Ge)3P7 (1), (Et3Ge)3P7 (2), (nBu3Sn)3P7 (3), and (Me3Si)3As7 (4) were all found to capture isocyanates between all three of their tetrel–pnictogen bonds. In the case of phenyl isocyanate insertion, tetrel coordination at the isocyanate nitrogen atoms is preferred, while in the case of p-toluenesulfonyl isocyanate insertion, tetrel coordination at oxygen is preferred. Furthermore, the reaction of (Me3Si)3P7 with CO2 gave NMR spectra consistent with the capture of the greenhouse gas. Heteroallene insertion at these clusters was also studied using density functional theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Addition of 1,4,8,11-tetrazacyclotetradecane (cyclam) to a reaction that produces octametallic rings when simpler amines are used, produces {Cr11M2} "pretzels" (M = ZnII or CuII) where the cyclam coordinates to the MII ion which then sits at the centre of a twelve-metal macrocycle. Magnetic studies were fitted using the finite-temperature Lanczos method (FTLM), and the results demonstrate that exchange interactions are transferable from previous exchange-coupled CrIII rings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal–organic materials such as [NH2(CH2–CHCH2)2]-[Cr7NiF8(Pivalate)16] can act as negative tone resists for electron beam lithography (EBL) with high-resolution patterning of sub-40 nanometer pitch while exhibiting ultrahigh dry etch selectivities >100:1 and giving line dose exposures >11,000 pC/cm. It is clear that the resist sensitivity is too low to be used to manufacture the latest nanoscale photomasks that are suitable for extreme ultraviolet lithography. Therefore, the focus of this work here is to improve the sensitivity of this resist while maintaining its resolution and dry etch selectivity. Using our latest Monte Carlo simulation called Excalibur, we predict that the sensitivity would increase by a factor of 1.4 when the nickel atom is substituted by a cadmium atom. EBL studies showed an excellent agreement with the simulation, and plasma etching studies demonstrated that this did not affect the dry etch performance of the resist which remains very good with a selectively of ca. 99:1 for the etching of silicon at these resolutions with a low sensitivity of 7995 pC/cm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clusters of main group elements, such as phosphorus, arsenic, germanium, and tin – called Zintl clusters – have been known for more than a century. However, their application in main group catalysis is largely unknown. Here, we tether boranes to a seven-atom phosphorus cluster ({C8H14}BCH2CH2SiMe2)3P7 (2) and we demonstrate Lewis acid catalysis as proof-of-principle that boron chemistry can be mapped onto clusters using this method. Catalyst 2 was employed to mediate key organic transformations, including the hydroboration of carbodiimides, isocyanates, ketones, alkenes, alkynes, and nitriles. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first application of Zintl-based clusters as an innocent platform in metal-free catalysis. By chaining boron, its treasure chest of chemistry can be unlocked at these clusters. Hence, beyond catalysis this method could find applications for main group clusters in neutron capture therapy, stimuli responsive materials, and cross-coupling, and frustrated Lewis pair and functional polymer chemistries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

σ-Hydrocarbyl complexes of the form [M(η5-PC4Me4)2(μ-η1:η6-CH2Ph)2K(η6-arene)] (M = La, Ce, Pr, U, Np, Pu; arene = benzene or toluene) were synthesised in one-pot reactions from [MI3(THF)4], or [U(BH4)3(toluene)] (M = U). All complexes were examined by multinuclear (1H, 13C{1H}, 31P{1H}) NMR and UV-vis-NIR spectroscopy, as well as single-crystal X-ray diffraction from which molecular metal–phosphorus bonds for Np and Pu, and a σ-hydrocarbyl metal–carbon bond for Pu, have been structurally authenticated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the synthesis of heteroleptic dysprosium complexes of the 1,2,4-tris(trimethylsilyl)cyclopentadienyl ligand (Cp‴={C5H2(SiMe3)3-1,2,4}), and diamagnetic yttrium analogues, by salt metathesis protocols from KCp‴ and molecular lanthanoid halide or borohydride precursors: [{Ln(Cp‴)2(μ-Cl)2K}2]∞ (1-Ln ; Ln = Y, Dy), [Ln(Cp‴)2(THF)(Cl)] (2-Ln ; Ln = Y, Dy), [Y(Cp‴)2(η3-C3H5)] (3-Y), [Y(Cp‴)(BH4)2(THF)] (4-Y), [Dy(Cp‴)(BH4)(μ-BH4)]4 (5-Dy) and [Ln(Cp‴)2(BH4)] (6-Ln ; Ln = Y, Dy); several crystals of [Dy(Cp‴)2(BH4)(THF)] (7-Dy) formed on one occasion during the isolation of 6-Dy. Efforts to prepare the isolated lanthanoid metallocenium cations [Ln(Cp‴)2]+ for Y and Dy were not successful by the anion abstraction methods investigated herein; however, several crystals of the contact ion-pair complex [Y(Cp‴)2{(μ-Ph)2BPh2}] (8-Y) formed from the reaction of 3-Y with [NEt3H][BPh4]. On one occasion during the preparation of 3-Y we isolated several crystals of [Mg(Cp‴)(THF)(μ-Cl)]2. Complexes 1–6 and [NEt3H][BPh4] were all structurally authenticated by single crystal XRD and characterised by IR spectroscopy and elemental analysis, with magnetic susceptibility for dysprosium complexes determined by the Evans method, and yttrium analogues studied by multinuclear NMR spectroscopy; complexes 7-Dy , 8-Y , and [Mg(Cp‴)(THF)(μ-Cl)]2 were characterised by single crystal XRD only. The magnetic properties of 5-Dy were probed by SQUID magnetometry and ab initio calculations. We report the synthesis and characterisation of a series of heteroleptic yttrium and dysprosium 1,2,4-tris(trimethylsilyl)cyclopentadienyl complexes containing halide, borohydride or allyl co-ligands. Attempts to abstract co-ligands and install weakly coordination anions to generate lanthanoid metallocenium cations were unsuccessful, which we attribute to side reactions with 1,2,4-tris(trimethylsilyl)cyclopentadienyl rings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new class of electron bean negative tone resist materials has been developed based on heterometallic rings. The initial resist performance demonstrates a resolution of 15 nm half‐pitch but at the expense of a low sensitivity. To improve sensitivity a 3D Monte Carlo simulation is used that utilizes a secondary and Auger electron generation model. The simulation suggests that the sensitivity can be dramatically improved while maintaining high resolution by incorporating appropriate chemical functionality around the metal–organic core. The new resists designs based on the simulation have the increased sensitivity expected and illustrate the value of the simulation approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a method for routine crystal structure determination on very small (typically 0.1 mg or less) amounts of crystalline material using powder X-ray diffraction data from a laboratory-based single-crystal diffractometer. The solved structures span a wide range of molecular and crystallographic complexity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymer beads have been used as the core of magnetic particles for around twenty years. Here we report studies to attach polymetallic complexes to polymer beads for the first time, producing beads of around 115 microns diameter that are attached to 1014 hybrid inorganic-organic [2]rotaxanes. The bead is then formally a [1014] rotaxane. The number of complexes attached is counted by EPR spectroscopy after including TEMPO radicals within the thread of the hybrid [2]rotaxanes. Polymer beads are used in the core of magnetic particles, and beads functionalised with paramagnetic molecules are promising as agents for dynamic nuclear polarization. Here, the authors use conventional click chemistry to decorate a polymer bead with 1014 [2]rotaxanes containing paramagnetic {Cr7Ni} rings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite being known for decades the chemical reactivity of homoatomic seven‐atom phosphorus clusters towards small molecules remains largely unexplored. Here, we report that neutral tris(silyl) functionalised heptaphosphane (P7(SiR3)3) cages are capable of heteroallene capture between the P−Si bonds of the cluster. A range of isocyanates and an isothiocyanate were investigated. In the case of isocyanates, silyl bonding at oxygen or nitrogen is regioselectively directed by the functional group on the isocyanate and substituents on the silyl moiety. Above all, we find that captured isothiocyanate molecules can be exchanged for isocyanate molecules, indicative of small molecule catch and release. Small molecule catch and release at these Zintl‐derived clusters reveals their potential application as chemical storage materials or as reusable probes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]