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We report on the synthesis of a distannyne supported by a pincer ligand bearing pendant amine donors that is capable of reversibly activating E–H bonds at one or both of the tin centres through dissociation of the hemi-labile N–Sn donor/acceptor interactions. This chemistry can be exploited to sequentially (and reversibly) assemble mixed-valence chains of tin atoms of the type ArSn{Sn(Ar)H} n SnAr ( n = 1, 2). The experimentally observed (decreasing) propensity towards chain growth with increasing chain length can be rationalized both thermodynamically and kinetically by the electron-withdrawing properties of the –Sn(Ar)H– backbone units generated via oxidative addition. peerReviewed

Thiele’s hydrocarbon occupies a central role as an open-shell platform for new organic materials, however little is known about its redox behaviour. While recent synthetic approaches involving symmetrical carbene substitution of the CPh2 termini yield isolable neutral/dicationic analogues, the intervening radical cations are much more difficult to isolate, due to narrow compatible redox ranges (typically < 0.25 V). Here we show that a hybrid BN/carbene approach allows access to an unsymmetrical analogue of Thiele’s hydrocarbon 1, and that this strategy confers markedly enhanced stability on the radical cation. 1•+ is stable across an exceptionally wide redox range (> 1 V), permitting its isolation in crystalline form. Further single-electron oxidation affords borenium dication 12+, thereby establishing an organoboron redox system fully characterized in all three redox states. We perceive that this strategy can be extended to other transient organic radicals to widen their redox stability window and facilitate their isolation., Organic molecules that can access various redox states have potential applications in electronics, batteries, catalysis, among others. Here the authors report the preparation of an unsymmetrical organoboron analogue of Thiele’s hydrocarbon and study its one- and two-electron oxidation reactions; remarkably, the radical cation is stable over a redox range of > 1 V and can also be isolated.

Iodonium complexes incorporating tertiary amines have been synthesised to study and explore why such species comprised of alkyl amines are relatively rare. The complexes were characterised in solution (1H and 15N NMR spectroscopy) and the solid state (SCXRD), and analysed computationally. peerReviewed

Two new hits of triazolyl-indole containing two different alkylsulfanyl analogues named tert-butyl 2-((4-amino-5-(1H-indol-2-yl)-4H-1,2,4-triazol-3-yl)thio)acetate 2, and ethyl 2-((4-amino-5-(1H-indol-2-yl)-4H-1,2,4-triazol-3-yl)thio)acetate 3 were synthesized via reaction of 4-amino-5-(1H-indol-2-yl)-1,2,4-triazol-3(2H)-thione 1 with tert-butyl bromoacetate and ethyl chloroacetate in the presence of base (Et3N). The molecular structure of 2, and 3 was confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction and 1H/13C- NMR spectroscopic techniques. In compound 2, the molecular packing depends on significant O...H (9.3%), N...H (12.4%) and S...H (3.1%) as well as relatively weak C...H (14.1%), S...C (2.1%), H...H (50.5%) and S...S (0.9%) contacts. Similarly, the strong O...H (11.0-12.3%) and N...H (13.1-13.6%) hydrogen bonds as well as weak C...H (15.3-16.4%), S...N (0.8-1.7%) and H...H (43.6-43.9%) are the most important interactions compound in 3. Both compounds are polar molecules where hit 2 (0.980 Debye) is less polar than 3 analogue (5.029 Debye). The atomic charge distribution and molecular electrostatic potential map as well as the reactivity descriptors were also discussed. The calculated NMR and UV-Vis spectra of the studied compounds were computed and compared with the experimental data. The different σ→σ*, π→π*, n→σ* and n→π* donor-acceptor interactions were investigated using NBO analysis. peerReviewed

Journal of the American Chemical Society : JACS 143(22), 8375-8380 (2021). doi:10.1021/jacs.1c01797, Published by American Chemical Society, Washington, DC

International audience; Selective hydrogenation of unsaturated imines over heterogeneous catalysts is an ecologically feasible and effective way to produce commercially valuable saturated imines and unsaturated amines under mild conditions, avoiding the utilization of toxic halides. The liquid-phase hydrogenation of a model imine, cinnamalaniline, over Ir, Ru, Pd and Au catalysts was studied in polar protic (methanol, 2-propanol), polar aprotic (methyl tert-butyl ether) and non-polar aprotic (toluene) solvents at 40-80°C under atmospheric hydrogen pressure. Different metal oxides (Al 2 O 3 , ZrO 2 , SiO 2) and carbon composites based on carbon nitrides synthesized by pyrolysis of ethylenediamine or melamine modified by KOH, HNO 3 , NH 4 Cl or TEOS (including template KIT-6), porous carbon (samples prepared by pyrolysis of sucrose, including template KIT-6) and mesoporous carbon Sibunit were applied to study the effect of the support. Among the tested metals, iridium exhibited the most promising catalytic performance in terms of hydrogenation activity and chemoselectivity towards unsaturated amine. The use of Ir on carbon nitrides (C 3 N 4-NH 4 Cl, C x N y-KIT-6) and amphoteric metal oxides (ZrO 2 , Al 2 O 3) in nonpolar aprotic toluene solvent provided the best selectivity towards unsaturated amine by minimizing oligomerization. Computational studies indicate that the selective hydrogenation of the CN group on Ir results from a favorable cinnamalaniline adsorption geometry at high surface coverage. Comparable heterogeneously catalyzed highly chemoselective hydrogenation of unsaturated imine into unsaturated amine under atmospheric hydrogen pressure and low temperatures has not been reported previously.

Water-soluble gold nanoclusters with well-defined molecular structures and stability possess particular biophysical properties making them excellent candidates for biological applications as well as for fundamental spectroscopic studies. The currently existing synthetic protocols for atomically monodisperse thiolate-protected gold nanoclusters (AuMPCs) have been widely expanded with organothiolates, yet the direct synthesis reports for water-soluble AuMPCs are still deficient. Here, we demonstrate a wet-chemistry pH-controlled synthesis of two large water-soluble nanoclusters utilizing p-mercaptobenzoic acid (pMBA), affording different sizes of plasmonic AuMPCs on the preparative scale (∼7 mg). AuMPCs are essentially homogenous in size and are stable in solution and the solid state. Number of characterization methods were used to gain detailed information about the size, symmetry, molecular composition, and structure of these systems, i.e., high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, NMR, UV-vis, thermogravimetry, and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. On the basis of the conducted experimental analyses and computationally aided predictions it can be evidenced that both clusters exhibit twinned face-centered cubic symmetry with the molecular composition of Au210-230(pMBA)70-80 and Au426-442(pMBA)112-115, referred from now on as Au250 and Au500, respectively. For future reference, toxicity of both gold clusters in various concentrations on cultures of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria was investigated. peerReviewed

Methylene bridged 2,2′-dipyridylamine (dpa) derivatives and their metal complexes possess outstanding properties due to their inherent structural flexibility. Synthesis of such complexes typically involves derivatization of dpa followed by coordination on metals, and may not always be very efficient. In this work, an alternative synthetic approach, involving the derivatization step after – rather than prior to – coordination of dpa on metal center, is proposed and applied to synthesis of a number of platinum(II) complexes with substituted benzyldi(2-pyridyl)amines. Comparison with the more conventional synthetic route reveals greater efficiency and versatility of the proposed approach. The obtained complexes are not luminescent in solution at room temperature, but display blue phosphorescence emission (ca. 415 nm) with the lifetimes of μs order in glassy matrix at 77 K, with additional green (ca. 485 nm) and relatively long living (τ = 3.7 ms) emission in the case of iodine substituted derivative. peerReviewed

Fe(III) porphyrins bridged with 1,2,3-triazole ligands were synthesized. Upon deprotonation, the triazolate ion coordinates to the Fe(III) ion, forming an overall neutral high-spin Fe(III) porphyrin in which the triazolate serves both as an axial ligand and as the counterion. The second axial coordination site is activated for coordination and binds p-methoxypyridine, forming a six-coordinate low-spin complex. Upon addition of a phenylazopyridine as a photodissociable ligand, the spin state of the complex can be reversibly switched with ultraviolet and visible light. The system provides the basis for the development of switchable catalase- and peroxidase-type catalysts and molecular spin switches.

A concise enantio- and stereocontrolled synthesis of (+)-lycoperdic acid is presented. The stereochemical control is based on iminium-catalyzed Mukaiyama–Michael reaction and enamine-catalyzed organocatalytic α-chlorination steps. The amino group was introduced by azide displacement, affording the final stereochemistry of (+)-lycoperdic acid. Penultimate hydrogenation and hydrolysis afforded pure (+)-lycoperdic acid in seven steps from a known silyloxyfuran. peerReviewed

Ahighly efficient strategy for the kinetic resolu-tion of Michael adductswas realized using achiral N-het-erocyclic carbene catalyst.The kinetic resolution providesanew convenientroute to single diastereomers of cyclo-hexenes and Michael adducts in good yields with highenantiomeric excesses (up to 99 % ee with aselectivityfactor of up to 458). This “two flies with one swat” con-cept allows the synthesis of these two synthetically valua-ble compound classes at the same time by asingle trans-formation. peerReviewed

This report describes the methodology for the fabrication of mesoporous In2O3 microflowers by hydrothermal and calcination procedures in which In(OH)3/In2S3 acts as an intermediate. Both In2O3 and its precursor were analyzed with scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectrophotometry, transmission electron microscopy and powder X-ray diffraction. BET surface area, pore size and pore volume analyses were also carried out. Electron microscopy images clearly evidence the self-assembly of 2D nanosheets into the micro flower structure. The mechanism of self-assembly and calcination is reported. Electrochemical properties of the synthesized In2O3 micro flowers were studied.

An efficient protocol for the synthesis of trans-disubstituted-2,3-dihydrobenzofurans through [4 + 1] annulation of para-quinone methides with sulfonium salts has been developed. Under very mild conditions this unprecedented reaction occurs in good to excellent yields (up to 99%), offering a straightforward access to a variety of 2,3-dihydrobenzofurans.

The first example of an N-heterocyclic carbene-catalyzed asymmetric desymmetrization of enal-tethered cyclohexadienones via an intramolecular homoenolate Michael addition/esterification reaction is described. This new protocol offers a direct entry to various functionalized tetrahydrofluorenones with three contiguous stereocenters in high yields, good diastereoselectivities and excellent enantioselectivities.

Four-membered rings with a P2BCh core (Ch = S, Se) have been synthesized via reaction of phosphinidene chalcogenide (Ar*P=Ch) and phosphaborene (Mes*P=BNR2). The mechanistic pathways towards these rings are explained by detailed computational work that confirmed the preference for the formation of P–P, not P–B, bonded systems, which seems counterintuitive given that both phosphorus atoms contain bulky ligands. The reactivity of the newly synthesized heterocycles, as well as that of the known (RPCh)n rings (n = 2, 3), was probed by the addition of Nheterocyclic carbenes, which revealed that all investigated compounds can act as sources of low-coordinate phosphorus species. peerReviewed

A novel NHC-catalyzed annulation protocol for the asymmetric synthesis of biologically important β-lactam fused spirocyclopentane oxindoles with four contiguous stereocenters, including two quaternary carbon centers, was developed. Alternatively, spirocyclopentane oxindoles containing an enaminone moiety can be achieved using the same starting materials, isatin-derived enals, and N-sulfonyl ketimines, in the presence of a slightly different NHC catalytic system. This switchable annulation strategy enables the selective assembly of both heterocyclic scaffolds with good yields and excellent enantioselectivities for a broad range of substrates.

The installation of vicinal mesylate and silyl ether groups in a quinic acid derivative generates a system prone for stereoselective borane-catalyzed hydrosilylation through a siloxonium intermediate. The diversification of the reaction conditions allowed the construction of different defunctionalized fragments foreseen as useful synthetic fragments. The selectivity of the hydrosilylation was rationalized on the basis of deuteration experiments and computational studies. peerReviewed

A series of alkynyl gold(I) tri and tetratopic metallaligands of the type [Au3(CuC-R)3(μ3-triphosphane)] (R = 2,2'-bipyridin-5-yl or C10H7N2, 2,2':6',2''-terpyridin-4-yl or C15H10N3; triphosphane = 1,1,1-tris(diphenylphosphanyl) ethane or triphos, 1,3,5-tris(diphenylphosphanyl)benzene or triphosph) and [Au4(CuC-R)4 (μ4-tetraphosphane)] (R = C10H7N2, C15H10N3; tetraphosphane = tetrakis(diphenylphosphanylmethyl)methane or tetraphos, 1,2,3,5-tetrakis(diphenylphosphanyl)benzene or tpbz, tetrakis(diphenylphosphaneylmethyl)-1,2- ethylenediamine or dppeda) were obtained in moderate to good yields. All complexes could be prepared by a Q4 reaction between the alkynyl gold(I) polymeric species [Au(CuC-R)]n and the appropriate polyphosphane. An alternative strategy that required the previous synthesis of the appropriate acetylacetonate precursors [Aun(acac)n(μn-polyphosphane)] ('acac method') was assayed, nevertheless only the polyacac derivatives [Au3(acac)3(μ3-triphosphane)] (triphosphane = triphos and triphosph) and [Au4(acac)4(μ4-tetraphos)] could be isolated and characterized. All compounds were characterized by IR, multinuclear NMR spectroscopy and ESI (+) mass spectrometry. The X-ray crystal structure of complexes [Au4(CuC-C10H7N2)4(μ4-tetraphos)] and [Au4(CuC-C10H7N2)4(μ4-tpbz)] showed the involvement of all the gold atoms in close intramolecular Au⋯Au contact as well as intermolecular π stacking interactions between the aromatic rings of the polypyridyl ligands. The photophysical properties of the synthesized compounds were carefully studied and used as a probe of their possible use as multidentate ligands for Cu(I) and Zn(II). The UV-Vis speciation studies of the complexation reactions were conducted via metal titration and, in most cases the dangling units of the ligand were found to behave in a fairy independent manner. While in the case of Cu(I) multiple equilibria exist in solution a single complex is detected for Zn(II) under the conditions studied.

ion of iodide from [(η5 -C5 i Pr5 )2 UI] (1) produced the cationic uranium(III) metallocene [(η5 -C5 i Pr5 )2 U]+ (2) as a salt of [B(C6 F5 )4 ]- . The structure of 2 consists of unsymmetrically bonded cyclopentadienyl ligands and a bending angle of 167.82° at uranium. Analysis of the bonding in 2 showed that the uranium 5f orbitals are strongly split and mixed with the ligand orbitals, thus leading to non-negligible covalent contributions to the bonding. Investigation of the dynamic magnetic properties of 2 revealed that the 5f covalency leads to partially quenched anisotropy and fast magnetic relaxation in zero applied magnetic field. Application of a magnetic field leads to dominant relaxation by a Raman process.

Three quinazolin-4-ylamino derivatives containing phenylbenzenesulfonamides (7a-7c) were synthesized by reacting (E)-N'-(2-cyanophenyl)-N,N-dimethyl formamidine (6) with different 4- amino-N-(phenyl)benzenesulfonamides (4a-4c) and characterized by different techniques such as HRMS, IR, 1H NMR and 13C NMR spectroscopy. The structural properties were further examined by single crystal X-ray diffraction method. The X-ray data shows that compounds 7a and 7c contain two molecules and 7b contains one molecule in the asymmetric unit. Comparison of conformation of two distinct molecules, “A” and “B”, in the asymmetric unit of 7a and 7c were studied with the aid of reported literature. The in vitro antiproliferative activity of the compounds was tested against two breast cancer cell lines (MDA-MB-231 and MCF7). Compound 7b observed as a highest potent candidate against MDA-MB-231with IC50 of 5.44 µg/mL. Antimicrobial activity was also screened against bacterial and fungal strains. Compound 7a with chloro substitution was observed as the most potent candidate against the Gram-negative bacterial strains, whereas the compounds showed no significant activity against the fungal strain. peerReviewed

The potassium cyclobutadienyl [K2{η4‐C4(SiMe3)4}] (1) reacts with MCl3(THF)3.5 (M=Y, Dy) to give the first rare‐earth cyclobutadienyl complexes, that is, the complex anions [M{η4‐C4(SiMe3)4}{η4‐C4(SiMe3)3‐κ‐(CH2SiMe2}]2−, (2M), as their dipotassium salts. The tuck‐in alkyl ligand in 2M is thought to form through deprotonation of the “squarocene” complexes [M{η4‐C4(SiMe3)4}2]− by 1. Complex 2Dy is a single‐molecule magnet, but with prominent quantum tunneling. An anisotropy barrier of 323(22) cm−1 was determined for 2Dy in an applied field of 1 kOe, and magnetic hysteresis loops were observed up to 7 K. nonPeerReviewed

Herein we report a multi‐component reaction approach for the development of a new class of hydrogelators based on the OxoTriphenylHexanOate (OTHO) backbone. A focused library of OTHOs has been synthesized and their hydrogelation features evaluated. The two most potent hydrogelators were studied by rheology revealing different stiffness, appearances and thixotropic behavior of the gels. The new gelators showcase the versatility of the OTHO backbone as a platform for the design of functionalized hydrogels with tunable gel properties. peerReviewed

The reactivity of aluminium compounds is dominated by their electron deficiency and consequent electrophilicity; these compounds are archetypal Lewis acids (electron-pair acceptors). The main industrial roles of aluminium, and classical methods of synthesizing aluminium–element bonds (for example, hydroalumination and metathesis), draw on the electron deficiency of species of the type AlR3 and AlCl31,2. Whereas aluminates, [AlR4]−, are well known, the idea of reversing polarity and using an aluminium reagent as the nucleophilic partner in bond-forming substitution reactions is unprecedented, owing to the fact that low-valent aluminium anions analogous to nitrogen-, carbon- and boron-centred reagents of the types [NX2]−, [CX3]− and [BX2]− are unknown3–5. Aluminium compounds in the +1 oxidation state are known, but are thermodynamically unstable with respect to disproportionation. Compounds of this type are typically oligomeric6–8, although monomeric systems that possess a metal-centred lone pair, such as Al(Nacnac)Dipp (where (Nacnac)Dipp = (NDippCR)2CH and R = tBu, Me; Dipp = 2,6-iPr2C6H3), have also been reported9,10. Coordination of these species, and also of (η5-C5Me5)Al, to a range of Lewis acids has been observed11–13, but their primary mode of reactivity involves facile oxidative addition to generate Al(iii) species6–8,14–16. Here we report the synthesis, structure and reaction chemistry of an anionic aluminium(i) nucleophile, the dimethylxanthene-stabilized potassium aluminyl [K{Al(NON)}]2 (NON = 4,5-bis(2,6-diisopropylanilido)-2,7-di-tert-butyl-9,9-dimethylxanthene). This species displays unprecedented reactivity in the formation of aluminium–element covalent bonds and in the C–H oxidative addition of benzene, suggesting that it could find further use in both metal–carbon and metal–metal bond-forming reactions. An aluminium compound is synthesized in which the aluminium is formally anionic; reactions with various substrates suggest that this compound acts as the nucleophilic partner in both metal–carbon and metal–metal bond-forming reactions.

A strategy to control the switch between a non‐cycloaddition reaction and a cycloaddition reaction of enals, using N‐heterocyclic carbene (NHC) catalyisis, has been developed. The new scalable protocol leads to γ‐amino‐acid esters bearing a tetrasubstituted stereocenter in good yields and high stereoselectivities by homo‐Mannich reactions of enals and isatin‐derived ketimines. By simply changing the N‐ketimine substituent to an ortho‐hydroxy phenyl group, the corresponding spirocyclic oxindolo‐γ‐lactams are obtained. peerReviewed

The new aminoalcohol phenol 2,4-di-tert-butyl-6-(((2-hydroxy-2-phenylethyl)amino)methyl)phenol (H2L) was prepared by a facile solvent-free synthesis and used as a tridentate ligand for new cis-dioxomolybdenum(vi)(L) complexes. In the presence of a coordinating solvent (DMSO, MeOH, pyridine), the complexes crystallise as monomeric solvent adducts while in the absence of such molecules, a trimer with asymmetric Mo[double bond, length as m-dash]O→Mo bridges crystallises. The complexes can catalyse epoxidation of cis-cyclooctene and sulfoxidation of methyl-p-tolylsulfide, using tert-butyl hydroperoxide as oxidant.

The 1 : 1 reactions of uranium(IV) tetrakis(borohydride) with the sodium and potassium salts of the cyclobutadienyl anion [C4(SiMe3)4]2− (Cb′′′′) produce the half-sandwich complexes [Na(12-crown-4)2][U(η4-Cb′′′′)(BH4)3] and [U(η4-Cb′′′′)(μ-BH4)3{K(THF)2}]2. In the 1 : 2 reaction of U(BH4)4 with Na2Cb′′′′, formation of [U(η4-Cb′′′′)(η3-C4H(SiMe3)3-κ-(CH2SiMe2)(BH4))]− reveals that a Cb′′′′ ligand undergoes an intramolecular deprotonation, resulting in an allyl/tuck-in bonding mode. A computational study reveals that the uranium–Cb′′′′ bonding has an appreciable covalent component with contributions from the uranium 5f and 6d orbitals. peerReviewed