Highly sensitive setup for tunable wavelength hyper-Rayleigh scattering with parallel detection and calibration data for various solvents

A very sensitive experimental setup for accurate wavelength-dependent hyper-Rayleigh scattering (HRS) measurements of the molecular first hyperpolarizability beta in the broad fundamental wavelength range of 600 to 1800 nm is presented. The setup makes use of a stable continuously tunable picosecond optical parametric amplifier with kilohertz repetition rate. To correct for multi-photon fluorescence, a small spectral range around the second harmonic wavelength is detected in parallel using a spectrograph coupled to an intensified charge-coupled device. Reliable calibration against the pure solvent is possible over the full accessible spectral range. An extensive set of wavelength-dependent HRS calibration data for a wide range of solvents is presented, and very accurate measurements of the beta dispersion of the well-known nonlinear optical chromophore Disperse Red 1 are demonstrated.

4-Benzyloxy-3-methoxybenzonitrile

In the mol­ecule of the title compound, C₁₅H₁₃NO₂, the aromatic rings are oriented at a dihedral angle of 81.65 (3)°. In the crystal structure, weak inter­molecular C—H⋯N hydrogen bonds link the mol­ecules into chains along the b axis.

Metallocenyl dendrimers and their applications in molecular electronics, sensing, and catalysis

We have investigated the movement of electrons around the peripheries of dendrimers and between their redox termini and electrodes through studies of the electrochemistry of dendrimers presenting metallocenes (and other transition metal sandwich complexes) as terminal groups. Because these compounds can be stabilized in both their oxidized and their reduced forms, their electrochemical and chemical redox processes proceed without decomposition (chemical reversibility). Most interestingly, electrochemical studies reveal that electron transfer within the dendrimers and between the dendrimers and electrodes are both very fast processes when the branches are flexible (electrochemical reversibility). When the dendrimer branches are sufficiently long, the redox events at the many termini of the metallodendrimer are independent, appearing as a single wave in the cyclic voltammogram, because of very weak electrostatic effects. As a result, these metallodendrimers have applications in the molecular recognition, sensing, and titration of anions (e.g., ATP(2-)) and cations (e.g., transition metal complexes). When the recognition properties are coupled with catalysis, the metallodendrimers function in an enzyme-like manner. For example, Pd(II) can be recognized and titrated using the dendrimer's terminal redox centers and internal coordinate ligands. Redox control over the number of Pd(II) species located within a dendrimer allows us to predetermine the number of metal atoms that end up in the form of a dendrimer-encapsulated Pd nanoparticle (PdNP). For hydrogenation of olefins, the efficiency (turnover frequency, TOF) and stability (turnover number, TON) depend on the size of the dendrimer-encapsulated PdNP catalysts, similar to the behavior of polymer-supported PdNP catalysts, suggesting a classic mechanism in which all of the steps proceed on the PdNP surface. On the other hand, Miyaura-Suzuki carbon-carbon bond-forming reactions catalyzed by dendrimer-encapsulated PdNPs proceed with TOFs and TONs that do not depend on the size of the PdNPs. Moreover these catalysts are more efficient when employed in lower (down to "homeopathic") amounts, presumably because of a leaching mechanism whereby Pd atoms escape from the PdNP surface subsequent to oxidative addition of the aryl halide. Under these conditions, the "mother" PdNPs have greater difficulty quenching the extremely active leached Pd atoms because of their low concentration. Although dendrimers presenting catalysts at their branch termini can be recovered and reused readily, their inner-sphere components can lead to steric inhibition of substrate approach. In contrast, star-shaped catalysts do not suffer from such steric problems, as has been demonstrated for water-soluble dendrimers bearing cationic iron-sandwich termini, which are redox catalysts of cathodic nitrate and nitrite reduction in water.

Visible-light photolytic synthesis of multinuclear and dendritic iron-nitrile cationic complexes

Multinuclear and dendritic iron-nitrile piano-stool cationic complexes were synthesized in quantitative yield by a single-step synthesis involving visible-light photolysis of the complex [CpFe(eta(6)-toluene)][PF6]. This synthetic strategy was applied to mono-, bis- and tris-nitrile ligands and to new nitrile-terminated dendrimers containing 9, 27, and 81 tethers. All the synthesized products are deep red solids or red waxy products, highly stable to air and moisture. They were characterized by (1)H, (13)C, and (31)P NMR, elemental analysis, UV-vis spectroscopy, and cyclic voltammetry (single reversible oxidation wave to Fe(III)). Only the para-disubstituted arene dinitrile diiron complex shows two separated reversible waves indicating some electronic communication between the iron centers through the nitrile ligands.

4,4'-[Thio-phene-2,5-diylbis(ethyne-2,1-di-yl)]dibenzonitrile

In the solid state, the title compound, C(22)H(10)N(2)S, forms centrosymmetric dimers by pairs of non-classical C-H⋯S hydrogen bonds linking approximately coplanar mol-ecules. The benzene ring involved in this inter-action makes a dihedral angle of only 7.21 (16)° with the thio-phene ring, while the other benzene ring is twisted somewhat out of the plane, with a dihedral angle of 39.58 (9)°. The hydrogen-bonded dimers stack on top of each other with an inter-planar spacing of 3.44 Å. C-H⋯N hydrogen bonds link together stacks that run in approximately perpendicular directions. Each mol-ecule thus inter-acts with 12 adjacent mol-ecules, five of them approaching closer than the sum of the van der Waals radii for the relevant atoms. Optimization of the inter-stack contacts contributes to the non-planarity of the mol-ecule.

The First Cyclopentadienylalkylphosphane Nickel Chelates: Synthesis, Structures, and Reactions

The first cyclopentadienylalkylphosphane nickel chelate complexes are reported. The anionic ligand obtained by reaction of spiro[2.4]hepta-4,6-diene with lithium di-tert-butylphosphide was treated with NiCl2 to yield [eta(5):kappa(1)-(di-tert-butylphosphanylethyl)cyclopentadienyl]chloronickel(II). From this complex, some acetonitrile-stabilized cationic complexes were obtained by reaction with the respective silver salts in acetonitrile. Methyl- and alkynylnickel chelates were prepared by reaction of the chloronickel complex with methyllithium and by copper-mediated coupling with terminal alkynes, respectively. Some of the complexes prepared were investigated by X-ray crystallography or cyclic voltammetry. The alkynylnickel chelates undergo cycloaddition reactions with ethoxycarbonylisothiocyanate or tetracyanoethylene, and the cyclobutenes obtained undergo ring opening to the corresponding dienes. The study includes an NMR spectroscopic investigation of the two conformers of one of these dienes.

A Trinuclear Aqua Cyano‐Bridged Ruthenium Complex [{(η5‐C5H5)(PPh3)2Ru(μ‐CN)}2RuCl2(PPh3)(H2O)]PF6: Synthesis, Characterization and Crystal Structure

The organometallic trinuclear aqua cyano‐bridged complex [{(η5‐C5H5)(PPh3)2Ru(μ‐CN)}2RuCl2(PPh3)(H2O)]PF6 (1), in which the fragment [RuCl2(PPh3)(H2O)] acts as a bridge and an acceptor group between the two terminal cyclopentadienyl ruthenium cyano moieties, was isolated in moderate yield from the reaction of [(η5‐C5H5)(PPh3)2RuCN] with [RuCl2(PPh3)3] in THF. To the best of our knowledge, compound 1 is one of the few examples of a trinuclear array of ruthenium fragments bridged by the nitrogen atom of the–C≡N– group (Ru–C≡N–Ru′–N≡C–Ru) with a Ru‐coordinated water molecule. The new aqua complex was structurally characterized by FTIR, 1H, 13C, and 31P NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, elemental analysis, single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction, and cyclic voltammetry. The title complex crystallizes in a triclinic unit cell a = 17.3477(6) Å, b = 17.8551(5) Å, c = 18.2460(7) Å, α = 95.693(2)°, β = 111.648(2)°, and γ = 97.839(2)° in the space group P$\bar {1}$ with Z = 2.(© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2007)

Electrochemical, Spectroelectrochemical, and Molecular Quadratic and Cubic Nonlinear Optical Properties of Alkynylruthenium Dendrimers1

A combination of cyclic voltammetry (CV), UV-vis-NIR spectroscopy and spectroelectrochemistry, hyper-Rayleigh scattering (HRS) [including depolarization studies], Z-scan and degenerate four-wave mixing (DFWM) [including studies employing an optically transparent thin-layer electrochemical (OTTLE) cell to effect electrochemical switching of nonlinearity], pump-probe, and electroabsorption (EA) measurements have been used to comprehensively investigate the electronic, linear optical, and nonlinear optical (NLO) properties of nanoscopic pi-delocalizable electron-rich alkynylruthenium dendrimers, their precursor dendrons, and their linear analogues. CV, UV-vis-NIR spectroscopy, and UV-vis-NIR spectroelectrochemistry reveal that the reversible metal-centered oxidation processes in these complexes are accompanied by strong linear optical changes, "switching on" low-energy absorption bands, the frequency of which is tunable by ligand replacement. HRS studies at 1064 nm employing nanosecond pulses reveal large nonlinearities for these formally octupolar dendrimers; depolarization measurements are consistent with lack of coplanarity upon pi-framework extension through the metal. EA studies at 350-800 nm in a poly(methyl methacrylate) matrix are consistent with the important transitions having a charge-transfer exciton character that increases markedly on introduction of peripheral polarizing substituent. Time-resolved pump-probe studies employing 55 ps, 527 nm pulses reveal absorption saturation, the longest excited-state lifetime being observed for the dendrimer. Z-scan studies at 800 nm employing femtosecond pulses reveal strong two-photon absorption that increases significantly on progression from linear complex to zero- and then first-generation dendrimer with no loss of optical transparency. Both refractive and absorptive nonlinearity for selected alkynylruthenium dendrimers have been reversibly "switched" by employing the Z-scan technique at 800 and 1180 nm and 100-150 fs pulses, together with a specially modified OTTLE cell, complementary femtosecond time-resolved DFWM and transient absorption studies at 800 nm suggesting that the NLO effects originate in picosecond time scale processes.

Dendritic Arrays of [Re6(μ3-Se)8]2+ Core-Containing Clusters: Exploratory Synthesis and Electrochemical Studies

The reaction between the previously reported site-differentiated cluster solvate [Re(6)(mu(3)-Se)(8)(PEt(3))(5)(MeCN)](SbF(6))(2) (1) with pyridyl-based ditopic ligands 4,4'-trimethylenedipyridine (2), 1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethane (3), and (E)-1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethene (4) afforded cluster complexes of the general formula [Re(6)(mu(3)-Se)(8)(PEt(3))(5)(L)](SbF(6))(2) (5-7), where L represents one of the pyridyl-based ligands. Reacting these cluster complex-based ligands with the fully solvated cluster complex [Re(6)(mu(3)-Se)(8)(MeCN)(6)](SbF(6))(2) (8) produced dendritic arrays of the general formula {Re(6)(mu(3)-Se)(8)[Re(6)(mu(3)-Se)(8)(PEt(3))(5)(L)](6)}(SbF(6))(14) (9-11), each featuring six circumjacent [Re(6)(mu(3)-Se)(8)(PEt(3))(5)](2+) units bridged to a [Re(6)(mu(3)-Se)(8)](2+) core cluster by the pyridyl-based ligands. Electrochemical studies using a thin-layer electrochemical cell revealed cluster-based redox events in these cluster arrays. For 9 (L = 2), one reversible oxidation event corresponding to the removal of 7 electrons was observed, indicating noninteraction or extremely weak interactions between the clusters. For 10 (L = 3), two poorly resolved oxidation waves were found. For 11 (L = 4), two reversible oxidation events, corresponding respectively to the removal of 1 and 6 electrons, were observed with the 1-electron oxidation event occurring at a potential 150 mV more positive than the 6-electron oxidation. These electrochemical studies suggest intercluster coupling in 11 via through-bond electronic delocalization, which is consistent with electronic spectroscopic studies of this same molecule.

From simple monopyridine clusters [Mo6Br13(Py-R)][n-Bu4N] and hexapyridine clusters [Mo6X8(Py-R)6][OSO2CF3]4 (X = Br or I) to cluster-cored organometallic stars, dendrons, and dendrimers

Hexasubstitution of apical triflate ligands in the octahedral clusters [M]2[Mo6X8(CF3SO3)6] (M = n-Bu4N or Cs, X = Br or I) and monosubstitution in [n-Bu4N]2[Mo6Br13(CF3SO3)] was carried out in tetrahydrofuran at 60 degrees C with simple pyridines and then extended to organometallic pyridines, yielding cluster-cored stars, and to dendronic polyallyl- and polyferrocenylpyridines, yielding cluster-cored polyallyl and polyferrocenyl dendrimers and dendrons. The orange pyridine-substituted clusters, whose pyridine protons are deshielded in 1H NMR (a practical tool for characterization), are air-stable and thermally stable with simple pyridines, light- and air-sensitive with organometallic pyridines, and air-fragile and thermally fragile with large dendronized pyridines.

Ruthenium Metallodendrimers Based on Nitrile‐Functionalized Poly(alkylidene imine)s

The preparation of the first‐ and second‐generation of nitrile‐functionalized poly(alkylidene imine) dendrimers with the organometallic ruthenium complex [Ru(η5‐C5H5)(PPh3)2Cl] peripherally attached is described. The reaction of N,N′‐bis(cyanomethyl)piperazine (1), N,N′‐bis[N′′,N′′′‐bis(cyanoethyl)aminoethyl]piperazine (2), or N,N,N′,N′‐tetrakis(cyanoethyl)ethylenediamine (3) with [Ru(η5‐C5H5)(PPh3)2Cl] (4) in the presence of TlPF6 gives the new air‐stable ruthenium metallodendrimers 5, 6, and 7, respectively. These stable metallodendrimers are easily prepared and represent a novel quantitative method to solidify and chromatographically purify the otherwise semi‐liquid nitrile‐functionalized poly(alkylidene imine) dendrimers. The compounds were fully characterized by IR and 1H, 13C, and 31P NMR spectroscopy, and mass spectrometry. These dendrimers represent the first example of the utilization of nitrile‐functionalized poly(alkylidene imine)s as cores in the preparation of metallodendrimers. (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2006)

A star-shaped ruthenium complex with five ferrocenyl-terminated arms bridged by trans-platinum fragments

We present the synthesis of the new heteropolytopic penta(4-ethynylphenyl)cyclopentadiene ligand, its complexation through the Cp ring to ruthenium tris(indazolyl)borate and through the terminal alkyne groups to five ferrocenyl ethynyl platinum units, yielding an undecanuclear heterotrimetallic complex.

Three-Dimensional Nonlinear Optical Chromophores Based on Metal-to-Ligand Charge-Transfer from Ruthenium(II) or Iron(II) Centers

In this article, we describe a series of new complex salts in which electron-rich transition-metal centers are coordinated to three electron-accepting N-methyl/aryl-2,2':4,4' ':4',4' ''-quaterpyridinium ligands. These complexes contain either Ru(II) or Fe(II) ions and have been characterized by using various techniques, including electronic absorption spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry. Molecular quadratic nonlinear optical (NLO) responses beta have been determined by using hyper-Rayleigh scattering at 800 nm and also via Stark (electroabsorption) spectroscopic studies on the intense, visible d --> pi* metal-to-ligand charge-transfer bands. The latter experiments reveal that these putatively octupolar D(3) chromophores exhibit two substantial components of the beta tensor which are associated with transitions to dipolar excited states. Computations involving time-dependent density-functional theory and the finite field method serve to further illuminate the electronic structures and associated linear and NLO properties of the new chromophoric salts.