Coordination chemistry of unsaturated cyclic and acyclic PNS and PNSe ligands

Polyanionic Imido-P(V) Ligands: From Transition Metal Complexes to Coordination Driven Self-Assemblies

The chemistry of the imido-anions of the main group elements has been studied for more than three decades. The imido (NR)^- group is isoelectronic to the oxo (=O) group and can coordinate with metal ions through its lone pairs of electrons. The polyimido-P(V) anions are well explored as they resemble the phosphorus oxo moieties such as H₃ PO₄ , H₂ PO₄ ^- , HPO₄ ^2- and PO₄ ^3- species. These imido anions are typically generated using strong main group organometallic reagents such as ⁿ BuLi, Et₂ Zn, Me₃ Al and ⁿ Bu₂ Mg, etc. As a result, their coordination chemistry has been restricted to reactions in anhydrous aprotic solvents for a few main group metal ions. This account presents our findings on using certain soft transition metal such Ag(I) and Pd (II) for isolating these imido-P(V) anions as their corresponding self-assembled clusters and cages. Using the various salts of Ag(I) ions in reaction with 2-pyridyl (² Py) functionalized phosphonium salts and phosphoric triamides, we obtained the mono- and dianionic form of these imido ligands {[P(N² Py)₂ (NH² Py)₂ ]^- , [P(N² Py)₂ (NH² Py)]^- , [PO(N² Py)(NH² Py)₂ ]^2- } and derived interesting examples of tri, penta, hepta and octanuclear Ag(I) clusters. Interestingly, by using the salts of Pd (II) ions, the elusive imido-phosphate trianions of the type [(RN)₃ PO]^3- (R=^t Bu, ^c Hex, ⁱ Pr) were generated in a facile one pot reaction as their corresponding tri- and hexanuclear clusters of the type {Pd₃ [(NR)₃ PO](OAc)₃ }_n (n=1 or 2). These trianions acts as a cis-coordinated hexadentate ligand for a trinuclear Pd (II) cluster and serve as the polyhedral building units for constructing hitherto unknown family of neutral cages in tetrahedral {Pd₃ [(Nⁱ Pr)₃ PO]₄ (L)₆ } and cubic {Pd₃ [(Nⁱ Pr)₃ PO]₈ (L)₁₂ } structures in the presence of suitable linker ligands (L^2- ). These cages show interesting host-guest chemistry and post-assembly reactions. Remarkably, by employing chiral tris(imido)phosphate trianions, enantiopure chiral cages of the type [(Pd₃ X*)₄ (L)₆ ], ([X*]^3- =RRR- or SSS-[PO(N(*CH(CH₃ )Ph)₃ ]^3- ), were synthesized and used for the chiral-recognition and enantio-separation of small racemic guest molecules. Some of these chiral cages were also shown to exhibit polyradical framework structures. In future, these and other similar types of cages are envisioned as potential molecular vessels for performing the reactions in their confined environment. The enantiomeric cages can be probed for asymmetric catalysis and the separation of a range of small chiral molecules.

Photochemistry of tetrasulfur tetranitride: laser flash photolysis and quantum chemical study

The photochemistry of tetrasulfur tetranitride (1) was studied in hexane solution by the laser flash photolysis technique (LFP). The experimental findings were interpreted using the results of previous matrix isolation studies (Pritchina, E.A.; Gritsan, N.P.; Bally, T.; Zibarev, A.V. Inorg. Chem. 2009, 48, 4075) and high-level quantum chemical calculations. LFP produces two primary intermediates, one of which is the boat-shaped 8-membered cyclic compound (2) and the other is the 6-membered S(3)N(3) cyclic compound carrying an exocyclic (S)-N═S group (3). The primary products 2 and 3 absorb a second photon and undergo transformation to the 6-membered S(3)N(3) cycle carrying an exocyclic (N)-S≡N group (4), which is very unstable and converts back to intermediate 3. The quantum yield of the primary product formation is close to unity even though the quantum yield of photodegradation of 1 is low (~0.01). Thus, 1 is a photochromic compound undergoing in solution the thermally reversible photochemical isomerization. The mechanism of the photochromic process was established, and the rate constants of the elementary reactions were measured.

Synthesis, properties, and bishomoaromaticity of the first tetrahalogenated derivative of a 1, 5-diphosphadithiatetrazocine: a combined experimental and computational investigation

The first example of a tetrahalogenated derivative of a diphosphadithiatetrazocine, 1,5-Cl(2)P(NSN)(2)PCl(2) (3), was synthesized by cyclocondensation of a 2:1 mixture of SCl(2) and SO(2)Cl(2) with Cl(2)P(NSiMe(3))N(SiMe(3))(2) in CH(2)Cl(2). The heterocycle 3 was isolated as an orange, moisture-sensitive, thermally labile solid and characterized by mass spectrometry, (31)P NMR, and UV-visible spectroscopy. The low-field (31)P NMR chemical shift (93.7 ppm) is indicative of a cross-ring S-S interaction in the eight-membered P(2)N(4)S(2) ring, and this conclusion is supported by density-functional computations. Compound 3 exhibits unusual physical properties compared with those of the known tetraalkyl or aryl derivatives; mild heating (90 degrees C) produces an orange rubbery material. The bishomoaromatic character of the diphosphadithiatetrazocine 1,5-R(2)P(NSN)(2)PR(2) (R = Me, Cl, F) is evinced by the negative nucleus-independent chemical shift (NICS) values, and the through-space bishomoconjugation in the eight-membered ring decreases with increasing electronegativity of the substituents attached to the P atoms.

Photochemical study on the reactivity of tetrasulfur tetranitride, S4N4

To elucidate the multifaceted but poorly understood chemistry of the pivotal polysulfur-nitrogen heterocycle, tetrasulfur tetranitride (S(4)N(4), 1), its photochemistry was studied in Ar matrices. Thereby two primary intermediates and a secondary one (2-4) were detected, and their UV-vis and IR spectra were identified through specific interconversions of 1-4 that can be induced by selective irradiations. The structures associated with these spectra were assigned with the help of DFT calculations. From these assignments it follows that, under the conditions of the present experiments, the cage structure of 1 transforms into isomeric structures 2-4, one of which is a boat-shaped 8-membered cycle (2), and the two other are novel 6-membered S(3)N(3) cycles carrying exocyclic (N)S[triple bond]N (3) or (S)N=S (4) groups, respectively, which have not been previously described. These three intermediates probably play a pivotal role in the formation of the diverse products that are observed in the reactions of S(4)N(4) even under mild reaction conditions.

Identification of the Radical Anions of C2N4S2 and P2N4S2 Rings by In Situ EPR Spectroelectrochemistry and DFT Calculations

The previously unknown radical anions of unsaturated E2N4S2 ring systems (E=RC, R2NC, R2P) can be generated voltammetrically by the one-electron reduction of the neutral species and, despite half-lives on the order of a few seconds, have been unambiguously characterized by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroelectrochemistry using a highly sensitive in situ electrolysis cell. Cyclic voltammetric studies using a glassy-carbon working electrode in CH3CN and CH2Cl2 with [nBu4N][PF6] as the supporting electrolyte gave reversible formal potentials for the [E2N4S2]0/- process in the range of -1.25 to -1.77 V and irreversible peak potentials for oxidation in the range of 0.66 to 1.60 V (vs the Fc+/0 couple; Fc=ferrocene). Reduction of the neutral compound undergoes an electrochemically reversible one-electron transfer, followed by the decay of the anion to an unknown species via a first-order (chemical) reaction pathway. The values of the first-order rate constant, kf, for the decay of all the radical anions in CH2Cl2 have been estimated from the decay of the EPR signals for (X-C6H4CN2S)2*-, where X=4-OCH3 (kf=0.04 s(-1)), 4-CH3 (kf=0.02 s(-1)), 4-H (kf=0.08 s(-1)), 4-Cl (kf=0.05 s(-1)), 4-CF3 (kf=0.05 s(-1)), or 3-CF3 (kf=0.07 s(-1)), and for [(CH3)3CCN2S]2*- (kf=0.02 s(-1)), [(CH3)2NCN2S]2*- (kf=0.05 s(-1)), and [(C6H5)2PN2S]2*- (kf=0.7 s(-1)). Values of kf for X=4-H and for [(CH3)2NCN2S]2*- were also determined from the cyclic voltammetric responses (in CH2Cl2) and were both found to be 0.05 s(-1). Possible pathways for the first-order anion decomposition that are consistent with the experimental observations are discussed. Density functional theory calculations at the UB3LYP/6-31G(d) level of theory predict the structures of the radical anions as either planar (D2h) or folded (C2v) species; the calculated hyperfine coupling constants are in excellent agreement with experimental results. Linear correlations were observed between the voltammetrically determined potentials and both the orbital energies and Hammett coefficients for the neutral aryl-substituted rings.

Cyclophosphazenes as Nodal Ligands in Coordination Polymers

Herein, we show that cyclotriphosphazenes carrying organo amino side chains, (RNH)6P3N3 [R = n-propyl (1), cyclohexyl (2), benzyl (3)], and (C4H8N)6P3N3 (4) produce supramolecular coordination compounds in conjunction with silver salts by formation of linear N-Ag-N connections via nitrogen centers of the phosphazene ring. Crystalline materials were obtained by layering methanol solutions containing phosphazene ligands with methanol solutions of AgClO4 and AgNO3. The donor ability of the anion and the steric demand of the lipophilic ligand sphere R control the topology of the coordination network: (1)2(AgClO4)3 forms a graphite-type (6,3) network. All three N(ring) atoms of the phosphazene ligand coordinate to silver ions, which, in return, linearly bridge two phosphazene ligands. The phosphazene-Ag(I) arrangement in 1(AgNO3)2 exists of zigzag chains featuring one bridging silver ion and one terminally coordinated silver ion per ligand molecule. The terminally located Ag(I) ions of neighboring chains are bridged by nitrate ions, resulting in a 2D network. Both 2(AgClO4) and 4(AgClO4) contain only one bridging silver ion per phosphazene ligand, which leaves one N(ring) site vacant and gives 1D zigzag chain arrangements. The crystal structures of 3(AgClO4)2 and 3(AgNO3)2 resemble that of 1(AgNO3)2, but show additional Ag-pi(aryl) interactions between the terminally arranged silver ions and benzyl groups. Treatment of 3 with a methanol solution containing both AgNO3 and AgClO4 leads to the heteroanion derivative 3(AgNO3)(AgClO4). Phosphazene ligands 1-3 have the ability to undergo hydrogen bonding to anions via the six NH groups, and the coordination polymers containing these ligands feature dense networks of NH...O bonds.

Conformations and energetics of sulfur and selenium diimides

The geometries and energetics of different conformations of sulfur and selenium diimides E(NR)(2) (E = S, Se; R = H, Me, (t)Bu, C(6)H(3)Me(2)-2,6, SiMe(3)) have been studied by using various ab initio and DFT molecular orbital techniques. The syn,syn conformation is found to be most stable for parent E(NH)(2), but in general, the preferred molecular conformation for substituted chalcogen diimides is syn,anti. In the case of E(NH)(2) the present calculations further confirm that syn,syn and syn,anti conformations lie energetically close to each other. From the three different theoretical methods used, B3PW91/6-31G proved to be the most suitable method for predicting the geometries of chalcogen diimides. The optimized geometrical parameters are in a good agreement with all available experimental data. While qualitative energy ordering of the different conformations is independent of the level of theory, the quantitative energy differences are dependent on the method used. The performance and reliability of higher level ab initio calculations and DFT methods using large basis sets were tested and compared with experimental information where available. All of the higher level ab inito methods give very similar results, but the use of large basis sets with the B3PW91 method does not increase the reliability of the results. The combination of CCSD(T)/cc-pVDZ with the B3PW91/6-31G-optimized geometries is found to be the method of choice to study energetic properties of chalcogen diimides.

Preparation and structural characterization of (Me(3)SiNSN)(2)Se, a new synthon for sulfur-selenium nitrides

The reaction of (Me(3)SiN)(2)S with SeCl(2) (2:1 ratio) in CH(2)Cl(2) at -70 degrees C provides a route to the novel mixed selenium-sulfur-nitrogen compound (Me(3)SiNSN)(2)Se (1). Crystals of 1 are monoclinic and belong the space group P2(1)/c, with a = 7.236(1) A, b = 19.260(4) A, c = 11.436(2) A, beta = 92.05(3) degrees, V = 1592.7(5) A(3), Z = 4, and T = -155(2) degrees C. The NSNSeNSN chain in 1 consists of Se-N single bonds (1.844(3) A) and S=N double bonds (1.521(3)-1.548(3) A) with syn and anti geometry at the N=S=N units. The N-Se-N bond angle is 91.8(1) degrees. The EI mass spectrum shows a molecular ion with good agreement between the observed and calculated isotopic distributions. The (14)N NMR spectrum exhibits two resonances at -65 and -77 ppm. Both (13)C and (77)Se NMR spectra show single resonances at 0.83 and 1433 ppm, respectively. The reaction of 1 with an equimolar amount of SeCl(2) produces 1,5-Se(2)S(2)N(4) (2) in a good yield, and that of (Me(3)SiNSN)(2)S with SCl(2) affords S(4)N(4) (3), but the reactions of (Me(3)SiNSN)(2)Se with SCl(2) and (Me(3)SiNSN)(2)S with SeCl(2) result in the formation of a mixture of 2 and 3. A likely reaction pathway involves the intermediate formation of E(2)N(2) fragments (E = S, Se).