Hexanuclear and Dodecanuclear Macrocyclic Copper(II) and Nickel(II) Complexes with Almost Planar "Benzene-like" Metal Arrays

Designing and Exploration of the Biological Potentials of Novel Centrosymmetric Heteroleptic Copper(II) Carboxylates

Copper(II) complexes with a general formula [Cu2(3,4-F2C6H3CH2COO)4(L)2], where L = 2-methylpyridine (1) and 3-methylpyridine (2), are reported here. The FTIR spectra of the complexes confirmed the bridging bidentate coordination mode of the carboxylate ligand. The low (475 and 449 cm-1) and strong (727 & 725 cm-1) intensity bands in the FTIR spectra, due to Cu-N stretches and pyridyl ring vibrations, confirmed coordination of the 2-/3-methyl pyridine co-ligands in complexes 1 and 2, respectively. A binuclear paddlewheel structural arrangement with a square pyramidal geometry was confirmed for copper atoms in the complexes via single-crystal X-ray analysis. The DPPH, •OH radical, and α-amylase enzyme inhibition assays showed higher activities for the complexes than for the free ligand acid. The binding constant (Kb = 1.32 × 105 for 1 and 5.33 × 105 for 2) calculated via UV-VIS absorption measurements and docking scores (-6.59 for 1 and -7.43 for 2) calculated via molecular docking showed higher SS-DNA binding potential for 2 compared to 1. Viscosity measurement also reflected higher DNA binding ability for 2 than 1. Both complexes 1 and 2 (docking scores of -7.43 and -6.95, respectively) were found to be more active inhibitors than the free ligand acid (docking score of -5.5159) against the target α-amylase protein. This in silico study has shown that the herein reported compounds follow the rules of drug-likeness and exhibit good potential for bioavailability.

Contemporary macrocycles for discrete polymetallic complexes: precise control over structure and function

The growth of multimetallic clusters and complexes can proceed in the presence of suitable ligands, but often leads to polydisperse structures with poor solubility. As an alternative approach, macrocyclic molecules can anchor the multimetallic complex, directing its formation and stabilizing the resulting product. This approach can provide excellent control over the growth of clusters, and offers a handle to control solubility and other properties of the resulting complexes. In this Tutorial Review, we discuss recent activity (primarily the last two decades) directed at the controlled and reproducible synthesis of multimetallic complexes using macrocyclic ligands. Throughout the review, we focus on the unusual structures that are only accessible by using macrocycles as ligands, and their unique properties.

One-Pot Self-Assembly of Dinuclear, Tetranuclear, and H-Bonding-Directed Polynuclear Cobalt(II), Cobalt(III), and Mixed-Valence Co(II)/Co(III) Complexes of Schiff Base Ligands with Incomplete Double Cubane Core

The reaction of 2,6-diformyl-4-methylphenol (DFMF) with 1-amino-2-propanol (AP) and tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane (THMAM) was investigated in the presence of Cobalt(II) salts, (X = ClO₄⁻, CH₃CO₂⁻, Cl⁻, NO₃⁻), sodium azide (NaN₃), and triethylamine (TEA). In one pot, the variation in Cobalt(II) salt results in the self-assembly of dinuclear, tetranuclear, and H-bonding-directed polynuclear coordination complexes of Cobalt(III), Cobalt(II), and mixed-valence Co^IICo^III: [Co₂^III(H₂L⁻¹)₂(AP⁻¹)(N₃)](ClO₄)₂ (1), [Co₄(H₂L⁻¹)₂(µ₃-1,1,1-N₃)₂(µ-1,1-N₃)₂Cl₂(CH₃OH)₂]·4CH₃OH (2), [Co₂^IICo₂^III(HL⁻²)₂(µ-CH₃CO₂)₂(µ₃-OH)₂](NO₃)₂·2CH₃CH₂OH (3), and [Co₂^IICo₂^III (H₂L1²⁻)₂(THMAM⁻¹)₂](NO₃)₄ (4). In 1, two cobalt(III) ions are connected via three single atom bridges; two from deprotonated ethanolic oxygen atoms in the side arms of the ligands and one from the1-amino-2-propanol moiety forming a dinuclear unit with a very short (2.5430(11) Å) Co-Co intermetallic separation with a coordination number of 7, a rare feature for cobalt(III). In 2, two cobalt(II) ions in a dinuclear unit are bridged through phenoxide O and μ₃-1,1,1-N₃ azido bridges, and the two dinuclear units are interconnected by two μ-1,1-N₃ and two μ₃-1,1,1-N₃ azido bridges generating tetranuclear cationic [Co₄(H₂L⁻¹)₂(µ₃-1,1,1-N₃)₂(µ-1,1-N₃)₂Cl₂(CH₃OH)₂]²⁺ units with an incomplete double cubane core, which grow into polynuclear 1D-single chains along the a-axis through H-bonding. In 3, HL²⁻ holds mixed-valent Co(II)/Co(III) ions in a dinuclear unit bridged via phenoxide O, μ-1,3-CH₃CO₂⁻, and μ₃-OH⁻ bridges, and the dinuclear units are interconnected through two deprotonated ethanolic O in the side arms of the ligands and two μ₃-OH⁻ bridges generating cationic tetranuclear [Co₂^IICo₂^III(HL⁻²)₂(µ-CH₃CO₂)₂(µ_3-OH)₂]²⁺ units with an incomplete double cubane core. In 4, H₂L1⁻² holds mixed-valent Co(II)/Co(III) ions in dinuclear units which dimerize through two ethanolic O (μ-RO⁻) in the side arms of the ligands and two ethanolic O (μ₃-RO⁻) of THMAM bridges producing centrosymmetric cationic tetranuclear [Co₂^IICo₂^III (H₂L1⁻²)₂(THMAM⁻¹)₂]⁴⁺ units which grow into 2D-sheets along the bc-axis through a network of H-bonding. Bulk magnetization measurements on 2 demonstrate that the magnetic interactions are completely dominated by an overall ferromagnetic coupling occurring between Co(II) ions.

Self-Assembly of Antiferromagnetically-Coupled Copper(II) Supramolecular Architectures with Diverse Structural Complexities

The self-assembly of 2,6-diformyl-4-methylphenol (DFMP) and 1-amino-2-propanol (AP)/2-amino-1,3-propanediol (APD) in the presence of copper(II) ions results in the formation of six new supramolecular architectures containing two versatile double Schiff base ligands (H₃L and H₅L1) with one-, two-, or three-dimensional structures involving diverse nuclearities: tetranuclear [Cu₄(HL²⁻)₂(N₃)₄]·4CH₃OH·56H₂O (1) and [Cu₄(L³⁻)₂(OH)₂(H₂O)₂] (2), dinuclear [Cu₂(H₃L1²⁻)(N₃)(H₂O)(NO₃)] (3), polynuclear {[Cu₂(H₃L1²⁻)(H₂O)(BF₄)(N₃)]·H₂O}_n (4), heptanuclear [Cu₇(H₃L1²⁻)₂(O)₂(C₆H₅CO₂)₆]·6CH₃OH·44H₂O (5), and decanuclear [Cu₁₀(H₃L1²⁻)₄(O)₂(OH)₂(C₆H₅CO₂)₄] (C₆H₅CO₂)₂·20H₂O (6). X-ray studies have revealed that the basic building block in 1, 3, and 4 is comprised of two copper centers bridged through one μ-phenolate oxygen atom from HL²⁻ or H₃L1²⁻, and one μ-1,1-azido (N₃⁻) ion and in 2, 5, and 6 by μ-phenoxide oxygen of L³⁻ or H₃L1²⁻ and μ-O²⁻ or μ₃-O²⁻ ions. H-bonding involving coordinated/uncoordinated hydroxy groups of the ligands generates fascinating supramolecular architectures with 1D-single chains (1 and 6), 2D-sheets (3), and 3D-structures (4). In 5, benzoate ions display four different coordination modes, which, in our opinion, is unprecedented and constitutes a new discovery. In 1, 3, and 5, Cu(II) ions in [Cu₂] units are antiferromagnetically coupled, with J ranging from −177 to −278 cm⁻¹.

Designing antiferromagnetically coupled mono-, di- and tri-bridged copper(ii)-based catecholase models by varying the ‘Auxiliary Parts’ of the ligand and anionic co-ligand

The role of the auxiliary part of ligands towards the architecture of copper(ii)-based catecholase models were unveiled with the help of DFT study.

Unique trapping of paddlewheel copper(ii) carboxylate by ligand-bound {Cu2} fragments for [Cu6] assembly

Trapping of paddlewheel {Cu₂(carboxylate)₄} by ligand-bound {Cu₂(μ-H₂L)}³⁺ units resulted in dumbbell-shaped [Cu₆] complexes modulating the tetracarboxylate bridged Cu⋯Cu separations.

Antiferromagnetically Coupled Dimeric Dodecacopper Supramolecular Architectures of Macrocyclic Ligands with a Symmetrical μ6-BO3(3-) Central Moiety

Reactions between 2,6-diformyl-4-alkyl(R)-phenol (R = CH3 or C(CH3)3) and 1,3-diamino-2-hydroxypropane (1,3-DAP) in the presence of copper(II) salts (Cu(BF4)2·6H2O, Cu(ClO4)2·6H2O/H3BO3/Ar) and triethylamine (TEA) in a single pot result in self-assembly of dimeric dodecacopper supramolecular architectures of 30-membered hexatopic macrocyclic ligands (H6L4 and H6L5) with unique and fascinating structures having the BO3(3-) anion as the central species bonded to all six copper centers in a symmetrical fashion (μ6-BO3(3-)). A number of closely related macrocyclic hexacopper complexes are reported: {[Cu6(L4)(μ6-BO3)(μ-H2O)(C3H7NO)2(BF4)][BF4]2·3C3H7NO}2 (1) (DMF = C3H7NO), {[Cu6(L4)(μ6-BO3)(μ-C3H7NO)3][ClO4]3·3C3H7NO}2 (2), {[Cu6(L5)(μ6-BO3)(μ-OH)(H2O)3(C3H7NO)][BF4]2·6C3H7NO·4C2H5OH·2H2O}2 (3), {[Cu6(L5)(μ6-BO3)(μ-CH3OH)(CH3OH)2][ClO4]3·10H2O}2 (4), and {[Cu6(L5)(μ6-BO3)(μ-CH3CO2)(μ-CH3O)(CH3OH)][BF4]·13CH3OH·8H2O}2 (5). A polymeric side product {[Cu2(H2L2)(CH3OH)(BF4)][BF4]}n (6), involving a 2 + 2 macrocyclic ligand, was also isolated and structurally characterized. Complex 6 involves dinuclear copper(II) units linked through BF4(-) anions to form a novel 1D single-chain polymeric coordination compound. This appears to be the first report in which a central BO3(3-) species is linked to six copper(II) ions held together by a single macrocyclic ligand through three μ1,1-O(BO3(3-)) and three μ1,3-O(BO3(3-)) bridges. In complexes 1-5 the BO3(3-) is present in the center of the macrocyclic cavity and is bonded to all six metal centers arranged in a benzene-like hexagonal array. In the hexagonal array there are alternate double (μ-alkoxide and μ1,3-O(BO3(3-))) and (μ-phenoxide and μ1,1-O(BO3(3-))) bridges between the Cu(II) centers. The symmetrical hexa-bridging nature of μ6-BO3(3-) is unprecedented in transition metal complex chemistry, and along with alkoxide and phenoxide bridges in the equatorial plane provides effective pathways for an overall antiferromagnetic exchange interaction between six copper(II) centers. In 1, 3, and 5 the BO3(3-) moiety is produced in one step (synthetic) by an unusual copper(II)-macrocycle complex catalyzed hydrolysis of BF4(-) ion in methanol. In 2 and 4 the central species (BO3(3-)) comes from boric acid (H3BO3) which is added to reaction mixture of Cu(ClO4)2/H6L4/H6L5 under inert conditions to confirm the identity of the central species.

Molecular-Programmed Self-Assembly of Homo- and Heterometallic Penta- and Hexanuclear Coordination Compounds: Synthesis, Crystal Structures, and Magnetic Properties of Ladder-Type CuII2MIIx (M = Cu, Ni; x = 3, 4) Oxamato Complexes with CuII2 Metallacyclophane Cores

New homo- and heterometallic, hexa- and pentanuclear complexes of formula {[Cu2(mpba)2(H2O)F][Cu(Me5dien)]4}(PF6)(3).5H2O (1), {[Cu2(Me3mpba)2(H2O)2][Cu(Me5dien)]4}(ClO4)(4).12H2O (2), {[Cu2(ppba)2][Cu(Me5dien)]4}(ClO4)4 (3), and [Ni(cyclam)]{[Cu2(mpba)2][Ni(cyclam)]3}(ClO4)(4).6H2O (4) [mpba=1,3-phenylenebis(oxamate), Me3mpba=2,4,6-trimethyl-1,3-phenylenebis(oxamate), ppba=1,4-phenylenebis(oxamate), Me5dien=N,N,N'N' ',N' '-pentamethyldiethylenetriamine, and cyclam=1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane] have been synthesized through the use of the "complex-as-ligand/complex-as-metal" strategy. The structures of 1-3 consist of cationic CuII6 entities with an overall [2x2] ladder-type architecture which is made up of two oxamato-bridged CuII3 linear units connected through two m- or p-phenylenediamidate bridges between the two central copper atoms to give a binuclear metallacyclic core of the cyclophane-type. Complex 4 consists of cationic CuII2NiII3 entities with an incomplete [2x2] ladder-type architecture which is made up of oxamato-bridged CuIINiII and CuIINiII2 linear units connected through two m-phenylenediamidate bridges between the two copper atoms to give a binuclear metallacyclophane core. The magnetic properties of 1-3 and 4 have been interpreted according to their distinct "dimer-of-trimers" and "dimer-plus-trimer" structures, respectively, (H=-J(S1A.S3A+S1A.S4A+S2B.S5B+S2B.S6B)-J'S1A.S2B). Complexes 1-4 exhibit moderate to strong antiferromagnetic coupling through the oxamate bridges (-JCu-Cu=81.3-105.9 cm-1; -JCu-Ni=111.6 cm-1) in the trinuclear and/or binuclear units. Within the binuclear metallacyclophane core, a weak to moderate ferromagnetic coupling (J'Cu-Cu=1.7-9.0 cm-1) operates through the double m-phenylenediamidate bridge, while a strong antiferromagnetic coupling (J'Cu-Cu=-120.6 cm-1) is mediated by the double p-phenylenediamidate bridge.

A tetradecanuclear copper dimeric macrocyclic complex with a body-centred heptanuclear core-structure and magnetism

2,6-Diformyl-4-methylphenol and 1,3-diamino-2-hydroxypropane template condense in the presence of Cu(NO(3))(2) and azide to produce a 3 : 3 macrocyclic ring containing an unprecedented grouping of seven copper(ii) ions within the macrocyclic cavity, with the seventh metal completing a body-centred heptanuclear lattice.

Tricopper(ii) complexes of unsymmetrical macrocycles incorporating phenol and pyridine moieties: the development of two stepwise routes

Two stepwise approaches to preparing large unsymmetrical macrocycles incorporating diethylenetriamine lateral units are described: the first utilises protecting group chemistry, whereas the second exploits irreversible amide bond formation in the presence of an excess of the amine. In the first approach condensation of two equivalents of N-acetyldiethylenetriamine 1 with 2,6-diformyl-4-methylphenol, followed by a sodium borohydride reduction of the newly formed imine bonds and acidic removal of the protecting groups, yields a phenol-containing "two-armed" precursor as an HCl salt 2. Using the second approach the new pyridine-containing "two-armed" precursor , is prepared from 2,6-dimethylpyridinedicarboxylate and an excess of diethylenetriamine. These two "two-armed" di-primary amine precursors, 2 (after reaction with KOH) and 3, can be condensed with the dicarbonyl head units of choice. The lead templated condensation of 2 with 2,6-diacetylpyridine results in the formation of the macrocyclic dilead(II) complex {[Pb(II)(2)(L1)(Cl)](ClO(4))(2)}(infinity) 4. Transmetallation of 4 with three equivalents of copper(II) perchlorate produces Cu(II)(3)(L1)(OH)(ClO(4))(4) 5. Condensation of 3 with 2,6-diacetylpyridine or 2,6-diformylpyridine in the presence of barium(ii) ions results in the macrocyclic complexes [Ba(II)(H(2)L2)](ClO(4))(2) 6 and [Ba(II)(H(2)L3)](ClO(4))(2) 7, respectively. Copper(II) acetate templates the formation of the crystallographically characterised unsymmetrical macrocyclic complex [Cu(II)(3)(L4)(OH)(NCS)(2)].EtOH, 8.EtOH, from 3, 2,6-diformyl-4-methylphenol and NaNCS.

2004 Alcan Award LectureFrom dinuclear to triakontahexanuclear complexes — Adventures in supramolecular coordination chemistry

Polynuclear coordination complexes result from the interplay between the arrangement of the binding sites of a ligand, and their donor content, and the coordination preferences of the metal ion involved. Rational control of the ligand properties, such as denticity, geometry, and size, can lead to large, and sometimes predictable, polynuclear assemblies. This Alcan Award Lecture highlights our "adventures" with polynucleating ligands over the last 25 years, with examples ranging from simple dinucleating to more exotic high-denticity ligands. Complexes with nuclearities ranging from 2 to 36 have been produced, many of which have novel magnetic, electrochemical, and spectroscopic properties. Self-assembly strategies using relatively simple "polytopic" ligands have been very successful in producing high-nuclearity clusters in high yield. For example, linear "tritopic" ligands produce M9 (M = Mn(II), Fe(II), Fe(III), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), Zn(II)) [3 × 3], flat grid-like molecules, which have quantum dot-like arrays of nine closely spaced metal centers in electronic communication. Some of these grids are discussed in terms of their novel magnetic and electrochemical properties, and also as multistable nanometer-scale platforms for potential molecular device behaviour. Bigger ligands with extended arrays of coordination pockets, and the capacity to self-assemble into much larger grids, are highlighted to illustrate our current and longer term goals of generating polymetallic molecular two-dimensional layers on surfaces.Key words: Alcan Award Lecture, transition metal, polynuclear, structure, magnetism, electrochemistry, surface studies, molecular device.

Metal-directed ring-expansion in Schiff-base polypyrrolic macrocycles

The reaction between a [2+2] Schiff-base porphyrin analogue and zinc acetate results in the unusual formation of an enlarged [3+3] macrocycle that is stabilised by metal coordination and intramolecular hydrogen-bonding interactions.

Synthesis, structure, and ferromagnetic behavior of decacopper(II) cluster complex supported by hexaanionic p-tert-butylthiacalix[6]arene

A nanosized decacopper(II) cluster complex was synthesized using p-tert-butylthiacalix[6]arene as a ligand. In the complex, the calixarene assumes a "pinched cone" conformation and acts as an undecadentate ligand via six phenoxy oxygen and five sulfur atoms. The resulting pentacopper(II) subunits are connected by two hydroxo and two oxo groups to form decacappoer(II) cluster core. The core structure remains intact in alcoholic solution as shown by ESI MS. The temperature dependence of chimT clearly shows ferromagnetic behavior of the core due to orthogonality between two adjoining magnetic orbitals of copper(II) ions.