Fundamental Studies of Carbon Oxygen Bond Activation in Nickel Diphosphine Ether Complexes. And, Metallomacrocycles as Ligands: Synthesis and Characterization of Aluminum-Bridged Bisglyoximato Complexes of Iron and Cobalt

In order to develop better catalysts for the cleavage of aryl-X bonds fundamental studies of the mechanism and individual steps of the mechanism have been investigated in detail. As the described studies are difficult at best in catalytic systems, model systems are frequently used. To study aryl-oxygen bond activation, a terphenyl diphosphine scaffold containing an ether moiety in the central arene was designed. The first three chapters of this dissertation focus on the studies of the nickel complexes supported by this diphosphine backbone and the research efforts in regards to aryl-oxygen bond activation.

Chapter 2 outlines the synthesis of a variety of diphosphine terphenyl ether ligand scaffolds. The metallation of these scaffolds with nickel is described. The reactivity of these nickel(0) systems is also outlined. The systems were found to typically undergo a reductive cleavage of the aryl oxygen bond. The mechanism was found to be a subsequent oxidative addition, β-H elimination, reductive elimination and (or) decarbonylation.

Chapter 3 presents kinetic studies of the aryl oxygen bond in the systems outlined in Chapter 2. Using a series of nickel(0) diphosphine terphenyl ether complexes the kinetics of aryl oxygen bond activation was studied. The activation parameters of oxidative addition for the model systems were determined. Little variation was observed in the rate and activation parameters of oxidative addition with varying electronics in the model system. The cause of the lack of variation is due to the ground state and oxidative addition transition state being affected similarly. Attempts were made to extend this study to catalytic systems.

Chapter 4 investigates aryl oxygen bond activation in the presence of additives. It was found that the addition of certain metal alkyls to the nickel(0) model system lead to an increase in the rate of aryl oxygen bond activation. The addition of excess Grignard reagent led to an order of magnitude increase in the rate of aryl oxygen bond activation. Similarly the addition of AlMe3 led to a three order of magnitude rate increase. Addition of AlMe₃ at -80 °C led to the formation of an intermediate which was identified by NOESY correlations as a system in which the AlMe3 is coordinated to the ether moiety of the backbone. The rates and activation parameters of aryl oxygen bond activation in the presence of AlMe3 were investigated.

The last two chapters involve the study of metalla-macrocycles as ligands. Chapter 5 details the synthesis of a variety of glyoxime backbones and diphenol precursors and their metallation with aluminum. The coordination chemistry of iron on the aluminum scaffolds was investigated. Varying the electronics of the aluminum macrocycle was found to affect the observed electrochemistry of the iron center.

Chapter 6 extends the studies of chapter 5 to cobalt complexes. The synthesis of cobalt dialuminum glyoxime metal complexes is described. The electrochemistry of the cobalt complexes was investigated. The electrochemistry was compared to the observed electrochemistry of a zinc analog to identify the redox activity of the ligand. In the presence of acid the cobalt complexes were found to electrochemically reduce protons to dihydrogen. The electronics of the ancillary aluminum ligands were found to affect the potential of proton reduction in the cobalt complexes. These potentials were compared to other diglyoximate complexes.

Homo- and Heteronuclear Transition Metal Complexes Supported by Multinucleating Ligands

This dissertation is mainly divided into two sub-parts: organometallic and bioinorganic/materials projects. The approach for the projects involves the use of two different multinucleating ligands to synthesize mono- and multinuclear complexes. Chapter 2 describes the synthesis of a multinucleating tris(phosphinoaryl)benzene ligand used to support mono-nickel and palladium complexes. The isolated mononuclear complexes were observed to undergo intramolecular arene C¬–H to C–P functionalization. The transformation was studied by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography, and represents a rare type of C–H functionalization mechanism, facilitated by the interactions of the group 10 metal with the arene π–system.

Chapter 3 describes the construction of multinickel complexes supported by the same triphosphine ligand from Chapter 2. This chapter shows how the central arene in the ligand’s triarylbenzene framework can interact with dinickel and trinickel moieties in various binding modes. X-ray diffraction studies indicated that all compounds display strong metal–arene interactions. A cofacial triangulo nickel(0) complex supported by this ligand scaffold was also isolated and characterized. This chapter demonstrates the use of an arene as versatile ligand design element for small molecular clusters.

Chapter 4 presents the syntheses of a series of discrete mixed transition metal Mn oxido clusters and their characterization. The synthesis of these oxide clusters displaying two types of transition metals were targeted for systematic metal composition-property studies relevant to mixed transition metal oxides employed in electrocatalysis. A series of heterometallic trimanganese tetraoxido cubanes capped with a redox-active metal [MMn₃O₄] (M = Fe, Co, Ni, Cu) was synthesized starting from a [CaMn₃O₄] precursor and structurally characterized by X-ray crystallography and anomalous diffraction to conclusively determine that M is incorporated at a single position in the cluster. The electrochemical properties of these complexes were studied via cyclic voltammetry. The redox chemistry of the series of complexes was investigated by the addition of a reductant and oxidant. X-ray absorption and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopies were also employed to evaluate the product of the oxidation/reduction reaction to determine the site of electron transfer given the presence of two types of redox-active metals. Additional studies on oxygen atom transfer reactivities of [MMn₃O₄] and [MMn₃O₂] series were performed to investigate the effect of the heterometal M in the reaction rates.

Chapter 5 focuses on the use of [CoMn₃O₄] and [NiMn₃O₄] cubane complexes discussed in Chapter 4 as precursors to heterogeneous oxygen evolution reaction (OER) electrocatalysts. These well-defined complexes were dropcasted on electrodes with/without heat treatment, and the OER activities of the resulting films were evaluated. Multiple spectroscopic techniques were performed on the surface of the electrocatalysts to gain insight into the structure-function relationships based on the heterometallic composition. Depending on film preparation, the Co-Mn-oxide was found to change metal composition during catalysis, while the Ni-Mn oxide maintained the NiMn3 ratio. These studies represent the use of discrete heterometallic-oxide clusters as precursors for heterogeneous water oxidation catalysts.

Appendix A describes the ongoing effort to synthesize a series of heteromultimetallic [MMn₃X] clusters (X = O, S, F). Complexes such as [ZnMn₃O], [CoMn₃O], [Mn₃S], and [Mn₄F] have been synthesized and structurally characterized. An amino-bis-oxime ligand (PRABO) has been installed on the [ZnMn₃O] cluster. Upon the addition of O₂, the desymmetrized [ZnMn₃O] cluster only underwent an outer-sphere, one-electron oxidation. Efforts to build and manipulate other heterometallic [MMn₃X] clusters are still ongoing, targeting O₂ binding and reduction. Appendix B summarizes the multiple synthetic approaches to build a [Co₄O₄]-cubane complex relevant to heterogeneous OER electrocatalysis. Starting with the tricobalt cluster [LCo₃(O₂CR)₃] and treatment various strong oxidants that can serve as oxygen atom source in the presence Co²⁺ salt only yielded tricobalt mono–oxo complexes. Appendix C presents the efforts to model the H-cluster framework of [FeFe]-hydrogenase by incorporating a synthetic diiron complex onto a protein-supported or a synthetic ligand-supported [Fe₄S₄]-cluster. The mutant ferredoxin with a [Fe₄S₄]-cluster and triscarbene ligand have been characterized by multiple spectroscopic techniques. The reconstruction of an H-cluster mimic has not yet been achieved, due to the difficulty of obtaining crystallographic evidence and the ambiguity of the EPR results.

Electronic structure in five-coordinate complexes of nickel(II) with heavy-donor ligands

I.

Various studies designed to elucidate the electronic structure of the arsenic donor ligand, o-phenylenebisdimethylarsine (diarsine), have been carried out. The electronic spectrum of diarsine has been measured at 300 and 77˚K. Electronic spectra of the molecular complexes of various substituted organoarsines and phosphines with tetracyanoethylene have been measured and used to estimate the relative ionization potentials of these molecules.

Uv photolysis of arsines in frozen solution (96˚K) has yielded thermally labile, paramagnetic products. These include the molecular cations of the photolyzed compounds. The species (diars)⁺ exhibits hyper-fine splitting due to two equivalent ⁷⁵As(I=3/2) nuclei. Resonances due to secondary products are reported and assignments discussed.

Evidence is presented for the involvement of d-orbitals in the bonding of arsines. In (diars)⁺ there is mixing of arsenic “lone-pair” orbitals with benzene ring π-orbitals.

II.

Detailed electronic spectral measurements at 300 and 77˚K have been carried out on five-coordinate complexes of low-spin nickel(II), including complexes of both trigonal bipyramidal (TBP) and square pyramidal (SPY) geometry. TBP complexes are of the form NiLX⁺ (X=halide or cyanide,

L = Qƭ(CH₂)₃As(CH₃)₂]₃ or

P [hexagon - Q'CH₃] , Q = P, As,

Q’=S, Se).

The electronic spectra of these compounds exhibit a novel feature at low temperature. The first ligand field band, which is asymmetric in the room temperature solution spectrum, is considerably more symmetrical at 77˚K. This effect is interpreted in terms of changes in the structure of the complex.

The SPY complexes are of the form Ni(diars)₂X^z (X=CL, Br, CNS, CN, thiourea, NO₂, As). On the basis of the spectral results, the d-level ordering is concluded to be xy ˂ xz, yz ˂ z² ˂˂ x² - y². Central to this interpretation is identification of the symmetry-allowed ¹A₁ → ¹E (xz, yz → x² - y²) transition. This assignment was facilitated by the low temperature measurements.

An assignment of the charge-transfer spectra of the five-coordinate complexes is reported, and electronic spectral criteria for distinguishing the two limiting geometries are discussed.

Spectroscopic and thermal properties of short wavelength metal (II) complexes containing alpha-isoxazolylazo-beta-diketones as co-ligands

Two new azo dyes of alpha-isoxazolylazo-beta-dilcetones and their Ni(II) and Cu(II) complexes with blue-violet light wavelength were synthesized using a coupling component, different diazo components and metal (II) ions (Ni2+ and Cu2+). Based on the elemental analysis, MS spectra and FT-IR spectral analyses, azo dyes were unequivocally shown to exist as hydrazoketo and azoenol forms which were respectively obtained from the solution forms and from the solid forms. The action of sodium methoxide (NaOMe) on azo dyes in solutions converts hydrazoketo form into azoenol form, so azo dyes are coordinated with metal (II) ions as co-ligands in the azoenol forms. The solubility of all the compounds in common organic solvents such as 2,2,3,3-tetrafluoro-1-propanol (TFP) or chloroform (CHCl3) and absorption properties of spin-coating thin films were measured. The difference of absorption maxima from the complexes to their ligands was discussed. In addition, the TG analysis of the complexes was also determined, and their thermal stability was evaluated. It is found that these new metal (II) complexes had potential application for high-density digital versatile disc-recordable (HD-DVD-R) system due to their good solubility in organic solvents, reasonable and controllable absorption spectra in blue-violet light region and high thermal stability. (c) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Spectroscopic, and thermal studies of some new binuclear transition metal(II) complexes with hydrazone ligands containing acetoacetanilide and isoxazole

A new chelating ligand, 2-(2-(5-tert-butylisoxazol-3-yl)hydrazono)-N-(2,4-dimethylphenyl)-3-oxobutanamide (HL), and its four binuclear transition metal complexes, M-2(L)(2) (mu-OCH3)(2) [M = Ni(II), Co(II), Cu(II), Zn(II)], were synthesized using the procedure of diazotization, coupling and metallization. Their structures were postulated based on elemental analysis, H-1 NMR, MALDI-MS, FT-IR spectra and UV-vis electronic absorption spectra. Smooth films of these complexes on K9 glass substrates were prepared using the spin-coating method and their absorption properties were evaluated. The thermal properties of the metal(II) complexes were investigated by thermogravimetry (TG) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC. Different thermodynamic and kinetic parameters namely activation energy (E

Nickel(II) and copper(II) complexes containing 2-(2-(5-substitued isoxazol-3-yl)hydrazono)-5,5-dimethylcyclohexane-1,3-dione ligands: Synthesis, spectral and thermal characterizations

Two new hydrazone chelating ligands, 2-(2-(5-methylisoxazol-3-yl)hydrazono)-5,5-dimethylcyclohexane-1,3-dione (HL1) and 2-(2-(5-tert-butylisoxazol-3-yl)hydrazono)-5,5-dimethylcyclohexane- 1,3-dione (HL2), and their nickel(II) and copper(II) complexes were synthesized using the procedure of diazotization, coupling and metallization. Their structures were postulated based on elemental analysis, H-1 NMR, ESI-MS, FT-IR spectra and UV-vis electronic absorption spectra. Smooth films of these complexes on K9 glass substrates were prepared using spin-coating and their absorption properties were evaluated. The thermal properties of the metal(II) complexes were investigated by thermogravimetry (TG) and differential thermogravimetry (DTG). Different thermodynamic and kinetic parameters namely activation energy (E

Self-assembly of metallated TPP porphyrin by external dipyridyl ligands

Póster presentado en: XXII International Congress and General Assembly of the International Union of Crystallography (UICr), 22–30 Agosto 2011. Madrid, España

Macrocyclic polyamine-modified poly(glycidyl methacrylate-co-ethylene dimethacrylate) monolith for capillary electrochromatography

1,4,10,13,16-Pentaazatricycloheneicosane-9,17-dione (macrocyclic polyamine)-modified polymer-based monolithic column for CEC was prepared by ring opening reaction of epoxide groups from poly(glycidyl methacrylate-co-ethylene dimethacrylate) (GMA-co-EDMA) monolith with macrocyclic polyamine. Conditions such as reaction time and concentration of macrocyclic polyamine for the modification reaction were optimized to generate substantial EOF and enough chromatographic interactions. Anodic EOF was observed in the pH range of 2.0-8.0 studied due to the protonation of macrcyclic polyamine at the surface of the monolith. Morphology of the monolithic column was examined by SEM and the incorporation of macrocyclic polyamine to the poly(GMA-co-EDMA) monolith was characterized by infrared (IR) spectra. Successful separation of inorganic anions, isomeric benzenediols, and benzoic acid derivatives on the monolithic column was achieved for CEC. In addition to hydrophobic interaction, hydrogen bonding and electrostatic interaction played a significant role in the separation process.