Hong Yan

Carboranes as a Tool to Tune Phosphorescence

Phosphorescent transition-metal complexes (PTMCs) have attracted great interest because of their excellent properties which may lead to promising applications in optoelectronics. In recent years, carboranes have been demonstrated to be a novel and effective tool to tune phosphorescence of PTMCs. This Concept article deals with the advances of carborane-functionalized PTMCs for potential optical applications. The discussions are focused on the design strategies and synthetic procedures leading to carborane-functionalized PTMCs, the influence of carboranes on the optical properties of PTMCs, and the promising optical applications of this interesting class of phosphorescent materials.

Reactions of 16e CpCo Half‐Sandwich Complexes Containing a Chelating 1,2‐Dicarba‐closo‐dodecaborane‐1,2‐dichalcogenolate Ligand with Ethynylferrocene and Dimethyl Acetylenedicarboxylate

The reaction of the 16e half-sandwich complex [CpCo(S2C2B10H10)] (1S; Cp: cyclopentadienyl) with ethynylferrocene in CH2Cl2 at ambient temperature leads to [CpCo(S2C2B10H9)-(CH2CFc)] (2S; Fc: ferrocenyl) and 1,2,4-triferrocenylbenzene. In 2S, B substitution occurs at the carborane cage in the position B3/B6 with the formation of a C-B bond. In the presence of the protic solvent MeOH, 2S loses a CpCo fragment to generate [(CH2CFc)(S2C2B10H9)] (3S). On the other hand, 2S can take a free CpCo fragment to form [(CpCo)2(S2C2B9H8)-(CHCFc)] (4S) containing a nido-C2B9 unit. In sharp contrast, [CpCo-(Se2C2B10H10)] (1Se) does not react with the alkyne in CH2Cl2, but in MeOH [(CHCFc)(Se2C2B10H10)] (5Se) is generated without the presence of a CpCo unit. The reaction of 1 with dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate at ambient temperature leads to insertion compounds [CpCo(E2C2B10H10){(MeO2C)-C=C(CO2Me)}] (6S, E=S; 6 Se, E=Se). Upon heating, 6S rearranges to two geometrical isomers [CpCo(S2C2B10H9){(MeO2C)C=CH(CO2Me)}] (7S) and [CpCo(S2C2B10H9){(MeO2C)-CHC(CO2Me)}] (8S). In both, B-H functionalization takes place at the carborane cage in the position B3/B6, but 7S is a 16e complex with an olefinic unit in a Z configuration, and 8S is an 18e complex containing an alkyl B-CH group. Further treatment of 7 S with dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate at ambient temperature affords two B-disubstituted complexes at the carborane cage in the positions of the B3 and B6 sites, that is, [CpCo(S2C2-B10H8){(MeO2C)C=CH(CO2Me)}2] (9S) and [CpCo(S2C2B10H8){(MeO2C)-CHC(CO2Me)}{(MeO2C)C=CH-(CO2Me)}] (10S). Compound 9S is a 16e complex with two olefinic units in E/E configurations, whereas 10S is an 18e species containing both an olefinic substituent and an alkyl B--CH unit. The reaction of 7S with methyl acetylenemonocarboxylate at ambient temperature leads to the sole 16e compound [CpCo(S2C2B10H8){CH=CH(CO2Me)}-{(MeO2C)C=CH(CO2Me)}] (11S). In contrast, 6Se does not rearrange. All new complexes 2S-4S, 5Se, 6Se, and 7S-11S were characterized by NMR spectroscopy (1H, 11B, 13C) and X-ray structural analyses were performed for 2S-4S, 5Se, 6Se, and 7S-9S.

Solvent-Controlled, Tunable β-OAc and β-H Elimination in Rh(III)-Catalyzed Allyl Acetate and Aryl Amide Coupling via C–H Activation

The Heck reaction between arenes and allyl acetate has led to cinnamyl derivatives and allyl products depending on the regioselectivity of β-elimination. The regioselectivity can be controlled by the solvent in the Rh(III)-catalyzed arene-allyl acetate coupling via C-H activation: (1) in THF, cinnamyl derivatives via β-H elimination were generated; (2) in MeOH, allyl products via β-OAc elimination were produced. Both routes have advantages such as excellent γ-selectivity toward allyl acetate, good to excellent yields, and broad substrate scope.

A Convenient Approach To Synthesize o-Carborane-Functionalized Phosphorescent Iridium(III) Complexes for Endocellular Hypoxia Imaging.

The structure-property relationship of carborane-modified iridium(III) complexes was investigated. Firstly, an efficient approach for the synthesis of o-carborane-containing pyridine ligands a-f in high yields was developed by utilizing stable and cheap B10 H10 (Et4 N)2 as the starting material. By using these ligands, iridium(III) complexes I-VII were efficiently prepared. In combination with DFT calculations, the photophysical and electrochemical properties of these complexes were studied. The hydrophilic nido-o-carborane-based iridium(III) complex VII showed the highest phosphorescence efficiency (abs. ϕP =0.48) among known water-soluble homoleptic cyclometalated iridium(III) complexes and long emission lifetime (τ=1.24u2005μs) in aqueous solution. Both of them are sensitive to O2 , and thus endocellular hypoxia imaging of complex VII was realized by time-resolved luminescence imaging (TRLI). This is the first example of applying TRLI in endocellular oxygen detection with a water-soluble nido-carborane functionalized iridium(III) complex.

Droplet electrochemical study of the pH dependent redox behavior of novel ferrocenyl-carborane derivatives and its application in specific cancer cell recognition.

Novel ferrocenyl based carboranes (FcCBs) and their distinguish behavior for cancer cell recognition have been explored in this contribution. The voltammetric study in a droplet of 10μL placed on the surface of a glassy carbon electrode demonstrates the excellent electrochemical behavior of FcCBs, which could be further exploited for establishing the promising and sensitive biosensors. The FcCBs redox behavior is examined in a wide pH range, and square wave voltammetry revealed the reversible and irreversible nature of first and second anodic peaks. The obvious shifts in peak potentials corresponding with the change of pH values demonstrate the abstraction of electrons to be accompanied with the transfer of protons. By using the droplet electrochemical technique, FcCBs can be employed to distinguish normal and cancer cells with a linear range from 1.0×10(3) to 3.0×10(4)cells mL(-1) and the limit of detection at 800cells mL(-1). The novel carborane derivatives could be utilized as important potential molecular probes for specific recognition of cancer cells like leukemia cells from normal cells.

Badly behaving bipyridine: the surprising coordination behaviour of 5,5′-substituted-2,2′-bipyridine towards iron(II) and ruthenium(II) ions

A new tetrapyridine ligand, 5,5′-(3-pyridyl)-2,2′-bipyridine (2) was prepared from 5,5′-dibromo-2,2′-bipyridine (1) via Pd(0)-mediated Suzuki coupling. The reaction was performed either directly upon the free ligand, or upon its Ru(II) complex. The structures of [Ru(1)3](PF6)2 and [Ru(2)3](PF6)2 were studied in solution by NMR, and in the solid state by single crystal X-ray diffraction. Solution NMR data suggests distorted structures, consistent with the observed slow reactivity of the ligands towards Ru(II) ions, and their reluctance to coordinate to Fe(II) ions. However, solid-state X-ray data indicated little distortion from ideal geometries, suggesting the effect may be more electronic than steric in nature.