Katja Heinze

Cooperative Transformations of Small Molecules at a Dinuclear Nickel(II) Site

The synergetic action of two nickel(II) ions embedded in a tunable dinucleating ligand matrix (illustrated) allows manifold cooperative reactions within the bimetallic pocket, such as the hydration of nitriles, the hydrolysis of esters, and the degradation of urea to cyanate. Related mononuclear complexes have been prepared in order to further elucidate mechanistic aspects of these transformations.

Oligonuclear Ferrocene Amides: Mixed-Valent Peptides and Potential Redox-Switchable Foldamers

Trinuclear ferrocene tris-amides were synthesized from an Fmoc- or Boc-protected ferrocene amino acid, and hydrogen-bonded zigzag conformations were determined by NMR spectroscopy, molecular modelling, and X-ray diffraction. In these ordered secondary structures orientation of the individual amide dipole moments approximately in the same direction results in a macrodipole moment similar to that of α-helices composed of α-amino acids. Unlike ordinary α-amino acids, the building blocks in these ferrocene amides with defined secondary structure can be sequentially oxidized to mono-, di-, and trications. Singly and doubly charged mixed-valent cations were probed experimentally by Vis/NIR, paramagnetic ¹H NMR and Mössbauer spectroscopy and investigated theoretically by DFT calculations. According to the appearance of intervalence charge transfer (IVCT) bands in solution, the ferrocene/ferrocenium amides are described as Robin-Day class II mixed-valent systems. Mössbauer spectroscopy indicates trapped valences in the solid state. The secondary structure of trinuclear ferrocene tris-amides remains intact (coiled form) upon oxidation to mono- and dications according to DFT calculations, while oxidation to the trication should break the intramolecular hydrogen bonding and unfold the ferrocene peptide (uncoiled form).

[{(CO)5Cr}6Ge6]2−, A Molecular Organometallic Derivative of the Unknown Zintl Ion [Ge6]2−

Octahedral clusters from p-block elements are rare; however, the only known molecular aggregate of this kind, [{(CO)5 Cr}6 Sn6 ]2- , has now been supplemented by the isoelectronic cluster [{(CO)5 Cr}6 Ge6 ]2- (1).

Solid-Phase Synthesis of Peptide Libraries Combining α-Amino Acids with Inorganic and Organic Chromophores

The synthesis of two series of peptidic chains composed of bis(terpyridine)ruthenium(II) acceptor units and organic chromophores (coumarin, naphthalene, anthracene, fluorene) by stepwise solid-phase peptide synthesis (SPPS) techniques is described. The first series of dyads comprises directly amide linked chromophores, while the second one possesses a glycine spacer between the two chromophores. All dyads were studied by UV/Vis and NMR spectroscopy, steady-state luminescence, luminescence decay and electrochemistry, as well as by DFT calculations. The results of these studies indicate weak electronic coupling of the chromophores in the ground state. Absorption spectra of all dyads are dominated by metal-to-ligand charge-transfer (MLCT) bands around 500 nm. The bichromophoric systems, especially with coumarin as organic chromophore, display additional strong absorptions in the visible spectral region. All complexes are luminescent at room temperature ((3)MLCT). Efficient quenching of the fluorescence of the organic chromophore by the attached ruthenium complex is observed in all dyads. Excitation spectra indicate energy transfer from the organic dye to the ruthenium chromophore.

Solid‐Phase Synthesis of Transition‐Metal Complexes

This overview highlights recent progress in the field of selective construction of linear, oligonuclear transition-metal complexes by using solid-phase synthesis procedures. Two general protocols have been identified: formation of coordinative bonds between metal centres and bridging ligands and formation of covalent bonds between preformed kinetically inert transition-metal-containing building blocks in the chain growth step. Currently available suitable building blocks for the second approach are based on ferrocene units, bis(terpyridine)-ruthenium(II) moieties or metal porphyrins.

Solid-phase organometallic synthesis.

A solid-phase synthesis approach for a class of molybdenum carbonyl complexes has been developed. The system can be used to perform metal-complexation, ligand substitution reactions and oxidative eliminations on the solid phase and to cleave the final complexes under mild and selective conditions. Comparison is made to corresponding soluble complexes and liquid-phase reactions.

Powerful Fluoroalkoxy Molybdenum(V) Reagent for Selective Oxidative Arene Coupling Reaction

We introduce the novel fluoroalkoxy molybdenum(V) reagent 1 which has superior reactivity and selectivity in comparison to MoCl5 or the MoCl5 /TiCl4 reagent mixture in the oxidative coupling reactions of aryls. Common side reactions, such as chlorination and/or oligomer formation, are drastically diminished creating a powerful and useful reagent for oxidative coupling. Theoretical treatment of the reagent interaction with 1,2-dimethoxybenzene-type substrates indicates an inner-sphere electron transfer followed by a radical cationic reaction pathway for the oxidative-coupling process. EPR spectroscopic and electrochemical studies, X-ray analyses, computational investigations, and the experimental scope provide a highly consistent picture. The substitution of chlorido ligands by hexafluoroisopropoxido moieties seems to boost both the reactivity and selectivity of the metal center which might be applied to other reagents as well.

Stereochemical consequences of oxygen atom transfer and electron transfer in imido/oxido molybdenum(IV, V, VI) complexes with two unsymmetric bidentate ligands.

Two equivalents of the unsymmetrical Schiff base ligand (L(tBu))(-) (4-tert-butyl phenyl(pyrrolato-2-ylmethylene)amine) and MoCl(2)(NtBu)O(dme) (dme = 1,2-dimethoxyethane) gave a single stereoisomer of a mixed imido/oxido Mo(VI) complex 2(tBu). The stereochemistry of 2(tBu) was elucidated using X-ray diffraction, NMR spectroscopy, and DFT calculations. The complex is active in an oxygen atom transfer (OAT) reaction to trimethyl phosphane. The putative intermediate five-coordinate Mo(IV) imido complex coordinates a PMe(3) ligand, giving the six-coordinate imido phosphane Mo(IV) complex 5(tBu). The stereochemistry of 5(tBu) is different from that of 2(tBu) as shown by NMR spectroscopy, DFT calculations, and X-ray diffraction. Single-electron oxidation of 5(tBu) with ferrocenium hexafluorophosphate gave the stable cationic imido phosphane Mo(V) complex [5(tBu)](+) as the PF(6)(-) salt. EPR spectra of [5(tBu)](PF(6)) confirmed the presence of PMe(3) in the coordination sphere. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis of [5(tBu)](PF(6)) revealed that electron transfer occurred under retention of the stereochemical configuration. The rate of OAT, the outcome of the electron transfer reaction, and the stabilities of the imido complexes presented here differ dramatically from those of analogous oxido complexes.

Over-Oxidation as the Key Step in the Mechanism of the MoCl5-Mediated Dehydrogenative Coupling of Arenes.

Molybdenum pentachloride is an unusually powerful reagent for the dehydrogenative coupling of arenes. Owing to the high reaction rate using MoCl5, several labile moieties are tolerated in this transformation. The mechanistic course of the reaction was controversially discussed although indications for a single electron transfer as the initial step were found recently. Herein, based on a combined study including synthetic investigations, electrochemical measurements, EPR spectroscopy, DFT calculations, and mass spectrometry, we deduct a highly consistent mechanistic scenario: MoCl5 acts as a one-electron oxidant in the absence of TiCl4 and as two-electron oxidant in the presence of TiCl4, but leads to an over-oxidized intermediate in both cases, which protects it from side reactions. In the course of aqueous work-up the reagent waste (Mo(III/IV) species) acts as reducing agent generating the desired organic C-C coupling product.

[{(CO)5Cr}6Ge6]2−, ein molekulares metallorganisches Derivat des bislang unbekannten Zintl‐Ions [Ge6]2−

Oktaedrische Cluster aus Elementen des p-Blocks sind zwar selten, doch konnte nun dem einzigen bisher bekannten molekularen Aggregat dieser Art, [{(CO)5Cr}6Sn6]2−, der isoelektronische [{(CO)5Cr}6Ge6]2−-Cluster 1 zur Seite gestellt werden.