Magali Allain

Synthesis, structural and spectral studies of 5-methyl 2-furaldehyde thiosemicarbazone and its Co, Ni, Cu and Cd complexes

Abstract The reaction of cobalt, nickel, copper and cadmium chlorides and bromides with 5-methylfurfural thiosemicarbazone (M5FTSC) leads to the formation of two series of new complexes: [M(M5FTSC)2X2], [M(M5FTSC)X2]. They have been characterized by spectroscopic studies (infrared, 1H NMR, and electronic spectra). The crystal structures of the free ligand M5FTSC and of the compound [CuCl2(M5FTSC)] have been determined by X-ray diffraction methods. For the Co(II), Ni(II) and Cu(II) complexes, the central atom is coordinated through the sulphur atom and the azomethine nitrogen atom whilst for the Cd(II) complexes, the coordination atoms are the sulphur and furanic oxygen atoms instead of the azomethine nitrogen.

Synthesis, structure and biological activity of nickel(II) complexes of 5-methyl 2-furfural thiosemicarbazone.

5-Methyl 2-furfuraldehyde thiosemicarbazone (M5HFTSC) with nickel(II) leads to three types of complexes: [Ni(M5HFTSC)(2)X(2)], [Ni(M5FTSC)(2)] and [Ni(M5FTSC)(2)] x 2DMF. In the first type the ligand remains in thione form, while in the two other, the anionic thiolato form is involved. The species [Ni(M5HFTSC)(2)X(2)] has been characterized spectroscopically. The structures of [Ni(M5FTSC)(2)] x 2DMF and [Ni(M5FTSC)(2)] have been solved using X-ray diffraction. Biological studies of [Ni(M5HFTSC)(2)Cl(2)] have been carried out in vitro for antifungal activity on human pathogenic fungi, Aspergillus fumigatus and Candida albicans, and in vivo for toxicity on mice. The results are compared to those of the ligand, the metal salt and a similar copper complex [Cu(M5HFTSC)Cl(2)].

A metal-directed self-assembled electroactive cage with bis(pyrrolo)tetrathiafulvalene (BPTTF) side walls

A straightforward synthesis of a bis(pyrrolo)tetrathiafulvalene (BPTTF)-based tetratopic ligand bearing four pyridyl units is described. The first example of a TTF-based self-assembled cage has been produced from this redox-active ligand through metal-directed synthesis with a cis-coordinated square-planar Pt(II) complex. The resulting cage corresponds to a trigonal-prismatic structure, as shown by X-ray crystallography. A UV-vis titration indicated that the electron-rich cavity can be used to incorporate one molecule of tetrafluorotetracyano-p-quinodimethane (TCNQF(4)).

Synthesis, crystal structure, characterization of zinc(II), cadmium(II) complexes with 3-thiophene aldehyde thiosemicarbazone (3TTSCH). Biological activities of 3TTSCH and its complexes

The reaction of zinc(II) chloride, cadmium(II) chloride and bromide with 3-thiophene aldehyde thiosemicarbazone leads to the formation of a series of new complexes. They have been characterized by spectroscopic studies: infrared, (1)H NMR, and electronic spectra. The crystal structures of the compound [ZnCl(2)(3TTSCH)(2)] and [CdBr(2)(3TTSCH)(2)] have been determined by X-ray diffraction methods. For the complexes [ZnCl(2)(3TTSCH)(2)] and [CdBr(2)(3TTSCH)(2)], the central ion is coordinated through the sulfur, and for the complexes [CdCl(2)(3TTSCH)], [CdBr(2)(3TTSCH)] the ion is coordinated through the sulfur as well as azomethine nitrogen atom of the thiosemicarbazone. In addition, fungistatic and bacteriostatic activities of both ligand and complexes have been evaluated. Cadmium(II) complexes have shown the most significant activities.

4H-Pyran-4-ylidenes: Strong Proaromatic Donors for Organic Nonlinear Optical Chromophores

Merocyanines where a polyenic spacer separates a 4H-pyran-4-ylidene moiety and different strong organic acceptors have been synthesized. According to NMR studies and X-ray diffraction data, these compounds have weakly alternated structures and remarkably zwitterionic ground states, with a partial aromatic character that is compared to those of other pyran derivatives. The proaromaticity of the 4H-pyran-4-ylidene donor lies behind the cyanine-like behavior and low (positive or negative) second-order optical nonlinearities of the shorter derivatives. On the other hand, lengthening the pi-spacer gives rise to rapidly increasing mubeta(1907) values up to 17,400 x 10(-48) esu.

Linearly extended tetrathiafulvalene analogues with fused thiophene units as π-conjugated spacers

A new series of linearly extended tetrathiafulvalene analogues with thienothiophene and dithienothiophene π-conjugating spacers has been synthesized. Electronic absorption spectra present a vibronic fine structure typical for rigid conjugated systems. Investigation of the electrochemical behaviour of the new donors by cyclic voltammetry reveals the successive generation of stable radical cation and dication species. The crystallographic structure of a single crystal of a dication salt of TT-TTF(ClO4)2 has been analysed by X-ray diffraction. The dication presents a syn conformation stabilised by S⋯S intramolecular interactions. The quinoid structure expected for the spacer for the +2 oxidation state is clearly revealed by the bond lengths.

Donor–acceptor–donor (D–A–D) molecules based on isoindigo as active material for organic solar cells

Two D–A–D systems involving benzofuran and dithienopyrrole as donor blocks and isoindigo as an acceptor unit have been synthesized and their electronic properties have been characterized by UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry. A preliminary evaluation of these compounds as active material in organic solar cells shows that the presence or absence of substitution at the nitrogen atom of indigo strongly affects the properties of the material and thus the performances of the resulting solar cells.

Small D-π-A systems with o-phenylene-bridged accepting units as active materials for organic photovoltaics.

Donor-acceptor (D-π-A) systems that combine triarylamine donor blocks and dicyanovinyl (DCV) acceptor groups have been synthesized. Starting from the triphenylamine (TPA)-thiophene-DCV compound (1) as a reference system, various synthetic approaches have been developed for controlling the light-harvesting properties and energy levels of the frontier orbitals in this molecule. Thus, the introduction of methoxy groups onto TPA, the replacement of one phenyl ring of TPA by a thiophene ring, or the extension of the π-conjugating spacer group lead to the modulation of the HOMO level. On the other hand, the fusion of the DCV group onto the vicinal thiophene ring by an ortho-phenylene bridge allows for a specific fine-tuning of the LUMO level. The electronic properties of the molecules were analyzed by using UV/Vis spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry and the compounds were evaluated as donor materials in basic bilayer planar heterojunction solar cells by using C60 as acceptor material. The relationships between the electronic properties of the donors and the performance of the corresponding photovoltaic devices are discussed. Bilayer planar heterojunction solar cells that used reference compound 1 and C70 afforded power-conversion efficiencies of up to 3.7 %.

Reversible Guest Uptake/Release by Redox-Controlled Assembly/Disassembly of a Coordination Cage

Controlling the guest expulsion process from a receptor is of critical importance in various fields. Several coordination cages have been recently designed for this purpose, based on various types of stimuli to induce the guest release. Herein, we report the first example of a redox-triggered process from a coordination cage. The latter integrates a cavity, the panels of which are based on the extended tetrathiafulvalene unit (exTTF). The unique combination of electronic and conformational features of this framework (i.e. high π-donating properties and drastic conformational changes upon oxidation) allows the reversible disassembly/reassembly of the redox-active cavity upon chemical oxidation/reduction, respectively. This cage is able to bind the three-dimensional B12 F12 (2-) anion in a 1:2 host/guest stoichiometry. The reversible redox-triggered disassembly of the cage could also be demonstrated in the case of the host-guest complex, offering a new option for guest-delivering control.

Iminium Salts of ω-Dithiafulvenylpolyenals : An Easy Entry to the Corresponding Aldehydes and Doubly Proaromatic Nonlinear Optic-phores

A short, high-yielding route to omega-dithiafulvenylpolyenals (1) via the corresponding iminium salts (2) and starting from trimethyl-1,3-dithiolium tetrafluoroborate is reported. The Knoevenagel reactions of either 1 or 2 with isoxazolone-containing acceptors afford merocyanines 7 and 9, in a process that is often accompanied by a vinylene-shortening side reaction. Experimental and theoretical studies reveal that compounds 7 and 9, featuring two proaromatic end groups, are strongly polarized and show good second-order nonlinear optical responses.