Michael D. Randles

Organometallic complexes for nonlinear optics, 47 - synthesis and cubic optical nonlinearity of a stilbenylethynylruthenium dendrimer.

The synthesis of the 1st generation dendrimer 1,3,5-{trans-[Ru(C≡C-3,5-(trans-[Ru(C≡CPh)(dppe)(2) (C≡CC(6) H(4) -4-(E)-CHCH)])(2) C(6) H(3) )(dppe)(2) (C≡CC(6) H(4) -4-(E)-CHCH)]}(3) C(6) H(3) proceeds by a novel route that features Emmons-Horner-Wadsworth coupling of 1,3,5-C(6) H(3) (CH(2) PO(OEt)(2) )(3) with trans-[Ru(C≡CC(6) H(4) -4-CHO)Cl(dppe)(2) ] and 1-I-C(6) H(3) -3,5-(CH(2) PO(OEt)(2) )(2) with trans-[Ru(C≡CPh)(C≡CC(6) H(4) -4-CHO)(dppe)(2) ] as key steps. The stilbenylethynylruthenium dendrimer is much more soluble than its ethynylated analog 1,3,5-{trans-[Ru(C≡C-3,5-(trans-[Ru(C≡CPh)(dppe)(2) (C≡CC(6) H(4) -4-C≡C)])(2) C(6) H(3) )(dppe)(2) (C≡CC(6) H(4) -4-C≡C)]}(3) C(6) H(3) and, in contrast to the ethynylated analog, is a two-photon absorber at telecommunications wavelengths.

Syntheses and spectroscopic, structural, electrochemical, spectroelectrochemical, and theoretical studies of osmium(II) mono- and bis-alkynyl complexes

The syntheses of trans-[Os(C≡C-4-C(6)H(4)X)Cl(dppe)(2)] [X = Br (3), I (4)], trans-[Os(C≡C-4-C(6)H(4)X)(NH(3))(dppe)(2)](PF(6)) [X = H (5(PF(6))), I (6(PF(6)))], and trans-[Os(C≡C-4-C(6)H(4)X)(C≡C-4-C(6)H(4)Y)(dppe)(2)] [X = Y = H (7), X = I, Y = C≡CSiPr(i)(3) (8)] are reported, together with improved syntheses of cis-[OsCl(2)(dppe)(2)] (cis-1), trans-[Os(C≡CPh)Cl(dppe)(2)] (2), and trans-[Ru(C≡C-4-C(6)H(4)I)(NH(3))(dppe)(2)](PF(6)) (9(PF(6))) (the last-mentioned direct from trans-[Ru(C≡C-4-C(6)H(4)I)Cl(dppe)(2)]), and single-crystal X-ray structural studies of 2-4, 5(PF(6)), 6(PF(6)), and 7. Ammine complexes 5(PF(6))/6(PF(6)) are shown to afford a facile route to both symmetrical (7) and unsymmetrical (8) osmium bis(alkynyl) complexes. A combination of cyclic voltammetry, UV-vis-NIR spectroelectrochemistry, and time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) has permitted identification and assignment of the intense transitions in both the resting state and the oxidized forms of these complexes. Cyclic voltammetric data show fully reversible oxidation processes at 0.32-0.42 V (3, 4, 7, 8) (with respect to ferrocene/ferrocenium 0.56 V), assigned to the (formal) Os(II/III) couple. The osmium(III) complex (di)cations 5(2+) and 7(+) were obtained by in situ oxidation of 5(+) and 7 using an optically transparent thin-layer electrochemical (OTTLE) cell. The UV-vis-NIR optical spectra of 5(2+) and 7(+) reveal low-energy bands in the near IR region, in contrast to 5(+) and 7 which are optically transparent at frequencies below 22,000 cm(-1). TD-DFT calculations on trans-1, 2, 5(+), and 7 and their oxidized forms suggest that the lowest-energy transitions are chloro-to-metal charge transfer (trans-1), chloro-to-phenylethynyl charge transfer (2), and metal-to-phenylethynyl charge transfer (5(+), 7) in the resting state and chloro-to-metal charge transfer (trans-1(+)), phosphorus-to-metal charge transfer (5(2+)), alkynyl-to-metal charge transfer (7(+)), or phenylalkynyl-centered π → π* (2(+)) following oxidation. The presence of intense CT bands in the resting states and oxidized states and their significantly different nature across the two states, coupled to their strong charge displacement suggest that these species have considerable potential as electrochemically switchable nonlinear optical materials, while the facile unsymmetrical bis(alkynyl)osmium(II) construction suggests potential in construction of multistate heterometallic modular assemblies.

Phosphine, isocyanide, and alkyne reactivity at pentanuclear molybdenum/tungsten-iridium clusters

The trigonal bipyramidal clusters M2Ir3(μ-CO)3(CO)6(η(5)-C5H5)2(η(5)-C5Me4R) (M = Mo, R = Me 1a, R = H; M = W, R = Me, H) reacted with isocyanides to give ligand substitution products M2Ir3(μ-CO)3(CO)5(CNR′)(η(5)-C5H5)2(η(5)-C5Me4R) (M = Mo, R = Me, R′ = C6H3Me2-2,6 3a; M = Mo, R = Me, R′ = (t)Bu 3b), in which core geometry and metal atom locations are maintained, whereas reactions with PPh3 afforded M2Ir3(μ-CO)4(CO)4(PPh3)(η(5)-C5H5)2(η(5)-C5Me4R) (M = Mo, R = Me 4a, H 4c; M = W, R = Me 4b, H), with retention of core geometry but with effective site-exchange of the precursors’ apical Mo/W with an equatorial Ir. Similar treatment of trigonal bipyramidal MIr4(μ-CO)3(CO)7(η(5)-C5H5)(η(5)-C5Me5) (M = Mo 2a, W 2b) with PPh3 afforded the mono-substitution products MIr4(μ-CO)3(CO)6(PPh3)(η(5)-C5H5)(η(5)-C5Me5) (M = Mo 5a; M = W 5b), and further reaction of the molybdenum example 5a with excess PPh3 afforded the bis-substituted cluster MoIr4(μ3-CO)2(μ-CO)2(CO)4(PPh3)2(η(5)-C5H5)(η(5)-C5Me5) (6). Reaction of 1a with diphenylacetylene proceeded with alkyne coordination and C≡C cleavage, affording Mo2Ir3(μ4–η(2)-PhC2Ph)(μ3-CPh)2(CO)4(η(5)-C5H5)2(η(5)-C5Me5) (7a) together with an isomer. Reactions of 2a and 2b with PhC≡CR afforded MIr4(μ3–η(2)-PhC2R)(μ3-CO)2(CO)6(η(5)-C5H5)(η(5)-C5Me5) (M = Mo, R = Ph 8a; M = W, R = Ph 8b, H; M = W, R = C6H4(C2Ph)-3 9a, C6H4(C2Ph)-4), while addition of 0.5 equivalents of the diynes 1,3-C6H4(C2Ph)2 and 1,4-C6H4(C2Ph)2 to WIr4(μ-CO)3(CO)7(η(5)-C5H5)(η(5)-C5Me5) gave the linked clusters [WIr4(CO)8(η(5)-C5H5)(η(5)-C5Me5)]2(μ6–η(4)-PhC2C6H4(C2Ph)-X) (X = 3, 4). The structures of 3a, 4a–4c, 5b, 6, 7a, 8a, 8b and 9a were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies, establishing the core isomerization of 4, the site selectivity for ligand substitution in 3–6, the alkyne C≡C dismutation in 7, and the site of alkyne coordination in 7–9. For clusters 3–6, ease of oxidation increases on increasing donor strength of ligand, increasing extent of ligand substitution, replacing Mo by W, and decreasing core Ir content, the Ir-rich clusters 5 and 6 being the most reversible. For clusters 7–9, ease of oxidation diminishes on replacing Mo by W, increasing the Ir content, and proceeding from mono-yne to diyne, although the latter two changes are small. In situ UV-vis-near-IR spectroelectrochemical studies of the (electrochemically reversible) reduction process of 8b were undertaken, the spectra becoming increasingly broad and featureless following reduction. The incorporation of isocyanides, phosphines, or alkyne residues in these pentanuclear clusters all result in an increased ease of oxidation and decreased ease of reduction, and thereby tune the electron richness of the clusters.