Torsten Gutmann

Air-Stable Gold Nanoparticles Ligated by Secondary Phosphine Oxides as Catalyst for the Chemoselective Hydrogenation of Substituted Aldehydes: a Remarkable Ligand Effect

Air-stable and homogeneous gold nanoparticles (AuNPs, 1a-5a) ligated by various secondary phosphine oxides (SPOs), [R(1)R(2)P(O)H] (R(1) = Naph, R(2) = (t)Bu, L1; R(1) = R(2) = Ph, L2; R(1) = Ph, R(2) = Naph, L3; R(1) = R(2) = Et, L4; R(1) = R(2) = Cy, L5; R(1) = R(2) = (t)Bu, L6), with different electronic and steric properties were synthesized via NaBH4 reduction of the corresponding Au(I)-SPO complex. These easily accessible ligands allow the formation of well dispersed and small nanoparticles (size 1.2-2.2 nm), which were characterized by the use of a wide variety of techniques, such as transmission electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, UV-vis, energy-dispersive X-ray, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR FT-IR), and cross polarization magic angle spinning (CP MAS) NMR spectroscopy. A pronounced ligand effect was found, and CP MAS NMR experiments enabled us to probe important differences in the polarity of the P-O bond of the SPOs coordinated to the nanoparticle surface depending on the type of substituents in the ligand. AuNPs containing aryl SPOs carry only SPO anions and are highly selective for aldehyde hydrogenation. AuNPs of similar size made with alkyl SPOs contain also SPOH, hydrogen bonded to SPO anions. As a consequence they contain less Au(I) and more Au(0), as is also evidenced by XPS. They are less selective and active in aldehyde hydrogenation and now show the typical activity of Au(0)NPs in nitro group hydrogenation.

Regioselective and Stereospecific Deuteration of Bioactive Aza Compounds by the Use of Ruthenium Nanoparticles

An efficient H/D exchange method allowing the deuteration of pyridines, quinolines, indoles, and alkyl amines with D2 in the presence of Ru@PVP nanoparticles is described. By a general and simple procedure involving mild reaction conditions and simple filtration to recover the labeled product, the isotopic labeling of 22 compounds proceeded in good yield with high chemo- and regioselectivity. The viability of this procedure was demonstrated by the labeling of eight biologically active compounds. Remarkably, enantiomeric purity was conserved in the labeled compounds, even though labeling took place in the vicinity of the stereogenic center. The level of isotopic enrichment observed is suitable for metabolomic studies in most cases. This approach is also perfectly adapted to tritium labeling because it uses a gas as an isotopic source. Besides these applications to molecules of biological interest, this study reveals a rich and underestimated chemistry on the surface of ruthenium nanoparticles.

Secondary phosphine oxides as pre-ligands for nanoparticle stabilization

The synthesis of ruthenium nanoparticles (RuNPs) using secondary phosphine oxides (SPOs) as ligands is reported. These easily accessible ligands allow the formation of small nanoparticles in the size range of 1–2 nm which display a high efficiency for hydrogenation of aromatics with TOFs up to 2700 mol h−1.

Natural Abundance 15N NMR by Dynamic Nuclear Polarization: Fast Analysis of Binding Sites of a Novel Amine‐Carboxyl‐Linked Immobilized Dirhodium Catalyst

A novel heterogeneous dirhodium catalyst has been synthesized. This stable catalyst is constructed from dirhodium acetate dimer (Rh2(OAc)4) units, which are covalently linked to amine- and carboxyl-bifunctionalized mesoporous silica (SBA-15-NH2-COOH). It shows good efficiency in catalyzing the cyclopropanation reaction of styrene and ethyl diazoacetate (EDA) forming cis- and trans-1-ethoxycarbonyl-2-phenylcyclopropane. To characterize the structure of this catalyst and to confirm the successful immobilization, heteronuclear solid-state NMR experiments have been performed. The high application potential of dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) NMR for the analysis of binding sites in this novel catalyst is demonstrated. Signal-enhanced (13)C CP MAS and (15)N CP MAS techniques have been employed to detect different carboxyl and amine binding sites in natural abundance on a fast time scale. The interpretation of the experimental chemical shift values for different binding sites has been corroborated by quantum chemical calculations on dirhodium model complexes.

Hydrido-Ruthenium Cluster Complexes as Models for Reactive Surface Hydrogen Species of Ruthenium Nanoparticles. Solid-State 2H NMR and Quantum Chemical Calculations

The (2)H quadrupolar interaction is a sensitive tool for the characterization of deuterium-metal binding states. In the present study, experimental solid-state (2)H MAS NMR techniques are used in the investigations of two ruthenium clusters, D(4)Ru(4)(CO)(12) (1) and D(2)Ru(6)(CO)(18) (2), which serve as model compounds for typical two-fold, three-fold, and octahedral coordination sites on metal surfaces. By line-shape analysis of the (2)H MAS NMR measurements of sample 1, a quadrupolar coupling constant of 67 +/- 1 kHz, an asymmetry parameter of 0.67 +/- 0.1, and an isotropic chemical shift of -17.4 ppm are obtained. In addition to the neutral complex, sample 2 includes two ionic clusters, identified as anionic [DRu(6)(CO)(18)](-) (2(-)) and cationic [D(3)Ru(6)(CO)(18)](+) (2(+)). By virtue of the very weak quadrupolar interaction (<2 kHz) and the strong low-field shift (+16.8 ppm) of 2(-), it is shown that the deuteron is located in the symmetry center of the octahedron spanned by the six ruthenium atoms. For the cationic 2(+), the quadrupolar interaction is similar to that of the neutral 2. Quantum chemical DFT calculations at different model structures for these ruthenium clusters were arranged in order to help in the interpretation of the experimental results. It is shown that the (2)H nuclear quadrupolar interaction is a sensitive tool for distinguishing the binding state of the deuterons to the transition metal. Combining the data from the polynuclear complexes with the data from mononuclear complexes, a molecular ruler for quadrupolar interactions is created. This ruler now permits the solid-state NMR spectroscopic characterization of deuterium adsorbed on the surfaces of catalytically active metal nanoparticles.

Mechanisms of Dipolar Ortho/Para-H2O Conversion in Ice

Abstract In this paper a possible explanation for an unexpected ortho/para-water ratio in the gas clouds of comets is given. The description is based on the quantum-mechanical density matrix formalism and the spin temperature concept. Only the nuclear spin system is treated quantum-mechanically. Employing the model of a four spin system, created by two nearest neighbour water molecules, spin eigenstates and their dynamics under the influence of their mutual dipolar interactions are studied. It is shown that a fast conversion between ortho- and para-states occurs on a msec time scale, caused by the intermolecular homonuclear magnetic dipolar interaction. Moreover the spin eigenstates of water in an ice crystal are determined by magnetic dipolar interactions and are not given by normal ortho- and para-H2O states of gaseous water. As a result of this the spin temperature of gaseous water evaporated from ice depends strongly on its evaporation history and the ortho/para-ratio of water molecules are only an indirect measure of the temperature of ice crystals from where they descend. This result could explain the unexpected experimentally observed ortho/para-ratios in the clouds of comets.

2H solid-state NMR of ruthenium complexes.

The (2)H solid-state NMR spectra of the transition metal complexes Tp*RuD(THT)(2) (1a), Tp*RuD(D(2))(THT) (1b), Tp*RuD(D(2))(2) (1c), Cp*RuD(3)(PPh(3)) (2) and RuD(2)(eta(2)-D(2))(2)(PCy(3))(2) (3) have been measured in a wide temperature range. These compounds were chosen as potential model systems for hydrogen surface species in Ru-nanoparticles. The deuterium quadrupolar coupling constants Q(cc) and asymmetry parameters were extracted by (2)H NMR line-shape analysis. The Q(cc) values of the deuterons bound to the metal vary between 13 kHz and 76 kHz. In addition all spectra show that some of the deuterium is incorporated into carbon positions exhibiting quadrupolar coupling constants in the range of 134 kHz to 192 kHz. The room temperature spectra contain an additional weak very narrow line which was assigned to deuterons exhibiting a high mobility. These deuterons are attributed to crystallographic impurity and partially to D(2) molecules which lost by the complexes. The temperature where their motion is quenched and the types of these motions depend on the chemical structure. We propose to use the values of the quadrupolar coupling constants measured in order to characterize different hydrogen species on the surface of Ru-nanoparticles.

Synthesis, Solid-State NMR Characterization, and Application for Hydrogenation Reactions of a Novel Wilkinson’s-Type Immobilized Catalyst

Silica nanoparticles (SiNPs) were chosen as a solid support material for the immobilization of a new Wilkinsons-type catalyst. In a first step, polymer molecules (poly(triphenylphosphine)ethylene (PTPPE); 4-diphenylphosphine styrene as monomer) were grafted onto the silica nanoparticles by surface-initiated photoinferter-mediated polymerization (SI-PIMP). The catalyst was then created by binding rhodium (Rh) to the polymer side chains, with RhCl3⋅x H2O as a precursor. The triphenylphosphine units and rhodium as Rh(I) provide an environment to form Wilkinsons catalyst-like structures. Employing multinuclear ((31)P, (29)Si, and (13)C) solid-state NMR spectroscopy (SSNMR), the structure of the catalyst bound to the polymer and the intermediates of the grafting reaction have been characterized. Finally, first applications of this catalyst in hydrogenation reactions employing para-enriched hydrogen gas (PHIP experiments) and an assessment of its leaching properties are presented.

51V solid-state NMR investigations and DFT studies of model compounds for vanadium haloperoxidases

Three cis-dioxovanadium(V) complexes with similar N-salicylidenehydrazide ligands modeling hydrogen bonding interactions of vanadate relevant for vanadium haloperoxidases are studied by (51)V solid-state NMR spectroscopy. Their parameters describing the quadrupolar and chemical shift anisotropy interactions (quadrupolar coupling constant C(Q), asymmetry of the quadrupolar tensor eta(Q), isotropic chemical shift delta(iso), chemical shift anisotropy delta(sigma), asymmetry of the chemical shift tensor eta(sigma) and the Euler angles alpha, beta and gamma) are determined both experimentally and theoretically using DFT methods. A comparative study of different methods to determine the NMR parameters by numerical simulation of the spectra is presented. Detailed theoretical investigations on the DFT level using various basis sets and structural models show that by useful choice of the methodology, the calculated parameters agree to the experimental ones in a very good manner.

Revealing the Position of the Substrate in Nickel Superoxide Dismutase: A Model Study

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are a major factor in the development of several types of cancer, inflammation, and related diseases. These ROS are not only cytotoxic but also involved in cell signaling. [1] The protection from ROS is of vital importance for biological organisms. For aerobic organisms, superoxide dismutases (SODs) play the major role in protecting cells from ROS, which are generated by the reduction of molecular oxygen by reactive metabolites of the respiratory chain. [2] Because of their biological and medical importance, SODs are a subject of intense research, which yielded more than 2000 publications in the first six months of 2010. While this research has led to detailed knowledge about their biological function and enzyme kinetics, the precise mode of action of these enzymes is still not known and two different mechanisms were proposed. [3] A major reason for this lack of knowledge is the high catalytic rate constants of superoxide degradation (O2C ) by SODs. SODs destroy the superoxide anion radical by converting it into hydrogen peroxide and oxygen with a rate near the diffusion limit (kcat > 2�1 0 9 m 1 s 1 ). [4] Thus all transients involved in their action are too short lived to be amenable for a spectroscopic characterization. For this reason model systems of SODs were developed. Herein we show that the investigation of a model system of the nickel superoxide dismutase (NiSOD) is able to shed light into the mode of action of this enzyme and makes it possible to decide between the proposed mechanisms. In particular we are able to reveal not only the mode of binding of the substrate to the enzyme also the presence of functional water molecules in the active site of the enzyme. Three independent classes of SODs are known. They contain either a dinuclear (Cu, Zn) or a mononuclear (Fe, Mn, Ni) cofactor. [1b, 5] NiSOD, as a mononuclear nickel-containing metalloenzyme, cycles between Ni II and Ni III during catalysis. [3a, 4b, 6] NiSOD was first found in 1996 in Streptomyces. [5a] Crystallographic and spectroscopic studies give an impression of the structure of the whole enzyme and the geometry of its active site with a single covalently bound nickel ion. The nickel ion is embedded within the so-called nickel-hook formed by the first six amino acids of the N-terminus of the active form of S. coelicolor NiSOD (Scheme 1). [3a, 4b, 6, 7]