Yi-Hong Liu

Site-Selective Hydrogen-Bonding-Induced Fluorescence Quenching of Highly Solvatofluorochromic GFP-like Chromophores

The unconstrained green fluorescence protein (GFP)-like chromophore m-DMABDI displays a high solvatofluorochromicity in aprotic solvents, but the fluorescence is quenched in protic solvents. According to the site-specific intramolecularly hydrogen-bonded analogs 1OH and 2OH, the hydrogen bonding to the carbonyl oxygen is more important than that to the imino nitrogen of the imidazolinone group in the fluorescence quenching.

The remarkable influence of M2δ to thienyl π conjugation in oligothiophenes incorporating MM quadruple bonds

Oligothiophenes incorporating MM quadruple bonds have been prepared from the reactions between Mo2(TiPB)4 (TiPB = 2,4,6-triisopropyl benzoate) and 3′,4′-dihexyl-2,2′-:5′,2″-terthiophene-5,5″-dicarboxylic acid. The oligomers of empirical formula Mo2(TiPB)2(O2C(Th)-C4(n-hexyl)2S-(Th)CO2) are soluble in THF and form thin films with spin-coating (Th = thiophene). The reactions between Mo2(TiPB)4 and 2-thienylcarboxylic acid (Th-H), 2,2′-bithiophene-5-carboxylic acid (BTh-H), and (2,2′:5′,2″-terthiophene)-5-carboxylic acid (TTh-H) yield compounds of formula trans-Mo2(TiPB)2L2, where L = Th, BTh, and TTh (the corresponding thienylcarboxylate), and these compounds are considered as models for the aforementioned oligomers. In all cases, the thienyl groups are substituted or coupled at the 2,5 positions. Based on the x-ray analysis, the molecular structure of trans-Mo2(TiPB)2(BTh)2 reveals an extended Lπ-M2δ-Lπ conjugation. Calculations of the electronic structures on model compounds, in which the TiPB are substituted by formate ligands, reveal that the HOMO is mainly attributed to the M2δ orbital, which is stabilized by back-bonding to one of the thienylcarboxylate π* combinations, and the LUMO is an in-phase combination of the thienylcarboxylate π* orbitals. The compounds and the oligomers are intensely colored due to M2δ–thienyl carboxylate π* charge transfer transitions that fall in the visible region of the spectrum. For the molybdenum complexes and their oligomers, the photophysical properties have been studied by steady-state absorption spectroscopy and emission spectroscopy, together with time-resolved emission and transient absorption for the determination of relaxation dynamics. Remarkably, THF solutions the molybdenum complexes show room-temperature dual emission, fluorescence and phosphorescence, originating mainly from 1MLCT and 3MM(δδ*) states, respectively. With increasing number of thienyl rings from 1 to 3, the observed lifetimes of the 1MLCT state increase from 4 to 12 ps, while the phosphorescence lifetimes are ≈80 μs. The oligomers show similar photophysical properties as the corresponding monomers in THF but have notably longer-lived triplet states, ≈200 μs in thin films. These results, when compared with metallated oligothiophenes of the later transition elements, reveal that M2δ–thienyl π conjugation leads to a very small energy gap between the 1MLCT and 3MLCT states of <0.6 eV.

Reactions of Ruthenium Cp Phosphine Complex with 4,4-Disubstituted-1,6-Enynes: Effect of Methyl Substituents in the Olefinic Fraction

We studied chemical reactions of Cp(PPh(3))(2)RuCl with nine 1,6-enyne compounds (1-4, 8, 12, 19, 21, and 22) in which the triple bond is associated with propargylic alcohol and the olefinic group has various substituted methyl groups. For the enyne compounds 1-3 with no substituted methyl group, the reaction takes place at the propargylic alcohol first giving the allenylidene complex 6 which could undergo a skeletal rearrangement to yield the disubstituted vinylidene complex 7. By changing the propargylic alcohol to propargylic ether, the reaction gives the carbene complex 10 as the major product and the butadiene complex 9 by a cyclization reaction as the minor product. For enyne 12 with two methyl groups at the terminal carbon of the olefinic part, formation of either of the carbene complexes 15 and 16 with a substituted cyclopentenyl ring at Calpha or the vinylidene complex 17 is controlled by the use of solvent. For the formation of 15 and 16, a C-C bond-forming cyclization reaction is proposed to occur at Cbeta in an intermediate where the triple bond is pi-coordinated. However, for the vinylidene intermediate, the reaction may proceed by the formation of the allenylidene, which undergoes a retro-ene reaction to bring about cleavage of the dimethyl substituted allyl group giving 17. For two enynes 21 and 22 where each olefinic portion is internally substituted with one methyl group, two vinylidene complexes 23 and 24 each with a five-membered ring bonded at Cbeta are isolated. The reaction proceeds via formation of an allenylidene intermediate followed by a cyclization at Cgamma. Stabilization of the cationic charge by the presence of methyl subsituents clearly controls the reaction pathway to give different products. These chemical reactions and their mechanisms are corroborated by structure determinations of five ruthenium complexes using single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis.

Coordination chemistry and catalytic activity of N-heterocyclic carbene iridium(I) complexes

Iridium complexes [(CO)2Ir(NHC-R)Cl] (R = Et-, 3a; PhCH2-, 3b; CH3OCH2CH2-, 3c; o-CH3OC6H4CH2-, 3d; NHC: N-heterocyclic carbene) are prepared via the carbene transfer from [(NHC-R)W(CO)5] to [Ir(COD)Cl]2. By using substitution with 13CO, we are able to estimate the activation energy (G) of the CO-exchange in 3a-d, which are in the range of 12-13 kcal mol-1, significantly higher than those for the phosphine analog [(CO)2Ir(PCy3)Cl]. Reactions of 3b and 3d with an equimolar amount of PPh3 result in the formation of the corresponding [(NHC-R)Ir(CO)(PPh3)Cl] with the phosphine and NHC in trans arrangement. In contrast, the analogous reaction of 3a or 3c with phosphine undergoes substitution followed by the anion metathesis to yield the corresponding di-substituted [(NHC-R)Ir(CO)(PPh3)2]BF4 (5) directly. Treatment of 3b or 3d with excess of PPh3 leads to the similar product of disubstitution 5b and 5d. The analysis for the IR data of carbonyliridium complexes provides the estimation of electron-donating power of NHCs versus phosphines. The NHC moiety on the iridium center cannot be replaced by phosphines, even 1,2-bis(diphenylphohino)ethane (dppe). All the carbene moieties on the iridium complexes are inert toward sulfur treatment, indicating a strong interaction between NHC and the iridium centers. Complexes 3a-c are active on the catalysis of the oxidative cyclization of 2-(o-aminophenyl)ethanol to yield the indole compound. The phosphine substituted complexes or analogs are less active.

Facile oxygenation reactions of ruthenium acetylide complex containing substituted olefinic group.

Reaction of the ruthenium acetylide complex Cp(dppe)RuC≡CCH(OMe)CPh(2)-CH(2)CH=CMe(2) (5a) with oxygen readily gives acetone and the acyl complex 6 in almost quantitative yield. Protonation of 5a is followed by an elimination of MeOH and a hydroxyl addition at Cα in the presence of water to give the hydroxycarbene complex 7a. The structures of the acyl complex 6 and the hydroxycarbene complex 7c are fully characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis.

Reactions of ruthenium-allenylidene complexes tethering a cyclopropyl group.

Two cyclopropyl allenylidene complexes [Ru]=C=C=C(R)(C(3)H(5)) ([Ru]=[RuCp(PPh(3))(2)], Cp=Cyclopentadienyl; R=thiophene (2a) and R=Ph (2b)) are prepared from the reactions of [Ru]Cl with the corresponding 1-cyclopropyl-2-propyn-1-ol in the presence of KPF(6). Thermal treatment, halide-anion addition, and palladium-catalyzed reactions of 2a and 2b all lead to a ring expansion of the cyclopropyl group, giving the vinylidene complexes 4a and 4b, respectively, each with a five-membered ring. This ring expansion proceeds by C-C bond formation between Cβ of the cumulative double bond and a methylene group of the cyclopropyl ring. In the reaction of 2a with pyrrole, consecutive formation of two C-C bonds, one between C-2 of pyrrole and Cγ of 2a and the other between C-3 of pyrrole and Cα, results in the formation of 6a. The reaction proceeds by addition of pyrrole and 1,3-proton shifts. The hydrogenation of 2a by NaBH(4) is carried out in different solvents. The cumulative double bonds are reduced regioselectively to give a mixture of 7a and 8a. Interestingly, use of different solvents leads to different ratios of 7a and 8a. Presence of a protic solvent like methanol in dichloromethane or chloroform solution increases the yield of 8a, thus revealing that both the rates of hydroboration and deboronation increase. The structures of two new complexes 4a and 6a have been firmly established by X-ray diffraction analysis.

Reactions of ruthenium cyclopropenyl complexes with trimethylsilyl azide

Treatment of the phenyl substituted cyclopropenyl complex [Ru]–CC(Ph)CHPh (1a, [Ru] = (η5-C5H5)(PPh3)2Ru) with Me3SiN3 in THF in the presence of NH4PF6 at room temperature afforded the nitrile complex {[Ru]NCCH(Ph)CH2Ph}PF65a. Similar reaction of the cyano substituted cyclopropenyl complex [Ru]–CC(Ph)CHCN 1b with Me3SiN3 gave the tetrazolate complex [Ru]–N4CCH(Ph)CH2CN 6. Proposals are made concerning the mechanism for the synthesis of these compounds. The reaction of [Ru]–CC(Ph)CHCHCH21c with Me3SiN3 takes a different route and gives the nitrile complex [Ru]–CN 7 and the five-membered-ring organic compound PhCCN3HCH2CH311. The structures of complexes 5a and 6 have been determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis.

Reactions of a Ruthenium Complex with Substituted N-Propargyl Pyrroles

In an investigation into the chemical reactions of N-propargyl pyrroles 1 a-c, containing aldehyde, keto, and ester groups on the pyrrole ring, with [Ru]-Cl ([Ru]=Cp(PPh3 )2 Ru; Cp=C5 H5 ), an aldehyde group in the pyrrole ring is found to play a crucial role in stimulating the cyclization reaction. The reaction of 1 a, containing an aldehyde group, with [Ru]-Cl in the presence of NH4 PF6 yields the vinylidene complex 2 a, which further reacts with allyl amine to give the carbene complex 6 a with a pyrrolizine group. However, if 1 a is first reacted with allyl amine to yield the iminenyne 8 a, then the reaction of 8 a with [Ru]-Cl in the presence of NH4 PF6 yields the ruthenium complex 9 a, containing a cationic pyrrolopyrazinium group, which has been fully characterized by XRD analysis. These results can be adequately explained by coordination of the triple bond of the propargyl group to the ruthenium metal center first, followed by two processes, that is, formation of a vinylidene intermediate or direct nucleophilic attack. Additionally, the deprotonation of 2 a by R4 NOH yields the neutral acetylide complex 3 a. In the presence of NH4 PF6 , the attempted alkylation of 3 a resulted in the formation the Fischer-type amino-carbene complex 5 a as a result of the presence of NH3, which served as a nucleophile. With KPF6, the alkylation of 3 a with ethyl and benzyl bromoacetates afforded the disubstituted vinylidene complexes 10 a and 11 a, containing ester groups, which underwent deprotonation reactions to give the furyl complexes 12 a and 13 a, respectively. For 13 a, containing an O-benzyl group, subsequent 1,3-migration of the benzyl group was observed to yield product 14 a with a lactone unit. Similar reactivity was not observed for the corresponding N-propargyl pyrroles 1 b and 1 c, which contained keto and ester groups, respectively, on the pyrrole ring.

Intermolecular Dehydrative Coupling and Intramolecular Cyclization of Ruthenium Vinylidene Complexes Formed from Aromatic Propynes Containing Carbonyl Functionalities

A remarkable intermolecular dehydrative coupling reaction with the formation of a C-C bond was found for the vinylidene complex 2 a, yielding the dinuclear bisvinylidene complex 4 a. Complex 2 a containing 1-hydroxyindan moiety was first formed from the reaction of o-propynyl benzaldehyde 1 a with [Ru]-Cl ([Ru]=Cp(PPh3 )2 Ru) by a cyclization process. For analogous aldehyde 1 b containing an additional 1,3-dioxolane group on the aryl ring, similar intermolecular coupling yields the dinuclear bisvinylidene complex 4 b. However, the fluoro group on the aryl ring in aldehyde 1 c inhibits the coupling reaction, giving only the vinylidene complex 2 c. For the reactions of [Ru]-Cl in MeOH with compounds 1 f, 1 g and 1 h, each with a ketone functionality, cyclization gives vinylidene complexes 2 f, 2 g and 2 h, respectively. However, no similar intermolecular coupling was observed, instead, the intramolecular dehydration yields 8 f, 8 g and 8 h, respectively. In CDCl3 , catalytic cyclization is observed for the o-propynylphenyl ketone 1 h with [Ru]-Cl at 50 °C giving the isochromene products 14 h. Furthermore, treatment of the o-propynylaryl α,β-unsaturated ketones 1 k-m and 1 n with [Ru]-Cl in MeOH affords the corresponding vinylidene complexes 10 k-m and 11 n each with 1-benzosuberone moiety in the presence of NH4 PF6 . These intramolecular cyclization products were formed by the addition of Cβ onto the terminal carbon of the alkene moiety. All these reaction products were characterized by spectroscopic methods. In addition, structures of complexes 4 a, and 10 l were confirmed by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis.

Unexpected regioselectivity in the coupling of π-coordinated tritylallene with an amido ligand in molybdenum complex

Coupling of π-coordinated tritylallene with an amido ligand was unexpectedly found to take place at the terminal carbon in the reaction of [Cp(CO)3Mo(η2-CH2CCHCPh3)][BF4] 1, with three secondary amines (dimethylamine, piperidine, morpholine).