Yvette Agnus

Synthesis, X-ray crystal structure, and magnetic and spectroscopic properties of a novel copper(I)–copper(II) cluster

The cluster [Cu10ICu2II(C4H5N2S)12(MeCN)4][BPh4]2(MeCN)4, where C4H5N2S is the mercaptide anion of 1-methyl-2-mercaptoimidazole, presents a novel polynuclear arrangement of copper(I); the copper(II) centres of this compound display spectroscopic features similar to those observed for the copper(II) site in the blue copper proteins.

Unprecedented role of water in self-assembly of potential molecular tweezers

The X-ray structures of three potential molecular tweezers, C20H24N2O5 (1), C20H20N6O13 (2) and C28H32N2O13 (3), differing only by the substituents on the terminal aromatic moieties, display three as yet unreported arrays. Hydrogen bonding with co-crystallized water molecules as well as van der Waals interactions between terminal aromatic moieties lead to specific packing patterns, namely: (i) a membrane-like architecture of associated molecular tapes in 1·2H2O, (ii) coupled right-handed and left-handed helices in 2·H2O and (iii) a stepped arrangement provided by a back-to-back pairing in (3)2·H2O. Molecular modelling of individual molecules in vacuo shows that the most stable conformers of 1–3 intrinsically display attractive interactions between the terminal aromatic groups, which stabilize a pseudocavity suitable for incorporation of a guest compound.

Unusual double palladium(II) cyclometallation in a tweezer-like receptor with stacked arms: synthesis, properties and X-ray structure

Double metallation of L1via aliphatic carbon and amide nitrogen atoms results in the formation of a tweezer-like molecule 1 with a four-membered [graphic omitted] ring and a helical configuration around the metal.