Zhi Cao

Diruthenium–Polyyn-diyl–Diruthenium Wires: Electronic Coupling in the Long Distance Regime

Reported herein is a series of Ru2(Xap)4 capped polyyn-diyl compounds, where Xap is either 2-anilinopyridinate (ap) or its aniline substituted derivatives. Symmetric [Ru2(Xap)4](μ-C4k)[Ru2(Xap)4] (compounds 4ka (X = 3-isobutoxy) and 4kc (X = 3,5-dimethoxy) with k = 2, 3, 4, and 5) was obtained from the Glaser coupling reaction of Ru2(Xap)4(C2kH). Unsymmetric [Ru2(Xap)4](μ-C(4k+2))[Ru2(ap)4] (compounds 4k+2b with k = 2, 3, and 4) were prepared from the Glaser coupling reaction between Ru2(Xap)4(C(2k+2)H) and Ru2(ap)4(C2kH). X-ray diffraction study of compound 12c revealed both the sigmoidal topology of the polyyn-diyl bridge and the fine structural detail about the Ru2 cores. Cyclic and differential pulse voltammetric (CV and DPV) measurements and spectroelectrochemical studies revealed that (i) the reduced monoanions [Ru2-C2m-Ru2](-1) (m = 4-8) belong to the Robin-Day class II mixed valent ions and (ii) the electronic coupling between Ru2 termini depends on the length of the polyyn-diyl bridge with an attenuation constant (γ) between 0.12 and 0.15 Å(-1). In addition, spin-unrestricted DFT calculations provide insight about the nature of orbitals that mediate the long distance electronic coupling.

New iron(III) bis(acetylide) compounds based on the iron cyclam motif.

New trans-[Fe(cyclam)(C≡CR)(2)]OTf compounds 2a/2b [cyclam = 1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane, R = Si(i)Pr(3) (a) or Ph (b), and OTf = trifluoromethanesulfonate] were prepared from the reaction between trans-[Fe(cyclam)(OTf)(2)]OTf (1) and LiC≡CR. The trans arrangement of the acetylide ligands in 2 was established from the X-ray diffraction study of 2a, and the density functional theory calculations revealed significant dπ-π(C≡C) interactions.

tert-Butyl Hydroperoxide Oxygenation of Organic Sulfides Catalyzed by Diruthenium(II,III) Tetracarboxylates

Diruthenium(II,III) carboxylates Ru2(esp)2Cl (1a), [Ru2(esp)2(H2O)2]BF4 (1b), and Ru2(OAc)4Cl (2) efficiently catalyze the oxygenation of organic sulfides. As noted in a previous work, 1a is active in oxygenation of organic sulfides with tert-butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP) in CH3CN. Reported herein in detail is the oxygenation activity of 1a, 1b, and 2, with the latter being highly selective in oxo-transfer to organic sulfides using TBHP under ambient conditions. Solvent-free oxidation reactions were achieved through dissolving 1a or 1b directly into the substrate with 2 equiv of TBHP, yielding TOF up to 2056 h(-1) with 1b. Also examined are the rate dependence on both catalyst and oxidant concentration for reactions with catalysts 1a and 2. Ru2(OAc)4Cl may be kinetically saturated with TBHP; however, Ru2(esp)2Cl does not display saturation kinetics. By use of a series of para-substituted thioanisoles, linear free-energy relationships were established for both 1a and 2, where the reactivity constants (ρ) are negative and that of 1a is about half that of 2. Given these reactivity data, two plausible reaction pathways were suggested. Density functional theory (DFT) calculation for the model compound Ru2(OAc)4Cl·TBHP, with TBHP on the open axial site, revealed elongation of the O-O bond of TBHP upon coordination.