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1. Quantifying the barrier for the movement of cyclobis(paraquat- p -phenylene) over the dication of monopyrrolotetrathiafulvalene

   https://doi.org/10.1039/d1ob02263f  

   Kristensen, Rikke; Neumann, Mathias S.; Andersen, Sissel S.; Stein, Paul C.; Flood, Amar H.; Jeppesen, Jan O. (March 2022, Organic & Biomolecular Chemistry)

   A bistable [2]pseudorotaxane 1⊂CBPQT·4PF 6 and a bistable [2]rotaxane 2·4PF 6 have been synthesised to measure the height of an electrostatic barrier produced by double molecular oxidation (0 to +2). Both systems have monopyrrolotetrathiafulvalene (MPTTF) and oxyphenylene (OP) as stations for cyclobis(paraquat- p -phenylene) (CBPQT 4+ ). They have a large stopper at one end while the second stopper in 2 4+ is composed of a thioethyl (SEt) group and a thiodiethyleneglycol (TDEG) substituent, whereas in 1⊂CBPQT 4+ , the SEt group has been replaced with a less bulky thiomethyl (SMe) group. This seemingly small difference in the substituents on the MPTTF unit leads to profound changes when comparing the physical properties of the two systems allowing for the first measurement of the deslipping of the CBPQT 4+ ring over an MPTTF 2+ unit in the [2]pseudorotaxane. Cyclic voltammetry and 1 H NMR spectroscopy were used to investigate the switching mechanism for 1⊂CBPQT·MPTTF 4+ and 2·MPTTF 4+ , and it was found that CBPQT 4+ moves first to the OP station producing 1⊂CBPQT·OP 6+ and 2·OP 6+ , respectively, upon oxidation of the MPTTF unit. The kinetics of the complexation/decomplexation process occurring in 1⊂CBPQT·MPTTF 4+ and in 1⊂CBPQT·OP 6+ were studied, allowing the free energy of the transition state when CBPQT 4+ moves across a neutral MPTTF unit (17.0 kcal mol −1 ) or a di-oxidised MPTTF 2+ unit (24.0 kcal mol −1 ) to be determined. These results demonstrate that oxidation of the MPTTF unit to MPTTF 2+ increases the energy barrier that the CBPQT 4+ ring must overcome for decomplexation to occur by 7.0 kcal mol −1 . 

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2. Insight from Electrochemical Analysis in the Radical Cation State of a Monopyrrolotetrathiafulvalene‐Based [2]Rotaxane

   https://doi.org/10.1002/chem.202402377  

   Neumann, Mathias_S; Flood, Amar_H; Jeppesen, Jan_O (September 2024, Chemistry – A European Journal)

   Abstract Mechanically interlocked molecules are a class of compounds used for controlling directional movement when barriers can be raised and lowered using external stimuli. Applied voltages can turn on redox states to alter electrostatic barriers but their use for directing motion requires knowledge of their impact on the kinetics. Herein, we make the first measurements on the movement of cyclobis(paraquat‐p‐phenylene) (CBPQT⁴⁺) across the radical‐cation state of monopyrrolotetrathiafulvalene (MPTTF) in a [2]rotaxane using variable scan‐rate electrochemistry. The [2]rotaxane is designed in a way that directs CBPQT⁴⁺to a high‐energy co‐conformation upon oxidation of MPTTF to either the radical cation (MPTTF⋅⁺) or the dication (MPTTF²⁺).¹H NMR spectroscopic investigations carried out in acetonitrile at 298 K showed direct interconversion to the thermodynamically more stable ground‐state co‐conformation with CBPQT⁴⁺moving across the oxidized MPTTF²⁺electrostatic barrier. The electrochemical studies revealed that interconversion takes place by movement of CBPQT⁴⁺across both the MPTTF^•+(19.3 kcal mol⁻¹) and MPTTF²⁺(18.7 kcal mol⁻¹) barriers. The outcome of our studies shows that MPTTF has three accessible redox states that can be used to kinetically control the movement of the ring component in mechanically interlocked molecules. 

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3. Synthesis of phosphiranes via organoiron-catalyzed phosphinidene transfer to electron-deficient olefins

   https://doi.org/10.1039/d2sc05011k  

   Xin, Tiansi; Geeson, Michael B.; Zhu, Hui; Qu, Zheng-Wang; Grimme, Stefan; Cummins, Christopher C. (November 2022, Chemical Science)

   Herein is reported the structural characterization and scalable preparation of the elusive iron–phosphido complex FpP( t Bu)(F) (2-F, Fp = (Fe(η 5 -C 5 H 5 )(CO) 2 )) and its precursor FpP( t Bu)(Cl) (2-Cl) in 51% and 71% yields, respectively. These phosphide complexes are proposed to be relevant to an organoiron catalytic cycle for phosphinidene transfer to electron-deficient alkenes. Examination of their properties led to the discovery of a more efficient catalytic system involving the simple, commercially available organoiron catalyst Fp 2 . This improved catalysis also enabled the preparation of new phosphiranes with high yields ( t BuPCH 2 CHR; R = CO 2 Me, 41%; R = CN, 83%; R = 4-biphenyl, 73%; R = SO 2 Ph, 71%; R = POPh 2 , 70%; R = 4-pyridyl, 82%; R = 2-pyridyl, 67%; R = PPh 3 + , 64%) and good diastereoselectivity, demonstrating the feasibility of the phosphinidene group-transfer strategy in synthetic chemistry. Experimental and theoretical studies suggest that the original catalysis involves 2-X as the nucleophile, while for the new Fp 2 -catalyzed reaction they implicate a diiron–phosphido complex Fp 2 (P t Bu), 4, as the nucleophile which attacks the electron-deficient olefin in the key first P–C bond-forming step. In both systems, the initial nucleophilic attack may be accompanied by favorable five-membered ring formation involving a carbonyl ligand, a (reversible) pathway competitive with formation of the three-membered ring found in the phosphirane product. A novel radical mechanism is suggested for the new Fp 2 -catalyzed system. 

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4. Functionalized planar aromatic rings as precursors to energetic N , N ′-(4,6-dinitro-1,3-phenylene)dinitramide and its salts

   https://doi.org/10.1039/d2qm00092j  

   Singh, Jatinder; Lal, Sohan; Staples, Richard J.; Shreeve, Jean’ne M. (March 2022, Materials Chemistry Frontiers)

   Functionalization of planar aromatic rings is very straightforward, up scalable, and economical in comparison with many azole, caged, linear or cyclic structures. In our present work, a facile synthesis of N , N ′-(4,6-dinitro-1,3-phenylene)dinitramide (3) is obtained by a single-step nitration of 4,6-dinitrobenzene-1,3-diamine (2). Compound 3 exhibits a surprisingly high density of 1.90 g cm −3 at 100 K (1.87 g cm −3 at 298 K). Its reactions with bases result in the formation of a series of energetic salts (4–7) which exhibit relatively high densities (1.74 to 1.83 g cm −3 ), and acceptable thermal sensitivities (177 to 253 °C). Energetic salt formation increases intermolecular hydrogen bonding while the planarity of the aromatic ring maximizes weak non-covalent interactions (π-stacking, cation/π, anion-π, X-H/π, etc. ,). The synergetic effect of these stabilizing interactions plays a crucial role in increasing thermal stability and decreasing sensitivity toward the external stimuli. Overall, these easily accessible new energetic compounds exhibit high densities and good denotation properties with potential applications as new high-energy materials. 

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5. Effect of methylene versus ethylene linkers on structural properties of tert -butyl and mesityl bis(imidazolium) bromide salts

   https://doi.org/10.1107/S2056989022008003  

   Thompson, Emily S.; Olivas, Elisa M.; Torres, Adrian; Arreaga, Briana C.; Alarcon, Hector L.; Dolberry, Deandrea; Brannon, Jacob P.; Stieber, S. Chantal (September 2022, Acta Crystallographica Section E Crystallographic Communications)

   The crystal structures of ligand precursor bis(imidazolium) salts 1,1′-methylenebis(3- tert -butylimidazolium) dibromide monohydrate, C 15 H 26 N 4 + ·2Br − ·H 2 O or [ t Bu NHC 2 Me][Br] 2 ·H 2 O, 1,1′-(ethane-1,2-diyl)bis(3- tert -butylimidazolium) dibromide dihydrate, C 16 H 28 N 4 + ·2Br − ·2H 2 O or [ t Bu NHC 2 Et][Br] 2 ·2H 2 O, 1,1′-methylenebis[3-(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)imidazolium] dibromide dihydrate, C 25 H 30 N 4 2+ ·2Br − ·2H 2 O or [ Mes NHC 2 Me][Br] 2 ·2H 2 O, and 1,1′-(ethane-1,2-diyl)bis[3-(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)imidazolium] dibromide tetrahydrate, C 26 H 32 N 4 2+ ·2Br − ·4H 2 O or [ Mes NHC 2 Et][Br] 2 ·4H 2 O, are reported. At 293 K, [ t Bu NHC 2 Me][Br] 2 ·H 2 O crystallizes in the P 2 1 / c space group, while [ t Bu NHC 2 Et][Br] 2 ·2H 2 O crystallizes in the P 2 1 / n space group at 100 K. At 112 K, [ Mes NHC 2 Me][Br] 2 ·2H 2 O crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group Pccn while [ Mes NHC 2 Et][Br] 2 ·4H 2 O crystallizes in the P 2 1 / c space group at 100 K. Bond distances and angles within the imidazolium rings are generally comparable among the four structures. All four bis(imidazolium) salts co-crystallize with one to four molecules of water. 

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