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1. Steric and electronic control of an ultrafast isomerization

   https://doi.org/10.1039/c9sc02359c  

   Porter, Tyler M.; Ostericher, Andrew L.; Kubiak, Clifford P. (August 2019, Chemical Science)

   Synthetic control of the influence of steric and electronic factors on the ultrafast (picosecond) isomerization of penta-coordinate ruthenium dithietene complexes (Ru((CF 3 ) 2 C 2 S 2 )(CO)(L) 2 , where L = a monodentate phosphine ligand) is reported. Seven new ruthenium dithietene complexes were prepared and characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction. The complexes are all square pyramidal and differ only in the axial vs. equatorial coordination of the carbonyl ligand. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy was used to study the ν (CO) bandshapes of the complexes in solution, and these reveal rapid exchange between two or three isomers of each complex. Isomerization is proposed to follow a Berry psuedorotation-like mechanism where a metastable, trigonal bipyramidal (TBP) intermediate is observed spectroscopically. Electronic tuning of the phosphine ligands L = PPh 3 , P(( p -Me)Ph) 3 , (( p -Cl)Ph) 3 , at constant cone angle is found to have little effect on the kinetics or thermodynamic stabilities of the axial, equatorial and TBP isomers of the differently substituted complexes. Steric tuning of the phosphine ligands over a range of phosphine cone angles (135 < θ < 165°) has a profound impact on the isomerization process, and in the limit of greatest steric bulk, the axial isomer is not observable. Temperature dependence of the FTIR spectra was used to obtain the relative thermodynamic stabilities of the different isomers of each of the seven ruthenium dithietene complexes. This study details how ligand steric effects can be used to direct the solution state dynamics on the picosecond time scale of discrete isomers energetically separated by <2.2 kcal mol −1 . This work provides the most detailed description to date of ultrafast isomerization in the ground states of transition metal complexes. 

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2. Terpene dispersion energy donor ligands in borane complexes

   https://doi.org/10.1039/d2cc04203g  

   Mears, Kristian L.; Kutzleb, Michelle A.; Stennett, Cary R.; Fettinger, James C.; Kaseman, Derrick C.; Yu, Ping; Vasko, Petra; Power, Philip P. (September 2022, Chemical Communications)

   Structural characterization of the complex [B(β-pinane) 3 ] (1) reveals non-covalent H⋯H contacts that are consistent with the generation of London dispersion energies involving the β-pinane ligand frameworks. The homolytic fragmentations of 1 , and camphane and sabinane analogues ([B(camphane) 3 ] (2) and [B(sabinane) 3 ] (3)) were studied computationally. Isodesmic exchange results showed that London dispersion interactions are highly dependent on the terpene's stereochemistry, with the β-pinane framework providing the greatest dispersion free energy (Δ G = −7.9 kcal mol −1 ) with Grimme's dispersion correction (D3BJ) employed. PMe 3 was used to coordinate to [B(β-pinane) 3 ], giving the complex [Me 3 P–B(β-pinane) 3 ] ( 4 ), which displayed a dynamic coordination equilibrium in solution. The association process was found to be slightly endergonic at 302 K (Δ G = +0.29 kcal mol −1 ). 

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3. The bismuth tetramer Bi ₄ : the ν ₃ key to experimental observation

   https://doi.org/10.1039/C8CP03529F  

   Lahm, Mitchell E.; Hoobler, Preston R.; Turney, Justin M.; Peterson, Kirk A.; Schaefer, Henry F. (January 2018, Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics)

   The spectroscopic identification of Bi 4 has been very elusive. Two constitutional Bi 4 isomers of T d and C 2v symmetry are investigated and each is found to be a local energetic minimum. The optimized geometries and vibrational frequencies of these two isomers are obtained at the CCSD(T)/cc-pVQZ-PP level of theory, utilizing the Stoll, Metz, and Dolg 60-electron effective core potential. The fundamental frequencies of the T d isomer are obtained at the same level of theory. The focal point analysis method, from a maximum basis set of cc-pV5Z-PP, and proceeding to a maximum correlation method of CCSDTQ, was employed to determine the dissociation energy of Bi 4 ( T d ) into two Bi 2 and the adiabatic energy difference between the C 2v and T d isomers of Bi 4 . These quantities are predicted to be +65 kcal mol −1 and +39 kcal mol −1 , respectively. Two electron vertical excitation energies between the T d and C 2v electronic configurations are computed to be 156 kcal mol −1 for the T d isomer and 9 kcal mol −1 for the C 2v isomer. The most probable approach to laboratory spectroscopic identification of Bi 4 is via an infrared spectrum. The predicted fundamentals (cm −1 ) with harmonic IR intensities in parentheses (km mol −1 ) are 94(0), 123(0.23), and 167(0) for the T d isomer. The moderate IR intensity for the only allowed fundamental may explain why Bi 4 has yet to be observed. Through natural bond orbital analysis, the C 2v isomer of Bi 4 was discovered to exhibit “long-bonding” between the furthest apart ‘wing’ atoms. This long-bonding is postulated to be facilitated by the σ-bonding orbital between the ‘spine’ atoms of the C 2v isomer. 

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4. Syntheses, homeomorphic and configurational isomerizations, and structures of macrocyclic aliphatic dibridgehead diphosphines; molecules that turn themselves inside out

   https://doi.org/10.1039/D2SC04724A  

   Zhu, Yun; Stollenz, Michael; Zarcone, Samuel R.; Kharel, Sugam; Joshi, Hemant; Bhuvanesh, Nattamai; Reibenspies, Joseph H.; Gladysz, John A. (November 2022, Chemical Science)

   The diphosphine complexes cis - or trans -PtCl 2 (P((CH 2 ) n ) 3 P) ( n = b/12, c/14, d/16, e/18) are demetalated by MCX nucleophiles to give the title compounds (P((CH 2 ) n ) 3 )P (3b–e, 91–71%). These “empty cages” react with PdCl 2 or PtCl 2 sources to afford trans -MCl 2 (P((CH 2 ) n ) 3 P). Low temperature 31 P NMR spectra of 3b and c show two rapidly equilibrating species (3b, 86 : 14; 3c, 97 : 3), assigned based upon computational data to in , in (major) and out , out isomers. These interconvert by homeomorphic isomerizations, akin to turning articles of clothing inside out (3b/c: Δ H ‡ 7.3/8.2 kcal mol −1 , Δ S ‡ −19.4/−11.8 eu, minor to major). At 150 °C, 3b, c, e epimerize to (60–51) : (40–49) mixtures of ( in , in / out , out ) :  in , out isomers, which are separated via the bis(borane) adducts 3b, c, e·2BH 3 . The configurational stabilities of in , out -3b, c, e preclude phosphorus inversion in the interconversion of in , in and out , out isomers. Low temperature 31 P NMR spectra of in , out -3b, c reveal degenerate in , out / out , in homeomorphic isomerizations (Δ G ‡Tc 12.1, 8.5 kcal mol −1 ). When ( in , in / out , out )-3b, c, e are crystallized, out , out isomers are obtained, despite the preference for in , in isomers in solution. The lattice structures are analyzed, and the D 3 symmetry of out , out -3c enables a particularly favorable packing motif. Similarly, ( in , in / out , out )-3c, e·2BH 3 crystallize in out , out conformations, the former with a cycloalkane solvent guest inside. 

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5. A mixed isocyanide Mn( i ) complex and its reduction to a metallate

   https://doi.org/10.1039/d5dt00634a  

   Claude, Guilhem; Ellwanger, Mathias A; Grippo, Adam; Hernandez, Ritchie; Figueroa, Joshua R; Abram, Ulrich (April 2025, Dalton Transactions)

   A stepwise ligand exchange starting from [Mn(CO)₅Br] and subsequent reduction gave the first heteroleptic isocyanide manganese(−1) complex, [Mn(CNp-FAr^DArF2)₃(CN^tBu)₂]^–, exhibiting a five-coordinate, trigonal bipyramidal coordination sphere. 

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