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1. Direct observation of the intermediate in an ultrafast isomerization

   https://doi.org/10.1039/c8sc03258k  

   Porter, Tyler M. ; Wang, Jiaxi ; Li, Yingmin ; Xiang, Bo ; Salsman, Catherine ; Miller, Joel S. ; Xiong, Wei ; Kubiak, Clifford P. ( January 2019 , Chemical Science)

   Using a combination of two-dimensional infrared (2D IR) and variable temperature Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopies the rapid structural isomerization of a five-coordinate ruthenium complex is investigated. In methylene chloride, three exchanging isomers were observed: (1) square pyramidal equatorial, ( 1 ); (2) trigonal bipyramidal, ( 0 ); and (3) square pyramidal apical, ( 2 ). Exchange between 1 and 0 was found to be an endergonic process (Δ H = 0.84 (0.08) kcal mol −1 , Δ S = 0.6 (0.4) eu) with an isomerization time constant of 4.3 (1.5) picoseconds (ps, 10 −12 s). Exchange between 0 and 2 however was found to be exergonic (Δ H = −2.18 (0.06) kcal mol −1 , Δ S = −5.3 (0.3) eu) and rate limiting with an isomerization time constant of 6.3 (1.6) ps. The trigonal bipyramidal complex was found to be an intermediate, with an activation barrier of 2.2 (0.2) kcal mol −1 and 2.4 (0.2) kcal mol −1 relative to the equatorial and apical square pyramidal isomers respectively. This study provides direct validation of the mechanism of Berry pseudorotation – the pairwise exchange of ligands in a five-coordinate complex – a process that was first described over fiftymore »years ago. This study also clearly demonstrates that the rate of pseudorotation approaches the frequency of molecular vibrations.« less
2. Cooperative C–H activation of pyridine by PBP complexes of Rh and Ir can lead to bridging 2-pyridyls with different connectivity to the B–M unit

   https://doi.org/10.1039/D1SC01850G  

   Cao, Yihan ; Shih, Wei-Chun ; Bhuvanesh, Nattamai ; Zhou, Jia ; Ozerov, Oleg V. ( November 2021 , Chemical Science)

   Pyridine and quinoline undergo selective C–H activation in the 2-position with Rh and Ir complexes of a boryl/bis(phosphine) PBP pincer ligand, resulting in a 2-pyridyl bridging the transition metal and the boron center. Examination of this reactivity with Rh and Ir complexes carrying different non-pincer ligands on the transition metal led to the realization of the possible isomerism derived from the 2-pyridyl fragment connecting either via B–N/C–M bonds or via B–C/N–M bonds. This M–C/M–N isomerism was systematically examined for four structural types. Each of these types has a defined set of ligands on Rh/Ir besides 2-pyridyl and PBP. A pair of M–C/M–N isomers for each type was computationally examined for Rh and for Ir, totaling 16 compounds. Several of these compounds were isolated or observed in solution by experimental methods, in addition to a few 2-quinolyl variants. The DFT predictions concerning the thermodynamic preference within each M–C/M–N isomeric match the experimental findings very well. In two cases where DFT predicts <2 kcal mol −1 difference in free energy, both isomers were experimentally observed in solution. Analysis of the structural data, of the relevant Wiberg bond indices, and of the ETS-NOCV partitioning of the interaction of the 2-pyridyl fragment with themore »rest of the molecule points to the strength of the M–C(pyridyl) bond as the dominant parameter determining the relative M–C/M–N isomer favorability. This M–C bond is always stronger for the analogous Ir vs. Rh compounds, but the nature of the ligand trans to it has a significant influence, as well. DFT calculations were used to evaluate the mechanism of isomerization for one of the molecule types.« less
3. Trifluoromethyl substitution enhances photoinduced activity against breast cancer cells but reduces ligand exchange in Ru( ii ) complex

   https://doi.org/10.1039/d1sc03213e  

   Lanquist, Austin P. ; Gupta, Sayak ; Al-Afyouni, Kathlyn F. ; Al-Afyouni, Malik ; Kodanko, Jeremy J. ; Turro, Claudia ( September 2021 , Chemical Science)

   A series of five ruthenium complexes containing triphenyl phosphine groups known to enhance both cellular penetration and photoinduced ligand exchange, cis -[Ru(bpy) 2 (P( p -R-Ph) 3 )(CH 3 CN)] 2+ , where bpy = 2,2′-bipyridine and P( p -R-Ph) 3 represent para -substituted triphenylphosphine ligands with R = –OCH 3 (1), –CH 3 (2) –H (3), –F (4), and –CF 3 (5), were synthesized and characterized. The photolysis of 1–5 in water with visible light ( λ irr ≥ 395 nm) results in the substitution of the coordinated acetonitrile with a solvent molecule, generating the corresponding aqua complex as the single photoproduct. A 3-fold variation in quantum yield was measured with 400 nm irradiation, Φ 400 , where 1 is the most efficient with a Φ 400 = 0.076(2), and 5 the least photoactive complex, with Φ 400 = 0.026(2). This trend is unexpected based on the red-shifted metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT) absorption of 1 as compared to that of 5, but can be correlated to the substituent Hammett para parameters and p K a values of the ancillary phosphine ligands. Complexes 1–5 are not toxic towards the triple negative breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 in the dark, butmore »3 and 5 are >4.2 and >19-fold more cytotoxic upon irradiation with blue light, respectively. A number of experiments point to apoptosis, and not to necrosis or necroptosis, as the mechanism of cell death by 5 upon irradiation. These findings provide a foundation for understanding the role of phosphine ligands on photoinduced ligand substitution and show the enhancement afforded by –CF 3 groups on photochemotherapy, which will aid the future design of photocages for photochemotherapeutic drug delivery.« less
4. Bonding in nitrile photo-dissociating ruthenium drug candidates—A local vibrational mode study

   https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0094567  

   McCutcheon, Margaret ; Freindorf, Marek ; Kraka, Elfi ( July 2022 , The Journal of Chemical Physics)

   In this work, we investigated bonding features of 15 ruthenium(II) nitrile complexes of the type [Ru(tpy)(L)-(CH 3 CN)] n+ , containing the tridentate tpy ligand (tpy = 2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine) and various bidentate ancillary ligands L; 12 compounds originally synthesized by Loftus et al. [J. Phys. Chem. C 123, 10291–10299 (2019)] and three new complexes. We utilized local vibrational force constants derived from the local mode theory as a quantitative measure of bond strength complemented with the topological analysis of the electron density and the natural bond orbital analysis. Loftus et al. suggested that nitrile dissociation occurs after light induced singlet–triplet transition of the original complexes and they used as a measure of nitrile release efficiency quantum yields for ligand exchange in water. They observed larger quantum yields for complexes with smaller singlet–triplet energy gaps. The major goal of this work was to assess how the Ru–NC and Ru–L bond strengths in these 15 compounds relate to and explain the experimental data of Loftus et al., particularly focusing on the question whether there is a direct correlation between Ru–NC bond strength and measured quantum yield. Our study provides the interesting result that the compounds with the highest quantum yields also have themore »strongest Ru–NC bonds suggesting that breaking the Ru–NC bond is not the driving force for the delivery process rather than the change of the metal framework as revealed by first results of a unified reaction valley approach investigation of the mechanism. Compounds with the highest quantum yield show larger electronic structure changes upon singlet–triplet excitation, i.e., larger changes in bond strength, covalency, and difference between the singlet and triplet HOMOs, with exception of the compound 12. In summary, this work provides new insights into the interplay of local properties and experimental quantum yields forming in synergy a useful tool for fine tuning of existing and future design of new nitrile releasing ruthenium compounds. We hope that this work will bring theoretical and experimental studies closer together and serves as an incubator for future collaboration between computational chemists and their experimental colleagues.« less
5. Palladium(0) complexes of diferrocenylmercury diphosphines: synthesis, X-ray structure analyses, catalytic isomerization, and C–Cl bond activation

   https://doi.org/10.1039/d1dt00641j  

   Tagne Kuate, Alain C. ; Lalancette, Roger. A. ; Bockfeld, Dirk ; Tamm, Matthias ; Jäkle, Frieder ( April 2021 , Dalton Transactions)

   Palladium(0) phosphine complexes are of great importance as catalysts in numerous bond formation reactions that involve oxidative addition of substrates. Highly active catalysts with labile ligands are of particular interest but can be challenging to isolate and structurally characterize. We investigate here the synthesis and chemical reactivity of Pd 0 complexes that contain geometrically adaptable diferrocenylmercury-bridged diphosphine chelate ligands (L) in combination with a labile dibenzylideneacetone (dba) ligand. The diastereomeric diphosphines 1a (p S p R , meso -isomer) and 1b (p S p S -isomer) differ in the orientation of the ferrocene moieties relative to the central Ph 2 PC 5 H 3 –Hg–C 5 H 3 PPh 2 bridging entity. The structurally distinct trigonal LPd 0 (dba) complexes 2a ( meso ) and 2b (p S p S ) are obtained upon treatment with Pd(dba) 2 . A competition reaction reveals that 1b reacts faster than 1a with Pd(dba) 2 . Unexpectedly, catalytic interconversion of 1a ( meso ) into 1b ( rac ) is observed at room temperature in the presence of only catalytic amounts of Pd(dba) 2 . Both Pd 0 complexes, 2a and 2b , readily undergo oxidative addition into the C–Cl bond of CHmore »2 Cl 2 at moderate temperatures with formation of the square-planar trans -chelate complexes LPd II Cl(CH 2 Cl) ( 3a , 3b ). Kinetic studies reveal a significantly higher reaction rate for the meso -isomer 2a in comparison to (p S p S )- 2b .« less