skip to main content


Title: Encapsulation of tricopper cluster in a synthetic cryptand enables facile redox processes from Cu I Cu I Cu I to Cu II Cu II Cu II states
One-pot reaction of tris(2-aminoethyl)amine (TREN), [Cu I (MeCN) 4 ]PF 6 , and paraformaldehyde affords a mixed-valent [ TREN4 Cu II Cu I Cu I (μ 3 -OH)](PF 6 ) 3 complex. The macrocyclic azacryptand TREN4 contains four TREN motifs, three of which provide a bowl-shape binding pocket for the [Cu 3 (μ 3 -OH)] 3+ core. The fourth TREN caps on top of the tricopper cluster to form a cryptand, imposing conformational constraints and preventing solvent interaction. Contrasting the limited redox capability of synthetic tricopper complexes reported so far, [ TREN4 Cu II Cu I Cu I (μ 3 -OH)](PF 6 ) 3 exhibits several reversible single-electron redox events. The distinct electrochemical behaviors of [ TREN4 Cu II Cu I Cu I (μ 3 -OH)](PF 6 ) 3 and its solvent-exposed analog [ TREN3 Cu II Cu II Cu II (μ 3 -O)](PF 6 ) 4 suggest that isolation of tricopper core in a cryptand enables facile electron transfer, allowing potential application of synthetic tricopper complexes as redox catalysts. Indeed, the fully reduced [ TREN4 Cu I Cu I Cu I (μ 3 -OH)](PF 6 ) 2 can reduce O 2 under acidic conditions. The geometric constraints provided by the cryptand are reminiscent of Nature's multicopper oxidases (MCOs). For the first time, a synthetic tricopper cluster was isolated and fully characterized at Cu I Cu I Cu I ( 4a ), Cu II Cu I Cu I ( 4b ), and Cu II Cu II Cu I ( 4c ) states, providing structural and spectroscopic models for many intermediates in MCOs. Fast electron transfer rates (10 5 to 10 6 M −1 s −1 ) were observed for both Cu I Cu I Cu I /Cu II Cu I Cu I and Cu II Cu I Cu I /Cu II Cu II Cu I redox couples, approaching the rapid electron transfer rates of copper sites in MCO.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
1904560
NSF-PAR ID:
10225536
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ;
Date Published:
Journal Name:
Chemical Science
Volume:
12
Issue:
8
ISSN:
2041-6520
Page Range / eLocation ID:
2986 to 2992
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
More Like this
  1. Reactions of the bicompartmental bis(phenolato) compound 6,6′-methylenebis(2-((bis(pyridin-2-ylmethyl)amino)methyl)-4-chlorophenol)hemihydrate (H 2 L ½H 2 O) with 3d metal( ii ) ions afforded novel fully structurally characterized bridged acetato dinuclear complexes [Mn 2 (HL)(μ 1,2 -OAc) 2 ]PF 6 (1) [Zn 2 (HL)(μ 1,2 -OAc)(H 2 O) 0.75 (MeOH) 0.25 ](PF 6 ) 2 ·0.45(H 2 O) (5) and [Cd 2 (HL)(μ 1,1,2 -OAc)(OAc)(H 2 O)]PF 6 ·H 2 O (6) as well as the polymeric bridged-azido tetranuclear catena -[Cu 4 (HL) 2 (μ 1,1 -N 3 ) 2 (μ 1,3 -N 3 ) 2 ](NO 3 ) 2 ·5H 2 O (4). The complex [Cu 4 (HL) 2 (ClO 4 ) 3 (H 2 O) 5 ](ClO 4 ) 3 ·5H 2 O (2) was partially characterized. In addition, three more dinuclear complexes [Cu 2 (H 2 L)(NO 3 ) 2 (H 2 O) 2 ](NO 3 ) 2 (3), [Cu 2 (HL)(OAc)(CH 3 OH)](PF 6 ) 2 (7) and [Cu 2 (HL)(NCS) 2 ]NO 3 ·2H 2 O (8) were also isolated. All complexes were characterized by CHN elemental analysis, IR and UV-Vis spectroscopy, ESI-MS, conductivity measurements and X-ray single crystal crystallography for compounds 1, 4, 5 and 6, where the bis(phenolato) ligand displayed different deprotonation (H 2 L, HL − and L 2− ). The magnetic susceptibility measurements over the temperature range 2–300 K revealed very weak antiferromagnetic coupling in dimanganese( ii ) 1 ( J = −1.64(1) cm −1 ) and almost negligible magnetic interaction in dicopper( ii ) 2 ( J = 0(3) cm −1 ). In the azido catena -[Cu 4 (HL) 2 (μ 1,1 -N 3 ) 2 (μ 1,3 -N 3 ) 2 ](NO 3 ) 2 ·5H 2 O (4) complex, the J value of −133(3) cm −1 was obtained upon moderate-to-strong antiferromagnetic coupling through the di-μ 1,3 -N 3 -bridged dicopper( ii ) unit with no magnetic interaction between the two copper( ii ) ions in the di-μ 1,1 -N 3 -bridged unit. 
    more » « less
  2. null (Ed.)
    We report the hydrothermal syntheses and crystal structures of aquabis(2,2′-bipyridine-κ 2 N , N ′)copper(II) hexafluoridosilicate tetrahydrate, [Cu(bpy) 2 (H 2 O)][SiF 6 ]·4H 2 O (bpy is 2,2′-bipyridine, C 10 H 8 N 2 ), (I), bis(2,2′-bipyridine-3κ 2 N , N ′)-di-μ-fluorido-1:3κ 2 F : F ;2:3κ 2 F : F -decafluorido-1κ 5 F ,2κ 5 F -ditantalum(V)copper(II), [Cu(bpy) 2 (TaF 6 ) 2 ], (II), tris(2,2′-bipyridine-κ 2 N , N ′)copper(II) bis[hexafluoridotantalate(V)], [Cu(bpy) 3 ][TaF 6 ] 2 , (III), and catena -poly[[diaqua(2,2′-bipyridine-κ 2 N , N ′)copper(II)]-μ-fluorido-tetrafluoridotin-μ-fluorido], [Cu(bpy)(H 2 O) 2 SnF 6 ] n , (IV). Compounds (I), (II) and (III) contain locally chiral copper coordination complexes with C 2 , D 2 , and D 3 symmetry, respectively. The extended structures of (I) and (IV) are consolidated by O—H...F and O—H...O hydrogen bonds. The structure of (III) was found to be a merohedral (racemic) twin. 
    more » « less
  3. null (Ed.)
    Copper(I) iodide complexes are well known for displaying a diverse array of structural features even when only small changes in ligand design are made. This structural diversity is well displayed by five copper(I) iodide compounds reported here with closely related piperidine-2,6-dithione (SNS), isoindoline-1,3-dithione (SNS6), and 6-thioxopiperidin-2-one (SNO) ligands: di-μ-iodido-bis[(acetonitrile-κ N )(6-sulfanylidenepiperidin-2-one-κ S )copper(I)], [Cu 2 I 2 (CH 3 CN) 2 (C 5 H 7 NOS) 2 ] ( I ), bis(acetonitrile-κ N )tetra-μ 3 -iodido-bis(6-sulfanylidenepiperidin-2-one-κ S )- tetrahedro -tetracopper(I), [Cu 4 I 4 (CH 3 CN) 4 (C 5 H 7 NOS) 4 ] ( II ), catena -poly[[(μ-6-sulfanylidenepiperidin-2-one-κ 2 O : S )copper(I)]-μ 3 -iodido], [CuI(C 5 H 7 NOS)] n ( III ), poly[[(piperidine-2,6-dithione-κ S )copper(I)]-μ 3 -iodido], [CuI(C 5 H 7 NS 2 )] n ( IV ), and poly[[(μ-isoindoline-1,3-dithione-κ 2 S : S )copper(I)]-μ 3 -iodido], [CuI(C 8 H 5 NS 2 )] n ( V ). Compounds I and II crystallize as discrete dimeric and tetrameric complexes, whereas III , IV , and V crystallize as polymeric two-dimensional sheets. To the best of our knowledge, compound III is the first instance of an extended hexagonal [Cu 3 I 3 ] structure that is not supported by bridging ligands. Structures I , II , and IV display weak to moderately strong Cu...Cu cuprophilic interactions [Cu...Cu internuclear distances range between 2.5803 (10) and 2.8485 (14) Å]. All structures except III display weak hydrogen-bonding interactions between the N—H of the ligand and the μ 2 and μ 3 -I − atoms. Structure III contains classical N–H...O interactions between the SNO ligands that connect the molecules in a three-dimensional framework. Complex V features π–π stacking interactions between the aryl rings of the SNS6 ligands within the same polymeric sheet. In structure IV , there were three partially occupied solvent molecules of dichloromethane and one partially occupied molecule of acetonitrile present in the asymmetric unit. The SQUEEZE routine [Spek (2015). Acta Cryst . C 71 , 9–18] was used to correct the diffraction data for diffuse scattering effects and to identify the solvent molecules. The given chemical formula and other crystal data do not take into account the solvent molecules. 
    more » « less
  4. Abstract

    Searching for a connection between the two‐electron redox behavior of Group‐14 elements and their possible use as platforms for the photoreductive elimination of chlorine, we have studied the photochemistry of [(o‐(Ph2P)C6H4)2GeIVCl2]PtIICl2and [(o‐(Ph2P)C6H4)2ClGeIII]PtIIICl3, two newly isolated isomeric complexes. These studies show that, in the presence of a chlorine trap, both isomers convert cleanly into the platinum germyl complex [(o‐(Ph2P)C6H4)2ClGeIII]PtICl with quantum yields of 1.7 % and 3.2 % for the GeIV–PtIIand GeIII–PtIIIisomers, respectively. Conversion of the GeIV–PtIIisomer into the platinum germyl complex is a rare example of a light‐induced transition‐metal/main‐group‐element bond‐forming process. Finally, transient‐absorption‐spectroscopy studies carried out on the GeIII–PtIIIisomer point to a ligand arene–Cl.charge‐transfer complex as an intermediate.

     
    more » « less
  5. Abstract

    Searching for a connection between the two‐electron redox behavior of Group‐14 elements and their possible use as platforms for the photoreductive elimination of chlorine, we have studied the photochemistry of [(o‐(Ph2P)C6H4)2GeIVCl2]PtIICl2and [(o‐(Ph2P)C6H4)2ClGeIII]PtIIICl3, two newly isolated isomeric complexes. These studies show that, in the presence of a chlorine trap, both isomers convert cleanly into the platinum germyl complex [(o‐(Ph2P)C6H4)2ClGeIII]PtICl with quantum yields of 1.7 % and 3.2 % for the GeIV–PtIIand GeIII–PtIIIisomers, respectively. Conversion of the GeIV–PtIIisomer into the platinum germyl complex is a rare example of a light‐induced transition‐metal/main‐group‐element bond‐forming process. Finally, transient‐absorption‐spectroscopy studies carried out on the GeIII–PtIIIisomer point to a ligand arene–Cl.charge‐transfer complex as an intermediate.

     
    more » « less