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1. Creating Well-Defined monolayers of phosphine linkers incorporating ethoxysilyl groups on silica surfaces for superior immobilized catalysts

   https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsusc.2023.156380  

   Shakeri, Ehsan; Blümel, Janet (April 2023, Applied Surface Science)

   Many applications of catalysts immobilized on solid supports like silica via bifunctional phosphine linkers are still hampered by their decomposition, leaching, agglomeration, and uncontrolled nanoparticle formation, all of which change their activities and selectivities. In general, the success of an immobilized catalyst is crucially dependent on the linker and its attachment to the oxide support. In this contribution, an improved method for covalently binding phosphine linkers to silica via ethoxysilane groups is described. This method leads to well-defined sub-monolayers of linkers on silica surfaces without cross-linking of the linkers, which typically leads to clogged pores and metal agglomeration during catalysis, thus entailing less active and selective catalysts. The novel immobilization method has been supported by multinuclear classical CP/MAS solid-state NMR spectroscopy, as well as suspension NMR of slurries. It has been demonstrated by TEM that nickel complexes coordinated by immobilized phosphine linkers in a well-defined sub-monolayer coverage do not form larger aggregates or nanoparticles during the catalytic cyclotrimerization of phenylacetylene under various conditions, in contrast to analogous complexes in homogeneous catalytic runs. 

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2. Synthesis of diphenyl-(2-thienyl)phosphine, its chalcogenide derivatives and a series of novel complexes of lanthanide nitrates and triflates

   https://doi.org/10.1039/d2dt01570f  

   Luster, Troy; Van de Roovaart, Hannah J.; Korman, Kyle J.; Sands, Georgia G.; Dunn, Kylie M.; Spyker, Anthony; Staples, Richard J.; Biros, Shannon M.; Bender, John E. (June 2022, Dalton Transactions)

   A novel synthesis of diphenyl(2-thienyl)phosphine, along with its’ oxide, sulfide and selenide derivatives, is reported here. These phosphines have been characterized by NMR, IR, MS and X-Ray crystallography. The phosphine oxide derivative was reacted with a selection of lanthanide( iii ) nitrates and triflates, LnX 3 , to give the resultant metal–ligand complexes. These complexes have also been characterized by NMR, IR, MS and X-Ray crystallography. Single crystal X-Ray diffraction data shows a difference in metal–ligand complex stoichiometry and stereochemistry depending on the counteranion (nitrate vs. triflate). The [Ln(Ar 3 PO) 3 (NO 3 ) 3 ] ligand–nitrate complexes are nine-coordinate to the metal in the solid state (bidentate nitrate), featuring a 1 : 3 lanthanide–ligand ratio and bear an overall octahedral arrangement of the six, coordinated ligands. Our [Ln(Ar 3 PO) 3 (NO 3 ) 3 ] ligand–nitrate complexes gave three examples of fac -stereochemistry, where mer -stereochemistry is almost universally observed in the literature of highly related [Ln(Ar 3 PO) 3 (NO 3 ) 3 ] complexes. For the Tb complexes, two different arrangements of the ligands around the metal were observed in the solid state for [Tb(Ar 3 PO) 3 (NO 3 ) 3 ] and [Tb(Ar 3 PO) 4 (OTf) 2 ] [OTf]. [Tb(Ar 3 PO) 3 (NO 3 ) 3 ] is strictly nine-coordinate, ligand mer -stereochemistry in the solid state, and [Tb(Ar 3 PO) 4 (OTf) 2 ] [OTf] is strictly octahedral, six-coordinate, with a square-planar stereochemical arrangement of the phosphine oxide ligands around the metal. 

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3. Reaction Chemistry at Discrete Organometallic Fragments on Black Phosphorus

   https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202311575  

   Mitra, Kendahl L. Walz; Riehs, Michael; Draguicevic, Andrei; Swann, William A.; Li, Christina W.; Velian, Alexandra (November 2023, Angewandte Chemie International Edition)

   Abstract Black phosphorus (bP) is a two‐dimensional van der Waals material unique in its potential to serve as a support for single‐site catalysts due to its similarity to molecular phosphines, ligands quintessential in homogeneous catalysis. However, there is a scarcity of synthetic methods to install single metal centers on the bP lattice. Here, we demonstrate the functionalization of bP nanosheets with molecular Re and Mo complexes. A suite of characterization techniques, including infrared, X‐ray photoelectron and X‐ray absorption spectroscopy as well as scanning transmission electron microscopy corroborate that the functionalized nanosheets contain a high density of discrete metal centers directly bound to the bP surface. Moreover, the supported metal centers are chemically accessible and can undergo ligand exchange transformations without detaching from the surface. The steric and electronic properties of bP as a ligand are estimated with respect to molecular phosphines. Sterically, bP resembles tri(tolyl)phosphine when monodentate to a metal center, and bis(diphenylphosphino)propane when bidentate, whereas electronically bP is a σ‐donor as strong as a trialkyl phosphine. This work is foundational in elucidating the nature of black phosphorus as a ligand and underscores the viability of using bP as a basis for single‐site catalysts. 

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4. X-ray crystallographic, luminescence and NMR studies of phenacyldiphenylphosphine oxide with the Ln( iii ) ions Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb and Dy

   https://doi.org/10.1039/c7dt02678a  

   G. Leach, Erin; Shady, Justin R.; Boyden, Adam C.; Emig, Anne-lise; Henry, Alyssa T.; Connor, Emily K.; Staples, Richard J.; Schaertel, Stephanie; Werner, Eric J.; Biros, Shannon M. (January 2017, Dalton Transactions)

   We report here the characterization in solution (NMR, luminescence, MS) and the solid-state (X-ray crystallography, IR) of complexes between phenacyldiphenylphosphine oxide and five Ln( iii ) ions (Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy). Four single crystal X-ray structures are described here showing a 1 : 2 ratio between the Ln 3+ ions Eu, Dy, Sm and Gd and the ligand, where the phosphine oxide ligands are bound in a monodentate manner to the metal center. A fifth structure is reported for the 1 : 2 Eu(NO 3 ) 3 -ligand complex showing bidentate binding between the two ligands and the metal center. The solution coordination chemistry of these metal complexes was probed by 1 H, 13 C and 31 P NMR, mass spectrometry, and luminescence experiments. The title ligand has the capability to sensitize Tb 3+ , Dy 3+ , Eu 3+ and Sm 3+ leading to metal-centered emission in solutions of acetonitrile and methanol and in the solid state. 

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5. Speciation and Structures in Pt Surface Sites Stabilized by N-Heterocyclic Carbene Ligands Revealed by Dynamic Nuclear Polarization Enhanced Indirectly Detected ¹⁹⁵ Pt NMR Spectroscopic Signatures and Fingerprint Analysis

   https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.2c08300  

   Wang, Zhuoran; Völker, Laura A.; Robinson, Thomas C.; Kaeffer, Nicolas; Menzildjian, Georges; Jabbour, Ribal; Venkatesh, Amrit; Gajan, David; Rossini, Aaron J.; Copéret, Christophe; et al (November 2022, Journal of the American Chemical Society)

   N-Heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) are widely used ligands in transition metal catalysis. Notably, they are increasingly encountered in heterogeneous systems. While a detailed knowledge of the possibly multiple metal environments would be essential to understand the activity of metal-NHC-based heterogeneous catalysts, only a few techniques currently have the ability to describe with atomic-resolution structures dispersed on a solid support. Here, we introduce a new dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) surface-enhanced solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) approach that, in combination with advanced density functional theory (DFT) calculations, allows the structure characterization of isolated silica-supported Pt-NHC sites. Notably, we demonstrate that the signal amplification provided by DNP in combination with fast magic angle spinning enables the implementation of sensitive 13C-195Pt correlation experiments. By exploiting 1J(13C-195Pt) couplings, 2D NMR spectra were acquired, revealing two types of Pt sites. For each of them, 1J(13C-195Pt) value was determined as well as 195Pt chemical shift tensor parameters. To interpret the NMR data, DFT calculations were performed on an extensive library of molecular Pt-NHC complexes. While one surface site was identified as a bis-NHC compound, the second site most likely contains a bidentate 1,5-cyclooctadiene ligand, pointing to various parallel grafting mechanisms. The methodology described here represents a new step forward in the atomic-level description of catalytically relevant surface metal-NHC complexes. In particular, it opens up innovative avenues for exploiting the spectral signature of platinum, one of the most widely used transition metals in catalysis, but whose use for solid-state NMR remains difficult. Our results also highlight the sensitivity of 195Pt NMR parameters to slight structural changes. 

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