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1. Terminal Diazirines Enable Reverse Polarization Transfer from ¹⁵ N ₂ Singlets

   https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.201904026  

   Zhang, Guannan; Colell, Johannes F. P.; Glachet, Thomas; Lindale, Jacob R.; Reboul, Vincent; Theis, Thomas; Warren, Warren S. (July 2019, Angewandte Chemie International Edition)

   Abstract Diazirine moieties are chemically stable and have been incorporated into biomolecules without impediment of biological activity. The¹⁵N₂labeled diazirines are appealing motifs for hyperpolarization supporting relaxation protected states with long‐lived lifetimes. The (‐CH¹⁵N₂) diazirine groups investigated here are analogues to methyl groups, which provides the opportunity to transfer polarization stored on a relaxation protected (‐CH¹⁵N₂) moiety to¹H, thus combining the advantages of long lifetimes of¹⁵N polarization with superior sensitivity of¹H detection. Despite the proximity of¹H to¹⁵N nuclei in the diazirine moiety,¹⁵NT₁times of up to (4.6±0.4) min and singlet lifetimesT_sof up to (17.5±3.8) min are observed. Furthermore, we found terminal diazirines to support hyperpolarized¹H₂singlet states in CH₂groups of chiral molecules. The singlet lifetime of¹H singlets is up to (9.2±1.8) min, thus exceeding¹HT₁relaxation time (at 8.45 T) by a factor of ≈100. 

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2. Lanthanide Identity Governs Guest‐Induced Dimerization in Ln ^III [15‐MC _N(L‐pheHA) ‐5]) ³⁺ Metallacrowns

   https://doi.org/10.1002/chem.202103263  

   Sgarlata, Carmelo; Schneider, Bernadette_L; Zito, Valeria; Migliore, Rossella; Tegoni, Matteo; Pecoraro, Vincent_L; Arena, Giuseppe (November 2021, Chemistry – A European Journal)

   Abstract Series of lanthanide‐containing metallic coordination complexes are frequently presented as structurally analogous, due to the similar chemical and coordinative properties of the lanthanides. In the case of chiral (Ln^III[15‐MC_N(L‐pheHA)‐5])³⁺metallacrowns (MCs), which are well established supramolecular hosts, the formation of dimers templated by a dicarboxylate guest (muconate) in solution of neutral pH is herein shown to have a unique dependence on the identity of the MC's central lanthanide. Calorimetric data and nuclear magnetic resonance diffusion studies demonstrate that MCs containing larger or smaller lanthanides as the central metal only form monomeric host‐guest complexes whereas analogues with intermediate lanthanides (for example, Eu, Gd, Dy) participate in formation of dimeric host‐guest‐host compartments. The driving force for the dimerization event across the series is thought to be a competition between formation of highly stable MCs (larger lanthanides) and optimally linked bridging guests (smaller lanthanides). 

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3. High‐Resolution Photoelectron Imaging of IrB ₃ ⁻ : Observation of a π‐Aromatic B ₃ ⁺ Ring Coordinated to a Transition Metal

   https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.201902406  

   Czekner, Joseph; Cheung, Ling Fung; Kocheril, G. Stephen; Kulichenko, Maksim; Boldyrev, Alexander I.; Wang, Lai‐Sheng (May 2019, Angewandte Chemie International Edition)

   Abstract In a high‐resolution photoelectron imaging and theoretical study of the IrB₃⁻cluster, two isomers were observed experimentally with electron affinities (EAs) of 1.3147(8) and 1.937(4) eV. Quantum calculations revealed two nearly degenerate isomers competing for the global minimum, both with a B₃ring coordinated with the Ir atom. The isomer with the higher EA consists of a B₃ring with a bridge‐bonded Ir atom (C_s,²A′), and the second isomer features a tetrahedral structure (C_3v,²A₁). The neutral tetrahedral structure was predicted to be considerably more stable than all other isomers. Chemical bonding analysis showed that the neutralC_3visomer involves significant covalent Ir−B bonding and weak ionic bonding with charge transfer from B₃to Ir, and can be viewed as an Ir–(η³‐B₃⁺) complex. This study provides the first example of a boron‐to‐metal charge‐transfer complex and evidence of a π‐aromatic B₃⁺ring coordinated to a transition metal. 

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4. 10 ⁶ -fold faster C–H bond hydroxylation by a Co ^III,IV ₂ (µ-O) ₂ complex [via a Co ^III ₂ (µ-O)(µ-OH) intermediate] versus its Fe ^III Fe ^IV analog

   https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2307950120  

   Li, Yan; Abelson, Chase; Que, Lawrence; Wang, Dong (December 2023, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences)

   The hydroxylation of C–H bonds can be carried out by the high-valent Co^III,IV₂(µ-O)₂complex2asupported by the tetradentate tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine ligand via a Co^III₂(µ-O)(µ-OH) intermediate (3a). Complex3acan be independently generated either by H-atom transfer (HAT) in the reaction of2awith phenols as the H-atom donor or protonation of its conjugate base, the Co^III₂(µ-O)₂complex1a. Resonance Raman spectra of these three complexes reveal oxygen-isotope-sensitive vibrations at 560 to 590 cm⁻¹associated with the symmetric Co–O–Co stretching mode of the Co₂O₂diamond core. Together with a Co•••Co distance of 2.78(2) Å previously identified for1aand2aby Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (EXAFS) analysis, these results provide solid evidence for their “diamond core” structural assignments. The independent generation of3aallows us to investigate HAT reactions of2awith phenols in detail, measure the redox potential and pK_aof the system, and calculate the O–H bond strength (D_O–H) of3ato shed light on the C–H bond activation reactivity of2a. Complex3ais found to be able to transfer its hydroxyl ligand onto the trityl radical to form the hydroxylated product, representing a direct experimental observation of such a reaction by a dinuclear cobalt complex. Surprisingly, reactivity comparisons reveal2ato be 10⁶-fold more reactive in oxidizing hydrocarbon C–H bonds than corresponding Fe^III,IV₂(µ-O)₂and Mn^III,IV₂(µ-O)₂analogs, an unexpected outcome that raises the prospects for using Co^III,IV₂(µ-O)₂species to oxidize alkane C–H bonds. 

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5. Observation of Transition‐Metal–Boron Triple Bonds in IrB ₂ O ⁻ and ReB ₂ O ⁻

   https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202006652  

   Chen, Teng‐Teng; Cheung, Ling Fung; Chen, Wei‐Jia; Cavanagh, Joseph; Wang, Lai‐Sheng (June 2020, Angewandte Chemie International Edition)

   Abstract Multiple bonds between boron and transition metals are known in many borylene (:BR) complexes via metal d_π→BR back‐donation, despite the electron deficiency of boron. An electron‐precise metal–boron triple bond was first observed in BiB₂O⁻[Bi≡B−B≡O]⁻in which both boron atoms can be viewed as sp‐hybridized and the [B−BO]⁻fragment is isoelectronic to a carbyne (CR). To search for the first electron‐precise transition‐metal‐boron triple‐bond species, we have produced IrB₂O⁻and ReB₂O⁻and investigated them by photoelectron spectroscopy and quantum‐chemical calculations. The results allow to elucidate the structures and bonding in the two clusters. We find IrB₂O⁻has a closed‐shell bent structure (C_s,¹A′) with BO⁻coordinated to an Ir≡B unit, (⁻OB)Ir≡B, whereas ReB₂O⁻is linear (C_∞v,³Σ⁻) with an electron‐precise Re≡B triple bond, [Re≡B−B≡O]⁻. The results suggest the intriguing possibility of synthesizing compounds with electron‐precise M≡B triple bonds analogous to classical carbyne systems. 

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