Chemical Education.

The transfer of electrons and protons is compared. Electron transfer over long distances is possible through a series of relays. The range of proton transfer is an order of magnitude less than for electrons but it may be directed along hydrogen bonds.

Elephants in the Room, Part 1: Protons in Redox Reactions.

Many oxidation and reduction reactions involve transfer of both electrons and protons. It is shown how this arises and how the energetics may be understood.

The Gestation and Growth of the Periodic Table.

The development of ideas of chemical periodicity from Lavoisier to Mendeleyev's first periodic table of 1869 is surveyed. Although his first periodic table contained a number of errors and weaknesses, his remarkable predictions of the properties of several then unknown elements, together with his capacity to adapt the table to new discoveries, slowly led to its general acceptance. The theory of atomic structure slowly developed to a point where it could rationalise the structure of the table which had, however, been established solely on the basis of experimental observations.

Dinuclear Complexes Formed by Hydrogen Bonds: Synthesis, Structure and Magnetic and Electrochemical Properties.

The synthesis is reported of a series of homo- and hetero-dinuclear octahedral complexes of the ligand 1, 1,2-bis(1-methyl-benzimidazol-2-yl) ethanol, where the two metal centres are linked by hydrogen bonds between coordinated alcohols and coordinated alkoxides. Homonuclear divalent M M , mixed-valent M M and heteronuclear M M' species are prepared. The complexes have been characterised by X-ray crystallography and show unusually short O⋅⋅⋅O distances for the hydrogen bonds.

Chains, necklaces and weaving chain-link grids from self-assembly reactions.

Assembly of two ditopic units, a phenanthroline substituted by 4-ethynyl pyridines at the 2-and 9-positions and a dimetallic paddlewheel, gives a linear chain polymer rather than a closed cyclic species, which would appear equally possible. The chain may be decorated by binding a copper-containing macrocycle around the phenanthroline units to form a polypseudorotaxane. When two phenanthroline ligands are assembled in a first step around copper(I), the paddlewheel acceptor can link them in a second step to form a two-dimensional interwoven grid that resembles the form of a chain-link fence.

Helicity inversion and redox chemistry of chiral manganese(II) cubanes.

The chiral ligand S-1,2-bis(1H-benzimidazol-2-yl)ethanol, 1, reacts with manganese(II) salts to form cubanes which readily undergo oxidation reactions leading either to a tetranuclear manganese(II,III) mixed valence complex 4 or to a tetranuclear complex of ligand 5 where the secondary alcohol has been oxidised to an enolate. N-methylation of ligand 1 slows the oxidation reaction and stable manganese(II) cubanes may be isolated. The fully methylated ligand 2 gives a cubane of opposite helicity to that found previously for 1 with cobalt.

Tetracarboxylate ligands as new chelates supporting copper(II) paddlewheel-like structures.

Two new ligands N,N,N',N'-tetrakis(2-methylbenzoic acid)-1,4-diaminomethylbenzene, 5H4, and N,N,N',N'-tetrakis(2-methylbenzoic acid)-4,4'-diaminomethyldiphenyl, 6H4, carrying four carboxylate groups suitable for bridging dinuclear centers have been prepared and their paddlewheel complexes with copper(II) prepared. The phenyl-bridged ligand 5H4 gives a cyclic octanuclear species [(Cu2)4(5)4], while the diphenyl-bridged ligand 6H4 gives a lantern-like tetranuclear species [(Cu2)2(6)2]; both were characterized by X-ray crystallography. If the amine functions of 5 are protonated, intramolecular hydrogen bonds position the four carboxylates in such a way as to allow formation of the unusual compound [Cu4(5H2)2Cl](3+) in which a Cu4 square centered by a chloro ligand is sandwiched between two (5H2)(2-) ligands.

The coordination chemistry of tartronic acid with copper: magnetic studies of a quasi-equilateral tricopper triangle.

The coordination chemistry of tartronic acid, , with copper(ii) has been investigated. Structures of two complexes are reported containing respectively the complex [Cu(-2H)2Cl](3-) where acts as a bidentate ligand through carboxylates, and [Cu3(-3H)3](3-) where the alcohol function is deprotonated to bridge two coppers in a triangular trinuclear complex. The latter species undergoes facile oxidation leading to carbon-carbon bond formation.

Supramolecular squares of dirhodium(II) tetracarboxylate: combining carboxylate-exchange and metal-ligand coordination for self-assembly.

Square self-assemblies are obtained from dirhodium(II) tetracarboxylate complexes using an isonicotinate-type ligand to act as an equatorial ligand to one dirhodium unit and an axial ligand to another. It is shown that the supramolecular squares are formed selectively out of a number of possible compounds in the dynamic carboxylate exchange library.

Enantioselective synthesis of tetranuclear quadruple helicates.

Quadruple helical structures are assembled around a tetranuclear cubane structure using four chiral tridentate ligands and two ligands coordinating diagonally across a face. Stereoselectivity in the complex formation is observed.

Pentasubstituted ferrocene and dirhodium(II) tetracarboxylate as building blocks for discrete fullerene-like and extended supramolecular structures.

The synthesis of a penta(1-methylpyrazole)ferrocenyl phosphine oxide ligand (1) [Fe(C(5)(C(3)H(2)N(2)CH(3))(5))(C(5)H(4)PO(t-C(4)H(9))(2))] is reported together with its X-ray crystal structure. Its self-assembly behavior with a dirhodium(II) tetraoctanoate linker (2) [Rh(2)(O(2)CC(7)H(15))(4)] was investigated for construction of fullerene-like assemblies of composition [(ligand)(12)(linker)(30)]. Reaction between 1 and 2 in acetonitrile resulted in the formation of a light purple precipitate (3).

Marignac and Jørgensen: Two Forgotten Inorganic Explorers.

The lives and contributions of Jean-Charles Galissard de Marignac (1817-1894) and Christian Klixbüll Jørgensen (1931-2001) are reviewed briefly.

Inorganic, Analytical and Applied Chemistry.

The recent history and the current activities in the fields of inorganic, analytical and applied chemistry are described briefly.

182tungsten Mössbauer spectroscopy of heteropolytungstates.

The tungsten-182 Mössbauer spectra of a series of Keggin structure heteropolytungstates, [EW12O40]n- are reported. There is a very considerable variation in quadrupole coupling at the tungsten nucleus indicating considerable asymmetry in the electron distribution for the more electronegative elements E. The quadrupole coupling correlates well with the structural data, in particular with the distance between the tungsten and the oxygen atom of the EO4 group.

Synthesis of planar five-connected nodal ligands.

Synthetic routes to a penta(4-pyridyl)cyclopentadienyl ligand are explored. The most successful route uses a palladium-catalysed pentapyridation of di(tert-butyl)phosphinoferrocene by using a procedure developed by Hartwig. The same method allows the synthesis of cyclopentadiene ligands substituted with 4-benzaldehydes or 4-phenylthiols.

A structural analysis of {M4O4} cubanes where M = Mn and Fe.

The structures of the M4O4 units found in manganese and iron cubanes are analysed. The model used is that established previously for cobalt and nickel cubanes based on a distortion of the cube by compression of the oxygen atoms along a body diagonal. Further distortion which maintains a S4 or, less frequently, a C3 axis is generally seen.

Synthesis, structure and properties of {M4O4} cubanes containing nickel(II) and cobalt(II).

A survey of the crystal structures containing simple {M4O4} cubane units is reported. It shows that the average M-M distance in these complexes is relatively constant for a given metal ion M. The structures are all distorted from the idealised cube to a T(d) structure, and most show a further distortion which, however, usually maintains some elements of symmetry.

Self-assembly and interconversion of tetranuclear copper(II) complexes.

The ligand 1,2-bis(benzimidazol-2-yl)-1,2-ethanediol (H2bzimed, 1) and its N-methylated analogue (H2mbzimed, 2) form a variety of polynuclear complexes with copper(II), all of which contain a planar Cu2O2 lozenge as a central element and in which the bridging oxygen belongs to an alkoxo group of the ligand. Syntheses are reported for dinuclear [Cu2(Hmbzimed)2](ClO4)2 x 1.5H2O, Cu(2)2(2), and the tetranuclear species [Cu4(Hbzimed)4(ClO4)2](NO3)2 x 4H2O, Cu(4)1(4), [Cu4(Hmbzimed)2(mbzimed)Cl2](ClO4)2 x 2H2O x C2H5OH, Cu(4)2(3), and rac-[Cu4(H2bzimed)4(bzimed)(ClO4)2](ClO4)4 x 1.

Crystal structures of dicarboxy-2,2'-bipyridyl complexes: the role of hydrogen bonding and stacking interactions.

The crystal structures of three complexes of dicarboxy-2,2'-bipyridyl ligands, 5,5'-dicarboxy-2,2'-bipyridyl (1) and 4,4'-dicarboxy-2,2'-bipyridyl (2) are reported. [Rh(1H)3] shows two interpenetrating, homochiral rhombohedral networks linked by short carboxylate-carboxylic acid hydrogen bonds, in which each complex acts as a node for six hydrogen bonds. [Ru(1H2)(1H)2] forms only four such hydrogen bonds, leading to the formation of heterochiral chains held together by stacking between bipyridyls.

Redox state switching of transition metals by deprotonation of the tridentate ligand 2,6-bis(imidazol-2-yl)pyridine.

The chemistry of the ligand 1, 2,6-bis(imidazol-2-yl)pyridine with manganese, cobalt, nickel and ruthenium has been investigated. The ligand binds as a meridional tridentate ligand as shown by the crystal structures of [Mn(1)2](CF3SO3)2 x Et2O and [Ru(1)2](PF6)2 x 2CH3CN x H2O. The coordinated ligand is deprotonated in mildly basic solution, and this leads to a drop in the metal M(III)/M(II) reduction potential for cobalt and ruthenium of roughly 1.

Complexes of 5,5'-aminoacido-substituted 2,2'-bipyridyl ligands: control of diastereoselectivity with a pH switch and a chloride-responsive combinatorial library.

The synthesis and coordination chemistry of a new chiral ligand, 2,2'-bipyridine substituted at the 5 and 5' positions by N-methyl-L-valine methyl ester (5), is presented. The ligand readily forms complexes [M(5)3]2+ where M = Co(II) and Fe(II) in CH3CN, and the complexation reaction is slightly diastereoselective (d.e.

Reactivity of the Coordinated Hydroperoxo Ligand.

The reactivity of the hydroperoxo complex [Co(CN)(5)OOH](3)(-) has been studied in aqueous solution. The complex undergoes acid-catalyzed aquation (k = 1.89(5) x 10(-)(2) s(-)(1), pK(a) = 5.