New ruthenium(II) complexes with enantiomerically pure bis- and tris(pinene)-fused tridentate ligands. Synthesis, characterization and stereoisomeric analysis.

A new set of Ru-Cl complexes containing either the pinene[5,6]bpea ligand (L1) or the C3 symmetric pinene[4,5]tpmOMe (L2) tridentate ligand in combination with the bidentate (B) 2,2'-bipyridine (bpy) or 1,2-diphenylphosphinoethane (dppe) with general formula [RuCl(L1 or L2)(B)](+) have been prepared and thoroughly characterized. In the solid state, X-ray diffraction analysis techniques have been used. In solution, cyclic voltammetry (CV) and 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy have been employed.

New synthetic routes toward enantiopure nitrogen donor ligands.

New polypyridylic chiral ligands, having either C3 or lower symmetry, have been prepared via a de novo construction of the pyridine nucleus by means of Kröhnke methodology in the key step. The chiral moieties of these ligands originate from the monoterpen chiral pool, namely (-)-alpha-pinene ((-)-14, (-)-15) and (-)-myrtenal ((-)-9, (-)-10). Extension of the above-mentioned asymmetric synthesis procedure to the preparation of enantiopure derivatives of some commonly used polypyridylic ligands has been achieved through a new aldehyde building block ((-)-16).

Protonation behaviour of chiral tetradentate polypyridines derived from alpha-pinene.

Detailed protonation experiments of the [5,6]-pinenebipyridine molecule and the unsubstituted [4,5]- and [5,6]-CHIRAGEN[0] ligands in various solvents indicate a variety of structures of the protonated species. UV-visible and NMR measurements (including (15)N chemical shifts) show the transition from trans to cis conformation of [5,6]-pinenebipyridine upon protonation. The [4,5]-CHIRAGEN[0] ligand, in which the protonation sites of the nitrogen atom donors are at opposite sides of the molecule, behave essentially like two independent bipyridine moieties; this behaviour was monitored by UV-visible, CD and NMR spectroscopy (including (15)N data).

Synthesis and stereochemical properties of chiral square complexes of iron(II).

The hexadentate, and ditopic ligand 2,5-bis([2,2']bipyridin-6-yl)pyrazine yields a chiral, tetrameric, square-shaped, self-assembled species upon complexation with Fe2+ ions. The racemate of this complex was resolved with antimonyl tatrate as the chiral auxiliary. The purity of the enantiomer was determined by NMR spectroscopy, by using a chiral, diamagnetic shift reagent, and by circular dichroism (CD).

Diastereoselective formation of chiral tris-cyclometalated iridium (III) complexes: characterization and photophysical properties.

Chiral, facial tris-cyclometalated Ir(III) complexes, fac-Delta-Ir(pppy)(3), fac-Lambda-Ir(pppy)(3), fac-Lambda-IrL (where pppy is (8R,10R)-2-(2'-phenyl)-4,5-pinenopyridine and L is a tripodal ligand comprising three pppy moieties connected through a mesityl spacer) have been synthesized and characterized. In IrL, NMR and CD studies indicate that only one diastereomer is formed, with the Lambda configuration at the metal center, whereas enantiopure pppy yields the fac-Lambda- and the fac-Delta-stereoisomer in a ratio 2:3. fac-Lambda-IrL was structurally characterized using X-ray crystallography.

Diastereoselective synthesis of coordination compounds: a chiral tripodal ligand based on bipyridine units and its ruthenium(II) and iron(II) complexes.

The enantiomerically pure chiral tris-chelating ligand (+)-(7S,10R)-L(L) comprising three 4,5-pinenobipyridine subunits connected through a mesityl spacer has been synthesized. Complexes of L with RuII and FeII have been prepared and characterised. NMR spectroscopy indicates that only one diastereoisomer is formed, and the CD spectra show that the complexes have the [capital Lambda] configuration on the metal centre.

Synthetic routes for a new family of chiral tetradentate ligands containing pyridine rings.

A series of new tetradentate ligands containing two bipyridine groups or two pyridine moieties carrying amine substituents has been synthesised either from 5'- and 6'-substituted chiral bipyridines, or from chiral pyridine derivatives. These precursors have been prepared from (-)-alpha-pinene or (-)-myrtenal, respectively. The structures of three tetradentate-, and of five chiral bipyridine ligands have been determined by X-ray diffraction.