Ion mobility mass spectrometry uncovers regioselectivity in the carboxylate-assisted C-H activation of palladium N-heterocyclic carbene complexes.

Carboxylate-assisted Pd-catalyzed C-H bond activation constitutes a mild and versatile synthetic tool to efficiently and selectively cleave inert C-H bonds. Herein, we demonstrate a simple method to experimentally evaluate both reactivity and selectivity in such systems using mass spectrometry (MS) methods. The N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) cations [(NHC)PdX], bearing as X ligand bases commonly used to promote the C-H activation (carboxylates and bicarbonate), are generated in the gas-phase by ESI-MS.

Introducing Ion Mobility Mass Spectrometry to Identify Site-Selective C-H Bond Activation in N-Heterocyclic Carbene Metal Complexes.

The activation of C-H bonds in a selective manner still constitutes a major challenge from a synthetic point of view; thus, it remains an active area of fundamental and applied research. Herein, we introduce ion mobility spectrometry mass spectrometry-based (IM-MS) approaches to uncover site-selective C-H bond activation in a series of metal complexes of general formula [(NHC)LMCl] (NHC = N-heterocyclic carbene; L = pentamethylcyclopentadiene (Cp*) or -cymene; M = Pd, Ru, and Ir). The C-H bond activation at the N-bound groups of the NHC ligand is promoted upon collision induced dissociation (CID).

Pseudopeptidic host adaptation in peptide recognition unveiled by ion mobility mass spectrometry.

Complexation of the glutamic-tyrosine-glutamic tripeptide (EYE) with a series of pseudopeptidic cages has been thoroughly investigated using different analytical techniques. The stoichiometry and affinities of the supramolecular host : guest complexes both in aqueous solution and in the gas-phase were obtained from a suitable combination of fluorescence spectroscopy, NMR, and mass spectrometry (MS) methods. The cages bearing basic groups (lysine, ornitine and histidine) display the tightest EYE binding in aqueous media following the order CyHis > CyLys > CyOrn, thus suggesting that Tyr side chain encapsulation is additionally modulated by the identity of the cage side chains and their ability to be engaged in polar interactions with the EYE peptide.

Clippane: A Mechanically Interlocked Molecule (MIM) Based on Molecular Tweezers.

In this study we report the preparation of a new mechanically interlocked molecule formed by the self-aggregation of two metallotweezers composed by two pyrene-imidazolylidene gold(I) arms and a pyridine-centered pentacyclic bis-alkynyl linker. The mechanically interlocked nature of this molecule arises from the presence of the bulky tert-butyl groups attached to the sides of the pyrene moieties of the arms of the tweezer, which act as stoppers avoiding the dissociation of the self-aggregated metallotweezer dimer once it is formed. By combining experimental techniques, we were able to confirm the mechanically interlocked nature of this molecule in solution, in the gas phase and in the solid state.

Unveiling anion-induced folding in tripodal imidazolium receptors by ion-mobility mass spectrometry.

The anion-induced folding of tripodal imidazolium receptors has been investigated by NMR spectroscopy, electrospray ionization ion mobility mass spectrometry and DFT calculations. Such folding can be switched by anion release upon collision induced dissociation.

Ion Mobility Mass Spectrometry Uncovers Guest-Induced Distortions in a Supramolecular Organometallic Metallosquare.

The encapsulation of the tetracationic palladium metallosquare with four pyrene-bis-imidazolylidene ligands [1] with a series of organic molecules was studied by Electrospray ionization Travelling Wave Ion-Mobility Mass Spectrometry (ESI TWIM-MS). The method allowed to determine the Collision Cross Sections (CCSs), which were used to assess the size changes experienced by the host upon encapsulation of the guest molecules. When fullerenes were used as guests, the host is expanded ΔCCS 13 Å and 23 Å , for C or C , respectively.

pH-Controlled One Pot Syntheses of Giant MoOS-Containing Seleno-Tungstate Architectures.

Self-assembly reactions of NaWO, SeO/SeO, and [MoO(μ-S)(HO)] give, depending on the pH value, two new large polyoxometalate complexes: i.e., [(γ-SeWO)(MoO(μ-S)(HO))] (1) isolated at pH 3.

New Perspectives for Old Clusters: Anderson-Evans Anions as Building Blocks of Large Polyoxometalate Frameworks in a Series of Heterometallic 3 d-4 f Species.

A series of nine [Sb7W36O133Ln3M2(OAc)(H2O)8](17-) heterometallic anions (Ln3M2; Ln=La-Gd, M=Co; Ln=Ce, M=Ni and Zn) have been obtained by reacting 3 d metal disubstituted Krebs-type tungstoantimonates(III) with early lanthanides. Their unique tetrameric structure contains a novel {MW9O33} capping unit formed by a planar {MW6O24} fragment to which three {WO2} groups are condensed to form a tungstate skeleton identical to that of a hypothetical trilacunary derivative of the ɛ-Keggin cluster. It is shown, for the first time, that classical Anderson-Evans {MW6O24} anions can act as building blocks to construct purely inorganic large frameworks.

Synthesis and Characterization of [(OH)TeNb5O18](6-) in Water Solution, Comparison with [Nb6O19](8-).

Reaction of [Nb6O19](8-) with H6TeO6 in water gives telluropentaniobate [(OH)TeNb5O18](6-) (1) as single product, which was isolated as Na(+) and mixed Na(+)/K(+) salts. Crystal structures were determined for Na6[(OH)TeNb5O18]·15H2O (Na6-1) and K6Na[Nb(5.5){Te(OH)}(0.

Catalytic N-Alkylation of Amines Using Carboxylic Acids and Molecular Hydrogen.

A convenient, practical and green N-alkylation of amines has been accomplished by applying readily available carboxylic acids in the presence of molecular hydrogen. Applying an in situ formed ruthenium/triphos complex and an organic acid as cocatalyst, a broad range of alkylated secondary and tertiary amines are obtained in good to excellent yields. This novel method is also successfully applied for the synthesis of unsymmetrically substituted N-methyl/alkyl anilines through a direct three-component coupling reaction of the corresponding amines, carboxylic acids, and CO2 as a C1 source.

Stereoselective recognition of the Ac-Glu-Tyr-OH dipeptide by pseudopeptidic cages.

Pseudopeptidic molecular cages are appealing receptors since they can display different polar and non-polar interaction sites in a modular framework and a controlled disposition. Inspired by previous host-guest knowledge, two pseudopeptidic molecular cages based on serine and threonine (CySer and CyThr, respectively) were designed and synthesized as hosts for the binding of the four possible stereoisomers of the Ac-Glu-Tyr-OH dipeptide, a target sequence of tyrosine kinases. The careful NMR titration experiments in aqueous acetonitrile allowed the determination of the binding constants and reflected a difference in the stability of the corresponding diastereomeric host-guest complexes.

Convenient Reductive Methylation of Amines with Carbonates at Room Temperature.

Methylation of amines is a fundamental and commonly used reaction in organic synthesis. Many methods are known including various reductive methylations using formaldehyde, formic acid, or carbon dioxide in the presence of reductants. However, several of these methods suffer from limited substrate scope and chemoselectivity because of the different nucleophilicities of substrates.

Supramolecular Adducts of Cucurbit[7]uril and Amino Acids in the Gas Phase.

The complexation of the macrocyclic cavitand cucurbit[7]uril (Q7) with a series of amino acids (AA) with different side chains (Asp, Asn, Gln, Ser, Ala, Val, and Ile) is investigated by ESI-MS techniques. The 1:1 [Q7 + AA + 2H](2+) adducts are observed as the base peak when equimolar Q7:AA solutions are electrosprayed, whereas the 1:2 [Q7 + 2AA + 2H](2+) dications are dominant when an excess of the amino acid is used. A combination of ion mobility mass spectrometry (IM-MS) and DFT calculations of the 1:1 [Q7 + AA + 2H](2+) (AA = Tyr, Val, and Ser) adducts is also reported and proven to be unsuccessful at discriminating between exclusion or inclusion-type conformations in the gas phase.

A Tetraferrocenyl-Resorcinarene Cavitand as a Redox-Switchable Host of Ammonium Salts.

Tetraannulation of a resorcinarene-octaamino cavitand with ferrocenecarboxaldehyde allows the preparation of a tetrabenzimidazole-resorcinarene cavitand with four ferrocenyl moieties directly linked to the C2 atom of the imidazole units. Oxidation of the four ferrocenyl moieties produces important structural modifications of the molecule, as indicated by DFT calculations performed for the neutral and tetraoxidized forms of the cavitand. By means of (1) H NMR spectroscopic analysis, the encapsulating properties of the new tetraferrocenyl-resorcinarene cavitand toward a series of ammonium salts were evaluated, and a clear cutoff point in binding affinity with respect to size was observed.

Crown-shaped tungstogermanates as solvent-controlled dual systems in the formation of vesicle-like assemblies.

Reaction of early lanthanides, GeO2 , and Na2 WO4 in a NaOAc buffer results in large crown-shaped polyoxometalates based on [Ln2 GeW10 O38 ](6-) subunits. By using Ni(2+) as a crystallizing agent, [Na⊂Ln12 Ge6 W60 O228 (H2 O)24 ](35-) (Na⊂Ln12 ) hexamers formed by alternating β(1,5)/β(1,8) subunits were obtained for Ln=Pr, Nd. The addition of K(+) led to a similar anion for Ln=Sm, namely, [K⊂Sm12 Ge6 W60 O228 (H2 O)22 ](35-) (K⊂Sm12 ) and [K⊂K7 Ln24 Ge12 W120 O444 (OH)12 (H2 O)64 ](52-) (K⊂Ln24 ) dodecamers that consist of a central core identical to K⊂Sm12 decorated with six external γ(3,4) subunits for Ln=Pr, Nd.

Selenate as a novel ligand for keplerate chemistry. New {W72Mo60} keplerates with selenates inside the cavity.

The synthesis and characterization of three novel keplerate-type compounds containing the {W72Mo60} mixed-metal core are reported. Complexes (NH4)72[{W6O21(H2O)6}12{Mo2O4(SeO4)}30]·150H2O·6(NH4)2SeO4 (1a) and (NH4)25(NH2Me2)47[{W6O21(H2O)6}12{Mo2O4(SeO4)}30]·130H2O·3(NH4)2SeO4 (1b) were prepared by ligand substitution from the acetate anionic complex [{W6O21(H2O)5(CH3COO)0.5}12{Mo2O4(CH3COO)}30](48-) and selenate.

Chemoselective hydrogenation of carbonyl compounds and acceptorless dehydrogenative coupling of alcohols.

OsHCl(CO)[κ(3)-PyCH2NHC2H4NHPtBu2] is the first efficient catalyst for chemoselective reduction of challenging unsaturated esters to enols and for acceptorless coupling of amines with MeOH and EtOH affording formamides and acetamides. The NMR, ESI-MS, and DFT data indicate a mechanism proceeding in the metal coordination sphere and producing no free organic intermediates.

Rearrangement of a Krebs-type polyoxometalate upon coordination of N,O-bis(bidentate) ligands.

Selective coordination of 2,3-pyzdc to the Krebs-type [{Ni(H2O)3}2(WO2)2(SbW9O33)2](10-) anion promotes a skeletal rearrangement that results in the [(2,3-pyzdc)2{NaNi2(H2O)4Sb2W20O70}2](22-) (Ni4) hybrid dimer showing a novel dinickel containing a 20-tungsto-2-antimonate(III) framework stabilized by N,O-bis(bidentate) bridging ligands. The solution stability and magnetism of Ni4 is discussed.

Mechanism of [3+2] cycloaddition of alkynes to the [Mo3 S4 (acac)3 (py)3 ][PF6 ] cluster.

A study, involving kinetic measurements on the stopped-flow and conventional UV/Vis timescales, ESI-MS, NMR spectroscopy and DFT calculations, has been carried out to understand the mechanism of the reaction of [Mo3 S4 (acac)3 (py)3 ][PF6 ] ([1]PF6 ; acac=acetylacetonate, py=pyridine) with two RCCR alkynes (R=CH2 OH (btd), COOH (adc)) in CH3 CN. Both reactions show polyphasic kinetics, but experimental and computational data indicate that alkyne activation occurs in a single kinetic step through a concerted mechanism similar to that of organic [3+2] cycloaddition reactions, in this case through the interaction with one Mo(μ-S)2 moiety of [1](+) . The rate of this step is three orders of magnitude faster for adc than that for btd, and the products initially formed evolve in subsequent steps into compounds that result from substitution of py ligands or from reorganization to give species with different structures.

Cation-directed dimeric versus tetrameric assemblies of lanthanide-stabilized dilacunary Keggin tungstogermanates.

Reaction of mid- to late lanthanide ions with GeO2 and Na2WO4 in NaOAc buffer results in a library of [Ln2 (GeW10O38)](6-) clusters (Ln2), which consist of dilacunary Keggin fragments stabilized by the insertion of 4f atoms in the vacant sites and show the ability to undergo cation-directed self-assembly processes. In the presence of Na(+), two β-Ln2 subunits assemble by means of Ln-O(WO5)-Ln bridges to form the chiral [Ln4(H2O)6(β-GeW10O38)2](12-) dimeric anions (ββ-Ln4, Ln = Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu). When Cs(+) is present, two Ln4-like dimers further assemble into the [{Ln4(H2O)5(GeW10O38)2}2](24-) species (Ln8, Ln = Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu).

Synthesis and characterization of a new Keggin anion: [BeW12O40](6-).

The first Keggin-type Be-containing heteropolyanion [BeW12O40](6-) (1(6-)) has been obtained by hydrothermal synthesis from sodium tungstate and Be(NO3)2. It was crystallized as (Bu4N)4.8Na1.

Tight and selective caging of chloride ions by a pseudopeptidic host.

The selective molecular recognition of chloride versus similar anions is a continuous challenge in supramolecular chemistry. We have designed and prepared a simple pseudopeptidic cage (1 a) that defines a cavity suitable for the tight encapsulation of chloride. The interaction of the protonated form of 1 a with different inorganic anions was studied in solution by (1)H NMR spectroscopy and ESI-MS, and in the solid state by X-ray diffraction.

Pseudopeptidic cages as receptors for N-protected dipeptides.

The molecular recognition of short peptides is a challenge in supramolecular chemistry, and the use of peptide-like cage receptors represents a promising approach. Here we report the synthesis and characterization of a diverse family of pseudopeptidic macrobicycles, as well as their binding abilities toward N-protected dipeptides using a combination of different techniques (NMR, ESI-MS, and fluorescence spectroscopy). The cage hosts were assayed for dipeptide binding using competition ESI-MS experiments as high-throughput screening to obtain general trends for the recognition phenomena.

Alkynyl complexes of high-valence clusters. synthesis and luminescence properties of [Mo6I8(C≡CC(O)OMe)6]2-, the first complex with exclusively organometallic outer ligands in the family of octahedral {M6X8} clusters.

The reaction of [Mo6I14](2-) with methyl propiolate HC≡CC(O)OMe in the presence of Ag(+) and Et3N yielded the new luminescent complex [Mo6I8(C≡CC(O)OMe)6](2-), the first fully organometallic complex in the family of octahedral {M6X8} clusters. The cluster was crystallized as tetraphenylphosphonium salt and characterized by X-ray single-crystal diffraction and elemental analyses, mass spectrometry, (13)C NMR, UV-vis, and luminescence spectroscopies.

Tungsten and molybdenum incomplete cuboidal clusters; kinetico-mechanistic studies and association in dimers.

New triangular Mo(IV) and W(IV) incomplete cuboidal cluster complexes containing three η(2)-diethyldithiophosphates (dtp, one per metal centre) and a η(2)(μ)-AcO or η(2)(μ)-dtp ligand bridging two of these centres have been prepared as mono-substituted derivatives and characterized by the usual techniques plus single crystal X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis in some cases. In the compounds, the single substitutionally available unlocked position is coordinated to different N-donor ligands (1,2-bis(pyridyl)ethylene, pyrimidine, pyrazine) or to the residual solvent. The compounds are very labile and the N-donor ligands are only weakly coordinated, being easily substituted by other donors or coordinating solvents such as acetonitrile.