A DFT study on the heterolytic bond cleavage of hydrazones under cathodic conditions in acetonitrile.

Context: Hydrazones have been studied for a myriad of chemical and physiochemical properties, such as sensors, chelators and numerous biological activities. Experimental data indicates that hydrazones are unstable under cathodic potentials irrespective of the solvent. The single electron reduction of hydrazones to produce radical anions result in unstable species that cleaves at the N-N bond in a heterolytic manner.

Computational, electrochemical, and spectroscopic studies of two mononuclear cobaloximes: the influence of an axial pyridine and solvent on the redox behaviour and evidence for pyridine coordination to cobalt(i) and cobalt(ii) metal centres.

[Co(dmgBF2)2(H2O)2] (where dmgBF2 = difluoroboryldimethylglyoximato) was used to synthesize [Co(dmgBF2)2(H2O)(py)]·0.5(CH3)2CO (where py = pyridine) in acetone. The formulation of complex was confirmed by elemental analysis, high resolution MS, and various spectroscopic techniques.

Spectroscopic and electrochemical properties of group 12 acetates of di-2-pyridylketone thiophene-2-carboxylic acid hydrazone (dpktch-H) complexes. The structure of [Cd(η³-N,N,O-dpktch-H)₂].

The reaction between [dpktch] and [M(OAc)2] (M=group 12 metal atom) in refluxing CH3CN gave [M(η(2)-O,O-OAc)(η(3)-N,N,O-dpktch-H)]·nH2O (n=0 or 1). The infrared and (1)H NMR spectra are consistent with the coordination of [η(2)-O,O-OAc] and [η(3)-N,N,O-dpktch-H](-) and the proposed formulations. The electronic absorption spectra of [M(η(2)-O,O-OAc)(η(3)-N,N,O-dpktch-H)]·nH2O measured in non-aqueous solvents revealed a highly intense intra-ligand-charge transfer (ILCT) transition due to π-π∗ of dpk followed by dpk→thiophene charge transfer.