Tuning the Regioselective Functionalization of Trifluoromethylated Dienes via Lanthanum-Mediated Single C-F Bond Activation.

The development of new fluorine-containing building blocks and their efficient synthetic access is currently a challenging research field. Herein, the highly regio- and stereoselective addition of a large range of aldehydes onto trifluoromethylated benzofulvenes was achieved using a simple La/I /DIBAL-Cl system via a selective C-F bond activation process. This versatile methodology provided homodienyl alcohols bearing a terminal CF -alkene with potential further applications, as shown by the dehydration to the first benzofulvenes carrying a difluorovinyl group.

N-Alkyl calix[4]azacrowns for the selective extraction of uranium.

The selective extraction of uranium by N-octylcalix[4]azacrown (NOCAC) and N-ethylhexylcalix[4]azacrown (NEHCAC) was investigated. The ligands were synthesised in three steps through the functionalisation of t-butyl calix[4]arene at the distal-1,3-positions of the lower rim with ethyl acetate groups followed by cyclisation with (imino)bis(ethane-2,1-diyl)diamide. A detailed investigation on the effect of various parameters, such as the aqueous phase acidity (sulfuric acid), the ionic strength, and ligand concentration, on the extraction of uranium(vi) has been conducted.

Geometry flexibility of copper iodide clusters: variability in luminescence thermochromism.

An original copper(I) iodide cluster of novel geometry obtained by using a diphosphine ligand is reported and is formulated [Cu6I6(PPh2(CH2)3PPh2)3] (1). Interestingly, this sort of "eared cubane" cluster based on the [Cu6I6] inorganic core can be viewed as a combination of the two known [Cu4I4] units, namely, the cubane and the open-chair isomeric geometries. The synthesis, structural and photophysical characterisations, as well as theoretical study of this copper iodide along with the derived cubane (3) and open-chair (2) [Cu4I4(PPh3)4] forms, were investigated.

Polymorphic copper iodide clusters: insights into the mechanochromic luminescence properties.

An in-depth study of mechanochromic and thermochromic luminescent copper iodide clusters exhibiting structural polymorphism is reported and gives new insights into the origin of the mechanochromic luminescence properties. The two different crystalline polymorphs exhibit distinct luminescence properties with one being green emissive and the other one being yellow emissive. Upon mechanical grinding, only one of the polymorphs exhibits great modification of its emission from green to yellow.

A tetracoordinated phosphasalen nickel(III) complex.

The oxidation of a Ni(II) complex bearing a tetradentate phosphasalen ligand, which differs from salen by the presence of an iminophosphorane (PN) in place of an imine unit, was easily achieved by addition of a silver salt. The site of this oxidation was investigated with a combination of techniques (NMR, EPR, UV/Vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, magnetic measurements) as well as DFT calculations. All data are in agreement with a high-valent Ni(III) center concentrating the spin density.

Reactivity differences between 2,4- and 2,5-disubstituted zirconacyclopentadienes: a highly selective and general approach to 2,4-disubstituted phospholes.

Mixtures of 2,4- and 2,5-disubstituted zirconacyclopentadienes were obtained by the reductive dimerisation of terminal alkynes using the Cp2ZrCl2/lanthanum system. Reactions of dihalophosphines with these mixtures afforded selectively the corresponding 2,4-disubstituted phospholes and 1,4-disubstituted butadienes. A new series of phospholes was characterized by multi-nuclear NMR spectroscopy and X-ray analysis.

Facile B-H bond activation of borane by stable carbenoid species.

Stable nucleophilic carbene compounds have recently been shown to be able to mimic in some instances the reactivity of metal fragments in the reaction of unactivated E-H bonds (E = H, R3Si, NH2, R2P). However, the insertion into a B-H bond of the strongly Lewis acidic BH3 molecule has never been observed at a single C atom or even at a metal fragment. Our results show that designed stable, highly electrophilic carbenoid fragments in compounds 4 and 6 can achieve this reactivity in a controlled manner.

Yttrium phosphasalen initiators for rac-lactide polymerization: excellent rates and high iso-selectivities.

Highly active yttrium phosphasalen initiators for the stereocontrolled ring-opening polymerization of rac-lactide are reported. The initiators are coordinated by a new class of ancillary ligand: an iminophosphorane derivative of the popular "salen" ligand, termed "phosphasalen". Changing the phosphasalen structure enables access to high iso-selectivities (P(i) = 0.

Mixed (P=S/P=O)-stabilized geminal dianion: facile diastereoselective intramolecular C-H activations by a related ruthenium-carbene complex.

A new unsymmetrical geminal dianion that contained both a phosphine oxide moiety and a phosphine sulfide moiety has been synthesized. Its reactivity towards Ru(II) was explored, which led to the formation of a highly reactive carbene complex that evolved at room temperature to yield a kinetic orthometalated Ru(II) complex through C-H activation of the phenyl group of the phosphine oxide moiety. This insertion was found to be thermally reversible and a second C-H insertion occurred at a phenyl group of the phosphine sulfide moiety to form the thermodynamic orthometalated Ru(II) complex in a diastereospecific manner.

Diastereoselective synthesis and coordination chemistry of enantiopure keto-bis-(2-phosphametallocene)s.

Enantiopure 2-(chlorocarbonyl)phosphametallocenes [MCp*(2-{COCl}-3,4-Me(2)-5-Ph-PC(4))] (M = Fe, Ru) react with phospholide anions to give 2-phosphametallocene-2'-acylphospholides K[MCp*(2-CO-2'-{3',4'-Me(2)-5'-PhPC(4)}-3,4-Me(2)-5-Ph-PC(4))] (M = Fe, Ru) and these have been converted into keto-bis-(2-phosphametallocene)s through reaction with [FeClCp*(tmeda)]; templation of this process with CuBr gives rise to the C(2)- (or pseudo-C(2)- when M = Ru) symmetric form of [{MCp*(3,4-Me(2)-5-Ph-PC(4))}(2)-2,2'-(CO)] (M = Fe, Ru; Fe, Fe) with high (>95%) diastereoselectivity. X-Ray structures of these ligands coordinated to [RuCp*Cl] and [PtCl(2)] centres show that the spatial orientation of the very flexible keto-bis-(2-phosphametallocene) structure is highly responsive to the coordination sphere of the chelated platinum or ruthenium centre.

Transmetalation of a nucleophilic carbene fragment: from early to late transition metals.

Early transition metal nucleophilic carbene complexes have been used as stoichiometric carbene transfer agents in a transmetalation process.

Phosphasalen yttrium complexes: highly active and stereoselective initiators for lactide polymerization.

Preparation and characterization of three yttrium alkoxide complexes with new phosphasalen ligands are reported. The phosphasalens are analogues of the well-known salen ligands but with iminophosphorane donors replacing the imine functionality. The three yttrium alkoxide complexes show mono- and dinuclear structures in the solid state, depending on the substituents on the ligand.

Siloxanol-functionalized copper iodide cluster as a thermochromic luminescent building block.

A copper iodide cluster bearing reactive silanol groups exhibits thermochromic luminescence properties sensitive to its chemical environment and is thus a suitable building block for the synthesis of optically active materials.

Thermochromic luminescence of copper iodide clusters: the case of phosphine ligands.

Three copper(I) iodide clusters coordinated by different phosphine ligands formulated [Cu(4)I(4)(PPh(3))(4)] (1), [Cu(4)I(4)(Pcpent(3))(4)] (2), and [Cu(4)I(4)(PPh(2)Pr)(4)] (3) (PPh(3) = triphenylphosphine, Pcpent(3) = tricyclopentylphosphine, and PPh(2)Pr = diphenylpropylphosphine) have been synthesized and characterized by (1)H and (31)P NMR, elemental analysis and single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. They crystallize in different space groups, namely, monoclinic P21/c, cubic Pa ̅3, and tetragonal I ̅42m for 1, 2, and 3, respectively. The photoluminescence properties of clusters 1 and 3 show reversible luminescence thermochromism with two highly intense emission bands whose intensities are temperature dependent.

Pd(II) and Ni(II) complexes featuring a "phosphasalen" ligand: synthesis and DFT study.

A phosphorus analog of salen ligands featuring iminophosphorane functionalities in place of the imine groups was synthesised in 2 steps from o-diphenylphosphinophenol via the preparation of the corresponding bis-aminophosphonium salt. This novel tetradentate ligand (1), which we named phosphasalen, was coordinated to Pd(II) and Ni(II) metal centres affording complexes 6 and 7 respectively, which were characterised by multinuclear NMR, elemental and X-ray diffraction analyses. Both neutral complexes adopt a nearly square-planar geometry around the metal with coordination of all iminophosphorane and phenolate moieties.

Reaction of perfluoroalkyl grignard reagents with phosphorus trihalides: a new route to perfluoroalkyl-phosphonous and -phosphonic acids.

The reaction of perfluoroalkyl Grignard reagents with phosphorus(III) halides was explored. In the process a new convenient, one-pot, high yield method for the synthesis of (perfluoroalkyl)phosphonic acids has been developed. Perfluoroalkyl Grignard reagents react with phosphorus trichloride or phosphorus tribromide to form (perfluoroalkyl)phosphonous dihalides.

Smiles cascades toward heterocyclic scaffolds.

Two different Smiles rearrangements can be combined to afford a multicomponent formation of isoquinolinones and isoindolinones from nitro methyl salicylate. After a Ugi-Smiles four-component coupling, the base-triggered cyclization of the resulting adduct is followed by a ring contraction via a Truce-Smiles rearrangement.

Double Friedel-Crafts acylation reactions on the same ring of a metallocene: synthesis of a 2,5-diacetylphospharuthenocene.

The synthetic outcome of the Friedel-Crafts acylation of 1',2',3,3',4,4',5'-heptamethylphospharuthenocene reflects the nature of the acylating agent, with alkanoyl anhydride/trifluoromethanesulfonic acid (TfOH) reagents giving monosubstitution at the phospholyl ring, whereas alkanoyl chloride/AlCl(3) gives 2,5-disubstitution. DFT calculations indicate that this unusual double acylation can be facilitated by the intervention of the phosphorus atom at an early stage in the reaction trajectory, with the acyl group being delivered from the phosphorus atom into the ring 2- or 2,5-positions.

Nucleophilic scandium carbene complexes.

Using a geminal dianion as precursor, a nucleophilic scandium carbene complex (2) has been synthesized by salt metathesis on ScCl(3)(THF)(3) in 52% isolated yield. The X-ray structure as well as an NBO analysis points to a double interaction between the carbon and the scandium atoms. Quantification of the electron density donation from the carbon to the metal center, from both σ and π symmetry orbitals, predicts a "nucleophilic carbene" behavior.

Mechanochromic and thermochromic luminescence of a copper iodide cluster.

The mechanochromic and thermochromic luminescence properties of a molecular copper(I) iodide cluster formulated [Cu(4)I(4)(PPh(2)(CH(2)CH=CH(2)))(4)] are reported. Upon mechanical grinding in a mortar, its solid-state emission properties are drastically modified as well as its thermochromic behavior. This reversible phenomenon has been attributed to distortions in the crystal packing leading to modifications of the intermolecular interactions and thus of the [Cu(4)I(4)] cluster core geometry.

Synthesis and complexation of heptafluoroisopropyldiphenylphosphine.

We report a one-step synthesis of the phosphine, PPh(2)(i)C(3)F(7) from commercially available precursors. The stereoelectronic properties of the phosphine were probed by coordination to transition metals. Mo(CO)(5)PPh(2)(i)C(3)F(7) was synthesised and the synthesis and structure of trans-PtCl(2)(PPh(2)(i)C(3)F(7))(2) are described.

A unique type of a dicobalt cage templated by a weakly coordinated hexafluorophosphate anion: design, structure and solid-state NMR investigations.

A dinuclear cobalt capsule [PF(6) subset(CH(3)CN)(2)(Co(2)L(4))][PF(6)](3) (2), (L = bis-benzimidazole-1,3-phenylene) has been prepared using a self-assembly approach. This unique class of cage is perfectly designed to encapsulate weakly coordinated anions, i.e.

First neodymium(III) alkyl-carbene complex based on bis(iminophosphoranyl) ligands.

Serendipitous deprotonation of bis(iminophosphoranyl)methanide Nd(III) complexes afforded the first alkyl-carbene neodymium complex. Due to the presence of structurally similar methanide and methandiide fragments, this complex features, as evidenced by X-ray crystallographic analysis, Nd-C single and multiple bonds.

Protonation of a xantphos-phosphole ligand. Intramolecular trapping of a P-H phospholium salt.

Protonation of a bidentate xantphos-phosphole ligand by HBF(4) affords only one enantiomer of a cyclic phospholium dihydropholene structure. DFT calculations allowed us to establish that protonation initially takes place at the phosphorus atom of the phosphole moiety to afford a transient P-H phospholium salt, which in turn protonates the C=C double bond of the second phosphole unit.

Cationic dimetallic gold hydride complex stabilized by a xantphos-phosphole ligand: synthesis, X-ray crystal structure, and density functional theory study.

The bis-2,5-diphenylphosphole xantphos ligand (XDPP) 1 reacts with the [AuCl(tht)] complex to afford the monocoordinated [Au(XDPP)Cl] 2 and the dicoordinated chelate species [Au(XDPP)Cl] 3. Addition of AgOTf on this mixture, at room temperature, affords the cationic [Au(XDPP)][OTf] complex 4 which was fully characterized. An X-ray crystal structure analysis confirms the bent structure of this 14 VE [ML(2)](+) complex.