To force metal ions in heterometallic coinage metal complexes into preset compartments, we have synthesized a ligand with two N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) separated by a methylene bridge and two bipyridine moieties tethered to each NHC moiety. By using this ligand, tetranuclear heterodimetallic gold/copper and gold/silver complexes were obtained. These complexes show an unprecedented V-shape or linear MAuM (M = Cu, Ag) configuration in the solid state. The photophysical properties of the new compounds are significantly affected by the complexed metal ions.

International audienceThe monoamidinato bisborohydride rare earth complexes [Ln{(S)-PEBA}(BH4)2(THF)2] (Ln = Sc (1), La (2), Nd (3), Sm (4), Yb (5), Lu (6)) were isolated as crystalline materials upon treatment of potassium N,N′-bis((S)-1-phenylethyl)benzamidinate ((S)-KPEBA) with the homoleptic trisborohydrides [Sc(BH4)3(THF)2] and [Ln(BH4)3(THF)3] (Ln = La, Nd, Sm, Yb, Lu), respectively. Compounds 1-6 are unique examples of enantiopure borohydride complexes of the rare earth metals. Different ionic radii of the metal centers were selected to cover the whole range of these elements with respect to the extent of the coordination sphere. All new complexes were thoroughly characterized by 1H, 13C{1H}, 11B, and 15N NMR and IR spectroscopies, also including single-crystal X-ray diffraction structure determination of each compound. The scandium, lanthanum, samarium, and lutetium complexes 1, 2, 4, and 6 were found active in the ring-opening polymerization of rac-lactide under mild operating conditions, providing atactic α,ω-dihydroxytelechelic poly(lactic acid) (PLA; Mn,SEC up to 18 800 g*mol-1). Most of the polymerizations proceed with a certain degree of control that is directed by molar mass values and relatively narrow dispersities (1.10 < ĐM < 1.34), within a moderate monomer-to-initiator ratio

The hybrid ligand 3-(2,2'-bipyridine-6-ylmethyl)-1-mesityl-1H-imidazolylidene (NHC ) featuring both carbene and N-donor sites, was selectively complexed with various d metal cations in order to examine its coordination behavior with regard to homo and heterometallic structures. Respective silver complexes can be obtained by the silver oxide route and are suitable transmetallation reagents for the synthesis of gold(I) compounds. Starting from the mononuclear complexes [(NHC )AuCl], [(NHC )Au(C F )] and [(NHC ) Au][ClO ], open-chain as well as cyclic heterobimetallic complexes containing Cu , Ag , Zn , Cd , and Hg were synthesized. Furthermore, the homobimetallic species [(NHC ) M ][ClO ] (M=Cu, Ag) were obtained. All bimetallic compounds were fully characterized including single-crystal X-ray analysis. Their photoluminescence (PL) properties were investigated in the solid state at temperatures between 15 and 295 K and compared with those of the mononuclear species. There is a clear difference in PL properties between the open chain and the cyclic heterobimetallic complexes. The latter species show different PL properties, depending on the metals involved. In addition, collision-induced dissociation (CID) experiments were performed on electrosprayed cations of the cyclic heterobimetallic compounds, to compare the metal binding at the carbene and N-donor sites.