In palladium-catalysed cross-coupling reactions, the outcome of competition between aryl bromides and aryl triflates depends on the nucleophilic partner; Suzuki couplings with R-B generally follow a different pattern from other R-M species.

The ligands 2-pyridin-2-yl-1H-benzimidazole (HL(1)), 1-methyl-2-pyridin-2-ylbenzimidazole (HL(2)), and 2-(1H-imidazol-2-yl)pyridine (HL(3)) and the proligand 2-phenyl-1H-benzimidazole (HL(4)) have been used to prepare five different types of new ruthenium(II) arene compounds: (i) monocationic complexes with the general formula [(η(6)-arene)RuCl(κ(2)-N,N-HL)]Y [HL = HL(1), HL(2), or HL(3); Y = Cl or BF4; arene = 2-phenoxyethanol (phoxet), benzene (bz), or p-cymene (p-cym)]; (ii) dicationic aqua complexes of the formula [(η(6)-arene)Ru(OH2)(κ(2)-N,N-HL(1))](Y)2 (Y = Cl or TfO; arene = phoxet, bz, or p-cym); (iii) the nucleobase derivative [(η(6)-arene)Ru(9-MeG)(κ(2)-N,N-HL(1))](PF6)2 (9-MeG = 9-methylguanine); (iv) neutral complexes consistent with the formulation [(η(6)-arene)RuCl(κ(2)-N,N-L(1))] (arene = bz or p-cym); (v) the neutral cyclometalated complex [(η(6)-p-cym)RuCl(κ(2)-N,C-L(4))]. The cytototoxic activity of the new ruthenium(II) arene compounds has been evaluated in several cell lines (MCR-5, MCF-7, A2780, and A2780cis) in order to establish structure-activity relationships. Three of the compounds with the general formula [(η(6)-arene)RuCl(κ(2)-N,N-HL(1))]Cl differing in the arene moiety have been studied in depth in terms of thermodynamic dissociation constants, aquation kinetic constants, and DNA binding measurements. The biologically most active compound is the p-cym derivative, which strongly destabilizes the DNA double helix, whereas those with bz and phoxet have only a small effect on the stability of the DNA double helix. Moreover, the inhibitory activity of several compounds toward CDK1 has also been evaluated. The DNA binding ability of some of the studied compounds and their CDK1 inhibitory effect suggest a multitarget mechanism for their biological activity.

The new complex [(η 6 -p-cym)RuCl(κ 2 -N,N-dmbpy)](BF 4 ) (pcym = p-cymene; dmbpy = 4,4′-dimethyl-2,2′-bipyridine) is water-soluble and active in the catalytic transfer hydrogenation (TH) of different ketones (cyclohexanone, 2-cyclohexenone, and 3-pentanone) to the corresponding alcohols using aqueous HCOONa/HCOOH as the hydrogen source at pH 4.4. A higher activity was found for the TH of the imine N-benzylideneaniline under the same conditions. Excellent results have been obtained for catalyst recycling. Aqua, formato, and hydrido species were detected by 1 H NMR experiments in D 2 O. Importantly, when the catalytic reaction was carried out in D 2 O, selective deuteration at the C α of the alcohols was observed due to a rapid Ru−H/D + exchange, which was also deduced theoretically. This process involves a reversal of polarity of the D + ion, which is transformed into a Ru−D function ("umpolung"). Negligible deuterium labeling was observed for the imine, possibly due to the high activity in the TH process and also to the decrease in the hydrido complex concentration due to the stability of a hydrido-imine intermediate. Both facts should ensure that the TH reaction will compete favorably with the Ru−H/D + exchange. The basic nature of the imine hydrogenation product can also hinder the stated Ru−H/D + exchange. On the basis of DFT calculations, all these hypotheses are discussed. In addition, calculations at this level also support the participation of the stated aqua, formato, and hydrido intermediates in the catalytic reaction and provide a detailed microscopic description of the full catalytic cycle. In the case of the imine TH process, the formation of the hydrido complex (decarboxylation step) is clearly the limiting step of the cycle. On the contrary, in the hydrogenation of cyclohexanone, both decarboxylation and reduction steps exhibit similar barriers, and due to the limitations of the solvent model employed, a definitive conclusion on the rate-determining step cannot be inferred.

A series of bis-cyclometalated iridium­(III) complexes of general formula [Ir­(ppy)2(N∧N)]­[PF6] (ppy– = 2-phenylpyridinate; N∧N = 2-(1H-imidazol-2-yl)­pyridine (1), 2-(2-pyridyl)­benzimidazole (2), 1-methyl-2-pyridin-2-yl-1H-benzimidazole (3), 2-(4′-thiazolyl)­benzimidazole (4), 1-methyl-2-(4′-thiazolyl)­benzimidazole (5)) is reported, and their use as electroluminescent materials in light-emitting electrochemical cell (LEC) devices is investigated. [2]­[PF6] and [3]­[PF6] are orange emitters with intense unstructured emission around 590 nm in acetonitrile solution. [1]­[PF6], [4]­[PF6], and [5]­[PF6] are green weak emitters with structured emission bands peaking around 500 nm. The different photophysical properties are due to the effect that the chemical structure of the ancillary ligand has on the nature of the emitting triplet state. Whereas the benzimidazole unit stabilizes the LUMO and gives rise to a 3MLCT/3LLCT emitting triplet in [2]­[PF6] and [3]­[PF6], the presence of the thiazolyl ring produces the opposite effect in [4]­[PF6] and [5]­[PF6] and the emitting state has a predominant 3LC character. Complexes with 3MLCT/3LLCT emitting triplets give rise to LEC devices with luminance values 1 order higher than those of complexes with 3LC emitting states. Protecting the imidazole N–H bond with a methyl group, as in complexes [3]­[PF6] and [5]­[PF6], shows that the emissive properties become more stable. [3]­[PF6] leads to outstanding LECs with simultaneously high luminance (904 cd m–2), efficiency (9.15 cd A–1), and stability (lifetime over 2500 h).

Complexes of formula [RuCl 2 (arene)(κ 1 -dpim)] (dpim ) 2-(diphenylphosphino)-1-methylimidazole) (arene ) p-cymene, 1a; C 6 H 6 , 1b) were prepared by the reaction of [RuCl 2 (pcymene)] 2 or [RuCl 2 (C 6 H 6 )(CH 3 CN)] with dpim. Complexes 1a and 1b were structurally characterized by NMR spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. The reaction of these precursors with BF 4salts led, in dichloromethane, to cationic complexes of formula [RuCl(arene)(κ 2dpim)]BF 4 (arene ) p-cymene, 2a; C 6 H 6 , 2b). However, in methanol the products were unexpected phosphinite derivatives of the type [RuCl(arene)(HImMe){κ 1 -PPh 2 (OMe)}]A (A ) BF 4 , arene ) p-cymene, 3a; C 6 H 6 , 3b; A ) BPh 4 , arene ) p-cymene, 3d) (ImMe ) methylimidazole). This transformation implies the existence of an easy P-C bond cleavage and phosphine functionalization with methanol at room temperature. The precursors 1a,b or the analogous derivative with 2-(diphenylphosphino)pyridine (PPh 2 py), [RuCl 2 (p-cymene)-(κ 1 -PPh 2 py)], 1c, reacted with HBF 4 to give cationic derivatives by protonation of the imidazole or the pyridine fragment, [RuCl 2 (arene)(κ 1 -PNH)]BF 4 (PNH ) dpimH, arene ) p-cymene, 4a; C 6 H 6 , 4b; PNH ) PPh 2 pyH, arene ) p-cymene, 4c). In these compounds the existence of an asymmetric and bifurcated hydrogen bond NH‚‚‚Cl 2 has been structurally determined (even by X-ray studies for 4a,b). Complexes 2a and 4a also yield the corresponding and analogous phosphinite derivatives in the presence of methanol-d 4 but at a markedly slower rate. NMR and spectrophotometric studies provided information concerning the formation of the phosphinite derivatives. It was concluded that the phosphine is not functionalized if it is not coordinated and that, very probably, a methanol solvatesintermediate between 1a and 2asparticipates in the P-C bond cleavage and allows the aforementioned transformation. Some preliminary catalytic tests involving the transfer hydrogenation of cyclohexanone and the hydrogenation of phenylacetylene have also been carried out.

The preparation of three series of arene Ru(II) half-sandwich compounds with the functional ligand 4,4′-dimethoxy-2,2′-bipyridine (dmobpy) is described. The new cationic derivatives have the general formula [(η6-arene)RuCl(κ2-N,N-dmobpy)]X (arene = benzene, X = Cl– ([1]Cl), BF4 – ([1][BF 4 ]), TsO– ([1]TsO), PF6 – ([1][PF 6 ]); arene = p-cymene (p-cym), X = Cl– ([2]Cl), BF4 – ([2][BF 4 ]), TsO– ([2]TsO), PF6 – ([2][PF 6 ]); arene = 2-phenoxy-1-ethanol (phoxet), X = Cl– ([3]Cl), BF4 – ([3][BF 4 ]), TsO– ([3]TsO), PF6 – ([3][PF 6 ])). The structures of [1]Cl, [1]TsO, [2]TsO, [2][BF 4 ], and [2][PF 6 ] were determined by X-ray crystallography. All of the complexes except the PF6 – salts were water-soluble, and they behaved as active catalysts in two different processes: the transfer hydrogenation of water-soluble and -insoluble ketones to the corresponding alcohols, using HCOONa as the hydrogen source at pH 4, and the oxidation of rac-1-phenylethanol to acetophenone with tBuOOH at pH 7, both in aqueous solution. For the transfer hydrogenation with p-cymene complexes the aqua, formato, and hydride species were detected by means of 1H NMR experiments in D2O. It was found that the cationic hydrido complex was [(η6-p-cymene)RuD(dmobpy)]+. The reversible and pH-dependent formation of the hydroxo derivative was also observed. When the catalytic transfer hydrogenation was performed in D2O, the 1-phenylethanol obtained was selectively deuterated at the benzylic carbon. Mechanistic proposals are also included.

The synthesis and full characterization of the new aqua-complex [(η(6)-p-cymene)Ru(OH2)(κ(2)-N,N-2-pydaT)](BF4)2, [2](BF4)2, and the nucleobase derivative [(η(6)-p-cymene)Ru(9-MeG)(κ(2)-N,N-2-pydaT)](BF4)2, [4](PF6)2, where 2-pydaT = 2,4-diamino-6-(2-pyridyl)-1,3,5-triazine and 9-MeG = 9-methylguanine, are reported here. The crystal structures of both [4](PF6)2 and the chloro complex [(η(6)-p-cymene)RuCl(κ(2)-N,N-2-pydaT)](PF6), [1](PF6), have been elucidated by X-ray diffraction. The former provided relevant information regarding the interaction of the metallic fragment [(η(6)-p-cymene)Ru(κ(2)-N,N-2-pydaT)](2+) and a simple model of DNA. NMR and kinetic absorbance studies have proven that the aqua-complex [2](BF4)2 binds to the N7 site of guanine in nucleobases, nucleotides, or DNA. A stable bifunctional interaction (covalent and partially intercalated) between the [(η(6)-p-cymene)Ru(κ(2)-N,N-2-pydaT)](2+) fragment and CT-DNA has been corroborated by kinetic, circular dichroism, viscometry, and thermal denaturation experiments. The reaction mechanism entails the very fast formation of the Ru-O-(PO3) linkage prior to the fast intercalation of the 2-pydaT fragment. Then, a Ru-N7-(G) covalent bond is formed at the expense of the Ru-O-(PO3) bond, yielding a bifunctional complex. The dissociation rate of the intercalated fragment is slow, and this confers additional interest to [2](BF4)2 in view of the likely correlation between slow dissociation and biological activity, on the assumption that DNA is the only biotarget. Furthermore, [2](BF4)2 displays notable pH-dependent cytotoxic activity in human ovarian carcinoma cells (A2780, IC50 = 11.0 μM at pH = 7.4; IC50 = 6.58 μM at pH = 6.5). What is more, complex [2](BF4)2 is not cross-resistant with cisplatin, exhibiting a resistance factor, RF(A2780cis), of 0.28, and it shows moderate selectivity toward the cancer cell lines, in particular, A2780cis (IC50 = 3.0 5 ± 0.08 μM), relative to human lung fibroblast cells (MRC-5; IC50 = 24 μM), the model for healthy cells.

The reactions of two diaminotriazine ligands 2,4-diamino-6-(2-pyridyl)-1,3,5-triazine (2-pydaT) and 6-phenyl-2,4-diamino-1,3,5-triazine (PhdaT) with ruthenium-arene precursors led to a new family of ruthenium(II) compounds that were spectroscopically characterized. Four of the complexes were cationic, with the general formula [(η(6)-arene)Ru(κ(2)-N,N-2-pydaT)Cl]X (X=BF(4), TsO; arene=p-cymene: 1·BF(4), 1·TsO; arene=benzene: 2·BF(4), 2·TsO). The neutral cyclometalated complex [(η(6)-p-cymene)Ru(κ(2)-C,N-PhdaT*)Cl] (3) was also isolated. The structures of complexes 2·BF(4) and 3·H(2)O were determined by X-ray diffraction. Complex 1·BF(4) underwent a partial reversible-aquation process in water. UV/Vis and NMR spectroscopic measurements showed that the reaction was hindered by the addition of NaCl and was pH-controlled in acidic solution. At pH 7.0 (sodium cacodylate) Ru-Cl complex 1·BF(4) was the only species present in solution, even at low ionic strength. However, in alkaline medium (KOH), complex 1·BF(4) underwent basic hydrolysis to afford a Ru-OH complex (5). Fluorimetric studies revealed that the interaction of complex 1·BF(4) with DNA was not straightforward; instead, its main features were closely linked to ionic strength and to the [DNA]/complex ratio. The bifunctional complex 1·BF(4) was capable of interacting concurrently through both its p-cymene and 2-pydaT groups. Cytotoxicity and genotoxicity studies showed that, contrary to the expected behavior, the complex species was biologically inactive; the formation of a Ru-OH complex could be responsible for such behavior.