Disulfide/thiolate interconversion supported by transition-metal ions is proposed to be implicated in fundamental biological processes, such as the transport of metal ions or the regulation of the production of reactive oxygen species. We report herein a mononuclear dithiolate Co(III) complex, [Co(III)LS(Cl)] (1; LS=sulfur containing ligand), that undergoes a clean, fast, quantitative and reversible Co(II) disulfide/Co(III) thiolate interconversion mediated by a chloride anion. The removal of Cl(-) from the Co(III) complex leads to the formation of a bis(μ-thiolato) μ-disulfido dicobalt(II) complex, [Co2(II,II)LSSL](2+) (2(2+)). The structures of both complexes have been resolved by single-crystal X-ray diffraction; their magnetic, spectroscopic, and redox properties investigated together with DFT calculations. This system is a unique example of metal-based switchable M(n)2-RSSR/2 M((n+1))-SR (M=metal ion, n=oxidation state) system that does not contain copper, acts under aerobic conditions, and involves systems with different nuclearities.

The structural, spectroscopic, redox properties and also the reactivity toward S-alkylation of a new mononuclear N2S2 dithiolate Co(II) complex [CoL] (1), with H(2)L = 2,2'-(2,2'-bipyridine-6,6'-diyl)bis(1,1-diphenylethanethiol), have been investigated. The X-ray structure of 1 has revealed an unusual distorted square planar geometry for a Co(II) ion within a thiolate environment. The X-band EPR spectrum of displays a rhombic S = 1/2 signal consistent with a low spin configuration for the d(7) Co(II) ion with a large g-anisotropy (g(x) = 2.94, g(y) = 2.32 and g(z) = 2.01). By pulsed EPR experiments (HYSCORE), two weak hyperfine couplings (hfc) of 3.2 and 2.2 MHz have been measured and attributed respectively to protons and nitrogen nuclei of the bipyridine unit. In addition, another hyperfine coupling (hfc) of 7.5 MHz has been attributed to the cobalt ion. DFT calculations have successfully reproduced the (59)Co and (14)N hfc parameters. However, multiconfigurational ab initio calculations were required to predict the g-tensor of 1. The cyclic voltammogram (CV) displays two one-electron metal based processes: a quasi-reversible Co(III)/Co(II) oxidation wave at E(1/2) = -0.5 V vs. Fc(+)/Fc and a quasi-reversible Co(II)/Co(I) reduction wave at E(1/2) = -1.7 V. 1 reacts with CH(3)I, generating the mono S-methylated complex, [CoL(Me)I] (1(Me)). The X-band EPR spectrum of 1(Me) displays a typical signal of a high spin (S = 3/2) Co(II) species. An optimized structure of 1(Me), calculated by DFT, is consistent with its EPR and UV-visible spectra. Time dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) calculations attribute the most prominent features observed in the electronic absorption spectra of 1 and 1(Me). The singly occupied MO (SOMO) of 1 shows a notable delocalization of the unpaired electron over the metal (85%) and the ligand, especially over the sulphur atoms (10.5%), indicating a certain degree of covalency for the Co-S bonds. In 1(Me), for two of the three SOMOs, the unpaired electron is notably delocalized over the metal (78.5 and 77.6%, respectively) and the ligand (12.5 and 7.8%, respectively over the sulphur of the thiolate function). For the third SOMO, the unpaired electron is mainly localized on the metal (92.2%). There is no electronic density spread on the sulphur atom of the thioether function in any of these SOMOs. The reactivity and the electronic properties of 1 are also compared with those of the analogous [ZnL] and [NiL] complexes.

The structural and electronic properties as well as the catalytic activity toward sulfoxidation of two new vanadium complexes have been investigated. They both possess in their coordination sphere two alkyl thiolate ligands: a dioxido V(V) complex [VO2L(NS2)](HNEt3) (1) (L(NS2) = 2,2'-(pyridine-2,6-diyl)bis(1,1'-diphenylethanethiol)) and an oxido V(IV) complex [VOL(N2S2)] (2) (L(N2S2) = 2,2'-(2,2'-bipyridine-6,6'-diyl)bis(1,1'-diphenylethanethiol)). The X-ray structure of 1 has revealed that the V(V) metal ion is at the center of a distorted trigonal bipyramid. The optimized structure of 2 obtained by DFT calculations displays a square-pyramidal geometry, consistent with its EPR spectrum characterized by an axial S = 1/2 signal (g⊥ = 1.988, g∥ = 1.966, Ax(V) = 45 × 10(-4) cm(-1), Ay(V) = 42 × 10(-4) cm(-1), Az(V) = 135 × 10(-4) cm(-1)). DFT calculations have shown that the HOMO (highest occupied molecular orbital) of 1 is notably localized on the two thiolate sulfur atoms (56% and 22%, respectively), consistent with the expected covalent character of the V(V)-S bond. On the other hand, the SOMO (singly occupied molecular orbital) of 2 is exclusively localized at the V(IV) ion (92%). Complexes 1 and 2 have shown an ability to catalytically oxidize sulfide into sulfoxide. The oxidation reactions have been carried out with thioanisole as substrate and hydrogen peroxide as oxidant. Yields of 80% and 75% have been obtained in 10 and 15 min for 1 and 2, respectively. However, in terms of conversion, 1 is more efficient than 2 (81% and 44%, respectively). More importantly, the reaction is completely selective with no trace of sulfone produced. While 1 displays a poor stability, catalyst 2 shows the same efficiency after five successive additions of oxidant and substrate. The difference in reactivity and stability between both complexes has been rationalized through a mechanism study performed by means of experimental data ((51)V NMR and EPR spectroscopy) combined with theoretical calculations. It has been shown that the structure of the cis-oxo peroxo V(V) intermediate species, which is related to its stability, can partly explain these discrepancies.

The syntheses and single-crystal X-ray structures of the mononuclear complexes [Cu(bmet)](ClO4)2·H2O, [Cu(bmet)]Br2·2MeCN, and [Zn(bmet)](ClO4)2·H2O (bmet = N,N'-bis(2,2'-bipyridin-6-ylmethyl)ethane-1,2-diamine) are described. All three complexes feature a central metal ion bound to all six N atoms of the bmet ligand, which displays a meridional-facial-facial-meridional (mffm) configuration. The three complexes show one N-M-N axis to be significantly shorter than the others in agreement with an apparent compressed octahedral geometry. The X-ray structures of a single crystal of [Cu(bmet)](ClO4)2·0.375H2O resolved from data recorded at different temperatures display no remarkable structural modifications. However, they all display both as a powder and, in solution, an axial g1 > g2 ≳ g3 > g(e) electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) pattern at low temperature, which is indicative of tetragonally elongated octahedra, while at room temperature the Q-band EPR spectra display a more rhombic g1 ≳ g2 > g3 > g(e) pattern. The fully density functional theory optimized structure of the Cu(II) complexes displays significant structural modifications only along one N(imine)-M-N(amine) axis resulting in an elongated octahedral structure. Furthermore, the EPR parameters predicted from this structure are comparable to those determined experimentally from the axial EPR signal recorded at low temperature, consistent with the unpaired electron residing mainly in the {3d(x(2)-y(2))} orbital. The structural and electronic properties of [Cu(bmet)](2+) are different from those in other previously described dynamic Jahn-Teller systems. We propose that these data can be rationalized by a dynamic Jahn-Teller effect perturbed by the strain of the hexadentate bmet ligand.

The synthesis of the new potentially hexadentate ligands N,N'-bis(2,2'-bipyridin-6-ylmethyl)butane-1,4-diamine (bmbu), N,N'-bis(2,2'-bipyridin-6-ylmethyl)pentane-1,5-diamine (bmpt) and N,N'-bis(2,2'-bipyridin-6-ylmethyl)octane-1,8-diamine (bmot) from the condensation of 2,2'-bipyridine-6-carbaldehyde with the appropriate diamine (butane-1,4-diamine, pentane-1,5-diamine and octane-1,8-diamine, respectively) and subsequent reduction, is reported. Bmet, bmpp and bmbu all form mononuclear complexes with first-row transition metal ions (Co(3+), Fe(2+), Ni(2+), Mn(2+)), and X-ray structures of [Mn(bmet)](ClO(4))(2), [Ni(bmet)](ClO(4))(2), [Fe(bmet)](ClO(4))(2), [Mn(bmpp)](ClO(4))(2)·2MeCN and [Co(bmpp)](ClO(4))(3)·H(2)O are reported. As the aliphatic methylene chain increases in length, formation of dinuclear, and in some cases trinuclear, complexes becomes more pronounced, as evidenced by mass spectral analysis of solutions containing Ni(2+) and bmpt, and Ni(2+), Fe(2+) and Mn(2+) with bmot. The increasing preference for multinuclear complexes with increasing chain length is ascribed to the difficulty of incorporating a medium-sized (8 to 13-membered) chelate ring in a mononuclear complex.

The organic tribromide, [H 2 -cryptand 222](Br 3 ) 2 was synthesized and characterized by X-ray crystallography, and was utilized as an active catalyst for the N-boc protection of amines. The method is general for the preparation of N-boc derivatives of aliphatic (acyclic and cyclic), aromatic, primary and secondary amines. We also applied our new reaction protocols for the N-boc protection of some new amines and spectral and physical data for the obtained products are reported.

Disulfide/thiolate interconversion supported by transition‐metal ions is proposed to be implicated in fundamental biological processes, such as the transport of metal ions or the regulation of the production of reactive oxygen species. We report herein a mononuclear dithiolate CoIII complex, [CoIIILS(Cl)] (1; LS=sulfur containing ligand), that undergoes a clean, fast, quantitative and reversible CoII disulfide/CoIII thiolate interconversion mediated by a chloride anion. The removal of Cl− from the CoIII complex leads to the formation of a bis(μ‐thiolato) μ‐disulfido dicobalt(II) complex, [Co2II,IILSSL]2+ (22+). The structures of both complexes have been resolved by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction; their magnetic, spectroscopic, and redox properties investigated together with DFT calculations. This system is a unique example of metal‐based switchable Mn2‐RSSR/2 M(n+1)‐SR (M=metal ion, n=oxidation state) system that does not contain copper, acts under aerobic conditions, and involves systems with different nuclearities.