European Journal of Inorganic Chemistry

Thermal or photodecomposition of 2,2′-azobis(2-methylpropionitrile) (AIBN) is used as a source of cyanide anions in the synthesis of copper(I)–cyanide frameworks. The reported methodology utilizes the direct reduction of Cu^II(aa)(NN)X (aa = deprotonated amino acid, NN = bidentate nitrogen-based ligand, X = Cl or Br) complexes by AIBN/ascorbic acid to yield six novel coordination networks.

{Pyrenetetrasulfonate(PyTS)/ZnS}_n ultrathin films have been fabricated by a two-step procedure of layer-by-layer assembly of PyTS with Zn₂Al layered double hydroxide, followed by in situ sulfurization with H₂S. Gas-sensing measurements of the as-prepared (PyTS/ZnS)_n films indicate that they selectively respond to ethanol gas at a relatively low temperature of 70 °C.

YAH: Alkyl/hydrido exchange readily takes place when the yttrium methyl complexes (C₅Me₅)₂YMe(thf), [(C₅Me₅)YMe₂]₃, and [YMe₃]_n are treated with the amidoalane HAl[N(SiMe₃)₂]₂. The resulting heterobimetallics catalyze the addition of the amidoalane across 1-octene, as shown for (C₅Me₅)₂Y(μ-H)₂Al(Me)[N(SiMe₃)₂].

Group 4 metallocenes and bis(tetramethyldioxaborolanyl)acetylene gave different products: “Cp₂Ti” afforded a dihydroindenyl complex. “rac-(ebthi)Ti”, “Cp*₂Ti” and “Cp₂Zr(py)” led to metallacyclopropenes, whereas “Cp₂Zr” and “rac-(ebthi)Zr” yielded metallacyclopentadienes. One of the titanacyclopropenes reacts with CO₂ to a titanacyclofuranone.

A novel synthetic route to terpyridine ligands is reported. Pyridine building blocks are interlinked by Suzuki–Miyaura cross-coupling reactions. The potential of the method is demonstrated by assembling the 4,4″-disubstituted terpyridine ligands shown, which are subsequently converted into their homoleptic Fe^II complexes.