Synthesis and Cu(I)/Mo(VI) Reactivity of a Bifunctional Heterodinucleating Ligand on a Xanthene Platform.

In an effort to probe the feasibility of a model of Mo-Cu CODH (CODH = carbon monoxide dehydrogenase) lacking a bridging sulfido group, the new heterodinucleating ligand LH2 was designed and its Cu(I)/Mo(VI) reactivity was investigated. LH2 ((E)-3-(((5-(bis(pyridin-2-ylmethyl)amino)-2,7-di-tert-butyl-9,9-dimethyl-9H-xanthen-4-yl)imino)methyl)benzene-1,2-diol) features two different chelating positions bridged by a xanthene linker: bis(pyridyl)amine for Cu(I) and catecholate for Mo(VI). LH2 was synthesized via the initial protection of one of the amine positions, followed by two consecutive alkylations of the second position, deprotection, and condensation to attach the catechol functionality. LH2 was found to exhibit dynamic cooperativity between two reactive sites mediated by H-bonding of the catechol protons. In the free ligand, catechol protons exhibit H-bonding with imine (intramolecular) and with pyridine (intermolecular in the solid state). The reaction of LH2 with [Cu(NCMe)4]+ led to the tetradentate coordination of Cu(I) via all nitrogen donors of the ligand, including the imine. Cu(I) complexes were characterized by multinuclear NMR spectroscopy, high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS), X-ray crystallography, and DFT calculations. Cu(I) coordination to the imine disrupted H-bonding and caused rotation away from the catechol arm. The reaction of the Cu(I) complex [Cu(LH2)]+ with a variety of monodentate ligands X (PPh3, Cl-, SCN-, CN-) released the metal from coordination to the imine, thereby restoring imine H-bonding with the catechol proton. The second catechol proton engages in H-bonding with Cu-X (X = Cl, CN, SCN), which can be intermolecular (XRD) or intramolecular (DFT). The reaction of LH2 with molybdate [MoO4]2- led to incorporation of [MoVIO3] at the catecholate position, producing [MoO3(L)]2-. Similarly, the reaction of [Cu(LH2)]+ with [MoO4]2- formed the heterodinuclear complex [CuMoO3(L)]-. Both complexes were characterized by multinuclear NMR, UV-vis, and HRMS. HRMS in both cases confirmed the constitution of the complexes, containing molecular ions with the expected isotopic distribution.