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Redox-active ligands deliver redox equivalents to impart multi-electron functionality at 3d metals that typically undergo to one electron redox events. It was proposed that 3d metals with redox-active ligands could form unusually well-defined catalysts for C-C bond forming reactions to mimic palladium-type reactivity. Therefore, several new complexes containing an iron or cobalt with redox-active ligands were synthesized and tested for their ability to form new C-C bonds. A bis(iminosemiquinone) iron (III) complex was able to homocouple aryl Grignards using dioxygen as the terminal oxidant. However, ligand redistribution prevented detailed mechanistic study of the C-C bond forming reaction and led to catalyst degradation. To address the challenges seen in the iron catalyst a new cobalt electron transfer (ET) series containing a pincer-type bis(phenolate) N-heterocyclic carbene ligand (CoNHC) was synthesized. Studies indicate the CoNHC ET series spans multiple-electrons by corporative metal and ligand redox. These complexes were evaluated for cross-coupling of alkyl halides and aryl Grignards. Mechanistic studies imply that the low cross-coupling yields were due to ligand degradation. However, CoNHC catalytically activate cross-couples ether nitriles and aryl Grignards via a novel C-O bond activation leading to a new C-C bond. Findings concerning redox-active ligands on iron and cobalt for C-C bond forming reactions and implications for future research are discussed.

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We have designed and engineered bi-catalyst magnesium hydride composites with superior sorption performance to that of ball milled magnesium hydride catalyzed with the individual baseline catalysts. We have examined the effect of single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT)-metallic nanoparticle additions on the hydrogen desorption behavior of MgH2 after high-energy co-milling. We showed the synergy between SWCNT's and metallic nanoparticles in catalyzing the sorption of magnesium hydride. The optimum microstructure for sorption, obtained after 1 h of co-milling, consists of highly defective SWCNTs in intimate contact with metallic nanoparticles and with the hydride. This microstructure is optimum, presumably because of the dense and uniform coverage of the defective SWCNTs on the MgH2 surface. Cryo-stage transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis of the hydride powders revealed that they are nanocrystalline and in some cases multiply twinned. Since defects are an integral component of hydride-to-metal phase transformations, such analysis sheds new insight regarding the fundamental microstructural origins of the sorption enhancement due to mechanical milling. The nanocomposite shows markedly improved cycling as well. Activation energy analysis demonstrates that any catalytic effect due to the metallic nanoparticles is lost during cycling. Improved cycling performance is instead achieved as a result of the carbon allotropes preventing MgH2 particle agglomeration and sintering. The nanocomposite received over 100 sorption cycles with fairly minor kinetic degradation. We investigated the catalytic effect of Fe + Ti bi-metallic catalyst on the desorption kinetics of magnesium hydride. Sub-micron dimensions for MgH2 particles and excellent nanoscale catalyst dispersion was achieved by high-energy milling. The composites containing Fe shows DSC desorption temperature of 170 °C lower than as-received MgH2 powder, which makes it suitable to be cycled at relatively low temperature of 250 °C. The low cycling temperature also prevents the formation of Mg2FeH6. The ternary Mg-Fe-Ti composite shows best performance when compared to baseline ball milled magnesium hydride with only one catalytic addition. With a very high BET surface area it also shows much less degradation during cycling. The synergy between Fe and Ti is demonstrated through use of TEM and by carefully measuring the activation energies of the baseline and the ternary composites. / Materials Engineering

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Η σύνθεση και ο χαρακτηρισμός πλειάδων των μετάλλων μετάπτωσης σε ενδιάμεσες οξειδωτικές βαθμίδες αποτελεί σήμερα έναν από τους κύριους ερευνητικούς στόχους πολλών επιστημονικών ομάδων παγκοσμίως εξαιτίας των εφαρμογών που βρίσκουν σε διάφορα επιστημονικά πεδία, όπως στη βιοανόργανη χημεία, στην επιστήμη των υλικών, στη μοριακή φυσική και στη θεωρητική χημεία. Οι πλειάδες αυτές περιέχουν πολλές φορές έναν ασυνήθιστα μεγάλο αριθμό ασυζεύκτων ηλεκτρονίων στη θεμελιώδη κατάσταση και παρουσιάζουν εξαιρετικό ενδιαφέρον από μαγνητικής απόψεως. Αυτό συμβαίνει γιατί μια υψηλή τιμή spin στη θεμελιώδη κατάσταση είναι αναγκαία (άλλα όχι ικανή) συνθήκη ώστε αυτού του είδους οι σύμπλοκες ενώσεις να εμφανίζουν το φαινόμενο του μονομοριακού μαγνητισμού (single-molecule magnetism). Στην παρούσα Εργασία μελετήθηκε το σύστημα αντίδρασης μαγγάνιο/α-βενζοΐνη οξίμη (α-benzoin oxime, bzoxH2) κάτω από βασικές συνθήκες, το οποίο οδήγησε στην απομόνωση και το δομικό (μέσω κρυσταλλογραφίας ακτίνων-Χ σε μονοκρυστάλλους) και μαγνητοχημικό χαρακτηρισμό των μοριακών πλειάδων [Mn8O4(bzox)8(MeOH)4] (1), [Mn9O2(bzox)11(bzoxH)(MeOH)4(H2O)2] (2) και [Mn9O2(bzox)11(bzoxH)(H2O)6] (3). Τα σύμπλοκα 1-3 αποτελούν τις πρώτες δομικά χαρακτηρισμένες πλειάδες τρισθενών μεταλλοϊόντων με υποκαταστάτη την α-βενζοΐνη οξίμη. Το σύμπλοκο 1 αποτελείται από οκτώ ιόντα MnIII, με το δομικό του πυρήνα να παρουσιάζει μία πρωτότυπη τοπολογική διευθέτηση τεσσάρων τριγωνικών Mn3 υπομονάδων, ανά δύο κάθετων μεταξύ τους, η οποία οδηγεί σε μια ενδιάμεση τιμή spin στη θεμελιώδη κατάσταση, SΤ = 2. Τα ισοδομικά σύμπλοκα 2 και 3 αποτελούνται από εννέα ιόντα MnIII, με το δομικό τους πυρήνα να παρουσιάζει μία επίσης πρωτότυπη τοπολογική διευθέτηση εναλλασσσόμενων τριγωνικών και γραμμικών Mn3 υπομονάδων, η οποία οδηγεί σε μια ενδιάμεση τιμή spin στη θεμελιώδη κατάσταση, SΤ = 3. / The synthesis and characterization of polynuclear metal complexes (clusters) containing paramagnetic 3d-metal ions in intermediate oxidation states have gained intense interest due to the applications of these compounds in several fields of science, such as bioinorganic chemistry, materials science, molecular physics and theoretical chemistry. Such high nuclearity transition metal clusters are one of the growing research subjects in Molecular Magnetism, given the fact that they often possess a fairly large ground-state spin value, which is one of the necessary requirements for a molecule to be able to exhibit the phenomenon of single-molecule magnetism. In the present work, we studied the reaction scheme manganese/α-benzoin oxime (bzoxH2) under basic conditions, which has led to the isolation, and structural (through single-crystal X-ray crystallography) and magnetochemical characterization of the molecular complexes [Mn8O4(bzox)8(MeOH)4] (1), [Mn9O2(bzox)11(bzoxH)(MeOH)4(H2O)2] (2) and [Mn9O2(bzox)11(bzoxH)(H2O)6] (3). Complexes 1-3 are the first structurally characterized trivalent metal clusters with the ligand α-benzoin oxime. Compound 1 consists of eight MnIII atoms and its irregular metal core presents an unprecedented topology based on four triangular Mn3 units, which are vertical to each other, thus leading to an ST = 2 ground state. The isostructural compounds 2 and 3 comprise nine MnIII atoms arranged in a unusual topology based on linear and triangular Mn3 units, thus leading to an ST = 3 ground state.

Scorpionate and terpyridine ligands are of importance in inorganic chemistry for their metal-binding properties. Tris-pyrazolylborate (Scorpionate) ligands that show facial binding mode and steric protection have been extensively used to synthesize complexes modeling the active site structure and biological function of various metalloproteins and as catalysts in C-H and NO activation and carbine transfer reactions. Terpyridine and modified terpyridine ligands showing meridional binding mode have been used in bioinorganic chemistry where Pt-terpyridine complexes are known to inhibit the activity of thiordoxin reductase (TrxR) besides showing interaction with G-quadruplex. The thesis work stems from our interest to use these ligand systems to design and prepare new 3-d metal-based photodynamic therapeutic (PDT) agents to explore their visible light-induced DNA cleavage activity and photocytotoxicity. Efforts have been made in this thesis work to design and synthesize Co(II) and Cu(II) complexes having scorpionate (Tpph) abd terpyridine (tpy) ligands. Ternary 3d-metal complexes having Tpph and planar phenanthroline bases have been synthesized and structurally characterized. The steric encumbrance of Tpph has led to the reduction in chemical nuclease activity along with enhanced photo-induced DNA cleavage activity, particularly of the Cu(II) and Co(II) complexes. The Co(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II) complexes of Tpph and a pyridyl ligand having a photoactive naphthalilmide moiety show molecular light-switch effect on binding to calf thymus DNA or BSA protein. The complexes do not show any chemical nuclease activity. The Cu(II) complex shows significant DNA cleavage activity in red light. The Co(II) complex displays significant photocytotoxicity in UV-A light. Ternary Cu(II) complexes of ph-tpy and heterocycylic bases are prepared and their DNA binding and cleavage activity studied. The complexes are avid binders to CT-DNA. The dipyridoquinoxaline (dpq) and dipyridophenazine (dppz) complexes are photocleavers of DNA in visible light. A significant enhancement in cytotoxicity in HeLa cancer cells is observed on exposure of the dppz complex to light. The binary Cu(II) complexes are also prepared to reduce the dark toxicity using phenyl and pyrenyl substituted terpyridine ligands. The pyrenyl substituted complex shows DNA cleavage activity in the visible light, low dark toxicity and unprecedented photocytotoxicity in visible light. The copper(II) complexes generally show dark cellular toxicity due to the presence of reducing thiols. The present terpyridine copper(II) complex having pendant pyrenyl moiety shows significant PDT effect that is similar to that of the PDT drug Photofrin. Binary Co(II) complexes show efficient DNA cleavage activity in visible light, significant photocytotoxicity in visible light and cytosolic uptake behaviour. Considering the bio-essential nature of the cobalt and copper ions, the present study opens up new strategies for designing and developing 3d-metal-based photosensitizers for their potential applications in PDT.

La química bioinorgánica se ocupa de estudiar la función de los metales en los sistemas biológicos y de la síntesis de modelos para estudiar sistemas más complejos. Enmarcados en esta, se han estudiado los modos de interacción y los patrones de reconocimiento presentes en los complejos ternarios metal - base nitrogenada - derivado de aminoácido. En primer lugar, se han obtenido un serie de complejos binarios de 5-halouracilatos con cobre(II), zinc(II) y níquel(II) que presentan un reconocimiento por tándem de enlaces de hidrógeno entre uracilos. Con ácido orto-iodohipúrico se han preparado una serie de complejos binarios con cobalto(II), níquel(II), cobre(II), zinc(II) y plata(I). Con estos y aciclovir se ha conseguido la formación de los complejos ternarios donde los de cobalto, níquel y zinc son isoestructurales y, debido a la presencia de un apilamiento entre el aciclovir y un anillo aromático de o-iodohipúrico, se generan en la estructura los dos enantiómeros δ (delta minúscula) y λ (lambda minúscula) si consideramos los dos ligandos como un quelato gracias a la interacción por apilamiento. Con cobre(II), ácidos hipúricos y 1,10-fenantrolina o 2,2'-bipiridilo se han preparado una serie de complejos ternarios capaces de generar la especie de cobre(I) [Cu(phen)2]+ y que presentan actividad anticancerosa frente a células A549. En todos los complejos con ácidos hipúricos se ha observado que la presencia del anillo aromático perpendicular al plano amídico genera estructuras bidimensionales, mientras que con ligandos planares del mismo tipo las estructuras son tridimensionales. Finalmente se han preparado análogos de nucleótidos tipo N1-alquiluracilos y de dinucleótidos tipo N1,N1'-polimetilen-bis-uracilos. / Bioinorganic chemistry deals with the study of the role of metal ions in biologic systems and the synthesis of model compounds to study more complex systems. In line with it, we have studied the interactions modes and recognition patterns that are present in ternary complexes of the type: metal ion - nucleobase - amino acid derivative. First of all, we have obtained a series of binary compounds with 5-halouracils and copper(II), zinc(II) and nickel(II) with a recognition pattern formed by a tandem of hydrogen bonds between uracils. With orto-iodohippuric acid, we have prepared some binary complexes with cobalt(II), nickel(II), copper(II), zinc(II) and silver(I). With these binary derivatives and acyclovir we have been capable to obtain ternary complexes were, the cobalt, nickel and zinc ones are isostructural and, due to the presence of a stacking between the acyclovir and one aromatic ring of o-iodohippuric acid, they generate in the crystal structure the two enantiomers δ (lower case delta) and λ (lower case lambda) if we consider the two ligands as a chelate by means of the stacking interaction. In the case of copper, we have prepared a series of ternary derivatives with different hippuric acids and 1,10-phenanthroline and 2,2'-bipyridyl. These complexes are capable to generate the copper(I) species [Cu(phen)2]+ and they present anticancer activity against A549 cell line. An important fact in all the coordination compounds with hippuric acids is that the presence of the aromatic ring normal to the amide bond promotes the formation of bi-dimensional structures, whereas with planar ligands of the same kind we obtain tri-dimensional structures. Last but not least, we have prepared nucleotide (N1-alkiluracils) and dinucleotide (N1,N1'-polymethilen-bis-uracils) type ligands.