<p>A molecular system capable of photoinduced water splitting is an attractive approach to solar energy conversion. This thesis deals with the functional characterization of molecular building blocks for the three principal functions of such a molecular system: Photoinduced accumulative charge separation, catalytic water oxidation, and catalytic proton reduction. </p><p>Systems combining a ruthenium-trisbipyridine photosensitizer with multi-electron donors in form of dinuclear ruthenium or manganese complexes were investigated in view of the rate constants of electron transfer and excited state quenching. The kinetics were studied in the different oxidation states of the donor unit by combination of electrochemistry and time resolved spectroscopy. The rapid excited state quenching by the multi-electron donors points to the importance of redox intermediates for efficient accumulative photooxidation of the terminal donor.</p><p>The redox behavior of manganese complexes as mimics of the water oxidizing catalyst in the natural photosynthetic reaction center was studied by electrochemical and spectroscopic methods. For a dinuclear manganese complex ligand exchange reactions were studied in view of their importance for the accumulative oxidation of the complex and its reactivity towards water. With the binding of substrate water, multiple oxidation in a narrow potential range and concomitant deprotonation of the bound water it was demonstrated that the manganese complex is capable of mimicking multiple aspects of photosynthetic water oxidation.</p><p>A dinuclear iron complex was investigated as biomimetic proton reduction catalyst. The complex structurally mimics the active site of the iron-only hydrogenase enzyme and was designed to hold a proton on the bridging ligand and a hydride on the iron centers. Thermodynamics and kinetics of the protonation reactions and the electrochemical behavior of the different protonation states were studied in view of their potential catalytic performance.</p>

A molecular system capable of photoinduced water splitting is an attractive approach to solar energy conversion. This thesis deals with the functional characterization of molecular building blocks for the three principal functions of such a molecular system: Photoinduced accumulative charge separation, catalytic water oxidation, and catalytic proton reduction. Systems combining a ruthenium-trisbipyridine photosensitizer with multi-electron donors in form of dinuclear ruthenium or manganese complexes were investigated in view of the rate constants of electron transfer and excited state quenching. The kinetics were studied in the different oxidation states of the donor unit by combination of electrochemistry and time resolved spectroscopy. The rapid excited state quenching by the multi-electron donors points to the importance of redox intermediates for efficient accumulative photooxidation of the terminal donor. The redox behavior of manganese complexes as mimics of the water oxidizing catalyst in the natural photosynthetic reaction center was studied by electrochemical and spectroscopic methods. For a dinuclear manganese complex ligand exchange reactions were studied in view of their importance for the accumulative oxidation of the complex and its reactivity towards water. With the binding of substrate water, multiple oxidation in a narrow potential range and concomitant deprotonation of the bound water it was demonstrated that the manganese complex is capable of mimicking multiple aspects of photosynthetic water oxidation. A dinuclear iron complex was investigated as biomimetic proton reduction catalyst. The complex structurally mimics the active site of the iron-only hydrogenase enzyme and was designed to hold a proton on the bridging ligand and a hydride on the iron centers. Thermodynamics and kinetics of the protonation reactions and the electrochemical behavior of the different protonation states were studied in view of their potential catalytic performance.

La Tesi descriu de manera completa una sèrie de complexos de ruteni amb lligands polipiridílics i lligands auxiliars de tipus fosfina, dmso, nitril o aquo. Es descriuen estudis d'isomerització (cis/trans o coordinació meridional/facial) en complexos mononuclears, a partir de tècniques espectroscòpiques. Els resultats experimentals es corroboren a partir de càlculs DFT. S'han fet també estudis d'activitat catalítica en transferència d'hidrogen per als complexos Ru-fosfina. S'han sintetitzat també complexos dinuclears de ruteni amb el lligand tetradentat Hbpp i s'ha avaluat llur activitat en la catàlisi d'oxidació d'aigua, determinant la importància de la correcta orientació relativa dels centres actius Ru=O. L'heterogeneïtzació dels complexos sobre suports conductors permet avaluar llur activitat en fase heterogènia, millorant respecte el corresponent procés en dissolució. La co-polimerització dels catalitzadors amb espècies de tipus metalocarborà, amb major dilució del catalitzador i minimització de la sobreoxidació, millora notablement els resultats, permetent diverses reutilitzacions. / A number of ruthenium complexes having polypyridilic ligands together with phosphine, dmso, nitrile or aquo ligands are described. Isomerization processes (cis/trans or meridional/facial coordination) are studied for mononuclear complexes through spectroscopic techniques. The experimental results are confirmed by DFT calculations. Catalytic activity in transfer hydrogen reactions have also been evaluated for Ru-phosphine complexes. Dinuclear complexes containing the tetradentate Hbpp ligand have also been synthesized, and their catalytic activity in water oxidation catalysis has been tested, concluding that a right relative orientation of the active Ru=O sites is a key factor. Heterogenisation of catalysts over conducting supports allows evaluating their activity in heterogeneous phase, showing an improvement with regard to systems in solution. The co-polymerization of catalysts with metallocarborane monomers, involving higher catalyst dilution and minimization of sobreoxidation processes noticeably improves the results, also allowing several reutilizations.

Proton coupled electron transfer reactions often involve tyrosine residues, because when oxidized, the phenolic side chain deprotonates. Tyrosine Z (YZ) is responsible for extracting electrons in a stepwise fashion from the oxygen evolving-complex in order to build enough potential to oxidize water. This process requires that each step YZ must deprotonate and reprotonate in order to maintain the high midpoint potential that is necessary to oxidize the oxygen-evolving complex, which makes YZ highly involved in proton coupled electron transfer reactions. In this thesis YZ has been studied within oxygen-evolving photosystem II utilizing electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy to monitor the tyrosyl radical that is formed upon light excitation. Kinetic analysis of YZ has shed light on the factors that are important for PSII to carry out water oxidation at the oxygen-evolving complex. Most notably the strong hydrogen-bonding network and the midpoint potential of YZ have been shown to be integral aspects of the water splitting reactions of PSII. By studying YZ within oxygen-evolving PSII, conclusions are readily applied to the native system.

The making and breaking of O-O bonds has implications ranging from artificial photosynthesis and water oxidation to the use of O₂ as a selective, green oxidant for transformations of small molecules. Oxidative generation of O₂ from coupling of two H₂O molecules remains challenging, and well defined systems that catalytically evolve O₂ are exceedingly rare. Recent theoretical studies have invoked metal oxyl radicals (L[subscript n]M=O*) containing a singly occupied M-O π-type orbital as precursors to O-O bond forming events in both biological and synthetic water oxidation catalysts. However, the lack of stable metal oxyl complexes makes it difficult to explore and understand this hypothesis. The activation of dioxygen (breaking of O-O bonds) to produce terminal metal oxos also remains a challenge. There is an inherent kinetic barrier to the spin-forbidden reactions of triplet dioxygen, and features that engender selective O₂ reduction are not easily transferable from system to system. The primary thrust of this thesis work has been to elaborate new methods to generate well-defined metal oxyl radicals for studies of their reactions in radical bond-forming reactions similar to the radical coupling hypothesis of water oxidation. A library of >20 5- and 6-coordinate high-valent oxorhenium complexes containing redox-inert and redox-active ligands has been prepared. The complexes containing redox-active ligands have shown the ability for ligand-mediated radical coupling reactions. Mechanistic studies of bimetallic O₂ homolysis (the microscopic reverse of water oxidation) and nitroxyl radical deoxygenation at five-coordinate oxorhenium(V) reveal that, in both net 2e⁻ reactions, coupling to a redox-active ligand lowers the kinetic barrier to the reaction by facilitating formation and stabilization of 1e⁻ oxidized intermediates. Coordinatively unsaturated high-valent oxorhenium complexes containing redox-active ligands direct bond-forming reactions towards the metal center. This is undesirable towards the goal of forming O-O bonds. To address this problem coordinatively saturated Re(V) and Re(VII) complexes were prepared. Oxidation of these species by chemical oxidants allowed for the isolation of "masked" oxyl species. These complexes showed reactivity towards Si and trityl radicals to produce new Si-O and C-O bonds, whereas their closed-shell congeners were inert. We have successfully developed a method for the preparation and isolation of "masked" oxyl radicals and shown their utility in ligand-mediated radical coupling reactions.

L’un des axes de recherche du laboratoire Synthèse Métallo-Induites consiste en le développement de nouveaux complexes métallacycliques à chiralité planaire. Le défi majeur de cette thèse, a été l’élaboration de nouvelles approches sélectives de synthèse de complexes cationiques et neutres métallacyliques à chiralité planaire dont le métal chélaté est un centrestéréogène pseudo-tétraédrique.Le projet de thèse fut initié lors de l’étude d’une réaction inhabituelle de cycloruthénation d’un ligand dérivé de la 2-phénylpyridine qui était capable de produire un complexe ruthénacyclique OC-6 triscationique, homobinucléaire et à chiralité planaire comme produit secondaire en une seule étape à partir de substrats simples. Ce type de produit homobinucléaire ne peut se former uniquement que lorsqu’un groupement fortement donneur comme le N,N-diméthylamino (-NMe2) est présent sur le ligand départ. C’est donc à la lumière de ce résultat que nous avons engagé une étude systématique de la synthèse de nouveaux composés iridacycliques à chiralité planaire. Les fragments métalliques positivement chargés (Cp*Ir2+, Cp*Ru+) et neutre (Cr(CO)3) pourraient p-coordiner un fragment aryle riche en électrons d’un composé cyclométallé suivant un cours stéréochimiqueconditionné par la nature des entités ainsi introduites. Une des conséquences inattendues de ces recherches est l’émergence du concept de chiralité constitutionnelle déportée qui a surgi lors de l’étude du comportement conformationnel du complexe endo dicationique IrIr(NMe2) dont les groupes méthyles portés par le substituant N,N-diméthylamino dénotent une diastéréotopicité remarquable en spectroscopie de RMN 1H.A cette quête fondamentale de sélectivité s’est aussi greffée une exploration des propriétés catalytiques de nos complexes qui se sont révélés comme d’excellents précatalyseurs pour la promotion de réactions comme l’oxydation de l’eau et l’hydroamination/hydrosilylation d’alcynes vrais. / One of the main research domain in the laboratory of «Synthèse Metallo-Induites» consists in the development of new planar chiral metallacycles complexes. The challenge of this thesis was the development of new selective approaches for the synthesis of new cationic and neutral planar chiral metallacycles complexes in which the chelated metal is a pseudotetrahedral stereogenic center.The thesis project was initiated by the study of the unusual cycloruthenation of a 2-phenylpyridine ligand which was able to produce a tris-cationic homobimetallic planar chiral ruthenacycle as secondary product in a one step reaction starting from simple substrates. This type of homobimetallic product is only formed when a strong electrodonationg group as NMe2 is present on the starting ligand. In view of this result, we engaged a systematic study by synthesizing new planar chiral iridacycles compounds. The positively charged metal fragments (Cp*Ir2+, Cp*Ru+) and neutral (Cr(CO)3) may p-coordinate the electronic rich aryl fragment of the iridacyclic compound by virtue of the coulombic imbalance in the coordination sphere of the chelated metal center. One of the unexpected consequence of this research is the emergence of the concept ″deported constitutional chirality″, which appeared during the study of the conformational behaviour of an endodicationiciridacyclic complex where the methyl groups carried by the N,N-dimethylamino substituent diastereotopicity.To this fundamental quest for selectivity an explanation of the catalytic proprieties of our complexes was added. They were found to be good precatalysts for the promotion of the water oxidation catalysis and to be promising catalysts for tandem hydroamination/hydrosilation of terminal alkynes.

Complexos polipiridínicos de rutênio mononuclares vem sendo ativamente estudados como catalisadores da reação de oxidação de água a oxigênio, mas o complexo ativado dos catalisadores mais eficientes envolve a formação de um dímero, indicando a importância da estrutura binuclear para ativação dos mesmos. Assim, nesta tese propomos o estudo dos possíveis efeitos sinérgicos em complexos binucleares de rutênio polipiridinas angulares para ativação das espécies de alta valência do tipo RuV=O e RuIV=O. Assim, foram preparadas séries de complexos polipiridínicos de rutênio empregando os ligantes tridentados derivados de terpiridinas e bidentados tipo bipiridina na forma cloro complexos e aqua complexos mono e binucleares, capazes de atuar como precursores das espécies ativas de alta valência por meio de reações de transferência de elétrons acoplado a transferência de prótons (PCET). Os complexos [RuCl(bpy)(phtpy)](PF6), [Ru2Cl2(bpy)2(tpy2ph)](PF6)2 e [Ru2Cl2(Clphen)2(tpy2ph)](PF6)2 (phtpy= 4\'-fenil-2,2\':6\',2\'\'-terpiridina, bpy= 2,2´-bipiriridina, Clphen= 5-cloro-1,10-fenantrolina e tpy2ph= 1,3-bis(4\'-2,2\':6\',2\'\'-terpiridil)benzeno) e seus aqua complexos foram sintetizados e caracterizados por técnicas espectroscópicas e eletroquímicas. Os complexos [RuCl(bpy)phtpy](PF6), [Ru2Cl2(bpy)2(tpy2ph)](PF6)2 e [Ru2Cl2(Clphen)2(tpy2ph)](PF6)2 apresentam apenas reações de transferência de elétrons onde o estado de oxidação máximo do íon rutênio é 3+. Todavia, os respectivos aqua complexos [Ru(H2O)(bpy)(phtpy)](PF6)2, [Ru2(H2O)2(bpy)(tpy2ph)](PF6)4 e [Ru2(H2O)2(Clphen)2(tpy2ph)](PF6)4 podem ser oxidados de modo a gerar complexos de alta valência com íon rutênio nos estados de oxidação 4+ e 5+ via reação de transferência eletrônica acoplada a transferência de prótons (PCET). Os complexos de RuIV=O são gerados em potenciais relativamente baixos e não apresentaram atividade eletrocatalítica significativa, enquanto que as espécies RuV=O ([RuV(O)(bpy)(phtpy)]3+ e [Ru2V(O)2(bpy)2(tpy2ph)]6+) atuam como catalisadores eficientes para a reação de oxidação da água a oxigênio. Os valores de TOF para os complexos binuclear (0,97 s-1) é cerca de três vezes maior que para o complexo mononuclear (0,32 s-1), confirmando a presença de efeitos sinérgicos que aceleram a liberação de oxigênio no complexo binuclear. As propriedades eletrocatalíticas dos complexos polipiridínicos de rutênio de alta valência foram transferidos para a superfície de eletrodos via eletropolimerização redutiva do complexo [Ru2(H2O)2(Clphen)2(tpy2ph)](TfO)4. Neste caso foram observadas a geração eletroquímica de espécies contendo o íon rutênio nos estados de oxidação 2+, 4+ e 5+, enquanto que a espécie no estado 3+ aparentemente não é estável e sofre desproporcionamento. O eletrodo modificado preservou a alta atividade eletrocatalítica do aqua complexo binuclear para a reação de oxidação da água (TOF de 0,80 s-1) e também para a oxidação de álcool benzílico a benzaldeído, com kRuIV= 14,70 L·mol-1 s-1 demonstrando o elevado potencial do material para a oxidação de substratos orgânicos. / Mononuclear ruthenium polypyridyl complexes have been studied as catalysts of oxygen evolution in water oxidation reaction, but the activated complex of most efficient catalysts assume the formation of dimers indicating the importance of the binuclear structure for their activation. Thereby, in this thesis we propose the study of possible synergistic effects in binuclear ruthenium polypyridyl complexes in order to activate species with high valence as RuV=O and RuIV=O for multi-electronic catalytic oxidation reactions. For this purpose, it was prepared a series of ruthenium polyppyridyl complexes using tridentate ligands based in terpyridine and bidentate bipyridine generating binuclear chloride complexes and aqua complexes which are able to act as precursors of the respective high valence active species generated by proton coupled electron transfer (PCET) reactions. The [RuCl(bpy)(phtpy)](PF6) and [Ru2Cl2(bpy)2(tpy2ph)](PF6)2 complexes (phtpy= 4\'-phenyl-2,2\':6\',2\'\'-terpyridine, bpy= 2,2´-bipyridine and tpy2ph= 1,3-bis(4\'-2,2\':6\',2\'\'-terpyridin-4-yl)benzene) and their respective aqua complexes were synthetized and characterized by spectroscopic and electrochemical techniques. The chloro complexes [RuCl(bpy)(phtpy)](PF6), [Ru2Cl2(bpy)2(tpy2ph)](PF6)2 and [Ru2Cl2(Clphen)2(tpy2ph)](PF6)2 (Clphen= 5-Chloro-1,10-phenanthroline) show only electron transfer reactions where the maximum oxidation state of the ruthenium ion is 3+. However, the respective aqua complexes [Ru(H2O)(bpy)(phtpy)](PF6)2, [Ru2(H2O)2(bpy)2(tpy2ph)](PF6)4 and [Ru2(H2O)2(Clphen)2(tpy2ph)](PF6)4 can be oxidized further by proton coupled electron transfer (PCET), generating high valence complexes where the ruthenium oxidation state can be 4+ and 5+. Complexes of RuIV=O are generated in relatively low potentials and do not presented significant electrocatalytic activity for oxidation of water to dioxygen, whereas the RuV=O species ([RuV(O)(bpy)(phtpy)]3+ and [Ru2V(O)2(bpy)2(tpy2ph)]6+) showed to be efficient catalysts for the reaction of water oxidation. The values of TOF for the binuclear complexes (0,97 s-1) were about three times larger than for the mononuclear complex (0,32 s-1), confirming the presence of synergistic effects accelerating the formation and release of oxygen by the binuclear complex. The electrocatalytic properties of high valence ruthenium polypyridyl complexes were transferred to electrodes surface by reductive electropolymerization of the [Ru2(H2O)2(Clphen)2(tpy2ph)](TfO)4 complex. In this case the electrochemical generation of ruthenium 2+, 4+ and 5+ species were observed whereas the 3+ species was not stable and disproportionated. The modified electrodes preserved the high electrocatalytic activity of the binuclear aqua complexes for water oxidation reaction (TOF de 0,80 s-1), and also for oxidation of benzyl alcohol to benzaldehyde with kRuIV= 14,70 L mol-1 s-1 demonstrating the high catalytic efficiency for oxidation of organic substrates.

No description available.

La fonctionnalisation sélective de BINOL en position 6 ou 6 et 6' par des groupements 3 - (diméthylamino)prop-1-yn-1-yl est décrite. Cette méthode constitue une stratégie prometteuse pour le développement de nouveaux ligands recyclables. Les complexes de La et Yb correspondants ont été testés dans la réaction d’époxydation des cétones α, β-insaturées. Les complexes d’ytterbium sont les plus efficaces, fournissant les époxydes chiraux attendus avec 90 ou 93% d’excès énantiomérique en conditions homogène et hétérogène, respectivement.Dans le cadre de nos études, nous avons également évalué de nouveaux catalyseurs comportant un ion de manganèse penta-coordinnée [LMn(III)OH]ClO4 et [LMnCl](MnCl4)0,5. Ces complexes ont été testés dans la réaction d’époxydation des oléfines terminales utilisant H2O2/NaHCO3 et PhIO comme oxydant. Il s'avère que le complexe [LMn(III)OH]ClO4 est le catalyseur le plus efficace de la série. Une autre approche également été envisagée : oxyder une molécule d’eau présente dans la sphère de coordination du métal par le Cerium Ammonium Nitrate (CAN) et utiliser l’espèce oxydante ainsi générée pour oxyder des substrats. Nos études ont montré que cette stratégie était possible et permettait d’oxyder des substrats organiques. / The selective functionalization of BINOL in position 6 or 6 and 6’ with 3-(dimethylamino)prop-1-yn-1yl is described, and it constitutes a promising strategy for the development of a recyclable ligands. The corresponding La and Yb complexes were evaluated towards the epoxidation of α,β-unsaturated ketones. The Yb-complexes displayed an efficient activity, affording the expected chiral epoxides in up to 90 or 93% ee in homogeneous and heterogenous catalysis, respectively.As part of our studies, we also evaluated new catalysts with a penta-coordinated manganese ion [LMn(III)OH]ClO4 and [LMnCl](MnCl4)0.5. These complexes were tested in the epoxidation reaction of terminal olefins using H2O2/NaHCO3 and PhIO as an oxidant. It turns out that the complex [LMn (III) OH] ClO4 is the most efficient catalyst of the series. Another approach was also considered: oxidize a molecule of water present in the coordination sphere of the metal by Cerium Ammonium Nitrate (CAN) and use the generated oxidizing species to oxidize substrates. Our studies have shown that this strategy was feasible and allowed to oxidize organic substrates.

Le développement de sources d’énergie renouvelables telles que les combustibles solaires est une question cruciale dans le contexte actuel du réchauffement de la planète. L'eau est une source abondante, respectueuse de l'environnement, bon marché et abondante en électrons et en protons nécessaires à la production de combustible. Par conséquent, l'oxydation de l'eau activée par la lumière est une étape clé de la photosynthèse artificielle et le développement de catalyseurs efficaces, robustes et durables constitue un objectif important pour les chimistes. Dans la première partie de cette étude, nous nous concentrons sur le développement de tels catalyseurs basés sur des complexes métalliques à base de métaux de la première série des éléments de transition tel que le cuivre pour cette étude. L'électrocatalyse et la photocatalyse par oxydation de l'eau ont été étudiées. La deuxième partie du travail concerne la formation de paires d'ions entre les espèces à double charge opposée du catalyseur complexe et de l'accepteur d'électrons et du photosensibilisant et du catalyseur complexe. Cette étude devrait apporter des preuves solides de l'influence de chaque composant du photosystème par l'association et la dissociation de paires d'ions.Dans la troisième partie, nous étudions un système synthétique sensibilisant-catalyseur capable de photoactiver une molécule d’eau liée à l’unité catalytique par le biais d’une oxydation à deux électrons et à deux protons, réalisant toute la caractérisation photophysique de la dyade. Par conséquent, l’étude des complexes moléculaires pour la photosynthèse artificielle fournit diverses orientations pour développer le rendement d’utilisation de l’énergie solaire. / Development of renewable energy sources like solar fuels is a crucial issue in the actual context of global warming. Water is an environmentally friendly, cheap and abundant source of the electrons and protons needed for fuel production. Therefore, light-activated water oxidation is a key step in artificial photosynthesis and the development of efficient, robust and sustainable catalysts is an important goal for chemists. In the first part of this study, we focus on the development of such catalysts based on earth abundant copper complexes. The water oxidation electrocatalysis and photocatalysis were investigated. The second part of the work concerns the ion pair formation between the oppositely double charged species of complex catalyst and electron acceptor and Photosensitizer and complex catalyst are investigated. This study should bring solid evidence on the influence of each component in photosystem through the ion pair association and dissociation. In the third part, we study a synthetic sensitizer-catalyst system that can photoactivate a water molecule bound to the catalytic unit through a two-electron, two-proton abstraction, performed all the photophysical characterization of the dyad. Therefore, studying molecular complexes for artificial photosynthesis provides diverse direction to develop the utilization efficiency of solar energy.