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Zeng J, You F, Zhu J. Screening seven-electron boron-centered radicals for dinitrogen activation. J Comput Chem 2024; 45:648-654. [PMID: 38073508 DOI: 10.1002/jcc.27281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2023] [Revised: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
The activation of dinitrogen is significant as nitrogen-containing compounds play an important role in industries. However, the inert NN triple bond caused by its large HOMO-LUMO gap (10.8 eV) and high bond dissociation energy (945 kJ mol-1 ) renders its activation under mild conditions particularly challenging. Recent progress shows that a few main group species can mimic transition metal complexes to activate dinitrogen. Here, we demonstrate that a series of seven-electron (7e) boron-centered radical can be used to activate N2 via density functional theory calculations. It is found that boron-centered radicals containing amine ligand perform best on the thermodynamics of dinitrogen activation. In addition, when electron-donating groups are introduced at the boron atom, these radicals can be used to activate N2 with low reaction barriers. Further analysis suggests that the electron transfer from the boron atom to the π* orbitals of dinitrogen is essential for its activation. Our findings suggest great potential of 7e boron radicals in the field of dinitrogen activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Zeng
- School of Science and Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, China
- Pharmaceutical Research Institute, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Feiying You
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces and Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials (iChEM), Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Chemistry and Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Jun Zhu
- School of Science and Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, China
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces and Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials (iChEM), Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Chemistry and Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
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Specklin D, Boegli MC, Coffinet A, Escomel L, Vendier L, Grellier M, Simonneau A. An orbitally adapted push-pull template for N 2 activation and reduction to diazene-diide. Chem Sci 2023; 14:14262-14270. [PMID: 38098710 PMCID: PMC10718075 DOI: 10.1039/d3sc04390h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
A Lewis superacidic bis(borane) C6F4{B(C6F5)2}2 was reacted with tungsten N2-complexes [W(N2)2(R2PCH2CH2PR2)2] (R = Ph or Et), affording zwitterionic boryldiazenido W(ii) complexes trans-[W(L)(R2PCH2CH2PR2)2(N2{B(C6F5)2(C6F4B(C6F5)3})] (L = ø, N2 or THF). These compounds feature only one N-B linkage of the covalent type, as a result of intramolecular boron-to-boron C6F5 transfer. Complex trans-[W(THF)(Et2PCH2CH2PEt2)2(N2{B(C6F5)2C6F4B(C6F5)3})] (5) was shown to split H2, leading to a seven-coordinate complex [W(H)2(Et2PCH2CH2PEt2)2(N2{B(C6F5)2}2C6F4)] (7). Interestingly, hydride storage at the metal triggers backward C6F5 transfer. This reverts the bis(boron) moiety to its bis(borane) state, now doubly binding the distal N, with structural parameters and DFT computations pointing to dative N→B bonding. By comparison with an N2 complex [W(H)2(Et2PCH2CH2PEt2)2(N2{B(C6F5)3}] (10) differing only in the Lewis acid (LA), namely B(C6F5)3, coordinated to the distal N, we demonstrate that two-fold LA coordination imparts strong N2 activation up to the diazene-diide (N22-) state. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first example of a neutral LA coordination that induces reduction of N2.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Specklin
- LCC-CNRS, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS 205 route de Narbonne BP44099 F-31077 Toulouse Cedex 4 France
| | - Marie-Christine Boegli
- LCC-CNRS, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS 205 route de Narbonne BP44099 F-31077 Toulouse Cedex 4 France
| | - Anaïs Coffinet
- LCC-CNRS, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS 205 route de Narbonne BP44099 F-31077 Toulouse Cedex 4 France
| | - Léon Escomel
- LCC-CNRS, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS 205 route de Narbonne BP44099 F-31077 Toulouse Cedex 4 France
| | - Laure Vendier
- LCC-CNRS, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS 205 route de Narbonne BP44099 F-31077 Toulouse Cedex 4 France
| | - Mary Grellier
- LCC-CNRS, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS 205 route de Narbonne BP44099 F-31077 Toulouse Cedex 4 France
| | - Antoine Simonneau
- LCC-CNRS, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS 205 route de Narbonne BP44099 F-31077 Toulouse Cedex 4 France
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Guo R, Hu C, Li Q, Liu LL, Tung CH, Kong L. BN Analogue of Butadiyne: A Platform for Dinitrogen Release and Reduction. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:18767-18772. [PMID: 37582249 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c07469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/17/2023]
Abstract
Exploration of the metallomimetic chemistry of main group elements is of the utmost importance from the perspective of both fundamental research and potential applications. Here, we report the synthesis, bonding analysis, and reactivities of an isolable diiminoborane, Mes*B≡N─N≡BMes* (Mes* = 2,4,6-tri-tert-butylphenyl) (1), a BN analogue of butadiyne. This species is characterized by a conjugated B≡N─N≡B moiety, a structural feature that enables the controlled release of N2 when it is exposed to organic nitriles. Furthermore, the N2 unit in 1 could be reduced to an ammonium salt via cleavage of the BN triple bond. Our work shows a rare example of an unsaturated BN system, serving as a platform for both the release and reduction of N2. This discovery opens new pathways and holds substantial influence on the future design of functional main group N2 species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Guo
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, China
| | - Chaopeng Hu
- Department of Chemistry and Research Center for Chemical Biology and Omics Analysis, College of Science, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Qianli Li
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng 252059, China
| | - Liu Leo Liu
- Department of Chemistry and Research Center for Chemical Biology and Omics Analysis, College of Science, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Chen-Ho Tung
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, China
| | - Lingbing Kong
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, China
- State Key Laboratory of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
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Dong S, Zhu J. Predicting Small Molecule Activation including Catalytic Hydrogenation of Dinitrogen Promoted by a Dual Lewis Acid. Chem Asian J 2023; 18:e202200991. [PMID: 36353939 DOI: 10.1002/asia.202200991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Revised: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
For decades, N2 activation and functionalization have required the use of transition metal complexes. Thus, it is one of the most challenging projects to activate the abundant dinitrogen through metal-free systems under mild conditions. Here, we demonstrate a proof-of-concept study on the catalytic hydrogenation of dinitrogen (with activation energy as low as 15.3 kcal mol-1 ) initiated by a dual Lewis acid (DLA) via density functional theory (DFT) calculations. In addition, such a DLA could be also used to activate a series of small molecules including carbon dioxide, formaldehyde, N-ethylenemethylamine, and acetonitrile. It is found that aromaticity plays an important role in stabilizing intermediates and products. Our findings provide an alternative approach to N2 activation and functionalization, highlighting a great potential of DLA for small molecule activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shicheng Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials (iChEM) Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Chemistry, Department of Chemistry College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, P. R. China
| | - Jun Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials (iChEM) Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Chemistry, Department of Chemistry College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, P. R. China
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Understanding reaction mechanisms of metal-free dinitrogen activation by methyleneboranes. CHINESE CHEM LETT 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cclet.2022.107759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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Dai C, Zhu J. Predicting dinitrogen activation by borenium and borinium cations. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2022; 24:14651-14657. [PMID: 35670503 DOI: 10.1039/d2cp01233b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The activation of thermodynamically stable and kinetically inert dinitrogen (N2) has been a great challenge due to the significant strength of the triple bond. Recently, in an experimental study on N2 activation by boron species, a highly reactive two-coordinated borylene broke through the limitations of traditional strategies of N2 activation by metal species. Still, studies on metal-free N2 activation remain underdeveloped. Here, we systematically investigate a frustrated Lewis pair (FLP) combining carbene and borenium (or borinium) cations to screen potential candidates for N2 activation via density functional theory calculations. As a result, we found that two FLPs (closed form FLP, borenium and open form FLP, borinium) are able to activate N2 in a thermodynamically and kinetically favorable manner, with a low energy barrier of 9.6 and 7.3 kcal mol-1, respectively. Furthermore, aromaticity was found to play an important role in the stabilization of the products, supported by nucleus-independent chemical shift (NICS), anisotropy of the current-induced density (ACID) and electron density of delocalized bonds (EDDB) analysis. Our findings provide an alternative approach for metal-free N2 activation, highlighting the importance of FLP chemistry and aromaticity in N2 activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenshu Dai
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, P. R. China.
| | - Jun Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, P. R. China.
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