Electronic Communication within Flexible Bisdithiolene Ligands Bridging Molybdenum Centers

Electrostatic vs. electronic interactions within oxidized multinuclear Pt(bipyridine)(dithiolene) complexes

Bi- and trimetallic platinum(bipyridine)(dithiolene) complexes involving different organic linkers between the redox active platinum(dithiolene) moieties have been synthesized and studied by electrochemistry and spectroelectrochemistry. Cyclic voltammetry experiments carried out on these multinuclear complexes in dichloromethane using [NBu4][PF6] as the supporting salt show only one oxidation process involving the metallacycles. Nevertheless, spectro-electrochemical studies, carried out under the same conditions, show a different evolution of the spectra during oxidation depending on the position of the metallacycles on the phenyl ring. For instance, only the 1,3-disubtituted (Pt21,3-P) and 1,3,5-trisubstituted (Pt31,3,5-P) complexes show the growth of an absorption band in the NIR region upon oxidation while it was not observed for the other complexes. In contrast, electrochemical studies carried out using the poorly coordinating supporting electrolyte, [Na][B(C6H4(CF3)2)4], indicate sequential oxidation of the redox centers with ΔE values varying according to the nature of the bridge and the distance between metal centers. For all the investigated multinuclear complexes, spectro-electrochemical experiments performed in the presence of [Na][B(C6H4(CF3)2)4] show an absorption band in the NIR region consistent with appreciable electrostatic effects and charge delocalization in the mixed valent intermediates.

Radical and diradical states of bis(molybdenocene dithiolene) complexes

The synthesis and characterization of two bis(dithiolene) proligands involving heteroatomic linkers such as 1,4-dithiine and dihydro-1,4-disiline between the two protected dithiolene moieties are described. Two bimetallic complexes involving these heteroatomic bridges between two redox active bis(cyclopentadienyl)molybdenum dithiolene moieties have been synthesized and characterized by electrochemistry, spectroelectrochemistry, and their properties rationalized with (TD-)DFT. Cyclic voltammetry experiments show sequential oxidation of the two redox centers with ΔE values between successive one-electron transfers varying according to the nature of the bridge. Depending on the nature of the heteroatomic bridge, the bis-oxidized complexes exhibit either a diradical character with both radicals essentially localized on the metallacycles, or a closed-shell dicationic state.

Electronic Communication in Binuclear Osmium- and Iridium-Polyhydrides

Reactions of polyhydrides OsH₆(PⁱPr₃)₂ (1) and IrH₅(PⁱPr₃)₂ (2) with rollover cyclometalated hydride complexes have been investigated in order to explore the influence of a metal center on the MH_n unit of the other in mixed valence binuclear polyhydrides. Hexahydride 1 activates an ortho-CH bond of the heterocyclic moiety of the trihydride metal–ligand compounds OsH₃{κ²-C,N-[C₅RH₂N-py]}(PⁱPr₃)₂ (R = H (3), Me (4), Ph (5)). Reactions of 3 and 4 lead to the hexahydrides (PⁱPr₃)₂H₃Os{μ-[κ²-C,N-[C₅RH₂N-C₅H₃N]-N,C-κ²]}OsH₃(PⁱPr₃)₂ (R = H (6), Me (7)), whereas 5 gives the pentahydride (PⁱPr₃)₂H₃Os{μ-[κ²-C,N-[C₅H₃N-C₅(C₆H₄)H₂N]-C,N,C-κ³]}OsH₂(PⁱPr₃)₂ (8). Pentahydride 2 promotes C—H bond activation of 3 and the iridium-dihydride IrH₂{κ²-C,N-[C₅H₃N-py]}(PⁱPr₃)₂ (9) to afford the heterobinuclear pentahydride (PⁱPr₃)₂H₃Os{μ-[κ²-C,N-[C₅H₃N-C₅H₃N]-N,C-κ²]}IrH₂(PⁱPr₃)₂ (10) and the homobinuclear tetrahydride (PⁱPr₃)₂H₂Ir{μ-[κ²-C,N-[C₅H₃N-C₅H₃N]-N,C-κ²]}IrH₂(PⁱPr₃)₂ (11), respectively. Complexes 6–8 and 11 display HOMO delocalization throughout the metal–heterocycle-metal skeleton. Their sequential oxidation generates mono- and diradicals, which exhibit intervalence charge transfer transitions. This notable ability allows the tuning of the strength of the hydrogen–hydrogen and metal–hydrogen interactions within the MH_n units.

The influence of a metal center on the MH_n unit of the other in binuclear osmium- and iridium-polyhydride complexes bearing rollover cyclometalated bipyridines as a bridging ligand has been studied.