Transmission of trans effects in dinuclear complexes

Facile Transformations of a Binuclear Cp*Co(II) Diamidonaphthalene Complex to Mixed-Valent Co(II)Co(III), Co(III)(μ-H)Co(III), and Co(III)(μ-OH)Co(III) Derivatives

A diamido-bridged dicobalt complex supported by a diamidonaphthalene ligand, Cp*₂Co₂(μ-1,8-C₁₀H₈(NH)₂) (1), was synthesized, and the reactivity relevant to redox transformations of the Co₂N₂ core was investigated. It was found that the Co(II)-Co(II) bond allows for protonation by [HPPh₃][BF₄] resulting in a bridging hydride, [1H]⁺, with pK_a ∼ 7.6 in CH₂Cl₂. The diamidonaphthalene ligand can stabilize the binuclear system in the Co(II)Co(III) mixed-valent state (1⁺), which is capable of binding CO to afford [1-CO]⁺. Surprisingly, the mixed-valent complex also activates H₂O to furnish a Co(III)Co(III) hydroxy complex [1-OH]⁺ accompanied by release of H₂. The hydroxy ligand in [1-OH]⁺ is exchangeable, as demonstrated by ¹⁸O-labeling experiments on [1-OH]⁺ with H₂¹⁸O that led to the heavier isotopolog [1-¹⁸OH]⁺.

Oxidative addition of an aromatic ortho C-H bond of tetraphosphine to asymmetric diiridium(i) centres

Reactions of a tetraphosphine, meso-bis{[(diphenylphosphinomethyl)phenyl]phosphino}propane (dpmppp), with [IrCl(cod)]2 and CO (1 atm) or isocyanide (RNC) in the presence of NH4PF6 at 80-100 °C in dichloromethane/acetonitrile/acetone and/or methanol mixed solvents afforded asymmetric diiridium(ii) complexes, [Ir2(H)(Cl)(μ-(dpmppp-H)-κP(4)C)(CO)3]PF6 (1) and [Ir2(H)(μ-(dpmppp-H)-κP(4)C)(RNC)4)]-(PF6)2 (R = 2,6-xylyl (2), 2,4,6-mesityl (3); dpmppp-H = {PPh(o-C6H4)CH2P(Ph)(CH2)3P(Ph)CH2PPh2}(-)). A similar reaction with (t)BuNC resulted in the formation of a mononuclear Ir(III) complex of [Ir(H)(dpmppp-κP(3))((t)BuNC)2](PF6)2 (4). Complexes 1-3 were characterized by ESI mass spectrometry, (1)H and (31)P NMR spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction analyses. They were found to consist of cis/trans-P,P asymmetric Ir(II)-Ir(II) bonded dinuclear structures derived from oxidative addition of an ortho C-H bond of dpmppp (Ir-Ir = 2.8044(2) Å (1), 2.8569(2) Å (2), and 2.8524(5) Å (3)), resulting in a [IrPCCIr] intermetallic cyclometal-bridge and a terminal hydride. DFT calculations indicated the presence of Ir-Ir, Ir-H, and Ir-Cortho covalent bonds. Initial stages of the reactions with CO and XylNC at room temperature were investigated by (31)P{(1)H} NMR spectroscopy and found to contain a symmetrical Ir(I) dinuclear unit with dpmppp that was readily transformed into 1 and 2 upon heating. The Ir intermediate with XylNC, [Ir2(XylNC)4(μ-dpmppp)](PF6)2 (6), was isolated and characterized by X-ray crystallography and DFT calculations as an electron-deficient 32e(-) Ir species involving a Ir(I)→Ir(I) dative bond (2.7989(5) Å). The reaction pathways from 6 to 2 were investigated by DFT calculations. The present study suggested that a novel oxidative addition of an ortho C-H bond proceeded on the cis/trans-P,P asymmetric diiridium(i) scaffold supported by the tetraphosphine, dpmppp, which was assumed to be facilitated by dimetal cooperation with switching Ir→Ir dative interactions.

Multiple deprotonation of primary aromatic diamines by LiAlH4

Reaction of LiAlH₄with 1,2-phenylenediamine (1H₄) in THF gives [{Al(1H₂)}₂{Al(1H)₂}₂][Li(THF)₂]₄, containing the largest aluminate of its type so far reported.

Mechanistic Investigations of Imine Hydrogenation Catalyzed by Dinuclear Iridium Complexes

Treatment of [Ir2(mu-H)(mu-Pz)2H3(NCMe)(PiPr3)2] (1) with one equivalent of HBF4 or [PhNH=CHPh]BF4 affords efficient catalysts for the homogeneous hydrogenation of N-benzylideneaniline. The reaction of 1 with HBF4 leads to the trihydride-dihydrogen complex [Ir2(mu-H)(mu-Pz)2H2(eta2-H2)(NCMe)(PiPr3)2]BF4 (2), which has been characterized by NMR spectroscopy and DFT calculations on a model complex. Complex 2 reacts with imines such as tBuN=CHPh or PhN=CHPh to afford amine complexes [Ir2(mu-H)(mu-Pz)2H2(NCMe){L}(PiPr3)2]BF4 (L = NH(tBu)CH2Ph, 3; NH(Ph)CH2Ph, 4) through a sequence of proton- and hydride-transfer steps. Dihydrogen partially displaces the amine ligand of 4 to form 2; this complements a possible catalytic cycle for the N-benzylideneaniline hydrogenation in which the amine-by-dihydrogen substitution is the turnover-determining step. The rates of ligand substitution in 4 and its analogues with labile ligands other than amine are dependent upon the nature of the leaving ligand and independent on the incoming ligand concentration, in agreement with dissociative substitutions. Water complex [Ir2(mu-H)(mu-Pz)2H2(NCMe)(OH2)(PiPr3)2]BF4 (7) hydrolyzes N-benzylideneaniline, which eventually affords the poor hydrogenation catalyst [Ir2(mu-H)(mu-Pz)2H2(NCMe)(NH2Ph)(PiPr3)2]BF4 (11). The rate law for the catalytic hydrogenation in 1,2-dichloroethane with complex [Ir2(mu-H)(mu-Pz)2H2(OSO2CF3)(NCMe)(PiPr3)2] (8) as catalyst precursor is rate = k[8]{p(H2)}; this is in agreement with the catalytic cycle deduced from the stochiometric experiments. The hydrogenation reaction takes place at a single iridium center of the dinuclear catalyst, although ligand modifications at the neighboring iridium center provoke changes in the hydrogenation rate. Even though this catalyst system is also capable of effectively hydrogenating alkenes, N-benzylideneaniline can be selectively hydrogenated in the presence of simple alkenes.

Selective Coupling of Methylene Groups at a Rh/Os Core, Yielding C2, C3, or C4 Fragments: Roles of the Adjacent Metals in Carbon−Carbon Bond Formation

The mixed-metal complex, [RhOs(CO)(4)(dppm)(2)][BF(4)] (1; dppm = micro-Ph(2)PCH(2)PPh(2)) reacts with diazomethane to yield a number of products resulting from methylene incorporation into the bimetallic core. At -80 degrees C the reaction between 1 and CH(2)N(2) yields the methylene-bridged [RhOs(CO)(3)(micro-CH(2))(micro-CO)(dppm)(2)][BF(4)] (2), which reacts further at ambient temperature to give the allyl methyl species, [RhOs(eta(1)-C(3)H(5))(CH(3))(CO)(3)(dppm)(2)][BF(4)] (4). At intermediate temperatures compounds 1 and 2 react with diazomethane to yield the butanediyl complex [RhOs(C(4)H(8))(CO)(3)(dppm)(2)][BF(4)] (3) by the incorporation and coupling of four methylene units. Compound 2 is proposed to be an intermediate in the formation of 3 and 4 from 1 and on the basis of labeling studies a mechanism has been proposed in which sequential insertions of diazomethane-generated methylene fragments into the Rh-C bond of bridging hydrocarbyl fragments occur. Reaction of the tricarbonyl species, [RhOs(CO)(3)(micro-CH(2))(dppm)(2)][BF(4)] with diazomethane over a range of temperatures generates the ethylene complex [RhOs(eta(2)-C(2)H(4))(CO)(3)(dppm)(2)][BF(4)] (7a), but no further incorporation of methylene groups is observed. This observation suggests that carbonyl loss in the formation of the above allyl and butanediyl species only occurs after incorporation of the third methylene fragment. Attempts to generate C(2)-bridged species by the reaction of 1 with ethylene gave no reaction, however, in the presence of trimethylamine oxide the ethylene adducts [RhOs(eta(2)-C(2)H(4))(CO)(3)(dppm)(2)][BF(4)] (7b; an isomer of 7a) and [RhOs(eta(2)-C(2)H(4))(2)(CO)(2)(dppm)(2)][BF(4)] (8) were obtained. The relationship of the above products to the selective coupling of methylene groups, and the roles of the different metals are discussed.