Nucleophilic Substitution at the Guanidine Carbon Center via Guanidine Cyclic Diimide Activation

Despite the electron-deficient nature of the guanidine carbon centers, nucleophilic reactions at these sites have been underdeveloped because of the resonance stabilization of the guanidine group. We propose a guanidine C-N bond substitution strategy entailing the formation of guanidine cyclic diimide (GCDI) structures, which effectively destabilize the resonance structure of the guanidine group. In the presence of acid additives, the guanidine carbon center of GCDIs undergoes nucleophilic substitution reactions with various amines and alcohols.

Synthesis and Characterization of Two "Tied-Back" Lithium Ketimides and Isolation of a Ketimide-Bridged [Cr2]6+ Dimer with Strong Antiferromagnetic Coupling

Reaction of 1 equiv of KN(SiMe₃)₂ with 9-fluorenone results in the formation of (Me₃Si)N═C₁₃H₈ (1) in high yield after work-up. Addition of 1 equiv of phenol to 1 results in rapid desilylation and formation of 9-fluorenone imine, HN═C₁₃H₈ (2). Subsequent reaction of 2 with 1 equiv of LiNⁱPr₂ results in deprotonation and formation of [Li(Et₂O)]₄[N═C₁₃H₈]₄ (3) in good yield. Reaction of 1 equiv of KN(SiMe₃)₂ with 2-adamantanone for 7 days at room temperature results in the formation of (Me₃Si)N═C₁₀H₁₄ (4) in good yield. Dissolution of 4 in neat MeOH results in rapid desilylation concomitant with formation of 2-adamantanone imine, HN═C₁₀H₁₄ (5). Subsequent reaction of 5 with 1 equiv of LiNⁱPr₂ results in formation of [Li(THF)]₄[N═C₁₀H₁₄]₄ (6). Both 3 and 6 were characterized by X-ray crystallography. Finally, reaction of CrCl₃ with 3.5 equiv of 6 results in formation of the [Cr₂]⁶⁺ dimer, [Li][Cr₂(N═C₁₀H₁₄)₇] (7), which can be isolated in modest yield after work-up. Complex 7 features a Cr-Cr bond length of 2.653(2) Å. Additionally, solid-state magnetic susceptibility measurements reveal strong antiferromagnetic coupling between the two Cr centers, with J = -200 cm^-1.

Lithium and Dilithium Guanidinates, a Starter Kit for Metal Complexes Containing Various Mono- and Dianionic Ligands

Comparative studies of the synthesis of lithium guanidinates via nucleophilic addition of lithium amides to carbodiimides were performed. Four combinations of small or sterically crowded carbodiimide and sterically crowded lithium amide or lithium amide containing an adjacent amino donor group give ten different types of complexes. In particular, 2,6-[(CH₃)₂CH]₂C₆H₃NHLi (DipNHLi, 1) reacts with (CH₃)₂CHN═C═NCH(CH₃)₂ upon the formation of the dissymmetric dimeric complex 2 with four-coordinate Li atoms. In contrast, 1 with DipN═C═NDip gives the mononuclear lithium guanidinate 3 with two-coordinate lithium by κ¹-guanidinate, solvent molecule, and additional interaction with a π-electron cloud of one of the Dip groups. Analogous reactions of 2-[(CH₃)₂NCH₂]C₆H₄NHLi (7) yield complexes 8 and 9, where the adjacent amino donors are always coordinated. Further deprotonation of 2, 3, 8, and 9 leads to dilithium guanidinates(2-)-4, 5, 10, and 11, among which only 5, containing three Dip groups, is monomeric with contacts to two π-electron systems of Dip groups. The rest of the complexes are tetranuclear with different structural patterns. In the central parts of molecules, toward which the nitrogen atoms of the guanidinates are oriented, lithium atoms are usually pseudotetrahedral, but trigonal in peripheral parts. Adjacent solvent molecules, chelating amino groups, and π-electron systems of Dip groups are coordinated in order to complete coordination polyhedra. Complexes 4 and 5 deoligomerize in solution upon the formation of fluxional monomeric dilithium species. Conversely, 11 is a dimer in solution due to the strong donation of an amino group. The silylated lithium amide {2-[(CH₃)₂NCH₂]C₆H₄}[(Si(CH₃)₃]NLi (12) reacts with both carbodiimides to give dinuclear 13 obtained from diisopropylcarbodiimide and monomeric 14 from the second carbodiimide. Complexes 13 and 14 structurally resemble 8 and 9, with the highest degree of the localization of π-electron density within the N₃C guanidinate system, η³-contact to the Dip ring, and a lack of the solvent molecule in 14.

Mixed dysprosium-lanthanide nitride clusterfullerenes DyM2N@C80-Ih and Dy2MN@C80-Ih (M = Gd, Er, Tm, and Lu): synthesis, molecular structure, and quantum motion of the endohedral nitrogen atom

Systematic exploration of the synthesis of mixed-metal Dy-M nitride clusterfullerenes (NCFs, M = Gd, Er, Tm, Lu) is performed, and the impact of the second metal on the relative yield is evaluated. We demonstrate that the ionic radius of the metal appears to be the main factor allowing explanation of the relative yields in Dy-M mixed-metal systems with M = Sc, Lu, Er, and Gd. At the same time, Dy-Tm NCFs show anomalously low yields, which is not consistent with the relatively small ionic radius of Tm³⁺ but can be explained by the high third ionization potential of Tm. Complete separation of Dy-Gd and Dy-Er, as well as partial separation of Dy-Lu M₃N@C₈₀ nitride clusterfullerenes, is accomplished by recycling HPLC. The molecular structures of DyGd₂N@C₈₀ and DyEr₂N@C₈₀ are analyzed by means of single-crystal X-ray diffraction. A remarkable ordering of mixed-metal nitride clusters is found despite similar size and electronic properties of the metals. Possible pyramidalization of the nitride clusters in these and other nitride clusterfullerenes is critically analyzed with the help of DFT calculations and reconstruction of the nitrogen inversion barrier in M₃N@C₈₀ molecules is performed. Although a double-well potential with a pyramidal cluster structure is found to be common for most of them, the small size of the inversion barrier often leads to an apparent planar structure of the cluster. This situation is found for those M₃N@C₈₀ molecules in which the energy of the lowest vibrational level exceeds that of the inversion barrier, including Dy₃N@C₈₀ and DyEr₂N@C₈₀. The genuine pyramidal structure can be observed by X-ray diffraction only when the lowest vibrational level is below the inversion barrier, such as those found in Gd₃N@C₈₀ and DyGd₂N@C₈₀. The quantum nature of molecular vibrations becomes especially apparent when the size of the inversion barrier is comparable to the energy of the lowest vibrational levels.

Magnetization relaxation in the single-ion magnet DySc2N@C80: quantum tunneling, magnetic dilution, and unconventional temperature dependence

Quantum tunneling and relaxation of magnetization in single molecule magnet DySc₂N@C₈₀ is thoroughly studied as a function of magnetic dilution, temperature, and magnetic field.

Relaxation of magnetization in endohedral metallofullerenes DySc₂N@C₈₀ is studied at different temperatures, in different magnetic fields, and in different molecular arrangements. Magnetization behavior and relaxation are analyzed for powder sample, and for DySc₂N@C₈₀ diluted in non-magnetic fullerene Lu₃N@C₈₀, adsorbed in voids of a metal–organic framework, and dispersed in a polymer. The magnetic field dependence and zero-field relaxation are also studied for single-crystals of DySc₂N@C₈₀ co-crystallized with Ni(ii) octaethylporphyrin, as well as for the single crystal diluted with Lu₃N@C₈₀. Landau–Zener theory is applied to analyze quantum tunneling of magnetization in the crystals. The field dependence of relaxation rates revealed a dramatic dependence of the zero-field tunneling resonance width on the dilution and is explained with the help of an analysis of dipolar field distributions. AC magnetometry is used then to get access to the relaxation of magnetization in a broader temperature range, from 2 to 87 K. Finally, a theoretical framework describing the spin dynamics with dissipation is proposed to study magnetization relaxation phenomena in single molecule magnets.

Cerium tetrakis(diisopropylamide)--a useful precursor for cerium(IV) chemistry

Homoleptic cerium(IV) diisopropylamide was synthesized via oxidation of ate complex Ce(NiPr2)4Li(thf) with trityl chloride or hexachloroethane. Due to its ready accessibility, and high pKa value of the proligand HNiPr2, Ce(NiPr2)4 features a promising candidate for protonolysis reactions, as shown for the synthesis of dimeric cerium(IV) tetrakis(1,1,3,3-N,N,N',N'-tetramethylguanidinate).

Heterometallic rare-earth metal complexes with imino-functionalized 8-hydroxyquinolyl ligands: synthesis, characterization and catalytic activity towards hydrophosphinylation of trans-β-nitroalkene

The heterobimetallic complexes exhibited high catalytic activities on the hydrophosphinylation of β-nitroalkenes.