Cooperative activation of carbon-hydrogen bonds by heterobimetallic systems

Mechanistic Studies of Alkyl Chloride Acetoxylation by Pt-Sb Complexes

The bis-acetate complexes (SbQ3)Pt(OAc)2 (1) and (SbQ2Ph)Pt(OAc)2 (2) (Q = 8-quinolinyl) were used to study C-Cl acetoxylation of 1,2-dichloroethane (DCE) to generate 2-chloroethyl acetate and the complexes (SbQ3)PtCl2 (1b) and (SbQ2Ph)PtCl2 (2b), respectively. The first acetoxylation step produced the intermediates (SbQ3)Pt(Cl)(OAc) (1a) and (SbQ2Ph)Pt(Cl)(OAc) (2a). The reaction was studied using pseudo first order kinetics (excess DCE) in order to compare the rates of reaction of 1 and 2, which revealed that k obs = 2.44(6) × 10-4 s-1 for 1 and 0.51(2) × 10-4 s-1 for 2. The intermediate 1a was synthesized independently, and the solid-state structure was determined using single crystal X-ray diffraction. A non-Sb containing control complex, (tbpy)Pt(OAc)2 (3) (tbpy = 4,4'-di-tert-butyl-2,2'bipyridine), was studied for the acetoxylation of DCE to form (tbpy)Pt(Cl)(OAc) with k obs = 0.46(1) × 10-4 s-1. Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations were used to examine possible Pt-mediated mechanisms for the reactions of 1, 2, or 3 with DCE. The lowest energy calculated substitution mechanism occurs with nucleophilic attack by the Pt center on the C-Cl bond followed acetate reaction with the Pt-C bond. However, close in energy and potentially also a viable mechanism is a direct substitution mechanism where the coordinated acetate anion directly reacts with the C-Cl bond of DCE. In addition, the rate of acetoxylation for complex 1 in heated dichloromethane-d 2 and chloroform-d was determined (0.43(1) × 10-4 s-1 for dichloromethane-d 2 and 0.37(1) × 10-4 s-1 for chloroform-d) and compared to the rate of acetoxylation of DCE.

Catalytic H/D exchange of (hetero)arenes with early-late polyhydride heterobimetallic complexes: impact of transition metal pairs

Metal-catalyzed hydrogen isotope exchange (HIE) has become a valuable method for incorporating deuterium and tritium into organic molecules, with applications in a wide range of scientific fields. This study explores the role of transition metal cooperativity in enhancing catalytic hydrogen/deuterium (H/D) exchange using early-late heterobimetallic polyhydride (ELHB) complexes. A series of four ELHB complexes, of general formula [M(CH2tBu)3(H)xM'Cp*], combining early transition metals (M = Hf, Ta) with late metals (M' = Ir, Os), were synthesized and evaluated for their catalytic activity in HIE of (hetero)arenes. Hafnium-iridium and hafnium-osmium complexes showed a clear improvement in catalytic efficiency and reaction rate over monometallic analogues, suggestive of metal-metal synergy. Conversely, the tantalum-based heterobimetallic complexes showed lower catalytic performance, revealing that not all metal combinations are equally effective. These results underline the importance of careful metal selection to optimize transition metal cooperativity, and open up new possibilities for the design of more efficient H/D exchange catalysts.

Hydrogenation Reactions with Heterobimetallic Complexes

Hydrogenations are fundamentally and industrially important reactions that are atom economical paths to synthesize value-added products from feedstock chemicals. The cooperative effects of two or more metal centers in multimetallic active sites is a successful strategy to activate small molecules and facilitate catalytic reactions, and this strategy has been recently applied to catalytic hydrogenation reactions. Furthermore, heterobimetallic complexes have been well-documented to provide novel reaction pathways and improved selectivity, compared to their homo-bimetallic and monometallic analogues. This minireview provides a historical perspective on the development of heterobimetallic catalysts for the hydrogenation of unsaturated substrates and describes recent developments in this burgeoning research area.

Isolobal Cationic Iridium Dihydride and Dizinc Complexes: A Dual Role for the ZnR Ligand Enhances H2 Activation

The reaction of [Ir(IPr)2H2][BArF4] (1; IPr = 1,3-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)imidazol-2-ylidene; BArF4 = B{C6H3(3,5-CF3)2}4) with ZnMe2 proceeds with CH4 elimination to give [Ir(IPr)(IPr')(ZnMe)2H][BArF4] (3, where (IPr') is a cyclometalated IPr ligand). 3 reacts with H2 to form tetrahydride [Ir(IPr)2(ZnMe)2H4][BArF4], 4, that loses H2 under forcing conditions to form [Ir(IPr)2(ZnMe)2H2][BArF4], 5. Crystallization of 3 also results in the formation of its noncyclometalated isomer, [Ir(IPr)2(ZnMe)2][BArF4], 2, in the solid state. Reactions of 1 and CdMe2 form [Ir(IPr)2(CdMe)2][BArF4], 6, and [Ir(IPr)(IPr')(CdMe)2H][BArF4], 7, which reacts with H2 to give [Ir(IPr)2(CdMe)2H4][BArF4], 8, and [Ir(IPr)2(CdMe)2H2][BArF4], 9. Structures of 2-8 are determined crystallographically. Computational analyses show the various hydrides in 3-5 sit on a terminal to bridging continuum, with bridging hydrides exhibiting greater Znδ+···Hδ- electrostatic interaction. The isolobal analogy between H and ZnMe ligands holds when both are present as terminal ligands. However, the electrostatic component to the Znδ+···Hδ- unit renders it significantly different to a nominally isolobal H···H moiety. Thus, H2 addition to 3 is irreversible, whereas H2 addition to 1 reversibly forms highly fluxional [Ir(IPr)2(η2-H2)2H2][BArF4], 11. Computed mechanisms for cyclometalation and H2 addition showcase the role of the bridging Znδ+···Hδ- moiety in promoting reactivity. In this, the Lewis acidic ZnMe ligand plays a dual role: as a terminal Z-type ligand that can stabilize electron-rich Ir centers through direct Ir-ZnMe bonding, or by stabilizing strongly hydridic character via Znδ+···Hδ- interactions.

Synthesis, Structure, and Bonding of Actinide-Rhenium Polyhydrides

The synthesis of actinide tetrarhenate complexes completes a series of iridate, osmate, and rhenate polyhydrides, allowing for structural and bonding comparisons to be made. Computational studies examine the bonding interactions, particularly between metals, in these complexes. Several factors─including metal oxidation state, coordination number, and dispersion effects─affect metal-metal distances and covalency in these actinide tetrametallates. Related osmium and rhenium octametallic U2M6 clusters are synthesized and described, and subjected to similar structural and electronic analyses.

Synthesis of Quinoline-Based Pt-Sb Complexes with L- or Z-Type Interaction: Ligand-Controlled Redox via Anion Transfer

A series of Pt-Sb complexes with two or three L-type quinoline side arms were prepared and studied. Two ligands, tri(8-quinolinyl)stibane (SbQ3, Q = 8-quinolinyl, 1) and 8,8'-(phenylstibanediyl)diquinoline (SbQ2Ph, 2), were used to synthesize the PtII-SbIII complexes (SbQ3)PtCl2 (3) and (SbQ2Ph)PtCl2 (4). Chloride abstraction with AgOAc provided the bis-acetate complexes (SbQ3)Pt(OAc)2 (5) and (SbQ2Ph)Pt(OAc)2 (6). To better understand the electronic effects of the Sb moiety, analogous bis-chloride complexes were oxidized to an overall formal oxidation state of +7 (i.e., Pt + Sb formal oxidation states = 7) using dichloro(phenyl)-λ3-iodane (PhICl2) and 3,4,5,6-tetrachloro-1,2-dibenzoquinone (o-chloranil) as two-electron oxidants. Depending on the oxidant, different conformational changes occur within the coordination sphere of Pt as confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction and NMR spectroscopy. In addition, the nature of Pt-Sb interactions was evaluated via molecular and localized orbital calculations.

PuCl3{CoCp[OP(OEt)2]3}: transuranic elements entering the field of heterometallic molecular chemistry

Recent advances enabled the discovery of heterometallic molecules for many metals: main group, d-block, lanthanides, and some actinides (U, Th). These complexes have at least two different metals joined by bridging ligands or by direct metal-metal bonding interactions. They are attractive because they can enable chemical cooperativity between metals from different parts of the periodic table. Some heterometallics provide access to unique reactivity and others exhibit physical properties that cannot be accessed by homometallic species. We envisioned that transuranic heterometallics might similarly enable new transuranic chemistry, though synthetic routes to such compounds have yet to be developed. Reported here is the first synthesis of a molecular transuranic complex that contains plutonium (Pu) and cobalt (Co). Our analyses of PuCl3{CoCp[OP(OEt)2]3} showed Pu(iv) and Co(iii) were present and suggested that the Pu(iv) oxidation state was stabilized by the electron donating phosphite ligands. This synthetic method - and the demonstration that Pu(iv) can be stabilized in a heterobimetallic molecular setting - provides a foundation for further exploration of transuranic multimetallic chemistry.

CO2 cleavage by tantalum/M (M = iridium, osmium) heterobimetallic complexes

A novel Ta/Os heterobimetallic complex, [Ta(CH2tBu)3(μ-H)3OsCp*], 2, is prepared by protonolysis of Ta(CHtBu)(CH2tBu)3 with Cp*OsH5. Treatment of 2 and its iridium analogue [Ta(CH2tBu)3(μ-H)2IrCp*], 1, with CO2 under mild conditions reveal the efficient cleavage of CO2, driven by the formation of a tantalum oxo species in conjunction with CO transfer to the osmium or iridium fragments, to form Cp*Ir(CO)H2 and Cp*Os(CO)H3, respectively. This bimetallic reactivity diverges from more classical CO2 insertion into metal-X (X = metal, hydride, alkyl) bonds.

π-Bonding of Group 11 Metals to a Tantalum Alkylidyne Alkyl Complex Promotes Unusual Tautomerism to Bis-alkylidene and CO2 to Ketenyl Transformation

A salt metathesis synthetic strategy is used to access rare tantalum/coinage metal (Cu, Ag, Au) heterobimetallic complexes. Specifically, complex [Li(THF)2][Ta(CtBu)(CH2tBu)3], 1, reacts with (IPr)MCl (M = Cu, Ag, Au, IPr = 1,3-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)imidazol-2-ylidene) to afford the alkylidyne-bridged species [Ta(CH2tBu)3(μ-CtBu)M(IPr)] 2-M. Interestingly, π-bonding of group 11 metals to the Ta─C moiety promotes a rare alkylidyne alkyl to bis-alkylidene tautomerism, in which compounds 2-M are in equilibrium with [Ta(CHtBu)(CH2tBu)2(μ-CHtBu)M(IPr)] 3-M. This equilibrium was studied in detail using NMR spectroscopy and computational studies. This reveals that the equilibrium position is strongly dependent on the nature of the coinage metal going down the group 11 triad, thus offering a new valuable avenue for controlling this phenomenon. Furthermore, we show that these uncommon bimetallic couples could open attractive opportunities for synergistic reactivity. We notably report an uncommon deoxygenative carbyne transfer to CO2 resulting in rare examples of coinage metal ketenyl species, (tBuCCO)M(IPr), 4-M (M = Cu, Ag, Au). In the case of the Ta/Li analogue 1, the bis(alkylidene) tautomer is not detected, and the reaction with CO2 does not cleanly yield ketenyl species, which highlights the pivotal role played by the coinage metal partner in controlling these unconventional reactions.

Photolysis-driven bond activation by thorium and uranium tetraosmate polyhydride complexes

Transition metal multimetallic complexes have seen intense study due to their unique bonding and potential for cooperative reactivity, but actinide-transition metal (An-TM) species are far less understood. We have synthesized uranium- and thorium-osmium heterometallic polyhydride complexes in order to study An-Os bonding and investigate the reactivity of An-Os interactions. Computational studies suggest the presence of a significant bonding interaction between the actinide center and the four coordinated osmium centers supported by bridging hydrides. Upon photolysis, these complexes undergo intramolecular C-H activation with the formation of an Os-Os bond, while the thorium complex may activate an additional C-H bond of the benzene solvent, resulting in a μ-η1,η1 phenyl ligand across one Th-Os interaction.

Application of Bis(amido)alkyl Magnesiates toward the Synthesis of Molecular Rubidium and Cesium Hydrido-magnesiates

Rubidium and cesium are the least studied naturally occurring s-block metals in organometallic chemistry but are in plentiful supply from a sustainability viewpoint as highlighted in the periodic table of natural elements published by the European Chemical Society. This underdevelopment reflects the phenomenal success of organometallic compounds of lithium, sodium, and potassium, but interest in heavier congeners has started to grow. Here, the synthesis and structures of rubidium and cesium bis(amido)alkyl magnesiates [(AM)MgN'2alkyl]∞, where N' is the simple heteroamide -N(SiMe3)(Dipp), and alkyl is nBu or CH2SiMe3, are reported. More stable than their nBu analogues, the reactivities of the CH2SiMe3 magnesiates toward 1,4-cyclohexadiene are revealed. Though both reactions produce target hydrido-magnesiates [(AM)MgN'2H]2 in crystalline form amenable to X-ray diffraction study, the cesium compound could only be formed in a trace quantity. These studies showed that the bulk of the -N(SiMe3)(Dipp) ligand was sufficient to restrict both compounds to dimeric structures. Bearing some resemblance to inverse crown complexes, each structure has [(AM)(N)(Mg)(N)]2 ring cores but differ in having no AM-N bonds, instead Rb and Cs complete the rings by engaging in multihapto interactions with Dipp π-clouds. Moreover, their hydride ions occupy μ3-(AM)2Mg environments, compared to μ2-Mg2 environments in inverse crowns.

Highly Selective and Efficient Perdeuteration of n-Pentane via H/D Exchange Catalyzed by a Silica-Supported Hafnium-Iridium Bimetallic Complex

A Surface OrganoMetallic Chemistry (SOMC) approach is used to prepare a novel hafnium-iridium catalyst immobilized on silica, HfIr/SiO2, featuring well-defined [≡SiOHf(CH2 tBu)2(μ-H)3IrCp*] surface sites. Unlike the monometallic analogous materials Hf/SiO2 and Ir/SiO2, which promote n-pentane deuterogenolysis through C-C bond scission, we demonstrate that under the same experimental conditions (1 bar D2, 250 °C, 3 h, 0.5 mol %), the heterobimetallic catalyst HfIr/SiO2 is highly efficient and selective for the perdeuteration of alkanes with D2, exemplified on n-pentane, without substantial deuterogenolysis (<2 % at 95 % conversion). Furthermore this HfIr/SiO2 catalyst is robust and can be re-used several times without evidence of decomposition. This represents substantial advance in catalytic H/D isotope exchange (HIE) reactions of C(sp3)-H bonds.

Bimetallic H2 Addition and Intramolecular Caryl-H Activation Mediated by an Iron-Zinc Hydride

Heteronuclear Fe(μ-H)Zn hydride Cp*Fe(1,2-Cy2PC6H4)HZnEt (3) undergoes reversible intramolecular Caryl-H reductive elimination through coupling of the cyclometalated phosphinoaryl ligand and the hydride, giving rise to a formal Fe(0)-Zn(II) species. Addition of CO intercepts this equilibrium, affording Cp*(Cy2PPh)(CO)Fe-ZnEt that features a dative Fe-Zn bond. Significantly, this system achieves bimetallic H2 addition, as demonstrated by the transformation of the monohydride Fe(μ-H)Zn to a deuterated dihydride Fe-(μ-D)2-Zn upon reaction with D2.