Synthesis and characterisation of the amidine complexes trans-[PtCl(NH3){HNC(NH2)R}2]Cl (R = Me, Ph, CH2Ph) derived from addition of NH3 to the coordinated nitriles in trans-[PtCl2(NCR)2]

The di-nitrile complexes trans-[PtCl₂(NCR)₂] (R = Me, Ph, CH₂Ph) react with an excess of gaseous NH₃ in CH₂Cl₂ at −10 °C to form, in high yield, the corresponding di-amidine complexes trans-[PtCl(NH₃){HNC(NH₂)R}₂]Cl in which also one chlorine ligand has been displaced by NH₃. The ¹H NMR spectra in DMSO showed the formation of different species which were characterized through NOESY, TOCSY and ¹H/¹³C heteronuclear correlations as trans-[Pt(NH₃){HNC(NH₂)R}₂(DMSO)]Cl₂ and trans-[PtCl{HNC(NH₂)R}₂(DMSO)]Cl.     

Reaction of metal carbonyl anions with electrophilic alkynes: Synthesis of isomeric η-acryloyl and σ-vinyl complexes

Treatment of the metal carbonylate anions [CpMo(CO)₂(L)]⁻ (Cp = η-C₅H₅; L = PPh₂Me, PPh₂Et) with the electrophilic alkynes methyl propiolate or DMAD (RCCCO₂Me, where R = H or CO₂Me, respectively) followed by protonation affords the η³-acryloyl (1-oxoallyl) complexes [CpMo(η³-COCRCHCO₂Me)(CO)(L)] (3a-d) as the major products, together with the isomeric vinyl complexes trans-[CpMo(CRCHCO₂Me)(CO)₂(L)] (4a-d). On the basis of the regioselectivity of the reaction, it is proposed that nucleophilic attack of the carbonylate anion occurs at the alkyne carbon bearing R; migration of the anionic vinyl ligand to a CO followed by protonation gives 3, whereas protonation without insertion gives 4. The X-ray structures of the acryloyl complex [CpMo(η³-COCHCHCO₂Me)(CO)(PPh₂Me)] (3b) and its vinyl isomer [CpMo(σ-CHCHCO₂Me)(CO)₂(PPh₂Me)] (4b) have been determined.     

Synthesis and structures of gold(I) phosphine complexes containing monoanionic selenocarbamate ester ligands

A series of mono- and dinuclear gold(I) phosphine complexes of the type [Au{SeC(OMe)NPh}(P)] [P = PPh₃, PTA, P(o-tolyl)₃, P(p-MeOC₆H₄)₃] and [Au₂{SeC(OMe)NPh}₂(μ-PP)] (PP = dppm, dppe, dppp, dppf, dppee) were prepared from the reaction of the appropriate chlorogold(I) phosphine complexes with N-phenyl-O-methylselenocarbamide in the presence of base. These new complexes were fully characterised by spectroscopic techniques and, in several cases, by X-ray crystallography. The differences in the solid-state structures of these selenium complexes were compared with those of some sulfur analogues.     

Chlorophosphaalkenyl- and chloroalkenylstibanes

Mono-, bis- and tris(chlorophosphaalkenyl)stibanes have been obtained from Mes^∗PC(SiMe₃)Li (Mes^∗ = 2,4,6-tri-tert-butylphenyl) or from the phosphaalkene carbenoid Mes^∗PC(X)Li (X = Cl) and SbF₃, Mes^∗Sb(OMes^∗)F or Mes^∗SbF₂. Bis[chloroalkenyl]stibanes [R₂CC(Cl)]₂SbCl (R₂C = fluorenylidene and 2,7-di-tert-butylfluorenylidene) have also been obtained from R₂CC(Cl)Li and SbCl₃.     

Synthesis and crystal structures of cyclodiazastannoxides fused cyclopentadienyl M-Sn (M = Mo, W) bonded organometallic heterocycle

The condensation reaction of CH₃COC₅H₄M(CO)₃SnCl₃ (M = Mo or W) with PyCONHNH₂ (Py = 2,3,4-pyridyl or 2-pyridylmethyl) in mild conditions yields cyclodiazastannoxides fused cyclopentadienyl M-Sn bonded organometallic heterocycle {μ-[C₅H₄(CH₃)CN-NC(O)PyH]M(CO)₃SnCl₃}. The similar reaction of CH₃COC₅H₄M(CO)₃SnCl₃ with ArCONHNH₂ (Ar = 2-furanyl) gives complexes μ-[C₅H₄(CH₃)CN-NC(O)Ar]M(CO)₃SnCl₂(H₂O), in which the water molecule can be replaced by other N-donor ligands, such as pyridine or 4,4-bipyridine. Arene-bridged organometallic heterocyclic complexes μ-{[C₅H₄(CH₃)CN-NC(O)]₂C₆H₄}{M(CO)₃SnCl₂(Solvent)}₂ have also been prepared by the reaction of CH₃COC₅H₄M(CO)₃SnCl₃ with terephthaloyl hydrazine. In these new organometallic heterocyclic complexes, it seems that the tin atom prefers to be six-coordinate through absorbing the chloridion or solvent molecules.     

Synthesis and MMA polymerization of chiral ansa-zirconocene ester enolate complexes with C2- and Cs-ligation

A series of chiral ansa-zirconocene ester enolate complexes incorporating C₂- or C_s-symmetric ligands, including neutral rac-(EBI)ZrCl[OC(OⁱPr)CMe₂] (1), rac-(EBI)Zr(OTf)[OC(OⁱPr)CMe₂] (2), rac-(EBI)Zr(OTf)[OC(OMe)C(Me)CH₂C(Me₂)C(OⁱPr)O] (3), [Me₂C(Cp)(Flu)]ZrMe[OC(OⁱPr)CMe₂] (4), and cationic [Me₂C(Cp)(Flu)]Zr⁺(THF)[OC(OⁱPr)CMe₂][MeB(C₆F₅)₃]⁻ (5), have been synthesized. Within the neutral C₂-ligated zirconocene ester enolate series, the chloride derivative 1 is inactive toward any methyl methacrylate (MMA) additions, the methyl derivative rac-(EBI)ZrMe[OC(OⁱPr)CMe₂] adds cleanly only 1 equiv. of MMA, and the triflate derivative 2 can add either 1 equiv. of MMA to form the single-MMA-addition product 3 or multiple equivalents of MMA to form P(MMA). Unlike the C_s-ligated methyl cation [Me₂C(Cp)(Flu)ZrMe]⁺, which is inactive for MMA polymerization under various conditions, the C_s-ligated ester enolate cation 5 is moderately active for polymerization of MMA and N,N-dimethylacrylamide at ambient temperature; the resulting P(MMA) has a high molecular weight of M_n = 388 000 Da but a low syndiotacticity of [rr] = 64%, and the polymerization conforms to a chain-end control mechanism.