STEREOCHEMISTRY OF (R)-2-METHYLAZIRIDINE COMPLEXES OF COBALT(III) AND DIMERIZATION OF THE LIGAND

Abstract

A cobalt(III) complex containing (R)-2-methylaziridine (R-meaz), Co(R-meaz)(NH₃)₅]³⁺, was prepared and the two diastereomers arising from the presence of the chiral nitrogen atom (N(R) and N(S)) were separated by column chromatography. Molecular mechanics calculations estimated the N(R)-isomer to be more stable. This result was supported by the x-ray structure determination of the more abundant (ca. 94%) isomer, N(R)-Co(R-meaz)(NH₃)₅]Br₃H₂O. Crystal data: monoclinic, P2₁, a = 7.357(1), b = 9.780(1), c = 10.426(1) Å, μ = 93.58(1)°, V= 748.7(3) ų, Z= 2. Kinetic studies of isomerization (epimerization) between the two isomers revealed that inversion at the nitrogen center was very slow (5 × 10^?2 M^?1 S^?1at 25 °C). The small rate constant seems to be related to the strained three-membered structure of the meaz ligand. The reaction of Na₃Co(N0₂)6] and R-meaz yielded a complex containing two dimerized R-meaz chelates, trans-Co(NO₂)2(di-R-meaz)₂] (di-R-meaz =RR)-α,2-dimethyl-l-aziridineethanamine). The crystal strucrure of trans-Co(NO₂)₂ (di-R-meaz)₂]C1O₄H₂O was established by x-ray crystallography. Crystal data: orthorhombic, P2₁2₁2₁, a = 11.784(6), b = 21.023(9), c = 8.608(7) Å, V = 2133(2) ų, Z = 4.