The C-H activation of methane by laser-ablated zirconium atoms: CH2=ZrH2, the simplest carbene hydride complex, agostic bonding, and (CH3)2ZrH2

Reaction of laser-ablated Zr with CH(4) ((13)CH(4), CD(4), and CH(2)D(2)) in excess neon during condensation at 5 K forms CH(2)=ZrH(2), the simplest alkylidene hydride complex, which is identified by infrared absorptions at 1581.0, 1546.2, 757.0, and 634.5 cm(-)(1). Density functional theory electronic structure calculations using a large basis set with polarization functions predict a C(1) symmetry structure with agostic C-H- - -Zr bonding and distance of 2.300 A. Identification of the agostic CH(2)=ZrH(2) methylidene complex is confirmed by an excellent match of calculated and observed isotopic frequencies particularly for the four unique CHD=ZrHD isotopic modifications. The analogous reactions in excess argon give two persistent photoreversible matrix configurations for CH(2)=ZrH(2). Finally, methane activation by CH(2)=ZrH(2) gives the new (CH(3))(2)ZrH(2) molecule.