Stable Cyclic Carbenes and Related Species beyond Diaminocarbenes

The success of homogeneous catalysis can be attributed largely to the development of a diverse range of ligand frameworks that have been used to tune the behavior of various systems. Spectacular results in this area have been achieved using cyclic diaminocarbenes (NHCs) as a result of their strong σ‐donor properties. Although it is possible to cursorily tune the structure of NHCs, any diversity is still far from matching their phosphorus‐based counterparts, which is one of the great strengths of the latter. A variety of stable acyclic carbenes are known, but they are either reluctant to bind metals or they give rise to fragile metal complexes. During the last five years, new types of stable cyclic carbenes, as well as related carbon‐based ligands (which are not NHCs), and which feature even stronger σ‐donor properties have been developed. Their synthesis and characterization as well as the stability, electronic properties, coordination behavior, and catalytic activity of the ensuing complexes are discussed, and comparisons with their NHC cousins are made.     

Anionic N-heterocyclic carbenes with N,N'-bis(fluoroaryl) and N,N'-bis(perfluoroaryl) substituents

A series of rhodium complexes, [Rh(cod)(NHC-F(x))(OH(2))] (cod = 1,5-cyclooctadiene; NHC = N-heterocyclic carbene), incorporating anionic N-heterocyclic carbenes with 2-tert-butylmalonyl backbones and 2,6-dimethylphenyl (x = 0), 2,6-difluorophenyl (x = 4), 2,4,6-trifluorophenyl (x = 6), and pentafluorophenyl (x = 10) N,N'-substituents, respectively, has been prepared by deprotonation of the corresponding zwitterionic precursors with potassium hexamethyldisilazide, followed by immediate reaction of the resulting potassium salts with [{RhCl(cod)}(2)]. These complexes could be converted to the related carbonyl derivatives [Rh(CO)(2)(NHC-F(x))(OH(2))] by displacement of the COD ligand with CO. IR and NMR spectroscopy demonstrated that the degree of fluorination of the N-aryl substituents has a considerable influence on the σ-donating and π-accepting properties of the carbene ligands and could be effectively used to tune the electronic properties of the metal center. The carbonyl groups on the carbene ligand backbone provided a particularly sensitive probe for the assessment of the metal-to-ligand π donation. The ortho-fluorine substituents on the N-aryl groups in the carbene ligands interacted with the other ligands on rhodium, determining the conformation of the complexes and creating a pocket suitable for the coordination of water to the metal center. Computational studies were used to explain the influence of the fluorinated N-substituents on the electronic properties of the ligand and evaluate the relative contribution of the σ- and π-interactions to the ligand-metal interaction.     

First N‐Heterocyclic Carbenes Relying on the Triazolone Structural Motif: Syntheses,Modifications and Reactivity

4‐Phenylsemicarbazide and 1,5‐diphenylcarbazide are suitable starting materials for the syntheses of N‐heterocyclic carbene (NHC) compounds with new backbone structures. In the first case, cyclisation and subsequent methylation leads to a cationic precursor whose deprotonation affords the triazolon‐ylidene 2 , which was converted to the corresponding sulfur and selenium adducts and a range of metal complexes. In contrast, cyclisation of diphenylcarbazide affords a neutral betain‐type NHC‐precursor 7 , which is not in equilibrium with its carbene tautomer 7a . Precursor 7 can either be deprotonated to give the anionic NHC 8 or methylated at the N or O atom of the backbone resulting in two isomeric cationic species 16 and 20 . Deprotonation of the latter two provides neutral NHC compounds with a carboxamide or carboximidate backbone, respectively. The ligand properties of the new NHC compounds were evaluated by IR and ⁷⁷Se NMR spectroscopy. Tolman electronic parameter (TEP) values range from 2050 to 2063 cm^?1 with the anionic NHC 8 being the best overall donor.     

NMR Crystallography Enhanced by Quantum Chemical Calculations and Liquid State NMR Spectroscopy for the Investigation of Se-NHC Adducts**

N-heterocyclic carbene ligands (NHC) are widely utilized in catalysis and material science. They are characterized by their steric and electronic properties. Steric properties are usually quantified on the basis of their static structure, which can be determined by X-ray diffraction. The electronic properties are estimated in the liquid state; for example, via the ⁷⁷Se liquid state NMR of Se-NHC adducts. We demonstrate that ⁷⁷Se NMR crystallography can contribute to the characterization of the structural and electronic properties of NHC in solid and liquid states. Selected Se-NHC adducts are investigated via ⁷⁷Se solid state NMR and X-ray crystallography, supported by quantum chemical calculations. This investigation reveals a correlation between the molecular structure of adducts and NMR parameters, including not only isotropic chemical shifts but also the other chemical shift tensor components. Afterwards, the liquid state ⁷⁷Se NMR data is presented and interpreted in terms of the quantum chemistry modelling. The discrepancy between the structural and electronic properties, and in particular the π-accepting abilities of adducts in the solid and liquid states is discussed. Finally, the ¹³C isotropic chemical shift from the liquid state NMR and the ¹³C tensor components are also discussed, and compared with their ⁷⁷Se counterparts. ⁷⁷Se NMR crystallography can deliver valuable information about NHC ligands, and together with liquid state ⁷⁷Se NMR can provide an in-depth outlook on the properties of NHC ligands.     

Synthetically Versatile Nitrogen Acyclic Carbene Stabilized Gold Nanoparticles

N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) have received significant attention as gold nanoparticle stabilizers due to their strong binding affinity towards gold. However, their tunability is limited by the difficulty in obtaining nonsymmetric NHCs. In this regard, N-acyclic carbenes (NACs) are attractive alternatives due to their high synthetic versatility, allowing easy tuning of their steric and electronic properties towards specific applications. This work reports the first series of stable and monodisperse NAC-functionalized gold nanoparticles. These particles with sizes ranging 3.8 to 11.6 nm were characterized using NMR, UV/Vis and TEM. The nanoparticles display good stability at elevated temperatures and for extended periods both dried or dispersed in a medium, as well as in the presence of exogenous thiols. Importantly, these NAC-stabilized gold nanoparticles offer a promising and versatile alternative to NHC-stabilized gold nanoparticles.     

New Pentacoordinated Rhodium Species as Unexpected Products during the In Situ Generation of Dimeric Diphosphine‐Rhodium Neutral Catalysts

Dimeric rhodium complexes of the type [Rh(PP)(μ₂‐Cl)]₂ (PP=diphosphine) are often used as precatalysts and are generated “in situ” from the corresponding diolefin complexes by exchange of the diene with the desired diphosphine. Herein, we report that the “in situ” procedure also leads to unexpected monomeric pentacoordinated neutral complexes of the type [RhCl(PP)(diolefin)], for the first time herein characterized by NMR spectroscopy and X‐ray crystallography for the ligands 1,4‐bis(diphenylphosphino)propane (DPPP), 1,4‐bis(diphenylphosphino)butane (DPPB), and 2,2′‐bis(diphenylphosphino)‐1,1′‐binaphthyl (BINAP). The pentacoordinated complexes are in equilibrium with the dimeric target compound [Rh(PP)(μ₂‐Cl)]₂. The equilibrium is influenced by the rhodium‐diolefin precursor, the solvent and the temperature. Based on the results of NMR and UV/Vis spectroscopic analysis (kinetics) it could be shown that the pentacoordinated complex [RhCl(PP)(diolefin)] may arise both from the “in situ”‐generated neutral complex [Rh(PP)(μ₂‐Cl)] by reaction with the free diolefin and, more surprisingly, directly from [Rh(diolefin)(μ₂‐Cl)]₂ and the diphosphine.     

N-Heterocyclic Carbenes Reduce and Functionalize Copper Oxide Surfaces in One Pot

Benzimidazolium hydrogen carbonate salts have been shown to act as N-heterocyclic carbene precursors, which can remove oxide from copper oxide surfaces and functionalize the resulting metallic surfaces in a single pot. Both the surfaces and the etching products were fully characterized by spectroscopic methods. Analysis of surfaces before and after NHC treatment by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy demonstrates the complete removal of copper(II) oxide. By using ¹³C-labelling, we determined that the products of this transformation include a cyclic urea, a ring-opened formamide and a bis-carbene copper(I) complex. These results illustrate the potential of NHCs to functionalize a much broader class of metals, including those prone to oxidation, greatly facilitating the preparation of NHC-based films on metals other than gold.     

Highly Stable Water‐Soluble Platinum Nanoparticles Stabilized by Hydrophilic N‐Heterocyclic Carbenes

Controlling the synthesis of stable metal nanoparticles in water is a current challenge in nanochemistry. The strategy presented herein uses sulfonated N‐heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligands to stabilize platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs) in water, under air, for an indefinite time period. The particles were prepared by thermal decomposition of a preformed molecular Pt complex containing the NHC ligand and were then purified by dialysis and characterized by TEM, high‐resolution TEM, and spectroscopic techniques. Solid‐state NMR studies showed coordination of the carbene ligands to the nanoparticle surface and allowed the determination of a ¹³C–¹⁹⁵Pt coupling constant for the first time in a nanosystem (940 Hz). Additionally, in one case a novel structure was formed in which platinum(II) NHC complexes form a second coordination sphere around the nanoparticle.     

Selective Activation of Fluoroalkenes with N‐Heterocyclic Carbenes: Synthesis of N‐Heterocyclic Fluoroalkenes and Polyfluoroalkenyl Imidazolium Salts

Selective reactions between nucleophilic N,N′‐diaryl‐heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) and electrophilic fluorinated alkenes afford NHC fluoroalkenes in high yields. These stable compounds undergo efficient and selective fluoride abstraction with Lewis acids to give polyfluoroalkenyl imidazolium salts. These salts react at Cβ with pyrrolidine to give ammonium fluoride‐substituted salts, which give rise to conjugated imidazolium‐enamine salts through loss of HF. Alternatively, reaction with 4‐(dimethylamino)‐pyridine provides a Cα‐pyridinium‐substituted NHC fluoroalkene. These compounds were studied using multinuclear NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and X‐ray crystallography. Insight into their electronic structure and reactivity was gained through the use of DFT calculations.     

The Kinetic and Mechanistic Evaluation of NMR Spectra. New analytical methods (18)

In addition to the static parameters of the chemical shifts and coupling constants, which serve as a source of knowledge for molecular structure and stereochemistry, an NMR spectrum can frequently furnish dynamic quantities characterizing relaxation and exchange phenomena. The information about nuclear switching processes has proved to be particularly useful in practice for the detection of internal molecular motions and for the estimation or determination of the corresponding energy barriers. A plethora of studies of this nature has in the past been performed on simple proton spectra. Methodological developments of recent years have led to a significant reduction of the effort required for the quantitative dynamic evaluation of NMR spectra arising from complex spin systems or involving other nuclei. In many cases it has, moreover, become possible to extract detailed mechanistic information inaccessible by other means. The practical execution of such analyses will be explained and illustrated by a selected number of applications.     

3‐Rhoda‐1,2‐diazacyclopentanes: A Series of Novel Metallacycle Complexes Derived From CN Functionalization of Ethylene

Rh‐containing metallacycles, [(TPA)Rh^III(κ²‐(C,N)‐CH₂CH₂(NR)₂‐]Cl; TPA=N,N,N,N‐tris(2‐pyridylmethyl)amine have been accessed through treatment of the Rh^I ethylene complex, [(TPA)Rh(η²‐CH₂CH₂)]Cl ([ 1 ]Cl) with substituted diazenes. We show this methodology to be tolerant of electron‐deficient azo compounds including azo diesters (RCO₂N?NCO₂R; R=Et [ 3 ]Cl, R=iPr [ 4 ]Cl, R=tBu [ 5 ]Cl, and R=Bn [ 6 ]Cl) and a cyclic azo diamide: 4‐phenyl‐1,2,4‐triazole‐3,5‐dione (PTAD), [ 7 ]Cl. The latter complex features two ortho‐fused ring systems and constitutes the first 3‐rhoda‐1,2‐diazabicyclo[3.3.0]octane. Preliminary evidence suggests that these complexes result from N–N coordination followed by insertion of ethylene into a [Rh]?N bond. In terms of reactivity, [ 3 ]Cl and [ 4 ]Cl successfully undergo ring‐opening using p‐toluenesulfonic acid, affording the Rh chlorides, [(TPA)Rh^III(Cl)(κ¹‐(C)‐CH₂CH₂(NCO₂R)(NHCO₂R)]OTs; [ 13 ]OTs and [ 14 ]OTs. Deprotection of [ 5 ]Cl using trifluoroacetic acid was also found to give an ethyl substituted, end‐on coordinated diazene [(TPA)Rh^III(κ²‐(C,N)‐CH₂CH₂(NH)₂‐]⁺ [ 16 ]Cl, a hitherto unreported motif. Treatment of [ 16 ]Cl with acetyl chloride resulted in the bisacetylated adduct [(TPA)Rh^III(κ²‐(C,N)‐CH₂CH₂(NAc)₂‐]⁺, [ 17 ]Cl. Treatment of [ 1 ]Cl with AcN?NAc did not give the Rh?N insertion product, but instead the N,O‐chelated complex [(TPA)Rh^I ( κ²‐(O,N)‐CH₃(CO)(NH)(N?C(CH₃)(OCH?CH₂))]Cl [ 23 ]Cl, presumably through insertion of ethylene into a [Rh]?O bond.     

13C NMR Spectroscopy of N-Heterocyclic Carbenes Can Selectively Probe σ Donation in Gold(I) Complexes

The Dewar–Chatt–Duncanson (DCD) model provides a successful theoretical framework to describe the nature of the chemical bond in transition-metal compounds and is especially useful in structural chemistry and catalysis. However, how to actually measure its constituents (substrate-to-metal donation and metal-to-substrate back-donation) is yet uncertain. Recently, we demonstrated that the DCD components can be neatly disentangled and the π back-donation component put in strict correlation with some experimental observables. In the present work we make a further crucial step forward, showing that, in a large set of charged and neutral N-heterocyclic carbene complexes of gold(I), a specific component of the NMR chemical shift tensor of the carbenic carbon provides a selective measure of the σ donation. This work opens the possibility of 1) to characterize unambiguously the electronic structure of a metal fragment (LAu(I)^n+/0 in this case) by actually measuring its σ-withdrawing ability, 2) to quickly establish a comparative trend for the ligand trans effect, and 3) to achieve a more rigorous control of the ligand electronic effect, which is a key aspect for the design of new catalysts and metal complexes.     

Stable Aqueous Solutions of Naked Titanate Nanotubes

Aqueous solutions of naked nanotubes with Ti concentration up to 10 mM are obtained by hydrothermal synthesis followed by extensive ultrasound treatment. The morphology, surface characteristics, and solution behavior of the solubilized nanotubes are investigated. The time course of the solubilization process driven by ultrasound follows a first‐order kinetic law and is mediated by the competition between Na⁺ and H⁺ for surface sites. The dynamics of interaction with small cations (i.e. the sodium ion) is studied by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and is demonstrated to be a multifaced process, since Na⁺ is in part free to exchange between the binding sites on nanotubes and the bulk and in part is confined to slowly exchanging nanotube sites. The aqueous titanate nanotube solutions are stable for months, thus opening new perspectives for the use of this material in drug delivery and in homogeneous photocatalysis.     

Catalytic Reduction of Graphene Oxide Nanosheets by Glutathione Peroxidase Mimetics Reveals a New Structural Motif in Graphene Oxide

A catalytic reduction of graphene oxide (GO) by glutathione peroxidase (GPx) mimics is reported. This study reveals that GO contains peroxide functionalities, in addition to the epoxy, hydroxyl and carboxylic acid groups that have been identified earlier. It also is shown that GO acts as a peroxide substrate in the GPx‐like catalytic activity of organoselenium/tellurium compounds. The reaction of tellurol, generated from the corresponding ditelluride, reduces GO through the glutathione (GSH)‐mediated cleavage of the peroxide linkage. The mechanism of GO reduction by the tellurol in the presence of GSH involves the formation of a tellurenic acid and tellurenyl sulfide intermediates. Interestingly, the GPx mimics also catalyze the decarboxylation of the carboxylic acid functionality in GO at ambient conditions. Whereas the selenium/tellurium‐mediated catalytic reduction/decarboxylation of GO may find applications in bioremediation processes, this study suggests that the modification of GO by biologically relevant compounds such as redox proteins must be taken into account when using GO for biomedical applications because such modifications can alter the fundamental properties of GO.     

Persistent Borafluorene Radicals

N‐Heterocyclic carbene (NHC)‐ and cyclic (alkyl)(amino)carbene (CAAC)‐stabilized borafluorene radicals have been isolated and characterized by elemental analysis, single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction, UV/Vis absorption, cyclic voltammetry (CV), electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, and theoretical studies. Both the CAAC–borafluorene radical ( 2 ) and the NHC–borafluorene radical ( 4 ) have a considerable amount of spin density localized on the boron atoms (0.322 for 2 and 0.369 for 4 ). In compound 2 , the unpaired electron is also partly delocalized over the CAAC ligand ^carbeneC and N atoms. However, the unpaired electron in compound 4 mainly resides throughout the borafluorene π‐system, with significantly less delocalization over the NHC ligand. These results highlight the Lewis base dependent electrostructural tuning of materials‐relevant radicals. Notably, this is the first report of crystalline borafluorene radicals, and these species exhibit remarkable solid‐state and solution stability.