Hydrogen storage and the 18-electron rule

We show that the 18-electron rule can be used to design new organometallic systems that can store hydrogen with large gravimetric density. In particular, Ti containing organic molecules such as C(4)H(4), C(5)H(5), and C(8)H(8) can store up to 9 wt % hydrogen, which meets the Department of Energy target for the year 2015. More importantly, hydrogen in these materials is stored in molecular form with an average binding energy of about 0.55 eV /H(2) molecule, which is ideal for fast kinetics. Using molecular orbitals we have analyzed the maximum number of H(2) molecules that can be adsorbed as well as the nature of their bonding and orientation. The charge transfer from the H(2) bonding orbital to the empty d(xy) and d(x(2)-y(2) ) orbitals of Ti has been found to be singularly responsible for the observed binding of the hydrogen molecule. It is argued that early transition metals are better suited for optimal adsorption/desorption of hydrogen.     

Binuclear cyclopentadienylcobalt carbonyls: comparison with binuclear iron carbonyls

The binuclear cyclopentadienylcobalt carbonyls Cp2Co2(CO)n (n = 3, 2, 1; Cp = eta5-C5H5) are studied by density functional theory using the B3LYP and BP86 functionals. The experimentally known monobridged isomer Cp2Co2(CO)2(mu-CO) and the tribridged isomer Cp2Co2(mu-CO)3 of Cp2Co2(CO)3 with formal Co-Co single bonds are found to be similar in energy, with the precise relative energies of the two isomers depending on the functional chosen. For Cp2Co2(CO)2, the experimentally known coaxial isomer Cp2Co2(mu-CO)2 with two bridging CO groups and a formal Co=Co double bond (2.360 angstroms by B3LYP or 2.346 angstroms by BP86) is found to lie 38.2 (B3LYP) or 34.9 kcal/mol (BP86) below a perpendicular isomer perpendicular-Cp2Co2(CO)2. Similarly, for Cp2Co2(CO), the coaxial isomer Cp2Co2(mu-CO) with one bridging CO group and a formal CoCo triple bond (2.021 angstroms by B3LYP or 2.050 angstroms by BP86) is found to lie 9.36 (B3LYP) or 9.62 kcal/mol (BP86) below the corresponding perpendicular isomer perpendicular-Cp2Co2(CO). This coaxial isomer Cp2Co2(mu-CO) is a possible intermediate in the known pyrolysis of the trimer (eta5-C5H5)3Co3(mu-CO)3 to give the tetranuclear complex (eta5-C5H5)4Co4(mu3-CO)2. These optimized Cp2Co2(CO)n (n = 3, 2, 1) structures can be compared with the corresponding Fe2(CO)6+n structures since the CpCo and Fe(CO)3 groups are isolobal. In general, the metal-metal bonds are 0.09-0.22 angstroms shorter for the Cp2Co2(CO)n (n = 3, 2, 1) complexes than for the corresponding Fe2(CO)6+n complexes. For Fe2(CO)9, the experimentally well-known Fe2(CO)6(mu-CO)3 isomer is shown to be very close in energy to the unknown Fe2(CO)8(mu-CO) isomer, with the precise relative energies depending on the basis set used.     

Binuclear iron carbonyl nitrosyls: bridging nitrosyls versus bridging carbonyls

The iron carbonyl nitrosyls Fe 2(NO) 2(CO) n ( n = 7, 6, 5, 4, 3) have been studied by density functional theory (DFT) using the B3LYP and BP86 methods, for comparison of their predicted structures with those of isoelectronic cobalt carbonyl derivatives. The lowest energy structures for Fe 2(NO) 2(CO) 7 and Fe 2(NO) 2(CO) 6 have two NO bridges, and the lowest energy structure for Fe 2(NO) 2(CO) 5 has a single NO bridge with metal-metal distances (BP86) of 3.161, 2.598, and 2.426 A, respectively, corresponding to the formal metal-metal bond orders of zero, one, and two, respectively, required for the favored 18-electron configuration for the iron atoms. The heptacarbonyl Fe 2(NO) 2(CO) 7 is thermodynamically unstable with respect to CO loss to give Fe 2(NO) 2(CO) 6. The favored structures for the more highly unsaturated Fe 2(NO) 2(CO) 4 and Fe 2(NO) 2(CO) 3 also have bridging NO groups but avoid iron-iron bond orders higher than two by formal donation of five electrons from bridging NO groups with relatively short Fe-O distances. The lowest energy structures of the unsaturated Fe 2(NO) 2(CO) n derivatives ( n = 5, 4, 3) are significantly different from the isoelectronic cobalt carbonyls Co 2(CO) n +2 owing to the tendency for Fe 2(NO) 2(CO) n to form structures with bridging NO groups and metal-metal formal bond orders no higher than two.     

Binuclear methylborole iron carbonyls: iron-iron multiple bonds and perpendicular structures

Methylborole iron tricarbonyl, (η(5)-C(4)H(4)BCH(3))Fe(CO)(3), is known experimentally and is a potential source of binuclear (C(4)H(4)BCH(3))(2)Fe(2)(CO)(n) (n = 5, 4, 3, 2, 1) derivatives through reactions such as photolysis. In this connection the lowest energy (C(4)H(4)BCH(3))(2)Fe(2)(CO)(5) structures are predicted theoretically to have a single bridging carbonyl group and Fe-Fe distances consistent with formal single bonds. The lowest energy (C(4)H(4)BCH(3))(2)Fe(2)(CO)(4) structures have two bridging carbonyl groups and Fe═Fe distances suggesting formal double bonds. Analogously, the lowest energy (C(4)H(4)BCH(3))(2)Fe(2)(CO)(3) structures have three bridging carbonyl groups and very short Fe≡Fe distances suggesting formal triple bonds. The tetracarbonyl (C(4)H(4)BCH(3))(2)Fe(2)(CO)(4) is predicted to be thermodynamically unstable toward disproportionation into (C(4)H(4)BCH(3))(2)Fe(2)(CO)(5) + (C(4)H(4)BCH(3))(2)Fe(2)(CO)(3), whereas the tricarbonyl is thermodynamically viable toward analogous disproportionation. The lowest energy structures of the more highly unsaturated methylborole iron carbonyls (C(4)H(4)BCH(3))(2)Fe(2)(CO)(n) (n = 2, 1) have hydrogen atoms bridging an iron-carbon bond. In addition, the lowest energy (C(4)H(4)BCH(3))(2)Fe(2)(CO) structures are "slipped perpendicular" structures with bridging methylborole ligands, a terminal carbonyl group, and agostic CH(3)→Fe interactions involving the methyl hydrogens. Thus, in these highly unsaturated systems the methyl substituent in the methylborole ligand chosen in this work is not an "innocent bystander" but instead participates in the metal-ligand bonding.     

Dimethylamine borane dehydrogenation chemistry: syntheses, X-ray and neutron diffraction studies of 18-electron aminoborane and 14-electron aminoboryl complexes

The reactions of Me(2)NH·BH(3) with cationic Rh(III) and Ir(III) complexes have been shown to generate the 18-electron aminoborane adduct [Ir(IMes)(2)(H)(2){κ(2)-H(2)BNMe(2))](+) and the remarkable 14-electron aminoboryl complex [Rh(IMes)(2)(H)-{B(H)NMe(2))](+). Neutron diffraction studies have been used for the first time to define H-atom locations in metal complexes of this type formed under catalytic conditions.     

Binuclear vanadium(V) and vanadium(IV,V) complexes of dihydrocaffeic,caffeic and ferulic acids

Summary Binuclear complexes of dihydrocaffeic, caffeic and ferulic acids with vanadium were prepared and studied. The suggested square-pyramidal structures with catecholic-type coordination are supported by various spectroscopic, magnetic and thermogravimetric data.     

Construction of 18-electron arene-ruthenium complexes based on ortho-carborane-1,2-diselenolate ligand

Treatment of ortho-carborane, n-butyl lithium, selenium and [(p-cymene)RuCl₂]₂ under argon leads to complexes (p-cymene)Ru(Se₂C₂B₁₀H₁₀) (I) and (p-cymene)₂Ru₂(μ₂-Se₂C₂B₁₀H₁₀) (II). The further reaction of 16-electron complex I with RC≡CCO₂Me affords addition complexes (p-cymene)Ru(Se₂C₂B₁₀H₁₀)(RC=C-CO₂Me) (III) (R = H (IIIa); CO₂Me (IIIb)). These complexes were characterized by elemental analysis, mass, and NMR spectroscopy. X-ray structural analyses were performed on II and IIIa.     

Binuclear homoleptic manganese carbonyls: Mn2(CO)x (x = 10, 9, 8, 7)

The unsaturated homoleptic manganese carbonyls Mn(2)(CO)(n)() (n = 7, 8, 9) are characterized by their equilibrium geometries, thermochemistry, and vibrational frequencies using methods from density functional theory (DFT). The computed metal-metal distances for global minima range from 3.01 A for the unbridged Mn(2)(CO)(10) with a Mn-Mn single bond to 2.14 A for a monobridged Mn(2)(CO)(7) formulated with a metal-metal quadruple bond. The global minimum for Mn(2)(CO)(9) has a four-electron bridging mu-eta(2)-CO group and a 2.96 A Mn-Mn distance suggestive of the single bond required for 18-electron configurations for both metal atoms. This structure is closely related to an experimentally realized structure for the isolated and structurally characterized stable phosphine complex [R(2)PCH(2)PR(2)](2)Mn(2)(CO)(4)(mu-eta(2)-CO). An unbridged (OC)(4)Mn-Mn(CO)(5) structure for Mn(2)(CO)(9) has only slightly (<6 kcal/mol) higher energy with a somewhat shorter metal-metal distance of 2.77 A. For Mn(2)(CO)(8) the lowest energy structure is a D(2)(d)() unbridged structure with a 2.36 A metal-metal distance suggesting the triple bond required for the favored 18-electron configuration for both metal atoms. However, the unbridged unsymmetrical (CO)(3)Mn-Mn(CO)(5) structure with a metal-metal bond distance of 2.40 A lies only 1 to 3 kcal/mol above this global minimum. The lowest energy structure of Mn(2)(CO)(7) is an unbridged C(s)() structure with a short metal-metal distance of 2.26 A. This is followed energetically by another C(s)() unbridged Mn(2)(CO)(7) structure with a somewhat longer metal-metal distance of 2.38 A.     

The 18-electron electrocyclisation of vinylogous fidecene. an unusual sequence of pericyclic processes

Upon thermal activation the vinylogous fidecene $\text{1}$ is isomerised into the pentacyclic indenoid hydrocarbon $\text{13}$ (benzene, t_{$\text{1}\text{2}$} (150°C) ca. 5 min), the formation of which is explained by an initial conrotatory (“symmetry-forbidden”) 18-electron electrocyclisation followed by two fast hydrogen migrations ([1.9], [1.5]) and 14π-electrocyclisation.     

Studies on the manganese-mediated isomerization of alkynyl carbonyls to allenyl carbonyls

[reaction: see text] A study of the role of base in the isomerization of manganese-coordinated conjugated alkynyl carbonyls to the corresponding allenyl carbonyls is described. The use of phosphine additives indicates that manganese requires a ligand prior to isomerization with amine bases. A series of amine bases were also examined for their efficacy in this isomerization reaction revealing a strong dependence on pK(a). By contrast, potassium tert-butoxide led to rapid isomerization in the absence of added manganese ligand.     

18-Electron rule and structure of uranyl sulfate complexes

Characteristics of the Voronoi-Dirichlet polyhedra were used to perform the crystal-chemical analysis of all known sulfate-containing uranyl compounds. The effect of the type of coordination of sulfate ions by U(VI) atoms on the characteristics of S-O and U-O bonds in the crystal structure is considered. The electrondonor properties of sulfate ions were estimated quantitatively on the basis of the 18-electron rule. Some predictive properties of the stereoatomic crystal structure model were demonstrated in relation to tri-and tetrasulfatouranylates.     

Binuclear vanadium(V) complexes of bis(aryl)adipohydrazone: synthesis,spectroscopic studies,crystal structure and catalytic activity

Three new binuclear vanadium(V) complexes of bis(aryl)adipohydrazones (H₄L¹ = bis((2-hydroxynaphthalen-1-yl)methylene)adipohydrazide, H₄L² = bis(5-bromo-2-hydroxybenzylidene)adipohydrazide, and H₄L³ = bis(2-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzylidene)adipohydrazide) were synthesized by direct reaction of [VO(acac)₂] with the hydrazone ligands. The ligands and complexes were characterized by FT–IR, UV–Vis, and NMR spectroscopic methods. The crystal structures of the complexes of L¹ and L³ were determined by X-ray analyses. The solid-state structure of the complex of L¹ features a 1D hydrogen-bonded chain from N⋯H–O hydrogen bonding. The catalytic activities of these complexes have been tested in the oxidation of various hydrocarbons using H₂O₂ as the terminal oxidant. Generally, good to excellent conversions have been obtained.     

Theoretical study on the mechanism of iron carbonyls mediated isomerization of allylic alcohols to saturated carbonyls

The conversion of allylic alcohols to enols mediated by Fe(CO)(3) has been studied through density functional theoretical calculations. From the results obtained a complete catalytic cycle has been proposed in which the first intermediate is the [(allyl alcohol)Fe(CO)(3)] complex. This intermediate evolves to the [(enol)Fe(CO)(3)] complex through two consecutive 1,3-hydrogen shifts involving a pi-allyl hydride intermediate. The highest Gibbs energy transition state corresponds to the partial decoordination ot the enol ligand prior to the coordination of a new allyl alcohol molecule that regenerates the first intermediate. Alternative processes for the [(enol)Fe(CO)(3)] complex such as [Fe(CO)(3)]-mediated enol-aldehyde transformation and enol isomerization have also been considered. The results obtained show that the former process is unfavourable, whereas the enol isomerization may compete with the enol decoordination step of the catalytic cycle.     

Cluster configuration method: application to the spectra of π-electron systems

A simplified method to calculate the excitation spectra of π-electron systems is proposed. The method is based on the assumption that a “cluster” approximation can be applied to excited states. It is demonstrated that, for the low-lying triplet and optically allowed states of butadiene, hexatriene and benzene, the method yields good agreement with complete CI calculations in the Pariser–Pan–Pople approximation.     

Complementary spherical electron density model and its implications for the 18 electron rule

The Complementary Spherical Electron Density Model developed by Mingos and Hawes in 1985 is reviewed and its implications to 18 electron complexes and co-ordinatively unsaturated complexes are developed. These conclusions are particularly germane in view of the recent proposal by Landis that transition metal complexes are governed by a 12 rather than an 18 electron rule, Hall’s recent OSRAM model and the availability of additional structural data.