Insights into the Intramolecular Donor Stabilisation of Organostannylene Palladium and Platinum Complexes: Syntheses,Structures and DFT Calculations

The syntheses of the transition metal complexes cis‐[(4‐tBu‐2,6‐{P(O)(OiPr)₂}₂C₆H₂SnCl)₂MX₂] ( 1 , M=Pd, X=Cl; 2 , M=Pd, X=Br; 3 , M=Pd, X=I; 4 , M=Pt, X=Cl), cis‐[{2,6‐(Me₂NCH₂)₂C₆H₃SnCl}₂MX₂] ( 5 , M=Pd, X=I; 6 , M=Pt, X=Cl), trans‐[{2,6‐(Me₂NCH₂)₂C₆H₃SnI}₂PtI₂] ( 7 ) and trans‐[(4‐tBu‐2,6‐{P(O)(OiPr)₂}₂ C₆H₂SnCl)PdI₂]₂ ( 8 ) are reported. Also reported is the serendipitous formation of the unprecedented complexes trans‐[(4‐tBu‐2,6‐{P(O)(OiPr)₂}₂C₆H₂SnCl)₂ Pt(SnCl₃)₂] ( 10 ) and [(4‐tBu‐2,6‐{P(O) (OiPr)₂}₂C₆H₂SnCl)₃Pt(SnCl₃)₂] ( 11 ). The compounds were characterised by elemental analyses, ¹H, ¹³C, ³¹P, ¹¹⁹Sn and ¹⁹⁵Pt NMR spectroscopy, single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis, UV/Vis spectroscopy and, in the cases of compounds 1 , 3 and 4 , also by Mössbauer spectroscopy. All the compounds show the tin atoms in a distorted trigonal‐bipyramidal environment. The Mössbauer spectra suggest the tin atoms to be present in the oxidation state III. The kinetic lability of the complexes was studied by redistribution reactions between compounds 1 and 3 as well as between 1 and cis‐[{2,6‐(Me₂NCH₂)₂C₆H₃SnCl}₂PdCl₂]. DFT calculations provided insights into both the bonding situation of the compounds and the energy difference between the cis and trans isomers. The latter is influenced by the donor strength of the pincer‐type ligands.     

Tuning the Surface Chemistry of Pd by Atomic C and H: A Microscopic Picture

Palladium is crucial for industry‐related applications such as heterogeneous catalysis, energy production, and hydrogen technologies. In many processes, atomic H and C species are proposed to be present in the surface/near‐surface area of Pd, thus noticeably affecting its chemical activity. This study provides a detail and unified view on the interactions of the H and C species with Pd nanoparticles (NPs), which is indispensable for insight into their catalytic properties. Density functional calculations of the interplay of C and H atoms at various concentrations and sites on suitable Pd NPs have been performed, accompanied by catalysis‐relevant experiments on oxide‐supported bare and C‐modified Pd NPs. It is shown that on a Pd₇₉ NP a subsurface C atom destabilizes nearby atoms H at low coverage. Our experiments confirm that H atoms bind more weakly on C‐containing Pd NPs than on C‐free NPs. Various factors related to the presence of both H and C atoms on a Pd₇₉ surface, which may influence the penetration of H atoms from the surface into the subsurface area, have been investigated. Carbon atoms facilitate the subsurface penetration of atomic H both thermodynamically and kinetically when the surface is densely covered by H atoms. Moreover, subsurface H atoms are also energetically favored, even in the absence of C atoms, when several facets of the NP are covered by H atoms.     

Insights into Functional‐Group‐Tolerant Polymerization Catalysis with Phosphine–Sulfonamide Palladium(II) Complexes

Two series of cationic palladium(II) methyl complexes {[(2‐MeOC₆H₄)₂PC₆H₄SO₂NHC₆H₃(2,6‐R¹,R²)]PdMe}₂[A]₂ ( ^X 1⁺‐A : R¹=R²=H: ^H 1⁺‐A ; R¹=R²=CH(CH₃)₂: ^DIPP 1⁺‐A ; R¹=H, R²=CF₃: ^CF3 1⁺‐A ; A =BF₄ or SbF₆) and neutral palladium(II) methyl complexes {[(2‐MeOC₆H₄)₂PC₆H₄SO₂NC₆H₃(2,6‐R¹,R²)]PdMe(L)} ( ^X 1‐acetone : L=acetone; ^X 1‐dmso : L=dimethyl sulfoxide; ^X 1‐pyr : L=pyridine) chelated by a phosphine–sulfonamide were synthesized and fully characterized. Stoichiometric insertion of methyl acrylate (MA) into all complexes revealed that a 2,1 regiochemistry dominates in the first insertion of MA. Subsequently, for the cationic complexes ^X 1⁺‐A , β‐H elimination from the 2,1‐insertion product ^X 2⁺‐A_MA‐2,1 is overwhelmingly favored over a second MA insertion to yield two major products ^X 4⁺‐A_MA‐1,2 and ^X 5⁺‐A_MA . By contrast, for the weakly coordinated neutral complexes ^X 1‐acetone and ^X 1‐dmso , a second MA insertion of the 2,1‐insertion product ^X 2_MA‐2,1 is faster than β‐H elimination and gives ^X 3_MA as major products. For the strongly coordinated neutral complexes ^X 1‐pyr , no second MA insertion and no β‐H elimination (except for ^DIPP 2‐pyr_MA‐2,1 ) were observed for the 2,1‐insertion product ^X 2‐pyr_MA‐2,1 . The cationic complexes ^X 1⁺‐A exhibited high catalytic activities for ethylene dimerization, affording butenes (C₄) with a high selectivity of up to 97.7 % (1‐butene: 99.3 %). Differences in activities and selectivities suggest that the phosphine–sulfonamide ligands remain coordinated to the metal center in a bidentate fashion in the catalytically active species. By comparison, the neutral complexes ^X 1‐acetone , ^X 1‐dmso , and ^X 1‐pyr showed very low activity towards ethylene to give traces of oligomers. DFT analyses taking into account the two possible coordination modes (O or N) of the sulfonamide ligand for the cationic system ^CF3 1⁺ suggested that the experimentally observed high activity in ethylene dimerization is the result of a facile first ethylene insertion into the O‐coordinated PdMe isomer and a subsequent favored β‐H elimination from the N‐coordinated isomer formed by isomerization of the insertion product. Steric hindrance by the N‐aryl substituent in the neutral systems ^CF3 1 and ^H 1 appears to contribute significantly to a higher barrier of insertion, which accounts for the experimentally observed low activity towards ethylene oligomerization.     

Organogermanium(II) Hydrides as a Source of Highly Soluble LiH

The reactions of monomeric C,N-chelated organogermanium(II) hydride L(H)Ge ⋅ BH₃ with organolithium salts RLi yielded lithium hydrogermanatoborates (Li(THF)₂{BH₃[L(H)GeR]})₂. Compound (Li(THF)₂{BH₃[L(H)GePh]})₂ was used as a source of LiH for the reduction of organic C=O or C=N bonds in nonpolar solvents accompanied by the elimination of a neutral complex L(Ph)Ge ⋅ BH₃. The interaction of (Li(THF)₂{BH₃[L(H)GePh]})₂ with the polar C=O bond was further investigated by computational studies revealing a plausible geometry of a pre-reactive intermediate. The experimental and theoretical studies suggest that, although the Li atom of (Li(THF)₂{BH₃[L(H)GePh]})₂ coordinates the C=O bond, the GeH fragment is the active species in the reduction reaction. Finally, benzaldehyde was reduced by a mixture of L(H)Ge ⋅ BH₃ with PhLi in nonpolar solvents.     

Tailoring Thermodynamics and Kinetics for Hydrogen Storage in Complex Hydrides towards Applications

Solid‐state hydrogen storage using various materials is expected to provide the ultimate solution for safe and efficient on‐board storage. Complex hydrides have attracted increasing attention over the past two decades due to their high gravimetric and volumetric hydrogen densities. In this account, we review studies from our lab on tailoring the thermodynamics and kinetics for hydrogen storage in complex hydrides, including metal alanates, borohydrides and amides. By changing the material composition and structure, developing feasible preparation methods, doping high‐performance catalysts, optimizing multifunctional additives, creating nanostructures and understanding the interaction mechanisms with hydrogen, the operating temperatures for hydrogen storage in metal amides, alanates and borohydrides are remarkably reduced. This temperature reduction is associated with enhanced reaction kinetics and improved reversibility. The examples discussed in this review are expected to provide new inspiration for the development of complex hydrides with high hydrogen capacity and appropriate thermodynamics and kinetics for hydrogen storage.

     

Reactivity of Coinage Metal Hydrides for the Production of H2 Molecules

The formation of molecular hydrogen as well as the possibility of using coinage metal hydrides as a prospective complex to produce hydrogen was presented in this work. Therefore, the reactions involving the interaction between two coinage metal hydrides, MH (M=Cu, Ag and Au, homo and heterodimers), were studied. The free energy profiles corresponding to aforementioned complexation were analysed by means of ab initio methods of quantum chemistry. The characteristics of these intermediates, final complexes and the electron density properties of the established interactions were discussed.     

A Theoretical Study of the Interaction of Hydrogen and Oxygen with Palladium or Gold Adsorbed on Pyridine‐Like Nitrogen‐Doped Graphene

The interaction of H₂ and O₂ molecules in the presence of nitrogen‐doped graphene decorated with either a palladium or gold atom was investigated by using density functional theory. It was found that two hydrogen molecules were adsorbed on the palladium atom. The interaction of these adsorbed hydrogen molecules with two oxygen molecules generates two hydrogen peroxide molecules first through a Eley–Rideal mechanism and then through a Langmuir–Hinshelwood mechanism. The barrier energies for this reaction were small; therefore, we expect that this process may occur spontaneously at room temperature. In the case of gold, a single hydrogen molecule is adsorbed and dissociated on the metal atom. The interaction of the dissociated hydrogen molecule on the surface with one oxygen molecule generates a water molecule. The competitive adsorption between oxygen and hydrogen molecules slightly favors oxygen adsorption.     

氢还原重量法测定氯化钯产品中的钯含量

建立了氢还原重量法测定氯化钯产品钯含量的新方法,系统研究了测定条件,结合ICP-AES法考察了杂质元素对了分析结果的误差影响。结果表明：含钯量约3 g的氯化钯于750 ℃氢还原为海绵钯和105 ℃干燥水气的条件下,测定59.78%、59.98%和60.03%的钯含量,极差、标准偏差(S)、相对标准偏差(RSD,n=22)和重复性限(r)分别为±0.01%、0.0047%～0.0050%、0.0079%～0.0083%和0.009%～0.014%。样品加标准回收率99.98%。本法结果准确、精密,且与GB/T 15072.4-2008标准分析方法的吻合。     

Planar Iron Hydride Nanoclusters: Combined Spectroscopic and Theoretical Insights into Structures and Building Principles

The controlled assembly of well-defined planar nanoclusters from molecular precursors is synthetically challenging and often plagued by the predominant formation of 3D-structures and nanoparticles. Herein, we report planar iron hydride nanoclusters from reactions of main group element hydrides with iron(II) bis(hexamethyldisilazide). The structures and properties of isolated Fe₄, Fe₆, and Fe₇ nanoplatelets and calculated intermediates enable an unprecedented insight into the underlying building principle and growth mechanism of iron clusters, metal monolayers, and nanoparticles.     

Gallium Hydrides and O/N‐Donors as Tunable Systems in C−F Bond Activation

The gallium hydrides (iBu)₂GaH ( 1 a ), LiGaH₄ ( 1 b ) and Me₃N⋅GaH₃ ( 1 c ) hydrodefluorinate vinylic and aromatic C−F bonds when O and N donor molecules are present. 1 b exhibits the highest reactivity. Quantitative conversion to the hydrodefluorination (HDF) products could be observed for hexafluoropropene and 1,1,3,3,3‐pentafluoropropene, 94 % conversion of pentafluoropyridine and 49 % of octafluorotoluene. Whereas for the HDF with 1 b high conversions are observed when catalytic amounts of O donor molecules are added, for 1 a , the addition of N donor molecules lead to higher conversions. The E/Z selectivity of the HDF of 1,1,3,3,3‐pentafluoropropene is donor‐dependent. DFT studies show that HDF proceeds in this case via the gallium hydride dimer–donor species and a hydrometallation/elimination sequence. Selectivities are sensitive to the choice of donor, as the right donor can lead to an on/off switching during catalysis, that is, the hydrometallation step is accelerated by the presence of a donor, but the donor dissociates prior to elimination, allowing the inherently more selective donorless gallium systems to determine the selectivity.     

氢还原重量法测定氯化钯产品中的钯

系统研究了氢还原重量法测定氯化钯产品中钯含量的测定条件,考察了杂质元素对钯分析结果的误差影响。结果表明:于选定条件下,测定59.78%~60.03%含量的钯,极差、标准偏差(SD)、相对标准偏差(RSD,n=22)和重复性限(r)分别为±0.01%,0.0047%~0.0050%,0.0079%~0.0083%和0.009%~0.014%,样品加标回收率达到99.98%,钯分析结果准确、可靠、精密度高。     

Mechanistic Insights into Palladium‐Catalyzed Silylation of Aryl Iodides with Hydrosilanes through a DFT Study

The catalytic cycles of palladium‐catalyzed silylation of aryl iodides, which are initiated by oxidative addition of hydrosilane or aryl iodide through three different mechanisms characterized by intermediates R₃Si−Pd^II−H (Cycle A), Ar−Pd^II−I (Cycle B), and Pd^IV (Cycle C), have been explored in detail by hybrid DFT. Calculations suggest that the chemical selectivity and reactivity of the reaction depend on the ligation state of the catalyst and specific reaction conditions, including feeding order of substrates and the presence of base. For less bulky biligated catalyst, Cycle C is energetically favored over Cycle A, through which the silylation process is slightly favored over the reduction process. Interestingly, for bulky monoligated catalyst, Cycle B is energetically more favored over generally accepted Cycle A, in which the silylation channel is slightly disfavored in comparison to that of the reduction channel. Moreover, the inclusion of base in this channel allows the silylated product become dominant. These findings offer a good explanation for the complex experimental observations. Designing a reaction process that allows the oxidative addition of palladium(0) complex to aryl iodide to occur prior to that with hydrosilane is thus suggested to improve the reactivity and chemoselectivity for the silylated product by encouraging the catalytic cycle to proceed through Cycles B (monoligated Pd⁰ catalyst) or C (biligated Pd⁰ catalyst), instead of Cycle A.     

Mechanisms in the Reaction of Palladium(II)–π‐Allyl Complexes with Aryl Halides: Evidence for NHC Exchange Between Two Palladium Complexes

A detailed experimental and DFT study (PBE level) of the reaction of [Pd(η³‐C₃H₅)(tmiy)(PR₃)]BF₄ (tmiy=tetramethylimidazolin‐2‐ylidene, PR₃=phosphane), precursors to monoligated Pd⁰ species, with aryl electrophiles yielding 2‐arylimidazolium salt is reported. Experiments establish that an autocatalytic ligand transfer mechanism is preferred over Pd^IV and σ‐bond metathesis pathways, and that transmetalation is the rate‐determining step. Calculations indicate that the key step involves the concerted exchange of NHC and iodo ligands between two different Pd^II complexes. This is corroborated by experimental results showing the slower reaction of complexes containing the bulkier dipdmiy (dipdmiy = diisopropyldimethylimidazolin‐2‐ylidene).     

Insights into CO/styrene copolymerization by using Pd(II) catalysts containing modular pyridine-imidazoline ligands

Continuing our studies into the effect that N-N' ligands have on CO/styrene copolymerization, we prepared new C(1)-symmetrical pyridine-imidazoline ligands with 4',5'-cis stereochemistry in the imidazoline ring (5) and 4',5'-trans stereochemistry (6-10) and compared them with our previously reported ligands (1-4). Their coordination to neutral methylpalladium(II) (5 a-10 a) and cationic complexes (5 b-10 b), investigated in solution by NMR spectroscopy, indicates that both the electronic and steric properties of the imidazolines determine the stereochemistry of the palladium complexes. The crystal structures of two neutral palladium precursors [Pd(Me)(2-n)Cl(n)(N-N')] (n=1 for 8 a; n=2 for 9 a') show that the Pd-N coordination distances and the geometrical distortions in the imidazoline ring depend on the electronic nature of the substituents in the imidazoline fragment. Density functional calculations performed on selected neutral and cationic palladium complexes compare well with NMR and X-ray data. The calculations also account for the formation of only one or two stereoisomers of the cationic complexes. The performance of the cationic complexes as catalyst precursors in CO/4-tert-butylstyrene copolymerization under mild pressures and temperatures was analyzed in terms of the productivity and degree of stereoregularity of the polyketones obtained. Insertion of CO into the Pd-Me bond, which was monitored by multinuclear NMR spectroscopy, shows that the N ligand influences the stereochemistry of the acyl species formed.     

Effect of Hydrogen on O2 Adsorption and Dissociation on a TiO2 Anatase (001) Surface

The effect of hydrogen on the adsorption and dissociation of the oxygen molecule on a TiO₂ anatase (001) surface is studied by first‐principles calculations coupled with the nudged elastic band (NEB) method. Hydrogen adatoms on the surface can increase the absolute value of the adsorption energy of the oxygen molecule. A single H adatom on an anatase (001) surface can lower dramatically the dissociation barrier of the oxygen molecule. The adsorption energy of an O₂ molecule is high enough to break the O?O bond. The system energy is lowered after dissociation. If two H adatoms are together on the surface, an oxygen molecule can be also strongly adsorbed, and the adsorption energy is high enough to break the O?O bond. However, the system energy increases after dissociation. Because dissociation of the oxygen molecule on a hydrogenated anatase (001) surface is more efficient, and the oxygen adatoms on the anatase surface can be used to oxidize other adsorbed toxic small gas molecules, hydrogenated anatase is a promising catalyst candidate.     

Insights into the Mechanism of the Reaction between Tetrachloro‐p‐Benzoquinone and Hydrogen Peroxide and their Implications in the Catalytic Role of Water Molecules in Producing the Hydroxyl Radial

Detailed mechanisms for the formation of hydroxyl or alkoxyl radicals in the reactions between tetrachloro‐p‐benzoquinone (TCBQ) and organic hydroperoxides are crucial for better understanding the potential carcinogenicity of polyhalogenated quinones. Herein, the mechanism of the reaction between TCBQ and H₂O₂ has been systematically investigated at the B3LYP/6‐311++G** level of theory in the presence of different numbers of water molecules. We report that the whole reaction can easily take place with the assistance of explicit water molecules. Namely, an initial intermediate is formed first. After that, a nucleophilic attack of H₂O₂ onto TCBQ occurs, which results in the formation of a second intermediate that contains an OOH group. Subsequently, this second intermediate decomposes homolytically through cleavage of the O? O bond to produce a hydroxyl radical. Energy analyses suggest that the nucleophilic attack is the rate‐determining step in the whole reaction. The participation of explicit water molecules promotes the reaction significantly, which can be used to explain the experimental phenomena. In addition, the effects of F, Br, and CH₃ substituents on this reaction have also been studied.     

Activation of Hydrogen by Palladium(0): Formation of the Mononuclear Dihydride Complex trans‐[Pd(H)2(IPr)(PCy3)]

An even split : In sharp contrast with the general behavior of Pd⁰ complexes, [Pd(IPr)(PCy₃)] is able to activate the H? H bond. The resulting trans‐[Pd(H)₂(IPr)(PCy₃)] is the first isolated mononuclear dihydride palladium compound. Its formation is supported by multinuclear NMR spectroscopy, density functional calculations, and X‐ray diffraction studies. The stability and reactivity of this new species are examined.