Biphenolate phosphine complexes of group 4 metals

The preparation and structural characterization of a series of group 4 complexes supported by 2,2'-phenylphosphinobis(4,6-di-tert-butylphenolate) ([OPO]2-) are described. The reaction of either H2[OPO] with Ti(OR)4 (R = Et, iPr) or Li2[OPO] with TiCl4(THF)2 produced yellowish-orange crystals of Ti[OPO]2, regardless of the stoichiometry of the starting materials employed. Comproportionation of the bis-ligand complex Ti[OPO]2 with 1 equiv of TiCl4(THF)2 led to the formation of [OPO]TiCl2(THF) as brownish-red crystals. Surprisingly, treatment of H2[OPO] with [(Me3Si)2N]2MCl2 (M = Zr, Hf), irrespective of the molar ratio, generated colorless crystals of the corresponding bis-ligand complex [OPO]2M(OH2) as an aqua adduct. The solution and solid-state structures of these group 4 complexes were all characterized by multinuclear NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography, respectively.     

Improved model core potentials for the second- and third-row transition metals

New nonrelativistic and scalar-relativistic pseudopotentials for the second- and third-row transition metals have been developed. These improved Model Core Potentials were used in calculations for a variety of transition metal complexes to test their ability to reproduce experimental structures and vibrational frequencies.     

Development of new pseudopotential methods: improved model core potentials for the first-row transition metals

We have recently developed new nonrelativistic and scalar-relativistic pseudopotentials for the first-row transition metal and several main-group elements. These improved Model Core Potentials were tested on a variety of transition metal complexes to determine their accuracy in reproducing electronic structures, bond lengths, and harmonic vibrational frequencies with respect to both all-electron reference data as well as experimental data. The new potentials are also compared with the previous model core potentials available for the first-row transition metals. The new potentials do a superior job at reproducing atomic data, reproduce molecular data as well as the previous version, and in conjunction with new main-group pseudopotentials that have L-shell structure of the valence basis set, they are slightly faster.     

Tris(pyrazolyl)borate amidoborane complexes of the group 4 metals

Treatment of the tris(pyrazolyl)borate metal triamides Tp'M(NMe(2))(3), where Tp' = (C(3)H(3)N(2))(3)BH (Tp) or (3,5-Me(2)C(3)HN(2))(3)BH (Tp*) and M = Ti, Zr and Hf, with the Br?nsted acidic Lewis adduct (C(6)F(5))(3)B·NH(3) in toluene solution leads to the formation of Tp'M(NMe(2))(2){NH(2)B(C(6)F(5))(3)} complexes. The exception to this was the attempted preparation of Tp*Ti(NMe(2))(2){NH(2)B(C(6)F(5))(3)} which was unsuccessful. Where Tp' = Tp and M = Ti and Zr and where Tp' = Tp* and M = Zr the complexes have been characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction methods, revealing the first examples of octahedral amidoborane complexes of the group 4 metals. Attempts to drive the reactions to completion resulted in competing preferential hydrolysis of the amidoborane group, regenerating (C(6)F(5))(3)B·NH(3).     

Energetics of halogen bonding of group 10 metal fluoride complexes

A study is presented of the thermodynamics of the halogen-bonding interaction of C(6)F(5)I with a series of structurally similar group 10 metal fluoride complexes trans-[Ni(F)(2-C(5)NF(4))(PCy(3))(2)] (2), trans-[Pd(F)(4-C(5)NF(4))(PCy(3))(2)] (3), trans-[Pt(F){2-C(5)NF(2)H(CF(3))}(PR(3))(2)] (4a, R = Cy; 4bR = iPr) and trans-[Ni(F){2-C(5)NF(2)H(CF(3))}(PCy(3))(2)] (5a) in toluene solution. (19)F NMR titration experiments are used to determine binding constants, enthalpies and entropies of these interactions (2.4 ≤ K(300) ≤ 5.2; -25 ≤ ΔH(o) ≤ -16 kJ mol(-1); -73 ≤ ΔS(o) ≤ -49 J K(-1) mol(-1)). The data for -ΔH(o) for the halogen bonding follow a trend Ni < Pd < Pt. The fluoropyridyl ligand is shown to have a negligible influence on the thermodynamic data, but the influence of the phosphine ligand is significant. We also show that the value of the spin-spin coupling constant J(PtF) increases substantially with adduct formation. X-ray crystallographic data for Ni complexes 5a and 5c are compared to previously published data for a platinum analogue. We show by experiment and computation that the difference between Pt-X and Ni-X (X = F, C, P) bond lengths is greatest for X = F, consistent with F(2pπ)-Pt(5dπ) repulsive interactions. DFT calculations on the metal fluoride complexes show the very negative electrostatic potential around the fluoride. Calculations of the enthalpy of adduct formation show energies of -18.8 and -22.8 kJ mol(-1) for Ni and Pt complexes of types 5 and 4, respectively, in excellent agreement with experiment.     

Synthesis and structure of 1-metallacyclopent-3-yne complexes of group 4 metals

Five-membered metallacyclic alkyne complexes of titanium and hafnium, 1,1-bis(cyclopentadienyl)-1-titanacyclopent-3-yne (2) and trans-1,1-bis(cyclopentadienyl)-2,5-trimethylsilyl-1-hafnacyclopent-3-yne (6), were synthesized and structurally characterized. The structural analysis of titanium complex 2 implied a larger contribution of an η⁴-π,π-coordinated structure. The hafnium compound 6 has a similar structure to the corresponding zirconium analogue (1a), although slight differences in the bond lengths and angles were observed. A novel 1-zirconacyclopent-3-yne complex, 1,1-bis(methylcyclopentadienyl)-2,5-bis(trimethylsilyl)-1-zirconacyclopent-3-yne (5), was also prepared and the structure of the trans-isomer was determined.     

N-alkyl- and N-aryl-thioformamido complexes of the platinum group metals

Alkyl- and aryl-isothiocyanates undergo insertion reactions with platinum metal hydrides to yield the corresponding N-alkyl- and N-aryl-thioformamido

derivatives, the structure and stereochemistry of which have been deduced using ¹H NMR data.     

π-Arene complexes of the group VIII transition metals

Summary Synthetic methods, structural and chemical aspects of Group VIII ⁶-arene complexes have been reviewed. A section on metal vapor syntheses of these -arene complexes -has been included. -Arene complexes of Group VIII metals in all oxidation states (0, +1, +2, +3) are discussed. Particular emphasis on the -arene ligands lability has been made, and the resultant rich chemistry of the complexes outlined, including catalytic properties.     

Revised model core potentials of s-block elements

We developed new model core potentials (MCPs) for s-block elements from Na to Ra, in which the outer core (n-1)s and (n-1)p electrons are treated explicitly together with the ns electrons. By adding suitable correlating functions, we demonstrated that the present MCP basis sets show excellent performance in describing the electronic structures of atoms and molecules, bringing about accurate ionization potentials of atoms and very good spectroscopic constants of ionic and covalent molecules. The results obtained with the new MCPs are very close to the ones obtained using the all-electron correlation consistent basis sets of Dunning.     

Discrete allyl complexes of group 3 metals and lanthanides

Allyl complexes based on group IIIb metals (Sc, Y, La) and lanthanides are reviewed. The diversity, synthesis, and main structural and reactivity features of discrete, well-defined homoleptic and pseudo-homoleptic neutral, anionic and cationic bis-, tris- and tetra(allyl)-lanthanide complexes, as well as heteroleptic allyl-lanthanidocenes and allyl-lanthanide complexes supported by non-Cp ligands are covered. Brief comments on the catalytic performances of some key compounds in polymerization processes are also provided.     

Dipicolinate complexes of main group metals with hydrazinium cation

Some new coordination complexes of hydrazinium main group metal dipicolinate hydrates of formulae (N₂H₅)₂M(dip)₂.nH₂O (where, M = Ca,Sr,BaorPb andn = 0, 2, 4 and 3 respectively and dip = dipicolinate), N₂H₅Bi(dip)₂.3H₂O and (N₂H₅)₃Bi(dip)₃.4H₂O have been prepared and characterized by physico-chemical techniques. The infrared spectra of the complexes reveal the presence of tridentate dipicolinate dianions and non-coordinating hydrazinium cations. Conductance measurements show that the mono, di and trihydrazinium complexes behave as 1:1, 2:1 and 3 :1 electrolytes respectively, in aqueous solution. Thermal decomposition studies show that these compounds lose water followed by endothermic decomposition of hydrazine to give respective metal hydrogendipicolinate intermediates, which further decompose exothermically to the final product of either metal carbonates (Ca, Sr, Ba and Pb) or metal oxycarbonates (Bi). The coordination numbers around the metal ions differ from compound to compound. The various coordination numbers exhibited by these metals are six (Ca), seven (Ba), eight (Sr) and nine (Pb and Bi). In all the complexes the above coordination number is attained by tridentate dipicolinate dianions and water molecules. The X-ray diffraction patterns of these compounds differ from one another suggesting that they are not isomorphous.     

Computational study of the halogen atom-benzene complexes

The structures of halogen atom-benzene complexes were investigated by modern DFT and ab initio computational methods. The spectroscopic properties of the complexes are also predicted and are in good agreement with experiment where such data have been reported. The fluorine atom-benzene complex is predicted to be a sigma complex due to the strength of a C-F bond. The chlorine atom-benzene complex is predicted to have an eta(1) pi complex structure, which is only slightly more favorable (1.1 kcal/mol with the BH&HLYP/6-311++G method including the ZPE correction) than a sigma complex but is significantly more stable (4.4 kcal/mol with the BH&HLYP/6-311++G method including the ZPE correction) than the eta(6) pi complex. The bromine and iodine benzene complexes are also predicted to prefer an eta(1) pi complex structure.     

Oxidative addition to main group versus transition metals: Insights from the Activation Strain model

We have studied the oxidative addition of the methane C-H and chloromethane C-Cl bonds to a number of main group (Be, Mg and Ca) and transition metals (Pd, Zn and Cd), using relativistic density functional theory (DFT) at ZORA-BLYP/TZ2P. The purpose is to better understand what causes the characteristic differences in reactivity between main group and transition metals towards oxidative addition. Thus, we have analyzed our model reactions using the Activation Strain model in which the activation energy ΔE^≠ is decomposed into the activation strain of and the stabilizing TS interaction between the reactants in the activated complex: . Activation of the C-H bond goes with higher barriers than activation of the C-Cl bond because the higher bond strength of the former translates into a higher activation strain . The barriers for bond activation increase along Pd < Be, Ca < Mg < Zn, Cd. This can be straightforwardly understood through the TS-interaction , that is, in terms of the bonding capabilities of the metals. Pd yields the lowest barriers because it achieves the most stabilizing . This is the result of the small HOMO-LUMO gap between its occupied 4d and unfilled 5s AOs, which makes Pd both a good electron donor and acceptor. Zn and Cd yield the highest barriers because the large HOMO-LUMO gap between the occupied valence ns and unfilled valence np AOs makes them both poor donors and poor acceptors of electronic charge.     

Primary reactions in the photochemistry of hexahalide complexes of platinum group metals: A minireview

We review the results obtained for Pt^IVCl₆²⁻, Pt^IVBr₆²⁻, Ir^IVCl₆²⁻, Ir^IVBr₆²⁻, and Os^IVBr₆²⁻ complexes in aqueous and alcoholic solutions using ultrafast pump–probe spectroscopy, laser flash photolysis, ESR, and photoelectron spectroscopy. We discuss the correlations between the photophysics and the photochemistry of these complexes. The key reaction for Pt^IVCl₆²⁻ is the inner-sphere electron transfer, which results in an Adamson radical pair that lives for several picoseconds, and the subsequent photoaquation in aqueous solutions and photoreduction in alcohols. The chlorine atom formed as the primary product escapes the solvent cage in aqueous solutions or oxidizes a solvent alcohol molecule via secondary electron transfer, producing secondary intermediates that react on the microsecond time scale. The photoexcitation of Pt^IVBr₆²⁻ results in the formation of pentacoordinated Pt^IV intermediates, i.e. ³Pt^IVBr₅⁻ and ¹Pt^IVBr₅⁻, with characteristic lifetimes of approximately 1 and 10 ps, respectively. Subsequent reactions of these intermediates result in the complexation of a solvent molecule. Photoreduction is also possible in alcohols. Similar reactions occur with rather low quantum yields for Ir^IVCl₆²⁻, therefore, only the ground-state recovery could be monitored in ultrafast experiments, which occur on the 10-ps time scale. The photochemical behaviours of the Ir^IVBr₆²⁻ and Os^IVBr₆²⁻ complexes are similar to those of Ir^IVCl₆²⁻ and Pt^IVBr₆²⁻, respectively.     

Alkenyl complexes of platinum group metals: a platform for diverse reactivity patterns

Intermediates for many catalysis reactions reported in the literature are metal‐alkyl and metal‐alkenyl, including metallacycloalkane species. Synthesis and reactions of metal‐alkyl, alkenyl and metallacyle complexes have shown a great deal of development during the past few decades. This review summarizes the significant contributions reported on metal‐alkenyl compounds, specifically those containing at least a carbon chain with pendant alkene group [M―CH₂CH₂CH?CH₂]. Although metal‐alkenyl complexes are stable with strong chelating diphosphines and with a decrease in the ligand donor strength, the complexes can decompose without any ambiguity. For example, platinum‐dialkenyl complexes react readily via β‐hydrogen elimination and reductive elimination promoted by the nature of the ligand, solvent and length of carbon chains. These complexes can also undergo intramolecular irreversible isomerization and this leads to the selective catalytic isomerization of 1‐alkenes to 2‐alkenes in the presence of platinum‐dialkenyl complexes as catalysts. Perhaps the most striking manifestations of flexibility are the facile and complete intramolecular and intermolecular alkene metathesis to yield the corresponding metallacycloalkenes in the presence of Grubbs’ catalysts. The diverse chemical reactivity of these complexes demonstrates both the scope and complexity of metal‐alkenyl chemistry depending on the nature of ligand and metal. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Porphyrin complexes of the period 6 main group and late transition metals

Metalloporphyrin complexes of the period six metals gold, mercury, thallium, lead and bismuth are often overlooked in favour of their lighter congeners. These complexes exhibit unusual coordination geometries, prominently featuring the metal centre residing out the porphyrin plane. Not only are these compounds chemically interesting, but several applications for these complexes are beginning to emerge. Gold and bismuth porphyrins have medicinal applications including novel chemotherapeutics and sensitizers for α-radiotherapy, while gold porphyrins have applications in materials chemistry and catalysis. This perspective serves to highlight trends in the synthesis and structure of these heavy metal complexes as well as illustrate the considerations necessary for rationally designing elaborate porphyrin architectures.     

Fitting complex potential energy surfaces to simple model potentials: application of the simplex-annealing method

A stochastic method of optimization, which combines simulated annealing with simplex, is implemented to fit the parameters of a simple model potential. The main characteristic of the method is that it explores the whole space of the parameters of the model potential, and therefore it is very efficient in locating the global minimum of the cost function, in addition to being independent of the initial guess of the parameters. The method is employed to fit the complex intermolecular potential energy surface of the dimer of water, using as a reference the spectroscopic quality anisotropic site-site potential of Feller et al. The simple model potential chosen for its reparameterization is the MCY model potential of Clementi et al. The quality of the fit is assessed by comparing the geometry of the minimum, the harmonic frequencies, and the second virial coefficients of the parameterized potential with the reference one. Finally, to prove more rigorously the robustness of this method, it is compared with standard nonstochastic methods of optimization.