Dimanganese Bridging Borylene Complexes and their Reactions with Unsaturated Palladium(0) Complexes – Syntheses,Structures and Calculated Properties

The dimanganese bridging borylene complex [μ‐BMes {(η⁵‐C₅H₄Me)Mn(CO)₂}₂] was synthesized from Mes(Cl)BB(Cl)Mes and K[(η⁵‐C₅H₄Me)Mn(CO)₂H] at low temperature, providing a small sample after manual separation of crystals, allowing a perfunctory spectroscopic analysis, but affording conclusive X‐ray crystallographic structural data. The trimetallic bridging borylene complex [(μ³‐BCl){{(η⁵‐C₅H₄Me)Mn(CO)₂} {Pd(PCy₃)}₂}] was prepared by the addition of [Pd(PCy₃)₂] to a solution of [μ‐BCl{(η⁵‐C₅H₄Me)Mn(CO)₂}₂], affording pure crystals that were fully characterised including X‐ray crystallographic analysis. The structure is reconciled with detailed theoretical analysis for related model complexes, [(μ³‐BX){{(η⁵‐C₅H₅)Mn(CO)₂}{Pd(PMe₃)}₂}] (X = Me, Cl).     

Synthesis and Structure of the First Terminal Borylene Complexes

A nearly linear arrangement is observed for the three atoms in the central W-B-N unit of the tungsten complex [(CO)₅WBN(SiMe₃)₂] ( 1 ) in the crystal (W-B-N 177.9°; see picture). This compound along with its Cr analogue represent the first examples of terminal borylene complexes with a two-coordinate metal-bound boron atom. The geometries of the axial and equatorial CO groups in 1 are similar, and thus indicate that there is no trans effect of the borylene ligand.     

Transition‐Metal‐Like Behavior of Monovalent Boron Compounds: Reduction,Migration, and Complete Cleavage of CO at a Boron Center

The borylene–carbonyl moiety in [bis(silylene)B(CO)][WBr(CO)₅] shows diverse reactivity. Reduction, migration, and complete cleavage of CO have been observed at the boron center, leading to the formation of new types of borylenes. These reactions not only serve as new methods for the synthesis of various stable borylenes, but also demonstrate that main‐group‐element compounds can mimic the behavior of transition‐metal complexes.     

Recent Mechanistic and Synthetic Developments in the Chemistry of Transition‐Metal Vinylidene Complexes

Transition‐metal vinylidene complexes are intermediates in a number of synthetically important transformations of alkynes. Underpinning these applications is the ability of various electron‐rich transition‐metal complexes to effectively facilitate the conversion of alkynes into their vinylidene tautomers. Recent experimental and theoretical studies have provided considerable insight into the mechanisms by which this process occurs and they are detailed herein. In particular, it has been demonstrated that different substituents on both the metal and the alkyne may have profound effects on both the kinetic and thermodynamic profiles of the alkyne/vinylidene tautomerisation. An important finding is that internal alkynes may be employed to prepare disubstituted vinylidene complexes under easily accessible conditions. This discovery brings to light a new facet of the potential synthetic applications of transition metal vinylidene complexes.     

Organocatalysis of CN/CN and CC/CN Exchange in Dynamic Covalent Chemistry

The reversibly formed C?N bond plays a very important role in dynamic covalent chemistry and the C?N/C?N exchange of components between different imine constituents to create dynamic covalent libraries has been extensively used. To facilitate diversity generation, we have investigated an organocatalyzed approach, using L ‐proline as catalyst, to accelerate the formation of dynamic libraries of [n×n] imine components. The organocatalysis methodology has also been extended, under somewhat modified conditions, to reversible C?C/C?N exchange processes between Knoevenagel derivatives of barbituric acid and imines, allowing for the generation of increased diversity.     

Catalytic systems Me2SiCp*NtBuMX2/(CPh3)(B(C6F5)4) (MTi,XCH3, MZr,XiBu) in copolymerization of ethylene with styrene

Catalytic activity of Me₂SiCp*N^tBuMX₂/(CPh₃)(B(C₆F₅)₄) [MTi, XCH₃ (1); MZr, X=ⁱBu (2)] systems in the ethylene/styrene (E/S) feed was examined. Experimental data revealed high activity for the catalytic system (1) for copolymerization ethylene with styrene, whereas the system with enhanced catalytic activity for ethylene homopolymerization (2) was temporarily blocked in the styrene presence yielding, even at high styrene content, homopolyethylene as the final product. Properties of thus obtained polymers were analyzed. Catalytic system (1) occurred very sensitive to S/E ratio in the comonomers feed. The 10‐fold acceleration for ethylene consumption was shown in two experimental sets conducted at S/E = 1.3 ratio, 1 bar, and 7.5 bar ethylene pressure, respectively. The consequent enhancement in S/E ratio resulted in slowing down both ethylene consumption and catalyst deactivation rates. Atactic polystyrene was formed at high styrene content with the catalyst (1). Catalytic system (1) allowed design of products with the highest styrene content (20 mol %) at low ethylene pressure, moderate temperature, and high S/E ratio. The apparent activation energy estimated from the initial rates of ethylene consumption was 54.6 kJ/mol. Analysis of apparent reactivity factors (r_E = 9 and r_S = 0.04; r_E × r_S = 0.4) and ¹³C‐NMR copolymer spectra revealed an alternating tendency of the comonomers for active center incorporation. DSC measurements showed considerable decrease of melting points and crystallinity even for copolymers with low styrene content. The catalyst produced relatively high–molecular weight copolymers (140–150 kg/mol) even at 80°C. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 1083–1093, 1999     

Metal Alkoxide Promoted Regio‐ and Stereoselective CO and CC Metathesis of Allenoates with Aldehydes

The reaction of 2,3‐allenoates and aldehydes in the presence of an alkoxide affords alkyl 4,5‐diaryl‐3‐oxo‐2‐propylpent‐4(E)‐enoates and cis‐3,4‐diaryloxetanes through a formal C?O and C?C metathesis. A mechanism for this reaction has been proposed.