Observation of Transition‐Metal–Boron Triple Bonds in IrB2O− and ReB2O−

Multiple bonds between boron and transition metals are known in many borylene (:BR) complexes via metal d_π→BR back‐donation, despite the electron deficiency of boron. An electron‐precise metal–boron triple bond was first observed in BiB₂O^? [Bi≡B?B≡O]^? in which both boron atoms can be viewed as sp‐hybridized and the [B?BO]^? fragment is isoelectronic to a carbyne (CR). To search for the first electron‐precise transition‐metal‐boron triple‐bond species, we have produced IrB₂O^? and ReB₂O^? and investigated them by photoelectron spectroscopy and quantum‐chemical calculations. The results allow to elucidate the structures and bonding in the two clusters. We find IrB₂O^? has a closed‐shell bent structure (C_s, ¹A′) with BO^? coordinated to an Ir≡B unit, (^?OB)Ir≡B, whereas ReB₂O^? is linear (C_∞v, ³Σ^?) with an electron‐precise Re≡B triple bond, [Re≡B?B≡O]^?. The results suggest the intriguing possibility of synthesizing compounds with electron‐precise M≡B triple bonds analogous to classical carbyne systems.     

Unerwartete Reduktion von [Cp*TaCl4(PH2R)] (R = But,Cy, Ad,Ph, 2,4,6‐Me3C6H2; Cp* = C5Me5) durch Reaktion mit DBU – Molekülstruktur von [(DBU)H][Cp*TaCl4] (DBU = 1,8‐Diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec‐7‐en)

Unexpected Reduction of [Cp*TaCl₄(PH₂R)] (R = Bu^t, Cy, Ad, Ph, 2,4,6‐Me₃C₆H₂; Cp* = C₅Me₅) by Reaction with DBU – Molecular Structure of [(DBU)H][Cp*TaCl₄] (DBU = 1,8‐diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec‐7‐ene) [Cp*TaCl₄(PH₂R)] (R = Bu^t, Cy, Ad, Ph, 2,4,6‐Me₃C₆H₂ (Mes); Cp* = C₅Me₅) react with DBU in an internal redox reaction with formation of [(DBU)H][Cp*TaCl₄] ( 1 ) (DBU = 1,8‐diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec‐7‐ene) and the corresponding diphosphane (P₂H₂R₂) or decomposition products thereof. 1 was characterised spectroscopically and by crystal structure determination. In the solid state, hydrogen bonding between the (DBU)H cation and one chloro ligand of the anion is observed.     

Reaction of B2(o‐tol)4 with CO and Isocyanides: Cleavage of the C≡O Triple Bond and Direct C−H Borylations

The reaction of highly Lewis acidic tetra(o‐tolyl)diborane(4) with CO afforded a mixture of boraindane and boroxine by the cleavage of the C≡O triple bond. ¹³C labeling experiments confirmed that the carbon atom in the boraindane stems from CO. Simultaneously, formation of boroxine 3 could be considered as borylene transfer to capture the oxygen atom from CO. The reaction of diborane(4) with ^tBu?NC afforded an azaallene, while the reaction with Xyl?NC furnished cyclic compounds by direct C?H borylations.     

Tetra(3‐methoxypropionato)diruthenium(II,III) Units: Supramolecular Organization in the Complex [Ru2(μ‐O2CCH2CH2OMe)4(H2O)2]BF4

The synthesis and characterization of Ru₂Cl(μ‐O₂CCH₂CH₂OMe)₄ ( 1 ), [Ru₂(μ‐O₂CCH₂CH₂OMe)₄(H₂O)₂]BF₄ ( 2 ), PPh₄[Ru₂Cl₂(μ‐O₂CCH₂CH₂OMe)₄] ( 3 ), (PPh₄)₂[Ru₂Br₂(μ‐O₂CCH₂CH₂OMe)₄]NO₃ ( 4 ), and (PPh₄)₂[Ru₂I₂(μ‐O₂CCH₂CH₂OMe)₄]I_0.5(NO₃)_0.5 ( 5 ), are described. The structure of complexes 2 – 5 was established by single crystal X‐ray diffraction. All complexes show a diruthenium(II, III) unit bridged by four 3‐methoxypropionate ligands. The cationic complex 2 have two axially coordinated water molecules, with a Ru–Ru bond distance of 2.2681(12) Å. This complex shows a supramolecular two‐dimensional organization across hydrogen bonded between the axial water molecules and two methoxy groups of adjacent diruthenium units. The metal‐metal bond lengths, in the anionic complexes 3 , 4 , and 5 , are 2.3039(5), 2.3077(6), and 2.3115(8) Å, respectively. These distances are longer than the observed in compound 2 . In the anionic complexes, the axial positions of the diruthenium units are occupied by two halide ligands. Complexes 3 – 5 have PPh₄⁺ cations as counterion, although 4 and 5 are double salts with PPh₄NO₃ and PPh₄I_0.5(NO₃)_0.5, respectively. All compounds have been also characterized by elemental analysis, magnetic measurements, and spectroscopic techniques.     

Redox Non‐Innocent Behavior of a Terminal Iridium Hydrazido(2−) Triple Bond

The synthesis of the first terminal Group 9 hydrazido(2‐) complex, Cp*IrN(TMP) ( 6 ) (TMP=2,2,6,6‐tetramethylpiperidine) is reported. Electronic structure and X‐ray diffraction analysis indicate that this complex contains an Ir?N triple bond, similar to Bergman's seminal Cp*Ir(N^tBu) imido complex. However, in sharp contrast to Bergman's imido, 6 displays remarkable redox non‐innocent reactivity owing to the presence of the N_β lone pair. Treatment of 6 with MeI results in electron transfer from N_β to Ir prior to oxidative addition of MeI to the iridium center. This behavior opens the possibility of carrying out facile oxidative reactions at a formally Ir^III metal center through a hydrazido(2?)/isodiazene valence tautomerization.     

The Molybdenum(0) Complex [Et4N]2[Mo2(CO)6(pys)2](pys=Pyridine-2-thiolato)

The title compound tetraethylammonium hexacarbonylbis(μ-pyridine-2-thiolato-S∶S) dimolybdenum [Et4N]2[Mo2(CO)6(pys)2] crystallizes in the monoclinic, space group, P21/c with a=13.217(2), b=21.648(2), c=27.193(6)(), β=82.52(2)°, V=7714.6()3, Z=8, Mr=840.77, Dc=1.45 g/cm3, μ=7.8 cm-1, R=0.038 and Rw=0.040 for 6082 reflections with I≥3σ(I). X-ray crystal structure study reveals that the asymmetric unit of the title compound is comprised of two independent formulations of the molecular formula. Each dianion has approximate C2 symmetry and the dimetallic Mo2S2 core adopts a "butterfly" conformation with a dihedral angle between the halves of 139.3(1)° for the first independent anion and 142.8(1)° for the second one. The two pyridine rings lie on the same side of the molecule in a cis arrangement and the Mo...Mo separations are 3.76(1) and 3.838(1)().     

Transition-Metal-Substituted Gallanes: Synthesis and Spectroscopic Studies of Highly Polar σ(M—Ga) Bonds,Structures of trans-(Ph3P)(CO)3Co—Ga[(CH2)3N(C 2H5)2]R (R = Cl,CH3) and (n5-C5H5)(CO)2Fe—GaCl2 [N(CH3)3]

The salt elimination reaction of the transition carbonyl metal-lates [L(CO)_nM](Na/K) (M = Cr, Mo, W, Mn, Re, Fe, Co, Ni; L= CO, n⁵-C₅R₅, PR₃; n= 1-4; R= alkyl, aryl) with the base-stabilized galliumhalides Cl_aGaR₃ -a(Do) (R = H, alkyl, halide; Do = THF, N(CH₃)₃, NC₇H₁₃) or Cl_aGa[(CH₂)₃N-R₂](R)₂ - _a yielded almost quantitatively the transition metal-substituted, gallanes [L(CO)_nM]_aGaR₃ - _a(Do) and [L(CO)_n-M]_aGa[(CH₂)₃NR₂](R)₂ - _a, respectively. Residual halide functionalities in these complexes were selectively replaced by various other groups. The new compounds were characterized by means of elemental analysis, ¹H-, ¹³C-, ³¹P-NMR, MS, and lR v(CO) data. The single-crystal X-ray structure analysis of trans-(Ph₃P)(CO)₃Co-Ga[(CH₂) ₃N(C₂H₅)₂](R)( 6s : R = Cl, 6t : R= CH₃) showed s̀(Co-Ga) lengths of 237.78(4) and 249.5(1) pm, respectively. A short s̀(Fe-Ga) contact of 236.18(3) pm was found for (n⁵-C₅H₅)(CO)₂Fe-Ga-Cl₂[N(CH ₃)₃] ( 5a ). Low-pressure MOCVD experiments were performed to give thin films of analytically pure CoGa alloy.     

Metal–Metal Single Bonds with the Magnetic Anisotropy of Quadruple Bonds: A Systematic Series of Heterobimetallic Bismuth(II)–Rhodium(II) Formamidinate Complexes

The first set of five heterobimetallic MM′(form)₄ (form=formamidinate) complexes containing a BiRh core has been successfully synthesized. The Bi?Rh bond lengths lie between 2.5196(6) and 2.572(2) Å, consistent with Bi?Rh single bonds. All complexes have rich electrochemistry, with the [BiRh]^4+/5+ redox couples spanning approximately 700 mV and showing a strong correlation to remote ligand substitution. Visible spectroscopy showed two features for complexes 1 – 5 at approximately 459 and 551 nm, unique to BiRh paddlewheel complexes that are attributed to LMCT bands into the Bi?Rh σ* orbital. The large spin–orbit coupling (SOC) of Bi creates a massive Bi?Rh magnetic anisotropy, Δχ, approximately ?4800×10^?36 m³molecule^?1, which is the largest value reported for any single bond to date.     

Reduction of CO2 by Pyridine Monoimine Molybdenum Carbonyl Complexes: Cooperative Metal–Ligand Binding of CO2

[(^ArPMI)Mo(CO)₄] complexes (PMI=pyridine monoimine; Ar=Ph, 2,6‐di‐iso‐propylphenyl) were synthesized and their electrochemical properties were probed with cyclic voltammetry and infrared spectroelectrochemistry (IR‐SEC). The complexes undergo a reduction at more positive potentials than the related [(bipyridine)Mo(CO)₄] complex, which is ligand based according to IR‐SEC and DFT data. To probe the reaction product in more detail, stoichiometric chemical reduction and subsequent treatment with CO₂ resulted in the formation of a new product that is assigned as a ligand‐bound carboxylate, [(PMI)Mo(CO)₃(CO₂)]^2?, by NMR spectroscopic methods. The CO₂ adduct [(PMI)Mo(CO)₃(CO₂)]^2? could not be isolated and fully characterized. However, the C?C coupling between the CO₂ molecule and the PDI ligand was confirmed by X‐ray crystallographic characterization of one of the decomposition products of [(PMI)Mo(CO)₃(CO₂)]^2?.