Coordination chemistry of a chelating amidoximato ligand

A potentially general strategy for accessing the rarely encountered coordination of amidoximates through both oximato O and amido N atoms was developed. The new amidoxime (Z)-R(1)C(=NOH)NR(2)H (R(1) = mesityl, R(2) = 2-[[dimethylamino]methyl]phenyl), H(2)L, was prepared by reaction of equimolar amounts of the appropriate nitrile oxide and primary amine. Treatment of H(2)L with 1 equiv of AlMe(3) produced the dimeric species (MeAlL)(2) (1) possessing the formally dianionic ligand L(2)(-) bound to the aluminum via the oximato oxygen and the amido and amino nitrogens. The oximato oxygen atoms serve to link the two monomeric organoaluminum units together. Reaction of (ON)Cr(N(i)Pr(2))(3) with H(2)L provided the diamagnetic complex (ON)Cr(N(i)Pr(2))(eta(3)-L) (2). Interaction of 2 with excess methanol led, in particular, to the oxidative loss of NO and yielded the paramagnetic dimer [Cr(LH)(OMe)(mu-OMe)](2) (3) containing the eta(3)-bound amidoximato ligand protonated at its oximato nitrogen. In addition to spectroscopic characterizations of the new substances, single-crystal X-ray structures of H(2)L, 1.(4)/(3)C(6)H(6), and 3.MeOH were obtained.     

Synthesis and coordination chemistry of a photoswitchable bis(phosphine) ligand

A 1,2-dithienylethene compound bearing bis(phosphine) groups (1o) represents a new class of photoresponsive ligands where there are steric and electronic differences between two photogenerated isomers. The coordination chemistry of this ligand class is demonstrated by preparing a gold(I) complex (2o) and a phosphine selenide (3o).     

Coordination chemistry of a terpyridine-tris(pyrazolyl) ditopic ligand

A new ditopic ligand, 4'-(4-(2,2,2-tris(1H-pyrazol-1-ido)ethoxymethyl)phenyl)-2,2':6',2'-terpyridine (pzt), has been prepared and its coordination chemistry studied. Metal ions with a preference for octahedral geometry form ML(2) complexes that are readily isolated and characterised, with the metal ion being bound to the terpyridine sites of both ligands. Other metal ions bind to the terpyridine site of just one ligand. In the case of silver(i), a dinuclear M(2)L(2) complex has been isolated in which each silver ion is coordinated to the terpyridine site of one ligand and to a single pyrazolyl donor group from the second ligand. Evidence for binding of metal ions to the tris(pyrazolyl) binding site was obtained by electrospray mass spectrometry and NMR techniques. The free ligand and three metal complexes, including the disilver complex, have been characterised by X-ray crystallographic techniques.     

Coordination chemistry of an asymmetric P,N,O tridentate ligand containing primary phosphine, amine and alcohol donors

The asymmetric, heterodonor tridentate ligand 2(S)-amino-4-phosphinobutan-1-ol, S-PNO, has been prepared from (S)-aspartic acid and some aspects of its coordination chemistry with a number of metal complexes investigated. Reaction of S-PNO with appropriate metal precursors led to the isolation of the complexes fac-Cr(CO)₃(κ³-S-PNO), 1, fac-[Mn(CO)₃(κ³-S-PNO)]PF₆, 2, and fac-[Re(CO)₃(κ³-S-PNO)]BF₄, 3. The alcohol and amine donors in fac-Cr(CO)₃(κ³-S-PNO) were substituted upon addition of trivinylphosphine to 1 to give the complex fac-Cr(CO)₃(κ¹-P-S-PNO){P(C₂H₃)₃}₂, 4. Addition of base to 4 gave a coordinated linear tridentate P₃ ligand through the formation of two new chelate rings via hydrophosphination of one vinyl group on each coordinated P(C₂H₃)₃ with the P-H bonds of the complexed S-PNO. The alcohol donor in fac-[Re(CO)₃(κ³-S-PNO)]BF₄ is labile and can be substituted with tris(2-fluorophenyl)phosphine, PAr₃^F, to give fac-[Re(CO)₃(κ²-P,N-S-PNO)(PAr₃^F)]BF₄, 5. Attempts to form a macrocyclic ligand through addition of base to fac-[Re(CO)₃(κ²-P,N-S-PNO)(PAr₃^F)]BF₄ were unsuccessful due to loss of PAr₃^F prior to any ring-closure. All the complexes have been fully characterised by spectroscopic and analytical techniques including a single-crystal X-ray structure analysis of 2.     

Application of an electroneutral phosphine ligand to organo-platinum chemistry: Pentafluoroethyldiphenylphosphine (pfepp)

The synthesis, characterization and molecular structures of two platinum complexes bearing the novel phosphine pentafluoroethyldiphenylphosphine (pfepp; 1) is reported. pfepp is a sterically bulky, electronically neutral phosphine ligand. Treatment of (cod)PtMe₂ with two equivalents of pfepp yields cis-(pfepp)₂PtMe₂ 2. Addition of one equivalent of acetyl chloride to a methanol/dichloromethane solution of 2 results in the formation of trans-(pfepp)₂PtMeCl 3. Complexes 2 and 3 were characterized by IR, multinuclear NMR and elemental analysis. The X-ray crystal structures of 2 and 3 are also reported and confirm the geometry assignments around the metal center.     

Coordination chemistry of a pi-extended, rigid and redox-active tetrathiafulvalene-fused Schiff-base ligand

A pi-extended, redox-active tetradentate tetrathiafulvalene-fused salphen [salphen = N,N'-phenylenebis(salicylideneimine)] compound (L) was prepared via a direct Schiff-base condensation of the corresponding diamine-tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) precursor with salicylaldehyde. Its chelating coordination ability has been demonstrated by the formation of the corresponding transition metal complexes in the presence of M(OAc)2.nH2O (M = Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II)) and FeCl3.6H2O. Three complexes have been characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis showing that the TTF-salphen ligand coordinates to the metal ions in a planar mode through the nitrogen and oxygen atoms in a N2O2 cis-configuration. In the case of Fe(III), a dinuclear oxo-bridged Fe(III) complex is formed. These paramagnetic complexes are promising building blocks for the construction of dual functional materials due to their unique structural features (planarity and rigidity) as well as their inherent redox properties.     

Coordination chemistry and reactivity of zinc complexes supported by a phosphido pincer ligand

The preparation and characterization of new Zn(II) complexes of the type [(PPP)ZnR] in which R = Et (1) or N(SiMe(3))(2) (2) and PPP is a tridentate monoanionic phosphido ligand (PPP-H = bis(2-diphenylphosphinophenyl)phosphine) are reported. Reaction of ZnEt(2) and Zn[N(SiMe(3))(2)](2) with one equivalent of proligand PPP-H produced the corresponding tetrahedral zinc ethyl (1) and zinc amido (2) complexes in high yield. Homoleptic (PPP)(2) Zn complex 3 was obtained by reaction of the precursors with two equivalents of the proligand. Structural characterization of 1-3 was achieved by multinuclear NMR spectroscopy ((1)H, (13)C, and (31)P) and X-ray crystallography (3). Variable-temperature (1)H and (31)P?NMR studies highlighted marked flexibility of the phosphido pincer ligand in coordination at the metal center. A DFT calculation on the compounds provided theoretical support for this behavior. The activities of 1 and 2 toward the ring-opening polymerization of ε-caprolactone and of L- and rac-lactide were investigated, also in combination with an alcohol as external chain-transfer agent. Polyesters with controlled molecular parameters (M(n), end groups) and low polydispersities were obtained. A DFT study on ring-opening polymerization promoted by these complexes highlighted the importance of the coordinative flexibility of the ancillary ligand to promote monomer coordination at the reactive zinc center. Preliminary investigations showed the ability of these complexes to promote copolymerization of L-lactide and ε-caprolactone to achieve random copolymers whose microstructure reproduces the composition of the monomer feed.     

Coordination properties of 2,5-dimesitylpyridine: an encumbering and versatile ligand for transition-metal chemistry

To overcome the unfavorable steric pressures associated with 2,6-disubstitution in encumbering pyridine ligands, the coordination chemistry of a 2,5-disubstituted variant, namely, 2,5-dimesitylpyridine (2,5-Mes(2)py), is reported. This diaryl pyridine shows good binding ability to a range of transition-metal fragments with varying formal oxidation states and coligands. Treatment of 2.0 equiv of 2,5-Mes(2)py with monovalent Cu and Ag triflate sources generates complexes of the type [M(2,5-Mes(2)py)(2)]OTf (M = Cu, Ag; OTf = OSO(2)CF(3)), which feature long M-OTf distances and a substrate-accessible primary coordination sphere. Combination of 2,5-Mes(2)py with Cu(OTf)(2) and Pd(OAc)(2) produces four-coordinate complexes featuring cis- and trans-2,5-Mes(2)py orientations, respectively. The four-coordinate palladium complex Pd(OAc)(2)(2,5-Mes(2)py)(2) is found to resist py-ligand dissociation at room temperature in solution, but functions as a precatalyst for the aerobic C-H bond olefination of benzene at elevated temperatures. This C-H bond activation chemistry is compared with a similar Pd-based system featuring 2,6-disubstituted pyridines. 2,5-Mes(2)py also readily supports mono- and dinuclear divalent Co complexes, and the solution-phase equilibria between such species are detailed. The coordination studies presented highlight the potential of 2,5-Mes(2)py to function as an encumbering ancillary for the stabilization of low-coordinate complexes and as a supporting ligand for metal-mediated transformations.     

Olefin metathesis catalyst bearing a chelating phosphine ligand

An improved synthetic procedure for the complex (SPY-5-34)-dichloro-(κ²(C,P)-diphenyl-(2-benzylidene)-phosphine)-(1,3-bis(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)-4,5-dihydro-imidazol-2-ylidene)-ruthenium (2) was elaborated and the title compound was tested as latent initiator in Ring Opening Metathesis Polymerization (ROMP) and as catalyst for Ring-Closing Metathesis (RCM) at elevated temperatures. While not particularly suited as latent initiator for ROMP, exhibiting a switching temperature of only 42 °C in the polymerization of a typical norbornene derivative, 2 shows an appealing performance in RCM of α,ω-dienes at higher temperatures.     

Variable coordination chemistry of the phospha(III)guanidinate anion; application as a metal-functionalised phosphine ligand

Structural investigation of Li-complexes of the phospha(III)guanidinate anion [Ph2PC[NiPr]2]- revealed variable coordination to lithium; synthesis of the dimethyl aluminium compound, (Ph2PC[NiPr]2)AlMe2, which behaves as a metal-functionalised phosphine ligand towards platinum, is reported.     

Metallocenyl cations : III. Cymantrenyl carbenium ions containing one phosphine ligand

A number of carbinols, cyclopentadienylmanganese tricarbonyl derivatives of general formula (CO)₂LMnC₅H₄C(OH)RR′ (I) (L = PPh₃ or P(isoC₃H₇)₃, R and R′ = H, Me, Et, Ph) have been synthesised. In solution, in the presence of CF₃COOH they form stable secondary and tertiary carbenium ions, stabilised by the (CO)₂LMnC₅H₄ group. IR spectra and ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectra of the carbenium ions were recorded. Substitution of a tertiary phosphine for a carbonyl group sharply increased the stability of the α-cymantrenylcarbenium ions.     

Group 4 complexes of a new [OSSO]-type dianionic ligand. Coordination chemistry and preliminary polymerization catalysis studies

A straightforward synthesis of a new type of tetradentate dianionic [OSSO]-type ligand is described. This ligand features an ethylenedithiol core bridged via methylene groups to substituted phenols, thus representing an S analogue of the [ONNO]-type Salan ligands. The [OSSO]H2 ligand precursor reacted with titanium(IV) isopropoxide and with zirconium(IV) tert-butoxide to give the corresponding [OSSO]-M(OR)2 complexes, which formed as single C2-symmetric isomers but were fluxional according to variable-temperature NMR. An X-ray structure of [OSSO]-Zr(O-t-Bu)2 supported the fac-fac wrapping mode of the ligand. The dibenzyl complex [OSSO]-Zr(bn)2 that was obtained by a reaction between the ligand precursor and tetrabenzylzirconium was found to be an active 1-hexene polymerization catalyst upon activation with B(C6F5)3, leading to a stereoirregular polymer despite its C2 symmetry.     

Solid-phase Suzuki cross-coupling reactions using a phosphine ligand based on a phospha-adamantane framework

The use of a catalyst system based on Pd₂dba₃·CHCl₃ and 1,3,5,7-tetramethyl-2,4,8-trioxa-6-phenyl-6-phospha-adamantane allows for Suzuki coupling aryl halides with an array of boronic acids on a solid-phase platform. The reactions can be carried out at room temperature with low palladium loadings in high yields.     

Selective catch and release of a synthetically useful phosphine ligand

The selective catch and release of the synthetically useful (o-biphenyl)(t-butyl)₂P from basic and non basic compounds, utilizing solid phase supported sulfonic acid sources is demonstrated.     

Coordination chemistry of buckybowls: from corannulene to a hemifullerene

This work highlights the progress made in coordination chemistry of transition-metal centers to open geodesic polyaromatic hydrocarbons that map onto the surface of C60, the family of compounds known as buckybowls or 'fullerene fragments'. In particular, an overview of our recent gas-phase coordination studies of several bowl-shaped polyarenes toward the dinuclear metal complex, [Rh2(O2CCF3)4], is given. Selected buckybowls include corannulene (C20H10) and two of its derivatives, namely dibenzo[a,g]corannulene (C28H14) and 1,3,5,7,9-penta-tert-butylcorannulene (C40H50), as well as a hemifullerene (C30H12). This study has resulted in the first X-ray structural characterization of buckybowl coordination complexes and has revealed eta2-rim coordination preferences of open geodesic polyarenes in rhodium(ii) binding reactions.     

Coordination chemistry of a new rigid, hexadentate bispidine-based bis(amine)tetrakis(pyridine) ligand

The hexadentate bispidine-based ligand 2,4-bis(2-pyridyl)-3,7-bis(2-methylenepyridine)-3,7-diazabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane-9-on-1,5-bis(carbonic acid methyl ester), L(6m), with four pyridine and two tertiary amine donors, based on a very rigid diazaadamantane-derived backbone, is coordinated to a range of metal ions. On the basis of experimental and computed structural data, the ligand is predicted to form very stable complexes. Force field calculations indicate that short metal-donor distances lead to a buildup of strain in the ligand; that is, the coordination of large metal ions is preferred. This is confirmed by experimentally determined stability constants, which indicate that, in general, stabilities comparable to those with macrocyclic ligands are obtained with the relative order Cu(2+) > Zn(2+) > Ni(2+) < Co(2+), which is not the typical Irving-Williams behavior. The preference for large M-N distances also emerges from relatively high redox potentials (the higher oxidation states, that is, the smaller metal ions, are destabilized) and from relatively weak ligand fields (dd-transition, high-spin electronic ground states). The potentiometric titrations confirm the efficient encapsulation of the metal ions since only 1:1 complexes are observed, and, over a large pH range, ML is generally the only species present in solution.     

Preparation of a heterodifunctional ligand possessing both phosphine and cyclopentadienide functionality

Constant potential coulometry at ?0.1 V of decamethylferrocene in a 1.5/l aluminum chloride/1-butylpyridinium chloride melt gave a deep brown solution containing the decamethylferricinium dication.     

Coordination chemistry of stable radicals: homolysis of a titanium-oxygen bond

Thermolysis of Cp2TiCl(TEMPO) (TEMPO = 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl) at 60 degrees C in a benzene/CCl4 mixture generates Cp2TiCl2. Kinetic studies implicate a mechanism involving the reversible cleavage of a Ti-O bond to generate the TEMPO radical and Cp2TiCl, which is trapped by CCl4 to give Cp2TiCl2. The rate of this reaction is strongly inhibited by added TEMPO and increases with increasing CCl4 concentration, indicating that the coupling of TEMPO to Cp2TiCl is faster than chloride atom abstraction from CCl4.