Ruthenium complexes of phosphine-aminophosphine ligands

Ruthenium complexes of phosphinoferrocenylaminophosphine ligands (BoPhoz™ ligands) have been prepared by combining the ligands with tris(triphenylphosphine)ruthenium dichloride and precipitating the complexes. The optimal species exhibit high enantioselectivities for the asymmetric hydrogenation of functionalized ketones, particularly β-ketoesters.     

Gold complexes with potentially tri- and tetradentate phosphinothiolate ligands

Reactions of [Au(PPh3)Cl], (Bu4N)[AuCl4] and the organometallic gold complex [Au(damp-C1,N)Cl2] (damp- = 2-(N,N-dimethylaminomethyl)phenyl) with the potentially tri- and tetradentate proligands PhP(C6H3-SH-2-R-3)2 (H2L1a, R = SiMe3; H2L1b, R = H) and P(C6H4-SH-2)3 (H3L2) result in the formation of mono- or dinuclear gold complexes depending on the precursor used. Monomeric complexes of the type [AuL1Cl] are formed upon the reaction with [Au(damp-C1,N)Cl2], but small amounts of dinuclear [AuL1]2 complexes with gold in two different oxidation states, +1 and +3, have been isolated as side-products. The dinuclear compounds are obtained in better yields from [AuCl4]-. A dinuclear complex having two Au(III) centers can be isolated from the reaction of [Au(PPh3)Cl] with H3L2, whereas from the reaction with H2L1b the mononuclear [Au(Ph3P)HL1b] is obtained, which contains a three-coordinate gold atom. Comparatively short gold-gold distances have been found in the dinuclear complexes (2.978(2) and 3.434(1) A). They are indicative of weak gold-gold interactions, which is unusual for gold(III).     

Ruthenium(II) carbonyl complexes containing tetradentate Schiffbases

Ruthenium(II) carbonyl complexes of general formula [Ru(CO)(B)(L)] [where B = PPh3, pyridine (py), piperidine (pip); L = the dianionic tetradentate Schiff bases derived from the condensation of acetylacetone or benzoylacetone with ethylenediamine, propylenediamine or trimethylenediamine] have been synthesised by reacting [RuHCl(CO)(PPh3)2(B)] (B = PPh3, py or pip) with bis(acetylacetone)ethylenediimine, bis(acetylacetone)propylenediimine, bis(acetylacetone)trimethylenedi- imine, bis(benzoylacetone)ethylenediimine, bis(benzoylacetone)propylenediimine or bis(benzoylacetone)trimethylenediimine. The complexes were characterised onthe basis of elemental analyses, i.r., electronic and 1H- and 31P{1H}-n.m.r. spectral studies. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Coordination complexes bearing potentially tetradentate phenoxyamine ligands

A series of metal complexes containing potentially tetradentate phenoxyamine ligands is described. The ligands are found to bind to main-group metals and first-row transition-metal centres with variable denticity depending upon the requirements of the particular metal centre. Bidentate [Al(III)], tridentate [Mg(II), Ca(II), Zn(II)] and tetradentate [K(I), Cr(III), Fe(II), Co(II)] binding modes have been established unambiguously through single-crystal X-ray structure determinations.     

Ruthenium hydride complexes of chiral and achiral diphosphazane ligands and asymmetric transfer hydrogenation reactions

The half-sandwhich ruthenium chloro complexes bearing chelated diphosphazane ligands, [(η⁵-Cp)RuCl{κ²-P,P-(RO)₂PN(Me)P(OR)₂}] [R = C₆H₃Me₂-2,6] (1) and [(η⁵-Cp^∗)RuCl{κ²-P,P-X₂PN(R)PYY′}] [R = Me, X = Y = Y′ = OC₆H₅ (2); R = CHMe₂, X₂ = C₂₀H₁₂O₂, Y = Y′ = OC₆H₅ (3) or OC₆H₄^tBu-4 (4)] have been prepared by the reaction of CpRu(PPh₃)₂Cl with (RO)₂PN(Me)P(OR)₂ [R = C₆H₃Me₂-2,6 (L¹)] or by the reaction of [Cp^∗RuCl₂]_n with X₂PN(R)PYY′ in the presence of zinc dust. Among the four diastereomers (two enantiomeric pairs) possible for the “chiral at metal” complexes 3 and 4, only two diastereomers (one enantiomeric pair) are formed in these reactions. The complexes 1, 2, 4 and [(η⁵-Cp)RuCl{κ²-P,P-Ph₂PN((S)-^∗CHMePh)PPhY}] [Y = Ph (5) or N₂C₃HMe₂-3,5 (S_CS_PR_Ru)-(6)] react with NaOMe to give the corresponding hydride complexes [(η⁵-Cp)RuH{κ²-P,P-(RO)₂PN(Me)P(OR)₂}] (7), [(η⁵-Cp^∗)RuH{κ²-P,P′-X₂PN(R)PY₂}] [R = Me, X = Y = OC₆H₅ (8); R = CHMe₂, X₂ = C₂₀H₁₂O₂, Y = OC₆H₄^tBu-4 (9)] and [(η⁵-Cp)RuH{κ²-P,P-Ph₂PN((S)-^∗CHMePh)PPhY}][Y = Ph (10) or N₂C₃HMe₂-3,5 (S_CS_PR_Ru)-(11a) and (S_CS_PS_Ru)-(11b)]. Only one enantiomeric pair of the hydride 9 is obtained from the chloro precursor 4 that bears sterically bulky substituents at the phosphorus centers. On the other hand, the optically pure trichiral complex 6 that bears sterically less bulky substituents at the phosphorus gives a mixture of two diastereomers (11a and 11b). Protonation of complex 7 using different acids (HX) gives a mixture of [(η⁵-Cp)Ru(η²-H₂){κ²-P,P-(RO)₂PN(Me)P(OR)₂}]X (12a) and [(η⁵-Cp)Ru(H)₂{κ²-P,P-(RO)₂PN(Me)P(OR)₂}]X (12b) of which 12a is the major product independent of the acid used; the dihydrogen nature of 12a is established by T₁ measurements and also by synthesizing the deuteride analogue 7-D followed by protonation to obtain the D-H isotopomer. Preliminary investigations on asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of 2-acetonaphthone in the presence of a series of chiral diphosphazane ligands show that diphosphazanes in which the phosphorus centers are strong π-acceptor in character and bear sterically bulky substituents impart moderate levels of enantioselectivity. Attempts to identify the hydride intermediate involved in the asymmetric transfer hydrogenation by a model reaction suggests that a complex of the type, [Ru(H)(Cl){κ²-P,P-X₂PN(R)PY₂}(solvent)₂] could be the active species in this transformation.     

Thorium(IV) complexes with tetradentate Schiff base ligands

Summary Some thorium(IV) complexes were synthesized with the tetradentate Schiff base ligands (N₂O₂ donor set) obtained by the condensation of ethylenediamine with salicylaldehyde (H₂salen) or acetylacetone (H₂ acacen). In all cases the neutral Schiff bases and not their anions are coordinated to the central thorium(IV) atom. The complexes have the general formula: ThL₂Xa (L = H₂ salen; X = Cl, Br, 1, NCS and L = lie acacen; X = Cl, 1, NCS, ClO₄) or ThLX₄ (L = H₂ salen; X = NO₃, ClO₄ and L = H₂ acacen; X = Br, NO₃). The stoichiometry and coordination number of the complexes was determined on the basis of elemental analysis, conductivity measurements, i.r. spectra and t.g.a./d.t.a. data. The coordination number of the complexes is either 12 or 8 for the bisor monocomplexes respectively.     

Ruthenium(III) complexes with tetradentate Schiff bases containing triphenylphosphine or triphenylarsine

Ruthenium(III) complexes of Schiff bases derived from the condensation of salicylaldehyde or o-vanillin with diamines have been prepared and characterised. The complexes are of the type [RuX(EPh₃)(L)] [X=Cl or Br; E=P or As; L=bis(salicylaldehyde)tetramethylenediimine, bis(salicylaldehyde)o-phenylenediimine, bis(o-vanillin)ethylenediimine, bis(o-vanillin)propylenediimine, bis(o-vanillin)tetramethylenediimine or bis(o-vanillin)o-phenylenediimine]. The Schiff bases behave as dibasic tetradentate ligands.     

Four copper(II) complexes with potentially tetradentate tripodal ligands

The four title Cu^II compounds are chloro­[(2‐furyl­methyl)­bis(2‐pyridyl­methyl)­amine‐N,N′,N′′]copper(II) perchlorate, [CuCl(C₁₇H₁₇N₃O)]ClO₄, (I), chloro{2‐[bis(2‐pyridyl­methyl)­amino]­ethano­lato‐N,N′,N′′,O}­copper(II) hemi­[tetra­chloro­copper(II)], [CuCl(C₁₄H₁₇N₃O)][CuCl₄]_1/2, (II), chloro­[(2‐morpholino­ethyl)­bis(2‐pyridyl­methyl)­amine‐N,N′,N′′,N′′′]copper(II) perchlorate, [CuCl(C₁₈H₂₄N₄O)]ClO₄, (III), and chloro­[(2‐piperidinyl­ethyl)­bis(2‐pyridyl­methyl)­amine‐N,N′,N′′,N′′′]­copper(II) hexa­fluoro­phosphate, [CuCl(C₁₉H₂₆N₄)]­PF₆, (IV). They have tripodal potentially tetradentate ligands. In (I), the O atom of the furan moiety weakly coordinates to the Cu atom at a distance of 2.750 (3) Å.     

Mono- and dinuclear complexes of chiral tri- and tetradentate Schiff-base ligands derived from 1,1'-binaphthyl-2,2'-diamine

The synthesis and characterization of the bis(bidentate) Schiff-base ligand [(R)-2] formed by the condensation reaction of (R)-1,1'-binaphthyl-2,2'-diamine [(R)-BINAM] with pyridine-2-carboxaldehyde is presented. The coordination chemistry of (R)-2 with Ni(ClO(4))(2).6H(2)O, Co(ClO(4))(2).6H(2)O, CuCl(2), and CuSO(4) has been investigated. Reaction of (R)-2 with the first two metal salts leads to complexes of the type [M((R)-4)(2)](ClO(4))(2) (M = Ni(II), Co(II)), where (R)-4 is a tridentate ligand resulting from the hydrolytic cleavage of one of the pyridyl groups from (R)-2. Both complexes were characterized by X-ray crystallography, which showed that the Lambda absolute configuration of the metal center is favored in both cases. (1)H NMR spectroscopy suggests that the high diastereoselectivity of Lambda-[Co((R)-4)(2)](ClO(4))(2) is maintained in solution. The reaction of (R)-2 with CuCl(2) leads to the dinuclear complex [Cu(2)((R)-2)Cl(4)], which has a [Cu(2)(mu(2)-Cl(2))] core. The reaction of CuSO(4) with (R)-2 gives a dimeric complex, [Cu((R)-4)SO(4)](2), which features a [Cu(2)(mu(2)-(SO(4))(2))] core. This complex can be prepared directly by the reaction of (R)-BINAM with pyridine-2-carboxaldehyde and CuSO(4). The use of rac-BINAM in this synthetic procedure leads to the heterochiral dimer [Cu(2)((R)-4)((S)-4)(SO(4))(2)]; that is, the ligands undergo a self-sorting (self/nonself discrimination) process based on chirality. The reaction of rac-BINAM, pyridine-2-carboxaldehyde, and Co(ClO(4))(2).6H(2)O proceeds via a homochiral self-sorting pathway to produce a racemic mixture of [Co((R)-4)(2)](2+) and [Co((S)-4)(2)](2+). The variable-temperature magnetic susceptibilities of the bimetallic complexes [Cu(2)((R)-2)Cl(4)], [Cu((R)-4)(mu(2)-SO(4))](2), and [Cu(2)((R)-4)((S)-4)(mu(2)-SO(4))(2)] all show weak antiferromagnetic coupling with J = -1.0, -0.40, and -0.67 cm(-)(1), respectively.     

Ruthenium piano-stool complexes bearing imidazole-based PN ligands

A variety of piano-stool complexes of cyclopentadienyl ruthenium(II) with imidazole-based PN ligands have been synthesized starting from the precursor complexes [CpRu(C₁₀H₈)]PF₆, [CpRu(NCMe)₃]PF₆ and [CpRu(PPh₃)₂Cl]. PN ligands used are imidazol-2-yl, -4-yl and -5-yl phosphines.Depending on the ligand and precursor different types of coordination modes were observed; in the case of polyimidazolyl PN ligands these were κ¹P-monodentate, κ²P,N-, κ²N,N- and κ³N,N,N- chelating and μ-κP:κ²N,N-brigding. The solid-state structures of [CpRu(1a)₂Cl ]·H₂O (5^.H₂O) and [{CpRu(μ-κ²-N,N-κ’¹-P-2b)}₂](C₆H₅PO₃H)₂(C₆H₅PO₃H₂)_2, a hydrolysis product of the as well determined [{CpRu(2b)}₂](PF₆)₂^.2CH₃CN (7b^.2CH₃CN) were determined (1a = imidazol-2-yldiphenyl phosphine, 2b = bis(1-methylimidazol-2-yl)phenyl phosphine, 3a = tris(imidazol-2-yl)phosphine). Furthermore, the complexes [CpRu(L)₂]PF₆ (L = imidazol-2-yl or imidazol-4-yl phosphine) have been screened for their catalytic activity in the hydration of 1-octyne.     

Rhodium complexes bearing tetradentate diamine-bis(phenolate) ligands

Using tetradentate, dianionic ligands, several new rhodium complexes have been prepared. Some of these diamine-bis(phenolate) compounds, are active for C-H activation of benzene. These complexes are air and thermally stable. All four complexes were characterized by X-ray diffraction.     

Reactivity of cyclometallated platinum complexes with chiral ligands

The reaction of [Pt₂Me₄(μ-SMe₂)₂] with 3-substituted iminic thiophenes and 2-phenylpyridine gives platinum (II) [C,N] cyclometallated complexes which contain a labile ligand (SMe₂ or CH₃CN). Several platinum (II) complexes have been synthesized by substitution reactions with phosphine or sulfoxide ligands to introduce, in most cases, a second chiral center. The new complexes’ reactions with methyl iodide were subsequently studied and showed results that are dependent on the steric and electronic effects of both the cyclometallated ligand and the ancillary phosphine or sulfoxide ligand. The structure of [PtMe((R)-C₁₀H₇CHMeNCHC₄H₂S)(CH₃CN)], a synthetic precursor, is also reported.     

Chiral manganese complexes with pinene appended tetradentate ligands as stereoselective epoxidation catalysts

A novel family of chiral manganese complexes Lambda-1(CF(3)SO(3)) and Delta-2(CF(3)SO(3)), have been stereoselectively prepared, characterized and studied as epoxidation catalysts. The complexes are structurally related to [Mn(II)(CF(3)SO(3))(2)(alpha-MCP)] (MCP=N,N'-dimethyl-N,N'-bis(2-pyridylmethyl)cyclohexane-trans-1,2-diamine), recently reported as a very efficient epoxidation catalyst in combination with peracetic acid. Pinene rings have been fused to the 4 and 5 positions of the two pyridine groups of the ligand, giving rise to complexes where the two labile binding sites of the manganese ion are confined in a better-defined chiral pocket than in the parent [Mn(II)(CF(3)SO(3))(2)(alpha-MCP)]. Chirality in these complexes arises from the stereochemistry of the trans-diaminocyclohexane ring, from the pinene ring and also from the topological chirality adopted by the ligand upon binding to the manganese ion. While previous studies have demonstrated that small modifications in the structure of the MCP ligand result in a dramatic loss of efficiency, Lambda-1(CF(3)SO(3)) and Delta-2(CF(3)SO(3)) exhibit comparable catalytic activity to [Mn(II)(CF(3)SO(3))(2)(alpha-MCP)]. In addition, the complexes exhibit a remarkable stereoselectivity (up to 46% ee) in the epoxidation of selected substrates. The results reported in this work point towards modification of the 4 and 5 positions of the pyridine groups as a new strategy towards the design of stereoselective versions of this family of highly active and environmentally benign epoxidation catalysts.     

Ruthenium and rhodium nitrosyl complexes containing dichalcogenoimidodiphosphinate ligands

Interaction of [Ru(NO)Cl₃(PPh₃)₂] with K[N(R₂PS)₂] in refluxing N,N-dimethylformamide afforded trans-[Ru(NO)Cl{N(R₂PS)₂}₂] (R = Ph (1), Prⁱ (2)). Reaction of [Ru(NO)Cl₃(PPh₃)₂] with K[N(Ph₂PSe)₂] led to formation of a mixture of trans-[Ru(NO)Cl{N(Ph₂PSe)₂}₂] (3) and trans-[Ru(NO)Cl{N(Ph₂PSe)₂}{Ph₂P(Se)NPPh₂}] (4). Reaction of Ru(NO)Cl₃ · xH₂O with K[N(Ph₂PO)₂] afforded cis-[Ru(NO)(Cl){N(Ph₂PO)₂}₂] (5). Treatment of [Rh(NO)Cl₂(PPh₃)₂] with K[N(R₂PQ)₂] gave Rh(NO){N(R₂PQ)₂}₂] (R = Ph, Q = S (6) or Se (7); R = Prⁱ, Q = S (8) or Se (9)). Protonation of 8 with HBF₄ led to formation of trans-[Rh(NO)Cl{HN(Prⁱ₂PS)₂}₂][BF₄]₂ (10). X-ray diffraction studies revealed that the nitrosyl ligands in 2 and 4 are linear, whereas that in 9 is bent with the Rh–N–O bond angle of 125.7(3)°.     

rac-Lactide polymerization using aluminum complexes bearing tetradentate phenoxy-amine ligands

A family of aluminum-methyl complexes supported by tetradentate phenoxy-amine ligands has been prepared and employed in the ring-opening polymerization of rac-lactide; the ligands include N,N-bis(3,5-dimethyl-2-hydroxybenyl)-N′,N′-dimethyl-1,2-diaminoethane (L¹), N,N-bis(3,5-diisopropyl-2-hydroxybenyl)-N′,N′-dimethyl-1,2-diaminoethane (L²) and N,N-bis(3,5-dichloro-2-hydroxybenyl)-N′,N′-dimethyl-1,2-diaminoethane (L³). Polymerizations of rac-lactide were carried out by treatment of the aluminum-methyl complexes with PhCH₂OH and rac-lactide at 70 °C, affording well-controlled formation of polylactide (PLA) and a moderate isotactic bias for initiators bearing L¹ and L²; the chloro-substituted ligand L³ afforded largely atactic PLA.     

Ruthenium carbene complexes containing bidentate and tridentate PO ligands

Treatment of [Ru(CHR)Cl₂(PCy₃)₂] (Cy = cyclohexyl) with Tl[N(Pr₂ⁱPO)₂] and AgL_OEt (L_OEt⁻ = [CpCo{P(O)(OEt)₂}₃]⁻) afforded the Ru carbene complexes [Ru(CHPh)(PCy₃)Cl{N(Pr₂ⁱPO)₂}] (1) and [L_OEtRu(CHR)(PCy₃)Cl] (2), respectively. Chloride abstraction of complex 2 with TlPF₆ in MeCN afforded [L_OEtRu(CHPh)(PCy₃)(MeCN)][PF₆] (3). Complexes 1 and 2 are capable of catalyzing ring-closing metathesis of diethyl 1,2-diallylmalonate. The crystal structure of complex 2 has been determined.     

Ruthenium(II) complexes with tetradentate pyridylthioazoimine [N,S,N,N] ligands: Synthesis, crystal structure and spectroscopy

The Ru(II) complexes cis-[Ru(L)Cl₂] (C1-C3) of novel tetradentate NSNN ligands (L) {where L is C₅H₄N-CH₂-S-C₆H₄NC(COCH₃)-NN-C₆H₄X, and X is H (L1), CH₃ (L2) and Br (L3)}, were synthesized and characterized by spectroscopy (IR, UV/vis and NMR), cyclic voltammetry and crystallography. The tetradentate ligands were isolated as the amidrazones H₂L {where H₂L is C₅H₄N-CH₂-S-C₆H₄NH-C(COCH₃)N-NH-C₆H₄X and X is H (H₂L1), CH₃ (H₂L2) and Br (H₂L3)} as shown by crystallography of H₂L1, but oxidize to azoimines during the formation of the Ru(II) complexes. A crystallographic analysis of C1 showed that the Ru(II) centre is in a distorted octahedral coordination sphere in which the tetradentate ligand occupies three equatorial sites and one axial site (two azoimine nitrogens and a thio sulfur in the equatorial plane and an axial pyridine nitrogen) and two chlorides occupying axial and equatorial coordination sites. The Ru(II) oxidation state is greatly stabilized by the novel tetradentate ligand, showing Ru(III/II) couples ranging from 1.43 to 1.51 V. The absorption spectrum of C1 in acetonitrile was modelled by time-dependent density functional theory.     

Ruthenium complexes with non-innocent ligands: Electron distribution and implications for catalysis

Ruthenium complexes with the non-innocent ligands (NILs) benzoquinone, iminobenzoquinone and benzoquinonediimine and their redox derivatives exhibit intriguing electronic properties. With the proper ligand set the NIL π* orbitals mix extensively with the ruthenium dπ orbitals resulting in delocalized electron distributions and non-integer oxidation states, and in most of these systems a particular ruthenium oxidation state dominates. This review critically examines the electronic structure of Ru–NIL systems from both an experimental and computational (DFT) perspective. The electron distribution within these complexes can be modulated by altering both the ancillary ligands and the NIL, and in a few cases the resultant electron distributions are exploited for catalysis. The Ru–NIL systems that perform alcohol oxidation and water oxidation catalysis are discussed in detail. The Tanaka catalyst, an anthracene-bridged dinuclear Ru complex, is an intriguing example of a Ru–NIL framework in catalysis. Unlike other known ruthenium water oxidation catalysts, the two Ru atoms remain low valent during the catalytic cycle according to DFT calculations, some experimental evidence, and predictions based on the behavior of the related mononuclear species.     

Optically active polypyrazolylborate molybdenum complexes with aminophosphines as chiral ligands

The prochiral polypyrazolylborate complexes [R---B(3,5-X₂-pz)₃]Mo(CO)₂(NO) (R = pz, X = H; R = H, X = CH₃), react with the optically active aminophosphines L = (C₆H₅)₂PNR′CH(CH₃)(C₆H₅) (R′= H, CH₃), to give the monosubstitution products [R---B(3,5-X₂-pz)₃]Mo(CO)(NO)L, in which the metal atom is a new chiral center. The separation of the diastereoisomers, differing only in the Mo configuration, by preparative liquid chromatography and fractional crystallization is described, their CD and ¹H NMR spectra and their reactivities are discussed and compared with those of the cyclopentadienyl analogues.