Atomic inversion barriers of sulphur and selenium in the dimethylsulphide and dimethylselenide complexes of the halogeno carbonyls of rhenium

We have synthesised four rhenium carbonyl complexes of general formula [ReX(CO)₃(Me₂E)₂] (X  Cl, Br, I, E  S, Se), and studied their temperature variable NMR spectra. All complexes were formed as the fac isomer, with the exception of [ReI(CO)₃(Me₂Se)₂], which was obtained as a mixture of mer and fac forms. In all of these fac complexes pyramidal inversion of sulphur or selenium atoms has been demonstrated, and energy barriers to inversion have been determined either by computer simulation of complete line shapes or by coalescence temperature methods. The value of ΔG^≠ for inversion in this class of complex has been found to be about 17 kJ mol^?1 higher for selenium than for sulphur, and variation of the cis halogen made no pronounced effect.     

Studies of chelation IV. Steric influences on the chelation of ditertiary phosphine complexes of group VI metal carbonyls

The preparation of the complexes [M(CO)_n(dcpe)] [M  Cr, Mo, W; n  4, 5; dcpe is ((cyclo-C₆H₁₁)₂PCH₂)₂] is reported. Attempts to prepare [M(CO)₂(dcpe)₂] by many different methods gave only cis-[M(CO)₄(dcpe)] and [M(CO)₅(dcpe)]. Heating cis-[M(CO)₄(dcpe)] with (Me₂PCH₂)₂(dmpe) gives cis-[M(CO)₂(dmpe)₂] only. These observations are explained in terms of unfavourable intramolecular non-bonded interactions between substituents at phosphorus. The rate of chelation of [M(CO)₅(dcpe)] to give cis-[M(CO)₄(dcpe)] has been measured at various temperatures in the range 360–420 K. The activation parameters indicate the dominance of a dissociative process leading to the observed steric acceleration in the chelation step. The rate of chelation is correlated satisfactorily with the ligand cone angle; the operation of an apparent saturation effect is noted.     

Relativistic effects on inversion barriers of pyramidal group 15 hydrides

Quantum chemistry is an important tool for determining general molecular properties, although relativistic corrections are usually required for systems containing heavy and super heavy elements. Non‐relativistic along with relativistic two‐ and four‐component electronic structure calculations done with the CCSD‐T method and the new RPF‐4Z basis set have therefore been applied for determining inversion barriers, corresponding to the change from a pyramidal (C_3v) ground‐state structure to the trigonal planar (D_3h) transition state, TS, of group 15 hydrides, XH₃ (X= N, P, As, Sb, and Bi). The ground‐state structure of the McH₃ molecule, which contains the super heavy element Moscovium, is also predicted as pyramidal (C_3v), with an atomization energy of 90.8 kcal mol⁻¹. However, although non‐relativistic calculations still provided a D_3h planar TS for McH₃, four‐component relativistic calculations based on single‐reference wave functions are unable to elucidate the definitive TS geometry in this case. Hence, the results show that relativistic effects are crucial for this barrier determination in those hydrides containing Bi and Mc. Moreover, while the scalar relativistic effects predominate, increasing barrier heights by as much as 17.6 kcal mol⁻¹ (32%) in BiH₃, the spin‐orbit coupling cannot be disregarded in those hydrides containing the heaviest group 15 elements, decreasing the barrier by 2.5 kcal mol⁻¹ (4.5%) in this same molecule.     

Nuclear magnetic resonance studies of sulfur inversion in bis(cyclopentadienyl)-molybdenum and -tungsten complexes with dithioethers

The metallocene thioether derivatives [Cp₂M(MeSCH₂CH₂SMe)][PF₆]₂ (1, M = MO; 2, M = W), [Cp₂Mo(SCH₂CH₂SMe)][PF₆] (3) and [Cp₂M(SCH₂CH₂S)] (4, M = Mo; 5, M = W) exhibit temperature-dependent fluxional behavior in solution, owing to the pyramidal sulfur inversion process. The activation energies for this process were determined from proton band-shape analysis in the cases of 1 (54.9 ± 2 kJ mol⁻¹), 2 (51.2 ± 4.6 kJ mol⁻¹) and 3 (30.0 ± 3.1 kJ mol⁻¹). Extended Hückel calculations on related model complexes suggest that local inversion at the sulfur atoms, rather that an inversion of the complete S---C---C---S chain, is responsible for the observed fluxional behaviour.     

Hydrolysis of Fischer carbene complexes. Steric effects of the pi-donor group

Rate constants for the hydrolysis of Fischer carbenes (CO)5Cr=C(OR)Ph (R = n-propyl, neopentyl, isopropyl, and menthyl) in 50% MeCN-50% water (v/v) at 25 degrees C are reported. The rate constants for the addition of -OH to the carbene carbon are 5.3, 3.7, 0.84, and 0.01 M(-1) s(-1), respectively. These rate constants give linear correlations with the corresponding rate constants for the hydrolysis of esters such as acetate, benzoate, and formiate. The slopes of the plots of the observed rate constants for the carbenes vs the rate constants for the esters are 1.4 and 1.2 for acetate and benzoate, respectively, indicating that the factors that decrease the reactivity of the two types of compounds are similar, but the carbenes show higher sensitivity. The rate constants are well correlated with several steric parameters giving a value of -3.84 for the Charton's psi parameter. The results show that the steric bulkiness of the R group is the main factor determining the reactivity differences for these carbene complexes.     

Synthesis and inversion barriers of undeca- and dodeca-substituted saddle shaped porphyrin complexes

Synthesis and barriers to inversion of a series of highly saddle shaped complexes are reported. The ΔG^≠ has decreased by 8 kJ mol⁻¹ at 243 K when the meso phenyl groups are replaced by bulkier 2,6-dichlorophenyl groups, and by 17 kJ mol⁻¹ when one of the peripheral ethyl groups is removed.     

Ab initio calculation of torsion and inversion barriers of the amino group in aminopyrimidines

Calculations of the barriers to internal rotation and inversion of the amino group in substituted pyrimidines have been performed. Torsion and inversion barriers were determined by several ab initio methods: HF, HF/MP2, MP4, CISD, QCISD, QCISD(T), CCSD, and CCSD(T). DFT method also employed. Dependencies of the calculated barrier heights on the basis set and the electron correlation level and on the substitution position of the nitrogen atom in the ring were studied. We have determined that for certain molecules relatively low level calculations may eventually provide adequate results, but in general, higher level calculations are necessary.     

New Pd-catalyzed tandem cyclization processes on group 6 bis-carbene complexes

The reaction of bis-carbene complexes 1a,b derived from catechol and Pd-catalysts gave product 3 derived from an intramolecular coupling-electrocyclization process, while nucleophilic attack-NH-carbene insertion product 6 was obtained from complexes 1c,d derived from 1,2-diaminobenzene.     

Steric and electronic contributions to barriers of internal rotation in 1,8-dibenzoylnaphthalenes

Restricted rotation about the naphthalenylcarbonyl bonds in the title compounds resulted in mixtures of cis and trans rotamers, the equilibrium and the rotational barriers depending on the substituents. For 2,7-dimethyl-1,8-di-(p-toluoyl)-naphthalene (1) ΔH° = 3.66 ± 0.14 kJ mol^?1, ΔS° = 1.67 ± 0.63 J mol^?1 K^?1, ΔH^≠_ct = 55.5 ± 1.3 kJ mol^?1, ΔH^≠_ct = 51.9 ± 1.3 kJ mol^?1, ΔS^≠_ct = ?41.3±4.1 J mol^?1 K^?1 and ΔS^≠_ct = ?42.9±4.1 J mol^?1 K^?1. The rotation about the phenylcarbonyl bond requires ΔH^≠ = ?56.9±4.4 kJ mol^?1 and ΔS^≠ = ?20.5±15.3 J mol^?1 K^?1 for the cis rotamer, and ΔH^≠ = 43.5Δ0.4 kJ mol^?1 and ΔS^≠ =± ?22.4Δ1.3 J mol^?1 K^?1 for the trans rotamer. The role of electronic factors is likely to be virtually the same for both these rotamers but steric interaction between the two phenyl rings occurs in the cis rotamer only. Hence, the difference of the activation enthalpies obtained for the cis and trans rotamers, ΔΔH^?1 = 13.4 kJ mol^?1, provides a basis for the estimation of the role of steric factors in this rotation. For the tetracarboxylic acid 2 and its tetramethyl ester 3 the equilibrium is even more shifted towards the trans form because of enhanced steric and electrostatic interactions between the substituents in the cis form. The barriers for the rotation around the phenylcarbonyl bond and the cis-trans isomerization are lowered; an explanation for this result is presented.     

Syntheses and characterizations of group 6 metal cyanotrihydroborate complexes

The anions, [M(CO)_6-n(NCBH₃)_n]ⁿ⁻ (n=2, M=Cr(1); n=3, M=Cr(2), Mo(3), W(4)), were prepared either from the reactions of sodium cyanotrihydroborate with group 6 transition metal hexacarbonyls, M(CO)₆ (M=Cr, Mo, W), or through the reactions of M(CO)₃(CH₃CN)₃ (M=Cr, W) with sodium cyanotrihydroborate. The cyanotrihydroborate ligand bonds to the metal through a nitrogen atom, which was confirmed by the Infrared, proton and boron NMR spectroscopies. Crystal structures of the above complexes were determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction analyses. A cis configuration is found in 1. Molecular structures of 2, 3, and 4 are similar and a facial configuration is observed.     

Steric repulsions, rotation barriers, and stereoelectronic effects: a real space perspective

Widely used chemical concepts like Pauli repulsion or hyperconjugation, and their role in determining rotation barriers or stereoelectronic effects, are analyzed from the real space perspective of the interacting quantum atoms approach (IQA). IQA emerges from the quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM), but is free from the equilibrium geometry constraint of the former. A framework with both electronically unrelaxed and relaxed wavefunctions is presented that leads to an approximate correspondence between the IQA concepts and those used in the EDA (energy decomposition analysis) or NBO (natural bond orbital) procedures. We show that no net force acts upon the electrons in an electronically relaxed system, so that any reasonable definition of Pauli repulsion must involve unrelaxed state functions. Using antisymmetrized fragments clarifies that Pauli repulsions are energetically connected to the IQA deformation energies, leaving footprints in the finally relaxed states. Similarly, EDA or NBO hyperconjugative stabilizations are found to be naturally related to the IQA electron delocalization patterns. Applications to the rotation barrier of ethane and other simple systems are presented, and the very often forgotten role of electrostatic contributions in determining preferred conformations is highlighted.     

Mössbauer studies on ferrocene complexes X. Steric and polar factors in ferrocenyl ketones and carbenium ions

A series of new ferrocenyl alcohols of the types

and FcCH(OH)R where R = 1-adamantyl, 9-anthracyl and mesityl nave been synthesised. The ¹H NMR spectra of these carbenium ions derived from these alcohols have been measured and discussed, together with those of the ketone precursors in CF₃CO₂H. Mössbauer spectra were obtained for the above derivatives in frozen solid solution in CF₃CO₂H. For the protonated ketones only small differences in quadrupole splitting (QS) were observed as the structure of the aryl or alkyl groups was varied, all having QS values of 0.23–0.36 mm s^?1 lower than that of ferrocene. For the aryl carbenium ions the enhanced QS correlated reasonably well with Hammett σ⁺ values (r = 0.953, 7 points). No systematic trends in QS were observed for the o, m and p series of substituents. The more sterically hindered carbenium ions show a significant lowering of QS due to the Cp rings twisting out of the carbenium ion sp² plane. In the case of the anthracyl derivative, no appreciable change in QS occurred on forming the carbenium ion indicative of stabilisation of the ion by the anthracyl rather than the ferrocenyl moiety. The different modes of stabilisation of the protonated ketones and the carbenium ions are discussed.     

Reduction of cyclic group 6 Fischer carbene complexes: a case of exquisite regioselectivity

The reduction of alpha,beta-unsaturated cyclic group 6 metal-carbene complexes strongly depends on the electronic profile of the groups attached both to the carbene and the beta-carbon and occurs with exquisite regioselectivity. Thus, for complexes 8 the reduction does not take place at the carbene carbon but exclusively at the gamma-carbonyl group. The resulting alkoxide 20 evolves to a tricyclic epoxide structure 21, which precludes additional hydride transfers. Complex 9 experiences the exclusive 1,4-reduction because of the imino character of the beta-carbon (due to the participation of the aromatic resonance form 22). In contrast, monocyclic carbene complexes 10 behave as their acyclic congeners and experience 1,2-hydride addition followed by the 1,3-migration of the metal center. In this case, the participation of eta(3)-Cr(CO)(5) species 31 allows us to understand the labeling pattern found in the final products.     

Steric influence on the excited-state lifetimes of ruthenium complexes with bipyridyl-alkanylene-pyridyl ligands

The structural effect on the metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT) excited-state lifetime has been investigated in bis-tridentate Ru(II)-polypyridyl complexes based on the terpyridine-like ligands [6-(2,2'-bipyridyl)](2-pyridyl)methane ( 1) and 2-[6-(2,2'-bipyridyl)]-2-(2-pyridyl)propane ( 2). A homoleptic ([Ru( 2) 2] (2+)) and a heteroleptic complex ([Ru(ttpy)( 2)] (2+)) based on the new ligand 2 have been prepared and their photophysical and structural properties studied experimentally and theoretically and compared to the results for the previously reported [Ru( 1) 2] (2+). The excited-state lifetime of the homoleptic Ru (II) complex with the isopropylene-bridged ligand 2 was found to be 50 times shorter than that of the corresponding homoleptic Ru (II) complex of ligand 1, containing a methylene bridge. A comparison of the ground-state geometries of the two homoleptic complexes shows that steric interactions involving the isopropylene bridges make the coordination to the central Ru (II) ion less octahedral in [Ru( 2) 2] (2+) than in [Ru( 1) 2] (2+). Calculations indicate that the structural differences in these complexes influence their ligand field splittings as well as the relative stabilities of the triplet metal-to-ligand charge transfer ( (3)MLCT) and metal-centered ( (3)MC) excited states. The large difference in measured excited-state lifetimes for the two homoleptic Ru (II) complexes is attributed to a strong influence of steric interactions on the ligand field strength, which in turn affects the activation barriers for thermal conversion from (3)MLCT states to short-lived (3)MC states.     

Organometallic chemistry in a conventional microwave oven: the facile synthesis of group 6 carbonyl complexes

Syntheses proceeding by reflux may be improved, accelerated and simplified, by carrying out the reaction in a modified conventional microwave oven. To demonstrate the potential of this method, the synthesis of over 20 group 6 organometallic compounds is reported. Hexacarbonyls, most notably Mo(CO)₆, react with a range of mono, and bi, and tridentate ligands in a modified conventional microwave oven. They generally proceed without an inert atmosphere, yields are high and reaction times are short. For example, cis-[Mo(CO)₄(dppe)] is prepared in >95% yield in 20 min. Reaction of Mo(CO)₆ with dicyclopentadiene affords a simple one-step synthesis of [CpMo(CO)₃]₂ in >90% yield, which reacts further with alkynes in toluene to produce dimetallatetrahedrane derivatives, [Cp₂Mo₂(CO)₄(μ-RC₂R)]; presumably via the in situ formation of air-sensitive [CpMo(CO)₂]₂. Dimolybdenum tetra-acetate is also prepared in 48% yield in 45 min, however, this reaction requires an inert atmosphere. While W(CO)₆ reacts rapidly with amines to give cis diamine adducts in high yields, direct reactions with phosphines are not so clean. Bis(phosphine) complexes are, however, cleanly formed when a small amount of piperidine is added to the reaction mixture, presumably via the bis(piperidine) complex cis-[W(CO)₄(pip)₂]. Reactions with Cr(CO)₆ generally require an inert atmosphere and proceed less cleanly, although the important synthon [Cr(CO)₅Cl][NEt₄] was prepared in 30 min (74% yield), while [(η⁶-C₆H₅OMe)Cr(CO)₃] can be prepared in 45% after 4 h.     

Trans-influence of a nitro group in platinum complexes

The reactivity of inner-sphere chlorine atoms in binuclear platinum complexes with nitrite bridges is studied. The instability constants of complexes k _Cl and the rate constants of the reaction of mononuclear and binuclear nitrite platinum complexes with AgNO₃ are found potentiometrically. For binuclear complexes with nitrite bridges, the thermodynamic instability is found to correlate with kinetic lability.     

Structural studies of new group 6 complexes of salicylidene-2-aminopyridine

Interaction of salicylidene-2-aminopyridine (Hsap) with [M(CO)₆], M = Cr, Mo and W, in THF under sunlight resulted in formation of dinuclear complexes [Cr₂O₄(sap)], 1, [Mo₂O₄(sap)], 2, and [W₂O₅(sap)₂], 3. Elemental analysis, spectroscopic and magnetic studies of the reported complexes revealed the proposed structures. Magnetic studies of 1 and 2 suggested that the two metal centers have +3 and +6 formal oxidation states, while the tungsten complex 3 has +6 formal oxidation state with d⁰ electron configuration. The thermal properties of the complexes were investigated by thermogravimetry.     

Anab initio investigation of rotation and inversion barriers in formylphosphine

Rotation about N–CO bonds in amides has been extensively investigated, but a corresponding barrier to rotation about the P–CO bond in an acylphosphine has yet to be observed. In the present 4-31Gab initio study of formylphosphine, rotation barriers of 9.6 and 13.5 kJ mol^–1 and a phosphorus pyramidal inversion barrier of 108.0 kJ mol^–1 are predicted. A comparison of STO-3G and STO-3G^* barriers suggests that polarization functions are not needed to describe rotation in this system.

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Eine ab initio Untersuchung von Rotations- und Inversions-Barrieren in Formylphosphin

Zusammenfassung Die Rotation um N–CO-Bindungen in Amiden wurde bisher intensiv untersucht, eine entsprechende Rotationsbarriere für Drehungen um die P–CO-Bindung in Acylphosphinen wurde jedoch nicht beobachtet. Eine 4-31Gab initio-Untersuchung an Formylphosphin ergibt Rotationsbarrieren von 9,6 und 13,5 kJ mol^–1 und eine pyramidale Inversionsbarriere von 108,0 kJ mol^–1 als Voraussage. Ein Vergleich der STO-3G und STO-3G^* Barrieren legt nahe, daß Polarisationsfunktionen für die Beschreibung der Rotation in diesen Systemen nicht nötig sind.