Donor-acceptor complexes of borazines

Donor-acceptor complexes of borazine (BZ) and its substituted derivatives with Lewis acids (A = MCl(3), MBr(3); M = B, Al, Ga) and Lewis bases (D = NH(3), Py) have been theoretically studied at the B3LYP/TZVP level of theory. The calculations showed that complexes with Lewis bases only are unstable with respect to dissociation into their components, while complexes with Lewis acids only (such as aluminum and gallium trihalides) are stable. It was shown that formation of ternary D→BZ→A complexes may be achieved by subsequent introduction of the Lewis acid (acceptor A) and the Lewis base (donor D) to borazine. The nature of substituents in the borazine ring, their number, and position were shown to have only minor influence on the stability of ternary D→BZ→A complexes due to the compensation effect. Much weaker acceptor properties of borazine are explained in terms of large endothermic pyramidalization energy of the boron center in the borazine ring. In contrast to borazine, binary complexes of the isoelectronic benzene were predicted to be weakly bound even in the case of very strong Lewis acids; ternary DA complexes of benzene were predicted to be unbound. The donor-acceptor complex formation was predicted to significantly reduce both the endothermicity (by 70-95 kJ mol(-1)) and the activation energy (by 40-70 kJ mol(-1)) for the borazine hydrogenation. Thus, activation of the borazine ring by Lewis acids may be a facile way for the hydrogenation of borazines and polyborazines.     

Complexes of borazine and its analogs with Lewis acids and bases

The author’s review summarizes the results of B3LYP/TZVP quantum chemical calculations of complexes of borazine, substituted borazines, polyborazines, alumazine, and boraphosphabenzene with Lewis acids and bases. The effects of the nature of the heterocycle, substituents, and the donor and acceptor properties of the molecules on the thermodynamic characteristics of complex formation are considered. The reactivity of the complexes of heterocycles in hydrogenation and electrophilic substitution reactions was studied.     

Theoretical study of donor-acceptor ability of borazine,alumazine, and boraphosphinine

Donor-acceptor complexes of borazine, alumazine, and boraphosphinine were studied by a quantum-chemical method. Structural and thermodynamic characteristics of complexes with Lewis acids (BCl₃ and AlCl₃) and bases (NH3 and pyridine Py) were calculated by the B3LYP method with the TZVP basis set. Energies of donor-acceptor bonds and energies of reorganization of donors, acceptors, and heterocycles upon the complex formation were found. Analysis of the energy variations occurring at the complex formation has shown that the reorganization energies of acceptors (BCl₃ and AlCl₃) and heterocycles play a key role in the complex stabilizations, whereas the reorganization energies of donors (NH₃ and Py) are small and do not bring essential contribution to the complex-formation energy. The stability of donor-acceptor complexes decreases in the sequence alumazine > boraphosphinine > borazine. High alumazine reactivity toward chlorine atoms of the acceptor molecules BCl₃ and AlCl₃ was noted.     

The Behavior of Acid Halides Toward Lewis Acids and Lewis Bases

Reactions of some typical acid halides of carbonic and trithiocarbonic acids and of orthophosphoric and sulfuric acids with Lewis acids and Lewis bases are compared. Acylium, perfluoroacylium, thioacylium, and even sulfonylium ions are obtainable with Lewis acids. It is possible by conductivity measurements and by electronic and above all IR spectroscopic investigations to determine whether the 1:1 adducts of acid halides and Lewis compounds are acylium or sulfonylium salts or donor-acceptor complexes. In the reaction with Lewis bases, the halogen atom in the acid halide is replaced by the electron donor, generally with formation of nonpolar molecular compounds or complexes.     

Quantum-chemical study of interaction of dipyrrolylmethenes with boron trifluoride and other lewis acids

The geometric parameters and energies of the products of donor-acceptor interaction of dipyrrolylmethenes with BF₃ and other inorganic Lewis acids were calculated by quantum-chemical methods. The bond nature and the energies of formation of the donor-acceptor complexes under consideration were analyzed. It was shown that the complexes with p-element fluorides are noticeably stabilized by hydrogen bonds involving the hydrogen atom of the NH group of dipyrrolylmethene and the nearest fluorine atom of a Lewis acid. Hydrogen bonding promotes further elimination of HF in the synthesis of boron fluoride complexes of dipyrrolylmethenes. The energy profile was calculated for the reaction of formation of the boron fluoride complex with dipyrrolylmethene through the intermediate donor-acceptor complex.     

Inter-Alkali-Metal Dative Bond in the MMN3− (M=Alkali Metal) Cluster

Alkali metals are generally Lewis acids. On the contrary, Lewis basic character of alkali metals forming donor – acceptor complexes is a very rare phenomenon. In this contribution, I have theoretically designed an anionic cluster MMN₃⁻ (M=alkali metals) on the basis of experimentally known reagent, alkali salt of azide ion MN₃, which shows unprecedented M:⁻→M donor-acceptor interaction. To the best of author's knowledge, the characterization of such donor-acceptor interaction among alkali metals is unprecedented. Formation of the 2c–2e donor-acceptor bonds have been confirmed by quantum theory of atoms in molecules and electron localization function analyses. The calculated bond dissociation energies are significant suggesting their possible spectroscopic identification.     

Complexes of Lewis acids in the cationic polymerization of olefins

Findings concerning the origin of electron donor-acceptor complexes between olefinic hydrocarbons and chosen Lewis acids supplemented by new results are summarized. The important characteristics reported here are stoichiometric ratios of complex formation determined by the variation and titration methods, equilibrium constants and the thermodynamic parameters AG, AH and AS derived from them. Attention has been devoted to the characterization of frontier orbitals of olefins and Lewis acids using ionization potentials, half-wave polarographic oxidation potentials, electron affinities and half-wave polarographic reduction potentials. The aim consists in a quantitative characterization of redox processes which occur in elemental initiation reactions. The final evaluation of the data obtained has confirmed that the complexes involved in this case are weak and behave in accordance with the Mulliken theory.     

Electrophilic Fluorophosphonium Cations in Frustrated Lewis Pair Hydrogen Activation and Catalytic Hydrogenation of Olefins

The combination of phosphorus(V)‐based Lewis acids with diaryl amines and diaryl silylamines promotes reversible activation of dihydrogen and can be further exploited in metal‐free catalytic olefin hydrogenation. Combined experimental and density functional theory (DFT) studies suggest a frustrated Lewis pair type activation mechanism.     

On the Mechanism of Hydrogen Activation by Frustrated Lewis Pairs

We report herein a comprehensive theoretical study of the thermodynamics and kinetics of molecular hydrogen activation by frustrated Lewis pairs (FLPs). A series of intermolecularly combined boranes (Lewis acids) and phosphines (Lewis bases), with experimentally established different reactivities towards H₂, have been subjected to DFT and (SCS‐)MP2 calculations, and analyzed in terms of their structural properties, the energetics of association of the FLPs, and the kinetics of their interactions with H₂ and hydrogenation to the ion‐pair products. The analysis included the following steps: 1) assessment of the ability/inability of the Lewis species to preorganize into FLPs with an optimum arrangement of the acid and base sites for preconditioning the reaction with H₂, 2) comprehension of the different thermodynamics of hydrogenation of the selected FLPs by comparing the Gibbs energies of the overall reactions, and 3) estimation of the mechanism of the activation of H₂ by identifying the reaction steps and the associated kinetic barriers. The results of our studies correlate well with experimental findings and have clarified the reasons for the observed different reactivities of the investigated systems, ranging from reversible or nonreversible activation to no reaction with H₂. The derived predictions could assist the future design of Lewis acid–base systems with desired properties and applicability as metal‐free hydrogenation catalysts.     

“受阻Lewis酸碱对”化学的研究进展

受阻Lewis酸碱对(Frustrated Lewis Pairs,FLPs)是一类具有特殊反应活性的Lewis酸碱对。自发现以来,FLPs受到了广泛关注并在许多领域崭露头角。本文对FLPs在不对称氢化、高分子聚合、CO_2催化还原等应用领域取得的突破进行了介绍;同时对过渡金属FLPs和FLPs配位的过渡金属催化体系进行了综述;最后对FLPs领域未来的发展前景进行了展望。     

Metal-free asymmetric hydrogenation and hydrosilylation catalyzed by frustrated Lewis pairs

The activation of H₂ for the catalytic hydrogenation of unsaturated compounds is one of the most useful reactions in both academia and chemical industry, which has long been predominated by the transition-metal catalysis. However, metal-free hydrogen activation represents a formidable challenge, and has been less developed. The recent emerging chemistry of frustrated Lewis pairs (FLPs) with a combination of sterically encumbered Lewis acids and Lewis bases provides a promising approach for metal-free hydrogenation due to their amazing abilities for the challenging H₂ activation. In the past several years, the hydrogenation of a wide range of unsaturated compounds using FLP catalysts has been successfully developed. Despite these advances, the corresponding asymmetric hydrogenation is just in its start-up step. Similar to the mode of HH bond activation, SiH bond can also be activated by FLPs for the hydrosilylation of ketones and imines. But its asymmetric version is also not well-solved. This Letter will outline the recent important progress of metal-free catalytic asymmetric hydrogenation and hydrosilylation using FLP catalysts.     

Quantum chemical study of the arylacyl azide complexes with Lewis acids and their Curtius rearrangement to isocyanates

The structures of donor-acceptor complexes of syn-benzoyl azide, its 2-methyl- and 2,6-dimethyl-substituted derivatives with BF₃, AlCl₃, and SbCl₅, and the corresponding transition states of the rearrangement into isocyanates were studied by the PBE/TZ2P method in the framework of the density functional theory (DFT). The complexes are formed at the oxygen and nitrogen atoms of the acyl azide group and have the composition 1: 1 or 1: 2 depending on the Lewis acid (L) structure. The complexes at the oxygen atom are more stable; the most stable complexes are formed by the reactions of acyl azides with AlCl₃. Complex formation with Lewis acids decreases the activation energy of the transformation of acyl azides into isocyanates owing to the +M effect and stabilization of the Ar-C(O-L^(1?))=N(1)-N(2)⁽¹⁺⁾≡N(3) mesomeric form. The activation energy decreases with an increase in the number of ortho-methyl substituents in benzoyl azide due to the +I effect of the phenyl group. The turn of the phenyl ring at almost 90° with respect to the CON₃ group is needed for the rearrangement to occur, and the energy necessary for this process is ～8 kcal mol^?1.     

On the Electronic Impact of Abnormal C4‐Bonding in N‐Heterocyclic Carbene Complexes

Sterically similar palladium dicarbene complexes have been synthesized that comprise permethylated dicarbene ligands which bind the metal center either in a normal coordination mode via C2 or abnormally via C4. Due to the strong structural analogy of the complexes, differences in reactivity patterns may be attributed to the distinct electronic impact of normal versus abnormal carbene bonding, while stereoelectronic effects are negligible. Unique reactivity patterns have been identified for the abnormal carbene complexes, specifically upon reaction with Lewis acids and in oxidative addition‐reductive elimination sequences. These reactivities as well as analytical investigations using X‐ray diffraction and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy indicate that the C4 bonding mode increases the electron density at the metal center substantially, classifying such C4‐bound carbene ligands amongst the most basic neutral donors known thus far. A direct application of this enhanced electron density at the metal center is demonstrated by the catalytic H₂ activation with abnormal carbene complexes under mild conditions, leading to a catalytic process for the hydrogenation of olefins.     

Asymmetric Hydrogenation of Ketones and Enones with Chiral Lewis Base Derived Frustrated Lewis Pairs

The concept of frustrated Lewis pairs (FLPs) has been widely applied in various research areas, and metal‐free hydrogenation undoubtedly belongs to the most significant and successful ones. In the past decade, great efforts have been devoted to the synthesis of chiral boron Lewis acids. In a sharp contrast, chiral Lewis base derived FLPs have rarely been disclosed for the asymmetric hydrogenation. In this work, a novel type of chiral FLP was developed by simple combination of chiral oxazoline Lewis bases with achiral boron Lewis acids, thus providing a promising new direction for the development of chiral FLPs in the future. These chiral FLPs proved to be highly effective for the asymmetric hydrogenation of ketones, enones, and chromones, giving the corresponding products in high yields with up to 95 % ee. Mechanistic studies suggest that the hydrogen transfer to simple ketones likely proceeds in a concerted manner.     

Crystal structures and thermal behavior of complexes of group 13 metal halides with pyridine-type ligands

Complexes of group 13 metal halides with pyridine-type ligands (pyridine, pyrazine, and 4, 4´-bipyridine) have molecular, polymeric, or ionic structures containing metal atoms with a coordination number of 4, 5, or 6 depending on the component ratio, the acceptor ability of the halide, the donor ability and the coordination mode of the ligand. The strongest donor-acceptor bond is formed in the 1 : 1 molecular complexes, and their transition to the gas phase is energetically most favorable. The acceptor ability of Lewis acids in the complexes decreases in the series AlCl₃ > AlBr₃ > GaCl₃ > GaBr₃ > GaI₃. The stability of the complexes with respect to homogeneous dissociation correlates with the donor proton affinity. Group 13 metal trihalides act as catalysts for the pyrolysis of ligands.     

Cationic Complexes of Boron and Aluminum: An Early 21st Century Viewpoint

Boron and aluminum are lighter Group 13 elements, found in daily life commodities, and considered environmentally benign. Nevertheless, they markedly differ in their elemental properties (e.g., metal character, atomic radius). The use of Lewis acidic complexes of boron and aluminum for methods of bond activation and catalysis (e.g., hydrogenation of unsaturated substrates, polymerization of olefins and epoxides) is quickly expanding. The introduction of cationic charge may boost the metalloid-centered Lewis acidity and allow for its fine-tuning particularly with regard to preference for “hard” or “soft” Lewis bases (i.e., substrates). Especially the isolation of low-coordinate cations (number of ligand atoms smaller than four) demands elaborate techniques of thermodynamic and kinetic stabilization (i.e., electronic saturation and steric shielding) by a ligand system. Furthermore, the properties of the solvent and the counteranion must be considered with care. Here, selected examples of boron and aluminum cations are described.     

Synthesis and properties of some Lewis and Brönsted acids of the indole series

It is shown that the products of condensation of a number of cyclic CH acids and 3-formylindole are Brönsted acids, whereas Lewis acids are obtained in the case of N-substituted 3-formylindole and 2-formylindole. The possibility of the catalytic hydrogenation of Brönsted and Lewis acids in alkaline media was established. The corresponding hydrogenation products are obtained in 80–85 and 36% yields.Translated from Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, No. 10, pp. 1343–1348, October, 1978. Original     

Computational insights into the acceptor chemistry of phosphenium cations

Phosphines are traditionally considered as Lewis bases or ligands in transition metal and main group complexes. Despite their electron-rich (lone pair-bearing) nature, an extensive coordination chemistry for Lewis acidic phosphorus centers is being developed; such chemistry provides a new synthetic approach for phosphorus-element bond formation, leading to new types of structures and modes of bonding. Complexes of Ph2P+ with a variety of donor elements (P, N, C) give experimentally short donor-acceptor bond lengths, when compared to other cationic phosphorus Lewis acid complexes. We have calculated that the energy of the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) in Ph2P+ is lower than that of (Me2N)2P+, which partially explains the greater exothermicity of reactions of donors with the diaryl acceptor. Furthermore, the energies required to distort the diphenylphosphenium cation from its ground-state geometry are significantly smaller than those of the diamido cations and, thus, enhance the exothermicity of donor coordination. These computational data, in conjunction with evidence from experimental solid-state structures, indicate that Ph2P+ is a significantly better Lewis acid relative to the more common diaminophosphenium analogues (R2N)2P+ and are used to elucidate the nature of the bonding in donor-phosphenium complexes.     

Chemical bonding in phosphane and amine complexes of main group elements and transition metals

The geometries and bond dissociation energies of the main group complexes X3B-NX3, X3B-PX3, X3Al-NX3, and X3Al-PX3 (X = H, Me, Cl) and the transition metal complexes (CO)5M-NX3 and (CO)5M-PX3 (M = Cr, Mo, W) have been calculated using gradient-corrected density functional theory at the BP86/TZ2P level. The nature of the donor-acceptor bonds was investigated with an energy decomposition analysis. It is found that the bond dissociation energy is not a good measure for the intrinsic strength of Lewis acidity and basicity because the preparation energies of the fragments may significantly change the trend of the bond strength. The interaction energies between the frozen fragments of the borane complexes are in most cases larger than the interaction energies of the alane complexes. The bond dissociation energy of the alane complexes is sometimes higher than that of the borane analogues because the energy for distorting the planar equilibrium geometry of BX3 to the pyramidal from in the complexes is higher than for AlX3. Inspection of the three energy terms, DeltaE(Pauli), DeltaE(orb), and DeltaE(elstat), shows that all three of them must be considered to understand the trends of the Lewis acid and base strength. The orbital term of the donor-acceptor bonds with the Lewis bases NCl3 and PCl3 have a higher pi character than the bonds of EH3 and EMe3, but NCl3 and PCl3 are weaker Lewis bases because the lone-pair orbital at the donor atoms N and P has a high percent s character. The calculated DeltaE(int) values suggest that the trends of the intrinsic Lewis bases' strengths in the main-group complexes with BX3 and AlX3 are NMe3 > NH3 > NCl3 and PMe3 > PH3 > PCl3. The transition metal complexes exhibit a somewhat different order with NH3 > NMe3 > NCl3 and PMe3 > PH3 > PCl3. The slightly weaker bonding of NMe3 than that of NH3 comes from stronger Pauli repulsion. The bond length does not always correlate with the bond dissociation energy, nor does it always correlate with the intrinsic interaction energy.     

Palladation of diimidazolium salts at the C4 position: access to remarkably electron-rich palladium(II) centers

Palladation of C2-protected diimidazolium salts with Pd(OAc)2 afforded complexes comprising C4-bound N-heterocyclic dicarbene ligands. The reactivity of these complexes towards Lewis acids (AgBF4, AgOAc) and Br?nsted acids (H2SO4, H3PO4, HOAc) revealed that abnormal C4 bonding of the carbenes markedly increases the nucleophilicity of the coordinated palladium center as compared to C2 bonding. Despite its formal +2 charge, the palladium center in these complexes is best described as a Lewis base. The abnormal carbene bonding mode induces new reaction patterns such as the formation of a Pd-Ag adduct. Based on metallation studies including the palladation of a dissymmetric diimidazolium salt, a rationale for the selective activation of the C4-H bond in the diimidazolium precursor salts is proposed.