New Vistas in N‐Heterocyclic Silylene (NHSi) Transition‐Metal Coordination Chemistry: Syntheses,Structures and Reactivity towards Activation of Small Molecules

This account is a review on the synthesis and transition‐metal coordination chemistry of N‐heterocyclic silylenes (NHSi’s) over the last 20 years till the present time (2012). Recently, fascinating and novel synthetic methods have been developed to access transition‐metal–NHSi complexes as an emerging class of compounds with a wealth of intriguing reactivity patterns. The striking influence of coordinating NHSi’s to transition‐metal complex fragments affording different reactivities to the “free” NHSi is a connecting theme (“leitmotif”) throughout the review, and highlights the potential of these compounds which lie at the interface of contemporary main‐group and classical organometallic chemistry towards new molecular catalysts for small‐molecule activation.     

Reactivity of a Stable Phosphinonitrene towards Small Molecules

The room‐temperature stable phosphinonitrene 1 undergoes a thermal rearrangement into heterocycle 2 through a process involving a nitrene insertion into a CH bond. In the presence of acetonitrile, a nitrene–acetonitrile adduct has been isolated; then it first rearranges into a ketenimine and subsequently into a rare example of diazaphosphete. Compound 1 also splits water, carbon dioxide, carbon disulfide, and elemental sulfur, although it reacts with white phosphorus, leading to a P₅N cluster formally resulting from the insertion of the PN moiety into a P?P edge of the P₄ tetrahedron.     

A Dimeric NHC–Silicon Monotelluride: Synthesis,Isomerization, and Reactivity

The reaction of the NHC–disilicon(0) complex [(I_Ar)Si=Si(I_Ar)] ( 1 , I_Ar=:C{N(Ar)C(H)}₂, Ar=2,6‐i Pr₂C₆H₃) with two equiv of elemental Te in toluene at room temperature for three days afforded a mixture of the first dimeric NHC–silicon monotelluride [(I_Ar)Si=Te]₂ ( 2 ) and its isomeric complex [(I_Ar)Si(μ‐Te)Si(I_Ar)=Te] ( 3 ). When the same reaction was performed for ten days, only 3 was isolated from the reaction mixture. Compound 1 reacted with four equiv of elemental Te in toluene for four weeks, which proceeded through the formation of 2 , 3 and the NHC–disilicon tritelluride complex [{(I_Ar)Si(=Te)}₂Te] ( 5‐Te ), to form the dimeric NHC–silicon ditelluride [(I_Ar)Si(=Te)(μ‐Te)]₂ ( 4 ). The reactions are in line with theoretical mechanistic studies for the formation of 4 . Compound 3 reacted with one equiv of elemental sulfur in toluene to form the first NHC–disilicon sulfur ditelluride complex [{(I_Ar)Si(=Te)}₂S] ( 5‐S ).     

Reactivity of 4‐phenylthiazoles in ruthenium catalyzed direct arylations

The reactivity of the phenyl substituent of 4‐phenylthiazoles in Ru‐catalyzed direct arylation was studied. 4‐Phenylthiazole was found to be unreactive; whereas, the introduction of an aryl unit at C5‐position of 4‐phenylthiazole enhances its reactivity, allowing the selective mono‐arylation of the phenyl unit of 4‐phenylthiazoles in moderate to high yields using 5 mol% of [Ru(p‐cymene)Cl₂]₂ catalyst precursor associated to KOPiv as base. These results reveal that the conformation and electronic properties of 4‐phenylthiazoles are crucial to allow the formation of suitable intermediates in the course of the catalytic cycle. The reaction tolerated both electron‐rich and electron‐poor aryl bromides allowing the straightforward tuning of the electronic properties of the arylated 2‐methyl‐4‐phenyl‐5‐arylthiazoles.     

Lactamomethylsilanes – Synthesis,Structures, and Reactivity towards CO2 and Phenylisocyanate

Lactamomethylsilanes of γ‐butyrolactam, δ‐valerolactam, ε‐caprolactam, and 1‐isoindolinone (phthalimidine) with up to three methyl moieties were synthesized according to the chemical formula Me_xSiLac_(4–x) (x = 0, 1, 2, and 3). Using the lactams as starting materials four synthetic routes were tested: salt elimination, transsilylation, transamination, and metallation of the lactames followed by reaction with methylchlorosilanes. All products were analyzed by NMR (¹H, ¹³C and ²⁹Si) and RAMAN spectroscopy. Selected solid products were crystallized and the molecular structure was determined by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction. The reactivity of the lactamomethylsilanes towards phenylisocyanate and CO₂ was studied.     

Different Reactivity of As4 towards Disilenes and Silylenes

The activation of yellow arsenic is possible with the silylene [PhC(NtBu)₂SiN(SiMe₃)₂] ( 1 ) and the disilene [(Me₃Si)₂N(η¹-Me₅C₅)Si=Si(η¹-Me₅C₅)N(SiMe₃)₂] ( 3 ). The reaction of As₄ with 1 leads to the unprecedented As₁₀ cage compound [(LSiN(SiMe₃)₂)₃As₁₀] ( 2 ; L=PhC(NtBu)₂) with an As₇ nortricyclane core stabilized by arsasilene moieties containing silicon(II)bis(trimethylsilyl)amide substituents. In contrast, the compound [Cp*{(SiMe₃)₂N}SiAs]₂ ( 4 ) containing a butterfly-like diarsadisilabicyclo[1.1.0]butane unit is formed by the reaction of As₄ with the disilene 3 . Both compounds were characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis, NMR spectroscopy, and mass spectrometry. The reaction outcomes demonstrate the different reaction behavior of yellow arsenic (As₄) compared to white phosphorus (P₄) in the reactions with the corresponding silylenes and disilenes.     

Synthesis and Reactions of Some Novel Triazolo‐, Azolo‐, Tetrazolo‐Pyridopyrimidine and Their Nucleoside Derivatives

Pyridopyrimidine reacted with aromatic aldehydes afforded the arylhydrazone 2a,b which could be cyclized into the pyrido[2,3‐d][1,2,4]triazolo[4,3‐a]pyrimidine 3a,b , with formic acid, and carbon disulphide to give pyrido[2,3‐d][1,2,4]traizolo[4,3‐a]pyrimidine 4, 5. Reaction of 1 with nitrous acid afforded tetrazolo[1,5‐a]pyrido[2,3‐d]pyrimidine 6 , which was reduced by zinc dust to give 2‐amino‐pyrido‐[2,3‐d]pyrimidine 7. Finally the reaction of 2‐hydrazino 1 with D‐xylose or D‐glucose afforded the acyclic N‐nucleoside 8, 11 which were converted into tetra/penta O‐acetate acyclic C‐nucleoside 9, 12 in acetic anhydride/pyridine. De‐acetylation of compounds 9, 12 afforded C‐nucleosides 10, 13.     

Pd‐NHC‐Catalyzed Direct Arylation of 1,4‐Disubstituted 1,2,3‐Triazoles with Aryl Halides

A highly efficient method for the synthesis of unsymmetrical multi‐substituted 1,2,3‐triazoles via a direct Pd‐NHC system catalyzed C(5)‐arylation of 1,4‐disubstituted triazoles, which are readily accessible via "click" chemistry has been developed. It is important to note that C? H bond functionalizations of 1,2,3‐triazoles with a variety of differently substituted aryl iodides and bromides as electrophiles can be conveniently achieved through this catalytic system at significantly milder reaction temperatures of 100°C under air.     

Hydrophosphination of CO2 and Subsequent Formate Transfer in the 1,3,2‐Diazaphospholene‐Catalyzed N‐Formylation of Amines

Hydrophosphination of CO₂ with 1,3,2‐Diazaphospholene (NHP‐H; 1 ) afforded phosphorus formate (NHP‐OCOH; 2 ) through the formation of a bond between the electrophilic phosphorus atom in 1 and the oxygen atom from CO₂, along with hydride transfer to the carbon atom of CO₂. Transfer of the formate from 2 to Ph₂SiH₂ produced Ph₂Si(OCHO)₂ ( 3 ) in a reaction that could be carried out in a catalytic manner by using 5 mol % of 1 . These elementary reactions were applied to the metal‐free catalytic N‐formylation of amine derivatives with CO₂ in one pot under ambient conditions.     

Catalytic Electrophilic CH Silylation of Pyridines Enabled by Temporary Dearomatization

A C? H silylation of pyridines that seemingly proceeds through electrophilic aromatic substitution (S_EAr) is reported. Reactions of 2‐ and 3‐substituted pyridines with hydrosilanes in the presence of a catalyst that splits the Si? H bond into a hydride and a silicon electrophile yield the corresponding 5‐silylated pyridines. This formal silylation of an aromatic C? H bond is the result of a three‐step sequence, consisting of a pyridine hydrosilylation, a dehydrogenative C? H silylation of the intermediate enamine, and a 1,4‐dihydropyridine retro‐hydrosilylation. The key intermediates were detected by ¹H NMR spectroscopy and prepared through the individual steps. This complex interplay of electrophilic silylation, hydride transfer, and proton abstraction is promoted by a single catalyst.     

SiSi Double Bonds: Synthesis of an NHC‐Stabilized Disilavinylidene

An efficient two‐step synthesis of the first NHC‐stabilized disilavinylidene (Z)‐(SIdipp)SiSi(Br)Tbb ( 2 ; SIdipp=C[N(C₆H₃‐2,6‐iPr₂)CH₂]₂, Tbb=C₆H₂‐2,6‐[CH(SiMe₃)₂]₂‐4‐tBu, NHC=N‐heterocyclic carbene) is reported. The first step of the procedure involved a 2:1 reaction of SiBr₂(SIdipp) with the 1,2‐dibromodisilene (E)‐Tbb(Br)SiSi(Br)Tbb at 100 °C, which afforded selectively an unprecedented NHC‐stabilized bromo(silyl)silylene, namely SiBr(SiBr₂Tbb)(SIdipp) ( 1 ). Alternatively, compound 1 could be obtained from the 2:1 reaction of SiBr₂(SIdipp) with LiTbb at low temperature. 1 was then selectively reduced with C₈K to give the NHC‐stabilized disilavinylidene 2 . Both low‐valent silicon compounds were comprehensively characterized by X‐ray diffraction analysis, multinuclear NMR spectroscopy, and elemental analyses. Additionally, the electronic structure of 2 was studied by various quantum‐chemical methods.     

Synthesis and Tunable Reactivity of N‐Heterocyclic Germylene

Modifying the β‐diketimine ligand LH 1 (LH=[ArN?C(Me)? CH?C(Me)? NHAr], Ar=2,6‐iPr₂C₆H₃) through replacement of the proton in 3‐position by a benzyl group (Bz) leads to the new ^BzLH ligand 2, which could be isolated in 77 % yield. According to ¹H NMR spectroscopy, 2 is a mixture of the bis(imino) form [(ArN?C(Me)]₂CH(Bz) 2a and its tautomer [ArN?C(Me)? C(Bz)?C(Me)NHAr] 2b. Nevertheless, lithiation of the mixture of 2a and 2b affords solely the N‐lithiated β‐diketiminate [ArN?C(Me)? C(Bz)?C(Me)? NLiAr], ^BzLLi 3. The latter reacts readily with GeCl_2?dioxane to form the chlorogermylene ^BzLGeCl 4, which serves as a precursor for a new zwitterionic germylene by dehydrochlorination with LiN(SiMe₃)₂. This reaction leads to the zwitterionic germylene ^BzL′Ge: 5 (^BzL′=ArNC(?CH₂)C(Bz)?C(Me)NAr) which could be isolated in 83 % yield. The benzyl group has a distinct influence on the reactivity of zwitterionic 5 in comparison to its benzyl‐free analogue, as shown by the reaction of 5 with phenylacetylene, which yields solely the 1,4‐addition product 6, that is, the alkynyl germylene ^BzLGeCCPh. Compounds 2–8 have been fully characterized by multinuclear NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, elemental analyses, and single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction analyses.