A 13C-NMR and IR study of isocyanides and some of their complexes

¹³C chemical shifts and ¹J(¹⁴N? ¹³C) coupling constants as well as stretching frequencies of the isocyano group are reported for some representative aliphatic, unsaturated and aromatic isocyanides and for two copper(I) isocyanide complexes. The results are discussed in terms of the inductive and mesomeric substituent effects on the polarisation and charge density of the C? N?C bonds. The marked solvent effect on the chemical shifts of the isocyano carbon hampers comparison of our data with previously reported data. The hydrogen bonding shift of this carbon in water or methanol is much smaller than previous data suggest.     

Studies on vinyl isocyanides

The vinyl Isocyanides 2,4,6-(CH₃)₃C₆H₂CHCHNC and (CH₃)₃CCHCHNC and the new 1,3-dienyl isocyanide CH₃CHCH(CH₃)-CHCHNC have been prepared from the corresponding aldehydes and methyl isocyanide using a method first developed by Schöllkopf, Stafforst, and Jentsch. ⁵ The new vinyl isocyanides (CH₃)₂CCHNC and CH₃CHC(CH₃)NC have been prepared by the Cu₂O-catalyzed isomerization of the corresponding allyl isocyanides The liquid vinyl isocyanides may be characterized by the formation of solid cis-(RNC)₂Mo(CO)₄ derivatives through reaction with norbornadienetetracarbonylmolybdenum in hexane solution at ambient temperature. Examination of these molybdenum carbonyl complexes by proton and carbon-13 NMR spectroscopy Indicates that the isocyanide carbon atom but not the carbon-carbon double bond of the vinyl 1socyanide ligands is bonded to the molybdenum atom. The proton-decoupled carbon-13 NMR spectra of the vinyl isocyanides, but not their molybdenum carbonyl complexes, indicate coupling of the isocyanide nitrogen to both the isocyanide carbon (¹J(C-N)6 Hz. ) and the vinyl carbon bearing the isocyanide group (¹J(C-N)11-13 Hz. ) leading to 1:1:1 triplets for these resonances. These vinyl carbonyl resonances are used to estimate the cis-trans isomer ratios in vinyl isocyanides of the type RCHCHNC. Such studies suggest that the formation of vinyl isocyanides by the copper(I) catalyzed isomerization of the corresponding allylic isocyanides is more nearly stereospecific than the formation of vinyl isocyanides by the elimination reaction of the Schollkopf/Stafforst/Jentsch synthetic method.     

Niobium isocyanide complexes,Nb(CNAr)6, with Ar = 2,6‐dimethylphenyl (Xyl), a diamagnetic dimer containing four reductively coupled isocyanides,and Ar = 2,6‐diisopropylphenyl (Dipp), a paramagnetic monomer analogous to the highly unstable hexacarbonylniobium(0)

Treatment of bis(mesitylene)niobium(0) with 6–7 equivalents of 2,6‐dimethylphenyl isocyanide (CNXyl) affords two products with the empirical formula Nb(CNXyl)_n (n = 7 or 6), which have been shown to be the diamagnetic dimers bis[μ‐N,N′,N′′,N′′′‐tetrakis(2,6‐dimethylphenyl)squaramidinato(2?)]bis[pentakis(2,6‐dimethylphenyl isocyanide)niobium(I)], [Nb₂(C₉H₉N)₁₀(C₃₆H₃₆N₄)] or [Nb(CNXyl)₅]₂[μ‐C₄(NXyl)₄]·xSolvent, 1 , and bis[μ‐N,N′,N′′,N′′′‐tetrakis(2,6‐dimethylphenyl)squaramidinato(2?)]bis[tetrakis(2,6‐dimethylphenyl isocyanide)niobium(I)] tetrahydrofuran trisolvate, [Nb₂(C₉H₉N)₈(C₃₆H₃₆N₄)]·3C₄H₈O or [Nb(CNXyl)₄]₂[μ‐C₄(NXyl)₄]·3THF (THF = tetrahydrofuran), 2 . Each contains Nb^I bound to either five or four terminal isocyanides, respectively, and to an unprecedented bridging tetraarylsquaramidinate(2?) unit, coordinated as a bidentate ligand to each niobium center, symmetrically due to the crystallographic inversion center that coincides with the centroid of the central C₄ unit. Thus, in the presence of CNXyl, the bis(mesitylene)niobium(0) is oxidized to niobium(I), resulting in the facile loss of both mesitylene groups and the reductive coupling of two CNXyl groups per niobium to provide the first examples of tetraarylsquaramidinate(2?) ligands, [cyclo‐C₄N₄Ar₄]^2?, coordinated to metals. In contrast, bis(mesitylene)niobium(0) reacts with the more crowded 2,6‐diisopropylphenyl isocyanide (CNDipp) to afford the paramagnetic monomer hexakis(2,6‐diisopropylphenyl isocyanide)niobium(0), [Nb(C₁₃H₁₇N)₆] or Nb(CNDipp)₆, 3 , the first zero‐valent niobium isocyanide analog of the highly unstable Nb(CO)₆, which is presently only known to exist in an argon matrix at 4.2 K.     

Tuning π-Acceptor/σ-Donor Ratio of the 2-Isocyanoazulene Ligand: Non-Fluorinated Rival of Pentafluorophenyl Isocyanide and Trifluorovinyl Isocyanide Discovered

Isocyanoazulenes (CNAz) constitute a relatively new class of isocyanoarenes that offers rich structural and electronic diversification of the organic isocyanide ligand platform. This article considers a series of 2-isocyano-1,3-X₂-azulene ligands (X = H, Me, CO₂Et, Br, and CN) and the corresponding zero-valent complexes thereof, [(OC)₅Cr(2-isocyano-1,3-X₂-azulene)]. Air- and thermally stable, X-ray structurally characterized 2-isocyano-1,3-dimethylazulene may be viewed as a non-benzenoid aromatic congener of 2,6-dimethyphenyl isocyanide (2,6-xylyl isocyanide), a longtime “workhorse” aryl isocyanide ligand in coordination chemistry. Single crystal X-ray crystallographic {Cr–CNAz bond distances}, cyclic voltametric {E_1/2(Cr^0/1+)}, ¹³C NMR {δ(¹³CN), δ(¹³CO)}, UV-vis {dπ(Cr) → pπ*(CNAz) Metal-to-Ligand Charge Transfer}, and FTIR {ν_N≡C, ν_C≡O, k_C≡O} analyses of the [(OC)₅Cr(2-isocyano-1,3-X₂-azulene)] complexes provided a multifaceted, quantitative assessment of the π-acceptor/σ-donor characteristics of the above five 2-isocyanoazulenes. In particular, the following inverse linear relationships were documented: δ(¹³CO_trans) vs. δ(¹³CN), δ(¹³CO_cis) vs. δ(¹³CN), and δ(¹³CO_trans) vs. k_C≡O,trans force constant. Remarkably, the net electron withdrawing capability of the 2-isocyano-1,3-dicyanoazulene ligand rivals those of perfluorinated isocyanides CNC₆F₅ and CNC₂F₃.     

Crystal structures and spectroscopic characterization of MBr2(CNXyl)n (M = Fe and Co,n = 4; M = Ni,n = 2; Xyl = 2,6‐dimethylphenyl), and of formally zero‐valent iron as a cocrystal of Fe(CNXyl)5 and Fe2(CNXyl)9

Structures and spectroscopic characterization of the divalent complexes cis‐dibromidotetrakis(2,6‐dimethylphenyl isocyanide)iron(II) dichloromethane 0.771‐solvate, [FeBr₂(C₉H₉N)₄]·0.771CH₂Cl₂ or cis‐FeBr₂(CNXyl)₄·0.771CH₂Cl₂ (Xyl = 2,6‐dimethylphenyl), trans‐dibromidotetrakis(2,6‐dimethylphenyl isocyanide)iron(II), [FeBr₂(C₉H₉N)₄] or trans‐FeBr₂(CNXyl)₄, trans‐dibromidotetrakis(2,6‐dimethylphenyl isocyanide)cobalt(II), [CoBr₂(C₉H₉N)₄] or trans‐CoBr₂(CNXyl)₄, and trans‐dibromidobis(2,6‐dimethylphenyl isocyanide)nickel(II), [NiBr₂(C₉H₉N)₂] or trans‐NiBr₂(CNXyl)₂, are presented. Additionally, crystals grown from a cold diethyl ether solution of zero‐valent Fe(CNXyl)₅ produced a structure containing a cocrystallization of mononuclear Fe(CNXyl)₅ and the previously unknown dinuclear [Fe(CNXyl)₃]₂(μ₂‐CNXyl)₃, namely pentakis(2,6‐dimethylphenyl isocyanide)iron(0) tris(μ₂‐2,6‐dimethylphenyl isocyanide)bis[tris(2,6‐dimethylphenyl isocyanide)iron(0)], [Fe(C₉H₉N)₅][Fe₂(C₉H₉N)₉]. The (M)C—N—C(Xyl) angles of the isocyanide ligand are nearly linear for the metals in the +2 oxidation state, for which the ligands function essentially as pure donors. The νCN stretching frequencies for these divalent metal isocyanides are at or above that of the free ligand. Relative to Fe^II, in the structure containing iron in the formally zero‐valent oxidation state, the Fe—C bond lengths have shortened, the C[triple‐bond]N bond lengths have elongated, the (M)C—N—C(Xyl) angles of the terminal CNXyl ligands are more bent, and the νCN stretching frequencies have shifted to lower energies, all indicative of substantial M(dπ)→π* backbonding.     

Carbon-13 NMR of some organophosphorus compounds. 2—chemical shifts and P?C coupling constants of diaryl-, dialkoxy- and diaryloxy-phosphine amines with general formula Y2PNRR'

Carbon-13 chemical shifts and ²J(POC), ³J(POCC), ²J(PNC) and ³J(PNC) coupling constants of 30 compounds containing the amine moiety, with the general formula Y₂PNRR' (Y ? C₆H₅, CH₃O, CH₃CH₂O, CH₂O; Y₂ ? 1,2-dioxybenzene) have been determined. J(PNC) values have been used to explain the preferred conformation around the P? N bond. A comparison between ²J(PNC) and ²J(PNH) was accomplished.     

Some self-consistent perturbation calculations of 15N?13C coupling constants

Self-consistent perturbation calculations within the INDO framework are reported for 63 ¹⁵N? ¹³C coupling constants. Examples are presented for which each of the contact, orbital and dipolar terms provides the dominant contribution to the observed coupling constant. In general, good agreement with the experimental data is obtained when the integral products S_N²(O)S_C²(O) and 〈r^?3〉_N〈r^?3〉_C take the values 14.480 au^?6 and 2.446 au^?6 for ¹J(¹⁵N? ¹³C), and the corresponding values of 10.444 au^?6 and 17.664 au^?6 for ¹J(¹⁵N?¹³C). All 19 of the ¹J(¹⁵N?¹³C) couplings considered are predicted to have a negative sign.     

Some calculations of solvent effects on one bond NC spin–spin couplings

The solvaton model, incorporating INDO parameters and commonly encountered perturbation procedures, is employed to obtain the variation of ¹J(N≡C) as a function of the dielectric of the medium (?) for some cyanides and isocyanides. In all cases considered ¹J(N≡C) is predicted to become increasingly negative as ? increases. Changes of up to 2 Hz in ¹J(N≡C) are expected, with the isocyanides being more sensitive than the cyanides to a change in ?.     

1H, 13C and 77Se NMR spectra of substituted selenoanisoles

The ¹H, ¹³C and ⁷⁷Se chemical shifts and the ¹J[C(Me)H(Me)], ^1.2J(SeC) and ²J(SeH) coupling constants in 14 para- or meta-substituted selenoanisoles, R? C₆H₄? Se? CH₃, have been measured and the dependence of these parameters on the electronic effects of the substituent R is discussed. A significant (up to 6 ppm) deviation from additivity of the substituent influence on the shielding of the ¹³C ring carbons has been found.     

1H and 13C NMR study of α-acetylenic PIII and PIV derivatives. Signs and magnitudes of J(P?C) and J(P?H)

All J(P? H) and J(P? C) values, including signs, have been obtained in acetylenic and propynylic phosphorus derivatives, R₂P(X)? C?C? H and R₂P(X)? C?C? CH₃ (X ? oxygen, lone pair and R ? C₆H₅, N(CH₃)₂, OC₂H₅, N(C₆H₅)₂, Cl) from ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectra. In P^IV derivatives the following signs are obtained: ¹J(P? C)+, ²J(P? C)+, ³J(P? C)+, ³J(P? H)+, ⁴J(P? H)? . Linear relations are observed between ¹J(P? C), ²J(P? C) and ³J(P? C) versus ³J(P? H), indicating that these coupling constants are mainly dependent on the Fermi contact term, though the other terms of the Ramsey theory do not seem to be negligible for ¹J(P? C) and ²J(P? C). In P^III derivatives these signs are: ¹J(P? C)- and +, ²J(P? C)+, ³J(P? C)-, ³J(P? H)-, ⁴J(P? H)+. Only ³J(P? C) and ³J(P? H) reflect a small contribution of the Fermi contact term while in ¹J(P? C) and ²J(P? C) this contribution seems to be negligible relative to the orbital and/or spin dipolar coupling mechanisms.     

Fluorinated Isocyanides—More than Ligands with Unusual Properties

The substitution of hydrogen by fluorine in organic compounds usually results in drastic changes in their properties. For isocyanides, for which fluorinated examples have only recently become available in preparative quantities, this substitution leads to a significantly increased reactivity and a tendency to polymerize, which, on one hand, makes their handling more difficult. On the other hand, this high reactivity makes the fluorinated isocyanides useful building blocks for the synthesis of compounds like N-trimethylformamide. Energetically favorable π^* orbitals bestow excellent π-acceptor properties towards low-valent transition metal complexes, especially on the ligand trifluoromethyl isocyanide. The pronounced tendency of this ligand to bridge two metal atoms enables the formation of structural types that are not accessible with other π-acceptor ligands. Thus it was possible to prepare [(Os₃(CO)₁₁(μ₂-CNCF₃)₂] (a) derivative of the hypothetical [Os(CO)₁₃]) which may be considered as a model for an associative mechanism of ligand substitution at carbonyl clusters. In contrast to the well-studied chemistry of trifluoromethyl isocyanide, that of the few other known fluorinated isocyanides is only now receiving attention. In particular the only recently synthesized trifluorovinyl isocyanide promises a rich chemistry as a result of its difunctionality.     

Theoretical and experimental studies on the structure and isomerization of isocyano and cyano cyclopolyenes

Quantum-chemical calculations in terms of the density functional theory showed that cyclopolyenyl isocyanides RNC are considerably less stable than the corresponding cyanides and that they are capable of undergoing RNC → RCN isomerization according to both 1,2-shift mechanism (cyclopropenyl and cyclopentadienyl isocyanides; ΔE ^≠ = 35.0 and 37.5 kcal/mol, respectively) and previously unknown 2,5-sigmatropic shift mechanism (cycloheptatrienyl isocyanide, ΔE ^≠ = 26.4 kcal/mol). Migration of cyano group in the cyclopentadiene and cycloheptatriene systems follows the 1,5-sigmatropic shift pattern. The activation barrier to 1,5-shift of cyano group around the cycloheptatriene ring was estimated by dynamic NMR in deuterated nitrobenzene (ΔG _190°C ^≠ = 26.5 kcal/mol).     

NMR study of E/Z isomerism in N‐alkoxybenzoimidic acid derivatives

Well defined E/Z isomers of N‐methoxy‐p‐nitrobenzimidoyl chloride, N‐methoxybenzimidoyl chloride, methyl N‐methylbenzohydroximate and ethyl N‐hydroxybenzimidate were prepared in order to provide model data for studies of benzhydroximic acid derivatives and related compounds. NMR parameters [¹H, ¹³C and ¹⁵N chemical shifts and ¹J(¹³C, ¹³C) coupling constants] were determined. The results show that stereochemically most significant are the values of ¹J(¹³C, ¹³C) couplings between aromatic C_ipso and C?N carbons and that the relationship, |J_cis| > |J_trans|, known for this coupling from oximes, is not affected by electronegative substituents at the C?N carbon atom, but the values are. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Dimeric copper(II) trimethylsilyl­acetate adducts with pyridine, 2‐­methylpyridine, 3‐methylpyridine and quinoline,and a polymeric copper(II) trimethylsilylacetate

In the crystals of bis(pyridine‐N)tetrakis(μ‐trimethylsilylacetato‐O:O′)dicopper(II), [Cu₂(C₅H₁₁O₂Si)₄(C₅H₅N)₂], (I), the dinuclear Cu^II complexes have cage structures with Cu?Cu distances of 2.632 (1) and 2.635 (1) Å. In the crystals of bis(2‐­methylpyridine‐N)tetrakis(μ‐trimethylsilylacetato‐O:O′)dicopper(II), [Cu₂(C₅H₁₁O₂Si)₄(C₆H₇N)₂], (II), bis­(3‐methylpyridine‐N)tetrakis(μ‐trimethylsilylacetato‐O:O′)dicopper(II), [Cu₂(C₅H₁₁O₂Si)₄(C₆H₇N)₂], (III), and bis(quinoline‐N)­tetrakis(μ‐­trimethylsilylacetato‐O:O′)dicopper(II), [Cu₂(C₅H₁₁O₂Si)₄(C₉H₇N)₂], (IV), the centrosymmetric dinuclear Cu^II complexes have a cage structure with Cu?Cu distances of 2.664 (1), 2.638 (3) and 2.665 (1) Å, respectively. In the crystals of catena‐poly­[tetrakis(μ‐trimethylsilylacetato‐O:O′)dicopper(II)], [Cu₂(C₅H₁₁O₂Si)₄]_n, (V), the dinuclear Cu^II units of a cage structure are linked by the cyclic Cu—O bonds at the apical positions to form a linear chain by use of a glide translation.     

A theoretical study of C4H5N isomers: Comparison of cyano and isocyano as substituents

Ab initio molecular orbital calculations using a 3-21G basis set have been used to optimize geometries for pyrrole, CH₃(X)CCH₂, CH₃(H)CCHX (both cis and trans), c-C₃H₅X, and CH₂CHCH₂X, where X is CN and NC. In all the alkenyl derivatives methyl groups are found to adopt the conformation in which the methyl hydrogen eclipses the double bond. 6-31G*∥3-21G level calculations show the alkenyl cyanides to be of similar energy to pyrrole, but the isocyanides are ～20 kcal mol^?1 higher in energy. For both substituents the cyclopropyl derivatives are higher in energy by ～10 kcal mol^?1. At the 6-31G* level ring strain is 27.7 kcal mol^?1 for the cyanide and 30.6 kcal mol^?1 for the isocyanide. Data on the relative energies of RCN and RNC are compared when R is (i) a saturated hydrocarbon, (ii) an unsaturated hydrocarbon, (iii) an α-carbenium ion, (iv) an allyl cation, and (v) an α-carbanion.     

Signs of heteronuclear spin–spin coupling constants in 15N-acetamide

By using digital deconvolution to improve spectral resolution, earlier NMR studies on ¹⁵N-enriched acetamide have been revised and extended to determine the signs of the heteronuclear spin-spin coupling constants. ¹J(¹³CO¹⁵N), ²J(¹³CH₃¹⁵N) and ³J(C¹H₃¹⁵N) are negative while ³J(¹H¹³CH₃)>0. The results, interpreted on the basis of the ‘selective decoupling’ formalism, were confirmed by computer simulation of the double resonance spectra. It is shown that ²J(¹H-α¹³CO) is significantly larger than ²J(¹H^{N 13}CO). Thus, jointly with {¹H-β}-¹³C′ double resonance experiments, {¹H-α}-¹³C′ experiments ought to be most helpful when assigning peptide group carbonyl resonances. The study provides valuable information for the interpretation of heteronuclear coupling constants in polypeptides.     

Copper(II)-lanthanoid(III)-copper(II) trinuclear complexes with N,N′-bis(2-aminopropyl)-oxamido ligand

Six novel μ-oxamido trinuclear complexes, namely Cu₂(oxap)₂Ln(ClO₄)₃ (Ln: La, Pr, Nd, Gd, Yb, Ho), where oxap is N,N′-bis(2-aminopropyl)oxamido, have been synthesized. The complex Cu₂(oxap)₂Gd(ClO₄)₃ was characterized with variable temperature magnetic susceptibility (4—300 K). The exchange integrals J (Cu—Gd) and J′ (Cu–Cu) were found to be 0.83 cm^?1 and ?1.62 cm^?1, indicating that very weakly ferromagnetic spin-exchange interaction operates between Cu(II) and Gd (III) ions.     

Oxidorhenium(V) and Rhenium(III) Complexes with m-Terphenyl Isocyanides

Reactions of the sterically encumbered m-terphenyl isocyanides CNAr^Dipp2 (Dipp = 2,6-diisopropylphenyl) and CNAr^Mes2 (Mes = 2,4,6-trimethylphenyl) with (NBu₄)[ReOCl₄] in CH₂Cl₂ form stable complexes of the composition (NBu₄)[ReOCl₃(CNAr^R)] or [ReOCl₃(CNAr^R)₂] depending on the amount of isocyanide added. In the [ReOCl₃(CNAr^R)₂] complexes, cis coordination of the two isocyanides is observed for CNAr^Mes2, while the sterically more demanding CNAr^DIPP2 ligands are found in trans positions. The rhenium(III) species [ReCl₃(PPh₃)(CNAr^Mes2)₂] was obtained from the reaction of [ReOCl₃(PPh₃)₂] and CNAr^Mes2. The ν(CN) IR frequencies measured for the Re^V complexes appear at higher wavenumbers than for the uncoordinated isocyanides, which suggests a low degree of backdonation into anti-bonding orbitals of these ligands.     

Substituent effects on nuclear spin–spin carbon–carbon coupling constants in derivatives of acetylene

¹J(¹³C?¹³C) nuclear spin–spin coupling constants in derivatives of acetylene have been measured from natural abundance ¹³C NMR spectra and in one case (triethylsilyllithiumacetylene) from the ¹³C NMR spectrum of a ¹³C-enriched sample. It has been found that the magnitude of J(C?C) depends on the electronegativity of the substituents at the triple bond. The equation ¹J(¹³C?¹³C) = 43.38 E_x + 17.33 has been derived for one particular series of the compounds Alk₃SiC?CX, where X denotes Li, R₃Sn, R₃Si, R₃C, I, Br or Cl. The ¹J(C?C) values found in this work cover a range from 56.8 Hz (in Et₃SiC?Li) to 216.0 Hz (in PhC?CCI). However, the ¹J(C?C) vs E_x equation combined with the Egli–von Philipsborn relationship allows the calculation of the coupling constants in Li₂C₂ (32 Hz) and in F₂C₂ (356 Hz). These are probably the lowest and the highest values, respectively, which can be attained for ¹J(CC) across a triple bond. The unusually large changes of the ¹J(C?C) values are explained in terms of substituent effects followed by a re-hybridization of the carbons involved in the triple bond. INDO FPT calculations performed for two series of acetylene derivatives, with substituents varied along the first row of the Periodic Table, corroborate the conclusions drawn from the experimental data.     

Bestimmung der Struktur von Phenyläthinyllithium in Lösung mittels Tieftemperatur-NMR-Spektroskopie

The dimeric and tetrametic structures of complexes of phenylethinyllithium, as recently discovered by X-ray analysis in the solid state, were also found to be present in solution. Tetrahydrofuran solutions of 1-(⁶Li)-[1-¹³C]-2-phenylethyne in the presence or absence of N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylpolymethylenediamines show a pentuplett ¹³C-NMR signal [δ=140 ppm, J(C,Li)=8.2 Hz] from the labelled C-atom at low temperatures (?95 to ?110°). This proves the dimeric structure. When (⁶Li)BuLi is added, a mixed dimer [(C₆H₅C?CLi)(C₄H₉Li)] is formed [δ=142 ppm, J(C,Li) = 7.8 Hz]. This is converted to a mixed tetramer [(C₆H₅C?CLi)(C₄H₉Li)₃] upon addition of larger amounts of (⁶Li)BuLi, as concluded from a signal at δ = 133.5 ppm, J(C,Li) = 5.6 Hz. The multiplicity of this signal suggests that a static tetramer is present, in which the C-atoms couple only with three next Li-neighbors.