Quantum chemical study of the structures and dynamic behavior of tricarbonyl complexes of Group 6 metals (Cr,Mo, W) with polyaromatic hydrocarbons using the density functional theory

The quantum chemical study of the mechanism was performed for tricarbonyl η⁶-complexes of coronene I-M and kekulene II-M (M = Cr, Mo, W) by the density functional method. The activation barriers of η⁶,η⁶-interring haptotropic rearrangements (IHR), being the migration of the metaltricarbonyl group M(CO)₃ from one six-membered aromatic ring to another, were determined. The processes of η⁶,η⁶-IHR in the metal tricarbonyl complexes with relatively high polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) I and II occur with close energy barriers (ΔG^≠ ≈ 20—25 kcal mol^–1), which are lower than the barriers (ΔG^≠ ~ 30 kcal mol^–1) of similar transformations measured or calculated earlier for the chromium tricarbonyl complexes of naphthalene and its derivatives and other PAH. For the molybdenum tricarbonyl complexes the activation barriers of η⁶,η⁶-IHR decrease additionally by ~ 5 kcal mol^–1 compared to those for the chromium tricarbonyl complexes, whereas for the tungsten tricarbonyl complexes they increase again and become approximately equal to the activation barriers of similar chromium tricarbonyl complexes. All stationary states on the potential energy surface determining the mechanism of η⁶,η⁶-IHR are characterized by a decrease in hapticity compared to the initial and final complexes.     

Structures and Dynamic Solution Behavior of Cationic,Two‐Coordinate Gold(I)–π‐Allene Complexes

A family of seven cationic gold complexes that contain both an alkyl substituted π‐allene ligand and an electron‐rich, sterically hindered supporting ligand was isolated in >90 % yield and characterized by spectroscopy and, in three cases, by X‐ray crystallography. Solution‐phase and solid‐state analysis of these complexes established preferential binding of gold to the less substituted C?C bond of the allene and to the allene π face trans to the substituent on the uncomplexed allenyl C?C bond. Kinetic analysis of intermolecular allene exchange established two‐term rate laws of the form rate=k₁[complex]+k₂[complex][allene] consistent with allene‐independent and allene‐dependent exchange pathways with energy barriers of ΔG^≠₁=17.4–18.8 and ΔG^≠₂=15.2–17.6 kcal mol^?1, respectively. Variable temperature (VT) NMR analysis revealed fluxional behavior consistent with facile (ΔG^≠=8.9–11.4 kcal mol^?1) intramolecular exchange of the allene π faces through η¹‐allene transition states and/or intermediates that retain a staggered arrangement of the allene substituents. VT NMR/spin saturation transfer analysis of [{P(tBu)₂o‐binaphthyl}Au(η²‐4,5‐nonadiene) ]⁺SbF₆^? ( 5 ), which contains elements of chirality in both the phosphine and allene ligands, revealed no epimerization of the allene ligand below the threshold for intermolecular allene exchange (ΔG^≠_298K=17.4 kcal mol^?1), which ruled out the participation of a η¹‐allylic cation species in the low‐energy π‐face exchange process for this complex.     

The mechanism of fluxionality of (1,2,7-η3-2-Me-benzyl)(η5-C5H5)Mo(CO)2

It is shown that (1,2,7-η³-2-Me-benzyl)(η⁵-C₅H₅)Mo(CO)₂ exits in solution as one isomer which is fluxional, probably via (7-η¹-2-Me-benzyl)((η⁵-C₅H₅)Mo(CO)₂, with ΔG^≠₃₇₀ = 23.6 ± 1.0 kcal mol⁻¹. In contrast, (1,2,7-η³-3-Me-benzyl)(η⁵-C₅H₅)Mo(CO)₂ exits as two isomers at −20°C, which undergo interconversion at room temperature with ΔG^≠ 15.7 kcal mol⁻¹. This dynamic process is an allyl rotation. It is probable that there is also a low energy [1,5]-sigmatropic shift.     

Catalytic Mechanisms of Transfer Hydrogenation of Azobenzene with Ammonia Borane by Pincer Bismuth Complex: Crucial Role of C=N Functional Group on the Pincer Ligand

Transfer hydrogenation of azobenzene with ammonia borane mediated by pincer bismuth complex 1 was systematically investigated through density functional theory calculations. An unusual metal-ligand cooperation mechanism was disclosed, in which the saturation/regeneration of the C=N functional group on the pincer ligand plays an essential role. The reaction is initiated by the hydrogenation of the C=N bond (saturation) with ammonia borane to afford 3^CN , which is the rate-determining step with Gibbs energy barrier (ΔG^≠) and Gibbs reaction energy (ΔG) of 25.6 and −7.3 kcal/mol, respectively. 3^CN is then converted to a Bi−H intermediate through a water-bridged pathway, which is followed up with the transfer hydrogenation of azobenzene to produce the final product N,N′-diphenylhydrazine and regenerate the catalyst. Finally, the catalyst could be improved by substituting the phenyl group for the tert-butyl group on the pincer ligand, where the ΔG^≠ value (rate-determining step) decreases to 24.0 kcal/mol.     

Structure and Fluxional Behavior of Phenylmercury Derivatives of N,N'-Diarylform(benz)amidines

Activation barriers for fast 1,3-N,N' migrations of phenylmercury groups in the corresponding derivatives of N,N'-di(p-tolyl)form(benz)amidines have been calculated by density functional theory B3LYP/Gen, 6-311++G(d,p)/SDD to be ΔE _ZPE ^≠ = 4.5 and 3.0 kcal/mol. The results correspond to the data of dynamic NMR, which have shown the upper limit of activation barriers of these rearrangements (ΔG^≠) to be below 8 kcal/mol. The calculations have shown that the most stable is the E-syn form of N-phenylmercury-N,N'-di(p-tolyl)form(benz)amidines stabilized by supplementary intramolecular coordination of mercury atom with imine nitrogen atom of the amidine triad.     

Solid-State Confinement Effects in Selective exo-H/D Exchange in the Rhodium σ-Norbornane Complex [(Cy2PCH2CH2PCy2)Rh(η2:η2-C7H12)][BArF4]

Density functional theory calculations modelling selective exo-H/D exchange observed in the Rh σ-alkane complex [(Cy₂PCH₂CH₂PCy₂)Rh(η²:η²-endo-NBA)][BAr^F₄], [1-NBA][BAr^F ₄ ] , are reported, where Ar^F=3,5-C₆H₃(CF₃)₂ and NBA=norbornane, C₇H₁₂. Two models were considered 1) an isolated molecular cation, [1-NBA]⁺ and 2) a full model in which [1-NBA][BAr^F ₄ ] is treated in the solid state through periodic DFT. After an initial endo-exo rearrangement, both models predict H/D exchange to proceed through D₂ addition and oxidative cleavage followed by a rate-limiting C−H activation of the norbornane through a σ-CAM step to form a [1-Rh(D)(η²-HD)(norbornyl)]⁺ intermediate. HD rotation followed by a σ-CAM C−D bond formation, HD reductive coupling and HD loss then complete the H/D exchange process. exo-H/D exchange is facilitated by a supporting agostic interaction and is consistently more accessible kinetically than the potentially competing endo-H/D exchange (isolated cation: ΔG^≠_exo=+15.9 kcal/mol, ΔG^≠_endo=+18.4 kcal/mol; solid state: ΔG^≠_exo=+22.1 kcal/mol, ΔG^≠_endo=+25.1 kcal/mol). The solid-state environment has a significant impact on the computed energetics, with barriers increasing by ca. 7 kcal/mol, while only the solid-state model correctly predicts the endo-bound NBA complex to be the resting state of the system. These outcomes reflect solid-state confinement effects within the pocket occupied by the [1-NBA]⁺ cation and defined by the pseudo-octahedral array of neighbouring [BAr^F₄]⁻ anions. The asymmetry of the solid-state environment also requires a second H/D exchange pathway to be defined to account for reaction at all four exo-C−H bonds. These entail slightly higher barriers (ΔG^≠_exo= +24.8 kcal/mol, ΔG^≠_endo=+27.5 kcal/mol) but retain a distinct preference for exo- over endo-H/D exchange.     

Dynamic 77se nmr of phenylselenyl cyclohexane derivatives

For phenylselenyl cyclohexane (1) ring inversion barriers (ΔG^≠₂₇₈ of 11.7 ± 0.2 (eq-1 → ax-1) and 10.5 ± 0.2 kcal/mol (ax-1 → eq-1) and an A-value of 1.1 were determined. Extraordinarily large diamagnetic γ effects of ca 30–40 ppm per CH₂ group were found.     

Heterolysis of H2 Across a Classical Lewis Pair, 2,6‐Lutidine⋅BCl3: Synthesis,Characterization, and Mechanism

We report that 2,6‐lutidine?trichloroborane (Lut?BCl₃) reacts with H₂ in toluene, bromobenzene, dichloromethane, and Lut solvents producing the neutral hydride, Lut?BHCl₂. The mechanism was modeled with density functional theory, and energies of stationary states were calculated at the G3(MP2)B3 level of theory. Lut?BCl₃ was calculated to react with H₂ and form the ion pair, [LutH⁺][HBCl₃^?], with a barrier of ΔH^≠=24.7 kcal mol^?1 (ΔG^≠=29.8 kcal mol^?1). Metathesis with a second molecule of Lut?BCl₃ produced Lut?BHCl₂ and [LutH⁺][BCl₄^?]. The overall reaction is exothermic by 6.0 kcal mol^?1 (Δ_rG°=?1.1). Alternate pathways were explored involving the borenium cation (LutBCl₂⁺) and the four‐membered boracycle [(CH₂{NC₅H₃Me})BCl₂]. Barriers for addition of H₂ across the Lut/LutBCl₂⁺ pair and the boracycle B?C bond are substantially higher (ΔG^≠=42.1 and 49.4 kcal mol^?1, respectively), such that these pathways are excluded. The barrier for addition of H₂ to the boracycle B?N bond is comparable (ΔH^≠=28.5 and ΔG^≠=32 kcal mol^?1). Conversion of the intermediate 2‐(BHCl₂CH₂)‐6‐Me(C₅H₃NH) to Lut?BHCl₂ may occur by intermolecular steps involving proton/hydride transfers to Lut/BCl₃. Intramolecular protodeboronation, which could form Lut?BHCl₂ directly, is prohibited by a high barrier (ΔH^≠=52, ΔG^≠=51 kcal mol^?1).     

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).     

Sigmatropic hydrogen shifts in aryltetraphenylcyclopentadienes

Dynamic NMR has revealed intramolecular migrations of hydrogen atom over the periphery of the five-membered ring in 5-(p-tolyl)-1,2,3,4-tetraphenylcyclopentadiene in a deuteronitrobenzene solution with energy barrier ΔG ₁₈₀ ^≠ = 24.8 kcal/mol. Quantum-chemical DFT calculations B3LYP/6-311++G** have shown that such migrations in 1,2,3,4,5-pentaphenylcyclopentadiene in the gas phase occur in a chiral conformation of propeller type by the mechanism of 1,5-sigmatropic hydrogen shifts with retention of configuration through asymmetric transition state with energy barrier ΔE _ZPE ^≠ = 25.9 kcal/mol. Enantiomers P and M can readily interconvert into each other (ΔE _ZPE ^≠ = 3.9 kcal/mol) owing to synchronous flip rotations of the phenyl groups.     

A Highly Oxidizing and Isolable Oxoruthenium(V) Complex [RuV(N4O)(O)]2+: Electronic Structure,Redox Properties,and Oxidation Reactions Investigated by DFT Calculations

The electronic structure and redox properties of the highly oxidizing, isolable Ru^V?O complex [Ru^V(N₄O)(O)]²⁺, its oxidation reactions with saturated alkanes (cyclohexane and methane) and inorganic substrates (hydrochloric acid and water), and its intermolecular coupling reaction have been examined by DFT calculations. The oxidation reactions with cyclohexane and methane proceed through hydrogen atom transfer in a transition state with a calculated free energy barrier of 10.8 and 23.8 kcal mol^?1, respectively. The overall free energy activation barrier (ΔG^≠=25.5 kcal mol^?1) of oxidation of hydrochloric acid can be decomposed into two parts: the formation of [Ru^III(N₄O)(HOCl)]²⁺ (ΔG=15.0 kcal mol^?1) and the substitution of HOCl by a water molecule (ΔG^≠=10.5 kcal mol^?1). For water oxidation, nucleophilic attack on Ru^V?O by water, leading to O? O bond formation, has a free energy barrier of 24.0 kcal mol^?1, the major component of which comes from the cleavage of the H? OH bond of water. Intermolecular self‐coupling of two molecules of [Ru^V(N₄O)(O)]²⁺ leads to the [(N₄O)Ru^IV? O₂? Ru^III(N₄O)]⁴⁺ complex with a calculated free energy barrier of 12.0 kcal mol^?1.     

Synthetic and structural studies of [6]-, [7]- and [10]metacyclophanes

A new preparative sequence from 2,3-polymethylene-2-cyclopentenone 5 to 2,6-polymethylenebromobenzenes 3 (n = 6, 7, 10) and 2,6-polymethylenephenyllithiums 6 has been found. The reaction of 6 with various electrophiles produces a number of new compounds to disclose the unique reactivity of the aryl C-Li moiety surrounded by the polymethylene chain. Photolysis of 3a and 3b provides transannular products 8, 10 and 11, all arising from the proximity between the aromatic bromine and the aliphatic hydrogen intraannularly opposed to be removed as HBr. Spectrometric study gives quantitative data of the dependence of the molecular geometry upon the chain length and the aromatic substituents. The energy barriers ΔG_c^≠ of the conformational flipping are 17·4 kcal/mol (T_c 76·5°) for [6]metacyclophane (7a), 11·5 kcal/mol (T_c ?28°) for [7]metacyclophane (7b), ·8 kcal/mol for [10]metacyclophane (7c). The lower-energy process of the aliphatic chain in [6]metacyclophane derivatives is the pseudorotation with substituent-dependent barrier ΔG_c^≠ 11·1 kcal/mol (T_c ?31·5°) for 7a, 12·4 kcal/mol (T_c ?4·5°) for 3a and 12·7 kcal/mol (T_c 1·0°) for 12a. The rather large rotational barrier is attributed to the compressed structure of each system. The benzene ring distortion of the cyclophanes is deduced from the bathochromic shift of the B-band and the diamagnetic shift of the benzene proton signals in the PMR.     

A DFT study on the reaction mechanism of the gold(I)-catalyzed cycloisomerization of alkynylhydroxyallylamides to 4-Oxa-6-azatricyclo[3.3.0.02,8]octane and 3-Acyl-4-alkenylpyrrolidine

In this study, we use density functional theory calculations to investigate the discrepancy between two experimental results of Au(I)-catalyzed cycloisomerization reactions of alkynylhydroxyallyl tosylamide under similar reaction conditions, with the only variations being reaction temperature and time. The experimental results reported by Yeh and Chung groups, respectively, showed that 3-acyl-4-alkenylpyrrolidines are produced dominantly at ambient temperature, while 4-aza-6-oxatricyclo[3.3.0.0^2,8]octanes are produced in higher yield at elevated temperature. Using (Z)-4-([3-phenylprop-2-yn-1-yl]amino)but-2-en-1-ol and [Au(PPh₃)]⁺ as the model starting material and active catalyst species, respectively, we identified two major pathways leading to 4-aza-6-oxatricyclo[3.3.0.0^2,8]octane (pathway I ) and 3-acyl-4-alkenylpyrrolidine (pathway II ). The overall free energy barrier (ΔG^‡_max) and the energetic span (ΔG^‡_span) of each pathway were 38.3 and 48.4 kcal/mol for pathway I and 29.0 and 37.1 kcal/mol for pathway II . Our analysis shows that the disparate outcomes observed in the experiments by two separate groups mainly originate in the reaction kinetics, with both the overall activation barrier and energetic span being the important factor.     

A study of the polymerization of ethylene on Ti(III) monocyclopentadienyl compounds by the density functional theory method

Density functional theory was used to study model ethylene reactions with CpTi^IIIEt⁺A^? (A^? = CH₃B(C₆F₅) ₃ ^? , or B(C₆F₅) ₄ ^? ; A^? can be absent) compounds. The polymerization of ethylene on an isolated CpTiEt⁺ cation is hindered because of equilibrium between the CpTi(C₂H₄)Et⁺ primary complex and the primary product of CpTiBu⁺ insertion. At the same time, the polymerization of ethylene on CpTiEt⁺A^? ion pairs (A^? = CH₃B(C₆F₅) ₃ ^? or B(C₆F₅) ₄ ^? ) is thermodynamically allowed (ΔE from ?26.2 to ?25.6 kcal/mol and ΔG ₂₉₈ from ?10.9 to ?10.4 kcal/mol) and is not related to overcoming substantial energy barriers (ΔE ^# = 8.2?12.3 kcal/mol and ΔG ₂₉₈ ^≠ ) = 7.8?13.3 kcal/mol). The degree of polymerization can be low because of the effective occurrence of polymer chain termination by hydrogen transfer from the polymer chain to the monomer.     

Kinetics and Mechanism of the Exothermic First-stage Decomposition Reaction for 1,5-Dimethyl-2,6-bis(2,2,2-trinitroethyl)-glycoluril

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Multilayered iron complexes of metacyclophanes. 1H NMR behavior

Syntheses are described for a series of (η⁶-cyclophane)(η⁵cyclopentadienyl)iron(II) complexes, where the cyclophane moiety is anti-[2.2]metacyclophane, anti-4,12-dimethyl[2.2]metacyclophane, anti-4,12-dimethyl-7,15-dimethoxy[2.2]metacyclophane, and [2.2](2,5)thiophenophane. The triple-layered complexes η⁶,η⁶-anti-[2.2]metacyclophane)bis[(η⁵-cyclopentadienyl)iron(II)] bis(hexafluorophosphate) and (η⁶,η⁶-anti-4,12-dimethyl[2.2]metacyclophane)bis[(η⁵-cyclopentadienyl)iron(II)] bis(hexafluorophosphate) were also prepared. The NMR spectra of these compounds provide a useful insight into the nature of the iron-cyclophane bonding.     

Reversible Migrations of Nitro Group in a Methyltetramethoxycarbonylcyclopentadiene System

Quantum chemical calculations by the density functional theory method at the B3LYP/6-311++G** level have shown that 5-nitro-5-methyl-1,2,3,4-tetramethoxycarbonylcyclopentadiene (1) and 5-nitro-2-methyl- 1,3,4,5-tetramethoxycarbonylcyclopentadiene (2) undergo interconversion by consecutive 1,5-sigmatropic shifts via the formation of an unstable isomer, 5-nitro-1-methyl-2,3,4,5- tetramethoxycarbonylcyclopentadiene (3), rather than through the NMR-detected 1,3-shift of the nitro group over the cyclopentadiene ring perimeter. According to calculations in the gas phase, isomer 3 is by ΔE _ZPE of 3.6 kcal/mol less stable than isomer 1, while the activation barrier of the stepwise 1 → 2 process is 24.5 kcal/mol, which agrees well with NMR data (ΔG_25C^≠, chlorobenzene, 26.5 kcal/mol).     

Quantum-chemical simulation of structure and conformational flexibility of 5,7-di(<Emphasis Type="Italic">tert</Emphasis>-butyl)-2-(8-hydroxyquinolin-2-yl)-1,3-tropolone

Density functional theory [DFT B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p)] simulation has revealed stable tautomers and conformers of polydentate ligand system based on 5,7-di(tert-butyl)-2-(8-hydroxyquinolin-2-yl)-1,3-tropolone with different structures of the coordination nodes, capable of formation of metal chelates. It has been shown that the tautomeric NH- and OH- forms with exo and endo location of the hydroxy group in the quinoline fragments (close in energy, ΔE_ZPE = 0.2–2.4 kcal/mol) are stabilized by intramolecular hydrogen bonds. Energy barriers of the interconversion of these forms via rotation about the C–OH bond of the phenolic fragment are of ΔE_ZPE^≠ = 2.1–4.2 kcal/mol, whereas the barrier of rotation about the bond between the quinoline and tropolone fragments is higher (ΔE_ZPE^≠ = 18.2 and 19.6 kcal/mol).     

Exploring the Oxidative‐Addition Pathways of Phenyl Chloride in the Presence of PdII Abnormal N‐Heterocyclic Carbene Complexes: A DFT Study

DFT calculations were performed to elucidate the oxidative addition mechanism of the dimeric palladium(II) abnormal N‐heterocyclic carbene complex 2 in the presence of phenyl chloride and NaOMe base under the framework of a Suzuki–Miyaura cross‐coupling reaction. Pre‐catalyst 2 undergoes facile, NaOMe‐assisted dissociation, which led to monomeric palladium(II) species 5 , 6 , and 7 , each of them independently capable of initiating oxidative addition reactions with PhCl. Thereafter, three different mechanistic routes, path a, path b, and path c, which originate from the catalytic species 5 , 7 , and 6 , were calculated at M06‐L ‐D3(SMD)/LANL2TZ(f)(Pd)/6–311++G**//M06‐L/LANL2DZ(Pd)/6–31+G* level of theory. All studied routes suggested the rather uncommon Pd^II/Pd^IV oxidative addition mechanism to be favourable under the ambient reaction conditions. Although the Pd⁰/Pd^II routes are generally facile, the final reductive elimination step from the catalytic complexes were energetically formidable. The Pd^II/Pd^IV activation barriers were calculated to be 11.3, 9.0, 26.7 kcal mol^?1 (ΔΔ^≠G_L^S‐D3) more favourable than the Pd^II/Pd⁰ reductive elimination routes for path a, path b, and path c, respectively. Out of all the studied pathways, path a was the most feasible as it comprised of a Pd^II/Pd^IV activation barrier of 24.5 kcal mol^?1 (ΔG_L^S‐D3). To further elucidate the origin of transition‐state barriers, EDA calculations were performed for some key saddle points populating the energy profiles.