Synthesis and Characterization of a Metallacyclic Framework with Three Fused Five-membered Rings

Polycyclic complexes containing a bridgehead transition metal are interesting species because the transition metal is shared by all the rings simultaneously. In this study, we present a novel osmium–bridgehead system with three fused five-membered rings. This novel framework can be viewed as a 10-atom carbon chain coordinating to the osmium center. In sharp contrast to the nonplanar organic analogue, this unique metallacycle exhibits good planarity, which was unambiguously verified by means of X-ray diffraction. Interestingly, preliminary DFT calculations show that the aromaticity in the three 5MRs of these osmatricycles can be easily tuned by the ligand substitution. Finally, the broad UV/Vis absorption spectra of these novel polycyclic complexes were also reported.     

A Metal‐Bridged Tricyclic Aromatic System: Synthesis of Osmium Polycyclic Aromatic Complexes

Aromaticity is one of the most important concepts in organic chemistry. A variety of metalla‐aromatic compounds have been recently prepared and in most of those examples, the metal participates only in a monocyclic ring. In contrast, metal‐bridged bicyclic aromatic molecules, in which a metal is shared between two aromatic rings, have been less developed. Herein, we report the first metal‐bridged tricyclic aromatic system, in which the metal center is shared by three aromatic five‐membered rings. These metalla‐aromatics are formed by reaction between osmapentalyne and arene nucleophiles. Experimental results and theoretical calculations reveal that the three five‐membered rings around the osmium center are aromatic. In addition, the broad absorption bands in the UV/Vis absorption spectra of these novel aromatic systems cover almost the entire visible region. This straightforward synthetic strategy may be extended to the synthesis of other metal‐bridged polycyclic aromatics.     

Carbene–Transition Metal Complexes Formed by Double C?H Bond Activation

The activation of a single sp³ C? H bond of alkanes and their derivatives by electron‐rich transition metal complexes has been a topic of interest since the landmark work by Bergman and Graham in 1982. Ten years later, it was shown that compounds of 5d elements, such as osmium and iridium, even enable a double α‐C? H bond activation of alkane or cycloalkane derivatives containing an OR or NR₂ functional group, thus opening up a new route to obtain Fischer‐type transition metal carbene complexes. Subsequent work focused in particular on the conversion of methyl alkyl and methyl aryl ethers into bound oxocarbenes and also of dimethyl amines to bound aminocarbenes. In the context of this work, it was recently shown that square‐planar oxocarbene–iridium(I) complexes prepared in this way exhibit an unusual mode of reactivity: They react with CO₂, CS₂, COS, PhNCO, and PhNCS by an atom‐ or group‐transfer metathesis, which has no precedent. Organic azides RN₃ and N₂O behave similarly. Recent results confirm that this novel type of metathesis can be made catalytic, thus offering a novel possibility for C? H bond functionalization.     

New Designs for Phototherapeutic Transition Metal Complexes

In this Minireview, we highlight recent advances in the design of transition metal complexes for photodynamic therapy (PDT) and photoactivated chemotherapy (PACT), and discuss the challenges and opportunities for the translation of such agents into clinical use. New designs for light‐activated transition metal complexes offer photoactivatable prodrugs with novel targeted mechanisms of action. Light irradiation can provide spatial and temporal control of drug activation, increasing selectivity and reducing side‐effects. The photophysical and photochemical properties of transition metal complexes can be controlled by the appropriate choice of the metal, its oxidation state, the number and types of ligands, and the coordination geometry.     

Metal binding characteristics of a laterally nonsymmetric aza cryptand upon functionalization with a pi-acceptor group

The laterally nonsymmetric aza cryptand synthesized by condensing tris(2-aminoethyl)amine (tren) with tris[[2-(3-(oxomethyl)phenyl)oxy]ethyl]amine readily forms mononuclear inclusion complexes with both transition and main-group metal ions. In these complexes, the metal ion occupies the tren-end of the cavity making bonds with the three secondary amino and the bridgehead N atoms. When a strong pi-acceptor group such as 2,4-dinitrobenzene is attached to one of the secondary amines, the binding property of the cryptand changes drastically. When perchlorate or tetrafluoroborate salts of Ni(II), Cu(II), Zn(II), or Cd(II) are used, the metal ion enters the cavity which can be monitored by the hypsochromic shift of the intramolecular charge-transfer transition from the donor amino N atom to the acceptor dinitrobenzene. However, in the presence of coordinating ions such as Cl(-), N(3)(-), and SCN(-), the metal ion comes out of the cavity and binds the cryptand outside the cavity at a site away from the dinitrobenzene moiety. Four such complexes are characterized by X-ray crystallography. Thus, a metal ion can translocate between inside and outside of the cryptand cavity depending upon the nature of the counter anion.     

Differential Many‐Body Cooperativity in Electronic Spectra of Oligonuclear Transition‐Metal Complexes

In computational chemistry, non‐additive and cooperative effects can be defined in terms of a (differential) many‐body expansion of the energy or any other physical property of the molecular system of interest. One‐body terms describe energies or properties of the subsystems, two‐body terms describe non‐additive but pairwise contributions and three‐body as well as higher‐order terms can be interpreted as a measure for cooperativity. In the present article, this concept is applied to the analysis of ultraviolet/visible (UV/Vis) spectra of homotrinuclear transition‐metal complexes by means of a many‐body expansion of the change in the spectrum induced by replacing each of the three transition‐metal ions by another transition‐metal ion to yield a different homotrinuclear transition‐metal complex. Computed spectra for the triangulo‐complexes [M₃{Si(mt^Me)₃}₂] (M=Pd/Pt, mt^Me=methimazole) and tritopic triphenylene‐based N‐heterocyclic carbene Rh/Ir complexes illustrate the concept, showing large and small differential three‐body cooperativity, respectively.     

Osmium Complexes with Tridentate 6‐Pyrazol‐3‐yl 2,2′‐Bipyridine Ligands: Coarse Tuning of Phosphorescence from the Red to the Near‐Infrared Region

We have prepared and characterized a series of osmium complexes [Os₂(CO)₄(fpbpy)₂] ( 1 ), [Os(CO)(fpbpy)₂] ( 2 ), and [Os(fpbpy)₂] ( 3 ) with tridentate 6‐pyrazol‐3‐yl 2,2′‐bipyridine chelating ligands. Upon the transformation of complex 2 into 3 through the elimination of the CO ligand, an extremely large change in the phosphorescence wavelength from 655 to 935 nm was observed. The results are rationalized qualitatively by the strong π‐accepting character of CO, which lowers the energy of the osmium d_π orbital, in combination with the lower degree of π conjugation in 2 owing to the absence of one possible pyridine‐binding site. As a result, the energy gap for both intraligand π–π* charge transfer (ILCT) and metal‐to‐ligand charge transfer (MLCT) is significantly greater in 2 . Firm support for this explanation was also provided by the time‐dependent DFT approach, the results of which led to the conclusion that the S₀→T₁ transition mainly involves MLCT between the osmium center and bipyridine in combination with pyrazolate‐to‐bipyridine ³π–π* ILCT. The relatively weak near‐infrared emission can be rationalized tentatively by the energy‐gap law, according to which the radiationless deactivation may be governed by certain low‐frequency motions with a high density of states. The information provided should allow the successful design of other emissive tridentate metal complexes, the physical properties of which could be significantly different from those of complexes with only a bidentate chromophore.     

Platinum Group Metal Clusters: From Gas‐Phase Structures and Reactivities towards Model Catalysts

Transition‐metal clusters have long been proposed as model systems to study heterogeneous catalysts. In this Concept article we show how advanced spectroscopic techniques can be used to determine the structures of gas‐phase transition‐metal clusters and their complexes with small molecules. Combined with computational studies, this can help to develop an understanding of the reactivity of these catalytic models.     

Metal‐Only Lewis Pairs by Reversible Insertion of Ruthenium and Osmium Fragments into Metal–Boron Double Bonds

New metal‐only Lewis pairs (MOLPs: Ru→Cr and Os→Cr) are prepared by the insertion of a zerovalent ruthenium or osmium complex into chromium–boron double bonds of borylene complexes. The reaction creates new borylene complexes (the first ever for osmium), and is crystallization‐controlled; re‐dissolving the complexes results in regeneration of the starting materials. A mechanism is proposed based on DFT calculations, along with a computational study of the unusual MOLPs.     

Recent Mechanistic and Synthetic Developments in the Chemistry of Transition‐Metal Vinylidene Complexes

Transition‐metal vinylidene complexes are intermediates in a number of synthetically important transformations of alkynes. Underpinning these applications is the ability of various electron‐rich transition‐metal complexes to effectively facilitate the conversion of alkynes into their vinylidene tautomers. Recent experimental and theoretical studies have provided considerable insight into the mechanisms by which this process occurs and they are detailed herein. In particular, it has been demonstrated that different substituents on both the metal and the alkyne may have profound effects on both the kinetic and thermodynamic profiles of the alkyne/vinylidene tautomerisation. An important finding is that internal alkynes may be employed to prepare disubstituted vinylidene complexes under easily accessible conditions. This discovery brings to light a new facet of the potential synthetic applications of transition metal vinylidene complexes.     

Synthesis and magnetic properties of novel polymeric complexes containing bithiazole rings

A novel linear polymer (PFABT) containing bithiazole rings was synthesized by polycondensation of 2,2′‐diamino‐4,4′‐bithiazole (DABT) and formaldehyde. The complexes of PFABT with two transition metal ions (Fe²⁺, Cu²⁺) were prepared for the first time. The polymer was determined through FT‐IR, ¹H‐NMR and elemental analysis (EA), and the complexes were characterized by FT‐IR. The magnetic behaviors of these complexes were measured as a function of magnetic field strength (0–50 kOe) at 4 K and as a function of temperature (4–300 K) under an applied magnetic field of 30 kOe. The results show that PFABT‐Cu²⁺ is a ferromagnet while PFABT‐Fe²⁺ is an anti‐ferromagnet. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Nickel‐Triad Complexes of a Side‐on Coordinating Distannene

NHC adducts of the stannylene Trip₂Sn (Trip=2,4,6‐triisopropylphenyl) were reacted with zero‐valent Ni, Pd, and Pt precursor complexes to cleanly yield the respective metal complexes featuring a three‐membered ring moiety Sn‐Sn‐M along with carbene transfer onto the metal and complete substitution of the starting ligands. Thus the easily accessible NHC adducts to stannylenes are shown to be valuable precursors for transition‐metal complexes with an unexpected Sn? Sn bond. The complexes have been studied by X‐ray diffraction and NMR spectroscopy as well as DFT calculations. The compounds featuring the structural motif of a distannametallacycle comprised of a [(NHC)₂M⁰] fragment and Sn₂Trip₄ represent rare higher congeners of the well‐known olefin complexes. DFT calculations indicate the presence of a π‐type Sn–Sn interaction in these first examples for acyclic distannenes symmetrically coordinating to a zero‐valent transition metal.     

Structure and Reactivity of Late Transition Metal η3‐Benzyl Complexes

The coordination of transition metals to organic fragments can yield complexes with fascinating and unexpected binding patterns. The study of metal‐benzyl complexes has demonstrated the feasibility of η³‐coordination, which results in a dearomatized ring. These complexes also offer insight into reaction mechanisms as proposed intermediates in catalytic cycles. In this Review we discuss the synthesis and characterization of these complexes with late transition metals and the subsequent development of catalytic benzylic functionalization methods, including asymmetric variants.     

Methyl Complexes of the Transition Metals

Organometallic chemistry can be considered as a wide area of knowledge that combines concepts of classic organic chemistry, that is, based essentially on carbon, with molecular inorganic chemistry, especially with coordination compounds. Transition‐metal methyl complexes probably represent the simplest and most fundamental way to view how these two major areas of chemistry combine and merge into novel species with intriguing features in terms of reactivity, structure, and bonding. Citing more than 500 bibliographic references, this review aims to offer a concise view of recent advances in the field of transition‐metal complexes containing M?CH₃ fragments. Taking into account the impressive amount of data that are continuously provided by organometallic chemists in this area, this review is mainly focused on results of the last five years. After a panoramic overview on M?CH₃ compounds of Groups 3 to 11, which includes the most recent landmark findings in this area, two further sections are dedicated to methyl‐bridged complexes and reactivity.     

Bond‐Strengthening Backdonation in Aminoborylene‐Stabilized Aminoborylenes: At the Intersection of Borylenes and Diborenes

Singly NHC‐coordinated (aminoboryl)aminoborenium salts react with Na₂[Fe(CO)₄] to yield stable coordination complexes of aminoborylene‐stabilized aminoborylenes, which exhibit exceptional σ‐donor properties. Upon photolytic CO extrusion from the metal center, the diboron ligand adopts a novel η³‐BBN coordination mode, where bond‐strengthening backdonation from the metal center into the vacant B?B π‐orbital is observed. This bonding situation can be alternatively described as a Fe‐diaminodiborene complex. In a related reduction of CAAC‐stabilized (aminoboryl)aminoborenium with KC₈, the reduced species can be captured with nucleophiles to form three‐coordinate (diaminoboryl)borylenes, where both amino groups have migrated to the distal boron atom. Collectively, these reactions illustrate the isomeric flexibility imparted by amino groups on this reduced diboron system, thus opening multiple avenues of novel reactivity.     

Transition Metal Acetate Promoted Syntheses of Some New N‐Heterocycles by Multicomponent Reactions

The intermolecular cyclization reactions of N‐tosyl‐ethylenediamine with glyoxal promoted by transition metal acetate at different ratios gave three N‐heterocyclic compounds. The ligand in compound 1 contains one N‐heterocycle, which is formed by a one‐pot three‐component reaction. In compound 2 , two imidazolidine rings and one piperazine ring are fused together to form a tricyclic skeleton by a one‐pot five‐component reaction. Two 1,3,6‐triazabicyclo[3.3.0]octanes are connected by one C–C bond to form the skeleton of 3 , which is constructed from a one‐pot nine‐component reaction. It revealed that the key factor for the preparation of these compounds is the ratio of starting materials, as well as the presence of corresponding transition metal acetates.     

Diversity of the Structures in a Distannene Complex and its Reduction to Generate a Six‐Membered Ti2Sn4 Ring Complex

In contrast to olefin complexes, their congeners of heavier elements display various coordination modes, and their complexes may be present as bis(metallylene) complexes, with side‐on coordination, as metallacyclopropanes, or as π complexes. In the course of our studies on the reactivity of dilithiostannoles towards transition‐metal reagents, three‐membered TiSn₂ and six‐membered Ti₂Sn₄ ring complexes were obtained. According to its geometric parameters, NMR analysis, and theoretical calculations, the TiSn₂ complex cannot be categorized into any of these previously described bonding modes. Therefore, a novel resonance structure has been proposed for a complex that has a delocalized σ‐orbital over the TiSn₂ ring to understand its electronic structure. The mechanism for the formation of the Ti₂Sn₄ ring complex and its EPR spectrum are also discussed.     

Recent advances in the synthesis,structural diversity,and applications of mesoionic 1,2,3-triazol-5-ylidene metal complexes

Beyond the classic N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) there is a subclass of NHCs called mesoionic carbenes (MICs). This review focuses on recent advances in the area of 1,2,3-triazol-5-ylidenes as the most abundant class of MICs and their metal complexes. The study of mesoionic 1,2,4- and 1,3,4-trisubstituted 1,2,3-triazol-5-ylidene transition metal complexes is a research area with a history of just ～10 years. During this relatively short period, hundreds of these complexes have appeared in the literature, reflecting their high stability and simpler synthesis compared with NHCs. Specifically, this review is focused on advances in the synthesis of 1,2,3-triazol-5-ylidene metal complexes derived from palladium, silver, gold, ruthenium, iridium, rhodium, iron, molybdenum, cobalt, nickel, platinum, and osmium, together with their catalytic, medicinal, and photophysical applications.     

Manganese‐Catalyzed Dehydrogenative Alkylation or α‐Olefination of Alkyl‐Substituted N‐Heteroarenes with Alcohols

Catalysis with earth‐abundant transition metals is an option to help save our rare noble‐metal resources and is especially interesting when novel reactivity or selectivity patterns are observed. We report here on a novel reaction, namely the dehydrogenative alkylation or α‐olefination of alkyl‐substituted N‐heteroarenes with alcohols. Manganese complexes developed in our laboratory catalyze the reaction with high efficiency whereas iron and cobalt complexes stabilized by the same ligands are essentially inactive. Hydrogen is liberated during the reaction, and bromine and iodine functional groups as well as olefins are tolerated. A variety of alkyl‐substituted N‐heteroarenes can be functionalized, and benzylic and aliphatic alcohols undergo the reaction.     

Transition‐Metal Chemistry of Alkaline‐Earth Elements: The Trisbenzene Complexes M(Bz)3 (M=Sr,Ba)

We report the synthesis and spectroscopic identification of the trisbenzene complexes of strontium and barium M(Bz)₃ (M=Sr, Ba) in low‐temperature Ne matrix. Both complexes are characterized by a D₃ symmetric structure involving three equivalent η⁶‐bound benzene ligands and a closed‐shell singlet electronic ground state. The analysis of the electronic structure shows that the complexes exhibit metal–ligand bonds that are typical for transition metal compounds. The chemical bonds can be explained in terms of weak donation from the π MOs of benzene ligands into the vacant (n?1)d AOs of M and strong backdonation from the occupied (n?1)d AO of M into vacant π* MOs of benzene ligands. The metals in these 20‐electron complexes have 18 effective valence electrons, and, thus, fulfill the 18‐electron rule if only the metal–ligand bonding electrons are counted. The results suggest that the heavier alkaline earth atoms exhibit the full bonding scenario of transition metals.