The photochemistry of (η-2-R-C3H4)Fe(CO)(NO)(X) (R = H or Cl; X = CO or PPh3) in room temperature solution or frozen gas matrixes

A photochemical study of allyl iron complexes of the type, (η³-2-R-C₃H₄)Fe(CO)(NO)(X) (R = H or Cl; X = CO or PPh₃) is presented. These compounds were studied in solid matrixes at 20 K, and at room temperature, by a combination of laser flash at 355 nm and steady-state photolysis. The predominant photochemical process for these compounds is loss of a CO ligand. In addition, exhaustive irradiation of (η³-2-R-C₃H₄)Fe(CO)(NO)(PPh₃) with λ_exc > 300 nm provided evidence for a haptotropic shift of the allyl group from η³ to η¹ coordination.     

1,3-Bis(alkylimino)isoindolinates of rare earth metals: Synthesis,molecular structure and photoluminescence

The rare earth metal isoindolinates Ln(ⁱPrL)₃ (Ln = Sc (1), Y (2), Eu (3), Dy (4), Yb (5); ⁱPrL = 1,3-bis(isopropylimino)isoindolinate anion) and [(MeL)Ce]₂(μ-MeL)₄ (6) (MeL = 1,3-bis(methylimino)isoindolinate anion) were synthesized by reactions of the amides Ln[N(SiMe₃)₂]₃ with 1,3-bis(isopropylimino)isoindoline (ⁱPrLH) or 1,3-bis(methylimino)isoindoline (MeLH), respectively. The X-ray diffraction study revealed that in monomeric molecules of the isopropyl-substituted compounds 2 and 4 the cations Ln³⁺ are η²-coordinated by three isoindolinate ligands. The methyl-substituted 6 exists in a crystal as a dimer containing two terminal η²-coordinated ligands and four bridging isoindolinate ligands two of which are bonded to Ce atoms in η³ fashion (η:η:η-N,N,N) but two others in η⁴ manner (η:η²:η-N,N,N). All the obtained complexes in solutions exhibited ligand-centered photoluminescence, the spectra of which consist of one broadened band with a maximum at 400–450 nm.     

Study of half-sandwich platinum group metal complexes bearing dpt-NH2 ligand

A quite general approach for the preparation of η⁵-and η⁶-cyclichydrocarbon platinum group metal complexes is reported. The dinuclear arene ruthenium complexes [(η⁶-arene)Ru(μ-Cl)Cl]₂ (arene = C₆H₆, C₁₀H₁₄ and C₆Me₆) and η⁵-pentamethylcyclopentadienyl rhodium and iridium complexes [(η⁶-C₅Me₅)M(μ-Cl)Cl]₂ (M = Rh, Ir) react with 2 equiv. of 4-amino-3,5-di-pyridyltriazole (dpt-NH₂) in presence of NH₄PF₆ to afford the corresponding mononuclear complexes of the type [(η⁶-arene)Ru(dpt-NH₂)Cl]PF₆ {arene = C₁₀H₁₄ (1), C₆H₆ (2) and C₆Me₆ (3)} and [(η⁶-C₅Me₅)M(dpt-NH₂)Cl]PF₆ {M = Rh (4), Ir (5)}. However, the mononuclear η⁵-cyclopentadienyl analogues such as [(η⁵-C₅H₅)Ru(PPh₃)₂Cl], [(η⁵-C₅H₅)Os(PPh₃)₂Br], [(η⁵-C₅Me₅)Ru(PPh₃)₂Cl] and [(η⁵-C₉H₇)Ru(PPh₃)₂Cl] complexes react in presence of 1 equiv. of dpt-NH₂ and 1 equiv. of NH₄PF₆ in methanol yielded mononuclear complexes [(η⁵-C₅H₅)Ru(PPh₃)(dpt-NH₂)]PF₆ (6), [(η⁵-C₅H₅)Os(PPh₃)(dpt-NH₂)]PF₆ (7), [(η⁵-C₅Me₅)Ru(PPh₃)(dpt-NH₂)]PF₆ (8) and [(η⁵-C₉H₇)Ru(PPh₃)(dpt-NH₂)]PF₆ (9), respectively. These compounds have been totally characterized by IR, NMR and mass spectrometry. The molecular structures of 4 and 6 have been established by single crystal X-ray diffraction and some of the representative complexes have also been studied by UV–Vis spectroscopy.     

Adamantylcyclopentadienyldicarbonyliron(II) compounds

Synthesis of 1- and 2-adamantyl derivatives of η⁵-cyclopentadienyldicarbonyliron is reported. The 2-adamantyl is prepared from the metal carbonyl anion but the 1-adamantyl derivative is prepared by decarbonylation of the acyl derivative. 1-adCOFe(CO)₂(η⁵-C₅H₅) is in turn prepared from 1-AdCOCl and NaFe-(CO)₂(η⁵-C₅H₅). Phosphine-substituted acyl derivatives AdCOFe(CO)(PR₃)-(η⁵-C₅H₅) are also reported.     

Cobalt complexes of 2,2′-bipyridine and 1,10-phenanthroline : II. Reactions with molecular hydrogen and conjugated dienes in the presence of tertiary phosphines

[CoChel(PR₃)₂]⁺ intermediates (Chel = 2,2′-bipyridine or 1,10-phenanthroline) undergo reversible addition of molecular hydrogen, to yield stable dihydridic derivatives. The reductive elimination step is light-accelerated. Dihydridic derivatives catalyze the hydrogenation of butadiene to butenes. They react also with alkyl halides (RX) giving [CoChel(PR₃)₂PX]⁺. Polarography confirms that Bipy or Phen are more useful than phosphines for stabilizing σ-CoC bonds in octahedral species of Co in low valence states.     

Redox reactions with bis(η-arene) derivatives of early transition metals

The reactivity of M(η⁶-arene)₂ derivatives of early transition metals (M = Ti, Cr, Mo, arene = MeC₆H₅; M = V, Nb, arene = 1,3,5-Me₃C₆H₃) has been investigated and the syntheses of new and known compounds are described. The derivatives M(CH₃COO)₃, M = Ti, V, Nb, Cr; M(CF₃COO)₃, M = Ti, Nb, Cr; M(acac)₃, M = Ti, V, Mo, acac = acetylacetonato, and M(F₆acac)₃, F₆acac = hexafluoroacetylacetonato, M = V, Nb have been prepared by reaction of the metal bis(arene) derivatives with the appropriate Lewis acid. The crystal and molecular structure of V(F₆acac)₃ has been determined. Hydrogen halides or halogens react with M(η⁶-arene)₂ with formation of metal halides, a highly reactive form of VCl₃ being obtained from V(η⁶-1,3,5-Me₃C₆H₃)₂ and hydrogen chloride in heptane. TiCl₄ oxidizes Ti(η⁶-arene)₂ with complete loss of the arene ligands. An electron transfer process affording ionic derivatives of formula [M(η⁶-MeC₆H₅)₂][TiCl₄(THF)₂], M = Cr (structurally characterized), Mo, has been observed between the THF-adduct of TiCl₄ and the appropriate metal-arene derivative of Group 6.     

The hapticity of cyclooctatetraene in its first row mononuclear transition metal carbonyl complexes: Several examples of octahapto coordination

The two cyclooctatetraene metal carbonyls that have been synthesized are the tetrahapto derivative (η⁴-C₈H₈)Fe(CO)₃ and the hexahapto derivative (η⁶-C₈H₈)Cr(CO)₃ using the reactions of cyclooctatetraene with Fe(CO)₅ and with fac-(CH₃CN)₃Cr(CO)₃, respectively. Related C₈H₈M(CO)_n (M = Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni; n = 4, 3, 2, 1) species have now been investigated by density functional theory in order to explore the scope of cyclooctatetraene metal carbonyl chemistry. In this connection, the existence of octahapto (η⁸-C₈H₈)M(CO)_n species is predicted as long as the central metal M does not exceed the 18-electron configuration by receiving eight electrons from the η⁸-C₈H₈ ring. Thus the lowest energy structures (η⁸-C₈H₈)Ti(CO)_n (n = 3, 2, 1), (η⁸-C₈H₈)M(CO)_n (M = V, Cr; n = 2, 1), and (η⁸-C₈H₈)Mn(CO) all have octahapto η⁸-C₈H₈ rings. An exception is (η⁶-C₈H₈)Fe(CO), with a hexahapto η⁶-C₈H₈ ring and thus only a 16-electron configuration for the iron atom. Hexahapto (η⁶-C₈H₈)M(CO)_n structures are predicted for the known (η⁶-C₈H₈)Cr(CO)₃ as well as the unknown (η⁶-C₈H₈)Ti(CO)₄, (η⁶-C₈H₈)V(CO)₃, (η⁶-C₈H₈)Mn(CO)₂, and (η⁶-C₈H₈)Fe(CO)₂ with 18, 18, 17, 17, and 18 electron configurations, respectively, for the central metal atoms. There are two types of tetrahapto C₈H₈M(CO)_n complexes. In the 1,2,3,4-tetrahapto (η⁴-C₈H₈)M(CO)_n complexes two adjacent CC double bonds, forming a 1,3-diene unit similar to butadiene, are bonded to the metal atom. In the 1,2,5,6-tetrahapto (η^2,2-C₈H₈)M(CO)₃ derivatives two non-adjacent CC double bonds of the C₈H₈ ring are bonded to the metal atom. The known (η⁴-C₈H₈)Fe(CO)₃ is a 1,2,3,4-tetrahapto complex. The unknown isomeric 1,2,5,6-tetrahapto complex (η^2,2-C₈H₈)Fe(CO)₃ is predicted to lie ∼15 kcal/mol above (η⁴-C₈H₈)Fe(CO)₃. The related 1,2,5,6-tetrahapto complexes (η^2,2-C₈H₈)Cr(CO)₄, (η^2,2-C₈H₈)Mn(CO)₄, [(η^2,2-C₈H₈)Mn(CO)₃]⁻, (η^2,2-C₈H₈)Co(CO)₂, and (η^2,2-C₈H₈)Ni(CO)₂ are all predicted to be low-energy structures.     

One-electron redox reactions involving chromium(0) and molybdenum(0) bis-1,3,5-trimethylbenzene derivatives

The reaction of M(η⁶-1,3,5-Me₃C₆H₃)₂, M = Cr, Mo, with the tetrahalides of Groups 4 and 5 elements proceeds with the monoelectronic oxidation of the metal bis-arene to the [M(η⁶-Me₃C₆H₃)₂]⁺ cation. In the case of MX₄, M = Ti, X = Cl, Br, M = V, X = Cl, and of Nb₂Cl₁₀ the reduction products are the titanium(III), vanadium(III) halides and the niobium(IV) chloride, isolated as the solvate anions [MCl₄(THF)₂]⁻ and [NbCl₄(CH₃CN)]⁻. The reaction of the tetrachloro complexes MCl₄(THF)₂, M = Zr, Hf, with Cr(η⁶-1,3,5-Me₃C₆H₃)₂ in THF produces the ionic [Cr(η⁶-1,3,5-Me₃C₆H₃)₂][MCl₅(THF)], which has been characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction in the case of hafnium.     

Synthetic, spectral and structural studies of some homo and hetero binuclear arene ruthenium (II) polypyridyl complexes

Homo-hetero binuclear cationic complexes with the formulation [(η⁶-arene)RuCl(μ-dpp)(L)]⁺ (η⁶-arene = benzene; L = PdCl₂ (1a); PtCl₂ (1b), and η⁶-arene = p-cymene; L = PdCl₂ (2a); PtCl₂ (2b)), [(η⁶-arene)RuCl(μ-dpp)(L)]²⁺(η⁶-arene = p-cymene; L = [(η⁶-C₆H₆)RuCl] (2c), and [(η⁶-C₁₀H₁₄)RuCl] (2d)) were prepared. Molecular structure of the representative homo binuclear complex [{(η⁶-C₁₀H₁₄)RuCl}(μ-dpp){(η⁶-C₁₀H₁₄)RuCl}](PF₆)₂ (2d) was determined crystallographically. Weak interaction studies on the complex 2d revealed stabilisation of the crystal packing by weak inter and intra molecular C-H?X (X = F, Cl, π) and π-π interactions. The C-H?F interactions lead to parallel helical chains and encapsulation of counter anion in self-assembled cavity arising from C-H?π and π-π weak interactions.     

Structural preferences of cyclopentadienyl and indenyl rings in iridium(I) carbene complexes

Cleavage of the [Ir(η⁴-COD)Cl]₂ dimer in the presence of the corresponding imidazolium salts and the strong base tBuO⁻ leads to the formation of Ir(I) derivatives of N-heterocyclic carbenes. When halide is replaced by NaCp, a mixture of [Ir(η⁴-COD)(NHC^R)(η¹-Cp)] and [Ir(η²-COD)(NHC^R)(η⁵-Cp)] is obtained. The latter is favored for R = Cy, while the former predominates for R = Me. Conversely, [Ir(η⁴-COD)(NHC^R)(η¹-Ind)] is the only product of the reaction with NaInd, despite the R substituent. DFT/B3LYP calculations confirmed that the η¹ coordination mode of the ring gives rise to the most stable structures, namely square planar complexes of 5d⁸ Ir(I). The energy of the 18 electron species containing η²-COD and η⁵-Ind or Cp is higher by 13 and 5 kcal mol⁻¹, respectively. The fluxional behaviour of indenyl, detected by NMR in the solutions of [Ir(η⁴-COD)(NHC^R)(η¹-Ind)], is associated to the low energy of the η³-Ind species required in the conversion process, and is not easily observed in the cyclopentadienyl derivatives, where a similar intermediate is disfavored.     

Synthesis, characterization, and norbornene polymerization of η-benzylnickel(II) complexes of N-heterocyclic carbenes

Neutral η¹-benzylnickel carbene complexes, [Ni(η¹-CH₂C₆H₅)(IiPr)(PMe₃)(Cl)] (3) (IiPr = 1,3-bis-(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)imidazol-2-ylidene) and [Ni(η¹-CH₂C₆H₅)(SIiPr)(PMe₃)(Cl)] (4) (SIiPr = 1,3-bis-(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)imidazolin-2-ylidene), were prepared by the reaction between [Ni(η³-CH₂C₆H₅)(PMe₃)(Cl)] and an equivalent amount of the corresponding free N-heterocyclic carbene. The preparation of η³-benzylnickel carbene complexes, [Ni(η³-CH₂C₆H₅)(IiPr)(Cl)] (5) and [Ni(η³-CH₂C₆H₅)(SIiPr)(Cl)] (6) were carried out by the abstraction of PMe₃ from 3 and 4 by the treatment of B(C₆F₅)₃. The treatment of AgX on 5 and 6 produced the anion-exchanged complexes, [Ni(η³-CH₂C₆H₅)(NHC)(X)] (7, NHC = IiPr, X = O₂CCF₃; 8, NHC = IiPr, X = O₃SCF₃; 9, NHC = SIiPr, X = O₂CCF₃; 10, NHC = SIiPr, X = O₃SCF₃). The solid state structures of 3 and 10 were determined by X-ray crystallography. The η³-benzyl complexes of IiPr (5, 7, and 8) alone, in the absence of any activators such as borate and MAO, showed good catalytic activity towards the vinyl-type norbornene polymerization. The catalyst was thermally robust and the activity increases as the temperature rises to 130 °C.     

The phospha-Michael addition of dimethyl- and diphenylphosphites to the η-N-maleimidato ligand: Inhibition of serine hydrolases by half-sandwich metallocarbonyl azaphosphonates

Dialkyl- and diphenyl phosphites react with the (η⁵-C₅H₅)M(CO)_x(η¹-N-maleimidato) (M = Fe, Mo; x = 2 or 3) complexes giving products of the phospha-Michael addition to the η¹-N-maleimidato ligand. One of these complexes (M = Fe, x = 2) was characterized by X-ray diffraction. The synthesized metallocarbonyl azaphosphonates and the corresponding iron phosphonic acid act as inhibitors of certain serine hydrolases (AChE and BChE). The kinetic assays were performed and revealed that inhibition mechanism depends strongly on the enzyme and the structure of the inhibitor.     

Double addition du methanol sur des complexes η5-cyclopentadienyl η1-hexadiyne-2,4-yl tricarbonyl molybdene et dicarbonyl fer

The η¹-diacetylenic molybdenum complexes η-C₅H₅(CO)₃MoCH₂CCCCCH₃ (Ia) can add two methanoi molecules successively. The first addition, with CO insertion, gives a usual η³-allyl-alkoxycarbonylated compound, gh⁵-C₅H₅(CO)₂Mo-η₃CH₂C(COOCH₃)CHCCCH₃ (IIa). The second reaction needs propargyl bromide as catalyst. It is a 1,5-methanol addition on the unsaturated η³-allyl ligand to give the new complex η⁵-C₅H₅(CO)₂Mo-η³-CH₃OCH₂C(COOCH₃)CHCCHCH₃ (IIIa). The synthesis of the two unstable cationic intermediates and their reactions with methoxide yielding the same addition products have been achieved and have confirmed the mechanism postulated. With the iron analogue (η⁵-C₅H₅)(CO)₂FeCH₂CCCCCH₃ (Ib), direct addition of methanoi is not possible, but the same reactions are obtained by protonation followed by methoxide addition to give complexes IIb and IIIb. In this case, the more stable cationic intermediates IVb and Vb can be fully characterised.     

On the role of the indenyl effect in controlling intramolecular hydride transfer in iron carbonyl complexes

Density functional theory reveals multiple pathways for intramolecular hydride transfer in the cyclopentadienyl and indenyl species (η⁵-C₅H₅)Fe(CO)₃H and (η⁵-C₉H₇)Fe(CO)₃H. The ability of the indenyl ligand to undergo facile η⁵- to η³-‘ring slippage’ stabilises the isomer where the hydride is bonded directly to the metal, which opens up a low-energy pathway for hydride transfer from CO to metal.     

Straightforward synthesis of phosphametallocenium cations of Rh and Ir

Reaction of 3,4-dimethylphospholylthallium (Tl-1) with [Cp^∗MCl₂]₂ (M = Rh, Ir) leads to the formation of the dimeric species [(Cp^∗M)₂(Me₂C₄H₂P)₃]⁺2 and 3 with bridging μ-η¹:η¹-phospholyl ligands. The phosphametallocenium sandwich complexes [Cp^∗M(Me₂C₄(SiMe₃)₂P)]⁺7 (M = Rh) and 8 (M = Ir) could be obtained from the reaction of [Cp^∗MCl₂]₂ and the 2,5-bis(trimethylsilyl)-1-trimethylstannylphosphole 6, with the bulky trimethylsilyl groups preventing the phosphole from η¹- and enforcing a η⁵-coordination. The structures of phospharhodocenium cation 7 and a byproduct 9 containing a phosphairidocenium moiety could be determined by X-ray diffraction.     

Activation of the Si-H bond of Et2SiH2 in photochemical reaction with W(CO)6: Spectroscopic characterization of intermediate W-Si compounds and the revisited crystal structure of the bis{(μ-η-hydridodiethylsilyl)tetracarbonyltungsten(I)} complex [{W(μ-η-H-SiEt2)(CO)4}2]

The photochemical reaction of W(CO)₆ with diethylsilane has been used to generate new tungsten-silicon compounds varying in stability. The initially formed η²-silane intermediate complex [W(CO)₅(η²-H-SiHEt₂)], characterized by two equal-intensity doublets with ²J_H-H = 10 Hz at δ = 5.10 (¹J_Si-H = 217 Hz) and δ = −8.05 (¹J_W-H = 38 Hz, ¹J_Si-H = 93 Hz), was detected by the ¹H NMR spectroscopy (methylcyclohexane-d₁₄, −10 °C). The η²-silane complex was converted in the dark to give more stable species. One of them was characterized by two equal-intensity proton signals observed as doublets with ²J_H-H = 5.2 Hz at δ = −8.25 and −10.39 ppm. The singlet proton resonance at δ = −9.31 flanked by ²⁹Si and ¹⁸³W satellites (¹J_Si-H = 43 Hz, ²J_Si-H = 34 Hz, ¹J_W-H = 40 Hz) was assigned to the agostic proton of the W(η²-H-SiEt₂) group in the most stable compound isolated from the photochemical reaction products in crystalline form. The molecular structure of the bis{(μ-η²-hydridodiethylsilyl)tetracarbonyltungsten(I)} complex [{W(μ-η²-H-SiEt₂)(CO)₄}₂] was established by single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies. The tungsten hydride observed in the ¹H NMR spectrum at δ = −9.31 was located in the structure at a chemically reasonable position between the W and Si atoms of the W-Si bond of the bridging silyl ligand. The reactivity of photochemically generated W-Si compounds towards norbornene, cyclopentene, diphenylacetylene, acetone, and water was studied. As was observed by IR and NMR spectroscopy, the η²-silane ligand in the complex [W(CO)₅(η²-H-SiHEt₂)] is very easily replaced by an η²-olefin or η²-alkyne ligand.     

A study of β-hydride abstraction from alkanediyl homobimetallic complexes [{Cp(CO)2Fe}2{μ-(CnH2n)}] (n = 4-10, Cp = η-C5H5)

The alkyl-bridged iron(II) complexes [{Cp(CO)₂Fe}₂{μ-(C_nH_2n)}] (n = 6-10, Cp = η⁵-C₅H₅) undergo both single and double hydride abstraction when reacted with one equivalent of Ph₃CPF₆ to give both the monocationic complexes, [{Cp(CO)₂Fe}₂{μ-(C_nH_2n−1)}]PF₆, and the dicationic complexes, [{Cp(CO)₂Fe}₂{μ-(C_nH_2n−2)}](PF₆)₂. The ratios of monocationic to dicationic complexes decrease with the increase in the value of n. The complexes where n = 4 and 5 undergo only single hydride abstraction under similar conditions. When reacted with two equivalents of Ph₃CPF₆, the complexes where n = 6-10 undergo double hydride abstraction to give dicationic complexes only. In contrast, the complex where n = 5 gives equal amounts of the monocationic and the dicationic complexes, while the complex where n = 4 only gives the monocationic complex. ¹H and ¹³C NMR data show that in the monocationic complexes one metal is σ-bonded to the carbenium ion moiety while the other is bonded in a η²-fashion forming a chiral metallacylopropane type structure. In the dicationic complexes both metals are bonded in the η²-fashion. The monocationic complexes where n = 4-6, react with methanol to give η¹-alkenyl complexes[Cp(CO)₂Fe(CH₂)_nCHCH₂] (n = 2-4) as the major products and σ-bonded ether products [{Cp(CO)₂Fe}₂{μ-(CH₂)_nCH(OCH₃)CH₂}] as the minor products. The complex where n = 8 reacted with iso-propanol to give the η¹-alkenyl complex [Cp(CO)₂Fe(CH₂)₆CHCH₂]. The dicationic complexes where n = 5, 8 and 9 were reacted with NaI to give the respective α, ω-dienes and [Cp(CO)₂FeI].     

Photochemische Reaktionen von Cyclopentadienylbis(ethen)rhodium mit Phenanthren,Acenaphthylen und Triphenylen,sowie ungewöhnlicher H-Austausch zwischen η2-koordinierten Phenanthren- bzw. Acenaphthylen- und η5-Cyclopentadienyl-Liganden

Photochemical Reactions of Cyclopentadienylbis(ethene)rhodium with Phenanthrene, Acenaphthylene, and Triphenylene, and Unusual H Exchange between η²-Coordinated Phenanthrene or Acenaphthylene and η⁵-Cyclopentadienyl Ligands During UV irradiation of [CpRh(C₂H₄)₂] (Cp = η⁵-C₅H₅) in hexane/ether in the presence of phenanthrene one ethene ligand is displaced by coordination of the 9,10 double bond of phenanthrene, and (η⁵-cyclopentadienyl) (η²-ethene)(η²-9,10-phenanthrene)rhodium ( 1 ) is formed. The analogous reaction in hexane in the presence of acenaphthylene occurs with formation of the complexes (η²-1,2-acenaphthylene)(η⁵-cyclopentadienyl)(²-ethene)rhodium 2 and bis(η²-1,2-acenaphthylene)(η⁵-cyclopentadienyl)rhodium 3 in which one and two ethene molecules of [CpRh(C₂H₄)₂], respectively, are substituted by η²-1,2-acenaphthylene. The irradiation of [CpRh(C₂H₄)₂] with triphenylene in hexane yields the compounds [CpRh(η⁴-1,2,3,4-triphenylene)] ( 4 ), [(CpRh)₂(μ-η³: η³-triphenylene)] ( 5 ), and [(CpRh)₃(μ₃-η²: η²: η²-triphenylene)] ( 6 ). Despite the partially very low yields the new complexes could be unequivocally characterized spectroscopically and in the case of 1 and 3 by X-ray structural analysis. The compounds 1 and 2 in solution reveal a novel dynamic behaviour; via an intramolecular C? H activation, exchange occurs between the protons of the η²-coordinated arene and the Cp ligand. The complex 4 in solution is fluxional, too.     

Synthesis and structural aspects of M-allyl (M = Ir, Rh) complexes

The synthesis, characterization and chemistry of novel η³-allyl metal complexes (M = Ir, Rh) are described. The structures of compounds (C₅Me₄H)Ir(PPh₃)Cl₂ (1), (C₅Me₄H)Ir(PPh₃)(η³-1-methylallyl)Br (3a), (C₅Me₄H)Ir(η⁴-1,3,5-hexatriene) (8), and (C₅Me₅)Rh(η³-1-ethylallyl)Br (5d) have been determined by X-ray crystallography. Structural comparisons among these complexes are discussed. It is found that the neutral metal allylic complex [Cp^∗IrCl(η³-methylallyl)] (5) ionizes in polar solvents to give [Cp^∗Ir(η³-methylallyl)]⁺Cl⁻ (6) and reaches equilibrium (5 ? 6) at room temperature. Addition of tertiary phosphine ligands to neutral complexes such as [Cp^∗Ir(η³-methylallyl)Cl], results in the formation of stable ionic phosphine adducts. Factors such as solvent, length of carbon chain, temperature and light are discussed with respect to the formation, stability and structure of the allyl complexes.     

A Density Functional Theory Investigation of the Cobalt‐Mediated η5‐Pentadienyl/Alkyne [5+2] Cycloaddition Reaction: Mechanistic Insight and Substituent Effects

Alkyl‐substituted η⁵‐pentadienyl half‐sandwich complexes of cobalt have been reported to undergo [5+2] cycloaddition reactions with alkynes to provide η²,η³‐cycloheptadienyl complexes under kinetic control. DFT studies have been used to elucidate the mechanism of the cyclization reaction as well as that of the subsequent isomerization to the final η⁵‐cycloheptadienyl product. The initial cyclization is a stepwise process of olefin decoordination/alkyne capture, C? C bond formation, olefin arm capture, and a second C? C bond formation; the initial decoordination/capture step is rate‐limiting. Once the η²,η³‐cycloheptadienyl complex has been formed, isomerization to η⁵‐cycloheptadienyl again involves several steps: olefin decoordination, β‐hydride elimination, reinsertion, and olefin coordination; also here the initial decoordination step is rate limiting. Substituents strongly affect the ease of reaction. Pentadienyl substituents in the 1‐ and 5‐positions assist pentadienyl opening and hence accelerate the reaction, while substituents at the 3‐position have a strongly retarding effect on the same step. Substituents at the alkyne (2‐butyne vs. ethyne) result in much faster isomerization due to easier olefin decoordination. Paths involving triplet states do not appear to be competitive.