Ab initio investigation of the potential energy surfaces of C2H2F2 and C2H2F2+

Ab initio MO calculations have been performed for neutral and cationic C₂H₂F₂ structures. Olefinic and carbene structures are investigated for the neutral isomers, while olefinic, carbene, and fluoronium-type cations are found. Stability orders and rotational barriers are discussed in terms of orbital and Coulomb interaction. Contrary to previous studies, the higher stability of the geminal isomers is interpreted to be caused by Coulomb attraction.     

Interpretation of Auger depth profiles of thin SiC layers on Si

Silicon carbide thin films, prepared by carbonization of Si-wafers are analysed by Auger depth profiling. The influence of atomic mixing is simulated with a Monte Carlo model. By using mixing simulations the dependence of the two mixing parameters (width of the mixing zone and recoil depth) on ion beam energy, incidence angle and ion mass can be calculated. For comparison of the simulated data with Auger measurements an Auger electron escape depth correction is necessary. The simulated and -corrected data of several layer structures show good qualitative agreement with Auger depth profiles of thin carbonized SiC-layers.Dedicated to Professor Dr. rer. nat. Dr. h.c. Hubertus Nickel on the occasion of his 65th birthday     

Diatomic interaction energies in the topological theory of atoms in molecules

Summary A partitioning of theab initio total energy into one-center and two-center terms is proposed. The partitioning scheme is developed using the auxiliary function (2, 1; 1, 2) = γ(2, 1)γ(1, 2) and the topological theory of atoms in molecules. It is shown that this scheme can be used at theoretical levels beyond Hartree-Fock. The numerical results indicate that the two-center terms follow the experimental trend of the dissociation energies for a series of related compounds.     

Coinage metal aluminyl complexes: probing regiochemistry and mechanism in the insertion and reduction of carbon dioxide

The synthesis of coinage metal aluminyl complexes, featuring M–Al covalent bonds, is reported via a salt metathesis approach employing an anionic Al(i) (‘aluminyl’) nucleophile and group 11 electrophiles. This approach allows access to both bimetallic (1 : 1) systems of the type (^tBu₃P)MAl(NON) (M = Cu, Ag, Au; NON = 4,5-bis(2,6-diisopropylanilido)-2,7-di-tert-butyl-9,9-dimethylxanthene) and a 2 : 1 di(aluminyl)cuprate system, K[Cu{Al(NON)}₂]. The bimetallic complexes readily insert heteroallenes (CO₂, carbodiimides) into the unsupported M–Al bonds to give systems containing a M(CE₂)Al bridging unit (E = O, NR), with the μ-κ¹(C):κ²(E,E′) mode of heteroallene binding being demonstrated crystallographically for carbodiimide insertion in the cases of all three metals, Cu, Ag and Au. The regiochemistry of these processes, leading to the formation of M–C bonds, is rationalized computationally, and is consistent with addition of CO₂ across the M–Al covalent bond with the group 11 metal acting as the nucleophilic partner and Al as the electrophile. While the products of carbodiimide insertion are stable to further reaction, their CO₂ analogues have the potential to react further, depending on the identity of the group 11 metal. (^tBu₃P)Au(CO)₂Al(NON) is inert to further reaction, but its silver counterpart reacts slowly with CO₂ to give the corresponding carbonate complex (and CO), and the copper system proceeds rapidly to the carbonate even at low temperatures. Experimental and quantum chemical investigations of the mechanism of the CO₂ to CO/carbonate transformation are consistent with rate-determining extrusion of CO from the initially-formed M(CO)₂Al fragment to give a bimetallic oxide that rapidly assimilates a second molecule of CO₂. The calculated energetic barriers for the most feasible CO extrusion step (ΔG^‡ = 26.6, 33.1, 44.5 kcal mol⁻¹ for M = Cu, Ag and Au, respectively) are consistent not only with the observed experimental labilities of the respective M(CO)₂Al motifs, but also with the opposing trends in M–C (increasing) and M–O bond strengths (decreasing) on transitioning from Cu to Au.

The differential reactivity of copper, silver and gold aluminyl compounds towards CO₂ and other heteroallenes are probed by experimental and quantum chemical methods.     

2‐Iminoimidazoline — starke Stickstoffbasen als Koordinationspartner in der Anorganischen Chemie

2‐Iminoimidazolines — Strong Nitrogen Bases als Ligands in Inorganic Chemistry Due to the tendency of the 5‐membered cyclic fragment to accept a positive charge which yields an ylide type bonding situation, 2‐iminoimidazolines are strong nitrogen bases. They can serve as neutral ligands being 2+2 electron donors. Deprotonation leads to the anions which are potential 2+4 electron donors. We describe first the synthesis and characterization of the title compound 2‐imino‐1, 3‐dimethylimidazoline (ImNH, 8 ) and its anion 9 . Next we demonstrate their properties as ligands in complexes of main group elements and transition metals. In a third chapter we describe attempts to functionalize iminoimidazolines with the goal to create neutral ligands that coordinate in a semistable fashion. On this way we want to make a contribution to the chemistry of complex compounds directed towards catalysis.     

Bent Phosphaallenes With “Hidden” Lone Pairs as Ligands

Phosphaheteroallenes R−P=C=L, with L = N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs), can be viewed to a certain extent as phosphaisonitriles stabilized with NHCs, R−P=C:←L. The suitability of these molecules as ligands for coinage-metal ions was investigated and coordination through the central carbon center was observed in most cases. A combination of experiments, spectroscopic methods, and DFT calculations indicates the presence of a hidden electron pair at the carbon center of R−P=C:←L. Remarkably, this lone pair also inserts intramolecularly in C−H bonds showing the carbene-type reactivity which is expected for phosphaisonitriles.     

Octacarbonyl Ion Complexes of Actinides [An(CO)8]+/− (An=Th,U) and the Role of f Orbitals in Metal–Ligand Bonding

The octacarbonyl cation and anion complexes of actinide metals [An(CO)₈]^+/− (An=Th, U) are prepared in the gas phase and are studied by mass-selected infrared photodissociation spectroscopy. Both the octacarbonyl cations and anions have been characterized to be saturated coordinated complexes. Quantum chemical calculations by using density functional theory show that the [Th(CO)₈]⁺ and [Th(CO)₈]⁻ complexes have a distorted octahedral (D_4h) equilibrium geometry and a doublet electronic ground state. Both the [U(CO)₈]⁺ cation and the [U(CO)₈]⁻ anion exhibit cubic structures (O_h) with a ⁶A_1g ground state for the cation and a ⁴A_1g ground state for the anion. The neutral species [Th(CO)₈] (O_h; ¹A_1g) and [U(CO)₈] (D_4h; ⁵B_1u) have also been calculated. Analysis of their electronic structures with the help on an energy decomposition method reveals that, along with the dominating 6d valence orbitals, there are significant 5f orbital participation in both the [An]←CO σ donation and [An]→CO π back donation interactions in the cations and anions, for which the electronic reference state of An has both occupied and vacant 5f AOs. The trend of the valence orbital contribution to the metal–CO bonds has the order of 6d≫5f>7s≈7p, with the 5f orbitals of uranium being more important than the 5f orbitals of thorium.     

Chemie der Pleuromutiline, 10. Mitt.: 1,2-Transposition der Carbonylfunktion im Cyclopentanonteil des tricyclischen Gerüstes

2-Hydroxy-19,20-dihydropleuromutilin (10) undergoes a stereospecific ketolisomerisation when treated with base under phase/transfer conditions (11, 12). The subsequent reductive elimination of the 3-acetoxygroup afforded mutilin with a 1,2-transposed ketofunction (13).