Synthesis, structure, and catalytic activity of rhodium complexes with new chiral binaphthyl-based NHC-ligands

Three new chiral NHC-rhodium complexes have been prepared from the reactions between [Rh(COD)Cl]₂, NaOAc, KI, and dibenzimidazolium salts 3, 4 or 5, which are derived from (S)-2,2′-diamino-1,1′-binaphthyl. The steric and electronic effects of the ligand play an important role in the complex formation. For example, treatment of pyridine substituted dibenzimidazolium salts 3 or 4 with 0.5 equiv of [Rh(COD)Cl]₂ in the presence of NaOAc and KI in CH₃CN at 85 °C gives the chiral Rh(III) complexes 6 and 7, respectively. However, under similar reaction conditions, pyridine-N-oxide substituted dibenzimidazolium salt 5 affords a binuclear Rh(I) complex 8. All compounds have been characterized by various spectroscopic techniques, and elemental analyses. The solid-state structures of compounds 4-8 have been further confirmed by X-ray diffraction analyses. Rhodium complexes 6-8 show good catalytic activity for the asymmetric hydrosilylation of acetophenone with moderate ee values.     

Reactions of Complex Ligands,LXX. An Intramolecular Alkyne Insertion/Carbonylation/Cyclization Sequence of Chromium Aminocarbene Complexes: A Novel Access to Indole and Indenoindole Skeletons

2-Alkynylanilinocarbene chromium complexes 1–7 bearing a rigid arene C₂ spacer between the aminocarbene and alkyne units were prepared from pentacarbonyl(aroyl)chromates(–I), acetyl bromide, and 2-alkynylanilines. They undergo intramolecular cyclization the course of which depends on the substitution pattern at the alkyne terminus. A tandem alkyne insertion into the metal–carbene bond/carbonylation sequence affords Cr(CO)₃-coordinated 3-indolylketenes 8, 9, 12–14 by using a bulky substituent; the rate of the reaction increases with N-alkylation. Less bulky n-alkynylanilinocarbene complexes 4, 5 exhibit two competing carbene annulation sequences: Benzannulation leads to benzo[a]carbazoles 15, 16 , whereas cyclopentannulation without prior carbonylation furnishes indeno[1,2-b]indoles 17, 18 .     

Wolff Rearrangement of Oxidatively Generated α‐Oxo Gold Carbenes: An Effective Approach to Silylketenes

Gold‐catalyzed oxidations of alkynes by N‐oxides offer direct access to reactive α‐oxo gold carbene intermediates from benign and readily available alkynes instead of hazardous diazo carbonyl compounds. Despite various versatile synthetic methods developed based on this strategy, one of the hallmarks of α‐oxo carbene/carbenoid chemistry, that is, the Wolff rearrangement, has not been realized in this context. This study discloses the first examples that show the Wolff rearrangement can be readily realized by α‐oxo gold carbenes oxidatively generated from TBS‐terminated alkynes (TBS=tert‐butyldimethylsilyl). The thus‐generated silylketenes can be either isolated pure or subsequently trapped by various internal or external nucleophiles in one pot to afford α‐silylated carboxylic acids, their derivatives, or TBS‐substituted allenes.     

Acyl‐Phosphide Anions via an Intermediate with Carbene Character: Reactions of K[PtBu2] and CO

The analogy of the reactivity of group 1 phosphides to that of FLPs is further demonstrated by reactions with CO, affording a new synthetic route to acyl‐phosphide anions. The reaction of [K(18‐crown‐6)][PtBu₂] ( 1 ) with CO affords [(18‐crown‐6)K?THF₂][Z‐tBuP=C(tBu)O] ( 2?THF₂ ) as the major product, and the minor product [K₆(18‐crown‐6)][(tBu₂PCO)₂]₃ ( 3 ). Species 2 reacts with either BPh₃ or additional CO to give [K(18‐crown‐6)][(Ph₃B)tBuPC(tBu)O] ( 4 ) and [K(18‐crown‐6)][(OCtBu)₂P] ( 5 ), respectively. The acyl‐phosphide anion 2 is thought to be formed by a photochemically induced radical process involving a transient species with triplet carbene character, prompting 1,2‐tert‐butyl group migration. A similar process is proposed for the subsequent reaction of 2 with CO to give 5 .     

A Size‐Flexible Organometallic Box for the Encapsulation of Fullerenes

A palladium‐cornered molecular square with four pyrene‐bis(imidazolylidene) bridging ligands is reported. This metallo‐polygon can encapsulate C₆₀ and C₇₀. The X‐ray diffraction structures of the empty cage as well as the cages complexed with both fullerenes are described. The fullerene encapsulation produces perturbations in the structural parameters of the metallo‐square, showing that it can adjust the shape of its cavity to the size of each fullerene.     

[(NHC)NiIIH]‐Catalyzed Cross‐Hydroalkenylation of Cyclopropenes with Alkynes: Cyclopentadiene Synthesis by [(NHC)NiII]‐Assisted C−C Rearrangement

A cross‐hydroalkenylation/rearrangement cascade (HARC), using a cyclopropene and alkyne as substrate pairs, was achieved for the first time by using new [(NHC)Ni(allyl)]BAr^F catalysts (NHC=N‐heterocyclic carbenes). By controlling the (NHC)Ni^IIH relative insertion reactivity with cyclopropene and alkyne, a broad scope of cyclopentadienes was obtained with highly selectively. The structural features of the new (NHC)Ni^II catalyst were important for the success of the reaction. The mild reaction conditions employed may serve as an entry for exploring (NHC)Ni^II‐assisted vinylcyclopropane rearrangement reactivity.     

Unprecedented Five‐Coordinate Iron(IV) Imides Generate Divergent Spin States Based on the Imide R‐Groups

Three five‐coordinate iron(IV) imide complexes have been synthesized and characterized. These novel structures have disparate spin states on the iron as a function of the R‐group attached to the imide, with alkyl groups leading to low‐spin diamagnetic (S=0) complexes and an aryl group leading to an intermediate‐spin (S=1) complex. The different spin states lead to significant differences in the bonding about the iron center as well as the spectroscopic properties of these complexes. Mössbauer spectroscopy confirmed that all three imide complexes are in the iron(IV) oxidation state. The combination of diamagnetism and ¹⁵N labeling allowed for the first ¹⁵N NMR resonance recorded on an iron imide. Multi‐reference calculations corroborate the experimental structural findings and suggest how the bonding is distinctly different on the imide ligand between the two spin states.