Zerovalent Rhodium and Iridium Silatranes Featuring Two‐Center,Three‐Electron Polar σ Bonds

Species with 2‐center, 3‐electron (2c/3e^?) σ bonds are of interest owing to their fascinating electronic structures and potential for interesting reactivity patterns. Report here is the synthesis and characterization of a pair of zerovalent (d⁹) trigonal pyramidal Rh and Ir complexes that feature 2c/3e^? σ bonds to the Si atom of a tripodal tris(phosphine)silatrane ligand. X‐ray diffraction, continuous wave and pulse electron paramagnetic resonance, density‐functional theory calculations, and reactivity studies have been used to characterize these electronically distinctive compounds. The data available highlight a 2c/3e^? bonding framework with a σ*‐SOMO of metal 4‐ or 5d_z² parentage that is partially stabilized by significant mixing with Si (3p_z) and metal (5‐ or 6p_z) orbitals. Metal‐ligand covalency thus buffers the expected destabilization of transition‐metal (TM)‐silyl σ*‐orbitals by d–p mixing, affording well‐characterized examples of TM–main group, and hence polar, 2c/3e^? σ “half‐bonds”.     

Nucleophilic Aromatic Substitution at Benzene with Powerful Strontium Hydride and Alkyl Complexes

Key to the isolation of the first alkyl strontium complex was the synthesis of a strontium hydride complex that is stable towards ligand exchange reactions. This goal was achieved by using the super bulky β‐diketiminate ligand ^DIPePBDI (CH[C(Me)N‐DIPeP]₂, DIPeP=2,6‐diisopentylphenyl). Reaction of ^DIPePBDI‐H with Sr[N(SiMe₃)₂]₂ gave (^DIPePBDI)SrN(SiMe₃)₂, which was converted with PhSiH₃ into [(^DIPePBDI)SrH]₂. Dissolved in C₆D₆, the strontium hydride complex is stable up to 70 °C. At 60 °C, H–D isotope exchange gave full conversion into [(^DIPePBDI)SrD]₂ and C₆D₅H. Since H–D exchange with D₂ is facile, the strontium hydride complex served as a catalyst for the deuteration of C₆H₆ by D₂. Reaction of [(^DIPePBDI)SrH]₂ with ethylene gave [(^DIPePBDI)SrEt]₂. The high reactivity of this alkyl strontium complex is demonstrated by facile ethylene polymerization and nucleophilic aromatic substitution with C₆D₆, giving alkylated aromatic products and [(^DIPePBDI)SrD]₂.     

Indeno[1,2‐b]fluorene‐Based [2,2]Cyclophanes with 4n/4n and 4n/[4n+2] π Electrons: Syntheses,Structural Analyses,and Excitonic Coupling Properties

Indeno[1,2‐b]fluorene‐based [2,2]cyclophanes with 4n/4n and 4n/[4n+2] π‐electron systems were prepared, and their structures were identified by X‐ray crystallography. With short π–π distances around 3.0 Å, [2.2](5,11)indeno[1,2‐b]fluorenophane and its precursor [2.2](5,11)indeno[1,2‐b]fluorene‐6,12‐dionophane exhibit remarkable transannular interactions, leading to their unusual electrochemical and photophysical properties. With the aid of femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy, the transition from the monomeric excited state to the redshifted H‐type dimeric state was first observed, correlating to the calculated excitonic energy splitting and the steady‐state absorption spectra induced by charge‐transfer‐mediated superexchange interaction.