Stability of AgIII towards Halides in Organosilver(III) Complexes

The involvement of silver in two-electron Ag^I/Ag^III processes is currently emerging. However, the range of stability of the required and uncommon Ag^III species is virtually unknown. Here, the stability of Ag^III towards the whole set of halide ligands in the organosilver(III) complex frame [(CF₃)₃AgX]⁻ (X=F, Cl, Br, I, At) is theoretically analyzed. The results obtained depend on a single factor: the nature of X. Even the softest and least electronegative halides (I and At) are found to form reasonably stable Ag^III−X bonds. Our estimates were confirmed by experiment. The whole series of nonradiative halide complexes [PPh₄][(CF₃)₃AgX] (X=F, Cl, Br, I) has been experimentally prepared and all its constituents have been isolated in pure form. The pseudohalides [PPh₄][(CF₃)₃AgCN] and [PPh₄][(CF₃)₃Ag(N₃)] have also been isolated, the latter being the first silver(III) azido complex. Except for the iodo compound, all the crystal and molecular structures have been established by single-crystal X-ray diffraction methods. The decomposition paths of the [(CF₃)₃AgX]⁻ entities at the unimolecular level have been examined in the gas phase by multistage mass spectrometry (MSⁿ). The experimental detection of the two series of mixed complexes [CF₃AgX]⁻ and [FAgX]⁻ arising from the corresponding parent species [(CF₃)₃AgX]⁻ demonstrate that the Ag−X bond is particularly robust. Our experimental observations are rationalized with the aid of theoretical methods. Smooth variation with the electronegativity of X is also observed in the thermolyses of bulk samples. The thermal stability in the solid state gradually decreases from X=F (145 °C, dec.) to X=I (78 °C, dec.) The experimentally established compatibility of Ag^III with the heaviest halides is of particular relevance to silver-mediated or silver-catalyzed processes.     

Highly trifluoromethylated platinum compounds

The homoleptic, square‐planar organoplatinum(II) compound [NBu₄]₂[Pt(CF₃)₄] ( 1 ) undergoes oxidative addition of CF₃I under mild conditions to give rise to the octahedral organoplatinum(IV) complex [NBu₄]₂[Pt(CF₃)₅I] ( 2 ). This highly trifluoromethylated species reacts with Ag⁺ salts of weakly coordinating anions in Me₂CO under a wet‐air stream to afford the aquo derivative [NBu₄][Pt(CF₃)₅(OH₂)] ( 4 ) in around 75 % yield. When the reaction of 2 with the same Ag⁺ salts is carried out in MeCN, the solvento compound [NBu₄][Pt(CF₃)₅(NCMe)] ( 5 ) is obtained in around 80 % yield. The aquo ligand in 4 as well as the MeCN ligand in 5 are labile and can be cleanly replaced by neutral and anionic ligands to furnish a series of pentakis(trifluoromethyl)platinate(IV) compounds with formulae [NBu₄][Pt(CF₃)₅(L)] (L=CO ( 6 ), pyridine (py; 7 ), tetrahydrothiophene (tht; 8 )) and [NBu₄]₂[Pt(CF₃)₅X] (X=Cl ( 9 ), Br ( 10 )). The unusual carbonyl–platinum(IV) derivative [NBu₄][Pt(CF₃)₅(CO)] ( 6 ) is thermally stable and has a ν_CO of 2194 cm^?1. The crystal structures of 2? CH₂Cl₂, 5 , [PPh₄][Pt(CF₃)₅(CO)] ( 6′ ), and 7 have been established by X‐ray diffraction methods. Compound 2 has shown itself to be a convenient entry to the chemistry of highly trifluoromethylated platinum compounds. To the best of our knowledge, compounds 2 and 4 – 10 are the organoelement compounds with the highest CF₃ content to have been isolated and adequately characterized to date.     

Synthesis, characterisation and magnetic properties of octahedral chromium(III) compounds with six C-donor ligands

The homoleptic, square pyramidal organochromium(III) compound [NBu(4)](2)[Cr(C(6)F(5))(5)] (1) reacts with excess organic isocyanides, CNR [R = (t)Bu, 2,6-dimethylphenyl (Xy)], under dissociation of the apical C(6)F(5) ligand to give the more saturated, singly charged complexes [NBu(4)][trans-Cr(C(6)F(5))(4)(CNR)(2)] [R = (t)Bu (2), Xy (3)], containing six monodentate C-donor ligands. These compounds exhibit an axially distorted octahedral structure (single-crystal X-ray diffraction) with the four C(6)F(5) groups defining the equatorial positions and the CNR ligands occupying the axial ones. Compounds 2 and 3 both behave as spin quartet species (S = 3/2) at microscopic level (EPR spectroscopy), their macroscopic magnetic properties depending upon the nature of the terminal R group, as established by magnetisation measurements. When the R substituent is the saturated alkyl group (t)Bu, the compound (2) behaves as a simple paramagnet, with no magnetic interaction between individual Cr(III) centres along the whole temperature range measured (1.8-265 K). By contrast, a weak antiferromagnetic interaction is detected for compound 3 at low temperature with T(N) = 0.19(1) K. Since the closest intermetallic distances are similar in the crystals of 2·CH(2)Cl(2) and 3·1.75CH(2)Cl(2) (ca. 1.1 nm), we conclude that the insaturation of the aromatic Xy group together with the extended intermolecular π-π stacking interactions between Xy rings observed in the crystal lattice of 3·1.75CH(2)Cl(2) (centroid-to-centroid distance: 0.35 nm) favour magnetic interaction between the individual magnetic centres.     

Homoleptic Organoderivatives of High‐Valent Nickel(III)

Homoleptic perhalophenyl derivatives of divalent nickel complexes with the general formula [NBu₄]₂[Ni^II (C₆X₅)₄] [X=F ( 1 ), Cl ( 2 )] have been prepared by low‐temperature treatment of the halo‐complex precursor [NBu₄]₂[NiBr₄] with the corresponding organolithium reagent LiC₆X₅. Compounds 1 and 2 are electrochemically related by reversible one‐electron exchange processes with the corresponding organometallate(III) compounds [NBu₄][Ni^III (C₆X₅)₄] [X=F ( 3 ), Cl ( 4 )]. The potentials of the [Ni^III (C₆X₅)₄]^?/[Ni^II (C₆X₅)₄]^2? couples are +0.07 and ?0.11 V for X=F or Cl, respectively. Compounds 3 and 4 have also been prepared and isolated in good yield by chemical oxidation of 1 or 2 with bromine or the amminium salt [N(C₆H₄Br‐4)₃][SbCl₆]. The [Ni^III (C₆X₅)₄]^? species have SP‐4 structures in the salts 3 and 4 , as established by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction methods. The [Ni^II (C₆F₅)₄]^2? ion in the parent compound 1 has also been found to exhibit a rather similar SP‐4 structure. According to their SP‐4 geometry, the Ni^III compounds (d⁷) behave as S=1/2 systems both at microscopic (EPR) and macroscopic levels (ac and dc magnetization measurements). The spin Hamiltonian parameters obtained from the analysis of the magnetic behavior of 3 and 4 within the framework of ligand field theory show that the unpaired electron is centered mainly on the metal atom, with >97 % estimated d contribution. Thermal decomposition of 3 and 4 proceeds with formation of the corresponding C₆X₅? C₆X₅ coupling compounds.     

Synthesis and characterization of new five-coordinate platinum nitrosyl derivatives: density functional theory study of their electronic structure

The neutral, five-coordinate platinum nitrosyl compounds [Pt(C(6)F(5))(3)(L)(NO)] (2) [L=CNtBu (2 a), NC(5)H(4)Me-4 (2 b), PPhMe(2) (2 c), PPh(3) (2 d) and tht (2 e)] have been prepared by the reaction of [NBu(4)][Pt(C(6)F(5))(3)(L)] (1) with NOClO(4) in CH(2)Cl(2). The ionic compound [N(PPh(3))(2)][Pt(C(6)F(5))(4)(NO)] (4) has been prepared in a similar way starting from the homoleptic species [N(PPh(3))(2)](2)[Pt(C(6)F(5))(4)] (3). Compounds 2 and 4 are all diamagnetic with [PtNO](8) electronic configuration and show nu(NO) stretching frequencies at around 1800 cm(-1). The crystal and molecular structures of 2 c and 4 have been established by X-ray diffraction methods. The coordination environment for the Pt center in both compounds can be described as square pyramidal (SPY-5). Bent nitrosyl coordination is observed in both cases with Pt-N-O angles of 120.1(6) and 130.2(7) degrees for 2 c and 4, respectively. The bonding mechanism of the nitrosyl ligand coordinated to various model [Pt(II)R(4)](2-) (R=H, Me, Cl, CN, C(6)F(5) or C(6)Cl(5)) and [Pt(C(6)F(5))(3)(L)](-) (L=CNMe, PH(3)) systems has been studied by density functional calculations at the B3LYP level of theory, using the SDD basis set. The R(4)Pt-NO and (C(6)F(5))(3)(L)Pt-NO interactions generally involve two components: i) a direct Pt-NO bonding interaction and ii) multicenter-bonding interactions between the N atom of the NO ligand and the donor atoms of the R and L ligands. Moreover, with the more complex R groups, C(6)F(5) or C(6)Cl(5), a third component has been found to arise, which involves multicenter electrostatic interactions between the positively charged NO ligand and the negatively charged halo-substituents in the ortho-position of the C(6)X(5) groups (X=F, Cl). The contribution of each component to the Pt-NO bonding in R(4)Pt-NO and (C(6)F(5))(3)(L)Pt-NO compounds seems to be modulated by the electronic and steric effects of the R and L ligands.     

Unusual luminescent octanuclear stellate platinacycle self-assembled by Pt-Ag bonds

An unprecedented macrocyclic luminescent octanuclear cluster cyclo-[{Pt(C6Cl5)2(mu-OH)(mu-Ag)}4] (Pt-Ag) 2 was self-assembled by the formation of Pt(II)-Ag(I) bonds; the optical properties of this complex were also investigated.