The synthesis and characterisation of 4,1,2-MC2B10 metallacarboranes

Reduction of the tethered carborane 1,2-(CH2)3-1,2-closo-C2B10H10 followed by treatment with CoCl2/NaCp, [(p-cymene)RuCl2]2(p-cymene=C6H4MeiPr-1,4), (PMe2Ph)2PtCl2 or (dppe)NiCl2(dppe=Ph2PCH2CH2PPh2) affords reasonable yields of the new 13-vertex metallacarboranes 1,2-(CH2)3-4-Cp-4,1,2-closo-CoC2B10H10 (1), 1,2-(CH2)3-4-(p-cymene)-4,1,2-closo-RuC2B10H10 (2), 1,2-(CH2)3-4,4-(PMe2Ph)2-4,1,2-closo-PtC2B10H10 (3) and 1,2-(CH2)3-4,4-(dppe)-4,1,2-closo-NiC2B10H10 (4), respectively. All compounds were characterised spectroscopically and crystallographically. The cobalt and ruthenium species 1 and 2 have Cs symmetry in both solution and the solid state, having henicosahedral cage structures featuring a trapezoidal C1C2B9B5 face. The platinum and nickel compounds 3 and 4 have asymmetric docosahedral cage structures in the crystal (the more so for 4 than for 3) although both appear, by 11B and 31P NMR spectroscopy, to have Cs symmetry in solution. Low-temperature experiments on the more soluble platinacarborane could not freeze out the diamond-trapezium-diamond fluctional process that we assume is operating in solution, and we therefore conclude that this process has a relatively low activation barrier, probably <35 kJ mol-1.     

Model systems for flavoenzyme activity: a tuneable intramolecularly hydrogen bonded flavin-diamidopyridine complex

We report the electrochemically tuneable intramolecular hydrogen bonding interactions between a covalently linked flavin-diamidopyridine unit.     

Platination of [3-X-7,8-Ph2-7,8-nido-C2B9H8] (X=Et, F): Synthesis and characterisation of slipped and 1,2→1,7 isomerised products

The reaction of the labelled carborane ligand [3-Et-7,8-Ph₂-7,8-nido-C₂B₉H₈]²⁻ with a source of {Pt(PMe₂Ph)₂}²⁺ affords non-isomerised 1,2-Ph₂-3,3-(PMe₂Ph)₂-6-Et-3,1,2-closo-PtC₂B₉H₈ (1). The analogous reaction between [3-F-7,8-Ph₂-7,8-nido-C₂B₉H₈]²⁻ and {Pt(PMe₂Ph)₂}²⁺ yields 1,8-Ph₂-2,2-(PMe₂Ph)₂-4-F-2,1,8-closo-PtC₂B₉H₈ (3). Compound 1 has a heavily slipped structure (Δ 0.72 Å), which to some degree obviates the need for C atom isomerisation. However, that it is a kinetic product of the reaction is evident from the fact that it reverts to isomerised 1,8-Ph₂-2,2-(PMe₂Ph)₂-4-Et-2,1,8-closo-PtC₂B₉H₈ (2) slowly at room temperature but more rapidly with gentle warming. The heteroatom and labelled-B atom positions in the isomerised compounds 2 and 3 may be explained most simply by the rotation of a CB₂ face of an intermediate based on the structure of 1. Compounds 1–3 were characterised by a combination of spectroscopic and crystallographic techniques.     

Carborane Substituents Promote Direct Electrophilic Insertion over Reduction–Metalation Reactions

Two‐electron reduction of 1,1′‐bis(o‐carborane) followed by reaction with [Ru(η‐mes)Cl₂]₂ affords [8‐(1′‐1′,2′‐closo‐C₂B₁₀H₁₁)‐4‐(η‐mes)‐4,1,8‐closo‐RuC₂B₁₀H₁₁]. Subsequent two‐electron reduction of this species and treatment with [Ru(η‐arene)Cl₂]₂ results in the 14‐vertex/12‐vertex species [1‐(η‐mes)‐9‐(1′‐1′,2′‐closo‐C₂B₁₀H₁₁)‐13‐(η‐arene)‐1,13,2,9‐closo‐Ru₂C₂B₁₀H₁₁] by direct electrophilic insertion, promoted by the carborane substituent in the 13‐vertex/12‐vertex precursor. When arene=mesitylene (mes), the diruthenium species is fluxional in solution at room temperature in a process that makes the metal–ligand fragments equivalent. A unique mechanism for this fluxionality is proposed and is shown to be fully consistent with the observed fluxionality or nonfluxionality of a series of previously reported 14‐vertex dicobaltacarboranes.     

End-to-end single cyanato and thiocyanato bridged Cu(II) polymers with a new tridentate Schiff base ligand: crystal structure and magnetic properties

A new tridentate Schiff base ligand HL (L = C14H19N2O), derived from the condensation of benzoylacetone and 2-dimethylaminoethylamine in a 1:1 ratio, reacts with copper(ii) acetate and cyanate, thiocyanate or azide, to give rise to several end-to-end polymeric complexes of formulae [CuL(mu(1,3)-NCO)]n 1, [CuL(mu(1,3)-NCS)]n 2 and the complex 3 has two crystallographically independent units of formula [CuL(N3)] in the asymmetric unit cell. Complex 3 exists in dimeric form rather than as a polymeric chain. Compound 1 is the first report of a singly end-to-end cyanate bridged polymeric chain of Cu(II) with a Schiff base as a co-ligand. There are many examples of double NCS bridged polymeric chains, but fewer singly bridged ones such as compound 2. We have characterized these complexes by analytical, spectroscopic, structural and variable temperature magnetic susceptibility measurements. The coordination geometry around the Cu(II) centers is distorted square pyramidal for 1 and 2 and square planar for complex 3. The magnetic susceptibility data show slight antiferromagnetic coupling for the polymers having J values -0.19 and -0.57 cm(-1) for complexes 1 and 2 respectively. The low values of J are consistent with the equatorial-axial disposition of the bridges in the polymers.     

Simplified synthesis, H, C, N, Sn NMR spectra and X-ray structures of diorganotin(IV) complexes containing the 4-phenyl-2,4-butanedionebenzoylhydrazone(2−) ligand

Two diorganotin(IV) complexes of the general formula R₂Sn[Ph(O)CCH-C(Me)N-NC(O)Ph] (R=Ph, 1; R=Me, 2) have been synthesised from the corresponding diorganotin(IV) dichloride and the ligand 4-phenyl-2,4-butanedionebenzoylhydrazone(2−) (H₂L), derived from benzoyl acetone and benzoyl hydrazide in methanol at room temperature in presence of triethylamine. The syntheses were performed under very mild conditions, at room temperature and without exclusion of air or moisture from the reaction vessel. Previously, rigorous conditions have been considered necessary for these species. The two compounds have been characterised by elemental analysis, IR and ¹H, ¹³C, ¹⁵N, ¹¹⁹Sn NMR spectra, and their structures have been confirmed single crystal X-ray structure analysis. The central tin atom of both complexes adopts a distorted trigonal bipyramidal coordination with two ligand oxygen atoms in axial positions, the nitrogen atom of the ligand and two organic groups on tin occupying equatorial sites. 2 has crystallised with two crystallographically independent molecules in the asymmetric unit. The δ(¹¹⁹Sn) values for the complexes 1 and 2 are −151.5 and −146.8 ppm, respectively, thus indicating penta-coordinated tin centres.     

The first 4,1,10-MC2B10 supraicosahedral metallacarboranes and a route to previously inaccessible 4,1,12-ruthenium arene species

Reduction of 1,12-closo-C2B10H12 or its C,C-dimethyl analogue with sodium in liquid ammonia followed by metallation with {CpCo}2+, {(arene)Ru}2+ or {(dppe)Ni}2+ fragments affords the first examples of 4,1,10-MC2B10 species; thermolysis of these yields the appropriate 4,1,12-MC2B10 isomers, unavailable for (arene)Ru metallacarboranes by similar thermolysis of known 4,1,6-MC2B10 compounds.     

Rhodathiaboranes with `anomalous' electron counts: synthesis, structure and reactivity

Analysis of the structures of 8,8-(PPh₃)₂-8,7-nido-RhSB₉H₁₀ and 9,9-(PPh₃)₂-9,7,8-nido-RhC₂B₈H₁₁ by RMS misfit calculations has confirmed that these rhodaheteroboranes possess nido 11-vertex cluster geometries in apparent contravention of Wade's rules. However, examination of the molecular structures of both species shows that the {RhP₂} planes are inclined by ca. 66° with respect to the metal-bonded SB₃ or CB₃ faces, and that two weak ortho-CHRh agostic interactions occupy the vacant co-ordination position thereby created. As a consequence of these agostic bonds the Rh atom, and hence the overall cluster, is provided with an additional electron pair, meaning that their nido structures are now fully consistent with Wade's rules. The chelated diphosphine compound 8,8-(dppe)-8,7-nido-RhSB₉H₁₀ is similar to the PPh₃ compound in showing the same agostic bonding. Attempts to prepare a bis-P(OMe)₃ analogue result in ligand scavenging and the formation of 8,8,8-{P(OMe)₃}₃-8,7-nido-RhSB₉H₁₀. Similarly, reaction between Cs[6-arachno-SB₉H₁₂] and RhCl(dmpe)CO does not result in CO loss but in formation of 8,8-(dmpe)-8-(CO)-8,7-nido-RhSB₉H₁₀, shown to exist as a mixture of two of three possible rotamers. Deprotonation of 8,8-(PPh₃)₂-8,7-nido-RhSB₉H₁₀ and 8,8-(dppe)-8,7-nido-RhSB₉H₁₀ with MeLi yields the anions [1,1-(PPh₃)₂-1,2-closo-RhSB₉H₉]⁻ and [1,1-dppe-1,2-closo-RhSB₉H₉]⁻, respectively, with octadecahedral cage structures. It is argued that anion formation causes the agostic bonding to be `switched-off' and results in the cluster adopting the closo architecture predicted by Wade's rules. This structural change is fully reversible on reprotonation, and if reprotonation of [1,1-(dppe)-1,2-closo-RhSB₉H₉]⁻ is carried out in MeCN, the product 8,8-(dppe)-8-(MeCN)-8,7-nido-RhSB₉H₁₀ forms. Interestingly, 8,8-(dppe)-8-(MeCN)-8,7-nido-RhSB₉H₁₀ reconverts to 8,8-(dppe)-8,7-nido-RhSB₉H₁₀ on standing in CDCl₃, suggesting that the agostic bonding is sufficiently strong to displace co-ordinated MeCN. All new compounds are fully characterised by multinuclear NMR spectroscopy and, in many cases, by single crystal X-ray diffraction.