Reactivity of bis(pyrazol-1-yl)methanes functionalized by 2-hydroxyphenyl and 2-methoxyphenyl on the methine carbon atom with W(CO)5THF

Reactions of 2-hydroxyphenyl and 2-methoxyphenylbis(pyrazol-1-yl)methanes as well as 2-hydroxyphenyl and 2-methoxyphenylbis(3,5-dimethylpyrazol-1-yl)methanes with W(CO)₅THF have been carried out. Heating 2-hydroxyphenylbis(pyrazol-1-yl)methane (L¹) with W(CO)₅THF in THF at reflux yielded complex (L¹)W(CO)₄.L¹, while similar reaction of 2-hydroxyphenylbis(3,5-dimethylpyrazol-1-yl)methane (L²) with W(CO)₅THF resulted in the cleavage of a C_sp3-N bond to generate 1,2-bis(2-hydroxyphenyl)-1,2-bis(3,5-dimethylpyrazol-1-yl)ethane (L) and pyrazole derivative W(CO)₅(3,5-Me₂PzH) (Pz = pyrazol-1-yl). These two fragments were connected together through strong O…H-N and O-H…N hydrogen bonds to form complex L.W(CO)₅(3,5-Me₂PzH)]₂. The analogous results were observed in the treatment of 2-methoxyphenylbis(pyrazol-1-yl)methane (L³) with W(CO)₅THF, which gave product L′.W(CO)₅(PzH)]₂ (L′ = 1,2-bis(2-methoxyphenyl)-1,2-bis(pyrazol-1-yl)ethane) as well as certain amount of complex (L³)W(CO)₄. In addition, during the reaction of 2-methoxyphenylbis(3,5-dimethylpyrazol-1-yl)methane (L⁴) with W(CO)₅THF, partial decomposition reactions took place to yield complexes (L⁴)W(CO)₄ and W(CO)₅(3,5-Me₂PzH), but no hydrogen bond was found between these two moieties.