Solvent and structural effects on ultrafast chelation dynamics of arene chromium tricarbonyl sulfide derivatives

The chelation dynamics of three new Cr{eta6-C6H5C(O)R}(CO)3] complexes, 1 R = CH2(SCH3)], 2 R = CH(SCH3)2], and 3 R = C(SCH3)3], has been investigated on the picosecond to millisecond time scales by UV pump/IR probe transient absorption spectroscopy following photodissociation of CO in room temperature n-heptane, tetrahydrofuran (THF), and acetonitrile. In n-heptane, UV irradiation of 1, 2, or 3 dissociates CO to initially yield a Cr-S chelate (in which the pendant sulfide moiety is coordinated to the metal center) and a transient Cr-heptane solvate in approximately 1:2, 1:2, and 2:1 ratios, respectively. The Cr-heptane solvate is unstable and converts to the Cr-S chelate within 30 ns in each case. Irradiation of 2 or 3 in THF yields both the Cr-S chelate and Cr-THF solvate in approximately 1:3 and 1:1 ratios, respectively. The Cr-THF solvate converts to the Cr-S chelate on the second or longer time scale. All three complexes appear to yield the Cr-NCCH3 solvate exclusively within 50 ps following irradiation in acetonitrile. The solvent effect on chelation is in striking contrast to that previously reported for the analogous RCpMn(CO)3 derivatives, 4-6. In acetonitrile, only chelation is observed for the Mn series and only solvent coordination is observed for the Cr series, but in heptane both chelation and solvent coordination are observed in both series.