Ligand‐Modification Effects on the Reactivity,Solubility, and Stability of Organometallic Tantalum Complexes in Water

Tantalum complexes [TaCp*Me{κ⁴‐C,N,O,O‐(OCH₂)(OCHC(CH₂NMe₂)?CH)py}] ( 4 ) and [TaCp*Me{κ⁴‐C,N,O,O‐(OCH₂)(OCHC(CH₂NH₂)?CH)py}] ( 5 ), which contain modified alkoxide pincer ligands, were synthesized from the reactions of [TaCp*Me{κ³‐N,O,O‐(OCH₂)(OCH)py}] (Cp*=η⁵‐C₅Me₅) with HC?CCH₂NMe₂ and HC?CCH₂NH₂, respectively. The reactions of [TaCp*Me{κ⁴‐C,N,O,O‐(OCH₂)(OCHC(Ph)?CH)py}] ( 2 ) and [TaCp*Me{κ⁴‐C,N,O,O‐(OCH₂)(OCHC(SiMe₃)?CH)py}] ( 3 ) with triflic acid (1:2 molar ratio) rendered the corresponding bis‐triflate derivatives [TaCp*(OTf)₂{κ³‐N,O,O‐(OCH₂)(OCHC(Ph)?CH₂)py}] ( 6 ) and [TaCp*(OTf)₂{κ³‐N,O,O‐(OCH₂)(OCHC(SiMe₃)?CH₂)py}] ( 7 ), respectively. Complex 4 reacted with triflic acid in a 1:2 molar ratio to selectively yield the water‐soluble cationic complex [TaCp*(OTf){κ⁴‐C,N,O,O‐(OCH₂)(OCHC(CH₂NHMe₂)?CH)py}]OTf ( 8 ). Compound 8 reacted with water to afford the hydrolyzed complex [TaCp*(OH)(H₂O){κ³‐N,O,O‐(OCH₂)(OCHC(CH₂NHMe₂)?CH₂)py}](OTf)₂ ( 9 ). Protonation of compound 8 with triflic acid gave the new tantalum compound [TaCp*(OTf){κ⁴‐C,N,O,O‐(OCH₂)(HOCHC(CH₂NHMe₂)?CH)py}](OTf)₂ ( 10 ), which afforded the corresponding protonolysis derivative [TaCp*(OTf)₂{κ³‐N,O,O‐(OCH₂)(HOCHC(CH₂NHMe₂)?CH₂)py}](OTf) ( 11 ) in solution. Complex 8 reacted with CNtBu and potassium 2‐isocyanoacetate to give the corresponding iminoacyl derivatives 12 and 13 , respectively. The molecular structures of complexes 5 , 7 , and 10 were established by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction studies.