Synergistic effects in ambiphilic phosphino-borane catalysts for the hydroboration of CO2

The benefit of combining both a Lewis acid and a Lewis base in a catalytic system has been established for the hydroboration of CO₂, using ferrocene-based phosphine, borane and phosphino-borane derivatives.

Charge Localisation in Heavy Alkali Metal Ion Complexes of 4,4'-Biphenyldicarboxylate

Crystal structure determinations on the isomorphous RbI and CsI complexes of 4,4′-biphenyldicarboxylate have shown the carboxylate entities to be coordinated in an unusual fashion where both oxygen atoms are in a tetrahedral environment indicative of negative charge localisation on each. The metal ions also show a highly irregular form of six-coordination, while the biphenyl units are planar, seemingly as a result of attractive interactions between the ortho hydrogen atoms.

Counter-ion control of structure in uranyl ion complexes with 2,5-thiophenedicarboxylate

Various counterions containing d-block metal ions and N-donating chelators were used to generate one- and two-dimensional uranyl-2,5-thiophenedicarboxylate species, one of them displaying inclined polycatenation.

Complexes of the tripodal phosphine ligands PhSi(XPPh2)3(X = CH2, O): synthesis, structure and catalytic activity in the hydroboration of CO2

The coordination chemistry of Fe²⁺, Co²⁺and Cu⁺ions was explored with the ligands PhSi{CH₂PPh₂}₃(1) and PhSi{OPPh₂}₃(2), so as to evaluate the impact of the electronic properties of the tripodal phosphorus ligands on the structure and reactivity of the corresponding complexes.

Metal-free dehydrogenation of formic acid to H2 and CO2 using boron-based catalysts

The decomposition of formic acid to H₂ and CO₂ under metal-free conditions has been unveiled using dialkylborane derivatives as catalysts.

Formic acid is at the crossroads of novel sustainable energy strategies because it is an efficient H₂ carrier. Yet, to date, its decomposition to H₂ relies on metal-based catalysts. Herein, we describe the first metal-free catalysts able to promote the dehydrogenation of formic acid. Using dialkylborane derivatives, HCOOH is decomposed to H₂ and CO₂ in the presence of a base with high selectivity. Experimental and computational results point to the involvement of bis(formyloxy)borates as key intermediates in the C–H bond activation of a formate ligand.

U(III)-CN versus U(IV)-NC coordination in tris(silylamide) complexes

Treatment of the metallacycle [UN*2(N,C)] [N* = N(SiMe3)2; N,C = CH2SiMe2N(SiMe3)] with [HNEt3][BPh4], [HNEt3]Cl, and [pyH][OTf] (OTf = OSO2CF3) gave the cationic compound [UN*3][BPh4] (1) and the neutral complexes [UN*3X] [X = Cl (3), OTf (4)], respectively. The dinuclear complex [{UN*(μ-N,C)(μ-OTf)}2] (5) and its tetrahydrofuran (THF) adduct [{UN*(N,C)(THF)(μ-OTf)}2] (6) were obtained by thermal decomposition of 4. The successive addition of NEt4CN or KCN to 1 led to the formation of the cyanido-bridged dinuclear compound [(UN*3)2(μ-CN)][BPh4] (7) and the mononuclear mono- and bis(cyanide) complexes [UN*3(CN)] (2) and [M][UN*3(CN)2] [M = NEt4 (8), K(THF)4 (9)], while crystals of [K(18-crown-6)][UN*3(CN)2] (10) were obtained by the oxidation of [K(18-crown-6)][UN*3(CN)] with pyridine N-oxide. The THF adduct of 1, [UN*3(THF)][BPh4], and complexes 2-7, 9 and 10 were characterized by their X-ray crystal structure. In contrast to their U(III) analogues [NMe4][UN*3(CN)] and [K(18-crown-6)]2[UN*3(CN)2] in which the CN anions are coordinated to the metal center via the C atom, complexes 2 and 9 exhibit the isocyanide U-NC coordination mode of the cyanide ligand. This U(III)/U(IV) differentiation has been analyzed using density functional theory calculations. The observed preferential coordinations are well explained considering the electronic structures of the different species and metal-ligand bonding energies. A comparison of the different quantum descriptors, i.e., bond orders, NPA/QTAIM data, and energy decomposition analysis, has allowed highlighting of the subtle balance between covalent, ionic, and steric factors that govern the U-CN/NC bonding.

Advances in f-element cyanide chemistry

By using the cyanide ligand, actinide compounds with unprecedented structures, U^III–CN vs. Ce^III–NC and U^III–CN vs. U^IV–NC coordination modes, and novel high-valent uranium complexes were revealed.

Solvent effects in solvo-hydrothermal synthesis of uranyl ion complexes with 1,3-adamantanediacetate

Uranyl ion complexes with 1,3-adamantanediacetate display different topologies arising from variations in coordination mode and the presence of additional ligands.

Metal-free reduction of CO2 with hydroboranes: two efficient pathways at play for the reduction of CO2 to methanol

Guanidines and amidines prove to be highly efficient metal-free catalysts for the reduction of CO2 to methanol with hydroboranes such as 9-borabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane (9-BBN) and catecholborane (catBH). Nitrogen bases, such as 1,5,7-triazabicyclo[4.4.0]dec-5-ene (TBD), 7-methyl-1,5,7-triazabicyclo[4.4.0]dec-5-ene (Me-TBD), and 1,8-diazabicycloundec-7-ene (DBU), are active catalysts for this transformation and Me-TBD can catalyze the reduction of CO2 to methoxyborane at room temperature with TONs and TOFs of up to 648 and 33 h(-1) (25 °C), respectively. Formate HCOOBR2 and acetal H2C(OBR2)2 derivatives have been identified as reaction intermediates in the reduction of CO2 with R2BH, and the first C-H-bond formation is rate determining. Experimental and computational investigations show that TBD and Me-TBD follow distinct mechanisms. The N-H bond of TBD is reactive toward dehydrocoupling with 9-BBN and affords a novel frustrated Lewis pair (FLP) that can activate a CO2 molecule and form the stable adduct 2, which is the catalytically active species and can facilitate the hydride transfer from the boron to the carbon atoms. In contrast, Me-TBD promotes the reduction of CO2 through the activation of the hydroborane reagent. Detailed DFT calculations have shown that the computed energy barriers for the two mechanisms are consistent with the experimental findings and account for the reactivity of the different boron reductants.