Chemistry with weakly-coordinating fluorinated alkoxyaluminate anions: Gas phase cations in condensed phases?

Copper(i)-based oxidation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and product elucidation using vacuum ultraviolet spectroscopy and theoretical spectral calculations

Fluorinated 1,3,5-triazapentadienyl complexes of copper catalyze the oxidation PAHs to quinones using H₂O₂as an oxidant under mild conditions.

Unsupported metal silyl ether coordination

Silyl ethers surrender to magnesium: the very weak Lewis base hexamethyldisiloxane is forced to ligate a “naked” cationic Mg species. Agostic interactions and van der Waals attraction contribute to stability.

Synthesis, characterization and mass-spectrometric analysis of [LSn(IV)F4−x]x+ salts [L = tris ((1-ethyl-benzoimidazol-2-yl)methyl)amine, x = 1–4]

A series of cationic tin fluoride complexes has been synthesized by successive fluoride abstraction from SnF₄ with TMSOTf in the presence of the tetradentate nitrogen donor BIMEt₃.

Coordination of arenes and phosphines by charge separated alkaline earth cations

Generation of ‘naked’ β-diketiminato magnesium and calcium cations allows the isolation of benzene, toluene, 1,4-difluorobenzene and terminal phosphine adducts.

Group 15 biradicals: synthesis and reactivity of cyclobutane-1,3-diyl and cyclopentane-1,3-diyl analogues

Synthesis, structure and reactivity of cyclobutane-1,3-diyl and cyclopentane-1,3-diyl analogues are discussed along with their application as molecular switches or reagents to activate or trap small molecules with single or multiple bonds.

From an Easily Accessible Pentacarbonylcobalt(I) Salt to Piano-Stool Cations [(arene)Co(CO)2 ]. Chemistry 2017;23:14658-14664. [PMID: 28796933 DOI: 10.1002/chem.201703589]

The facile synthesis of a pentacarbonyl cobalt(I) salt without the need for a superacid as solvent is presented. This salt, [Co(CO)₅ ]⁺ [Al(OR^F )₄ ]^- {R^F =C(CF₃ )₃ }, readily accessible on a multigram scale, undergoes substitution reactions with arenes yielding the hitherto unknown class of two-legged cobalt piano-stool complexes [(arene)Co(CO)₂ ]⁺ with four different arene ligands. Such a substitution chemistry would have been impossible in superacid solution, as the arenes used would have been oxidized and/or protonated. Thus, the general approach described herein may have a wide synthetic use. Additionally, the thermochemistry of the piano-stool complexes is shown to be not easy to describe computationally and most of the established DFT methods overestimate the reaction energies. Only CCSD(T) calculations close to the basis set limit gave energies fully agreeing with the experiment.

[HL2][P(1,2-O2C6Cl4)3] (L = THF, DMF): Brønsted acid initiators for the polymerization of n-butyl vinyl ether and p-methoxystyrene

The development of solid, weighable Brønsted acids featuring the hexacoordinated phosphorous(v) anion [TRISPHAT]⁻ are reported.

Coordination Chemistry of Diiodine and Implications for the Oxidation Capacity of the Synergistic Ag(+) /X2 (X=Cl, Br, I) System

The synergistic Ag(+) /X2 system (X=Cl, Br, I) is a very strong, but ill-defined oxidant-more powerful than X2 or Ag(+) alone. Intermediates for its action may include [Agm (X2 )n ](m+) complexes. Here, we report on an unexpectedly variable coordination chemistry of diiodine towards this direction: (A)Ag-I2 -Ag(A), [Ag2 (I2 )4 ](2+) (A(-) )2 and [Ag2 (I2 )6 ](2+) (A(-) )2 ⋅(I2 )x≈0.65 form by reaction of Ag(A) (A=Al(OR(F) )4 ; R(F) =C(CF3 )3 ) with diiodine (single crystal/powder XRD, Raman spectra and quantum-mechanical calculations). The molecular (A)Ag-I2 -Ag(A) is ideally set up to act as a 2 e(-) oxidant with stoichiometric formation of 2 AgI and 2 A(-) . Preliminary reactivity tests proved this (A)Ag-I2 -Ag(A) starting material to oxidize n-C5 H12 , C3 H8 , CH2 Cl2 , P4 or S8 at room temperature. A rough estimate of its electron affinity places it amongst very strong oxidizers like MF6 (M=4d metals). This suggests that (A)Ag-I2 -Ag(A) will serve as an easily in bulk accessible, well-defined, and very potent oxidant with multiple applications.

Silver Complexes of Dihalogen Molecules

The perfluorohexane-soluble and donor-free silver compound Ag(A) (A=Al(OR(F) )4 ; R(F) =C(CF3 )3 ) prepared using a facile novel route has unprecedented capabilities to form unusual and weakly bound complexes. Here, we report on the three dihalogen-silver complexes Ag(Cl2 )A, Ag(Br2 )A, and Ag(I2 )A derived from the soluble silver compound Ag(A) (characterized by single-crystal/powder XRD, Raman spectra, and quantum-mechanical calculations).

Salts of highly fluorinated weakly coordinating anions as versatile precursors towards hydrogen storage materials

We report the most recent results related to application of a metathetic pathway towards mixed-metal borohydrides. The synthetic protocol utilizes highly-fluorinated weakly coordinating anion salts as precursors. We discuss the technicalities related to the use of fluorine-rich anions as well as the improvements which are still needed to deliver high-purity materials with potential applications for hydrogen storage. The applicability of the method is expanded beyond the previously described complex borohydrides of alkali metal Zn or Y, towards the systems containing Mg(II), Sc(III), Mn(II), or Eu(III). We have prepared for the first time [Ph4P]2[Mn(BH4)4] and [Me4N]2[Mg(BH4)4], solved their crystal structures from powder x-ray diffraction, and used selected organic metal borohydride derivatives as precursors towards mixed-metal borohydrides (K2Mn(BH4)4, Rb3Mg(BH4)5, etc.). We have also prepared [Ph4P][Eu(BH4)4], which is the first derivative of Eu(III) in the homoleptic environment of borohydride anions.

Low temperature isolation of a dinuclear silver complex of the cyclotetraphosphane [ClP(μ-PMes*)]2

The reaction of the cyclotetraphosphane [ClP(μ-PMes*)]2 (, Mes* = 2,4,6-tri-tert-butylphenyl) with Ag[Al(OR(F))4] (R(F) = CH(CF3)2) resulted in a labile, dinuclear silver complex of , which eliminates AgCl above -30 °C. Its properties were investigated by spectroscopic methods, single crystal X-ray diffraction and DFT calculations.

Ag2S2O8 meets AgSO4: the second example of metal–ligand redox isomerism among inorganic systems

Ag(i)₂S₂O₈ – prepared here for the first time – constitutes a redox isomer of the already known Ag(ii)SO₄. These “electromers” have identical chemical composition but they differ in all important physicochemical properties.

Polyether complexes of groups 13 and 14

Notable aspects of the chemistry of polyether complexes of group 13 and 14 elements are reviewed.

Novel Two- and Three-Dimensional Organometallic-Organic Hybrid Materials Based on Polyphosphorus Complexes

The reaction of the silver salt Ag[Al{OC(CF3)3}4] (1) with the P2 ligand complex [Cp2Mo2(CO)4(η(2)-P2)] (2) and the organic ditopic linker trans-1,2-di(pyridine-4-yl)ethene (dpe) results in the formation of four novel organometallic-organic hybrid compounds. Depending on the reaction conditions, the two-dimensional networks [{Cp2Mo2(CO)4(μ4,η(1:1:2:2)-P2)}(μ,η(1:1)-C12H10N2)Ag]n[Al{OC(CF3)3}4]n·0.075nCH2Cl2·1.425nC6H6 (3) and [{Cp2Mo2(CO)4(μ3,η(2:2:2)-P2)}2(μ,η(1:1)-C12H10N2)3Ag2]n[Al{OC(CF3)3}4]2n·2nC7H8 (4) are accessible. The latter shows a two-dimensional (2D) → 2D interpenetration structure. Furthermore, the formation of a unique three-dimensional polymer [{Cp2Mo2(CO)4(μ4,η(1:1:2:2)-P2)}(μ,η(1:1)-C12H10N2)Ag]n[Al{OC(CF3)3}4]n·0.3nCH2Cl2 (5b) together with another 2D polymer [{Cp2Mo2(CO)4(μ4,η(1:1:2:2)-P2)}(μ,η(1:1)-C12H10N2)3Ag2]n[Al{OC(CF3)3}4]2n·0.75CH2Cl2·0.5C7H8 (5a) was observed. In three of these polymers, unprecedented organometallic nodes were realized including one, two, or even four silver cations. All products were characterized by X-ray structural analysis and classified by the structural characteristics in three different network topologies.

Anion effects to deliver enhanced iridium catalysts for hydrogen isotope exchange processes

Synthesis of a series of iridium(I) complexes of the type [(COD)Ir(IMes)(PPh3)]X (X = BF4, OTf, and BArF) has been established. Application of these species in mild hydrogen isotope exchange processes revealed more efficient catalysis and, further, a wider solvent scope when employing larger, more weakly coordinating counterions.

Homoleptic low-valent polyazides of group 14 elements

First examples of coordinatively unsaturated, homoleptic azido complexes of low-valent group 14 elements are reported. A simple strategy uses low-valent precursors, ionic azide transfer reagents and bulky cations to obtain salt-like compounds containing E(N3)3(-) of Ge(II)/Sn(II) which are fully characterised, including XRD. Remarkably, these compounds are kinetically stable at r.t. and isolable in sub-gram quantities.

Facile formation of thermodynamically unstable novel borohydride materials by a wet chemistry route

A novel wet synthetic method utilizing weakly coordinating anions that yields LiCl-free Zn-based materials for hydrogen storage has recently been reported. Here we show that this method may also be applied for the synthesis of the pure yttrium derivatives, M[Y(BH4)4] (M = K, Rb, Cs). Moreover, it can be extended to the preparation of previously unknown thermodynamically unstable derivatives, Li[Y(BH4)4] and Na[Y(BH4)4]. Importantly, these two H-rich phases cannot be accessed by standard dry (mechanochemical) or solid/gas synthetic methods due to the thermodynamic obstacles. Here we describe their crystal structures and selected important physicochemical properties.

Homoleptic borates and aluminates containing the difluorophosphato ligand – [M(O2PF2)x]y− – synthesis and characterization

A new class of WCAs…? The difluoro-phosphato ligand (O₂PF₂) was used for the synthesis of borates and aluminates of the [M(O₂PF₂)_x]^y−-type in order to generate weakly coordinating anions.

Triflyloxy-substituted carboranes as useful weakly coordinating anions

New carborane anions carrying one or three triflyloxy substituents are described.

The polar side of polyphenylene dendrimers

The site-specific functionalization of poly(phenylene) dendrimers can produce macromolecules with a range of different polarities.

Hydrogen storage materials: room-temperature wet-chemistry approach toward mixed-metal borohydrides

The poor kinetics of hydrogen evolution and the irreversibility of the hydrogen discharge hamper the use of transition metal borohydrides as hydrogen storage materials, and the drawbacks of current synthetic methods obstruct the exploration of these systems. A wet-chemistry approach, which is based on solvent-mediated metathesis reactions of precursors containing bulky organic cations and weakly coordinating anions, leads to mixed-metal borohydrides that contain only a small amount of "dead mass". The applicability of this method is exemplified by Li[Zn2(BH4)5] and M[Zn(BH4)3] salts (M=Na, K), and its extension to other systems is discussed.

Ag[Fe(CO)5]2(+) : a bare silver complex with Fe(CO)5 as a ligand

Attempts to prepare Fe(CO)5 (+) from Ag[Al(OR(F) )4 ] (R(F) =C(CF3 )3 ) and Fe(CO)5 in CH2 Cl2 yielded the first complex of a neutral metal carbonyl bound to a simple metal cation. The Ag[Fe(CO)5 ]2 (+) cation consists of two Fe(CO)5 molecules coordinating Ag(+) in an almost linear fashion. The ν(CO) modes are blue-shifted compared to Fe(CO)5 , with one band above 2143 cm(-1) indicating that back-bonding is heavily decreased in the Ag[Fe(CO)5 ]2 (+) cation.