Terminal Oxo and Imido Transition-Metal Complexes of Groups 9-11

Achieving One-Electron Oxidation of a Mononuclear Nonheme Iron(V)-Imido Complex

A mononuclear nonheme iron(V)-imido complex bearing a tetraamido macrocyclic ligand (TAML), [Fe^V(NTs)(TAML)]^- (1), was oxidized by one-electron oxidants, affording formation of an iron(V)-imido TAML cation radical species, [Fe^V(NTs)(TAML^+•)] (2); 2 is a diamagnetic (S = 0) complex, resulting from the antiferromagnetic coupling of the low-spin iron(V) ion (S = 1/2) with the one-electron oxidized ligand (TAML^+•). 2 is a competent oxidant in C-H bond functionalization and nitrene transfer reaction, showing that the reactivity of 2 is greater than that of 1.

Synthesis, Structure, and Reactivity of Low-Spin Cobalt(II) Imido Complexes [(Me3P)3Co(NAr)]

The reactions of [Co(PMe₃)₄] with the bulky organic azides, DippN₃ and DmpN₃ [Dipp, 2,6-diisopropylphenyl; Dmp, 2,6-di(2',4',6'-trimethylphenyl)phenyl], afforded the cobalt(II) terminal imido complexes [(Me₃P)₃Co(NAr)] (Ar = Dipp, 1; Dmp, 2). The cobalt imido complexes in their solid states show trigonal pyramidal coordination geometry and long Co-N(imido) separations (ca. 1.71 Å). Spectroscopic characterization and theoretical studies indicated their low-spin cobalt(II) nature. Reactivity studies on 1 revealed its nitrene-transfer reactions with PMe₃ and CO, the imido/oxo and imido/sulfido exchange reactions with PhCHO and CS₂, and the single-electron oxidation reaction by ferrocenium cation to form cobalt(III) imide.

Generation and characterisation of a stable nickel(ii)-aminoxyl radical complex

A stable nickel(ii)-aminoxyl radical complex was generated by the reaction of a nickel(ii) complex supported by a tren ligand (tris(2-aminoethyl)amine) having bulky m-terphenyl substituents (TIPT: 3,5-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)phenyl) and m-CPBA (m-chloroperoxybenzoic acid). The formation mechanism of the nickel(ii)-aminoxyl radical complex was examined.

Specific Enhancement of Catalytic Activity by a Dicopper Core: Selective Hydroxylation of Benzene to Phenol with Hydrogen Peroxide

A dicopper(II) complex, stabilized by the bis(tpa) ligand 1,2-bis[2-[bis(2-pyridylmethyl)aminomethyl]-6-pyridyl]ethane (6-hpa), [Cu₂ (μ-OH)(6-hpa)]³⁺ , was synthesized and structurally characterized. This complex catalyzed selective hydroxylation of benzene to phenol using H₂ O₂ , thus attaining large turnover numbers (TONs) and high H₂ O₂ efficiency. The TON after 40 hours for the phenol production exceeded 12000 in MeCN at 50 °C under N₂ , the highest value reported for benzene hydroxylation with H₂ O₂ catalyzed by homogeneous complexes. At 22 % benzene conversion, phenol (95.2 %) and p-benzoquinone (4.8 %) were produced. The mechanism of H₂ O₂ activation and benzene hydroxylation is proposed.

Synthesis and reactivity of a mononuclear non-haem cobalt(IV)-oxo complex

Terminal cobalt(IV)-oxo (Co^IV-O) species have been implicated as key intermediates in various cobalt-mediated oxidation reactions. Herein we report the photocatalytic generation of a mononuclear non-haem [(13-TMC)Co^IV(O)]²⁺ (2) by irradiating [Co^II(13-TMC)(CF₃SO₃)]⁺ (1) in the presence of [Ru^II(bpy)₃]²⁺, Na₂S₂O₈, and water as an oxygen source. The intermediate 2 was also obtained by reacting 1 with an artificial oxidant (that is, iodosylbenzene) and characterized by various spectroscopic techniques. In particular, the resonance Raman spectrum of 2 reveals a diatomic Co-O vibration band at 770 cm^-1, which provides the conclusive evidence for the presence of a terminal Co-O bond. In reactivity studies, 2 was shown to be a competent oxidant in an intermetal oxygen atom transfer, C-H bond activation and olefin epoxidation reactions. The present results lend strong credence to the intermediacy of Co^IV-O species in cobalt-catalysed oxidation of organic substrates as well as in the catalytic oxidation of water that evolves molecular oxygen.

Copper-Oxygen Complexes Revisited: Structures, Spectroscopy, and Reactivity

A longstanding research goal has been to understand the nature and role of copper-oxygen intermediates within copper-containing enzymes and abiological catalysts. Synthetic chemistry has played a pivotal role in highlighting the viability of proposed intermediates and expanding the library of known copper-oxygen cores. In addition to the number of new complexes that have been synthesized since the previous reviews on this topic in this journal (Mirica, L. M.; Ottenwaelder, X.; Stack, T. D. P. Chem. Rev. 2004, 104, 1013-1046 and Lewis, E. A.; Tolman, W. B. Chem. Rev. 2004, 104, 1047-1076), the field has seen significant expansion in the (1) range of cores synthesized and characterized, (2) amount of mechanistic work performed, particularly in the area of organic substrate oxidation, and (3) use of computational methods for both the corroboration and prediction of proposed intermediates. The scope of this review has been limited to well-characterized examples of copper-oxygen species but seeks to provide a thorough picture of the spectroscopic characteristics and reactivity trends of the copper-oxygen cores discussed.

Transition Metal-Catalyzed C-H Amination: Scope, Mechanism, and Applications

Catalytic transformation of ubiquitous C-H bonds into valuable C-N bonds offers an efficient synthetic approach to construct N-functionalized molecules. Over the last few decades, transition metal catalysis has been repeatedly proven to be a powerful tool for the direct conversion of cheap hydrocarbons to synthetically versatile amino-containing compounds. This Review comprehensively highlights recent advances in intra- and intermolecular C-H amination reactions utilizing late transition metal-based catalysts. Initial discovery, mechanistic study, and additional applications were categorized on the basis of the mechanistic scaffolds and types of reactions. Reactivity and selectivity of novel systems are discussed in three sections, with each being defined by a proposed working mode.

A New Domain of Reactivity for High-Valent Dinuclear [M(μ-O)2 M'] Complexes in Oxidation Reactions

The strikingly different reactivity of a series of homo- and heterodinuclear [(MIII )(μ-O)2 (MIII )']2+ (M=Ni; M'=Fe, Co, Ni and M=M'=Co) complexes with β-diketiminate ligands in electrophilic and nucleophilic oxidation reactions is reported, and can be correlated to the spectroscopic features of the [(MIII )(μ-O)2 (MIII )']2+ core. In particular, the unprecedented nucleophilic reactivity of the symmetric [NiIII (μ-O)2 NiIII ]2+ complex and the decay of the asymmetric [NiIII (μ-O)2 CoIII ]2+ core through aromatic hydroxylation reactions represent a new domain for high-valent bis(μ-oxido)dimetal reactivity.

Oxygen activation by mononuclear Mn, Co, and Ni centers in biology and synthetic complexes

The active sites of metalloenzymes that catalyze O₂-dependent reactions generally contain iron or copper ions. However, several enzymes are capable of activating O₂ at manganese or nickel centers instead, and a handful of dioxygenases exhibit activity when substituted with cobalt. This minireview summarizes the catalytic properties of oxygenases and oxidases with mononuclear Mn, Co, or Ni active sites, including oxalate-degrading oxidases, catechol dioxygenases, and quercetin dioxygenase. In addition, recent developments in the O₂ reactivity of synthetic Mn, Co, or Ni complexes are described, with an emphasis on the nature of reactive intermediates featuring superoxo-, peroxo-, or oxo-ligands. Collectively, the biochemical and synthetic studies discussed herein reveal the possibilities and limitations of O₂ activation at these three "overlooked" metals.

Synthesis of Secondary Unsaturated Lactams via an Aza-Heck Reaction

The preparation of unsaturated secondary lactams via the palladium-catalyzed cyclization of O-phenyl hydroxamates onto a pendent alkene is reported. This method provides rapid access to a broad range of lactams that are widely useful building blocks in alkaloid synthesis. Mechanistic studies support an aza-Heck-type pathway.

Characterization and Reactivity Studies of a Terminal Copper-Nitrene Species

High-valent terminal copper-nitrene species have been postulated as key intermediates in copper-catalyzed aziridination and amination reactions. The high reactivity of these intermediates has prevented their characterization for decades, thereby making the mechanisms ambiguous. Very recently, the Lewis acid adduct of a copper-nitrene intermediate was trapped at -90 °C and shown to be active in various oxidation reactions. Herein, we describe for the first time the synthesis and spectroscopic characterization of a terminal copper(II)-nitrene radical species that is stable at room temperature in the absence of any Lewis acid. The azide derivative of a triazamacrocyclic ligand that had previously been utilized in the stabilization of aryl-Cu^III intermediates was employed as an ancillary ligand in the study. The terminal copper(II)-nitrene radical species is able to transfer a nitrene moiety to phosphines and abstract a hydrogen atom from weak C-H bonds, leading to the formation of oxidized products in modest yields.

Alkali-Controlled C-H Cleavage or N-C Bond Formation by N2-Derived Iron Nitrides and Imides

Formation of N-H and N-C bonds from functionalization of N2 is a potential route to utilization of this abundant resource. One of the key challenges is to make the products of N2 activation reactive enough to undergo further reactions under mild conditions. This paper explores the strategy of "alkali control," where the presence of an alkali metal cation enables the reduction of N2 under mild conditions, and then chelation of the alkali metal cation uncovers a highly reactive species that can break benzylic C-H bonds to give new N-H and Fe-C bonds. The ability to "turn on" this C-H activation pathway with 18-crown-6 is demonstrated with three different N2 reduction products of N2 cleavage in an iron-potassium system. The alkali control strategy can also turn on an intermolecular reaction of an N2-derived nitride with methyl tosylate that gives a new N-C bond. Since the transient K(+)-free intermediate reacts with this electrophile but not with the weak C-H bonds in 1,4-cyclohexadiene, it is proposed that the C-H cleavage occurs by a deprotonation mechanism. The combined results demonstrate that a K(+) ion can mask the latent nucleophilicity of N2-derived nitride and imide ligands within a trimetallic iron system and points a way toward control over N2 functionalization.

A Synthetic Oxygen Atom Transfer Photocycle from a Diruthenium Oxyanion Complex

Three new diruthenium oxyanion complexes have been prepared, crystallographically characterized, and screened for their potential to photochemically unmask a reactive Ru-Ru═O intermediate. The most promising candidate, Ru2(chp)4ONO2 (4, chp = 6-chloro-2-hydroxypyridinate), displays a set of signals centered around m/z = 733 amu in its MALDI-TOF mass spectrum, consistent with the formation of the [Ru2(chp)4O](+) ([6](+)) ion. These signals shift to 735 amu in 4*, which contains an (18)O-labeled nitrate. EPR spectroscopy and headspace GC-MS analysis indicate that NO2(•) is released upon photolysis of 4, also consistent with the formation of 6. Photolysis of 4 in CH2Cl2 at room temperature in the presence of excess PPh3 yields OPPh3 in 173% yield; control experiments implicate 6, NO2(•), and free NO3(-) as the active oxidants. Notably, Ru2(chp)4Cl (3) is recovered after photolysis. Since 3 is the direct precursor to 4, the results described herein constitute the first example of a synthetic cycle for oxygen atom transfer that makes use of light to generate a putative metal oxo intermediate.

Redox-Active-Ligand-Mediated Formation of an Acyclic Trinuclear Ruthenium Complex with Bridging Nitrido Ligands

Coordination of a redox-active pyridine aminophenol ligand to Ru(II) followed by aerobic oxidation generates two diamagnetic Ru(III) species [1 a (cis) and 1 b (trans)] with ligand-centered radicals. The reaction of 1 a/1 b with excess NaN3 under inert atmosphere resulted in the formation of a rare bis(nitrido)-bridged trinuclear ruthenium complex with two nonlinear asymmetrical Ru-N-Ru fragments. The spontaneous reduction of the ligand centered radical in the parent 1 a/1 b supports the oxidation of a nitride (N(3-) ) to half an equivalent of N2 . The trinuclear omplex is reactive toward TEMPO-H, tin hydrides, thiols, and dihydrogen.

Enhanced Electron Transfer Reactivity of a Nonheme Iron(IV)-Imido Complex as Compared to the Iron(IV)-Oxo Analogue

Reactions of N,N-dimethylaniline (DMA) with nonheme iron(IV)-oxo and iron(IV)-tosylimido complexes occur via different mechanisms, such as an N-demethylation of DMA by a nonheme iron(IV)-oxo complex or an electron transfer dimerization of DMA by a nonheme iron(IV)-tosylimido complex. The change in the reaction mechanism results from the greatly enhanced electron transfer reactivity of the iron(IV)-tosylimido complex, such as the much more positive one-electron reduction potential and the smaller reorganization energy during electron transfer, as compared to the electron transfer properties of the corresponding iron(IV)-oxo complex.

A cobalt(ii) iminoiodane complex and its scandium adduct: mechanistic promiscuity in hydrogen atom abstraction reactions

In addition to imidometal [Mⁿ⁺NR] units, transient metal–iminoiodane [M⁽ⁿ⁻²⁾⁺−N(R)IPh] adducts have been demonstrated as a possible “second oxidant” responsible for the imido group transfer reactivity.

Dioxo-vanadium(v), oxo-rhenium(v) and dioxo-uranium(vi) complexes with a tridentate Schiff base ligand

The complexation of a tridentate Schiff base ligand with three oxo-metal ions lead to the formations of four new complexes.

Synthesis and characterisation of a mesocyclic tripodal triamine ligand

The preparation and characterisation of mesocyclic polydentate amine ligands is described. The novel tridentate ligands will be employed in the stabilisation of highly reactive high-valent oxidants.

Synthesis of a "Masked" Terminal Nickel(II) Sulfide by Reductive Deprotection and its Reaction with Nitrous Oxide

The addition of 1 equiv of KSCPh3 to [L(R)NiCl] (L(R) = {(2,6-iPr2C6H3)NC(R)}2CH; R = Me, tBu) in C6H6 results in the formation of [L(R)Ni(SCPh3)] (1: R = Me; 2: R = tBu) in good yields. Subsequent reduction of 1 and 2 with 2 equiv of KC8 in cold (-25 °C) Et2O in the presence of 2 equiv of 18-crown-6 results in the formation of "masked" terminal Ni(II) sulfides, [K(18-crown-6)][L(R)Ni(S)] (3: R = Me; 4: R = tBu), also in good yields. An X-ray crystallographic analysis of these complexes suggests that they feature partial multiple-bond character in their Ni-S linkages. Addition of N2O to a toluene solution of 4 provides [K(18-crown-6)][L(tBu)Ni(SN=NO)], which features the first example of a thiohyponitrite (κ(2)-[SN=NO](2-)) ligand.

Evidence of two-state reactivity in alkane hydroxylation by Lewis-acid bound copper-nitrene complexes

The behavior of the Lewis-acid adducts of two copper-nitrene [Cu(NR)](+) complexes in nitrene-transfer and H-atom abstraction reactions have been demonstrated to depend on the nature of the nitrene substituents. Two-state reactivity, in which a singlet ground state and a nearby triplet excited-state both contribute, provides a useful model for interpreting reactivity trends of the two compounds.

C-H Activation of Benzene by a Photoactivated Ni(II)(azide): Formation of a Transient Nickel Nitrido Complex

Photochemical activation of nickel-azido complex 2 [Ni(N3)(PNP)] (PN(H)P=2,2'-di(isopropylphosphino)-4,4'-ditolylamine) in neat benzene produces diamagnetic complex 3 [Ni(Ph)(PN(P)N(H))], which is crystallographically characterized. DFT calculations support photoinitiated N2-loss of the azido complex to generate a rare, transient Ni(IV) nitrido species, which bears significant nitridyl radical character. Subsequent trapping of this nitrido through insertion into the Ni-P bond generates a coordinatively unsaturated Ni(II) imidophosphorane P=N donor. This species shows unprecedented reactivity toward 1,2-addition of a C-H bond of benzene to form 3. The structurally characterized chlorido complex 4 [Ni(Cl)(PN(P)N(H))] is generated by reaction of 3 with HCl or by direct photolysis of 2 in chlorobenzene. This is the first report of aromatic C-H bond activation by a trapped transient nitrido species of a late transition metal.

Transition metal complexes and the activation of dioxygen

In order to address how diverse metalloprotein active sites, in particular those containing iron and copper, guide O₂binding and activation processes to perform diverse functions, studies of synthetic models of the active sites have been performed. These studies have led to deep, fundamental chemical insights into how O₂coordinates to mono- and multinuclear Fe and Cu centers and is reduced to superoxo, peroxo, hydroperoxo, and, after O-O bond scission, oxo species relevant to proposed intermediates in catalysis. Recent advances in understanding the various factors that influence the course of O₂activation by Fe and Cu complexes are surveyed, with an emphasis on evaluating the structure, bonding, and reactivity of intermediates involved. The discussion is guided by an overarching mechanistic paradigm, with differences in detail due to the involvement of disparate metal ions, nuclearities, geometries, and supporting ligands providing a rich tapestry of reaction pathways by which O₂is activated at Fe and Cu sites.

Spectroscopic capture and reactivity of a low-spin cobalt(IV)-oxo complex stabilized by binding redox-inactive metal ions

High-valent cobalt-oxo intermediates are proposed as reactive intermediates in a number of cobalt-complex-mediated oxidation reactions. Herein we report the spectroscopic capture of low-spin (S=1/2) Co(IV)-oxo species in the presence of redox-inactive metal ions, such as Sc(3+), Ce(3+), Y(3+), and Zn(2+), and the investigation of their reactivity in C-H bond activation and sulfoxidation reactions. Theoretical calculations predict that the binding of Lewis acidic metal ions to the cobalt-oxo core increases the electrophilicity of the oxygen atom, resulting in the redox tautomerism of a highly unstable [(TAML)Co(III)(O˙)](2-) species to a more stable [(TAML)Co(IV)(O)(M(n+))] core. The present report supports the proposed role of the redox-inactive metal ions in facilitating the formation of high-valent metal-oxo cores as a necessary step for oxygen evolution in chemistry and biology.