Structural and Spectroscopic Characterization of an Electrophilic Iron Nitrido Complex

Testing the polynuclear hypothesis: multielectron reduction of small molecules by triiron reaction sites

High-spin trinuclear iron complex ((tbs)L)Fe3(thf) ([(tbs)L](6-) = [1,3,5-C6H9(NC6H4-o-NSi(t)BuMe2)3](6-)) (S = 6) facilitates 2 and 4e(-) reduction of NxHy type substrates to yield imido and nitrido products. Reaction of hydrazine or phenylhydrazine with ((tbs)L)Fe3(thf) yields triiron μ(3)-imido cluster ((tbs)L)Fe3(μ(3)-NH) and ammonia or aniline, respectively. ((tbs)L)Fe3(μ(3)-NH) has a similar zero-field (57)Fe Mössbauer spectrum compared to previously reported [((tbs)L)Fe3(μ(3)-N)]NBu4, and can be directly synthesized by protonation of the anionic triiron nitrido with lutidinium tetraphenylborate. Deprotonation of the triiron parent imido ((tbs)L)Fe3(μ(3)-NH) with lithium bis(trimethylsilyl)amide results in regeneration of the triiron nitrido complex capped with a thf-solvated Li cation [((tbs)L)Fe3(μ(3)-N)]Li(thf)3. The lithium capped nitrido, structurally similar to the pseudo C3-symmetric triiron nitride with a tetrabutylammonium countercation, is rigorously C3-symmetric featuring intracore distances of Fe-Fe 2.4802(5) Å, Fe-N(nitride) 1.877(2) Å, and N(nitride)-Li 1.990(6) Å. A similar 2e(-) reduction of 1,2-diphenylhydrazine by ((tbs)L)Fe3(thf) affords ((tbs)L)Fe3(μ(3)-NPh) and aniline. The solid state structure of ((tbs)L)Fe3(μ(3)-NPh) is similar to the series of μ(3)-nitrido and -imido triiron complexes synthesized in this work with average Fe-Nimido and Fe-Fe bond lengths of 1.941(6) and 2.530(1) Å, respectively. Reductive N═N bond cleavage of azobenzene is also achieved in the presence of ((tbs)L)Fe3(thf) to yield triiron bis-imido complex ((tbs)L)Fe3(μ(3)-NPh)(μ(2)-NPh), which has been structurally characterized. Ligand redox participation has been ruled out, and therefore, charge balance indicates that the bis-imido cluster has undergone a 4e(-) metal based oxidation resulting in an (Fe(IV))(Fe(III))2 formulation. Cyclic voltammograms of the series of triiron clusters presented herein demonstrate that oxidation states up to (Fe(IV))(Fe(III))2 (in the case of [((tbs)L)Fe3(μ(3)-N)]NBu4) are electrochemically accessible. These results highlight the efficacy of high-spin, polynuclear reaction sites to cooperatively mediate small molecule activation.

Cobalt azide complexes with a tris(carbene)borate ligand scaffold

The four-coordinate CoIIcomplex, (azido-κN)[1,1,′,1′′-(phenylboranetriyl)tris(3-tert-butyl-1H-imidazol-2-ylidene)]cobalt(II), [Co(C27H38BN6)(N3)], (1), denoted PhB(t-BuIm)3CoN3, was prepared by the reaction of the corresponding chloride complex with NaN3. One-electron oxidation results in the isolation of the five-coordinate CoIIIcomplex, bis(azido-κN)[1,1,′,1′′-(phenylboranetriyl)tris(3-tert-butyl-1H-imidazol-2-ylidene)]cobalt(III), [Co(C27H38BN6)(N3)2], (2), denoted PhB(t-BuIm)3Co(N3)2. Attempts to prepare cobalt nitrides by thermolysis or photolysis of these complexes were unsuccessful.

Generation of a high-valent iron imido corrolazine complex and NR group transfer reactivity

The generation of a new high-valent iron terminal imido complex prepared with a corrolazine macrocycle is reported. The reaction of [Fe(III)(TBP8Cz)] (TBP8Cz = octakis(4-tert-butylphenyl)corrolazinato) with the commercially available chloramine-T (Na(+)TsNCl(-)) leads to oxidative N-tosyl transfer to afford [Fe(IV)(TBP8Cz(+•))(NTs)] in dichloromethane/acetonitrile at room temperature. This complex was characterized by UV-vis, Mössbauer (δ = -0.05 mm s(-1), ΔE(Q) = 2.94 mm s(-1)), and EPR (X-band (15 K), g = 2.10, 2.00) spectroscopies, and together with reactivity patterns and DFT calculations has been established as an iron(IV) species antiferromagnetically coupled with a Cz-π-cation-radical (S(total) = 1/2 ground state). Reactivity studies with triphenylphosphine as substrate show that [Fe(IV)(TBP8Cz(+•))(NTs)] is an efficient NTs transfer agent, affording the phospharane product Ph3P═NTs under both stoichiometric and catalytic conditions. Kinetic analysis of this reaction supports a bimolecular NTs transfer mechanism with rate constant of 70(15) M(-1) s(-1). These data indicate that [Fe(IV)(TBP8Cz(+•))(NTs)] reacts about 100 times faster than analogous Mn terminal arylimido corrole analogues. It was found that two products crystallize from the same reaction mixture of Fe(III)(TBP8Cz) + chloramine-T + PPh3, [Fe(IV)(TBP8Cz)(NPPh3)] and [Fe(III)(TBP8Cz)(OPPh3)], which were definitively characterized by X-ray crystallography. The sequential production of Ph3P═NTs, Ph3P═NH, and Ph3P═O was observed by (31)P NMR spectroscopy and led to a proposed mechanism that accounts for all of the observed products. The latter Fe(III) complex was then rationally synthesized and structurally characterized from Fe(III)(TBP8Cz) and OPPh3, providing an important benchmark compound for spectroscopic studies. A combination of Mössbauer and EPR spectroscopies led to the characterization of both intermediate spin (S = 3/2 and low spin (S = 1/2) Fe(III) corrolazines, as well as a formally Fe(IV) corrolazine which may also be described by its valence tautomer Fe(III)(Cz(+•)).

Conversion of Fe-NH2 to Fe-N2 with release of NH3

Tris(phosphine)borane ligated Fe(I) centers featuring N(2)H(4), NH(3), NH(2), and OH ligands are described. Conversion of Fe-NH(2) to Fe-NH(3)(+) by the addition of acid, and subsequent reductive release of NH(3) to generate Fe-N(2), is demonstrated. This sequence models the final steps of proposed Fe-mediated nitrogen fixation pathways. The five-coordinate trigonal bipyramidal complexes described are unusual in that they adopt S = 3/2 ground states and are prepared from a four-coordinate, S = 3/2 trigonal pyramidal precursor.

Tris(carbene)borate ligands featuring imidazole-2-ylidene, benzimidazol-2-ylidene, and 1,3,4-triazol-2-ylidene donors. Evaluation of donor properties in four-coordinate {NiNO}10 complexes

The synthesis and characterization of new tris(carbene)borate ligand precursors containing substituted benzimidazol-2-ylidene and 1,3,4-triazol-2-ylidene donor groups, as well as a new tris(imidazol-2-ylidene)borate ligand precursor are reported. The relative donor strengths of the tris(carbene)borate ligands have been evaluated by the position of ν(NO) in four-coordinate {NiNO}(10) complexes, and follow the order: imidazol-2-ylidene > benzimidazol-2-ylidene > 1,3,4-triazol-2-ylidene. There is a large variation in ν(NO), suggesting these ligands to have a wide range of donor strengths while maintaining a consistent ligand topology. All ligands are stronger donors than Tp* and Cp*.

Manganese nitride complexes in oxidation states III, IV, and V: synthesis and electronic structure

The synthesis and characterization of a series of manganese nitrides in a tripodal chelating tris(carbene) ligand framework is described. Photolysis of [(TIMEN(xyl))Mn(N(3))](+) (where TIMEN(xyl) = tris[2-(3-xylylimidazol-2-ylidene)ethyl]amine) yields the isolable molecular Mn(IV) nitride, [(TIMEN(xyl))Mn(N)](+). Spectroscopic and DFT studies indicate that this Mn(IV) d(3) complex has a doublet electronic ground state. The metal-centered one-electron oxidation of this Mn(IV) species results in formation of the pentavalent Mn(V) nitride, [(TIMEN(xyl))Mn(N)](2+). Unlike previously reported, tetragonal Mn(V) nitrides with a d(2), nonmagnetic S = 0 ground state, this trigonal bipyramidal complex has a triplet ground state S = 1. One-electron reduction of [(TIMEN(xyl))Mn(N)](+) produces the neutral, nonmagnetic trivalent [(TIMEN(xyl))Mn(N)] species with a d(4) low-spin, S = 0, ground state.

The biology and chemistry of high-valent iron-oxo and iron-nitrido complexes

Selective functionalization of unactivated C-H bonds and ammonia production are extremely important industrial processes. A range of metalloenyzmes achieve these challenging tasks in biology by activating dioxygen and dinitrogen using cheap and abundant transition metals, such as iron, copper and manganese. High-valent iron-oxo and -nitrido complexes act as active intermediates in many of these processes. The generation of well-described model compounds can provide vital insights into the mechanism of such enzymatic reactions. Advances in the chemistry of model high-valent iron-oxo and -nitrido systems can be related to our understanding of the biological systems.

N₂reduction and hydrogenation to ammonia by a molecular iron-potassium complex

The most common catalyst in the Haber-Bosch process for the hydrogenation of dinitrogen (N(2)) to ammonia (NH(3)) is an iron surface promoted with potassium cations (K(+)), but soluble iron complexes have neither reduced the N-N bond of N(2) to nitride (N(3-)) nor produced large amounts of NH(3) from N(2). We report a molecular iron complex that reacts with N(2) and a potassium reductant to give a complex with two nitrides, which are bound to iron and potassium cations. The product has a Fe(3)N(2) core, implying that three iron atoms cooperate to break the N-N triple bond through a six-electron reduction. The nitride complex reacts with acid and with H(2) to give substantial yields of N(2)-derived ammonia. These reactions, although not yet catalytic, give structural and spectroscopic insight into N(2) cleavage and N-H bond-forming reactions of iron.

M≡E and M=E Complexes of Iron and Cobalt that Emphasize Three-fold Symmetry (E = O, N, NR)

Mid-to-late transition metal complexes that feature terminal, multiply bonded ligands such as oxos, imides, and nitrides have been invoked as intermediates in several catalytic transformations of synthetic and biological significance. Until about ten years ago, isolable examples of such species were virtually unknown. Over the past decade or so, numerous chemically well-defined examples of such species have been discovered. In this context, the presentreview summarizes the development of 4- and 5-coordinate Fe(E) and Co(E) species under local three-fold symmetry.

Oxidative group transfer to a triiron complex to form a nucleophilic μ(3)-nitride, [Fe3(μ(3)-N)]-

Utilizing a hexadentate ligand platform, a high-spin trinuclear iron complex of the type ((tbs)L)Fe(3)(thf) was synthesized and characterized ([(tbs)L](6-) = [1,3,5-C(6)H(9)(NPh-o-NSi(t)BuMe(2))(3)](6-)). The silyl-amide groups only permit ligation of one solvent molecule to the tri-iron core, resulting in an asymmetric core wherein each iron ion exhibits a distinct local coordination environment. The triiron complex ((tbs)L)Fe(3)(thf) rapidly consumes inorganic azide ([N(3)]NBu(4)) to afford an anionic, trinuclear nitride complex [((tbs)L)Fe(3)(μ(3)-N)]NBu(4). The nearly C(3)-symmetric complex exhibits a highly pyramidalized nitride ligand that resides 1.205(3) Å above the mean triiron plane with short Fe-N (1.871(3) Å) distances and Fe-Fe separation (2.480(1) Å). The nucleophilic nitride can be readily alkylated via reaction with methyl iodide to afford the neutral, trinuclear methylimide complex ((tbs)L)Fe(3)(μ(3)-NCH(3)). Alkylation of the nitride maintains the approximate C(3)-symmetry in the imide complex, where the imide ligand resides 1.265(9) Å above the mean triiron plane featuring lengthened Fe-N(imide) bond distances (1.892(3) Å) with nearly equal Fe-Fe separation (2.483(1) Å).

Slow magnetic relaxation in a family of trigonal pyramidal iron(II) pyrrolide complexes

We present a family of trigonal pyramidal iron(II) complexes supported by tris(pyrrolyl-α-methyl)amine ligands of the general formula [M(solv)(n)][(tpa(R))Fe] (M = Na, R = tert-butyl (1), phenyl (4); M = K, R = mesityl (2), 2,4,6-triisopropylphenyl (3), 2,6-difluorophenyl (5)) and their characterization by X-ray crystallography, Mössbauer spectroscopy, and high-field EPR spectroscopy. Expanding on the discovery of slow magnetic relaxation in the recently reported mesityl derivative 2, this homologous series of high-spin iron(II) complexes enables an initial probe of how the ligand field influences the static and dynamic magnetic behavior. Magnetization experiments reveal large, uniaxial zero-field splitting parameters of D = -48, -44, -30, -26, and -6.2 cm(-1) for 1-5, respectively, demonstrating that the strength of axial magnetic anisotropy scales with increasing ligand field strength at the iron(II) center. In the case of 2,6-difluorophenyl substituted 5, high-field EPR experiments provide an independent determination of the zero-field splitting parameter (D = -4.397(9) cm(-1)) that is in reasonable agreement with that obtained from fits to magnetization data. Ac magnetic susceptibility measurements indicate field-dependent, thermally activated spin reversal barriers in complexes 1, 2, and 4 of U(eff) = 65, 42, and 25 cm(-1), respectively, with the barrier of 1 constituting the highest relaxation barrier yet observed for a mononuclear transition metal complex. In addition, in the case of 1, the large range of temperatures in which slow relaxation is observed has enabled us to fit the entire Arrhenius curve simultaneously to three distinct relaxation processes. Finally, zero-field Mössbauer spectra collected for 1 and 4 also reveal the presence of slow magnetic relaxation, with two independent relaxation barriers in 4 corresponding to the barrier obtained from ac susceptibility data and to the 3D energy gap between the M(S) = ±2 and ±1 levels, respectively.