Synthesis and Reactivity of Low-Coordinate Iron(II) Fluoride Complexes and Their Use in the Catalytic Hydrodefluorination of Fluorocarbons

Selective aromatic C-F and C-H bond activation with silylenes of different coordinate silicon

Herein we report on the reaction of stable two-coordinate silylene, L(1)Si [L(1) = CH{(C=CH(2))(CMe)(2,6-iPr(2)C(6)H(3)N)(2)}] (1) and three-coordinate silylene (Lewis base stabilized silylene), L(2)SiCl [L(2) = PhC(NtBu)(2)] (2) with aromatic compounds containing C-F and C-H bonds. The reaction of 1 and 2 with hexafluorobenzene (C(6)F(6)) affords the silicon(IV) fluorides, L(1)SiF(C(6)F(5)) (3) and L(2)SiFCl(C(6)F(5)) (4), respectively. The reaction proceeds through the unprecedented oxidative addition of one of the C-F bonds to the silicon(II) center without any additional catalyst. When 1 and 2 are treated with octafluorotoluene (C(6)F(5)CF(3)), pentafluoropyridine (C(5)F(5)N) regioselective C-F bond activation occurs leading to the formation of L(1)SiF(4-C(6)F(4)CF(3)) (5), L(1)SiF(4-C(5)F(4)N) (6), L(2)SiFCl(4-C(6)F(4)CF(3)) (7), and L(2)SiFCl(4-C(5)F(4)N) (8), respectively. More interestingly, compounds 1 and 2 react with pentafluorobenzene (C(6)F(5)H) under formation of silicon(IV) hydride L(1)SiH(C(6)F(5)) (9) by chemoselective C-H bond activation, in the latter case producing silicon(IV) fluoride L(2)SiFCl(4-C(6)F(4)H) (10) by chemo- as well as regioselective C-F bond activation. Furthermore, the reaction of 1 with 1,3,5-trifluorobenzene (1,3,5-C(6)F(3)H(3)) leads to the chemoselective formation of silicon(IV) hydride L(1)SiH(1,3,5-C(6)F(3)H(2)) (11). The formation of compounds 9 and 11 occurs via oxidative addition of the aromatic C-H bond to the silicon(II) center instead of C-F bond activation. All reported reactions proceed without any additional catalyst. Compounds 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11 were investigated by microanalysis and multinuclear NMR spectroscopy and compounds 3, 7, 8, and 9 additionally by single crystal X-ray structural analyses.

Halo, Alkyl, Aryl, and Bis(imido) Complexes of Niobium Supported by the beta-Diketiminato Ligand

Synthesis of the complex (BDI)Nb(N(t)Bu)Cl(2)py (BDI = HC[C(Me)N(2,6-iPr(2)-C(6)H(3))](2)) was achieved in high yield following the treatment of Nb(N(t)Bu)Cl(3)py(2) with Li(BDI)(OEt(2)). Substitution of the chlorides for fluorides was effected by introducing 2.0 equiv of Me(3)SnF in toluene, providing the pyridine-coordinated difluoride complex (BDI)Nb(N(t)Bu)F(2)py in modest yield. The pyridine ligands from both halide compounds were removed by treatment of the pyridine adducts with B(C(6)F(5))(3), affording the Lewis base-free complexes (BDI)Nb(NtBu)X(2) (X = Cl, F). Additionally, the Lewis base-free dichlorides of the (t)Bu-imido and Ar-imido (Ar = 2,6-(i)Pr(2)-C(6)H(3)) complexes were obtained following treatment of Nb(NR)Cl(3)(dme) (R = tBu, Ar) with Li(BDI)(OEt(2)). The pyridine-coordinated dichloride was alkylated and arylated to form the dimethyl complex (BDI)Nb(N(t)Bu)Me(2) (described previously, see text) and the mono(p-tolyl) complex (BDI)Nb(N(t)Bu)Cl(p-tol), the latter of which was methylated with MeMgBr to yield the mixed alkyl/aryl complex (BDI)Nb(N(t)Bu)Me(p-tol) in good yield. A rare example of a Group 5 bis((t)Bu-imido) species was synthesized in good yield via treatment of (BDI)Nb(N(t)Bu)Cl(2)py with 2.0 equiv of LiNHtBu to form (BDI)Nb(NtBu)(2)py. Exchange of the coordinated pyridine ligand for either pyridine-d(5) or dmap (p-(dimethylamino)pyridine) was shown to occur through a dissociative mechanism, allowing for removal of the coordinated Lewis base by treatment with B(C(6)F(5))(3). The resulting average C(2v)-symmetric tetracoordinate bis(imido) complex (BDI)Nb(N(t)Bu)(2) was characterized in solution by NMR spectroscopy and observed to undergo clean thermal decomposition to yield (BDI(#))Nb(N(t)Bu)(NH(t)Bu) (BDI(#) = H(2)C=C(NAr)CH=C(NAr)Me) over several hours at room temperature. Treatment of the four-coordinate bis(imido) with (t)BuNCO resulted in clean [2 + 2] cycloaddition to yield an oxaazametallacyclobutane complex, which was further observed to extrude (t)BuN=C=N(t)Bu over 12 h at room temperature. The molecular structures of (BDI)Nb(N(t)Bu)Cl(2)py, (BDI)Nb(NAr)Cl(2), (BDI)Nb(N(t)Bu)Me(2), (BDI)Nb(N(t)Bu)Cl(p-tol), (BDI)Nb(N(t)Bu)(2)py, and (BDI)Nb(NtBu)(2)(dmap) were determined crystallographically. Finally, DFT (BP86) geometry optimization calculations on a model complex of the thermally unstable four-coordinate bis(imido) species allowed for identification of the orbital interactions leading to activation of the imido groups through mixing with the BDI frontier orbitals.

Monofluoride bridged, binuclear metallacycles of first row transition metals supported by third generation bis(1-pyrazolyl)methane ligands: unusual magnetic properties

The reaction of M(BF(4))(2).xH(2)O, where M is Fe, Co, Cu, and Zn, and the ditopic, bis(pyrazolyl)methane ligand m-[CH(pz)(2)](2)C(6)H(4), L(m), where pz is a pyrazolyl ring, yields the monofluoride bridged, binuclear [M(2)(mu-F)(mu-L(m))(2)](BF(4))(3) complexes. In contrast, a similar reaction of L(m) with Ni(BF(4))(2).6H(2)O yields dibridged [Ni(2)(mu-F)(2)(mu-L(m))(2)](BF(4))(2). The solid state structures of seven [M(2)(mu-F)(mu-L(m))(2)](BF(4))(3) complexes show that the divalent metal ion is in a five-coordinate, trigonal bipyramidal, coordination environment with either a linear or nearly linear M-F-M bridging arrangement. NMR results indicate that [Zn(2)(mu-F)(mu-L(m))(2)](BF(4))(3) retains its dimeric structure in solution. The [Ni(2)(mu-F)(2)(mu-L(m))(2)](BF(4))(2) complex has a dibridging fluoride structure that has a six-coordination environment about each nickel(II) ion. In the solid state, the [Fe(2)(mu-F)(mu-L(m))(2)](BF(4))(3) and [Co(2)(mu-F)(mu-L(m))(2)](BF(4))(3) complexes show weak intramolecular antiferromagnetic exchange coupling between the two metal(II) ions with J values of -10.4 and -0.67 cm(-1), respectively; there is no observed long-range magnetic order. Three different solvates of [Cu(2)(mu-F)(mu-L(m))(2)](BF(4))(3) are diamagnetic between 5 and 400 K, thus showing strong antiferromagnetic exchange interactions of -600 cm(-1) or more negative. Mossbauer spectra indicate that [Fe(2)(mu-F)(mu-L(m))(2)](BF(4))(3) exhibits no long-range magnetic order between 4.2 and 295 K and isomer shifts that are consistent with the presence of five-coordinate, high-spin iron(II).

Ligand dependence of binding to three-coordinate Fe(II) complexes

A series of three- and four-coordinate iron(II) complexes with nitrogen, chlorine, oxygen, and sulfur ligands is presented. The electronic variation is explored by measuring the association constant of the neutral ligands and the reduction potential of the iron(II) complexes. Varying the neutral ligand gives large changes in K(eq), which decrease in the order CN(t)Bu > pyridine >2-picoline > DMF > MeCN > THF > PPh(3). These differences can be attributed to a mixture of steric effects and electronic effects (both sigma-donation and pi-backbonding). The binding constants and the reduction potentials are surprisingly insensitive to changes in an anionic spectator ligand. This suggests that three-coordinate iron(II) complexes may have similar binding trends as proposed three-coordinate iron(II) intermediates in the FeMoco of nitrogenase, even though the anionic spectator ligands in the synthetic complexes differ from the sulfides in the FeMoco.

New Routes to Low-Coordinate Iron Hydride Complexes: The Binuclear Oxidative Addition of H(2)

The oxidative addition and reductive elimination reactions of H(2) on unsaturated transition-metal complexes are crucial in utilizing this important molecule. Both biological and man-made iron catalysts use iron to perform H(2) transformations, and highly unsaturated iron complexes in unusual geometries (tetrahedral and trigonal planar) are anticipated to give unusual or novel reactions. In this paper, two new synthetic routes to the low-coordinate iron hydride complex [L(tBu)Fe(μ-H)](2) are reported. Et(3)SiH was used as the hydride source in one route by taking advantage of the silaphilicity of the fluoride ligand in three-coordinate L(tBu)FeF. The other synthetic method proceeded through the binuclear oxidative addition of H(2) or D(2) to a putative Fe(I) intermediate. Deuteration was verified through reduction of an alkyne and release of the deuterated alkene product. Mössbauer spectra of [L(tBu)Fe(μ-H)](2) indicate that the samples are pure, and that the iron(II) centers are high-spin.

Synthesis and characterization of iron derivatives having a pyridine-linked bis(anilide) pincer ligand

A pyridine-linked bis(aniline) pincer ligand, [2]H(2) ([2]H(2) = (2,6-NC(5)H(3)(2-(2,4,6-Me(3)C(6)H(2))-NHC(6)H(4))(2)), has been synthesized in two steps. Deprotonation with Me(3)SiCH(2)Li followed by metalation with FeCl(2) yielded a LiCl adduct of [2]Fe. The complex is freed of LiCl with excess TlPF(6) or by crystallization from toluene/petroleum ether, giving [2]Fe(THF). [2]Fe(THF) reacts with I(2) and O(2) to generate [2]FeI and ([2]Fe)(2)O, respectively. The complexes have been characterized by (1)H NMR spectroscopy, elemental analysis, X-ray crystallography, and UV-vis spectroscopy. [2]Fe(THF) has been examined using cyclic voltammetry.

C-F activation at rhodium boryl complexes: formation of 2-fluoroalkyl-1,3,2-dioxaborolanes by catalytic functionalization of hexafluoropropene

Fluorinated building blocks by C-F bond cleavage: Catalytic C-F activation reactions that give novel dioxaborolanes have been developed (see scheme). The reactions proceed at room temperature, and catalytic intermediates are presumably rhodium hydride and boryl species.

A low-coordinate nickel(ii) hydride complex and its reactivity

The preparation of a novel dinuclear nickel(ii) hydride complex and its reactivity that often leads to nickel(i) compounds is described.