The Chemistry of Aluminum(I), Silicon(II), and Germanium(II)

Facile metalation of silicon and germanium analogues of thiocarboxylic acids with a manganese(II) hydride precursor

Synthesis and characterization of the first manganese(II)-containing heavier thiocarboxylate analogues, [L(Dip)Si(=S)OMnL(Dep)] (4; L(Dip)=CH[C(Me)N(2,6-iPr(2)C(6)H(3))](2), L(Dep)=CH[C(Me)N(2,6-Et(2)C(6)H(3))](2)) and [L(Dip)Ge(=S)OMnL(Dep)] (5) are described. They are accessible through reaction of the silicon and germanium analogues of the respective thiocarboxylic acids [L(Dip)E(=S)OH] (E=Si, Ge) with the β-diketiminato (nacnac) manganese(II) hydride precursor [(L(Dep)Mn)(2)(μ-H)(2)] (3) in high yield. The first Mn nacnac hydride 3 has been prepared by the reaction of manganese bromide [(L(Dep)Mn)(2)(μ-Br)(2)] (2) with KBEt(3)H. Compounds 4 and 5 represent the first transition-metal heavier thiocarboxylates with the Si=S and Ge=S functionalities. All new compounds are paramagnetic and were characterized by elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy, MS (EI), and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses. Due to the N→E (E=Si, Ge) and E=S→Mn donor-acceptor interaction as well as the carboxylate-like π-electron delocalization within the E(S)O moieties, the E=S double bonds in these compounds are resonance stabilized.

Interconnected bis-silylenes: a new dimension in organosilicon chemistry

The past two decades have brought remarkable advances in organosilicon chemistry with the isolation of stable silylenes, persila-allene, and disilynes. The extension of this list gives an impression that it will continue to flourish. The judicous employment of sterically appropriate ligands has enabled the synthesis and isolation of compounds with low-valent silicon. Recently, for example, interconnected bis-silylenes were isolated where the two Si atoms are connected by a σ-bond and each Si atom is possessing a lone pair of electrons. The formal oxidation state of each Si atom in the interconnected bis-silylene is +1, so bis-silylenes can be considered as the valence isomers of disilynes. In this Account, we describe the synthesis of interconnected bis-silylenes and assess their potential as a new building block in organosilicon chemistry. In 2009, we reported the isolation of a bis-silylene ((PhC(NtBu)(2))(2)Si(2)) stabilized by a sterically bulky benz-amidinato ligand with tBu substituents on the nitrogen atoms. Prior to our work, Robinson and co-workers described the synthesis of a N-heterocyclic carbene stabilized bis-silylene. In following years, just two more interconnected bis-silylenes have been reported. Density functional theory calculations to establish the geometric and electronic structures of the reported bis-silylenes have shown that the Wiberg bond index (WBI) for all the reported bis-silylenes is ~1. The synthesis of stable (PhC(NtBu)(2))(2)Si(2) prompted explorations of its reactivity. An important facet of silylene chemistry involves oxidative addition at the Si(II) center with unsaturated substrates, a reaction also available for bis-silylenes. Due to the three reaction sites (two lone pairs of electrons and a labile Si(I)-Si(I) single bond) in the interconnected bis-silylenes, we expect novel product formation. A labile Si-Si bond facilitates the reactions of (PhC(NtBu)(2))(2)Si(2) with diphenyl alkyne or adamantyl phosphaalkyne which afforded 1,4- disilabenzene and 1,3-disilacarbaphosphide (CSi(2)P) derivatives, respectively. The former is a noteworthy addition to the silicon analogues of benzene, and the latter serves as a heavy cyclobutadiene. With white phosphorus, a cyclic Si(2)P(2) derivative, an analogue of cyclobutadiene was obtained. The most predominant structural feature of these heavy cyclobutadienes is the presence of two-coordinate P atoms.

Group 14 hydrides with low valent elements for activation of small molecules

Transition metal compounds are well known as activators of small molecules, and they serve as efficient catalysts for a variety of homogeneous and heterogeneous transformations. In contrast, there is a general feeling that main group compounds cannot act as efficient catalysts because of their inability to activate small molecules. Traditionally, the activation of small molecules is considered one of the key steps during a catalytic cycle with transition metals. As a consequence, researchers have long neglected the full range of possibilities in harnessing main group elements for the design of efficient catalysts. Recent developments, however, have made it possible to synthesize main group compounds with low-valent elements capable of activating small molecules. In particular, the judicious use of sterically appropriate ligands has been successful in preparing and stabilizing a variety of Group 14 hydrides with low-valent elements. In this Account, we discuss recent advances in the synthesis of Group 14 hydrides with low-valent elements and assess their potential as small-molecule activators. Group 14, which comprises the nonmetal C, the semimetals Si and Ge, and the metals Sn and Pb, was for years a source of hydrides with the Group 14 element almost exclusively in tetravalent form. Synthetic difficulties and the low stability of Group 14 hydrides in lower oxidation states were difficult to overcome. But in 2000, a divalent Sn(II) hydride was prepared as a stable compound through the incorporation of sterically encumbered aromatic ligands. More recently, the stabilization of GeH(2) and SnH(2) complexes using an N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) as a donor and BH(3) or a metal carbonyl complex as an acceptor was reported. A similar strategy was also employed to synthesize the Si(II) hydride. This class of hydrides may be considered coordinatively saturated, with the lone pair of electrons on the Group 14 elements taking part in coordination. We discuss the large-scale synthesis of hydrides of the form LMH (where M is Ge or Sn, L is CH(N(Ar)(CMe))(2), and Ar is 2,6-iPr(2)C(6)H(3)), which has made it possible to test their reactivity in the activation of small molecules. Unlike the tetravalent Group 14 hydrides, the Ge(II) and Sn(II) hydrides were found to be able to activate a number of small molecules in the absence of any externally added catalyst. For example, the Ge(II) hydride and Sn(II) hydride can activate CO(2), and the reaction results in the formation of Ge(II) and Sn(II) esters of formic acid. This product represents a prototype of a new class of compounds of Group 14 elements. Moreover, we examined the activation of carbonyl compounds, alkynes, diazo and azo compounds, azides, and compounds containing the C═N bond. These Group 14 hydrides with low-valent elements are shown to be able to activate a number of important small molecules with C≡C, C═O, N═N, and C═N bonds. The activation of small molecules is an important step forward in the realization of main group catalyst development. Although it is not yet customary to assay the potential of newly synthesized main group compounds for small-molecule activation, our results offer good reason to do so.

Activation of phosphorus by group 14 elements in low oxidation states

The activation of phosphorus remains a popular and competitive area of research driven by the dual goals of finding ways to avoid the environmentally questionable P-Cl compounds applied in many industrial processes and the target of catalytic functionalization of P(4). In recent years the activation, degradation, fragmentation, and functionalization of white phosphorus by compounds with heavier main group elements have become a fertile area of research. The isolation of various carbenes and functionalized silylenes has prompted chemists to investigate their reactions with white phosphorus. The most intriguing fact in these reactions is the subtle change in the substituents may afford strikingly different compounds. For example, from the reaction of P(4) with PhC(NtBu)(2)SiCl a cyclic Si(2)P(2) derivative is obtained, whereas the analogous reaction with PhC(NtBu)(2)SiN(SiMe(3))(2) resulted in an acyclic Si(2)P(4) framework. Similar phenomena have also been observed in the carbene mediated P(4) activation. Apart from these, a new entry point into phosphorus chemistry is the gentle activation of P(4) by an alkyne analogue of tin. In this feature article we have covered the activation of phosphorus by compounds with low valent group 14 elements with special concern to the recent developments in this topic.

Synthesis and characterization of silver(I) adducts supported solely by 1,3,5-triazapentadienyl ligands or by triazapentadienyl and other N-donors

Halogenated 1,3,5-triazapentadienyl ligands [N{(C(3)F(7))C(C(6)F(5))N}(2)](-), [N{(CF(3))C(C(6)F(5))N}(2)](-) and [N{(C(3)F(7))C(2,6-Cl(2)C(6)H(3))N}(2)](-), alone or in combination with other N-donors like CH(3)CN, CH(3)(CH(2))(2)CN, and N(C(2)H(5))(3), have been used in the stabilization of thermally stable, two-, three- or four-coordinate silver(i) adducts. X-Ray crystallographic analyses of {[N{(C(3)F(7))C(C(6)F(5))N}(2)]Ag}(n), {[N{(C(3)F(7))C(C(6)F(5))N}(2)]Ag(NCCH(3))}(n), {[N{(C(3)F(7))C(2,6-Cl(2)C(6)H(3))N}(2)]Ag(NCCH(3))}(n), {[N{(CF(3))C(C(6)F(5))N}(2)]Ag(NCCH(3))(2)}(n) and {[N{(C(3)F(7))C(C(6)F(5))N}(2)]Ag(NCC(3)H(7))}(n) revealed the presence of bridging 1,3,5-triazapentadienyl ligands bonded to silver through terminal nitrogen atoms. These adducts are polymeric in the solid state. [N{(C(3)F(7))C(2,6-Cl(2)C(6)H(3))N}(2)]AgN(C(2)H(5))(3) is monomeric and features a 1,3,5-triazapentadienyl ligand bonded to Ag(I) in a κ(1)-fashion via only one of the terminal nitrogen atoms. The solid state structure of [N{(C(3)F(7))C(C(6)F(5))N}(2)]H has also been reported and it forms polymeric chains via inter-molecular N-H···N hydrogen-bonding.