Cationic Organometallic Complexes of Scandium, Yttrium, and the Lanthanoids

Synthesis and Reactivity of Metal Complexes Supported by the Tetradentate Monoanionic Ligand Bis(2-picolyl)(2-hydroxy-3,5-di-tert-butylbenzyl)amide (BPPA)

Metal-halide complexes of Ti, V, Y, Zr, Al, Ga, and U supported by the tetradentate monoanionic (TDMA) ligand bis(2-picolyl)(2-hydroxy-3,5-di-tert-butylbenzyl)amine, H(BPPA), were synthesized and spectroscopically characterized. In addition, the complexes (BPPA)TiCl2, (BPPA)VBr2, [(BPPA)YCl2]2, (BPPA)AlCl2, (BPPA)GaCl2, and (BPPA)UI3 were characterized by single-crystal X-ray crystallography. In all cases the ligand is bound kappa4 to the metal center. All structurally characterized compounds are monomeric in the solid-state with the exception of [(BPPA)YCl2]2, which exists as a dimer in the solid-state. The metal-alkyl complexes (BPPA)AlMe2 and (BPPA)Zr(CH2Ph)3 were also synthesized and characterized, and an X-ray structure of (BPPA)Zr(CH2Ph)3 was obtained. The transformation of BPPA from a monoanionic to a dianionic ligand via proton abstraction was observed and monitored by NMR spectroscopy.

Arene Complexes of β-Diketiminato Supported Organoscandium Cations: Mechanism of Arene Exchange and Alkyne Insertion in Solvent Separated Ion Pairs

A family of isolable solvent separated organoscandium methyl cations stabilized by beta-diketiminato ligands (Ar)NC(CH3)CHC(CH3)N(Ar) (Ar=2,6-iPr-C6H3, LMe) has been prepared by reaction of LMeScR2 with [CPh3][B(C6F5)4] in the presence of an arene solvent. Arenes such as bromobenzene, benzene, toluene, para-xylene and mesitylene bind the scandium center in an eta6-bonding mode, yielding cations 1 a-e. Their solution and solid-state structures have been explored using multinuclear NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography. Mechanistic studies on arene exchange reactions and the insertion of diphenylacetylene indicate that these processes occur via arene intermediates of lower hapticity, followed by binding of the incoming reagent. Which of the two steps is rate limiting depends on the arene being displaced and/or the nature of the incoming substrate. The experiments present a unified view of these mechanisms, which have relevance to propagation processes in olefin polymerizations mediated by such cations.

Synthesis and Reactivity of Rare Earth Metal Alkyl Complexes Stabilized by Anilido Phosphinimine and Amino Phosphine Ligands

Anilido phosphinimino ancillary ligand H(2)L(1) reacted with one equivalent of rare earth metal trialkyl [Ln{CH(2)Si(CH(3))(3)}(3)(thf)(2)] (Ln=Y, Lu) to afford rare earth metal monoalkyl complexes [L(1)LnCH(2)Si(CH(3))(3)(THF)] (1 a: Ln=Y; 1 b: Ln=Lu). In this process, deprotonation of H(2)L(1) by one metal alkyl species was followed by intramolecular C--H activation of the phenyl group of the phosphine moiety to generate dianionic species L(1) with release of two equivalnts of tetramethylsilane. Ligand L(1) coordinates to Ln(3+) ions in a rare C,N,N tridentate mode. Complex l a reacted readily with two equivalents of 2,6-diisopropylaniline to give the corresponding bis-amido complex [(HL(1))LnY(NHC(6)H(3)iPr(2)-2,6)(2)] (2) selectively, that is, the C--H activation of the phenyl group is reversible. When 1 a was exposed to moisture, the hydrolyzed dimeric complex [{(HL(1))Y(OH)}(2)](OH)(2) (3) was isolated. Treatment of [Ln{CH(2)Si(CH(3))(3)}(3)(thf)(2)] with amino phosphine ligands HL(2-R) gave stable rare earth metal bis-alkyl complexes [(L(2-R))Ln{CH(2)Si(CH(3))(3)}(2)(thf)] (4 a: Ln=Y, R=Me; 4 b: Ln=Lu, R=Me; 4 c: Ln=Y, R=iPr; 4 d: Ln=Y, R=iPr) in high yields. No proton abstraction from the ligand was observed. Amination of 4 a and 4 c with 2,6-diisopropylaniline afforded the bis-amido counterparts [(L(2-R))Y(NHC(6)H(3)iPr(2)-2,6)(2)(thf)] (5 a: R=Me; 5 b: R=iPr). Complexes 1 a,b and 4 a-d initiated the ring-opening polymerization of d,l-lactide with high activity to give atactic polylactides.

High tacticity control in organolanthanide polymerization catalysis: formation of isotactic poly(α-alkenes) with a chiral C3-symmetric thulium complex

The thulium complexes [Tm((i)Pr-trisox)(CH(2)SiMe(2)R)(3)] (R = Me , Ph ) were synthesized from the thulium trialkyl precursors [Tm(CH(2)SiMe(2)R)(3)(thf)(2)]; reaction of with two equivalents of [Ph(3)C][B(C(6)F(5))(4)] gave a cationic complex 1c, which was found to polymerize 1-hexene, 1-heptene and 1-octene to give the corresponding polyolefins with moderate to good activities and with minimum isotacticity of 90%, 83% and 95%, respectively.

Lutetium alkyl and hydride complexes in a non-cyclopentadienyl coordination environment

Lutetium alkyl complexes [Lu(L)(CH(2)SiMe(3))(THF)(n)], which contain a sulfur-linked bis(phenolato) ligand such as 2,2'-thiobis(6-tert-butyl-4-methylphenolate) (L=tbmp, 1) or 1,4-dithiabutanediyl-bis(6-tert-butyl-4-methylphenolate) (L=etbmp, 2), were isolated from the reaction of the lutetium tris(alkyl) complex [Lu(CH(2)SiMe(3))(3)(THF)(2)] with H(2)L. The monomeric structures of these complexes were confirmed by X-ray diffraction studies, showing distorted octahedral geometry around the metal centre. The reaction of [Lu(tbmp)(CH(2)SiMe(3))(THF)(2)] (1) with alcohols ROH (R=iPr, CHPh(2), CPh(3)) results in the formation of the corresponding alkoxide complexes [Lu(tbmp)(OR)(THF)(n)] (4-6). With PhSiH(3) hydride complexes [Lu(L)(mu-H)(THF)(n)](2) (L=tbmp, 7; etbmp, 8) have been prepared in moderate to good yields. They adopt a dimeric form in the solid state as revealed by the X-ray crystal structure of 7. The reactivity of the hydride complexes and their catalytic activity in the ring-opening polymerisation of L-lactide and the hydrosilylation of alkenes are also discussed.

C–H activation motivated by N,N′-diisopropylcarbodiimide within a lutetium complex stabilized by an amino–phosphine ligand

A lutetium bis(alkyl) complex stabilized by a flexible amino-phosphine ligand LLu(CH(2)Si(CH(3))(3))(2)(THF) (L = (2,6-C(6)H(3)(CH(3))(2))NCH(C(6)H(5))CH(2)P(C(6)H(5))(2)) was prepared which upon insertion of N,N'-diisopropylcarbodiimide led to C-H activation via metalation of the ligand aryl methyl followed by reduction of the C[double bond, length as m-dash]N double bond.

The synthesis, X-ray structure and fluxional behaviour of an ytterbium(ii) phenalenide complex

The first lanthanoid complexes containing delocalized phenalenide anions are reported and the rapid migration of the eta(3)-bonded metal centre between the three rings of the pi-system is the first report of a degenerate haptotropic rearrangement in organolanthanoid chemistry.