Isonitriles as supporting and non-innocent ligands in metal catalysis

Isonitriles are unique ligands for metal catalysis, owing to the possibility of their steric and electronic tuning as well as their non-innocent nature to undergo transformations with nucleophiles.

Heterocyclic carbenes: synthesis and coordination chemistry

The chemistry of heterocyclic carbenes has experienced a rapid development over the last years. In addition to the imidazolin-2-ylidenes, a large number of cyclic diaminocarbenes with different ring sizes have been described. Aside from diaminocarbenes, P-heterocyclic carbenes, and derivatives with only one, or even no heteroatom within the carbene ring are known. New methods for the synthesis of complexes with N-heterocyclic carbene ligands such as the oxidative addition or the metal atom template controlled cyclization of beta-functionalized isocyanides have been developed recently. This review summarizes the new developments regarding the synthesis of N-heterocyclic carbenes and their metal complexes.

Synthesis of BenzannulatedN-Heterocyclic Carbene Ligands by a Template Synthesis from 2-Nitrophenyl Isocyanide

The reaction of 2-nitrophenyl isocyanide 2 with [M(CO)5(thf)] (M=Cr, Mo, W) yields the isocyanide complexes [M(CO)5(2)] (3: M=Cr; 4: M=Mo; 5: M=W). Complexes 3-5 react with elemental tin under reduction of the nitro function of the isocyanide ligand to give the complexes with the unstable 2-aminophenyl isocyanide ligand. The coordinated 2-aminophenyl isocyanide ligand in all three complexes reacts spontaneously under intramolecular nucleophilic attack of the primary amine at the isocyanide carbon atom to yield the complexes with the NH,NH-benzimidazol-2-ylidene ligand (6: M=Cr; 7: M=Mo; 8: M=W). An incomplete reduction of the nitro group in 3-5 is observed when hydrazine hydrate is used instead of tin. Here the formation of complexes with a coordinated 2-hydroxylamine-functionalized phenyl isocyanide [(CO)5M-CN-C6H(4-)-2-N(H)-OH] is postulated and this unstable ligand again undergoes intramolecular cyclization to give the NH,NOH-stabilized benzimidazol-2-ylidene complexes 9-11. The tungsten derivative 11 can be allylated stepwise by a deprotonation/alkylation sequence first at the OH and then at the NH position to yield the monoallylated and diallylated species 12 and 13. The molecular structures of 3-5 and 12-13 were established by X-ray crystallography.

Metal Complexes of Pyridylphenylisocyanides and Pyridylethynylphenylisocyanides as Building Blocks for Coordination Polymers and Supramolecular Assemblies

The isocyanides 3-(4-pyridylethynyl)phenylisocyanide, 3, 4-(4-pyridylethynyl)phenylisocyanide, 6, 2,6-diisopropyl-4-(4-pyridylethynyl)phenylisocyanide, 9, and 2,6-diisopropyl-4-(4-pyridyl)phenylisocyanide, 11, were prepared. With PdI(2) and PtI(2), these isocyanides form the complexes trans-[MI(2)(CNR)(2)], 12-19 (M = Pd, Pt; CNR = 3, 6, 9, 11). The previously prepared complex trans-[PdI(2)(CNC(5)H(4)N-3)(2)] and trans-[PdI(2)(CNC(6)H(2)-(i-Pr)(2)-2,6-(CC-C(5)H(4)N-4)-4)(2)], 16, combine with copper bis(trifluoroacetylacetonate) in the ratio of 1:2 to form the adducts trans-[PdI(2)(CNC(5)H(4)N-3)(2)].2[Cu(tfacac)(2)].2CH(2)Cl(2), 20, and trans-[PdI(2)(CNC(6)H(2)-(i-Pr)(2)-2,6-(CC-C(5)H(4)N-4)-4)(2)].2[Cu(tfacac)(2)], 21, respectively. The complexes trans-[MI(2)(CNC(6)H(2)-(i-Pr)(2)-2,6-(C(5)H(4)N-4)-4)(2)], 19 (M = Pd) and 20 (M = Pt), react with [Pd(SO(3)CF(3))(2)(dppp)] (dppp = bisdiphenylphosphinopropane) to form the molecular squares [Pd(dppp)(trans-[MI(2)(CNC(6)H(2)-(i-Pr)(2)-2,6-(C(5)H(4)N-4)-4)(2)](4)(SO(3)CF(3))(8), 22 (M = Pd) and 23 (M = Pt). The crystal structure of 20 has been determined by X-ray crystallography. 20: C(34)H(28)Cl(4)Cu(2)F(12)I(2)N(4)O(8)Pd, monoclinic space group, P2(1)/n (No. 14), a = 10.899(3) Å, b = 13.903(1) Å, c = 17.827(6) Å, beta = 105.50(2) degrees, Z = 2, 2618 unique reflections, R = 0.093, R(w) = 0.091.

Transition Metal Complexes of Cyanoisocyanoarenes as Building Blocks for One-, Two-, and Three-Dimensional Molecular Solids

The complexes trans-[MI(2)(CNC(6)H(4)-CN-4)(2)], (M = Pd and Pt), trans-[FeI(2)L(4)] (L = CNC(6)H(4)-CN-4 and CNC(6)H(2)-Me(2)-2,6-CN-4), and [Mn(CNC(6)H(4)-CN-4)(6)][SO(3)CF(3)] were prepared. The compounds are thermally stable up to 230 degrees C or higher. The molecular structure of trans-[FeI(2)(CNC(6)H(4)-CN-4)(4)] was determined by X-ray crystallography: monoclinic, space group P2(1)/n, a = 11.570(2) Å, b = 10.1052(8) Å, c = 28.138(7) Å, beta = 92.034(9) degrees, Z = 4, 3464 unique reflections, R = 0.074, R(w) = 0.089. The complexes contain the peripheral cyano groups in linear, planar, and octahedral dispositions, respectively. Solids were obtained by combining solutions of [PdI(2)(CNC(6)H(4)-CN-4)(2)] and [Cu(hfacac)(2)], [FeI(2)(CNC(6)H(4)-CN-4)(4)] and AgSO(3)CF(3), [FeI(2)(CNC(6)H(2)-Me(2)-2,6-CN-4)(4)] and [Rh(2)(O(2)CCF(3))(4)], and [Mn(CNC(6)H(4)-CN-4)(6)][SO(3)CF(3)] and [Rh(2)(O(2)CCF(3))(4)]. [PdI(2)(CNC(6)H(4)-CN-4)(2)] and [Cu(hfacac)(2)] in a ratio of 1:2 form a crystalline, one-dimensional solid: monoclinic, space group P2(1)/c, a = 8.317(2) Å, b = 13.541(1) Å, c = 22.568(5) Å, beta = 100.45(1) degrees, Z = 2, 3279 unique reflections, R = 0.037, R(w) = 0.047.