A Tin Analogue of Carbenoid: Isolation and Reactivity of a Lithium Bis(imidazolin-2-imino)stannylenoid

Isolation and Reactivity of Stannylenoids Stabilized by Amido/Imino Ligands

The reaction of the lithium aryl(silyl)amide Dipp(ⁱ Pr₃ Si)NLi (Dipp=2,6-ⁱ Pr₂ C₆ H₃ ) with one equivalent of SnCl₂ in THF gave a novel stannylenoid Dipp(ⁱ Pr₃ Si)NSnCl⋅LiCl(THF)₂ . Heating the solution of amidostannylenoid in toluene to 80 °C resulted in dimeric amido(chloro)stannylene [Dipp(ⁱ Pr₃ Si)NSnCl]₂ , which can be converted to bis(amido)stannylene Sn[N(Dipp)(ⁱ Pr₃ Si)]₂ and amido(imino)stannylene Sn[N(Dipp)(ⁱ Pr₃ Si)][IPrN] (IPrN=bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)imidazolin-2-imino). Treatment of bis(imino)stannylenoid [IPrN]₂ Sn(Cl)Li with N₂ O resulted in the dimeric complex [IPrNSn(Cl)OLi]₂ . All compounds were characterized by NMR, elementary analysis, and X-ray structural determination.

Mesoionic N-Heterocyclic Imines as Super Nucleophiles in Catalytic Couplings of Amides with CO2

An extended class of stable mesoionic N-heterocyclic imines (mNHIs), containing a highly polarized exocyclic imine moiety, were synthesized. The calculated proton affinities (PA) and experimentally determined Tolman electronic parameters (TEPs) reveal that these synthesized mNHIs have the highest basicity and donor ability among NHIs reported so far. The superior nucleophilicity of newly designed mNHIs was utilized in devising a strategy to incorporate CO₂ as a bridging unit under reductive conditions to couple inert primary amides. This strategy was further extended to hetero-couplings between amide and amine using CO₂ . These hitherto unknown catalytic transformations were introduced in the diversification of various biologically active drug molecules under metal-free conditions. The underlying mechanism was explored by performing a series of control experiments, characterizing key intermediates using spectroscopic and crystallographic techniques.

Isolation and Reactivity of Tetrylene-Tetrylone-Iron Complexes Supported by Bis(N-Heterocyclic Imine) Ligands

The germanium iron carbonyl complex 3 was prepared by the reaction of dimeric chloro(imino)germylene [IPrNGeCl]₂ (IPrN=bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)imidazolin-2-iminato) with one equivalent of Collman's reagent (Na₂ Fe(CO)₄ ) at room temperature. Similarly, the reaction of chloro(imino)stannylene [IPrNSnCl]₂ with Na₂ Fe(CO)₄ (1 equiv) resulted in the Fe(CO)₄ -bridged bis(stannylene) complex 4. We observed reversible formation of bis(tetrylene) and tetrylene-tetrylone character in complexes 3 vs. 5 and 4 vs. 6, which was supported by DFT calculations. Moreover, the Li/Sn/Fe trimetallic complex 12 has been isolated from the reaction of [IPrNSnCl]₂ with cyclopentadienyl iron dicarbonyl anion. The computational analysis further rationalizes the reduction pathway from these chlorotetrylenes to the corresponding complexes.

Me CAAC=N- : A Cyclic (Alkyl)(Amino)Carbene Imino Ligand

A cyclic (alkyl)(amino)carbene (CAAC) has been shown to react with a covalent azide similar to the Staudinger reaction. The reaction of Me CAAC with trimethylsilyl azide afforded the N-silylated 2-iminopyrrolidine (Me CAAC=NSiMe3 ), which was fully characterized. This compound undergoes hydrolysis to afford the 2-iminopyrrolidine and trimethylsiloxane which co-crystallize as a hydrogen-bonded adduct. The N-silylated 2-iminopyrrolidine was used to transfer the novel pyrrolidine-2-iminato ligand onto both main-group and transition-metal centers. The reaction of the tetrabromodiborane bis(dimethyl sulfide) adduct with two equivalents of Me CAAC=NSiMe3 afforded the disubstituted diborane. The reaction of Me CAAC=NSiMe3 with TiCl4 and CpTiCl3 afforded Me CAAC=NTiCl3 and Me CAAC=NTiCl2 Cp, respectively.

An N-Heterocyclic Boryloxy Ligand Isoelectronic with N-Heterocyclic Imines: Access to an Acyclic Dioxysilylene and its Heavier Congeners

Introduced here is a new type of strongly donating N-heterocyclic boryloxy (NHBO) ligand, [(HCDippN)₂ BO]^- (Dipp=2,6-diisopropylphenyl), which is isoelectronic with the well-known N-heterocyclic iminato (NHI) donor class. This 1,3,2-diazaborole functionalized oxy ligand has been used to stabilize the first acyclic two-coordinate dioxysilylene and its Ge, Sn, and Pb congeners, thereby presenting the first complete series of heavier group 14 dioxycarbene analogues. All four compounds have been characterized by X-ray crystallography and density-functional theory, enabling analysis of periodic trends: the potential for the [(HCDippN)₂ BO]^- ligand to subtly vary its electronic-donor capabilities is revealed by snapshots showing the gradual evolution of arene π coordination on going from Si to Pb.

Cation-Triggered Stannate(II)/Stannylenoid/Stannylene Conversion

The reaction of dipotassio-tetrasilan-1,4-diide (4) with anhydrous SnCl₂ at low temperature results in the formation of a five-membered cyclic potassio chlorostannate(II) ([(18-C-6)K](1)). By careful cation exchange reactions, it was transformed into the sodium chlorostannylenoid 2 (by using Na₂ [B₁₂ Cl₁₂ ]) or into the non-stabilized cyclic bissilylstannylene 3 (through applying Li[Al(OC(CF₃ )₃ )₄ ]). The increasing Lewis basicity of the bissilylstannylene 3 was analyzed by combined methods of DFT calculations and NMR spectroscopy and substantiated by the synthesis of the corresponding iron carbonyl complexes 7 and 8 from the chlorostannate 1 and the stannylene 3, respectively.

Reversible Stannylenoid Formation from the Corresponding Stannylene and Cesium Fluoride

A fluorostannylenoid (Cs⁺ [R₂ SnF]^- (9), R₂ =(TMS)₂ CCH₂ CH₂ C(TMS)₂ ) was prepared by reacting a stable dialkylstannylene (R₂ Sn (8), R₂ =(TMS)₂ CCH₂ CH₂ C(TMS)₂ ) with cesium fluoride at room temperature in THF. While 9 is stable in THF and DME, removal of the solvent leads to the regeneration of stannylene 8. No reaction occurred when 8 was treated with CsF in a hydrocarbon solvent. Addition of dibenzo-21-crown-7 ether to the THF solution of stannylenoid 9 followed by usual workup affords the corresponding crystalline stannylenoid crown ether complex, the X-ray structural analysis of which revealed a fluorine-bridged contact ion-pair structure. The reaction of 9 with excess phenylacetylene gives the corresponding di(phenylethynyl)stannane.