Single and Double CCl-Activation of Methylene Chloride by P,N-ligand Coordinated Rhodium Complexes

C-Cl Bond Activation at Rotated vs Unrotated Dinuclear Site Related to [FeFe]-Hydrogenases

The novel dinuclear complex related to the [FeFe]-hydrogenases active site, [Fe2(μ-pdt)(κ2-dmpe)2(CO)2] (1), is highly reactive toward chlorinated compounds CHxCl4-x (x = 1, 2) affording selectively terminal or bridging chloro diiron isomers through a C-Cl bond activation. DFT calculations suggest a cooperative mechanism involving a formal concerted regioselective chloronium transfer depending on the unrotated or rotated conformation of two isomers of 1.

C-Cl Oxidative Addition and C-C Reductive Elimination Reactions in the Context of the Rhodium-Promoted Direct Arylation

A cycle of stoichiometric elemental reactions defining the direct arylation promoted by a redox-pair Rh(I)-Rh(III) is reported. Starting from the rhodium(I)-aryl complex RhPh{κ3-P,O,P-[xant(PiPr2)2]} (xant(PiPr2)2 = 9,9-dimethyl-4,5-bis(diisopropylphosphino)xanthene), the reactions include C-Cl oxidative addition of organic chlorides, halide abstraction from the resulting six-coordinate rhodium(III) derivatives, C-C reductive coupling between the initial aryl ligand and the added organic group, oxidative addition of a C-H bond of a new arene, and deprotonation of the generated hydride-rhodium(III)-aryl species to form a new rhodium(I)-aryl derivative. In this context, the kinetics of the oxidative additions of 2-chloropyridine, chlorobenzene, benzyl chloride, and dichloromethane to RhPh{κ3-P,O,P-[xant(PiPr2)2]} and the C-C reductive eliminations of biphenyl and benzylbenzene from [RhPh2{κ3-P,O,P-[xant(PiPr2)2]}]BF4 and [RhPh(CH2Ph){κ3-P,O,P-[xant(PiPr2)2]}]BF4, respectively, have been studied. The oxidative additions generally involve the cis addition of the C-Cl bond of the organic chloride to the rhodium(I) complex, being kinetically controlled by the C-Cl bond dissociation energy; the weakest C-Cl bond is faster added. The C-C reductive elimination is kinetically governed by the dissociation energy of the formed bond. The C(sp3)-C(sp2) coupling to give benzylbenzene is faster than the C(sp2)-C(sp2) bond formation to afford biphenyl. In spite of that a most demanding orientation requirement is needed for the C(sp3)-C(sp2) coupling than for the C(sp2)-C(sp2) bond formation, the energetic effort for the pregeneration of the C(sp3)-C(sp2) bond is lower. As a result, the weakest C-C bond is formed faster.

Alkali Metal Adducts of an Iron(0) Complex and Their Synergistic FLP-Type Activation of Aliphatic C-X Bonds

We report the formation and full characterization of weak adducts between Li⁺ and Na⁺ cations and a neutral iron(0) complex, [Fe(CO)₃(PMe₃)₂] (1), supported by weakly coordinating [BAr^F₂₀] anions, [1·M][BAr^F₂₀] (M = Li, Na). The adducts are found to synergistically activate aliphatic C-X bonds (X = F, Cl, Br, I, OMs, OTf), leading to the formation of iron(II) organyl compounds of the type [FeR(CO)₃(PMe₃)₂][BAr^F₂₀], of which several were isolated and fully characterized. Stoichiometric reactions with the resulting iron(II) organyl compounds show that this system can be utilized for homocoupling and cross-coupling reactions and the formation of new C-E bonds (E = C, H, O, N, S). Further, we utilize [1·M][BAr^F₂₀] as a catalyst in a simple hydrodehalogenation reaction under mild conditions to showcase its potential use in catalytic reactions. Finally, the mechanism of activation is probed using DFT and kinetic experiments that reveal that the alkali metal and iron(0) center cooperate to cleave C-X via a mechanism closely related to intramolecular FLP activation.

Activation, Deactivation and Reversibility Phenomena in Homogeneous Catalysis: A Showcase based on the Chemistry of Rhodium/Phosphine Catalysts

In the present work, the rich chemistry of rhodium/phosphine complexes, which are applied as homogeneous catalysts to promote a wide range of chemical transformations, has been used to showcase how the in situ generation of precatalysts, the conversion of precatalysts into the actually active species, as well as the reaction of the catalyst itself with other components in the reaction medium (substrates, solvents, additives) can lead to a number of deactivation phenomena and thus impact the efficiency of a catalytic process. Such phenomena may go unnoticed or may be overlooked, thus preventing the full understanding of the catalytic process which is a prerequisite for its optimization. Based on recent findings both from others and the authors’ laboratory concerning the chemistry of rhodium/diphosphine complexes, some guidelines are provided for the optimal generation of the catalytic active species from a suitable rhodium precursor and the diphosphine of interest; for the choice of the best solvent to prevent aggregation of coordinatively unsaturated metal fragments and sequestration of the active metal through too strong metal–solvent interactions; for preventing catalyst poisoning due to irreversible reaction with the product of the catalytic process or impurities present in the substrate.

Methylene insertion into an Fe2S2 cluster: formation of a thiolate-bridged diiron complex containing an Fe-CH2-S moiety

Reduction of a thiolate-bridged FeIIFeIII complex leads to the cleavage of an Fe-S bond by the insertion of the methylene unit from CH2Cl2 to give a neutral FeIIFeIII complex with a novel Fe-CH2-S fragment. The structural and electrochemical differences of the alkylated and the non-alkylated Fe2S2 complexes are also examined.

Insight into the Activation of In Situ Generated Chiral RhI Catalysts and Their Application in Cyclotrimerizations

We report a detailed study concerning the efficient generation of highly active chiral rhodium complexes of the general structure [Rh(diphosphine)(solvent)₂ ]⁺ as well as their exemplary successful utilization as catalysts for cyclotrimerizations. Such solvent complexes could likewise be prepared from novel ammonia complexes of the type [Rh(diphosphine)(NH₃ )₂ ]⁺ . A valuable, feasible approach to generate novel chiral Rh^I complexes was found by in situ generation from Wilkinson's catalyst [RhCl(PPh₃ )₃ ] with chiral P,N ligands. The generated catalysts led to moderate to good enantioselectivities and excellent yields in the cyclotrimerizations of triynes, showcasing their usefulness in the synthesis of axially chiral benzene derivatives.

Reactivity of a Fe(III)-Bound Methoxide Supported with a Tris(thiolato)phosphine Ligand: Activation of C-Cl Bond in CH2Cl2 by Nucleophilic Attack of a Fe(III)-OCH3 Moiety

Two mononuclear nonheme Fe(III) complexes, [PPh4][Fe(III)(PS3″)(OCH3)] (1) and [PPh4][Fe(III)(PS3″)(Cl)] (2), supported by a tris(benzenethiolato)phosphine derivative PS3″ (PS3″ = P(C6H3-3-Me3Si-2-S)3(3-)) have been synthesized and characterized. The structures resolved from X-ray crystallography show that Fe(III) centers in both complexes adopt distorted trigonal-bipyramidal geometry with a methoxide or a chloride binding in the axial position. The magnetic data for both are consistent with intermediate-spin Fe(III) centers with a C3 symmetry (S = 3/2 ground state). The bound methoxide in 1 is labile and can be replaced by a CH3CN molecule. The forming Fe(III)-CH3CN species can be further reduced by cobaltcene quantitatively to a stable Fe(II)-CH3CN complex, [Fe(PS3″)(CH3CN)](-). One-electron oxidation of 2 by ferrocenium gave a Fe(IV) analogue, [Fe(IV)(PS3″)(Cl)]. Importantly, the Fe(III)-OCH3 moiety in complex 1 acts as a strong nucleophile that activates the C-Cl bond in CH2Cl2, leading to the formation of complex 2 quantitatively. Complex 1 also reacts with other electrophiles, benzyl chloride and benzyl bromide, to generate Fe(III)-X species (X = Cl or Br). The reactions were investigated and monitored by UV-vis-NIR, NMR, and ESI-MS spectroscopies.

Six-coordinate high-spin iron(ii) complexes with bidentate PN ligands based on 2-aminopyridine - new Fe(ii) spin crossover systems

Several new octahedral iron(ii) complexes of the type [Fe(PN(R)-Ph)2X2] (X = Cl, Br; R = H, Me) containing bidentate PN(R)-Ph (R = H, Me) (1a,b) ligands based on 2-aminopyridine were prepared. (57)Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy and magnetization studies confirmed in all cases their high spin nature at room temperature with magnetic moments very close to 4.9μB reflecting the expected four unpaired d-electrons in all these compounds. While in the case of the PN(H)-Ph ligand an S = 2 to S = 0 spin crossover was observed at low temperatures, complexes with the N-methylated analog PN(Me)-Ph retain an S = 2 spin state also at low temperatures. Thus, [Fe(PN(H)-Ph)2X2] (2a,3a) and [Fe(PN(Me)-Ph)2X2] (2b,3b) adopt different geometries. In the first case a cis-Cl,P,N-arrangement seems to be most likely, as supported by various experimental data derived from (57)Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy, SQUID magnetometry, UV/Vis, Raman, and ESI-MS as well as DFT and TDDFT calculations, while in the case of the PN(Me)-Ph ligand a trans-Cl,P,N-configuration is adopted. The latter is also confirmed by X-ray crystallography. In contrast to [Fe(PN(Me)-Ph)2X2] (2b,3b), [Fe(PN(H)-Ph)2X2] (2a,3a) is labile and undergoes rearrangement reactions. In CH3OH, the diamagnetic dicationic complex [Fe(PN(H)-Ph)3](2+) (5) is formed via the intermediacy of cis-P,N-[Fe(κ(2)-P,N-PN(H)-Ph)2(κ(1)-P-PN(H)-Ph)(X)](+) (4a,b) where one PN ligand is coordinated in a κ(1)-P-fashion. In CH3CN the diamagnetic dicationic complex cis-N,P,N-[Fe(PN(H)-Ph)2(CH3CN)2](2+) (6) is formed as a major isomer where the two halide ligands are replaced by CH3CN.

The role of solvent in organometallic chemistry — Oxidative addition with dichloromethane or chloroform

Dimethylplatinum(II) complexes [PtMe2(NN)], with NN = diimine ligand, can react with dichloromethane or chloroform solvent to give the corresponding organoplatinum(IV) complexes [PtClMe2(CH2Cl)(NN)] or [PtClMe2(CHCl2)(NN)], respectively. The products can exist in isomeric forms, corresponding to products of cis or trans oxidative addition. The structures of three dichloromethane adducts and one chloroform adduct are reported.

Facile synthetic access to rhenium(II) complexes: activation of carbon-bromine bonds by single-electron transfer

The five-coordinated Re(I) hydride complexes [Re(Br)(H)(NO)(PR(3))(2)] (R=Cy 1 a, iPr 1 b) were reacted with benzylbromide, thereby affording the 17-electron mononuclear Re(II) hydride complexes [Re(Br)(2)(H)(NO)(PR(3))(2)] (R=Cy 3 a, iPr 3 b), which were characterized by EPR, cyclic voltammetry, and magnetic susceptibility measurements. In the case of dibromomethane or bromoform, the reaction of 1 afforded Re(II) hydrides 3 in addition to Re(I) carbene hydrides [Re(=CHR(1))(Br)(H)(NO)(PR(3))(2)] (R(1)=H 4, Br 5; R=Cy a, iPr b) in which the hydride ligand is positioned cis to the carbene ligand. For comparison, the dihydrogen Re(I) dibromide complexes [Re(Br)(2)(NO)(PR(3))(2)(eta(2)-H(2))] (R=Cy 2 a, iPr 2 b) were reacted with allyl- or benzylbromide, thereby affording the monophosphine Re(II) complex salts [R(3)PCH(2)R'][Re(Br)(4)(NO)(PR(3))] (R'=-CH=CH(2) 6, Ph 7). The reduction of Re(II) complexes has also been examined. Complex 3 a or 3 b can be reduced by zinc to afford 1 a or 1 b in high yield. Under catalytic conditions, this reaction enables homocoupling of benzylbromide (turnover frequency (TOF): 3 a 150, 3 b 134 h(-1)) or allylbromide (TOF: 3 a 575, 3 b 562 h(-1)). The reaction of 6 a and 6 b with zinc in acetonitrile affords in good yields the monophosphine Re(I) complexes [Re(Br)(2)(NO)(MeCN)(2)(PR(3))] (R=Cy 8 a, iPr 8 b), which showed high catalytic activity toward highly selective dehydrogenative silylation of styrenes (maximum TOF of 61 h(-1)). Single-electron transfer (SET) mechanisms were proposed for all these transformations. The molecular structures of 3 a, 6 a, 6 b, 7 a, 7 b, and 8 a were established by single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies.