Non-Innocent Behaviour of Imido Ligands in the Reactions of Silanes with Half-Sandwich Imido Complexes of Nb and V: A Silane/Imido Coupling Route to Compounds with Nonclassical SiH Interactions

Triple bonds of niobium with silicon, germaniun and tin: the tetrylidyne complexes [(κ3-tmps)(CO)2Nb[triple bond, length as m-dash]E-R] (E = Si, Ge, Sn; tmps = MeSi(CH2PMe2)3; R = aryl)

A systematic, efficient approach to first complexes containing a triple bond between niobium and the elements silicon, germanium or tin is reported. The approach involves a metathetical exchange of the niobium-centered nucleophile (NMe4)[Nb(CO)4(κ2-tmps)] (1) (tmps = MeSi(CH2PMe2)3) with a suitable organotetrel(ii)halide. Compound 1 was obtained from (NMe4)[Nb(CO)6] and the triphosphane tmps by photodecarbonylation. Reaction of 1 with the disilene E-Tbb(Br)Si[double bond, length as m-dash]Si(Br)Tbb in the presence of 4-dimethylaminopyridine afforded selectively the red-brown silylidyne complex [(κ3-tmps)(CO)2Nb[triple bond, length as m-dash]Si-Tbb] (2-Si, Tbb = 4-tert-butyl-2,6-bis(bis(trimethylsilyl)methyl)phenyl). Similarly, treatment of 1 with E(ArMes)Cl (E = Ge, Sn; ArMes = 2,6-mesitylphenyl) afforded after elimination of (NMe4)Cl and two CO ligands the deep magenta colored germylidyne complex [(κ3-tmps)(CO)2Nb[triple bond, length as m-dash]Ge-ArMes] (3-Ge), and the deep violet, light-sensitive stannylidyne complex [(κ3-tmps)(CO)2Nb[triple bond, length as m-dash]Sn-ArMes] (3-Sn), respectively. Formation of 3-Sn proceeds via the niobiastannylene [(κ3-tmps)(CO)3Nb-SnArMes] (4-Sn), which was detected by IR and NMR spectroscopy. The niobium tetrylidyne complexes 2-Si, 3-Ge and 3-Sn were fully characterized and their solid-state structures determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies. All complexes feature an almost linear tetrel coordination and the shortest Nb-E bond lengths (d(Nb-Si) = 232.7(2) pm; d(Nb-Ge) = 235.79(4) pm; d(Nb-Sn) = 253.3(1) pm) reported to date. Reaction of 3-Ge with a large excess of H2O afforded upon cleavage of the Nb-Ge triple bond the hydridogermanediol Ge(ArMes)H(OH)2. Photodecarbonylation of [CpNb(CO)4] (Cp = η5-C5H5) in the presence of Ge(ArMes)Cl afforded the red-orange chlorogermylidene complex [Cp(CO)3Nb[double bond, length as m-dash]Ge(ArMes)Cl] (5-Ge). The molecular structure of 5-Ge features an upright conformation of the germylidene ligand, a trigonal-planar coordinated Ge atom, and a Nb-Ge double bond length of 251.78(6) pm, which lies in-between the Nb-Ge triple bond length of 3-Ge (235.79(4) pm) and a Nb-Ge single bond length (267.3 pm). Cyclic voltammetric studies of 2-Si, 3-Ge, and 3-Sn reveal several electron-transfer steps. One-electron oxidation and reduction of the germylidyne complex of 3-Ge in THF are electrochemically reversible suggesting that both the radical cation and radical anion of 3-Ge are accessible species in solution.

Unusual κ1 coordination of a β-diketiminate ligand in niobium complexes

Reaction of (BDI)Nb(N(t)Bu)Cl2py with NaCp results in the κ(1)-coordination of the BDI ligand in the complex (κ(1)-N,BDI)CpNb(N(t)Bu)Cl (2). Via chloride abstraction from 2, we develop synthetic routes to structurally analogous cationic and Nb(IV) pseudo-four coordinate complexes where the BDI ligand returns to the κ(2)-coordination mode. We compare these to our previously reported tetrahedral niobium bis(imido) complexes to investigate the effects of the Cp ligand on the properties of Nb-BDI-imido systems. Substitution of the chloride in 2 with a hydride also causes return to bidentate binding of the BDI ligand. The X-ray crystal structures of these complexes have been determined, and the structural parameters reflecting the consequences of the electronic differences are discussed.

NHC carbene supported half-sandwich hydridosilyl complexes of ruthenium: the impact of supporting ligands on Si⋯H interligand interactions

Electron donating NHC carbene ligand IPr exerts stronger RuH⋯Si interactions in complexes Cp(IPr)RuH₂(SiR₃) than in related ⁱPr₃P complexes Cp(ⁱPr₃P)RuH₂(SiR₃).

Unusual structure, fluxionality, and reaction mechanism of carbonyl hydrosilylation by silyl hydride complex [(ArN=)Mo(H)(SiH2Ph)(PMe3)3]

The reactions of bis(borohydride) complexes [(RN=)Mo(BH4)2(PMe3)2] (4: R = 2,6-Me2C6H3; 5: R = 2,6-iPr2C6H3) with hydrosilanes afford new silyl hydride derivatives [(RN=)Mo(H)(SiR'3)(PMe3)3] (3: R = Ar, R'3 = H2Ph; 8: R = Ar', R'3 = H2Ph; 9: R = Ar, R'3 = (OEt)3; 10: R = Ar, R'3 = HMePh). These compounds can also be conveniently prepared by reacting [(RN=)Mo(H)(Cl)(PMe3)3] with one equivalent of LiBH4 in the presence of a silane. Complex 3 undergoes intramolecular and intermolecular phosphine exchange, as well as exchange between the silyl ligand and the free silane. Kinetic and DFT studies show that the intermolecular phosphine exchange occurs through the predissociation of a PMe3 group, which, surprisingly, is facilitated by the silane. The intramolecular exchange proceeds through a new non-Bailar-twist pathway. The silyl/silane exchange proceeds through an unusual Mo(VI) intermediate, [(ArN=)Mo(H)2(SiH2Ph)2(PMe3)2] (19). Complex 3 was found to be the catalyst of a variety of hydrosilylation reactions of carbonyl compounds (aldehydes and ketones) and nitriles, as well as of silane alcoholysis. Stoichiometric mechanistic studies of the hydrosilylation of acetone, supported by DFT calculations, suggest the operation of an unexpected mechanism, in that the silyl ligand of compound 3 plays an unusual role as a spectator ligand. The addition of acetone to compound 3 leads to the formation of [trans-(ArN)Mo(OiPr)(SiH2Ph)(PMe3)2] (18). This latter species does not undergo the elimination of a Si-O group (which corresponds to the conventional Ojima's mechanism of hydrosilylation). Rather, complex 18 undergoes unusual reversible β-CH activation of the isopropoxy ligand. In the hydrosilylation of benzaldehyde, the reaction proceeds through the formation of a new intermediate bis(benzaldehyde) adduct, [(ArN=)Mo(η(2)-PhC(O)H)2(PMe3)], which reacts further with hydrosilane through a η(1)-silane complex, as studied by DFT calculations.

The unexpected mechanism of carbonyl hydrosilylation catalyzed by (Cp)(ArN[double bond, length as m-dash])Mo(H)(PMe(3))

Complex (Cp)(ArN[double bond, length as m-dash])Mo(H)(PMe(3)) (2, Ar = 2,6-diisopropylphenyl) catalyzes the hydrosilylation of carbonyls by an unexpected associative mechanism. Complex 2 also reacts with PhSiH(3) by a σ-bond metathesis mechanism to give the silyl derivative (Cp)(ArN[double bond, length as m-dash])Mo(SiH(2)Ph)(PMe(3)).