Planar Chiral Organoborane Lewis Acids Derived from Naphthylferrocene

Facile Synthesis of Uranium Complexes with a Pendant Borane Lewis Acid and 1,2-Insertion of CO into a U-N Bond

In this contribution, we illustrate uranium complexes bearing a pendant borate (i.e. 1 and 2) or a pendant borane (i.e. 3 and 4) moiety via reaction of the highly strained uranacycle I with various 3-coordinate boranes. Complexes 3 and 4 represent the first examples of uranium complexes with a pendant borane Lewis acid. Moreover, complex 3 was capable of activation of CO, delivering a new CO activation mode, and an abnormal CO 1,2-insertion pathway into a U-N bond. The importance of the pendant borane moiety was confirmed by the controlled experiments.

Palladium(0) complexes of diferrocenylmercury diphosphines: synthesis, X-ray structure analyses, catalytic isomerization, and C-Cl bond activation

Palladium(0) phosphine complexes are of great importance as catalysts in numerous bond formation reactions that involve oxidative addition of substrates. Highly active catalysts with labile ligands are of particular interest but can be challenging to isolate and structurally characterize. We investigate here the synthesis and chemical reactivity of Pd⁰ complexes that contain geometrically adaptable diferrocenylmercury-bridged diphosphine chelate ligands (L) in combination with a labile dibenzylideneacetone (dba) ligand. The diastereomeric diphosphines 1a (pSpR, meso-isomer) and 1b (pSpS-isomer) differ in the orientation of the ferrocene moieties relative to the central Ph₂PC₅H₃-Hg-C₅H₃PPh₂ bridging entity. The structurally distinct trigonal LPd⁰(dba) complexes 2a (meso) and 2b (pSpS) are obtained upon treatment with Pd(dba)₂. A competition reaction reveals that 1b reacts faster than 1a with Pd(dba)₂. Unexpectedly, catalytic interconversion of 1a (meso) into 1b (rac) is observed at room temperature in the presence of only catalytic amounts of Pd(dba)₂. Both Pd⁰ complexes, 2a and 2b, readily undergo oxidative addition into the C-Cl bond of CH₂Cl₂ at moderate temperatures with formation of the square-planar trans-chelate complexes LPd^IICl(CH₂Cl) (3a, 3b). Kinetic studies reveal a significantly higher reaction rate for the meso-isomer 2a in comparison to (pSpS)-2b.

Unsolvated Al(C6F5)3: structural features and electronic interaction with ferrocene

Alkyl/aryl ligand exchange between AlEt3 and B(C6F5)3 in hexanes enables the formation and isolation of the unsolvated Al(C6F5)3 as a crystalline solid, the structure of which has been determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Instead of forming the anticipated AlF contacts with the seemingly more accessible meta- and para-F's of -C6F5 groups, two Al(C6F5)3 molecules form a dimeric structure with double AlF interactions between the Al center of one molecule and the ortho-F atom of the -C6F5 group on the other molecule. This mode of interactions is apparently linked to the thermal and shock sensitivity of the unsolvated Al(C6F5)3 in the solid state. To compare with the B(C6F5)3/ferrocene frustrated Lewis pair system, the complexation between Al(C6F5)3 and ferrocene has also been studied, which affords a stable adduct formed through the η(1)-coordination of Al to one of the CCp atoms, similar to the alane-toluene or benzene complex.

Reactivity of Amine/E(C6F5)3 (E = B, Al) Lewis Pairs toward Linear and Cyclic Acrylic Monomers: Hydrogenation vs. Polymerization

This work reveals the contrasting reactivity of amine/E(C6F5)3 (E = B, Al) Lewis pairs toward linear and cyclic acrylic monomers, methyl methacrylate (MMA) and biorenewable γ-methyl-α-methylene-γ-butyrolactone (γMMBL). While mixing of 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine (TMP) and B(C6F5)3 leads to a frustrated Lewis pair (FLP), Et3N reacts with B(C6F5)3 to form disproportionation products, ammonium hydridoborate ionic pair and iminium zwitterion. On the other hand, the stoichiometric reaction of either TMP or Et3N with Al(C6F5)3 leads to clean formation of a classic Lewis adduct (CLA). Neither TMP nor Et3N, when paired with E(C6F5)3, polymerizes MMA, but the Et3N/2B(C6F5)3 pair promotes transfer hydrogenation of MMA to form methyl isobutyrate. In contrast, the amine/E(C6F5)3 pairs promote rapid polymerization of γMMBL carrying the more reactive exocyclic methylene moiety, achieving full conversion in less than 3 min even at a low catalyst loading of 0.0625 mol %. TMP is more effective than Et3N for the polymerization when paired with either the borane or the alane, while the alane exhibits higher polymerization activity than the borane when paired with Et3N. Overall, the TMP/Al(C6F5)3 system exhibits the highest polymerization activity, achieving a maximum turn-over frequency of 96,000 h-1 at 0.125 mol % of catalyst loading, producing high molecular weight PγMMBL with Mn = 1.29 × 105 g∙mol-1.

Frustrated Lewis pair chemistry: development and perspectives

Frustrated Lewis pairs (FLPs) are combinations of Lewis acids and Lewis bases in solution that are deterred from strong adduct formation by steric and/or electronic factors. This opens pathways to novel cooperative reactions with added substrates. Small-molecule binding and activation by FLPs has led to the discovery of a variety of new reactions through unprecedented pathways. Hydrogen activation and subsequent manipulation in metal-free catalytic hydrogenations is a frequently observed feature of many FLPs. The current state of this young but rapidly expanding field is outlined in this Review and the future directions for its broadening sphere of impact are considered.

Synthesis and structure of Ag(i), Pd(ii), Rh(i), Ru(ii) and Au(i) NHC-complexes with a pendant Lewis acidic boronic ester moiety

Synthesis and characterization of novel NHC-boronic ester ligands and their corresponding TM-complexes.

Frustrated Lewis Pairs: from dihydrogen activation to asymmetric catalysis

The non-self-quenched property of Frustrated Lewis Pairs (FLPs) contradicts the classical Lewis acid-base theory, but this peculiarity offers unprecedented possibilities for the activation of small molecules. Among all of their fascinating applications, FLP mediated hydrogen activation and the associated catalytic hydrogenations are currently considered as the most intriguing illustration of their reactivity. The FLPs enabled the catalytic reduction of a wide range of substrates with molecular hydrogen and tuning of the structural properties of the FLP partners allowed broadening of the substrate scope. Based on detailed mechanistic knowledge, FLP based asymmetric hydrogenation of various substrates could be achieved with high enantioselectivities. More importantly, FLP based enantioselective catalysis is not limited to the field of asymmetric hydrogenation, and other exciting catalytic applications have already appeared.