A Catalytic Application of Co/Zr Heterobimetallic Complexes: Kumada Coupling of Unactivated Alkyl Halides with Alkyl Grignard Reagents

Polarized metal-metal multiple bonding and reactivity of phosphinoamide-bridged heterobimetallic group IV/cobalt compounds

Heterobimetallic complexes are studied for their ability to mimic biological systems as well as active sites in heterogeneous catalysts. While specific interest in early/late heterobimetallic systems has fluctuated, they serve as important models to fundamentally understand metal-metal bonding. Specifically, the polarized metal-metal multiple bonds formed in highly reduced early/late heterobimetallic complexes exemplify how each metal modulates the electronic environment and reactivity of the complex as a whole. In this Perspective, we chronicle the development of phosphinoamide-supported group IV/cobalt heterobimetallic complexes. This combination of metals allows access to a low valent Co-I center, which performs a rich variety of bond activation reactions when coupled with the pendent Lewis acidic metal center. Conversely, the low valent late transition metal is also observed to act as an electron reservoir, allowing for redox processes to occur at the d0 group IV metal site. Most of the bond activation reactions carried out by phosphinoamide-bridged M/Co-I (M = Ti, Zr, Hf) complexes are facilitated by cleavage of metal-metal multiple bonds, which serve as readily accessible electron reservoirs. Comparative studies in which both the number of buttressing ligands as well as the identity of the early metal were varied to give a library of heterobimetallic complexes are summarized, providing a thorough understanding of the reactivity of M/Co-I heterobimetallic systems.

Mechanism and Stereoselectivity Control of Terminal Alkyne Dimerization Activated by a Zr/Co Heterobimetallic Complex: A DFT Study

Heterobimetallic complexes have recently garnered considerable attention in organic synthesis owing to their high activity and selectivity, which surpass those of monometallic complexes. In this study, the detailed mechanisms of terminal alkyne dimerization activated by the heterobimetallic Zr/Co complex, as well as the different stereoselectivities of Me3SiC≡CH and PhC≡CH dimerization, were investigated and elucidated by using density functional theory calculations. After excluding the three-molecule reaction and outer-sphere mechanisms, the inner-sphere mechanism was determined as the most optimal process. The inner-sphere mechanism involves four processes: THF dissociation and coordination of the first alkyne; ligand migration and C-H activation; N2 dissociation and insertion of the second alkyne; and reductive elimination. The stereoselectivity between the E-/Z- and gem-isomers is determined by the C-C coupling mode of the two alkynes and that of the E- and Z-isomers is determined by the sequence of the C-C coupling and hydrogen migration in the reductive elimination process. Me3SiC≡CH dimerization yields only an E-isomer owing to the large differences in the distortion and interaction energies, whereas PhC≡CH dimerization produces an E-, Z-, and gem-isomers owing to the reduced interaction energy differences.

Added Complexity!-Mechanistic Aspects of Heterobimetallic Complexes for Application in Homogeneous Catalysis

Inspired by multimetallic assemblies and their role in enzyme catalysis, chemists have developed a plethora of heterobimetallic complexes for application in homogeneous catalysis. Starting with small heterobimetallic complexes with σ-donating and π-accepting ligands, such as N-heterocyclic carbene and carbonyl ligands, more and more complex systems have been developed over the past two decades. These systems can show a significant increase in catalytic activity compared with their monometallic counterparts. This increase can be attributed to new reaction pathways enabled by the presence of a second metal center in the active catalyst. This review focuses on mechanistic aspects of heterobimetallic complexes in homogeneous catalysis. Depending on the type of interaction of the second metal with the substrates, heterobimetallic complexes can be subdivided into four classes. Each of these classes is illustrated with multiple examples, showcasing the versatility of both, the types of interactions possible, and the reactions accessible.

One Bridge, Three Bonds: A Frontier in Multiple Bonding in Heterobimetallic Complexes

A single bridging phosphinoamide ligand was shown to support a metal-metal triple bond in a Zr/Co heterobimetallic complex. The similarity of the bonding in this compound to previously synthesized Zr/Co species, and therefore the assignment of the Zr/Co triple bond, is supported by the structural parameters of the complex, the electronic structure predicted by density functional theory, and complete-active-space self-consistent-field (CASSCF) calculations. This demonstrates that metal-metal multiple bonds can be realized in heterobimetallic complexes without multiple bridging ligands to enforce the proximity of the two metals.

Hetero-bimetallic Lanthanide-Coinage Metal Compounds Featuring Possible Metal-Metal Interactions in the Excited State

Heterometallic complexes, combining metals of the outer rims of the d-block, for example lanthanides(III) (Ln) and coinage metals(I) (M) are scarcely reported, synthetically challenging and highly interesting in terms of their interactions. In this context, we synthesized hetero-bimetallic Ln-M compounds ligated by the phosphine functionalized amidinate system (N,N'-bis[(2-diphenylphosphino)phenyl]formamidinate, "dpfam"). The resulting compounds [dpfam3 LnM][OTf] (Ln = La, Nd and M = Ag, Au) feature a close proximity of the two metal centres and were investigated experimentally by photoluminescence spectroscopy and quantum chemical calculations. The latter showed rare La-Au interactions for the first excited state.

H2 and carbon-heteroatom bond activation mediated by polarized heterobimetallic complexes

The field of heterobimetallic chemistry has rapidly expanded over the last decade. In addition to their interesting structural features, heterobimetallic structures have been found to facilitate a range of stoichiometric bond activations and catalytic processes. The accompanying review summarizes advances in this area since January of 2010. The review encompasses well-characterized heterobimetallic complexes, with a particular focus on mechanistic details surrounding their reactivity applications.

Computational prediction on the catalytic activity of heterobimetallic complex featuring MM' triple bond in acetylene cyclotrimerization: Mechanistic study

A detailed reaction mechanism of acetylene cyclotrimerization catalyzed by V(ⁱ PrNPMe₂ )₃ Fe-PMe₃ (denote as CAT), a heterobimetallic complex featuring V-Fe triple bond, was computationally investigated using density functional theory. The calculated results show that the first acetylene firstly attaches to the V atom of CAT to get a four-membered ring structure through [2 + 2] cycloaddition reaction. For the second acetylene addition, there are two cyclotrimerization mechanisms, outer sphere mechanism and inner mechanism. The inner sphere reaction pathway is the main reaction pathway. By replacing the V with Nb and Ta, Fe with Ru and Os, a series of new catalysts are screened computationally. The calculated results show that, all of the nine heterobimetallic complexes show high activity at mild condition. The energy barrier of the rate determining step is related to the natural population analysis (NPA) charge of M' and the Wiberg bond index (WBI) of M-M' bond. The more negative NPA charge of M' and the smaller WBI of M-M' bond, the lower energy barrier is.

Dimerization of terminal alkynes promoted by a heterobimetallic Zr/Co complex

Enynes are important synthetic intermediates that are also found in a variety of natural products and other biologically relevant molecules. The most atom economical synthetic route to enynes is via the direct coupling of readily available terminal alkyne precursors. Towards this goal, we demonstrate the formation of 1,3-enynes from terminal alkynes facilitated by a reduced ZrIV/Co-I heterobimetallic complex. An intermediate is trapped as a tBuNC adduct, revealing that bimetallic activation of the terminal C-H bond of the alkyne is an essential mechanistic step.

Paramagnetic Metal-Metal Bonded Heterometallic Complexes

Significant progress has been made in the past 10-15 years on the design, synthesis, and properties of multimetallic coordination complexes with heterometallic metal-metal bonds that are paramagnetic. Several general classes have been explored including heterobimetallic compounds, heterotrimetallic compounds of either linear or triangular geometry, discrete molecular compounds containing a linear array of more than three metal atoms, and coordination polymers with a heterometallic metal-metal bonded backbone. We focus in this Review on the synthetic methods employed to access these compounds, their structural features, magnetic properties, and electronic structure. Regarding the metal-metal bond distances, we make use of the formal shortness ratio (FSR) for comparison of bond distances between a broad range of metal atoms of different sizes. The magnetic properties of these compounds can be described using an extension of the Goodenough-Kanamori rules to cases where two magnetic ions interact via a third metal atom. In describing the electronic structure, we focus on the ability (or not) of electrons to be delocalized across heterometallic bonds, allowing for rationalizations and predictions of single-molecule conductance measurements in paramagnetic heterometallic molecular wires.

Electrophilic activation of alkynes for enyne cycloisomerization reactions with in situ generated early/late heterobimetallic Pt-Ti catalysts

In situ formation of heterobimetallic Pt-Ti catalysts enables rapid room temperature catalysis in enyne cycloisomerization reactions. The Lewis acidic titanium atom in the ligand framework is shown to be essential for fast catalysis. A range of enyne substrates are efficiently cyclized to carbocycles and heterocycles in high yield.

Structure and bonding of group 4-nickel heterobimetallics supported by 2-(diphenylphosphino)pyrrolide ligands

The synthesis of a full series of group 4/nickel complexes supported by a 2-(diphenylphosphino)pyrrolide (NP) ligand is reported. Treatment of the homoleptic, 8-coordinate M(NP)4 monometallic precursors with Ni(COD)2 (COD = 1,5-cyclooctadiene) yielded the heterobimetallic complexes (κ(2)-NP)M(μ2-NP)3Ni (M = Ti, Zr, Hf). Although X-ray crystallographic analysis reveals similarly short metal-metal distances in all three complexes, quantum chemical calculations indicate that ZrNi () and HfNi () contain only single Ni → M dative bonds while TiNi () has an additional Ti-Ni π-bond. All three complexes have quasireversible reductions by cyclic voltammetry, and 1-electron chemical reduction of by Na(Hg) yields the anion, [Na][(κ(2)-NP)Ti(μ2-NP)3Ni] (). X-ray and computational analysis indicate that the 1-electron reduction of completely breaks the metal-metal bond, yielding a formally Ti(III)-Ni(0) complex. Ti-Ni bonding can also be disrupted by coordination of CO, wherein Ni → CO backbonding effectively outcompetes Ni → Ti dative bonding.

Diverse bimetallic mechanisms emerging from transition metal Lewis acid/base pairs: development of co-catalysis with metal carbenes and metal carbonyl anions

The rational development of catalytic reactions involving cooperative behavior between two catalytic reactive sites represents a frontier area of research from which novel reactivity and selectivity patterns emerge.

Bimetallic catalysis for C-C and C-X coupling reactions

Bimetallic catalysis represents an alternative paradigm for coupling chemistry that complements the more traditional single-site catalysis approach. In this perspective, recent advances in bimetallic systems for catalytic C-C and C-X coupling reactions are reviewed. Behavior which complements that of established single-site catalysts is highlighted. Two major reaction classes are covered. First, generation of catalytic amounts of organometallic species of e.g. Cu, Au, or Ni capable of transmetallation to a Pd co-catalyst (or other traditional cross-coupling catalyst) has allowed important new C-C coupling technologies to emerge. Second, catalytic transformations involving binuclear bond-breaking and/or bond-forming steps, in some cases involving metal-metal bonds, represent a frontier area for C-C and C-X coupling processes.

Tantallacyclopentadiene as a unique metal-containing diene ligand coordinated to nickel for preparing tantalum–nickel heterobimetallic complexes

The mononuclear tantallacyclopentadiene, TaCl₃(C₄H₂^tBu₂), coordinates to Ni to form heterobimetallic complexes of Cl₃Ta(μ-C₄H₂^tBu₂)Ni(L) (L = COD, phosphines, IPr).

Multi-electron redox processes at a Zr(iv) center facilitated by an appended redox-active cobalt-containing metalloligand

The reactivity of a reduced heterobimetallic Co^−I/Zr^IV complex with a series of azido and diazo reagents is explored to demonstrate the feasibility of facilitating two-electron redox processes at a formally d⁰ Zr(iv) center using the appended Co fragment exclusively as an electron-reservoir.

A heterobimetallic complex featuring a Ti-Co multiple bond and its application to the reductive coupling of ketones to alkenes

A Ti/Co heterobimetallic complex featuring a very short metal–metal triple bond has been synthesized. This complex promotes the reductive coupling reaction of aryl ketones into alkenes.

To explore metal–metal multiple bonds between first row transition metals, Ti/Co complexes supported by two phosphinoamide ligands have been synthesized and characterized. The Ti metalloligand Cl₂Ti(XylNPⁱPr₂)₂ (1) was treated with CoI₂ under reducing conditions, permitting isolation of the Ti/Co complex [(μ-Cl)Ti(XylNPⁱPr₂)₂CoI]₂ (2). One electron reduction of complex 2 affords ClTi(XylNPⁱPr₂)₂CoPMe₃ (3), which features a metal–metal triple bond and an unprecedentedly short Ti–Co distance of 2.0236(9) Å. This complex is shown to promote the McMurry coupling reaction of aryl ketones into alkenes, with concomitant formation of the tetranuclear complex [Ti(μ₃-O)(NXylPⁱPr₂)₂CoI]₂ (4). A cooperative mechanism involving bimetallic C Created by potrace 1.16, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2019 ]]> O bond activation and a cobalt carbene intermediate is proposed.

Tris(phosphinoamide)-supported uranium-cobalt heterobimetallic complexes featuring Co → U dative interactions

A series of tris- and tetrakis(phosphinoamide) U/Co complexes has been synthesized. The uranium precursors, (η(2)-Ph2PN(i)Pr)4U (1), (η(2)-(i)Pr2PNMes)4U (2), (η(2)-Ph2PN(i)Pr)3UCl (3), and (η(2)-(i)Pr2PNMes)3UI (4), were easily accessed via addition of the appropriate stoichiometric equivalents of [Ph2PN(i)Pr]K or [(i)Pr2PNMes]K to UCl4 or UI4(dioxane)2. Although the phosphinoamide ligands in 1 and 4 have been shown to coordinate to U in an η(2)-fashion in the solid state, the phosphines are sufficiently labile in solution to coordinate cobalt upon addition of CoI2, generating the heterobimetallic Co/U complexes ICo(Ph2PN(i)Pr)3U[η(2)-Ph2PN(i)Pr] (5), ICo((i)Pr2PNMes)3U[η(2)-((i)Pr2PNMes)] (6), ICo(Ph2PN(i)Pr)3UI (7), and ICo((i)Pr2PNMes)3UI (8). Structural characterization of complexes 5 and 7 reveals reasonably short Co-U interatomic distances, with 7 exhibiting the shortest transition metal-uranium distance ever reported (2.874(3) Å). Complexes 7 and 8 were studied by cyclic voltammetry to examine the influence of the metal-metal interaction on the redox properties compared with both monometallic Co and heterobimetallic Co/Zr complexes. Theoretical studies are used to further elucidate the nature of the transition metal-actinide interaction.