Labrum NS, Cabelof AC, Caulton KG. A Dimeric Chromium(II) Pincer as an Electron Shuttle for N=N Bond Scission.
Chemistry 2020;
26:13915-13926. [PMID:
32428366 DOI:
10.1002/chem.202001749]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2020] [Revised: 05/12/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Reduction of the bis-pyrazolyl pyridine complex [CrL]2 with 4 KC8 , followed by addition of one azobenzene (overall mole ratio 1:4:1), PhNNPh, transfers reducing equivalents to three azobenzenes, to form [K3 Cr(PhNNPh)3 ]. This has three κ2 PhNNPh2- ligands and K+ bound to nitrogen atoms of azobenzene. When the stoichiometry is modified to 1:4:3, the product is changed to [K2 CrL(PhNNPh)2 ], which has C2 symmetry except for the intimate ion pairing of two K+ ions to reduced azobenzene nitrogen atoms, and to pyrazolate and phenyl rings. The origin of the observed delivery of reducing equivalents to several, not to a single N=N bond, is traced to the resistance of the one-electron-reduced substrate to receiving a second electron, and is thus a general phenomenon. [CrL]2 alone is shown to be a two-electron reductant towards benzo[c]cinnoline (BCC) resulting in a product of formula [Cr2 L2 (BCC)], in which the reducing equivalents originate purely from CrII . An analogous study of the reaction of [CrL]2 with azobenzene yields [Cr2 L2 (PhNNPh)(THF)], an adduct in which one THF has displaced one of four hydrazide nitrogen/Cr bonds. Together these illustrate different modes for the Cr2 L2 unit to bind and reduce the N=N bond. Collectively, these results show that two divalent Cr, without added K0 , have the ability to reduce the N=N bond. Further KC8 reduction of preformed Cr2 L2 (RNNR) inevitably gives products in which K+ stabilizes the charge in the increasingly electron-rich nitrogen atoms, in a phenomenon which mimics proton coupled electron transfer: K+ performs the role of H+ . A least-squares fit of the two singly reduced DFT structures shows that the only major change is a re-orientation of one of the two phenyl rings in order to avoid repulsion with potassium but to still allow interaction of that phenyl π system with K+ . This shows both the impact of K+ , being modest to nitrogen/chromium interactions, but nevertheless accommodating some π donation of phenyl to potassium. Finally, delivering increasing equivalents of KC8 leads to complete cleavage of the N=N bond, and both N bind to three CrII . The varied impacts of the K+ electrophile on NN multiple bond reduction is discussed.
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