Unprecedented Calcium Metalla-macrocycle Having Phosphinoselenoic Amide and Diphenylphosphinate in the Coordination Sphere

Synthesis and Oligonuclear Structures of Strontium and Barium Complexes with Protonated and Deprotonated N-Mesityl-P,P-diphenylphosphinic Amide Ligands

Metalation of N-mesityl-P,P-diphenylphosphinic amide Ph₂P(O)-NHMes (HL, I) with MgBu₂ and Ae{N(SiMe₃)₂}₂ (Ae = Ca, Sr, and Ba) yields alkaline-earth metal complexes with the compositions of [(thf)_nAe(L·HL)₂] [Ae/n = Mg/0 (II), Ca/2 (III)] as well as of [Sr₂L₃(L·HL)(HL)] (1), [Ba₂L₃(L·HL)(HL)] (2), [Ba₃L₆] (3), and [(thf)₂Ba₃L₆] (4). In III, 1, 2, and 3, the alkaline-earth metal atoms are in severely distorted octahedral environments, and the structural distortions are partially caused by the small O-Ae-N bite angles of the chelating Ph₂P(O)-NMes anions. The substructures (L·HL) contain N-H···N hydrogen bridges, stabilizing the arrangement of the ligands in complexes II, III, 1, and 2. In the trinuclear barium complex [Ba(μ-L)₃Ba(μ-L)₃Ba] (3), a rigid adjustment of the anionic L bases leads to a C₃-symmetric molecule in the crystalline state with bridging oxygen atoms. Due to the small O-Ba-N bite angles of the chelating anions, vacant coordination sites are available at the outer barium centers. Coordination of thf bases in these gaps yields the complex [(thf)Ba(μ-L)₃Ba(μ-L)₃Ba(thf)] (4). However, THF is unable to deaggregate the trinuclear complexes into smaller barium-containing moieties. Increasing the radius of the alkaline-earth metals and increasing the nuclearity of these compounds lead to decreasing solubility in common organic solvents. NMR studies verify that the molecular structures of these alkaline-earth metal complexes are maintained in ethereal solvents and toluene.

Scope and Limitations of the s-Block Metal-Mediated Pudovik Reaction

The hydrophosphorylation of phenylacetylene with di(aryl)phosphane oxides Ar₂P(O)H (Pudovik reaction) yields E/Z‐isomer mixtures of phenylethenyl‐di(aryl)phosphane oxides (1). Alkali and alkaline‐earth metal di(aryl)phosphinites have been studied as catalysts for this reaction with increasing activity for the heavier s‐block metals. The Pudovik reaction can only be mediated for di(aryl)phosphane oxides whereas P‐bound alkyl and alcoholate substituents impede the P−H addition across alkynes. The demanding mesityl group favors the single‐hydrophosphorylated products 1‐Ar whereas smaller aryl substituents lead to the double‐hydrophosphorylated products 2‐Ar. Polar solvents are beneficial for an effective addition. Increasing concentration of the reactants and the catalyst accelerates the Pudovik reaction. Whereas Mes₂P(O)H does not form the bis‐phosphorylated product 2‐Mes, activation of an ortho‐methyl group and cyclization occurs yielding 2‐benzyl‐1‐mesityl‐5,7‐dimethyl‐2,3‐dihydrophosphindole 1‐oxide (3).

Imidazol-2-ylidene-N′-phenylureate ligands in alkali and alkaline earth metal coordination spheres – heterocubane core to polymeric structural motif formation

Synthetic and structural details of imidazol-2-ylidene-N′-phenylureate ligand supported two potassium complexes with a hetero-cubane K₄O₄ core and a polymeric structure, along with a mixed metal Ca–K complex are presented.