The chemistry of the carbon-transition metal double and triple bond: Annual survey covering the year 2018

Reactivity umpolung (reversal) of ligands in transition metal complexes

The success and power of homogeneous catalysis derives in large part from the wide choice of transition metal ions and their ligands. This tutorial review introduces examples where the reactivity of a ligand is completely reversed (umpolung) from Lewis basic/nucleophilic to acidic/electrophilic or vice versa on changing the metal and co-ligands. Understanding this phenomenon will assist in the rational design of catalysts and the understanding of metalloenzyme mechanisms. Labelling a metal and ligand with Seebach donor and acceptor labels helps to identify whether a reaction involving the intermolecular attack on the ligand is displaying native reactivity or reactivity umpolung. This has been done for complexes of nitriles, carbonyls, isonitriles, dinitrogen, Fischer carbenes, alkenes, alkynes, hydrides, methyls, methylidenes and alkylidenes, silylenes, oxides, imides/nitrenes, alkylidynes, methylidynes, and nitrides. The electronic influence of the metal and co-ligands is discussed in terms of the energy of (HOMO) d electrons. The energy can be related to the pKLACa (LAC is ligand acidity constant) of the theoretical hydride complexes [H-[M]-L]+ formed by the protonation of pair of valence d electrons on the metal in the [M-L] complex. Preliminary findings indicate that a negative pKLACa indicates that nucleophilic attack by a carbanion or amine on the ligand will likely occur while a positive pKLACa indicates that electrophilic attack by strong acids on the ligand will usually occur when the ligand is nitrile, carbonyl, isonitrile, alkene and η6-arene.

1H NMR Analysis of the Metathesis Reaction between 1-Hexene and (E)-Anethole Using Grubbs 2nd Generation Catalyst: Effect of Reaction Conditions on (E)-1-(4-Methoxyphenyl)-1-hexene Formation and Decomposition

The metathesis of 1-hexene and (E)-anethole in the presence of Grubbs 2nd generation catalyst was monitored by in situ 1H NMR spectroscopy at different temperatures (15 °C, 25 °C, and 45 °C) and anethole mol fractions (XAnethole ≈ 0.17, 0.29, 0.5, 0.71, 0.83). Time traces confirmed the instantaneous formation of (E)-1-(4-methoxyphenyl)-1-hexene, the cross-metathesis product. A maximum concentration of (E)-1-(4-methoxyphenyl)-1-hexene is reached fairly fast (the time depending on the reaction conditions), and this is followed by a decrease in the concentration of (E)-1-(4-methoxyphenyl)-1-hexene due to secondary metathesis. The maximum concentration of (E)-1-(4-methoxyphenyl)-1-hexene was more dependent on the XAnethole than the temperature. The highest TOF (3.46 min−1) was obtained for the reaction where XAnethole was 0.16 at 45 °C. The highest concentration of the cross-metathesis product was however achieved after 6 min with an anethole mol fraction of 0.84 at 25 °C. A preliminary kinetic study indicated that the secondary metathesis reaction followed first order kinetics.

Comparison of the Spectroscopically Measured Catalyst Transformation and Electrochemical Properties of Grubbs' First- and Second-Generation Catalysts

According to UV-vis spectroscopy (0.10 mM, CH₂Cl₂ at 25 °C), the catalyst transformation (which could possibly include ligand dissociation with active catalyst formation, dimer formation, and decomposition) rate constants (k _obs) of Grubbs' first (1) and second (2) generation catalysts are 7.48 × 10^-5 and 1.52 × 10^-4 s^-1, respectively. From ³¹P NMR (0.1 M, CD₂Cl₂, at 25 °C), the catalyst transformation was 5.1% for 1 and 16.5% for 2 after 72 h. However, due to the larger concentrations of the NMR samples compared to the UV-vis samples, the extent of transformation did not correspond. The oxidation potential of the Ru^II/Ru^III couple of 2 (E°' = 27.5 mV at v = 200 mV s^-1) was considerably lower than that of 1 (E°' = 167 mV at v = 200 mV s^-1). In the case of 1, a second reduction peak appeared at slow scan rates. This may probably be ascribed to an electrochemically active compound that was formed from the intermediate cation 1 ^•+ and the subsequent reduction of the latter. The oxidation/reduction of 1 proceeds according to an E_rC_i electrochemical mechanism (E_r = electrochemically reversible step, C_i = chemically irreversible step), whereas 2 proceeds according to an E_rC_r electrochemical mechanism (E_r = electrochemically reversible step, C_i = chemically reversible step).

σ or π? Bonding interactions in a series of rhenium metallotetrylenes

Salt metathesis reactions between a low-valent rhenium(i) complex, Na[Re(η5-Cp)(BDI)] (BDI = N,N'-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)-3,5-dimethyl-β-diketiminate), and a series of amidinate-supported tetrylenes of the form ECl[PhC(NtBu)2] (E = Si, Ge, Sn) led to rhenium metallotetrylenes Re(E[PhC(NtBu)2])(η5-Cp)(BDI) (E = Si (1a), Ge (2), Sn (4)) with varying extents of Re-E multiple bonding. Whereas the rhenium-stannylene 4 adopts a σ-metallotetrylene arrangement featuring a Re-E single bond, the rhenium-silylene (1a) and -germylene (2) both engage in π-interactions to form short Re-E multiple bonds. Temperature was found to play a crucial role in reactions between Na[Re(η5-Cp)(BDI)] and SiCl[PhC(NtBu)2], as manipulation of reaction conditions led to isolation of an unusual rhenium-silane, (BDI)Re(μ-η5:η1-C5H4)(SiH[PhC(NtBu)2]) (1b) and a dinitrogen bridged rhenium-silylene, (η5-Cp)(BDI)Re(μ-N2)Si[PhC(NtBu)2] (1c), in addition to 1a. Finally, the reaction of Na[Re(η5-Cp)(BDI)] with GeCl2·dioxane led to a rare μ2-tetrelido complex, μ2-Ge[Re(η5-Cp)(BDI)]2 (3). Bonding interactions within these complexes are discussed through the lens of various spectroscopic, structural, and computational investigations.

Recent Advances in the Reactions of Cyclic Carbynes

The acyclic organic alkynes and carbyne bonds exhibit linear shapes. Metallabenzynes and metallapentalynes are six- or five-membered metallacycles containing carbynes, whose carbine-carbon bond angles are less than 180°. Such distortion results in considerable ring strain, resulting in the unprecedented reactivity compared with acyclic carbynes. Meanwhile, the aromaticity of these metallacycles would stabilize the ring system. The fascinating combination of ring strain and aromaticity would lead to interesting reactivities. This mini review summarized recent findings on the reactivity of the metal-carbon triple bonds and the aromatic ring system. In the case of metallabenzynes, aromaticity would prevail over ring strain. The reactions are similar to those of organic aromatics, especially in electrophilic reactions. Meanwhile, fragmentation of metallacarbynes might be observed via migratory insertion if the aromaticity of metallacarbynes is strongly affected. In the case of metallapentalynes, the extremely small bond angle would result in high reactivity of the carbyne moiety, which would undergo typical reactions for organic alkynes, including interaction with coinage metal complexes, electrophilic reactions, nucleophilic reactions and cycloaddition reactions, whereas the strong aromaticity ensured the integrity of the bicyclic framework of metallapentalynes throughout all reported reaction conditions.

Addition of alkynes and osmium carbynes towards functionalized dπ-pπ conjugated systems

The metal-carbon triple bonds and carbon-carbon triple bonds are both highly unsaturated bonds. As a result, their reactions tend to afford cycloaddition intermediates or products. Herein, we report a reaction of M≡C and C≡C bonds that affords acyclic addition products. These newly discovered reactions are highly efficient, regio- and stereospecific, with good functional group tolerance, and are robust under air at room temperature. The isotope labeling NMR experiments and theoretical calculations reveal the reaction mechanism. Employing these reactions, functionalized dπ-pπ conjugated systems can be easily constructed and modified. The resulting dπ-pπ conjugated systems were found to be good electron transport layer materials in organic solar cells, with power conversion efficiency up to 16.28% based on the PM6: Y6 non-fullerene system. This work provides a facile, efficient methodology for the preparation of dπ-pπ conjugated systems for use in functional materials.