Novel compounds with cobalt, copper, and nickel dimers sandwiched between benzene molecules: A DFT study

Out-of-plane magnetic anisotropy energy in the Ni3Bz3 molecule

Ni₃Bz₃ molecule shows a large magnetic anisotropy energy of 8 meV, with the easy axis perpendicular to the plane of Ni metal atoms. Note that the corresponding bare Ni₃ cluster has an in-plane easy axis.

Theoretical studies of An(II)(2)(C(8)H(8))(2) (An = Th, Pa, U, and Np) complexes: the search for double-stuffed actinide metallocenes

Complexes of the form An(2)(C(8)H(8))(2) (An = Th, Pa, U, and Np) were investigated using density functional theory with scalar-relativistic effective core potentials. For uranium, a coaxial isomer with D(8h) symmetry is found to be more stable than a C(s) isomer in which the dimetal unit is perpendicular to the C(8) ring axis. Similar coaxial structures are predicted for Pa(2)(C(8)H(8))(2) and Np(2)(C(8)H(8))(2), while in Th(2)(C(8)H(8))(2), the C(8)H(8) rings tilt away from the An-An axis. Going from Th(2)(C(8)H(8))(2) to Np(2)(C(8)H(8))(2), the An-An bond length decreases from 2.81 A to 2.19 A and the An-An stretching frequency increases from 249 to 354 cm(-1). This is a result of electrons populating An-An 5f pi- and delta-type bonding orbitals and varphi nonbonding orbitals, thereby increasing in An-An bond order. U(2)(C(8)H(8))(2) is stable with respect to dissociation into U(C(8)H(8)) monomers. Disproportionation of U(2)(C(8)H(8))(2) into uranocene and the U atom is endothermic but is slightly exothermic for uranocene plus (1)/(2)U(2), suggesting that it might be possible to prepare double stuffed uranocene if suitable conditions can be found to avoid disproportionation.

One-electron metal-metal bond stabilized in dinuclear metallocenes: theoretical prediction of DBe-LiCp (D = C5H5 or C5Me5)

Recently, stimulated by the unexpected synthesis and isolation of a bis-metallic sandwich compound Cp*ZnZnCp* (Cp* = eta(5)-C(5)Me(5)), many studies have focused on various dinuclear metallocenes involving a direct metal-metal (single or multiple) bond. However, we are not aware of any report on the metallocenes incorporating a "one-electron metal-metal bond". Herein, through the good steric and electronic stabilization effect of Cp and Cp*, we for the first time theoretically design a new type of sandwich-like compounds DBe-LiCp (D = Cp or Cp*) associated by an "unaided" one-electron metal-metal bond. Bonding characteristics of CpBe-LiCp were analyzed by natural bond orbital (NBO) theory. To shed more light on the stability of sandwich complexes, the dissociation energies (DBe-LiCp --> DBe + CpLi) and extrusion energies (DBe-LiCp --> DBeCp + Li) were calculated. Through calculation of thermodynamic standard entropies, we predict that these new compounds may be detected in the gaseous phase at appropriate experiment conditions.

Zinc-zinc bonded zincocene structures. Synthesis and characterization of Zn2(eta5-C5Me5)2 and Zn2(eta5-C5Me4Et)2

While, in general, decamethylzincocene, Zn(C5Me5)2, and other zincocenes, Zn(C5Me4R)2 (R = H, But, SiMe3), react with dialkyl and diaryl derivatives, ZnR'2, to give the half-sandwich compounds (eta5-C5Me4R)ZnR', under certain conditions the reactions of Zn(C5Me5)2 with ZnEt2 or ZnPh2 produce unexpectedly the dizincocene Zn2(eta5-C5Me5)2 (1) in low yields, most likely as a result of the coupling of two (eta5-C5Me5)Zn* radicals. An improved, large scale (ca. 2 g) synthesis of 1 has been achieved by reduction of equimolar mixtures of Zn(C5Me5)2 and ZnCl2 with KH in tetrahydrofuran. The analogous reduction of Zn(C5Me4R)2 (R = H, SiMe3, But) yields only decomposition products, but the isotopically labeled dimetallocene 68Zn2(eta5-C5Me5)2 and the related compound Zn2(eta5-C5Me4Et)2 (2) have been obtained by this procedure. Compound 2 has lower thermal stability than 1, but it has been unequivocally characterized by low-temperature X-ray diffraction studies. As for 1 a combination of structural characterization techniques has provided unambiguous evidence for its formulation as the Zn-Zn bonded dimer Zn2(eta5-C5Me4Et)2, with a short Zn-Zn bond of 2.295(3) A indicative of a strong Zn-Zn bonding interaction. The electronic structure and the bonding properties of 1 and those of related dizincocenes Zn2(eta5-Cp')2 have been studied by DFT methods (B3LYP level), with computed bond distances and angles for dizincocene 1 very similar to the experimental values. The Zn-Zn bond is strong (ca. 62 kcal.mol-1 for 1) and resides in the HOMO-4, that has a contribution of Zn orbitals close to 60%, consisting mostly of the Zn 4s orbitals (more than 96%).

Computational Study of Multiple-Decker Sandwich and Rice-Ball Structures of Neutral Titanium−Benzene Clusters

Density functional theory calculations were applied to systematically and directly compare the relative energetic stability of multiple-decker sandwich and rice-ball structures for a variety of neutral Ti(m)Bz(n) clusters (m = 1-4, n = 1-5). Almost all structures favored the multiple-decker sandwich structure, as observed experimentally for early transition metals. The strength of each metal-benzene interaction averages 37 kcal/mol and remains relatively constant for sandwiches with three or more Ti atoms. The most stable smaller rice-ball structures did not have eta(6)-Bz bound to a single metal atom. Instead, the preferred coordination was having the plane of the benzene molecule parallel to a Ti(2) bond or a Ti(3) face, leading to some distortion of the benzene ring. The larger rice-ball structures, on the other hand, preferred to weaken the metal-metal bonds and retain eta(6)-Bz bound to a single metal atom, a structural motif shared with sandwiches.