sp3 C–H and sp2 C–H agostic ruthenium complexes: a combined experimental and theoretical study

Manganese and iron PCP pincer complexes - the influence of sterics on structure and reactivity

The syntheses of various manganese and iron PCP pincer complexes via a solvothermal oxidative addition methodology is described. Upon reacting [Mn₂(CO)₁₀] with the ligands (P(C-Br)P^CH₂-iPr) (1a) and (P(C-Br)P^O-iPr) (1b), Mn(I) PCP pincer complexes [Mn(PCP^CH₂-iPr)(CO)₃] (2a) and [Mn(-PCP^O-iPr)(CO)₃] (2b) were obtained. Protonation of 2a with HBF₄·Et₂O led to the formation of [Mn(κ³P,CH,P-P(CH)P^CH₂-iPr)(CO)₃]BF₄ (3) featuring an η²-C_aryl-H agostic bond. The solvothermal reaction of 1a with [Fe₂(CO)₉] afforded the Fe(II) PCP pincer complex [Fe(PCP^CH₂-iPr)(CO)₂Br] (4). Treatment of 4 with Li[HBEt₃] afforded the Fe(I) complex [Fe(PCP^CH₂-iPr)(CO)₂] (5a). When using the sterically more demanding ligands (P(C-Br)P^CH₂-tBu) (1c) and (P(C-Br)P^O-tBu)(1d) striking differences in reactivity were observed. While neither 1c nor 1d showed any reactivity towards [Mn₂(CO)₁₀], the reaction with [Fe₂(CO)₉] and [Fe(CO)₅] led to the formation of the Fe(I) complexes [Fe(PCP^CH₂-tBu)(CO)₂] (5b) and [Fe(PCP^O-tBu)(CO)₂] (5c). X-ray structures of representative complexes are provided.

Carbocyclic pincer carbene complexes of ruthenium: syntheses and reversible hydrogenation

The ruthenium carbene pincer complex 2 was synthesized treating the benzo annulated cycloheptatriene bisphosphine 1 with RuCl₃. Addition of three equivalents of hydrogen to the carbocyclic carbene complex 2 was achieved in reaction of 2 with hydrogen at elevated temperatures. Hydrogenated complex 4, exhibiting a rigid chair conformation in solution, was dehydrogenated by heating a toluene solution of complex 4 to reflux for 5-7 d. In reaction with ethylene, complex 4 transfers one equivalent of hydrogen, forming ethane and alkyl complex 5.

Conformation controlled stepwise hydride shuffling from the metal to the ligand backbone

The protonation of the benzo annulated cycloheptatriene PCP pincer ruthenium hydrido dicarbonyl complex using the superacid [H(Et₂O)₂][BArF₂₄] launches a cascade of hydride shifts which lead to the hydrogenation of the ligand backbone.

O-H and C-H Bond Activations of Water and Methane by RuO2+ and (NH3)RuO2+: Ground and Excited States

Investigation of the ground and excited states of RuO²⁺ is carried out using multireference quantum chemical methodologies. The electronic structure is explored in detail, and accurate spectroscopic constants for 12 states are reported. Although ruthenium belongs to the same group as iron, the ground state of RuO²⁺ is ¹Σ⁺ with a strong oxo character as opposed to the ³Δ of FeO²⁺ with primarily oxyl character. To see the effect of the different electronic structure of RuO²⁺ on the O-H and C-H bond activation processes, we studied its reaction with one water or methane molecule. Reaction energies and activation barriers are given for six low-lying electronic states of singlet, triplet, and quintet spin multiplicities. It is found that the higher-energy quintet state (⁵Σ⁺) provides the lowest activation energies and is the same state responsible for the C-H activation for FeO²⁺ complexes. The reason is attributed to its weaker metal-oxygen bond (longer bond length), which is "prepared" to be activated at the same time with the O-H and C-H bonds. The effect of an ammonia ligand in the chemical activity is also discussed.

E-Selective Synthesis and Coordination Chemistry of Pyridine-Phosphaalkenes: Five Ligands Produce Four Distinct Types of Ru(II) Complexes

Pyridine-phosphaalkene (PN) ligands 2a-e were prepared in an E-selective fashion using phospha-Wittig methodology. Treatment of these five ligands, varying only in their 6-substituent with RuCl₂(PPh₃)₃, produced four distinct types of coordination complexes: pyridine-phosphaalkene-derived 3b,d, cyclized 4e, and six-coordinate 5a and 6c. Prolonged heating of 3b,d in THF resulted in C-H activation of the Mes* group and cyclization to give 4b,d featuring a bidentate pyridine-phospholane ligand bound to the metal center. Complex 5a, also possessing a newly formed phospholane ring, contained a different spatial arrangement of donors to Ru(II) with an agostic Ru-H-C interaction serving as the sixth donor to the transition metal center. Ligands 2b,d,e and Ru(II) complexes 3b, 4b,e and 5a were all characterized by X-ray crystallography. Six-coordinate 6c featured a structure similar to 4b,d,e, but with the CF₃ substituent acting as a weakly bound sixth ligand to the Ru(II) center, as observed by ³¹P{¹H} and¹⁹F NMR spectroscopy. The calculated structure of 6c established that the closest Ru- - -F contact was at 2.978 Å.

Secondary Oxide Phosphines to Promote Tandem Acyl-Alkyl Coupling/Hydrogen Transfer to Afford (Hydroxyalkyl)rhodium Complexes. Theoretical and Experimental Studies

Acyl(σ-norbornenyl)rhodium(III) dimer [Rh(μ-Cl)(C₉H₆NCO)(C₇H₉)L]₂ (1) (C₇H₉ = σ-norbornenyl; L = 4-picoline, isoquinoline) reacts with diphenylphosphine oxide (SPO) to undergo a one-pot reaction involving (i) cleavage of the chloride bridges and coordination of the phosphine, (ii) C-C bond coupling between acyl and norbornenyl in a 18e species, and (iii) ligand-assisted outer-sphere O(P)-to-O(C) hydrogen transfer, to afford mononuclear 16e species [RhCl{(C₉H₆NC(O)C₇H₉)(Ph₂PO)H}(L)] (2) containing a quinolinyl-(norbornenylhydroxyalkyl) fragment hydrogen-bonded to a κ¹- P-phosphinite ligand. Pentacoordinated 2, which adopt a distorted trigonal bipyramidal structure, are kinetic reaction products that transform into the thermodynamic favored isomers 3. Structures 3 contain an unusual weak η¹-C anagostic interaction involving the rhodium atom and one carbon atom of the olefinic C-H bond of the norbornenyl substituent in the chelating quinolinyl-hydroxyalkyl moiety. Their structure can be described as pseudoctahedral, through a 5 + 1 coordination, with the anagostic interaction in a trans disposition with respect to the phosphorus atom of the phosphinite ligand. Complexes were characterized in solution by NMR spectroscopy and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Complex [RhCl{(C₉H₆NC(O)C₇H₉)(Ph₂PO)H}(4-picoline)] (3a) was also identified by X-ray diffraction. Density functional theory calculations confirm the proposed structures by a plausible set of mechanisms that accounts for the 1 (monomer) → 2 → 3 transformation. Lowest-energy pathways involve reductive elimination of quinolinylnorbornenylketone, still coordinated in the rhodium(I) species thus formed, followed by O-to-O hydrogen transfer from κ¹- P-SPO to the sp³ hybridized carbonyl group (formal alkoxide) avoiding the otherwise expected classical release of ketone. Theoretical ¹³C NMR studies also confirm the experimental spectral data for the considered structures.

A Cobalt(I) Pincer Complex with an η(2) -C(aryl)-H Agostic Bond: Facile C-H Bond Cleavage through Deprotonation, Radical Abstraction, and Oxidative Addition

The synthesis and reactivity of a Co(I) pincer complex [Co(ϰ(3) P,CH,P-P(CH)P(NMe) -iPr)(CO)2](+) featuring an η(2)-C(aryl)-H agostic bond is described. This complex was obtained by protonation of the Co(I) complex [Co(PCP(NMe) -iPr)(CO)2]. The Co(III) hydride complex [Co(PCP(NMe) -iPr)(CNtBu)2(H)](+) was obtained upon protonation of [Co(PCP(NMe) -iPr)(CNtBu)2]. Three ways to cleave the agostic C-H bond are presented. First, owing to the acidity of the agostic proton, treatment with pyridine results in facile deprotonation (C-H bond cleavage) and reformation of [Co(PCP(NMe) -iPr)(CO)2]. Second, C-H bond cleavage is achieved upon exposure of [Co(ϰ(3)P,CH,P-P(CH)P(NMe) -iPr)(CO)2](+) to oxygen or TEMPO to yield the paramagnetic Co(II) PCP complex [Co(PCP(NMe) -iPr)(CO)2](+). Finally, replacement of one CO ligand in [Co(ϰ(3) P,CH,P-P(CH)P(NMe) -iPr)(CO)2](+) by CNtBu promotes the rapid oxidative addition of the agostic η(2) -C(aryl)-H bond to give two isomeric hydride complexes of the type [Co(PCP(NMe) -iPr)(CNtBu)(CO)(H)](+).

16-Electron pentadienyl- and cyclopentadienyl-ruthenium half-sandwich complexes with bis(imidazol-2-imine) ligands and their use in catalytic transfer hydrogenation

Ligand exchange from “protonated open ruthenocene” afforded 16-electron ruthenium half-sandwich complexes as efficient transfer hydrogenation catalysts.

Acceptor pincer Ru(II) chemistry

A series of new acceptor pincer Ru(II) complexes are reported. The carbonyl complex ((CF(3))PCP)Ru(CO)Cl(2)(-)Et(3)NH(+) is obtained from the reaction of (CF(3))PCPH with [(cod)Ru(μ-Cl)(2)](n). Chloride displacement with (CF(3))PCPH, CO, PPh(3), or C(2)H(4) gave complexes of the type ((CF(3))PCP)Ru(CO)(L)Cl, or in the case of (CF(3))PCPH, the bridged dimeric complex [((CF(3))PCP)Ru(CO)Cl](2)(μ-(CF(3))PCPH). Chloride abstraction from ((CF(3))PCP)Ru(CO)(L)Cl, L = CO or PPh(3) by (Et(3)Si)(2)(μ-H)(+)B(C(6)F(5))(4)(-) followed by Et(3)N addition produced ((CF(3))PCP)Ru(CO)(L)(H) products. Reaction of cis-((CF(3))PCP)Ru(CO)(2)Cl with (Et(3)Si)(2)(μ-H)(+)B(C(6)F(5))(4)(-) in the presence of excess CO afforded ((CF(3))PCP)Ru(CO)(3)(+). The reaction of (CF(3))PCPH with (PPh(3))(3)Ru(H)(O(2)CR) (R = Me or Ph) produced the corresponding carboxylate complexes ((CF(3))PCP)Ru(PPh(3))(O(2)CR).

Synthesis and Characterisation of Nonclassical Ruthenium Hydride Complexes Containing Chelating Bidentate and Tridentate Phosphine Ligands

The synthesis and characterisation of nonclassical ruthenium hydride complexes containing bidentate PP and tridentate PCP and PNP pincer-type ligands are described. The mononuclear and dinuclear ruthenium complexes presented have been synthesised in moderate to high yields by the direct hydrogenation route (one-pot synthesis) or in a two-step procedure. In both cases [Ru(cod)(metallyl)(2)] served as a readily available precursor. The influences of the coordination geometry and the ligand framework on the structure, binding, and chemical properties of the M--H(2) fragments were studied by X-ray crystal structure analysis, spectroscopic methods, and reactivity towards N(2), D(2), and deuterated solvents.

Quantum chemical study of the mechanism of ethylene elimination in silylative coupling of olefins

Silylative coupling of olefins differs from olefin metathesis. Although in both these reactions ruthenium catalysts play a crucial role and ethylene product is detected, ruthenium-carbene intermediate is formed only in the course of the metathesis reaction. In this study quantum chemical calculations based on the density functional theory (DFT) have been carried out in order to examine the mechanism of the silylative coupling of olefins leading to ethylene elimination. In the first step of the catalytic cycle, a hydrogen atom from the ruthenium catalytic center is transferred preferentially to the carbon atom bound to Si in a vinylsilane. This H transfer is coupled with the formation of Ru-C bond. Next, the rotation around the newly formed C-C single bond occurs so that silicon atom is placed in the vicinity of the ruthenium center. The following step involves the migration of a silyl moiety, and leads to Ru-Si bond formation, coupled with ethylene elimination. The next reaction, that is the insertion of ethylene (alkene) into Ru-Si bond, has an activation barrier almost as high as the reaction of ethylene elimination. However, the posibility of removing gaseous ethylene from the reactive mixture together with the entropic fators suggests that the insertion of alkene that is larger than C(2)H(4) is the rate limiting step in the silylative coupling of olefins. It also suggests that the substituents attached to the silicon atom or the carbon atoms of an alkene by electronic and steric effects may significantly affect silyl migration and thus the effectiveness of the catalytic reaction.

On the CH⋯Cu agostic interaction: chiral copper(ii) compounds with ephedrine and pseudoephedrine derivatives

The ephedrine derivative, (H2ceph), yields [Cu(Hceph)2], showing a CH...Cu(II) agostic interaction; while in the analogous compound [Cu(Hcpse)2], with pseudoephedrine (H2cpse), that interaction is absent, despite the fact that these two diasteromers differ only in the orientation of the methyl and phenyl groups: erythro in H2ceph and threo in H2cpse. The X-ray crystal structure of [Cu(Hceph)2], indicates a Cu...HC length of 2.454 A and the theoretical study reveals the formation of a Cu...HC bond since the associated electronic density shows both a bond critical point and a bond ring critical point.