Investigations on organozinc compounds XI. Coordination chemistry of organozinc compounds RZnX: organozinc-nitrogen compounds of the type EtZnNPhCOZ

Selective Conversion of CO2 into Isocyanate by Low-Coordinate Iron Complexes

Discovery of the mechanisms for selective transformations of CO2 into organic compounds is a challenge. Herein, we describe the reaction of low-coordinate Fe silylamide complexes with CO2 to give trimethylsilyl isocyanate and the corresponding Fe siloxide complex. Kinetic studies show that this is a two-stage reaction, and the presence of a single equivalent of THF influences the rates of both steps. Isolation of a thermally unstable intermediate provides mechanistic insight that explains both the effect of THF in this reaction, and the way in which the reaction achieves high selectivity for isocyanate formation.

Pyrazolylborate-zinc alkoxide complexes. 1. Basic properties, methylations, and heterocumulene insertions

While a solution of TpPh,MeZn-OH in methanol contains only traces of TpPh,MeZn-OMe, according to the equilibrium constant K = 5.8 x 10(-4), the reactions of TpPh,MeZn-OH with the electronegative alcohols trifluoroethanol and hexafluoro-2-propanol easily yield TpPh,MeZn-OCH2CF3 and TpPh,MeZn-OCH(CF3)2. The extremely hydrolytically sensitive TpPh,MeZn-OR complexes, with R = Me, Et, i-Pr, and CH2CH2F, as well as TpCum,MeZn-OR, with R = Me and i-Pr, are accessible from the Tp*Zn-hydride complexes and the corresponding alcohol. Alkylations with methyl iodide have revealed the high nucleophilicity of TpPh,MeZn-OMe by conversion to dimethyl ether and TpPh,MeZn-I. This conversion occurs rapidly not only with pure TpPh,MeZn-OMe but also with TpPh,MeZn-OH (as such or in the presence of methanol) and with TpPh,MeZn-OCOOMe. A relation of the Tp*Zn-alkoxides to the function of the zinc enzyme alcoholdehydrogenase exists in the reaction of TpPh,MeZn-OCH(CH3)2 with aromatic aldehydes, which yields acetone and the corresponding benzyl oxides TpPh,MeZn-OH2Ar. The heterocumulenes carbon dioxide, carbon disulfide, isothiocyanates, and one isocyanate are inserted into the Zn-OR bonds, yielding one alkyl carbonate complex (TpPh,MeZn-OC(O)OMe), two xanthogenate complexes (TpPh,MeZn-SC(S)OR), three iminothiocarbonate complexes (TpPh,MeZn-SC(NR')OR), and one alkyl carbamate complex (TpPh,MeZn-NR-COOMe). All insertion reactions can be described by a common mechanism involving a four-center intermediate in which the most basic heteroatom of the heterocumulene is attached to zinc.

Pyridylpyrrolides as alternatives to cyclometalated phenylpyridine ligands: synthesis and characterization of luminescent zinc and boron pyridylpyrrolide complexes

The synthesis, structure, and properties of six luminescent pyridylpyrrolide complexes and the first structural characterization of pyridylpyrrolide metal complexes are reported. A series of new zinc complexes, bis(pyridylpyrrolyl)zinc, (R2PyrPy)2Zn (R = Me, Et, iPr, tBu, and Ph), that vary in their substituents on the pyrrole ring (Me, Et, iPr, tBu, and Ph), were prepared. Pyrrole substitution produced small structural changes in the complexes and affected the fluorescence properties very little. The zinc complexes were found to be luminescent, emitting at 495 nm (Phi = 0.32, 0.32 0.31, 0.19 and 0.57, respectively). A boron analog, (Me2PyrPy)BF2, was prepared and was found to share the luminescent properties with the zinc complexes, emitting at 505 nm (Phi = 0.22), but not their water-sensitivity. A total of four crystal structures are reported, tBu2PyrPyH, (Me2PyrPy)2Zn, (tBu2PyrPy)2Zn, and (Me2PyrPy)BF2. tBu2PyrPyH crystallizes as a doubly hydrogen bonded dimer with non-coplanar pyridine and pyrrole rings. The solid-state structures of (Me2PyrPy)2Zn and (tBu2PyrPy)2Zn revealed that despite the large change in steric bulk, the two compounds have very similar structures. The structure of (Me2PyrPy)BF2 showed changes that are expected with the interaction between a smaller atom (B as compared to Zn). Molecular orbital calculations were performed on Me2PyrPyH, (Me2PyrPy)BF2, and (Me2PyrPy)2Zn using Gaussian 98 methods. It was found that the main transition (HOMO-LUMO) for all three molecules is a pi-->pi* transition and that in the inorganic complexes, the metal atom (zinc or boron) present has very little effect on transition, evidence that the optical properties are largely ligand based and that the B or Zn atom's main effect is lowering of the LUMO relative energy.