Strontium Hydride Cations Supported by a Large NNNNN Type Macrocycle: Synthesis, Structure, and Hydrofunctionalization Catalysis

Multi-electron redox reactivity of a samarium(ii) hydrido complex

Well-defined low-valent molecular rare-earth metal hydrides are rare, and limited to Yb2+ and Eu2+ centers. Here, we report the first example of the divalent samarium(ii) hydrido complex [(CpAr5)SmII(μ-H)(DABCO)]2 (4) (CpAr5 = C5Ar5, Ar = 3,5-iPr2-C6H3; DABCO = 1,4-diazabicyclooctane) supported by a super-bulky penta-arylcyclopentadienyl ligand, resulting from the hydrogenolysis of the samarium(ii) alkyl complex [(CpAr5)SmII{CH(SiMe3)2}(DABCO)] (3). Complex 4 exhibits multi-electron redox reactivity toward a variety of substrates. Exposure of complex 4 to CO2 results in the formation of the trivalent samarium(iii) mixed-bis-formate/carbonate complex [(CpAr5)SmIII(μ-η2:η1-O2CH)(μ-η2:η2-CO3)(μ-η1:η1-O2CH)SmIII(CpAr5)(DABCO)] (8), mediated by hydride insertion and reductive disproportionation reactions. Complex 4 shows four-electron reduction toward four equivalents of CS2 to afford the trivalent samarium(iii) bis-trithiocarbonate complex [(CpAr5)SmIII(μ-η2:η2-CS3)(DABCO)]2 (9). A mechanistic study of the formation of complex 8 was carried out using DFT calculations.

Low oxidation state and hydrido group 2 complexes: synthesis and applications in the activation of gaseous substrates

Numerous industrial processes utilise gaseous chemical feedstocks to produce useful chemical products. Atmospheric and other small molecule gases, including anthropogenic waste products (e.g. carbon dioxide), can be viewed as sustainable building blocks to access value-added chemical commodities and materials. While transition metal complexes have been well documented in the reduction and transformation of these substrates, molecular complexes of the terrestrially abundant alkaline earth metals have also demonstrated promise with remarkable reactivity reported towards an array of industrially relevant gases over the past two decades. This review covers low oxidation state and hydrido group 2 complexes and their role in the reduction and transformation of a selection of important gaseous substrates towards value-added chemical products.

An anionic beryllium hydride dimer with an exceedingly short Be⋯Be distance

Heteroleptic hydride complexes of the group 2 metals have seen considerable attention as Earth-abundant synthetic tools, yet anionic derivatives are exceedingly rare. We described the facile synthesis and in-depth characterisation of an anionic beryllium hydride dimer, featuring a dynamic [Be2H3] cluster at its core with a short Be⋯Be distance. Despite this, there is no formal Be-Be bond in this complex, with only hydride bridging interactions leading to this remarkable structural attribute.

Alkali Metal Dihydropyridines in Transfer Hydrogenation Catalysis of Imines: Amide Basicity versus Hydride Surrogacy

Catalytic reduction of a representative set of imines, both aldimines and ketimines, to amines has been studied using transfer hydrogenation from 1,4-dicyclohexadiene. Unusually, this has been achieved using s-block pre-catalysts, namely 1-metallo-2-tert-butyl-1,2-dihydropyridines, 2-tBuC5 H5 NM, M(tBuDHP), where M=Li-Cs. Reactions have been monitored in C6 D6 and tetrahydrofuran-d8 (THF-d8 ). A definite trend is observed in catalyst efficiency with the heavier alkali metal tBuDHPs outperforming the lighter congeners. In general, Cs(tBuDHP) is the optimal pre-catalyst with, in the best cases, reactions producing quantitative yields of amines in minutes at room temperature using 5 mol % catalyst. Supporting the experimental study, Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations have also been carried out which reveal that Cs has a pathway with a significantly lower rate determining step than the Li congener. In the postulated initiation pathways DHP can act as either a base or as a surrogate hydride.