A Stable Planar-Chiral N-Heterocyclic Carbene with a 1,1'-Ferrocenediyl Backbone

A complete series of N-heterocyclic tetrylenes (Si-Pb) with a 1,1'-ferrocenediyl backbone enabled by 1,3,2-diazaborolyl N-substituents

The use of bulky 1,3,2-diazaborolyl N-substituents has allowed the synthesis of the complete series of ferrocene-based N-heterocyclic tetrylenes fc[(N{B})2E] (fc = 1,1'-ferrocenediyl, {B} = (HCNC6H3-2,6-iPr2)2B, E = Si-Pb). The silylene fc[(N{B})2Si] is inert towards NH3, CO2 or N2O under ambient conditions and thus significantly less reactive than the N-aryl homologue fc[(NC6H3-2,6-iPr2)2Si]. In accord with its higher reactivity, computational results indicate a more pronounced ambiphilicity of fc[(NC6H3-2,6-iPr2)2Si]. Our computational investigation of the model compound fc[(NBMe2)2Si] suggests that silylenes of this type may be superior to fc[(NC6H3-2,6-iPr2)2Si] in terms of ambiphilicity.

A Potent Auto-Umpolung Ligand for Conjugative Radical Stabilization

Carbenes with conjugatively connected redox system act as "auto-umpolung" ligands. Due to their electronic flexibility, they should also be particularly suitable to stabilize open-shell species. Herein, the first neutral radical of such sort is described in form of a dialkylamino-substituted bis(dicyanomethylene)cyclopropanide. Despite the absence of steric shielding, the radical is stable for an extended amount of time and was consequently characterized in solution via EPR measurements. These data and accompanying X-ray structural analyses indicate that the radical species is in equilibrium with aggregates (formed via π-stacking) and dimers (obtained via σ-bond formation between methylene carbons).

A crystalline cyclic (alkyl)(amino)carbene with a 1,1'-ferrocenylene backbone

Cyclic (alkyl)(amino)carbenes with a 1,1'-ferrocenylene backbone (fcCAACs) are established as an original family by the preparation of a crystalline congener. The C_carbene bond angle is unprecedentedly wide for a CAAC, causing an exceptionally pronounced ambiphilicity. The redox-active backbone opens the door to unconventional metalloradicals and oligoradicals.

Forever young: the first seventy years of ferrocene

The discovery of ferrocene, [Fe(η5-C5H5)2], seventy years ago has significantly influenced chemical research and provided a key impetus for establishing and rapidly expanding organometallic chemistry, which has continued at a...

Planar-chiral 1,1'-diaminoferrocenes

Planar-chiral homologues of 1,1'-diaminoferrocene, which bear a single additional substituent adjacent to one of the amino groups, are prepared as racemic mixtures in a few steps and in good yields from ferrocene. Various substituents relevant to steric shielding, coordination and further functionalisation are used, giving access to ferrocene-based planar-chiral diimines and diamines as well as stable N-heterocyclic carbenes and tetrylenes by transformations analogous to procedures established for 1,1'-diaminoferrocene.

A Stable N-Heterocyclic Silylene with a 1,1'-Ferrocenediyl Backbone

The N-heterocyclic silylene [{Fe(η5 -C5 H4 -NDipp)2 }Si] (1DippSi, Dipp=2,6-diisopropylphenyl) shows an excellent combination of pronounced thermal stability and high reactivity towards small molecules. It reacts readily with CO2 and N2 O, respectively affording (1DippSiO2 )2 C and (1DippSiO)2 as follow-up products of the silanone 1DippSiO. Its reactions with H2 O, NH3 , and FcPH2 (Fc=ferrocenyl) furnish the respective oxidative addition products 1DippSi(H)X (X=OH, NH2 , PHFc). Its reaction with H3 BNH3 unexpectedly results in B-H, instead of N-H, bond activation, affording 1DippSi(H)(BH2 NH3 ). DFT results suggest that dramatically different mechanisms are operative for these H-X insertions.

A Redox-Active Heterobimetallic N-Heterocyclic Carbene Based on a Bis(imino)pyrazine Ligand Scaffold

A new redox-active N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) architecture is obtained using N-methylated pyrazinediimine iron complexes as precursors. The new species exhibit strong π-accepting/σ-donating properties and are able to ligate two metal centres simultaneously. The redox activity was demonstrated by the reversible chemical oxidation of a heterobimetallic Fe0 /RhI example, which affords an isolable ligand-based radical cation. The reversible redox process was then applied in the catalytic hydrosilylation of 4,4'-difluorobenzophenone, where the reaction rate could be reversibly controlled as a function of the catalyst oxidation state. The new NHC exhibits high electrophilicity and nucleophilicity, which was demonstrated in the reversible activation of alcohols and amines. The electronic structure of the resulting complexes was investigated through various spectroscopic and computational methods.

Recent developments in the synthesis and applications of chiral ferrocene ligands and organocatalysts in asymmetric catalysis

This review highlights recent advances in the synthesis and application of ferrocene-containing chiral ligands and organocatalysts in asymmetric catalysis.

Tunable Redox Potential, Optical Properties, and Enhanced Stability of Modified Ferrocene-Based Complexes

We report a series of ferrocene-based derivatives and their corresponding oxidized forms in which the introduction of simple electron donating groups like methyl or tert-butyl units on cyclopentadienyl-rings afford great tunability of Fe^+III/Fe^+II redox potentials from +0.403 V down to -0.096 V versus saturated calomel electrode. The spin forbidden d-d transitions of ferrocene derivatives shift slightly toward the blue region with an increasing number of electron-donating groups on the cyclopentadienyl-rings with very little change in absorptivity values, whereas the ligand-to-metal transitions of the corresponding ferricinium salts move significantly to the near-IR region. The electron-donating groups also contribute in the strengthening of electron density of Fe^+III d-orbitals, which therefore improves the chemical stability against the oxygen reaction. Further, density functional theory calculations show a reducing trend in outer shell reorganization energy with an increasing number of the electron donating units.

Reactive Dimerization of an N-Heterocyclic Plumbylene: C-H Activation with PbII

The N-heterocyclic plumbylene [Fe{(η⁵ -C₅ H₄ )NSiMe₃ }₂ Pb:] is in equilibrium with an unprecedented dimer in solution, whose formation involves the cleavage of a strong C-H bond and concomitant formation of a Pb-C and an N-H bond. According to a mechanistic DFT assessment, dimer formation does not involve direct Pb^II insertion into a cyclopentadienyl C-H bond, but is best described as an electrophilic substitution. The bulkier plumbylene [Fe{(η⁵ -C₅ H₄ )NSitBuMe₂ }₂ Pb:] shows no dimerization, but compensates its electrophilicity by the formation of an intramolecular Fe-Pb bond.

Planar-Chiral Ferrocene-Based N-Heterocyclic Carbene Ligands

In the last few decades, N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligands, characterized by attractive features, have increased their presence in transition-metal catalysis. However, chiral NHC ligands still require further design enhancement to realize far more exciting synthetic applications. This review documents advances in chiral NHC ligands, focusing on planar-chiral ferrocene-based NHCs. As the basic shape of most classes of NHC rings is planar, it seems rational to employ a planar-chiral element in the design of chiral NHC ligands.

New reactivity at the silicon bridge in sila[1]ferrocenophanes

We describe two new types of reactivity involving silicon-bridged [1]ferrocenophanes. In an attempt to form a [1]ferrocenophane with a bridging silyl cation, the reaction of sila[1]ferrocenophane [Fe(η-C₅H₄)₂Si(H)TMP] (12) (TMP = 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidyl) towards the hydride-abstraction reagent trityl tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate ([CPh₃][B(C₆F₅)₄]) was explored. This yielded the unusual dinuclear species [Fe(η-C₅H₄)₂Si(TMP·H)(η-C₅H₃)Fe(η-C₅H₄)Si(H)TMP][B(C₆F₅)₄] [13][B(C6F5)4] in low yield. The formation of [13]+ is proposed to involve abstraction of hydride from the silicon bridge in 12 with subsequent C-H bond cleavage of a cyclopentadienyl group by the resulting electrophilic transient silyl cation intermediate. We also explored the reaction of dimethylsila[1]ferrocenophane [Fe(η-C₅H₄)₂SiMe₂] (1) with the Au(i) species AuCl(PMe₃). This was found to result in addition of the Au-Cl bond across the Cp_ipso-Si bond to yield the ring-opened species [1'-(chlorodimethylsilyl)-ferrocenyl](trimethylphosphine)gold(i), [Fe(C₅H₄SiMe₂Cl){C₅H₄Au(PMe₃)}] (14). This represents the first example of ring-opening addition of a metallocenophane with a reagent possessing a transition metal-halogen bond.

Boryl- and Silyl-Substituted Mixed Sandwich Compounds of Scandium

An improved, one-pot synthesis of the linear sandwich compound [Sc(η⁵ -C₅ H₅ )(η⁸ -C₈ H₈ )] is presented. The synthetic procedure is amenable to boryl- and silyl-substituted cyclopentadienyl and cyclooctatetraenyl ligands, thereby yielding the first functionalized derivatives. We found that the synthesis of the silyl-substituted mixed sandwich complexes produces higher yields when the ligand exchange is carried out stepwise, by isolating the intermediate trimethylsilylated half-sandwich complex [Sc(η⁸ -C₈ H₇ SiMe₃ )Cl(THF)] (THF=tetrahydrofuran). The molecular structures of the parent complex, as well as of its mono-boryl-substituted derivatives, have been determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. In addition, the optical and electrochemical properties of the mixed sandwich complexes are reported.

N-Heterocyclic germylenes and stannylenes of the type [Fe{(η 5-C5H4)NR}2E] with bulky alkyl substituents

The 1,1′-diaminoferrocene derivatives [Fe(η 5-C5H4–NHAd)2] (Ad=2-adamantyl) and [Fe(η 5-C5H4–NHtBu)2] were investigated in terms of their suitability for the synthesis of N-heterocyclic tetrylenes of the type [{Fe(η 5-C5H4–NR)2}E] (E=Ge, Sn). The synthesis of these target compounds was easily achieved with R=tBu, but failed with R=Ad. In the latter case, the stannylene was not sufficiently stable for isolation and decomposed to the aminoiminoferrocene derivative [Fe(η 5-C5H4–NHAd)(η 5-C5H4–N=Ad′)] (Ad′=adamant-2-ylidene). Attempts to synthesise [{Fe(η 5-C5H4–NAd)2}Ge] afforded intractable material, from which the unusual compound [μ 2-{Fe(η 5-C5H4–NAd)2}Ge2(μ 3-O)(GeCl2)] was obtained by serendipity. It contains GeO, stabilised by adduct formation with GeCl2 and the target germylene. [Fe(η 5-C5H4–NHtBu)2], [Fe(η 5-C5H4–NHAd)2], [Fe(η 5-C5H4–NHAd)(η 5-C5H4–N=Ad′)], [μ 2-{Fe(η 5-C5H4–NAd)2}Ge2(μ 3-O)(GeCl2)] and [{Fe(η 5-C5H4–NtBu)2}E] (E=Ge, Sn) were structurally characterised by single-crystal X-ray diffraction.

A Redox-Switchable Germylene and its Ligating Properties in Selected Transition Metal Complexes

The synthesis, structure, and full characterization of a redox-switchable germylene based on a [3]ferrocenophane ligand arrangement, [Fc(NMes)₂ Ge] (4), is presented. The mesityl (Mes)-substituted title compound is readily available from Fc(NHMes)₂ (2) and Ge{N(SiMe₃ )₂ }₂ , or from the dilithiated, highly air- and moisture-sensitive compound Fc(NLiMes)₂ ⋅3 Et₂ O (3) and GeCl₂ . Cyclic voltammetry studies are provided for 4, confirming the above-mentioned view of a redox-switchable germylene metalloligand. Although several 1:1 Rh^I and Ir^I complexes of 4 (5-7) are cleanly formed in solution, all attempts to isolate them in pure form failed due to stability problems. However, crystalline solids of [Mo(κ¹ Ge-4)₂ (CO)₄ ] (8) and [W(κ¹ Ge-4)₂ (CO)₄ ] (9) were isolated and fully characterized by common spectroscopic techniques (8 by X-ray diffraction). DFT calculations were performed on a series of model compounds to elucidate a conceivable interplay between the metal atoms in neutral and cationic bimetallic complexes of the type [Rh(κ¹ E-qE)(CO)₂ Cl]^0/+ (qE=[Fc(NPh)₂ E] with E=C, Si, Ge). The bonding characteristics of the coordinated Fc-based metalloligands (qE/qE⁺ ) are strongly affected upon in silico oxidation of the calculated complexes. The calculated Tolman electronic parameter (TEP) significantly increases by approximately 20 cm^-1 (E=C) to 25 cm^-1 (E=Si, Ge) upon oxidation. The change in the ligand-donating abilities upon oxidation can mainly be attributed to Coulombic effects, whereas an orbital-based interaction appears to have only a minor influence.

Redox-Active N-Heterocyclic Germylenes and Stannylenes with a Ferrocene-1,1'-diyl Backbone

We describe ferrocene-based N-heterocyclic germylenes and stannylenes of the type [Fe{(η⁵ -C₅ H₄ )NR}₂ E:] (1 RE; E=Ge, Sn; R=neopentyl (Np), mesityl (Mes), trimethylsilyl (TMS)), which constitute the first examples of redox-functionalised N-heterocyclic tetrylenes (NHTs). These compounds are thermally stable and were structurally characterised by means of X-ray diffraction studies, except for the neopentyl-substituted stannylene 1 NpSn, the decomposition of which afforded the aminoiminoferrocene [fc(NHCH₂ tBu)(N=CHtBu)] (2) and the spiro tin(IV) compound (1 Np)₂ Sn (3). DFT calculations show that the HOMO of the NHTs of our study is localised on the ferrocenylene backbone. A one-electron oxidation process affords ions of the type 1 RE^+. . In contrast to the NHC system 1 RC, the localised ferrocenium-type nature of the oxidised form does not compromise the fundamental tetrylene character of 1 RE^+. .

A general diastereoselective synthesis of highly functionalized ferrocenyl ambiphiles enabled on a large scale by electrochemical purification

A diastereoselective modification of tert-butylated ferrocenes leads to highly functionalized constrained ambiphiles (P,B or N,B) and hybrids (P,N or P,P′) on a multigram scale by a smart electrochemical purification.

C4-Ferrocenylsilyl-bridged and -substituted N-heterocyclic carbenes: complexation of germanium chloride

C4-Ferrocenylsilyl-bridged and -substituted N-heterocyclic carbenes and their germanium chloride complexes have been prepared and characterized.

[n]Ferrocenophanes (n = 2, 3) with Nitrogen and Phosphorus in Bridging Positions

The in situ prepared dilithio derivative of the known species 1-bromo-1'-(trimethylsilylamino)ferrocene (1) reacted with tBuPCl2 to form the first example of a [2]ferrocenophane ([2]FCP) bridged by nitrogen and phosphorus (2). Sulfurization of 2 followed by column chromatography on silica gel gave the expected [2]FCP with a tBu(S)PN(SiMe3) bridging moiety (3a) and its desilylated counterpart with a tBu(S)PNH bridging moiety (3b). The molecular structure of 3b was determined by single-crystal X-ray analysis (α = 18.40(11)°). Using a common synthetic methodology, two new 1-amino-1'-bromoferrocene derivatives were prepared, one species with a PhCH2 (6a) and another with a tBuCH2 group (6b) on nitrogen. Dilithiation of 6a followed by addition of tBuPCl2 gave a mixture of three constitutional isomers: the targeted [2]FCP (7a), the 1,1'-disubstituted ferrocene derivative (tBuPH)(PhCH═N)fc (8a), and the [3]FCP bridged by a (NH)(CHPh)PtBu moiety (9a). NMR spectroscopy revealed that 8a is the precursor for 9a. The salt-metathesis reaction of the dilithio derivative of 6b with tBuPCl2 exclusively gave the 1,1'-disubstituted ferrocene derivative (tBuPH)(tBuCH═N)fc (8b), which does not isomerize to the respective [3]FCP. DFT calculations at the M06/6-311+G(d,p) level were used to better rationalize these unexpected results.