Dissimilarity in the Chemical Behavior of Osmaoxazolium Salts and Osmaoxazoles: Two Different Aromatic Metalladiheterocycles

Syntheses and reactivities of strained fused-ring metallaaromatics containing planar eleven-carbon chains

Carbolong complexes are one of the primary types of metallaaromatics, and they include metallapentalynes and metallapentalenes. A series of 7C-10C and 12C-carbolong complexes with planar ligand skeletons respectively containing 7-10 and 12 carbon atoms in their backbones, have been previously reported. Herein, two classes of strained substances, metallabenzyne-fused metallapentalenes and metallabenzene-fused metallapentalynes, were prepared, both representing 11C-carbolong complexes with a planar carbon-chain ligand. Furthermore, the former type is also the carbolong derivatives containing a metallabenzyne skeleton, another primary metallaaromatic framework. Metallabenzyne-fused metallapentalenes show versatile reactivities, and the most interesting one is the metal carbyne bond shift from a 6-membered to a more strained 5-membered ring, affording the above-mentioned metallabenzene-fused metallapentalyne. This work makes carbolong chemistry more complete, and provides a method to achieve metallabenzynes, which is anticipated to concurrently advance the development of these two types of metallaaromatics.

Unequivocal Characterization of an Osmium Complex with a Terminal Sulfide Ligand and Its Transformation into Hydrosulfide and Methylsulfide

Deprotonation of the thioamidate group of [OsH{κ2-N,S-[NHC(CH3)S]}(≡CPh)(IPr)(PiPr3)]OTf [1; IPr = 1,3-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)imidazolylidene; OTf = CF3SO3] results in the release of acetonitrile and formation of the terminal sulfide complex OsH(S)(≡CPh)(IPr)(PiPr3) (2), which has been transformed into the hydrosulfide [OsH(SH)(≡CPh)(IPr)(PiPr3)]OTf (3) and the methylsulfide [OsH(SMe)(≡CPh)(IPr)(PiPr3)]OTf (4) through protonation and methylation reactions, respectively. The structure, spectroscopic characteristics, and reactivity of these compounds are compared. Reactions of 3 and 4 with 2-hydroxypyridine and 2-mercaptopyridine afford [OsH{κ2-X,N-[X-py]}(≡CPh)(IPr)(PiPr3)]OTf [X = O (5), S(6)].

Preparation, Aromaticity, and Bromination of Spiro Iridafurans

Iridium centers of [Ir(μ-Cl)(C8H14)2]2 (1) activate the Cβ(sp2)-H bond of benzylideneacetone to give [Ir(μ-Cl){κ2-C,O-[C(Ph)CHC(Me)O]}2]2 (2), which is the starting point for the preparation of the spiro iridafurans IrCl{κ2-C,O-[C(Ph)CHC(Me)O]}2(PiPr3) (3), [Ir{κ2-C,O-[C(Ph)CHC(Me)O]}2(MeCN)2]BF4 (4), [Ir(μ-OH){κ2-C,O-[C(Ph)CHC(Me)O]}2]2 (5), Ir{κ2-C,O-[C(Ph)CHC(Me)O]}2{κ2-C,N-[C6MeH3-py]} (6), and Ir{κ2-C,O-[C(Ph)CHC(Me)O]}2{κ2-O,O-[acac]} (7). The five-membered rings are orthogonally arranged with the oxygen atoms in trans in an octahedral environment of the iridium atom. Spiro iridafurans are aromatic. The degree of aromaticity and the negative charge of the CH-carbon of the rings depend on ligand trans to the carbon directly attached to the metal. Aromaticity has been experimentally confirmed by bromination of iridafurans with N-bromosuccinimide (NBS). Reactions are sensitive to the degree of aromaticity of the ring and the negative charge of the attacked CH-carbon. Iridafurans can be selectively brominated, when different ligands lie trans to metalated carbons. Bromination of 3 occurs in the ring with the metalated carbon trans to chloride, whereas the bromination of 6 takes place in the ring with the metalated carbon trans to pyridyl. The first gives IrCl{κ2-C,O-[C(Ph)CBrC(Me)O]}{κ2-C,O-[C(Ph)CHC(Me)O]}(PiPr3) (8), which reacts with more NBS to form IrCl{κ2-C,O-[C(Ph)CBrC(Me)O]}2(PiPr3) (9). The second yields Ir{κ2-C,O-[C(Ph)CBrC(Me)O]}{κ2-C,O-[C(Ph)CHC(Me)O]}{κ2-C,N-[C6MeH3-py]} (10). The origin of the selectivity is kinetic, with the rate-determining step of the reaction being the NBS attack. The activation energy depends on the negative charge of the attacked atom; a higher negative charge allows for a lower activation energy. Accordingly, complex 7 undergoes bromination in the acetylacetonate ligand, giving Ir{κ2-C,O-[C(Ph)CHC(Me)O]}2{κ2-O,O-[acacBr]} (11).

One-pot Syntheses of Benzo- and Benzofuran-fused Iridaoxabenzenes via CH Bond Activations of Alkyl-bridged Diphenol Derivatives

One-pot syntheses of new π-extended metallaaromatic compounds have been developed by utilizing Ir-mediated CH bond activation of ethylene- or ethylidene-bridged diphenol derivatives. Depending on the bridging alkyl groups, two types of iridaoxabenzenes, both of which are doubly fused with benzo and benzofuran units, have been obtained. Studies on their structures and electronic characters indicate that both complexes have an aromatic character on the iridaoxacycles, and their π-conjugated systems are fully delocalized over the whole molecular skeletons. These novel metallaaromatic complexes exhibited some reactivities which are distinct from those reported for the non-fused metallaaromatic compounds.

Reshaping aromatic frameworks: expansion of aromatic system drives metallabenzenoids to metallapentalenes

Reshaping an aromatic framework to generate other skeletons is a challenging issue due to the stabilization energy of aromaticity. Such reconfigurations of aromatics commonly generate non-aromatic products and hardly ever reshape to a different aromatic framework. Herein, we present the transformation of metallaindenols to metallapentalenes and metallaindenes in divergent pathways, converting one aromatic framework to another with an extension of the conjugation framework. The mechanistic study of this transformation shows that phosphorus ligands play different roles in the divergent processes. Further theoretical studies indicate that the expansion of the aromatic system is the driving force promoting this skeletal rearrangement. Our findings offer a new concept and strategy to reshape and construct aromatic compounds.

Hetero-carbolong chemistry: experimental and theoretical studies of diaza-metallapentalenes

Four diaza-osmapentalenes were prepared by two-step reactions, through the treatment of an alkyne-coordinated osmium complex with azo compounds, followed by the addition of AgSbF₆/CO. Their aromaticity was confirmed by crystal parameters, NMR spectra and theoretical calculations. These complexes are the first diaza-metallapentalenes representing a new class of metallaaromatics.

Osmathiazole Ring: Extrapolation of an Aromatic Purely Organic System to Organometallic Chemistry

An osmathiazole skeleton has been generated starting from the cation of the salt [OsH(OH)(≡CPh)(IPr)(PiPr3)]OTf (1; IPr = 1,3-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)imidazolylidene; OTf = CF3SO3) and thioacetamide; its aromaticity degree was compared with that of thiazole, and its aromatic reactivity was confirmed through a reaction with phenylacetylene. Salt 1 reacts with the thioamide to initially afford the synthetic intermediate [OsH{κ2-N,S-[NHC(CH3)S]}(≡CPh)(IPr)(PiPr3)]OTf (2). Thioamidate and alkylidyne ligands of 2 couple in acetonitrile at 70 °C, forming a 1:1 mixture of the salts [OsH{κ2-C,S-[C(Ph)NHC(CH3)S]}(CH3CN)(IPr)(PiPr3)]OTf (3) and [Os{κ2-C,S-[CH(Ph)NHC(CH3)S]}(CH3CN)3(IPr)]OTf (4). Treatment of 3 with potassium tert-butoxide produces the NH-deprotonation of its five-membered ring and gives OsH{κ2-C,S-[C(Ph)NC(CH3)S]}(IPr)(PiPr3) (5). The osmathiazole ring of 5 is slightly less aromatic than the osmathiazolium cycle of 3 and the purely organic thiazole. However, it is more aromatic than related osmaoxazoles and osmaoxazoliums. There are significant differences in behavior between 3 and 5 toward phenylacetylene. In acetonitrile, the cation of 3 loses the phosphine and adds the alkyne to afford [Os{η3-C3,κ1-S-[CH2C(Ph)C(Ph)NHC(CH3)S]}(CH3CN)2(IPr)]OTf (6), bearing a functionalized allyl ligand. In contrast, the osmathiazole ring of 5 undergoes a vicarious nucleophilic substitution of hydride, by acetylide, via the dihydride OsH2(C≡CPh){κ2-C,S-[C(Ph)NC(CH3)S]}(IPr)(PiPr3) (7), which releases H2 to yield Os(C≡CPh){κ2-C,S-[C(Ph)NC(CH3)S]}(IPr)(PiPr3) (8).

Acetylides for the Preparation of Phosphorescent Iridium(III) Complexes: Iridaoxazoles and Their Transformation into Hydroxycarbenes and N,C(sp3),C(sp2),O-Tetradentate Ligands

The preparation of three families of phosphorescent iridium(III) emitters, including iridaoxazole derivatives, hydroxycarbene compounds, and N,C(sp³),C(sp²),O-tetradentate containing complexes, has been performed starting from dimers cis-[Ir(μ²-η²-C≡CR){κ²-C,N-(MeC₆H₃-py)}₂]₂ (R = ^tBu (1a), Ph (1b)). Reactions of 1a with benzamide, acetamide, phenylacetamide, and trifluoroacetamide lead to the iridaoxazole derivatives Ir{κ²-C,O-[C(CH₂^tBu)NC(R)O]}{κ²-C,N-(MeC₆H₃-py)}₂ (R = Ph (2), Me (3), CH₂Ph (4), CF₃ (5)) with a fac disposition of carbons and heteroatoms around the metal center. In 2-methyltetrahydrofuran and dichloromethane, water promotes the C-N rupture of the IrC-N bond of the iridaoxazole ring of 3-5 to form amidate-iridium(III)-hydroxycarbene derivatives Ir{κ¹-N-[NHC(R)O]}{κ²-C,N-(MeC₆H₃-py)}₂{═C(CH₂^tBu)OH} (R = Me (6), CH₂Ph (7), CF₃ (8)). In contrast to 1a, dimer 1b reacts with benzamide and acetamide to give Ir{κ⁴-N,C,C',O-[py-MeC₆H₃-C(CH₂-C₆H₄)NHC(R)O]}{κ²-C,N-(MeC₆H₃-py)}(R = Ph (9), Me (10)), which bear a N,C(sp³),C(sp²),O-tetradentate ligand resulting from a triple coupling (an alkynyl ligand, an amide, and a coordinated aryl group) and a C-H bond activation at the metal coordination sphere. Complexes 2-4 and 6-10 are emissive upon photoexcitation, in orange (2-4), green (6-8), and yellow (9 and 10) regions, with quantum yields between low and moderate (0.01-0.50) and short lifetimes (0.2-9.0 μs).

An aromatic dimetallapolycyclic complex with two rhenapyrylium rings

Extension of the polycyclic benzo-rhenapyrylium structure by a fused metallaaromatic ring and a benzene unit are reported. The dirhena-aromatic complex 4 shows strong absorption in the visible region and a significant absorption in the near-infrared (NIR) region (λ_max = 842 nm). DFT calculations are performed to understand its aromatic nature and electronic behavior.