Manganese Silyl Dihydride Complexes: A Spectroscopic, Crystallographic, and Computational Study of Nonclassical Silicate and Hydrosilane Hydride Isomers

Reactions of [(dmpe)2MnH(C2H4)] with hydrogermanes to form germylene, germyl, hydrogermane, and germanide complexes

Reactions of the ethylene hydride complex trans-[(dmpe)2MnH(C2H4)] (1) with secondary hydrogermanes H2GeR2 at 55-60 °C afforded the base-free terminal germylene hydride complexes trans-[(dmpe)2MnH(GeR2)] (R = Ph; 2a, R = Et; 2b). Room temperature reactions of 2a or 2b with an excess of the primary hydrogermanes H3GeR' (R' = Ph or nBu) afforded trans-[(dmpe)2MnH(GeHR')] (R' = Ph; 3a, R' = nBu; 3b) in rapid equilibrium with small amounts of 2a/b, as well as the digermyl hydride complex mer-[(dmpe)2MnH(GeH2R')2] {R' = Ph (4a) or nBu (4b)} and the trans-hydrogermane germyl complex trans-[(dmpe)2Mn(GeH2R')(HGeH2R')] {R' = Ph (5a) or nBu (5b)}. Pure 3b was isolated from the reaction of 2b with H3GenBu, whereas 3a decomposed readily in solution in the absence of free H3GePh, and a pure bulk sample was not obtained. Reactions of 1 with H3GeR' (R' = Ph or nBu) also proceeded at 55-60 °C to afford mixtures of 3a/b, 4a/b and 5a/b, accompanied by remaining 1. However, upon continued heating to consume 1, various unidentified manganese-containing intermediates were formed, ultimately affording the germanide complex [{(dmpe)2MnH}2(μ-Ge)] (6) in 17-49% spectroscopic yield. Pure trans,trans-6 was isolated in 27% yield from the reaction of 1 with H3GenBu, and it is notable that this reaction involves stripping of all four substituents from the hydrogermane. Complexes 2a, 3a, and 6 were crystallographically characterized, and the nature of the MnGe bonding in these species (as well as in 2b and 3b) was probed computationally.

Hydrosilylation of Aldehydes and Ketones Catalyzed by a 2-Iminopyrrolyl Alkyl-Manganese(II) Complex

A well-defined and very active single-component manganese(II) catalyst system for the hydrosilylation of aldehydes and ketones is presented. First, the reaction of 5-(2,4,6-iPr₃C₆H₂)-2-[N-(2,6-iPr₂C₆H₃)formimino]pyrrolyl potassium (KL) and [MnCl₂(Py)₂] afforded the binuclear 2-iminopyrrolyl manganese(II) pyridine chloride complex [Mn₂{κ²N,N'-5-(2,4,6-iPr₃C₆H₂)-NC₄H₂-2-C(H)═N(2,6-iPr₂C₆H₃)}₂(Py)₂(μ-Cl)₂] 1. Subsequently, the alkylation reaction of complex 1 with LiCH₂SiMe₃ afforded the respective (trimethylsilyl)methyl-Mn(II) complex [Mn{κ²N,N'-5-(2,4,6-iPr₃C₆H₂)-NC₄H₂-2-C(H)═N(2,6-iPr₂C₆H₃)}(Py)CH₂SiMe₃] 2 in a good yield. Complexes 1 and 2 were characterized by elemental analysis, ¹H NMR spectroscopy, Evans' method, FTIR spectroscopy, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. While the crystal structure of complex 1 has been identified as a binuclear entity, in which the Mn(II) centers present pentacoordinate coordination spheres, that of complex 2 corresponds to a monomer with a distorted tetrahedral coordination geometry. Complex 2 proved to be a very active precatalyst for the atom-economic hydrosilylation of several aldehydes and ketones under very mild conditions, with a maximum turnover frequency of 95 min^-1, via a silyl-Mn(II) mechanistic route, as asserted by a combination of experimental and theoretical efforts, the respective silanes were cleanly converted to the respective alcoholic products in high yields.

Rhodium Indenyl NHC and Fluorenyl-Tethered NHC Half-Sandwich Complexes: Synthesis, Structures and Applications in the Catalytic C-H Borylation of Arenes and Alkanes

Indenyl (Ind) rhodium N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) complexes [Rh(η5 -Ind)(NHC)(L)] were synthesised for 1,3-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)-4,5-dihydroimidazol-2-ylidene (SIPr) with L=C2 H4 (1), CO (2 a) and cyclooctene (COE; 3), for 1,3-bis(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)-4,5-dihydroimidazol-2-ylidene (SIMes) with L=CO (2 b) and COE (4), and 1,3-bis(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)imidazol-2-ylidene (IMes) with L=CO (2 c) and COE (5). Reaction of SIPr with [Rh(Cp*)(C2 H4 )2 ] did not give the desired SIPr complex, thus demonstrating the "indenyl effect" in the synthesis of 1. Oxidative addition of HSi(OEt)3 to 3 proceeded under mild conditions to give the Rh silyl hydride complex [Rh(Ind){Si(OEt)3 }(H)(SIPr)] (6) with loss of COE. Tethered-fluorenyl NHC rhodium complexes [Rh{(η5 -C13 H8 )C2 H4 N(C)C2 Hx NR}(L)] (x=4, R=Dipp, L=C2 H4 : 11; L=COE: 12; L=CO: 13; R=Mes, L=COE: 14; L=CO: 15; x=2, R=Me, L=COE: 16; L=CO: 17) were synthesised in low yields (5-31 %) in comparison to good yields for the monodentate complexes (49-79 %). Compounds 3 and 1, which contain labile alkene ligands, were successful catalysts for the catalytic borylation of benzene with B2 pin2 (Bpin=pinacolboronate, 97 and 93 % PhBpin respectively with 5 mol % catalyst, 24 h, 80 °C), with SIPr giving a more active catalyst than SIMes or IMes. Fluorenyl-tethered NHC complexes were much less active as borylation catalysts, and the carbonyl complexes were inactive. The borylation of toluene, biphenyl, anisole and diphenyl ether proceeded to give meta substitutions as the major product, with smaller amounts of para substitution and almost no ortho product. The borylation of octane and decane with B2 pin2 at 120 and 140 °C, respectively, was monitored by 11 B NMR spectroscopy, which showed high conversions into octyl and decylBpin over 4-7 days, thus demonstrating catalysed sp3 C-H borylation with new piano stool rhodium indenyl complexes. Irradiation of the monodentate complexes with 400 or 420 nm light confirmed the ready dissociation of C2 H4 and COE ligands, whereas CO complexes were inert. Evidence for C-H bond activation in the alkyl groups of the NHC ligands was obtained.

The Effect of Substituents on the Formation of Silyl [PSiP] Pincer Cobalt(I) Complexes and Catalytic Application in Both Nitrogen Silylation and Alkene Hydrosilylation

Four different [PSiP]-pincer ligands L1-L4 ((2-Ph₂PC₆H₄)₂SiHR (R = H (L1) and Ph (L2)) and (2-ⁱPr₂PC₆H₄)₂SiHR' (R' = Ph (L3) and H (L4)) were used to investigate the effect of substituents at P and/or Si atom of the [PSiP] pincer ligands on the formation of silyl cobalt(I) complexes by the reactions with CoMe(PMe₃)₄ via Si-H cleavage. Two penta-coordinated silyl cobalt(I) complexes, (2-Ph₂PC₆H₄)₂HSiCo(PMe₃)₂ (1) and (2-Ph₂PC₆H₄)₂PhSiCo(PMe₃)₂ (2), were obtained from the reactions of L1 and L2 with CoMe(PMe₃)₄, respectively. Under similar reaction conditions, a tetra-coordinated cobalt(I) complex (2-ⁱPr₂PC₆H₄)₂PhSiCo(PMe₃) (3) was isolated from the interaction of L3 with CoMe(PMe₃)₄. It was found that, only in the case of ligand L4, silyl dinitrogen cobalt(I) complex 4, [(2-ⁱPr₂PC₆H₄)₂HSiCo(N₂)(PMe₃)], was formed. Our results indicate that the increasing of electron cloud density at the Co center is beneficial for the formation of a dinitrogen cobalt complex because the large electron density at Co center leads to the enhancement of the π-backbonding from cobalt to the coordinated N₂. It was found that silyl dinitrogen cobalt(I) complex 4 is an effective catalyst for catalytic transformation of dinitrogen into silylamine. Among these four silyl cobalt(I) complexes, complex 1 is the best catalyst for hydrosilylation of alkenes with excellent regioselectivity. For aromatic alkenes, catalyst 1 provided Markovnikov products, while for aliphatic alkenes, anti-Markovnikov products could be obtained. Both catalytic reaction mechanisms were proposed and discussed. The molecular structures of complexes 1-4 were confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction.

Interconversion and reactivity of manganese silyl, silylene, and silene complexes

Interconversions between manganese silylene and silene complexes are reported, including those involving the first spectroscopically observed silene complexes with an SiH substituent, and their involvement in ethylene hydrosilylation is discussed.

Manganese disilyl hydride complexes [(dmpe)₂MnH(SiH₂R)₂] (4^Ph: R = Ph, 4^Bu: R = ⁿBu) reacted with ethylene to form silene hydride complexes [(dmpe)₂MnH(RHSi Created by potrace 1.16, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2019 ]]> CHMe)] (6^Ph,H: R = Ph, 6^Bu,H: R = ⁿBu). Compounds 6^R,H reacted with a second equivalent of ethylene to generate [(dmpe)₂MnH(REtSi Created by potrace 1.16, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2019 ]]> CHMe)] (6^Ph,Et: R = Ph, 6^Bu,Et: R = ⁿBu), resulting from apparent ethylene insertion into the silene Si–H bond. Furthermore, in the absence of ethylene, silene complex 6^Bu,H slowly isomerized to the silylene hydride complex [(dmpe)₂MnH( Created by potrace 1.16, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2019 ]]> SiEtⁿBu)] (3^Bu,Et). Reactions of 4^R with ethylene likely proceed via low-coordinate silyl {[(dmpe)₂Mn(SiH₂R)] (2^Ph: R = Ph, 2^Bu: R = ⁿBu)} or silylene hydride {[(dmpe)₂MnH( Created by potrace 1.16, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2019 ]]> SiHR)] (3^Ph,H: R = Ph, 3^Bu,H: R = ⁿBu)} intermediates accessed from 4^R by H₃SiR elimination. DFT calculations and high temperature NMR spectra support the accessibility of these intermediates, and reactions of 4^R with isonitriles or N-heterocyclic carbenes yielded the silyl isonitrile complexes [(dmpe)₂Mn(SiH₂R)(CNR′)] (7a–d: R = Ph or ⁿBu; R′ = o-xylyl or ^tBu), and NHC-stabilized silylene hydride complexes [(dmpe)₂MnH{ Created by potrace 1.16, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2019 ]]> SiHR(NHC)}] (8a–d: R = Ph or ⁿBu; NHC = 1,3-diisopropylimidazolin-2-ylidene or 1,3,4,5-tetramethyl-4-imidazolin-2-ylidene), respectively, all of which were crystallographically characterized. Silyl, silylene and silene complexes in this work were accessed via reactions of [(dmpe)₂MnH(C₂H₄)] (1) with hydrosilanes, in some cases followed by ethylene. Therefore, ethylene (C₂H₄ and C₂D₄) hydrosilylation was investigated using [(dmpe)₂MnH(C₂H₄)] (1) as a pre-catalyst, resulting in stepwise conversion of primary to secondary to tertiary hydrosilanes. Various catalytically active manganese-containing species were observed during catalysis, including silylene and silene complexes, and a catalytic cycle is proposed.