Linking Multiple Bonds between Metal Atoms: Clusters, Dimers of “Dimers”, and Higher Ordered Assemblies

BeM(CO)3- (M = Co, Rh, Ir) and BeM(CO)3 (M = Ni, Pd, Pt): Triply bonded terminal beryllium in zero oxidation state

We perform detailed potential energy surface explorations of BeM(CO)3- (M = Co, Rh, Ir) and BeM(CO)3 (M = Ni, Pd, Pt) using both single-reference and multireference-based methods. The present results at the CASPT2(12,12)/def2-QZVPD//M06-D3/def2-TZVPPD level reveal that the global minimum of BeM(CO)3- (M = Co, Rh, Ir) and BePt(CO)3 is a C3v symmetric structure with an 1A1 electronic state, where Be is located in a terminal position bonded to M along the center axis. For other cases, the C3v symmetric structure is a low-lying local minimum. Although the present complexes are isoelectronic with the recently reported BFe(CO)3- complex having a B-Fe quadruple bond, radial orbital-energy slope (ROS) analysis reveals that the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) in the title complexes is slightly antibonding in nature, which bars a quadruple bonding assignment. Similar weak antibonding nature of HOMO in the previously reported BeM(CO)4 (M = Ru, Os) complexes is also noted in ROS analysis. The bonding analysis through energy decomposition analysis in combination with the natural orbital for chemical valence shows that the bonding between Be and M(CO)3q (q = -1 for M = Co, Rh, Ir and q = 0 for M = Ni, Pd, Pt) can be best described as Be in the ground state (1S) interacting with M(CO)30/- via dative bonds. The Be(spσ) → M(CO)3q σ-donation and the complementary Be(spσ) ← M(CO)3q σ-back donation make the overall σ bond, which is accompanied by two weak Be(pπ) ← M(CO)3q π-bonds. These complexes represent triply bonded terminal beryllium in an unusual zero oxidation state.

Dative quadruple bonds between d10 transition metals and beryllium in BeM(PMe3 )2 and BeM(CO)2 (M = Ni, Pd, and Pt) complexes: Transition metal fragments as six-electron donor and two-electron acceptor

The structure, chemical bonding, and reactivity of neutral 16 valence electrons (VE) transition metal complexes of beryllium, BeM(PMe₃ )₂ (1M-Be) and BeM(CO)₂ (2M-Be, M = Ni, Pd, and Pt) were studied. The molecular orbital and EDA-NOCV analysis suggest dative quadruple bonds between the transition metal and beryllium, viz., one Be→M σ bond, one Be←M σ bond, and two Be←M π bonds. The strength of these bonding interactions varies based on the ligands coordinated to the transition metal. The Be←M σ bond is stronger than the Be→M σ bond when the ligand is PMe_3, whereas the reverse order is observed when the ligand is CO. This is attributed to the higher π acceptor strength of CO as compared to PMe₃ . Since these complexes have M-Be dative quadruple bonds, the beryllium center is susceptible to ambiphilic reactivity, as indicated by high proton and hydride affinity values.

Two σ- and two π-dative quadruple bonds between the s-block element and transition metal in [BeM(CO)4; M = Fe - Os]

We report the chemical bonding and reactivity of the first example of neutral 18 valence electron transition metal complexes of beryllium, [BeM(CO)₄; M = Fe - Os], in trigonal bipyramidal coordination geometry, where the bonding between the transition metal and the s-block element beryllium (M-Be) can be best described by dative quadruple bonds. In contrast to the conventional multiple bonding pattern, the quadruple bonds comprise two σ-bonds and two π-bonds, viz., one Be → M σ-bond, one M → Be σ-bond, and two M → Be π-bonds. Since the M-Be quadruple bonds are described by dative interactions, the Be centre shows ambiphilic character as indicated by the high proton and hydride affinity values.

An IrVO4+ Cluster Catalytically Oxidizes Four CO Molecules: Importance of Ir-V Multiple Bonding

The generation and characterization of multiple metal-metal (M-M) bonds between early and late transition metals is vital to correlate the nature of multiple M-M bonds with the related reactivity in catalysis, while the examples with multiple M-M bonds have been rarely reported. Herein, we identified that the quadruple bonding interactions were formed in a gas-phase ion IrV⁺ with a dramatically short Ir-V bond. Oxidation of four CO molecules by IrVO₄⁺ is a highly exothermic process driven by the generation of stable products IrV⁺ and CO₂, and then IrV⁺ can be oxidized by N₂O to regenerate IrVO₄⁺. This finding overturns the general impression that vanadium oxide clusters are unwilling to oxidize multiple CO molecules because of the strong V-O bond and that at most two oxygen atoms can be supplied from a single V-containing cluster in CO oxidation. This study emphasizes the potential importance of heterobimetallic multiple M-M bonds in related heterogeneous catalysis.

Coupled Cluster Studies of Platinum-Actinide Interactions. Thermochemistry of PtAnOn+ (n = 0-2 and An = U, Np, Pu)

Accurate Pt-An bond dissociation enthalpies (BDEs) for PtAnOⁿ⁺ (An = U, Np, Pu and n = 0-2) and the corresponding enthalpies for the Pt + OAnOⁿ⁺ substitution reactions have been studied for the first time using an accurate composite coupled cluster approach. Analogous O-AnOⁿ⁺ bond dissociation enthalpies are also presented. To make the study possible, new correlation consistent basis sets optimized using the all-electron third-order Douglas-Kroll-Hess (DKH3) scalar relativistic Hamiltonian are developed and reported for Pt and Au, with accompanying benchmark calculations of their atomic ionization potentials to demonstrate the effectiveness of the new basis sets. For the charged PtAnOⁿ⁺ species (n = 1, 2), a low-spin state (LSS) for which the Pt-An σ bond is doubly occupied is studied together with a high-spin state (HSS) obtained by unpairing the σ bond orbital and placing one electron into the An 5f shell. The relative energies of the two spin states have been compared and qualitatively assessed via natural population and natural bond analyses. The enthalpies for the Pt substitution reactions, i.e., Pt + OAnOⁿ⁺ → PtAnOⁿ⁺ + O, are calculated to range from about 14-62 kcal/mol, and the Pt-AnOⁿ⁺ bond dissociation enthalpies range from about 78-149 kcal/mol for the ground electronic states. For the PtAnO⁺ species, the LSSs were all predicted to be the ground state, whereas the PtAnO²⁺ molecules all favored the HSSs. The prediction for PtUO²⁺ is consistent with previous theoretical findings. The natural bond orbital analyses indicate a triple bond between An and O, with a double to quadruple bond between the An and Pt.

Structural and electronic switching of a single crystal 2D metal-organic framework prepared by chemical vapor deposition

The incorporation of metal-organic frameworks into advanced devices remains a desirable goal, but progress is hindered by difficulties in preparing large crystalline metal-organic framework films with suitable electronic performance. We demonstrate the direct growth of large-area, high quality, and phase pure single metal-organic framework crystals through chemical vapor deposition of a dimolybdenum paddlewheel precursor, Mo2(INA)4. These exceptionally uniform, high quality crystals cover areas up to 8600 µm2 and can be grown down to thicknesses of 30 nm. Moreover, scanning tunneling microscopy indicates that the Mo2(INA)4 clusters assemble into a two-dimensional, single-layer framework. Devices are readily fabricated from single vapor-phase grown crystals and exhibit reversible 8-fold changes in conductivity upon illumination at modest powers. Moreover, we identify vapor-induced single crystal transitions that are reversible and responsible for 30-fold changes in conductivity of the metal-organic framework as monitored by in situ device measurements. Gas-phase methods, including chemical vapor deposition, show broader promise for the preparation of high-quality molecular frameworks, and may enable their integration into devices, including detectors and actuators.

Metathetical Exchange between Metal-Metal Triple Bonds

The reaction of the molybdenum-molybdenum triple-bonded dimer (CO)₂CpMo≡MoCp(CO)₂ (Cp = η⁵-C₅H₅) with the triple-bonded dimetallynes Ar^iPr4MMAr^iPr4 or Ar^iPr6MMAr^iPr6 (Ar^iPr4 = C₆H₃-2,6-(C₆H₃-2,6-Prⁱ₂)₂, Ar^iPr6 = C₆H₃-2,6-(C₆H₂-2,4,6-Prⁱ₃)₂; M = Ge, Sn, or Pb) under mild conditions (≤80 °C, 1 bar) afforded Ar^iPr4M≡MoCp(CO)₂ or Ar^iPr6M≡MoCp(CO)₂ in moderate to excellent yields. The reactions represent the first isolable products from a metathesis of two metal-metal triple bonds. Analogous exchange reactions with the single-bonded (CO)₃CpMo-MoCp(CO)₃ gave ArM̈-MoCp(CO)₃ (Ar = Ar^iPr4 or Ar^iPr6; M = Sn or Pb). The products were characterized by NMR (¹H, ¹³C, ¹¹⁹Sn, or ²⁰⁷Pb), electronic, and IR spectroscopy and by X-ray crystallography.

Quadruple bonding between iron and boron in the BFe(CO)3- complex

While main group elements have four valence orbitals accessible for bonding, quadruple bonding to main group elements is extremely rare. Here we report that main group element boron is able to form quadruple bonding interactions with iron in the BFe(CO)3- anion complex, which has been revealed by quantum chemical investigation and identified by mass-selected infrared photodissociation spectroscopy in the gas phase. The complex is characterized to have a B-Fe(CO)3- structure of C3v symmetry and features a B-Fe bond distance that is much shorter than that expected for a triple bond. Various chemical bonding analyses indicate that the complex involves unprecedented B≣Fe quadruple bonding interactions. Besides the common one electron-sharing σ bond and two Fe→B dative π bonds, there is an additional weak B→Fe dative σ bonding interaction. This finding of the new quadruple bonding indicates that there might exist a wide range of boron-metal complexes that contain such high multiplicity of chemical bonds.

Paddlewheel-type diruthenium(iii,iii) tetrakis(2-aminopyridinate) complexes with NIR absorption features: combined experimental and theoretical study

Aminopyridinate-bridged Ru₂(iii,iii) complexes with near-infrared absorption features were prepared and characterized by experimental and theoretical techniques.

Molecular chains of coordinated dimolybdenum isonicotinate paddlewheel clusters

A growing focus on the use of coordination polymers for active device applications motivates the search for candidate materials with integrated and optimized charge transport modes. We show herein the synthesis of a linear coordination polymer comprised of Mo₂(INA)₄ (INA = isonicotinate) metal–organic clusters. Single-crystal X-ray structure determination shows that this cluster crystallizes into one-dimensional molecular chains, whose INA-linked Mo₂ cores engage in alternate axial and equatorial binding motifs along the chain axis. Electron paramagnetic resonance spectra, absorption spectra, and density functional theory calculations show that the aforementioned linear coordination environment significantly modifies the electronic structure of the clusters. This work expands the synthetic foundation for assembly of coordination polymers with tailorable dimensionalities and charge transport properties.

Linear molecular chains of coordinated dimolybdenum isonicotinate clusters.

Mixed-valent neptunium oligomer complexes based on cation–cation interactions

Mixing Np(iv) and Np(v) (as neptunyl(v)) results in the formation of tri- and tetranuclear oligomer complexes based on cation–cation interactions (CCIs), indicating the potential of CCIs to expand the oligomer/cluster chemistry of actinides.

Experimental and theoretical study of dimer-of-dimers-type tetrarhodium(ii) complexes bridged by 1,4-benzenedicarboxylate linkers

Two dimer-of-dimers-type tetrarhodium complexes, [Rh4(piv)6(BDC)] ([1]; piv = pivalate) and [Rh4(piv)6(F4BDC)] ([2]), in which two paddlewheel-type dirhodium units are linked by 1,4-benzenedicarboxylate (BDC) and 1,4-tetrafluorobenzenedicarboxylate (F4BDC), respectively, have been synthesized and characterized via single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses, ESI-MS, 1H NMR, infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and elemental analyses. Crystal structure analyses of [1(THF)4] and [2(THF)4], which are crystallized from THF solutions of [1] and [2], respectively, revealed that dihedral angles (φ) between two -CO2 units and phenyl rings of the BDC linker in [1(THF)4] are almost co-planar (φ = 2.8°), whereas those of the F4BDC linker in [2(THF)4] are largely inclined (φ = 78.3°). Density functional theory calculations clarified that (i) their dihedral angles of optimized geometries of [1(THF)4] and [2(THF)4] are almost the same as their experimental geometries, and (ii) the rotation energy barriers of phenyl moieties in [1(THF)4] and [2(THF)4] estimated by potential energy surface analyses are 12.0 and 8.4 kcal mol-1, respectively, indicating that hydrogen bondings are formed between two -CO2 units and four hydrogen atoms of phenyl rings of the BDC linker in [1(THF)4], whereas two -CO2 units and four fluorine groups on the phenyl ring of the F4BDC linker in [2(THF)4] are electrostatically and sterically repulsed. Electrochemical properties and electronic structures of [1(THF)4] and [2(THF)4] are strongly influenced by the electronic states of dicarboxylate linkers, whereas absorption spectra are strongly influenced by the dihedral angles between two -CO2 units and phenyl rings of dicarboxylate linkers.

Preparation and Characterization of Uranium-Iron Triple-Bonded UFe(CO)3- and OUFe(CO)3- Complexes

We report the preparation of UFe(CO)₃^- and OUFe(CO)₃^- complexes using a laser-vaporization supersonic ion source in the gas phase. These compounds were mass-selected and characterized by infrared photodissociation spectroscopy and state-of-the-art quantum chemical studies. There are unprecedented triple bonds between U 6d/5f and Fe 3d orbitals, featuring one covalent σ bond and two Fe-to-U dative π bonds in both complexes. The uranium and iron elements are found to exist in unique formal U(I or III) and Fe(-II) oxidation states, respectively. These findings suggest that there may exist a whole family of stable df-d multiple-bonded f-element-transition-metal compounds that have not been fully recognized to date.

Mo-Mo Quintuple Bond is Highly Reactive in H-H, C-H, and O-H σ-Bond Cleavages Because of the Polarized Electronic Structure in Transition State

The recently reported high reactivity of the Mo-Mo quintuple bond of Mo₂(N^∧N)₂ (1) {N^∧N = μ-κ²-CH[N(2,6-iPr₂C₆H₃)]₂} in the H-H σ-bond cleavage was investigated. DFT calculations disclosed that the H-H σ-bond cleavage by 1 occurs with nearly no barrier to afford the cis-dihydride species followed by cis-trans isomerization to form the trans-dihydride product, which is consistent with the experimental result. The O-H and C-H bond cleavages by 1 were computationally predicted to occur with moderate (ΔG°^⧧ = 9.0 kcal/mol) and acceptable activation energies (ΔG°^⧧ = 22.5 kcal/mol), respectively, suggesting that the Mo-Mo quintuple bond can be applied to various σ-bond cleavages. In these σ-bond cleavage reactions, the charge-transfer (CT_Mo→XH) from the Mo-Mo quintuple bond to the X-H (X = H, C, or O) bond and that (CT_XH→Mo) from the X-H bond to the Mo-Mo bond play crucial roles. Though the HOMO (dδ-MO) of 1 is at lower energy and the LUMO + 2 (dδ*-MO) of 1 is at higher energy than those of RhCl(PMe₃)₂ (LUMO and LUMO + 1 of 1 are not frontier MO), the H-H σ-bond cleavage by 1 more easily occurs than that by the Rh complex. Hence, the frontier MO energies are not the reason for the high reactivity of 1. The high reactivity of 1 arises from the polarization of dδ-type MOs of the Mo-Mo quintuple bond in the transition state. Such a polarized electronic structure enhances the bonding overlap between the dδ-MO of the Mo-Mo bond and the σ*-antibonding MO of the X-H bond to facilitate the CT_Mo→XH and reduce the exchange repulsion between the Mo-Mo bond and the X-H bond. This polarized electronic structure of the transition state is similar to that of a frustrated Lewis pair. The easy polarization of the dδ-type MOs is one of the advantages of the metal-metal multiple bond, because such polarization is impossible in the mononuclear metal complex.

Expanding the family of heterobimetallic Bi-Rh paddlewheel carboxylate complexes via equatorial carboxylate exchange

Five novel homoleptic heterobimetallic bismuth(II)-rhodium(II) carboxylate complexes--BiRh(TPA)4 (1), BiRh(but)4 (2), BiRh(piv)4 (3), BiRh(esp)2 (4), and BiRh(OAc)4 (5)--were synthesized in good yields by equatorial ligand substitution starting from BiRh(TFA)4 (TPA = triphenylacetate, but = butyrate, piv = pivalate, esp = α,α,α',α'-tetramethyl-1,3-benzenedipropionate, OAc = acetate, and TFA = trifluoroacetate). We report here (1)H and (13)C{(1)H} NMR spectra and cyclic voltammograms for complexes , and IR spectra for all complexes. Irreversible redox waves appear between -1.4 to -1.5 V for [BiRh](3+/4+) couples and 1.3 to 1.5 V vs. Fc/Fc(+) for [BiRh](4+/5+) couples for complexes indicating a wide range of stability for the compounds. The X-ray crystal structure of reveals a Bi-Rh distance of 2.53 Å.

Actinide (An = Th-Pu) dimetallocenes: promising candidates for metal-metal multiple bonds

Synthesis of complexes with direct actinide-actinide (An-An) bonding is an experimental 'holy grail' in actinide chemistry. In this work, a series of actinide dimetallocenes An2Cp (Cp(*) = C5(CH3)5, An = Th-Pu) with An-An multiple bonds have been systematically investigated using quantum chemical calculations. The coaxial Cp(*)-An-An-Cp(*) structures are found to be the most stable species for all the dimetallocenes. A Th-Th triple bond is predicted in the Th2Cp complex, and the calculated An-An bond orders decrease across the actinide series from Pa to Pu. The covalent character of the An-An bonds is analyzed by using natural bond orbitals (NBO), molecular orbitals (MO), the quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM), and electron density difference (EDD). While Th 6d orbitals dominate the Th-Th bonds in Th2Cp, the An 6d-orbital characters decrease and 5f-orbital characters increase for complexes from Pa2Cp to Pu2Cp. All these actinide dimetallocenes are stable in the gas phase relative to the AnCp(*) reference at room temperature. Based on the reactions of AnCp and An, Th2Cp, Pa2Cp and possibly also U2Cp should be accessible as isolated molecules under suitable synthetic conditions. Our results shed light on the molecular design of ligands for stabilizing actinide-actinide multiple bonds.

Electronic tuning of Mo2(thioamidate)4 complexes through π-system substituents and cis/trans isomerism

We report an exploration of the coordination chemistry of a systematic series of cyclic thioamidate ligands with the quadruply-bonded Mo2(4+) core. In addition to the S and N donor atoms that bind to Mo, the ligands utilized in this study have an additional O or S atom in conjugation with the thioamidate π system. The preparation of four new Mo2 complexes is described, and these compounds are characterized by X-ray crystallography, NMR and UV-vis spectroscopy, electrochemistry, and DFT calculations. These complexes provide a means to interrogate the electronics of Mo2(thioamidate)4 systems. Notably, we describe the first two examples of Mo2(thioamidate)4 complexes in their cis-2,2-regioisomer. By varying the π-system substituent and regioisomerism of these compounds, the electronics of the dimolybdenum core is shown to be altered with varying degrees of effect. Cyclic voltammetry results show that changing the π-system substituent from O to S results in an increase in the Mo2(4+/5+) oxidation potential by 170 mV. Changing the arrangement of ligands around the dimolybdenum core from trans-2,2 to cis-2,2 slightly weakens the metal-ligand bonds, raising the oxidation potential by a more modest 30-100 mV. MO diagrams of each compound derived from DFT calculations support these conclusions as well; the identity of the π-system substituent alters the δ-δ* (HOMO-LUMO) gap by up to 0.4 eV, whereas regioisomerism yields smaller changes in the electronic structure.

Theory, synthesis and reactivity of quintuple bonded complexes

Recent achievements in the area of metal–metal quintuple bonding are highlighted, including synthesis of quintuple bonded complexes, metal-to-metal bonding schemes, and their reactivity.

The important role of the Mo–Mo quintuple bond in catalytic synthesis of benzene from alkynes. A theoretical study

The reaction mechanism of catalytic synthesis of benzene from alkynes by the Mo–Mo quintuple bond and the electronic structure and bonding nature of dimetallacyclobutadiene and dimetallabenzyne were studied theoretically.

Discovering complexes containing a metal–metal quintuple bond: from theory to practice

Recent advances in quintuple bonding are highlighted based on theoretical predictions and experimental achievements.

The usefulness of EPR spectroscopy in the study of compounds with metal–metal multiple bonds

A discussion of how EPR spectroscopy has contributed to the understanding of the electronic structure of paddlewheel compounds with multiple bonds between metal atoms is presented while commemorating the 50th anniversary of the paper describing the quadruple bond and the identification of the delta bond in the Re₂Cl₈²⁻ anion.

Cadmium diruthenium(II,III) carbonates showing diverse magnetism behavior arising from variety configuration of [Ru2(CO3)4]n(3n-) layer

Two hetero-metallic carbonates, namely KCd(H2O)3Ru2(CO3)4·4H2O (1) and KCd(H2O)3Ru2(CO3)4·3.5H2O (2), have been synthesized in a neutral aqueous solution. Both of the 3D dimensional structured complexes contain mixed-valent diruthenium(II,III) carbonate paddlewheel cores of Ru2(II,III)(CO3)4(3-) that are connected to each other in trans- or cis-modes by carbonate oxygen atoms, forming rectangular square-grid and isomeric parallelogram layers [Ru2(CO3)4]n(3n-) in 1 and 2, respectively. The reaction temperature is found to play an important role in directing the final products with particular topologies and their layered structural diversity is due to the various linking modes between the Ru2(CO3)4(3-) units. The magnetic studies show that ferromagnetic interactions are propagated between the diruthenium units in both complexes 1 and 2 but their magnetic properties differ at low temperatures, in which the trans linking mode parallelogram layer [Ru2(CO3)4]n(3n-) in complex 2 leads to long-range magnetic ordering below 4.0 K. However, no Curie ordering down to 1.8 K is detected for complex 1 containing the isomeric rectangle square-grid layer linking in the cis mode.

Lewis acid enhanced axial ligation of [Mo2]4+ complexes

We report here the syntheses, X-ray crystal structures, electrochemistry, and density functional theory (DFT) single-point calculations of three new complexes: tetrakis(monothiosuccinimidato)dimolybdenum(II) [Mo2(SNO5)4, 1a], tetrakis(6-thioxo-2-piperidinonato)dimolybdenum(II) [Mo2(SNO6)4, 1b], and chlorotetrakis(monothiosuccinimidato)pyridinelithiumdimolybdenum(II) [pyLiMo2(SNO5)4Cl, 2-py]. X-ray crystallography shows unusually short axial Mo2-Cl bond lengths in 2-py, 2.6533(6) Å, and dimeric 2-dim, 2.644(1) Å, which we propose result from an increased Lewis acidity of the Mo2 unit in the presence of the proximal Li(+) ion. When 2-py is dissolved in MeCN, the lithium reversibly dissociates, forming an equilibrium mixture of (MeCNLiMo2(SNO5)4Cl) (2-MeCN) and [Li(MeCN)4](+)[Mo2(SNO5)4Cl](-) (3). Cyclic voltammetry was used to determine the equilibrium lithium binding constant (room temperature, K(eq) = 95 ± 1). From analysis of the temperature dependence of the equilibrium constant, thermodynamic parameters for the formation of 2-MeCN from 3 (ΔH° = -6.96 ± 0.93 kJ mol(-1) and ΔS° = 13.9 ± 3.5 J mol(-1) K(-1)) were extracted. DFT calculations indicate that Li(+) affects the Mo-Cl bond length through polarization of metal-metal bonding/antibonding molecular orbitals when lithium and chloride are added to the dimolybdenum core.