The Intramolecular Rearrangement of Phosphinohydrazides [R′2P–NR–NR–M] → [RN═PR′2–NR–M]: General Rules and Exceptions. Transformations of Bulky Phosphinohydrazines (R–NH–N(PPh2)2, R = tBu, Ph2P)

Gradual Coordination and Reversible P-P Bond Activation of a P3 -Unit with Transition Metal Carbonyls

Coordination of a stereochemically defined P3 -chain to a series of transition metal carbonyls [M(CO)x ]z- (M = Mn (x = 5, z = 1), Fe (x = 4, z = 2) or Co (x = 4, z = 1)) is explored using a [3]ferrocenophane scaffold. A gradual transition from η1 -, η2 - to η3 -coordination is observed where in the η2 -mode the terminal positions of the phosphorus chain are bridged. With an excess of cobalt carbonyl successive P-P bond activation and gradual separation of the central phosphorus atoms from the phosphorus chain has been observed. This process is reversible and with suitable reagents such as methyl lithium, the P3 -unit is regenerated in stereospecific manner. The bonding situation and steps of the gradual P-P bond activation are investigated by DFT calculations as well as experimental methods (e.g., NMR spectroscopy, X-ray crystallography).

Synthesis of a carborane-substituted bis(phosphanido) cobaltate(i), ligand substitution, and unusual P4 fragmentation

Oxidative addition of the P-P single bond of an ortho-carborane-derived 1,2-diphosphetane (1,2-C2(PMes)2B10H10) (Mes = 2,4,6-Me3C6H2) to cobalt(-i) and nickel(0) sources affords the first heteroleptic complexes of a carborane-bridged bis(phosphanido) ligand. The complexes also incorporate labile ligands suitable for further functionalisation. Thus, the cobalt(i) complex [K([18]crown-6)][Co{1,2-(PMes)2C2B10H10}(cod)] (cod = 1,5-cyclooctadiene) bearing a labile cyclooctadiene ligand undergoes facile ligand exchange reactions with isonitriles and tert-butyl phosphaalkyne with retention of the bis(phosphanido) ligand. However, in the reaction with one equivalent of P4, the electron-rich bis(phosphanido) moiety abstracts a single phosphorus atom with formation of a new P3 chain, while the remaining three P atoms derived from P4 form an η3-coordinating cyclo-P3 ligand. In contrast, when the same reaction is performed with two equivalents of the cobalt(i) complex, a dinuclear product is formed which features an unusual P4 chain in its molecular structure.

Binuclear Cobalt Paddlewheel-Type Complexes: Relating Metal-Metal Bond Lengths to Formal Bond Orders

Paddlewheel-type complexes are prominent among experimentally known binuclear cobalt complexes and incorporate substituted formamidinate, guanidinate, and carboxylate ligands in digonal, trigonal, and tetragonal arrays around the bimetallic core. Such complexes are modeled here by density functional theory using unsubstituted ligands, extending the whole set to incorporate a variety of metal oxidation states and spin multiplicities. The DFT results for ground state cobalt-cobalt bond lengths and ground state spin multiplicity of the model complexes are often quite close to the experimental results for the corresponding substituted complexes. The three series of complexes often exhibit parallel trends with regard to effects of change in the metal oxidation state and spin multiplicity. The formamidinate and guanidinate series show marked resemblances. The lowered symmetry in many model trigonal complexes implies that such deviations in the experimentally known congeners arise from the inherent electronic structure. For ground state species, the DFT results provide Co-Co bond orders (BOs) from MO occupancy considerations. Further, using a revised electron bookkeeping method, Co-Co formal bond order (fBO) values from 0.0 to 2.0 are assigned to all of the 85 complexes studied. The computed Co-Co bond lengths fall into distinct ranges according to the formal bond order values (from 0.5 to 2).

A Series of Dimeric Cobalt Complexes Bridged by N-Heterocyclic Phosphido Ligands

A tridentate [PPP] ligand has been used to construct a series of dimeric cobalt complexes and explore cooperative multielectron redox processes that are both metal- and ligand-centered. Reduction of (PP^ClP)CoCl₂ (1) with excess magnesium affords the Co^ICo^I N-heterocyclic phosphido (NHP^-)-bridged symmetric dimer [(μ-PPP)Co]₂ (2). Two-electron oxidation of 2 with FcPF₆ generates an asymmetrically bridged dication [(μ-PPP)Co]₂[PF₆]₂ (3) in which the oxidation has occurred in a delocalized fashion throughout the Co₂P₂ core. In contrast, [(μ-PPP)Co]₂⁺ (5), which can be generated either by one-electron oxidation of 2 with FcPF₆ or comportionation of 2 and 3, features an asymmetric geometry and localized mixed valence. Treatment of 1 with the milder reductants CoCp₂ and KBEt₃H does not lead to formation of 2, 3, or 5 but instead generates dimeric species [(PPP)CoCl]₂ (6) and [(PPP)CoH]₂ (7). Unlike 2-5, where the phosphine side arms of the tridentate [PPP] ligand span the two Co centers, complex 6 and 7 are connected solely by NHP^- ligands that bridge the two (PPP)Co fragments.

Metal-Metal (MM) Bond Distances and Bond Orders in Binuclear Metal Complexes of the First Row Transition Metals Titanium Through Zinc

This survey of metal-metal (MM) bond distances in binuclear complexes of the first row 3d-block elements reviews experimental and computational research on a wide range of such systems. The metals surveyed are titanium, vanadium, chromium, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, and zinc, representing the only comprehensive presentation of such results to date. Factors impacting MM bond lengths that are discussed here include (a) the formal MM bond order, (b) size of the metal ion present in the bimetallic core (M₂) ⁿ⁺, (c) the metal oxidation state, (d) effects of ligand basicity, coordination mode and number, and (e) steric effects of bulky ligands. Correlations between experimental and computational findings are examined wherever possible, often yielding good agreement for MM bond lengths. The formal bond order provides a key basis for assessing experimental and computationally derived MM bond lengths. The effects of change in the metal upon MM bond length ranges in binuclear complexes suggest trends for single, double, triple, and quadruple MM bonds which are related to the available information on metal atomic radii. It emerges that while specific factors for a limited range of complexes are found to have their expected impact in many cases, the assessment of the net effect of these factors is challenging. The combination of experimental and computational results leads us to propose for the first time the ranges and "best" estimates for MM bond distances of all types (Ti-Ti through Zn-Zn, single through quintuple).

Functional Short-Bite Ligands: Synthesis, Coordination Chemistry, and Applications of N-Functionalized Bis(diaryl/dialkylphosphino)amine-type Ligands

The aim of this review is to highlight how the diversity generated by N-substitution in the well-known short-bite ligand bis(diphenylphosphino)amine (DPPA) allows a fine-tuning of the ligand properties and offers a considerable scope for tailoring the properties and applications of their corresponding metal complexes. The various N-substituents include nitrogen-, oxygen-, phosphorus-, sulfur-, halogen-, and silicon-based functionalities and directly N-bound metals. Multiple DPPA-type ligands linked through an organic spacer and N-functionalized DRPA-type ligands, in which the PPh2 substituents are replaced by PR2 (R = alkyl, benzyl) groups, are also discussed. Owing to the considerable diversity of N-functionalized DPPA-type ligands available, the applications of their mono- and polynuclear metal complexes are very diverse and range from homogeneous catalysis with well-defined or in situ generated (pre)catalysts to heterogeneous catalysis and materials science. In particular, sustained interest for DPPA-type ligands has been motivated, at least in part, by their ability to promote selective ethylene tri- or tetramerization in combination with chromium. Ligands and metal complexes where the N-substituent is a pure hydrocarbon group (as opposed to N-functionalization) are outside the scope of this review. However, when possible, a comparison between the catalytic performances of N-functionalized systems with those of their N-substituted analogs will be provided.

Interaction of Azobenzene and Benzalaniline with Strong Amido Bases

The interaction of azobenzene with lithium dicyclohexylamide (Cy2NLi) in THF or Et2O afforded the ion-radical salt of azobenzene (1) structurally characterized for the first time and dicyclohexylaminyl radical, which begins a novel chain of transformations leading eventually to the imino-enamido lithium complex (3). Benzalaniline, being a relative of azobenzene, reacted with Cy2NLi without electron transfer by a proton-abstraction mechanism to form the dilithium salt of N(1),N(2),1,2-tetraphenylethene-1,2-diamine quantitatively.

Derivatization of (quinolin-8-yl)phosphinimidic amides via ortho-lithiation revisited

5The direct ortho-lithiation of N-H containing (quinolin-8-yl)phosphinimidic amides by reaction with 1 equiv. of n-BuLi described by Wang and co-workers has been re-examined. The multinuclear magnetic resonance ((1)H, (2)H, (7)Li, (13)C, (15)N and (31)P) study of the species formed in the monolithiation of N-(tert-butyl)-P,P-diphenyl-N'-(quinolin-8-yl)phosphinimidic amide 5 with n-BuLi in THF showed that proton abstraction occurred exclusively and quantitatively at the NH. The combination of the NMR results with a DFT study made it possible to describe the structure of the N-lithiated species 9 as a dimer consisting of an eight-membered ring showing two lithium ions triply coordinated to nitrogen atoms corresponding to the deprotonated amine and aminoquinoline moieties of different monomers. The formation of a polymer featuring the same coordination mode couldn't be excluded. In addition, optimized conditions for the efficient derivatization of 5 via ortho-lithiation were realised. The reaction of 5 with 2.4 equiv. of t-BuLi in THF in the temperature range of -80 °C to 25 °C for 3 h afforded a N,C(ortho)-dilithiated species that was trapped with a series of electrophiles leading to new functionalized ortho derivatives of 5 in good yields.

Understanding the directed ortho lithiation of (R)-Ph2P(NCO2Me)NHCH(Me)Ph. NMR spectroscopic and computational study of the structure of the N-lithiated species

The multinuclear magnetic resonance and computational study of the structure of N-lithium (R)-Ph₂P(NCO₂Me)NHCH(Me)Ph revealed the origin of its diastereoselective ortho lithiation.

A survey of pendant donor-functionalised (N,O) phosphine ligands for Cr-catalysed ethylene tri- and tetramerisation

Selected phosphine-based ligands plus chromium have been found to be promising candidates for MAO-free trimerisation and tetramerisation of ethylene.