Reactions of hydridoirida-β-diketones with amines or with 2-aminopyridines: formation of hydridoirida-β-ketoimines, PCN terdentate ligands, and acyl decarbonylation

Formation of Irida-β-ketoimines and PCNamine-Ir(III) Complexes by Reacting Irida-β-diketones with Aliphatic Diamines: Catalytic Activity in Hydrogen Release by Methanolysis of H3N-BH3

Aliphatic diamines [(H2N(CH2)nNHR) (a-d) n = 2: R = H (a), R = CH3 (b), R = C2H5 (c), n = 3, R = H (d) or rac-2-(aminomethyl)piperidine (e)] react with [IrH(Cl){(PPh2(o-C6H4CO))2H}] in THF to afford ketoimine complexes [IrH(Cl){(PPh2(o-C6H4CO))(PPh2(o-C6H4CN(CH2)nNHR))H}] (2a-2d) or [IrH(Cl){(PPh2(o-C6H4CO))(PPh2(o-C6H4CNCH2(C5H9NH)))H}] (2e), containing a bridging N-H···O hydrogen bond and a dangling amine. Complex 2e consists of an almost equimolar mixture of two diastereomers. In protic solvents, the dangling amine in complexes 2 displaces chloride to afford cationic acyl-iminium compounds, [IrH(PPh2(o-C6H4CO))(PPh2(o-C6H4CNH(CH2)nNHR))]X (3a-3d, X = Cl) or [IrH(PPh2(o-C6H4CO))(PPh2(o-C6H4CNHCH2(C5H9NH)))]Cl (3e) and (4a-4b, X = ClO4), with new hemilabile terdentate PCNamine ligands adopting a facial disposition. Complexes 3 contain the corresponding phosphorus atom trans to hydride and the amine fragment trans to acyl, while complexes 4 contain the amine trans to hydride. 3b and 4b consist of 80:20 and 95:5 mixtures of diastereomers, respectively, while 3e contains a 65:35 mixture. In the presence of KOH, intermediate cationic acyl-iminium complexes 3 transform into neutral acyl-imine [IrH(PPh2(o-C6H4CO))(PPh2(o-C6H4CN(CH2)nNHR))] derivatives (5) with retention of the stereochemistry. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis was performed on 2a, [3a]Cl, [3b]Cl, [4a]ClO4, and 5b. Complexes 2, 3, and 5 catalyze the methanolysis of ammonia-borane under air to release hydrogen. The highest activity is observed for ketoimine complexes 2.

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).

Rhodium-Catalyzed Decarbonylative Borylation of Aromatic Thioesters for Facile Diversification of Aromatic Carboxylic Acids

Transformation of aromatic thioesters into arylboronic esters was achieved efficiently using a rhodium catalyst. The broad functional-group tolerance and mild conditions of the method have allowed for the two-step decarboxylative borylation of a wide range of aromatic carboxylic acids, including commercially available drugs.

Irida-β-ketoimines Derived from Hydrazines To Afford Metallapyrazoles or N-N Bond Cleavage: A Missing Metallacycle Disclosed by a Theoretical and Experimental Study

Unprecedented metallapyrazoles [IrH₂{Ph₂P(o-C₆H₄)CNNHC(o-C₆H₄)PPh₂}] (3) and [IrHCl{Ph₂P(o-C₆H₄)CNNHC(o-C₆H₄)PPh₂}] (4) were obtained by the reaction of the irida-β-ketoimine [IrHCl{(PPh₂(o-C₆H₄CO))(PPh₂(o-C₆H₄CNNH₂))H}] (2) in MeOH heated at reflux in the presence and absence of KOH, respectively. In solution, iridapyrazole 3 undergoes a dynamic process due to prototropic tautomerism with an experimental barrier for the exchange of ΔG_coal^⧧ = 53.7 kJ mol^-1. DFT calculations agreed with an intrapyrazole proton transfer process assisted by two water molecules (ΔG = 63.1 kJ mol^-1). An X-ray diffraction study on 4 indicated electron delocalization in the iridapyrazole ring. The reaction of the irida-β-diketone [IrHCl{(PPh₂(o-C₆H₄CO))₂H}] (1) with H₂NNRR' in aprotic solvents gave irida-β-ketoimines [IrHCl{(PPh₂(o-C₆H₄CO))(PPh₂(o-C₆H₄CNNRR'))H}] (R = R' = Me (5); R = H, R' = Ph (8)), which can undergo N-N bond cleavage to afford the acyl-amide complex [IrHCl(PPh₂(o-C₆H₄CO))(PPh₂(o-C₆H₄C(O)N(CH₃)₂))-κP,κO] (6) or [IrHCl(PPh₂(o-C₆H₄CO))(PPh₂(o-C₆H₄CN)-κP)(NH₂NHPh-κNH₂)] (9) containing o-(diphenylphosphine)benzonitrile and phenylhydrazine, respectively. From a CH₂Cl₂/CH₃OH solution of 9 kept at -18 °C, single crystals of [IrHCl(PPh₂(o-C₆H₄CO))(PPh₂(o-C₆H₄CN)-κP))(HN═NPh-κNH)] (10) containing o-(diphenylphosphine)benzonitrile and phenyldiazene were formed, as shown by X-ray diffraction. The reaction of 1 with methylhydrazine in methanol gave the hydrazine complex [IrCl(PPh₂(o-C₆H₄CO))₂(NH₂NH(CH₃)-κNH₂)] (7). Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis was performed on 6 and 7.

Highly efficient hydrogenation of carbon dioxide to formate catalyzed by iridium(iii) complexes of imine-diphosphine ligands

A new iridium catalyst containing an imine-diphosphine ligand has been developed, which showed high efficiency for the hydrogenation of CO₂ to formate (yield up to 99%, TON up to 450 000). A possible catalytic mechanism is proposed, in which the imine group of the catalyst plays a key role in the cleavage of H₂ and the activation of CO₂.