Analysis of the Critical Step in Catalytic Carbodiimide Transformation: Proton Transfer from Amines, Phosphines, and Alkynes to Guanidinates, Phosphaguanidinates, and Propiolamidinates with Li and Al Catalysts

Rh(i) and Ru(ii) phosphaamidine and phosphaguanidine (1,3-P,N) complexes and their activity for CO2 hydrogenation

Phosphaamidine metal complexes Rh₂Cl₂[Ph₂PC(Ph)[double bond, length as m-dash]NPh]₂μ-CO (1), RuCl₂[Ph₂PC(Ph)[double bond, length as m-dash]N(Ph)]₂ (2), [Rh{ⁱPr₂PC(Ph)[double bond, length as m-dash]NⁱPr}(COD)]BF₄ (3), and RuCl₂[ⁱPr₂PC(Ph)[double bond, length as m-dash]NⁱPr](DMSO)₂ (4) are prepared by combining phosphaamidines Ph₂P-C(Ph)[double bond, length as m-dash]NPh and ⁱPr₂P-C(Ph)[double bond, length as m-dash]NⁱPr (1,3-P,N) with their corresponding metal ions. Complexes 1 and 2 are stable in air while 3 and 4 are stable under inert conditions. For further comparison of structure and stability, a Ru(ii) phosphaguanidine complex, RuCl₂[Me₂NC(PPh₂)[double bond, length as m-dash]NⁱPr](DMSO)₂ (6) was prepared. Complex 6 is stable in air and in the presence of water. The structures of the phosphaamidine and phosphaguanidine complexes, determined using single crystal X-ray diffraction, revealed P,N bidentate coordination. While all five complexes have some activity as precatalysts, complex 6 was the most active.

Synthesis and characterization of 2-t-butylimino-functionalized indolyl rare-earth metal amido complexes for the catalytic addition of terminal alkynes to carbodiimides: the dimeric complexes with the alkynide species in the μ–η1:η2 bonding modes

Dimeric complexes [(μ–η¹:η²-RCC)REL2]₂ (L = 2-(^tBuNCH)C₈H₅N), with alkynyl in the μ–η¹:η² modes, were isolated in the study of the catalytic reaction.

A P-H functionalized Al/P-based frustrated Lewis pair - hydrophosphination of nitriles, ring opening with cyclopropenones and evidence of P[double bond, length as m-dash]C double bond formation

Hydroalumination of R-P(H)-C[triple bond, length as m-dash]C-tBu with bulky H-Al[CH(SiMe3)2]2 afforded the new P-H functionalized Al/P-based frustrated Lewis pair R-P(H)-C[[double bond, length as m-dash]C(H)-tBu]-AlR2 [R = CH(SiMe3)2; FLP 7]. A weak adduct of 7 with benzonitrile (8) was detected by NMR spectroscopy, but could not be isolated. tert-Butyl isocyanide afforded a similar, but isolable adduct (9), in which the isocyanide C atom was coordinated to aluminium. The unique reactivity of 7 became evident from its reactions with the heteroatom substituted nitriles PhO-C[triple bond, length as m-dash]N, PhCH2S-C[triple bond, length as m-dash]N and H8C4N-C[triple bond, length as m-dash]N. Hydrophosphination of the C[triple bond, length as m-dash]N triple bonds afforded imines at room temperature which were coordinated to the FLP by Al-N and P-C bonds to yield AlCPCN heterocycles (10 to 12). These processes depend on substrate activation by the FLP. Diphenylcyclopropenone and its sulphur derivative reacted with 7 by addition of the P-H bond to a C-C bond of the strained C3 ring and ring opening to afford the fragment (Z)-Ph-C(H)[double bond, length as m-dash]C(Ph)-C-X-Al (X = O, S). The C-O or C-S groups were coordinated to the FLP to yield AlCPCX heterocycles (13 and 14). The thiocarbonyl derived compound 14 contains an internally stabilized phosphenium cation with a localized P[double bond, length as m-dash]C bond, a trigonal planar coordinated P atom and a short P[double bond, length as m-dash]C distance (168.9 pm). Insight into formation mechanisms, the structural and energetic properties of FLP 7 and compounds 13 and 14 was gained by quantum chemical DFT calculations.

Five different types of η8-cyclooctatetraenyl-lanthanide half-sandwich complexes from one ligand set, including a “giant neodymium wheel”

Using one ligand set, five different types of η⁸-cyclooctatetraenyl-lanthanide half-sandwich complexes, including a “giant neodymium wheel”, have been prepared and structurally characterized.

Synthesis and catalytic activity of homoleptic lanthanide-tris(cyclopropylethinyl)amidinates

New unsolvated, homoleptic lanthanide(iii) tris(cyclopropylethinylamidinate) complexes of the type [c-C₃H₅–CC–C(NR)₂]₃Ln (R = ⁱPr, cyclohexyl; Ln = Nd, Sm, Ho) have been prepared and the crystal structure of the holmium derivative [c-C₃H₅–CC–C(NⁱPr)₂]₃Ho has been confirmed by X-ray diffraction.

Half-sandwich rare-earth metal tris(alkyl) ate complexes catalyzed phosphaguanylation reaction of phosphines with carbodiimides: an efficient synthesis of phosphaguanidines

Half-sandwich Y/Li ate complex displays better catalytic activity for phosphaguanylation reaction of phosphines with carbodiimides than the neutral yttrium complexes.

Isolation and X-ray characterization of palladium-N complexes in the guanylation of aromatic amines. Mechanistic implications

In the context of palladium-catalyzed guanylation of anilines herein, we have been able to characterize and isolate bis(anilino) and bis(guanidino)Pd(II) complexes using reaction conditions under which stoichiometric amounts of palladium salts are used. Characterization of these palladium complexes strongly supports a mechanistic proposal for the catalytic guanylation of anilines using PdCl₂(NCCH₃)₂ as catalyst that involves the intermediacy of these Pd(II) complexes.

Synthesis of a highly water-soluble derivative of amphotericin B with attenuated proinflammatory activity

Amphotericin B (AmB), a well-known polyene antifungal agent, displays a marked tendency to self-associate and, as a consequence, exhibits very poor solubility in water. The therapeutic index of AmB is low and is associated with significant dose-related nephrotoxicity, as well as acute, infusion-related febrile reactions. Reports in the literature indicate that the toxicity of AmB may be related to the physical state of the drug. Reaction of AmB in dimethylformamide with bis(dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide yielded an unexpected N-alkylguanidine/N-acylurea bis-adduct of AmB which was highly water-soluble. The absorption spectrum of the AmB derivative in water indicated excellent monomerization, and the antifungal activities of reference AmB and its water-soluble derivative against Candida albicans were found to be virtually identical. Furthermore, the water-soluble adduct is significantly less active in engaging TLR4, which would suggest that the adduct may be less proinflammatory.

Computational design of ruthenium hydride olefin-hydrogenation catalysts containing hemilabile ligands,

Three ruthenium hydridocarbonyl complexes containing bidentate hemilabile ligands have been evaluated as possible catalysts for the H2 hydrogenation of olefins. Our previous investigations of the mainstay hydridoruthenium catalyst, RuHCl(CO)(PR3)2 (1), indicated that the rate-limiting olefin-insertion barrier was increased by the need for an H2 molecule to act as a stabilizing two-electron donor. Using density functional theory (DFT) calculations, we have determined that a P,N phosphane-oxazoline would be suitable for stabilizing the metal center of the complex RuHCl(CO)(PiPr3)(DZ), where DZ is a neutral bidentate hemilable ligand. In the reaction catalyzed by this complex, the olefin insertion occurs before the coordination of H2, avoiding the entropic penalty of coordinating H2. We predict that the phosphane-oxazoline containing catalyst will have higher activity than 1 and a different rate-law, zero-order in [H2]. The oxazoline increases the strength of coordination of the ethylene due to stronger back-donation from destabilized Ru d-orbitals to the ethylene π* molecular orbital.