Inter- and Intramolecular Experimental and Calculated Equilibrium Isotope Effects for (silox)2(tBu3SiND)TiR + RH (silox = tBu3SiO): Inferred Kinetic Isotope Effects for RH/D Addition to Transient (silox)2TiNSitBu3

On the mechanism of intermolecular nitrogen-atom transfer from a lattice-isolated diruthenium nitride intermediate

Catalyst confinement within microporous media provides the opportunity to site isolate reactive intermediates, enforce intermolecular functionalization chemistry by co-localizing reactive intermediates and substrates in molecular-scale interstices, and harness non-covalent host-guest interactions to achieve selectivities that are complementary to those accessible in solution. As part of an ongoing program to develop synthetically useful nitrogen-atom transfer (NAT) catalysts, we have demonstrated intermolecular benzylic amination of toluene at a Ru2 nitride intermediate confined within the interstices of a Ru2-based metal-organic framework (MOF), Ru3(btc)2X3 (btc = 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylate, i.e., Ru-HKUST-1 for X = Cl). Nitride confinement within the extended MOF lattice enabled intermolecular C-H functionalization of benzylic C-H bonds in preference to nitride dimerization, which was encountered with soluble molecular analogues. Detailed study of the kinetic isotope effects (KIEs, i.e., kH/kD) of C-H amination, assayed both as intramolecular effects using partially labeled toluene and as intermolecular effects using a mixture of per-labeled and unlabeled toluene, provided evidence for restricted substrate mobility on the time scale of interstitial NAT. Analysis of these KIEs as a function of material mesoporosity provided approximate experimental values for functionalization in the absence of mass transport barriers. Here, we disclose a combined experimental and computational investigation of the mechanism of NAT from a Ru2 nitride to the C-H bond of toluene. Computed kinetic isotope effects for a H-atom abstraction (HAA)/radical rebound (RR) mechanism are in good agreement with experimental data obtained for C-H amination at the rapid diffusion limit. These results provide the first detailed analysis of the mechanism of intermolecular NAT to a C-H bond, bolster the use of KIEs as a probe of confinement effects on NAT within MOF lattices, and provide mechanistic insights unavailable by experiment because rate-determining mass transport obscured the underlying chemical kinetics.

Does Reduction-Induced Isomerization of a Uranium(III) Aryl Complex Proceed via C-H Oxidative Addition and Reductive Elimination across the Uranium(II/IV) Redox Couple?

Reaction of the uranium(III) bis(amidinate) aryl complex {TerphC(NⁱPr)₂}₂U(Terph) (2, where Terph = 4,4″-di-tert-butyl-m-terphenyl-2'-yl) with a strong reductant enabled isolation of isomeric uranium(III) bis(amidinate) aryl product {TerphC(NⁱPr)₂}₂U(Terph*) (3, where Terph* = 4,4″-di-tert-butyl-m-terphenyl-4'-yl). In terms of connectivity, 3 differs from 2 only in the positions of the U-C and C-H bonds on the central aryl ring of the m-terphenyl-based ligand. A deuterium labeling study ruled out mechanisms for this isomerization involving intermolecular abstraction or deprotonation of the ligand C-H bonds activated during the reaction. Due to the complexity of this rapid, heterogeneous reaction, experimental studies could not further distinguish between two different intramolecular C-H activation mechanisms. However, high-level computational studies were consistent with a mechanism that included two sets of unimolecular, mononuclear C-H oxidative addition and reductive elimination steps involving uranium(II/IV).

Large Isotope Effects in Organometallic Chemistry

The kinetic isotope effect (KIE) is key to understanding reaction mechanisms in many areas of chemistry and chemical biology, including organometallic chemistry. This ratio of rate constants, k_H /k_D , typically falls between 1-7. However, KIEs up to 105 have been reported, and can even be so large that reactivity with deuterium is unobserved. We collect here examples of large KIEs across organometallic chemistry, in catalytic and stoichiometric reactions, along with their mechanistic interpretations. Large KIEs occur in proton transfer reactions such as protonation of organometallic complexes and clusters, protonolysis of metal-carbon bonds, and dihydrogen reactivity. C-H activation reactions with large KIEs occur with late and early transition metals, photogenerated intermediates, and abstraction by metal-oxo complexes. We categorize the mechanistic interpretations of large KIEs into the following three types: (a) proton tunneling, (b) compound effects from multiple steps, and (c) semi-classical effects on a single step. This comprehensive collection of large KIEs in organometallics provides context for future mechanistic interpretation.

Nitrene Photochemistry of Manganese N-Haloamides*

Manganese complexes supported by macrocyclic tetrapyrrole ligands represent an important platform for nitrene transfer catalysis and have been applied to both C-H amination and olefin aziridination catalysis. The reactivity of the transient high-valent Mn nitrenoids that mediate these processes renders characterization of these species challenging. Here we report the synthesis and nitrene transfer photochemistry of a family of Mn^III N-haloamide complexes. The S=2 N-haloamide complexes are characterized by ¹ H NMR, UV-vis, IR, high-frequency and -field EPR (HFEPR) spectroscopies, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Photolysis of these complexes results in the formal transfer of a nitrene equivalent to both C-H bonds, such as the α-C-H bonds of tetrahydrofuran, and olefinic substrates, such as styrene, to afford aminated and aziridinated products, respectively. Low-temperature spectroscopy and analysis of kinetic isotope effects for C-H amination indicate halogen-dependent photoreactivity: Photolysis of N-chloroamides proceeds via initial cleavage of the Mn-N bond to generate Mn^II and amidyl radical intermediates; in contrast, photolysis of N-iodoamides proceeds via N-I cleavage to generate a Mn^IV nitrenoid (i.e., {MnNR}⁷ species). These results establish N-haloamide ligands as viable precursors in the photosynthesis of metal nitrenes and highlight the power of ligand design to provide access to reactive intermediates in group-transfer catalysis.

Thermodynamic and kinetic hydricity of transition metal hydrides

This review of thermodynamic and kinetic hydricity provides conceptual overviews, tutorials on how to determine hydricity both experimentally and computationally, and salient case studies.

Measuring and Modulating Substrate Confinement during Nitrogen-Atom Transfer in a Ru2-Based Metal-Organic Framework

The porosity and synthetic tunability of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) has motivated interest in application of these materials as designer heterogeneous catalysts. While understanding substrate mobility in these materials is critical to the rational development of highly active catalyst platforms, experimental data are rarely available. Here we demonstrate kinetic isotope effect (KIE) analysis enables direct evaluation of the extent of substrate confinement as a function of material mesoporosity. Further, we provide evidence that suggests substrate confinement within a microporous Ru₂-based MOF gives rise to quantum tunneling during interstitial C-H amination. The reported data provide the first evidence for tunneling during interstitial MOF chemistry and illustrate an experimental strategy to evaluate the impact of material structure on substrate mobility in porous catalysts.

Controlled release of hydrogen isotope compounds and tunneling effect in the heterogeneously-catalyzed formic acid dehydrogenation

The hydrogen isotope deuterium is widely used in the synthesis of isotopically-labeled compounds and in the fabrication of semiconductors and optical fibers. However, the facile production of deuterium gas (D2) and hydrogen deuteride (HD) in a controlled manner is a challenging task, and rational heterogeneously-catalyzed protocols are still lacking. Herein, we demonstrate the selective production of hydrogen isotope compounds from a combination of formic acid and D2O, through cooperative action by a PdAg nanocatalyst on a silica substrate whose surface is modified with amine groups. In this process, D2 is predominantly evolved by the assist of weakly basic amine moieties, while nanocatalyst particles in the vicinity of strongly basic amine groups promote the preferential formation of HD. Kinetic data and calculations based on semi-classically corrected transition state theory coupled with density functional theory suggest that quantum tunneling dominates the hydrogen/deuterium exchange reaction over the metallic PdAg surfaces.

3d Transition Metals for C-H Activation

C-H activation has surfaced as an increasingly powerful tool for molecular sciences, with notable applications to material sciences, crop protection, drug discovery, and pharmaceutical industries, among others. Despite major advances, the vast majority of these C-H functionalizations required precious 4d or 5d transition metal catalysts. Given the cost-effective and sustainable nature of earth-abundant first row transition metals, the development of less toxic, inexpensive 3d metal catalysts for C-H activation has gained considerable recent momentum as a significantly more environmentally-benign and economically-attractive alternative. Herein, we provide a comprehensive overview on first row transition metal catalysts for C-H activation until summer 2018.

Regio- and Stereoselective Hydroamination of Alkynes Using an Ammonia Surrogate: Synthesis of N-Silylenamines as Reactive Synthons

An anti-Markovnikov selective hydroamination of alkynes with N-silylamines to afford N-silylenamines is reported. The reaction is catalyzed by a bis(amidate)bis(amido)Ti(IV) catalyst and is compatible with a variety of terminal and internal alkynes. Stoichiometric mechanistic studies were also performed. This method easily affords interesting N-silylenamine synthons in good to excellent yields and the easily removable silyl protecting group enables the catalytic synthesis of primary amines.

Oxygen Activation and Radical Transformations in Heme Proteins and Metalloporphyrins

As a result of the adaptation of life to an aerobic environment, nature has evolved a panoply of metalloproteins for oxidative metabolism and protection against reactive oxygen species. Despite the diverse structures and functions of these proteins, they share common mechanistic grounds. An open-shell transition metal like iron or copper is employed to interact with O2 and its derived intermediates such as hydrogen peroxide to afford a variety of metal-oxygen intermediates. These reactive intermediates, including metal-superoxo, -(hydro)peroxo, and high-valent metal-oxo species, are the basis for the various biological functions of O2-utilizing metalloproteins. Collectively, these processes are called oxygen activation. Much of our understanding of the reactivity of these reactive intermediates has come from the study of heme-containing proteins and related metalloporphyrin compounds. These studies not only have deepened our understanding of various functions of heme proteins, such as O2 storage and transport, degradation of reactive oxygen species, redox signaling, and biological oxygenation, etc., but also have driven the development of bioinorganic chemistry and biomimetic catalysis. In this review, we survey the range of O2 activation processes mediated by heme proteins and model compounds with a focus on recent progress in the characterization and reactivity of important iron-oxygen intermediates. Representative reactions initiated by these reactive intermediates as well as some context from prior decades will also be presented. We will discuss the fundamental mechanistic features of these transformations and delineate the underlying structural and electronic factors that contribute to the spectrum of reactivities that has been observed in nature as well as those that have been invented using these paradigms. Given the recent developments in biocatalysis for non-natural chemistries and the renaissance of radical chemistry in organic synthesis, we envision that new enzymatic and synthetic transformations will emerge based on the radical processes mediated by metalloproteins and their synthetic analogs.

Differentiation of antiinflammatory and antitumorigenic properties of stabilized enantiomers of thalidomide analogs

Therapeutics developed and sold as racemates can exhibit a limited therapeutic index because of side effects resulting from the undesired enantiomer (distomer) and/or its metabolites, which at times, forces researchers to abandon valuable scaffolds. Therefore, most chiral drugs are developed as single enantiomers. Unfortunately, the development of some chirally pure drug molecules is hampered by rapid in vivo racemization. The class of compounds known as immunomodulatory drugs derived from thalidomide is developed and sold as racemates because of racemization at the chiral center of the 3-aminoglutarimide moiety. Herein, we show that replacement of the exchangeable hydrogen at the chiral center with deuterium allows the stabilization and testing of individual enantiomers for two thalidomide analogs, including CC-122, a compound currently in human clinical trials for hematological cancers and solid tumors. Using "deuterium-enabled chiral switching" (DECS), in vitro antiinflammatory differences of up to 20-fold are observed between the deuterium-stabilized enantiomers. In vivo, the exposure is dramatically increased for each enantiomer while they retain similar pharmacokinetics. Furthermore, the single deuterated enantiomers related to CC-122 exhibit profoundly different in vivo responses in an NCI-H929 myeloma xenograft model. The (-)-deuterated enantiomer is antitumorigenic, whereas the (+)-deuterated enantiomer has little to no effect on tumor growth. The ability to stabilize and differentiate enantiomers by DECS opens up a vast window of opportunity to characterize the class effects of thalidomide analogs and improve on the therapeutic promise of other racemic compounds, including the development of safer therapeutics and the discovery of new mechanisms and clinical applications for existing therapeutics.

Heterolytic splitting of H-X bonds at a cationic (PNP)Pd center

The (PNP)PdOTf complex is a suitable synthetic equivalent of the [(PNP)Pd](+) fragment in reactions with various HX substrates. The [(PNP)Pd](+) fragment either simply binds HX molecules as L-type ligands (X = NH(2), PCy(2), imidazolyl) or heterolytically splits the H-X bond to produce [(PN(H)P)Pd-X](+) (X = H, CCR, SR). DFT calculations analyze the relative energetics of the two outcomes and agree with the experimental data. Calculations also allow to assess the unobserved Pd(IV) isomer [(PNP)Pd(H)(2)](+) and validate its unfavourability with respect to the Pd(II) isomer [(PN(H)P)PdH](+).

Path integral evaluation of equilibrium isotope effects

A general and rigorous methodology to compute the quantum equilibrium isotope effect is described. Unlike standard approaches, ours does not assume separability of rotational and vibrational motions and does not make the harmonic approximation for vibrations or rigid rotor approximation for the rotations. In particular, zero point energy and anharmonicity effects are described correctly quantum mechanically. The approach is based on the thermodynamic integration with respect to the mass of isotopes and on the Feynman path integral representation of the partition function. An efficient estimator for the derivative of free energy is used whose statistical error is independent of the number of imaginary time slices in the path integral, speeding up calculations by a factor of approximately 60 at 500 K and more at room temperature. We describe the implementation of the methodology in the molecular dynamics package AMBER 10. The method is tested on three [1,5] sigmatropic hydrogen shift reactions. Because of the computational expense, we use ab initio potentials to evaluate the equilibrium isotope effects within the harmonic approximation and then the path integral method together with semiempirical potentials to evaluate the anharmonicity corrections. Our calculations show that the anharmonicity effects amount up to 30% of the symmetry reduced reaction free energy. The numerical results are compared with recent experiments of Doering et al., [J. Am. Chem. Soc. 128, 9080 (2006); J. Am. Chem. Soc.129, 2488 (2007)] confirming the accuracy of the most recent measurement on 2,4,6,7,9-pentamethyl-5-(5,5-(2)H(2))methylene-11,11a-dihydro-12H-naphthacene as well as concerns about compromised accuracy, due to side reactions, of another measurement on 2-methyl-10-(10,10-(2)H(2))methylenebicyclo[4.4.0]dec-1-ene.

Mechanisms of C-H bond activation: rich synergy between computation and experiment

Recent computational studies of C-H bond activation at late transition metal systems are discussed and processes where lone pair assistance via heteroatom co-ligands or carboxylates are highlighted as a particularly promising means of cleaving C-H bonds. The term 'ambiphilic metal ligand activation' (AMLA) is introduced to describe such reactions.

Temperature-dependent transitions between normal and inverse isotope effects pertaining to the interaction of H-H and C-H bonds with transition metal centers

Deuterium kinetic isotope effects (KIEs) serve as versatile tools to infer details about reaction mechanisms and the nature of transition states, while equilibrium isotope effects (EIEs) associated with the site preferences of hydrogen and deuterium enable researchers to study aspects of molecular structure. Researchers typically interpret primary deuterium isotope effects based on two simple guidelines: (i) the KIE for an elementary reaction is normal (k(H)/k(D) > 1) and (ii) the EIE is dictated by deuterium preferring to be located in the site corresponding to the highest frequency oscillator. In this Account, we evaluate the applicability of these rules to the interactions of H-H and C-H bonds with a transition metal center. Significantly, experimental and computational studies question the predictability of primary EIEs in these systems based on the notion that deuterium prefers to occupy the highest frequency oscillator. In particular, the EIEs for (i) formation of sigma-complexes by coordination of H-H and C-H bonds and (ii) oxidative addition of dihydrogen exhibit unusual temperature dependencies, such that the same system may demonstrate both normal (i.e., K(H)/K(D) > 1) and inverse (i.e., K(H)/K(D) < 1) values. The transition between a normal and inverse EIE indicates that these systems do not demonstrate the typical monotonic variation predicted by the van't Hoff relationship. Instead, the calculated EIEs in these systems are 0 at 0 K, increase to a value greater than 1, and then decrease to unity at infinite temperature. This unusual behavior may be rationalized by considering the individual factors that contribute to the EIE. Specifically, the EIE may be expressed in the form EIE = SYM x MMI x EXC x ZPE (where SYM is the symmetry factor, MMI is the mass-moment of inertia term, EXC is the excitation term, and ZPE is the zero-point energy term), and the distinctive temperature profile results from the inverse ZPE (enthalpy) and normal [SYM x MMI x EXC] (entropy) components opposing each other and having different temperature dependencies. At low temperatures, the ZPE component dominates and the EIE is inverse, while at high temperatures, the [SYM x MMI x EXC] component dominates and the EIE is normal. The inverse nature of the ZPE term is a consequence of the rotational and translational degrees of freedom of RH (R = H, CH(3)) becoming low-energy isotopically sensitive vibrations in the product, while the normal nature of the [SYM x MMI x EXC] component results from deuterium substitution having a larger impact on the moment of inertia of the smaller molecule.

Metal-phosphido and -phosphinidene complexes in P-E bond-forming reactions

Metal complexes bearing terminal phosphido or phosphinidene ligands have become versatile tools in the stoichiometric and catalytic preparation of phosphorus-element bonds. This Perspective describes a selection of recent advances in this field, and certain emphasis has been placed on reactions that vary from what has been previously observed. Some of the general reactivity trends and mechanistic understanding in these metal-mediated reactions that has emerged are also described. Much of what is chronicled herein comes from a flux of reports over the last decade describing unique metal-mediated phosphorus-element bond formation reactions that are likely to stimulate further discoveries.