Transient Terminal Cu−Nitrene Intermediates from Discrete Dicopper Nitrenes

Nitrene-transfer from azides to isocyanides: Unveiling its versatility as a promising building block for the synthesis of bioactive heterocycles

Cross-coupling azide and isocyanide have recently gained recognition as ideal methods for efficiently synthesizing asymmetric carbodiimides. This reaction exhibits high reaction rates, efficiency, and favorable atom/step/redox economy. It enables the nitrene-transfer process, facilitating the formation of C-N bonds and providing a direct and cost-effective synthetic strategy for generating diverse carbodiimides. These carbodiimides are highly reactive compounds that can undergo in-situ transformations into various functional groups and organic compounds, including heterocycles. Developing one-pot and tandem processes in this field has significantly contributed to advancements in organic chemistry. Moreover, the demonstrated utility of these architectural motifs extends to areas such as chemical biology and medicinal chemistry, further highlighting their potential in various scientific applications.

Silver acetate-catalyzed synthesis of cyclic sulfonyl guanidine with exocyclic double bond

An efficient protocol for the synthesis of cyclic guanidine with exocyclic double bond has been developed. The synthesis has been achieved via intramolecular hydroamination of an intermediate propargyl guanidine by using silver acetate as catalyst in the presence of acetic acid. The reaction proceeds via the formation of acyclic propargyl guanidine in a one-pot reaction of N,N-dibromoarylsulfonamides, isonitriles, and propargylamine in the presence of K2CO3. In the second stage of the synthesis, the acyclic guanidine selectively undergoes 5-exo-dig cyclization in the presence of silver acetate and acetic acid to produce the five-membered cyclic guanidine framework having an exocyclic double bond as the constituent part. Short reaction time, wide substrate scope with good to high yields, and good functional group tolerance are the remarkable achievement of the present protocol.

Unanticipated switch of reactivity of isonitrile via N≡C bond scission: Cascade formation of symmetrical sulfonyl guanidine

Unanticipated formation of symmetrical sulfonyl guanidine was observed while treating isonitriles with N,N-dibromoarylsulfonamides in absence of an external amine source. Interesting feature of this work is that one molecule of isonitrile initially reacts with dibromoarylsulfonamide via the C-end to produce the intermediate carbodiimide while the other molecule undergoes C≡N triple bond cleavage to react as amine source with the intermediate. This switch of reactivity from C-center to N-center of the isonitrile generated symmetrical guanidine.

Mechanistic snapshots of rhodium-catalyzed acylnitrene transfer reactions

Rhodium acylnitrene complexes are widely implicated in catalytic C-H amidation reactions but have eluded isolation and structural characterization. To overcome this challenge, we designed a chromophoric octahedral rhodium complex with a bidentate dioxazolone ligand, in which photoinduced metal-to-ligand charge transfer initiates catalytic C-H amidation. X-ray photocrystallographic analysis of the Rh-dioxazolone complex allowed structural elucidation of the targeted Rh-acylnitrenoid and provided firm evidence that the singlet nitrenoid species is primarily responsible for acylamino transfer reactions. We also monitored in crystallo reaction of a nucleophile with the in situ generated Rh-acylnitrenoid, providing a crystallographically traceable reaction system to capture mechanistic snapshots of nitrenoid transfer.

A Unified Approach for the Synthesis of Isourea and Isothiourea from Isonitrile and N,N-Dibromoarylsulfonamides

A unified approach has been developed for the synthesis of both isourea and isothiourea in a three-component coupling reaction by treating alcohols or thiols respectively with N,N-dibromoarylsulfonamides and isonitrile and in the presence of K₂CO₃. This metal-free process proceeds via carbodiimide intermediate at room temperature within a very short reaction time. A library of sulfonylisoureas and isothioureas has been made using this synthetic protocol with wide substrate scope in good to high yields.

Chiral bis(pyrazolyl)methane copper(I) complexes and their application in nitrene transfer reactions

In this study, chiral bis(pyrazolyl)methane copper(I) acetonitrile complexes were applied to generate two novel terminal copper tosyl nitrene complexes with the nitrene generating agent SPhINTs in dichloromethane at low temperatures. The syntheses of the chiral bis(pyrazolyl)methane ligands are based on pulegone and camphor, members of the natural chiral pool. The chiral copper(I) acetonitrile complexes were applied as catalysts in the copper nitrene mediated aziridination reaction of different styrene derivatives and the C–H amination of various substrates. The reactions afforded good yields, but low enantiomeric excess under mild conditions. The nitrene species have been characterized with UV/Vis and EPR spectroscopy and the products of the decay by ESI mass spectrometry.

Copper-Nitrene-Catalyzed Desymmetric Oxaziridination/1,2-Alkyl Rearrangement of 1,3-Diketones toward Bicyclic Lactams

Although copper-nitrene has been extensively studied as a versatile active species in various transformations, asymmetric reactions involving copper-nitrene have been limited to the aziridination of olefins. Herein, we report the novel copper-nitrene-catalyzed desymmetric oxaziridination reaction of cyclic diketones with alkyl azides and the subsequent rearrangement of the resulting highly active intermediate, which produces a synthetically challenging chiral bicyclic lactam containing a quaternary carbon center. This procedure not only enriches the copper-nitrene-catalyzed asymmetric reactions, but also provides an alternative strategy to address the inherent challenges of catalytic asymmetric Schmidt reactions. This unique reaction could inspire the investigation of novel copper-nitrene-catalyzed asymmetric transformations and their reaction mechanisms.

A Pair of Cobalt(III/IV) Terminal Imido Complexes

The reaction of the cobalt(I) complex [(TIMMNmes )CoI ](BPh4 ) (2) (TIMMNmes =tris-[2-(3-mesitylimidazolin-2-ylidene)methyl]amine) with 1-adamantylazide yields the cobalt(III) imido complex [(TIMMNmes )CoIII (NAd)](BPh4 ) (3) with concomitant release of dinitrogen. The N-anchor in diamagnetic 3 features an unusual, planar tertiary amine, which results from repulsive electrostatic interaction with the filled d(z2 )-orbital of the cobalt ion and negative hyperconjugation with the neighboring methylene groups. One-electron oxidation of 3 with [FeCp2 ](OTf) provides access to the rare, high-valent cobalt(IV) imido complex [(TIMMNmes )CoIV (NAd)](OTf)2 (4). Despite a half-life of less than 1 h at room temperature, 4 could be isolated at low temperatures in analytically pure form. Single-crystal X-ray diffractometry and EPR spectroscopy corroborate the molecular structure and the d5 low-spin, S= 1 / 2 , electron configuration. A computational analysis of 4 suggests high covalency within the CoIV =NAd bond with non-negligible spin density located at the imido moiety, which translates into substantial triplet nitrene character.

A new generation of terminal copper nitrenes and their application in aromatic C-H amination reactions

Copper nitrene complexes are highly reactive species and are known as intermediates in the copper catalyzed C-H amination. In this study, three novel copper tosyl nitrene complexes were synthesized at low temperatures, stabilized with heteroscorpionate ligands of the bis(pyrazolyl)methane family. The copper nitrenes were obtained by the reaction of a copper(i) acetonitrile complex with ^SPhINTs in dichloromethane. We show that the ligand design has a major influence on the catalytic activity and the thermal stability of the copper nitrene complex. Not only the choice of the third N donor, but also the substituent in the 5-position of the pyrazolyl moiety, have an impact on the stability. Furthermore, the novel copper nitrene complexes were used for catalytic aziridination of styrenes and C-H amination reactions of aromatic and aliphatic substrates under mild reaction conditions. Even challenging substrates like benzene and cyclohexane were aminated with good yields. The copper nitrene complexes were characterized using UV/Vis spectroscopy, low temperature Evans NMR spectroscopy, density functional theory, domain-based local pair natural orbital coupled cluster calculations (DLPNO-CCSD(T)) and cryo-UHR mass spectrometry.

A Dicopper Nitrenoid by Oxidation of a CuICuI Core: Synthesis, Electronic Structure, and Reactivity

A dicopper nitrenoid complex was prepared by formal oxidative addition of the nitrenoid fragment to a dicopper(I) center by reaction with the iminoiodinane PhINTs (Ts = tosylate). This nitrenoid complex, (DPFN)Cu₂(μ-NTs)[NTf₂]₂ (DPFN = 2,7-bis(fluorodi(2-pyridyl)methyl)-1,8-naphthyridine), is a powerful H atom abstractor that reacts with a range of strong C-H bonds to form a mixed-valence Cu(I)/Cu(II) μ-NHTs amido complex in the first example of a clean H atom transfer to a dicopper nitrenoid core. In line with this reactivity, DFT calculations reveal that the nitrenoid is best described as an iminyl (NR radical anion) complex. The nitrenoid was trapped by the addition of water to form a mixed-donor hydroxo/amido dicopper(II) complex, which was independently obtained by reaction of a Cu₂(μ-OH)₂ complex with an amine through a protonolysis pathway. This mixed-donor complex is an analogue for the proposed intermediate in copper-catalyzed Chan-Evans-Lam coupling, which proceeds via C-X (X = N or O) bond formation. Treatment of the dicopper(II) mixed donor complex with MgPh₂(THF)₂ resulted in generation of a mixture that includes both phenol and a previously reported dicopper(I) bridging phenyl complex, illustrating that both reduction of dicopper(II) to dicopper(I) and concomitant C-X bond formation are feasible.

Generation and application of Cu-bound alkyl nitrenes for the catalyst-controlled synthesis of cyclic β-amino acids

The advent of saturated N-heterocycles as valuable building blocks in medicinal chemistry has led to the development of new methods to construct such nitrogen-containing cyclic frameworks. Despite the apparent strategic clarity, intramolecular C–H aminations with metallonitrenes have only sporadically been explored in this direction because of the intractability of the requisite alkyl nitrenes. Here, we report copper-catalysed intramolecular amination using an alkyl nitrene generated from substituted isoxazolidin-5-ones upon N–O bond cleavage. The copper catalysis exclusively aminates aromatic C(sp²)–H bonds among other potentially reactive groups, offering a solution to the chemoselectivity problem that has been troublesome with rhodium catalysis. A combined experimental and computational study suggested that the active species in the current cyclic β-amino acid synthesis is a dicopper alkyl nitrene, which follows a cyclisation pathway distinct from the analogous alkyl metallonitrene.

Copper-catalysed conditions have been developed for the chemoselective synthesis of cyclic β-amino acids.

DFT and AFIR study on the copper(i)-catalyzed mechanism of 5-enamine-trisubstituted-1,2,3-triazole synthesis via C-N cross-coupling and the origin of ring-opening of 2H-azirines

Understanding the synthesis mechanism of substituted 1,2,3-triazoles is an important and state-of-the-art research area of contemporary copper(i)-catalyzed terminal alkyne and organic azide click reaction (CuAAC), which has invoked increasing close collaborations between experiment and theory including copper catalyzed interrupted click reaction. In this study, the mechanism of Cu(i)-catalyzed 5-enamine-functionalized fully substituted 1,2,3-triazole synthesis was rationalized via density functional theory (DFT) and multicomponent artificial force-induced reaction (MC-AFIR) methods. The reasonable reaction route consists of (a) di-copper catalyzed ring-opening of 2H-azirines, (b) alkyne hydrogen atom transfer, (c) [3 + 2] ring cycloaddition, and (d) C-N bond formation through reductive elimination. The MC-AFIR method was used for the systematic determination of transition states for the C/N-Cu bond formation, C-N bond coupling and crossing points between singlet and triplet states. Our survey on the prereactant complexes suggested that the dicopper-catalyzed 2H-azirine ring-opening and alkyne hydrogen activation are both thermodynamically feasible via a singlet/triplet crossing point. This explains why Et3N is critical for alkyne hydrogen transfer (HT) before the [3 + 2] cycloaddition reaction, and the C-N cross-coupling product instead of the click product (byproduct). Our DFT results indicate that the transmetalation process is the rate determination step along the triplet state potential energy surface. This study provides important mechanistic insights for the interrupted CuAAC reaction to form 5-enamine-fully-substituted-1,2,3-triazoles. Further insight prediction interprets that solvent and extra strong ligand coordination play a certain role in competitive reactions.

Synthesis of a copper-supported triplet nitrene complex pertinent to copper-catalyzed amination

Terminal copper-nitrenoid complexes have inspired interest in their fundamental bonding structures as well as their putative intermediacy in catalytic nitrene-transfer reactions. Here, we report that aryl azides react with a copper(I) dinitrogen complex bearing a sterically encumbered dipyrrin ligand to produce terminal copper nitrene complexes with near-linear, short copper-nitrenoid bonds [1.745(2) to 1.759(2) angstroms]. X-ray absorption spectroscopy and quantum chemistry calculations reveal a predominantly triplet nitrene adduct bound to copper(I), as opposed to copper(II) or copper(III) assignments, indicating the absence of a copper-nitrogen multiple-bond character. Employing electron-deficient aryl azides renders the copper nitrene species competent for alkane amination and alkene aziridination, lending further credence to the intermediacy of this species in proposed nitrene-transfer mechanisms.

Electronic Structures and Reactivity Profiles of Aryl Nitrenoid-Bridged Dicopper Complexes

Dicopper complexes templated by dinucleating, pacman dipyrrin ligand scaffolds (Mesdmx, tBudmx: dimethylxanthine-bridged, cofacial bis-dipyrrin) were synthesized by deprotonation/metalation with mesitylcopper (CuMes; Mes: mesityl) or by transmetalation with cuprous precursors from the corresponding deprotonated ligand. Neutral imide complexes (Rdmx)Cu2(μ2-NAr) (R: Mes, tBu; Ar: 4-MeOC6H4, 3,5-(F3C)2C6H3) were synthesized by treatment of the corresponding dicuprous complexes with aryl azides. While one-electron reduction of (Mesdmx)Cu2(μ2-N(C6H4OMe)) with potassium graphite initiates an intramolecular, benzylic C-H amination at room temperature, chemical reduction of (tBudmx)Cu2(μ2-NAr) leads to isolable [(tBudmx)Cu2(μ2-NAr)]- product salts. The electronic structures of the thermally robust [(tBudmx)Cu2(μ2-NAr)]0/- complexes were assessed by variable-temperature electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy, X-ray absorption spectroscopy (Cu L2,3/K-edge, N K-edge), optical spectroscopy, and DFT/CASSCF calculations. These data indicate that the formally Class IIIA mixed valence complexes of the type [(Rdmx)Cu2(μ2-NAr)]- feature significant NAr-localized spin following reduction from electronic population of the [Cu2(μ2-NAr)] π* manifold, contrasting previous methods for engendering iminyl character through chemical oxidation. The reactivity of the isolable imido and iminyl complexes are examined for prototypical radical-promoted reactivity (e.g., nitrene transfer and H-atom abstraction), where the divergent reactivity is rationalized by the relative degree of N-radical character afforded from different aryl substituents.

Atomically Defined Nanopropeller Fe3Co6Se8(Ph2PNTol)6: Functional Model for the Electronic Metal-Support Interaction Effect and High Catalytic Activity for Carbodiimide Formation

Atomically defined interfaces that maximize the density of active sites and harness the electronic metal-support interaction are desirable to facilitate challenging multielectron transformations, but their synthesis remains a considerable challenge. We report the rational synthesis of the atomically defined metal chalcogenide nanopropeller Fe₃Co₆Se₈L₆ (L = Ph₂PNTol) featuring three Fe edge sites, and its ensuing catalytic activity for carbodiimide formation. The complex interaction between the Fe edges and Co₆Se₈ support, including the interplay between oxidation state, substrate coordination, and metal-support interaction, is probed in detail using chemical and electrochemical methods, extensive single crystal X-ray diffraction, and electronic absorption and Mössbauer spectroscopy.

Pd-Catalyzed Carbonylation of Acyl Azides

Pd-catalyzed reactions of azides with CO to access an isocynate intermediate have been developed extensively in recent years. However, the catalytic carbonylation of sensitive acyl azides has not been reported. Herein, we report a simple Pd-catalyzed carbonylation reaction of acyl azides with broad substrate scope, high efficiency, and simple operation under mild conditions, which provides facile access to acyl ureas. In addition, a mechanistic study was carried out by both experiment and DFT calculation. Control experiments and kinetic study revealed that the real active palladium species were Pd(0). The result of kinetic study suggested that palladium catalyst, azide, and CO were all involved in the turnover-limiting step except for amine. Further DFT study suggested that an unprecedented five-membered palladacycle intermediate was the key intermediate in the carbonylation reaction.

Copper-Promoted Functionalization of Organic Molecules: from Biologically Relevant Cu/O2 Model Systems to Organometallic Transformations

Copper is one of the most abundant and less toxic transition metals. Nature takes advantage of the bioavailability and rich redox chemistry of Cu to carry out oxygenase and oxidase organic transformations using O₂ (or H₂O₂) as oxidant. Inspired by the reactivity of these Cu-dependent metalloenzymes, chemists have developed synthetic protocols to functionalize organic molecules under enviormentally benign conditions. Copper also promotes other transformations usually catalyzed by 4d and 5d transition metals (Pd, Pt, Rh, etc.) such as nitrene insertions or C-C and C-heteroatom coupling reactions. In this review, we summarized the most relevant research in which copper promotes or catalyzes the functionalization of organic molecules, including biological catalysis, bioinspired model systems, and organometallic reactivity. The reaction mechanisms by which these processes take place are discussed in detail.

Facile, catalyst-free cascade synthesis of sulfonyl guanidinesviacarbodiimide coupling with amines

A facile, catalyst-free cascade synthesis of sulfonyl guanidinesviacarbodiimide intermediate coupling with amines at room temperature has been disclosed.

Designed To React: Terminal Copper Nitrenes and Their Application in Catalytic C-H Aminations

Heteroscorpionate ligands of the bis(pyrazolyl)methane family have been applied in the stabilisation of terminal copper tosyl nitrenes. These species are highly active intermediates in the copper-catalysed direct C-H amination and nitrene transfer. Novel perfluoroalkyl-pyrazolyl- and pyridinyl-containing ligands were synthesized to coordinate to a reactive copper nitrene centre. Four distinct copper tosyl nitrenes were prepared at low temperatures by the reaction with SO₂ tBuPhINTs and copper(I) acetonitrile complexes. Their stoichiometric reactivity has been elucidated regarding the imination of phosphines and the aziridination of styrenes. The formation and thermal decay of the copper nitrenes were investigated by UV/Vis spectroscopy of the highly coloured species. Additionally, the compounds were studied by cryo-UHR-ESI mass spectrometry and DFT calculations. In addition, a mild catalytic procedure has been developed where the copper nitrene precursors enable the C-H amination of cyclohexane and toluene and the aziridination of styrenes.

High-Oxidation-State 3d Metal (Ti-Cu) Complexes with N-Heterocyclic Carbene Ligation

High-oxidation-state 3d metal species have found a wide range of applications in modern synthetic chemistry and materials science. They are also implicated as key reactive species in biological reactions. These applications have thus prompted explorations of their formation, structure, and properties. While the traditional wisdom regarding these species was gained mainly from complexes supported by nitrogen- and oxygen-donor ligands, recent studies with N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs), which are widely used for the preparation of low-oxidation-state transition metal complexes in organometallic chemistry, have led to the preparation of a large variety of isolable high-oxidation-state 3d metal complexes with NHC ligation. Since the first report in this area in the 1990s, isolable complexes of this type have been reported for titanium(IV), vanadium(IV,V), chromium(IV,V), manganese(IV,V), iron(III,IV,V), cobalt(III,IV,V), nickel(IV), and copper(II). With the aim of providing an overview of this intriguing field, this Review summarizes our current understanding of the synthetic methods, structure and spectroscopic features, reactivity, and catalytic applications of high-oxidation-state 3d metal NHC complexes of titanium to copper. In addition to this progress, factors affecting the stability and reactivity of high-oxidation-state 3d metal NHC species are also presented, as well as perspectives on future efforts.

Copper-mediated reduction of azides under seemingly oxidising conditions: catalytic and computational studies

The reduction of aryl azides in the presence of water and air and without an obvious reducing agent is reported.

Rh2(II)-Catalyzed Ring Expansion of Cyclobutanol-Substituted Aryl Azides To Access Medium-Sized N-Heterocycles

A new reactivity pattern of Rh₂(II)-N-arylnitrenes was discovered that facilitates the synthesis of medium-sized N-heterocycles from ortho-cyclobutanol-substituted aryl azides. The key ring-expansion step of the catalytic cycle is both chemoselective and stereospecific. Our mechanistic experiments implicate the formation of a rhodium N-arylnitrene catalytic intermediate and reveal that sp³ C-H bond amination of this electrophilic species is competitive with the ring-expansion process.

Reactivity Study of Unsymmetrical β-Diketiminato Copper(I) Complexes: Effect of the Chelating Ring

β-Diketiminato copper(I) complexes play important roles in bioinspired catalytic chemistry and in applications to the materials industry. However, it has been observed that these complexes are very susceptible to disproportionation. Coordinating solvents or Lewis bases are typically used to prevent disproportionation and to block the coordination sites of the copper(I) center from further decomposition. Here, we incorporate this coordination protection directly into the molecule in order to increase the stability and reactivity of these complexes and to discover new copper(I) binding motifs. Here we describe the synthesis, structural characterization, and reactivity of a series of unsymmetrical N-aryl-N'-alkylpyridyl β-diketiminato copper(I) complexes and discuss the structures and reactivity of these complexes with respect to the length of the pyridyl arm. All of the aforementioned unsymmetrical ß-diketiminato copper(I) complexes bind CO reversibly and are stable to disproportionation. The binding ability of CO and the rate of pyridyl ligand decoordination of these copper(I) complexes are directly related to the competition between the degree of puckering of the chelate system and the steric demands of the N-aryl substituent.

Isolation of an unusual [Cu6] nanocluster through sequential addition of copper(i) to a polynucleating ligand

Addition of 2 equiv. of CuI to a [Cu]₄ multimetallic complex results in cluster formation leading to the isolation of a rare bicapped tetrahedral [Cu₆I₂] cluster that is stabilised by two conformationally constrained polynucleating ligands.

Binuclear β-diketiminate complexes of copper(i)

The reaction of a series of dinucleating bis(β-diketiminate) pro-ligands with mesitylcopper in the presence and absence of mono and diphosphines has allowed the isolation of a new series of dicopper(i) complexes.

Characterization and Reactivity Studies of a Terminal Copper-Nitrene Species

High-valent terminal copper-nitrene species have been postulated as key intermediates in copper-catalyzed aziridination and amination reactions. The high reactivity of these intermediates has prevented their characterization for decades, thereby making the mechanisms ambiguous. Very recently, the Lewis acid adduct of a copper-nitrene intermediate was trapped at -90 °C and shown to be active in various oxidation reactions. Herein, we describe for the first time the synthesis and spectroscopic characterization of a terminal copper(II)-nitrene radical species that is stable at room temperature in the absence of any Lewis acid. The azide derivative of a triazamacrocyclic ligand that had previously been utilized in the stabilization of aryl-Cu^III intermediates was employed as an ancillary ligand in the study. The terminal copper(II)-nitrene radical species is able to transfer a nitrene moiety to phosphines and abstract a hydrogen atom from weak C-H bonds, leading to the formation of oxidized products in modest yields.

Characterization of Iron-Imido Species Relevant for N-Group Transfer Chemistry

A sterically accessible tert-butyl-substituted dipyrrinato di-iron(II) complex [((tBu)L)FeCl]2 possessing two bridging chloride atoms was synthesized from the previously reported solvento adduct. Upon treatment with aryl azides, the formation of high-spin Fe(III) species was confirmed by (57)Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy. Crystallographic characterization revealed two possible oxidation products: (1) a terminal iron iminyl from aryl azides bearing ortho isopropyl substituents, ((tBu)L)FeCl((•)NC6H3-2,6-(i)Pr2); or (2) a bridging di-iron imido arising from reaction with 3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)aryl azide, [((tBu)L)FeCl]2(μ-NC6H3-3,5-(CF3)2). Similar to the previously reported ((Ar)L)FeCl((•)NC6H4-4-(t)Bu), the monomeric iron imido is best described as a high-spin Fe(III) antiferromagnetically coupled to an iminyl radical, affording an S = 2 spin state as confirmed by SQUID magnetometry. The di-iron imido possesses an S = 0 ground state, arising from two high-spin Fe(III) centers weakly antiferromagnetically coupled through the bridging imido ligand. The terminal iron iminyl complex undergoes facile decomposition via intra- or intermolecular hydrogen-atom abstraction (HAA) from an imido aryl ortho isopropyl group, or from 1,4-cyclohexadiene, respectively. The bridging di-iron imido is a competent N-group transfer reagent to cyclic internal olefins as well as styrene. Although solid-state magnetometry indicates an antiferromagnetic interaction between the two iron centers (J = -108.7 cm(-1)) in [((tBu)L)FeCl]2(μ-NC6H3-3,5-(CF3)2), we demonstrate that in solution the bridging imido can facilitate HAA as well as dissociate into a terminal iminyl species, which then can promote HAA. In situ monitoring reveals the di-iron bridging imido is a catalytically competent intermediate, one of several iron complexes observed in the amination of C-H bond substrates or styrene aziridination.

Group 5 chemistry supported by β-diketiminate ligands

β-Diketiminate (BDI) ligands are widely used supporting ligands in modern organometallic chemistry and are capable of stabilizing various metal complexes in multiple oxidation states and coordination environments.