Concurrent Synergism and Inhibition in Bimetallic Catalysis: Catalytic Binuclear Elimination, Solute−Solute Interactions and a Hetero-Bimetallic Hydrogen-Bonded Complex in Rh−Mo Hydroformylations

Bifunctional activation of amine-boranes by the W/Pd bimetallic analogs of "frustrated Lewis pairs"

The reaction between basic [(PCP)Pd(H)] (PCP = 2,6-(CH2P(t-C4H9)2)2C6H4) and acidic [LWH(CO)3] (L = Cp (1a), Tp (1b); Cp = η5-cyclopentadienyl, Tp = κ3-hydridotris(pyrazolyl)borate) leads to the formation of bimolecular complexes [LW(CO)2(μ-CO)⋯Pd(PCP)] (4a, 4b), which catalyze amine-borane (Me2NHBH3, t BuNH2BH3) dehydrogenation. The combination of variable-temperature (1H, 31P{1H}, 11B NMR and IR) spectroscopies and computational (ωB97XD/def2-TZVP) studies reveal the formation of an η1-borane complex [(PCP)Pd(Me2NHBH3)]+[LW(CO3)]- (5) in the first step, where a BH bond strongly binds palladium and an amine group is hydrogen-bonded to tungsten. The subsequent intracomplex proton transfer is the rate-determining step, followed by an almost barrierless hydride transfer. Bimetallic species 4 are easily regenerated through hydrogen evolution in the reaction between two hydrides.

Hydrogen and Dihydrogen Bonds in the Reactions of Metal Hydrides

The dihydrogen bond-an interaction between a transition-metal or main-group hydride (M-H) and a protic hydrogen moiety (H-X)-is arguably the most intriguing type of hydrogen bond. It was discovered in the mid-1990s and has been intensively explored since then. Herein, we collate up-to-date experimental and computational studies of the structural, energetic, and spectroscopic parameters and natures of dihydrogen-bonded complexes of the form M-H···H-X, as such species are now known for a wide variety of hydrido compounds. Being a weak interaction, dihydrogen bonding entails the lengthening of the participating bonds as well as their polarization (repolarization) as a result of electron density redistribution. Thus, the formation of a dihydrogen bond allows for the activation of both the MH and XH bonds in one step, facilitating proton transfer and preparing these bonds for further transformations. The implications of dihydrogen bonding in different stoichiometric and catalytic reactions, such as hydrogen exchange, alcoholysis and aminolysis, hydrogen evolution, hydrogenation, and dehydrogenation, are discussed.

Lead-chromium carbonyl complexes incorporated with group 8 metals: synthesis, reactivity, and theoretical calculations

The trichromium-lead complex [Pb{Cr(CO)5}3](2-) (1) was isolated from the reaction of PbCl2 and Cr(CO)6 in a KOH/MeOH solution, and the new mixed chromium-iron-lead complex [Pb{Cr(CO)5}{Fe(CO)4}2](2-) (3) was synthesized from the reaction of PbCl2 and Cr(CO)6 in a KOH/MeOH solution followed by the addition of Fe(CO)5. X-ray crystallography showed that 3 consisted of a central Pb atom bound in a trigonal-planar environment to two Fe(CO)4 and one Cr(CO)5 fragments. When complex 1 reacted with 1.5 equiv of Mn(CO)5Br, the Cr(CO)4-bridged dimeric lead-chromium carbonyl complex [Pb2Br2Cr4(CO)18](2-) (4) was produced. However, a similar reaction of 3 or the isostructural triiron-lead complex [Pb{Fe(CO)4}3](2-) (2) with Mn(CO)5Br in MeCN led to the formation of the Fe3Pb2-based trigonal-bipyramidal complexes [Fe3(CO)9{PbCr(CO)5}2](2-) (6) and [Fe3(CO)9{PbFe(CO)4}2](2-) (5), respectively. On the other hand, the Ru3Pb2-based trigonal-bipyramidal complex [Ru3(CO)9{PbCr(CO)5}2](2-) (7) was obtained directly from the reaction of PbCl2, Cr(CO)6, and Ru3(CO)12 in a KOH/MeOH solution. X-ray crystallography showed that 5 and 6 each had an Fe3Pb2 trigonal-bipyramidal core geometry, with three Fe(CO)3 groups occupying the equatorial positions and two PbFe(CO)4 or PbCr(CO)5 units in the axial positions, while 7 displayed a Ru3Pb2 trigonal-bipyramidal geometry with three equatorial Ru(CO)3 groups and two axial PbCr(CO)5 units. The complexes 3-7 were characterized spectroscopically, and their nature, formation, and electrochemistry were further examined by molecular orbital calculations at the B3LYP level of density functional theory.