Synthesis, Structure, and Coordination Chemistry of the Bicyclic π-Acid Phosphatri(3-methylindolyl)methane

Regulating iminophosphorane PN bond reactivity through geometric constraints with cage-shaped triarylphosphines

Structure-reactivity investigations and quantum-chemical parametrization of steric and electronic properties of geometrically constrained iminophosphoranes enabled the design of new frustrated Lewis pairs and revealed unusual properties at the phosphonium center embedded in the cage-shaped triptycene tricyclic scaffold.

The B(C6F5)3·H2O promoted synthesis of fluoroalkylated 3,3',3''-trisindolylmethanes from fluorocarboxylic acids and indoles

Trisindolylmethanes (TIMs) exist in many bioactive natural products and are frequently applied in medicinal chemistry and materials science. Herein, a simple and efficient protocol promoted by B(C₆F₅)₃·H₂O for the synthesis of their fluoroalkylated analogues, fluoroalkylated 3,3',3''-TIMs, is reported for the first time. Easily accessible fluorocarboxylic acids are utilized as the fluoroalkyl sources, exhibiting an obvious fluorine effect. This convenient and green process features mild and metal-free conditions, easy scale-up, and an environmentally friendly byproduct.

A dianionic C3-symmetric scorpionate: synthesis and coordination chemistry

Introducing charges into ligand systems fine-tunes their electronic properties and influences the solubility of their metal complexes. Herein, we present a synthesis of a dianionic, C3-symmetric ligand combining three anionic N-donors tethered to a positively charged phosphonium center. The tris-skatylmethylphosphonium (TSMP) ligand, isolated in the form of its dipotassium salt TSMPK2, is the first dianionic homoscorpionate capable of metal exchange. The potassium cations in TSMPK2 are exchangeable for other metals, which results in rich coordination chemistry. Thus, the ligand displays a bridging μ2:κ2:κ1 coordination mode with trigonal planar Cu(i) centers in the tetrameric complex [(TSMP)Cu]44-. The κ3 mode is accessed upon addition of 1 equiv. of P(OEt)3 per Cu(i) to yield the tetrahedral monomeric complex [(TSMP)CuP(OEt)3]-. Both Fe(ii) and Ni(ii) in pyridine give octahedral high-spin κ3 complexes with composition (TSMP)M(Py)3 (M = Fe, Ni). Displacement of three pyridine ligands in (TSMP)Fe(Py)3 for a second equivalent of TSMP gives a high-spin pseudotetrahedral 2 : 1 complex [(TSMP)2Fe]2- with the ligands in κ2 coordination mode. The reduction in coordination number is likely due to electrostatic repulsion of the negatively-charged indolides as well as their weaker π-accepting character as compared to pyridine.

Crystal structure of 1,3-di-tert-butyl-2-chloro-1,3,2-di-aza-phospho-rinane - a saturated six-membered phospho-rus nitro-gen heterocycle with a partially flattened chair conformation and a long PIII-Cl bond

Colourless blocks of 1,3-di-tert-butyl-2-chloro-1,3,2-di-aza-phospho-rinane, C11H24ClN2P (1), were obtained by sublimation in vacuo slightly above room temperature. The asymmetric unit of the monoclinic crystal structure of the six-membered N-heterocyclic compound is defined by one mol-ecule in a general position. The six-membered ring of the mol-ecule adopts a cyclo-hexane-like chair conformation; the chair at one side is to some extent flattened as a result of the approximately trigonal-planar coordination of both nitro-gen atoms. In detail, this modified chair conformation is characterized by an angle of 53.07 (15)° between the plane defined by the three carbon atoms and the best plane of the two nitro-gen atoms and the two carbon atoms bound to them, and an angle of 27.96 (7)° between the latter plane and the plane defined by the nitro-gen and phospho-rus atoms. The tert-butyl groups are oriented equatorially and the chloro substituent is oriented axially. The P-Cl bond length of 2.2869 (6) Å is substanti-ally longer than the P-Cl single-bond length in PCl3 [2.034 Å; Galy & Enjalbert (1982 ▸). J. Solid State Chem. 44, 1-23]. Inspection of the inter-molecular distances gives no evidence for inter-actions stronger than van der Waals forces. The closest contact is between the Cl atom and a methyl-ene group of a neighbouring mol-ecule with a Cl⋯C distance of 3.7134 (18) Å, excluding a significant influence on the P-Cl bonding.

Synthesis and Complexation of a Free Germanide Bearing a Tridentate N-Heterocyclic Substituent

The tris-N-heterocycle germanide (tmim)Ge^- (1) (tmimH₃ = tris(3-methylindol-2-yl)methane) was synthesized by nucleophilic substitution for the tmim^3- trianion on GeCl₂·dioxane. In combination with the previously reported (tmim)Si^- and (tmim)P analogues, it provides a convenient model for investigating the influence of the central atom on the properties of isoelectronic ligands. Complexation of the germanide (tmim)Ge^- to CuCl resulted in the dimeric chloro cuprate [(tmim)GeCu(μ-Cl)]₂ ^2-, which is prone to dissociation in MeCN to form the neutral, solvated germylcopper (tmim)GeCu(NCMe)₃. The reaction of 1 with Fe₂(CO)₉ afforded the germyl iron tetracarbonyl [(tmim)GeFe(CO)₄]^-. Analysis of the ν̃(CO) infrared absorption bands in this complex indicates that the combined electron donating and accepting properties of 1 are found in between those of (tmim)P and (tmim)Si^-. In contrast to (tmim)Si^-, (tmim)Ge^- is reluctant to coordinate to FeCl₂, likely because of its softer Lewis base character. Key structural features of the ligands and complexes reflect changes in their electronic properties. In particular, the N-Ge-N angles increase upon coordination to a metal fragment, suggesting increasing hybridization of the Ge s- and p-orbitals. These findings will be useful in further understanding low-valent heavier group 14 complexes in organometallic chemistry.

Features and Application in Asymmetric Catalysis of Chiral Phosphine-Phosphite Ligands

Chiral phosphine-phosphites are a class of ligands for asymmetric catalysis characterized by two coordinating functionalities with different electronic properties. These ligands also possess a highly modular structure and, due to versatile synthetic processes, they can be tuned precisely in the catalyst optimization process. Research regarding the application of these ligands in several enantioselective catalytic processes has provided outstanding results in a good number of them. These processes include not only Rh catalyzed reactions, such as olefin hydrogenation and hydroformylation, but also other reactions, such as hydrogenation of olefins and imines by Ru complexes, of imines and N-heterocycles by Ir derivatives, allyl alkylation or conjugate addition by Cu catalysts, or hydrocyanation of olefins by Ni ones. Overall, the use of these ligands has led to the preparation of a wide variety of chiral building blocks with high enantiomeric excess. Therefore, phosphine-phosphites have become in an important class of ligands in asymmetric catalysis.

Strong π-acceptor sulfonated phosphines in biphasic rhodium-catalyzed hydroformylation of polar alkenes

Trifluoromethylated and sulfonated triarylphosphines are remarkably resistant toward oxidation and very active for the biphasic hydroformylation of polar alkenes.

A ligand field chemistry of oxygen generation by the oxygen-evolving complex and synthetic active sites

Oxygen-oxygen bond formation and O2 generation occur from the S4 state of the oxygen-evolving complex (OEC). Several mechanistic possibilities have been proposed for water oxidation, depending on the formal oxidation state of the Mn atoms. All fall under two general classifications: the AB mechanism in which nucleophilic oxygen (base, B) attacks electrophilic oxygen (acid, A) of the Mn4Ca cluster or the RC mechanism in which radical-like oxygen species couple within OEC. The critical intermediate in either mechanism involves a metal oxo, though the nature of this oxo for AB and RC mechanisms is disparate. In the case of the AB mechanism, assembly of an even-electron count, high-valent metal-oxo proximate to a hydroxide is needed whereas, in an RC mechanism, two odd-electron count, high-valent metal oxos are required. Thus the two mechanisms give rise to very different design criteria for functional models of the OEC active site. This discussion presents the electron counts and ligand geometries that support metal oxos for AB and RC O-O bond-forming reactions. The construction of architectures that bring two oxygen functionalities together under the purview of the AB and RC scenarios are described.

Comparisons of phosphorus ligation properties in P(CH2NR)3P

Bicyclic P(CH2NMe)3P was synthesized, and its reactions with MnO2, elemental sulfur, p-toluenesulfonyl azide, BH3.THF, and W(CO)5(THF) were shown to furnish a variety of products in which the PC3 and/or the PN3 phosphorus are oxidized/coordinated. In contrast, reactions of the previously known P(CH2NPh)3P with Mo(0) and Ru(II) precursors were shown to afford products in which only the PC3 phosphorus is coordinated. The contrast in reactivity of P(CH2NR)3P (R = Me, Ph) with the aforementioned reagents is discussed in terms of steric and electronic factors. The new compounds are characterized by analytical and spectroscopic (IR, 1H, 31P, and 13C NMR) methods. The results of crystal and molecular structure X-ray analyses of the previously known compounds P(CH2O)3P and P(CH2NPh)3P and 6 of the 14 new compounds obtained in this investigation are presented. Salient features of these structures and the analysis of the Tolman cone angles calculated from their structural parameters are discussed in terms of the effects of constraint in the bicyclic moieties. Evidence is presented for greater M-P sigma bonding effects on coordination of the PC3 phosphorus of P(CH2NR)3P (R = Me, Ph) than are present in PMe3 analogues of group 6B metal carbonyls. From 1JBP data on the BH3 adducts of P(CH2NMe)3P, it is suggested that the free bases MeC(CH2NMe)3P < P(CH2NMe)3P < (Me2N)3P < P(MeNCH2CH2)3N increase in Lewis basicity at the PN3 phosphorus in the order shown. Substantial differences in 31P chemical shifts in the bicyclic compounds discussed herein relative to their acyclic analogues do not seem to be associated with the relatively small bond angle changes that occur around either the PN3 or the PC3 trivalent phosphorus atoms.

Effect of trimethylsilyl substitution on the chemical properties of triarylphosphines and their corresponding metal-complexes: solubilising effect in supercritical carbon dioxide

The donor strengths of the following triarylphosphine ligands P(Ar)(2)(Ar')(Ar = Ar'= 4-Me(3)SiC(6)H(4), 1b; 4-Me(3)CC(6)H(4), 1d; 4-F(3)CC(6)H(4), 1e; Ar = C(6)H(5), Ar'= 4-Me(3)SiC(6)H(4), 1c) have been evaluated experimentally and theoretically. The measurements of the J(P-Se) coupling constants of the corresponding synthesised selenides Se=P(Ar)(2)(Ar'), 2b,c and the DFT calculation of the energies of the phosphine lone-pair (HOMO) reveal insignificant influence on the electronic properties of the substituted phosphines when the trimethylsilyl group is attached to the aryl ring, in marked contrast to the strong electronic effect of the trifluoromethyl group. These triarylphosphine ligands P(Ar)(2)(Ar') reacted with (eta5-C(5)H(5))Co(CO)(2), (eta5-C(5)H(5))Co(CO)I(2) or PdCl(2) to yield the new compounds (eta5-C(5)H(5))Co(CO)[P(Ar)(2)(Ar')], 3b,d; (eta5-C(5)H(5))CoI(2)[P(Ar)(2)(Ar')], 4b-e; and PdCl(2)[P(Ar)(2)(Ar')](2), 5b,c respectively. These complexes have been characterized and their spectroscopic properties compared with those reported for the known triphenylphosphine complexes. Again, the contrast of the (31)P NMR and (13)C NMR chemical shifts or C-O or M-Cl stretching frequencies, when applied, does not show an important electronic effect on the metal complex of the trimethylsilyl substituted phosphines with respect to P(C(6)H(5))(3) derivatives. Solubility measurements of complexes 3a and 3b in scCO(2) were performed. We conclude that Me(3)Si groups on the triarylphosphine improve the solubility of the corresponding metal complex in scCO(2).

Titanium and Zirconium Amido Complexes Ligated by 2,2‘-Di(3-methylindolyl)methanes: Synthesis, Characterization, and Ethylene Polymerization Activity

2,2'-Di(3-methylindolyl)methanes (L(2)H(2)) are introduced as dianionic, bidentate ligands of reduced pi-donating ability. Four complexes of the type L(2)Ti(NEt(2))(2) and L(2)Zr(NEt(2))(2)(THF) have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, NMR ((1)H, (13)C) spectroscopy, and X-ray crystallography. Structural data confirm the reduced pi-donating ability of the eta(1)-indolyl moiety compared to that of diethylamido. Preliminary catalytic activities of these group 4 complexes for the polymerization of ethylene are reported.

Hindered axial-equatorial carbonyl exchange in an Fe(CO)(4)(PR(3)) complex of a rigid bicyclic phosphine

Variable-temperature (13)C NMR spectra for a series of Fe(CO)(4)(PR(3)) complexes ligated by phosphatri(3-methylindolyl)methane (1), phosphatri(pyrrolyl)methane (2), P(N-3-methylindolyl)(3) (3), and P(N-pyrrolyl)(3) (4) are reported. Ligand 2 was prepared by reaction of tri(pyrrolyl)methane with PCl(3) in THF and Et(3)N. Compound 2 is stable to methanolysis, hydrolysis, and aerial oxidation at room temperature. Reactions of 2 with selenium powder and Rh(acac)(CO)(2) yield phosphatri(pyrrolyl)methane selenide (5) and Rh(acac)(CO)(2) (6), respectively. The carbonyl stretching frequency in the IR spectrum of 6 and the magnitude of (1)J(Se)(-)(P) in the (31)P NMR spectrum of 5 indicate that 2 is a strong pi-acid and a weak sigma-base, commensurate with its lack of reactivity with CH(3)I. The trend in the decreasing basicity of 2 and related phosphines and phosphites was determined to be P(NMe(2))(3) > 3 > 4 > 1 > P(OPh)(3) > 2. IR data for a series of Rh(acac)(CO)(PR(3)) complexes indicate the trend in decreasing pi-acceptor ability to be 2 approximately 1 > 4 > P(OPh)(3) > 3 > PPh(3). Phosphines 1-4 were reacted with Fe(2)(CO)(9) to yield Fe(CO)(4)(1) (7), Fe(CO)(4)(2) (8), Fe(CO)(4)(3) (9), and Fe(CO)(4)(4) (10), respectively. IR data for 7-10 support the trend in pi-acidity listed above. Variable-temperature (13)C NMR spectra for compounds 8-10 show a single doublet resonance for the carbonyls in the temperature range from -80 to 20 degrees C indicative of rapid intramolecular rearrangement of carbonyls between axial and equatorial sites. However, the (13)C NMR spectrum for 7 shows slowed axial-equatorial carbonyl exchange at 20 degrees C. The limiting slow-exchange spectrum is observed at -20 degrees C. Hindered carbonyl exchange in 7 is attributed to the rigid 3-fold symmetry and steric bulk of 1. In addition to characterization of the new compounds by NMR ((1)H, (13)C, and (31)P) spectroscopy, IR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and elemental analysis, compounds 2, 7, 9, and 10 were further characterized by X-ray crystallography.