Mononuclear Tantalum(IV, d1) Imido Complexes Supported by the Monocyclopentadienyl, Amidinate and Guanidinate Ligand Sets As Models to Explore Dinitrogen Fixation by “End-On-Bridged” Dinuclear {[Ta(IV, d1)]}2(μ-η1:η1-N2) Complexes

Guanidinates as Alternative Ligands for Organometallic Complexes

For decades, ligands such as phosphanes or cyclopentadienyl ring derivatives have dominated Coordination and Organometallic Chemistry. At the same time, alternative compounds have emerged that could compete either for a more practical and accessible synthesis or for greater control of steric and electronic properties. Guanidines, nitrogen-rich compounds, appear as one such potential alternatives as ligands or proligands. In addition to occurring in a plethora of natural compounds, and thus in compounds of pharmacological use, guanidines allow a wide variety of coordination modes to different metal centers along the periodic table, with their monoanionic chelate derivatives being the most common. In this review, we focused on the organometallic chemistry of guanidinato compounds, discussing selected examples of coordination modes, reactivity and uses in catalysis or materials science. We believe that these amazing ligands offer a new promise in Organometallic Chemistry.

Activation of Dinitrogen by Polynuclear Metal Complexes

Activation of dinitrogen plays an important role in daily anthropogenic life, and the processes by which this fixation occurs have been a longstanding and significant research focus within the community. One of the major fields of dinitrogen activation research is the use of multimetallic compounds to reduce and/or activate N2 into a more useful nitrogen-atom source, such as ammonia. Here we report a comprehensive review of multimetallic-dinitrogen complexes and their utility toward N2 activation, beginning with the d-block metals from Group 4 to Group 11, then extending to Group 13 (which is exclusively populated by B complexes), and finally the rare-earth and actinide species. The review considers all polynuclear metal aggregates containing two or more metal centers in which dinitrogen is coordinated or activated (i.e., partial or complete cleavage of the N2 triple bond in the observed product). Our survey includes complexes in which mononuclear N2 complexes are used as building blocks to generate homo- or heteromultimetallic dinitrogen species, which allow one to evaluate the potential of heterometallic species for dinitrogen activation. We highlight some of the common trends throughout the periodic table, such as the differences between coordination modes as it relates to N2 activation and potential functionalization and the effect of polarizing the bridging N2 ligand by employing different metal ions of differing Lewis acidities. By providing this comprehensive treatment of polynuclear metal dinitrogen species, this Review aims to outline the past and provide potential future directions for continued research in this area.

Steric Switching From Photochemical to Thermal N2 Splitting: A Computational Analysis of the Isomerization Reaction {(Cp*)(Am)Mo}2(μ-η1:η1-N2) → {(Cp*)(Am)Mo}2(μ-N)2

A μ-η1:η1-N2-bridged Mo dimer, {(η5-C5Me5)[N(Et)C(Ph)N(Et)]Mo}2(μ-N2), cleaves dinitrogen thermally resulting in a crystallographically characterized bis-μ-N-bridged dimer, {(η5-C5Me5)[N(Et)C(Ph)N(Et)]Mo}2(μ-N)2. A structurally related Mo dimer with a bulkier amidinate ligand, ([N(iPr)C(Me)N(iPr)]), is only capable of photochemical dinitrogen activation. These opposing reactivities were rationalized as steric switching between the thermally and photochemically active species. A computational analysis of the geometric and electronic structures of intermediates along the isomerization pathway from Mo2(μ-η1:η1-N2) to Mo2(μ-η2:η1-N2) and Mo2(μ-η2:η2-N2), and finally Mo2(μ-N)2, is presented here. The extent to which dispersion affects the thermodynamics of the isomers is evaluated, and it is found that dispersion interactions play a significant role in stabilizing the product and making the reaction exergonic. The concept of steric switching is further explored with theoretical models with sterically even less demanding ligands, indicating that systematic ligand modifications could be used to rationally design the N2 activation energy landscape. An analysis of electronic excitations in the computed UV-vis spectra of the two complexes shows that a particular type of asymmetric excitations is only present in the photoactive complex.

Dinitrogen photoactivation: status quo and future perspectives

New perspectives for dinitrogen activation: an overview of photochemical pathways to cleave the strong N–N bond.

Structural analysis of the coordination of dinitrogen to transition metal complexes

Transition-metal complexes show a wide variety of coordination modes for the nitrogen molecule. A structural database study has been undertaken for dinitrogen complexes, and geometrical parameters around the L(n)M-N2 unit are retrieved from the Cambridge Structural Database. These data were classified in families of compounds, according to metal properties, to determine the degree of lengthening for the dinitrogen bonding. The importance of the nature of the metal center, such as coordination number and electronic configuration, is reported. Our study reveals poor activation by coordination of dinitrogen in mononuclear complexes, always having end-on coordination. However, partial weakening of nitrogen-nitrogen bonding is found for end-on binuclear complexes, whereas side-on complexes can be completely activated.

Mechanistic elucidation of the stepwise formation of a tetranuclear manganese pinned butterfly cluster via N-N bond cleavage, hydrogen atom transfer, and cluster rearrangement

A mechanistic pathway for the formation of the structurally characterized manganese-amide-hydrazide pinned butterfly complex, Mn4(μ3-PhN-NPh-κ(3)N,N')2(μ-PhN-NPh-κ(2)-N,N')(μ-NHPh)2L4 (L = THF, py), is proposed and supported by the use of labeling studies, kinetic measurements, kinetic competition experiments, kinetic isotope effects, and hydrogen atom transfer reagent substitution, and via the isolation and characterization of intermediates using X-ray diffraction and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. The data support a formation mechanism whereby bis[bis(trimethylsilyl)amido]manganese(II) (Mn(NR2)2, where R = SiMe3) reacts with N,N'-diphenylhydrazine (PhNHNHPh) via initial proton transfer, followed by reductive N-N bond cleavage to form a long-lived Mn(IV) imido multinuclear complex. Coordinating solvents activate this cluster for abstraction of hydrogen atoms from an additional equivalent of PhNHNHPh resulting in a Mn(II)phenylamido dimer, Mn2(μ-NHPh)2(NR2)2L2. This dimeric complex further assembles in fast steps with two additional equivalents of PhNHNHPh replacing the terminal silylamido ligands with η(1)-hydrazine ligands to give a dimeric Mn2(μ-NHPh)2(PhN-NHPh)2L4 intermediate, and finally, the addition of two additional equivalents of Mn(NR2)2 and PhNHNHPh gives the pinned butterfly cluster.