Coordination Chemistry of Bidentate Bis(NHC) Ligands with Two Different NHC Donors

Generation of Aromatic N-Heterocyclic Radicals for Functionalization of Unactivated Alkenes

Nitrogen-centered radicals (NCRs) have been widely recognized as versatile synthetic intermediates for the construction of nitrogen containing molecules of high value. As such, there has been a long-standing interest in the field of organic synthesis to develop novel nitrogen-based radicals and explore their inherent reactivity. In this study, we present the generation of aromatic N-heterocyclic radicals and their application in a novel and diverse functionalization of unactivated alkenes. Bench-stable aromatic N-heterocyclic pyridinium salts were employed as crucial NCR precursors, which enabled the efficient conversion of various unactivated alkenes into medicinally relevant alkylated N-heterocyclic amines. This approach offers an unexplored retrosynthetic disconnection for the synthesis of related molecules that commonly possess therapeutic value. Furthermore, this platform can be extended to the synthesis of densely functionalized heterocyclic amines by utilizing disulfides and diethyl bromomalonate as radical quenchers. Mechanistic investigations indicate an energy transfer (EnT) pathway involving the formation of a transient aromatic N-heterocyclic radical, radical addition to unactivated alkenes, and subsequent generation of the amination product through either hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) or radical addition processes.

Heterobimetallic Complexes Bridged by an Unsymmetrical Bis(NHC) Ligand: Study of Enhanced Catalytic Activity in Tandem Transformations and Understanding of Cooperativity between the Metal Centers

The bis(azolium) salt [L1-H2 ]Br2 was found to serve as a suitable platform for accessing the heterobimetallic IrIII -M (M=PdII /AuI ) and PdII -IrIII complexes. Initially, selective mono-metalation of [L1-H2 ]Br2 yielded an orthometalated IrIII - or non-orthometalated PdII -complex. Sequential metalation of the mono-IrIII complex resulted in the formation of heterobimetallic IrIII -PdII /AuI complexes. Similarly, a distinct heterobimetallic PdII -IrIII complex was synthesized starting from the mono-PdII complex. Further, the corresponding homobimetallic IrIII -IrIII and PdII -PdII complexes were directly obtained from [L1-H2 ]Br2 . Additionally, monometallic PdII and IrIII analogues were synthesized from [L2-H]Br and [L3-H]Br, respectively. The heterobimetallic IrIII -PdII and PdII -IrIII complexes were then evaluated as catalysts in various one-pot tandem catalytic reactions in which they demonstrated superior activity than the mixtures of both their corresponding homobimetallic IrIII -IrIII /PdII -PdII and monometallic IrIII /PdII counterparts, under the constant concentrations of metal centers. Moreover, while comparing complexes IrIII -PdII and PdII -IrIII , the former exhibits higher activity in all the studied reactions. All these findings suggest the presence of some form of cooperativity between the two metal centers (Ir and Pd) connected by a single ligand framework in IrIII -PdII and PdII -IrIII complex, with IrIII -PdII displaying better cooperativity that has been validated by electrochemical, NMR, and DFT studies.

"Abnormal" Addition of NHC to a Conjugate Acid of CAAC: Formation of N-Alkyl-Substituted CAAC

The addition reactions of N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) are mostly known to occur through the carbenic centre (C2), which leads to a "normal" adduct. Herein, we report the "abnormal" addition of NHC^Dip 1 (1,3-(2,6-iPr₂ C₆ H₃ )-imidazole-2-ylidene) to a conjugate acid of cyclic (alkyl)(amino)carbene 2 (CAAC^iPr =1-iPr-3,3,5,5-Me₄ -pyrrolinium triflate). Mechanistic study revealed that this reaction proceeded through the in situ formation of 1,3-(2,6-iPr₂ C₆ H₃ )-imidazolium cation 4 and N-iPr-substituted CAAC 5 followed by the oxidative addition of compound 5 across the C4-H bond (alias backbone C-H) of compound 4. The in situ formation of compound 5 was also proven by the oxidative addition of it to the N-H group of iPrNH₂ . DFT calculations also supported the mechanistic findings. A different methodology for the in situ generation of compound 5 by using TMPLi is also described.

Site-selective metallation of dicarbene precursors

Heterobimetallic bis-NHC complexes have been obtained by the site-selective metallation of imidazolium/2-chlorobenzimidazole bis-NHC precursors using two different reactions.

An efficient class of bis-NHC salts: applications in Pd-catalyzed reactions under mild reaction conditions

This study describes an efficient class of bis-N-heterocyclic carbene (bis-NHC) salts that can be easily made from commercially available and inexpensive starting materials. The application of these salts to Pd-catalyzed reactions is described. The palladium (Pd) catalyst generated in situ was highly effective under mild reaction conditions.

This study describes an efficient class of bis-N-heterocyclic carbene (bis-NHC) salts that can be easily made from commercially available and inexpensive starting materials.

Incommensurately modulated structure of morpholinium tetrafluoroborate and configurational versus chemical entropies at the incommensurate and lock-in phase transitions

Morpholinium tetrafluoroborate, [C₄H₁₀NO]⁺[BF₄]^-, belongs to a class of ferroelectric compounds ABX₄. However, [C₄H₁₀NO]⁺[BF₄]^- does not develop ferroelectric properties because the incommensurate phase below T_c,I = 153 K is centrosymmetric with superspace group Pnam(σ₁00)00s and σ₁ = 0.42193 (12) at T = 130 K; the threefold superstructure below T_c,II = 117-118 K possesses the acentric but non-ferroelectric space group P2₁2₁2₁. At ambient conditions, [C₄H₁₀NO]⁺[BF₄]^- comprises orientationally disordered [BF₄]^- anions accommodated in cavities between four morpholinium cations. A structure model for the incommensurately modulated phase, which involves modulated orientational ordering of [BF₄]^- together with modulated distortions and displacements of the morpholinium ions is reported. A mechanism is proposed for the phase transitions, whereby at low temperatures morpholinium cations are shaped around the tetrafluoroborate anion in order to optimize the interactions with one orientation of this anion and, thus, forcing [BF₄]^- into this orientation. This mechanism is essentially different from a pure order-disorder phase transition. It is supported by consideration of the transition entropy. The difference in configurational entropy between the disordered and incommensurate phases has been computed from the structure models. It is shown to be much smaller than the experimental transition entropy reported by Owczarek et al. [Chem. Phys. (2011), 381, 11-20]. These features show that the order-disorder contribution is only a minor contribution to the transition entropy and that other factors, such as conformational changes, play a larger role in the phase transitions.