Basal-Edge-Bridged Square-Pyramidal Hexaruthenium Carbonyl Clusters: Synthesis, Structure, and Reactivity

Rhodium-Catalyzed Asymmetric [2 + 2 + 2] Cycloaddition of Unsymmetrical α,ω-Diynes with Acenaphthylene

It has been established that a cationic rhodium(I)/(R)-BINAP complex catalyzes the asymmetric [2 + 2 + 2] cycloaddition of unsymmetrical α,ω-diynes with acenaphthylene at room temperature to give the corresponding chiral multicyclic compounds with high yields and ee values. Interestingly, enantioselectivity highly depended on the structures of α,ω-diynes used. The structural requirements of α,ω-diynes for high enantioselectivity were opposite to those in our previously reported cationic rhodium(I)/(R)-Difluorphos complex-catalyzed asymmetric [2 + 2 + 2] cycloaddition of α,ω-diynes with indene.

Copper-incorporated mono- and di-TeRu5 metal carbonyl complexes: syntheses, structures, and an unusual skeletal arrangement

Two sandwich-type Cu3Cl- or Cu2{Te2Ru4(CO)10}-bridging di-TeRu5 clusters, [{TeRu5(CO)14}2Cu3Cl](2-) () and [{TeRu5(CO)14}2Cu2{Te2Ru4(CO)10}](4-) (), were obtained from the reaction of [TeRu5(CO)14](2-) with 1 equiv. of [Cu(MeCN)4][BF4] in CH2Cl2 or THF at 0 °C, respectively, depending on the solvents. The chloride-abstracted was structurally characterized to have two TeRu5 cores that were linked by a Cu3Cl moiety with two Cu-Cu bonds. If the reaction was carried out in a molar ratio of 1 : 2 at 0 or 30 °C in CH2Cl2, the structural isomers [TeRu5(μ-CO)2(CO)12(CuMeCN)2] () and [TeRu5(μ-CO)3(CO)11Cu2(MeCN)2] () were produced, respectively, as the major product. Cluster displayed a TeRu5 core with two adjacent Ru3 triangles each capped by a μ3-Cu(MeCN) fragment, while contained a TeRu5 core with one triangle Ru3 plane capped by a Cu2(MeCN)2 fragment with two Cu atoms covalently bonded. Upon heating, the isomerization of into proceeded to undergo an unusual skeletal arrangement of Cu(MeCN) and migration of CO, with the TeRu5 core remaining intact. An electrochemical study revealed that and each exhibited only one oxidation while cluster had two consecutive oxidations, suggesting significant electronic communication between the two TeRu5 metal cores in via the Cu3 moiety. This work describes the facile synthesis of a series of semiconducting Cux-bridging Te-Ru carbonyl clusters, in which the incorporation of the Cux fragments has significantly influenced their resulting structures, rearrangements, and electronic properties, which was further elucidated by DFT calculations.

Unusual cationic trinuclear nickel clusters incorporating oxazolines or N,N,N',N'-tetramethylethylene-1,2-diamine: applications in olefin polymerization

The synthesis and characterization of two rare examples of the nickel(II)-containing trinuclear clusters of the general formula μ(3)-halido-μ(3)-hydroxotris(μ-halido)tris(L) trinickel(II) halide [halide = Cl (2), Br (3); L = 4,4-dimethyl-2-(o-anilinyl)-2-oxazoline] are described. These materials are compared and contrasted to the "parent" chloride salt (1) of this series (L = N,N,N',N'-tetramethylethylene-1,2-diamine and halide = Cl) and its congeners; 2 and 3 represent the first oxazoline-containing clusters of this structural class. Both 1 and 2 are shown to be active catalysts for the polymerization of olefins (styrene, methyl methacrylate, etc.) using a stoichiometric equivalent of methylaluminoxane as the copromoter, a situation that gives good yields of syndiotactic rich polymers. Density functional theory (B3LYP/6-31G*/LANL2DZ) is employed to hypothesize the likely origin of the activity demonstrated by these compounds.

Bimetallic Ru-Cu tellurido complexes: controlled synthesis and electrochemical studies of copper halide-TeRu(5) and Te(2)Ru(4) clusters

When [TeRu(5)(CO)(14)](2-) () was treated with 1 equiv. of CuX (X = Cl, Br, I) in THF, mono-CuX-TeRu(5) clusters [TeRu(5)(CO)(14)CuX](2-) (X = Cl, ; Br, ; I, ) were obtained. Clusters consist of an octahedral TeRu(5) core, in which one triangular Ru(3) plane is capped by a mu(3)-CuX fragment. For CuX (X = Cl, Br), the reaction of complex with 2 equiv. of CuX in THF at room temperature formed Cu(4)X(2)-linked di-TeRu(5) clusters [{TeRu(5)(CO)(14)}(2)Cu(4)X(2)](2-) (X = Cl, ; Br, ), while the same reaction in MeCN at -35 degrees C produced bis-CuX-TeRu(5) complexes [TeRu(5)(CO)(14)(CuX)(2)](2-) (X = Cl, ; Br, ). X-Ray analysis showed that displays a TeRu(5) core with two adjacent Ru(3) triangles each capped by a mu(3)-CuBr ligand while has two TeRu(5) cores that are linked by a mu(6)-Cu(4)Br(2) moiety. Clusters and underwent coupling reactions in THF to yield clusters and , and easily transformed to bis-CuX-Te(2)Ru(4) clusters [Te(2)Ru(4)(CO)(10)(CuX)(2)](2-) (X = Cl, ; X = Br, ) in MeCN. On the other hand, the reaction of with 2 equiv. of CuI in THF directly produced the bis-CuI-Te(2)Ru(4) cluster [Te(2)Ru(4)(CO)(10)(CuI)(2)](2-) (). The nature, stability, stepwise cluster transformation, and electrochemistry of these CuX-incorporated TeRu(5)- and Te(2)Ru(4)-based complexes are discussed systematically. In particular, the effects of CuX and the metal cores (TeRu(5)vs. Te(2)Ru(4)) on the resultant Te-Ru-Cu clusters are further elucidated by molecular orbital calculations at the B3LYP level of the density functional theory.