Osmium−Alkenylcarbyne and −Alkenylcarbene Complexes with an Steroid Skeleton: Formation of a Testosterone Organometallic Derivative Containing the 7H-Amino Adenine Tautomer

Acetylides for the Preparation of Phosphorescent Iridium(III) Complexes: Iridaoxazoles and Their Transformation into Hydroxycarbenes and N,C(sp3),C(sp2),O-Tetradentate Ligands

The preparation of three families of phosphorescent iridium(III) emitters, including iridaoxazole derivatives, hydroxycarbene compounds, and N,C(sp³),C(sp²),O-tetradentate containing complexes, has been performed starting from dimers cis-[Ir(μ²-η²-C≡CR){κ²-C,N-(MeC₆H₃-py)}₂]₂ (R = ^tBu (1a), Ph (1b)). Reactions of 1a with benzamide, acetamide, phenylacetamide, and trifluoroacetamide lead to the iridaoxazole derivatives Ir{κ²-C,O-[C(CH₂^tBu)NC(R)O]}{κ²-C,N-(MeC₆H₃-py)}₂ (R = Ph (2), Me (3), CH₂Ph (4), CF₃ (5)) with a fac disposition of carbons and heteroatoms around the metal center. In 2-methyltetrahydrofuran and dichloromethane, water promotes the C-N rupture of the IrC-N bond of the iridaoxazole ring of 3-5 to form amidate-iridium(III)-hydroxycarbene derivatives Ir{κ¹-N-[NHC(R)O]}{κ²-C,N-(MeC₆H₃-py)}₂{═C(CH₂^tBu)OH} (R = Me (6), CH₂Ph (7), CF₃ (8)). In contrast to 1a, dimer 1b reacts with benzamide and acetamide to give Ir{κ⁴-N,C,C',O-[py-MeC₆H₃-C(CH₂-C₆H₄)NHC(R)O]}{κ²-C,N-(MeC₆H₃-py)}(R = Ph (9), Me (10)), which bear a N,C(sp³),C(sp²),O-tetradentate ligand resulting from a triple coupling (an alkynyl ligand, an amide, and a coordinated aryl group) and a C-H bond activation at the metal coordination sphere. Complexes 2-4 and 6-10 are emissive upon photoexcitation, in orange (2-4), green (6-8), and yellow (9 and 10) regions, with quantum yields between low and moderate (0.01-0.50) and short lifetimes (0.2-9.0 μs).

Electrochemical vicinal oxyazidation of α-arylvinyl acetates

α-Azidoketones are valuable and versatile building blocks in the synthesis of various bioactive small molecules. Herein, we describe an environmentally friendly and efficient electrochemical vicinal oxyazidation protocol of α-arylvinyl acetates to afford diverse α-azidoketones in good yields without the use of a stoichiometric amount of chemical oxidant. A range of functionality is shown to be compatible with this transformation, and further applications are demonstrated.

Amide-Directed Formation of Five-Coordinate Osmium Alkylidenes from Alkynes

The amide-directed synthesis of five-coordinate osmium alkylidene derivatives from alkynes is reported. These types of complexes, which have been elusive until now because of the tendency of osmium to give hydride alkylidyne species, are prepared by reaction of the dihydride OsH₂Cl₂(PⁱPr₃)₂ (1) with terminal alkynes containing a distal amide group. Complex 1 reacts with N-phenylhex-5-ynamide and N-phenylhepta-6-ynamide to give OsCl₂{=C(CH₃)(CH₂)_nNH(CO)Ph}(PⁱPr₃)₂ (n = 3 (2), 4 (3)). The relative position of carbonyl and NH groups in the organic substrates has no influence on the reaction. Thus, treatment of 1 with N-(pent-4-yn-1-yl)benzamide leads to OsCl₂{=C(CH₃)(CH₂)₃NHC(O)Ph}(PⁱPr₃)₂ (4). The new compounds are intermediate species in the cleavage of the C–C triple bond of the alkynes. Under mild conditions, they undergo the rupture of the C_α–CH₃ bond of the alkylidene, which comes from the alkyne triple bond, to afford six-coordinate hydride–alkylidyne derivatives. In dichloromethane, complex 2 gives a 10:7 mixture of OsHCl₂{≡C(CH₂)₃C(O)NHPh}(PⁱPr₃)₂ (5) and OsHCl₂{≡CCH(CH₃)(CH₂)₂C(O)NHPh}(PⁱPr₃)₂ (6). The first complex contains a linear separation between the alkylidyne C_α atom and the amide group, whereas the spacer is branched in the second complex. In contrast to the case for 2, complex 4 selectively affords OsHCl₂{≡C(CH₂)₃NHC(O)Ph}(PⁱPr₃)₂ (7). In spite of their instability, these compounds give the alkylidene–allene metathesis, being a useful entry to five-coordinate vinylidene complexes, including the dicarbon-disubstituted OsCl₂(=C=CMe₂)(PⁱPr₃)₂ (8) and the monosubstituted OsCl₂(=C=CHCy)(PⁱPr₃)₂ (9).