A Homoleptic [(Dimethylamino)methyl]chromium Complex with an Extremely Short Cr−Cr Bond, [{Li(THF)}2Cr2(CH2NMe2)6]

1,2-Amino Alcohols via Cr/Photoredox Dual-Catalyzed Addition of α-Amino Carbanion Equivalents to Carbonyls

Herein, we report the synthesis of protected 1,2-amino alcohols starting from carbonyl compounds and α-silyl amines. The reaction is enabled by a Cr/photoredox dual catalytic system that allows the in situ generation of α-amino carbanion equivalents which act as nucleophiles. The unique nature of this reaction was demonstrated through the aminoalkylation of ketones and an acyl silane, classes of electrophiles that were previously unreactive toward addition of alkyl-Cr reagents. Overall, this reaction broadens the scope of Cr-mediated carbonyl alkylations and discloses an underexplored retrosynthetic strategy for the synthesis of 1,2-amino alcohols.

Sodium congener of the classical lithium methylchromate dimer: synthetic, X-ray crystallographic, and magnetic studies of Me8Cr2[Na(OEt2)]4

One of the milestone structures in the development of transition-metal complexes with metal-metal bonds of multiple bond order was the lithium methylchromate dimer Me(8)Cr(2)[Li(donor)](4) (donor = THF or Et(2)O). Using a simple salt metathesis reaction mixing this compound with sodium tert-butoxide, the sodium congener Me(8)Cr(2)[Na(OEt(2))](4) has been synthesized as a green crystalline compound and isolated in 51% yield. Its solid-state structure was determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Exhibiting exact crystallographic C(4h) symmetry, this heavier alkali-metal chromate structure is also dimeric, formally comprising a (Me(8)Cr(4))(4-) tetranionic core with four peripheral Na(+) cations carrying supporting ether ligands. Its salient feature is the long Cr···Cr distance of 3.263(2) Å, which is remarkably elongated compared to that in the lithium THF-solvated congener [1.968(2) Å]. With respect to the methyl C atoms, the Cr coordination is distorted-square-planar. Each Na(+) interacts with four methyl C atoms, and there are also some short Na···H(C) contacts. Unlike for lithium chromate, no NMR spectroscopic data could be obtained for sodium chromate. The paramagnetic character of sodium chromate was confirmed by variable-temperature magnetization measurements, which indicated antiferromagnetic behavior.

Synthesis, structure, magnetic and catalytic properties of new dinuclear chromium(III) complexes with oxazoline alcoholate ligands

The dinuclear chromium complexes [Cr(2)(N,O)(3)Cl(3)] (6) (N,O = 4,4-dimethyl-2-oxazolylmethanolate), [Cr(2)(N,O(Me2))(2)(EtOH)(2)Cl(4)] (7) and [Cr(2)(N,O(Me2))(2)(H(2)O)(2)Cl(4)] (8) (N,O(Me2) = 4,4-dimethyl-2-oxazolyldimethylmethanolate) have been prepared and characterized, including by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Complex 6 is unsymmetrical, with two chloride ligands terminally bound to one Cr atom, whereas 7 and 8 (in 8 x C(4)H(8)O) which contain two molecules of coordinated ethanol or water, respectively, are centrosymmetric. These chromium complexes are paramagnetic, and the magnetic properties of 6 and 7 in the solid state correspond to antiferromagnetic behaviour, which was confirmed by DFT calculations of their electronic structures. Complexes 6-8 were evaluated in the catalytic oligomerization and/or polymerization of ethylene with different aluminium-based cocatalysts, and MMAO proved to be the most effective one. In the presence of MMAO, the influence of different reaction parameters, such as the Al/Cr molar ratio, reaction temperature and ethylene pressure, was investigated. Complex 7 showed the highest activity for ethylene polymerization at both 1 atm and 10 atm of ethylene pressure, up to 620 000 g mol(-1)(Cr) h(-1) in the latter case.

A bimetallic N-heterocyclic carbene complex featuring a short Cr–Cr distance

The alkylation of a chelating bis(carbene) complex of CrCl(2) yields an unusual bimetallic complex featuring a short Cr-Cr distance, novel ligand coordination, and CH(3) ligand exchange.