Recent advances in catalytic pnictogen bond forming reactions via dehydrocoupling and hydrofunctionalization

An examination of several catalytic reactions among the group 15 elements is presented. The connections between the chemistry of the pnictogens can sometimes be challenging, but aspects of metal-pnictogen reactivity are the key. The connecting reactivity comes from metal-catalyzed transformations such as dehydrocoupling and hydrofunctionalization. Pivotal mechanistic insights from E-N heterodehydrocoupling have informed the development of highly active catalysts for these reactions. Metal-amido nucleophilicity is often at the core of this reactivity, which diverges from phosphine and arsine dehydrocoupling. Nucleophilicity connects to the earliest understanding of hydrophosphination catalysis, but more recent catalysts are leveraging enhanced insertion activity through photolysis. This photocatalysis extends to hydroarsination, which may also have more metal-arsenido nucleophilicity than anticipated. However, metal-catalyzed arsinidene chemistry foreshadowed related phosphinidene chemistry by years. This examination shows the potential for greater influence of individual discoveries and understanding to leverage new advances between these elements, and it also suggests that the chemistry of heavier elements may have more influence on what is possible with lighter elements.

Broken Promises? On the Continued Challenges Faced in Catalytic Hydrophosphination

In this Perspective, we discuss what we perceive to be the continued challenges faced in catalytic hydrophosphination chemistry. Currently the literature is dominated by catalysts, many of which are highly effective, that generate the same phosphorus architectures, e.g., anti-Markovnikov products from the reaction of activated alkenes and alkynes with diarylphosphines. We highlight the state of the art in stereoselective hydrophosphination and the scope and limitations of chemoselective hydrophosphination with primary phosphines and PH₃. We also highlight the progress in the chemistry of the heavier homologues. In general, we have tried to emphasize what is missing from our hydrophosphination armament, with the aim of guiding future research targets.

Inorganometallics (Transition Metal-Metalloid Complexes) and Catalysis

While the formation and breaking of transition metal (TM)-carbon bonds plays a pivotal role in the catalysis of organic compounds, the reactivity of inorganometallic species, that is, those involving the transition metal (TM)-metalloid (E) bond, is of key importance in most conversions of metalloid derivatives catalyzed by TM complexes. This Review presents the background of inorganometallic catalysis and its development over the last 15 years. The results of mechanistic studies presented in the Review are related to the occurrence of TM-E and TM-H compounds as reactive intermediates in the catalytic transformations of selected metalloids (E = B, Si, Ge, Sn, As, Sb, or Te). The Review illustrates the significance of inorganometallics in catalysis of the following processes: addition of metalloid-hydrogen and metalloid-metalloid bonds to unsaturated compounds; activation and functionalization of C-H bonds and C-X bonds with hydrometalloids and bismetalloids; activation and functionalization of C-H bonds with vinylmetalloids, metalloid halides, and sulfonates; and dehydrocoupling of hydrometalloids. This first Review on inorganometallic catalysis sums up the developments in the catalytic methods for the synthesis of organometalloid compounds and their applications in advanced organic synthesis as a part of tandem reactions.

Molecular Main Group Metal Hydrides

This review serves to document advances in the synthesis, versatile bonding, and reactivity of molecular main group metal hydrides within Groups 1, 2, and 12-16. Particular attention will be given to the emerging use of said hydrides in the rapidly expanding field of Main Group element-mediated catalysis. While this review is comprehensive in nature, focus will be given to research appearing in the open literature since 2001.

C-As Bond Formation Reactions for the Preparation of Organoarsenic(III) Compounds

Potential widespread applications of organoarsenic chemistry have been limited by the inherent lack of safe and effective As-C bond formation reactions. Several alternative reagents and methods have been developed in the last few decades to address the hazards and drawbacks associated with traditional arsenic synthetic strategies. Herein, this minireview summarizes the advances made in nucleophilic, electrophilic, radical and metal-mediated As(III)-C bond formations while specifically highlighting the behavior of arsenic synthons with various well-established reagents (eg. Grignard reagents, organolithium compounds, organometallic reagents, radical initiators and Lewis/Brønsted bases). Avenues for asymmetric synthesis are also discussed, as are recent advances in organoarsenic chemistry suggesting that arsines exhibit novel reactivities independent from that of other relatively more well explored Group V cogeners.

Catalytic and Mechanistic Developments of the Nickel(II) Pincer Complex-Catalyzed Hydroarsination Reaction

Synthetic challenges have significantly slowed the development of the catalytic asymmetric hydroarsination reaction despite it being a highly attractive C-As bond formation methodology. In addition, there is a poor understanding of the main reaction steps in such reactions which limit further development in the field. Herein, key intermediates of the hydroarsination reaction catalyzed by a PCP Ni^II -Cl pincer complex are presented upon investigating the reaction with DFT calculations, conductivity measurements, NMR spectroscopy, and catalytic screening. The novel Ni-Cl-As interaction proposed was then contrasted against known Ni^II -catalyzed hydrophosphination reactions to highlight dissimilarities between them even though P and As share a close group relationship. Lastly, the asymmetric hydroarsination of nitroolefins was further developed to furnish a library of chiral organoarsines in up to 99 % yield and 80 % ee under mild conditions (-20 °C to RT) between 5 to 210 mins.

Triamidoamine-Supported Zirconium Compounds in Main Group Bond-Formation Catalysis

The rationale to pursue long-term study of any system must be sound. Quick discoveries and emergent fields are more than temptations. They remind us to ask what are we gaining through continued study of any system. For triamidoamine-supported zirconium, there has been a great deal gained with yet more ahead. Initial study of the system taught much that is applied to catalysis. Cyclometalation of a trimethylsilyl substituent of the ancillary ligand, abbreviated (N₃N) when not metalated for simplicity, via C-H bond activation is facile and highly reversible. It has allowed for the synthesis of a range of Zr-E bonds, which are of fundamental interest. More germane, cyclometalation has emerged as our primary product liberation step in catalysis. Cyclometalation also appears to be a catalyst resting state, despite how cyclometalation is a known deactivation step for many a compound in other circumstances. Catalysis with triamidoamine-supported zirconium has been rich. Rather than summarizing the breadth of reactions, a more detailed report on the dehydrocoupling of phosphines and hydrophosphination is provided. Both reactions demonstrate the outward impact that the study of (N₃N)Zr-based catalysis has afforded. Dehydrocoupling catalysis, or bond formation via loss of hydrogen, is particular to 3p and heavier main group elements. The reaction has been important in the formation of E-E and E-E' bonds in the main group for molecular species and materials. While study of this reaction at (N₃N)Zr compounds provides key insights into mechanism, discoveries in the area of P-P and Si-Si bond formation with (N₃N)Zr derivatives as catalysts have greater reach than merely the synthesis of main group element containing products. For example, that work has informed design principles for the identification of catalysts that transfer low-valent fragments. The successful application of these principles was evident in the discovery of a catalyst that transfers phosphinidene ("PR") to unsaturated substrates. Hydrophosphination exhibits perfect atom economy in the formation of P-C bonds. The reaction can proceed without a catalyst, but the purpose of a catalyst is enhanced reactivity and selectivity. Nevertheless, significant challenges in this reaction remain. In particular, (N₃N)Zr compounds have demonstrated high activity in hydrophosphination and readily utilize unactivated unsaturated organic molecules, challenging substrates for any heterofunctionalization reaction. This activity has led to not only impressive metrics in the catalysis but access to previously untouched substrates and formation of unique products. The particular properties of the (N₃N)Zr system that engage in this reactivity may influence other heterofunctionalization reactions. The recently discovered photocatalytic hydrophosphination with (N₃N)ZrPRR' compounds already appears to be general rather than unique and may drive additional bond formation catalysis among early transition-metal compounds.

Investigating palladium pincer complexes in catalytic asymmetric hydrophosphination and hydroarsination

Given the periodic relationship of phosphines and arsines, is remodeling the catalytic asymmetric hydrophosphination reaction an efficient manner to develop the corresponding hydroarsination reaction? Herein, a chiral PCP-Pd(ii) pincer complex adept at generating enantioenriched phosphines was examined in the asymmetric hydroarsination reaction. Under distinct conditions, tertiary phosphines and arsines were generated in excellent yields (P: 96%, As: 91%) and ees (P: 90%, As: 85%). While secondary arsine reagents were not direct substitutes for the analogous phosphines, important parameters were identified which increased yield and ee of the hydroarsination reaction. Unlike the PCP-PdOAc pincer complex commonly used for hydrophosphinations, hydroarsination reactions involved a PCP-PdCl catalyst with 10 equiv. of CsF for optimal performance. Notable differences between the two reactions and their workup procedures were highlighted to guide further developments in the field. Lastly, respective mechanisms were proposed and contrasted for the activation of HEPh2 (E = P, As).

Oxidative addition of arsenic halides to platinum(0)

Reaction of AsCl3 with Pt(0) complexes [Pt(PCy3)2], [Pt(PCy3)(IMes)] and [Pt(IMes)2] (IMes = 1,3-bis(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)imidazol-2-ylidene) resulted in oxidative addition of As-Cl bonds at the Pt centres to form complexes of the form trans-[PtCl(AsCl2)L2]. Two of these compounds were characterised by X-ray diffraction, making them the first structurally characterised examples of AsX2 ligands (X = halogen). AsBr3 also underwent oxidative addition to [Pt(PCy3)2], forming trans-[PtBr(AsBr2)(PCy3)2] in situ, as judged by 31P NMR spectroscopy. This reaction was unselective, yielding several products, of which a Pt3As2 cluster could be identified by single-crystal X-ray diffraction.

Catalytic N-Si coupling as a vehicle for silane dehydrocoupling via α-silylene elimination

Exploration of (N₃N)ZrNMe₂ (1, N₃N = N(CH₂CH₂NSiMe₃)₃^3-) as a catalyst for the cross-dehydrocoupling or heterodehydrocoupling of silanes and amines suggested silylene reactivity. Further studies of the catalysis and stoichiometric modeling reactions hint at α-silylene elimination as the pivotal mechanistic step, which expands the 3p elements known to engage in this catalysis and provides a new strategy for the catalytic generation of low-valent fragments.

Formate complexes of titanium(iv) supported by a triamido-amine ligand

The terminal formate complex [(OCHO)Ti(N₃N)] (3) containing the trianionic triamido-amine ligand (Me₃SiNCH₂CH₂)₃N^3- (N₃N) was prepared via salt metathesis of [ClTi(N₃N)] (1) with sodium formate or alternatively by treatment of the alkyl complex [ⁿBuTi(N₃N)] (2) with ammonium formate [HNEt₃][OCHO]. Deprotonation of 3 with potassium hexamethyldisilazide gave a polymeric helical chain of the oxo complex {K[OTi(N₃N)]}_n (4). Reaction of 2 with the trityl salt [Ph₃C][B(3,5-Cl₂C₆H₃)₄] or the Brønsted acid [HNEt₃][B(C₆F₅)₄] gave [(Et₂O)Ti(N₃N)][BR₄] (6[BR₄]·Et₂O) with R = 3,5-Cl₂C₆H₃ or C₆F₅. The diethyl ether ligand was easily replaced by other L-type donor ligands such as tetrahydrofuran, pyridine, and 4-dimethylaminopyridine to give 6[BR₄]·L with L = thf, py, and dmap. Reaction of 6[BR₄]·Et₂O with a stoichiometric amount of CO₂ gave the dimeric, dicationic bis(carbamate)-bridged complexes [Ti{N(CH₂CH₂NSiMe₃)₂(CH₂CH₂NSiMe₃(μ-CO₂-ηO:ηO'))}]₂[BR₄]₂ (7[BR₄]₂) through insertion of one CO₂ into one of the titanium-amido bonds. Addition of pyridine to 7[B(C₆F₅)₄]₂ formed the monomeric carbamate complex [(py)Ti{((O₂C-κ²O,O')NSiMe₃CH₂CH₂)N(CH₂CH₂NSiMe₃)₂}][B(C₆F₅)₄] (8[B(C₆F₅)₄]·py). The cationic formate-bridged species [(Ti(N₃N))₂(μ-OCHO-ηO:ηO')][BR₄] (10[BR₄]) readily formed when the terminal formate complex 3 was reacted with the cationic 6[BR₄]. The reactivity of triamido-amine stabilized titanium(iv) complexes is shown to differ considerably from that of related titanium tris(anilide) complexes.

Evidence for Iron-Catalyzed α-Phosphinidene Elimination with Phenylphosphine

The ubiquitous half-sandwich iron complex [CpFe(CO)₂ Me] (Cp=η⁵ -C₅ H₅ ) appears to be a catalyst for α-phosphinidene elimination from primary phosphines. Dehydrocoupling reactions provided initial insight into this unusual reaction mechanism, and trapping reactions with organic substrates gave products consistent with an α elimination mechanism, including a rare example of a three-component reaction. The substrate scope of this reaction is consistent with generation of a triplet phosphinidene. In all, this study presents catalytic phosphinidene transfer to unsaturated organic substrates.

Triamidoamine-supported zirconium: hydrogen activation, Lewis acidity, and rac-lactide polymerization

Investigation of a triamidoamine-supported zirconium hydride intermediate, important to a range of catalytic reactions, revealed the potential Lewis acidity of [κ⁵-N,N,N,N,C-(Me₃SiNCH₂CH₂)₂NCH₂CH₂NSiMe₂CH₂]Zr (1).

Synthesis and reactivity of cyclo-tetra(stibinophosphonium) tetracations: redox and coordination chemistry of phosphine-antimony complexes

Reductive elimination of [R3PPR3]2+, [11(R)]2+, from the highly electrophilic SbIII centres in [(R3P)3Sb]3+, [8(R)]3+, gives SbI containing cations [(R3P)Sb]1+, [9(R)]1+, which assemble into frameworks identified as cyclo-tetra(stibinophosphonium) tetracations, [(R3P)4Sb4]4+, [10(R)]4+. A phosphine catalyzed mechanism is proposed for conversion of fluoroantimony complexes [(R3P)2SbF]2+, [7(R)]2+, to [10(R)]4+, and the characterization of key intermediates is presented. The results constitute evidence of a novel ligand activation pathway for phosphines in the coordination sphere of hard, electron deficient acceptors. Characterization of the associated reactants and products supports earlier, albeit less definitive, detection of analogous phosphine ligand activation in CuIII and TlIII complexes, demonstrating that these prototypical ligands can behave simultaneously as reducing agents and σ donors towards a variety of hard acceptors. The reactivity of the parent cyclo-tetra(stibinophosphonium) tetracation, [10(Me)]4+, is directed by high charge concentration and strong polarization of the P-Sb bonds. The former explains the observed facility for reductive elimination to yield elemental antimony and the latter enabled activation of P-Cl and P-H bonds to give phosphinophosphonium cations, [Me3PPR'2]1+, including the first example of an H-phosphinophosphonium, [(Me3P)P(H)R']1+, and 2-phosphino-1,3-diphosphonium cations, [(Me3P)2PR']2+. Exchange of a phosphine ligand in [10(Me)]4+ with [nacnac]1- gives [(Me3P)3Sb4(nacnac)]3+, [15(Me)]3+, and with dmap gives [(Me3P)3Sb4(dmap)]4+, [16]4+. The lability of P-Sb or Sb-Sb interactions in [10(Me)]4+ has also been illustrated by characterization of heteroleptically substituted derivatives featuring PMe3 and PEt3 ligands.

Phosphorus(III) cations supported by a PNP pincer ligand and sub-stoichiometric generation of P4 from thermolysis of a nickel insertion product

Neutral, mono-, and dicationic phosphorus(III) compounds are accessible with a supporting PNP pincer ligand (PNP = [4-Me-2-iPr(2)P-C(6)H(3))(2)N]). Reaction of (PNP)H with PCl(3) and nBu(3)N furnished (PNP)PCl(2) (1), which displays a highly temperature-dependent structure in solution. Synthesis and characterization by NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography of Cl/Br-scrambled derivatives, a monocationic derivative [(PNP)PCl][HCB(11)H(11)] (4), and the dicationic derivatives [(PNP)P][OTf](2) (5), [(PNP)P][B(C(6)F(5))(4)](2) (6), [(PNP)P][B(12)Cl(12)] (7) established that 1 not only undergoes several fluxional processes in solution but also possesses a temperature-dependent ground state structure. Reaction of 1 with a Ni(0) source initially leads to a phosphine-phosphinidene complex, followed by thermal generation of P(4).

Phosphinopnictinophosphonium frameworks

Reactions of the cyclic tetraphosphine (CyP)(4) with arsenium or stibenium cations (R(2)Pn(+), Pn = As, Sb and R = Cl, Ph) give salts of the new cationic frameworks [(CyP)(4)(AN)](+), [(CyP)(4)(SbCl(2))](+) and [{(CyP)(4)}(2)(Sb(2)Cl(2))](2+). The cations can be viewed as coordination complexes of a cyclophosphine ligand on a pnictenium cation, or a cyclo-2,3,4-triphosphino-1-pnictino-1-phosphonium cation, representing the first branched cyclic pnictogen framework, and examples of tertiary phosphonium centers with As-P or Sb-P bonds.

Metal-phosphido and -phosphinidene complexes in P-E bond-forming reactions

Metal complexes bearing terminal phosphido or phosphinidene ligands have become versatile tools in the stoichiometric and catalytic preparation of phosphorus-element bonds. This Perspective describes a selection of recent advances in this field, and certain emphasis has been placed on reactions that vary from what has been previously observed. Some of the general reactivity trends and mechanistic understanding in these metal-mediated reactions that has emerged are also described. Much of what is chronicled herein comes from a flux of reports over the last decade describing unique metal-mediated phosphorus-element bond formation reactions that are likely to stimulate further discoveries.