Assessing the Character of the C6F5 Ligand from the Electrochemical and Photophysical Properties of [Ni(C6F5)2(N∧N)] Complexes

Organonickel complexes containing α-diimine ligands [Ni(C6F5)2(N∧N)] (N∧N = 2,2'-bipyridine (bpy), 2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline (dmphen), 3,4,7,8-tetramethyl-1,10-phenanthroline (tmphen), dipyrido[3,2-a:2',3'-c]phenazine (dppz), 1,4-bis(isopropyl)-1,4-diazabutadiene (iPr-DAB), and 1,4-bis(2,6-dimethylphenyl)-1,4-diazabutadiene (Xyl-DAB) were prepared and studied structurally, spectroscopically, and electrochemically. Their molecular structures from single-crystal X-ray diffraction show near-perfect square planar Ni(II) coordination except in the case of dmphen. Primary reversible electrochemical reductions in the range from -1 to -2 V vs ferrocene/ferrocenium couple lead to mainly diimine-localized radical anion complexes, while secondary reductions in the range from -2 to -2.5 V lead to dianion complexes, as shown through spectroelectrochemistry. Irreversible metal-centered oxidations at around 0.7 V result in rapid aryl-aryl reductive elimination and formation of decafluorobiphenyl. No photoluminescence was detected for the complexes containing chromophoric α-diimine ligands at room temperature. At 77 K in frozen glassy 2-Me-THF matrices, weak photoluminescence was detected for the dmphen and tmphen derivatives, with broad emission bands peaking around 570 nm. All results are rationalized with the support of (TD-)DFT calculations, highlighting the role of the C6F5 ligand in different systems.

A Hydrazone Ligand for Iridium-Catalyzed C-H Borylation: Enhanced Reactivity and Selectivity for Fluorinated Arenes

Ir-catalyzed C-H borylations of fluorinated and cyanated arenes with high meta-to-F/CN are described. Use of a dipyridyl hydrazone framework as the ancillary ligand and pinacolborane (HBpin) as the functionalizing reagent generates catalysts that are significantly more active and selective than 4,4'-di-tert-butyl-2,2'-bipyridine (dtbpy) for both electron-deficient and electron-rich substrates. Investigation of the ligand framework resulted in the observation of formal N-borylation of the hydrazone by HBpin, as evidenced by NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography. Subsequent stoichiometric reactions of this adduct with an iridium precatalyst revealed the formation of an unusual IrI hydrazido. Isolation and use of this hydrazido reproduce the selectivity of in situ generated catalysts, suggesting that it leads to formation of the active species.

Homogeneous catalysis with polyhydride complexes

This review analyzes the role of transition metal polyhydrides as homogeneous catalysts for organic reactions. Discussed reactions involve nearly every main organic functional group.

Direct C-H Borylation of Arenes Catalyzed by Saturated Hydride-Boryl-Iridium-POP Complexes: Kinetic Analysis of the Elemental Steps

The saturated trihydride IrH₃ {κ³ -P,O,P-[xant(PiPr₂ )₂ ]} (1; xant(PiPr₂ )₂ =9,9-dimethyl-4,5-bis(diisopropylphosphino)xanthene) activates the B-H bond of two molecules of pinacolborane (HBpin) to give H₂ , the hydride-boryl derivatives IrH₂ (Bpin){κ³ -P,O,P-[xant(PiPr₂ )₂ ]} (2) and IrH(Bpin)₂ {κ³ -P,O,P-[xant(PiPr₂ )₂ ]} (3) in a sequential manner. Complex 3 activates a C-H bond of two molecules of benzene to form PhBpin and regenerates 2 and 1, also in a sequential manner. Thus, complexes 1, 2, and 3 define two cycles for the catalytic direct C-H borylation of arenes with HBpin, which have dihydride 2 as a common intermediate. C-H bond activation of the arenes is the rate-determining step of both cycles, as the C-H oxidative addition to 3 is faster than to 2. The results from a kinetic study of the reactions of 1 and 2 with HBpin support a cooperative function of the hydride ligands in the B-H bond activation. The addition of the boron atom of the borane to a hydride facilitates the coordination of the B-H bond through the formation of κ¹ - and κ² -dihydrideborate intermediates.

Organometallic chemistry using partially fluorinated benzenes

Fluorobenzenes, in particular fluorobenzene (FB) and 1,2-difluorobenzene (1,2-DiFB), are versatile solvents for conducting organometallic chemistry and transition-metal-based catalysis.

Assessment of the Electronic Factors Determining the Thermodynamics of "Oxidative Addition" of C-H and N-H Bonds to Ir(I) Complexes

A study of electronic factors governing the thermodynamics of C-H and N-H bond addition to Ir(I) complexes was conducted. DFT calculations were performed on an extensive series of trans-(PH3)2IrXL complexes (L = NH3 and CO; X = various monodentate ligands) to parametrize the relative σ- and π-donating/withdrawing properties of the various ligands, X. Computed energies of oxidative addition of methane to a series of three- and four-coordinate Ir(I) complexes bearing an ancillary ligand, X, were correlated with the resulting (σ(X), π(X)) parameter set. Regression analysis indicates that the thermodynamics of addition of methane to trans-(PH3)2IrX are generally strongly disfavored by increased σ-donation from the ligand X, in contradiction to widely held views on oxidative addition. The trend for oxidative addition of methane to four-coordinate Ir(I) was closely related to that observed for the three-coordinate complexes, albeit slightly more complicated. The computational analysis was found to be consistent with the rates of reductive elimination of benzene from a series of isoelectronic Ir(III) phenyl hydride complexes, measured experimentally in this work and previously reported. Extending the analysis of ancillary ligand energetic effects to the oxidative addition of ammonia to three-coordinate Ir(I) complexes leads to the conclusion that increasing σ-donation by X also disfavors oxidative addition of N-H bonds to trans-(PH3)2IrX. However, coordination of NH3 to the Ir(I) center is disfavored even more strongly by increasing σ-donation by X, which explains why the few documented examples of H-NH2 oxidative addition to transition metals involve complexes with strongly σ-donating ligands situated trans to the site of addition. An orbital-based rationale for the observed results is presented.

Electrophilic halogenation-reductive elimination chemistry of organopalladium and -platinum complexes

CONSPECTUS: Transition metal-catalyzed organic transformations often reveal competing reaction pathways. Determining the factors that control the selectivity of such reactions is of extreme importance for the design of reliable synthetic protocols. Herein, we present the account of our studies over the past decade aimed at understanding the selectivity of reductive elimination chemistry of organotransition metal complexes under electrophilic halogenation conditions. Much of our effort has focused on finding the conditions for selective formation of carbon (aryl)-halogen bonds in the presence of competing C-C reductive elimination alternatives. In most cases, the latter was the thermodynamically preferred pathway; however, we found that the reactions could be diverted toward the formation of aryl-iodine and aryl-bromine bonds under kinetic conditions. Of particular importance was to maintain the complex geometry that prohibits C-C elimination while allowing for the elimination of carbon-halogen bonds. This was achieved by employing sterically rigid diphosphine ligands which prevented isomerization within a series of Pt(IV) complexes. It was also important to understand that the neutral M(IV) products often observed or isolated in the oxidative addition reactions are not necessarily the intermediates in the reductive elimination chemistry as it generally takes place from unsaturated species formed en route to relatively stable M(IV) complexes. While aryl-halide reductive elimination for heavier halogens can be competitive with aryl-aryl coupling in diaryl M(IV) complexes, the latter reaction always prevails over aryl-fluoride bond formation. Even when one of the aryl groups is a part of a rigid cyclometalated ligand C-C coupling is still the dominant reaction pathway. However, when one of the aryl groups is replaced with a phenolate donor aryl-F bond formation becomes preferred over C-O bond elimination. During our studies, other interesting reactions have been discovered. For example, the fluorination of the C(sp(3))-H bond can be very selective and compete favorably with C-C coupling. Also, in electron-poor complexes, metal oxidation can have higher energy than oxidation of the coordinated iodo ligand resulting in I-F elimination instead of the formation of aryl-I bond. Overall, electrophilic fluorination can lead to often very selective elimination reactions giving new C-C, C-I, C-F, or I-F bonds, with this selectivity dependent on the metal center, supporting ligands, complex geometry, and electrophilic fluorine source. Together with the many reports on the halogenation of organometallic compounds that appeared in recent years, our results contribute to understanding the requirements for selective transformations under electrophilic conditions and design of new synthetic methods for making organohalogen compounds.

Electrophilic fluorination of organoplatinum(II) iodides: iodine and platinum atoms as competing fluorination sites

A series of diphosphine Pt(II) aryl iodo complexes were reacted with XeF(2) to cleanly produce the corresponding Pt(II) difluoro complexes and free iodoarenes. However, when aryl ligands bearing fluoro substituents in the ortho positions were used, the formation of the corresponding Pt(II) aryl fluoro complexes was observed in the reaction with XeF(2). In the case of the Pt-C(6)F(5) complex, the products of the fluoride-for-iodide exchange were the only products observed by means of (31)P and (19)F NMR spectroscopy. The experimental and theoretical studies suggest that the formation of iodine-fluorine bond may accompany this transformation. The plausible "I-F" species could be trapped by electron-richer organoplatinum complexes to give a Pt(IV) transient which subsequently eliminates the corresponding aryl iodide. Hence, in some cases a pathway involving an attack of XeF(2) at the iodo ligand of Pt(II) aryl iodo complexes to generate I-F species can be operative in addition to or instead of the XeF(2) attack at the metal center. Our DFT studies demonstrate that the electrophilic attacks of XeF(2) at both sites, platinum and iodide, can be competitive.