Unveiling the Unusual Mn(CO)3 Migration in a Manganese Cyclohexenyl Complex by DFT Computations

Homogeneous catalysis involving a transition metal agostic interaction (TM…H…C) is an attractive strategy for C-H bond activation, in which the transition metal agostic intermediates serve as the critical component. To investigate the roles of manganese agostic intermediates in the unusual migration of the Mn(CO)3 fragment in the (exo-phenyl)(η3-cyclohexenyl)manganese tricarbonyl [(Ph)(η3-C6H8)Mn(CO)3] (complex 1) under the protonation of tetrafluoroboric acid-diethyl ether (HBF4.Et2O), a comprehensive density functional theory (DFT) theoretical study was performed. The computational results showed that formation of the [(cyclohex-3-enyl)-η6-benzene]manganese tricarbonyl complex [(C6H9)(η6-Ph)Mn(CO)3+][BF4] (complex 2) was achieved via a series of mono-agostic and di-agostic intermediates. The overall rate-limiting step for this unusual migration of the Mn(CO)3 fragment is the formation of the di-agostic (η2-phenyl)manganese complex 8 (4 → 5 → 8) with a Gibbs barrier of 15.4 kcal mol-1. The agostic intermediates with TM…H…C agostic interactions were well-characterized by geometry parameters, Atoms-In-Molecules (AIM) analyses, and the Natural Adaptive Orbitals (NAdOs). The located pathways in the current study successfully explained the experimental observations, and the findings on the TM…H…C agostic interaction provided a new aspect of the catalytic reaction with the manganese complex.

Solution Structure and Dynamics of Hf-Al and Hf-Zn Heterobimetallic Adducts Mimicking Relevant Intermediates in Chain Transfer Reactions

Cationic cyclometalated hafnocenes [CpPrCpCH2CH2CH2Hf][B(C6F5)4] (4Pr) and [CpiBuCpCH2CH(Me)CH2Hf][B(C6F5)4] (4aiBu and 4biBu) were synthesized from the corresponding [(CpPr)2HfMe][B(C6F5)4] (1Pr) and [(CpiBu)2HfMe][B(C6F5)4] (1iBu) complexes via C-H activation. 4aiBu, 4biBu, and 4Pr, mimicking a propagating M-polymeryl species (M = transition metal) with or without a β-methyl branch on the metalated chains, serve to investigate whether and how the nature of the last inserted olefin molecules changes the structure, stability, and reactivity of the corresponding heterobimetallic complexes, formed in the presence of aluminum- or zinc-alkyl chain transfer agents (CTAs), which are considered relevant intermediates in coordinative chain transfer polymerization (CCTP) and chain shuttling polymerization (CSP) technologies. NMR and DFT data indicate no major structural difference between the resulting heterobridged complexes, all characterized by the presence of multiple α-agostic interactions. On the contrary, thermodynamic and kinetic investigations, concerning the reversible formation and breaking of heterobimetallic adducts, demonstrate that isomer 4aiBu, in which the β-Me is oriented away from the reactive coordination site on Hf, but not 4biBu, having the β-Me pointing in the opposite direction, is capable of reacting with CTAs. Quantification of kinetic rate constants highlights that the formation process is rate limiting and that the nature of the last inserted α-olefin unit modulates transalkylation kinetics. The reaction of 4aiBu, 4biBu, and 4Pr with diisobutylaluminum hydride (DiBAlH) allows the interception and characterization of new heterobinuclear and heterotrinuclear species, featuring both hydride and alkyl bridging moieties, which represent structural models of elusive intermediates in CCTP and CSP processes, capturing the instant when an alkyl chain has just transferred from a transition metal to a main group metal, while the two metals remain engaged in a single heterobimetallic intermediate.

Boat and Chair Shaped Hexahalogen Synthons

Non-covalent halogen bonding interactions are quintessential in crystal engineering for the construction of distinctive supramolecular synthons. Here, we report the first crystalline evidences of unique boat and chair shaped cyclic hexahalogen synthons in the crystal structures of α,α,α',α',4-pentabromo-o-xylene (PBX) and α,α,α',α',4,5-hexabromo-o-xylene (HBX) respectively. Nature and stability of constituent interactions in the supramolecular synthons are scrutinized with the help of quantum-chemical calculations. Pendás' interacting quantum atoms approach confirmed the stability of Br⋅⋅⋅Br interactions leading to boat and chair shaped synthons with major contribution from exchange-correlation. Although both the molecules are achiral in nature, the packing forces guide PBX to crystallize in the chiral space group P2₁ with a helix-like orientation while HBX packs in a centrosymmetric P2₁ /n space group. The extended furcations in the pentabromo derivative construct a molecular framework consisting of macrocycles realized through halogen bonding.

Three-centre electron sharing indices (3c-ESIs) as a tool to differentiate among (an)agostic interactions and hydrogen bonds in transition metal complexes

The agostic bond plays an important role in chemistry, not only in transition metal chemistry but also in main group chemistry. In some complexes with M⋯H-X (X = C, N) interactions, differentiation among agostic, anagostic, and hydrogen bonds is challenging. Here we propose the use of three-centre electron sharing indices to classify M⋯H-X (X = C, N) interactions.

Detailed Density Functional Theory Study of the Cationic Zirconocene Compound [Cp(C5H4CMe2C6H4F)ZrMe]. ACS OMEGA 2022;7:35136-35152. [PMID: 36211080 PMCID: PMC9535714 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.2c04053]

Detailed density functional theory studies at the B3LYP and PBE-D3 levels of theory were performed on the cationic compound [Cp(C5H4CMe2C6H4F)ZrMe]+, with the F atom occupying either the ortho, meta, or para positions of the arene ring. In all cases, the arene ring coordinates with the cationic zirconium metal. The nature of this coordination is such that for the meta- or para-substituted arene ring, it is predominantly the ortho carbon atom of the C-H bond which interacts with the metal, as evident from noncovalent interaction studies. This is further corroborated by the natural bond orbital and quantum theory of atoms in molecular studies. In the case of the F atom being in the ortho position, we obtained clear-cut evidence for a Zr-F coordination.

Investigation of the Nature of Intermolecular Interactions in Tetra(thiocyanato)corrolato-Ag(III) Complexes: Agostic or Hydrogen Bonded?

Tetra(thiocyanato)corrolato-Ag(III) complexes presented here constitute a new class of metallo-corrole complexes. The spectroscopic properties of these complexes are quite unusual and interesting. For example, the absorption spectra of these β-substituted corrolato-Ag(III) complexes are very different from those of the β-unsubstituted corrolato-Ag(III) derivatives. Single-crystal XRD analysis of a representative tetra(thiocyanato)corrolato-Ag(III) derivative reveals C-H···Ag interactions. The C-H···Ag interactions are rarely demonstrated in the crystal lattice of a discrete coordination/organometallic compound. Optimization of the hydrogen positions of the crystal structure discloses the geometrical parameters of the said interaction as a Ag···H distance of 2.597 Å and ∠C-H···Ag of 109.62°. The natural bond orbital analysis provides information about the donor-acceptor orbitals involved in the interactions and their interaction energies. It was observed that the σ_C-H orbital overlaps with the vacant d-orbital of Ag with an interaction energy of 17.93 kJ/mol. The filled d-orbital of Ag overlaps with the σ*_C-H orbital with an interaction energy of 4.79 kJ/mol. The highlights of this work are that the H···Ag distance is outside of the distance range for the typical agostic interaction but fitted with the weak H-bond distance. However, the ∠C-H···Ag angle is within the range of the agostic interaction. Both crystallographic data and electronic structure calculations reveal that these kinds of intermolecular interactions in square-planar d⁸ Ag(III) complexes are intermediate in nature. Thus, they cannot be categorically called either hydrogen bonding or agostic interaction.

Hydrogen Bonding Directed Self-Assembly of a Binuclear Ag(I) Metallacycle into a 1D Supramolecular Polymer

An Ag(I) metallacycle obtained unexpectedly during the preparation of Pd(II) complexes of the bifunctional ligand 5-([2,2′-bipyridin]-5-yl)pyrimidine-2-amine (L) has been characterized using X-ray structure determination as a binuclear, metallacyclic species [Ag₂L₂](SbF₆)₂, where both the bipyridine and pyrimidine-N donors of L are involved in coordination to the metal. The full coordination environment of the Ag(I) defines a case of highly irregular 4-coordination. In the crystal, the Ag-metallacycles assemble into one-dimensional supramolecular metalladynamers linked together by hydrogen-bonding interactions.

New 1D diorganotin(iv) dithiolate coordination polymers: crystallographic, computational, Hirshfeld surface and thermal analyses

Three new 1D coordination polymers of diorganotin(iv) dithiolates synthesized and the nature of their weak interactions addressed using computational techniques.

Predicting viable isomers of [X,C,N] and [H,X,C,N] (X = Sn, Pb)

Metal cyanide/isocyanide and hydrometal cyanide/isocyanide compounds are key metal-carriers in interstellar space. Lighter group 14 elements (X = C/Si/Ge) cyanides/isocyanides and hydrocyanides/hydroisocyanides have been studied theoretically and experimentally. However, no reports are available on the analogues of tin (Sn) and lead (Pb). In this work, we carried out the first theoretical study on the structures and stabilities of [X,C,N] and [H,X,C,N] (X = Sn/Pb) at the CCSD(T)/def2-QZVPP//B3LYP/def2-QZVPP level. Comparisons were made with the lower analogues (X = C/Si/Ge) concerning the structural, energetic and bonding properties. Significantly different from that of c-C2N, a dative-bonded valence structure of c-XCN for heavier X was revealed for the first time, which can account for the rather worse kinetic stability of cyclic [X,C,N] for heavier X = Si/Ge. A unique kind of agostic bonding was found within three isomers of [H,Pb,C,N], whereas it is absent for X = C/Si/Ge/Sn. The computed structural and spectroscopic data could aid future laboratory and astrophysical detection of the [X,C,N] and [H,X,C,N] (X = Sn/Pb) isomers.

Cooperative metal–ligand influence on the formation of coordination polymers, and conducting and photophysical properties of Tl(i) β-oxodithioester complexes

Eight novel luminescent and semiconducting Tl(i) β-oxodithioester complexes forming 1D/2D coordination polymeric structures were investigated using single crystal X-ray diffraction.

Recurrent supramolecular motifs in discrete complexes and coordination polymers based on mercury halides: prevalence of chelate ring stacking and substituent effects

We report the synthesis, X-ray characterization and DFT study of five Hg(ii) complexes with Schiff bases containing a nicotinohydrazide core to explore the formation of chelate-ring π-stacking interactions.

Quantifying conventional C–H⋯π(aryl) and unconventional C–H⋯π(chelate) interactions in dinuclear Cu(ii) complexes: experimental observations, Hirshfeld surface and theoretical DFT study

Conventional C–H⋯π(aryl) and unconventional C–H⋯π(chelate) interactions are explored in detail.

Hydrogen bonds to Au atoms in coordinated gold clusters

It is well known that various transition elements can form M···H hydrogen bonds. However, for gold, there has been limited decisive experimental evidence of such attractive interactions. Herein we demonstrate an example of spectroscopically identified hydrogen bonding interaction of C-H units to Au atoms in divalent hexagold clusters ([Au₆]²⁺) decorated by diphosphine ligands. X-ray crystallography reveals substantially short Au-H/Au-C distances to indicate the presence of attractive interactions involving unfunctionalized C-H moieties. Solution ¹H and ¹³C NMR signals of the C-H units appear at considerably downfield regions, indicating the hydrogen-bond character of the interactions. The Au···H interactions are critically involved in the ligand-cluster interactions to affect the stability of the cluster framework. This work demonstrates the uniqueness and potential of partially oxidised Au cluster moieties to participate in non-covalent interaction with various organic functionalities, which would expand the scope of gold clusters.Many transition metals can form hydrogen bonds to organic species, but experimental evidence for Au is still lacking. Here, the authors obtain crystallographic and NMR spectroscopic evidence of hydrogen bonding between C-H groups and Au atoms of gold clusters, suggesting that non-covalent interactions may play a role in gold cluster catalysis.

Large d–d luminescence energy variations in square-planar bis(dithiocarbamate) platinum(ii) and palladium(ii) complexes with near-identical MS4 motifs: a variable-pressure study

A surprising variation of luminescence maxima occurs for crystalline dithiocarbamate platinum(ii) complexes with very similar square-planar coordination geometries but different peripheral substituents R, R′.

Characterization of PdH-C interactions in bis-dimethyldithiocarbamate palladium(ii) and its deuterated analog by luminescence spectroscopy at variable pressure

We present the variable-pressure d-d luminescence spectra of crystalline bis-dimethyldithiocarbamate palladium(ii) and its deuterated analog. The energies and shifts of the band maxima provide evidence for intermolecular PdH-C interactions, with quantitative differences observed for the deuterated complex. Shifts show distinct interactions in three pressure ranges between 1 bar and 85 kbar.

Mononuclear heteroleptic complexes of copper(i) with 5-phenyl-2,2′-bipyridine and triphenylphosphine: crystal structures, Hirshfeld surface analysis and luminescence properties

The complexes [CuL(PPh₃)Hal] (L = 5-phenyl-2,2′-bipyridine, Hal = Cl⁻, Br⁻) are emissive in the solid state at 298 K, with maxima at 596 and 610 nm, respectively, due to a (M + Hal)LCT excited state.

An intermolecular pyrene excimer in the pyrene-labeled N-thiophosphorylated thiourea and its nickel(ii) complex

(1-pyrene)NHC(S)NHP(S)(OiPr)₂ (HL) and its Ni^II complex ([NiL2]) have been synthesized. Both HL and [NiL2] were found to be emissive in solution of CH₂Cl₂, which is due to the concentration dependent emission of the pyrene monomer and excimer.

Synthetic and Structural Studies of Mixed Sodium Bis(trimethylsilyl)amide/Sodium Halide Aggregates in the Presence of η(2)-N,N-, η(3)-N,N,N/N,O,N-, and η(4)-N,N,N,N-Donor Ligands

When n-hexane solutions of an excess of sodium bis(trimethylsilyl)amide (NaHMDS) are combined with cesium halide (halide = Cl, Br, or I) in the presence of the tetradentate donor molecule [tris[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl]amine] (Me6TREN), the isolation and characterization of a series of sodium amide/sodium halide mixed aggregates was forthcoming. Cesium halide was employed because it efficiently reacted with NaHMDS to produce a molecular, soluble source of sodium halide salt (which was subsequently captured by an excess of NaHMDS) via a methathetical reaction. These mixed sodium amide/sodium halide complexes are formally sodium sodiates, are deficient in halide with respect to the amide, and have the general formula [{Na5(μ-HMDS)5(μ5-X)}{Na(Me6TREN)}] [where X = Cl (1), Br (2), or I (3)]. The influence of the donor ligand was studied for the NaI/NaHMDS system, and when n-hexane solutions of this composition were treated with tridentate donors such as N,N,N',N″,N″-pentamethyldiethylenetriamine (PMDETA) or N,N,N',N'-tetramethyldiaminoethyl ether (TMDAE), solvent-separated ion-pair cocomplexes [Na5(μ-HMDS)5(μ5-I)](-)[Na3(μ-HMDS)2(PMDETA)2](+) (4) and [Na5(μ-HMDS)5(μ5-I)](-)[Na(TMDAE)2](+) (5) were isolated. However, upon reaction with bidentate proligands such as the chiral diamine (R,R)-N,N,N',N'-tetramethylcyclohexane-1,2-diamine [(R,R)-TMCDA] or N,N,N',N'-tetramethylethylenediamine (TMEDA), neutral complexes [Na4(μ-HMDS)3(μ4-I)(donor)2] [donor = (R,R)-TMCDA (6) and TMEDA (7)] were produced. To illustrate the generality of the latter reaction with other halides, [Na4(μ-HMDS)3(μ4-Br)(TMEDA)2] (8) was also prepared by employing NaBr in the synthesis instead of NaI.

Neutral "Cp-Free" Silyl-Lanthanide(II) Complexes: Synthesis, Structure, and Bonding Analysis

Complexes featuring lanthanide silicon bonds represent a research area still in its infancy. Herein, we report a series of Cp-free lanthanide (+II) complexes bearing σ-bonded silyl ligands. By reactions of LnI₂ (Ln = Yb, Eu, Sm) either with a 1,4-oligosilanyl dianion [K-Si(SiMe₃)₂SiMe₂SiMe₂Si(SiMe₃)₂-K)] (1) or with 2 (Me₃Si)₃SiK (3) the corresponding neutral metallacyclopentasilanes ({Me₂Si(Me₃Si)₂Si}₂)Ln·(THF)₄ (Ln = Yb (2a), Eu (2b), Sm (2c)), or the disilylated complexes ({Me₃Si}₃Si)₂Ln·(THF)₃ (Ln = Yb (4a), Eu (4b), Sm (4c)), were selectively obtained. Complexes 2b, 2c, 4b, and 4c represent the first examples of structurally characterized Cp-free Eu and Sm complexes with silyl ligands. In both series, a linear correlation was observed between the Ln–Si bond lengths and the covalent radii of the corresponding lanthanide metals. Density functional theory calculations were also carried out for complexes 2a–c and 4a–c to elucidate the bonding situation between the Ln(+II) centers and Si.

By reactions of LnI₂ (Ln = Yb, Eu, Sm) with oligosilanyl anions or dianions, either neutral disilylated complexes or metallacyclopentasilanes were obtained.

Rare intermolecular M⋯H–C anagostic interactions in homoleptic Ni(ii)–Pd(ii) dithiocarbamate complexes

New Ni(ii)–Pd(ii) dithiocarbamates have been fully characterized;1exhibits rare C–H⋯Ni intermolecular anagostic interactions, whereas2shows C–H⋯Pd hydrogen bonding–anagostic interactions.

New Ni(ii) 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane dithiolates: crystallographic, computational and Hirshfeld surface analyses

Three new Ni(ii) dppe dithiolates have been synthesized and the nature of weak interactions have been addressed using computational and Hirshfeld surface analyses.