A N-aryloxy-β-diketiminate ligand in 4d, 4f and 5f-metals complexes

Oxo-functionalised mesoionic NHC nickel complexes for selective electrocatalytic reduction of CO2 to formate

Strategies for the conversion of CO2 to valuable products are paramount for reducing the environmental risks associated with high levels of this greenhouse gas and offer unique opportunities for transforming waste into useful products. While catalysts based on nickel as an Earth-abundant metal for the sustainable reduction of CO2 are known, the vast majority produce predominantly CO as a product. Here, efficient and selective CO2 reduction to formate as a synthetically valuable product has been accomplished with novel nickel complexes containing a tailored C,O-bidentate chelating mesoionic carbene ligand. These nickel(ii) complexes are easily accessible and show excellent catalytic activity for electrochemical H+ reduction to H2 (from HOAc in MeCN), and CO2 reduction (from CO2-saturated MeOH/MeCN solution) with high faradaic efficiency to yield formate exclusively as an industrially and synthetically valuable product from CO2. The most active catalyst precursor features the 4,6-di-tert-butyl substituted phenolate triazolylidene ligand, tolerates different proton donors including water, and reaches an unprecedented faradaic efficiency of 83% for formate production, constituting the most active and selective Ni-based system known to date for converting CO2 into formate as an important commodity chemical.

Low-Symmetry β-Diketimine Aryloxide Rare-Earth Complexes: Flexible, Reactive, and Selective

We report the synthesis, characterization, and reactivity of a new low-symmetry β-diketimine featuring a pendant amino(methyl)phenol donor and its corresponding heteroleptic rare-earth (RE) complexes. This includes the first structurally characterized examples of alcoholysis and insertion from an isolated RE^III amide in a β-diketimine framework. The flexible methylene linkage leads to RE^III complexes with tunable dynamic solution behavior that defines their stoichiometric and catalytic reactivity. The addition of a strong neutral donor ligand, tricyclohexylphosphine oxide, suppresses a prevalent catalyst degradation pathway (base-promoted elimination) and dramatically enhances the catalyst performance in the stereospecific ring-opening polymerization of rac-β-butyrolactone. Our results further demonstrate the importance of ligand reorganization in the stoichiometric and catalytic activity of RE^III ions.

Structure and magnetism of a tetrahedral uranium(iii) β-diketiminate complex

We describe the functionalisation of the previously reported uranium(iii) β-diketiminate complex (BDI)UI₂(THF)₂ (1) with one and two equivalents of a sterically demanding 2,6-diisopropylphenolate ligand (ODipp) leading to the formation of two heteroleptic complexes: [(BDI)UI(ODipp)]₂ (2) and (BDI)U(ODipp)₂ (3). The latter is a rare example of a tetrahedral uranium(iii) complex, and it shows single-molecule magnet behaviour.

Synthesis of unsymmetrical 1,8-naphthyridine-based ligands for the assembly of tri-and tetra-nuclear copper(ii) complexes

Exploring copper(ii) coordination from a new unsymmetrical naphthyridine-based ligand leads to the preparation of tetranuclear and trinuclear complexes. During the complexation, one imine group is oxidized to an amide group.

A new ONO3− trianionic pincer ligand with intermediate flexibility and its tungsten alkylidene and alkylidyne complexes

This report details the synthesis and characterization of the semi-flexible [ON^CH2O]H₃ (1) ligand and its W(vi)-alkylidene and alkylidyne complexes.

Copper complexes of the non-innocent β-diketiminate ligand containing phenol groups

A new type of non-innocent β-diketiminate ligand having redox active phenol groups (LH(3), fully protonated form) has been developed, and the structure, physical properties and reactivity of the supported copper(II) complex [Cu(II)(L(3-))](-) (L(3-), fully deprotonated tri-anionic form) as well as the one-electron and two-electron oxidised complexes, [Cu(II)(L˙(2-))] and [Cu(II)(L(-))](+), have been examined in detail. The two-electron oxidised form [Cu(II)(L(-))](+) exhibited hydrogen atom abstraction ability from 1,4-cyclohexadiene (CHD), whereas the one-electron oxidised form [Cu(II)(L˙(2-))] was found to disproportionate into [Cu(II)(L(3-))](-) and [Cu(II)(L(-))](+) during the course of the reaction with CHD.