Quo Vadis CO2 Activation: Catalytic Reduction of CO2 to Methanol Using Aluminum and Gallium/Carbon-based Ambiphiles

We report on so-called "hidden FLPs" (FLP: frustrated Lewis pair) consisting of a phosphorus ylide featuring a group 13 fragment in the ortho position of a phenyl ring scaffold to form five-membered ring structures. Although the formation of the Lewis acid/base adducts was observed in the solid state, most of the title compounds readily react with carbon dioxide to provide stable insertion products. Strikingly, 0.3-3.0 mol% of the reported aluminum and gallium/carbon-based ambiphiles catalyze the reduction of CO2 to methanol with satisfactory high selectivity and yields using pinacol borane as stoichiometric reduction equivalent. Comprehensive computational studies provided valuable mechanistic insights and shed more light on activity differences.

Solid-State Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Techniques for the Structural Characterization of Geminal Alane-Phosphane Frustrated Lewis Pairs and Secondary Adducts

The first comprehensive solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) characterization of geminal alane-phosphane frustrated Lewis pairs (Al/P FLPs) is reported. Their relevant NMR parameters (isotropic chemical shifts, direct and indirect 27 Al-31 P spin-spin coupling constants, and 27 Al nuclear electric quadrupole coupling tensor components) have been determined by numerical analysis of the experimental NMR line shapes and compared with values computed from the known crystal structures by using density functional theory (DFT) methods. Our work demonstrates that the 31 P NMR chemical shifts for the studied Al/P FLPs are very sensitive to slight structural inequivalences. The 27 Al NMR central transition signals are spread out over a broad frequency range (>200 kHz), owing to the presence of strong nuclear electric quadrupolar interactions that can be well-reproduced by the static 27 Al wideband uniform rate smooth truncation (WURST) Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill (WCPMG) NMR experiment. 27 Al chemical shifts and quadrupole tensor components offer a facile and clear distinction between three- and four-coordinate aluminum environments. For measuring internuclear Al⋅⋅⋅P distances a new resonance-echo saturation-pulse double-resonance (RESPDOR) experiment was developed by using efficient saturation via frequency-swept WURST pulses. The successful implementation of this widely applicable technique indicates that internuclear Al⋅⋅⋅P distances in these compounds can be measured within a precision of ±0.1 Å.

New Reactivity Patterns in 3H‐Phosphaallene Chemistry [Aryl‐P=C=C(H)‐ t Bu]: Hydroboration of the C=C Bond, Deprotonation and Trimerisation

3H‐Phosphaallenes, R−P=C=C(H)C−R’ (3), are accessible in a multigram scale on a new and facile route and show a fascinating chemical reactivity. BH₃(SMe₂) and 3 a (R=Mes*, R’=tBu) afforded by hydroboration of the C=C bonds of two phosphaallene molecules an unprecedented borane (7) with the B atom bound to two P=C double bonds. This compound represents a new FLP based on a B and two P atoms. The increased Lewis acidity of the B atom led to a different reaction course upon treatment of 3 a with H₂B‐C₆F₅(SMe₂). Hydroboration of a C=C bond of a first phosphaallene is followed in a typical FLP reaction by the coordination of a second phosphaallene molecule via B−C and P−B bond formation to yield a BP₂C₂ heterocycle (8). Its B−P bond is short and the B‐bound P atom has a planar surrounding. Treatment of 3 a with tBuLi resulted in deprotonation of the β‐C atom of the phosphaallene (9). The Li atom is bound to the P atom as demonstrated by crystal structure determination, quantum chemical calculations and reactions with HCl, Cl‐SiMe₃ or Cl‐PtBu₂. The thermally unstable phosphaallene Ph−P=C=C(H)‐tBu gave a unique trimeric secondary product by P−P, P−C and C−C bond formation. It contains a P₂C₄ heterocycle and was isolated as a W(CO)₄ complex with two P atoms coordinated to W (15).

Aspects of Phosphaallene Chemistry: Heat-Induced Formation of 1,2-Dihydrophosphetes by Intramolecular Nucleophilic Aromatic Substitution and Photochemical Generation of Tricyclic Phosphiranes

3H-Phosphaallenes are accessible on a new and facile route and show a fascinating chemical behavior. The thermally induced rearrangement of Mes*P═C═C(H)R' (R' = tBu, Ad) afforded by C-H activation, isobutene elimination, and C-C and P-H bond formation bicyclic 1-benzo-dihydrophosphetes (2) with PC₃ heterocycles. DFT calculations suggest a mechanism with intramolecular nucleophilic aromatic substitution and replacement of an alkyl group by the nucleophilic α-C atom of the phosphaallene. These bicycles formed W(CO)₅ complexes (3) or afforded 1,2-dihydrophosphetes with P-bound alkenyl groups by catalyst-free hydrophosphination of alkynes (4 and 5). The resulting bulky phosphines formed complexes with IrCp*Cl₂, RuCl₂, AuCl, or CuO₃SCF₃. The Ru atom is coordinated by the P atom and a phenyl group. Irradiation of TripP═C═C(H)tBu led by the insertion of the central C atom of the P═C═C group into the α-C-H bond of an iPr substituent and by C-C and P-C bond formation to a new isomer of phosphaallenes, 10, which features a strained PC₂ heterocycle. It formed adducts with M(CO)₅ (M = Cr, Mo, W) and AuCl and reacted with SO₂Cl₂ by cleavage of one of the phosphirane P-C bonds to yield PC₄ or PC₅ heterocycles. Hydrolysis yielded a PC₅ compound with a P(O)Cl group.

3H-Phosphaallenes Revisited: Facile Synthesis by Hydroalumination of Alkynylphosphines and β-Elimination, Stability and Trapping of Transient Species by Coordination to Transition Metal Atoms

A facile method for the efficient synthesis of 3H-phosphaallenes, R-P=C=C(H)-R', is presented, which comprises treatment of dialkynylphosphines with dialkylaluminium hydrides (hydroalumination) and elimination of aluminium alkynides from intermediate alkenyl-alkynylphosphines. The stability of the phosphaallenes depends on steric shielding by the substituents at phosphorus (aryl or CH(SiMe₃ )₂ groups). Only supermesityl compounds are persistent at room temperature in solution. This simple method starting with easily accessible dialkynylphosphines and commercially available aluminium hydrides (HAlEt₂ , HAliBu₂ ) allows the generation of transient species, which were trapped by coordination to transition metals. The η¹ -coordination via a P-W bond was observed for tungsten, while the side-on coordination via the P=C bond resulted with platinum. Decomposition of the mesityl derivative yielded an unprecedented product, which may be formed by 1,3-H shift to the P atom, hydrophosphination of the P=C bond of a second phosphaallene and formation of a P-P bond.

Probing steric influences on electrophilic phosphonium cations: a comparison of [(3,5-(CF3)2C6H3)3PF]+ and [(C6F5)3PF]+

The electrophilic phosphonium cation (EPC) salt [(3,5-(CF₃)₂C₆H₃)₃PF][B(C₆F₅)₄] (2) can display catalytic activity greater than its thermodynamic acidity would suggest. The role of steric factors is explored.

Hydroalumination and hydrogallation of an aryl-chloro-dialkynylsilane: Si–Cl bond activation by intramolecular Al–Cl and Ga–Cl interactions

The chlorine functionalized dialkynylsilane (4- t Bu-C6H4)(Cl)Si(C≡C- t Bu)2 (3) reacted with equimolar quantities of H–Al t Bu2 or H–Ga t Bu2 by hydrometallation of a C≡C triple bond and formation of mixed alkenyl-alkynylsilanes (4 and 5) in which the Si and Lewis acidic metal atoms adopt geminal positions at the α-C atoms of the alkenyl groups. Intramolecular M···Cl interactions (M=Al, Ga) afforded four-membered SiCMCl heterocycles which in comparison with 3 had significantly lengthened Si–Cl bonds. Dual hydrometallation of 3 was only observed for H–Ga t Bu2. One Ga atom of the product (6) was coordinated by the silicon-bound Cl atom, while the second one showed an interaction with the aromatic ring of the tert-butyl-phenyl group. Treatment of the aluminium compound 4 with two equivalents of H–Ga t Bu2 afforded a Si–H bond by Cl-H exchange and release of Cl–Al t Bu2. The resulting silane (7) has the Si atom and two Ga atoms bridged by the α-C atoms of two vinyl groups. The specific functionality of 4 caused a remarkable reactivity. Phenyl isocyanate reacted by the formal insertion into the Al–C(vinyl) and the activated Si–Cl bonds and resulted in the formation of a C–C bond. The product (8) has a SiC2N heterocycle with an Si–N bond and exocyclic C=C and C=O double bonds. The keto group is coordinated to a Cl–Al t Bu2 molecule, which was formed by the shift of the Cl atom from silicon to aluminium.