Nitrous oxide as diazo transfer reagent

Nitrous oxide, commonly known as "laughing gas", is formed as a by-product in several industrial processes. It is also readily available by thermal decomposition of ammonium nitrate. Traditionally, the chemical valorization of N2O is achieved via oxidation chemistry, where N2O acts as a selective oxygen atom transfer reagent. Recent results have shown that N2O can also function as an efficient diazo transfer reagent. Synthetically useful methods for synthesizing triazenes, N-heterocycles, and azo- or diazo compounds were developed. This review article summarizes significant advancements in this emerging field.

Activation of Small Molecules (H2, CO2, N2O, CH4, and C6H6) by a Porphyrinoid-Based Dimagnesium(I) Complex, an Electride

A density functional theory-based computation has been carried out to reveal the geometrical and electronic structures of Mg₂EP (1), where EP is an extended (3.1.3.1) porphyrinoid system. EP is a 22 π electronic system and is aromatic in nature. Here, we have studied the thermodynamic and kinetic stabilities of EP^2--supported Mg₂ ²⁺ ion. The nature of bonding has been studied using natural bond orbital and atoms in molecule schemes. The presence of a covalent Mg(I)-Mg(I) σ-bond in Mg₂EP is confirmed. The occurrence of a non-nuclear attractor (NNA) with large electron population, negative Laplacian of electron density at NNA, and presence of an electron localization function basin along with large nonlinear optical properties prompt us to classify Mg₂EP as the first porphyrinoid-based organic electride. Further five small molecules, viz., dihydrogen (H₂), carbon dioxide (CO₂), nitrous oxide (N₂O), methane (CH₄), and benzene (C₆H₆), are found to be activated by the electron density between the two Mg atoms in Mg₂EP.

Fixation of nitrous oxide by mesoionic and carbanionic N-heterocyclic carbenes

Double fixation of laughing gas (N₂O) can be achieved under mild conditions using mesoionic or ditopic carbanionic carbenes.