Unsaturated chiral-only-at-metal rhodium(III) complexes bearing SiN-type ligands.

Enantiopure chiral-at-metal rhodium(III) unsaturated 16e complexes have been obtained from racemic [Rh(SiN)Cl] (SiN= 8-(dimethylsilyl)quinoline) using a readily accessible chiral spiroborate as chiral resolution agent. This strategy allows an easy access to enantiopure neutral Δ/Λ-Rh(SiN)2Cl and cationic Δ/Λ-Rh(SiN)2[BAr4F] unsaturated complexes, wherein rhodium(III) is coordinated to two inert silylquinoline ligands in a propeller-like arrangement.

Mild and Selective Hydrogenation of Unsaturated Compounds Using Mn/Water as a Hydrogen Gas Source.

A mild and highly selective reduction of alkenes and alkynes using Mn/water is described. The highly controlled generation of H allows the selective reduction of these compounds in the presence of labile functional groups under mild and environmentally acceptable conditions.

Catalytic activation of remote alkenes through silyl-rhodium(III) complexes.

The tandem isomerization-hydrosilylation reaction is a highly valuable process able to transform mixtures of internal olefins into linear silanes. Unsaturated and cationic hydrido-silyl-Rh(III) complexes have proven to be effective catalysts for this reaction. Herein, three silicon-based bidentate ligands, 8-(dimethylsilyl)quinoline (L1), 8-(dimethylsilyl)-2-methylquinoline (L2) and 4-(dimethylsilyl)-9-phenylacridine (L3), have been used to synthesize three neutral [RhCl(H)(L)PPh] (1-L1, 1-L2 and 1-L3) and three cationic [Rh(H)(L)(PPh)][BAr] (2-L1, 2-L2 and 2-L3) Rh(III) complexes.

Tailor-Made Synthesis of Hydrosilanols, Hydrosiloxanes, and Silanediols Catalyzed by di-Silyl Rhodium(III) and Iridium(III) Complexes.

Siloxanes and silanols containing Si-H units are important building blocks for the synthesis of functionalized siloxane materials, and their synthesis is a current challenge. Herein, we report the selective synthesis of hydrosilanols, hydrosiloxanes, and silanodiols depending on the nature of the catalysts and the silane used. Two neutral ({MCl[SiMe(-CHPPh)]}; M = Rh, Ir) and two cationic ({M[SiMe(-CHPPh)](NCMe)}[BAr]; M = Rh, Ir) have been synthesized and their catalytic behavior toward hydrolysis of secondary silanes has been described.

Hydrogen Tunneling in Catalytic Hydrolysis and Alcoholysis of Silanes.

An unprecedented quantum tunneling effect has been observed in catalytic Si-H bond activations at room temperature. The cationic hydrido-silyl-iridium(III) complex, {Ir[SiMe(o-C H SMe) ](H)(PPh )(THF)}[BAr ], has proven to be a highly efficient catalyst for the hydrolysis and the alcoholysis of organosilanes. When triethylsilane was used as a substrate, the system revealed the largest kinetic isotopic effect (KIE =346±4) ever reported for this type of reaction.

(Diphenylphosphino)alkylaldehyde affords hydride- or alkyl-[(diphenylphosphino)alkylacyl]rhodium(iii) or (diphenylphosphino)alkylester complexes: theoretical and experimental diastereoselectivity.

The reaction of [RhCl(COD)]2 (COD = 1,5-cyclooctadiene) with racemic PPh2(CH(Ph)CH2CHO) and pyridine (py) led to the oxidative addition of the aldehyde, and a single geometric isomer of [RhHCl(PPh2(CH(Ph)CH2CO))(py)2] (1), with hydride trans to chloride, was obtained as a mixture of two diastereomers in a 95 : 5 ratio; this was in agreement with density functional theory (DFT) calculations. In a chloroform solution, the exchange of hydride by chloride yielded [RhCl2(PPh2(CH(Ph)CH2CO))(py)2] (2) as a mixture of a kinetically preferred species, trans-py-2a, and two diastereomers, cis-Cl-2b' and cis-Cl-2b, with cis pyridines and a chloride trans to acyl; as predicted by the DFT calculations, the latter was the major species. Complex 1 reacted with racemic PPh2(CH(Ph)CH2CHO) or PPh2(o-C6H4CHO) to afford [RhHCl(PPh2(CH(Ph)CH2CO))(κ1-PPh2(CH(Ph)CH2CHO))(py)] (3) or [RhHCl(PPh2(o-C6H4CO))(κ1-PPh2(CH(Ph)CH2CHO))(py)] (4), respectively, both with a dangling alkylaldehyde.

Ion-macromolecule interactions studied with model polyurethanes.

Hypothesis: The solubility and self-assembly of macromolecules in solution can be tuned by the presence of different salts. Natural proteins have been long manipulated with the aid of salts, and natural silk is processed in the gland tip across a gradient of different salts which modifies its solubility. Hence, the comprehensive understanding of the role of ion-macromolecule interactions should pave the way towards a biomimetic processing of macromolecules.

Activation of Aromatic C-C Bonds of 2,2'-Bipyridine Ligands.

4,4'-Disubstituted-2,2'-bipyridine ligands coordinated to Mo and Re cationic fragments become dearomatized by an intramolecular nucleophilic attack from a deprotonated N-alkylimidazole ligand in cis disposition. The subsequent protonation of these neutral complexes takes place on a pyridine carbon atom rather than at nitrogen, weakening an aromatic C-C bond and affording a dihydropyridyl moiety. Computational calculations allowed for the rationalization of the formation of the experimentally obtained products over other plausible alternatives.

Irida-β-ketoimines Derived from Hydrazines To Afford Metallapyrazoles or N-N Bond Cleavage: A Missing Metallacycle Disclosed by a Theoretical and Experimental Study.

Unprecedented metallapyrazoles [IrH{PhP(o-CH)CNNHC(o-CH)PPh}] (3) and [IrHCl{PhP(o-CH)CNNHC(o-CH)PPh}] (4) were obtained by the reaction of the irida-β-ketoimine [IrHCl{(PPh(o-CHCO))(PPh(o-CHCNNH))H}] (2) in MeOH heated at reflux in the presence and absence of KOH, respectively. In solution, iridapyrazole 3 undergoes a dynamic process due to prototropic tautomerism with an experimental barrier for the exchange of ΔG = 53.7 kJ mol.

Air-Stable Gold Nanoparticles Ligated by Secondary Phosphine Oxides as Catalyst for the Chemoselective Hydrogenation of Substituted Aldehydes: a Remarkable Ligand Effect.

Air-stable and homogeneous gold nanoparticles (AuNPs, 1a-5a) ligated by various secondary phosphine oxides (SPOs), [R(1)R(2)P(O)H] (R(1) = Naph, R(2) = (t)Bu, L1; R(1) = R(2) = Ph, L2; R(1) = Ph, R(2) = Naph, L3; R(1) = R(2) = Et, L4; R(1) = R(2) = Cy, L5; R(1) = R(2) = (t)Bu, L6), with different electronic and steric properties were synthesized via NaBH4 reduction of the corresponding Au(I)-SPO complex. These easily accessible ligands allow the formation of well dispersed and small nanoparticles (size 1.2-2.

Phosphinothiolates as ligands for polyhydrido copper nanoclusters.

The reaction of [CuI(HSC6 H4 PPh2 )]2 with NaBH4 in CH2 Cl2 /EtOH led to air- and moisture-stable copper hydride nanoparticles (CuNPs) containing phosphinothiolates as new ligands, one of which was isolated by crystallization. The X-ray crystal structure of [Cu18 H7 L10 I] (L=(-) S(C6 H4 )PPh2 ) shows unprecedented features in its 28-atom framework (18 Cu and 10 S atoms). Seven hydrogen atoms, in hydride form, are needed for charge balance and were located by density functional theory methods.

Effect of the phosphine steric and electronic profile on the Rh-promoted dehydrocoupling of phosphine-boranes.

The electronic and steric effects in the stoichiometric dehydrocoupling of secondary and primary phosphine-boranes H3B·PR2H [R = 3,5-(CF3)2C6H3; p-(CF3)C6H4; p-(OMe)C6H4; adamantyl, Ad] and H3B·PCyH2 to form the metal-bound linear diboraphosphines H3B·PR2BH2·PR2H and H3B·PRHBH2·PRH2, respectively, are reported. Reaction of [Rh(L)(η(6)-FC6H5)][BAr(F)4] [L = Ph2P(CH2)3PPh2, Ar(F) = 3,5-(CF3)2C6H3] with 2 equiv of H3B·PR2H affords [Rh(L)(H)(σ,η-PR2BH3)(η(1)-H3B·PR2H)][BAr(F)4]. These complexes undergo dehydrocoupling to give the diboraphosphine complexes [Rh(L)(H)(σ,η(2)-PR2·BH2PR2·BH3)][BAr(F)4].

Imidazole-nitrile or imidazole-isonitrile C-C coupling on rhenium tricarbonyl complexes.

Ligand activation: Deprotonation of the nitrile or isonitrile complexes [Re(CO)3(N-RIm)2(L)](+) (N-RIm = N-alkylimidazole; L = N≡CtBu, C≡NtBu) selectively afforded alkylidenamido or iminoacyl derivatives, respectively, in which C-C coupling has occurred. Protonation of the latter complex leads to aminocarbene products.

Bis(phosphine)boronium salts. Synthesis, structures and coordination chemistry.

The synthesis of a range of bis(phosphine)boronium salts is reported [(R2HP)2BH2][X] (R = Ph, (t)Bu, Cy) in which the counter anion is also varied (X(-) = Br(-), [OTf](-), [BAr(F)4](-), Ar(F) = 3,5-(CF3)2C6H3). Characterization in the solid-state by X-ray diffraction suggests there are weak hydrogen bonds between the PH units of the boronium cation and the anion (X(-) = Br(-), [OTf](-)), while solution NMR spectroscopy also reveals hydrogen bonding occurs in the order [BAr(F)4](-) < [OTf](-) < Br(-). [(Ph2HP)2BH2][BAr(F)4] reacts with RhH(PPh3)3, by elimination of H2, forming [Rh(κ(1),η-PPh2BH2·PPh2H)(PPh3)2][BAr(F)4] which shows a β-B-agostic interaction from the resulting base stabilised phosphino-borane ligand.

Dehydrocoupling of dimethylamine borane catalyzed by Rh(PCy3)2H2Cl.

The Rh(III) species Rh(PCy3)2H2Cl is an effective catalyst (2 mol %, 298 K) for the dehydrogenation of H3B·NMe2H (0.072 M in 1,2-F2C6H4 solvent) to ultimately afford the dimeric aminoborane [H2BNMe2]2. Mechanistic studies on the early stages in the consumption of H3B·NMe2H, using initial rate and H/D exchange experiments, indicate possible dehydrogenation mechanisms that invoke turnover-limiting N-H activation, which either precedes or follows B-H activation, to form H2B═NMe2, which then dimerizes to give [H2BNMe2]2.

Re-mediated C-C coupling of pyridines and imidazoles.

Rhenium tricarbonyl complexes with three N-heterocyclic ligands (N-alkylimidazoles or pyridines) undergo deprotonation with KN(SiMe(3))(2) and then oxidation with AgOTf to afford complexes with pyridylimidazole or bipyridine bidentate ligands resulting from deprotonation, C-C coupling and rearomatization.

Intermediates in the Rh-catalysed dehydrocoupling of phosphine-borane.

Active species, product distributions and a suggested catalytic cycle are reported for the dehydrocoupling of the phosphine-borane H(3)B·P(t)Bu(2)H to give HP(t)Bu(2)BH(2)P(t)Bu(2)BH(3) using the [Rh(COD)(2)][BAr(F)(4)] pre-catalyst.

Imidazole to NHC rearrangements at molybdenum centers: an experimental and theoretical study.

Both manganese and rhenium complexes of the type [M(bipy)(CO)(3)(N-RIm)](+) (bipy=2,2'-bipyridine) undergo deprotonation of the central CH group of the N-alkylimidazole (N-RIm) ligand when treated with a strong base. However, the outcome of the reaction is very different for either metal. For Mn, the addition of the equimolar amount of an acid to the product of the deprotonation affords an N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) complex, whereas for Re, once the deprotonation of the central imidazole CH group has occurred, the bipy ligand undergoes a nucleophilic attack on an ortho carbon, affording the C-C coupling product.

Organometallic complexes with terminal imidazolato ligands and their use as metalloligands.

Compounds [Re(bipy)(CO)(3)(HIm)]OTf (1) and [Mo(η(3)-C(3)H(4)-R-2)(CO)(2)(HIm)(phen)]BAr'(4) [R = Me (2a), H (2b); Ar' = 3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl; HIm = 1H-imidazole] were prepared from 1H-imidazole and either [Re(OTf)(bipy)(CO)(3)] or [MoCl(η(3)-C(3)H(4)-R-2)(CO)(2)(phen)]. Compounds 1, 2a, and 2b were deprotonated to afford the terminal κ-N-imidazolate complexes [Re(bipy)(CO)(3)(Im)] (3) and [Mo(η(3)-C(3)H(4)-R-2)(CO)(2)(Im)(phen)] [R = Me (4a), H (4b)], which were fully characterized, including an X-ray structural determination of 3. The topological analysis of the electron density (obtained from the X-ray diffraction study) and its Laplacian were used to characterize the differences in the electron density at the five-membered ring ligand between the imidazole and imidazolate complexes 1 and 3.

Effect of the nature of the substituent in N-alkylimidazole ligands on the outcome of deprotonation: ring opening versus the formation of N-heterocyclic carbene complexes.

Complexes [Re(CO)(3)(N-RIm)(3)]OTf (N-RIm=N-alkylimidazole, OTf=trifluoromethanesulfonate; 1a-d) have been straightforwardly synthesised from [Re(OTf)(CO)(5)] and the appropriate N-alkylimidazole. The reaction of compounds 1a-d with the strong base KN(SiMe(3))(2) led to deprotonation of a central C-H group of an imidazole ligand, thus affording very highly reactive derivatives. The latter can evolve through two different pathways, depending on the nature of the substituents of the imidazole ligands.

From N-alkylimidazole ligands at a rhenium center: ring opening or formation of NHC complexes.

Cationic rhenium tricarbonyl complexes with three N-alkylimidazole ligands undergo deprotonation of the central CH group upon reaction with 1 equiv of KN(SiMe3)2. For the tris(N-methylimidazole) complex, the metal fragment shifts from N to C, leaving an NHC complex with a nonsubstituted N atom. For compounds with at least one N-mesitylimidazole ligand, the intramolecular attack of the deprotonated carbon onto the central carbon of an N-mesitylimidazole ligand results in ring opening of the latter.

Pyridine ring opening at room temperature at a rhenium tricarbonyl bipyridine complex.

Pyridine ring opening occurs in the reaction of [Re(CO)3(MeIm)(bipy)]OTf with KN(SiMe3)2 followed by double methylation with methyl trifluoromethanesulfonate. Analogues of the neutral product of the initial deprotonation and of the product of the first methylation were isolated by using mesitylimidazole (MesIm) in place of methylimidazole (MeIm) and/or 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) instead of 2,2'-bipyridine (bipy).

Synthesis, structure, and reactivity of mononuclear RE(I) oximato complexes.

Complexes [Re(ONCMe2)(CO)3(bipy)] (1) and [Re(ONCMe2)(CO)3(phen)] (2), synthesized by reaction of the respective triflato precursors [Re(OTf)(CO)3(N-N)] (N-N = bipy, phen) with KONCMe2, feature O-bonded monodentate oximato ligands. Compound [Re(CO)3(phen)(HONCMe2)]BAr'4 (3), with a monodentate N-bonded oxime ligand, was prepared by reaction of [Re(OTf)(CO)3(phen)], HONCMe2, and NaBAr'4. Deprotonation of 3 afforded 2.