Transition metal-catalyzed dissociation of phosphine-gallane adducts: isolation of mechanistic model complexes and heterogeneous catalyst poisoning studies.

Attempts to induce the catalytic dehydrocoupling of the phosphine-gallane adduct Cy2PH.GaH3 (Cy=cyclohexyl) (1) by treatment with ca. 5 mol% of either the Rh(I) complex [{Rh(mu-Cl)(1,5-cod)}2] (cod=cyclooctadiene) or the Rh(0) species Rh/Al2O3 and [Oct4N]Cl-stabilized colloidal Rh led to catalytic P-Ga bond cleavage to generate the phosphine, H2, and Ga metal. Interestingly, subsequent treatment of the reaction mixtures with Me2NH.BH3 failed to lead to the formation of [Me2N-BH2]2 via Rh-catalyzed dehydrocoupling, which suggested that catalyst deactivation was taking place. Poisoning studies involving the treatment of the active Rh(0) catalyst with Cy2PH, PMe3, or GaH3.OEt2 showed that deactivation indeed occurred as the dehydrocoupling of Me2NH.BH3 either dramatically decreased in rate or did not take place at all. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis of colloidal Rh(0) that had been treated with Cy2PH and PMe3 confirmed the presence of phosphorus on the catalyst surface in each case, consistent with catalyst poisoning via phosphine ligation. A mechanism for the Rh-catalyzed P-Ga bond cleavage reaction of 1 and Me3P.GaH3 (2) is proposed and involves the initial reaction of Ga-H bonds with the Rh colloid surface, which weakens and ultimately breaks the P-Ga bond. The reasonable nature of this mechanism is supported by a model reaction between the zerovalent group 9 complex Co2(CO)8 and 2 which afforded Me3P.Ga[Co(CO)4]3 (3). Consistent with the elongated and thus weakened P-Ga bond in 3, solutions of this species in Et2O subsequently form the known complex [(Me3P)Co(CO)3]2 (4) and Ga metal after 4 h at 25 degrees C.

Synthesis, characterization, and fluorescence behavior of twisted and planar B2N2-quaterphenyl analogues.

A series of planar and twisted heteroaromatic quaterphenyl analogues containing BN ring linkages has been synthesized using primarily difunctional Lewis acidic diborabiphenyl moieties as molecular cores. Crystal structure analyses indicated the presence of large twist angles between adjacent aromatic rings in 1 and 3, which were also observed to possess nonfluorescent behavior due to a lack of molecular rigidity and insufficient B=N character in the excited state. In contrast, the incorporation of one or two bridging ethylene groups between the adjacent rings (installed via an ethynyl cycloisomerization) was found to afford planar phenanthrene or pyrene moieties, which resulted in weak fluorescence behavior (Phi F = 0.02-0.16) for the n-Bu and Ph derivatives 5-12. Emission colors ranged from green (lambda em = 521 nm) to red (lambda em = 630 nm) and depended primarily on the conformation (2,2'- vs 4,4'-), the extent of chromophore conjugation (phenanthrene vs pyrene), and the type of exocyclic substituent present (n-Bu vs Ph). Communication between the two phenanthrene or pyrene moieties was observed in some cases, which was characterized by bathochromically shifted emission bands relative to that of monomeric phenanthrene or pyrene species. Unique excited-state dimer (excimer) fluorescence was observed for the 2,2'-isomer 8, which was characterized by broad, low-energy emission bands bathochromically shifted from that of the corresponding monomer.

Blue fluorescent 4a-Aza-4b-boraphenanthrenes.

[structure: see text]. Phenanthrene analogues with internalized B-N moieties were found to afford blue light emission with good quantum efficiencies, whereas the isomeric species with peripheral B-N moieties displayed only UV emission behavior, like the all-carbon framework.

Triphenylene analogues with B2N2C2 cores: synthesis, structure, redox behavior, and photophysical properties.

A series of alkyl (1-3), aryl (6), and benzo-annulated (4, 5) heteroaromatic triphenylene analogues with B(2)N(2)C(2) cores have been synthesized via chelation of pyridazine derivatives using difunctional Lewis acidic diborabiphenyl precursors. In contrast to triphenylene, NICS(1) calculations on 1 suggested high aromaticities for the central (-11.3 ppm) and outer borabenzene rings (-7.7 ppm), along with nonaromatic behavior for the pyridazine ring (-0.7 ppm). Crystal structure analyses supported this analysis. When the a- and c-faces of the pyridazine moiety were free of substitution (1, 3), planar structures resulted, but upon substitution, a twisted B(2)N(2)C(2) core was observed due to steric repulsion of neighboring hydrogen atoms (e.g., 5). The increase of steric bulk from H (1) to (i)Pr (3) in the planar species was found to result in a dimeric, head-to-tail herringbone packing motif, held together by close intermolecular B...N interactions of 3.39 Angstrom. One-electron reduction by Cp(2)Co was found to afford the radical anions of 3 and 5, which were characterized by broad, featureless singlets in the EPR spectra; [3](.)(-)[Cp(2)Co](+) was characterized by X-ray crystallography. While the planar structures (1-4) were observed to possess weak fluorescence (Phi(F) = 0.02-0.08) with either yellow-orange (ca. 555 nm) or green emission (521 nm), the twisted structures (5, 6) were found to be nonfluorescent.

Poisoning of heterogeneous, late transition metal dehydrocoupling catalysts by boranes and other group 13 hydrides.

Borane reagents are widely used as reductants for the generation of colloidal metals. When treated with a variety of heterogeneous catalysts such as colloidal Rh, Rh/Al2O3, and Rh(0) black, BH3.THF (THF = tetrahydrofuran) was found to generate H2 gas with the concomitant formation of a passivating boron layer on the surface of the Rh metal, thereby acting as a poison and rendering the catalyst inactive toward the dehydrocoupling of Me2NH.BH3. Analogous poisoning effects were also detected for (i) colloidal Rh treated with other species containing B-H bonds such as [HB-NH]3, or Ga-H bonds such as those present in GaH3.OEt2, (ii) colloidal Rh that was generated from Rh(I) and Rh(III) salts using borane or borohydrides as reductants, and (iii) for other metals such as Ru and Pd. In contrast, analogous poisoning effects were not detected for the catalytic hydrogenation of cyclohexene using Rh/Al2O3 or the Pd-catalyzed Suzuki cross-coupling of PhB(OH)2 and PhI. These results suggest that although this poisoning behavior is not a universal phenomenon, the observation that such boron layers are formed and surface passivation may exist needs to be carefully considered when borane reagents are used for the generation of metal colloids for catalytic or materials science applications.

Chemistry of phosphine-borane adducts at platinum centers: dehydrocoupling reactivity of Pt(II) dihydrides with P-H bonds.

The reaction of the Pt(II) dihydride complex cis-[PtH2(dcype)](dcype = 1,2-bis(dicyclohexylphosphino)ethane) with the primary or secondary phosphine-borane adducts PhRPH x BH3(R = H, Ph) was found to exclusively afford the mono-substituted complexes cis-[PtH(PPhR x BH3)(dcype)](1: R = H; 2: R = Ph)via a dehydrocoupling reaction between Pt-H and P-H bonds. Similar reactivity was observed between the uncoordinated phosphines PhRPH (R = H, Ph) and cis-[PtH2(dcype)], which gave cis-[PtH(PPhR)(dcype)](4: R = H; 5: R = Ph). The complexes were characterized by 1H, 11B, 13C and 31P NMR spectroscopy, IR, MS and, in the case of 2, X-ray crystallography that confirmed the cis geometries. The di-substituted complex cis-[Pt(PhPH x BH3)2(dcype)](3) was prepared from the reaction of cis-[PtCl2(dcype)] with two equivalents of Li[PPhH x BH3]. This suggested that steric reasons alone cannot be used to explain the lack of reactivity with respect to a second dehydrocoupling reaction involving the remaining Pt-H bond in complexes 1, 2, 4 and 5.

Heterogeneous or homogeneous catalysis? Mechanistic studies of the rhodium-catalyzed dehydrocoupling of amine-borane and phosphine-borane adducts.

In depth, comparative studies on the catalytic dehydrocoupling of the amine-borane adduct Me(2)NH.BH(3) (to form [Me(2)N-BH(2)](2)) and the phosphine-borane adduct Ph(2)PH.BH(3) (to form Ph(2)PH-BH(2)-PPh(2)-BH(3)) with a variety of Rh (pre)catalysts such as [[Rh(1,5-cod)(micro-Cl)](2)], Rh/Al(2)O(3), Rh(colloid)/[Oct(4)N]Cl, and [Rh(1,5-cod)(2)]OTf have been performed in order to determine whether the dehydrocoupling proceeds by a homogeneous or heterogeneous mechanism. The results obtained suggest that the catalytic dehydrocoupling of Me(2)NH.BH(3) is heterogeneous in nature involving Rh(0) colloids, while that of Ph(2)PH.BH(3) proceeds by a homogeneous mechanism even when starting with Rh(0) precursors such as Rh/Al(2)O(3). The catalytic dehydrocoupling reactions are thought to proceed by different mechanisms due to a combination of factors such as (i) the greater reducing strength of amine-borane adducts, (ii) the increased ease of dissociation of phosphine-borane adducts, and (iii) phosphine ligation and/or poisoning of active catalytic sites on metal colloids.

Ambient temperature, tandem catalytic dehydrocoupling-hydrogenation reactions using Rh colloids and Me2NH.BH3 as a stoichiometric H2 source.

Highly active Rh colloids, generated in situ during the catalytic dehydrocoupling of Me2NH.BH3 using [{Rh(cod)(mu-Cl)}2] as a precatalyst, are capable of efficiently hydrogenating alkenes at 25 degrees C in a one-pot procedure using only the evolved H2 from the initial dehydrocoupling reaction.

Catalytic dehydrocoupling of amine-borane and phosphine-borane adducts: the mechanism is heterogeneous in one case and homogeneous in the other.

The catalytic dehydrocoupling reactions of Me2NH.BH3 and Ph2PH.BH3 using the rhodium precatalyst [Rh(1,5-cod)(mu-Cl)]2 were found to proceed by different mechanisms: heterogeneous involving Rh(0) metal for the former case and homogeneous for the latter.

Linear hybrid aminoborane/phosphinoborane chains: synthesis, proton-hydride interactions, and thermolysis behavior.

The reaction of the lithiated phosphine-borane adducts Li[PPhR.BH(3)] or Li[CH(2)-PR(2).BH(3)] with Me(2)NH.BH(2)Cl afforded the hybrid linear species Me(2)NH-BH(2)-PPhR-BH(3) (1, R = Ph; 2, R = H) or Me(2)NH-BH(2)-CH(2)-PR(2)-BH(3) (3, R = Ph; 4, R = Me). Single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies on 1 and 3, the first for linear hybrid aminoborane/phosphinoborane adducts, confirmed the expected four-coordinate N-B-P-B and N-B-C-P-B frameworks. In addition, interactions between the protic N-H and hydridic B-H hydrogen atoms resulted in short intermolecular H...H contacts for 1, whereas 3 was found to possess an exceptionally short intramolecular H...H distance of 1.95 A. Solution and solid state infrared studies on 3 and 4 also suggest that these dihydrogen interactions were maintained even in dilute solution. Hydrogen bond strengths in the range of 7.9 to 10.9 kJ mol(-1) indicate the presence of a relatively weak interaction. The thermal and catalytic dehydrocoupling reactivities of 1-4 were also investigated. Chain cleavage reactions were observed for 1 and 2 upon thermolysis at 130 degrees C to afford species such as Me(2)NH.BH(3), [Me(2)N-BH(2)](2), PhPRH.BH(3) (R = Ph, H), PhPRH (R = Ph, H), Ph(2)PH-BH(2)-PPh(2)-BH(3), and also the low molecular weight polyphosphinoborane [PhPH-BH(2)](n) (M(w) approximately 5000). Similar products were observed for the attempted catalytic dehydrocoupling reactions but under milder reaction conditions (50 degrees C). Thermolysis of 3 at 130 degrees C yielded the six-membered ring [BH(2)-CH(2)-PPh(2)](2) (5), which presumably results from the dissociation of Me(2)NH.BH(3) from 3. Thermolysis of 4 at 90 degrees C afforded Me(2)NH.BH(3) and Me(3)P.BH(3), in addition to a product tentatively assigned as [BH(2)-CH(2)-PMe(2)](2) (6).

Transition metal-catalyzed formation of boron-nitrogen bonds: catalytic dehydrocoupling of amine-borane adducts to form aminoboranes and borazines.

A mild, catalytic dehydrocoupling route to aminoboranes and borazine derivatives from either primary or secondary amine-borane adducts has been developed using late transition metal complexes as precatalysts. The adduct Me(2)NH.BH(3) thermally eliminates hydrogen at 130 degrees C in the condensed phase to afford [Me(2)N-BH(2)](2) (1). Evidence for an intermolecular process, rather than an intramolecular reaction to form Me(2)N=BH(2) as an intermediate, was forthcoming from "hot tube" experiments where no appreciable dehydrocoupling of gaseous Me(2)NH.BH(3) was detected in the range 150-450 degrees C. The dehydrocoupling of Me(2)NH.BH(3) was found to be catalyzed by 0.5 mol % [Rh(1,5-cod)(mu-Cl)](2) in solution at 25 degrees C to give 1 quantitatively after ca. 8 h. The rate of dehydrocoupling was significantly enhanced if the temperature was raised or if the catalyst loading was increased. The catalytic activity of various other transition metal complexes (Ir, Ru, Pd) for the dehydrocoupling of Me(2)NH.BH(3) was also demonstrated. This new catalytic method was extended to other secondary adducts RR'NH.BH(3) which afforded the dimeric species [(1,4-C(4)H(8))N-BH(2)](2) (2) and [PhCH(2)(Me)N-BH(2)](2) (3) or the monomeric aminoborane (i)Pr(2)N=BH(2) (4) under mild conditions. A new synthetic approach to the linear compounds R(2)NH-BH(2)-NR(2)-BH(3) (5: R = Me; 6: R = 1,4-C(4)H(8)) was developed and subsequent catalytic dehydrocoupling of these species yielded the cyclics 1 and 2. The species 5 and 6 are postulated to be intermediates in the formation of 1 and 2 directly from the catalytic dehydrocoupling of the adducts R(2)NH.BH(3). The catalytic dehydrocoupling of NH(3).BH(3), MeNH(2).BH(3), and PhNH(2).BH(3) at 45 degrees C to give the borazine derivatives [RN-BH](3) (10: R = H; 11: R = Me; 12: R = Ph) was demonstrated. TEM analysis of the contents of the reaction solution for the [Rh(1,5-cod)(mu-Cl)](2) catalyzed dehydrocoupling of Me(2)NH.BH(3) together with Hg poisoning experiments suggested a heterogeneous catalytic process involving Rh(0) colloids.

Chemistry of phosphine-borane adducts at platinum centers: synthesis and reactivity of PtII complexes with phosphinoborane ligands.

Reaction of [Pt(PEt(3))(3)] with the primary and secondary phosphine-borane adducts PhRPH x BH(3) (R=H, Ph) resulted in oxidative addition of a P-H bond at the Pt(0) center to afford the complexes trans-[PtH(PPhR x BH(3))(PEt(3))(2)] (1: R=H; 2: R=Ph). The products 1 and 2 were characterized by (1)H, (11)B, (13)C, (31)P, and (195)Pt NMR spectroscopy, and the molecular structures were verified by X-ray crystallography. In both cases, a trans arrangement of the hydride ligand with respect to the phosphidoborane ligand was observed. When 2 was treated with PhPH(2) x BH(3), a novel phosphidoborane ligand-exchange reaction occurred which yielded 1 and Ph(2)PH x BH(3). Treatment of 2 with one equivalent of depe (depe=1,2-bis(diethylphosphino)ethane) resulted in the formation of the complex cis-[PtH(PPh(2) x BH(3))(depe)] (3), in which the hydride ligand and the phosphidoborane ligand are in a cis arrangement. Treatment of 3 with PhPH(2) x BH(3) was found to result in an exchange of the phosphidoborane ligands to give the complex cis-[PtH(PPhH x BH(3))(depe)] (4) and Ph(2)PH x BH(3). Complex 4 was found to undergo further reaction in the presence of PhPH(2) x BH(3) to give meso-cis-[Pt(PPhH x BH(3))(2)(depe)] (5) and rac-cis-[Pt(PPhH x BH(3))(2)(depe)] (6).