Square-planar imido complexes of cobalt: synthesis, reactivity and computational study.

Treatment of [Co(N2)(tBuPNP)] (tBuPNP = anion of 2,5-bis(di-tert-butylphosphinomethyl)pyrrole) with one equivalent of an aryl azide generates the four-coordinate imido complexes [Co(NAr)(tBuPNP)] (Ar = mesityl, phenyl, or 4-tBu-phenyl). X-ray crystallographic analysis of the compounds shows an unusual square-planar geometry about cobalt with nearly linear imido units. In the presence of the hydrogen atom donor, TEMPOH, [Co(NPh)(tBuPNP)] undergoes addition of the H atom to the imido nitrogen to generate the corresponding amido complex, [Co(NHPh)(tBuPNP)], whose structure and composition were verified by independent synthesis. Despite the observation of H atom transfer reactivity with TEMPOH, the imido complexes do not show catalytic activity for C-H amination or aziridination for several substrates examined. In the case of [Co(NPh)(tBuPNP)], addition of excess azide produced the tetrazido complex, [Co(N4Ph2)(tBuPNP)], whose bond metrics were most consistent with an anionic Ph2N4 ligand. Density Functional Theory (DFT) investigations of the imido and tetrazido species suggest that they adopt a ground state best described as possessing a low-spin cobalt(II) ion ferromagnetically coupled to an iminyl radical.

Structural Characterization of the [CuOR]2+ Core.

Formal Cu(III) complexes bearing an oxygen-based auxiliary ligand ([CuOR]2+, R = H or CH2CF3) were stabilized by modulating the donor character of supporting ligand LY (LY = 4-Y, N,N'-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)-2,6-pyridinedicarboxamide, Y = H or OMe) and/or the basicity of the auxiliary ligand, enabling the first characterization of these typically highly reactive cores by NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography. Enhanced lifetimes in solution and slowed rates of PCET with a phenol substrate were observed. NMR spectra corroborate the S = 0 ground states of the complexes, and X-ray structures reveal shortened Cu-ligand bond distances that match well with theory.

Backbone Dehydrogenation in Pyrrole-Based Pincer Ligands.

Treatment of both [CoCl( tBuPNP)] and [NiCl( tBuPNP)] ( tBuPNP = anion of 2,5-bis((di- tert-butylphosphino)methyl)pyrrole) with one equivalent of benzoquinone affords the corresponding chloride complexes containing a dehydrogenated PNP ligand, tBudPNP ( tBudPNP = anion of 2,5-bis((di- tert-butylphosphino)methylene)-2,5-dihydropyrrole). Dehydrogenation of PNP to dPNP results in minimal change to steric profile of the ligand but has important consequences for the resulting redox potentials of the metal complexes, resulting in the ability to isolate both [CoH( tBudPNP)] and [CoEt( tBudPNP)], which are more challenging (hydride) or not possible (ethyl) to prepare with the parent PNP ligand. Electrochemical measurements with both the Co and Ni dPNP species demonstrate a substantial shift in redox potentials for both the M(II/III) and M(II/I) couples. In the case of the former, oxidation to trivalent Co was found to be reversible, and subsequent reaction with AgSbF6 afforded a rare example of a square-planar Co(III) species. Corresponding reduction of [CoCl( tBudPNP)] with KC8 produced the diamagnetic Co(I) species, [Co(N2)( tBudPNP)]. Further reduction of the Co(I) complex was found to generate a pincer-based π-radical anion that demonstrated well-resolved EPR features to the four hydrogen atoms and lone nitrogen atom of the ligand with minor contributions from cobalt and coordinated N2. Changes in the electronic character of the PNP ligand upon dehydrogenation are proposed to result from loss of aromaticity in the pyrrole ligand, resulting in a more reducing central amido donor. DFT calculations on the Co(II) complexes were performed to shed further insight into the electronic structure of the pincer complexes.

Preparation and reactivity of a square-planar PNP cobalt(ii)-hydrido complex: isolation of the first {Co-NO}8-hydride.

The synthesis of a square-planar cobalt(ii) hydrido complex supported by a pyrrole-based PNP ligand has been reinvestigated and its reactivity with various small molecules examined. Preparation of the complex was accomplished by treatment of the corresponding chloride complex, [CoCl(tBuPNP)] (tBuPNP = anion of 2,5-bis((di-tert-butylphosphino)methyl)pyrrole), with di-iso-butylaluminum hydride (DIBAL). Reaction of [CoCl(tBuPNP)] with other hydride sources such as NaEt3BH and LiAlH4 resulted in mixtures of the desired Co(ii) hydride along with the reduced Co(i) species, [Co(N2)(tBuPNP)], as the primary product. The hydride complex exhibits facile migratory insertion chemistry with CO2 producing the corresponding Co(ii) formate complex. When the Co-H complex is reacted with nitric oxide, the first example of a cobalt nitrosyl hydride complex is produced.

Synthesis and characterisation of ruthenium-nitrosyl complexes in oxygen-rich ligand environments.

A series of new {Ru-NO}6 complexes containing Kläui's tripodal oxygen ligand, [CpCo{P(O)(OMe)2}3]- (LOMe), and substituted catecholates have been prepared by chloride exchange with [Ru(LOMe)(NO)Cl2]. The [Ru(LOMe)(NO)(cat)] complexes (cat = dianion of catechol, 3,5-di-tert-butylcatechol, tetrabromocatechol, or 2,3-dihydroxynaphthalene) demonstrate spectroscopic features and redox properties consistent with the electronic character of the catecholate ligands. Several of the compounds display reversible oxidation events by cyclic voltammetry arising from the redox non-innocence of the catecholate ligands. Chemical oxidation of the di-tert-butylcatecholate complex, [Ru(LOMe)(NO)(tBu2cat)], with AgBF4 affords [Ru(LOMe)(NO)(tBu2semiquin)](BF4), a {Ru-NO}6 species that contains a semiquinone ligand. Photolysis of the semiquinone complex results in loss of NO and formation of the corresponding quinone complex, [Ru(LOMe)(CH3CN)(tBu2quin)](BF4). By contrast, photolysis of [Ru(LOMe)(NO)(Br4cat)], which contains the tetrabromocatecholate ligand, results in loss of NO and formation of the Ru(iii) complex, [Ru(LOMe)(CH3CN)(Br4cat)]. Each of the new compounds represents a rare example of a Ru complex in an oxygen-rich ligand field, which may serve as a molecular model for heterogeneous catalysts comprising noble metal atoms dispersed on metal oxide supports.

Cytosine derivatives form hemiprotonated dimers in solution and the gas phase.

Hemiprotonated dimers of cytosine derivatives, implicated in the formation of the i-motif of DNA, have been created in solution and the gas phase. The mechanism of dimerization has been analyzed by mass spectrometry and multidimensional NMR spectroscopy.