Triple-Decker Iron and Cobalt Complexes Featuring a Bridging 1,2-Diboratabenzene Ligand.

Neutral triple-decker iron and cobalt complexes with a bridging 1,2-diboratabenzene ligand were accessed by reactions of a dilithium 1,2-diboratabenzene reagent with [Cp*FeCl]2 and [Cp*CoCl]2, respectively. While 1,2-diboratabenzene metal complexes are known, these represent the first examples of the ligand bridging two metals.

Unlocking metal coordination of diborylamides through ring constraints.

A cyclic lithium diborylamide compound was synthesized and crystallographically characterized, revealing strong Li-N bonding in sharp contrast to previous linear diborylamides. Two iron(II) diborylamide complexes were also synthesized, including a 2-coordinate Fe bis(diborylamide) complex. The present cyclic diborylamide represents a new addition to the growing scope of amide ligands.

Electrochemical C-H bond activation via cationic iridium hydride pincer complexes.

A C-H bond activation strategy based on electrochemical activation of a metal hydride is introduced. Electrochemical oxidation of ( tBu4 PCP)IrH4 ( tBu4 PCP is [1,3-( t Bu2PCH2)-C6H3]-) in the presence of pyridine derivatives generates cationic Ir hydride complexes of the type [( tBu4 PCP)IrH(L)]+ (where L = pyridine, 2,6-lutidine, or 2-phenylpyridine). Facile deprotonation of [( tBu4 PCP)IrH(2,6-lutidine)]+ with the phosphazene base tert-butylimino-tris(pyrrolidino)phosphorane, t BuP1(pyrr), results in selective C-H activation of 1,2-difluorobenzene (1,2-DFB) solvent to generate ( tBu4 PCP)Ir(H)(2,3-C6F2H3). The overall electrochemical C-H activation reaction proceeds at room temperature without need for chemical activation by a sacrificial alkene hydrogen acceptor. This rare example of undirected electrochemical C-H activation holds promise for the development of future catalytic processes.

Mechanism of Chemical and Electrochemical N2 Splitting by a Rhenium Pincer Complex.

A comprehensive mechanistic study of N2 activation and splitting into terminal nitride ligands upon reduction of the rhenium dichloride complex [ReCl2(PNP)] is presented (PNP- = N(CH2CH2P tBu2)2-). Low-temperature studies using chemical reductants enabled full characterization of the N2-bridged intermediate [{(PNP)ClRe}2(N2)] and kinetic analysis of the N-N bond scission process. Controlled potential electrolysis at room temperature also resulted in formation of the nitride product [Re(N)Cl(PNP)]. This first example of molecular electrochemical N2 splitting into nitride complexes enabled the use of cyclic voltammetry (CV) methods to establish the mechanism of reductive N2 activation to form the N2-bridged intermediate. CV data was acquired under Ar and N2, and with varying chloride concentration, rhenium concentration, and N2 pressure. A series of kinetic models was vetted against the CV data using digital simulations, leading to the assignment of an ECCEC mechanism (where "E" is an electrochemical step and "C" is a chemical step) for N2 activation that proceeds via initial reduction to ReII, N2 binding, chloride dissociation, and further reduction to ReI before formation of the N2-bridged, dinuclear intermediate by comproportionation with the ReIII precursor. Experimental kinetic data for all individual steps could be obtained. The mechanism is supported by density functional theory computations, which provide further insight into the electronic structure requirements for N2 splitting in the tetragonal frameworks enforced by rigid pincer ligands.

A Ruthenium Hydrido Dinitrogen Core Conserved across Multielectron/Multiproton Changes to the Pincer Ligand Backbone.

A series of ruthenium(II) hydrido dinitrogen complexes supported by pincer ligands in different formal oxidation states have been prepared and characterized. Treating a ruthenium dichloride complex supported by the pincer ligand bis(di-tert-butylphosphinoethyl)amine (H-PNP) with reductant or base generates new five-coordinate cis-hydridodinitrogen ruthenium complexes each containing different forms of the pincer ligand. Further ligand transformations provide access to the first isostructural set of complexes featuring all six different forms of the pincer ligand. The conserved cis-hydridodinitrogen structure facilitates characterization of the π-donor, π-acceptor, and/or σ-donor properties of the ligands and assessment of the impact of ligand-centered multielectron/multiproton changes on N2 activation. Crystallographic studies, infrared spectroscopy, and 15N NMR spectroscopy indicate that N2 remains weakly activated in all cases, providing insight into the donor properties of the different pincer ligand states. Ramifications on applications of (pincer)Ru species in catalysis are considered.

Ammonia Synthesis from a Pincer Ruthenium Nitride via Metal-Ligand Cooperative Proton-Coupled Electron Transfer.

The conversion of metal nitride complexes to ammonia may be essential to dinitrogen fixation. We report a new reduction pathway that utilizes ligating acids and metal-ligand cooperation to effect this conversion without external reductants. Weak acids such as 4-methoxybenzoic acid and 2-pyridone react with nitride complex [(H-PNP)RuN]+ (H-PNP = HN(CH2CH2PtBu2)2) to generate octahedral ammine complexes that are κ2-chelated by the conjugate base. Experimental and computational mechanistic studies reveal the important role of Lewis basic sites proximal to the acidic proton in facilitating protonation of the nitride. The subsequent reduction to ammonia is enabled by intramolecular 2H+/2e- proton-coupled electron transfer from the saturated pincer ligand backbone.

Neutral Fe(IV) alkylidenes, including some that bind dinitrogen.

Neutral, formally Fe(IV) alkylidene species are sought as plausible olefin metathesis catalysts, and the synthesis of several is described herein. The complexes are prepared via nucleophilic attack (Nu = MeLi, PhCH2K, 2-picolyllithium, Me2PCH2Li, MePhPCH2Li, Ph2PCH2Li) at the imine of cationic [mer-{κ-C,N,C-(C6H4-yl)-2-CH=N(2-C6H4-C(iPr)=)}Fe(PMe3)3][B(3,5-CF3-C6H3)4]. In contrast, MeMgCl and mesityllithium displaced and deprotonated bound PMe3, respectively. Structural details are provided for mer-{κ-C,N,C-(C6H4-yl)-2-CH(Bn)N(2-C6H4-C(iPr))}Fe{trans-(PMe3)2}N2 and {κ-C,N,C,P-(C6H4-yl)-2-CH(CH2PMe2)N(2-C6H4-C(iPr)=)}Fe(PMe3)2.

Fe(iv) alkylidenes via protonation of Fe(ii) vinyl chelates and a comparative Mössbauer spectroscopic study.

Treatment of cis-Me2Fe(PMe3)4 with di-1,2-(E-2-(pyridin-2-yl)vinyl)benzene ((bdvp)H2), a tetradentate ligand precursor, afforded (bdvp)Fe(PMe3)2 (1-PMe3) and 2 equiv. CH4, via C-H bond activation. Similar treatments with tridentate ligand precursors PhCH[double bond, length as m-dash]NCH2(E-CH[double bond, length as m-dash]CHPh) ((pipp)H2) and PhCH[double bond, length as m-dash]N(2-CCMe-Ph) ((pipa)H) under dinitrogen provided trans-(pipp)Fe(PMe3)2N2 (2) and trans-(pipvd)Fe(PMe3)2N2 (3), respectively; the latter via one C-H bond activation, and a subsequent insertion of the alkyne into the remaining Fe-Me bond. All three Fe(ii) vinyl species were protonated with H[BArF 4] to form the corresponding Fe(iv) alkylidene cations, [(bavp)Fe(PMe3)2][BArF 4] (4-PMe3), [(piap)Fe(PMe3)3][BArF 4] (5), and [(pipad)Fe(PMe3)3][BArF 4] (6). Mössbauer spectroscopic measurements on the formally Fe(ii) and Fe(iv) derivatives revealed isomer shifts within 0.1 mm s-1, reflecting the similarity in their bond distances.