Synthesis, characterisation, and catalytic application of a soluble molecular carrier of sodium hydride activated by a substituted 4-(dimethylamino)pyridine.

Recently main group compounds have stepped into the territory of precious transition metal compounds with respect to utility in the homogeneous catalysis of fundamentally important organic transformations. Inspired by the need to promote more sustainability in chemistry because of their greater abundance in nature, this change of direction is surprising since main group metals generally do not possess the same breadth of reactivity as precious transition metals. Here, we introduce the dihydropyridylsodium compound, Na-1,2-tBu-DH(DMAP), and its monomeric variant [Na-1,2-tBu-DH(DMAP)]·Me6TREN, and demonstrate their effectiveness in transfer hydrogenation catalysis of the representative alkene 1,1-diphenylethylene to the alkane 1,1-diphenylethane using 1,4-cyclohexadiene as hydrogen source [DMAP = 4-dimethylaminopyridine; Me6TREN = tris(N,N-dimethyl-2-aminoethyl)amine]. Sodium is appealing because of its high abundance in the earth's crust and oceans, but organosodium compounds have been rarely used in homogeneous catalysis. The success of the dihydropyridylsodium compounds can be attributed to their high solubility and reactivity in organic solvents.

Synthesis and Reactivity of Bis-tris(pyrazolyl)borate Lanthanide/Aluminum Heterobimetallic Trihydride Complexes.

Molecular heterobimetallic hydride complexes of lanthanide (Ln) and main-group (MG) metals exhibit chemical properties unique from their monometallic counterparts and are highly reactive species, making their synthesis and isolation challenging. Herein, molecular Ln/Al heterobimetallic trihydrides [Ln(Tp)2(µ-H)2Al(H)(N″)] [2-Ln; Ln = Y, Sm, Dy, Yb; Tp = hydrotris(1-pyrazolyl)borate; N″ = N(SiMe3)2] have been synthesized by facile insertion of aminoalane [Me3N·AlH3] into the Ln-N amide bonds of [Ln(Tp)2(N″)] (1-Ln). Thus, this is a simple synthetic strategy to access a range of Ln/Al hydrides. Reactivity studies demonstrate that 2-Ln is a heterobimetallic hydride, with evidence for the cooperative nature of 2-Ln shown by the catalytic amine-borane dehydrocoupling under ambient conditions in contrast to its monomeric counterparts.

Synthesis and Reactivity of an Aluminium N-heterocyclic Aminal.

Tethered N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) are an emerging class of ligand, as they feature all the desirable aspects of NHCs (ease of synthesis, high tunabilty) but also enable metal-ligand cooperativity when combined with Lewis acidic metal centres due to the donor-acceptor nature of the complexes formed. Herein we report a simple ethoxy-tethered NHC for the stabilisation of Al(III) hydrides, resulting in the unexpected formation of a bicyclic N-heterocyclic aminal (1). Compound 1 behaves as a metal hydride, capable of reducing benzophenone and carbodiimide to yield compounds 2 and 3, respectively. Furthermore, we show that 1 behaves as an efficient catalyst in the dehydrocoupling of amine-boranes due to the hemi-labile nature of the supporting ligand.

Porous Metal-Organic Cages Based on Rigid Bicyclo[2.2.2]oct-7-ene Type Ligands: Synthesis, Structure, and Gas Uptake Properties.

Three new ligands containing a bicyclo[2.2.2]oct-7-ene-2,3,5,6-tetracarboxydiimide unit have been used to assemble lantern-type metal-organic cages with the general formula [Cu4 L4 ]. Functionalisation of the backbone of the ligands leads to distinct crystal packing motifs between the three cages, as observed with single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The three cages vary in their gas sorption behaviour, and the capacity of the materials for CO2 is found to depend on the activation conditions: softer activation conditions lead to superior uptake, and one of the cages displays the highest BET surface area found for lantern-type cages so far.

An Aluminum Telluride with a Terminal Al=Te Bond and its Conversion to an Aluminum Tellurocarbonate by CO2 Reduction.

Facile access to dimeric heavier aluminum chalcogenides [(NHC)Al(Tipp)-µ-Ch]2 (NHC=IiPr (1,3-diisopropyl-4,5-dimethylimidazol-2-ylidene, IMe4 (1,3,4,5-tetramethylimidazol-2-ylidene); Tipp=2,4,6-iPr3 C6 H2 ; Ch=Se, Te) by treatment of NHC-stabilized aluminum dihydrides with elemental Se and Te is reported. The higher affinity of IMe4 in comparison with IiPr toward the Al center in [(NHC)Al(Tipp)-µ-Ch]2 can be used for ligand exchange. Additionally, the presence of excess IMe4 allows for cleavage of the dimers to form a rare example of a neutral multiply bonded heavier aluminum chalcogenide in the form of a tetracoordinate aluminum complex, (IMe4 )2 (Tipp)Al=Te. This species reacts with three equivalents of CO2 across two Al-CNHC and the Al=Te bond affording a pentacoordinate aluminum complex containing a dianionic tellurocarbonate ligand [CO2 Te]2- , which is the first example of tellurium analogue of a carbonate [CO3 ]2- .

Isolation of Cyclic Aluminium Polysulfides by Stepwise Sulfurization.

Despite the notable progress in aluminium chalcogenides, their sulfur congeners have rarely been isolated under mild conditions owing to limited synthetic precursors and methods. Herein, facile isolation of diverse molecular aluminium sulfides is achievable, by the reaction of N-heterocyclic carbene-stabilized terphenyl dihydridoaluminium (1) with various thiation reagents. Different to the known dihydridoaluminium 1Tipp , 1 features balanced stability and reactivity at the Al center. It is this balance that enables the first monomeric aluminium hydride hydrogensulfide 2, the six-membered cyclic aluminium polysulfide 4 and the five-membered cyclic aluminium polysulfide 6 to be isolated, by reaction with various equivalents of elemental sulfur. Moreover, a rare aluminium heterocyclic sulfide with Al-S-P five-membered ring (7) was obtained in a controlled manner. All new compounds were fully characterized by multinuclear NMR spectroscopy and elemental analysis. Their structures were confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies.

Germyliumylidene: A Versatile Low Valent Group 14 Catalyst.

Bis-NHC stabilized germyliumylidenes [RGe(NHC)2 ]+ are typically Lewis basic (LB) in nature, owing to their lone pair and coordination of two NHCs to the vacant p-orbitals of the germanium center. However, they can also show Lewis acidity (LA) via Ge-CNHC σ* orbital. Utilizing this unique electronic feature, we report the first example of bis-NHC-stabilized germyliumylidene [Mes TerGe(NHC)2 ]Cl (1), (Mes Ter=2,6-(2,4,6-Me3 C6 H2 )2 C6 H3 ; NHC= IMe4 =1,3,4,5-tetramethylimidazol-2-ylidene) catalyzed reduction of CO2 with amines and arylsilane, which proceeds via its Lewis basic nature. In contrast, the Lewis acid nature of 1 is utilized in the catalyzed hydroboration and cyanosilylation of carbonyls, thus highlighting the versatile ambiphilic nature of bis-NHC stabilized germyliumylidenes.

Reversible Activation and Transfer of White Phosphorus by Silyl-Stannylene.

Use of a silyl supported stannylene (Mes TerSn(Sit Bu3 ) [Mes Ter=2,6-(2,4,6-Me3 C6 H2 )2 C6 H3 ] enables activation of white phosphorus under mild conditions, which is reversible under UV light. The reaction of a silylene chloride with the activated P4 complex results in facile P-atom transfer. The computational analysis rationalizes the electronic features and high reactivity of the heteroleptic silyl-substituted stannylene in contrast to the previously reported bis(aryl)stannylene.

Main Group Multiple Bonds for Bond Activations and Catalysis.

Since the discovery that the so-called "double-bond" rule could be broken, the field of molecular main group multiple bonds has expanded rapidly. With the majority of homodiatomic double and triple bonds realised within the p-block, along with many heterodiatomic combinations, this Minireview examines the reactivity of these compounds with a particular emphasis on small molecule activation. Furthermore, whilst their ability to act as transition metal mimics has been explored, their catalytic behaviour is somewhat limited. This Minireview aims to highlight the potential of these complexes towards catalytic application and their role as synthons in further functionalisations making them a versatile tool for the modern synthetic chemist.

N-Heterocyclic Carbene-Stabilized Germa-acylium Ion: Reactivity and Utility in Catalytic CO2 Functionalizations.

The first acceptor-free heavier germanium analogue of an acylium ion, [RGe(O)(NHC)2]X (R = MesTer = 2,6-(2,4,6-Me3C6H2)2C6H3; NHC = IMe4 = 1,3,4,5-tetramethylimidazol-2-ylidene; X = (Cl or BArF = {(3,5-(CF3)2C6H5)4B}), was isolated by reacting [RGe(NHC)2]X with N2O. Conversion of the germa-acylium ion to the first solely donor-stabilized germanium ester [(NHC)RGe(O)(OSiPh3)] and corresponding heavier analogues ([RGe(S)(NHC)2]X and [RGe(Se)(NHC)2]X) demonstrated its classical acylium-like behavior. The polarized terminal GeO bond in the germa-acylium ion was utilized to activate CO2 and silane, with the former found to be an example of reversible activation of CO2, thus mimicking the behavior of transition metal oxides. Furthermore, its transition-metal-like nature is demonstrated as it was found to be an active catalyst in both CO2 hydrosilylation and reductive N-functionalization of amines using CO2 as the C1 source. Mechanistic studies were undertaken both experimentally and computationally, which revealed that the reaction proceeds via an N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) siloxygermylene [(NHC)RGe(OSiHPh2)].

Dialumenes - aryl vs. silyl stabilisation for small molecule activation and catalysis.

Main group multiple bonds have proven their ability to act as transition metal mimics in the last few decades. However, catalytic application of these species is still in its infancy. Herein we report the second neutral NHC-stabilised dialumene species by use of a supporting aryl ligand (3). Different to the trans-planar silyl-substituted dialumene (3Si), compound 3 features a trans-bent and twisted geometry. The differences between the two dialumenes are explored computationally (using B3LYP-D3/6-311G(d)) as well as experimentally. A high influence of the ligand's steric demand on the structural motif is revealed, giving rise to enhanced reactivity of 3 enabled by a higher flexibility in addition to different polarisation of the aluminium centres. As such, facile activation of dihydrogen is now achievable. The influence of ligand choice is further implicated in two different catalytic reactions; not only is the aryl-stabilised dialumene more catalytically active but the resulting product distributions also differ, thus indicating the likelihood of alternate mechanisms simply through a change of supporting ligand.

CO2 Fixation and Catalytic Reduction by a Neutral Aluminum Double Bond.

CO2 fixation and reduction to value-added products is of utmost importance in the battle against rising CO2 levels in the Earth's atmosphere. An organoaluminum complex containing a formal aluminum double bond (dialumene), and thus an alkene equivalent, was used for the fixation and reduction of CO2 . The CO2 fixation complex undergoes further reactivity in either the absence or presence of additional CO2 , resulting in the first dialuminum carbonyl and carbonate complexes, respectively. Dialumene (1) can also be used in the catalytic reduction of CO2 , providing selective formation of a formic acid equivalent via the dialuminum carbonate complex rather than a conventional aluminum-hydride-based cycle. Not only are the CO2 reduction products of interest for C1 added value products, but the organoaluminum complexes isolated represent a significant step forward in the isolation of reactive intermediates proposed in many industrially relevant catalytic processes.

Selective and catalytic carbon dioxide and heteroallene activation mediated by cerium N-heterocyclic carbene complexes.

A series of rare earth complexes of the form Ln(LR)3 supported by bidentate ortho-aryloxide-NHC ligands are reported (LR = 2-O-3,5-tBu2-C6H2(1-C{N(CH)2N(R)})); R = iPr, tBu, Mes; Ln = Ce, Sm, Eu). The cerium complexes cleanly and quantitatively insert carbon dioxide exclusively into all three cerium carbene bonds, forming Ce(LR·CO2)3. The insertion is reversible only for the mesityl-substituted complex Ce(LMes)3. Analysis of the capacity of Ce(LR)3 to insert a range of heteroallenes that are isoelectronic with CO2 reveals the solvent and ligand size dependence of the selectivity. This is important because only the complexes capable of reversible CO2-insertion are competent catalysts for catalytic conversions of CO2. Preliminary studies show that only Ce(LMes·CO2)3 catalyses the formation of propylene carbonate from propylene oxide under 1 atm of CO2 pressure. The mono-ligand complexes can be isolated from reactions using LiCe(NiPr2)4 as a starting material; LiBr adducts [Ce(LR)(NiPr2)Br·LiBr(THF)]2 (R = Me, iPr) are reported, along with a hexanuclear N-heterocyclic dicarbene [Li2Ce3(OArCMe-H)3(NiPr2)5(THF)2]2 by-product. The analogous para-aryloxide-NHC proligand (p-LMes = 4-O-2,6-tBu2-C6H2(1-C{N(CH)2NMes}))) has been made for comparison, but the rare earth tris-ligand complexes Ln(p-LMes)3(THF)2 (Ln = Y, Ce) are too reactive for straightforward Lewis pair separated chemistry to be usefully carried out.

Experimental Realisation of Elusive Multiple-Bonded Aluminium Compounds: A New Horizon in Aluminium Chemistry.

The synthesis and isolation of stable main group compounds featuring multiple bonds has been of great interest for several decades. A plethora of such multiply bonded complexes have been obtained by using sterically demanding substituents that provide both kinetic and thermodynamic stability. Most of these compounds have unusual structural and electronic properties that challenge the classical concept of covalent multiple bonding. In contrast, analogous aluminium compounds are scarce in spite of its high natural abundance. The parent dialumene (Al2 H2 ) has been calculated to be extremely unstable, thus making compounds containing Al multiple bonds a challenging synthetic target. This Review provides an overview of the recent advances in the cutting edge synthetic approaches and the careful ligand design used to obtain aluminium homo- and heterodiatomic multiply bonded complexes. In addition, the reactivity of these novel compounds towards various small molecules and reagents will be discussed herein.

Destruction of chemical warfare agent simulants by air and moisture stable metal NHC complexes.

The cooperative effect of both NHC and metal centre has been found to destroy chemical warfare agent (CWA) simulants. Choice of both the metal and NHC is key to these transformations as simple, monodentate N-heterocyclic carbenes in combination with silver or vanadium can promote stoichiometric destruction, whilst bidentate, aryloxide-tethered NHC complexes of silver and alkali metals promote breakdown under mild heating. Iron-NHC complexes generated in situ are competent catalysts for the destruction of each of the three targetted CWA simulants.

Easy access to nucleophilic boron through diborane to magnesium boryl metathesis.

Organoboranes are some of the most synthetically valuable and widely used intermediates in organic and pharmaceutical chemistry. Their synthesis, however, is limited by the behaviour of common boron starting materials as archetypal Lewis acids such that common routes to organoboranes rely on the reactivity of boron as an electrophile. While the realization of convenient sources of nucleophilic boryl anions would open up a wealth of opportunity for the development of new routes to organoboranes, the synthesis of current candidates is generally limited by a need for highly reducing reaction conditions. Here, we report a simple synthesis of a magnesium boryl through the heterolytic activation of the B-B bond of bis(pinacolato)diboron, which is achieved by treatment of an easily generated magnesium diboranate complex with 4-dimethylaminopyridine. The magnesium boryl is shown to act as an unambiguous nucleophile through its reactions with iodomethane, benzophenone and N,N'-di-isopropyl carbodiimide and by density functional theory.

Hydrodeoxygenation of isocyanates: snapshots of a magnesium-mediated C[double bond, length as m-dash]O bond cleavage.

Organic isocyanates are readily converted to methyl amine products through their hydroboration with HBpin in the presence of a ß-diketiminato magnesium catalyst. Although borylated amide and N-,O-bis(boryl)hemiaminal species have been identified as intermediates during the reductive catalysis, the overall reduction and C-O activation is metal-mediated and proposed to occur through the further intermediacy of well-defined magnesium formamidato, formamidatoborate and magnesium boryloxide derivatives. Examples of all these species have been identified and fully characterised through stoichiometric reactivity studies and the stability of the borate species leads us to suggest that, under catalytic conditions, the onward progress of the deoxygenation reaction is crucially dependent on the further activation provided by the Lewis acidic HBpin substrate. These deductions have been explored and ratified through a DFT study.

Magnesium Catalysis for the Hydroboration of Carbodiimides.

A ß-diketiminato magnesium alkyl complex, [CH{C(Me)NDipp}2 }MgnBu] (Dipp=2,6-iPr2 C6 H3 ), was shown to be an effective pre-catalyst for the first reported catalytic hydroboration of alkyl- and aryl-substituted carbodiimides with pinacol borane (HBpin). The catalytic reactions proceed under mild conditions to afford the corresponding N-borylated formamidine compounds in good yields. The reactions were observed to proceed through the intermediacy of magnesium amidinate and formamidinatoborate intermediates and an example of one of these latter species has been structurally characterised by an X-ray diffraction analysis. Crucially, no formation of the N-boryl formamidine products was observed in the absence of additional equivalents of the carbodiimide and HBpin substrates. This observation, supported by the evolution of a sigmoidal kinetic profile for the hydroboration of dicyclohexylcarbodiimide, has been rationalised as the consequence of an allosteric effect of the pinacol borane and carbodiimide on the magnesium formamidinatoborate intermediates.

Alkaline earths as main group reagents in molecular catalysis.

The past decade has witnessed some remarkable advances in our appreciation of the structural and reaction chemistry of the heavier alkaline earth (Ae = Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba) elements. Derived from complexes of these metals in their immutable +2 oxidation state, a broad and widely applicable catalytic chemistry has also emerged, driven by considerations of cost and inherent low toxicity. The considerable adjustments incurred to ionic radius and resultant cation charge density also provide reactivity with significant mechanistic and kinetic variability as group 2 is descended. In an attempt to place these advances in the broader context of contemporary main group element chemistry, this review focusses on the developing state of the art in both multiple bond heterofunctionalisation and cross coupling catalysis. We review specific advances in alkene and alkyne hydroamination and hydrophosphination catalysis and related extensions of this reactivity that allow the synthesis of a wide variety of acyclic and heterocyclic small molecules. The use of heavier alkaline earth hydride derivatives as pre-catalysts and intermediates in multiple bond hydrogenation, hydrosilylation and hydroboration is also described along with the emergence of these and related reagents in a variety of dehydrocoupling processes that allow that facile catalytic construction of Si-C, Si-N and B-N bonds.

Facile kinetic induction of a dihydropyridide to pyrrolide ring contraction.

Reactions between magnesium 1,4-dihydropyridide or 1,2-dihydro-iso-quinolide derivatives and carbodiimides, RN[double bond, length as m-dash]C[double bond, length as m-dash]NR, generally result in Mg-N insertion and formation of guanidinate complexes. More sterically perturbed systems with N-aryl carbodiimide substitution, however, follow a divergent course of reaction initiating heterocyclic ring contraction and pyrrolide formation under unprecedentedly mild conditions.