Mechanism of Coupling of Methylidene to Ethylene Ligands in Dimetallic Assemblies; Computational Investigation of a Model for a Key Step in Catalytic C1 Chemistry.

Methylidene complexes often couple to ethylene complexes, but the mechanistic insight is scant. The path by which two cations [(η5-C5H5)Re(NO)(PPh3)(═CH2)]+ (5+) transform (CH2Cl2/acetonitrile) to [(η5-C5H5)Re(NO)(PPh3)(H2C═CH2)]+ (6+) and [(η5-C5H5)Re(NO)(PPh3)(NCCH3)]+ is studied by density functional theory. Experiments provide a number of constraints such as the second-order rate in 5+; no prior ligand dissociation/exchange; a faster reaction of (S)-5+ with (S)-5+ than with (R)-5+ ("enantiomer self-recognition"). Although dirhenium dications with Re(µ-CH2)2Re cores represent energy minima, they are not accessible by 2 + 2 cycloadditions of 5+. Transition states leading to ReCH2CH2Re linkages are prohibitively high in energy. However, 5+ can give non-covalent SRe/SRe or SRe/RRe dimers with π interactions between the PPh3 ligands but long ReCH2···H2CRe and H2CRe···H2CRe distances (3.073-3.095 Å and 3.878-4.529 Å, respectively). In rate-determining steps, these afford [(η5-C5H5)Re(NO)(PPh3)(µ-η2:η2-H2C···CH2)(Ph3P)(ON)Re(η5-C5H5)]2+ (132+), in which one rhenium binds the bridging ethylene more tightly than the other (2.115-2.098 vs 2.431-2.486 Å to the centroid). In the SRe/RRe adduct, Dewar-Chatt-Duncanson optimization leads to unfavorable PPh3/PPh3 contacts. Ligand interactions are further dissected in the preceding transition states via component analyses, and ΔΔG‡ (1.2 kcal/mol, CH2Cl2) favors the SRe/SRe pathway, in accordance with the experiment. Acetonitrile then displaces 6+ from the more weakly bound rhenium of 132+. The formation of similar µ-H2C···CH2 intermediates is found to be rate-determining for varied coordinatively saturated M═CH2 species [M = Fe(d6)/Re(d4)/Ta(d2)], establishing generality and enhancing relevancy to catalytic CH4 and CO/H2 chemistry.

Syntheses, rearrangements, and structural analyses of unsaturated nitrogen donor ligands derived from diphenyldiazomethane and the chiral rhenium Lewis acid [(η5-C5H5)Re(NO)(PPh3)].

Diphenyldiazomethane and a labile chlorobenzene complex of [(η5-C5H5)Re(NO)(PPh3)]+ BF4- react to give the η1 adduct [(η5-C5H5)Re(NO)(PPh3)(NNCPh2)]+ BF4- (73%). When this is conducted in the presence of copper powder, a 3-phenyl-1H-indazole complex derived from carbon-hydrogen bond activation, [(η5-C5H5)Re(NO)(PPh3)(NC(Ph)CCHCHCHCHCNH)]+ BF4-, is obtained (65%). Subsequent reaction with NaOCH3 gives indazolyl complex (η5-C5H5)Re(NO)(PPh3)(NCCHCHCHCHCC(Ph)N) (85%), derived from NH deprotonation and a 1,2-rhenium shift. Crystal structures of the three new complexes are determined. DFT calculations are used to probe the mechanism of the 1,2-shift and energetics of alternative Re-N rotamers and linkage isomers, and assign bond orders and dominant resonance formulations.

Syntheses, Structures, Reactivities, and Basicities of Quinolinyl and Isoquinolinyl Complexes of an Electron Rich Chiral Rhenium Fragment and Their Electrophilic Addition Products.

Reactions of Li+ [(η5 -C5 H5 )Re(NO)(PPh3 )]- with 2- and 4-chloroquinoline or 1-chloroisoquinoline give the corresponding σ quinolinyl and isoquinolinyl complexes 3, 6, and 8. With 3 and 8 there is further protonation to yield HCl adducts, but additions of KH give the free bases. Treatment of 3 with HBF4 ⋅OEt2 or H(OEt2 )2 + BArf - gives the quinolinium salts [(η5 -C5 H5 )Re(NO)(PPh3 )(C(NH)C(CH)4 C(CH)(CH))]+ X- (3-H+ X- ; X- =BF4 - /BArf - , 94-98 %). Addition of CF3 SO3 CH3 to 3, 6, or 8 affords the corresponding N-methyl quinolinium salts. In the case of [(η5 -C5 H5 )Re(NO)(PPh3 )(C(NCH3 )C(CH)4 C(CH)(CH))]+ CF3 SO3 - (3-CH3 + CF3 SO3 - ), addition of CH3 Li gives the dihydroquinolinium complex (SRe RC ,RRe SC )-[(η5 -C5 H5 )Re(NO)(PPh3 )(C(NCH3 )C(CH)4 C(CHCH3 )(CH2 ))]+ CF3 SO3 - ((SRe RC ,RRe SC )-5+ CF3 SO3 - , 76 %) in diastereomerically pure form. Crystal structures of 3-H+ BArf - , 3-CH3 + CF3 SO3 - , (SRe RC , RRe SC )-5+ Cl- , and 6-CH3 + CF3 SO3 - show that the quinolinium ligands adopt Re⋅⋅⋅C conformations that maximize overlap of their acceptor orbitals with the rhenium fragment HOMO, minimize steric interactions with the bulky PPh3 ligand, and promote various π interactions. NMR experiments establish the Brønsted basicity order 3>8>6, with Ka (BH+ ) values >10 orders of magnitude greater than the parent heterocycles, although they remain less active nucleophilic catalysts in the reactions tested. DFT calculations provide additional insights regarding Re⋅⋅⋅C bonding and conformations, basicities, and the stereochemistry of CH3 Li addition.

Mechanism of Ni N-heterocyclic carbene catalyst for C-O bond hydrogenolysis of diphenyl ether: a density functional study.

Catalysts for aromatic C-O bond activation can potentially be used for the lignin degradation process. We investigated the mechanisms of C-O bond hydrogenolysis of diphenyl ether (PhOPh) by the nickel N-heterocyclic carbene (Ni-SIPr) complex to produce benzene and phenol as products. Our calculations revealed that diphenyl ether is not only a substrate, but also serves as a ligand to stabilize the Ni-SIPr complex. The Ni(SIPr)(η(6)-PhOPh) complex is initially formed before rearranging to Ni(SIPr)(η(2)-PhOPh), the active species for C-O bond activation. The catalytic reaction has three steps: (i) oxidative addition of Ni(SIPr)(η(2)-PhOPh) to form [Ni(SIPr)(OPh)(Ph)](0), (ii) σ-complex-assisted metathesis, in which H2 binds to the nickel to form [Ni(SIPr)(OPh)(Ph)(H2)](0), and then benzene (or phenol) is eliminated, and (iii) reductive elimination of phenol (or benzene) and the binding of PhOPh to regenerate Ni(SIPr)(η(2)-PhOPh). As the rate determining step is the oxidative addition step (+24 kcal mol(-1)), we also calculated the free energy barriers for the oxidative addition of diaryl ether containing a trifluoromethyl electron withdrawing group (PhOC6H4CF3) and found that C-O bond activation at the carbon adjacent to the aryl ring that contains the electron withdrawing substituent is preferred. This is in agreement with the experimental results, in that the major products are phenol and trifluoromethylbenzene. Moreover, the hydrogenation of benzene via Ni(SIPr)(η(2)-C6H6) requires a high energy barrier (+39 kcal mol(-1)); correspondingly, the hydrogenation products, e.g. cyclohexane and cyclohexadiene, were not observed in the experiment. Understanding the reaction mechanisms of the nickel catalysts for C-O bond hydrogenolysis of diphenyl ether will guide the development of catalytic systems for aromatic C-O bond activation to achieve the highest possible selectivity and efficiency.