Low-Temperature Isolation of a Labile Silylated Hydrazinium-yl Radical Cation, [(Me3 Si)2 N-N(H)SiMe3 ].

The oxidation of silylated hydrazine, (Me3 Si)2 N-N(H)SiMe3 , with silver salts led to the formation of a highly labile hydrazinium-yl radical cation, [(Me3 Si)2 N-N(H)SiMe3 ].+ , at very low temperatures (decomposition > -40 °C). EPR, NMR, DFT and Raman studies revealed the formation of a nitrogen-centered radical cation along the N-N unit of the hydrazine. In the presence of the weakly coordinating anion [Al{OCH(CF3 )2 }4 ]- , crystallization and structural characterization in the solid state were achieved. The hydrazinium-yl radical cation has a significantly shortened N-N bond and a nearly planar N2 Si3 framework, in contrast to the starting material. According to DFT calculations, the shortened N-N bond has a total bond order of 1.5 with a π-bond order of 0.5. The π bond can be regarded as a three-π-electron, two-center bond.

Intermediates Formed in the Reactions of Organocuprates with α,ß-Unsaturated Nitriles.

Conjugate additions of organocuprates are of outstanding importance for organic synthesis. To improve our mechanistic understanding of these reactions, we have used electrospray ionization mass spectrometry for the identification of the ionic intermediates formed upon the treatment of LiCuR2 ⋅LiCN (R=Me, Bu, Ph) with a series of α,ß-unsaturated nitriles. Acrylonitrile, the weakest Michael acceptor included, did not afford any detectable intermediates. Fumaronitrile (FN) yielded adducts of the type Lin-1 Cun R2n (FN)n (-) , n=1-3. When subjected to fragmentation in the gas phase, these adducts were not converted into the conjugate addition products, but re-dissociated into the reactants. In contrast, the reaction with 1,1-dicyanoethylene furnished the products of the conjugate addition without any observable intermediates. Tri- and tetracyanoethylene proved to be quite reactive as well. The presence of several cyano groups in these substrates opened up reaction pathways different from simple conjugate additions, however, and led to dimerization and substitution reactions. Moreover, the gas-phase fragmentation behavior of the species formed from these substrates indicated the occurrence of single-electron transfer processes. Additional quantum-chemical calculations provided insight into the structures and stabilities of the observed intermediates and their consecutive reactions.

Tetraalkylcuprates(III): formation, association, and intrinsic reactivity.

Tetraalkylcuprates are prototypical examples of organocopper(III) species, which remained elusive until their recent detection by NMR spectroscopy. In agreement with the NMR studies, the present electrospray ionization mass spectrometric experiments, as well as supporting electrical conductivity measurements, indicate that LiCuMe(2)·LiCN reacts with a series of alkyl halides RX. The resulting Li(+)Me(2)CuR(CN)(-) intermediates then afford the observable Me(3)CuR(-) tetraalkylcuprate anions upon Me/CN exchanges with added MeLi. In contrast, the reactions of LiCuMe(2)·LiCN with neopentyl iodide and various aryl halides give rise to halogen-copper exchanges. Concentration- and solvent-dependent studies suggest that lithium tetraalkylcuprates are not fully dissociated in ethereal solvents, but partly form Li(+)Me(3)CuR(-) contact ion pairs and presumably also triple ions LiMe(6)Cu(2)R(2)(-). According to theoretical calculations, these triple ions consist of two square-planar Me(3)CuR(-) subunits binding to a central Li(+) ion. Upon fragmentation in the gas phase, the mass-selected Me(3)CuR(-) anions undergo reductive elimination, yielding both the cross-coupling products MeR and the homocoupling product Me(2). The branching between these two fragmentation channels markedly depends on the nature of the alkyl substituent R. The triple ions LiMe(6)Cu(2)R(2)(-) (as well as their mixed analogues LiMe(6)Cu(2)R(R')(-)) also afford both cross-coupling and homocoupling products upon fragmentation, but strongly favor the former. On the basis of theoretical calculations, we rationalize this prevalence of cross-coupling by the preferential interaction of the central Li(+) ion of the triple ions with two Me groups of each Me(3)CuR(-) subunit, which thereby effectively blocks the homocoupling channel. Our results thus show how a Li(+) counterion can alter the reactivity of an organocopper species at the molecular level.

The stability of Cα peptide radicals: why glycyl radical enzymes?

The conformational space of dipeptide models derived from glycine, alanine, phenylalanine, proline, tyrosine, and cysteine has been searched extensively and compared with the corresponding C(α) dipeptide radicals at the G3(MP2)-RAD level of theory. The results indicate that the (least-substituted) glycine dipeptide radical is the thermochemically most stable of these species. Analysis of the structural parameters indicates that this is due to repulsive interactions between the C(α) substituents and peptide units in the radical. A comparison of the conformational preferences of dipeptide radicals and their closed-shell parents also indicates that radical stability is a strongly conformation-dependent property.

Salts and ionic liquids of resonance stabilized amides.

The synthesis, structure, and bonding of alkali salts of resonance stabilized amides, such as diformylamide (dfa), formylcyanoamide (fca), nitrocyanoamide (nca), and for comparision, the well-known dicyanoamide (dca), are discussed on the basis of experimental and theoretical data. The first structural reports of K(18-crown-6)+dfa-, K(18-crown-6)+fca-, Na+nca-, and Li(TMEDA)+dca- are presented. Examination of the X-ray data reveals almost planar anions with strong cation-anion interactions resulting in network-like structures in the solid state. For comparison, the X-ray structures of covalently bound phenyldicyanoamide and diformamide are also discussed. The thermal behavior of the alkali salts of these amides is studied by thermoanalytical experiments. Moreover, several novel ionic liquids based on resonance stabilized amides have been prepared and were fully characterized, namely the dfa, fca, and nca salts of EMIM (1-ethyl-3-methyl-imidazolium), BMIM (1-butyl-3-methyl-imidazolium), and HMIM (1-hexyl-3-methyl-imidazolium). Most of them are liquid at room temperature, except BMIM+fca- that melts at 32 degrees C. These ionic liquids are neither heat nor shock sensitive, are thermally stable up to over 200 degrees C, and can be prepared easily in large quantities.

Synthesis, structure, and bonding of weakly coordinating anions based on CN adducts.

The addition of alkali or silver salts of dicyanoamide (dca), tricyanomethanide (tcm) and tetracyanoborate (tcb) to a solution of B(C(6)F(5))(3) in diethyl ether affords salts containing very voluminous B(C(6)F(5))(3) adduct anions of the type [E(CN)(n)(-)] x [B(C(6)F(5))(3)](n): E = N (dca_nb with n = 1, 2; b = B(C(6)F(5))(3)); E = C (tcm_nb with n = 1, 2, 3), and E = B (tcb_nb with n = 1, 2, 3, 4). Salts bearing these anions such as B[(CN) x B(C(6)F(5))(3)](4)(-) (= [B(CN)(4)(-)] x [B(C(6)F(5))(3)](4)), C[(CN) x B(C(6)F(5))(3)](3)(-) (= [C(CN)(3)(-)] x [B(C(6)F(5))(3)](3)), and N[(CN) x B(C(6)F(5))(3)](2)(-) (=[N(CN)(2)(-)] x [B(C(6)F(5))(3)](2)) can be prepared in good yields. They are thermally stable up to over 200 degrees C and dissolve in polar organic solvents. Depending on the stoichiometry mono-, di-, tri-, or tetraadduct formation is observed. The solid state structures of dca_2b, tcm_3b and tcb_4b salts show only long cation...anion contacts and thereby weak interactions, large anion volumes and only small distortions of the dca, tcm or tcb core enwrapped between B(C(6)F(5))(3) groups. That is why these anions can be regarded as weakly coordinating anions. On the basis of B3LYP/6-31+G(d) computations the energetics, structural trends and charge transfer of the adduct anion formation were studied. Since tcm_3b and tcb_4b are easily accessible and can also be prepared in large quantities, these anions may be utilized as a true alternative to other widely used weakly coordinating anions. Moreover, for both steric and electronic reasons it seems reasonable to expect that as counterions for cationic early transition metal catalysts such anions may show reduced ion pairing and hence increased catalytic activity.

Synthesis and structure of monomeric, trimeric, and mixed phenylcyanamides.

In a new synthetic approach phenylcyanamide (Hpca) was synthesized by methylation of phenylthiourea followed by a basic work-up. All products along the synthetic route have been fully characterized by means of NMR, IR, and X-ray studies. The first structural report of neutral mixed crystals of phenylcyanamide containing monomeric and trimeric Hpca is presented. Examination of these intriguing mixed crystals revealed the formation of distinct layers of monomeric and trimeric Hpca. These layers are interconnected by weak hydrogen bonds. The trimer represents triphenylisomelamine, which readily isomerizes to the triphenylmelamine in the melt, in accord with computations at the B3LYP level, indicating an exothermic process (DeltaH = -49.4 kcal mol(-1)). Pure trimeric Hpca (triphenylisomelamine) was obtained either by recrystallization of the mixed crystals from boiling water or by trimerization of monomeric Hpca in isopropanol for 12 h under reflux conditions. For comparison tritylcyanamide (Htca) and potassium phenylcyanamide as an [18]crown-6 complex [K([18]crown-6)pca] have been synthesized, and the solid-state structures were determined using X-ray diffraction techniques. The thermal behavior was studied by thermo-analytical experiments. In agreement with the experimental results, computations predict an exothermic cyclotrimerization process for Hpca (DeltaH = -41.3 kcal mol(-1)).

Blue alkali dinitrosomethanides: synthesis, structure, and bonding.

Explosive alkali dinitrosomethanides (M[HC(NO)2]; M = Li, Na, K, Cs) were prepared in a new, simple, high-yielding synthetic procedure, fully characterized, and shown to be stable at ambient temperature. Alkali dinitrosomethanides are of widespread interest to pharmaceutical and materials scientists alike.