Trimerization and cyclization of reactive P-functionalities confined within OCO pincers.

In order to stabilize a 10-P-3 species with C 2v symmetry and two lone pairs on the central phosphorus atom, a specialized ligand is required. Using an NCN pincer, previous efforts to enforce this planarized geometry at P resulted in the formation of a C s-symmetric, 10π-electron benzazaphosphole that existed as a dynamic "bell-clapper" in solution. Here, OCO pincers 1 and 2 were synthesized, operating under the hypothesis that the more electron-withdrawing oxygen donors would better stabilize the 3-center, 4-electron O-P-O bond of the 10-P-3 target and the sp3-hybridized benzylic carbon atoms would prevent the formation of aromatic P-heterocycles. However, subjecting 1 to a metalation/phosphination/reduction sequence afforded cyclotriphosphane 3, resulting from trimerization of the P(i) center unbound by its oxygen donors. Pincer 2 featuring four benzylic CF3 groups was expected to strengthen the O-P-O bond of the target, but after metal-halogen exchange and quenching with PCl3, unexpected cyclization with loss of CH3Cl was observed to give monochlorinated 5. Treatment of 5 with (p-CH3)C6H4MgBr generated crystalline P-(p-Tol) derivative 6, which was characterized by NMR spectroscopy, elemental analysis, and X-ray crystallography. The complex 19F NMR spectra of 5 and 6 observed experimentally, were reproduced by simulations with MestreNova.

Solvent free selective dehydrogenation of indolic and carbazolic molecules with an iridium pincer catalyst.

A previously known iridium POCOP pincer catalyst was found to selectively dehydrogenate the heterocyclic portion of several indolic and carbazolic molecules. These molecules were found to have an "activity window" (172-178 °C) upon which only the heterocyclic ring underwent dehydrogenation. All reactions were run solvent free, yields for selected substrates were excellent, and the products were isolated by either distillation or alumina plug filtration.

Homogeneous, anaerobic (N-heterocyclic carbene)-Pd or -Ni catalyzed oxidation of secondary alcohols at mild temperatures.

The use of aryl chlorides as oxidants for the selective oxidation of a variety of secondary alcohols in anaerobic conditions with (NHC)-Pd and -Ni systems (NHC = N-heterocyclic carbene) at very mild temperatures is presented.

Oxygenation of zinc dialkyldithiocarbamate complexes: isolation, characterization, and reactivity of the stoichiometric oxygenates.

S-oxygenation of dithiocarbamate (DTC) complexes has been implicated in their function as industrial anti-oxidants, as well as in their use as pesticides and most recently in their cumulative toxicity, but little is known of the species generated. Several S-oxygenated derivatives of N,N-disubstituted DTCs have been synthesized, characterized by a variety of methods, and their structure and reactivity examined. Low-temperature reaction of bis(N,N-diethyldithiocarbamato)zinc(II), Zn(deDTC)2 1, with oxygenating reagents (hydrogen peroxide, m-chloroperbenzoic acid, urea hydrogen peroxide) yields mono-oxygenated DTC complexes (N,N-peroxydiethyldithiocarbamato)(N,N-diethyldithiocarbamato)zin(II), Zn(O-deDTC)(deDTC), 2 and bis(N,N-peroxydiethyldithiocarbamato)zinc(II), Zn(O-deDTC)2, 3. The tetraoxygenated derivative bis(N,N-diethylthiocarbamoylsulfinato)zinc(II), Zn(O(2)-deDTC)2, 4, was cleanly obtained by initial reaction of the DTC salts with stoichiometric oxidant prior to complexation with Zn(II). X-ray crystallographic analysis of 2, 3, and 4 show that the peroxydithiocarbamate ligands are S,O-bound. Similar derivatives were obtained from the homoleptic dimethyl and pyrollidine DTC Zn complexes. These oxygenated species display unique 1H and 13C NMR variable-temperature spectra, as the symmetry of DTC ligand is broken upon oxygenation; total line shape analysis (TLSA) was used to compare the energetic parameters for rotation about the C-N bond in several derivatives. Compounds 2, 3, and 4 were deoxygenated by alkyl phosphine, regenerating the parent dithiocarbamate 1. The peroxydithiocarbamate complexes were susceptible to base-catalyzed hydrolytic decomposition, giving ligand-based products indicative of S-oxidation and S-extrusion.