Re-evaluating the Cu K pre-edge XAS transition in complexes with covalent metal-ligand interactions.

Three [Me2NN]Cu(η2-L2) complexes (Me2NN = HC[C(Me)NAr]2; L2 = PhNO (2), (3), PhCH[double bond, length as m-dash]CH2 (4); Ar = 2,6-Me2-C6H3; ArF = 3,5-(CF3)2-C6H3) have been studied by Cu K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy, as well as single- and multi-reference computational methods (DFT, TD-DFT, CASSCF, MRCI, and OVB). The study was extended to a range of both known and theoretical compounds bearing 2p-element donors as a means of deriving a consistent view of how the pre-edge transition energy responds in systems with significant ground state covalency. The ground state electronic structures of many of the compounds under investigation were found to be strongly influenced by correlation effects, resulting in ground state descriptions with majority contributions from a configuration comprised of a Cu(ii) metal center anti-ferromagentically coupled to radical anion O2, PhNO, and ligands. In contrast, the styrene complex 4, which displays a Cu K pre-edge transition despite its formal d10 electron configuration, exhibits what can best be described as a Cu(i):(styrene)0 ground state with strong π-backbonding. The Cu K pre-edge features for these complexes increase in energy from 1 to 4, a trend that was tracked to the percent Cu(ii)-character in the ground state. The unexpected shift to higher pre-edge transition energies with decreasing charge on copper (Q Cu) contributed to an assignment of the pre-edge features for these species as arising from metal-to-ligand charge transfer instead of the traditional Cu1s → Cu3d designation.

Host-guest interactions between a nonmicellized amphiphilic invertible polymer and insoluble cyclohexasilane in acetonitrile.

Host-guest interactions between cyclohexasilane (Si(6)H(12)) and amphiphilic invertible macromolecules based on PEG and sebacic acid in acetonitrile (neither a solvent for cyclohexasilane nor a support for the micellization of amphiphilic invertible macromolecules) have been investigated. Despite the extended conformation of the macromolecules and the absence of self-assembled polymeric domains, a macromolecular amphiphilicity itself contributes to localizing Si(6)H(12) by AIP and thus enables Lewis acid-base interactions between Si(6)H(12) and the AIP carbonyl groups. The obtained results demonstrate an interesting phenomenon in that insoluble Si(6)H(12) can be localized by AIP macromolecules in a medium that does not support the formation of polymeric domains.

Halide coordination of perhalocyclohexasilane Si6X12 (X=Cl or Br).

The addition of halide anions (X' = Cl(-), Br(-), or I(-)) to perhalocyclohexasilane Si(6)X(12) (X = Cl or Br) led to the formation of complexes comprising [Si(6)X(12)X'(2)](2-) dianions. An upfield shift in the (29)Si NMR spectra was noted upon coordination, and structural determination by X-ray crystallography showed that the dianions adopt an "inverse sandwich" structure where the six cyclic silicon atoms form a planar hexagon with the two halide anions X' located on the 6-fold axis equally disposed above and below the plane of the Si(6) ring. Additionally, these apical X' atoms are within the van der Waals bonding distance to the silicon ring atoms, indicating a strong interaction between X' and silicon atoms. These results detail crystallographic variations within the halogen series providing further insight into the nature of the Lewis acid sites above and below the Si(6)X(12) ring, where interactions with hard Lewis bases such as halide anions are observed. Interestingly, the stereochemistry of the silicon atoms in [Si(6)X(12)X'(2)](2-) is not affected much by the size or electronegativity of the halogen atoms.

Flattening a puckered cyclohexasilane ring by suppression of the pseudo-Jahn-Teller effect.

We report the experimental and theoretical characterization of neutral Si(6)X(12) (X = Cl, Br) molecules that contain D(3d) distorted six-member silicon rings due to a pseudo-Jahn-Teller (PJT) effect. Calculations show that filling the intervenient molecular orbitals with electron pairs of adduct suppresses the PJT effect in Si(6)X(12), with the Si(6) ring becoming planar (D(6h)) upon complex formation. The stabilizing role of electrostatic and covalent interactions between positively charged silicon atoms and chlorine atoms of the subject [Si(6)Cl(14)](2-) dianionic complexes is discussed. The reaction of Si(6)Cl(12) with a Lewis base (e.g., Cl(-)) to give planar [Si(6)Cl(14)](2-) dianionic complexes presents an experimental proof that suppression of the PJT effect is an effective strategy in restoring high Si(6) ring symmetry. Additionally, the proposed pathway for the PJT suppression has been proved by the synthesis and characterization of novel compounds containing planar Si(6) ring, namely, [(n)Bu(4)N](2)[Si(6)Cl(12)I(2)], [(n)Bu(4)N](2)[Si(6)Br(14)], and [(n)Bu(4)N](2)[Si(6)Br(12)I(2)]. This work represents the first demonstration that PJT effect suppression is useful in the rational design of materials with novel properties.

Coordination chemistry of Si5Cl10 with organocyanides.

Organocyanides readily coordinate to decachlorocyclopentasilane (Si(5)Cl(10)) to form "inverse sandwich" compounds 1-3 with a planar Si(5) ring. The products were isolated in high yield and fully characterized by elemental analysis, multinuclear NMR, IR and UV-Vis spectroscopy. While the spectroscopic data suggests the presence of a fairly weak interaction between the Si(5) ring and the coordinative organocyanide ligands, single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies of compound 1 and 2 show µ(5)-coordination of the apical cyano nitrogen atoms to the silicon atoms in the Si(5) ring. Distances between silicon atoms and nitrogen atoms are significantly shorter than a Si-N van der Waals bond but longer than the sum of their covalent radii. Multiple interactions between the cyano groups and equatorial Cl atoms, and intermolecular interactions were observed in the solid state for both compounds 1 and 2.

Catalytic reduction of dinitrogen to ammonia at a single molybdenum center.

Since our discovery of the catalytic reduction of dinitrogen to ammonia at a single molybdenum center, we have embarked on a variety of studies designed to further understand this complex reaction cycle. These include studies of both individual reaction steps and of ligand variations. An important step in the reaction sequence is exchange of ammonia for dinitrogen in neutral molybdenum(III) compounds. We have found that this exchange reaction is first order in dinitrogen and relatively fast (complete in <1 h) at 1 atm of dinitrogen. Variations of the terphenyl substituents in the triamidoamine ligand demonstrate that the original ligand is not unique in its ability to yield successful catalysts. However, complexes that contain sterically less demanding ligands fail to catalyze formation of ammonia from dinitrogen; it is proposed as a consequence of a base-catalyzed decomposition of a diazenido (Mo-N=NH) intermediate.

Cu(I) beta-diketiminates for alkene aziridination: reversible Cu-arene binding and catalytic nitrene transfer from PhI=NTs.

beta-Diketiminato Cu(I)-lutidine complexes [RMeNN]Cu(2,4-lutidine) (R = Me (4a), (i)Pr (4b)) were prepared in high yield from Tl[RMeNN] and [CuBr(2,4-lutidine)(2)](2). Both 4a and 4b reversibly dissociate lutidine base in toluene to give [RMeNN]Cu(toluene) solvento complexes. A related base-free dicopper species [[Me(2)NN]Cu](2) (6) bridged via eta(2)-binding of opposing N-aryl rings could be isolated by the addition of Tl[Me(2)NN] to CuBr. The lutidine precursors serve as precatalysts for the aziridination of alkenes with PhI=NTs. Styrene, beta-methylstyrene, and cyclooctene gave the highest yields (59-96%) with a low olefin to PhI=NTs ratio (3:1) and 5 mol % catalyst loading.

Discrete bridging and terminal copper carbenes in copper-catalyzed cyclopropanation.

The Cu(I) beta-diketiminate [Me2NN]Cu(eta2-ethylene) (2) catalyzes the cyclopropanation of styrene with N2CPh2 to give 1,1,2-triphenylcyclopropane in 67% yield. Addition of N2CPh2 to 2 equiv of 2 allows for the isolation of the dicopper carbene [[Me2NN]Cu]2(mu-CPh2) (3) in which the diphenylcarbene moiety is symmetrically bound between two [Me2NN]Cu fragments (Cu-C = 1.922(4) and 1.930(4) A) with a Cu-Cu separation of 2.4635(7) A. In toluene-d8 solution, 3 reversibly dissociates a [Me2NN]Cu fragment to give [Me2NN]Cu(toluene) and the terminal carbene [Me2NN]Cu=CPh2. Dicopper carbene 3 reacts with 3 equiv of styrene to give 1,1,2-triphenylcyclopropane and 2 equiv of [Me2NN]Cu(eta2-styrene) within minutes. DFT studies with simplified ligands indicate a stronger Cu-C pi-back-bonding interaction from two Cu(I) centers to the carbene acceptor orbital in a dicopper carbene than that present in a monocopper carbene. Nonetheless, the terminal carbene [Me3NN]Cu=CPh2 (8) that possesses a p-methyl group on each beta-diketiminato N-aryl ring may be isolated and exhibits a shortened Cu-C distance of 1.834(3) A. The stoichiometric cyclopropanation of styrene by 8 in 1,4-dioxane is first-order in both copper carbene 8 and styrene with activation parameters DeltaH = 10.4(3) kcal/mol and DeltaS = -32.3(9) cal/mol.K. In 1,4-dioxane, 8 decomposes to Ph2C=CPh2 via first-order kinetics with activation parameters DeltaH = 21(1) kcal/mol and DeltaS = -8(3) cal/mol.K. Arene solutions of thermally sensitive terminal carbene 8 decompose to [Me3NN]Cu(arene), which reacts with 8 still present in solution to give the more thermally stable [[Me3NN]Cu]2(mu-CPh2).

[Me2NN]Co(eta6-toluene): O=O, N=N, and O=N bond cleavage provides beta-diketiminato cobalt mu-oxo and imido complexes.

The synthesis and structure of a novel beta-diketiminato Co(I) arene adduct [Me2NN]Co(eta6-toluene) (2) are described, that serves as a synthon to the reactive, "naked" 12-electron [Me2NN]Co fragment via loss of toluene in its reactions with dioxygen, organoazides, and a nitrosobenzene. Exposure of 2 to dioxygen in ether leads to {[Me2NN]Co}2(mu-O)2 (3), a rare example of a cobalt-oxo complex thermally stable at room temperature. The X-ray structure of 3 reveals a short Co-Co separation of 2.716(4) A and exhibits positional disorder for the bridging oxo groups; the predominant configuration contains oxygen atoms in square-planar sites with short Co-O distances (1.784(3) and 1.793(4) A). Reaction of 2 with organoazides N3R (R = 3,5-Me2C6H3 (Ar) or 1-adamantyl (Ad)) results in the formation of imido complexes whose structure depends on the nature of the azido substituent. The synthesis and structures of both {Me2NN]Co}2(mu-NAr)2 (4) with arylimido groups in tetrahedral bridging sites or the three-coordinate, 16-electron [Me2NN]CoNAd (5) are described. The X-ray structure of terminal imide 5 reveals a short Co-N bond distance (1.624(4) A) and only somewhat bent imido linkage (Co-N-C = 161.5(3) degrees ) consistent with a significant degree of multiple bond character. Complex 2 cleaves the O=N bond of the nitrosobenzene O=NAr (Ar = 3,5-Me2C6H3) to form the binuclear oxo-imido complex {[Me2NN]Co}2(mu-O)(mu-NAr) (6) that possesses a structure intermediate between square-planar 3 and tetrahedral 4 in which the [Me2NN]Co fragments are mutually orthogonal.