Dipyrromethane-Based PGeP Pincer Germyl Rhodium Complexes.

A family of germyl rhodium complexes derived from the PGeP germylene 2,2'-bis(di-isopropylphosphanylmethyl)-5,5'-dimethyldipyrromethane-1,1'-diylgermanium(II), Ge(pyrmPi Pr2 )2 CMe2 (1), has been prepared. Germylene 1 reacted readily with [RhCl(PPh3 )3 ] and [RhCl(cod)(PPh3 )] (cod=1,5-cyclooctadiene) to give, in both cases, the PGeP-pincer chloridogermyl rhodium(I) derivative [Rh{κ3 P,Ge,P-GeCl(pyrmPi Pr2 )2 CMe2 }(PPh3 )] (2). Similarly, the reaction of 1 with [RhCl(cod)(MeCN)] afforded [Rh{κ3 P,Ge,P-GeCl(pyrmPi Pr2 )2 CMe2 }(MeCN)] (3). The methoxidogermyl and methylgermyl rhodium(I) complexes [Rh{κ3 P,Ge,P-GeR(pyrmPi Pr2 )2 CMe2 }(PPh3 )] (R=OMe, 4; Me, 5) were prepared by treating complex 2 with LiOMe and LiMe, respectively. Complex 5 readily reacted with CO to give the carbonyl rhodium(I) derivative [Rh{κ3 P,Ge,P-GeR(pyrmPi Pr2 )2 CMe2 }(CO)] (6), with HCl, HSnPh3 and Ph2 S2 rendering the pentacoordinate methylgermyl rhodium(III) complexes [RhHX{κ3 P,Ge,P-GeMe(pyrmPi Pr2 )2 CMe2 }] (X=Cl, 7; SnPh3 , 8) and [Rh(SPh)2 {κ3 P,Ge,P-GeMe(pyrmPi Pr2 )2 CMe2 }] (9), respectively, and with H2 to give the hexacoordinate derivative [RhH2 {κ3 P,Ge,P-GeMe(pyrmPi Pr2 )2 CMe2 }(PPh3 )] (10). Complexes 3 and 5 are catalyst precursors for the hydroboration of styrene, 4-vinyltoluene and 4-vinylfluorobenzene with catecholborane under mild conditions.

A Germylene Supported by Two 2-Pyrrolylphosphane Groups as Precursor to PGeP Pincer Square-Planar Group†10 Metal(II) and T-Shaped Gold(I) Complexes.

An efficient synthesis of 2-di-tert-butylphosphanylmethylpyrrole (HpyrmPtBu2 ), by treating 2-dimethylaminomethylpyrrole (HpyrmNMe2 ) with tBu2 PH at 135 °C in the absence of any solvent, has allowed the preparation of the new PGeP germylene Ge(pyrmPtBu2 )2 (1), by treating [GeCl2 (dioxane)] with LipyrmPtBu2 , in which the Ge atom is stabilized by intramolecular interactions with one (solid state) or both (solution) of its phosphane groups. Reactions of germylene 1 with Group 10 metal dichlorido complexes containing easily displaceable ligands have led to [MCl{κ3 P,Ge,P-GeCl(pyrmPtBu2 )2 }] [M=Ni (2), Pd (3), Pt (4)], which have an unflawed square-planar metal environment. Treatment of germylene 1 with [AuCl(tht)] (tht=tetrahydrothiophene) rendered [Au{κ3 P,Ge,P-GeCl(pyrmPtBu2 )2 }] (5), which is a rare case of a T-shaped gold(I) complex. The hydrolysis of 5 gave the linear gold(I) derivative [Au(κP-HpyrmPtBu2 )2 ]Cl (6). Complexes 2-5 contain a PGeP pincer chloridogermyl ligand that arises from the insertion of the Ge atom of germylene 1 into a M-Cl bond of the corresponding metal reagent. The bonding in these molecules has been studied by DFT/NBO/QTAIM calculations. These results demonstrate that the great flexibility of germylene 1 makes it a better precursor to PGeP pincer complexes than the previously known germylenes of this type.

Mesityl(amidinato)tetrylenes as ligands in iridium(i) and iridium(iii) complexes: silicon versus germanium and simple κ1-coordination versus cyclometallation.

Reactions of the mesityl(amidinato)tetrylenes E(tBu2bzam)Mes (tBu2bzam = N,N'-bis(tert-butyl)benzamidinate; Mes = mesityl; E = Ge (1Ge), Si (1Si)) with the iridium precursors [Ir2(µ-Cl)2(η4-cod)2] (cod = 1,5-cyclooctadiene) and [Ir2Cl2(µ-Cl)2(η5-Cp*)2] (Cp* = 1,2,3,4,5-pentamethylcyclopentadienyl) at room temperature led to simple coordination of the tetrylene in the case of the germylenes ([IrCl(η4-cod){κ1Ge-Ge(tBu2bzam)Mes}] (2Ge) and [IrCl2(η5-Cp*){κ1Ge-Ge(tBu2bzam)Mes}] (3Ge), respectively, but to cyclometallated products in the case of the silylenes ([IrHCl(η4-cod){κ2C,Si-Si(tBu2bzam)CH2C6H2Me2}] (4Si) and [IrCl(η5-Cp*){κ2C,Si-Si(tBu2bzam)CH2C6H2Me2}] (5Si), respectively. While the cyclometallation of the germylene ligand of the iridium(i) complex 2Ge could not be achieved by heating this complex in toluene at 90 °C, a similar treatment of the iridium(iii) complex 3Ge led to [IrCl(η5-Cp*){κ2C,Ge-Ge(tBu2bzam)CH2C6H2Me2}] (5Ge), which is the germanium analogue of 5Si. DFT calculations have shown that the mononuclear κ1E-tetrylene iridium(i) complexes [IrCl(η4-cod){κ1E-E(tBu2bzam)Mes}] (E = Si, Ge; isolated only for E = Ge, 2Ge) should not participate as intermediates in the synthesis of the cyclometallated iridium(iii) derivatives [IrHCl(η4-cod){κ2C,E-E(tBu2bzam)(CH2C6H2Me2)}] (E = Ge, Si; isolated only for E = Si, 4Si).

Reactivity Studies on a Binuclear Ruthenium(0) Complex Equipped with a Bridging κ(2)N,Ge-Amidinatogermylene Ligand.

The amidinatogermylene-bridged diruthenium(0) complex [Ru2{µ-κ(2)Ge,N-Ge((i)Pr2bzam)(HMDS)}(CO)7] (2; (i)Pr2bzam = N,N'-bis(iso-propyl)benzamidinate; HMDS = N(SiMe3)2) reacted at room temperature with (t)BuNC and PMe3 to give [Ru2{µ-κ(2)Ge,N-Ge((i)Pr2bzam)(HMDS)}(L)(CO)6] (L = (t)BuNC, 3; PMe3, 4), which contain the new ligand in an axial position on the Ru atom that is not attached to the amidinato fragment. At 70 °C, 2 reacted with PPh3, PMe3, dppm, and dppe to give the equatorially substituted derivatives [Ru2{µ-κ(2)Ge,N-Ge((i)Pr2bzam)(HMDS)}(L)(CO)6] (L = PPh3, 5; PMe3, 6) and [Ru2{µ-κ(2)Ge,N-Ge((i)Pr2bzam)(HMDS)}(µ-κ(2)P,P'-L2)(CO)5] (L2 = dppm, 7; dppe, 8). HSiEt3 and HSnPh3 were oxidatively added to complex 2 at 70 °C, leading to the coordinatively unsaturated products [Ru2(ER3)(µ-H){µ-κ(2)Ge,N-Ge((i)Pr2bzam)(HMDS)}(CO)5] (ER3 = SiEt3, 9; SnPh3, 10), which easily reacted with (t)BuNC and CO to give the saturated derivatives [Ru2(ER3)(µ-H){µ-κ(2)Ge,N-Ge((i)Pr2bzam)(HMDS)}((t)BuNC)(CO)5] (ER3 = SiEt3, 11; SnPh3, 12) and [Ru2(ER3)(µ-H){µ-κ(2)Ge,N-Ge((i)Pr2bzam)(HMDS)}(CO)6] (ER3 = SiEt3, 13; SnPh3, 14), respectively. Compounds 9-14 have their ER3 group on the Ru atom that is not attached to the amidinato fragment. In contrast, the reaction of 2 with H2 at 70 °C led to the unsaturated tetranuclear complex [Ru4(µ-H)2{µ-κ(2)Ge,N-Ge((i)Pr2bzam)(HMDS)}2(CO)10] (15), which also reacted with (t)BuNC and CO to give the saturated derivatives [Ru4(µ-H)2{µ-κ(2)Ge,N-Ge((i)Pr2bzam)(HMDS)}2(L)2(CO)10] (L = (t)BuNC, 16; CO, 17). All tetraruthenium complexes contain an unbridged metal-metal connecting two germylene-bridged diruthenium units. Under CO atmosphere, complex 17 reverted to compound 2. All of the coordinatively unsaturated products (9, 10, and 15) have their unsaturation(s) located on the Ru atom(s) that is(are) attached to the amidinato fragment(s). In the absence of added reagents, the thermolysis of 2 in refluxing toluene led to [Ru4{µ-κ(2)Ge,N-Ge((i)Pr2bzam)(HMDS)}{µ3-κGe-Ge(HMDS)}(µ-κ(3)N,C,N'-(i)Pr2bzam)(µ-CO)(CO)8] (18), which contains two new ligands, a triply bridging germylidyne and a bridging benzamidinate, and that results from the condensation of two molecules of 2 and the activation of the Ge-N bond of the benzamidinatogermylene ligand of 2.

Deprotonation of C-alkyl groups of cationic triruthenium clusters containing cyclometalated C-alkylpyrazinium ligands: experimental and computational studies.

The C-alkyl groups of cationic triruthenium cluster complexes of the type [Ru3(µ-H)(µ-κ(2)N(1),C(2)-L)(CO)10](+) (HL represents a generic C-alkyl-N-methylpyrazium species) have been deprotonated to give kinetic products that contain unprecedented C-alkylidene derivatives and maintain the original edge-bridged decacarbonyl structure. When the starting complexes contain various C-alkyl groups, the selectivity of these deprotonation reactions is related to the atomic charges of the alkyl H atoms, as suggested by DFT/natural-bond orbital (NBO) calculations. Three additional electronic properties of the C-alkyl C-H bonds have also been found to correlate with the experimental regioselectivity because, in all cases, the deprotonated C-H bond has the smallest electron density at the bond critical point, the greatest Laplacian of the electron density at the bond critical point, and the greatest total energy density ratio at the bond critical point (computed by using the quantum theory of atoms in molecules, QTAIM). The kinetic decacarbonyl products evolve, under appropriate reaction conditions that depend upon the position of the C-alkylidene group in the heterocyclic ring, toward face-capped nonacarbonyl derivatives (thermodynamic products). The position of the C-alkylidene group in the heterocyclic ring determines the distribution of single and double bonds within the ligand ring, which strongly affects the stability of the neutral decacarbonyl complexes and the way these ligands coordinate to the metal atoms in the nonacarbonyl products. The mechanisms of these decacarbonylation processes have been investigated by DFT methods, which have rationalized the structures observed for the final products and have shed light on the different kinetic and thermodynamic stabilities of the reaction intermediates, thus explaining the reaction conditions experimentally required by each transformation.

Diaminogermylene and diaminostannylene derivatives of gold(I): novel AuM and AuM2 (M = Ge, Sn) complexes.

The reactions of [AuCl(THT)] (THT = tetrahydrothiophene) with 1 equiv of the group 14 diaminometalenes M(HMDS)(2) [M = Ge, Sn; HMDS = N(SiMe(3))(2)] lead to [Au{MCl(HMDS)(2)}(THT)] [M = Ge (1), Sn (2)], which contain a metalate(II) ligand that arises from insertion of the corresponding M(HMDS)(2) reagent into the Au-Cl bond of the gold(I) reagent. While compound 1 reacts with more Ge(HMDS)(2) to give the germanate-germylene derivative [Au{GeCl(HMDS)(2)}{Ge(HMDS)(2)}] (3), which results from substitution of Ge(HMDS)(2) for the THT ligand of 1, an analogous treatment of compound 2 with Sn(HMDS)(2) gives the stannate-stannylene derivative [Au{SnCl(HMDS)(2)}{Sn(HMDS)(2)(THT)}] (4), which has a THT ligand attached to the stannylene tin atom and which, in solution at room temperature, participates in a dynamic process that makes its two Sn(HMDS)(2) fragments equivalent (on the NMR time scale). A similar dynamic process has not been observed for the AuGe(2) compound 3 or for the AuSn(2) derivatives [Au{SnR(HMDS)(2)}{Sn(HMDS)(2)(THT)}] [R = Bu (5), HMDS (6)], which have been prepared by treating complex 4 with LiR. The structures of compounds 1 and 3-6 have been determined by X-ray diffraction.

Edge-bridging and face-capping coordination of alkenyl ligands in triruthenium carbonyl cluster complexes derived from hydrazines: synthetic, structural, theoretical, and kinetic studies.

The reactions of the triruthenium cluster complex [Ru3(mu-H)(mu3-eta2-HNNMe2)(CO)9] (1; H2NNMe2=1,1-dimethylhydrazine) with alkynes (PhC triple bond CPh, HC triple bond CH, MeO2CC triple bond CCO2Me, PhC triple bond CH, MeO2CC triple bond CH, HOMe2CC triple bond CH, 2-pyC triple bond CH) give trinuclear complexes containing edge-bridging and/or face-capping alkenyl ligands. Whereas the edge-bridged products are closed triangular species (three Ru-Ru bonds), the face-capped products are open derivatives (two Ru-Ru bonds). For terminal alkynes, products containing gem (RCCH2) and/or trans (RHCCH) alkenyl ligands have been identified in both edge-bridging and face-capping positions, except for the complex [Ru3(mu3-eta2-HNNMe2)(mu3-eta3-HCCH-2-py)(mu-CO)(CO)7], which has the two alkenyl H atoms in a cis arrangement. Under comparable reaction conditions (1:1 molar ratio, THF at reflux, time required for the consumption of complex 1), some reactions give a single product, but most give mixtures of isomers (not all the possible ones), which were separated. To determine the effect of the hydrazido ligand, the reactions of [Ru3(mu-H)(mu3-eta2-MeNNHMe)(CO)9] (2; HMeNNHMe=1,2-dimethylhydrazine) with PhC triple bond CPh, PhC triple bond CH, and HC triple bond CH were also studied. For edge-bridged alkenyl complexes, the Ru--Ru edge that is spanned by the alkenyl ligand depends on the position of the methyl groups on the hydrazido ligand. For face-capped alkenyl complexes, the relative orientation of the hydrazido and alkenyl ligands also depends on the position of the methyl groups on the hydrazido ligand. A kinetic analysis of the reaction of 1 with PhC[triple chemical bond]CPh revealed that the reaction follows an associative mechanism, which implies that incorporation of the alkyne in the cluster is rate-limiting and precedes the release of a CO ligand. X-ray diffraction, IR and NMR spectroscopy, and calculations of minimum-energy structures by DFT methods were used to characterize the products. A comparison of the absolute energies of isomeric compounds (obtained by DFT calculations) helped rationalize the experimental results.