Engendering reactivity at group 5-heteroatom multiple bonds via π-loading.

In this Perspective, we discuss the strategy of π-loading, i.e., coordination of two or more strongly π-donating ligands to a single metal center, as it applies to promoting reactivity at group 5 transition metal-imido groups. When multiple π-donor ligands compete to interact with the same symmetrically-available metal dπ orbitals, the energy of the imido-based frontier molecular orbitals increases, leading to amplified imido-based reactivity. This strategy is of particular relevance to group 5 metals, as mono(imido) complexes of these metals tend to be inert at the imido group. Electronic structure studies of group 5 bis(imido) complexes are presented, and examples of catalytically and stoichiometrically active group 5 bis(imido) and chalcogenido-imido complexes are reviewed. These examples are intended to encourage future work exploring π-loaded bis(imido) systems of the group 5 triad.

[3 + 2] Cycloadditions and Retrocycloadditions of Niobium Imido Complexes: An Experimental and Computational Mechanistic Study.

We demonstrate reactivity between a ß-diketiminate-supported niobium(III) imido complex and alkyl azides to form niobatetrazene complexes (BDI)Nb(NtBu)(RNNNNR) (BDI = N,N-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)-3,5-dimethyl-ß-diketiminate; R = cyclohexyl (1), benzyl (2)). Intriguingly, niobatetrazene complexes 1 and 2 can be interconverted via addition of an appropriate alkyl azide, likely through a series of concerted [3 + 2] cycloaddition and retrocycloaddition reactions in which π-loaded bis(imido) intermediates are formed. The bis(imido) intermediates were trapped upon addition of alkyl isocyanides to yield five-coordinate bis(imido) complexes (BDI)Nb(NtBu)(NCy)(CNR) (R = tert-butyl (4a), cyclohexyl (4b)). Two computational methods─density functional theory and density functional tight binding (DFTB)─were employed to calculate the lowest energy pathway across the potential energy surface for this multistep transformation. Reaction path calculations for individual cycloaddition or retrocycloaddition processes along the multistep reaction pathway showed that these transformations occur via a concerted, yet highly asynchronous mechanism, in which the two bond-breaking or -making events do not occur simultaneously. The use of the DFTB method in this work highlights its advantages and utility for studying transition metal systems.

A Diverse Array of C-C Bonds Formed at a Tantalum Metal Center.

We demonstrate the formation of a diverse array of organic and organometallic products containing newly formed C-C bonds via successive methyl transfers from di-, tri-, and tetramethyl Ta(V) precursors to unsaturated small molecule substrates under mild conditions. The reactions of Ta(V) methyl complexes 1-X [H2B(MesIm)2]TaMe3X (X = Me, Cl; Im = imidazole, Mes = 2,4,6-trimethylphenyl) with CO led to oxo enolate Ta(V) products, in which the enolate ligands were constructed from Ta-Me groups and two equivalents of CO. Similarly, the reaction of 1-Me with CNXyl yielded an imido enamine Ta(V) product. Surprisingly, 1-Cl reacted with CNXyl (1 equiv) at the borate backbone of the [H2B(MesIm)2] ligand with concomitant methyl transfer from the metal center to form a new, dianionic scorpionate ligand that supported a Ta(V) dimethyl chloro complex (6). Treatment of 1-Cl with further CNXyl led to an azaallyl scorpionate complex, and an imido isocyanide scorpionate complex, along with propene and xylyl ketenimine. Complex 6 reacted with CO to yield a pinacol scorpionate complex 10-a new reaction pathway in early transition metal chemistry. Mechanistic studies revealed that this proceeded via migratory insertion of CO into a Ta-Me group, followed by methyl transfer to form an η2-acetone intermediate. Elimination of acetone furnished a CO-stabilized Ta(III) intermediate capable of rebinding and subsequently coupling two equivalents of CO-derived acetone to form the pinacol ligand in 10.

Diverse Reactivity of a Rhenium(V) Oxo Imido Complex: [2 + 2] Cycloadditions, Chalcogen Metathesis, Oxygen Atom Transfer, and Protic and Hydridic 1,2-Additions.

We present a wide range of reactivity studies focused on the rhenium(V) oxo imido complex (DippN)(O)Re(BDI) (1, Dipp = 2,6-diisopropylphenyl and BDI = N,N'-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)-3,5-dimethyl-ß-diketiminate). This complex, which was previously shown to possess a highly polarized Re oxo moiety, has proven to be a potent nucleophile and a valuable precursor to a variety of rare structural motifs in rhenium coordination complexes. For example, the Re oxo moiety of 1 undergoes [2 + 2] cycloadditions with carbodiimides, isocyanates, carbon dioxide, and isothiocyanates at room temperature. In the case of CO2, the cycloadduct with 1 (a carbonate complex) undergoes the facile ejection of CO2, demonstrating that this binding process is reversible. In the case of isothiocyanate, chalcogen metathesis with 1 takes place readily as the inclusion of a second equivalent of substrate in the reaction mixture rapidly yields a dithiocarbamate complex. This metathesis process was extended to the reactivity of 1 with phosphine chalcogenides, leading to the isolation of terminal sulfido imido and selenido imido complexes. Attempts to complete this series and generate the analogous terminal telluride led to the formation of a bidentate tritelluride (Te32-) complex. Triethylphosphine could only undergo oxygen atom transfer (OAT) with 1 under pressing thermal conditions that also led to C-N cleavage of the BDI ligand. In contrast, OAT between 1 and CO or 2,6-xylylisocyanide (XylNC) was found to be much more facile, proceeding within seconds at room temperature. While the addition of excess CO led to a rhenium(III) imido dicarbonyl complex, we found that the addition of 2 equiv of XylNC was necessary to promote OAT, resulting in the isolation of a rare example of a stable metal isocyanate complex. Our experimental observations of CO and XylNC and their OAT reactions with 1 inspired a mechanistic computational study to probe the intermediates and kinetic barriers along these reaction pathways. Finally, we describe 1,2-additions of both protic and hydridic substrates with the Re oxo moiety of 1, which most notably led to the syntheses of an uncommon example of a terminal rhenium hydroxide complex and an oxo-bridged Re-O-Zr hetero-bi-metallic complex that was generated using Schwartz's reagent (Cp2ZrHCl). A brief discussion of a potential alternative route to 1 is also presented.

Electron acceptors promote proton-hydride tautomerism in low valent rhenium ß-diketiminates.

We report a series of ß-diketiminate (BDI) complexes in which tautomeric rhenium(iii) hydride and rhenium(i) protio-BDI species readily interconvert between the solid and solution states. This phenomenon, which is only operative when an electron-accepting ligand is bound to rhenium, was investigated by a combination of experimental and computational methods.

1,2-Addition and cycloaddition reactions of niobium bis(imido) and oxo imido complexes.

The bis(imido) complexes (BDI)Nb(N t Bu)2 and (BDI)Nb(N t Bu)(NAr) (BDI = N,N'-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)-3,5-dimethyl-ß-diketiminate; Ar = 2,6-diisopropylphenyl) were shown to engage in 1,2-addition and [2 + 2] cycloaddition reactions with a wide variety of substrates. Reaction of the bis(imido) complexes with dihydrogen, silanes, and boranes yielded hydrido-amido-imido complexes via 1,2-addition across Nb-imido π-bonds; some of these complexes were shown to further react via insertion of carbon dioxide to give formate-amido-imido products. Similarly, reaction of (BDI)Nb(N t Bu)2 with tert-butylacetylene yielded an acetylide-amido-imido complex. In contrast to these results, many related mono(imido) Nb BDI complexes do not exhibit 1,2-addition reactivity, suggesting that π-loading plays an important role in activating the Nb-N π-bonds toward addition. The same bis(imido) complexes were also shown to engage in [2 + 2] cycloaddition reactions with oxygen- and sulfur-containing heteroallenes to give carbamate- and thiocarbamate-imido complexes: some of these complexes readily dimerized to give bis-µ-sulfido, bis-µ-iminodicarboxylate, and bis-µ-carbonate complexes. The mononuclear carbamate imido complex (BDI)Nb(NAr)(N( t Bu)CO2) (12) could be induced to eject tert-butylisocyanate to generate a four-coordinate terminal oxo imido intermediate, which could be trapped as the five-coordinate pyridine or DMAP adduct. The DMAP adducted oxo imido complex (BDI)NbO(NAr)(DMAP) (16) was shown to engage in 1,2-addition of silanes across the Nb-oxo π-bond; this represents a new reaction pathway in group 5 chemistry.

Structural diversity in multinuclear tantalum polyhydrides formed via reductive hydrogenolysis of metal-carbon bonds.

Using H2 as a reducing agent, we demonstrate controlled reduction of tri- and tetramethyl tantalum bis(N-heterocyclic carbene)borate complexes to yield low-valent, multinuclear tantalum polyhydrides. Reaction of a Ta(v)Me3 complex with H2 afforded a bimetallic, hydride-bridged Ta(iv) complex. The analogous reaction of a Ta(v)Me4 complex in benzene or toluene yielded bimetallic Ta(iii) complexes in which both metals are bound to the same face of a µ-η4:η4-arene2- ligand.

Synthesis of Polyimides in Molecular-Scale Confinement for Low-Density Hybrid Nanocomposites.

In this work, we exploit a confinement-induced molecular synthesis and a resulting bridging mechanism to create confined polyimide thermoset nanocomposites that couple molecular confinement-enhanced toughening with an unprecedented combination of high-temperature properties at low density. We describe a synthesis strategy that involves the infiltration of individual polymer chains through a nanoscale porous network while simultaneous imidization reactions increase the molecular backbone stiffness. In the extreme limit where the confinement length scale is much smaller than the polymer's molecular size, confinement-induced molecular mechanisms give rise to exceptional mechanical properties. We find that polyimide oligomers can undergo cross-linking reactions even in such molecular-scale confinement, increasing the molecular weight of the organic phase and toughening the nanocomposite through a confinement-induced energy dissipation mechanism. This work demonstrates that the confinement-induced molecular bridging mechanism can be extended to thermoset polymers with multifunctional properties, such as excellent thermo-oxidative stability and high service temperatures (>350 °C).