RESUMO
Reduction of tantalum pentachloride by 6 equiv of sodium naphthalene in 1,2-dimethoxyethane provided, after recrystallization from tetrahydrofuran, 50-55% yields of yellow, pyrophoric [Na(THF)][Ta(C10H8)3]. The product was shown by 1H and 13C NMR spectra and an X-ray study (on the corresponding [Na(crypt 2.2.2)]salt) to be tris(eta4-naphthalene)tantalate(1-), 1, the first homoleptic naphthalene complex of a third row (5d) transition metal. Salts of 1 react under mild conditions with excess CO (1 atm pressure, -60 degrees to +20 degrees C) and 3 equiv of anthracene, C14H10 (20 degrees C), to give 99 and 52% yields of yellow [Ta(CO)6]- and orange [Ta(C14H10)3]-, (2), respectively. The latter is the first homoleptic anthracene complex of a group 5 element and only the third one known, the others being Cr(eta6-C14H10)2 and [Co(eta4-C14H10)2]-. NMR spectra and X-ray structural characterization, as the [Na(crypt 2.2.2)] salt, established 2 to be [Ta(1-4-eta4-C14H10)3]- and is very similar to 1 in solution and in the solid state. Salts of 2 also undergo facile ligand substitution reactions. For example, it reacts with 1,3,5,7-cyclooctatetraene, COT, at 20 degrees in THF to give high yields of the previously known [Ta(COT)3]-, which was structurally characterized as the Na(crypt 2.2.2)salt. One particularly important feature concerning 1 and 2 is that they are the first available synthons for "naked" atomic Ta- and promise to be useful reagents for the general exploration of low-valent tantalum chemistry. Also, 1 and 2 represent the first homoleptic arene tantalum complexes to have been prepared by conventional syntheses. The only previously known substance of this class is the neutral bis(benzene)tantalum(0), which was accessed by the co-condensation of atomic tantalum and benzene vapor in a sophisticated (electron-gun furnace equipped) metal atom reactor.
RESUMO
Reductive carbonylations of NbCl(4)(THF)(2), THF = tetrahydrofuran, mediated by sodium naphthalene in 1,2-dimethoxyethane, DME, or sodium anthracene in THF, provide [Nb(CO)(6)](-) as the tetraethylammonium salt in 60% or 70% isolated yields, respectively, the highest known for atmospheric pressure syntheses of this metal carbonyl. Corresponding reductions involving PF(3) give about 40% yields of [Et(4)N][Nb(PF(3))(6)], which in the past was only accessible by a photochemical route. Electrochemical data for [Nb(CO)(6)](-) and [Nb(PF(3))(6)](-) are compared and show that the PF(3) complex is almost 1 V more difficult to oxidize than the CO analogue. Protonation of [Nb(PF(3))(6)](-) by concentrated sulfuric acid yields a volatile, thermally unstable species, which has been shown by (1)H NMR and mass spectral studies to be the new niobium hydride, Nb(PF(3))(6)H. Previously unpublished (93)Nb and (13)C NMR studies corroborate prior claims that the sodium metal reduction of [Nb(CO)(6)](-) in liquid ammonia affords [Nb(CO)(5)](3)(-), the only known Nb(III-) species. The first details of this synthesis and those of [Nb(CO)(5)H](2)(-), [Nb(CO)(5)SnPh(3)](2)(-), [Nb(CO)(5)NH(3)](-), and [Nb(CO)(5)(CNtBu)](-) are presented.
