Syntheses and Reactivity Studies of Square-Planar Diamido-Pyridine Complexes Based on Earth-Abundant First-Row Transition Elements.

The new square-planar complexes M[NNN](pyridine) (M = Fe (1), Co(2); NNN = 2,6-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenylamidomethyl)pyridine) were synthesized and fully characterized to investigate small molecule activation on this platform and also associated ligand innocence. The equatorial pyridine solvent moiety could not be removed; a new bis-ligand species Co[NNN.H]2 (3) was synthesized in low yield while attempting to make the base-free derivative. Attempts to prepare the Ni analogue of 1 and 2 instead yielded crystals of a di-imino-pyridine complex Ni[PDI]Cl (4) (PDI = 2,6-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyliminomethyl)pyridine), following loss of methylene backbone hydrogen atoms. Structural analysis indicates that the PDI ligand is a mono-anionic radical. This susceptibility of the ligand to oxidative dehydrogenation was also shown when the reaction of 2 with 2 equiv of trityl chloride yielded a new complex with an asymmetric imino-amino pyridine ligand Co[NNN']Cl2 (5) (NNN' = 2-(2,6-(diisopropylphenyliminomethyl)-6-(diisopropylphenylamidomethyl)-pyridine) in good yield.

Regeneration of ammonia borane from spent fuel materials.

A shift to the hydrogen economy requires the development of an effective hydrogen fuel carrier with high volumetric and gravimetric storage capacity. Ammonia borane (AB) has emerged as a leading candidate due to its light weight and multiple protic (N-H) and hydridic (B-H) hydrogens. As a consequence, much work has been directed towards fine tuning the release of H2 from AB, in addition to its regeneration from the dehydrogenated "spent fuel" materials. This review summarizes the development of these regeneration methodologies.

The role of group 14 element hydrides in the activation of C-H bonds in cyclic olefins.

Formally, triple-bonded dimetallynes ArEEAr [E = Ge (1), Sn (2); Ar = C(6)H(3)-2,6-(C(6)H(3)-2,6-(i)Pr(2))(2)] have been previously shown to activate aliphatic, allylic C-H bonds in cyclic olefins, cyclopentadiene (CpH), cyclopentene (c-C(5)H(8)) and 1,4-cyclohexadiene, with intriguing selectivity. In the case of the five-membered carbocycles, cyclopentadienyl species ArECp [E = Ge (3), Sn (4)] are formed. In this study, we examine the mechanisms for activation of CpH and c-C(5)H(8) using experimental methods and describe a new product found from the reaction between 1 and c-C(5)H(8), an asymmetrically substituted digermene ArGe(H)Ge(c-C(5)H(9))Ar (5), crystallized in 46% yield. This compound contains a hydrogenated cyclopentyl moiety and is found to be produced in a 3:2 ratio with 3, explaining the fate of the liberated H atoms following triple C-H activation. We show that when these C-H activation reactions are carried out in the presence of tert-butyl ethylene (excess), compounds {ArE(CH(2)CH(2)tBu)}(2) [E = Ge(8), Sn(9)] are obtained in addition to ArECp; in the case of CpH, the neohexyl complexes replace the production of H(2) gas, and for c-C(5)H(8) they displace cyclopentyl product 5 and account for all the hydrogen removed in the dehydroaromatization reactions. To confirm the source of 8 and 9, it was demonstrated that these molecules are formed cleanly between the reaction of (ArEH)(2) [E = Ge(6), Sn(7)] and tert-butyl ethylene, new examples of noncatalyzed hydro-germylation and -stannylation. Therefore, the presence of transient hydrides of the type 6 and 7 can be surmised to be reactive intermediates in the production of 3 and 4, along with H(2), from 1 and 2 and CpH (respectively), or the formation of 3 and 5 from 1. The reaction of 6 or 7 with CpH gave 3 or 4, respectively, with concomitant H(2) evolution, demonstrating the basic nature of these low-valent group 14 element hydrides and their key role in the 'cascade' of C-H activation steps. Additionally, during the course of these studies a new polycyclic compound (ArGe)(2)(C(7)H(12)) (10) was obtained in 60% yield from the reaction of 1,6-heptadiene and 1 via double [2 + 2] cycloaddition and gives evidence for a nonradical mechanism for these types of reactions.

C-H activation of cycloalkenes by dimetallynes (M = Ge, Sn) under ambient conditions.

Treatment of the dimetallynes Ar'EEAr' [E = Ge, Sn; Ar' = C(6)H(3)-2,6-(C(6)H(3)-2,6-iPr(2))(2)] with a cyclic olefin-cyclopentadiene (CpH), cyclopentene, 1,4-cyclohexadiene (CHD), or cyclohexene-showed that, with the exception of cyclohexene, they react readily, affording C-H activation at room temperature. Reaction of the digermyne and distannyne with CpH gave the cyclopentadienyl anion, which is bound in a π-fashion to a mononuclear group 14 element center, along with evolution of hydrogen gas. Unusually, the digermyne also reacted with cyclopentene to give the same dehydroaromatization product, formed from triple C-H activation/dehydrogenation. It also was found to react with CHD to give a mixture of (Ar'GeH)(2), benzene, and a new 7-germanorbornadiene species bound to a cyclohex-2-enyl fragment.

Unusual electrocyclic rearrangements with group 14 element compounds: reversible isomerization of a π-aromatic digermyl complex with carbon-carbon and germanium-germanium multiple bond cleavage.

Reaction of a digermyne with cyclooctatetraene (cot) gave two isomeric products. A Ge(II) inverse sandwich is formed as the kinetic product, which was a result of complete Ge≡Ge bond cleavage and the formation of a π-bound cot ring. This isomerized in solution at room temperature over a period of 5 days to give the thermodynamic product, a tetracyclic diene-digermane, in which a single-bonded Ge-Ge moiety has inserted into a C═C bond of the cot carbocycle. Kinetic studies afforded an activation enthalpy (ΔH(‡)) and entropy (ΔS(‡)) of 14.9 kcal mol(-1) and -6.2 cal mol(-1) K(-1) respectively. Heating crystals of the thermodynamic product at ca. 120 °C cleanly regenerated the original inverse sandwich isomer.

Reductive disproportionation of carbon dioxide to carbonate and squarate products using a mixed-sandwich U(III) complex.

The mixed-sandwich U(III) complexes [U(eta-C8H6{SiiPr(3)-1,4}2)(eta-CpR)(THF)] (R=Me5, Me4H) react with CO2 to give free CO and the U(IV) carbonate products [U(eta-C8H6{SiiPr(3)-1,4}2)(eta-CpR)]2(micro-eta1:eta2-CO3)]; the latter has been structurally characterised for R=Me4H; a 25% molar excess of the U(III) reductant gives a mixture of the carbonate and squarate [U(eta-C8H6{SiiPr(3)-1,4}2)(eta-C5Me4H)]2(micro-eta2:eta2-C4O4) products-the first synthesis of an oxocarbon from a CO2 carbon source.

Mn2 bis(pentalene): a mixed-spin bimetallic with two extremes of bonding within the same molecule.

Structural, magnetic and theoretical studies show that the bimetallic pentalene complex, Mn(2)(C(8)H(4)(1,4-Si(i)Pr(3)))(2), contains both high and low spin Mn(ii) in two very different sites.

Reductive cyclotetramerization of CO to squarate by a U(III) complex: the X-ray crystal structure of [(U (eta-C8H6{SiiPr3-1,4}2)(eta-C5Me4H)]2(mu-eta2: eta2-C4O4).

The U(III) mixed-sandwich compound [U(eta-C5Me4H)(eta-C8H6{SiiPr3-1,4}2)(THF)] 1 may be prepared by sequential reaction of UI3 with K[C5Me4H] in THF followed by K2[C8H6{SiiPr3-1,4}2]. 1 reacts with carbon monoxide at -30 degrees C and 1 bar pressure in toluene solution to afford the crystallographically characterized dimer [(U(eta-C8H6{SiiPr3-1,4}2)(eta-C5Me4H)]2(mu-eta2: eta2-C4O4) 2, which contains a bridging squarate unit derived from reductive cyclotetramerization of CO. DFT computational studies indicate that addition of a 4th molecule of CO to the model deltate complex [U(eta-COT)(eta-Cp)]2(mu-eta1: eta2-C3O3)] to form the squarate complex [U(eta-COT)(eta-Cp)]2(mu-eta2: eta2-C4O4)] is exothermic by 136 kJ mol-1.

Reductive cyclotrimerization of carbon monoxide to the deltate dianion by an organometallic uranium complex.

Despite the long history of the Fischer-Tropsch reaction, carbon monoxide has proven remarkably resistant to selective homologation under mild conditions. Here, we find that an organouranium(III) complex induces efficient reductive trimerization of carbon monoxide at room temperature and pressure. The result is a triangular, cyclic C3O(2-)3, or deltate, dianion held between two uranium(IV) units. The bonding within the C3O(2-)3 unit and its coordination to the two U centers have been analyzed by x-ray diffraction and density functional theory computational studies, which show a stabilizing C-C agostic interaction between the C3 core and one U center. Solution nuclear magnetic resonance studies reveal a rapid equilibration of the deltate unit between the U centers.