Synthesis, Characterization, and Density Functional Theory Analysis of Uranium and Thorium Complexes Containing Nitrogen-Rich 5-Methyltetrazolate Ligands.

Two nitrogen-rich, isostructural complexes of uranium and thorium, (C5Me5)2U[η(2)-(N,N')-tetrazolate]2 (7) and (C5Me5)2Th[η(2)-(N,N')-tetrazolate]2 (8), containing 5-methyltetrazolate, have been synthesized and structurally characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, electrochemical methods, UV-visible-near-IR spectroscopy, and variable-temperature (1)H NMR spectroscopy. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations yield favorable free energies of formation (approximately -375 kJ/mol) and optimized structures in good agreement with the experimental crystal structures. Additionally, calculated NMR chemical shifts of 7 and 8 are in good agreement with the variable-temperature (1)H NMR experiments. Time-dependent DFT calculations of both complexes yield UV-visible spectroscopic features that are consistent with experiment and provide assignments of the corresponding electronic transitions. The electronic transitions in the UV-visible spectroscopic region are attributed to C5Me5 ligand-to-metal charge transfer. The low-lying molecular orbitals of the tetrazolate ligands (∼2 eV below the HOMO) do not contribute appreciably to experimentally observed electronic transitions. The combined experimental and theoretical analysis of these new nitrogen-rich uranium and thorium complexes indicates the tetrazolate ligand behaves primarily as a σ-donor.

A rare tetranuclear thorium(IV) µ4 -oxo cluster and dinuclear thorium(IV) complex assembled by carbon-oxygen bond activation of 1,2-dimethoxyethane (DME).

The synthesis and X-ray crystal structure of two new multinuclear thorium complexes are reported. The tetranuclear µ4 -oxo cluster complex Th4 (µ4 -O)(µ-Cl)2 I6 [κ(2) (O,O')-µ-O(CH2 )2 OCH3 ]6 and the dinuclear complex Th2 I5 [κ(2) (O,O')-µ-O(CH2 )2 OCH3 ]3 (DME) (DME=dimethoxyethane) are formed by CO bond activation of 1,2-dimethoxyethane (DME) mediated by thorium iodide complexes.

Thorium-mediated ring-opening of tetrahydrofuran and the development of a new thorium starting material: preparation and chemistry of ThI4(DME)2.

The thorium(IV) tetraiodide complex ThI(4)(DME)(2) (3) (DME = 1,2-dimethoxyethane) has been prepared in high yield by reacting the corresponding chloride complex ThCl(4)(DME)(2) with an excess of trimethylsilyl iodide (Me(3)SiI) in toluene. This new route avoids the use of thorium metal as a reagent. ThI(4)(DME)(2) (3) exhibits excellent thermal stability compared to ThI(4)(THF)(4) (1), which undergoes rapid ring-opening of THF at ambient temperature to yield the iodobutoxide complex ThI(3)[O(CH(2))(4)I](THF)(3) (2). Subsequent ligand-exchange between 2 and DME affords ThI(3)[O(CH(2))(4)I](DME)(2) (11), which can be converted to 3 with Me(3)SiI. Salt metathesis between 2 and K(L(Me)) (L(Me) = (2,6-(i)Pr(2)C(6)H(3))NC(Me)CHC(Me)N(2,6-(i)Pr(2)C(6)H(3))) cleanly gives (L(Me))ThI(2)[O(CH(2))(4)I](THF) (10), which is a rare example of a thorium ß-diketiminate complex. Complexes 2, 10, and 11 represent the first reported examples of THF ring-opening mediated by thorium. The synthetic utility of ThI(4)(DME)(2) (3) is demonstrated by preparation of thorium(IV) alkoxide, amide, and organometallic compounds.

Observation of inductive effects that cause a change in the rate-determining step for the conversion of rhenium azides to imido complexes.

The cationic oxorhenium(V) complex [Re(O)(hoz)(2)(CH(3)CN)][B(C(6)F(5))(4)] [1; Hhoz = 2-(2'-hydroxyphenyl)-2-oxazoline] reacts with aryl azides (N(3)Ar) to give cationic cis-rhenium(VII) oxoimido complexes of the general formula [Re(O)(NAr)(hoz)(2)][B(C(6)F(5))(4)] [2a-2f; Ar = 4-methoxyphenyl, 4-methylphenyl, phenyl, 3-methoxyphenyl, 4-chlorophenyl, and 4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]. The kinetics of formation of 2 in CH(3)CN are first-order in both azide (N(3)Ar) and oxorhenium(V) complex 1, with second-order rate constants ranging from 3.5 × 10(-2) to 1.7 × 10(-1) M(-1) s(-1). A strong inductive effect is observed for electron-withdrawing substituents, leading to a negative Hammett reaction constant ρ = -1.3. However, electron-donating substituents on phenyl azide deviate significantly from this trend. Enthalpic barriers (ΔH(‡)) determined by the Eyring-Polanyi equation are in the range 14-19 kcal mol(-1) for all aryl azides studied. However, electron-donating 4-methoxyphenyl azide exhibits a large negative entropy of activation, ΔS(‡) = -21 cal mol(-1) K(-1), which is in sharp contrast to the near zero ΔS(‡) observed for phenyl azide and 4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl azide. The Hammett linear free-energy relationship and the activation parameters support a change in the mechanism between electron-withdrawing and electron-donating aryl azides. Density functional theory predicts that the aryl azides coordinate via N(α) and extrude N(2) directly. For the electron-withdrawing substituents, N(2) extrusion is rate-determining, while for the electron-donating substituents, the rate-determining step becomes the initial attack of the azide. The barriers for these two steps are inverted in their order with respect to the Hammett σ values; thus, the Hammett plot appears with a break in its slope.

Mechanistic detail revealed via comprehensive kinetic modeling of [rac-C(2)H4(1-indenyl)2ZrMe2]-catalyzed 1-hexene polymerization.

Thorough kinetic characterization of single-site olefin polymerization catalysis requires comprehensive, quantitative kinetic modeling of a rich multiresponse data set that includes monomer consumption, molecular weight distributions (MWDs), end group analysis, etc. at various conditions. Herein we report the results obtained via a comprehensive, quantitative kinetic modeling of all chemical species in the batch polymerization of 1-hexene by rac-C(2)H(4)(1-Ind)(2)ZrMe(2) activated with B(C(6)F(5))(3). While extensive studies have been published on this catalyst system, the previously acknowledged kinetic mechanism is unable to predict the MWD. We now show it is possible to predict the entire multiresponse data set (including the MWDs) using a kinetic model featuring a catalytic event that renders 43% of the catalyst inactive for the duration of the polymerization. This finding has significant implications regarding the behavior of the catalyst and the polymer produced and is potentially relevant to other single-site polymerization catalysts, where it would have been undetected as a result of incomplete kinetic modeling. In addition, comprehensive kinetic modeling of multiresponse data yields robust values of rate constants (uncertainties of less than 16% for this catalyst) for future use in developing predictive structure-activity relationships.

Synthesis of cationic rhenium(VII) oxo imido complexes and their tunability towards oxygen atom transfer.

A facile method is described for the synthesis of cationic Re(VII) cis oxo imido complexes of the form [Re(O)(NAr)(salpd)+] (salpd = N,N'-propane-1,3-diylbis(salicylideneimine)), 4, [Re(O)(NAr)(saldach)+] (saldach = N,N'-cyclohexane-1,3-diylbis(salicylideneimine)), 5, and [Re(O)(NAr)(hoz)2+] (hoz = 2-(2'-hydroxyphenyl)-2-oxazoline) (Ar = 2,4,6,-(Me)C(6)H(2); 4-(OMe)C(6)H(4); 4-(Me)C(6)H(4); 4-(CF3)C6H4; 4-MeC(6)H(4)SO(2)), 6, from the reaction of oxorhenium(V) [(L)Re(O)(Solv)+] (1-3) and aryl azides under ambient conditions. Unlike previously reported cationic Re(VII) dioxo complexes, these cationic oxo imido complexes can be obtained on a preparative scale, and an X-ray crystal structure of [Re(O)(NMes)(saldach)+], 5a, has been obtained. Despite the multiple stereoisomers that could arise from tetradentate ligation of salen ligands to rhenium, one major isomer is observed and isolated in each instant. The electronic rationalization for stereoselectivity is discussed. Investigation of the mechanism suggests that the reactions of Re(V) with aryl azides proceed through an azido adduct similar to the group 5 complexes of Bergman and Cummins. Treatment of the cationic oxo imido complexes with a reductant (PAr(3), PhSMe, or PhSH) results in oxygen atom transfer (OAT) and the formation of cationic Re(V) imido complexes. [(salpd)Re(NMes)(PPh(3))(+)] (7) and [(hoz)2Re(NAr)(PPh(3))(+)] (Ar = m-OMe phenyl) (9) have been isolated on a preparative scale and fully characterized including an X-ray single-crystal structure of 7. The kinetics of OAT, monitored by stopped-flow spectroscopy, has revealed rate saturation for substrate dependences. The different plateau values for different oxygen acceptors (Y) provide direct support for a previously suggested mechanism in which the reductant forms a prior-equilibrium adduct with the rhenium oxo (ReVII = O<--Y). The second-order rate constants of OAT, which span more than 3 orders of magnitude for a given substrate, are significantly affected by the electronics of the imido ancillary ligand with electron-withdrawing imidos being most effective. However, the rate constant for the most active oxo imido rhenium(VII) is 2 orders of magnitude slower than that observed for the known cationic dioxo Re(VII) [(hoz)2Re(O)(2)(+)].