Insertion reactions of small unsaturated molecules in the N-B bonds of boron guanidinates.

We report here 1,1- and 1,2-insertion reactions of small unsaturated molecules in the N-B bonds of two boron guanidinates, (Me2N)C(NiPr)2BCy2 (1) and {iPr(H)N}C(NiPr){N(p-tBu-C6H4)}BCy2 (2), and two bisboron guanidinates(2-), {iPr(BCy2)N}C(NiPr){N(p-tBu-C6H4)}BCy2 (3) and {iPr(C8H14B)N}C(NiPr){N(p-Me-C6H4)}BC8H14 (4), the latter being prepared for the first time by double deprotonation of the corresponding guanidine with the 9-borabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane dimer, (H-BC8H14)2. Compounds 1-4 easily insert aromatic isonitriles, XylNC (Xyl = 2,6-Me2-C6H3) and (p-MeO-C6H4)NC, to give the expected diazaboroles 5-12, some of them being structurally characterised by X-ray diffraction. Interestingly, the BC8H14 derivatives 11 and 12 are in a fast temperature-dependent equilibrium with the de-insertion products, whose thermodynamic parameters are reported here. A correlation between these equilibria and the puckered heterocyclic structure found in the solid state for 11, and confirmed by DFT calculations, is also established. Reactions of the aforementioned guanidinates with CO are more sluggish or even precluded, and only one product, {iPr(H)N}C{N(p-tBu-C6H4)}(NiPr)(CO)BCy2 (13), could be isolated in moderate yields. The 1,2-insertions of benzaldehyde in compounds 1, 2 and 4 are reversible reactions in all cases, and only one of the insertion products, {iPr(H)N}C{N(p-tBu-C6H4)}(NiPr)(PhHCO)BCy2 (16a), was isolated and diffractrometrically characterised. Likewise, CO2 reversibly inserts into a N-B bond of 2 to give {iPr(H)N}C{N(p-tBu-C6H4)}(NiPr)(CO2)BCy2 (19) with a conversion of ca. 9%. In all these equilibria, de-insertion is always favoured upon increasing the temperature.

Dialkylboron guanidinates: syntheses, structures and carbodiimide de-insertion reactions.

The synthesis of novel dialkylboron guanidinates is reported: the symmetrical compounds, (Me2N)C(NR)2BR'2 [R = iPr, R' = Nrb (1); R = Cy, R' = Nrb (2); R = iPr, R' = Cy (3); R = R' = Cy (4); R = 2,6-iPr2-C6H3; R' = Cy (5); Nrb = exo-2-norbornyl] and the asymmetrically coordinated {iPr(H)N}C(NiPr)(NAr)BCy2 [Ar = Ph (6), 4-Me-C6H4 (7), 4-tBu-C6H4 (8)] were prepared by the salt metathesis method from the appropriate lithium guanidinates and chloroboranes. Moreover, the bis(dicyclohexylboron)guanidinate(-2) {iPr(Cy2B)N}C(NiPr){N(4-tBu-C6H4)}BCy2 (9) was also prepared from the corresponding dilithium guanidinate Li2[{N(4-tBu-C6H4)}C(NiPr)2] and ClBCy2. The structures of compounds 1, 3, 6 and 9 were confirmed by X-ray diffraction and all displayed a chelate coordination of the guanidinate ligand to the BR'2 fragment, the latter displaying an additional BCy2 attached to the exocyclic N atom. Solutions of compounds 1-4 reached an equilibrium with the aminoboranes Me2NBR'2 [R' = Nrb (10), Cy (11)] and the corresponding carbodiimides, which was slow at 25 °C. The thermodynamic parameters for these equilibria are also reported. The activation parameters for the equilibrium for compound 1 have been calculated after a kinetic study. Compounds 5-8, with one or two N-aryl fragments bound to a B centre, are more robust and need higher temperatures (80 °C) and prolonged times to give similar carbodiimide de-insertion reactions.

Tris(pentafluorophenyl)borane as an efficient catalyst in the guanylation reaction of amines.

Tris(pentafluorophenyl)borane, [B(C6F5)3], has been used as an efficient catalyst in the guanylation reaction of amines with carbodiimide under mild conditions. A combined approach involving NMR spectroscopy and DFT calculations was employed to gain a better insight into the mechanistic features of this process. The results allowed us to propose a new Lewis acid-assisted Brønsted acidic pathway for the guanylation reaction. The process starts with the interaction of tris(pentafluorphenyl)borane and the amine to form the corresponding adduct, [(C6F5)3B-NRH2] , followed by a straightforward proton transfer to one of the nitrogen atoms of the carbodiimide, (i)PrN[double bond, length as m-dash]C[double bond, length as m-dash]N(i)Pr, to produce, in two consequent steps, a guanidine-borane adduct, [(C6F5)3B-NRC(N(i)PrH)2] . The rupture of this adduct liberates the guanidine product RNC(N(i)PrH)2 and interaction with additional amine restarts the catalytic cycle. DFT studies have been carried out in order to study the thermodynamic characteristics of the proposed pathway. Significant borane adducts with amines and guanidines have been isolated and characterized by multinuclear NMR in order to study the N-B interaction and to propose the existence of possible Frustrated Lewis Pairs. Additionally, the molecular structures of significant components of the catalytic cycle, namely 4-tert-butylaniline-[B(C6F5)3] adduct and both free and [B(C6F5)3]-bonded 1-(phenyl)-2,3-diisopropylguanidine, and respectively, have been established by X-ray diffraction.

Mixed amido-/imido-/guanidinato niobium complexes: synthesis and the effect of ligands on insertion reactions.

The new monoguanidinato complexes [Nb(NMe2)2{N(2,6-(i)Pr2C6H3)}{(NR)(NR')C(NMe2)}] (R = R' = (i)Pr, 2; R = (t)Bu, R' = Et, 3) were obtained by the insertion reaction of either diisopropylcarbodiimide or 1-tert-butyl-3-ethylcarbodiimide with the triamido precursor [Nb(NMe2)3(N-2,6-(i)Pr2C6H3)] (1) bearing a bulky imido moiety. The µ-oxo derivative [{N(2,6-(i)Pr2C6H3)}{(N(i)Pr)2C(NMe2)}(NMe2)Nb]2(µ-O) (2a) was formed by an unexpected hydrolysis reaction of the amido niobium compound 2. Alternatively, monoguanidinato complexes [Nb(NMe2)2{N(2,6-(i)Pr2C6H3)}{(N(i)Pr)2C(NHR)}] (R = (i)Pr, 4, (n)Bu, 5) can be obtained by protonolysis of 1 with N,N',N''-alkylguanidines [(NH(i)Pr)2C(NR)] (R = (i)Pr, (n)Bu). Compound also reacts with either tert-butylisocyanide or 2,6-xylylisocyanide to give, by a migratory insertion reaction, the corresponding iminocarbamoyl compounds [Nb(NMe2)2{(NMe2)C=NR}{N(2,6-(i)Pr2C6H3)}] (R = (t)Bu, 6, Xy, 7). Addition of the neutral alkylguanidines to complex 6 results in a facile C-N bond cleavage at room temperature in a process directed by the formation of the stable chelate complex 4 or 5. Complex reacts with heterocumulenic CS2 to produce new imido dithiocarbamato complexes [Nb(NMe2){S2C(NMe2)}2{N(2,6-(i)Pr2C6H3)}] (8) and [Nb{S2C(NMe2)}3{N(2,6-(i)Pr2C6H3)}] (9). These complexes do not react with alkylguanines, although new mixed guanidinato dithiocarbamato complexes [Nb(NMe2){S2C(NMe2)}{(N(i)Pr)2C(NHiPr)}{N(2,6-(i)Pr2C6H3)}] (10) and [Nb{(S2C(NMe2)}2{(N(i)Pr)2C(NH(i)Pr)}{N(2,6-(i)Pr2C6H3)}] (11) can be obtained by reaction of complex 4 with one or two equivalents of CS2, respectively. All of the complexes were characterized spectroscopically and the dynamic behaviour of some of them was studied by variable-temperature NMR. The molecular structures of 2a, 3, 6 and 10 were also established by X-ray diffraction studies.

Unexpected mild C-N bond cleavage mediated by guanidine coordination to a niobium iminocarbamoyl complex.

The complex [Nb(NMe2)2{(NMe2)C=N(t)Bu}{N(2,6-(i)Pr2C6H3)}] reacts with trialkylguanidines and undergoes a room temperature C-N bond cleavage of the iminocarbamoyl moiety. This reaction affords the guanidinate complexes [Nb(NMe2)2{N(2,6-(i)Pr2C6H3)}{(N(i)Pr)2C(NH(i)Pr)}] or [Nb(NMe2)2{N(2,6-(i)Pr2C6H3)}{(N(i)Pr)2C(NH(n)Bu)}] and free isocyanide. The first crystal structure of a niobium iminocarbamoyl complex is reported.

Asymmetric niobium guanidinates as intermediates in the catalytic guanylation of amines.

The molecular structure of the guanidinate complex {NbBz2(N(t)Bu)[(4-BrC6H4)N=C(N(i)Pr)(NH(i)Pr)]}, previously obtained by reaction of [NbBz3(N(t)Bu)] and the corresponding guanidine proligand, has been established by X-ray diffraction. The series of complexes {NbBz2(N(t)Bu)[(Ar)N=C(N(i)Pr)(NH(i)Pr)]} (Ar = 4-BrC6H4, 4-(t)BuC6H4, 4-MeOC6H4) and {[NbBz2(N(t)Bu)]2[(C6H4)(N=C(N(i)Pr)(NH(i)Pr))2]} show a preferred asymmetric coordination of the guanidinate ligand by means of one alkylamino nitrogen and the arylimino nitrogen atom. Computational studies confirm this preference and the results suggest that electronic factors prevail over steric factors. In addition, reaction of complex [NbBz3(N(t)Bu)] with {2-((n)butyl)-1,3-diisopropylguanidine} did not give rise to the regioselective asymmetrical guanidinate. Instead, the complex {NbBz2(N(t)Bu)[((n)Bu)N=C(N(i)Pr)(NH(i)Pr)]} was obtained as a mixture of three isomers with symmetrical and asymmetrical coordination modes. Finally, the complex [NbBz3(N(t)Bu)] was shown to be a suitable precatalyst for the guanylation reaction of a wide range of amines under mild conditions. Guanidinates are proposed as intermediates in the mechanism of this reaction. The molecular structure of the biguanidine {2,2'-(1,4-phenylene)bis(2',3-diisopropylguanidine)} was also established by X-ray diffraction studies.

Reactions of alkynes with phosphido niobocenes: a combined experimental and theoretical study.

The reactions of phosphido complexes [Nb(eta(5)-C(5)H(4)SiMe(3))(2)(L)(PPh(2))] [L = CO (1), CNxylyl (2), CNCy (3)] with alkynes have been carried out. The new diphenylphosphinoalkenyl niobocene complexes [Nb(eta(5)-C(5)H(4)SiMe(3))(2)(eta(1)-C-C(CO(2)CH(3))=C(R)PPh(2))(CO)] [R = H (4), CH(3) (5)] and [Nb(eta(5)-C(5)H(4)SiMe(3))(2)(eta(1)-C-C(CO(2)R)=C(CO(2)R)PPh(2))(CO)] [R = CH(3), (6), R = (t)Bu, (7)] were successfully synthesized by the reaction of with methyl propiolate (HC[triple bond]CCO(2)CH(3)) or methyl 2-butynoate (CH(3)C[triple bond]CCO(2)CH(3)) and dimethyl 2-butynedioate [(CH(3) O(2)C)C[triple bond]C(CO(2)CH(3))] or di(tert-butyl) 2-butynedioate [((t)BuO(2)C)C[triple bond]C(CO(2)(t)Bu)], respectively. However, reaction was not observed with more electron-rich alkynes. Complex reacted with methyl propiolate, methyl 2-butynoate (MeC[triple bond]CCO(2)Me) or di(tert-butyl) 2-butynedioate to give surprising new heteroniobacycle complexes [Nb(eta(5)-C(5)H(4)SiMe(3))(2)(eta(1)-C-C(=NXylyl)C(R(1))=C(R(2))PPh(2)-kappa(1)-P)] [R(1) = H, R(2) = CO(2)Me (8); R(1) = Me, R(2) = CO(2)Me (9); R(1) = CO(2)(t)Bu, R(2) = CO(2)(t)Bu (10)]. Finally, the phosphido complexes and reacted with phenylacetylene (PhC[triple bond]CH) to give new diphenylphosphinoalkenyl niobocene derivatives [Nb(eta(5)-C(5)H(4)SiMe(3))(2)(eta(1)-C-C(C(6)H(5))=C(H)PPh(2))(CNR)] [R = xylyl (11), Cy (12)]. All of these compounds were characterized by NMR spectroscopy and the molecular structure of was determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies. Theoretical studies were also carried out by means of density functional theory (DFT) calculations on the insertions of alkynes into the Nb-P bond in the phosphido niobocenes.

Activation of a CNXylyl ancillary ligand in the reaction of electron-deficient alkynes with a phosphido niobocene complex.

The niobium phosphido complex [Nb(eta5-C5H4SiMe3)2-(CNXylyl)(PPh2)] (2) undergoes an unusual cycloaddition reaction with electron-deficient alkynes to give the novel five-membered heteroniobacycles [Nb(eta5-C5H4SiMe3)2(kappaC-C(=N(Xylyl))C(CO2Me)=C(R)PPh2-kappaP)] (R = H 3 and R = Me 4).