One metal is enough: a nickel complex reduces nitrate anions to nitrogen gas.

A stepwise reduction sequence from nitrate to dinitrogen gas at a single nickel center was discovered. A PNP nickel scaffold (PNP- = N[2-P i Pr2-4-Me-C6H3]2) emerged as a universal platform for the deoxygenation of NO x substrates. In these reactions carbon monoxide acts as the oxygen acceptor and forms CO2 to provide the necessary chemical driving force. Whereas the first two oxygens are removed from the Ni-nitrate and Ni-nitrite complexes with CO, the deoxygenation of NO requires a disproportionation reaction with another NO molecule to form NO2 and N2O. The final deoxygenation of nitrous oxide is accomplished by the Ni-NO complex and generates N2 and Ni-NO2 in a relatively slow, but clean reaction. This sequence of reactions is the first example of the complete denitrification of nitrate at a single metal-site and suggests a new paradigm of connecting CO and NO x as an effective reaction pair for NO x removal.

Design and Optimization of Catalysts Based on Mechanistic Insights Derived from Quantum Chemical Reaction Modeling.

Until recently, computational tools were mainly used to explain chemical reactions after experimental results were obtained. With the rapid development of software and hardware technologies to make computational modeling tools more reliable, they can now provide valuable insights and even become predictive. In this review, we highlighted several studies involving computational predictions of unexpected reactivities or providing mechanistic insights for organic and organometallic reactions that led to improved experimental results. Key to these successful applications is an integration between theory and experiment that allows for incorporation of empirical knowledge with precise computed values. Computer modeling of chemical reactions is already a standard tool that is being embraced by an ever increasing group of researchers, and it is clear that its utility in predictive reaction design will increase further in the near future.

Conversion of methane to ethylene using an Ir complex and phosphorus ylide as a methylene transfer reagent.

Cp*(Me3P)Ir(CH3)(OTf), a complex known to reversibly activate CH4 and other hydrocarbons under mild conditions, reacts with the phosphorus ylide H2CPPh3 in THF to afford two major species [Cp*(Me3P)(Ph3P)Ir(CH2CH3)][OTf] and [Cp*(Me3P)Ir(H)(η2-CH2CH2)][OTf]. Insertion of the ylide methylene group can also occur with Cp*(Me3P)Ir(Ph)(OTf) to afford the benzyl [Cp*(Me3P)(Ph3P)Ir(CH2Ph)][OTf]. Theoretical studies suggest the intermediacy of an Ir(iii)[double bond, length as m-dash]CH2 species.

Structural elucidation of a mononuclear titanium methylidene.

The first example of a structurally characterized titanium methylidene, (PN)2Ti[double bond, length as m-dash]CH2, has been prepared via one-electron oxidation of (PN)2Ti(CH3) followed by deprotonation or by H-atom abstraction using an aryloxyl radical. The Ti[double bond, length as m-dash]C distance was found to be 1.939(3) Å, and variable temperature, multinuclear, and multidimensional NMR spectroscopic experiments revealed the methylidene to engage in long range interactions with protons on the ligand framework. Computational studies showed that the Ti[double bond, length as m-dash]C bond, which until now has eluded structural studies, displays all the hallmarks of a prototypical Schrock-carbene.

Mechanism of Rh-Catalyzed Oxidative Cyclizations: Closed versus Open Shell Pathways.

A conceptual theory for analyzing and understanding oxidative addition reactions that form the cornerstone of many transition metal mediated catalytic cycles that activate C-C and C-H bonds, for example, was developed. The cleavage of the σ- or π-bond in the organic substrate can be envisioned to follow a closed or an open shell formalism, which is matched by a corresponding electronic structure at the metal center of the catalyst. Whereas the assignment of one or the other mechanistic scenario appears formal and equivalent at first sight, they should be recognized as different classes of reactions, because they lead to different reaction optimization and control strategies. The closed-shell mechanism involves heterolytic bond cleavages, which give rise to highly localized charges to form at the transition state. In the open-shell pathway, bonds are broken homolytically avoiding localized charges to accumulate on molecular fragments at the transition states. As a result, functional groups with inductive effects may exert a substantial influence on the energies of the intermediate and transition states, whereas no such effect is expected if the mechanism proceeds through the open-shell mechanism. If these functional groups are placed in a way that opens an electronic communication pathway to the molecular sites where charges accumulate, for example, using hyperconjugation, electron donating groups may stabilize a positive charge at that site. An instructive example is discussed, where this stereoelectronic effect allowed for rendering the oxidative addition diastereoselective. No such control is possible, however, when the open-shell reaction pathway is followed, because the inductive effects of functional groups have little to no effect on the stabilities of radical-like substrate states that are encountered when the bonds are broken in a homolytic fashion. Whether the closed-shell or open-shell mechanism for oxidative addition is followed is determined by the ordering of the d-orbital dominated frontier orbitals. If the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) is oriented in space in such a way that will give the organic substrate easy access to the valence electron pair, the closed-shell mechanism can be followed. If the shape and orientation of the HOMO is not appropriate, however, an alternative pathway involving singlet excited states of the metal that will invoke the matching radicaloid cleavage of the organic substrate will dominate the oxidative addition. This novel paradigm for formally analyzing and understanding oxidative additions provides a new way of systematically understanding and planning catalytic reactions, as demonstrated by the in silico design of room-temperature Pauson-Khand reactions.

Catalytic borylation of methane.

Despite steady progress in catalytic methods for the borylation of hydrocarbons, methane has not yet been subject to this transformation. Here we report the iridium-catalyzed borylation of methane using bis(pinacolborane) in cyclohexane solvent. Initially, trace amounts of borylated products were detected with phenanthroline-coordinated Ir complexes. A combination of experimental high-pressure and high-throughput screening, and computational mechanism discovery techniques helped to rationalize the foundation of the catalysis and identify improved phosphine-coordinated catalytic complexes. Optimized conditions of 150°C and 3500-kilopascal pressure led to yields as high as ~52%, turnover numbers of 100, and improved chemoselectivity for monoborylated versus diborylated methane.

Bicyclic bridgehead phosphoramidite (briphos) ligands with tunable π-acceptor ability and catalytic activity in the rhodium-catalyzed conjugate additions.

A new type of bicyclic bridgehead phosphoramidites (briphos) is reported, where the geometrical constraints significantly enhance the π-acceptor ability compared with its monocyclic analogs. The briphos is shown to be highly efficient and tunable for Rh(I)-catalyzed conjugate additions of aryl boronic acids to α,ß-unsaturated ketones and N-tosyl ketimines.

The facet-dependent enhanced catalytic activity of Pd nanocrystals.

A systematic study of heterogeneous Buchwald-Hartwig amination using shape-controlled Pd nanocrystals with distinctly different surface facets is presented.