Three-Electron Nickel(I)/Nickel(0) Half-Bond.

An (N-heterocyclic carbene)nickel(I) cation precursor reacts with the corresponding nickel(0) complex to form a dinickel(I,0) monocation. The Ni···Ni distance in this cation is 0.93 Å shorter than in the analogous dinickel(0) complex. Although the solid-state structure shows equivalent Ni centers, density functional theory calculations indicate significant electronic localization. Reactions with CO and NO form mononuclear carbonyl and nitrosyl complexes. Oxidative addition of an aryl bromide results in C-arylation of the carbene ligands.

Nitrosonium Reactivity of (NHC)Copper(I) Sulfide Complexes.

This study examines the reactivity of a series of copper(I) sulfide complexes stabilized by the expanded-ring N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) 1,3-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)-4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-1,3-diazepin-2-ylidene (7Dipp) toward the nitrosonium ion (NO+). 7Dipp is shown to support neutral sulfide- and disulfide-bridged dicopper(I) complexes, as well as mononuclear copper(I) hydrosulfide. The addition of NO+ to each of these results in the formation of NHC-supported copper(I) cations and elemental sulfur. Reduction of copper(I) to copper(0) is observed upon reaction of NO+ with dicopper(I) sulfide or disulfide, whereas ammonium ion formation is observed upon reaction of copper(I) hydrosulfide with NO+. Ammonium ion formation is likewise observed upon reaction of NO+ with (7Dipp)copper(I) hydride.

Coinage Metal Hydrides: Synthesis, Characterization, and Reactivity.

Hydride complexes of copper, silver, and gold encompass a broad array of structures, and their distinctive reactivity has enabled dramatic recent advances in synthesis and catalysis. This Review summarizes the synthesis, characterization, and key stoichiometric reactions of isolable or observable coinage metal hydrides. It discusses catalytic processes in which coinage metal hydrides are known or probable intermediates, and presents mechanistic studies of selected catalytic reactions. The purpose of this Review is to convey how developments in coinage metal hydride chemistry have led to new organic transformations, and how developments in catalysis have in turn inspired the synthesis of reactive new complexes.

Heterolysis of Dihydrogen by Silver Alkoxides and Fluorides.

Alkoxide-bridged disilver cations react with dihydrogen to form hydride-bridged cations, releasing free alcohol. Hydrogenolysis of neutral silver fluorides affords hydride-bridged disilver cations as their bifluoride salts. These reactions proceed most efficiently when the supporting ligands are expanded N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) derived from 6- and 7-membered cyclic amidinium salts. Kinetics studies show that silver fluoride hydrogenolysis is first-order in both silver and dihydrogen.

Bonding and reactivity of a µ-hydrido dicopper cation.

A bent dicopper-hydride cation that has an N-heterocyclic carbene supporting ligand has a Cu-H-Cu angle of 122° in the solid state. Density functional theory suggests an open three-centered metal-hydrogen interaction. The hydride reacts readily with methanol and with carbon dioxide; insertion of phenylacetylene affords a gem-dicopper vinyl complex.

Ligand-based control of nuclearity in (NHC)gold(I) sulfides.

N-Heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligands support gold(I) sulfide complexes of varying nuclearity and charge. For sterically undemanding ligands, gold(I) chlorides react with sulfide to form trigold µ3-sulfido cations as the first observed products. The ligand IMes [1,3-bis(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)imidazol-2-ylidene] supports a monomeric cation, whereas the ICy-(1,3-dicyclohexylimidazol-2-ylidene-) supported cation crystallises as a dimer linked through an aurophilic interaction. The more sterically demanding IDipp [1,3-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)imidazol-2-ylidene] supports a terminal hydrosulfide, a (µ-hydrosulfido)digold cation, and a µ3-sulfido cation. Use of the expanded-ring NHC 7Dipp [1,3-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)-4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-1,3-diazepin-2-ylidene] allows the isolation of a neutral digold sulfide.

Copper(I)-Mediated Borofluorination of Alkynes.

The electrophilic fluorination of N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) copper(I) vinyls results in fluoroalkene formation. Alkynes can be converted to cis-(ß-fluorovinyl)boronates by a reaction with an (NHC)copper(I) boryl generated in situ, followed by N-fluorobenzenesulfonimide (NFSI). This sequence gives rise to anti-Markovnikov fluorination products from terminal alkynes. Oxidation of a cis-(ß-fluorovinyl)trifluoroboronate yields an α-fluoroketone, whereas a palladium-catalyzed Suzuki-Miyaura coupling yields a tetrasubstituted monofluoroalkene.

Conjugate reduction of alpha,beta-unsaturated carbonyl compounds catalyzed by a copper carbene complex.

[reaction: see text] An N-heterocyclic carbene copper chloride (NHC-CuCl) complex (2) has been prepared and used to catalyze the conjugate reduction of alpha,beta-unsaturated carbonyl compounds. The combination of catalytic amounts of 2 and NaOt-Bu with poly(methylhydrosiloxane) (PMHS) as the stoichiometric reductant generates an active catalyst for the 1,4-reduction of tri- and tetrasubstituted alpha,beta-unsaturated esters and cyclic enones. The active catalytic species can also be generated in situ from 1,3-bis(2,6-di-isopropylphenyl)-imidazolium chloride (1) CuCl(2).2H(2)O in the presence of NaOt-Bu and PMHS.

Palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling of pyrrole anions with aryl chlorides, bromides, and iodides.

[reaction: see text] A general method for the conversion of pyrrole anions to 2-arylpyrroles has been developed. Using a palladium precatalyst and sterically demanding 2-(dialkylphosphino)biphenyl ligands, (pyrrolyl)zinc chloride may be cross-coupled with a wide range of aryl halides, including aryl chlorides and aryl bromides, at low catalyst loadings and under mild conditions. A high degree of steric hindrance is tolerated. Certain ring-substituted pyrrole anions have also been arylated with aryl bromide substrates.

Oxidation-resistant, sterically demanding phenanthrolines as supporting ligands for copper(I) nitrene transfer catalysts.

New 1,10-phenanthroline ligands have been synthesized with C6F5- or 2,4,6-(CF3)3C6H2- groups in the 2- and 9-positions; a cationic copper(I) complex of the latter catalyses nitrene transfer to the C-H bonds of electron-rich arenes.

Catalytic diboration of aldehydes via insertion into the copper-boron bond.

Mesitaldehyde reacts cleanly with (IPr)CuB(pin) [IPr = 1,3-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)imidazol-2-ylidene); pin = 2,3-dimethyl-2,3-butanediolate] to afford the product complex 1, the first well-defined product of carbonyl group insertion into a metal-boron bond. Analysis of 1 by NMR spectroscopy and single-crystal X-ray diffraction indicates the formation of a copper-carbon and a boron-oxygen bond. A copper(I) precatalyst supported by the less sterically demanding ligand ICy (1,3-dicyclohexylimidazol-2-ylidene) achieves the efficient 1,2-diboration of aryl-, heteroaryl-, and alkyl-substituted aldehydes at room temperature.

Efficient homogeneous catalysis in the reduction of CO2 to CO.

The well-defined copper(I) boryl complex [(IPr)Cu(Bpin)] [where IPr = 1,3-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)imidazol-2-ylidene, and pin = pinacolate: 2,3-dimethyl-2,3-butanediolate] deoxygenates CO2 rapidly and quantitatively, affording CO and the borate complex [(IPr)Cu(OBpin)]. The boryl may be regenerated by treatment with the diboron compound pinB-Bpin, giving the stable byproduct pinB-O-Bpin. The use of a copper(I) alkoxide precatalyst and stoichiometric diboron reagent results in catalytic reduction of CO2, with high turnover numbers (1000 per Cu) and frequencies (100 per Cu in 1 h) depending on supporting ligand and reaction conditions.

Copper(I) complexes of a heavily fluorinated beta-diketiminate ligand: synthesis, electronic properties, and intramolecular aerobic hydroxylation.

The aza-Wittig reaction between Ar(f)()-N=PPh(3) [Ar(f)() = 3,5-(CF(3))(2)C(6)H(3)] and 1,1,1,5,5,5-hexafluoro-2,4-pentanedione affords a new, highly fluorinated beta-diketimine, 1. Metalation by mesitylcopper(I) in benzene gives rise to the Cu(I) beta-diketiminate as its eta(2)-benzene adduct, 2a. Copper(I) carbonyl complexes of 1, and of three less-fluorinated analogues, have been generated in situ and compared by IR spectroscopy; the two backbone CF(3) groups exert a stronger electronic influence than the four N-aryl CF(3) groups. Dinuclear adduct 2b reacts readily with O(2), leading to ortho-hydroxylation of a ligand N-Ar(f)() group.