New Experimental Insight into the Nature of Metal-Metal Bonds in Digallium Compounds: J Coupling between Quadrupolar Nuclei.

Multiple bonding between atoms is of ongoing fundamental and applied interest. Here, we report a multinuclear ((1) H, (13) C, and (71) Ga) solid-state magnetic resonance spectroscopic study of digallium compounds which have been proposed, albeit somewhat controversially, to contain single, double, and triple Ga-Ga bonds. Of particular relevance to the nature of these bonds, we have carried out two-dimensional (71) Ga J/D-resolved NMR experiments which provide a direct measurement of J((71) Ga,(71) Ga) spin-spin coupling constants across the gallium-gallium bonds. When placed in the context of clear-cut experimental data for analogous singly, doubly, and triply bonded carbon spin pairs or boron spin pairs, the (71) Ga NMR data clearly support the notion of a different bonding paradigm in the gallium systems. Our findings are consistent with an increasing role across the purported gallane-gallene-gallyne series for classical and/or slipped π-type bonding orbitals.

Solid-state thermolysis of a fac-rhenium(I) carbonyl complex with a redox non-innocent pincer ligand.

The development of rhenium(I) chemistry has been restricted by the limited structural and electronic variability of the common pseudo-octahedral products fac-[ReX(CO)3L2] (L2 = α-diimine). We address this constraint by first preparing the bidentate bis(imino)pyridine complexes [(2,6-{2,6-Me2C6H3N=CPh}2C5H3N)Re(CO)3X] (X = Cl 2, Br 3), which were characterized by spectroscopic and X-ray crystallographic means, and then converting these species into tridentate pincer ligand compounds, [(2,6-{2,6-Me2C6H3N=CPh}2C5H3N)Re(CO)2X] (X = Cl 4, Br 5). This transformation was performed in the solid-state by controlled heating of 2 or 3 above 200 °C in a tube furnace under a flow of nitrogen gas, giving excellent yields (≥95 %). Compounds 4 and 5 define a new coordination environment for rhenium(I) carbonyl chemistry where the metal center is supported by a planar, tridentate pincer-coordinated bis(imino)pyridine ligand. The basic photophysical features of these compounds show significant elaboration in both number and intensity of the d-π* transitions observed in the UV/Vis spec tra relative to the bidentate starting materials, and these spectra were analyzed using time-dependent DFT computations. The redox nature of the bis(imino)pyridine ligand in compounds 2 and 4 was examined by electrochemical analysis, which showed two ligand reduction events and demonstrated that the ligand reduction shifts to a more positive potential when going from bidentate 2 to tridentate 4 (+160 mV for the first reduction step and +90 mV for the second). These observations indicate an increase in electrostatic stabilization of the reduced ligand in the tridentate conformation. Elaboration on this synthetic methodology documented its generality through the preparation of the pseudo-octahedral rhenium(I) triflate complex [(2,6-{2,6-Me2C6H3N=CPh}2C5H3N)Re(CO)2OTf] (7, 93 % yield).

Noncovalent interactions of metal cations and arenes probed with thallium(I) complexes.

The synthesis, characterization, and computational analysis of Tl(I) complexes bearing the bis(imino)pyridine scaffold, [{ArN═CPh}2(NC5H3)]Tl(+)(OTf)(-) (Ar = 2,6-Et2C6H33, 2,5-(t)Bu2C6H3, 4), are reported. The cations of these species showed long Tl-N and Tl-OTf distances indicating only weak or no ligand coordination. Computational analysis of the interactions between the Tl cation and the ligands (orbital populations, bond order, and energy decomposition analysis) point to only minimal covalent interactions of the cation with the ligands. The weak ligand-to-metal donation allows for additional interactions between the Tl cation and arene rings that are either intramolecular, in the case of 3, or intermolecular. From benzene or toluene, 4 crystallizes with inverted sandwich structures having two [{(2,5-(t)Bu2C6H3)N═CPh}2(NC5H3)]Tl(+) cations bridged by either benzene or toluene. A density functional computational description of these Tl-arene contacts required exchange-correlation functionals with long-range exchange corrections (e.g., CAM-B3LYP or LC-PBE) and show that Tl-arene contacts are stabilized by noncovalent interactions.

Single-molecule magnet behavior with a single metal center enhanced through peripheral ligand modifications.

Bis(imino)pyridine pincer ligands in conjunction with two isothiocyanate ligands have been used to prepare two mononuclear Co(II) complexes. Both complexes have a distorted square-pyramidal geometry with the Co(II) centers lying above the basal plane. This leads to significant spin-orbit coupling for the d(7) Co(II) ions and consequently to slow relaxation of the magnetization that is characteristic of Single-Molecule Magnet (SMM) behavior.

Harnessing low-valent metal centers through non-bonding orbital interactions.

The synthesis, characterization, and computational analysis of a series of low-valent, In(I) complexes bearing the bis(imino)pyridine scaffold, {Ar'N=CPh}(2)(NC(5)H(3)), is reported. A stepwise steric reduction of the aryl groups on the imine substituents around the coordination site, (Ar' = 2,5-(t)Bu(2)C(6)H(3), 2,6-(i)Pr(2)C(6)H(3), 2,6-(CH(3)CH(2))(2)C(6)H(3)) is explored through the spectroscopic and crystallographic examination of complexes [{Ar'N=CPh}(2)(NC(5)H(3))]In(+)(OTf)(-) (1-3). Compounds 1-3 displayed long In-N and In-OTf distances indicating only weak or no coordination. Application of the ligand with Ar' = 2,6-(CH(3))(2)C(6)H(3) led to an In(III) bis(imino)pyridine complex, [{2,6-Me(2)C(6)H(3)N=CPh}(2)(NC(5)H(3))]In(OTf)(2)Cl 4 with coordinated ligand, chloride, and triflate groups. Computational analysis of the interactions between the In cation and the ligands (orbital populations, bond order, and energy decomposition analysis) point to only minimal covalent interactions of the In(I) cation with the ligands. Although it features three N donor centers, the bis(imino)pyridine ligand provides little ligand-to-metal donation. A thorough electronic structure analysis revealed a correlation of compound stability with the reduced contribution of the In(I) 5s lone electron pair to the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) of the cation. This effect, originating from non-bonding orbital interactions between the metal and the ligand, is more prominent in sterically crowded environments. The discovery of this correlation may help in designing new low-valent complexes.

Disubstituted 1,8-diamidonaphthalene ligands as a flexible, responsive, and reactive framework for tantalum complexes.

Deprotonated N,N'-disubstituted 1,8-diaminonaphthalenes (R(2)DAN(2-); R = (CH(3))(2)CH, C(6)H(5), 3,5-Me(2)C(6)H(3)) were incorporated into Ta(V) complexes employing two methods. The direct proton transfer reaction of the parent amine, 1,8-(RNH)(2)C(10)H(6), with TaMe(3)Cl(2) led to elimination of methane and formation of TaCl(3)[1,8-(RN)(2)C(10)H(6)] (1, 2). Reaction of the dilithiated amido species, Li(2)R(2)DAN, with TaMe(3)Cl(2) or [Ta(NEt(2))(2)Cl(3) ] yielded TaMe(3)[1,8-(RN)(2)C(10)H(6)] (3, 4) and TaCl(NEt(2))(2)[1,8-(RN)(2)C(10)H(6)] (5, 6), respectively. X-ray structural studies of these complexes revealed the flexible coordination behavior of R(2)DAN(2-) by demonstrating that the ligand bonded to Ta with a coordination array dependent on the identity of the other ligands bonded to tantalum. Computational analysis of these complexes confirmed that the energetic components for binding of R(2)DAN(2-) to these TaX(3)(2+) fragments were dominated by the electronic features of the metal fragment. Chemical transformations of the bound ligand were evaluated by reaction of compounds 5 and 6 with LiNMe(2) and MeLi. Simple metathesis products Ta(NEt(2))(2)NMe(2)[1,8-((i)PrN)(2)C(10)H(6)] (R = (i)Pr 7, R = 3,5-Me(2)(C(6)H(3)) 8) were obtained from reactions with LiNMe(2). In contrast, when the R group of the DAN ligand was (i)Pr, reaction with MeLi ultimately led to activation of the isopropyl group and formation of the metallaziridine [kappa(3)-(Me(2)CN)((i)PrN)C(10)H(6)]Ta(NEt(2))(2) (9) species via the elimination of methane.

Capturing In+ monomers in a neutral weakly coordinating environment.

The application of a new bis(imino)pyridine ligand allowed the isolation and characterization of [{2,4-(t)Bu(2)C(6)H(3)N=CPh}(2)(NC(5)H(3))]In(+)(OTf)(-) as the first low-valent, main-group metal complex of this ligand scaffold. Structural analysis revealed a unique monomeric In(I) species with a surprisingly long metal-ligand bond. In conjunction with a density functional theory investigation, this complex is shown to display only nominal donor-acceptor interactions between the metal and the neutral ligand. The mixing of the occupied 5s metal orbital with the occupied ligand orbitals reduces the reactivity of the central atom and thus stabilizes this species. An In(III) species, [{2,4-(t)Bu(2)C(6)H(3)N=CPh}(2)(NC(5)H(3))]InCl(2)(+)InCl(4)(-) was also isolated and structurally characterized utilizing this ligand frame.

Analysis of the critical step in catalytic carbodiimide transformation: proton transfer from amines, phosphines, and alkynes to guanidinates, phosphaguanidinates, and propiolamidinates with Li and Al catalysts.

While lithium amides supported by tetramethylethylenediamine (TMEDA) are efficient catalysts in the synthesis of substituted guanidines via the guanylation of an amine with carbodiimide, as well as the guanylation of phosphines and conversion of alkynes into propiolamidines, aluminum amides are only efficient catalysts for the guanylation of amides. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were used to explain this difference in activity. The origin of this behavior is apparent in the critical step where a proton is transferred from the substrate to a metal guanidinate. The activation energies of these steps are modest for amines, phosphines, and alkynes when a lithium catalyst was used, but are prohibitively high for the analogous reactions with phosphines and alkynes for aluminum amide catalysts. Energy decomposition analysis (EDA) indicates that these high activations energies are due to the high energetic cost of the detachment of a chelating guanidinate nitrogen from the aluminum in the proton transfer transition state. Amines are able to adopt an ideal geometry for facile proton transfer to the aluminum guanidinate and concomitant Al-N bond formation, while phosphines and alkynes are not.

Amidolithium and amidoaluminum catalyzed synthesis of substituted guanidines: an interplay of DFT modeling and experiment.

The synthesis of substituted guanidines is of significant interest for their use as versatile ligands and for the synthesis of bioactive molecules. Lithium amides supported by tetramethylethylenediamine have recently been shown to catalyze the guanylation of amines with carbodiimide. In this report, density functional theory (DFT) calculations are used to provide insight into the mechanism of this transformation. The mechanism identified through our calculations is a carbodiimide insertion into the lithium-amide bond to form a lithium guanidinate, followed by a proton transfer from the amine. The proton transfer transition state requires the dissociation of one of the chelating nitrogen centers of the lithium guanidinate, proton abstraction from the amine, and bond formation between the lithium center and the amine nitrogen. On the basis of this mechanism, further calculations predicted that aluminum amides would also function as active catalysts for the guanylation of amines. We confirm this experimentally and report the development of aluminum amides as a new main group catalyst for the guanylation of a range of electron-poor amines with carbodiimide.

Diamidonaphthalene-supported pnictogenium cations: synthesis of an N-heterocyclic stibenium cation by a novel protonation route.

A 1,8-bis(alkylamido)naphthalene framework has been applied to the construction of N-heterocyclic arsenium and stibenium cations; a novel synthetic route, involving protonation of an ancillary amido ligand, was used to generate the base-stabilized stibenium cation.

Catalytic C=N bond metathesis of carbodiimides by group 4 and 5 imido complexes supported by guanidinate ligands.

A family of guanidinate-supported imido metal complexes are novel, effective catalysts for C=N metathesis of alkyl and aryl carbodiimides and evidence suggests that this reaction proceeds via a sequential addition/elimination pathway.

Bulky Amidinate Complexes of Indium(III). Synthesis and Structure of [CyNC((t)Bu)NCy](2)InCl.

Reaction of 2 equiv of lithium dicyclohexylacetamidinate with InCl(3) affords the new species In[CyNC(Me)NCy](2)Cl (Cy = cyclohexyl) (1). Compound 1 reacts with MeLi to yield In[CyNC(Me)NCy](2)CH(3) (2) and also reacts with a third equivalent of amidinate to yield In[CyNC(Me)NCy](3) (3). Two new bulky amidinate ligands are prepared by the addition of (t)BuLi to CyN=C=NCy and Me(3)SiN=C=CSiMe(3), respectively. Subsequent reactions with InCl(3) lead to the high-yield syntheses of In[CyNC(CMe(3))NCy](2)Cl (4) and [Me(3)SiN(CMe(3))NSiMe(3)](2)InCl (5). Spectroscopic and elemental analyses confirm the formulas of all of these new species. Compound 4 is further characterized by X-ray crystallography and shown to possess a distorted trigonal bipyramidal coordination geometry around the metal center with the chloride group in the equatorial position. Crystal data for 4: triclinic, P&onemacr;, a = 12.545(7) Å, b = 13.482(8) Å, c = 11.965(6) Å, alpha = 102.08(5) degrees, beta = 92.00(5) degrees, gamma = 64.36(4) degrees, Z = 2, R = 0.029, R(w) = 0.045.

Insertion Routes to Tetrasubstituted Guanidinate Complexes of Ta(V) and Nb(V).

The preparation and characterization of guanidinate-containing complexes of Nb and Ta is described. The direct reactions of M(NMe(2))(5) with either dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (CyN=C=NCy) and diisopropylcarbodiimide ((i)PrN=C=N(i)Pr) proceeded smoothly at room temperature under nitrogen to yield [RNC(NMe(2))NR]M(NMe(2))(4) (M = Ta, Nb; R = Cy, (i)Pr). The spectroscopic characterization of these materials is consistent with a symmetrical chelating bidentate guanidinate anion bonded to a pseudo-octahedral metal center. Confirmation of these details was provided by a single-crystal X-ray diffraction study in the case of [CyNC(NMe(2))NCy]Ta(NMe(2))(4) (1). Delocalization of the lone pair of electrons on the guanidinate NMe(2) group into the ligand N-C-N pi system does not appear to be significant in these species.

Transition Metal Complexes of Guanidinate Dianions: Reactions between Guanidines and M(NMe(2))(5) (M = Ta, Nb).

The protonation of two metal-amido groups of M(NMe(2))(5) with trialkylguanidines yielded a series of novel complexes with formulas [RNC(NR)NR]M(NMe(2))(3) (1-4) (M = Ta, Nb; R = isopropyl, cyclohexyl). These complexes contained dianionic N,N',N' '-trialkylguanidinate ligands which were coordinated in a chelating bidentate mode. A single-crystal X-ray study of [CyNC(NCy)NCy]Ta(NMe(2))(3) (3) (C(25)H(51)N(6)Ta, triclinic, P&onemacr;, a = 9.4155(2) Å, b = 13.3188(2) Å, c = 13.5215(2) Å, alpha = 117.075(1) degrees, beta = 101.744(1) degrees, gamma = 98.507(1) degrees, Z = 2) confirmed the connectivity of these species. These guanidinate ligands exhibited both planarity of the central CN(3) group and the correct orientation of the three NR substituents to allow for pi conjugation within the ligand core.

The tipping point of the inert pair effect: experimental and computational comparison of In(I) and Sn(II) bis(imino)pyridine complexes.

The autoionization reaction of neutral bis(imino)pyridine and SnX2 led to three compounds [{ArN[double bond, length as m-dash]CPh}2(NC5H3)]SnX(+)SnX3(-) (Ar = 2,6-(2,5-(t)Bu2C6H3), X = Cl, Br; Ar = 2,6-(2,6-Me2C6H3), X = Cl) which display, within the same species, cations and anions possessing Sn(ii) centers. Computational analysis compared the ligated Sn(ii) cations with bis(imino)pyridine In(i) complexes that showed unprecedented weak metal-ligand covalent interactions, consistent with the In(i) 5s(2) electrons remaining as an inert nonbonding pair. Analysis of the metal-ligand bonding indicates that the chloride ligand of the Sn(ii) complex induces promotion of the metal 5s(2) electron pair to a stereochemically active hybridized orbital, which, in turn, allows strong coordination of the bis(imino)pyridine to Sn.

The interplay of metal and supporting ligand in labile coordination to pincer complexes of Ag(I).

The bis(imino)pyridine scaffold provides support for the synthesis and characterization of unique Ag(I) pincer complexes [{ArN=CPh}(2)(NPh)]Ag(+)(OTf)(-) (Ar = 2,5-(t)Bu(2)C(6)H(3)3; 2,6-(i)Pr(2)C(6)H(3) 4). The bonding interactions between the cation-anion and between the bis(imino)pyridine ligand and the Ag centre are presented. Coordination of pyridine, toluene, 2-butyne and cyclooctene to the Ag centre led to the isolation and crystallographic characterization of labile transient adduct species. Bonding analysis of the adducts revealed conventional ligand-Ag coordination and important unconventional electron donation from the ligand to a π*-orbital of the bis(imino)pyridine group.

Novel pincer complexes of Ag(I), coordination of toluene and their comparison with indium analogues.

The bis(imino)pyridine scaffold provides for the synthesis and characterization of the unique Ag(I) pincer complexes [{ArN=CPh}(2)(NPh)]Ag(+)(OTf)(-) (Ar = 2,5-(t)Bu(2)C(6)H(3); 2,6-(i)Pr(2)C(6)H(3)). The similar covalent radii of Ag(I) and In(I), prompted a bonding comparison of these species with their In(I) analogues. Coordination of toluene to the Ag center revealed the stronger Lewis acidity of the metal site in these compounds relative to In(I) analogues.

Disproportionation and radical formation in the coordination of "GaI" with bis(imino)pyridines.

Attempted coordination of "Ga(I)I" with two new sterically bulky, aryl substituted bis(imino)pyridine ligands lead to Ga(III) species [2,6-{ArN=CPh}(2)(NC(5)H(3))]GaI(2)(+)GaI(4)(-) (Ar = 2,5-(t)Bu(2)C(6)H(3), 2,6-(i)Pr(2)C(6)H(3) = Dipp) arising from thermodynamically favorable disproportionation reactions. Examination of these reactions lead to isolation of a neutral radical species [2,6-{DippN=CPh}(2)(NC(5)H(3))]GaI(2). Both EPR spectroscopy and DFT calculations on this compound indicate that the unpaired electron is localized in a di(imino)pyridine pi* orbital of an anionic ligand with nearly zero contribution from the Ga or I centers. Reaction of {2,5-(t)Bu(2)C(6)H(3)N=CPh}(2)(NC(5)H(3)) with AlCl(3) yielded an analogous Al(iii) product, [{2,5-(t)Bu(2)C(6)H(3)N=CPh}(2)(NC(5)H(3))]AlCl(2)(+)AlCl(4)(-).

SERS detection and boron delivery to cancer cells using carborane labelled nanoparticles.

Water-soluble carborane functionalized nanoparticles also co-functionalized with targeting antibodies have been prepared. We demonstrate tumour cell targeting with anti-EGFR antibodies and delivery of a high concentration of boron using SERS imaging. This suggests these materials have a therapeutic potential in addition to multimodal imaging capabilities.