Regioselective insertion of 2-vinylpyridine in niobium and tantalum aryloxide complexes: an alternate route to pyridylalkyl metallacycles.

A series of niobium and tantalum aryloxide complexes containing pyridylethyl ligation have been synthesized via 2-vinylpyridine insertion to metal hydride complexes.

Catalysis by cationic oxorhenium(v): hydrolysis and alcoholysis of organic silanes.

The cationic [2-(2'-hydroxyphenyl)-2-oxazolinato(-2)]oxorhenium(v) complex promotes oxidative dehydrogenation of organosilanes with water and alcohols in a catalytic manner to give excellent yields of silanols and silyl ethers, respectively. The reactions proceed conveniently under ambient and open-flask conditions with low catalyst loading (

Mechanism for reduction catalysis by metal oxo: hydrosilation of organic carbonyl groups catalyzed by a rhenium(V) oxo complex.

The rhenium oxo complex [Re(O)(hoz)2][TFPB], 1 (where hoz = 2-(2'-hydroxyphenyl)-2-oxazoline(-) and TFPB = tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate) catalyzes the hydrosilation of aldehydes and ketones under ambient temperature and atmosphere. The major organic product is the protected alcohol as silyl ether. Isolated yields range from 86 to 57%. The reaction requires low catalyst loading (0.1 mol %) and proceeds smoothly in CH2Cl2 as well as neat without solvent. In the latter condition, the catalyst precipitates at the end of reaction, allowing easy separation and catalyst recycling. Re(O)(hoz)(H), 3, was prepared, and its involvement in an ionic hydrosilation mechanism was evaluated. Complex 3 was found to be less hydridic than Et3SiH, refuting its participation in catalysis. A viable mechanism that is consistent with experimental findings, rate measurements, and kinetic isotope effects (Et3SiH/Et3SiD = 1.3 and benzaldehyde-H/benzaldehyde-D = 1.0) is proposed. Organosilane is activated via eta2-coordination to rhenium, and the organic carbonyl adds across the coordinated Si-H bond [2 + 2] to afford the organic reduction product.

Hydrogen production from hydrolytic oxidation of organosilanes using a cationic oxorhenium catalyst.

We describe herein the novel application of a transition metal oxo complex, a cationic oxorhenium(V) oxazoline, in the production of molecular hydrogen (H2) from the catalytic hydrolytic oxidation of organosilanes. The main highlights of the reaction are quantitative hydrogen yields, low catalyst loading, ambient conditions, high selectivity for silanols, water as the only co-reagent, and no solvent requirement. The amount of hydrogen produced is proportional to the water stoichiometry. Thus, reaction mixtures of polysilyl organics such as HC(SiH3)3 and water contain potentially >6 wt % hydrogen. Kinetic and isotope labeling experiments have revealed a new mechanistic paradigm for the activation of Si-H bonds by oxometalates.