Syntheses and catalytic oxotransfer activities of oxo molybdenum(vi) complexes of a new aminoalcohol phenolate ligand.

The new aminoalcohol phenol 2,4-di-tert-butyl-6-(((2-hydroxy-2-phenylethyl)amino)methyl)phenol (H2L) was prepared by a facile solvent-free synthesis and used as a tridentate ligand for new cis-dioxomolybdenum(vi)(L) complexes. In the presence of a coordinating solvent (DMSO, MeOH, pyridine), the complexes crystallise as monomeric solvent adducts while in the absence of such molecules, a trimer with asymmetric Mo[double bond, length as m-dash]O→Mo bridges crystallises. The complexes can catalyse epoxidation of cis-cyclooctene and sulfoxidation of methyl-p-tolylsulfide, using tert-butyl hydroperoxide as oxidant.

C--N bond formation on addition of aryl carbanions to the electrophilic nitrido ligand in TpOs(N)Cl(2).

The osmium(VI) nitrido complex TpOs(N)Cl(2) (1) has been prepared from K[Os(N)O(3)] and KTp in aqueous ethanolic HCl. It reacts rapidly with PhMgCl and related reagents with transfer of a phenyl group to the nitrido ligand. This forms Os(IV) metalla-analido complexes, which are readily protonated to give the analido complex TpOs(NHPh)Cl(2) (4). The nitrido-phenyl derivatives TpOs(N)PhCl and TpOs(N)Ph(2) react more slowly with PhMgCl and are not competent intermediates for the reaction of 1 with PhMgCl. Reactions of 1 with alkyl- and arylboranes similarly result in transfer of one organic group to nitrogen, leading to isolable borylamido complexes such as TpOs[N(Ph)(BPh(2))]Cl(2) (11). This is an unprecedented insertion of a nitrido ligand into a boron--carbon bond. Hydrolysis of 11 gives 4. Mechanistic studies suggest that both the Grignard and borane reactions proceed by initial weak coordination of Mg or B to the nitrido ligand, followed by migration of the carbanion to nitrogen. The hydrocarbyl group does not go to osmium and then move to nitrogen--there is no change in the atoms bound to the osmium during the reactions. It is suggested that there may be a general preference for nucleophiles to add directly to the metal--ligand multiple bond rather than binding to the metal first and migrating. Ab initio calculations show that the unusual reactivity of 1 results from its accessible LUMO and LUMO + 1, which are the Os = N pi* orbitals. The bonding in 1 and its reactivity with organoboranes are reminiscent of CO.

CASSCF and CASPT2 calculations on the cleavage and ring inversion of bicyclo[2.2.0]hexane find that these reactions involve formation of a common twist-boat diradical intermediate.

(6/6)CASSCF and CASPT2/6-31G calculations have been performed to understand the experimental finding of Goldstein and Benzon (J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1972, 94, 5119) that exo-bicyclo[2.2.0]hexane-d(4) (1b) undergoes ring inversion to form endo-bicyclo[2.2.0]hexane-d(4) (4b) faster than it undergoes cleavage to form cis,trans-1,5-hexadiene-d(4) (3b). Goldstein and Benzon also found that the latter reaction, which must occur via a chairlike transition structure (TS), is much faster than cleavage of 1b to trans,trans-1,5-hexadiene-d(4) (2b) via a boatlike TS. Our calculations reveal that all three of these reactions involve ring opening of 1, through a boat diradical TS (BDTS), to form a twist-boat diradical intermediate (TBDI). TBDI can reclose to 4 via a stereoisomeric boat diradical TS (BDTS'), or TBDI can cleave, either via a half-chair diradical TS (HCDTS) to form 3 or via a boat TS (BTS) to form 2. The calculated values of DeltaH(++) = 34.6 kcal/mol, DeltaS(++) = -1.6 eu, and DeltaH(++) = 35.2 kcal/mol, DeltaS(++) = 2.0 eu for ring inversion of 1 to 4 and cleavage of 1 to 3, respectively, are in excellent agreement with the values measured by Goldstein and Benzon. The higher value of DeltaH(++) = 37.6 kcal/mol, computed for cleavage of TBDI to 2, is consistent with the experimental finding that very little 2b is formed when 1b is pyrolyzed. The relationships between BDTS, HCDTS, and BTS and the chair and boat Cope rearrangement TSs (CCTS and BCTS) are discussed.