Steric and Electronic Effect of Cp-Substituents on the Structure of the Ruthenocene Based Pincer Palladium Borohydrides.

Ruthenocene-based PCPtBu pincer ligands were used to synthesize novel pincer palladium chloride RcF[PCPtBu]PdCl (2a) and two novel palladium tetrahydroborates RcF[PCPtBu]Pd(BH4) (3a) and Rc*[PCPtBu]Pd(BH4) (3b), where RcF[PCPtBu] = κ3-{2,5-(tBu2PCH2)2-C5H2}Ru(CpF) (CpF = C5Me4CF3), and Rc*[PCPtBu] = κ3-{2,5-(tBu2PCH2)2C5H2}Ru(Cp*) (Cp* = C5Me5). These coordination compounds were characterized by X-ray, NMR and FTIR techniques. Analysis of the X-ray data shows that an increase of the steric bulk of non-metalated cyclopentadienyl ring in 3a and 3b relative to non-substituted Rc[PCPtBu]Pd(BH4) analogue (3c; where Rc[PCPtBu] = κ3-{2,5-(tBu2PCH2)2C5H2}Ru(Cp), Cp = C5H5) pushes palladium atom from the middle plane of the metalated Cp ring in the direction opposite to the ruthenium atom. This displacement increases in the order 3c < 3b < 3a following the order of the Cp-ring steric volume increase. The analysis of both X-ray and IR data suggests that BH4 ligand in both palladium tetrahydroborates 3a and 3b has the mixed coordination mode η1,2. The strength of the BH4 bond with palladium atom increases in the order Rc[PCPtBu]Pd(BH4) < Rc*[PCPtBu]Pd(BH4) < RcF[PCPtBu]Pd(BH4) that appears to be affected by both steric and electronic properties of the ruthenocene moiety.

Synthesis, structural properties and reactivity of ruthenocene-based pincer Pd(ii) tetrahydroborate.

Two novel ruthenocene-based pincer palladium tetrahydroborates were characterized by XRD, NMR and FTIR. The alcoholysis of Pd(ii) tetrahydroborate LPd(BH4) (L = κ3-[{2,5-(tBu2PCH2)2C5H2}Ru(C5H5)]) yields the dinuclear cationic Pd(ii) tetrahydroborate with the bridging BH4- ligand [(LPd)2(µ,η1,2:η1,2-BH4)]+. The bifurcate dihydrogen-bonded complexes are the active intermediates of the first proton transfer in the step-wise alcoholysis of LPd(BH4), yielding eventually [(LPd)2(µ,η1,2:η1,2-BH4)]+. According to the X-ray and DFT/M06 geometry analysis, the BH4- ligand in both palladium tetrahydroborates has a mixed coordination mode η1,2. The possibility of BH3-group abstraction from LPd(BH4) by an excess of organic base (THF, Py) with the formation of hydride LPdIIH is shown. This Pd(ii) hydride is a very reactive compound able to rapidly capture CO2 (ca. 15 min) converting into the formate complex LPdII(η1-OC(O)H). The hydrolysis of LPdH with subsequent CO2 insertion yields a hydrocarbonate complex LPdII(η1-OC(O)OH). The hydrocarbonate complex forms hydrogen-bonded dimers in the crystal due to hydrogen bonds between the OC(O)OH fragments.