Post-Synthesis Amine Borane Functionalization of a Metal-Organic Framework and Its Unusual Chemical Hydrogen Release Phenomenon.

A novel strategy for post-synthesis amine borane functionalization of MOFs under gas-solid phase transformation, utilizing gaseous diborane, is reported. The covalently confined amine borane derivative decorated on the framework backbone is stable when preserved at low temperature, but spontaneously liberates soft chemical hydrogen at room temperature, leading to the development of an unusual borenium type species (-NH=BH2+ ) ion-paired with a hydroborate anion. Furthermore, the unsaturated amino borane (-NH=BH2 ) and the µ-iminodiborane (-µ-NHB2 H5 ) were detected as final products. A combination of DFT based molecular dynamics simulations and solid state NMR spectroscopy, utilizing isotopically enriched materials, were undertaken to unequivocally elucidate the mechanistic pathways for H2 liberation.

Charge Transport and Conductance Switching of Redox-Active Azulene Derivatives.

Azulene (Az) is a non-alternating, aromatic hydrocarbon composed of a five-membered, electron-rich and a seven-membered, electron-poor ring; an electron distribution that provides intrinsic redox activity. By varying the attachment points of the two electrode-bridging substituents to the Az center, the influence of the redox functionality on charge transport is evaluated. The conductance of the 1,3 Az derivative is at least one order of magnitude lower than those of the 2,6 Az and 4,7 Az derivatives, in agreement with density functional theory (DFT) calculations. In addition, only 1,3 Az exhibits pronounced nonlinear current-voltage characteristics with hysteresis, indicating a bias-dependent conductance switching. DFT identifies the LUMO to be nearest to the Fermi energy of the electrodes, but to be an active transport channel only in the case of the 2,6 and the 4,7 Az derivatives, whereas the 1,3 Az derivative uses the HOMO at low and the LUMO+1 at high bias. In return, the localized, weakly coupled LUMO of 1,3 Az creates a slow electron-hopping channel responsible for the voltage-induced switching due to the occupation of a single molecular orbital (MO).

Electronic communication in phosphine substituted bridged dirhenium complexes - clarifying ambiguities raised by the redox non-innocence of the C4H2- and C4-bridges.

The mononuclear rhenium carbyne complex trans-[Re(C[triple bond, length as m-dash]CSiMe3)([triple bond, length as m-dash]C-Me)(PMe3)4][PF6] (2) was prepared in 90% yield by heating a mixture of the dinitrogen complex trans-[ReCl(N2)(PMe3)4] (1), TlPF6, and an excess of HC[triple bond, length as m-dash]CSiMe3. 2 could be deprotonated with KOtBu to the vinylidene complex trans-[Re(C[triple bond, length as m-dash]CSiMe3)([double bond, length as m-dash]C[double bond, length as m-dash]CH2)(PMe3)4] (3) in 98% yield. Oxidation of 3 with 1.2 equiv. of [Cp2Fe][PF6] at -78 °C gave the Cß-C'ß coupled dinuclear rhenium biscarbyne complex trans-[(Me3SiC[triple bond, length as m-dash]C)(PMe3)4Re[triple bond, length as m-dash]C-CH2-CH2-C[triple bond, length as m-dash]Re(PMe3)4(C[triple bond, length as m-dash]CSiMe3)][PF6]2 (5) in 92% yield. Deprotonation of 5 with an excess of KOtBu in THF produced the diamagnetic trans-[(Me3SiC[triple bond, length as m-dash]C)(PMe3)4Re[double bond, length as m-dash]C[double bond, length as m-dash]CH-CH[double bond, length as m-dash]C[double bond, length as m-dash]Re(PMe3)4(C[triple bond, length as m-dash]CSiMe3)] complex (E-6(S)) in 87% yield with an E-butadienediylidene bridge. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations of E-6(S) confirmed its singlet ground state. The Z-form of 6 (Z-6(S)) could not be observed, which is in accord with its DFT calculated 17.8 kJ mol(-1) higher energy. Oxidation of E-6 with 2 equiv. of [Cp2Fe][PF6] resulted in the stable diamagnetic dicationic trans-[(Me3SiC[triple bond, length as m-dash]C)(PMe3)4Re[triple bond, length as m-dash]C-CH[double bond, length as m-dash]CH-C[triple bond, length as m-dash]Re(PMe3)4(C[triple bond, length as m-dash]CSiMe3)][PF6]2 complex (E-6[PF6]2) with an ethylenylidene dicarbyne structure of the bridge. The paramagnetic mixed-valence (MV) complex E-6[PF6] was obtained by comproportionation of E-6(S) and E-6[PF6]2 or by oxidation of E-6(S) with 1 equiv. of [Cp2Fe][PF6]. The dicationic trans-[(Me3SiC[triple bond, length as m-dash]C)(PMe3)4Re[triple bond, length as m-dash]C-C[triple bond, length as m-dash]C-C[triple bond, length as m-dash]Re(PMe3)4(C[triple bond, length as m-dash]CSiMe3)][PF6]2 (7[PF6]2) complex, attributed a butynedi(triyl) bridge structure, was obtained by deprotonation of E-6[PF6]2 with KOtBu followed by oxidation with 2 equiv. of [Cp2Fe][PF6]. The neutral complex 7 could be accessed best by reduction of 7[PF6]2 with KH in the presence of 18-crown-6. According to DFT calculations 7 possesses two equilibrating electronic states: diamagnetic 7(S) and triplet 7(F) with ferromagnetically coupled spins. The latter is calculated to be 5.2 kcal mol(-1) lower in energy than 7(S). There is experimental evidence that 7(S) prevails in solution. 7 could not be isolated in the crystalline state and is unstable transforming mainly by H-abstraction to give E-6(S). UV-Vis-NIR spectroscopy for the dinuclear rhenium complexes E-6(S), E-6[PF6] and E-6[PF6]2, as well as EPR spectroscopic and variable-temperature magnetization measurements for the MV complex E-6[PF6] were also conducted. Spectro-electrochemical reduction studies on 7[PF6]2 allowed the characterization of the mono- and direduced forms of 7(+) and 7 by means of IR- and UV-Vis-NIR-spectroscopy and revealed the chemical fate of the higher reduced form.

Field-induced conductance switching by charge-state alternation in organometallic single-molecule junctions.

Charge transport through single molecules can be influenced by the charge and spin states of redox-active metal centres placed in the transport pathway. These intrinsic properties are usually manipulated by varying the molecule's electrochemical and magnetic environment, a procedure that requires complex setups with multiple terminals. Here we show that oxidation and reduction of organometallic compounds containing either Fe, Ru or Mo centres can solely be triggered by the electric field applied to a two-terminal molecular junction. Whereas all compounds exhibit bias-dependent hysteresis, the Mo-containing compound additionally shows an abrupt voltage-induced conductance switching, yielding high-to-low current ratios exceeding 1,000 at bias voltages of less than 1.0 V. Density functional theory calculations identify a localized, redox-active molecular orbital that is weakly coupled to the electrodes and closely aligned with the Fermi energy of the leads because of the spin-polarized ground state unique to the Mo centre. This situation provides an additional slow and incoherent hopping channel for transport, triggering a transient charging effect in the entire molecule with a strong hysteresis and large high-to-low current ratios.

A facile synthetic route to benzimidazolium salts bearing bulky aromatic N-substituents.

An atom-economic synthetic route to benzimidazolium salts is presented. The annulated polycyclic systems: 1,3-bis(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)-1H-benzo[d]imidazol-3-ium chloride (1-Cl), 1,3-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)-1H-benzo[d]imidazol-3-ium chloride (2-Cl), 1,3-diphenyl-1H-benzo[d]imidazol-3-ium chloride (3-Cl), and 1,3-di(pyridin-2-yl)-1H-benzo[d]imidazol-3-ium chloride (4-Cl) were prepared in a two-step synthesis avoiding chromatographic work-up. In the key step triethyl orthoformate is reacted with the corresponding N (1),N (2)-diarylbenzene-1,2-diamines and then further transformed in situ, by alkoxy abstraction using trimethylsilyl chloride (TMSCl), and concomitant imidazole ring closure.

Synthesis of new asymmetric substituted boron amidines - reactions with CO and transfer hydrogenations of phenylacetylene.

The syntheses of the new asymmetric substituted boron amidines [N'-(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)-N-(pentafluorophenyl)acetimidamide]bis(pentafluorophenyl)borate () and [N'-(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)-N-(4-cyanophenyl)acetimidamide]bis(pentafluorophenyl)borate () were achieved by reaction of one equivalent of HB(C6F5)2 and the respective amidines and . These adducts, bearing electron withdrawing groups, showed thermally induced H2 elimination forming the four-membered cyclic diazaborate derivatives and . These new species were characterized by spectroscopic methods. X-ray diffraction studies have been carried out on , and . To prevent undesired reactions at the nitrile group, one equivalent of B(C6F5)3 was added to yielding the -B(C6F5)3 nitrile adduct . Compound underwent thermally induced dehydrogenation to give the four-membered cyclic diazaborate derivative . CO was inserted into the ring systems of and forming the five-membered diazaborolone derivatives and . Phenylacetylene reacted stoichiometrically with the asymmetric substituted boron amidines , and to give styrene by double H transfer.

Ligand assisted carbon dioxide activation and hydrogenation using molybdenum and tungsten amides.

The hepta-coordinated isomeric M(NO)Cl3(PN(H)P) complexes {M = Mo, ; W, , PN(H)P = (iPr2PCH2CH2)2NH, (HN atom of PN(H)P syn and anti to the NO ligand)} and the paramagnetic species M(NO)Cl2(PN(H)P) (M = Mo, ; W, ) could be prepared via a new synthetic pathway. The pseudo trigonal bipyramidal amides M(NO)(CO)(PNP) {M = Mo, ; W, ; [PNP](-) = [(iPr2PCH2CH2)2N](-)} were reacted with CO2 at room temperature with CO2 approaching the M[double bond, length as m-dash]N double bond in the equatorial (CO,NO,N) plane trans to the NO ligand and forming the pseudo-octahedral cyclic carbamates M(NO)(CO)(PNP)(OCO) (M = Mo, ; W = ). DFT calculations revealed that the approach to form the isomer is kinetically determined. The amine hydrides M(NO)H(CO)(PN(H)P) {M = Mo, ; W, }, obtained by H2 addition to , insert CO2 (2 bar) at room temperature into the M-H bond generating isomeric mixtures of the η(1)-formato complexes M(NO)(CO)(PN(H)P)(η(1)-OCHO), (M = Mo, ; M = W, ). Closing the stoichiometric cycles for sodium formate formation the isomeric mixtures were reacted with 1 equiv. of Na[N(SiMe3)2] regenerating . Attempts to turn the stoichiometric formate production into catalytic CO2 hydrogenation using in the presence of various types of sterically congested bases furnished yields of formate salts of up to 4%.

High-conductive organometallic molecular wires with delocalized electron systems strongly coupled to metal electrodes.

Besides active, functional molecular building blocks such as diodes or switches, passive components, for example, molecular wires, are required to realize molecular-scale electronics. Incorporating metal centers in the molecular backbone enables the molecular energy levels to be tuned in respect to the Fermi energy of the electrodes. Furthermore, by using more than one metal center and sp-bridging ligands, a strongly delocalized electron system is formed between these metallic "dopants", facilitating transport along the molecular backbone. Here, we study the influence of molecule-metal coupling on charge transport of dinuclear X(PP)2FeC4Fe(PP)2X molecular wires (PP = Et2PCH2CH2PEt2); X = CN (1), NCS (2), NCSe (3), C4SnMe3 (4), and C2SnMe3 (5) under ultrahigh vacuum and variable temperature conditions. In contrast to 1, which showed unstable junctions at very low conductance (8.1 × 10(-7) G0), 4 formed a Au-C4FeC4FeC4-Au junction 4' after SnMe3 extrusion, which revealed a conductance of 8.9 × 10(-3) G0, 3 orders of magnitude higher than for 2 (7.9 × 10(-6) G0) and 2 orders of magnitude higher than for 3 (3.8 × 10(-4) G0). Density functional theory (DFT) confirmed the experimental trend in the conductance for the various anchoring motifs. The strong hybridization of molecular and metal states found in the C-Au coupling case enables the delocalized electronic system of the organometallic Fe2 backbone to be extended over the molecule-metal interfaces to the metal electrodes to establish high-conductive molecular wires.

Organometallic single-molecule electronics: tuning electron transport through X(diphosphine)2FeC4Fe(diphosphine)2X building blocks by varying the Fe-X-Au anchoring scheme from coordinative to covalent.

A series of X(depe)2FeC≡C-C≡CFe(depe)2X complexes (depe =1,2-bis(diethylphosphino)ethane; X = I 1, NCMe 2, N2 3, C2H 4, C2SnMe3 5, C4SnMe3 6, NCSe 7, NCS 8, CN 9, SH 10, and NO2 11) was designed to study the influence of the anchor group on organometallic molecular transport junctions to achieve high-conductive molecular wires. The FeC4Fe core is electronically functional due to the redox-active Fe centers and sp-bridging ligands allowing a strong electronic delocalization. 1-11 were characterized by elemental analyses, X-ray diffraction, cyclic voltammetry, NMR, IR, and Raman spectroscopy. DFT calculations on model compounds gave the HOMO/LUMO energies. 5-9 were investigated in mechanically controllable break-junctions. For 9, unincisive features at 8.1 × 10(-7) G0 indicate that sterical reasons prevent stable junctions to form or that the coordinative binding motif prohibits electron injection. 7 and 8 with the hitherto unexploited coordinatively binding end groups NCSe and NCS yielded currents of 1.3 × 10(-9) A (7) and 1.8 × 10(-10) A (8) at ±1.0 V. The SnMe3 in 5 and 6 splits off, yielding junctions with covalent C-Au bonds and currents of 6.5 × 10(-7) A (Au-5'-Au) or 2.1 × 10(-7) A (Au-6'-Au). Despite of a length of almost 2 nm, the Au-5'-Au junction reaches 1% of the maximum current assuming one conductance channel in quantum point contacts. Additionally, the current noise in the transport data is considerably reduced for the covalent C-Au coupling compared to the coordinative anchoring of 7-9, endorsing C-Au coupled organometallic complexes as excellent candidates for low-ohmic molecular wires.

Trisphosphine-chelate-substituted molybdenum and tungsten nitrosyl hydrides as highly active catalysts for olefin hydrogenations.

Reaction of [M(NO)Cl3 (NCMe)2 ] (M=Mo, W) with (iPr2 PCH2 CH2 )2 PPh (etp(i) p) at room temperature afforded the syn/anti-[M(NO)Cl3 (mer-etp(i) p)] complexes (M=Mo, a; W, b; 3 a,b(syn,anti); syn and anti refer to the relative position of Ph(etp(i) p) and NO). Reduction of 3 a,b(syn,anti) produced [M(NO)Cl2 (mer-etp(i) p)] (4 a,b(syn)), [M(NO)Cl(NCMe)(mer-etp(i) p)] (5 a,b(syn,anti)), and [M(NO)Cl(η(2) -ethylene)(mer-etp(i) p)] (6 a,b(syn,anti)) complexes. The hydrides [M(NO)H(η(2) -ethylene)(mer-etp(i) p)] (7 a,b(syn,anti)) were obtained from 6 a,b(syn,anti) using NaHBEt3 (75 °C, THF) or LiBH4 (80 °C, Et3 N), respectively. 7 a,b(syn,anti) were probed in olefin hydrogenations in the absence or presence of a hydrosilane/B(C6 F5 )3 mixture. The 7 a,b(syn,anti)/Et3 SiH/B(C6 F5 )3 co-catalytic systems were highly active in various olefin hydrogenations (60 bar H2 , 140 °C), with maximum TOFs of 5250 h(-1) (7 a(syn,anti)) and 8200 h(-1) (7 b(syn,anti)) for 1-hexene hydrogenation. The Et3 SiH/(B(C6 F5 )3 co-catalyst is anticipated to generate a [Et3 Si](+) cation attaching to the ONO atom. This facilitates NO bending and accelerates catalysis by providing a vacant site. Inverse DKIE effects were observed for the 7 a(syn,anti)/Et3 SiH/(B(C6 F5 )3 (kH /kD =0.55) and the 7 b(syn,anti)/Et3 SiH/(B(C6 F5 )3 (kH /kD =0.65) co-catalytic mixtures (20 bar H2 /D2 , 140 °C).

Hydrogenation of imines catalyzed by trisphosphine-substituted molybdenum and tungsten nitrosyl hydrides and co-catalytic acid.

Hydride complexes Mo,W(CO)(NO)H(mer-etp(i)p) (iPr2PCH2CH2)2PPh=etp(i)p) (2 a,b(syn), syn and anti of NO and Ph(etp(i)p) orientions) were prepared and probed in imine hydrogenations together with co-catalytic [H(Et2O)2][B(C6F5)4] (140 °C, 60 bar H2). 2 a,b(syn) were obtained via reduction of syn/anti-Mo,W(NO)Cl3(mer-etp(i)p) and syn,anti-Mo,W(NO)(CO)Cl(mer-etp(i)p). [H(Et2O)2][B(C6F5)4] in THF converted the hydrides into THF complexes syn-[Mo,W(NO)(CO)(etp(i)p)(THF)][B(C6F5)4]. Combinations of the p-substituents of aryl imines p-R(1)C6H4CH=N-p-C6H4R(2) (R(1),R(2)=H,F,Cl,OMe,α-Np) were hydrogenated to amines (maximum initial TOFs of 1960 h(-1) (2 a(syn)) and 740 h(-1) (2 b(syn)) for N-(4-methoxybenzylidene)aniline). An 'ionic hydrogenation' mechanism based on linear Hammett plots (ρ=-10.5, p-substitution on the C-side and ρ=0.86, p-substitution on the N-side), iminium intermediates, linear P(H2) dependence, and DKIE=1.38 is proposed. Heterolytic splitting of H2 followed by 'proton before hydride' transfers are the steps in the ionic mechanism where H2 ligand addition is rate limiting.

Alfred Werner's chemistry of dinuclear complexes--a test case of Werner's intuition.

The re-investigation of four original tris-bridged dinuclear dicobalt complexes from the Werner collection of the University of Zurich by X-ray diffraction studies is described. The complex [Co2(NH3)6(µ-NH2) (µ-OH)(µ-O2)](NO3)3 was studied recently. As the most interesting feature it was found to contain a µ-superoxo bridge, recognized by Alfred Werner and his coworker as an asymmetric peroxo bridge. The newly established µ-mono- and diacetato structures from crystals of the Werner collection, [Co2(NH3)6(µ-OH)2(µ-O2CMe)](NO3)3·H2O and [Co2(NH3)6(µ-OH)(µ-O2CMe)2](NO3)3·H2O, were assigned by Alfred Werner and his co-workers as mono- or di-bridged systems with the water functioning as η(1)-aqua ligands and not, as revealed by the X-ray diffraction studies, as solvate molecules. Similarly the exact nature of the µ(N, O) nitrito bridge in the structure of the [Co2(NH3)6(µ-OH)2(µ-O2N)](NO3)3·H2O complex from the Werner collection was left open in Werner's and his coworker's description. Only the accuracy of the X-ray diffraction study could ascertain any earlier 'good guess'. The assignment of the bridges of bridged dinuclear structures at Werner's time are well conceived considering the lack of appropriate analytical tools. The structural assignments of Alfred Werner for the discussed dinuclear complexes are therefore considered to deviate only marginally from the real structures. They are testimonies of Alfred Werner's predictive abilities in coordination chemistry supported by his prepared mind, his great abilities of intuition and conceptual thinking.

The color of complexes and UV-vis spectroscopy as an analytical tool of Alfred Werner's group at the University of Zurich.

Two PhD theses (Alexander Gordienko, 1912; Johannes Angerstein, 1914) and a dissertation in partial fulfillment of a PhD thesis (H. S. French, Zurich, 1914) are reviewed that deal with hitherto unpublished UV-vis spectroscopy work of coordination compounds in the group of Alfred Werner. The method of measurement of UV-vis spectra at Alfred Werner's time is described in detail. Examples of spectra of complexes are given, which were partly interpreted in terms of structure (cis ↔ trans configuration, counting number of bands for structural relationships, and shift of general spectral features by consecutive replacement of ligands). A more complete interpretation of spectra was hampered at Alfred Werner's time by the lack of a light absorption theory and a correct theory of electron excitation, and the lack of a ligand field theory for coordination compounds. The experimentally difficult data acquisitions and the difficult spectral interpretations might have been reasons why this method did not experience a breakthrough in Alfred Werner's group to play a more prominent role as an important analytical method. Nevertheless the application of UV-vis spectroscopy on coordination compounds was unique and novel, and witnesses Alfred Werner's great aptitude and keenness to always try and go beyond conventional practice.

Highly active, low-valence molybdenum- and tungsten-amide catalysts for bifunctional imine-hydrogenation reactions.

The reactions of [M(NO)(CO)4(ClAlCl3)] (M=Mo, W) with (iPr2PCH2CH2)2NH, (PN(H)P) at 90 °C afforded [M(NO)(CO)(PN(H)P)Cl] complexes (M=Mo, 1a; W, 1b). The treatment of compound 1a with KOtBu as a base at room temperature yielded the alkoxide complex [Mo(NO)(CO)(PN(H)P)(OtBu)] (2a). In contrast, with the amide base Na[N(SiMe3 )2 ], the PN(H) P ligand moieties in compounds 1a and 1b could be deprotonated at room temperature, thereby inducing dehydrochlorination into amido complexes [M(NO)(CO)(PNP)] (M=Mo, 3a; W, 3b; PNP=(iPr2PCH2CH2)2N)). Compounds 3a and 3b have pseudo-trigonal-bipyramidal geometries, in which the amido nitrogen atom is in the equatorial plane. At room temperature, compounds 3a and 3b were capable of adding dihydrogen, with heterolytic splitting, thereby forming pairs of isomeric amine-hydride complexes [Mo(NO)(CO)H(PN(H)P)] (4a(cis) and 4a(trans)) and [W(NO)(CO)H(PN(H)P)] (4b(cis) and 4b(trans); cis and trans correspond to the position of the H and NO groups). H2 approaches the Mo/W=N bond in compounds 3a,b from either the CO-ligand side or from the NO-ligand side. Compounds 4a(cis) and 4a(trans) were only found to be stable under a H2 atmosphere and could not be isolated. At 140 °C and 60 bar H2 , compounds 3a and 3b catalyzed the hydrogenation of imines, thereby showing maximum turnover frequencies (TOFs) of 2912 and 1120 h(-1), respectively, for the hydrogenation of N-(4-methoxybenzylidene)aniline. A Hammett plot for various para-substituted imines revealed linear correlations with a negative slope of -3.69 for para substitution on the benzylidene side and a positive slope of 0.68 for para substitution on the aniline side. Kinetics analysis revealed the initial rate of the hydrogenation reactions to be first order in c(cat.) and zeroth order in c(imine). Deuterium kinetic isotope effect (DKIE) experiments furnished a low kH /kD value (1.28), which supported a Noyori-type metal-ligand bifunctional mechanism with H2 addition as the rate-limiting step.

Catalytic CO2 activation assisted by rhenium hydride/B(C6F5)3 frustrated Lewis pairs--metal hydrides functioning as FLP bases.

Reaction of 1 with B(C6F5)3 under 1 bar of CO2 led to the instantaneous formation of the frustrated Lewis pair (FLP)-type species [ReHBr(NO)(PR3)2(η(2)-O═C═O-B(C6F5)3)] (2, R = iPr a, Cy b) possessing two cis-phosphines and O(CO2)-coordinated B(C6F5)3 groups as verified by NMR spectroscopy and supported by DFT calculations. The attachment of B(C6F5)3 in 2a,b establishes cooperative CO2 activation via the Re-H/B(C6F5)3 Lewis pair, with the Re-H bond playing the role of a Lewis base. The Re(I) η(1)-formato dimer [{Re(µ-Br)(NO)(η(1)-OCH═O-B(C6F5)3)(PiPr3)2}2] (3a) was generated from 2a and represents the first example of a stable rhenium complex bearing two cis-aligned, sterically bulky PiPr3 ligands. Reaction of 3a with H2 cleaved the µ-Br bridges, producing the stable and fully characterized formato dihydrogen complex [ReBrH2(NO)(η(1)-OCH═O-B(C6F5)3)(PiPr3)2] (4a) bearing trans-phosphines. Stoichiometric CO2 reduction of 4a with Et3SiH led to heterolytic splitting of H2 along with formation of bis(triethylsilyl)acetal ((Et3SiO)2CH2, 7). Catalytic reduction of CO2 with Et3SiH was also accomplished with the catalysts 1a,b/B(C6F5)3, 3a, and 4a, showing turnover frequencies (TOFs) between 4 and 9 h(-1). The stoichiometric reaction of 4a with the sterically hindered base 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine (TMP) furnished H2 ligand deprotonation. Hydrogenations of CO2 using 1a,b/B(C6F5)3, 3a, and 4a as catalysts gave in the presence of TMP TOFs of up to 7.5 h(-1), producing [TMPH][formate] (11). The influence of various bases (R2NH, R = iPr, Cy, SiMe3, 2,4,6-tri-tert-butylpyridine, NEt3, PtBu3) was studied in greater detail, pointing to two crucial factors of the CO2 hydrogenations: the steric bulk and the basicity of the base.

The "catalytic nitrosyl effect": NO bending boosting the efficiency of rhenium based alkene hydrogenations.

Diiodo Re(I) complexes [ReI2(NO)(PR3)2(L)] (3, L = H2O; 4 , L = H2; R = iPr a, Cy b) were prepared and found to exhibit in the presence of "hydrosilane/B(C6F5)3" co-catalytic systems excellent activities and longevities in the hydrogenation of terminal and internal alkenes. Comprehensive mechanistic studies showed an inverse kinetic isotope effect, fast H2/D2 scrambling and slow alkene isomerizations pointing to an Osborn type hydrogenation cycle with rate determining reductive elimination of the alkane. In the catalysts' activation stage phosphonium borates [R3PH][HB(C6F5)3] (6, R = iPr a, Cy b) are formed. VT (29)Si- and (15)N NMR experiments, and dispersion corrected DFT calculations verified the following facts: (1) Coordination of the silylium cation to the ONO atom facilitates nitrosyl bending; (2) The bent nitrosyl promotes the heterolytic cleavage of the H-H bond and protonation of a phosphine ligand; (3) H2 adds in a bifunctional manner across the Re-N bond. Nitrosyl bending and phosphine loss help to create two vacant sites, thus triggering the high hydrogenation activities of the formed "superelectrophilic" rhenium centers.

Stepwise construction of an iron-substituted rigid-rod molecular wire: targeting a tetraferra-tetracosa-decayne.

trans-Fe(depe)2I2 (depe =1,2-bis(diethylphosphino)ethane) was employed to stepwise incorporate Fe(II) centers into a rigid-rod butadiyne based 5,10,15,20-tetraferratetracosa-1,3,6,8,11,13,16,18,21,23-decayne. The iterative synthesis first connects two Fe(II) centers via a central butadiynediyl ligand to provide I-Fe(depe)2-C4-Fe(depe)2-I (2), then extends the system by substituting the terminal halides of 2 to yield Me3SiC4-Fe(depe)2-C4-Fe(depe)2-C4SiMe3 (3). Further modification of the termini gives the deprotected and stannylated compounds RC4-Fe(depe)2-C4-Fe(depe)2-C4R (4 and 5; R = H, Sn(CH3)3, respectively). Transmetalation with two more mononuclear units furnishes the homometallic tetranuclear compound I-Fe(depe)2-C4-Fe(depe)2-C4-Fe(depe)2-C4-Fe(depe)2-I (6), to which two more butadiynyl units were attached to give Me3SiC4-Fe(depe)2-C4-Fe(depe)2-C4-Fe(depe)2-C4-Fe(depe)2-C4SiMe3 (7). All compounds were characterized by NMR, IR, and Raman spectroscopies and by elemental analyses. X-ray diffraction studies were carried out on the dinuclear complexes revealing highly symmetrical rigid-rod structures. Cyclic voltammetric studies showed that compounds 2-7 undergo reversible and well-defined oxidations with high Kc values indicating thermodynamically stable mixed valence species. While the number of the oxidation waves of compounds 2, 6, and 7 are equivalent to the number of metal centers, the dinuclear complexes 3, 4, and 5 exhibit three reversible oxidation waves, one at significantly more positive potential. Two redox waves were attributed to the oxidation of the metal centers, while the remaining one is due to the oxidation of the butadiynediyl ligand. The electronic properties of complexes 2, 3, and 7 were investigated by spectroelectrochemical measurements.

Coexistence of Lewis acid and base functions: a generalized view of the frustrated Lewis pair concept with novel implications for reactivity.

Sterically congested Lewis pairs cannot form Lewis adducts; instead they establish encounter complexes of "frustrated" Lewis pairs (FLPs). These encounter complexes have recently been recognized to be capable of activating, i.e., splitting, homopolar and polar single and double bonds, which rendered a new reactivity principle. With the help of qualitative orbital considerations this chapter reviews and explains the reactivity of FLPs toward homopolar Z-Z or Z-Z' single bonded molecules, such as H-H and C-H single bonds, assuming in the encounter complexes the action of strongly polarizing Coulombic fields originating from the FLP constituents. This reactivity principle has been extended in its view to the activating potential for homopolar Z-Z or Z-Z' single bonds of strongly polarized [X-Y ↔ X(+)-Y|(-)] σ and [X=Y ↔ X(+)-Y|(-)] π bonded molecules (X,Y = atoms or molecular fragments; electronegativity of X < electronegativity of Y). A striking analogy in the reaction behavior of FLPs and strongly polarized σ and π bonded molecules could be revealed based on the analyses of selected examples of "metal-free" (main group element reactions) or metal-based (containing transition metals) σ bond metathesis reactions and σ bond additions of H2 and alkanes to polarized main group element and metal to ligand π bonds. Related to the described polar reaction types are Z,Z' double atom or group transfers between highly polarized double bonds of XY and X'Y' molecules combining a Z,Z' elimination with an addition process. Multiple consecutive Z,Z' double atom or group transfers are denoted as double H transfer cascade reactions. Analyzed by examples are concerted or stepwise double H transfers and double H transfer cascades with Z,Z'=H,H from the "metal-free" and metal-based realms: the Meerwein- Pondorf-Verley reduction, H,H exchanges between amine boranes and between amine boranes and unsaturated organic compounds, and the crucial H,H transfer steps of Noyori's bifunctional and Shvo type transfer hydrogenation catalyses.

Triptycene based luminescent metal-organic gels for chemosensing.

We report a novel luminescent Al-based metal-organic gel G1 comprising 1,4,5,8-triptycenetetracarboxylic acid, which exhibits highly sensitive detection towards nitro aromatic compounds particularly picric acid. Furthermore, under identical reaction conditions, using a Co(II) salt instead, a novel 3D framework material, trip-MOF-1, was isolated and its sensitivity towards picric acid was also evaluated.