Unraveling the Steric Link to Copper Precursor Decomposition: A Multi-Faceted Study for the Printing of Flexible Electronics.

The field of printed electronics strives for lower processing temperatures to move toward flexible substrates that have vast potential: from wearable medical devices to animal tagging. Typically, ink formulations are optimized using mass screening and elimination of failures; as such, there are no comprehensive studies on the fundamental chemistry at play. Herein, findings which describe the steric link to decomposition profile: combining density functional theory, crystallography, thermal decomposition, mass spectrometry, and inkjet printing, are reported. Through the reaction of copper(II) formate with excess alkanolamines of varying steric bulk, tris-co-ordinated copper precursor ions: "[CuL3 ]," each with a formate counter-ion (1-3) are isolated and their thermal decomposition mass spectrometry profiles are collected to assess their suitability for use in inks (I1-3 ). Spin coating and inkjet printing of I1,2 provides an easily up-scalable method toward the deposition of highly conductive copper device interconnects (ρ = 4.7-5.3 × 10-7 Ω m; ≈30% bulk) onto paper and polyimide substrates and forms functioning circuits that can power light-emitting diodes. The connection among ligand bulk, coordination number, and improved decomposition profile supports fundamental understanding which will direct future design.

Exploring Equilibria between Aluminium(I) and Aluminium(III): The Formation of Dihydroalanes, Masked Dialumenes and Aluminium(I) Species.

The design of new reductive routes to low oxidation state aluminium (Al) compounds offers the opportunity to better understand redox processes at the metal centre and develop reactivity accordingly. Here, a monomeric AlI compound acts as a stoichiometric reducing agent towards a series of AlIII dihydrides, leading to the formation of new low oxidation state species including symmetric and asymmetric dihydrodialanes, and a masked dialumene. These compounds are formed by a series of equilibrium processes involving AlI , AlII and AlIII species and product formation can be manipulated by fine-tuning the reaction conditions. The transient formation of monomeric AlI compounds is proposed: this is shown to be energetically viable by computational (DFT) investigations and reactivity studies show support for the formation of AlI species. Importantly, despite the potential for the equilibrium mixtures to lead to ill-defined reactivity, controlled reactivity of these low oxidation state species is observed.

Aluminum Amidinates: Insights into Alkyne Hydroboration.

The mechanism of the aluminum-mediated hydroboration of terminal alkynes was investigated using a series of novel aluminum amidinate hydride and alkyl complexes bearing symmetric and asymmetric ligands. The new aluminum complexes were fully characterized and found to facilitate the formation of the (E)-vinylboronate hydroboration product, with rates and orders of reaction linked to complex size and stability. Kinetic analysis and stoichiometric reactions were used to elucidate the mechanism, which we propose to proceed via the initial formation of an Al-borane adduct. Additionally, the most unstable complex was found to promote decomposition of the pinacolborane substrate to borane (BH3), which can then proceed to catalyze the reaction. This mechanism is in contrast to previously reported aluminum hydride-catalyzed hydroboration reactions, which are proposed to proceed via the initial formation of an aluminum acetylide, or by hydroalumination to form a vinylboronate ester as the first step in the catalytic cycle.

Magnesium hydrides bearing sterically demanding amidinate ligands: synthesis, reactivity and catalytic application.

The synthesis and characterisation of a series of magnesium complexes bearing sterically demanding amidinate ligands is reported; this includes magneisum amides (1a and 1b), hydrides (3a and 3b) and alkyl complexes (2b). The solid and solution state behaviour of the complexes has been investigated using single crystal X-ray diffraction and NMR spectroscopy, revealing the magnesium hydrides to exist as dimers in the solid state, dispite the sterically demanding ligand systems and showing a degree of monomeric character in solution. The stoichiometric and catalytic activity of the amidinate complexes were investigated, with the complexes found to efficiently mediate both the hydroamination of N,N'-diisopropylcarbodiimide and the Tishchenko reaction. The metal hydrides are highly reactive towards coordinating substrates, showing a significant increase in catalytic rate compared with more ubiquitous ß-diketiminate magnesium hydrides.

Reactions of an Aluminum(I) Reagent with 1,2-, 1,3-, and 1,5-Dienes: Dearomatization, Reversibility, and a Pericyclic Mechanism.

Addition of the aluminum(I) reagent [{(ArNCMe)2CH}Al] (Ar = 2,6-di-iso-propylphenyl) to a series of cyclic and acyclic 1,2-, 1,3-, and 1,5-dienes is reported. In the case of 1,3-dienes, the reaction occurs by a pericyclic reaction mechanism, specifically a cheletropic cycloaddition, to form aluminocyclopentene-containing products. This mechanism has been examined by stereochemical experiments and DFT calculations. The stereochemical experiments show that the (4 + 1) cycloaddition follows a suprafacial topology, while calculations support a concerted albeit asynchronous pathway in which the transition state demonstrates aromatic character. Remarkably, the substrate scope of the (4 + 1) cycloaddition includes styene, 1,1-diphenylethylene, and anthracene. In these cases, the diene motif is either in part, or entirely, contained within an aromatic ring and reactions occur with dearomatisation of the substrate and can be reversible. In the case of 1,2-cyclononadiene or 1,5-cyclooctadiene, complementary reactivity is observed; the orthogonal nature of the C═C π-bonds (1,2-diene) and the homoconjugated system (1,5-diene) both disfavor a (4 + 1) cycloaddition. Rather, reaction pathways are determined by an initial (2 + 1) cycloaddition to form an aluminocyclopropane intermediate which can in turn undergo insertion of a further C═C π-bond, leading to complex organometallic products that incorporate fused hydrocarbon rings.

Recent advances in low oxidation state aluminium chemistry.

The synthesis and isolation of novel low oxidation state aluminium (Al) compounds has seen relatively slow progress over the 30 years since such species were first isolated. This is largely due to the significant challenges in isolating these thermodynamically unstable compounds. Despite challenges with isolation, their reactivity has been widely explored and they have been utilized in a wide range of processes including the activation of strong chemicals bonds, as ligands to transition metals and in the formation of heterobimetallic M-M compounds. As such, attempts to isolate novel low oxidation state Al compounds have continued in earnest and in the last few years huge advances have been made. In this review we highlight the remarkable recent developments in the low oxidation state chemistry of aluminium and discuss the variety of new reactions these compounds have made possible.

A hexagonal planar transition-metal complex.

Transition-metal complexes are widely used in the physical and biological sciences. They have essential roles in catalysis, synthesis, materials science, photophysics and bioinorganic chemistry. Our understanding of transition-metal complexes originates from Alfred Werner's realization that their three-dimensional shape influences their properties and reactivity1, and the intrinsic link between shape and electronic structure is now firmly underpinned by molecular-orbital theory2-5. Despite more than a century of advances in this field, the geometries of transition-metal complexes remain limited to a few well-understood examples. The archetypal geometries of six-coordinate transition metals are octahedral and trigonal prismatic, and although deviations from ideal bond angles and bond lengths are frequent6, alternative parent geometries are extremely rare7. The hexagonal planar coordination environment is known, but it is restricted to condensed metallic phases8, the hexagonal pores of coordination polymers9, or clusters that contain more than one transition metal in close proximity10,11. Such a geometry had been considered12,13 for [Ni(PtBu)6]; however, an analysis of the molecular orbitals suggested that this complex is best described as a 16-electron species with a trigonal planar geometry14. Here we report the isolation and structural characterization of a simple coordination complex in which six ligands form bonds with a central transition metal in a hexagonal planar arrangement. The structure contains a central palladium atom surrounded by three hydride and three magnesium-based ligands. This finding has the potential to introduce additional design principles for transition-metal complexes, with implications for several scientific fields.

Reversible alkene binding and allylic C-H activation with an aluminium(i) complex.

The monomeric molecular aluminium(i) complex 1 [{(ArNCMe)2CH}Al] (Ar = 2,6-di-iso-propylphenyl) reacts with a series of terminal and strained alkenes including ethylene, propylene, allylbenzene and norbornene to form alkene bound products. Remarkably all these reactions are reversible under mild conditions (298-353 K) with alkene binding being disfavoured at higher temperatures due to the positive reaction entropy. Van't Hoff analyses have allowed quantification of the binding events with . Calculations and single crystal X-ray diffraction studies are consistent with the alkene bound species being metallocyclopropane complexes. Alkene binding involves a reversible redox process with changes from the +1 to +3 aluminium oxidation state. Under more forcing conditions the metallocyclopropane complexes undergo non-reversible allylic C-H bond activation to generate aluminium(iii) allyl hydride complexes. This represents a rare example of redox-based main group reactivity in which reversible substrate binding is followed by a further productive bond breaking event. Analysis of the mechanism reveals a reaction network in which alkene dissociation and reformation of 1 is required for allylic C-H activation, a realisation that has important implications for the long-term goal of developing redox-based catalytic cycles with main group compounds.

Unravelling nucleophilic aromatic substitution pathways with bimetallic nucleophiles.

The reaction of a metal complex containing a polar Fe-Mg bond with 2-(pentafluorophenyl)pyridine leads to selective C-F bond activation. A stepwise SNAr mechanism involving attack of the bimetallic nucleophile on the electron-deficient aromatic ring has been identified by DFT calculations. Despite the long and rich history of metal anions in organic synthesis, this is the first time the SNAr mechanism has been elucidated in detail for metal-based nucleophiles.

Reactions of Fluoroalkanes with Mg-Mg Bonds: Scope, sp3 C-F/sp2 C-F Coupling and Mechanism.

sp3 C-F Bonds of fluoroalkanes (7 examples; 1°, 2° and 3°) undergo addition to a low-valent Mg-Mg species generating reactive organomagnesium reagents. Further reactions with a series of electrophiles results in a net C-F to C-B, C-Si, C-Sn or C-C bond transformation (11 examples, diversity). The new reactivity has been exploited in an unprecedented one-pot magnesium-mediated coupling of sp3 C-F and sp2 C-F bonds. Calculations suggest that the sp3 C-F bond activation step occurs by frontside nucleophilic attack of the Mg-Mg reagent on the fluoroalkane.

A combined experimental and computational study on the reaction of fluoroarenes with Mg-Mg, Mg-Zn, Mg-Al and Al-Zn bonds.

Through a combined experimental and computational (DFT) approach, the reaction mechanism of the addition of fluoroarenes to Mg-Mg bonds has been determined as a concerted SNAr-like pathway in which one Mg centre acts as a nucleophile and the other an electrophile. The experimentally determined Gibbs activation energy for the addition of C6F6 to a Mg-Mg bond of a molecular complex, ΔG‡298 K(experiment) = 21.3 kcal mol-1 is modelled by DFT with the ωB97X functional, ΔG‡298 K(DFT) = 25.7 kcal mol-1. The transition state for C-F activation involves a polarisation of the Mg-Mg bond and significant negative charge localisation on the fluoroarene moiety. This transition state is augmented by stabilising closed-shell Mg···F ortho interactions that, in combination with the known trends in C-F and C-M bond strengths in fluoroarenes, provide an explanation for the experimentally determined preference for C-F bond activation to occur at sites flanked by ortho-fluorine atoms. The effect of modification of both the ligand coordination sphere and the nature and polarity of the M-M bond (M = Mg, Zn, Al) on C-F activation has been investigated. A series of highly novel ß-diketiminate stabilised complexes containing Zn-Mg, Zn-Zn-Zn, Zn-Al and Mg-Al bonds has been prepared, including the first crystallographic characterisation of a Mg-Al bond. Reactions of these new M-M containing complexes with perfluoroarenes were conducted and modelled by DFT. C-F bond activation is dictated by the steric accessibility, and not the polarity, of the M-M bond. The more open coordination complexes lead to enhanced Mg···F ortho interactions which in turn lower the energy of the transition states for C-F bond activation.

Reactions of Fluoroalkenes with an Aluminium(I) Complex.

A series of industrially relevant fluoroalkenes react with a monomeric AlI complex. These reactions break strong sp2 and sp3 C-F bonds, and result in the formation of a diverse array of organoaluminium compounds. Mechanistic studies show that two mechanisms are likely in operation: 1) direct oxidative addition of the C-F bond to AlI occurs with retention of alkene stereochemistry, and 2) stepwise formation and decomposition of a metallocyclopropane intermediate occurs with inversion of alkene stereochemistry. As part of this mechanistic analysis, we have isolated the first aluminium metallocyclopropane complex from oxidative addition of an alkene to AlI . Remarkably this reaction is reversible and reductive elimination of the alkene occurs at higher temperature reforming AlI . Furthermore, in selected cases the organoaluminium products are susceptible toward ß-fluoride elimination to yield a double C-F activation pathway.

Addition of Carbon-Fluorine Bonds to a Mg(I)-Mg(I) Bond: An Equivalent of Grignard Formation in Solution.

Addition of the carbon-fluorine bond of a series of perfluorinated and polyfluorinated arenes across the Mg-Mg bond of a simple coordination complex proceeds rapidly in solution. The reaction results in the formation of a new carbon-magnesium bond and a new fluorine-magnesium bond and is analogous to Grignard formation in homogeneous solution.

Comparing a series of 8-quinolinolato complexes of aluminium, titanium and zinc as initiators for the ring-opening polymerization of rac-lactide.

The preparation and characterization of a series of 8-hydroxyquinoline ligands and their complexes with Ti(IV), Al(III) and Zn(II) centres is presented. The complexes are characterized using NMR spectroscopy, elemental analysis and, in some cases, by single crystal X-ray diffraction experiments. The complexes are compared as initiators for the ring-opening polymerization of racemic-lactide; all the complexes show moderate/good rates and high levels of polymerization control. In the case of the titanium or aluminium complexes, moderate iso-selectivity is observed (Pi = 0.75), whereas in the case of the zinc complexes, moderate hetero-selectivity is observed (Ps = 0.70).

Scandium and yttrium phosphasalen complexes as initiators for ring-opening polymerization of cyclic esters.

The synthesis and characterization of novel scandium and yttrium phosphasalen complexes is reported, where phosphasalen refers to two different bis(iminophosphorane) derivatives of the more ubiquitous salen ligands. The activity of the complexes as initiators for the ring-opening polymerization of cyclic esters is presented. The scandium complexes are inactive for lactide polymerization but slow and controlled initiators for ε-caprolactone polymerization. The lack of activity toward lactide exhibited by these compounds is probed, and a rare example of single-monomer insertion product, unable to undergo further reactions with lactide, is identified. In contrast, the analogous yttrium phosphasalen complex is a very active initiator for the ring-opening polymerization of rac-lactide (kobs = 1.5 × 10(-3) s(-1) at 1:500 [yttrium initiator]:[rac-lactide], 1 M overall concentration of lactide in THF at 298 K). In addition to being a very fast initiator, the yttrium complex also maintains excellent levels of polymerization control and a high degree of isoselectivity, with the probability of isotactic enchainment being Pi = 0.78 at 298 K.

Metal-size influence in iso-selective lactide polymerization.

Iso-selective initiators for the ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of rac-lactide are rare outside of Group 13. We describe the first examples of highly iso-selective lutetium initiators. The phosphasalen lutetium ethoxide complex shows excellent iso-selectivity, with a P(i) value of 0.81-0.84 at 298 K, excellent rates, and high degrees of polymerization control. Conversely, the corresponding La derivative exhibits moderate heteroselectivity (P(s)=0.74, 298 K). Thus, the choice of metal center is shown to be crucial in determining the level and mode of stereocontrol. The relative order of rates for the series of complexes is inversely related to metallic covalent radius: that is, La>Y>Lu.

8-Quinolinolato gallium complexes: iso-selective initiators for rac-lactide polymerization.

The synthesis and characterization of a series of 8-quinolinolato gallium complexes is presented, and the complexes are analogous to a series of aluminum complexes previously reported. The complexes have been shown to be active initiators for the ring-opening polymerization of rac-lactide. High degrees of polymerization control are demonstrated, as exemplified by the linear evolution of molecular weight as the polymerization progresses, narrow polydispersity indices, and molecular weights corresponding to those predicted on the basis of initiator concentration. Some of the initiators show iso-selective polymerization of rac-lactide, with Pi = 0.70. The polymerization rates have been monitored, and the pseudo first-order rate constants are compared to those of analogous aluminum compounds. The 8-quinolinolato gallium initiators show rates approximately 3 times higher than those of the series of aluminum compounds, while maintaining equivalently high iso-selectivity (Pi = 0.70) and polymerization control.

Yttrium phosphasalen initiators for rac-lactide polymerization: excellent rates and high iso-selectivities.

Highly active yttrium phosphasalen initiators for the stereocontrolled ring-opening polymerization of rac-lactide are reported. The initiators are coordinated by a new class of ancillary ligand: an iminophosphorane derivative of the popular "salen" ligand, termed "phosphasalen". Changing the phosphasalen structure enables access to high iso-selectivities (P(i) = 0.84) or hetero-selectivities (P(s) = 0.87). The initiators also show very high rates, excellent polymerization control, and tolerance to low loadings; furthermore, no chiral auxiliaries/ligands are needed for the stereocontrol. The combination of such high rates with high iso-selectivities is very unusual.