Mercury(II) Complexes of Anionic N-Heterocyclic Carbene Ligands: Steric Effects of the Backbone Substituent.

Mercury(II) complexes (Me-maloNHCDipp)HgCl (1b), (t-Bu-maloNHCDipp)HgCl (2b) and (t-Bu-maloNHCDipp)HgMe (2c) supported by anionic N-heterocyclic carbenes have been obtained in good yields from the reaction of the potassium salt of N-heterocyclic carbene ligand precursors and mercury(II) salts, HgCl2 and MeHgI. These molecules have been characterized by 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR and IR spectroscopy and elemental analysis. X-ray crystal structures of 1b and 2b are also presented. Interestingly, complex 1b is polymeric {(Me-maloNHCDipp)HgCl}n in the solid state, as a result of inter-molecular Hg-O contacts, and features rare three coordinate mercury sites with a T-shaped arrangement, whereas the (t-Bu-maloNHCDipp)HgCl (2b) is monomeric and has a linear, two-coordinate mercury center. The formation of T-shaped structure and the aggregation of complex 1b is attributable to the reduced steric demand of the N-heterocyclic carbene ligand backbone substituent.

Organic Azide and Auxiliary-Ligand-Free Complexes of Coinage Metals Supported by N-Heterocyclic Carbenes.

Organic azide complexes of copper(I) and silver(I), [(SIPr)CuN(1-Ad)NN][SbF6], [(SIPr)CuN(2-Ad)NN][SbF6], [(SIPr)CuN(Cy)NN][SbF6], and [(SIPr)AgN(1-Ad)NN][SbF6] have been synthesized by using Ag[SbF6] and the corresponding organic azides with (SIPr)CuBr and (SIPr)AgCl (SIPr = 1,3-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)imidazolin-2-ylidene). The copper and silver organic azide complexes were characterized by various spectroscopic techniques and X-ray crystallography. Group trends of isoleptic Cu(I), Ag(I), and Au(I) organic azide complexes are presented on the basis of experimental data and a detailed computational study. The νasym(N3) values of the metal-bound 1-AdNNN in [(SIPr)MN(1-Ad)NN]+ follow the order Ag < Cu < Au. DFT calculations show that gold(I) forms the strongest bond with 1-AdNNN in this series, while silver has the weakest interaction. Furthermore, auxiliary ligand free coinage metal N-heterocyclic carbene complexes, [(SIPr)M][SbF6], have been synthesized via metathesis reactions of (SIPr)MCl (M = Cu, Ag, Au) with Ag[SbF6]. X-ray crystal structures of dinuclear [(SIPr)Ag]2[SbF6]2 and [(SIPr)Au]2[SbF6]2 are also reported. They show close metallophilic contacts. [(SIPr)Au]2[SbF6]2 reacts with OEt2, SMe2, and CNtBu to afford [(SIPr)Au(OEt2)][SbF6], [(SIPr)Au(SMe2)][SbF6], and [(SIPr)Au(CNtBu)][SbF6] adducts, respectively.

Zinc(II)-Mediated Carbene Insertion into C-H Bonds in Alkanes.

The cationic zinc adduct {[HB(3,5-(CF3)2Pz)3]Zn(NCMe)2}ClO4 catalyzes the functionalization of tertiary, secondary, and primary C-H bonds of alkanes via carbene insertion. Ethyl diazoacetate serves as the :CHCO2Et carbene precursor. The counteranion, supporting ligand, and coordinating solvents affect the catalytic activity. An in situ generated {[HB(3,5-(CF3)2Pz)3]Zn}(+) species containing a bulkier {B[3,5-(CF3)2C6H3]4}(-) anion gives the best results among the zinc catalysts used.

Gold-mediated expulsion of dinitrogen from organic azides.

Organoazides and their nitrogen expulsion chemistry have attracted the attention of many scientists because they serve as a useful source of nitrene fragments and interesting nitrene rearrangement products. Gold-mediated reactions are also of significant current interest. This manuscript describes several important discoveries based at the intersection of these fields. In particular, we report the first isolable gold organoazides ([(SIPr)AuN(1-Ad)NN][SbF6], [(SIPr)AuN(2-Ad)NN][SbF6] and [(SIPr)AuN(Cy)NN][SbF6]; SIPr = a N-heterocyclic carbene; 1-AdNNN = 1-azidoadamantane; 2-AdNNN = 2-azidoadamantane; CyNNN = azidocyclohexane), and their gold-mediated nitrogen expulsion chemistry, and the isolation of formal nitrene rearrangement products of "1-AdN", "2-AdN" and "CyN" (including the elusive 4-azahomoadamant-3-ene) as their gold complexes. We have also performed a computational study to understand and explain the observed structure of gold-coordinated 1-AdNNN and 2-AdNNN and their nitrogen elimination pathways, which implies that the conversion of the organoazide complex to the imine is a concerted process without a nitrene/nitrenoid intermediate. Kinetic studies of [(SIPr)AuN(2-Ad)NN][SbF6] from 30 to 50 °C indicate that nitrogen elimination is a first-order process. The experimentally determined activation parameters are in good agreement with the calculated values.

End-on and side-on π-acid ligand adducts of gold(I): carbonyl, cyanide, isocyanide, and cyclooctyne gold(I) complexes supported by N-heterocyclic carbenes and phosphines.

N-heterocyclic carbene ligand SIDipp (SIDipp = 1,3-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)imidazolin-2-ylidene) and trimesitylphosphine ligand have been used in the synthesis of gold(I) cyanide, t-butylisocyanide, and cyclooctyne complexes (SIDipp)Au(CN) (3), (Mes(3)P)Au(CN) (4), [(Mes(3)P)(2)Au][Au(CN)(2)] (5), [(SIDipp)Au(CN(t)Bu)][SbF(6)] ([6][SbF(6)]), [(SIDipp)Au(cyclooctyne)][SbF(6)] ([8][SbF(6)]), and [(Mes(3)P)Au(cyclooctyne)][SbF(6)] ([9][SbF(6)]). A detailed computational study has been carried out on these and the related gold(I) carbonyl adducts [(SIDipp)Au(CO)][SbF(6)] ([1][SbF(6)]), [(Mes(3)P)Au(CO)][SbF(6)] ([2][SbF(6)]), and [(Mes(3)P)Au(CN(t)Bu)](+) ([7](+)). X-ray crystal structures of 3, 5, [6][SbF(6)], [8][SbF(6)], and [9][SbF(6)] revealed that they feature linear gold sites. Experimental and computational data show that the changes in π-acid ligand on (SIDipp)Au(+) from CO, CN(-), CN(t)Bu, cyclooctyne as in [1](+), 3, [6](+), and [8](+) did not lead to large changes in the Au-C(carbene) bond distances. A similar phenomenon was also observed in Au-P distance in complexes [2](+), 4, [7](+), and [9](+) bearing trimesitylphosphine. Computational data show that the Au-L bonds of "naked" [Au-L](+) or SIDipp and Mes(3)P supported [Au-L](+) (L = CO, CN(-), CN(t)Bu to cyclooctyne) have higher electrostatic character than covalent character. The Au←L σ-donation and Au→L π-back-donation contribute to the orbital term with the former being the dominant component, but the latter is not negligible. In the Au-CO adducts [1](+)and [2](+), the cationic gold center causes the polarization of the C-O σ and π orbitals toward the carbon end making the coefficients at the two atoms more equal which is mainly responsible for the large blue shift in the CO stretching frequency. The SIDipp and Mes(3)P supported gold(I) complexes of cyanide and isocyanide also exhibit a significant blue shift in υ(CN) compared to that of the free ligands. Calculated results for Au(CO)Cl and Au(CF(3))CO suggest that the experimentally observed blue shift in ν(CO) of these compounds may at least partly be caused by intermolecular forces.

Isolable, copper(I) dicarbonyl complexes supported by N-heterocyclic carbenes.

Cationic copper(I) dicarbonyl complexes supported by N-heterocyclic carbene ligands, SIPr and IPr*, have been synthesized. [(SIPr)Cu(CO)(2)][SbF(6)] and [(IPr*)Cu(CO)(2)][SbF(6)] have a trigonal planar, three-coordinate copper atom with an average Cu-CO distance of 1.915 Å and display C-O stretching frequencies higher than that of the free CO (2143 cm(-1)). The high CO stretching frequencies suggest that the Cu(I)-CO interaction in these cationic adducts is dominated by electrostatic and OC → Cu σ-donor components. [(SIPr)Cu(CO)(2)][SbF(6)] and [(IPr*)Cu(CO)(2)][SbF(6)] readily form the corresponding [(SIPr)Cu(CO)(H(2)O)][SbF(6)] and [(IPr*)Cu(CO)(H(2)O)][SbF(6)] with loss of a CO even with traces of water, but they can be converted back to the dicarbonyl adducts using excess CO. The synthesis and structure of [(IPr*)Cu(H(2)O)][SbF(6)] are also reported. It is a two-coordinate copper adduct with a Cu-O distance of 1.874(2) Å. It reacts with excess CO to form [(IPr*)Cu(CO)(2)][SbF(6)].

Isolable tris(alkyne) and bis(alkyne) complexes of gold(I).

Golden trefoils: Tris(alkyne)gold complex [(coct)(3)Au][SbF(6)] (see picture; 1-SbF(6)) can be synthesized from cyclooctyne (coct) and AuSbF(6) generated in situ. Treatment of AuCl with cyclooctyne led to the bis(alkyne)gold complex [Au(coct)(2)Cl] (2). DFT analysis indicates that the cyclooctyne ligands are net electron donors in 1 but overall electron acceptors in 2. AuSbF(6) is shown to mediate [2+2+2] cycloaddition reactions of alkynes.

Cationic gold carbonyl complex on a phosphine support.

A cationic gold carbonyl complex has been synthesized and characterized using several techniques including X-ray crystallography. [(Mes(3)P)Au(CO)][SbF(6)] (Mes = 2,4,6-Me(3)C(6)H(2)) has a linear, two-coordinate gold atom. This compound displays the CO stretching frequency at 2185 cm(-1). The (13)C NMR signal of the gold-bound (13)CO appears as a doublet centered at δ 182.6 ((2)J(C,P) = 115 Hz). A computational study shows that the Au-CO bond consists of electrostatic attraction, Au ← CO donation, and significant Au → CO π-back-bonding components. Polarization of the CO bond caused by the electrostatic effect of the cationic gold center is mainly responsible for the large blue shift in the CO stretching frequency.

Isolable, gold carbonyl complexes supported by N-heterocyclic carbenes.

Cationic gold carbonyl complexes supported by N-heterocyclic carbene ligands, SIDipp and IDipp, have been synthesized. [(SIDipp)Au(CO)][SbF(6)] has a linear, two-coordinate gold center. [(SIDipp)Au(CO)][SbF(6)] and [(IDipp)Au(CO)][SbF(6)] display ̃ν(CO) values at 2197 and 2193 cm(-1), respectively. Computational studies on [(SIMe)Au(CO)](+) indicate the presence of a strong Au(I)-CO bond.

Gold(III) N-heterocyclic carbene complexes mediated synthesis of ß-enaminones from 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds and aliphatic amines.

A series of gold(III) N-heterocyclic carbene complexes [1-(R(1))-3-(R(2))imidazol-2-ylidene]AuBr(3) [R(1) = i-Pr, R(2) = CH(2)Ph (1c); R(1) = mesityl, R(2) = CH(2)Ph (2c); R(1) = i-Pr, R(2) = CH(2)COt-Bu (3c), and R(1) = t-Bu, R(2) = CH(2)COt-Bu (4c)] act as effective precatalysts in the synthesis of ß-enaminones from 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds and primary amines under ambient conditions. Specifically the 1c-4c complexes efficiently catalyzed the condensation of a variety of cyclic as well as acyclic 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds, namely, acetyl acetone, benzoylacetone, 2-acetylcyclopentanone, and ethyl-2-oxocyclopentanecarboxylate with primary aliphatic amines, viz., methylamine, ethylamine, n-propylamine, i-propylamine, and n-butylamine, yielding ß-enamines at room temperature. Interestingly enough, the more electrophilic gold(III) 1c-4c complexes exhibited superior activity in comparison to the gold(I) counterparts 1b-4b. A comparison along a representative 4a-c series further underscored the importance of gold in the reaction as both the gold(I) 4b and gold(III) 4c complexes were more effective than the silver analogue 4a. The density functional theory (DFT) study revealed that the strong σ-donating nature of the N-heterocyclic carbene ligand results in a strong C(carbene)-Au(III) interaction in the 1c-4c complexes.

Highly convenient regioselective intermolecular hydroamination of alkynes yielding ketimines catalyzed by gold(I) complexes of 1,2,4-triazole based N-heterocyclic carbenes.

A series of highly efficient gold(I) precatalysts of 1,2,4-triazole based N-heterocyclic carbenes, [1-R-4-R'-1,2,4-triazol-5-ylidene]AuCl [R = CH(2)CO(t)Bu, R' = CH(2)Ph (1c); R = CH(2)CONH(t)Bu, R' = CH(2)Ph (2c); R = CH(2)CO(t)Bu, R' = CH(2)CO(t)Bu (3c), and R = C(6)H(10)OH, R' = CH(2)Ph (4c)] are reported for the hydroamination of terminal alkynes with a variety of sterically demanding o/p-substituted aryl amines yielding the corresponding ketimines in air. The gold 1c-4c complexes exhibited extremely high activity in comparison to the silver analogues 1b-4b, thereby highlighting the role of gold as a metal in the catalysis of the hydroamination reaction. Additionally, the 1,2,4-triazole based 1c-4c precatalysts showed significantly superior activity in comparison to the two representative imidazole analogues, namely, [1-(benzyl)-3-(N-t-butylacetamido)imidazol-2-ylidene]AuCl and [1-(2-hydroxy-cyclohexyl)-3-(benzyl)imidazol-2-ylidene]AuCl, thereby underscoring the importance of the 1,2,4-triazole based N-heterocyclic carbenes over the imidazole based ones in designing the gold(I) precatalysts for the hydroamination reaction. The gold(I) complexes (1c-4c) were synthesized by transmetalation reaction of the silver analogues 1b-4b with (SMe(2))AuCl in 60-76% yield while the silver 1b-4b complexes in turn were synthesized from the respective 1,2,4-triazolium halide salts by treatment with Ag(2)O in 43-64% yield.

A comparison between nickel and palladium precatalysts of 1,2,4-triazole based N-heterocyclic carbenes in hydroamination of activated olefins.

A comparison is drawn between the nickel and palladium precatalysts of 1,2,4-triazole based N-heterocyclic carbenes in the hydroamination of activated olefins. Though all of the newly designed nickel and palladium precatalysts, trans-[1-i-propyl-4-R-1,2,4-triazol-5-ylidene](2)MBr(2) [R = Et, M = Ni (1b); R = Et, M = Pd (1c); R = CH(2)CH=CH(2), M = Ni (2b) and R = CH(2)CH=CH(2), M = Pd (2c)], are moderately active for hydroamination reaction of a variety of secondary amines viz. morpholine, piperidine, pyrrolidine and diethylamine with activated olefins like, acrylonitrile, methyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate and t-butyl acrylate at room temperature in 1 hour, the nickel complexes (1b and 2b) exhibited superior activity compared to its palladium counterparts (1c and 2c). The better performance of the nickel complexes has been correlated to the more electron deficient metal center in the nickel 1b and 2b complexes than in the palladium 1c and 2c analogs based on the density functional theory studies. The 1b-c and 2b-c complexes were synthesized by the reaction of 1-i-propyl-4-R-1,2,4-triazolium bromide [R = Et (1a) and R = CH(2)CH=CH(2) (2a)] with MCl(2) [M = Ni, Pd] in presence of NEt(3) as a base.