Syntheses of Iminophosphomamido Chlorogermylenes and Their Complexation with a Rhodium(I) Complex.

Three-coordinated chlorogermylenes of the type [Ph2 P(RN)2 ]GeCl (3: R=t Bu; 4: R=Dip=2,6-i Pr2 C6 H3 ), which bear an N,N-substituted iminophosphonamide ligand, were synthesized. The coordination behavior of 3 and 4 toward rhodium(I) complex was investigated. When 3 was treated with 1/2 of an equivalent of [RhCl(cod)]2 (cod=1,5-cyclooctadiene), the corresponding chlorogermylene-Rh(I) complex 5 was obtained as orange crystals. In contrast, the reaction of 4 with a half equivalent of [RhCl(cod)]2 under a CO atmosphere resulted in the formation of a five-membered germarhodacycle 7. Compounds 3, 4, 5, and 7 were characterized using NMR spectroscopies and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Complex 5 can be employed as a catalyst for the hydrosilylation and hydroboration reactions of diphenylacetylene, thus demonstrating the utility of germylene ligands comparable to those of NHCs in the major transition metal catalytic processes.

Synthesis of a homoleptic tris(silylene)-palladium(0) complex and a silylyne-bridged tetranuclear palladium cluster.

We report the reactions of an iminophosphonamido-silylene (1) with different palladium complexes. The reaction of 1 with [Pd(PPh3)4] furnished a homoleptic tris(silylene)-palladium(0) complex. In contrast, treatment of 1 with [PdMe2(tmeda)] led to the unprecedented formation of a non-planar µ3-silylyne-bridged tetranuclear palladium cluster that contains palladium atoms in different oxidation states.

Niobium Complexes Supported by Chalcogen-Bridged [OEO]-Type Bis(phenolate) Ligands (E = S, Se): Synthesis, Characterization, and Phenylacetylene Polymerization.

Trichloro niobium(V) complexes 3 and 4 with the sulfur- or selenium-bridged [OEO]-type bis(phenolate) ligands (E = S, Se) were synthesized and fully characterized on the basis of their NMR spectroscopic data and X-ray crystallographic analysis. In the crystalline state of 4, the [OSeO]-core of the ligand was coordinated to the niobium center in a fac-fashion. The corresponding tribenzyl niobium(V) complexes 5 and 6 were also prepared by the reactions of 3 and 4 with 3 equivalents of PhCH2MgCl in toluene. The X-ray diffraction analysis of 6 revealed that the distorted six-coordinated niobium center incorporated in the [OSeO]-type ligand took a mer-fashion, and one benzyl ligand was coordinated to the niobium center by η2-fashion. Complexes 5 and 6 were tested for the phenylacetylene polymerization that produced poly(phenylacetylene)s (PPAs), oligomers, and triphenylbenzenes (TPBs) depending on the chalcogen atom in the [OEO]-type ligand.

Iminophosphonamido-Supported Plumbylenes and Plumbyliumylidenes: Synthesis and Properties.

A series of low-valent lead(II) species, i.e., plumbylenes and plumbyliumylidenes supported by an N,N'-di-tert-butyliminophosphonamide ligand, have been synthesized. Chloroplumbylene [Ph2P(NtBu)2PbCl] (1) was readily prepared by the reaction of the corresponding lithium iminophosphonamide and PbCl2 in THF. The substitution reaction of 1 with KN(SiMe3)2 in THF afforded the corresponding aminoplumbylene [Ph2P(NtBu)2PbN(SiMe3)2] (2) in the form of colorless crystals. The structures of these plumbylenes in the solid state and in solution were exhaustively characterized using multinuclear NMR spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis. In the crystalline state, 1 adopts a nearly linear polymeric structure in the direction of the c axis via Pb-Cl bonds, with alternating four-membered PbN2P rings. The chloride-abstraction reaction of 1 using Na[B(C6F5)4] in fluorobenzene proceeded efficiently at ambient temperature to furnish plumbyliumylidene [Ph2P(NtBu)2Pb:]+ (3+), which was isolated as the air-sensitive yellow borate salt 3[B(C6F5)4]. Plumbyliumylidene 3[B(C6F5)4] acts as a Lewis acid catalyst for the hydroboration of benzophenone and benzaldehyde at catalyst loadings of as low as 0.1 mol % under ambient conditions. Furthermore, the details of the reaction mechanism are discussed on the basis of the results of DFT calculations.

Halogen-Exchange Reactions of Iminophosphonamido-Chlorosilylenes with Alkali Halides: Convenient Synthesis of Heavier Halosilylenes.

Halogen-substituted silylenes are an important building block for synthesizing silicon-based low-valent and multiple-bond species. However, the number of reports on heavier halosilylenes that contain bromine and iodine is still limited. Here, we present a convenient synthesis for bromo- and iodosilylenes supported by an iminophosphonamide ligand. The heavier halosilylenes [Ph2P(tBuN)2]SiX (2: X = Br, 3: X = I) were successfully synthesized via the halogen-exchange reaction of chlorosilylene 1 with alkali halides in THF. As a demonstration of the reactivity of 2 and 3, oxidative addition reactions of 2 and 3 with elemental selenium in C6D6 afforded the corresponding bromo- (5) or iodosilylene-selone (6) as colorless crystals. The molecular structures of 2, 3, 5, and 6 were fully characterized by spectroscopic means and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Furthermore, the effects of the halogen atom on the electronic state of halosilylenes 1-3 and halosilylene-selones 4-6 were investigated using density functional theory (DFT) calculations.

Novel [FeFe]-Hydrogenase Mimics: Unexpected Course of the Reaction of Ferrocenyl α-Thienyl Thioketone with Fe3(CO)12.

The influence of the substitution pattern in ferrocenyl α-thienyl thioketone used as a proligand in complexation reactions with Fe3(CO)12 was investigated. As a result, two new sulfur-iron complexes, considered [FeFe]-hydrogenase mimics, were obtained and characterized by spectroscopic techniques (1H, 13C{1H} NMR, IR, MS), as well as by elemental analysis and X-ray single crystal diffraction methods. The electrochemical properties of both complexes were studied and compared using cyclic voltammetry in the absence and in presence of acetic acid as a proton source. The performed measurements demonstrated that both complexes can catalyze the reduction of protons to molecular hydrogen H2. Moreover, the obtained results showed that the presence of the ferrocene moiety at the backbone of the linker of both complexes improved the stability of the reduced species.

Hydroboration of carbonyls and imines by an iminophosphonamido tin(II) precatalyst.

A novel three-coordinated tin(II) chloride [Ph2P(NtBu)2]SnCl (1) supported by an N,N'-di-tert-butyliminophosphonamide having two phenyl groups on the phosphorus atom was synthesized by the reaction of the starting lithium iminophosphonamide [Ph2P(NtBu)2]Li with SnCl2·(dioxane) in toluene. The molecular structure of 1 was established by X-ray diffraction analysis. Tin(II) chloride 1 can act as an efficient precatalyst for the hydroboration of a wide variety of aldehydes, ketones, and imines at -10 °C. DFT calculations propose that hydroboration involves hydride transfer from the corresponding tin(II) hydride intermediate [Ph2P(NtBu)2]SnH (10) to the carbonyl substrates via four-membered transition states (TS-12), affording three-coordinated tin(II) alkoxide intermediates [Ph2P(NtBu)2]SnOR (13), followed by the stepwise reaction of 13 with HBpin (pin = pinacolate) to release the boronate esters and regenerate the tin(II) hydride 10. The stoichiometric reaction of the in site-generated 10 with benzophenone 2a at -10 °C led to the formation of 13. Moreover, 13 also stoichiometrically reacted with HBpin at -10 °C, forming the corresponding boronate ester 3a and 10 based on the 1H NMR spectrum of the reaction mixture.

Formation of silaimines from a sterically demanding iminophosphonamido chlorosilylene via intramolecular N-P bond cleavage.

The sterically demanding iminophosphonamido chlorosilylene [Ph2P(DipN)2]SiCl (Dip = 2,6-diisopropylphenyl) was synthesized and fully characterized using NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography. Substitution reactions of [Ph2P(DipN)2]SiCl with N- and Fe-nucleophiles led to the unexpected formation of the corresponding silaimine derivatives. This process involves the ring-opening rearrangement of three-coordinated silylene intermediates that proceeds via intramolecular N-P bond cleavage.

Interconversion between a silaimine and an aminosilylene supported by an iminophosphonamide ligand.

The reaction of a chlorosilylene, supported by an iminophosphonamide ligand, with KN(SiMe3)2 resulted in the formation of a silaimine instead of the expected aminosilylene. However, this silaimine exists in equilibrium with the corresponding aminosilylene, which was experimentally demonstrated using variable-temperature NMR spectroscopy and a trapping reaction with elemental selenium to give a silaselenourea.

An Iminophosphonamido-Chlorosilylene as a Strong σ-Donating NHSi Ligand: Synthesis and Coordination Chemistry.

The N-heterocyclic silylene (NHSi) [Ph2 P(t BuN)2 ]SiCl (1), supported by an iminophosphonamide ligand, was obtained from the dehydrochlorination of [Ph2 P(t BuN)2 ]SiHCl2 (2) with LiN(SiMe3 )2 . NHSi 1 contains an extremely high-energy HOMO level and consequently displays unique coordination behavior toward RhI complexes. When 1 was treated with 1/4 of an equivalent of [RhCl(cod)]2 (cod=1,5-cyclooctadiene), the 14-electron Y-shaped bis(chlorosilylene) RhI complex 5 was obtained as dark purple crystals. The reaction of 1 with 1/6 of an equivalent of [RhCl(cod)]2 yielded the cationic tris(silylene)-RhI complex [6]+ ⋅Cl- as red crystals, wherein a two-coordinated silylene ligand engages in a Si=Rh double bond. A structural analysis of 5 and [6]+ ⋅Cl- revealed that the central rhodium atoms adopt trigonal and square-planar coordination geometries, respectively, with considerably shortened Si-Rh bonds [5: 2.1605(5) Å; [6]+ : 2.133(1) Å].

Chlorogermylenes and -stannylenes stabilized by diimidosulfinate ligands: synthesis, structures, and reactivity.

The reaction of the lithium salt of N,N'-di-tert-butyldiimidosulfinate ([PhS(NtBu)2]Li) having a phenyl group on the sulphur atom with ECl2·(dioxane) (E = Ge, Sn) afforded the corresponding chlorogermylene [PhS(NtBu)2]GeCl 1 and -stannylene [PhS(NtBu)2]SnCl 2, respectively. In contrast, treatment of the N,N'-bis(trimethylsilyl)diimidosulfinate ion ([PhS(NSiMe3)2]-) with ECl2·(dioxane) resulted in the unexpected formations of six-membered 1,3-bis(chlorogermylene) [PhS(NSiMe3)2(η1-η1-GeCl)2[µ-NSPh(NHSiMe3)] 7 and -stannylene [PhS(NSiMe3)2(η1-η1-SnCl)2[µ-NSPh(NHSiMe3)] 8. The structures of these chlorometallylene derivatives were fully characterized on the basis of their NMR spectroscopic data and X-ray diffraction. In the crystalline states of 1 and 2, the diimidosulfinate ligands chelate to the metal centre to form slightly hinged four-membered EN2S rings. On the other hand, X-ray analyses of 7 and 8 revealed that the central six-membered E2N3S rings adopt a distorted boat-conformation, and one diimidosulfinate ligand coordinates to the metal centre in a bridging monodentate µ-η1-η1-fashion. As the reactivity of 1 and 2, the oxidation of 1 with elemental chalcogen (S8 or Se) afforded the corresponding tetra-coordinated germanium compounds [PhS(NtBu)2]Ge([double bond, length as m-dash]Ch)Cl 3 (Ch[double bond, length as m-dash]S) and 4 (Ch[double bond, length as m-dash]Se). In sharp contrast, the reactions of 2 with elemental chalcogen resulted in the formation of four-membered Sn2Ch2 ring compounds, 1,3,2,4-dichalcogenadistannetanes {(PhS(NtBu)2)SnCl(µ-Ch)}25 (Ch[double bond, length as m-dash]S) and 6 (Ch[double bond, length as m-dash]Se).

Enantio- and Stereoselective Cyclopolymerization of Hexa-1,5-diene Catalyzed by Zirconium Complexes Possessing Optically Active Bis(phenolato) Ligands.

Enantio- and stereoselective cyclopolymerization of hexa-1,5-diene was achieved by enantiomerically pure dichloro zirconium(IV) pre-catalysts 2 possessing chiral [OSSO]-type bis(phenolate) ligands (-)-1 and (+)-1 in combination with dried methylaluminoxane (dMAO) as an activator. The corresponding activities were recorded with quite high values up to 1,960 g mmol(2)-1 h-1 , which are extremely larger than those of the related complexes. The microstructure analysis for the PMCPs furnished by pre-catalysts (Λ,S,S)-2 and (Δ,R,R)-2 showed good isotacticity factors (α = 75-78%) and relatively high proportions of trans-cyclopentane rings (σ = 14-21%). These enantiomeric PMCPs exhibited large specific optical rotations ([α]D = +28 to +32° from (Λ,S,S)-2, -26 to -34° from (Δ,R,R)-2).

Macromol. Rapid Commun. 12/2016.

Back Cover: Highly isospecific polymerization of silyl-protected ω-alkenols, using a combination of [OSSO]-type bis(phenolato) dichloro zirconium(IV) complex and dMAO as the precatalyst and the activator, respectively, is established. This method represents the first example for a stereoselective polymerization of polar functional α-olefins ([mmmm] > 95%). Subsequently, the obtained terminal siloxy-substituted isotactic polymer could be readily transformed by a macromolecular desilylation/acetylation reaction sequence to afford the corresponding terminal acetyl-enriched polymer. Further details can be found in the article by Y. Saito, N. Nakata,* and A. Ishii* on page 969.

Highly Isospecific Polymerization of Silyl-Protected ω-Alkenols Using an [OSSO]-Type Bis(phenolato) Dichloro Zirconium(IV) Precatalyst.

The coordination polymerization of silyl-protected ω-alkenols such as ω-alken-α-oxytriisopropylsilanes 1 provides poly(ω-alkenyl-α-oxytriisopropylsilalne)s with a highly isospecific microstructure ([mmmm] > 95%) when a combination of [OSSO]-type bis(phenolato) dichloro zirconium(IV) complex 2 and dried methylaluminoxane is used as the precatalyst and activator, respectively. The resulting siloxy-substituted polymers could be efficiently transformed into the corresponding functionalized polyolefins, which contained up to 90% acetyl groups and ≈7% hydroxy groups in the terminal side chains.

Highly Active and Isospecific Styrene Polymerization Catalyzed by Zirconium Complexes Bearing Aryl-substituted [OSSO]-Type Bis(phenolate) Ligands.

[OSSO]-type dibenzyl zirconium(IV) complexes 9 and 10 possessing aryl substituents ortho to the phenoxide moieties (ortho substituents, phenyl and 2,6-dimethylphenyl (Dmp)) were synthesized and characterized. Upon activation with dMAO (dried methylaluminoxane), complex 9 was found to promote highly isospecific styrene polymerizations ([mm] = 97.5%⁻99%) with high molecular weights Mw up to 181,000 g·mmol-1. When the Dmp-substituted pre-catalyst 10/dMAO system was used, the highest activity, over 7700 g·mmol(10)-1·h-1, was recorded involving the formation of precisely isospecific polystyrenes of [mm] more than 99%.

Red and Near-Infrared Photoluminescence of D-π-A-Type Compounds Based on a 1,4-Diaryl-1-thio-1,3-butadiene Conjugated System in a Dibenzobarrelene Skeleton.

1,4-Diaryl-1-thio-1,3-butadiene derivatives having a π-donor dimethylamino group and several π-acceptor substituents at both terminals of the conjugated system were synthesized by intramolecular [4 + 2] cycloaddition of 1-thio-enynes and subsequent chemical transformations. They displayed largely red-shifted absorption and emission spectra in solution, the powder state, and in polymer films. The derivatives with a 2,2-dicyanoethenyl group as the π-acceptor exhibited inverted solvatochromism in both optical absorption and fluorescence spectroscopies.

Cationic dinuclear platinum and palladium complexes with bridging hydrogermylene and hydrido ligands.

Hydride-abstraction reactions of hydrido(dihydrogermyl) complexes [MH(GeH2Trip)(dcpe)] [M = Pt, Pd, Trip = 9-triptycyl, dcpe = 1,2-bis(dicyclohexylphosphino)ethane] with B(C6F5)3 led to the unexpected formation of new cationic (µ-germyl)(µ-hydrido) dinuclear platinum and palladium complexes, [{M(dcpe)}2(µ-GeHTrip)(µ-H)](+).

Synthesis of 4-chalcogeno-1-aza-1,3-butadiene derivatives by intramolecular cyano-Diels-Alder reaction and borane-coordination-induced fluorescence enhancement.

4-Thio-1-aza-1,3-butadiene derivatives 3 incorporating a rigid dibenzobarrelene skeleton were synthesized by the intramolecular cyano-Diels-Alder reaction of 9-anthryl cyanoethenyl sulfides 6. The thermal reaction of 6 afforded an equilibrium mixture of 3 and 6, but the cyclization was effectively promoted by the addition of BF3·Et2O or B(C6F5)3 to yield imine-borane adducts 8 and 9. The imine-borane adducts emit intense blue fluorescence both in solution and in the crystalline state. This is in stark contrast to free imines 3, which are weakly fluorescent. Selenium analogue 4 and N-oxide 12 of 3a were synthesized, along with their B(C6F5)3 adducts.

Titanium complexes supported by an [OSSO]-type bis(phenolato) ligand based on a trans-cyclooctanediyl platform: synthesis, structures, and 1-hexene polymerization.

trans-Cyclooctanediyl-bridged [OSSO]-type ligand 4 reacts with TiCl(4)(thf)(2) in toluene to produce the corresponding titanium(IV) dichloro complexes as an inseparable mixture of cis-α isomer 6a and cis-ß isomer 6b in a ratio of 2:1, whereas treatment of dilithio salt of 4 with TiCl(3)(thf)(3) in Et(2)O afforded chloride-bridged dimeric titanium(III) complex 8, which indicated the antiferromagnetic character in a nonpolar solvent solution. Di(isopropoxy) titanium(IV) complex 10 having a C(2)-symmetric cis-α configuration was synthesized by the reaction of 4 with Ti(O(i)Pr)(4) in toluene as yellow crystals. Moreover, the reaction of 4 with Ti(NEt(2))(4) in toluene resulted in the unexpected formation of [OSSO]-type bis(phenolato)-bridged dinuclear diamido titanium(IV) complex 11, which adopted a distorted tetrahedral geometry on the titanium center. These titanium complexes were characterized on the basis of their NMR spectroscopic data, and the molecular structures of complexes 8, 10, and 11 were established by single crystal X-ray diffraction. The titanium(IV) and (III) complexes 6 and 8 upon activation with a cocatalyst in toluene polymerized 1-hexene isospecifically to produce poly(1-hexene) having high molecular weight (M(w) = 22,000-52,000 g mol(-1)) and relatively narrow polydispersity (M(w)/M(n) = 1.7-1.8), albeit with low activity [0.27-1.0 g mmol(cat)(-1) h(-1)].