Coordination Chemistry of Disilylated Germylenes with Group 4 Metallocenes.

Reaction of the PEt3 adduct of a disilylated five-membered cyclic germylene with group 4 metallocene dichlorides in the presence of magnesium led to the formation of the respective germylene metallocene phosphine complexes of titanium, zirconium, and hafnium. Attempts to react the related NHC adduct of a disilylated four-membered cyclic germylene under the same conditions with Cp2TiCl2 did not give the expected germylene NHC titanocene complex. This complex was, however, obtained in the reaction of Cp2Ti(btmsa) with the NHC germylene adduct. A computational analysis of the structure of the group 4 metallocene germylene complexes revealed the multiple-bond character of the M-Ge(II) linkage, which can be rationalized with the classical σ-donor/π-acceptor interaction. The strength of the M-Ge(II) bond increases descending group 4.

Coordination chemistry of disilylated stannylenes with group 10 d10 transition metals: silastannene vs stannylene complexation.

The coordination behavior of disilylated stannylenes toward zerovalent group 10 transition metal complexes was studied. This was accomplished by reactions of PEt3 adducts of disilylated stannylenes with zerovalent group 10 transition metal complexes. The thus obtained products differed between the first row example nickel and its heavier congeners. While with nickel stannylene complex formation was observed, coordination of the stannylenes to palladium and platinum compounds led to unusual silastannene complexes of these metals. A computational model study indicated that in each case metal stannylene complexes were formed first and that the disilylstannylene/silastannene rearrangement occurs only after complexation to the group 10 metal. The isomerization is a two-step process with relatively small barriers, suggesting a thermodynamic control of product formation. In addition, the results of the computational investigation revealed a subtle balance of steric and electronic effects, which determines the relative stability of the metalastannylene complex relative to its silastannene isomer. In the case of cyclic disilylstannylenes, the Pd(0) and Pt(0) silastannene complexes are found to be more stable, while with acyclic disilylstannylenes the Ni(0) stannylene complex is formed preferentially.

Synthesis of Oligosilanyl Compounds of Group 4 Metallocenes with the Oxidation State +3.

Recently, we showed that titanocene silyls are much more stable with Ti in the oxidation state +3. The current study demonstrates that analogous Zr and Hf compounds can also be obtained by reaction of a suitable metalate precursor with an oligosilanyl dianion. As the obtained complexes formally possess a d(1) electron configuration, they were investigated using EPR spectroscopy. The corresponding spectra indicate that the compounds can be considered to also exhibit some cyclosilanyl radical anion character. In order to understand the strong preference of disilylated titan(IV)ocenes for reductive elimination, a theoretical study of the thermodynamics of these reactions was conducted, revealing that this behavior is essentially caused by the weak Si-Ti(IV) bond.

Coordination chemistry of cyclic disilylated stannylenes and plumbylenes to group 4 metallocenes.

Reduction of group 4 metallocene dichlorides with magnesium in the presence of cyclic disilylated stannylene or plumbylene phosphine adducts yielded the respective metallocene tetrylene phosphine complexes. Under the same conditions the use of the respective dimerized stannylene or plumbylene gave metallocene ditetrylene complexes. A computational analysis of these reactions revealed for all investigated compounds multiple-bonded character for the M-E(II) linkage, which can be rationalized in the case of the monotetrylene complex with the classical σ-donor/π-acceptor interaction. The strength of the M-E(II) bond increases descending group 4 and decreases going from Sn to its heavier congener Pb. The weakness of the Ti-E(II) bonds is caused by the significantly reduced ability of the titanium atom for d-p π-back-bonding.

Dispersion energy enforced dimerization of a cyclic disilylated plumbylene.

By reaction of 1,4-dipotassio-1,1,4,4-tetrakis(trimethylsilyl)tetramethyltetrasilane with PbBr(2) in the presence of triethylphosphine a base adduct of a cyclic disilylated plumbylene could be obtained. Phosphine abstraction with B(C(6)F(5))(3) led to formation of a base-free plumbylene dimer, which features an unexpected single donor-acceptor PbPb bond. The results of density functional computations at the M06-2X and B3LYP level of theory indicate that the dominating interactions which hold the plumbylene subunits together and which define its actual molecular structure are attracting van der Waals forces between the two large and polarizable plumbylene subunits.

Cardiac glycosides from Yellow Oleander (Thevetia peruviana) seeds.

Thevetia cardiac glycosides can lead to intoxication, thus they are important indicators for forensic and pharmacologic surveys. Six thevetia cardiac glycosides, including two with unknown structures, were isolated from the seeds of the Yellow Oleander (Thevetia peruviana (Pers.) K. Shum., Apocynaceae). LC-ESI⁺-MS(/MS) analysis under high-resolution conditions used as a qualitative survey of the primary glycosides did not lead to fragmentation of the aglycones. Acid hydrolysis of the polar and non-volatile thevetia glycosides under severe conditions yielded the aglycones of the thevetia glycosides and made them amenable to GC-MS analysis. Comparison of mass spectral fragmentation patterns of the aglycones, as well as high-resolution mass spectrometric and NMR data of four of the primary thevetia glycosides including the two unknowns, revealed the structures of the complete set of six thevetia glycosides. The identified compounds are termed thevetin C and acetylthevetin C and differ by an 18,20-oxido-20,22-dihydro functionality from thevetin B and acetylthevetin B, respectively. The absence of an unsaturated lactone ring renders the glycosides cardio-inactive. The procedures developed in this study and the sets of analytical data obtained will be useful for screening and structure assessment of other, particularly polar, cardiac glycosides.