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1. Perfluoroolefin complexes versus perfluorometallacycles and perfluorocarbene complexes in cyclopentadienylcobalt chemistry

   https://doi.org/10.1039/C9CP06685C  

   Wen, Limei ; Li, Guoliang ; Xie, Yaoming ; King, R. Bruce ; Schaefer, Henry F. ( April 2020 , Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics)

   Fluorocarbons have been shown experimentally by Baker and coworkers to combine with the cyclopentadienylcobalt (CpCo) moiety to form fluoroolefin and fluorocarbene complexes as well as fluorinated cobaltacyclic rings. In this connection density functional theory (DFT) studies on the cyclopentadienylcobalt fluorocarbon complexes CpCo(L)(C n F 2n ) (L = CO, PMe 3 ; n = 3 and 4) indicate structures with perfluoroolefin ligands to be the lowest energy structures followed by perfluorometallacycle structures and finally by structures with perfluorocarbene ligands. Thus, for the CpCo(L)(C 3 F 6 ) (L = CO, PMe 3 ) complexes, the perfluoropropene structure has the lowest energy, followed by the perfluorocobaltacyclobutane structure and the perfluoroisopropylidene structure less stable by 8 to 11 kcal mol −1 , and the highest energy perfluoropropylidene structure less stable by more than 12 kcal mol −1 . For the two metal carbene structures Cp(L)CoC(CF 3 ) 2 and Cp(L)CoCF(C 2 F 5 ), the former is more stable than the latter, even though the latter has Fischer carbene character. For the CpCo(L)(C 4 F 8 ) (L = CO, PMe 3 ) complexes, the perfluoroolefin complex structures have the lowest energies, followed by the perfluorometallacycle structures at 10 to 20 kcalmore »mol −1 , and the structures with perfluorocarbene ligands at yet higher energies more than 20 kcal mol −1 above the lowest energy structure. This is consistent with the experimentally observed isomerization of the perfluorinated cobaltacyclobutane complexes CpCo(PPh 2 Me)(–CFR–CF 2 –CF 2 –) (R = F, CF 3 ) to the perfluoroolefin complexes CpCo(PPh 2 Me)(RCFCF 2 ) in the presence of catalytic quantities of HN(SO 2 CF 3 ) 2 . Further refinement of the relative energies by the state-of-the-art DLPNO-CCSD(T) method gives results essentially consistent with the DFT results summarized above.« less
2. Synthesis, reactivity, structures, and dynamic properties of gyroscope like iron complexes with dibridgehead diphosphine cages: pre- vs. post-metathesis substitutions as routes to adducts with neutral dipolar Fe(CO)(NO)(X) rotors

   https://doi.org/10.1039/c6dt03258c  

   Lang, Georgette M. ; Skaper, Dirk ; Hampel, Frank ; Gladysz, John A. ( January 2016 , Dalton Transactions)

   Three routes are explored to the title halide/cyanide complexes trans -Fe(CO)(NO)(X)(P((CH 2 ) 14 ) 3 P) ( 9c-X ; X = Cl/Br/I/CN), the Fe(CO)(NO)(X) moieties of which can rotate within the diphosphine cages (Δ H ‡ /Δ S ‡ (kcal mol −1 /eu −1 ) 5.9/−20.4 and 7.4/−23.9 for 9c-Cl and 9c-I from variable temperature 13 C NMR spectra). First, reactions of the known cationic complex trans -[Fe(CO) 2 (NO)(P((CH 2 ) 14 ) 3 P)] + BF 4 − and Bu 4 N + X − give 9c-Cl /- Br /- I /- CN (75–83%). Second, reactions of the acyclic complexes trans -Fe(CO)(NO)(X)(P((CH 2 ) m CHCH 2 ) 3 ) 2 and Grubbs’ catalyst afford the tris(cycloalkenes) trans -Fe(CO)(NO)(X)(P((CH 2 ) m CHCH(CH 2 ) m ) 3 P) ( m /X = 6/Cl,Br,I,CN, 7/Cl,Br, 8/Cl,Br) as mixtures of Z / E isomers (24–41%). Third, similar reactions of trans -[Fe(CO) 2 (NO)(P((CH 2 ) m CHCH 2 ) 3 ) 2 ] + BF 4 − and Grubbs’ catalyst afford crude trans -[Fe(CO) 2 (NO)P((CH 2 ) m CHCH(CH 2 ) m ) 3 P)] + BF 4 − ( m = 6, 8). However, the CCmore »hydrogenations required to consummate routes 2 and 3 are problematic. Crystal structures of 9c-Cl /- Br /- CN are determined. Although the CO/NO/X ligands are disordered, the void space within the diphosphine cages is analyzed in terms of horizontal and vertical constraints upon Fe(CO)(NO)(X) rotation and the NMR data. The molecules pack in identical motifs with parallel P–Fe–P axes, and without intermolecular impediments to rotation in the solid state.« less
3. The bismuth tetramer Bi ₄ : the ν ₃ key to experimental observation

   https://doi.org/10.1039/C8CP03529F  

   Lahm, Mitchell E. ; Hoobler, Preston R. ; Turney, Justin M. ; Peterson, Kirk A. ; Schaefer, Henry F. ( January 2018 , Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics)

   The spectroscopic identification of Bi 4 has been very elusive. Two constitutional Bi 4 isomers of T d and C 2v symmetry are investigated and each is found to be a local energetic minimum. The optimized geometries and vibrational frequencies of these two isomers are obtained at the CCSD(T)/cc-pVQZ-PP level of theory, utilizing the Stoll, Metz, and Dolg 60-electron effective core potential. The fundamental frequencies of the T d isomer are obtained at the same level of theory. The focal point analysis method, from a maximum basis set of cc-pV5Z-PP, and proceeding to a maximum correlation method of CCSDTQ, was employed to determine the dissociation energy of Bi 4 ( T d ) into two Bi 2 and the adiabatic energy difference between the C 2v and T d isomers of Bi 4 . These quantities are predicted to be +65 kcal mol −1 and +39 kcal mol −1 , respectively. Two electron vertical excitation energies between the T d and C 2v electronic configurations are computed to be 156 kcal mol −1 for the T d isomer and 9 kcal mol −1 for the C 2v isomer. The most probable approach to laboratory spectroscopic identification of Bi 4 ismore »via an infrared spectrum. The predicted fundamentals (cm −1 ) with harmonic IR intensities in parentheses (km mol −1 ) are 94(0), 123(0.23), and 167(0) for the T d isomer. The moderate IR intensity for the only allowed fundamental may explain why Bi 4 has yet to be observed. Through natural bond orbital analysis, the C 2v isomer of Bi 4 was discovered to exhibit “long-bonding” between the furthest apart ‘wing’ atoms. This long-bonding is postulated to be facilitated by the σ-bonding orbital between the ‘spine’ atoms of the C 2v isomer.« less
4. Cooperative C–H activation of pyridine by PBP complexes of Rh and Ir can lead to bridging 2-pyridyls with different connectivity to the B–M unit

   https://doi.org/10.1039/D1SC01850G  

   Cao, Yihan ; Shih, Wei-Chun ; Bhuvanesh, Nattamai ; Zhou, Jia ; Ozerov, Oleg V. ( November 2021 , Chemical Science)

   Pyridine and quinoline undergo selective C–H activation in the 2-position with Rh and Ir complexes of a boryl/bis(phosphine) PBP pincer ligand, resulting in a 2-pyridyl bridging the transition metal and the boron center. Examination of this reactivity with Rh and Ir complexes carrying different non-pincer ligands on the transition metal led to the realization of the possible isomerism derived from the 2-pyridyl fragment connecting either via B–N/C–M bonds or via B–C/N–M bonds. This M–C/M–N isomerism was systematically examined for four structural types. Each of these types has a defined set of ligands on Rh/Ir besides 2-pyridyl and PBP. A pair of M–C/M–N isomers for each type was computationally examined for Rh and for Ir, totaling 16 compounds. Several of these compounds were isolated or observed in solution by experimental methods, in addition to a few 2-quinolyl variants. The DFT predictions concerning the thermodynamic preference within each M–C/M–N isomeric match the experimental findings very well. In two cases where DFT predicts <2 kcal mol −1 difference in free energy, both isomers were experimentally observed in solution. Analysis of the structural data, of the relevant Wiberg bond indices, and of the ETS-NOCV partitioning of the interaction of the 2-pyridyl fragment with themore »rest of the molecule points to the strength of the M–C(pyridyl) bond as the dominant parameter determining the relative M–C/M–N isomer favorability. This M–C bond is always stronger for the analogous Ir vs. Rh compounds, but the nature of the ligand trans to it has a significant influence, as well. DFT calculations were used to evaluate the mechanism of isomerization for one of the molecule types.« less
5. Higher spin states in some low-energy bis(tetramethyl-1,2-diaza-3,5-diborolyl) sandwich compounds of the first row transition metals: boraza analogues of the metallocenes

   https://doi.org/10.1039/C8NJ05517C  

   Chen, Jianlin ; Feng, Hao ; Xie, Yaoming ; King, R. Bruce ; Schaefer, Henry F. ( March 2019 , New Journal of Chemistry)

   The known sandwich compound [η 5 -(CH 2 ) 3 N 2 (BPh) 2 CMe] 2 Fe in which adjacent C 2 units are replaced by isoelectronic BN units can be considered as a boraza analogues of ferrocene similar to borazine, B 3 N 3 H 6 , considered as a boraza analogue of benzene. In this connection, the related bis(1,2,3,5-tetramethyl-1,2-diaza-3,5-diborolyl) derivatives (Me 4 B 2 N 2 CH) 2 M (M = Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni) for all of the first row transition metals have been optimized using density functional theory for comparison with the isoelectronic tetramethylcyclopentadienyl derivatives (Me 4 C 5 H) 2 M. Low-energy sandwich structures having parallel B 2 N 2 C rings in a trans orientation are found for all seven metals. The 1,2-diaza-3,5-diborolyl ligand appears to be a weaker field ligand than the isoelectronic cyclopentadienyl ligand as indicated by higher spin ground states for some (η 5 -Me 4 B 2 N 2 CH) 2 M sandwich compounds relative to the corresponding metallocenes (η 5 -Me 4 C 5 H) 2 M. Thus (η 5 -Me 4 B 2 N 2 CH) 2 Cr has a quintet ground state in contrastmore »to the triplet ground state of (η 5 -Me 4 C 5 H) 2 Cr. Similarly, the sextet ground state of (η 5 -Me 4 B 2 N 2 CH) 2 Mn lies ∼18 kcal mol −1 below the quartet state in contrast to the doublet ground state of the isoelectronic (Me 4 C 5 H) 2 Mn. These sandwich compounds are potentially accessible by reaction of 1,2-diaza-3,5-diborolide anions with metal halides analogous to the synthesis of [η 5 -(CH 2 ) 3 N 2 (BPh) 2 CMe] 2 Fe.« less