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1. Ionization of gold (γ-methoxy)vinyl complexes generates reactive gold vinyl carbene complexes

   https://doi.org/10.1039/c9sc01574d  

   Kim, Nana ; Widenhoefer, Ross A. ( June 2019 , Chemical Science)

   Cationic gold vinyl carbene/allylic cation complexes of the form ( E )-[(L)AuC(H)C(H)CAr 2 ] + OTf − {L = IPr, Ar = Ph [( E )- 5a ], L = IPr, Ar = 4-C 6 H 4 OMe [( E )- 5b ], L = P( t -Bu) 2 o -biphenyl, Ar = 4-C 6 H 4 OMe [( E )- 5c ]} were generated in solution via Lewis acid-mediated ionization of the corresponding gold (γ-methoxy)vinyl complexes ( E )-(L)AuC(H)C(H)C(OMe)Ar 2 at or below −95 °C. Complexes ( E )- 5b and ( E )- 5c were fully characterized in solution employing multinuclear NMR spectroscopy, which established the predominant contribution of the aurated allylic cation resonance structure and the significant distribution of positive charge into the γ-anisyl rings. Complex ( E )- 5b reacted rapidly at −95 °C with neutral two-electron, hydride, and oxygen atom donors exclusively at the C1 position of the vinyl carbene moiety and with p -methoxystyrene to form the corresponding vinylcyclopropane. In the absence of nucleophile ( E )- 5a decomposed predominantly via intermolecular carbene dimerization whereas formation of 1-aryl-5-methoxy indene upon ionization of ( Z )-(IPr)AuC(H)C(H)C(OMe)(4-C 6 H 4 OMe) 2 [( Z )- 6b ] implicated an intramolecular Friedel–Crafts or electrocyclic Nazarov pathway for the decomposition of the unobserved vinyl carbene complex ( Z )-[(IPr)AuC(H)C(H)C(4-C 6 H 4 OMe) 2 ] + OTf − [( Z )- 5b ]. 

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2. Synthesis, Characterization, and Reactivity of Cationic Gold Diarylallenylidene Complexes

   https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.201713209  

   Kim, Nana ; Widenhoefer, Ross A. ( March 2018 , Angewandte Chemie International Edition)

   Methoxide abstraction from gold acetylide complexes of the form (L)Au[η¹‐C≡CC(OMe)ArAr′] (L=IPr, P(^tBu)₂(ortho‐biphenyl); Ar/Ar′=C₆H₄X where X=H, Cl, Me, OMe) with trimethylsilyl trifluoromethanesulfonate (TMSOTf) at −78 °C resulted in the formation of the corresponding cationic gold diarylallenylidene complexes [(L)Au=C=C=CArAr′]⁺ OTf⁻in ≥85±5 % yield according to¹H NMR analysis.¹³C NMR and IR spectroscopic analysis of these complexes established the arene‐dependent delocalization of positive charge on both the C1 and C3 allenylidene carbon atoms. The diphenylallenylidene complex [(IPr)Au=C=C=CPh₂]⁺ OTf⁻reacted with heteroatom nucleophiles at the allenylidene C1 and/or C3 carbon atom.

    

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3. Synthesis, Characterization, and Reactivity of Cationic Gold Diarylallenylidene Complexes

   https://doi.org/10.1002/ange.201713209  

   Kim, Nana ; Widenhoefer, Ross A. ( March 2018 , Angewandte Chemie)

   Methoxide abstraction from gold acetylide complexes of the form (L)Au[η¹‐C≡CC(OMe)ArAr′] (L=IPr, P(^tBu)₂(ortho‐biphenyl); Ar/Ar′=C₆H₄X where X=H, Cl, Me, OMe) with trimethylsilyl trifluoromethanesulfonate (TMSOTf) at −78 °C resulted in the formation of the corresponding cationic gold diarylallenylidene complexes [(L)Au=C=C=CArAr′]⁺ OTf⁻in ≥85±5 % yield according to¹H NMR analysis.¹³C NMR and IR spectroscopic analysis of these complexes established the arene‐dependent delocalization of positive charge on both the C1 and C3 allenylidene carbon atoms. The diphenylallenylidene complex [(IPr)Au=C=C=CPh₂]⁺ OTf⁻reacted with heteroatom nucleophiles at the allenylidene C1 and/or C3 carbon atom.

    

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4. A unique series of chromium( iii ) mono-alkynyl complexes supported by tetraazamacrocycles

   https://doi.org/10.1039/d1dt00707f  

   Schuman, Ashley J. ; Robey, Sarah F. ; Judkins, Eileen C. ; Zeller, Matthias ; Ren, Tong ( April 2021 , Dalton Transactions)

   null (Ed.)

   Described herein is the synthesis and characterization of macrocyclic Cr III mono-alkynyl complexes. By using the meso -form of the tetraazamacrocycle HMC (HMC = 5,5,7,12,12,14-hexamethyl-1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane), trans -[Cr(HMC)(C 2 Ph)Cl]OTf ( 1a ), trans -[Cr(HMC)(C 2 Np)Cl]OTf ( 2a ), trans -[Cr(HMC)(C 2 C 6 H 4 t Bu)Cl]OTf ( 3a ), and trans -[Cr(HMC)(C 2 (3,5-Cl 2 C 6 H 3 ))Cl]OTf ( 4a ) complexes have been realized. These complexes were synthesized in high yield through the reaction of trans -[Cr( meso -HMC)(C 2 Ar) 2 ]OTf ( 1b–4b ) with stoichiometric amounts of methanolic HCl. Single crystal X-ray diffraction showed that the trans -stereochemistry and pseudo-octahedral geometry is retained in the desired mono-alkynyl complexes. The absorption spectra of complexes 1a–4a display d–d bands with distinct vibronic progressions that are slightly red shifted from trans -[Cr(HMC)(C 2 Ar) 2 ] + with approximately halved molar extinction coefficients. Time-delayed measurements of the emission spectra for complexes 1a–4a at 77 K revealed phosphorescence with lifetimes ranging between 343 μs ( 4a ) and 397 μs ( 1a ). The phosphorescence spectra of 1a–4a also exhibit more structuring than the bis-alkynyl complexes due to a strengthened vibronic coupling between the Cr III metal center and alkynyl ligands. 

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5. Actinide arene-metalates: ion pairing effects on the electronic structure of unsupported uranium–arenide sandwich complexes

   https://doi.org/10.1039/D1SC03275E  

   Murillo, Jesse ; Bhowmick, Rina ; Harriman, Katie L. ; Gomez-Torres, Alejandra ; Wright, Joshua ; Meulenberg, Robert W. ; Miró, Pere ; Metta-Magaña, Alejandro ; Murugesu, Muralee ; Vlaisavljevich, Bess ; et al ( October 2021 , Chemical Science)

   Addition of [UI 2 (THF) 3 (μ-OMe)] 2 ·THF (2·THF) to THF solutions containing 6 equiv. of K[C 14 H 10 ] generates the heteroleptic dimeric complexes [K(18-crown-6)(THF) 2 ] 2 [U(η 6 -C 14 H 10 )(η 4 -C 14 H 10 )(μ-OMe)] 2 ·4THF (118C6·4THF) and {[K(THF) 3 ][U(η 6 -C 14 H 10 )(η 4 -C 14 H 10 )(μ-OMe)]} 2 (1THF) upon crystallization of the products in THF in the presence or absence of 18-crown-6, respectively. Both 118C6·4THF and 1THF are thermally stable in the solid-state at room temperature; however, after crystallization, they become insoluble in THF or DME solutions and instead gradually decompose upon standing. X-ray diffraction analysis reveals 118C6·4THF and 1THF to be structurally similar, possessing uranium centres sandwiched between bent anthracenide ligands of mixed tetrahapto and hexahapto ligation modes. Yet, the two complexes are distinguished by the close contact potassium-arenide ion pairing that is seen in 1THF but absent in 118C6·4THF, which is observed to have a significant effect on the electronic characteristics of the two complexes. Structural analysis, SQUID magnetometry data, XANES spectral characterization, and computational analyses are generally consistent with U( iv ) formal assignments for the metal centres in both 118C6·4THF and 1THF, though noticeable differences are detected between the two species. For instance, the effective magnetic moment of 1THF (3.74 μ B ) is significantly lower than that of 118C6·4THF (4.40 μ B ) at 300 K. Furthermore, the XANES data shows the U L III -edge absorption energy for 1THF to be 0.9 eV higher than that of 118C6·4THF, suggestive of more oxidized metal centres in the former. Of note, CASSCF calculations on the model complex {[U(η 6 -C 14 H 10 )(η 4 -C 14 H 10 )(μ-OMe)] 2 } 2− (1*) shows highly polarized uranium–arenide interactions defined by π-type bonds where the metal contributions are primarily comprised by the 6d-orbitals (7.3 ± 0.6%) with minor participation from the 5f-orbitals (1.5 ± 0.5%). These unique complexes provide new insights into actinide–arenide bonding interactions and show the sensitivity of the electronic structures of the uranium atoms to coordination sphere effects. 

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