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1. London Dispersion Effects in a Distannene/Tristannane Equilibrium: Energies of their Interconversion and the Suppression of the Monomeric Stannylene Intermediate

   https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202301919  

   Zou, Wenxing; Bursch, Markus; Mears, Kristian L.; Stennett, Cary R.; Yu, Ping; Fettinger, James C.; Grimme, Stefan; Power, Philip P. (April 2023, Angewandte Chemie International Edition)

   Abstract Reaction of {LiC₆H₂−2,4,6‐Cyp₃⋅Et₂O}₂(Cyp=cyclopentyl) (1) of the new dispersion energy donor (DED) ligand, 2,4,6‐triscyclopentylphenyl with SnCl₂afforded a mixture of the distannene {Sn(C₆H₂−2,4,6‐Cyp₃)₂}₂(2), and the cyclotristannane {Sn(C₆H₂−2,4,6‐Cyp₃)₂}₃(3).2is favored in solution at higher temperature (345 K or above) whereas3is preferred near 298 K. Van't Hoff analysis revealed the3to2conversion has a ΔH=33.36 kcal mol⁻¹and ΔS=0.102 kcal mol⁻¹ K⁻¹, which gives a ΔG^{300 K}=+2.86 kcal mol⁻¹, showing that the conversion of3to2is an endergonic process. Computational studies show that DED stabilization in3is −28.5 kcal mol⁻¹per {Sn(C₆H₂−2,4,6‐Cyp₃)₂unit, which exceeds the DED energy in2of −16.3 kcal mol⁻¹per unit. The data clearly show that dispersion interactions are the main arbiter of the3to2equilibrium. Both2and3possess large dispersion stabilization energies which suppress monomer dissociation (supported by EDA results). 

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2. Direct observation of the intermediate in an ultrafast isomerization

   https://doi.org/10.1039/c8sc03258k  

   Porter, Tyler M.; Wang, Jiaxi; Li, Yingmin; Xiang, Bo; Salsman, Catherine; Miller, Joel S.; Xiong, Wei; Kubiak, Clifford P. (January 2019, Chemical Science)

   Using a combination of two-dimensional infrared (2D IR) and variable temperature Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopies the rapid structural isomerization of a five-coordinate ruthenium complex is investigated. In methylene chloride, three exchanging isomers were observed: (1) square pyramidal equatorial, ( 1 ); (2) trigonal bipyramidal, ( 0 ); and (3) square pyramidal apical, ( 2 ). Exchange between 1 and 0 was found to be an endergonic process (Δ H = 0.84 (0.08) kcal mol −1 , Δ S = 0.6 (0.4) eu) with an isomerization time constant of 4.3 (1.5) picoseconds (ps, 10 −12 s). Exchange between 0 and 2 however was found to be exergonic (Δ H = −2.18 (0.06) kcal mol −1 , Δ S = −5.3 (0.3) eu) and rate limiting with an isomerization time constant of 6.3 (1.6) ps. The trigonal bipyramidal complex was found to be an intermediate, with an activation barrier of 2.2 (0.2) kcal mol −1 and 2.4 (0.2) kcal mol −1 relative to the equatorial and apical square pyramidal isomers respectively. This study provides direct validation of the mechanism of Berry pseudorotation – the pairwise exchange of ligands in a five-coordinate complex – a process that was first described over fifty years ago. This study also clearly demonstrates that the rate of pseudorotation approaches the frequency of molecular vibrations. 

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3. Cationic Bis(Gold) Indenyl Complexes

   https://doi.org/10.1002/cplu.202300691  

   Slinger, Brady_L; Zhu, Jiaqi; Widenhoefer, Ross_A (February 2024, ChemPlusChem)

   Abstract Reaction of (P)AuOTf [P=P(t‐Bu)₂o‐biphenyl] with indenyl‐ or 3‐methylindenyl lithium led to isolation of gold η¹‐indenyl complexes (P)Au(η¹‐inden‐1‐yl) (1 a) and (P)Au(η¹‐3‐methylinden‐1‐yl) (1 b), respectively, in >65 % yield. Whereas complex1 bis static, complex1 aundergoes facile, degenerate 1,3‐migration of gold about the indenyl ligand (ΔG^≠_153K=9.1±1.1 kcal/mol). Treatment of complexes1 aand1 bwith (P)AuNTf₂led to formation of the corresponding cationic bis(gold) indenyl complexestrans‐[(P)Au]₂(η¹,η¹‐inden‐1,3‐yl) (2 a) andtrans‐[(P)Au]₂(η¹,η²‐3‐methylinden‐1‐yl) (2 b), respectively, which were characterized spectroscopically and modeled computationally. Despite the absence of aurophilic stabilization in complexes2 aand2 b, the binding affinity of mono(gold) complex1 atoward exogenous (P)Au⁺exceed that of free indene by ~350‐fold and similarly the binding affinity of1 btoward exogenous (P)Au⁺exceed that of 3‐methylindene by ~50‐fold. The energy barrier for protodeauration of bis(gold) indenyl complex2 awith HOAc was ≥8 kcal/mol higher than for protodeauration of mono(gold) complex1 a. 

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4. The aromatic Claisen rearrangement of a 1,2-azaborine

   https://doi.org/10.1039/d2ob02186b  

   Robichaud, Hannah M.; Ishibashi, Jacob S.; Ozaki, Tomoya; Lamine, Walid; Miqueu, Karinne; Liu, Shih-Yuan (May 2023, Organic & Biomolecular Chemistry)

   The first aromatic Claisen rearrangement of a 1,2-azaborine is described along with a quantitative kinetic comparison of the reaction of the azaborine with its direct all-carbon analogue. The azaborine A rearranged in a clean, regioselective fashion and reacted faster than the all-carbon substrate B at all temperatures from 140–180 °C. Activation free energies were extracted from observed first-order rate constants (A: Δ G ‡298K = 32.7 kcal mol −1 ; B: Δ G ‡298K = 34.8 kcal mol −1 ) corresponding to a twenty fold faster rate for A at observed reaction temperatures. DFT calculations show that the rearrangement proceeds via a concerted six-membered transition state and that the electronic structure of the BN and CC rings is mostly responsible for the observed regioselectivity and relative reactivity. 

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5. Syntheses, homeomorphic and configurational isomerizations, and structures of macrocyclic aliphatic dibridgehead diphosphines; molecules that turn themselves inside out

   https://doi.org/10.1039/D2SC04724A  

   Zhu, Yun; Stollenz, Michael; Zarcone, Samuel R.; Kharel, Sugam; Joshi, Hemant; Bhuvanesh, Nattamai; Reibenspies, Joseph H.; Gladysz, John A. (November 2022, Chemical Science)

   The diphosphine complexes cis - or trans -PtCl 2 (P((CH 2 ) n ) 3 P) ( n = b/12, c/14, d/16, e/18) are demetalated by MCX nucleophiles to give the title compounds (P((CH 2 ) n ) 3 )P (3b–e, 91–71%). These “empty cages” react with PdCl 2 or PtCl 2 sources to afford trans -MCl 2 (P((CH 2 ) n ) 3 P). Low temperature 31 P NMR spectra of 3b and c show two rapidly equilibrating species (3b, 86 : 14; 3c, 97 : 3), assigned based upon computational data to in , in (major) and out , out isomers. These interconvert by homeomorphic isomerizations, akin to turning articles of clothing inside out (3b/c: Δ H ‡ 7.3/8.2 kcal mol −1 , Δ S ‡ −19.4/−11.8 eu, minor to major). At 150 °C, 3b, c, e epimerize to (60–51) : (40–49) mixtures of ( in , in / out , out ) :  in , out isomers, which are separated via the bis(borane) adducts 3b, c, e·2BH 3 . The configurational stabilities of in , out -3b, c, e preclude phosphorus inversion in the interconversion of in , in and out , out isomers. Low temperature 31 P NMR spectra of in , out -3b, c reveal degenerate in , out / out , in homeomorphic isomerizations (Δ G ‡Tc 12.1, 8.5 kcal mol −1 ). When ( in , in / out , out )-3b, c, e are crystallized, out , out isomers are obtained, despite the preference for in , in isomers in solution. The lattice structures are analyzed, and the D 3 symmetry of out , out -3c enables a particularly favorable packing motif. Similarly, ( in , in / out , out )-3c, e·2BH 3 crystallize in out , out conformations, the former with a cycloalkane solvent guest inside. 

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