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As part of our interest in unusual bonding situations, we are now targeting complexes featuring metal→carbon dative bonds. Here, we report on the formation of such linkages in a series of Group 10 complexes featuring a triarylphosphine ligand functionalized at the γ position by a carbenium ion. Through combined synthetic, spectroscopic, and computational studies, we show that the M→C_carbeniuminteraction present in these complexes scales with the basicity of the donor, confirming its dative nature.

 

Our efforts in the chemistry of gold complexes featuring ambiphilic phosphine‐carbenium L/Z‐type ligand have led us to consider the reduction of the carbenium moiety as a means to modulate the gold–carbenium interaction present in these complexes. Here, it was shown that the one‐electron reduction of [(o‐Ph₂P(C₆H₄)Acr)AuCl]⁺(Acr=9‐N‐methylacridinium) produces a neutral stable radical, the structure of which showed a marked increase in the Au–Acr distance. Related structural changes were observed for the phosphine oxide analogue [(o‐Ph₂P(O)(C₆H₄)Acr]⁺, the reduction of which interfered with the P=O→carbenium interaction. These structural effects, driven by a reduction‐induced change in the electronic and electrostatic characteristics of the compounds, showed that the charge and accepting properties of the carbenium unit can be modulated. These results highlight the redox‐noninnocence of carbenium Z‐type ligand, a feature that can be exploited to induce specific conformational changes.

 

Searching for a connection between the two‐electron redox behavior of Group‐14 elements and their possible use as platforms for the photoreductive elimination of chlorine, we have studied the photochemistry of [(o‐(Ph₂P)C₆H₄)₂Ge^IVCl₂]Pt^IICl₂and [(o‐(Ph₂P)C₆H₄)₂ClGe^III]Pt^IIICl₃, two newly isolated isomeric complexes. These studies show that, in the presence of a chlorine trap, both isomers convert cleanly into the platinum germyl complex [(o‐(Ph₂P)C₆H₄)₂ClGe^III]Pt^ICl with quantum yields of 1.7 % and 3.2 % for the Ge^IV–Pt^IIand Ge^III–Pt^IIIisomers, respectively. Conversion of the Ge^IV–Pt^IIisomer into the platinum germyl complex is a rare example of a light‐induced transition‐metal/main‐group‐element bond‐forming process. Finally, transient‐absorption‐spectroscopy studies carried out on the Ge^III–Pt^IIIisomer point to a ligand arene–Cl^.charge‐transfer complex as an intermediate.

 

With the view of developing selective transmembrane anion transporters, a series of phosphonium boranes of general formula [p‐RPh₂P(C₆H₄)BMes₂]⁺have been synthesized and evaluated. The results demonstrate that variation of the R group appended to the phosphorus atom informs the lipophilicity of these compounds, their Lewis acidity, as well as their transport activity. Anion transport experiments in POPC‐based large unilamellar vesicles show that these main‐group cations are highly selective for the fluoride anion, which is transported more than 20 times faster than the chloride anion. Finally, this work shows that the anion transport properties of these compounds are extremely sensitive to the steric crowding about the boron atom, pointing to the crucial involvement of the Group 13 element as the anion binding site.

 

A 9,9-dimethylxanthene-based ligand substituted at the 4- and 5-positions by a phosphine and a xanthylium unit, respectively, has been prepared and converted into an AuCl complex, the structure of which reveals an intramolecular Au–Cl⋯π + interaction. This new ligand platform was also found to support the formation of an unprecedented hydroxytrifluoroborate derivative featuring a “hard/soft” mismatched Au– μ (OH)–BF 3 motif. Despite its surprising stability, this gold hydroxytrifluoroborate complex is a remarkably potent carbophilic catalyst which readily activates alkynes, without activator.