Andrés Garcés

Hybrid scorpionate/cyclopentadienyl magnesium and zinc complexes: synthesis, coordination chemistry, and ring-opening polymerization studies on cyclic esters.

The reaction of the hybrid scorpionate/cyclopentadienyl lithium salt [Li(bpzcp)(THF)] [bpzcp = 2,2-bis(3,5-dimethylpyrazol-1-yl)-1,1-diphenylethylcyclopentadienyl] with 1 equiv of RMgCl proceeds cleanly to give very high yields of the corresponding monoalkyl kappa(2)-NN-eta(5)-C(5)H(4) magnesium complexes [Mg(R)(kappa(2)-eta(5)-bpzcp)] (R = Me 1, Et 2, (n)Bu 3, (t)Bu 4, CH(2)SiMe(3) 5, CH(2)Ph 6). Hydrolysis of the hybrid lithium salt [Li(bpzcp)(THF)] with NH(4)Cl/H(2)O in ether cleanly affords the two previously described regioisomers: (bpzcpH) 1-[2,2-bis(3,5-dimethylpyrazol-1-yl)-1,1-diphenylethyl]-1,3-cyclopentadiene (a) and 2-[2,2-bis(3,5-dimethylpyrazol-1-yl)-1,1-diphenylethyl]-1,3-cyclopentadiene (b). Subsequent reaction of the bpzcpH hybrid ligand with ZnR(2) quantitatively yields the monoalkyl kappa(2)-NN-eta(1)(pi)-C(5)H(4) zinc complexes [Zn(R){kappa(2)-eta(1)(pi)-bpzcp}] (R = Me 7, Et 8, (t)Bu 9, CH(2)SiMe(3) 10). Additionally, magnesium alkyls 1, 2, 4, and 5 can act as excellent cyclopentadienyl and alkyl transfers to the zinc metal center and yield zinc alkyls 7-10 in good yields. The single-crystal X-ray structures of the derivatives 4, 5, 7, and 10 confirm a 4-coordinative structure with the metal center in a distorted tetrahedral geometry. Interestingly, whereas alkyl magnesium derivatives 4 and 5 present a eta(5) coordination mode for the cyclopentadienyl fragment, zinc derivatives 7 and 10 feature a peripheral eta(1)(pi) arrangement in the solid state. Furthermore, the reaction of the hybrid lithium salt [Li(bpzcp)(THF)] with 1 equiv of ZnCl(2) in tetrahydrofuran (THF) affords very high yields of the chloride complex [ZnCl{kappa(2)-eta(1)(pi)-bpzcp}] (11). Compound 11 was used as a convenient starting material for the synthesis of the aromatic amide zinc compound [Zn(NH-4-MeC(6)H(4)){kappa(2)-eta(1)(pi)-bpzcp}] (12), by reaction with the corresponding aromatic primary amide lithium salt. Alternatively, aliphatic amide and alkoxide derivatives were only accessible by protonolysis of the bis(amide) complexes [M{N(SiMe(3))(2)}(2)] (M = Mg, Zn) and the mixed ligand complex [EtZnOAr)] with the hybrid ligand bpzcpH to afford [Zn(R){kappa(2)-eta(1)(pi)-bpzcp}] (R = N(SiMe(3))(2) 13, R = 2,4,6-Me(3)C(6)H(2)O 14) and [Mg{N(SiMe(3))(2)}(kappa(2)-eta(5)-bpzcp)] (15). Finally, alkyl and alkoxide-containing complexes 1-10 and 14 can act as highly effective single-component living initiators for the ring-opening polymerization of epsilon-caprolactone and lactides over a wide range of temperatures. Epsilon-caprolactone is polymerized within minutes to give high molecular weight polymers with medium-broad polydispersities (M(n) > 10(5), M(w)/M(n) = 1.45). Lactide afforded poly(lactide) materials with medium molecular weights and polydispersities as narrow as M(w)/M(n) = 1.02. Additionally, polymerization of L-lactide occurred without racemization in the propagation process and offered highly crystalline, isotactic poly(L-lactides) with very high melting temperatures (T(m) = 165 degrees C). Microstructural analysis of poly(rac-lactide) by (1)H NMR spectroscopy revealed that propagations occur without appreciable levels of stereoselectivity. Polymer end group analysis showed that the polymerization process is initiated by alkyl transfer to the monomer.

Heteroscorpionate magnesium alkyls bearing unprecedented apical σ-C(sp3)-mg bonds: heteroselective ring-opening polymerization of rac-lactide.

The previously described reaction of the low sterically hindered heteroscorpionate lithium acetamidinates [Li(κ(3)-pbpamd)(THF)] and [Li(κ(3)-tbpamd)(THF)] with a series of commercially available Grignard reagents RMgCl in an equimolecular ratio yielded the magnesium monoalkyls [Mg(R)(κ(3)-NNN)] (NNN = pbpamd, R = CH2SiMe3, Et (1), Bn (2); NNN = tbpamd, R = CH2SiMe3, Et (3), Bn (4)). However, subsequent reaction of these monoalkyls [Mg(R)(κ(3)-NNN)] with two additional equivalents of the same RMgCl in tetrahydrofuran gave rise to dinuclear dialkyls of the type [RMg(κ(3)-N,N,N;κ(2)-C,N)MgR(thf)] (κ(3)-N,N,N;κ(2)-C,N = pbpamd(-), R = CH2SiMe3 (5), Et (6); κ(3)-N,N,N;κ(2)-C,N = tbpamd(-), R = CH2SiMe3 (7), Et (8)). Furthermore, when the reaction was carried out in a mixture of tetrahydrofuran/dioxane with the same stoichiometry, a new family of tetranuclear tetraalkyl magnesium complexes [{RMg(κ(3)-N,N,N;κ(2)-C,N)MgR}2{μ-O,O-(C4H8)}] (κ(3)-N,N,N;κ(2)-C,N = pbpamd(-), R = CH2SiMe3 (9), Et (10), Bn (11); κ(3)-N,N,N;κ(2)-C,N = tbpamd(-), R = CH2SiMe3 (12), Et (13), Bn (14)) was obtained. In both families, an apical methine C-H activation process on the heteroscorpionate takes place. The single-crystal X-ray structures of 4, 8, 9, and 12 confirm the nuclearity of each family, with 4-coordinative arrangements for all magnesium atoms. More importantly, the presence in the di- and tetranuclear complexes of unprecedented apical carbanions with a direct σ-C(sp(3))-Mg covalent bond, and as a result, the existence of stereogenic magnesium centers, have been unambiguously confirmed. Interestingly, the dinuclear dialkyls 5 and 7, as well as the tetranuclear tetraalkyls 9, 10, and 12, can act as highly efficient single-component living initiators for the ring-opening polymerization of ε-caprolactone and lactides. Lactide (LA) polymerizations afforded polylactide (PLA) materials with medium molecular weights in only a few minutes even at 20 °C for L-LA and in a few hours at 50 °C for rac-LA propagations. More importantly, microstructural analysis of the poly(rac-lactide) materials revealed that the tetranuclear tetra-alkyl 12 exerts enhanced levels of heteroselectivity on the PLAs under mild conditions, with Ps values up to 0.78.

On the search for NNO-donor enantiopure scorpionate ligands and their coordination to group 4 metals.

The preparation of new chiral bis(pyrazol-1-yl)methane-based NNO-donor scorpionate ligands in the form of the lithium derivatives [Li(bpzb)(THF)] [1; bpzb = 1,1-bis(3,5-dimethylpyrazol-1-yl)-3,3-dimethyl-2-butoxide] and [Li(bpzte)(THF)] [2; bpzte = 2,2-bis(3,5-dimethylpyrazol-1-yl)-1-p-tolylethoxide] or the alcohol ligands (bpzbH) (3) and (bpzteH) (4) has been carried out by 1,2-addition reactions with trimethylacetaldehyde or p-tolualdehyde. The separation of a racemic mixture of the alcohol ligand 3 has been achieved and gave an enantiopure NNO alcohol-scorpionate ligand in three synthetic steps: (i) 1,2-addition of the appropriate lithium derivative to trimethylacetaldehyde, (ii) esterification and separation of diastereoisomers 5, (iii) saponification. Subsequently, the enantiopure scorpionate ligand (R,R)-bpzmmH {6; R,R-bpzmmH = (1R)-1-[(1R)-6,6-dimethylbicyclo[3.1.1]2-hepten-2-yl]-2,2-bis(3,5-dimethylpyrazol-1-yl)ethanol} was obtained with an excellent diastereomeric excess (>99% de) in a one-pot process utilizing the aldehyde (1R)-(-)-myrtenal as a chiral substrate to control the stereochemistry of the newly created asymmetric center. These new chiral heteroscorpionate ligands reacted with [MX(4)] (M = Ti, Zr; X = NMe(2), O(i)Pr, OEt, O(t)Bu) in a 1:1 molar ratio in toluene to give, after the appropriate workup, the complexes [MX(3)(kappa(3)-NNO)] (7-18). The reaction of Me(3)SiCl with [Ti(NMe(2))(3)(bpzb)] (7) or [Ti(NMe(2))(3)(R,R-bpzmm)] (11) in different molar ratios gave the halide-amide-containing complexes [TiCl(NMe(2))(2)(kappa(3)-NNO)] (19 and 20) and [TiCl(2)(NMe(2))(kappa(3)-NNO)] (21 and 22) and the halide complex [TiCl(3)(kappa(3)-NNO)] (23 and 24). The latter complexes can also be obtained by reaction of the lithium compound 1 with TiCl(4)(THF)(2) and deprotonation of the alcohol group of 6 with NaH, followed by reaction with TiCl(4)(THF)(2) in a 1:1 molar ratio, respectively. Isolation of only one of the three possible diastereoisomers of the complexes 19 and 22 revealed that chiral induction from the ligand to the titanium center took place. The structures of these complexes were elucidated by (1)H and (13)C{(1)H} NMR spectroscopy, and the X-ray crystal structures of 3-7, 12, and 24 were also established. Finally, we evaluated the influence that the chiral center of the new heteroscorpionate complexes has on the enantioselectivity of the asymmetric epoxidation of allylic alcohols.

Synthesis and structural characterisation of new organo-diimido tantalum and niobium complexes

The organo-diimido tantalum complexes [{Ta(L2)Cl3}2(μ-1,n-NC6H4N)], L = MeCN (1) and 4-tBupy (2), have been prepared by two alternative experimental methods: (1) the initial formation of the corresponding TaCl5·L adduct, L = 4-tBupy or CH3CN, followed by addition of the appropriate phenylenediamine, or (2) the initial formation of the corresponding organo-diimido species and subsequent addition of the ligand L. These complexes, as well as some related niobium complexes, were alkylated using the appropriate Grignard reagent to afford the alkyl-containing complexes [{M(L)R3}2(μ-1,n-NC6H4N)] (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9) (M = Nb, Ta; n = 3, 4; L = MeCN, R = CH2SiMe3, CH2CMe3, CH2CMe2Ph). These complexes can be prepared by treating the corresponding chloro-complexes with dialkylmagnesium reagents MgR2(THF)2. Niobium complexes containing THF ligands, i.e. [{Nb(THF)R3}2(μ-1,3-NC6H4N)] (10, 11) (R = CH2SiMe3, CH2CMe3), were isolated by using THF as the solvent and also from the acetonitrile-containing complexes 8b and 9b by simply adding THF. The complex [{Nb(CH2CMe2Ph)3}2(μ-1,4-NC6H4N)] (12a) was prepared by addition of the corresponding Grignard reagent to a suspension of [{Nb(MeCN)2Cl3}2(μ-1,4-NC6H4N)] in THF. The reaction of complexes [{M(MeCN)2Cl3}2(μ-1,n-NC6H4N)] (M = Ta, Nb; n = 3, 4) with Li[C5H4SiMe3] was carried out and afforded the tetrakis-cyclopentadienyl-diimido complexes [{M(η5-C5H4SiMe3)2Cl}2(μ-1,n-NC6H4N)] [M = Ta, n = 4 (13a); M = Ta, n = 3 (13b); M = Nb, n = 4 (14a); M = Nb, n = 3 (14b)]. The structure of 13a has been solved by X-ray diffraction. Finally, we have performed the reactions between the diimido-containing compounds [{M(MeCN)2Cl3}2(μ-1,n-NC6H4N)] (M = Ta, Nb; n = 3, 4) and the lithium benzamidinate Li[PhC(NSiMe3)2] to afford the benzamidinate-containing complexes [{M[PhC(NSiMe3)2]2Cl}2(μ-1,n-NC6H4N)] [M = Ta, n = 4 (15a); M = Ta, n = 3 (15b); M = Nb, n = 4 (16a)]. The structures of the different families of compounds were determined by spectroscopic methods.