Carsten Milsmann

Synthesis and Molecular and Electronic Structures of Reduced Bis(imino)pyridine Cobalt Dinitrogen Complexes: Ligand versus Metal Reduction

Sodium amalgam reduction of the aryl-substituted bis(imino)pyridine cobalt dihalide complexes ((Ar)PDI)CoCl(2) and ((iPr)BPDI)CoCl(2) ((Ar)PDI = 2,6-(2,6-R(2)-C(6)H(3)N=CMe)(2)C(5)H(3)N (R = (i)Pr, Et, Me); (iPr)BPDI = 2,6-(2,6-(i)Pr(2)-C(6)H(3)N=CPh)(2)C(5)H(3)N) in the presence of an N(2) atmosphere furnished the corresponding neutral cobalt dinitrogen complexes ((Ar)PDI)CoN(2) and ((iPr)BPDI)CoN(2). Magnetic measurements on these compounds establish doublet ground states. Two examples, ((iPr)PDI)CoN(2) and ((iPr)BPDI)CoN(2), were characterized by X-ray diffraction and exhibit metrical parameters consistent with one-electron chelate reduction and a Co(I) oxidation state. Accordingly, the toluene solution EPR spectrum of ((iPr)PDI)CoN(2) at 23 degrees C exhibits an isotropic signal with a g value of 2.003 and hyperfine coupling constant of 8 x 10(-4) cm(-1) to the I = 7/2 (59)Co center, suggesting a principally bis(imino)pyridine-based SOMO. Additional one-electron reduction of ((iPr)PDI)CoN(2) was accomplished by treatment with Na[C(10)H(8)] in THF and yielded the cobalt dinitrogen anion [((iPr)PDI)CoN(2)](-). DFT calculations on the series of cationic, neutral, and anionic bis(imino)pyridine cobalt dinitrogen compounds establish Co(I) centers in each case and a chelate-centered reduction in each of the sequential one-electron reduction steps. Frequency calculations successfully reproduce the experimentally determined N[triple bond]N infrared stretching frequencies and validate the computational methods. The electronic structures of the reduced cobalt dinitrogen complexes are evaluated in the broader context of bis(imino)pyridine base metal chemistry and the influence of the metal d electron configuration on the preference for closed-shell versus triplet diradical dianions.

Synthesis and Electronic Structure of Cationic, Neutral, and Anionic Bis(imino)pyridine Iron Alkyl Complexes: Evaluation of Redox Activity in Single-Component Ethylene Polymerization Catalysts

A family of cationic, neutral, and anionic bis(imino)pyridine iron alkyl complexes has been prepared, and their electronic and molecular structures have been established by a combination of X-ray diffraction, Mössbauer spectroscopy, magnetochemistry, and open-shell density functional theory. For the cationic complexes, [((iPr)PDI)Fe-R][BPh(4)] ((iPr)PDI = 2,6-(2,6-(i)Pr(2)-C(6)H(3)N═CMe)(2)C(5)H(3)N; R = CH(2)SiMe(3), CH(2)CMe(3), or CH(3)), which are known single-component ethylene polymerization catalysts, the data establish high spin ferrous compounds (S(Fe) = 2) with neutral, redox-innocent bis(imino)pyridine chelates. One-electron reduction to the corresponding neutral alkyls, ((iPr)PDI)Fe(CH(2)SiMe(3)) or ((iPr)PDI)Fe(CH(2)CMe(3)), is chelate-based, resulting in a bis(imino)pyridine radical anion (S(PDI) = 1/2) antiferromagnetically coupled to a high spin ferrous ion (S(Fe) = 2). The neutral neopentyl derivative was reduced by an additional electron and furnished the corresponding anion, [Li(Et(2)O)(3)][((iPr)PDI)Fe(CH(2)CMe(3))N(2)], with concomitant coordination of dinitrogen. The experimental and computational data establish that this S = 0 compound is best described as a low spin ferrous compound (S(Fe) = 0) with a closed-shell singlet bis(imino)pyridine dianion (S(PDI) = 0), demonstrating that the reduction is ligand-based. The change in field strength of the bis(imino)pyridine coupled with the placement of the alkyl ligand into the apical position of the molecule induced a spin state change at the iron center from high to low spin. The relevance of the compounds and their electronic structures to olefin polymerization catalysis is also presented.

Catalytic Hydrogenation Activity and Electronic Structure Determination of Bis(arylimidazol-2-ylidene)pyridine Cobalt Alkyl and Hydride Complexes

The bis(arylimidazol-2-ylidene)pyridine cobalt methyl complex, ((iPr)CNC)CoCH3, was evaluated for the catalytic hydrogenation of alkenes. At 22 °C and 4 atm of H2 pressure, ((iPr)CNC)CoCH3 is an effective precatalyst for the hydrogenation of sterically hindered, unactivated alkenes such as trans-methylstilbene, 1-methyl-1-cyclohexene, and 2,3-dimethyl-2-butene, representing one of the most active cobalt hydrogenation catalysts reported to date. Preparation of the cobalt hydride complex, ((iPr)CNC)CoH, was accomplished by hydrogenation of ((iPr)CNC)CoCH3. Over the course of 3 h at 22 °C, migration of the metal hydride to the 4-position of the pyridine ring yielded (4-H2-(iPr)CNC)CoN2. Similar alkyl migration was observed upon treatment of ((iPr)CNC)CoH with 1,1-diphenylethylene. This reactivity raised the question as to whether this class of chelate is redox-active, engaging in radical chemistry with the cobalt center. A combination of structural, spectroscopic, and computational studies was conducted and provided definitive evidence for bis(arylimidazol-2-ylidene)pyridine radicals in reduced cobalt chemistry. Spin density calculations established that the radicals were localized on the pyridine ring, accounting for the observed reactivity, and suggest that a wide family of pyridine-based pincers may also be redox-active.

Reduced N-alkyl substituted bis(imino)pyridine cobalt complexes: molecular and electronic structures for compounds varying by three oxidation states.

The stepwise 1-3 electron reduction of the N-alkyl substituted bis(imino)pyridine cobalt dichloride complexes, ((R)APDI)CoCl(2), was studied where (R)APDI = 2,6-(RN=CMe)(2)C(5)H(3)N, R = C(6)H(11) (Cy), CHMe(2) ((i)Pr). One electron reduction with either zinc metal or NaBEt(3)H furnished the bis(imino)pyridine cobalt monochloride compounds, ((R)APDI)CoCl. X-ray diffraction on the ((iPr)APDI)CoCl derivative established a distortion from square planar geometry where the chloride ligand is lifted out of the idealized cobalt-chelate plane. Superconducting Quantum Interference Device (SQUID) magnetometry on both compounds established spin crossover behavior with an S = 1 state being predominant at room temperature. Computational studies, in combination with experimental results, establish that the triplet spin isomer arises from a high spin Co(II) center (S(Co) = 3/2) antiferromagnetically coupled to a bis(imino)pyridine chelate radical anion, [PDI](-) (S(PDI) = 1/2). At lower temperatures, the Co(II) ion undergoes a spin transition to the low spin form (S(Co) = 1/2) and antiferromagnetic coupling gives rise to the observed diamagnetic ground state. Replacing the chloride ligand with a methyl group, namely ((R)APDI)CoCH(3), also yielded distorted compounds, albeit less pronounced, that are diamagnetic at room temperature. Two electron reduction of the ((R)APDI)CoCl(2) derivatives with excess 0.5% sodium amalgam or 2 equiv of NaBEt(3)H furnished the bis(chelate)cobalt complexes, ((R)APDI)(2)Co, while three electron reduction with 3 equiv of sodium naphthalenide yielded the cobalt dinitrogen anions, [Na(solv)(3)][((R)APDI)CoN(2)] (solv = THF, Et(2)O). Both bis(chelate) compounds were crystallographically characterized and determined to have S = 3/2 ground states by SQUID magnetometry and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. Computational studies, in combination with metrical parameters determined from X-ray diffraction, establish a high spin (S(Co) = 3/2) cobalt(II) center with two bis(imino)pyridine chelate radical anions. Antiferromagnetic coupling between the two chelate centered radicals is mediated by a doubly occupied t(2g) cobalt orbital and gives rise to the observed overall quartet ground state.

Synthesis and electronic structure determination of N-alkyl-substituted bis(imino)pyridine iron imides exhibiting spin crossover behavior.

Three new N-alkyl substituted bis(imino)pyridine iron imide complexes, ((iPr)PDI)FeNR ((iPr)PDI = 2,6-(2,6-(i)Pr(2)-C(6)H(3)-N═CMe)(2)C(5)H(3)N; R = 1-adamantyl ((1)Ad), cyclooctyl ((Cy)Oct), and 2-adamantyl ((2)Ad)) were synthesized by addition of the appropriate alkyl azide to the iron bis(dinitrogen) complex, ((iPr)PDI)Fe(N(2))(2). SQUID magnetic measurements on the isomeric iron imides, ((iPr)PDI)FeN(1)Ad and ((iPr)PDI)FeN(2)Ad, established spin crossover behavior with the latter example having a more complete spin transition in the experimentally accessible temperature range. X-ray diffraction on all three alkyl-substituted bis(imino)pyridine iron imides established essentially planar compounds with relatively short Fe-N(imide) bond lengths and two-electron reduction of the redox-active bis(imino)pyridine chelate. Zero- and applied-field Mössbauer spectroscopic measurements indicate diamagnetic ground states at cryogenic temperatures and established low isomer shifts consistent with highly covalent molecules. For ((iPr)PDI)FeN(2)Ad, Mössbauer spectroscopy also supports spin crossover behavior and allowed extraction of thermodynamic parameters for the S = 0 to S = 1 transition. X-ray absorption spectroscopy and computational studies were also performed to explore the electronic structure of the bis(imino)pyridine alkyl-substituted imides. An electronic structure description with a low spin ferric center (S = 1/2) antiferromagnetically coupled to an imidyl radical (S(imide) = 1/2) and a closed-shell, dianionic bis(imino)pyridine chelate (S(PDI) = 0) is favored for the S = 0 state. An iron-centered spin transition to an intermediate spin ferric ion (S(Fe) = 3/2) accounts for the S = 1 state observed at higher temperatures. Other possibilities based on the computational and experimental data are also evaluated and compared to the electronic structure of the bis(imino)pyridine iron N-aryl imide counterparts.

Four-Coordinate Cobalt Pincer Complexes: Electronic Structure Studies and Ligand Modification by Homolytic and Heterolytic Pathways

A family of cobalt chloride, methyl, acetylide and hydride complexes bearing both intact and modified tert-butyl substituted bis(phosphino)pyridine pincer ligands has been synthesized and structurally characterized and their electronic structures evaluated. Treatment of the unmodified compounds with the stable nitroxyl radical, TEMPO (2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin-1-yloxidanyl) resulted in immediate H- atom abstraction from the benzylic position of the chelate yielding the corresponding modified pincer complexes, ((tBu)mPNP)CoX (X = H, CH3, Cl, CCPh). Thermolysis of the methyl and hydride derivatives, ((tBu)PNP)CoCH3 and ((tBu)PNP)CoH, at 110 °C also resulted in pincer modification by H atom loss while the chloride and acetylide derivatives proved inert. The relative ordering of benzylic C-H bond strengths was corroborated by H atom exchange experiments between appropriate intact and modified pincer complexes. The electronic structures of the modified compounds, ((tBu)mPNP)CoX were established by EPR spectroscopy and DFT computations and are best described as low spin Co(II) complexes with no evidence for ligand centered radicals. The electronic structures of the intact complexes, ((tBu)PNP)CoX were studied computationally and bond dissociation free energies of the benzylic C-H bonds were correlated to the identity of the X-type ligand on cobalt where pure σ donors such as hydride and methyl produce the weakest C-H bonds. Comparison to a rhodium congener highlights the impact of the energetically accessible one-electron redox couple of the first row metal ion in generating weak C-H bonds in remote positions of the supporting pincer ligand.

Bis(imino)pyridine Iron Dinitrogen Compounds Revisited: Differences in Electronic Structure Between Four- and Five-Coordinate Derivatives.

The electronic structures of the four- and five-coordinate aryl-substituted bis(imino)pyridine iron dinitrogen complexes, ((iPr)PDI)FeN(2) and ((iPr)PDI)Fe(N(2))(2) ((iPr)PDI = 2,6-(2,6-(i)Pr(2)-C(6)H(3)-N=CMe)(2)C(5)H(3)N), have been investigated by a combination of spectroscopic techniques (NMR, Mössbauer, X-ray Absorption, and X-ray Emission) and DFT calculations. Homologation of the imine methyl backbone to ethyl or isopropyl groups resulted in the preparation of the new bis(imino)pyridine iron dinitrogen complexes, ((iPr)RPDI)FeN(2) ((iPr)RPDI = 2,6-(2,6-(i)Pr(2)-C(6)H(3)-N=CR)(2)C(5)H(3)N; R = Et, (i)Pr), that are exclusively four coordinate both in the solid state and in solution. The spectroscopic and computational data establish that the ((iPr)RPDI)FeN(2) compounds are intermediate spin ferrous derivatives (S(Fe) = 1) antiferromagnetically coupled to bis(imino)pyridine triplet diradical dianions (S(PDI) = 1). While this ground state description is identical to that previously reported for ((iPr)PDI)Fe(DMAP) (DMAP = 4-N,N-dimethylaminopyridine) and other four-coordinate iron compounds with principally σ-donating ligands, the d-orbital energetics determine the degree of coupling of the metal-chelate magnetic orbitals resulting in different NMR spectroscopic behavior. For ((iPr)RPDI)Fe(DMAP) and related compounds, this coupling is strong and results in temperature independent paramagnetism where a triplet excited state mixes with the singlet ground state via spin orbit coupling. In the ((iPr)RPDI)FeN(2) family, one of the iron singly occupied molecular orbitals (SOMOs) is essentially d(z(2)) in character resulting in poor overlap with the magnetic orbitals of the chelate, leading to thermal population of the triplet state and hence temperature dependent NMR behavior. The electronic structures of ((iPr)RPDI)FeN(2) and ((iPr)PDI)Fe(DMAP) differ from ((iPr)PDI)Fe(N(2))(2), a highly covalent molecule with a redox noninnocent chelate that is best described as a resonance hybrid between iron(0) and iron(II) canonical forms as originally proposed in 2004.

Synthesis, Electronic Structure, and Ethylene Polymerization Activity of Bis(imino)pyridine Cobalt Alkyl Cations

A new spin on polymers: the title cations comprise low-spin Co(II) centers with neutral bis(imino)pyridine chelating ligands. These complexes serve as single-component ethylene polymerization catalysts and offer insight into the mechanism of chain growth and catalyst deactivation, which occurs by forming inactive cationic bis(imino)pyridine cobalt complexes with a diethyl ether ligand.

Synthesis, Electronic Structure, and Catalytic Activity of Reduced Bis(aldimino)pyridine Iron Compounds: Experimental Evidence for Ligand Participation

The two-electron reduction chemistry of the aryl-substituted bis(aldimino)pyridine iron dibromide, ((iPr)PDAI)FeBr(2) ((iPr)PDAI = 2,6-(2,6-(i)Pr(2)-C(6)H(3)-N═CH)(2)C(5)H(3)N), was explored with the goal of generating catalytically active iron compounds and comparing the electronic structure of the resulting compounds to the more well studied ketimine derivatives. Reduction of ((iPr)PDAI)FeBr(2) with excess 0.5% Na(Hg) in toluene solution under an N(2) atmosphere furnished the η(6)-arene complex, ((iPr)PDAI)Fe(η(6)-C(7)H(8)) rather than a dinitrogen derivative. Over time in pentane or diethyl ether solution, ((iPr)PDAI)Fe(η(6)-C(7)H(8)) underwent loss of arene and furnished the dimeric iron compound, [((iPr)PDAI)Fe](2). Crystallographic characterization established a diiron compound bridged through an η(2)-π interaction with an imine arm on an adjacent chelate. Superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetometry established two high spin ferrous centers each coupled to a triplet dianionic bis(aldimino)pyridine chelate. The data were modeled with two strongly antiferromagnetically coupled, high spin iron(II) centers each with an S = 1 [PDAI](2-) chelate. Two electron reduction of ((iPr)PDAI)FeBr(2) in the presence of 1,3-butadiene furnished ((iPr)PDAI)Fe(η(4)-C(4)H(6)), which serves as a precatalyst for olefin hydrogenation with modest turnover frequencies and catalyst lifetimes. Substitution of the trans-coordinated 1,3-butadiene ligand was accomplished with carbon monoxide and N,N-4-dimethylaminopyridine (DMAP) and furnished ((iPr)PDAI)Fe(CO)(2) and ((iPr)PDAI)Fe(DMAP), respectively. The molecular and electronic structures of these compounds were established by X-ray diffraction, NMR and Mössbauer spectroscopy, and the results compared to the previously studied ketimine variants.

Oxidation and reduction of bis(imino)pyridine iron dinitrogen complexes: evidence for formation of a chelate trianion.

Oxidation and reduction of the bis(imino)pyridine iron dinitrogen compound, ((iPr)PDI)FeN(2) ((iPr)PDI = 2,6-(2,6-(i)Pr(2)-C(6)H(3)-N═CMe)(2)C(5)H(3)N) has been examined to determine whether the redox events are metal or ligand based. Treatment of ((iPr)PDI)FeN(2) with [Cp(2)Fe][BAr(F)(4)] (BAr(F)(4) = B(3,5-(CF(3))(2)-C(6)H(3))(4)) in diethyl ether solution resulted in N(2) loss and isolation of [((iPr)PDI)Fe(OEt(2))][BAr(F)(4)]. The electronic structure of the compound was studied by SQUID magnetometry, X-ray diffraction, EPR and zero-field (57)Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy. These data, supported by computational studies, established that the overall quartet ground state arises from a high spin iron(II) center (S(Fe) = 2) antiferromagnetically coupled to a bis(imino)pyridine radical anion (S(PDI) = 1/2). Thus, the oxidation event is principally ligand based. The one electron reduction product, [Na(15-crown-5)][((iPr)PDI)FeN(2)], was isolated following addition of sodium naphthalenide to ((iPr)PDI)FeN(2) in THF followed by treatment with the crown ether. Magnetic, spectroscopic, and computational studies established a doublet ground state with a principally iron-centered SOMO arising from an intermediate spin iron center and a rare example of trianionic bis(imino)pyridine chelate. Reduction of the iron dinitrogen complex where the imine methyl groups have been replaced by phenyl substituents, ((iPr)BPDI)Fe(N(2))(2) resulted in isolation of both the mono- and dianionic iron dinitrogen compounds, [((iPr)BPDI)FeN(2)](-) and [((iPr)BPDI)FeN(2)](2-), highlighting the ability of this class of chelate to serve as an effective electron reservoir to support neutral ligand complexes over four redox states.