Dugald J. MacDougall

Group 2 Promoted Hydrogen Release from NMe2H⋅BH3: Intermediates and Catalysis

Abstract Both homo‐ and heteroleptic alkyl and amide complexes of the Group 2 elements Mg and Ca are shown to be active for the catalytic dehydrocoupling of Me2NH⋅BH3. Reactions of either magnesium dialkyls or the β‐diketiminate complex [HC{(Me)CN(Dipp)}2MgnBu] with four or two equivalents of Me2NHBH3, respectively, produce compounds containing the [H3BNMe2BH2Me2N]− ion, which coordinates to the magnesium centers through Mg—N and Mg⋅⋅⋅HB interactions in both the solution and solid states. Thermolysis of these compounds at 60 °C produces the cyclic product [(H2BNMe2)2] and, it is proposed, magnesium hydrido species by an unprecedented δ‐hydride elimination process. Calcium‐based species, although less reactive than their magnesium‐based counterparts, are found to engage in similar dehydrocoupling reactivity and to produce a similar distribution of products under thermally promoted catalytic conditions. A mechanism for these observations is presented that involves initial production and insertion of H2B=NMe2 into polarized M—N bonds as the major B—N bond‐forming step. The efficacy of this insertion and subsequent β‐ or δ‐hydride elimination steps is proposed to be dependent upon the charge density and polarizing capability of the participating Group 2 center, providing a rationale for the observed differences in reactivity between magnesium and calcium.

A hydride-rich magnesium cluster.

High-de-hydride! A straightforward reaction between a magnesium silylamido/N-heterocyclic carbene adduct and phenylsilane provides a {Mg(4)H(6)} cluster molecule that may be regarded as a combination of two magnesium dihydride and two magnesium monohydride moieties.

Beryllium-Induced CN Bond Activation and Ring Opening of an N-Heterocyclic Carbene†

Berylliant! Interaction of a well-defined adduct of MeBeH and an N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) with PhSiH 3 results in complete rupture of the heterocycle, and activation of the NHC through effective BeH 2 insertion into a C-N bond of the heterocycle (see scheme; Ar=2,6- diisopropylphenyl, IPr=1,3-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)imidazol-2-ylidene).

Magnesium hydride-promoted dearomatisation of pyridine

Reaction of pyridine with well defined magnesium hydride species results in heterocycle dearomatisation by a hydride transfer which occurs with the formation of magnesium compounds containing 1,2- and 1,4-dihydropyridide anions as the respective kinetic and thermodynamic products.

Magnesium hydrides and the dearomatisation of pyridine and quinoline derivatives

Reactions of the β-diketiminato n-butyl magnesium complex, [HC{(Me)CN(2,6-(i)Pr(2)C(6)H(3))}(2)Mg(n)Bu], with a range of substituted pyridines and fused-ring quinolines in the presence of PhSiH(3) has been found to result in dearomatisation of the N-heterocyclic compounds. This reaction is proposed to occur through the formation of an unobserved N-heterocycle-coordinated magnesium hydride and subsequent hydride transfer via the C2-position of the heterocycle prior to hydride transfer to the C4-position and formation of thermodynamically-favoured magnesium 1,4-dihydropyridides. This reaction is kinetically suppressed for 2,6-dimethylpyridine while the kinetic product, the 1,2-dihydropyridide derivative, was isolated through reaction with 4-methylpyridine (4-methylpyridine), in which case the formation of the 1,4-dihyropyridide is prevented by the presence of the 4-methyl substituent. X-ray structures of the products of these reactions with 4-methylpyridine, 3,5-dimethylpyridine and iso-quinoline comprise a pseudo-tetrahedral magnesium centre while the regiochemistry of the particular dearomatisation reaction is determined by the substitution pattern of the N-heterocycle under observation. The compounds are all air-sensitive and exposure of the magnesium derivatives of dearomatised pyridine and 4-dimethylaminopyridine (DMAP) to air resulted in ligand rearomatisation and the formation of dimeric μ(2)-η(2)-η(2)-peroxomagnesium compounds which have also been subject to analysis by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. An unsuccessful extension of this chemistry to N-heterocycle hydrosilylation is suggested to be a consequence of the low basicity of the silane reagent in comparison to the pyridine substrates which effectively impedes any further interaction with the magnesium centres.

Hetero-dehydrocoupling of silanes and amines by heavier alkaline earth catalysis

The homoleptic alkaline earth hexamethyldisilazides, [M{N(SiMe3)2}2]2 (1: M = Mg; 2: M = Ca; 3: M = Sr), have been demonstrated as active pre-catalysts for the cross-dehydrocoupling of Si–H and N–H bonds under mild (25–60 °C) conditions. The reactions are applicable to the coupling of a wide variety of amine and silane substrates and are proposed to occur via a sequence of discrete Si–H/M–N and N–H/M–H metathesis steps. Whereas reactions of dialkyl group 2 species with 2,6-di-iso-propylaniline and phenylsilane delivered a series of well-defined compounds consistent with this rationale, kinetic analysis of the cross-coupling of diethylamine with diphenylsilane provided evidence for a more complex and subtly variable mechanistic landscape. Although reactions performed with all three pre-catalysts presented a number of common features, in every case the calcium species, 2, was found to provide notably superior catalytic activity, an order of magnitude higher than both 1 and 3 and in excess of many previously described benchmark transition metal- or f-element-mediated processes. Variations in overall reaction order, mode of pre-catalyst activation and the nature of the rate determining process are postulated to arise as a consequence of the marked change in M2+ radius and resultant charge density as group 2 is descended.

Three-coordinate beryllium β-diketiminates: Synthesis and reduction chemistry

A series of mononuclear, heteroleptic beryllium complexes supported by the monoanionic β-diketiminate ligand [HC{CMeNDipp}(2)](-) (L; Dipp = 2,6-diisopropylphenyl) have been synthesized. Halide complexes of the form [LBeX] (X = Cl, I) and a bis(trimethylsilyl)amide complex were produced via salt metathesis routes. Alkylberyllium β-diketiminate complexes of the form [LBeR] (R = Me, (n)Bu) were obtained by salt metathesis from the chloride precursor [LBeCl]. Controlled hydrolysis of [LBeMe] afforded an air-stable, monomeric β-diketiminatoberyllium hydroxide complex. [LBeMe] also underwent facile protonolysis with alcohols to form the corresponding β-diketiminatoberyllium alkoxides [LBeOR] (R = Me, (t)Bu, Ph). High temperatures and prolonged reaction times were required for protonolysis of [LBeMe] with primary amines to yield the β-diketiminatoberyllium amide complexes [LBeNHR] (R = (n)Bu, CH(2)Ph, Ph). No reactions were observed between [LBeMe] and silanes, terminal acetylenes, or secondary amines. All compounds were characterized by (1)H, (13)C, and (9)Be NMR spectroscopy and, in most cases, by X-ray crystallography. Reduction of the beryllium chloride complex with potassium metal resulted in apparent hydrogen-atom transfer between two β-diketiminate backbones, yielding two dimeric, potassium chloride bridged diamidoberyllium species. X-ray analysis of a cocrystallized mixture of the 18-crown-6 adducts of these species allowed unambiguous identification of the two reduced diketiminate ligands, one of which had been deprotonated at a backbone methyl substituent and the other reduced by hydride addition to the β-imine position. It is proposed that this process occurs by the formation of an unobserved radical anion species and intermolecular hydrogen-atom transfer by a radical-based hydrogen abstraction mechanism.

Alkylstrontium diamidoboranes: β-hydride elimination and Sr–C insertion

Alkylstrontium secondary amidoboranes are shown to undergo β-hydride elimination and Sr-C insertion reactions; observations which provide support for similar processes in d(0)-catalysed dialkylamine borane dehydrocoupling.

Manipulation of molecular aggregation and supramolecular structure using self-assembled lithium mixed-anion complexes

A set of zero-, one-, two-, and three-dimensional materials have been synthesized by systematically varying the stoichiometry of the two components 2,4,6-Me3-C6H2OLi (ArOLi) and Me2N(CH2)(2)OLi (ROLi) within single aggregates, while using 1,4-dioxane (diox) as a ditopic linker. The homoleptic complex [{(ArOLi)4 x (diox)2} superset3(diox)](infinity) 1 forms a 3D diamondoid extended structure, where Li4O4 cubanes act as tetrahedral nodes. Attempts to rationally alter the dimensionality of the network through the sequential replacement of ArOLi vertices by potentially chelating ROLi units have succeeded. The mixed-anion complexes [{(ROLi)(ArOLi)3 x (diox)(1.5)} superset1/2(C6H14)](infinity) 2 and [(ROLi)4(ArOLi)2 x (diox)](infinity) 4 , adopt 2D hexagonal net and 1D chain structures respectively. Furthermore, the two complexes [{(ROLi)3(ArOLi)3 x (diox)(0.5)}(C6H14)](infinity) 3 and [(ROLi) 5(ArOLi) x (diox)(0.5)](infinity) 5 both form unusual 0D molecular dumbbell structures in the solid state. Incorporation of multiple ROLi units in the mixed-anion complexes not only results in reducing the number of possible sites for polymer extension through chelation, but also changes the aggregation state of the building block from tetrametallic Li4O4 units to hexametallic Li6O6 units.

Use of tetrameric cubane aggregates of lithium aryloxides as secondary building units in controlling network assembly

Pre-aggregation of lithium aryloxides into tetrahedral arrangements followed by crystallization with the divergent Lewis base dioxane results in the preparation of three types of coordination polymers: zig-zag chains, (6,3) sheets, and diamondoid lattices.