Gemma J. Christian

Dinitrogen activation in sterically-hindered three-coordinate transition metal complexes.

Dinuclear metal systems based on sterically-hindered, three-coordinate transition metal complexes of the type ML3 where the ancillary ligands L comprise bulky organic substituents, hold great promise synthetically for the activation and scission of small, multiply-bonded molecules such as N2, NO and N2O. In this study we have employed density functional methods to identify the metal/ligand combinations which achieve optimum activation and/or cleavage of N2. Strong pi donor ligands such as NH2 and OH are found to produce the greatest level of activation based on N-N bond lengths in the intermediate dimer complex, L3Mo(mu-N2)MoL3, whereas systems containing the weak or non-pi donor ligands NH3, PH3, OH2 and SH2 are found to be thermodynamically unfavourable for N2 activation. In the case of the Mo-NH2 and W-NH2 systems, a fragment bonding analysis reveals that the orientation of the amide ligands around the metal is important in determining both the spin state and the extent of dinitrogen activation in the intermediate dimer. For both systems, an intermediate dimer structure where one of the NH2 ligands on each metal is rotated 90 degrees relative to the other ligands, is more activated than the structure in which the NH2 ligands are trigonally disposed around the metals. The level of activation is found to be very sensitive to the electronic configuration of the metal with d3 metal ions delivering the best activation along any one transition series. In particular, strong activation or cleavage of N2 was calculated for the third row d3 metals systems involving Ta(II), W(III) and Re(IV), with the level of activation decreasing as the nuclear charge on the metal increases. This trend in activation reflects the size of the valence 5d orbitals and consequently, the capacity of the metal to back donate into the dinitrogen pi* orbitals.

Mechanistic Study of Amine to Imine Oxidation in a Dinuclear Cu(II) Complex Containing an Octaaza Dinucleating Ligand

Density functional theory (DFT) calculations have been carried out to elucidate the mechanism of self-oxidation of a Cu(II) complex octaaza dinucleating macrocyclic ligand. The reaction is bimolecular and spontaneous, in which amine groups of one macrocycle are oxidized and the Cu(II) centers of a second macrocylic complex are reduced. No additional oxidation or external base agents are required. DFT calculations predict the reaction to proceed via a two-step mechanism, in which the first step is proton transfer between two reactant complexes. This is followed by a second transfer step in which an electron and proton are transferred together between the two complexes. Concurrent with this external transfer there is also an internal electron transfer in which the ligand reduces the metal center to give the imine product bound to Cu(I). The complexity of this final step differs from the generally accepted mechanisms for transition metal catalyzed amine to imine oxidation in which protons and electrons are transferred individually.

The influence of peripheral ligand bulk on nitrogen activation by three-coordinate molybdenum complexes--a theoretical study using the ONIOM method.

Electronic structure methods have been combined with the ONIOM approach to carry out a comprehensive study of the effect of ligand bulk on the activation of dinitrogen with three‐coordinate molybdenum complexes. Calculations were performed with both density functional and CCSD(T) methods. Our results show that not only is there expected destabilization of the intermediate on the pathway due to direct steric interactions of the bulky groups, but also there is significant electronic destabilization as the size of the ligand increases. This latter destabilization is due to the inability of the molecule to accommodate a rotated amide group bound to the molybdenum once the amide reaches a certain size. This destabilization also leads to a clear preference for the triplet intermediate (rather than the singlet intermediate) for bulky substituents which is in agreement with experiment. Overall, the calculated reaction profile for the bulky substituents shows a good correlation with the available experimental data.

Through-space ligand interactions in enantiomeric dinuclear Ru complexes.

A family of dinuclear Ru complexes containing monodentate ligands displays dynamics based on supramolecular through-space interactions. The electronic and steric nature of the monodentate ligands allow a fine tuning of the kinetic parameters of this dynamic behavior that can be monitored by variable-temperature (VT) NMR spectroscopy. Water oxidation to molecular dioxygen is a key reaction that needs to be fully understood in order to be able to design new energy-conversion schemes based on water and sunshine. Furthermore, from a biological point of view it is an important reaction that takes place at the oxygen-evolving complex of PSII. However, even though it is under thorough scrutiny its mechanisms are not fully understood. Hence the need to have low-molecular-weight functional models. While at the moment there are few well-defined complexes that have been shown to be capable of oxidizing water to molecular dioxygen even fewer of them have been studied from a mechanistic perspective. Water nucleophilic attack to a high-valent Ru=O group and intramolecular O O bond formation are the two metal-based mechanisms that have been observed so far based on experimental and theoretical grounds. While the synthetic demands for a catalyst capable of carrying out a nucleophilic water attack mechanism are relatively simple, for an intramolecular mechanism the catalysts are based on dinuclear complexes, the structures of which are extraordinarily sophisticated. Thus it is imperative to understand all the relevant aspects of such a mechanism to be able to design efficient and robust water oxidation catalysts. In this particular field, the two key challenging factors that need to be addressed are first the degree of electronic coupling between the two metal centers through the bridging ligand and second the degree and nature of the through space interactions between the active groups that provides the right conditions so that an O O bond can be formed. The present paper sheds light into the latter factor setting up the basis for further ligand/ complex design. We report here the synthesis and thorough characterization of a family of Ru–Hbpp (Hbpp =bis(2-pyridyl)pyrazole) related dinuclear Ru complexes (1–9, see Table 1) of general formula [{Ru(T)}2ACHTUNGTRENNUNG(m-bpp) ACHTUNGTRENNUNG(m-MeCOO)]n+ (T: 2,2’:6’,2’’-terpyridine (trpy) or 1,3-bis(2-pyridylimino)isoindolinato (bid )) and [{Ru(T)(L)}2ACHTUNGTRENNUNG(m-bpp)](n+1)+ (L =MeCN or substituted pyridines; see Figure 1 for the label assignment).

A Comparison of N2 Cleavage in Schrock's Mo[N3N] and Laplaza–Cummins' Mo[N(R)Ar]3 Systems

The four-coordinate Mo[N(3)N] complex, [N(3)N] = [{RNCH(2)CH(2)}(3)N], R = 3,5-(2,4,6-iPr(3)C(6)H(2))(2)C(6)H(3) (HIPT), which is capable of converting N(2) to ammonia catalytically, reacts with N(2) in a similar manner to Mo[N(R)Ar](3) (R = tBu, Ar = 3,5-C(6)H(3)Me(2)) to form a dinitrogen-bridged dimer intermediate, but unlike its three-coordinate counterpart, N(2) cleavage is not observed. To rationalise these differences, the reaction of N(2) with the model Mo[NH(2)](3)[NH(3)] and full ligand Mo[N(3)N] systems was explored using density functional theory and compared with the results of an earlier study involving the model three-coordinate Mo[NH(2)](3) system. Although the overall reaction is exothermic, the final N-N cleavage step is calculated to be endothermic by 75 kJ mol(-1) for the model system when the Mo-amine cap bond length is fixed to mimic the constraints of the ligand straps, but exothermic by 14 kJ mol(-1) for the full ligand system. In the latter case, the slightly exothermic cleavage step can be attributed to the destabilization of the N(2) bridged dimer relative to the nitride product owing to the steric effects of the bulky R groups. The activation barrier for N-N cleavage is estimated at 151 kJ mol(-1) for the model system, more than twice the calculated value for Mo[NH(2)](3), and even greater, 213 kJ mol(-1), for the full ligand [N(3)N]Mo system. A bonding analysis shows that although the binding of the amine cap helps to stabilize the intermediate dimer, at the same time it destabilizes the metal d-orbitals involved in backbonding to the pi* orbitals on N(2). As a result, backdonation is less efficient and N-N activation reduced compared to the three-coordinate system. Thus, the increased stability of the intermediate dimer on binding of the amine cap combined with the reduced level of N-N activation and higher kinetic barrier, explain why N-N cleavage has not been observed experimentally for the four-coordinate Mo[N(3)N] system.

Investigating CN– cleavage by three-coordinate M[N(R)Ar]3 complexes

Three-coordinate Mo[N((t)Bu)Ar]3 binds cyanide to form the intermediate [Ar((t)Bu)N]3Mo-CN-Mo[N((t)Bu)Ar]3 but, unlike its N2 analogue which spontaneously cleaves dinitrogen, the C-N bond remains intact. DFT calculations on the model [NH2]3Mo/CN- system show that while the overall reaction is significantly exothermic, the final cleavage step is endothermic by at least 90 kJ mol(-1), accounting for why C-N bond cleavage is not observed experimentally. The situation is improved for the [H2N]3W/CN- system where the intermediate and products are closer in energy but not enough for CN- cleavage to be facile at room temperature. Additional calculations were undertaken on the mixed-metal [H2N]3Re+/CN- /W[NH2]3 and [H2N]3Re+/CN-/Ta[NH2]3 systems in which the metals ions were chosen to maximise the stability of the products on the basis of an earlier bond energy study. Although the reaction energetics for the [H2N]3Re+/CN /W[NH2]3 system are more favourable than those for the [H2N]3W/CN- system, the final C-N cleavage step is still endothermic by 32 kJ mol(-1) when symmetry constraints are relaxed. The resistance of these systems to C-N cleavage was examined by a bond decomposition analysis of [H2N]M-L1[triple bond]L2-M[NH2]3 intermediates for L1[triple bond]L2 = N2, CO and CN which showed that backbonding from the metal into the L1[triple bond]L2 pi* orbitals is significantly less for CN than for N2 or CO due to the negative charge on CN- which results in a large energy gap between the metal d(pi), and the pi* orbitals of CN-. This, combined with the very strong M-CN- interaction which stabilises the CN intermediate, makes C-N bond cleavage in these systems unfavourable even though the C[triple bond]N triple bond is not as strong as the bond in N2 or CO.

Activation and cleavage of dinitrogen by three-coordinate metal complexes involving Mo(III) and Nb(II/III)

Density functional calculations have been employed to rationalize why the heteronuclear N(2)-bridged Mo(III)Nb(III) dimer, [Ar((t)Bu)N](3)Mo(mu-N(2))Nb[N((i)Pr)Ar](3)(Ar = 3,5-C(6)H(3)Me(2)), does not undergo cleavage of the dinitrogen bridge in contrast to the analogous Mo(III)Mo(III) complex which, although having a less activated N-N bond, undergoes spontaneous dinitrogen cleavage at room temperature. The calculations reveal that although the overall reaction is exothermic for both systems, the actual cleavage step is endothermic by 144 kJ mol(-1) for the Mo(III)Nb(III) complex whereas the Mo(III)Mo(III) system is exothermic by 94 kJ mol(-1). The reluctance of the Mo(III)Nb(III) system to undergo N(2) cleavage is attributed to its d(3)d(2) metal configuration which is one electron short of the d(3)d(3) configuration necessary to reductively cleave the dinitrogen bridge. This is confirmed by additional calculations on the related d(3)d(3) Mo(III)Nb(II) and Nb(II)Nb(II) systems for which the cleavage step is calculated to be substantially exothermic, accounting for why in the presence of the reductant KC(8), the [Ar((t)Bu)N](3)Mo(mu-N(2))Nb[N((i)Pr)Ar](3) complex was observed to undergo spontaneous cleavage of the dinitrogen bridge. On the basis of these results, it can be concluded that the level of activation of the N-N bond does not necessarily correlate with the ease of cleavage of the dinitrogen bridge.

Unravelling the Molecular Origin of the Regiospecificity in Extradiol Catechol Dioxygenases

Many factors have been suggested to control the selectivity for extradiol or intradiol cleavage in catechol dioxygenases. The varied selectivity of model complexes and the ability to force an extradiol enzyme to do intradiol cleavage indicate that the problem may be complex. In this paper we focus on the regiospecificity of the proximal extradiol dioxygenase, homoprotocatechuate 2,3-dioxygenase (HPCD), for which considerable advances have been made in our understanding of the mechanism from an experimental and computational standpoint. Two key steps in the reaction mechanism were investigated: (1) attack of the substrate by the superoxide moiety and (2) attack of the substrate by the oxyl radical generated by O-O bond cleavage. The selectivity at both steps was investigated through a systematic study of the role of the substrate and the first and second coordination spheres. For the isolated native substrate, intradiol cleavage is calculated to be both kinetically and thermodynamically favored, therefore nature must use the enzyme environment to reverse this preference. Two second sphere residues were found to play key roles in controlling the regiospecificity of the reaction: Tyr257 and His200. Tyr257 controls the selectivity by modulating the electronic structure of the substrate, while His200 controls selectivity through steric effects and by preventing alternative pathways to intradiol cleavage.

Dinitrogen activation by Fryzuk's [Nb(P(2)N(2))] complex and comparison with the Laplaza-Cummins [Mo{N(R)Ar}(3)] and Schrock [Mo(N(3)N)] systems.

The reaction profile of N(2) with Fryzuks [Nb(P(2)N(2))] (P(2)N(2)=PhP(CH(2)SiMe(2)NSiMe(2)CH(2))(2)PPh) complex is explored by density functional calculations on the model [Nb(PH(3))(2)(NH(2))(2)] system. The effects of ligand constraints, coordination number, metal and ligand donor atom on the reaction energetics are examined and compared to the analogous reactions of N(2) with the three-coordinate Laplaza-Cummins [Mo{N(R)Ar}(3)] and four-coordinate Schrock [Mo(N(3)N)] (N(3)N=[(RNCH(2)CH(2))(3)N](3-)) systems. When the model system is constrained to reflect the geometry of the P(2)N(2) macrocycle, the N--N bond cleavage step, via a N(2)-bridged dimer intermediate, is calculated to be endothermic by 345 kJ mol(-1). In comparison, formation of the single-N-bridged species is calculated to be exothermic by 119 kJ mol(-1), and consequently is the thermodynamically favoured product, in agreement with experiment. The orientation of the amide and phosphine ligands has a significant effect on the overall reaction enthalpy and also the N--N bond cleavage step. When the ligand constraints are relaxed, the overall reaction enthalpy increases by 240 kJ mol(-1), but the N(2) cleavage step remains endothermic by 35 kJ mol(-1). Changing the phosphine ligands to amine donors has a dramatic effect, increasing the overall reaction exothermicity by 190 kJ mol(-1) and that of the N--N bond cleavage step by 85 kJ mol(-1), making it a favourable process. Replacing Nb(II) with Mo(III) has the opposite effect, resulting in a reduction in the overall reaction exothermicity by over 160 kJ mol(-1). The reaction profile for the model [Nb(P(2)N(2))] system is compared to those calculated for the model Laplaza and Cummins [Mo{N(R)Ar}(3)] and Schrock [Mo(N(3)N)] systems. For both [Mo(N(3)N)] and [Nb(P(2)N(2))], the intermediate dimer is calculated to lie lower in energy than the products, although the final N-N cleavage step is much less endothermic for [Mo(N(3)N)]. In contrast, every step of the reaction is favourable and the overall exothermicity is greatest for [Mo{N(R)Ar}(3)], and therefore this system is predicted to be most suitable for dinitrogen cleavage.

Chapter 5:Theoretical Spectroscopies of Iron-Containing Enzymes and Biomimetics

Spectroscopy methods are important tools in the study of iron-containing enzymes that make it possible to probe the electronic structure, oxidation state and geometry of metal centers in the active sites. This is especially important for short-lived species for which X-ray data are usually not available. However, satisfactory interpretation of experimental spectra and extraction of the electronic and geometric information can be challenging. Theoretical spectroscopy in combination with other computational techniques is then extremely valuable in the interpretation of spectra in ambiguous situations, and is also more broadly useful for distinguishing between proposed models for reactive species, since spectroscopic parameters are often more sensitive to the electronic structure than the total energy itself. Theoretical spectroscopy has been successfully applied to a varied set of problems of iron-containing systems. In this chapter we briefly introduce the underlying physics of the spectroscopic techniques that are most commonly used to study iron-containing enzymes and biomimetic compounds: Mossbauer spectroscopy (MB), electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), absorption spectra (ABS) and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), and nuclear resonance vibrational spectroscopy (NRVS). Several good examples of studies of high-valent iron complexes are included to demonstrate how experimental and theoretical spectroscopy can be combined to gain as much as possible insight into the electronic and geometric structure of iron-containing systems.