Iraklis Pappas

Cobalt Catalyzed Z-Selective Hydroboration of Terminal Alkynes and Elucidation of the Origin of Selectivity

A bis(imino)pyridine cobalt-catalyzed hydroboration of terminal alkynes with HBPin (Pin = pinacolate) with high yield and (Z)-selectivity for synthetically valuable vinylboronate esters is described. Deuterium labeling studies, stoichiometric experiments, and isolation of catalytically relevant intermediates support a mechanism involving selective insertion of an alkynylboronate ester into a Co-H bond, a pathway distinct from known precious metal catalysts where metal vinylidene intermediates have been proposed to account for the observed (Z) selectivity. The identity of the imine substituents dictates the relative rates of activation of the cobalt precatalyst with HBPin or the terminal alkyne and, as a consequence, is responsible for the stereochemical outcome of the catalytic reaction.

Carbon dioxide hydrosilylation promoted by cobalt pincer complexes.

The addition of carbon dioxide to ((tBu)PNP)CoH [(tBu)PNP = 2,6-bis(di-tert-butylphosphinomethyl)pyridine] resulted in rapid insertion into the Co-H bond to form the corresponding κ(1)-formate complex, which has been structurally characterized. Treatment of ((tBu)PNP)CoH with PhSiH3 resulted in oxidative addition to form trans-((tBu)PNP)CoH2(SiH2Ph), which undergoes rapid exchange with excess free silane. With 0.5 mol % ((tBu)PNP)CoH, the catalytic hydrosilylation of CO2 with PhSiH3 to a mixture of oligomers containing silyl formate, bis(silyl)acetyl, and silyl ether subunits has been observed.

Cobalt-Catalyzed Benzylic Borylation: Enabling Polyborylation and Functionalization of Remote, Unactivated C(sp3)–H Bonds

Cobalt dialkyl and bis(carboxylate) complexes bearing α-diimine ligands have been synthesized and demonstrated as active for the C(sp(3))-H borylation of a range of substituted alkyl arenes using B2Pin2 (Pin = pinacolate) as the boron source. At longer reaction times, rare examples of polyborylation were observed, and in the case of toluene, all three benzylic C-H positions were functionalized. Coupling benzylic C-H activation with alkyl isomerization enabled a base-metal-catalyzed method for the borylation of remote, unactivated C(sp(3))-H bonds.

Ammonia synthesis by hydrogenolysis of titanium-nitrogen bonds using proton coupled electron transfer.

The catalytic hydrogenolysis of the titanium-amide bond in (η(5)-C5Me4SiMe3)2Ti(Cl)NH2 to yield free ammonia is described. The rhodium hydride, (η(5)-C5Me5)(py-Ph)RhH (py-Ph = 2-phenylpyridine), serves as the catalyst and promotes N-H bond formation via hydrogen atom transfer. The N-H bond dissociation free energies of ammonia ligands have also been determined for titanocene and zirconocene complexes and reveal a stark dependence on metal identity and oxidation state. In all cases, the N-H BDFEs of coordinated NH3 decreases by >40 kcal/mol from the value in the free gas phase molecule.

Cobalt-Catalyzed C(sp2)-H Borylation: Mechanistic Insights Inspire Catalyst Design

A comprehensive study into the mechanism of bis(phosphino)pyridine (PNP) cobalt-catalyzed C-H borylation of 2,6-lutidine using B2Pin2 (Pin = pinacolate) has been conducted. The experimentally observed rate law, deuterium kinetic isotope effects, and identification of the catalyst resting state support turnover limiting C-H activation from a fully characterized cobalt(I) boryl intermediate. Monitoring the catalytic reaction as a function of time revealed that borylation of the 4-position of the pincer in the cobalt catalyst was faster than arene borylation. Cyclic voltammetry established the electron withdrawing influence of 4-BPin, which slows the rate of C-H oxidative addition and hence overall catalytic turnover. This mechanistic insight inspired the next generation of 4-substituted PNP cobalt catalysts with electron donating and sterically blocking methyl and pyrrolidinyl substituents that exhibited increased activity for the C-H borylation of unactivated arenes. The rationally designed catalysts promote effective turnover with stoichiometric quantities of arene substrate and B2Pin2. Kinetic studies on the improved catalyst, 4-(H)2BPin, established a change in turnover limiting step from C-H oxidative addition to C-B reductive elimination. The iridium congener of the optimized cobalt catalyst, 6-(H)2BPin, was prepared and crystallographically characterized and proved inactive for C-H borylation, a result of the high kinetic barrier for reductive elimination from octahedral Ir(III) complexes.

Catalytic Proton Coupled Electron Transfer from Metal Hydrides to Titanocene Amides, Hydrazides and Imides: Determination of Thermodynamic Parameters Relevant to Nitrogen Fixation

The hydrogenolysis of titanium-nitrogen bonds in a series of bis(cyclopentadienyl) titanium amides, hydrazides and imides by proton coupled electron transfer (PCET) is described. Twelve different N-H bond dissociation free energies (BDFEs) among the various nitrogen-containing ligands were measured or calculated, and effects of metal oxidation state and N-ligand substituent were determined. Two metal hydride complexes, (η5-C5Me5)(py-Ph)Rh-H (py-Ph = 2-pyridylphenyl, [Rh]-H) and (η5-C5R5)(CO)3Cr-H ([Cr]R-H, R= H, Me) were evaluated for formal H atom transfer reactivity and were selected due to their relatively weak M-H bond strengths yet ability to activate and cleave molecular hydrogen. Despite comparable M-H BDFEs, disparate reactivity between the two compounds was observed and was traced to the vastly different acidities of the M-H bonds and overall redox potentials of the molecules. With [Rh]-H, catalytic syntheses of ammonia, silylamine and N,N-dimethylhydrazine have been accomplished from the corresponding titanium(IV) complex using H2 as the stoichiometric H atom source. The data presented in this study provides the thermochemical foundation for the synthesis of NH3 by proton coupled electron transfer at a well-defined transition metal center.

Alkyne Cycloaddition to a Titanocene Oxide as a Route to Cyclopentadienyl Modification

Addition of terminal or internal alkynes to a base-free titanocene oxide results in synthesis of the corresponding oxometallocyclobutene. With appropriate cyclopentadienyl substitution, these compounds undergo reversible C-C reductive elimination offering a unique approach to cyclopentadienyl modification.

Determining and Understanding N-H Bond Strengths in Synthetic Nitrogen Fixation Cycles

The fixation of atmospheric dinitrogen to ammonia using molecular catalysts has been a long-standing challenge in homogeneous catalysis and synthetic chemistry. New approaches to this problem may offer more energy-efficient and carbon-neutral routes to this important industrial compound. Despite the ubiquity of ammine, amide, imide and diazenide ligands in coordination chemistry, little thermodynamic data is available for understanding N-H bond strengths in molecules bearing these nitrogenous fragments. This article presents an overview of both computational and experimental approaches for the determination of N-H bond dissociation free energies in a variety of compounds relevant to nitrogen fixation to ammonia. The influence of metal oxidation state, ancillary ligand and identity of the nitrogen donor are highlighted. Implications for future design of molecular systems for the reduction of dinitrogen are discussed.