J.C. Slootweg

Geminal phosphorus/aluminum-based frustrated lewis pairs: C−H versus C≡C activation and CO2 fixation.

Catch it! Geminal phosphorus/aluminum-based frustrated Lewis pairs (FLPs) are easily obtained by hydroalumination of alkynylphosphines. These FLPs can activate terminal acetylenes by two competitive pathways, which were analyzed by DFT calculations, and they can bind carbon dioxide reversibly. Therefore, alongside polyfluorinated boranes, alanes are also ideal Lewis acids for FLP chemistry.

Preorganized frustrated Lewis pairs.

Geminal frustrated Lewis pairs (FLPs) are expected to exhibit increased reactivity when the donor and acceptor sites are perfectly aligned. This is shown for reactions of the nonfluorinated FLP tBu(2)PCH(2)BPh(2) with H(2), CO(2), and isocyanates and supported computationally.

Dimeric aluminum–phosphorus compounds as masked frustrated Lewis pairs for small molecule activation

Hydroalumination of aryldialkynylphosphines RP(C≡C-(t)Bu)(2) (R = Ph, Mes) with equimolar quantities of diethylaluminum hydride afforded mixed alkenyl-alkynyl cyclic dimers in which the dative aluminum-phosphorus bonds are geminal to the exocyclic alkenyl groups. Addition of triethylaluminum to isolated 1 (R = Ph) or to the in situ generated species (R = Mes) caused diethylaluminum ethynide elimination to yield the arylethylphosphorus dimers 2 and 3. These possess a chair-like Al(2)C(2)P(2) heterocycle with intermolecular Al-P interactions. The boat conformation (4) was obtained by the reaction of (t)Bu-P(C≡C-(t)Bu)(2) with di(tert-butyl)aluminum hydride. Despite being dimeric, 2 behaves as a frustrated Lewis pair and activates small molecules. The reaction with carbon dioxide gave cis/trans isomeric AlPC(2)O heterocycles that differ only by the configuration of the exocyclic alkenyl unit. Four isomers resulted from the reaction with phenyl isocyanate. This is caused by cis/trans isomerization of the initial C=O adduct and subsequent rearrangement to the AlPC(2)N heterocycle, being the C=N adduct.

Stereomutation of Pentavalent Compounds. Validating the Berry Pseudorotation, Redressing the Ugi’s Turnstile Rotation, and Revealing the Two- and Three-Gated Turnstiles

A general reaction mechanism describes the qualitative change in chemical topology along the reaction pathway. On the basis of this principle, we present a method to characterize intramolecular substituent permutation in pentavalent compounds. A full description of the geometry around five-coordinate atoms using internal coordinates enables the analysis of the structural changes along the stereomutational intrinsic reaction coordinate. The fluxional behavior of experimentally known pentavalent phosphoranes, silicates, and transition-metal complexes has been investigated by density functional theory calculations, and three principal mechanisms have been identified: Berry pseudorotation, threefold cyclic permutation, and half-twist axial-equatorial interchange. The frequently cited turnstile rotation is shown to be equivalent to the Berry pseudorotation. In combination with graph theory, this approach provides a means to systematically investigate the stereomutation of pentavalent molecules and potentially identify hitherto-unknown mechanisms.

Functionalization of P4 Using a Lewis Acid Stabilized Bicyclo[1.1.0]tetraphosphabutane Anion

Reacting white phosphorus (P4 ) with sterically encumbered aryl lithium reagents (aryl=2,6-dimesitylphenyl or 2,4,6-tBu3 C6 H2 ) and B(C6 F5 )3 gives the unique, isolable Lewis acid stabilized bicyclo[1.1.0]tetraphosphabutane anion. Subsequent alkylation of the nucleophilic site of the RP4 anion gives access to non-symmetrical disubstituted bicyclic tetraphosphorus compounds. This novel method enables PC bond formation in a controlled fashion using white phosphorus as starting material.

The Homoleptic Sandwich Anion [Co(P2C2tBu2)2]−: A Versatile Building Block for Phosphaorganometallic Chemistry†

Phosphaalkynes (RC=P) are valuable starting materials for a wide range of low-coordinate phosphorus compounds.[1] Similar to alkynes,[2] these reactive, triply-bonded molecules oligomerize in the coordination sphere of transition metals to give diphosphacyclobutadienes, triphosphabenzenes, or higher oligomers.[1, 3] The reactions of phosphaalkynes with “vaporized” metal atoms are particularly intriguing, as illustrated by the reaction of cobalt atoms with tBuC=P which affords a mixture of three complexes (A–C) that are difficult to prepare by conventional synthetic methods.[4] Although fascinating compounds can be obtained by metal vapor (MV) synthesis,[5, 6] its applicability is limited due to the low product yields and the need for a special experimental setup.

A Phosphorus Analogue of Bis(η4‐cyclobutadiene)iron(0)

P makes it possible: The convenient oxidative synthesis of the 16-electron organophosphorus iron sandwich complex [Fe(eta(4)-P(2)C(2)tBu(2))(2)] (see structure) suggests that the elusive all-carbon complex [Fe(eta(4)-C(4)H(4))(2)] is a viable synthetic target.

Ladder-Type P,S-Bridged trans-Stilbenes

Phosphole-containing π-systems have emerged as building blocks with enormous potential as electronic materials because of the tunability of the phosphorus center. Among these, asymmetric P-bridged trans-stilbenes are still rare, and here an elegant and efficient synthesis toward such fluorescent molecular frameworks is described. Fine-tuning of the photophysical properties is attempted by enforcing the planarization of the phosphorus tripod and thus increasing the interaction between the phosphorus lone pair and the π-system. The electronic structure of the π-conjugated frameworks is analyzed with NMR, UV-vis and fluorescence spectroscopy, and time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) calculations.

N-heterocyclic carbene-functionalized ruthenium phosphinidenes: what a difference a twist makes

Catalyst tuning by changing ligands is a well-established protocol in transition-metal chemistry. N-Heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) and tertiary phosphines (R(3)P) are the ubiquitous ligand actors. Here we demonstrate that the relative sigma-donor/pi-acceptor ability of the NHC ligand itself can be influenced by a simple substituent-controlled conformational change, thereby directly impacting the reactivity of the transition-metal complex.

Alkynide and acetonitrile activation by strained AlPC2 heterocycles

Bicyclic compounds with annulated four- (AlPC(2)) and five-membered (P(2)C(3)) rings activate and capture Al-alkynides and acetonitrile at room temperature to afford bicyclic compounds with unique six-membered Al(2)PC(3) and AlNPC(3) heterocycles.