Mark A. Iron

Consecutive thermal H2 and light-induced O2 evolution from water promoted by a metal complex

Discovery of an efficient artificial catalyst for the sunlight-driven splitting of water into dioxygen and dihydrogen is a major goal of renewable energy research. We describe a solution-phase reaction scheme that leads to the stoichiometric liberation of dihydrogen and dioxygen in consecutive thermal- and light-driven steps mediated by mononuclear, well-defined ruthenium complexes. The initial reaction of water at 25°C with a dearomatized ruthenium (II) [Ru(II)] pincer complex yields a monomeric aromatic Ru(II) hydrido-hydroxo complex that, on further reaction with water at 100°C, releases H2 and forms a cis dihydroxo complex. Irradiation of this complex in the 320-to-420–nanometer range liberates oxygen and regenerates the starting hydrido-hydroxo Ru(II) complex, probably by elimination of hydrogen peroxide, which rapidly disproportionates. Isotopic labeling experiments with H217O and H218O show unequivocally that the process of oxygen–oxygen bond formation is intramolecular, establishing a previously elusive fundamental step toward dioxygen-generating homogeneous catalysis.

N−H Activation of Amines and Ammonia by Ru via Metal−Ligand Cooperation

A nonoxidative addition pathway for the activation of NH bonds of ammonia and amines by a Ru(II) complex is reported. The pincer complex 1 cleaves N-H bonds via metal-ligand cooperation involving aromatization of the pincer ligand without a change in the formal oxidation state of the metal. Electron-rich N-H bond substrates lead to reversible activation, while electron-poor substrates result in stable activation products. Isotopic labeling studies using ND(3) as well as density functional theory calculations were used to shed light on the N-H activation mechanism.

Iron Borohydride Pincer Complexes for the Efficient Hydrogenation of Ketones under Mild, Base‐Free Conditions: Synthesis and Mechanistic Insight

The new, structurally characterized hydrido carbonyl tetrahydridoborate iron pincer complex [(iPr-PNP)Fe(H)(CO)(η(1)-BH(4))] (1) catalyzes the base-free hydrogenation of ketones to their corresponding alcohols employing only 4.1 atm hydrogen pressure. Turnover numbers up to 1980 at complete conversion of ketone were reached with this system. Treatment of 1 with aniline (as a BH(3) scavenger) resulted in a mixture of trans-[(iPr-PNP)Fe(H)(2)(CO)] (4a) and cis-[(iPr-PNP)Fe(H)(2)(CO)] (4b). The dihydrido complexes 4a and 4b do not react with acetophenone or benzaldehyde, indicating that these complexes are not intermediates in the catalytic reduction of ketones. NMR studies indicate that the tetrahydridoborate ligand in 1 dissociates prior to ketone reduction. DFT calculations show that the mechanism of the iron-catalyzed hydrogenation of ketones involves alcohol-assisted aromatization of the dearomatized complex [(iPr-PNP*)Fe(H)(CO)] (7) to initially give the Fe(0) complex [(iPr-PNP)Fe(CO)] (21) and subsequently [(iPr-PNP)Fe(CO)(EtOH)] (38). Concerted coordination of acetophenone and dual hydrogen-atom transfer from the PNP arm and the coordinated ethanol to, respectively, the carbonyl carbon and oxygen atoms, leads to the dearomatized complex [(iPr-PNP*)Fe(CO)(EtO)(MeCH(OH)Ph)] (32). The catalyst is regenerated by release of 1-phenylethanol, followed by dihydrogen coordination and proton transfer to the coordinated ethoxide ligand.

Metal–ligand cooperation in the trans addition of dihydrogen to a pincer Ir(i) complex: A DFT study

DFT calculations on the hydrogenation of a (PNP)Ir(I) complex, to give the trans--rather then the cis--dihydride isomer, show that the reaction proceeds via a deprotonation/protonation of the ligand arm with concomitant dearomatization/aromatization of the pyridine core. Thus, the actual H(2) activation step occurs by an Ir(III) complex and not by the Ir(I) starting complex, as supported by experimental observations. This ligand participation allows for products that would otherwise be inaccessible. In addition, trace amounts of water, which are likely to be present in the solvent, facilitate proton transfer reaction steps.

A New Mode of Activation of CO2 by Metal–Ligand Cooperation with Reversible CC and MO Bond Formation at Ambient Temperature

Team work: Although CO(2) binding to metal centers usually involves π coordination to a C=O group or σ bonds to the carbon or oxygen atom of the CO(2) molecule, a new mode of metal-ligand cooperative activation of CO(2) to a ruthenium PNP pincer complex involving aromatization/dearomatization steps is presented in experimental and theoretical studies (see scheme).

Alkali and alkaline earth metal compounds: core—valence basis sets and importance of subvalence correlation

Core-valence basis sets for the alkali and alkaline earth metals Li, Be, Na, Mg, K, and Ca are proposed. The basis sets are validated by calculating spectroscopic constants of a variety of diatomic molecules involving these elements. Neglect of (3s, 3p) correlation in K and Ca compounds will lead to erratic results at best, and chemically nonsensical ones if chalcogens or halogens are present. The addition of low-exponent p functions to the K and Ca basis sets is essential for the smooth convergence of molecular properties. Inclusion of inner-shell correlation is important for accurate spectroscopic constants and binding energies of all the compounds. In basis set extrapolation/convergence calculations, the explicit inclusion of alkali and alkaline earth metal subvalence correlation at all steps is essential for K and Ca, strongly recommended for Na, and optional for Li and Mg, while in Be compounds an additive treatment in a separate ‘core correlation’ step is probably sufficient. Consideration of (ls) inner-shell correlation energy in first-row elements requires the inclusion of (2s, 2p) ‘deep core’ correlation energy in K and Ca for consistency. The latter requires special CCVnZ ‘deep core correlation’ basis sets. For compounds involving Ca bound to electronegative elements, additional d functions in the basis set are strongly recommended. For optimal basis set convergence in such cases, we suggest the sequence CV(D + 3d)Z, CV(T + 2d)Z, CV(Q + d)Z, and CV5Z on calcium.

Stable aromatic dianion in water.

Perylene diimide (PDI) bearing polyethylene glycol substituents at the imide positions was reduced in water with sodium dithionite to produce an aromatic dianion. The latter is stable for months in deoxygenated aqueous solutions, in contrast to all known aromatic dianions which readily react with water. Such stability is due to extensive electron delocalization and the aromatic character of the dianion, as evidenced by spectroscopic and theoretical studies. The dianion reacts with oxygen to restore the parent neutral compound, which can be reduced again in an inert atmosphere with sodium dithionite to give the dianion. Such reversible charging renders PDIs useful for controlled electron storage and release in aqueous media. Simple preparation of the dianion, reversible charging, high photoredox power, and stability in water can lead to development of new photofunctional and electron transfer systems in the aqueous phase.

Density Functional Theory in Transition-Metal Chemistry: Relative Energies of Low-Lying States of Iron Compounds and the Effect of Spatial Symmetry Breaking

The ground and lower excited states of Fe2, Fe2(-), and FeO(+) were studied using a number of density functional theory (DFT) methods. Specific attention was paid to the relative state energies, the internuclear distances (re), and the harmonic vibrational frequencies (ωe). A number of factors influencing the calculated values of these properties were examined. These include basis sets, the nature of the density functional chosen, the percentage of Hartree-Fock exchange in the density functional, and constraints on orbital symmetry. A number of different types of generalized gradient approximation (GGA) density functionals (straight GGA, hybrid GGA, meta-GGA, and hybrid meta-GGA) were examined, and it was found that the best results were obtained with hybrid GGA or hybrid meta-GGA functionals that contain nonzero fractions of HF exchange; specifically, the best overall results were obtained with B3LYP, M05, and M06, closely followed by B1LYP. One significant observation was the effect of enforcing symmetry on the orbitals. When a degenerate orbital (π or δ) is partially occupied in the (4)Φ excited state of FeO(+), reducing the enforced symmetry (from C6v to C4v to C2v) results in a lower energy since these degenerate orbitals are split in the lower symmetries. The results obtained were compared to higher level ab initio results from the literature and to recent PBE+U plane wave results by Kulik et al. (Phys. Rev. Lett. 2006, 97, 103001). It was found that some of the improvements that were afforded by the semiempirical +U correction can also be accomplished by improving the form of the DFT functional and, in one case, by not enforcing high symmetry on the orbitals.

Medication Detection by a Combinatorial Fluorescent Molecular Sensor

Working together to uncover the truth: A molecule-sized diagnostic system combining several recognition elements and four fluorescence-emission channels enabled the identification of a wide range of pharmaceuticals on the basis of distinct photophysical processes. The molecular sensor (see simplified representation; ID = identification) was also used to analyze drug concentrations and combinations in urine samples in a high-throughput manner.

Activation of Nitriles by Metal Ligand Cooperation. Reversible Formation of Ketimido- and Enamido-Rhenium PNP Pincer Complexes and Relevance to Catalytic Design

The dearomatized complex cis-[Re(PNP(tBu)*)(CO)2] (4) undergoes cooperative activation of C≡N triple bonds of nitriles via [1,3]-addition. Reversible C-C and Re-N bond formation in 4 was investigated in a combined experimental and computational study. The reversible formation of the ketimido complexes (5-7) was observed. When nitriles bearing an alpha methylene group are used, reversible formation of the enamido complexes (8 and 9) takes place. The reversibility of the activation of the nitriles in the resulting ketimido compounds was demonstrated by the displacement of p-CF3-benzonitrile from cis-[Re(PNP(tBu)-N═CPh(pCF3))(CO)2] (6) upon addition of an excess of benzonitrile and by the temperature-dependent [1,3]-addition of pivalonitrile to complex 4. The reversible binding of the nitrile in the enamido compound cis-[Re(PNP(tBu)-HNC═CHPh)(CO)2] (9) was demonstrated via the displacement of benzyl cyanide from 9 by CO. Computational studies suggest a stepwise activation of the nitriles by 4, with remarkably low activation barriers, involving precoordination of the nitrile group to the Re(I) center. The enamido complex 9 reacts via β-carbon methylation to give the primary imino complex cis-[Re(PNP(tBu)-HN═CC(Me)Ph)(CO)2]OTf 11. Upon deprotonation of 11 and subsequent addition of benzyl cyanide, complex 9 is regenerated and the monomethylation product 2-phenylpropanenitrile is released. Complexes 4 and 9 were found to catalyze the Michael addition of benzyl cyanide derivatives to α,β-unsaturated esters and carbonyls.