Seth N. Brown

Redox-active tripodal aminetris(aryloxide) complexes of titanium(IV).

New sterically encumbered tripodal aminetris(aryloxide) ligands N(CH(2)C(6)H(2)-3-(t)Bu-5-X-2-OH)(3) ((tBu,X)LH(3)) with relatively electron-rich phenols are prepared by Mannich condensation (X = OCH(3)) or by a reductive amination/Hartwig-Buchwald amination sequence on the benzyl-protected bromosalicylaldehyde (X = N[C(6)H(4)-p-OCH(3)](2)), followed by debenzylation using Pearlmans catalyst (Pd(OH)(2)/C). The analogous dianisylamino-substituted compound lacking the tert-butyl group ortho to the phenol ((H,An(2)N)LH(3)) is also readily prepared. The ligands are metalated by titanium(IV) tert-butoxide to form the five-coordinate alkoxides LTi(O(t)Bu). Treatment of the tert-butoxides with aqueous HCl yields the five-coordinate chlorides LTiCl, and with acetylacetone gives the six-coordinate diketonates LTi(acac). The diketonate complexes (tBu,X)LTi(acac) show reversible ligand-based oxidations with first oxidation potentials of +0.57, +0.33, and -0.09 V (vs ferrocene/ferrocenium) for X = (t)Bu, MeO, and An(2)N, respectively. Both dianisylamine-substituted complexes (R,An(2)N)LTi(acac) (R = (t)Bu, H) show similar electrochemistry, with three one-electron oxidations closely spaced at approximately 0 V and three oxidations due to removal of a second electron from each diarylaminoaryloxide arm at approximately + 0.75 V. The new electron-rich tripodal ligands therefore have the capacity to release multiple electrons at unusually low potentials for aryloxide groups.

Metal and ligand effects on bonding in group 6 complexes of redox-active amidodiphenoxides.

Group 6 complexes M(ONO)2 (M = Cr, Mo, W; ONO = bis(2-oxy-3,5-di-tert-butylphenyl)amide) are prepared by the reaction of divalent metal halide precursors with Pb(ONO(Q))2. Analogous complexes containing the 2,4,6,8-tetra-tert-butyl-1,9-dioxophenoxazinate ligand (DOPO) are prepared by protonolysis of chromocene with H(DOPO(Q)) or by reaction of Pb(DOPO(Q))2 with M2Br4(CO)8 (M = Mo, W). The molybdenum and tungsten complexes are symmetrical, octahedral compounds for which spectroscopic data are consistent with M(VI) complexes with fully reduced [L(Cat)](3-) ligands. Quantitative analysis of the intraligand bond lengths, by comparison with literature standards, allows calculation of metrical oxidation states (MOS) for the ONO ligands. The MOS values of the tungsten and molybdenum complexes indicate that π donation from the ligand is weak and that differences between the ONO and DOPO ligands are small. In both the solid state and in solution, Cr(DOPO)2 is paramagnetic with localized quinone and semiquinone ligands bound to Cr(III). The geometry and electronic structure of Cr(ONO)2 differ in the solid state and in solution, as determined by crystallography, magnetic measurements, and Cr K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy. In solution, the structure resembles that of the DOPO analogue. In contrast, solid Cr(ONO)2 is a singlet, and X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy indicates that the chromium is significantly more oxidized in the solid state than in solution. An electronic description compounds to that of the tungsten and molybdenum analogues, but with considerably more charge transfer from the ligand to chromium via π donation, is in agreement with the experimental observations.

Nonclassical Oxygen Atom Transfer as a Synthetic Strategy: Preparation of an Oxorhenium(V) Complex of the Bis(3,5-di-tert-butyl-2-phenoxo)amide Ligand

Oxo(triphenylphosphine)[bis(3,5-di-tert-butyl-2-phenoxo)amido]rhenium(V) [(ONO(Cat))ReO(PPh3)] is prepared by the reaction of iododioxobis(triphenylphosphine)rhenium(V) [ReO2(PPh3)2I] with lead bis(3,5-di-tert-butyl-1,2-quinone-1-(2-oxy-3,5-di-tert-butylphenyl)imine) [Pb(ONO(Q))2]. In this reaction, the ONO ligand undergoes a two-electron reduction, with concomitant oxidation of PPh3 to OPPh3 and transformation of the dioxorhenium(V) fragment into a monooxorhenium(V) fragment, constituting a net nonclassical oxygen atom transfer. (ONO(Cat))ReO(PPh3) adopts a square pyramidal geometry with an apical oxo group [d(ReO) = 1.6873(14) Å] and a highly folded ONO ligand [O-Re-O = 129.55(6)°]. The fully reduced, trianionic oxidation state of the ONO ligand is confirmed by spectroscopic and metrical data.

Redox-active tetrahydrosalen (salan) complexes of titanium

A diarylamino-substituted N-methyl tetrahydrosalen (salan) ligand, (An2N)LH(2), is prepared in four steps and overall 53% yield from 5-bromosalicylaldehyde, with the key step a palladium-catalysed Hartwig-Buchwald amination of the tert-butyldimethylsilyl-protected 5-bromo-N-methylsalan ligand. Reaction of (An2N)LH(2) or its bromo analogue with Ti(O(i)Pr)(4) or TiF(4) results in metalation of the ligand. The isopropoxide groups are readily exchanged with α- or β-hydroxyacids to form chelated complexes. X-ray crystallography and NMR spectroscopy indicate that the salan ligands are quite flexible, with (An2N)LTiF(2), for example, showing four stereoisomers in its (19)F NMR spectrum. The major stereoisomer of (salan)Ti(X)(Y) depends principally on the trans influence of the X and Y groups. Complexes of (An2N)L show two reversible, closely spaced redox couples at approximately + 0.1 V vs. ferrocene/ferrocenium, and a second set of two closely spaced redox couples at ~ + 0.8 V vs. Fc/Fc(+).

Gauging electronic dissymmetry in bis-chelates of titanium(IV) using sterically and electronically variable 2,2′-biphenoxides

3,3′,5,5′-Tetrasubstituted-2,2′-biphenolate complexes of titanium(IV) with bis(diketonate) (Bob), bis(hydroxamate) (Hox) and mixed diketonate–hydroxamate (Hob) ligands have been prepared from the corresponding diisopropoxide complexes. Four of the twelve compounds have been characterized crystallographically, and in the solid state all show the (Δ,R)/(Λ,S) relative stereochemistry at titanium and the biaryloxide, respectively, as previously observed in (acac)2Ti(1,1′-bi-2-naphtholate) complexes. In solution the compounds epimerize by atropisomerization of the biphenolate moiety with ΔG‡ ≈ 14 kcal mol−1. The bis(diketonate) complexes show high diastereoselectivity except for the most electron-poor tetranitrobiphenolate. In contrast, the bis(hydroxamate) shows low to moderate selectivity which correlates with the steric but not electronic properties of the biphenolates (Br < CH3 < NO2 < tBu). The mixed diketonate–hydroxamate complexes show intermediate behaviour. These observations are rationalized on the basis of MO arguments regarding ligand-metal π bonding. Symmetrical chelates such as diketonates foster mixing of two dπ orbitals and create a dissymmetric electronic environment. This mixing does not take place with unsymmetrical ligands such as hydroxamates, which therefore do not create an environment where electronic effects contribute significantly to binding stereoselectivity.

Dramatic Effect of Aggregation on Rates and Thermodynamics of Stereoisomerization of Magnesium Enolates

Thermodynamic stereocontrol of the (hexamethyldisilazide)magnesium enolates of propiophenone in THF is reported. The overall stereoselectivity proves to be very sensitive to concentration, since dimeric species with bridging enolates show no stereoselectivity while monomeric enolates show a very strong thermodynamic preference for the Z enolate. Kinetically, interconversion among aggregates is remarkably slow, whereas stereoisomerization of the monomer, even in the absence of a proton source such as ketone or amine, is remarkably fast. Furthermore, stereoisomerization takes place in the absence of a proton source or excess ketone. These observations contrast with accepted views of these fundamentally important processes and have implications for understanding the identity and reactivity of metal enolates.

A chelating β-diketonate/phenoxide ligand and its coordination behavior toward titanium and scandium

Dibenzoylmethane derivatives with one (L1H2) or both (L2H3, L3H3) benzenes linked at their ortho positions to 4,6-di-tert-butylphenol moieties by two-carbon linkers have been synthesized. The mono-beta-diketone-monophenol ligand L1H2 is metalated by titanium alkoxides to form the homoleptic complex (L1)2Ti and heteroleptic complexes (L1)Ti([OCH2CH2]2NR) (R = H, CH3), and reacts with Cp3Sc to form CpSc(L1). These are the first examples of complexes of a beta-diketonate ligand which is further chelating to a single metal center. Crystallographic analysis of (L1)2Ti indicates that the 10-membered ring allows chelation of the phenoxide with little strain, and both fac and mer geometries are accessible in solution. Protonolysis of the second cyclopentadienyl ring of Cp3Sc appears to take place by an indirect, Cp3Sc-catalyzed pathway.

The Metal or the Ligand? The Preferred Locus for Redox Changes in Oxygen Atom Transfer Reactions of Rhenium Amidodiphenoxides

The rhenium(V) oxo complex oxo(triphenylphosphine) (bis(3,5-di-tert-butyl-2-phenoxo)amido)rhenium(V), (ONOCat)ReO(PPh3), reacts with molecular oxygen to give triphenylphosphine oxide and the dimeric rhenium(VII) complex fac,anti-(ONOCat)Re(O)(μ-O)2Re(O)(ONOCat). The ONO ligand adopts an unusual fac geometry, presumably to maximize π donation to rhenium; strong π donation is substantiated by the intraligand bond distances (metrical oxidation state = -2.24(9)). Addition of the N-heterocyclic carbene ligand IMes to fac,anti-(ONOCat)Re(O)(μ-O)2Re(O)(ONOCat) cleaves the dimer into monomeric C1-symmetric fac-(ONOCat)ReO2(IMes). The monorhenium(VII) complex is deoxygenated by PMe2Ph to give the rhenium(V) compound (ONOCat)ReO(IMes), which can be independently prepared by ligand substitution of (ONOCat)ReO(PPh3). The degree of stereochemical rigidity exhibited by the dioxo compound, as established by dynamic NMR spectroscopy, excludes the intermediacy of mer-(ONOQ)ReVO2(IMes) in this oxygen atom transfer reaction. Thus, oxygen atom transfer takes place preferentially by direct reduction of the oxorhenium(VII) moiety (classical oxygen atom transfer) rather than through initial internal electron transfer and ligand-centered reduction of an oxorhenium(V)-iminoquinone.

Mechanism and selectivity of methyl and phenyl migrations in hypervalent silylated iminoquinones.

Chlorosilanes R(X)(Y)SiCl (R = Me, Ph; X, Y = Me, Ph, Cl) have been reported to react with Pb(ONO(Q))2 (ONO(Q) = 3,5-di-tert-butyl-1,2-quinone-(3,5-di-tert-butyl-2-oxy-1-phenyl)imine) to give five-coordinate (X)(Y)Si(ON[R]O), in which the R group has migrated from silicon to nitrogen. This migration is intramolecular, as confirmed by the lack of crossover between (CH3)3SiCl and (CD3)3SiCl in their reaction with Pb(ONO(Q))2. Reaction of PhSiMeCl2 takes place with high kinetic stereoselectivity to produce isomer Ph(Cl)Si(ON[Me]O) in which the phenyl is axial in the trigonal bipyramid, which subsequently isomerizes to the thermodynamic isomer with axial chlorine. This indicates that migration takes place preferentially from the stereoisomer of the octahedral intermediate, κ(3)-Ph(CH3)(Cl)Si(ONO(Q)), in which the phenyl and methyl groups are mutually trans, indicating that the observed complete selectivity for methyl over phenyl migration is due to intrinsic differences in migratory aptitude. DFT calculations suggest that migration takes place from this isomer not because it undergoes migration faster than other possible stereoisomers, but because it is formed most rapidly, and migration occurs faster than isomerization.

Monitoring the Synthesis and Composition Analysis of Microsilica Encapsulated Acetylacetonatocarbonyl Triphenylphosphinerhodium Catalyst by Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) Techniques

A novel technique to monitor the synthesis process of encapsulated acetylacetonatocarbonyl triphenylphosphinerhodium within a microsilica nanoshell has been studied using inductively coupled plasma (ICP) techniques. Nanospheres sized around 50-100 nm were obtained and ICP was used to quantify the exact composition of rhodium, phosphorous, and silicon with differing digestion solvents. In addition, ICP was used to detect rhodium and phosphorous in the nano core-shell catalysts as a quality control procedure