Sidney E. Creutz

Photoinduced Ullmann C–N Coupling: Demonstrating the Viability of a Radical Pathway

Ullman Upgrade Precious metals may dominate contemporary catalysis, but the early development of synthetic organic chemistry relied on more abundant elements—a strategy that chemists are returning to now for the sake of sustainability. Copper-mediated coupling of aryl halides with amines was reported by Ullman more than a century ago and remains in use today for the synthesis of certain organic compounds. However, the reaction generally requires high temperature to proceed efficiently. Creutz et al. (p. 647) have developed a photochemical variant that uses copper and reacts at room temperature or below, apparently by a radical mechanism. A century-old carbon–nitrogen coupling method can be by accelerated by light. Carbon–nitrogen (C–N) bond-forming reactions of amines with aryl halides to generate arylamines (anilines), mediated by a stoichiometric copper reagent at elevated temperature (>180°C), were first described by Ullmann in 1903. In the intervening century, this and related C–N bond-forming processes have emerged as powerful tools for organic synthesis. Here, we report that Ullmann C–N coupling can be photoinduced by using a stoichiometric or a catalytic amount of copper, which enables the reaction to proceed under unusually mild conditions (room temperature or even –40°C). An array of data are consistent with a single-electron transfer mechanism, representing the most substantial experimental support to date for the viability of this pathway for Ullmann C–N couplings.

Catalytic Reduction of N2 to NH3 by an Fe–N2 Complex Featuring a C-Atom Anchor

While recent spectroscopic studies have established the presence of an interstitial carbon atom at the center of the iron-molybdenum cofactor (FeMoco) of MoFe-nitrogenase, its role is unknown. We have pursued Fe-N2 model chemistry to explore a hypothesis whereby this C-atom (previously denoted as a light X-atom) may provide a flexible trans interaction with an Fe center to expose an Fe-N2 binding site. In this context, we now report on Fe complexes of a new tris(phosphino)alkyl (CP(iPr)3) ligand featuring an axial carbon donor. It is established that the iron center in this scaffold binds dinitrogen trans to the C(alkyl)-atom anchor in three distinct and structurally characterized oxidation states. Fe-C(alkyl) lengthening is observed upon reduction, reflective of significant ionic character in the Fe-C(alkyl) interaction. The anionic (CP(iPr)3)FeN2(-) species can be functionalized by a silyl electrophile to generate (CP(iPr)3)Fe-N2SiR3. (CP(iPr)3)FeN2(-) also functions as a modest catalyst for the reduction of N2 to NH3 when supplied with electrons and protons at -78 °C under 1 atm N2 (4.6 equiv NH3/Fe).

Transition-Metal-Catalyzed Alkylations of Amines with Alkyl Halides: Photoinduced, Copper-Catalyzed Couplings of Carbazoles

N-alkylations of carbazoles with a variety of secondary and hindered primary alkyl iodides can be achieved by using a simple precatalyst (CuI) under mild conditions (0 °C) in the presence of a Bronsted base; at higher temperature (30 °C), secondary alkyl bromides also serve as suitable coupling partners. A Li[Cu(carbazolide)_2] complex has been crystallographically characterized, and it may serve as an intermediate in the catalytic cycle.

Diiron Bridged-Thiolate Complexes That Bind N2 at the FeIIFeII, FeIIFeI, and FeIFeI Redox States

All known nitrogenase cofactors are rich in both sulfur and iron and are presumed capable of binding and reducing N2. Nonetheless, synthetic examples of transition metal model complexes that bind N2 and also feature sulfur donor ligands remain scarce. We report herein an unusual series of low-valent diiron complexes featuring thiolate and dinitrogen ligands. A new binucleating ligand scaffold is introduced that supports an Fe(μ-SAr)Fe diiron subunit that coordinates dinitrogen (N2-Fe(μ-SAr)Fe-N2) across at least three oxidation states (Fe(II)Fe(II), Fe(II)Fe(I), and Fe(I)Fe(I)). The (N2-Fe(μ-SAr)Fe-N2) system undergoes reduction of the bound N2 to produce NH3 (∼50% yield) and can efficiently catalyze the disproportionation of N2H4 to NH3 and N2. The present scaffold also supports dinitrogen binding concomitant with hydride as a co-ligand. Synthetic model complexes of these types are desirable to ultimately constrain hypotheses regarding Fe-mediated nitrogen fixation in synthetic and biological systems.

Spin-State Tuning at Pseudo-tetrahedral d6 Ions: Spin Crossover in [BP3]FeII–X Complexes

Low-coordinate transition-metal complexes that undergo spin crossover remain rare. We report here a series of four-coordinate, pseudo-tetrahedral P3FeII–X complexes supported by tris(phosphine)borate P3 ([PhBP3R]−) and phosphiniminato X-type ligands (−N═PR3′) that, in combination, tune the spin-crossover behavior of the system. Most of the reported iron complexes undergo spin crossover at temperatures near or above room temperature in solution and in the solid state. The change in spin state coincides with a significant change in the degree of π-bonding between Fe and the bound N atom of the phosphiniminato ligand. Spin crossover is accompanied by striking changes in the ultraviolet–visible (UV-vis) absorption spectra, which allows for quantitative modeling of the thermodynamic parameters of the spin equilibria. These spin equilibria have also been studied by numerous techniques including paramagnetic nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), infrared, and Mössbauer spectroscopies; X-ray crystallography; and solid-state superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetometry. These studies allow qualitative correlations to be made between the steric and electronic properties of the ligand substituents and the enthalpy and entropy changes associated with the spin equilibria.

Colloidal Nanocrystals of Lead-Free Double-Perovskite (Elpasolite) Semiconductors: Synthesis and Anion Exchange To Access New Materials

Concerns about the toxicity and instability of lead-halide perovskites have driven a recent surge in research toward alternative lead-free perovskite materials, including lead-free double perovskites with the elpasolite structure and visible bandgaps. Synthetic approaches to this class of materials remain limited, however, and no examples of heterometallic elpasolites as nanomaterials have been reported. Here, we report the synthesis and characterization of colloidal nanocrystals of Cs2AgBiX6 (X = Cl, Br) elpasolites using a hot-injection approach. We further show that postsynthetic modification through anion exchange and cation extraction can be used to convert these nanocrystals to new materials including Cs2AgBiI6, which was previously unknown experimentally. Nanocrystals of Cs2AgBiI6, synthesized via a novel anion-exchange protocol using trimethylsilyl iodide, have strong absorption throughout the visible region, confirming theoretical predictions that this material could be a promising photovoltaic absorber. The synthetic methodologies presented here are expected to be broadly generalizable. This work demonstrates that nanocrystal ion-exchange reactivity can be used to discover and develop new lead-free halide perovskite materials that may be difficult or impossible to access through direct synthesis.

A Selective Cation Exchange Strategy for the Synthesis of Colloidal Yb3+-Doped Chalcogenide Nanocrystals with Strong Broadband Visible Absorption and Long-Lived Near-Infrared Emission

Doping lanthanide ions into colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals is a promising strategy for combining their sharp and efficient 4f-4f emission with the strong broadband absorption and low-phonon-energy crystalline environment of semiconductors to make new solution-processable spectral-conversion nanophosphors, but synthesis of this class of materials has proven extraordinarily challenging because of fundamental chemical incompatibilities between lanthanides and most intermediate-gap semiconductors. Here, we present a new strategy for accessing lanthanide-doped visible-light-absorbing semiconductor nanocrystals by demonstrating selective cation exchange to convert precursor Yb3+-doped NaInS2 nanocrystals into Yb3+-doped PbIn2S4 nanocrystals. Excitation spectra and time-resolved photoluminescence measurements confirm that Yb3+ is both incorporated within the PbIn2S4 nanocrystals and sensitized by visible-light photoexcitation of these nanocrystals. This combination of strong broadband visible absorption, sharp near-infrared emission, and long (>400 μs) emission lifetimes in a colloidal nanocrystal system opens promising new opportunities for both fundamental-science and next-generation spectral-conversion applications such as luminescent solar concentrators.

A trigonal and hindered tertiary phosphine ligand rendered anionic by a niobate anchor: Formation of zwitterionic M(I) (M = Cu, Ag, Au, Rh) complexes

Treatment of terminal phosphide anion [PNb(N[Np]Ar)3]− ([Na(OEt2)]+ salt, Ar = 3,5-Me2C6H3) with two diphenylketene equivalents led to isolation of anion [P(C{CPh2}O)2Nb(N[Np]Ar)3]− in 78% yield as its [Na(THF)]+ salt. The latter reacts with diphenylketene (1 equiv) to provide the triple diphenylketene addition product [P(C{CPh2}O)3Nb(N[Np]Ar)3]− in 88% yield as its [Na(THF)]+ salt; the same material is obtained alternatively in 93% yield by reaction of diphenylketene (3 equiv) directly with niobium phosphide [Na(OEt2)][PNb(N[Np]Ar)3]. The anion [P(C{CPh2}O)3Nb(N[Np]Ar)3]− was also crystallized as its ion-separated [Na(THF)6]+ salt as illuminated by a single-crystal X-ray diffraction study, which also revealed the three-fold symmetric nature of the highly hindered tertiary phosphine comprising the anionic component. Coinage metal monocations of the new, anionic phosphine were prepared via salt elimination; structural studies on the zwitterionic complexes (py)M[P(C{CPh2}O)3Nb(N[Np]Ar)3] (M = Cu, Ag, and Au) showed them to be isostructural in the space groupP21/c while illustrating the ensconcement of a two-coordinate coinage metal in a deep binding pocket flanked by three phenyl residues. Rhodium(I) incorporation into the anions binding pocket illustrated versatility of the latter: in contrast to structural observations for the M(I) complexes (M = Cu, Ag, and Au), in the case of Rh[P(C{CPh2}O)3Nb(N[Np]Ar)3] an X-ray study reveals strong interactions (η6 and η2, respectively) with two of the three phenyl residues that are proximal to Rh(I) when connected to the phosphine lone pair of the anion.