Tsukasa Matsuo

A New Binding Motif of Sterically Demanding Thiolates on a Gold Cluster

A gold cluster, Au(41)(S-Eind)(12), was synthesized by ligating the bulky arenethiol 1,1,3,3,5,5,7,7-octaethyl-s-hydrindacene-4-thiol (Eind-SH) to preformed Au clusters. Extended X-ray absorption fine structure, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and the fragmentation pattern in the mass spectrometry analysis indicated that formation of gold-thiolate oligomers at the interface was suppressed, in sharp contrast to conventional thiolate-protected Au clusters.

A Planar Rhombic Charge-Separated Tetrasilacyclobutadiene

A stable silicon analog of a reactive, antiaromatic hydrocarbon has been synthesized and characterized. The cyclobutadiene (CBD) molecule C4H4 deviates from a high-symmetry square geometry to compensate for its antiaromatic electronic structure. Here, we report a CBD silicon analog, Si4(EMind)4 (1), stabilized by the bulky 1,1,7,7-tetraethyl-3,3,5,5-tetramethyl-s-hydrindacen-4-yl (EMind) groups, obtained as air- and moisture-sensitive orange crystals by the reduction of (EMind)SiBr3 with three equivalents of lithium naphthalenide. X-ray crystallography reveals a planar and rhombic structure of the Si4 four-membered ring, with alternating pyramidal and planar configurations at the silicon atoms. The large 29Si chemical shift differences (Δδ > 350 parts per million) in the solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance spectra suggest a contribution of an alternately charge-separated structure. The rhombic-shaped charge-separated singlet state of compound 1 thus stabilizes its cyclic 4π-electron antiaromaticity in a manner that contrasts sharply with the bond-length alternation, characterizing the rectangular distortion of carbon-based CBD.

π-Conjugated Phosphasilenes Stabilized by Fused-Ring Bulky Groups

Pi-conjugated phosphasilenes with a variety of aryl substituents on the silicon atom have been synthesized by the use of a 1,1,3,3,5,5,7,7-octaethyl-s-hydrindacen-4-yl (Eind) group. X-ray structural analysis shows the highly coplanar pi-framework stabilized by the perpendicularly fixed Eind groups. The strong pi-pi* absorptions have been observed, demonstrating the extension of pi-conjugation over the skeleton. The DFT calculations indicate that the LUMO involves the substantial contribution of the 3p(pi)*(Si-P)-2p(pi)*(carbon pi-electron system) conjugation. The electrochemical properties of the phosphasilens are also presented.

Zirconium Complex of an [OSSO]-Type Diphenolate Ligand Bearing trans-1,2-Cyclooctanediylbis(thio) Core: Synthesis, Structure, and Isospecific 1-Hexene Polymerization

Six-coordinated dibenzyl Zr complex bearing an [OSSO]-type tetradentate ligand was synthesized, and the structure was fully characterized by NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography. The zirconium complex has C(2) symmetry in solution. Owing to an effect of the cyclooctane ring structure, the combination of the zirconium complex and B(C(6)F(5))(3) or (Ph(3)C)[B(C(6)F(5))(4)] as the activator exhibited high activity toward polymerization of 1-hexene to yield highly isotactic poly(1-hexene).

Room-Temperature Dissociation of 1,2-Dibromodisilenes to Bromosilylenes

A room-temperature dynamic equilibrium between dibromodisilenes and bromosilylenes has been demonstrated by taking advantage of the steric protection using the fused-ring bulky 1,1,3,3,5,5,7,7-octa-R-s-hydrindacen-4-yl (Rind) groups. Although the bromosilylenes cannot be directly observed by spectroscopic methods, the thermal homolytic cleavage of the Si═Si double bond has been confirmed by a pseudo-first-order kinetics for the trapping with bis(trimethylsilyl)acetylene and a crossover reaction using two kinds of Rind-substituted dibromodisilenes. The addition of 4-pyrrolidinopyridine (PPy) to the dibromodisilene leads to an equilibrium mixture between the dibromodisilene and a PPy adduct of bromosilylene, the latter being isolated and characterized. The substitution of the bromine atom in the dibromodisilene by the Grignard reagent is significantly accelerated by the addition of PPy.

A Stable Doubly Hydrogen-Bridged Butterfly-Shaped Diborane(4) Compound

In contrast to the common multiple bonding between carbon atoms, multiply bonded boron compounds have still been a synthetic challenge due to the electron deficiency of boron. We now report that a stable doubly hydrogen-bridged diborane(4), EindB(mu-H)(2)BEind, is produced by the two-electron oxidation of a hydrogen-substituted diborane(4) dianion [Li(+)(thf)](2)[Eind(H)BB(H)Eind](2-), where Eind denotes the 1,1,3,3,5,5,7,7-octaethyl-s-hydrindacen-4-yl. The X-ray crystallography reveals a short B-B distance of 1.4879(7) A in comparison with the normal B-B single bond length (1.72 A), the presence of two hydrogen atoms bridged perpendicular to the B-B bond with a butterfly shape having a dihedral angle of the two BHB triangles of 113(1) degrees, and a linear geometry around the B-B bond with a C-B-B bond angle of 178.92(4) degrees. These structural data, experimental electron density analysis, and computational studies confirm the 3-fold bonding (a sigma and two pi-like bonds) between the two boron atoms incorporating the two bridging hydrogen atoms.

Air-Stable, Room-Temperature Emissive Disilenes with π-Extended Aromatic Groups

π-Conjugated disilenes with 2-naphthyl or 2-fluorenyl groups on the silicon atoms have been synthesized as air-stable emissive red solids using the bulky 1,1,3,3,5,5,7,7-octaethyl-s-hydrindacen-4-yl (Eind) groups. The strong π-π* absorptions and distinct emission at room temperature, both in solution and in the solid state, have been observed due to the substantial contribution of the 3p(π)*(Si-Si)-2p(π)*(carbon π-electron system) conjugation.

Boron–Boron σ-Bond Formation by Two-Electron Reduction of a H-Bridged Dimer of Monoborane

Diborane(6) as a H-bridged dimer of monoborane can be converted cleanly by two-electron reduction into diborane(6) dianion, which is isoelectronic with ethane, through B-B σ-bond formation when each boron atom has a bulky ligand on it. The existence of the B-B σ bond is supported by the X-ray molecular structure [B-B bond length of 1.924(3) Å], NMR studies, magnetic susceptibility measurements, and DFT calculations. Stepwise hydride abstraction reactions of the diborane(6) dianion produce the corresponding H-bridged diborane(5) anion and doubly H-bridged diborane(4) without B-B bond scission.

Reactions of Diaryldibromodisilenes with N-Heterocyclic Carbenes: Formation of Formal Bis-NHC Adducts of Silyliumylidene Cations

Reactions of stable 1,2-dibromodisilenes ((E)-Ar(Br)Si=Si(Br)Ar) with N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHC) afforded NHC-arylbromosilylene adducts or bromide salts of the corresponding bis-NHC adducts of the formal arylsilyliumylidene cations ([ArSi:](+)). In some cases, an NHC was able to replace a bromide anion in the coordination sphere of the arylbromosilylene-NHC adduct.

Reductive Coupling of Six Carbon Monoxides by a Ditantalum Hydride Complex

A ditantalum hydride complex undergoes head-to-head C-C coupling of six CO molecules under mild conditions to produce an octaanionic C(6)O(6) unit. During the reaction, eight-electron reduction of six CO molecules takes place. In the product, the C(6)O(6) unit is coordinated to four tantalum metals through six oxygen and two carbon atoms. The geometrical parameters within the Ta(4)C(6)O(6) core indicate significant contribution from a hexatriene-hexaolate form.