Udo Radius

C−F Activation of Fluorinated Arenes using NHC-Stabilized Nickel(0) Complexes: Selectivity and Mechanistic Investigations

The reaction of [Ni2((i)Pr2Im)4(COD)] 1a or [Ni((i)Pr2Im)2(eta(2)-C2H4)] 1b with different fluorinated arenes is reported. These reactions occur with a high chemo- and regioselectivity. In the case of polyfluorinated aromatics of the type C6F5X such as hexafluorobenzene (X = F) octafluorotoluene (X = CF3), trimethyl(pentafluorophenyl)silane (X = SiMe3), or decafluorobiphenyl (X = C6F5) the C-F activation regioselectively takes place at the C-F bond in the para position to the X group to afford the complexes trans-[Ni((i)Pr2Im)2(F)(C6F5)]2, trans-[Ni((i)Pr2Im)2(F)(4-(CF3)C6F4)] 3, trans-[Ni((i)Pr2Im)2(F)(4-(C6F5)C6F4)] 4, and trans-[Ni((i)Pr2Im)2(F)(4-(SiMe3)C6F4)] 5. Complex 5 was structurally characterized by X-ray diffraction. The reaction of 1a with partially fluorinated aromatic substrates C6H(x)F(y) leads to the products of a C-F activation trans-[Ni((i)Pr2Im)2(F)(2-C6FH4)] 7, trans-[Ni((i)Pr2Im)2(F)(3,5-C6F2H3)] 8, trans-[Ni((i)Pr2Im)2(F)(2,3-C6F2H3)] 9a and trans-[Ni((i)Pr2Im)2(F)(2,6-C6F2H3)] 9b, trans-[Ni((i)Pr2Im)2(F)(2,5-C6F2H3)] 10, and trans-[Ni((i)Pr2Im)2(F)(2,3,5,6-C6F4H)] 11. The reaction of 1a with octafluoronaphthalene yields exclusively trans-[Ni((i)Pr2Im)2(F)(1,3,4,5,6,7,8-C10F7)] 6a, the product of an insertion into the C-F bond in the 2-position, whereas for the reaction of 1b with octafluoronaphthalene the two isomers trans-[Ni((i)Pr2Im)2(F)(1,3,4,5,6,7,8-C10F7)] 6a and trans-[Ni((i)Pr2Im)2(F)(2,3,4,5,6,7,8-C10F7)] 6b are formed in a ratio of 11:1. The reaction of 1a or of 1b with pentafluoropyridine at low temperatures affords trans-[Ni((i)Pr2Im)2(F)(4-C5NF4)] 12a as the sole product, whereas the reaction of 1b performed at room temperature leads to the generation of trans-[Ni((i)Pr2Im)2(F)(4-C5NF4)] 12a and trans-[Ni((i)Pr2Im)2(F)(2-C5NF4)] 12b in a ratio of approximately 1:2. The detection of intermediates as well as kinetic studies gives some insight into the mechanistic details for the activation of an aromatic carbon-fluorine bond at the {Ni((i)Pr2Im)2} complex fragment. The intermediates of the reaction of 1b with hexafluorobenzene and octafluoronaphthalene, [Ni((i)Pr2Im)2(eta(2)-C6F6)] 13 and [Ni((i)Pr2Im)2(eta(2)-C10F8)] 14, have been detected in solution. They convert into the C-F activation products. Complex 14 was structurally characterized by X-ray diffraction. The rates for the loss of 14 at different temperatures for the C-F activation of the coordinated naphthalene are first order and the estimated activation enthalpy Delta H(double dagger) for this process was determined to be Delta H(double dagger) = 116 +/- 8 kJ mol(-1) (Delta S(double dagger) = 37 +/- 25 J K(-1) mol(-1)). Furthermore, density functional theory calculations on the reaction of 1a with hexafluorobenzene, octafluoronaphthalene, octafluorotoluene, 1,2,4-trifluorobenzene, and 1,2,3-trifluorobenzene are presented.

Synthesis, Structure, and Reactivity of Anionic sp(2) -sp(3) Diboron Compounds: Readily Accessible Boryl Nucleophiles.

Lewis base adducts of tetra-alkoxy diboron compounds, in particular bis(pinacolato)diboron (B2 pin2 ), have been proposed as the active source of nucleophilic boryl species in metal-free borylation reactions. We report the isolation and detailed structural characterization (by solid-state and solution NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography) of a series of anionic adducts of B2 pin2 with hard Lewis bases, such as alkoxides and fluoride. The study was extended to alternative Lewis bases, such as acetate, and other diboron reagents. The B(sp(2) )-B(sp(3) ) adducts exhibit two distinct boron environments in the solid-state and solution NMR spectra, except for [(4-tBuC6 H4 O)B2 pin2 ](-) , which shows rapid site exchange in solution. DFT calculations were performed to analyze the stability of the adducts with respect to dissociation. Stoichiometric reaction of the isolated adducts with two representative series of organic electrophiles-namely, aryl halides and diazonium salts-demonstrate the relative reactivities of the anionic diboron compounds as nucleophilic boryl anion sources.

Efficient nickel mediated carbon–carbon bond cleavage of organonitriles

The reactions of the nickel complex [Ni(2)(iPr(2)Im)4(COD)] 1 with organonitriles smoothly and irreversibly proceed via intermediates with eta(2)-coordinated organonitrile ligands such as [Ni(iPr(2)Im)2(eta(2)-(CN)-PhCN)] 2 and [Ni(iPr(2)Im)2(eta(2)-(CN)-pTolCN)] 4 to yield aryl cyanide complexes of the type trans-[Ni(iPr(2)Im)2(CN)(Ar)] (Ar = Ph 3, pTol 5, 4-CF(3)C(6)H(4) 6, 2,4-(OMe)2C(6)H(3) 7, 2-C(4)H(3)O 8, 2-C(5)H(4)N 9). The compounds 3, 7, 9 and have been structurally characterized. For the conversion of 2 to 3 a free activation enthalpy DeltaG++(328 K) of 103.47 +/- 0.79 kJ mol(-1) was calculated from time dependent NMR spectroscopy. The analogous reaction of arylnitriles with electron releasing substituents or heteroaromatic organonitriles is significantly faster compared to the reaction with benzonitrile or toluonitrile. The reactions of 1 with acetonitrile or trimethylsilyl cyanide afforded [Ni(iPr(2)Im)2(CN)(Me)] 10 and structurally characterized [Ni(iPr(2)Im)2(CN)(SiMe(3))] 11. The usage of an organonitrile with a longer alkyl chain, adiponitrile, yielded [Ni(iPr(2)Im)2(eta(2)-(CN)-NCC(4)H(8)CN)] 12 as well as the C-CN activation product [Ni(iPr(2)Im)2(CN)(C(4)H(8)CN)]13 in thermal and photochemical reactions, although this pathway seems to be significantly interfered with by decomposition pathways under the formation of the dicyanide complex [Ni(iPr(2)Im)(2)(CN)(2)] 14.

Preparing (Multi)Fluoroarenes as Building Blocks for Synthesis: Nickel-Catalyzed Borylation of Polyfluoroarenes via C–F Bond Cleavage

The [Ni(IMes)2]-catalyzed transformation of fluoroarenes into arylboronic acid pinacol esters via C-F bond activation and transmetalation with bis(pinacolato)diboron (B2pin2) is reported. Various partially fluorinated arenes with different degrees of fluorination were converted into their corresponding boronate esters.

Unusual nickel-mediated C–S cleavage of alkyl and aryl sulfoxides

The first examples of transition metal mediated C-S cleavage of sulfoxides containing sp2- and sp3-hybridized carbon bonds attached to the sulfur atom and the first example of a structurally characterized complex featuring an oxygen-bound sulfinyl ligand are presented.

Room Temperature Ring Expansion of N‐Heterocyclic Carbenes and BB Bond Cleavage of Diboron(4) Compounds

We report the isolation and detailed structural characterization, by solid-state and solution NMR spectroscopy, of the neutral mono- and bis-NHC adducts of bis(catecholato)diboron (B2 cat2 ). The bis-NHC adduct undergoes thermally induced rearrangement, forming a six-membered -B-C=N-C=C-N-heterocyclic ring via C-N bond cleavage and ring expansion of the NHC, whereas the mono-NHC adduct is stable. Bis(neopentylglycolato)diboron (B2 neop2 ) is much more reactive than B2 cat2 giving a ring expanded product at room temperature, demonstrating that ring expansion of NHCs can be a very facile process with significant implications for their use in catalysis.

Syntheses and Molecular Structures of New Calix[4]arene Molybdenum and Tungsten Complexes

An unusual disproportionation reaction of the molybdenum(IV) and tungsten(IV) chlorides [MCl4L2] (M=Mo, L=Et2S, Et2O; M=W; L=Et2S) in the presence of p-tBu-calix[4]arene (Cax(OH)4) and triethylamine leads to d0 complexes [(CaxO4){CaxO2(OH)2}M] (1) and d3 compounds (HNEt3)2[(CaxO4)2M2] (2). Complexes 1 a (M=Mo), 1 b (M=W), and the HCl adduct of 2 a (M=Mo) have been structurally characterized. Compound 1 a represents one of the few examples of a well-characterized molybdenum(VI) hexa-alkoxide complex of the type [Mo(OR)6]. Isolation and structural characterization of the side product [(CaxO4W){κ2(O)-κ1(O)-CaxO3(OH)}(CaxO4WCl)] (3) suggests the intermediacy of chloro-containing calix[4]arene complexes in these reaction mixtures. The reaction of 1 a with HCl provides [CaxO4MoCl2] (4 a), the first well-defined example of a mixed molybdenum(VI) alkoxide halide compound of the general formula [MoClx(OR)6−x].

Unimolecular Reaction Mechanism of an Imidazolin‐2‐ylidene: An iPEPICO Study on the Complex Dissociation of an Arduengo‐Type Carbene

The photoionization and dissociative photoionization of Im(iPr)2, 1,3-diisopropylimidazolin-2-ylidene, was investigated by imaging photoelectron photoion coincidence (iPEPICO) with vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) synchrotron radiation. A lone-pair electron of the carbene carbon atom is removed upon ionization and the molecular geometry changes significantly. Only 0.5 eV above the adiabatic ionization energy, IEad =7.52±0.1 eV, the carbene cation fragments, yielding propene or a methyl radical in parallel dissociation reactions with appearance energies of 8.22 and 8.17 eV, respectively. Both reaction channels appear at almost the same photon energy, suggesting a shared transition state. This is confirmed by calculations, which reveal the rate-determining step as hydrogen-atom migration from the isopropyl group to the carbene carbon center forming a resonance-stabilized imidazolium ion. Above 10.5 eV, analogous sequential dissociation channels open up. The first propene-loss fragment ion dissociates further and another methyl or propene is abstracted. Again, a resonance-stabilized imidazolium ion acts as intermediate. The aromaticity of the system is enhanced even in vertical ionization. Indeed, the coincidence technique confirms that a real imidazolium ion is produced by hydrogen transfer over a small barrier. The simple analysis of the breakdown diagram yields all the clues to disentangle the complex dissociative photoionization mechanism of this intermediate-sized molecule. Photoelectron photoion coincidence is a promising tool to unveil the fragmentation mechanism of larger molecules in mass spectrometry.

Ligand versus Complex: C−F and C−H Bond Activation of Polyfluoroaromatics at a Cyclic (Alkyl)(Amino)Carbene

C-F and C-H bond activation reactions of polyfluoroaromatics at the cyclic (alkyl)(amino)carbene (cAAC) cAACmethyl (1) are reported. Studies on the C-F bond activation using the cAAC-stabilized nickel(0) complex [Ni(cAACmethyl )2 ] (2) have shown that 2 does not react with fluorinated arenes. However, these investigations led to the observation of C-F bond cleavage of perfluorinated arenes by the carbene ligand cAACmethyl (1) itself. The reaction of 1 with C6 F6 , C6 F5 -C6 F5 , C6 F5 -CF3 , and C5 F5 N afforded the insertion products of cAAC into one of the C-F bonds of the substrate, that is, the C-F bond activation products (cAACmethyl )F(Arf ) (Arf =C6 F5 4 a, C6 F4 -C6 F5 4 b, C6 F4 -CF3 4 c, C5 F4 N 4 d). These products decompose readily upon heating to 80 °C within a few hours in solution with formation of ionic iminium salts [(cAACmethyl )(Arf )][X] 6 a-d or neutral alkenyl perfluoroaryl imine compounds 7 a-d. The compounds (cAACmethyl )F(Arf ) 4 a-d readily transfer fluoride, which has been exemplified by the fluoride transfer of all compounds using BF3 etherate as fluoride acceptor. Fluoride transfer has also been achieved starting from (cAACmethyl )F(C6 F4 -CF3 ) (4 c) or (cAACmethyl )F(C5 F4 N) (4 d) to other selected substrates such as trimethylchlorosilane, benzoyl chloride and tosyl chloride. Instead of C-F bond activation, insertion of the cAAC into the C-H bond was observed if 1 was treated with the partially fluorinated arenes C6 F5 H, 1,2,4,5-C6 F4 H2 , 1,3,5-C6 F3 H3 , and 1,3-C6 F2 H4 . The compounds (cAACmethyl )H(Arf ) (Arf =C6 F5 12 e, 2,3,5,6-C6 F4 H 12 f, 2,4,6-C6 F3 H2 12 g and 2,6-C6 F2 H3 12 h) have been isolated in good yields and have been characterized including X-ray analysis. Fluorobenzene C6 FH5 (pKa ≈37), the least C-H acidic fluoroarene used in this study, does not react. In order to investigate the scope and limitations of this type of cAAC C-H bond activation reaction, cAACmethyl (1) was treated with several other reagents of different C-H acidity such as imidazolium salts, imidazoles, esters, and trimethylphosphine. These investigations led to the isolation and characterization of the compounds [(cAACmethyl )H(R2 ImMe2 )]X (13 a,b), (cAACmethyl )H(ImR2 ) (14 a-c), (cAACmethyl )H(CH(COOCH3 )2 ) (15 b) and (cAACmethyl )H(CH2 -PMe2 ) (16). Deprotonation of [(cAACmethyl )H(Me2 ImMe2 )][BF4 ] (13 a) at the cAAC carbon atom using KHMDS as a base led to isolation and structural characterization of the cAACmethyl -NHC heterodimer (17).

Intramolecular CN Bond Activation and Ring-Expansion Reactions of N-Heterocyclic Carbenes

Intramolecular ring-expansion reactions (RER) of the N-heterocyclic carbene 1,3-dimethylimidazolin-2-ylidene were observed upon vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) photoexcitation. Similarly to RERs reported in the solvent phase, for the reaction of NHCs with main-group-element hydrides, hydrogen transfer to the NHC carbon atom is the crucial initial step. In an ionization-mediated protonation, 1,3-dimethylimidazolin-2-ylidene forms an imidazolium ion, which is the rate-limiting step on the pathway to two six-membered ring products, namely, methylpyrimidinium and -pyrazinium ions. To unravel the reaction path, we have used imaging photoelectron photoion coincidence spectroscopy with VUV synchrotron radiation, as well as high-level composite method calculations. Similarities and differences between the mechanism in the gas phase and in the condensed phase are discussed.