Wenjin Cao

La-Activated Bicyclo-oligomerization of Acetylene to Naphthalene

We report the first example of metal-mediated acetylene bicyclopentamerization to form naphthalene in the gas phase. The bicyclic aromatic compound was observed in a complex with La. The La(naphthalene) complex was formed by the reaction of laser-ablated La atoms with acetylene molecules in a molecular beam source and was characterized by mass-analyzed threshold ionization spectroscopy. The bicyclo-oligomerization reaction occurs through sequential acetylene additions coupled with dehydrogenation. Three intermediates in the reaction have been identified: lanthanacyclopropene [La(C2H2)], La(cyclobut-1-en-3-yne) [La(C4H2)], and La(benzyne) [(La(C6H4)]. The metal-ligand bonding in the three intermediates is considerably different from that in the La(naphthalene) complex, as suggested by accurately measured adiabatic ionization energies.

Spectroscopic Characterization of Lanthanum-Mediated Dehydrogenation and C-C Bond Coupling of Ethylene.

La(C2H2) and La(C4H6) are observed from the reaction of laser-vaporized La atoms with ethylene molecules by photoionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry and characterized by mass-analyzed threshold ionization spectroscopy. La(C2H2) is identified as a metallacyclopropene and La(C4H6) as a metallacyclopentene. The three-membered ring is formed by concerted H2 elimination and the five-membered cycle by dehydrogenation and C-C bond coupling. Both metallacycles prefer a doublet ground state with a La 6s-based unpaired electron. Ionization of the neutral doublet state of either complex produces a singlet ion state by removing the La-based electron. The ionization allows accurate measurements of the adiabatic ionization energy of the neutral doublet state and metal-ligand and ligand-based vibrational frequencies of the neutral and ionic states. Although the La atom is in a formal oxidation state of +2, the ionization energies of these metal-hydrocarbon cycles are lower than that of the neutral La atom. Deuteration has a small effect on the ionization energies of the two cyclic radicals but distinctive effects on their vibrational frequencies.

Spectroscopic Characterization of Nonconcerted [4 + 2] Cycloaddition of 1,3-Butadiene with Lanthanacyclopropene To Form Lanthanum–Benzene in the Gas Phase

The reaction between La atoms and 1,3-butadiene is carried out in a laser-vaporization molecular beam source. Metal-hydrocarbon species with formulas La(CnHn) (n = 2, 4, and 6) and La(CmHm+2) (m = 4 and 6) are observed with time-of-flight mass spectrometry and characterized with mass-analyzed threshold ionization spectroscopy. A lanthanum-benzene complex [La(C6H6)] is formed by 1,3-butadiene addition to lanthanacyclopropene [La(C2H2)] followed by molecular hydrogen elimination. Lanthanacyclopropene is an intermediate generated by the primary reaction between La and 1,3-butadiene. Two other intermediates produced by the La + 1,3-butadiene reaction are La[η4-(1-buten-3-yne)] [La(C4H4)] and 1-lanthanacyclopent-3-ene [La(C4H6)]. The La(benzene) complex exhibits distinctive metal-ligand bonding from that of the three intermediates as shown by the adiabatic ionization energies and ground electron configurations.

Mass-analyzed threshold ionization spectroscopy of lanthanum-hydrocarbon radicals formed by C—H bond activation of propene

La(C3H4) and La(C3H6) are observed from the reaction of laser-vaporized La atoms with propene by photoionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry and characterized by mass-analyzed threshold ionization spectroscopy. Two isomers of La(C3H4) are identified as methyl-lanthanacyclopropene [La(CHCCH3)] (Cs) and lanthanacyclobutene [La(CHCHCH2)] (C1); La(C3H6) is determined to be H-La(η3-allyl) (Cs), a C-H bond inserted species. All three metal-hydrocarbon radicals prefer a doublet ground state with a La 6s-based electron configuration. Ionization of the neutral doublet state of each of these radicals produces a singlet ion state by removing the La-based 6s electron. The threshold ionization allows accurate measurements of the adiabatic ionization energy of the neutral doublet state and metal-ligand and ligand-based vibrational frequencies of the neutral and ionic states. The formation of the three radicals is investigated by density functional theory computations. The inserted species is formed by La inserting into an allylic C-H bond and lanthanacyclopropene by concerted vinylic H2 elimination, whereas lanthanacyclobutene involves both allylic and vinylic dehydrogenations. The inserted species is identified as an intermediate for the formation of lanthanacyclobutene.

Spectroscopy and formation of lanthanum-hydrocarbon radicals formed by C—C bond cleavage and coupling of propene

La reaction with propene is carried out in a laser-vaporization molecular beam source. Three La-hydrocarbon radicals are characterized by mass-analyzed threshold ionization (MATI) spectroscopy. One of these radicals is methylenelanthanum [La(CH2)] (Cs), a Schrock-type metal carbene. The other two are a five-membered 1-lanthanacyclopent-3-en [La(CH2CHCHCH2)] (Cs) and a tetrahedron-like trimethylenemethanelanthanum [La(C(CH2)3)] (C3v). Adiabatic ionization energies and metal-ligand stretching and hydrocarbon-based bending frequencies of these species are measured from the MATI spectra, preferred structures and electronic states are identified by comparing the experimental measurements and spectral simulations, and reaction pathways for the formation of the metal-hydrocarbon radicals are investigated with density functional theory calculations. All three radicals prefer doublet ground electronic states with La 6s1-based valence electron configurations, and singly charged cations favor singlet states generate...

Lanthanum-mediated dehydrogenation of 1- and 2-butynes: Spectroscopy and formation of La(C4H4) isomers

La atom reactions with 1-butyne and 2-butyne are carried out in a laser-vaporization molecular beam source. Both reactions yield the same La-hydrocarbon products from the dehydrogenation and carbon-carbon bond cleavage and coupling of the butynes. The dehydrogenated species La(C4H4) is characterized with mass-analyzed threshold ionization (MATI) spectroscopy and quantum chemical computations. The MATI spectra of La(C4H4) produced from the two reactions exhibit two identical transitions, each consisting of a strong origin band and several vibrational intervals. The two transitions are assigned to the ionization of two isomers: La(η4-CH2CCCH2) (Iso A) and La(η4-CH2CHCCH) (Iso B). The ground electronic states are 2A1 (C2v) for Iso A and 2A (C1) for Iso B. The ionization of the doublet state of each isomer removes a La 6s-based electron and results in a 1A1 ion of Iso A and a 1A ion of Iso B. The formation of Iso A from 2-butyne and Iso B from 1-butyne involves the addition of La to the C≡C triple bond, the activation of two C(sp3)-H bonds, and concerted elimination of a H2 molecule. The formation of Iso A from 1-butyne and Iso B from 2-butyne involves the isomerization of the two butynes to 1,2-butadiene in addition to the concerted H2 elimination.

Spectroscopy and formation of lanthanum-hydrocarbon radicals formed by C—H and C—C bond activation of 1-pentene and 2-pentene

La atom reactions with 1-pentene and 2-pentene are carried out in a laser-vaporization molecular beam source. The two reactions yield the same metal-hydrocarbon products from the dehydrogenation and carbon-carbon bond cleavage of the pentene molecules. The dehydrogenated species La(C5H8) is the major product, whereas the carbon-carbon bond cleaved species La(C2H2) and La(C3H4) are the minor ones. La(C10H18) is also observed and is presumably formed by La(C5H8) addition to a second pentene molecule. La(C5H8) and La(C2H2) are characterized with mass-analyzed threshold ionization (MATI) spectroscopy and quantum chemical computations. The MATI spectra of each species from the two reactions exhibit the same transitions. Adiabatic ionization energies and metal-ligand stretching frequencies are determined for the two species, and additional methyl bending and torsional frequencies are measured for the larger one. Five possible isomers are considered for La(C5H8), and a C1 metallacyclopentene (Iso A) is identified as the most possible isomer. La(C2H2) is confirmed to be a C2v metallacyclopropene. The ground electronic state of each species is a doublet with a La 6s1-based electron configuration, and ionization yields a singlet state. The formation of the lanthanacyclopentene includes La addition to the C=C double bond, La insertion into two C(sp3)-H bonds, and concerted dehydrogenation. For the 2-pentene reaction, the formation of the five-membered ring may also involve 2-pentene to 1-pentene isomerization. In addition to the metal addition and insertion, the formation of the three-membered metallacycle from 1-pentene includes C(sp3)-C(sp3) bond breakage and hydrogen migration from La to C(sp3), whereas its formation from 2-pentene may involve the ligand isomerization.

Spectroscopy and formation of lanthanum-hydrocarbon radicals formed by association and carbon-carbon bond cleavage of isoprene

La atom reaction with isoprene is carried out in a laser-vaporization molecular beam source. The reaction yields an adduct as the major product and C-C cleaved and dehydrogenated species as the minor ones. La(C5H8), La(C2H2), and La(C3H4) are characterized with mass-analyzed threshold ionization (MATI) spectroscopy and quantum chemical computations. The MATI spectra of all three species exhibit a strong origin band and several weak vibronic bands corresponding to La-ligand stretch and ligand-based bend excitations. La(C5H8) is a five-membered metallacycle, whereas La(C2H2) and La(C3H4) are three-membered rings. All three metallacycles prefer a doublet ground state with a La 6s1-based valence electron configuration and a singlet ion. The five-membered metallacycle is formed through La addition and isoprene isomerization, whereas the two three-membered rings are produced by La addition and insertion, hydrogen migration, and carbon-carbon bond cleavage.

Low-Energy Photoelectron Imaging Spectroscopy of Lan(benzene) (n = 1 and 2)

Lan(benzene) (n = 1 and 2) are formed in a pulsed laser-ablation molecular beam source and characterized by low-energy photoelectron imaging spectroscopy. The photoelectron spectrum of La2(benzene) displays a strong origin band, a short metal-ligand stretching progression, and a weak ring deformation band. Four isomers are considered for La2(benzene), and the preferred structure is an inverse sandwich with two La atoms residing on the opposite sides of the benzene ring. The ground electronic state of the inverse sandwich is 1A1g (D3d) with (5dxy,x2-y2 + π*)46s2 electron configuration. Ionization removes a La-based 6s electron and yields a 2A1g ion. The spectrum of La(benzene) is similar to the zero-electron kinetic energy spectrum reported previously by our group, although the spectral line width is somewhat broader. The measurement of the photoelectron angular distribution of La(benzene) confirms that the ejected electron has largely a p wave character. The metal-ligand bonding of La2(benzene) is considerably stronger than that of La(benzene) due to the threefold binding of each La atom in the dilanthanum species and the twofold binding in the monolanthanum complex.