The association and dissociation of ligands plays a vital role in determining the reactivity of organometallic catalysts. Computational studies with density functional theory often fail to reproduce experimental metal-ligand bond energies, but recently functionals which better capture dispersion effects have been developed. Here we explore their application and discuss future challenges for computational studies of organometallic catalysis.

The reaction of a mixture of the sodium salts of dihydrobis(4-ethyl-3-methyl-5-thioxo-1,2,4-triazolyl)borate, NaBt, and hydrotris(4-ethyl-3-methyl-5-thioxo-1,2,4-triazolyl)borate, NaTt, with [{Rh(cod)(mu-Cl)}2] gave [Rh(cod)Bt] and [Rh(cod)Tt], which separately react with CO gas to give the unstable dicarbonyl [Rh(CO)2Bt] and an equilibrium mixture of two isomers of [Rh(CO)2Tt] and [(RhTt)2(mu-CO)3], respectively. Tertiary phosphorus donor ligands react with the mixture of [Rh(CO)2Tt] and [(RhTt)2(mu-CO)3] to give [Rh(CO)(PR3)Tt] (R = Cy, NMe(2), Ph or OPh) and [Rh{P(OPh)3}2Tt] in which rhodium is bound to two sulfur atoms of the scorpionate ligand; the B-H bond is directed towards the metal to give an agostic-like B-H...Rh interaction. Dinuclear [(RhTt)2(mu-CO)3] has kappa3[S3]-bound Tt ligands with a rhodium-rhodium bond bridged by three carbonyls. In solution the mononuclear Tt complexes undergo rapid dynamic interchange of the three thioxotriazolyl rings, probably via kappa3[S3]-coordinated intermediates. The monocarbonyls [Rh(CO)(PR3)Tt] (R = Cy, NMe2 or Ph) react with two equivalents of [Fe(eta-C5H5)2][PF6] in the presence of triethylamine to give the monocationic rhodaboratranes [Rh(CO)(PR3){B(taz)3}]+, with boron NMR spectroscopy providing evidence for the boron-rhodium bond. In the solid state, rhodium is bound to the three sulfur atoms and the boron of the B(taz)3 fragment, forming a tricyclo[3.3.3.0] cage. The phosphine is trans to the Rh-B bond, the long Rh-P bond indicating a pronounced trans influence for the coordinated boron. The cation [Rh(CO)(PPh3){B(taz)3}]+ reacts with [NBu(n)(4)]I to give [Rh(PPh3)I{B(taz)3}], in which the halide is trans to the Rh-B bond, and a second species, possibly [Rh(CO)I{B(taz)3}]. The dirhodaboratrane [Rh2(PCy3){B(taz)3}2][PF6]2, a minor byproduct in the synthesis of [Rh(CO)(PCy3){B(taz)3}][PF6], has a distorted square pyramidal rhodium atom with a vacant site trans to the Rh-B bond. The second metal has four coordination sites filled by the sulfur and boron atoms of a second B(taz)3 unit, the remaining octahedral sites occupied by two of the sulfur atoms of the first B(taz)3 unit which therefore bridges the two rhodium atoms.

The heteroscorpionate ligands [HB(taz)(2)(pz(R))](-) (pz(R) = pz, pz(Me2), pz(Ph)) and [HB(taz)(pz)(2)](-), synthesised from the appropriate potassium hydrotris(pyrazolyl)borate salt and 4-ethyl-3-methyl-5-thioxo-1,2,4-triazole (Htaz), react with [{Rh(cod)(μ-Cl)}(2)] to give [Rh(cod)Tx] {Tx = HB(taz)(2)(pz), HB(taz)(2)(pz(Me2)), HB(taz)(2)(pz(Ph)), HB(taz)(pz)(2)}; the heteroscorpionate rhodaboratrane [Rh{B(taz)(2)(pz(Me2))}{HB(taz)(2)(pz(Me2))}] is the only isolable product from the reaction of [{Rh(nbd)(μ-Cl)}(2)] with K[HB(taz)(2)(pz(Me2))]. Carbonylation of the cod complexes gave a mixture of [Rh(CO)(2)Tx] and [(RhTx)(2)(μ-CO)(3)] which reacts with PR(3) to give [Rh(CO)(PR(3))Tx] (R = Cy, NMe(2), Ph, OPh). In the solid state the complexes are square planar with the particular structure dependent on the steric and/or electronic properties of the scorpionate and ancillary ligands. The complex [Rh(cod){HB(taz)(pz)(2)}] has the heteroscorpionate κ(2)[N(2)]-coordinated to rhodium with the B-H bond directed away from the rhodium square plane while [Rh(cod){HB(taz)(2)(pz(Me2))}] is κ(2)[SN]-coordinated, with the B-H bond directed towards the metal. The complexes [Rh(CO)(PPh(3)){HB(taz)(2)(pz)}] and [Rh(CO)(PPh(3)){HB(taz)(2)(pz(Me2))}] are also κ(2)[SN]-coordinated but with the pyrazolyl ring cis to PPh(3); in the former the B-H bond is directed towards rhodium while in the latter the ring is pseudo-parallel to the rhodium square plane, as also found for [Rh(CO)(2){HB(taz)(2)(pz(Me2))}]. The analogues [Rh(CO)(PR(3)){HB(taz)(2)(pz(Me2))}] (R = Cy, NMe(2)) have the phosphines trans to the pyrazolyl ring. Uniquely, [Rh(CO)(PPh(3)){HB(taz)(2)(pz(Ph))}] is κ(2)[S(2)]-coordinated. A qualitative mechanism is given for the rapid ring-exchange, and hence isomerisation, observed in solution.

Transition metal complexes containing dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) are important precursors in catalysis and metallodrugs. Understanding the solidstate supramolecular structure is crucial for predicting the properties and biological activity of the material. Several crystalline phases of DMSOcoordinated iridium anions with different cations, potassium (1a) and n-butylammonium (1b), were obtained and their structures determined by X-ray crystallography. Compound (1a) is present in two solvatomorphic forms: and ; the form contains disordered solvent water. In addition, the structures exhibit different rotamers of the trans-[IrCl 4 (DMSO) 2 ] À anion with the trans-DMSO ligands being oriented in anti and gauche conformations. In consideration of these various conformers, the effects of the crystallized solvent and intermolecular interactions on the conformational preferences of the anion are discussed. In addition, density functional theory calculations were used to investigate the energies of the anions in the different conformations. It was found that hydrogen bonds between water and the DMSO complex stabilize the gauche conformation which is the least stable form of the trans-DMSO complex. Consequently, by controlling the number of hydrogen-bond donors and acceptors and the amount of water, it may be possible to obtain different solvatomorphs of clinically significant metallodrugs. research papers Acta Cryst. (2017). B73, 1032-1042 Benjamin M. Ridgway et al. Iridium dimethyl sulfoxide complexes 1033 research papers 1040 Benjamin M. Ridgway et al. Iridium dimethyl sulfoxide complexes

Iron sulphur halide clusters [Fe4S4Br4]2‒ and [Fe4S4X2Y2]2‒ (X, Y = Cl, Br, I) were obtained in excellent yields (77 to 78%) and purity from [Fe(CO)5], elemental sulphur, I2 and benzyltrimethylammonium...