A series of density functional theory (DFT) calculations on the full [Mo(HIPT)N3N] catalyst are performed to obtain an energy profile of the Schrock cycle. This is a continuation of our earlier investigation of this cycle in which the bulky hexaisopropyterphenyl (HIPT) substituents of the ligand were replaced by hydrogen atoms (Angew. Chem., Int. Ed. 2005, 44, 5639). In an effort to provide a treatment that is as converged as possible from a quantum-chemical point of view, the present study now fully takes the HIPT moieties into account. Moreover, structures and energies are calculated with a near-saturated basis set, leading to models with 280 atoms and 4850 basis functions. Solvent and scalar relativistic effects have been treated using the conductor-like screening model and zeroth-order regular approximation, respectively. Free reaction enthalpies are evaluated using the PBE and B3LYP functionals. A comparison to the available experimental data reveals much better agreement with the experiment than preceding DFT treatments of the Schrock cycle. In particular, free reaction enthalpies of reduction steps and NH3/N2 exchange are now excellently reproduced.

No abstract

Molybdenum dinitrogen complexes are presented which are supported by novel hybrid tripod ligands of the type Me-C(CH2PPh2)2(CH2P(i)Pr2) (trpd-1) and H-C(CH2PPh2)(CH2P(i)Pr2)2 (trpd-2) having mixed dialkylphosphine/diarylphosphine donor groups. Reaction of the ligand trpd-1 with [MoI3(thf)3] followed by sodium amalgam reduction in the presence of the dppm gives the dinitrogen complex [Mo(N2)(trpd-1)(dmpm)] where trpd-1 is coordinated in a κ(3) fashion. The complex exhibits a moderate activation of N2 which enables its protonation under retention of the pentaphosphine ligation. Replacement of dmpm by the sterically more demanding coligand dppm is found to hamper coordination of N2 and leads to [Mo(trpd-1)(dppm)], the first structurally characterized five-coordinate Mo(0) complex with a phosphine-only ligand sphere. Employing the ligand trpd-2 along with the diphosphines dmpm and dppm in an analogous synthetic route results in a mixture of the bis(dinitrogen) complexes trans-[Mo(N2)2(κ(2)-trpd-2)(diphosphine)] and trans-[Mo(N2)2(iso-κ(2)-trpd-2)(diphosphine)] where the tripod ligand trpd-2 coordinates with two phosphine arms and one phosphine group (PPh2 or P(i)Pr2, respectively) is free. Similar results are obtained with the pure alkyl- and arylphosphine tripod ligands H-C(CH2P(i)Pr2)3 (trpd-3) and H-C(CH2PPh2)3 (tdppmm), leading to trans-[Mo(N2)2(κ(2)-trpd-3)(diphos)] and trans-[Mo(N2)2(κ(2)-tdppmm)(dmpm)], respectively. The electronic and steric reasons for the experimental findings are considered, and the implications of the results for the area of synthetic nitrogen fixation with molybdenum phosphine systems are discussed.

A new synthetic pathway to Chatt-type Mo(0) and W(0) bis(dinitrogen) complexes with the ligand prP(4) is presented (prP(4) is a linear tetraphos ligand with two ethylene bridges and a central propylene bridge). The synthesis starts from MoCl(5) and WCl(6), respectively, employing Mg as reductant. Whereas the electrochemical reduction of the oxido-iodido-molybdenum(IV) complex [Mo(O)I(meso-prP(4)](+) (1) only gave trans-[Mo(N(2))(2)(meso-prP(4))] (2a; Römer et al., Eur. J. Inorg. Chem.2008, 3258), the direct synthesis under normal conditions affords both trans and cis complexes 2a and 2b. The reaction products are characterised by vibrational and NMR spectroscopy. Moreover, a single-crystal X-ray structure determination of cis-α-[Mo(N(2))(2)(rac-prP(4))] (2b) is performed. In contrast to the trans bis(dinitrogen)molybdenum(0) complex 2a supported by the meso prP(4) ligand the corresponding cis-complex is exclusively coordinated by the rac isomer of prP(4). The reactivity of 2 with acids is investigated as well, leading to the NNH(2) complex [MoF(NNH(2))(meso-prP(4))]BF(4) (15). Analogous results are obtained with the tungsten complexes.

By employing a series of mixed bi‐ and tridentate N‐heterocyclic carbene (NHC)/phosphane ligands, the new molybdenum(0) carbonyl complexes [Mo(CO)4(CP)] [1, CP = 3‐(2‐diphenylphosphanylethyl)‐1‐ethylimidazol‐2‐ylidene], fac‐[Mo(CO)3(PCP)] [2, PCP = 1,3‐bis(2‐diphenylphosphanylethyl)imidazol‐2‐ylidene], and fac‐[Mo(CO)3(CPC)] [3, CPC = bis(1‐ethyl‐3‐ethyleneimidazol‐2‐ylidene)phenylphosphane] have been synthesized. The compounds were investigated by X‐ray structure analysis and vibrational and NMR spectroscopy in conjunction with DFT calculations. For comparison, the complexes [Mo(CO)4(CC)] [4, CC = di(1‐ethylimidazol‐2‐ylidene)methane], fac‐[Mo(CO)3(dpepp)] [5, dpepp = bis(2‐diphenylphosphanylethyl)phenylphosphane], and [Mo(CO)4(dppp)] [6, dppp = 1,3‐bis(diphenylphosphanyl)propane] have also been prepared and investigated. In contrast to the phosphane donors, which exhibiting metal–ligand backbonding interactions, the π‐acceptor interactions of the carbene moieties are exactly cancelled by π‐donor interactions. The σ‐donor strengths of phosphane and carbene groups, on the other hand, are found to be comparable. The implications of this result with respect to the activation of small molecules (e.g., N2) are discussed.