No abstract

We introduce the novel fluoroalkoxy molybdenum(V) reagent 1 which has superior reactivity and selectivity in comparison to MoCl5 or the MoCl5 /TiCl4 reagent mixture in the oxidative coupling reactions of aryls. Common side reactions, such as chlorination and/or oligomer formation, are drastically diminished creating a powerful and useful reagent for oxidative coupling. Theoretical treatment of the reagent interaction with 1,2-dimethoxybenzene-type substrates indicates an inner-sphere electron transfer followed by a radical cationic reaction pathway for the oxidative-coupling process. EPR spectroscopic and electrochemical studies, X-ray analyses, computational investigations, and the experimental scope provide a highly consistent picture. The substitution of chlorido ligands by hexafluoroisopropoxido moieties seems to boost both the reactivity and selectivity of the metal center which might be applied to other reagents as well.

The novel bulky Schiff base chelate ligand [(4,5-diisopropyl-1H-pyrrole-2-yl)methylene]-4-(tert-butyl)aniline ((iPr2)HL) bearing two isopropyl groups close to the pyrrole nitrogen atom reacts with MoCl2(dme)O2 (dme = 1,2-dimethoxyethane) to give the sterically congested complex Mo(VI)((iPr2)L)2O2 ((iPr2)1; OC-6-4-4 configuration). In spite of the increased steric shielding of the [MoO2] unit (iPr2)1 is active in oxygen-atom transfer to PMe3 and PPh3 to give OPMe3 and OPPh3, respectively. Because of the increased steric bulk of the chelate ligand, formation of dinuclear complexes [Mo(V)((iPr2)L)2O]2(μ-O) ((iPr2)3) by comportionation is effectively prevented in contrast to the highly favored formation of [Mo(V)((H2)L)2O]2(μ-O) ((H2)3) with the less bulky ligand (H2)HL. Instead, the smaller PMe3 ligand coordinates to the resulting pentacoordinate intermediate Mo(IV)((iPr2)L)2O ((iPr2)5), giving the hexacoordinate complex Mo(IV)((iPr2)L)2O(PMe3) ((iPr2)2) with OC-6-3-3 configuration. The larger potential ligands PPh3 and OPPh3 are only able to weakly coordinate to (iPr2)5, giving labile and sensitive Mo(IV)((iPr2)L)2O(L) complexes ((iPr2)6, L = PPh3; (iPr2)7, L = OPPh3). Traces of water and dioxygen in solutions of (iPr2)6/(iPr2)7 yield the di(μ-oxido) complex [Mo(V)((iPr2)L)O]2(μ-O)2 ((iPr2)4) with reduced steric congestion due to dissociation of the bulky chelate ligands. According to electron paramagnetic resonance studies, the much more strongly bound small PMe3 ligand in (iPr2)2 can be slowly liberated by one-electron oxidation to Mo(V), with Ag(+) leaving a free coordination site at Mo(V). Hence, essentially pentacoordinate Mo(IV) and Mo(V) complexes are accessible as a result of the increased steric bulk.

The bimetallic copper(I) complex CuL (cis-1) is formed with high diasteroselectivity from [Cu(NCCH)][BF] and HL (4-tert-butyl phenyl(pyrrolato-2-yl-methylene)amine) in a kinetically controlled reaction. cis-1 features a rather short Cu···Cu distance of 2.4756(6) Å and is weakly emissive at room temperature in solution. Oxidatively triggered disproportionation of cis-1 yields elemental copper and the mononuclear copper(II) complex CuL (trans-2). One-electron reduction of trans-2 gives cuprate [2] with a bent bis(pyrrolato) coordinated copper(I) entity. The imine donor atoms of [2] can insert an additional copper(I) ion giving exclusively the bimetallic complex cis-1 closing the oxidation-elimination-reduction-insertion cycle.

The six-coordinate molybdenum(IV) oxido isocyanide complex 1 [Δ,Λ-OC-6-2-3-[MoO(N(p)∩N(i))2(CN(t)Bu)]; N(p)∩N(i) = 4-tert-butylphenyl(pyrrolato-2-ylmethylene)amine] is obtained in diastereomerically pure form in the solid state, as revealed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. In solution, this stereoisomer equilibrates with the Δ,Λ-OC-6-2-4 diastereomer 2 at ambient temperature. The stereochemistry of both isomers has been elucidated by NMR, IR, and UV/vis spectroscopy in combination with density functional theory (DFT)/polarizable continuum model and time-dependent DFT calculations. The isomerization 1 → 2 is suggested to proceed via a dissociative trigonal twist with dissociation of the imine nitrogen donor N(i) of one chelate ligand (hemilabile ligand) rather than dissociation of the monodentate isocyanide ligand. The isomerization barrier has been experimentally determined as 91 and 95 kJ mol(-1) in tetrahydrofuran and toluene, respectively.