In this paper we report the
Cp‘2Ln/Me2SiCp‘‘2Ln-catalyzed
(Cp‘ = η5-Me5C5; Cp‘‘ =
η5-Me4C5)
hydrogenation of acyclic imines to yield the corresponding amines.
At 190 psi of H2, the observed turnover
frequencies
(h-1) (100:1 substrate:catalyst ratio,
Cp‘2Ln, temperature (°C)) are (1)
(N-benzylidene(methyl)amine, Ln = La,
50)
0.03; (Ln = Sm, 90) 1.0; (Ln = Sm + PhSiH3, 90) 2.2;
(Ln = Lu, 90) 0.60; (2) (N-benzylideneaniline, Ln =
Sm,
90) 0.10; (3) (N-benzylidene(trimethylsilyl)amine,
Ln = Sm, 90) 0.40; (4)
(N-(α-methylbenzylidene)(methyl)amine,
Ln = Sm, 90) 0.20; (5)
(N-(α-methylbenzylidene)(benzyl)amine, Ln =
Sm, 90) 0.70. The stoichiometric reaction
of N-benzylidene(methyl)amine with
Cp‘2SmCH(SiMe3)2 or
(Cp‘2SmH)2 yields an orthometalated
Cp‘2Sm−substrate
complex which undergoes either hydrogenolysis/hydrogenation or
competing CN insertion of a second substrate
molecule to yield a Cp‘2Sm-imine−amido complex with
a seven-membered chelate ring. The stoichiometric
reaction
of 2-methyl-1-pyrroline with
Cp‘2SmCH(SiMe3)2 or
(Cp‘2SmH)2 yields a
Cp‘2Sm-imine−amido complex in which
two substrate molecules have been coupled to form a six-membered
chelate ring (characterized by X-ray diffraction).
The stoichiometric reaction of
N-benzylidene(trimethylsilyl)amine with
(Cp‘2SmH)2 yields a desilylated
Cp‘2Sm-imine−amido complex with a four-membered
Sm(NSiMe3)(CPh)NCHPh chelate ring
(characterized by X-ray
diffraction). Additional heating of this product under
H2 yields S6-symmetric
(Cp‘2SmCN)6, which contains an
unusual
chairlike 18-membered (SmCN)6 ring (characterized by X-ray
diffraction).