Recent
research has highlighted the key role played by the electron
affinity of the active metal-nitrene/imido oxidant as the driving
force in nitrene additions to olefins to afford valuable aziridines.
The present work showcases a library of Co(II) reagents that, unlike
the previously examined Mn(II) and Fe(II) analogues, demonstrate reactivity
trends in olefin aziridinations that cannot be solely explained by
the electron affinity criterion. A family of Co(II) catalysts (17
members) has been synthesized with the assistance of a trisphenylamido-amine
scaffold decorated by various alkyl, aryl, and acyl groups attached
to the equatorial amidos. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis,
cyclic voltammetry and EPR data reveal that the high-spin Co(II) sites
(S = 3/2) feature a minimal [N3N] coordination
and span a range of 1.4 V in redox potentials. Surprisingly, the Co(II)-mediated
aziridination of styrene demonstrates reactivity patterns that deviate
from those anticipated by the relevant electrophilicities of the putative
metal nitrenes. The representative L4Co catalyst (−COCMe3 arm) is operating faster than the L8Co analogue
(−COCF3 arm), in spite of diminished metal-nitrene
electrophilicity. Mechanistic data (Hammett plots, KIE, stereocontrol
studies) reveal that although both reagents follow a two-step reactivity
path (turnover-limiting metal-nitrene addition to the C
b
atom of styrene, followed by product-determining
ring-closure), the L4Co catalyst is associated with lower
energy barriers in both steps. DFT calculations indicate that the
putative [L4Co]NTs and [L8Co]NTs species are
electronically distinct, inasmuch as the former exhibits a single-electron
oxidized ligand arm. In addition, DFT calculations suggest that including
London dispersion corrections for L4Co (due to the polarizability
of the tert-Bu substituent) can provide significant
stabilization of the turnover-limiting transition state. This study
highlights how small ligand modifications can generate stereoelectronic
variants that in certain cases are even capable of overriding the
preponderance of the metal-nitrene electrophilicity as a driving force.