Electropositive metal N-heterocyclic carbene complexes

The first chapter is an introduction to the f-elements, with a focus on the synthesis and chemistry of tetravalent cerium complexes. The synthesis, characterisation and reactivity of carbenes, particularly N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs), and anionic-functionalised NHC ligands is discussed. The synthesis and reactivity of s-block, Group three and fblock NHC complexes is reviewed. The synthesis of the alcohol-functionalised unsaturated imidazolium proligand, [H2L]I [H2L = HOCMe2CH2(1-CH{NCHCHNiPr})], is extended to saturated imidazolinium analogues, [H2LR]X, [HOCMe2CH2(1-CH{NCH2CH2NR})]X (R = iPr, abbreviated to P; R = Mes, abbreviated to M; R = Dipp, abbreviated to D, X = Cl, I). Mono-deprotonation results in the isolation of bicyclic imidazolidines HLR, which can be ring-opened and silylated by treatment with Me3SiI, to afford [HLR, OSiMe3]I, R = iPr and Mes. Further deprotonation of HLR with MN"2 (M = Mg, Zn; N" = N(SiMe3)2) affords LRMN" (M = Mg and Zn) and ZnLR 2. These complexes proved active for the polymerisation of raclactide at room temperature without the need for an initiator. The third chapter focuses on cerium chemistry. Repetition of the literature synthesis of CeIV tert-butoxide compounds affords the unsolvated Ce(OtBu)4 and also the cluster Ce3(OtBu)11. Treatment of Ce(OtBu)4 with HL did not yield a CeIV-NHC complex, but one bearing a tethered imidazolium group, (OtBu)3Ce( -OtBu)2( -HL)Ce(OtBu)3. The synthesis of a CeIII-NHC complex, CeL3, and the oxidation of this forms an unprecedented CeIV-NHC complex, CeL4, via ligand redistribution; the complex contains two bidentate ligands and two alkoxide-tethered free NHC groups. Functionalisation of the free NHCs with boranes affords the adducts Ce(L)2(L-B)2, where B = BH3 or 9-BBN (9-Borabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane). A number of cerium complexes of the saturated-backbone NHC, LR, LRCeN"2 and LR 2CeN", have been synthesised and their oxidation chemistry and reactivity investigated. The final chapter contains an NMR study of the synthesis of a series of yttrium LR adducts, LP xYN"(3-x) (x = 1, 2 or 3), and of the synthesis of uranium complexes LRUN"2, R = Mes or Dipp, including a range of small molecule reaction chemistry. The uranyl NHC complexes, UO2LR 2, R = Mes or Dipp, have also been synthesised and characterised; these possess very high frequency carbene carbon chemical shifts

Mild sp2Carbon-Oxygen Bond Activation by an Isolable Ruthenium(II) bis(Dinitrogen) Complex: Experiment and Theory

The isolable ruthenium(II) bis(dinitrogen) complex [Ru(H)2(N2)2(PCy3)2] (1) reacts with aryl ethers (Ar–OR, R = Me and Ar) containing a ketone directing group to effect sp2C–O bond activation at temperatures below 40 °C. DFT studies support a low-energy Ru(II)/Ru(IV) pathway for C–O bond activation: oxidative addition of the C–O bond to Ru(II) occurs in an asynchronous manner with Ru–C bond formation preceding C–O bond breaking. Alternative pathways based on a Ru(0)/Ru(II) couple are competitive but less accessible due to the high energy of the Ru(0) precursors. Both experimentally and by DFT calculations, sp2C–H bond activation is shown to be more facile than sp2C–O bond activation. The kinetic preference for C–H bond activation over C–O activation is attributed to unfavorable approach of the C–O bond toward the metal in the selectivity determining step of the reaction pathway

Electropositive metal N-heterocyclic carbene complexes

The first chapter is an introduction to the f-elements, with a focus on the synthesis and chemistry of tetravalent cerium complexes. The synthesis, characterisation and reactivity of carbenes, particularly N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs), and anionic-functionalised NHC ligands is discussed. The synthesis and reactivity of s-block, Group three and fblock NHC complexes is reviewed. The synthesis of the alcohol-functionalised unsaturated imidazolium proligand, [H2L]I [H2L = HOCMe2CH2(1-CH{NCHCHNiPr})], is extended to saturated imidazolinium analogues, [H2LR]X, [HOCMe2CH2(1-CH{NCH2CH2NR})]X (R = iPr, abbreviated to P; R = Mes, abbreviated to M; R = Dipp, abbreviated to D, X = Cl, I). Mono-deprotonation results in the isolation of bicyclic imidazolidines HLR, which can be ring-opened and silylated by treatment with Me3SiI, to afford [HLR, OSiMe3]I, R = iPr and Mes. Further deprotonation of HLR with MN"2 (M = Mg, Zn; N" = N(SiMe3)2) affords LRMN" (M = Mg and Zn) and ZnLR 2. These complexes proved active for the polymerisation of raclactide at room temperature without the need for an initiator. The third chapter focuses on cerium chemistry. Repetition of the literature synthesis of CeIV tert-butoxide compounds affords the unsolvated Ce(OtBu)4 and also the cluster Ce3(OtBu)11. Treatment of Ce(OtBu)4 with HL did not yield a CeIV-NHC complex, but one bearing a tethered imidazolium group, (OtBu)3Ce( -OtBu)2( -HL)Ce(OtBu)3. The synthesis of a CeIII-NHC complex, CeL3, and the oxidation of this forms an unprecedented CeIV-NHC complex, CeL4, via ligand redistribution; the complex contains two bidentate ligands and two alkoxide-tethered free NHC groups. Functionalisation of the free NHCs with boranes affords the adducts Ce(L)2(L-B)2, where B = BH3 or 9-BBN (9-Borabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane). A number of cerium complexes of the saturated-backbone NHC, LR, LRCeN"2 and LR 2CeN", have been synthesised and their oxidation chemistry and reactivity investigated. The final chapter contains an NMR study of the synthesis of a series of yttrium LR adducts, LP xYN"(3-x) (x = 1, 2 or 3), and of the synthesis of uranium complexes LRUN"2, R = Mes or Dipp, including a range of small molecule reaction chemistry. The uranyl NHC complexes, UO2LR 2, R = Mes or Dipp, have also been synthesised and characterised; these possess very high frequency carbene carbon chemical shifts.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Tunable Binding of Dinitrogen to a Series of Heterobimetallic Hydride Complexes

The reaction of [Ru­(H)₂(N₂)₂(PCy₃)₂] (<b>1</b>) with β-diketiminate stabilized hydrides of Al, Zn, and Mg generates a series of new heterobimetallic complexes with either H₂ or N₂ ligated to the ruthenium center. Changing the main-group fragment of the <b>M·Ru-N</b>_<b>2</b> (M = Al, Zn, Mg) complexes can subtly alter the degree of binding, and therefore activation, of the diatomic ligand, as evidenced by the ν_NN absorptions in the infrared data. Experimental and computational data rationalize this tunable binding; decreasing the electronegativity of the main group in the order Al > Zn > Mg infers greater ionic character of these <b>M·Ru-N</b>_<b>2</b> complexes, and this in turn results in greater destabilization of the frontier molecular orbitals of ruthenium and therefore greater Ru­(4d) → π*­(N₂) back-donation

Mild sp²Carbon-Oxygen Bond Activation by an Isolable Ruthenium(II) Bis(dinitrogen) Complex:Experiment and Theory

The isolable ruthenium(II) bis(dinitrogen) complex [Ru(H)2(N2)2(PCy3)2] (1) reacts with aryl ethers (Ar-OR, R = Me and Ar) containing a ketone directing group to effect sp2C-O bond activation at temperatures below 40 °C. DFT studies support a low-energy Ru(II)/Ru(IV) pathway for C-O bond activation: oxidative addition of the C-O bond to Ru(II) occurs in an asynchronous manner with Ru-C bond formation preceding C-O bond breaking. Alternative pathways based on a Ru(0)/Ru(II) couple are competitive but less accessible due to the high energy of the Ru(0) precursors. Both experimentally and by DFT calculations, sp2C-H bond activation is shown to be more facile than sp2C-O bond activation. The kinetic preference for C-H bond activation over C-O activation is attributed to unfavorable approach of the C-O bond toward the metal in the selectivity determining step of the reaction pathway.</p

Mild sp²Carbon-Oxygen Bond Activation by an Isolable Ruthenium(II) Bis(dinitrogen) Complex:Experiment and Theory

The isolable ruthenium(II) bis(dinitrogen) complex [Ru(H)2(N2)2(PCy3)2] (1) reacts with aryl ethers (Ar-OR, R = Me and Ar) containing a ketone directing group to effect sp2C-O bond activation at temperatures below 40 °C. DFT studies support a low-energy Ru(II)/Ru(IV) pathway for C-O bond activation: oxidative addition of the C-O bond to Ru(II) occurs in an asynchronous manner with Ru-C bond formation preceding C-O bond breaking. Alternative pathways based on a Ru(0)/Ru(II) couple are competitive but less accessible due to the high energy of the Ru(0) precursors. Both experimentally and by DFT calculations, sp2C-H bond activation is shown to be more facile than sp2C-O bond activation. The kinetic preference for C-H bond activation over C-O activation is attributed to unfavorable approach of the C-O bond toward the metal in the selectivity determining step of the reaction pathway.</p