A Two-Coordinate Nickel Imido Complex That Effects C−H Amination

An exceptionally low coordinate nickel imido complex, (IPr*)Ni═N(dmp) (2) (dmp = 2,6-dimesitylphenyl), has been prepared by the elimination of N_2 from a bulky aryl azide in its reaction with (IPr*)Ni(η^6-C_7H_8) (1). The solid-state structure of 2 features two-coordinate nickel with a linear C−Ni−N core and a short Ni−N distance, both indicative of multiple-bond character. Computational studies using density functional theory showed a Ni═N bond dominated by Ni(dπ)−N(pπ) interactions, resulting in two nearly degenerate singly occupied molecular orbitals (SOMOs) that are Ni−N π* in character. Reaction of 2 with CO resulted in nitrene-group transfer to form (dmp)NCO and (IPr*)Ni(CO)_3 (3). Net C−H insertion was observed in the reaction of 2 with ethene, forming the vinylamine (dmp)NH(CH═CH_2) (5) via an azanickelacyclobutane intermediate, (IPr*)Ni{N,C:κ^2-N(dmp)CH_2CH_2} (4)

[Review] Chemistry of Advanced Materials: An Overview

This article reviews the book "Chemistry of Advanced Materials: An Overview," edited by Leonard V. Interrante and Mark J. Hampden-Smith

Calculation of a Methane C-H Oxidative Addition Trajectory: Comparison to Experiment and Methane Activation by High-Valent Complexes

Article discussing research on the calculation of methane C-H oxidative addition trajectory and a comparison to experiment and methane activation by high-valent complexes

Transition Metal Imido Complexes

Article discussing a wide range of transition metal imido (TMI) complexes using ab initio molecular orbital (MO) calculations

Methane Activation by Group IVB Imido Complexes

Article discussing an ab initio study of methane activation by group IVB imido complexes

Ligand Lone-Pair Influence on Hydrocarbon C-H Activation: A Computational Perspective

Mid to late transition metal complexes that break hydrocarbon C-H bonds by transferring the hydrogen to a heteroatom ligand while forming a metal-alkyl bond offer a promising strategy for C-H activation. Here we report a density functional (B3LYP, M06, and X3LYP) analysis of cis-(acac)_2MX and TpM(L)X (M=Ir, Ru, Os, and Rh; acac=acetylacetonate, Tp=tris(pyrazolyl)-borate; X=CH_3, OH, OMe, NH_2, and NMe_2) systems for methane C-H bond activation reaction kinetics and thermodynamics.We address the importance of whether a ligand lone pair provides an intrinsic kinetic advantage through possible electronic d_π-p_π repulsions for M-OR and M-NR_2 systems versus M-CH_3 systems. This involves understanding the energetic impact of the X ligand group on ligand loss, C-H bond coordination, and C-H bond cleavage steps as well as understanding how the nucleophilicity of the ligand X group, the electrophilicity of the transition metal center, and cis-ligand stabilization effect influence each of these steps.We also explore how spectator ligands and second- versus third-row transition metal centers impact the energetics of each of these C-H activation steps

Modeling the Deposition of Metal Atoms on a p-Type Organometallic Conductor: Implications for Stability and Electron Transfer

Article discussing modeling the deposition of metal atoms on a p-Type organometallic conductor and implications for stability and electron transfer

Principal Resonance Contributors to High-Valent, Transition-Metal Alkylidene Complexes

Article discussing principal resonance contributors to high-valent, transition-metal alkylidene complexes

Carbon-Hydrogen Bond Activation by Titanium Imido Complexes. Computational Evidence for the Role of Alkane Adducts in Selective C-H Activation

This article reports calculations that probe the role of R (hydrocarbon) and R' (ligand substituent) effects on the reaction coordinate for C-H activation