4 research outputs found
Novel expanded ring N-heterocyclic carbenes; coordination and application in catalysis
The work presented in this thesis is concerned with the synthesis, characterisation, and
application in catalysis of mono- and bis-expanded ring (including bicyclics) Nheterocyclic
carbenes (NHCs) with emphasis on their coordination to palladium, silver,
rhodium, gold, copper, and nickel.
Chapter two provides the synthesis and characterisation of a series of bis-expanded ring
NHC precursors along with the attempted synthesis of mixed 5- and 6-membered types.
The attempted coordination of the bis-NHC precursors to palladium did not produce the
desired complexes rather a rearrangement occurred to give nitrogen coordinated species
through elimination of the linking group between the two heterocycles.
Chapter three explores the synthesis and characterisation of a range of novel alkylated
bicyclic NHC precursors including the dimethyl, diethyl, and diisopropyl derivatives, and
their coordination to rhodium(I). The increased steric demand (iPr > Et > Me) of the
exocyclic substituent leads to a larger NCN angle across the series. The rhodium
complexes exist as a mixture of two isomers (syn-alkene and syn-chloride) in a 2:1 ratio
resulting from restricted rotation about the Rh-CNHC bond. The complexes are active for
the transfer hydrogenation of ketones with conversions up to 37 %.
Chapter four discusses the coordination chemistry of monocyclic expanded-ring and
bicyclic NHCs with copper(I). The expanded ring NHC copper(I) complexes of the type
[Cu(NHC)X] show typical Ccarbene-Cu-X bond angles of around 180 °. However, the
related complex of the mesityl bicyclic NHC shows an apparent non covalent interaction
between the metal and the mesityl ring causing a deviation of the Ccarbene-Cu-X bond away
from linearity. The catalytic activity of the expanded ring copper(I) halide complexes for
hydrosilylation was explored but were shown to be inactive.
Chapter five concerns gold(I) complexes of expanded-ring and bicyclic NHCs. A small
crystallographic library of complexes enabled the percentage buried volumes to be
determined. As expected, these were large for the aromatic substituted expanded ring
complexes of type [Au(NHC)X] but appreciably smaller (more akin to the common 5-
membered NHCs) for the bicyclic systems and the alkylated expanded ring systems. The
catalytic activity of the complexes in the hydration of alkynes was explored with
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conversions of up to 100 % being observed. Selectivities were noticeably better than those
reported for the [Au(6-DIPP)Cl] and [Au(7-DIPP)Cl] with values of around 30:70.
Chapter six moves into the coordination and characterisation of a series of highly sensitive
expanded ring nickel(I) complexes. Due to the paramagnetic nature of these compounds
analysis using EPR was achieved. This showed that the nickel(I) complexes all exhibited
orthorhombic g values
Twisting the arm: structural constraints in bicyclic expanded-ring N-heterocyclic carbenes
A series of diaryl, mono-aryl/alkyl and dialkyl mono- and bicyclic expanded-ring N-heterocyclic carbenes (ER-NHCs) have been prepared and their complexation to Au(I) investigated through the structural analysis of fifteen Au(NHC)X and/or [Au(NHC)2]X complexes. The substituted diaryl 7-NHCs are the most sterically encumbered with large buried volume (%VB) values of 40–50% with the less flexible six-membered analogues having %VB values at least 5% smaller. Although the bicyclic systems containing fused 6- and 7-membered rings (6,7-NHCs) are constrained with relatively acute NCN bond angles, they have the largest %VB values of the dialkyl derivatives reported here, a feature related to the fixed conformation of the heterocyclic rings and the compressional effect of a pre-set methyl substituent
Intramolecular formation of a CrI(bis-arene) species via TEA activation of [Cr(CO)4(Ph2P(C3H6)PPh2)]+: sn EPR and DFT investigation
Activation of the catalytically relevant complex [Cr(CO)4(1)] (1 = Ph2P(C3H6)PPh2) by Et3Al (TEA) leads to formation of the Cr(I) bis-arene complex [Cr(1-bis- 6-arene)]+, as revealed by EPR and DFT calculations. This bis-arene complex is formed by intramolecular rearrangement and coordination of Cr(I) to the ligand phenyl groups in aliphatic solvents following loss of CO, preventing release of Cr(I) into solution. By comparison in aromatic solvents (toluene), the [Cr(bis-tolyl)]+ complex is preferentially formed