pincer complexes
Recently Published Documents

Hexacoordinate silicon pincer complexes using 2,6-bis(benzimidizol-2-yl)pyridine (bzimpy) ligands have been developed as a multifunctional, molecular electronic materials platform. We report the synthesis, characterization, and device application of a variety of...

Carbon dioxide utilization is necessary to reduce carbon footprint and also to synthesize value-added chemicals. The transition metal pincer complexes are attractive catalysts for the hydrogenation of carbon dioxide to formic acid. There is a need to understand the factors affecting the catalytic performance of these pincer complexes through a structure–activity relationship study using computational methods. It is a well-established fact that aromatic functionalities offer stability and selectivity to transition metal catalysts. However, their impact on the performance of the catalysts is lesser known in the case of metal pincer complexes. Hence, it is necessary to investigate the catalytic performance of Mn(I)NNN pincer complexes with variably activated aromatic functionalities. In this context, 15 catalysts are designed by placing different types of aromatic rings at the pincer carbons and two terminal nitrogen of Mn(I)NNN pincer complexes. A benzene moiety, placed at C2–C3 carbons of Mn(I)NNN pincer complex with identical aromatic groups at the terminal nitrogen, is found to be most efficient toward CO2 hydrogenation than the rest of the catalysts. On the other hand, when N,N-dimethyl aniline is placed at C2–C3 carbons of Mn(I)NNN pincer complexes, then the catalytic performance is significantly decreased. Thus, the present study unravels the impact of aromatic groups in Mn(I)NNN pincer complexes toward the catalytic hydrogenation of carbon dioxide.

<p>This thesis provides an account of research into a group of diphosphine ligands with a rigid xanthene backbone and tert -butyl substituents on the phosphorus atoms. The three ligands have different groups in the bridgehead position of the backbone (CMe₂, SiMe₂, or S) which change the natural (calculated) bite-angle of the ligand. The coordination chemistry of these t -Bu-xantphos ligands with late-transition metals has been investigated with a focus on metal complexes that may form in catalytic reactions.  The three t -Bu-xantphos ligands were synthesised by lithiation of the backbone using sec -butyllithium/TMEDA and treatment with PtBu₂Cl. The natural biteangles of the Ph-xantphos (111.89–114.18°) and t -Bu-xantphos (126.80–127.56°) ligands were calculated using DFT. The bite-angle of the t -Bu-xantphos ligands is larger due to the increased steric bulk of the tert -butyl substituents. The electronic properties of the t -Bu-xantphos ligandswere also investigated by synthesis of their phosphine selenides. The values of ¹J PSe (689.1–698.5Hz) indicate that the t -Bu-xantphos ligands have a higher basicity than Ph-xantphos between PPh₂Me and PMe₃.  The silver complexes, [Ag(t -Bu-xantphos)Cl] and [Ag(t -Bu-xantphos)]BF₄ were synthesised with the t -Bu-xantphos ligands. In contrast to systems with phenyl phosphines, all species were monomeric. [Rh(t -Bu-xantphos)Cl] complexes were synthesised, which reacted with H₂, forming [Rh(t -Bu-xantphos-ĸP,O,P ’)Cl(H)₂] complexes, and with CO, forming [Rh(t -Bu-xantphos)(CO)₂Cl] complexes. The [Rh(t -Bu-xantphos)Cl] species are air-sensitive readily forming [Rh(t -Bu-xantphos)Cl(ƞ²-O₂)] complexes. The crystal structure of [Rh(t -Bu-xantphos)Cl(ƞ²-O₂)], contained 15% of the dioxygen sites replaced with an oxo ligand. This is the first crystallographic evidence of a rhodium(III) oxo complex, and only the third rhodium oxo species reported.  The coordination chemistry of the ligands with platinum(0) and palladium(0) showed some differences. [Pt(t -Bu-xantphos)(C₂H₄)] complexes were synthesised for all three ligands. However, reaction with [Pt(nb)₃] produced a mixture of [Pt(t -Bu-xantphos)] and [Pt(t -Bu-xantphos)(nb)] for t -Bu-sixantphos and t -Buthixantphos. Although few examples of isolable [Pt(PP)] complexes with diphosphines have been reported [Pt(t -Bu-thixantphos)] was isolated by removal of the norbornene. t -Bu-Xantphos formed small amounts of [Pt(t -Bu-xantphos)] initially, which progressed to [Pt(t -Bu-xantphos)H]X. The analogous reactions with [Pd(nb)₃] gave [Pd(t -Bu-xantphos)] and [Pd(t -Bu-xantphos)(nb)] complexes in all cases. [Pt(t -Bu-thixantphos)(C₂H₄)] and [M(t -Bu-thixantphos)] (M = Pd, Pt) react with oxygen forming [Pt(t -Bu-thixantphos)(ƞ²-O₂)], which reacts with CO to give [Pt(t -Bu-thixantphos-H-ĸ-C,P,P ’)OH] through a series of intermediates.  [M(t -Bu-xantphos)Cl₂] (M = Pd, Pt) complexes were synthesised, showing exclusive trans coordination of the diphosphine ligands. The X-ray crystal structure of [Pt(t -Bu-thixantphos)Cl₂] has a bite-angle of 151.722(15)°. This is the first [PtCl₂(PP)] complex with a bite-angle between 114 and 171°. In polar solvents a chloride ligand dissociates from the [Pt(t -Bu-xantphos)Cl₂] complexes producing [Pt(t -Bu-xantphos-ĸP,O,P ’)Cl]⁺. The analogous [Pd(t -Bu-xantphos-ĸP,O,P ’)Cl]⁺ complexes were formed by reaction of the dichlorides complexes with NH₄PF₆. The [Pt(t -Bu-xantphos-ĸP,O,P ’)Me]⁺ pincer complexes were the only product from reaction with [Pt(C₆H₁₀)ClMe], with the stronger trans influence of the methyl ligand promoting loss of the chloride. The formation of the pincer complexes was further explored using DFT.  The values of J PtC for the methyl carbons in the [Pt(t -Bu-xantphos-ĸP,O,P ’)Me]⁺ complexes, and J RhH for the hydride trans to the oxygen atom in the [Rh(t -Buxantphos-ĸP,O,P ’)Cl(H)₂] complexes were largest for t -Bu-sixantphos, then t -Buthixantphos, then t -Bu-xantphos. The trans influence of the t -Bu-xantphos oxygen donor follows the trend t -Bu-sixantphos < t -Bu-thixantphos < t -Bu-xantphos.</p>