| dc.description.abstract | Group 9 transition metal pincer complexes have shown tremendous utility in a variety of E-H (E = main group element) bond activation reactions. In an effort to access new types of highly reactive pincer-like transition metal complexes this research focuses on the development of new late metal complexes supported by tridentate bis(phosphino)silyl ligands of the type [?3-(2-R2PC6H4)2SiMe]- ([R-PSiP]; R = Cy, iPr). The incorporation of a strongly electron donating and highly trans-labilizing silyl group at the central anionic position may promote the formation of new coordinatively unsaturated compounds capable of enhanced reactivity. In this regard, the synthesis of coordinatively unsaturated Rh and Ir complexes supported by R-PSiP ligation and their ability to activate E-H bonds will be detailed.
The synthesis of Cy-PSiP ligated Rh and Ir species and the ability to access the products of N–H bond oxidative addition with these species was investigated. Both [Cy-PSiP]Rh and [Cy-PSiP]Ir complexes were shown to form isolable complexes of the type [Cy-PSiP]M(H)(NHR) (M = Rh, R = aryl; M = Ir, R = H, aryl). However, attempts to generate such amido hydride complexes by N-H activation of the corresponding amine led to divergent reactivity, where adducts of the type [Cy-PSiP]Rh(NH2R) were obtained for Rh, while N-H bond oxidative addition was observed for Ir to form the targeted amido hydride complexes, including a rare example of ammonia N-H bond oxidative addition to form a monomeric, terminal parent amido complex that was crystallographically characterized. Due to the scarcity of transition metal complexes that are capable of N-H bond oxidative addition, a thorough investigation of the N-H bond activation mediated by [Cy-PSiP]Rh and Ir with various N-H containing substrates, including alkyl amines, hydrazine derivatives, and benzamides was initiated. Extension of this reactivity to the related diisopropylphosphino derivative [iPr-PSiP]IrI was also probed, as the resulting complexes were envisioned to be less susceptible to potential cyclometalation processes.
Indeed, oxidative addition of primary alkyl amines, hydrazines, and benzamides was observed for [R-PSiP]Ir. These results comprise an unprecedented example of a metal complex that is capable of facile N-H bond activation in such a wide range of substrates, including challenging substrates such as ammonia and alkyl amines. A rare example of Rh-mediated N-H oxidative addition was also observed for the reaction of [Cy-PSiP]RhI with benzophenone hydrazone.
The potential for these [R-PSiP]Ir(H)(NHR) complexes to insert unsaturated substrates was investigated, as the development of new pathways for the formation of C-N bonds via transition metal catalyzed N-H bond oxidative addition to a metal center followed by insertion of an alkene or alkyne into the M-N or M-H bond may provide a new pathway for accessing intermolecular amination reactions. Insertion chemistry attempts with various alkenes, alkynes, allenes, C=O and C?N containing compounds is described.
Lastly, the synthesis of IrIII complexes of the type {[R-PSiP]IrR'}+X? (R = Cy, iPr; R’ = H, Me; X = OTf, BF4, B(C6F5)4) and their interactions with the C-H bonds of arenes and aldehydes, as well as, the Si-H bonds of hydrosilanes is detailed. The Si-H bond activation chemistry observed was typically influenced by the counter anion X. Thus, the more coordinating anions OTF and BF4 were shown to coordinate to and stabilize the highly electrophilic Si in transiently generated Ir silylene species. | en_US |
