Arene complexes structure

As was suggested in the preceding discussion, most of the arene complexes isolated by metal-atom techniques are benzene derivatives. However, heterocyclic ligands are also known to act as 5- or 6-electron donors in transition-metal 7r-complexes (79), and it has proved possible to isolate heterocyclic complexes via the metal-atom route. Bis(2,6-di-methylpyridine)Cr(O) was prepared by cocondensation of Cr atoms with the ligand at 77 K (79). The red-brown product was isolated in only 2% yield the stoichiometry was confirmed by mass spectrometry, and the structure determined by X-ray crystal-structure analysis, which supported a sandwich formulation. 

Over the last decade, the chemistry of the carbon-carbon triple bond has experienced a vigorous resurgence [1]. Whereas construction of alkyne-con-taining systems had previously been a laborious process, the advent of new synthetic methodology based on organotransition metal complexes has revolutionized the field [2]. Specifically, palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions between alkyne sp-carbon atoms and sp -carbon atoms of arenes and alkenes have allowed for rapid assembly of relatively complex structures [3]. In particular, the preparation of alkyne-rich macrocycles, the subject of this report, has benefited enormously from these recent advances. For the purpose of this review, we Emit the discussion to cychc systems which contain benzene and acetylene moieties only, henceforth referred to as phenylacetylene and phenyldiacetylene macrocycles (PAMs and PDMs, respectively). Not only have a wide... 

The only reported X-ray structure of a it-bonded diiodine exists in the 12/coronene associate [75], which shows the I2 to be located symmetrically between the aromatic planes and to form infinite donor/acceptor chains. -Coordination of diiodine over the outer ring in this associate is similar to that observed in the bromine/arene complexes (vide supra), and the I - C separation of 3.20 A is also significantly contracted relative to the stun of their van der Waals radii [75]. For the highly reactive dichlorine, only X-ray structures of its associates are observed with the n-type coordination to oxygen of 1,4-dioxane [76], and to the chlorinated fullerene [77]. 

Furthermore, ir-arene complexes of transition metals are seldom formed by the direct reaction of benzene with metal complexes. More usually, the syntheses require the formation of (often unstable) metal aryl complexes and these are then converted to ir-arene complexes. The analogous formation of w-adsorbed benzene at a metal surface via the initial formation of ff-adsorbcd phenyl, merits more consideration than it has yet been given. It is to be hoped that the recognition and study of structure-sensitive reactions will allow more exact definition of the sites responsible for catalytic activity at metal surfaces. The reactions of benzene, using suitably labeled materials, may prove to be useful probes for such studies. 

The reaction of Ba[P(SiMe3)2]2(THF)2 with diphenylbutadiyne in toluene for 12 days induces a m-addition of the diyne to the phosphide, followed by a 1,3-silyl group shift and ring closure. The dinuclear complex 132 is then isolated in good yield.283 Its complex structure contains Ba-C a bonds (2.881(5), 2.899(5) A), side-on Ba-alkyne (3.003(6), 3.363(6) A) and arene interactions, and Ba-phospholide bonds (Ba-P = 3.487(2) A) (Figure 65). 

Figure 32 X-ray structures of the arene complexes 76-78 and geometry of the molecules of 79. 76 and 77 reproduced with permission from ACS publications. 78 reproduced with permission from Wiley.

In addition to [Hg( -toluene)2-(GaCI/ )2],168 other mercury-arene complexes of general formula [I Ig( /2-arene)2-(AlCUy have been prepared.169 These include the bis(toluene), bis(o-xylene), and bis(l,2,3-trimethylbenzene) complexes 159, 160, and 161, respectively, whose structures have all been determined (Figure 8). While the arene in 159 and 161 is coordinated in an asymmetrical -fashion, the /2-1,2,3-trim ethylbenzene ligands of 160 form two nearly equal Hg-C bonds of 2.45 and 2.46 A. DFT calculations show that the Hg-arene interactions are mostly ionic. 

General Structural Features. The general structure of halfsandwich ruthenium(II)-arene complexes is shown in Fig. 12. The structural, stereochemical and electronic features of metal-arene complexes have been discussed (63). A typical piano-stool geometry consists of an rj6-arene occupying three coordination sites of the pseudo-octahedral complex, leaving the three legs X, Y, and Z available for coordination. The sites X and Y can be taken up by two monodentate ligands, but are more commonly... 

Fig. 12. (a) General structure of the half-sandwich, piano-stool ruthenium—arene complexes (b) X and Y are commonly occupied by a bidentate ligand L giving a monofunctional complex (c) tethering of a monodentate ligand to the arene results in a bifunctional complex. 

We have also recently explored some ruthenium-arene complexes that depart markedly from the general structure described above. For instance, full-sandwich ruthenium complexes have been synthesized, in which the positions X, Y, and Z are taken by an rj6-arene ring of a biologically active ligand, such as aspartame, to assess the influence of a metal complex as a modulating substituent on the properties of the bioactive ligand (66). 

James et al. reported a case of product inhibition in the Rh-catalyzed enantioselective hydrogenation of N-phenyl benzaldehyde imine [37]. These authors were able to isolate the deactivated catalyst, and to obtain its X-ray structure, which showed, surprisingly, that it was a rhodium complex with the product bound through a rf-n-axene interaction (Scheme 44.5). More cases of inhibition via formation of metal arene complexes will be detailed in Section 44.5. 

Crystal structures of stable arene complexes are also known, for example the benzene complex of (lR,2R)-trans-l,2-bis((diphenylphosphino)-methyl)cyclobu-tane-Rh1 [46], [Rh((R,R)-Et-DuPHOS)(benzene)]BF4 (Fig. 44.7), and [Rh((S,S)-Me-DuPHOS)(toluene)]BF4 [47]. 

The crystal structure of (ij4-cyclooctatetraene)(hexamethylbenzene)ruthenium (16) indicates bonding as a tetrahapto ligand60. For this complex and similar iron-, ruthenium- and osmium-(ij4-cyclooctatetraene)(arene) complexes, their XH and 13C NMR spectra exhibit only a single signal for the cyclooctatetraene ligand at temperatures as low as —145 °C. Using this temperature, the barrier-to-metal migration is estimated to be <6.6 kcal mol 1. 

A similar reaction of 1,3-dimethyl ether p-t-Bu-calix[4]arene, abbreviated as (H2L), with Et2Zn affords a monomeric compound (EtZn)2(L) (169) with a less complex structure (Figure 84) °. The zinc atoms in this compound form a flat Zn—O—Zn—O arrangement together with the phenolate oxygen atoms. To each zinc atom one ethyl group is bonded, and tetrahedral coordination is reached by the additional coordination of one methoxy group. 

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