Synthesis, Crystallographic and Spectroscopic Characterizations, and Theoretical Elucidation of an Elusive Aminyl Radical Containing CuII-Aminyl-Iminosemiquinone Complex‡

An elusive aminyl and an iminosemiquinone radicals-coordinated square pyramidal Cu(II) complex (1) has been isolated by the reaction between noninnocent ligand H4LPy(AP) and Cu(ClO4)2•6H2O in the presence of Et3N and...

Activation of Ammonia and Hydrazine by Electron Rich Fe(II) Complexes Supported by a Dianionic Pentadentate Ligand Platform Through a Common Terminal Fe(III) Amido Intermediate

We report the use of electron rich iron complexes supported by a dianionic diborate pentadentate ligand system, B2Pz4Py, for the coordination and activation of ammonia (NH3) and hydrazine (NH2NH2). For ammonia, coordination to neutral (B2Pz4Py)Fe(II) or cationic [(B2Pz4Py)Fe(III)]+ platforms leads to well characterized ammine complexes from which hydrogen atoms or protons can be removed to generate, fleetingly, a proposed (B2Pz4Py)Fe(III)- NH2 complex (3Ar-NH2). DFT computations suggest a high degree of spin density on the amido ligand, giving it significant aminyl radical character. It rapidly traps the H atom abstracting agent 2,4,6-tri-tert-butylphenoxy radical (ArO•) to form a C-N bond in a fully characterized product (2Ar), or scavenges hydrogen atoms to return to the ammonia complex (B2Pz4Py)Fe(II)-NH3 (1ArNH3). Interestingly, when (B2Pz4Py)Fe(II) is reacted with NH2NH2, a fully characterized bridging diazene complex, 4Ar, is formed along with ammonia adduct 1Ar-NH3 as the spectroscopically observed (-78˚C) (B2Pz4Py)Fe(II)-NH2NH2-Fe(II)( B2Pz4Py) dimer (1Ar)2-NH2NH2 is allowed to warm to room temperature. Experimental and computational evidence is presented to suggest that (B2Pz4Py)Fe(II) induces reductive cleavage of the N-N bond in hydrazine to produce the Fe(III)-NH2 complex 3Ar-NH2, which abstracts H• atoms from (1Ar)2-NH2NH2 to generate the observed products. All of these transformations are relevant to proposed steps in the ammonia oxidation reaction, an important process for the use of nitrogen-based fuels enabled by abundant first row transition metals. <br>

Activation of Ammonia and Hydrazine by Electron Rich Fe(II) Complexes Supported by a Dianionic Pentadentate Ligand Platform Through a Common Terminal Fe(III) Amido Intermediate

We report the use of electron rich iron complexes supported by a dianionic diborate pentadentate ligand system, B2Pz4Py, for the coordination and activation of ammonia (NH3) and hydrazine (NH2NH2). For ammonia, coordination to neutral (B2Pz4Py)Fe(II) or cationic [(B2Pz4Py)Fe(III)]+ platforms leads to well characterized ammine complexes from which hydrogen atoms or protons can be removed to generate, fleetingly, a proposed (B2Pz4Py)Fe(III)- NH2 complex (3Ar-NH2). DFT computations suggest a high degree of spin density on the amido ligand, giving it significant aminyl radical character. It rapidly traps the H atom abstracting agent 2,4,6-tri-tert-butylphenoxy radical (ArO•) to form a C-N bond in a fully characterized product (2Ar), or scavenges hydrogen atoms to return to the ammonia complex (B2Pz4Py)Fe(II)-NH3 (1ArNH3). Interestingly, when (B2Pz4Py)Fe(II) is reacted with NH2NH2, a fully characterized bridging diazene complex, 4Ar, is formed along with ammonia adduct 1Ar-NH3 as the spectroscopically observed (-78˚C) (B2Pz4Py)Fe(II)-NH2NH2-Fe(II)( B2Pz4Py) dimer (1Ar)2-NH2NH2 is allowed to warm to room temperature. Experimental and computational evidence is presented to suggest that (B2Pz4Py)Fe(II) induces reductive cleavage of the N-N bond in hydrazine to produce the Fe(III)-NH2 complex 3Ar-NH2, which abstracts H• atoms from (1Ar)2-NH2NH2 to generate the observed products. All of these transformations are relevant to proposed steps in the ammonia oxidation reaction, an important process for the use of nitrogen-based fuels enabled by abundant first row transition metals. <br>

Consecutive Ring-Expansion Reactions for the Iterative Assembly of Medium-Sized Rings and Macrocycles

Macrocycles and medium-sized rings have important applications in several scientific fields but can be challenging to make using traditional end-to-end cyclization reactions. Ring-expansion methods represent a useful alternative and offer numerous practical benefits. In this Account, we discuss the current state of the art of ring-expansion strategies that have been applied consecutively. Such methods have the power to expedite the design and synthesis of functionalized macro­cycles via the selective, iterative insertion of smaller fragments into ring-enlarged products.1 Introduction2 Insertion Reactions2.1 Transamidation/Transpeptidation2.2 Transesterification2.3 Transthioesterification2.4 Aminyl Radical Cascade2.5 Iterative Synthesis of Lactones2.6 Successive Ring Expansion of β-Ketoesters and Lactams3 Pericyclic Reactions3.1 Sulfur-Mediated Rearrangements3.2 Nitrogen-Mediated Rearrangements4 Fragmentation Reactions5 Conclusions and Future Outlook

Scrutinizing metal–ligand covalency and redox non-innocence via nitrogen K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy

A series of nitrogen K-edge XAS data obtained for coordination complexes of diverse transition metals is used to calibrate computational pre-edge peak energies and to afford estimates of metal–ligand covalencies. The approach is extended to probe an inner-sphere aminyl radical ligand.