Bin
Li
,
Kevin
Huse
,
Christoph
Wölper
and
Stephan
Schulz
*
Institute of Inorganic Chemistry and Center for Nanointegration Duisburg-Essen (CENIDE), University of Duisburg-Essen, 45117 Essen, Germany. E-mail: stephan.schulz@uni-due.de
First published on 23rd November 2021
Heteroleptic zinc(I) complexes L1,2Zn–ZnCp* (L1 = HC[C(CF3)NC6F5]21; L2 = HC[C(Me)NDipp]2; Dipp = 2,6-i-Pr2C6H32) are synthesized by reactions of Cp*2Zn2 with L1H and L2ZnH. 2 reacts with t-BuNCO to give unprecedented carbamate complex (4), while reactions with RN3 gave bis-hexazene, triazenide, and trimeric azide complexes (5–7).
The reaction of L3H (L3 = HC[C(Me)NMes]2, Mes = 2,4,6-Me3C6H2) with Cp*2Zn2 in 1:1 and 1:2 molar ratio yielded the homoleptic Zn(I) complex L32Zn2.7 In contrast, the reaction of Cp*2Zn2 with one or two equiv. of L1H (L1 = HC[C(CF3)NC6F5]2) in toluene at 6 °C gave the heteroleptic complex L1ZnZnCp* 1 (Scheme 1), whereas L2H (L2 = HC[C(Me)NDipp]2, Dipp = 2,6-i-Pr2C6H3) failed to react. Inspired by a Pd(II)-induced homocoupling reaction of RZnH,15 L2ZnH was reacted with Cp*2Zn at 4 °C for 3 days, yielding L2Zn–ZnCp* (2) and other by-products (Fig. S37, ESI†). 2 also formed in the equimolar reaction of L2ZnH with Cp*2Zn2 (Scheme 1), whereas substitution of the second Cp* group by reacting 2 or Cp*2Zn2 with L2ZnH in 1:1 or 1:2 molar ratio failed, although the desired homoleptic Zn(I) complex L22Zn2 is known.4 In contrast, Cp*2Zn2 reacted with the stronger reductant L2MgH to give zinc metal and L2MgCp* (3, ESI†).
The 1H and 13C NMR spectra of 1 and 2 show characteristic resonances of the Cp* group and L1 (1) and L2 (2). The 19F NMR spectrum of 1 shows a resonance at −66.40 ppm (CF3) and three resonances of the C6F5 groups in a 2:1:2 intensity ratio.
Single crystals were grown from toluene solutions at −30 °C (1, Fig. S42, ESI†) and 4 °C (2, Fig. S43, ESI†). The complexes crystallize in the triclinic space group P (1) and the monoclinic space group P21 (2). The Zn1–Zn2 bond of 1 (2.2883(5) Å) is shorter than that of 2 (2.3008(2) Å) and other Zn(I) complexes, but comparable to those in [Zn]8 clusters (2.27–2.29 Å).16 The Cp* groups are η5-bonded with Zn2–Cp*(centr) distances of 1.8858(4) Å (1) and 1.9215(3) Å (2) and Cp*(centr)–Zn1–Zn2 bond angles of 177.2° (1) and 177.5° (2), which are close to linearity as observed in Zn2Cp*21 and Cp*ZnZnL.8b,14 The Zn1 atoms are three-coordinated, and the Zn1–N1/2 bonds of 1 (1.9917(13), 2.0140(13) Å) are longer than those of 2 (1.9580(10), 1.9598(10) Å), in accordance with the reduced electron donor capacity of the fluorinated L1 ligand,17 but comparable to those of homoleptic complexes L22Zn2 and L32Zn2.4,7
With heteroleptic complex 2 in hand, we explored its reactivity toward heteroallenes. Homoleptic Cp*2Zn2 reacted with RNCO (R = t-Bu, Dipp) at ambient temperature with insertion into one Zn–Cp* bond.14 In contrast, the reaction of heteroleptic Zn(I) complex 2 with t-BuNCO at 70 °C for 4 days gave complex 4 in 41% yield (Scheme 2), whereas no reaction occurred with DippNCO even at 100 °C. The formation of 4 results from insertion of t-BuNCO into the Zn–Zn and Zn–Cp* bonds and cleavage of a CO bond accompanied by the formation of t-BuNC as was confirmed by in situ1H NMR spectroscopy (Fig. S39, ESI†). Any attempts to isolate reaction intermediates by varying the temperature and the molar ratio of the reagents failed. However, an excess of t-BuNCO promotes the reaction, as 4 was not formed in a 1:1 molar ratio reaction at 70 °C. The analogous reaction of L32Zn27 with t-BuNCO also quantitatively gave a zinc carbamate complex 4S (Fig. S40 and S46, ESI†) and t-BuNC.
Complex 4 is thermally stable and decomposes at 210 °C. The 1H NMR spectrum shows two singlets of the t-Bu groups and five singlets of the Cp* group, indicating an asymmetric nature of the complex in solution. The 13C NMR spectrum also shows five singlets of the Me groups of the Cp* ligand as well as two singlets of the tertiary C atom of the t-Bu groups and resonances of the NCO units at 170.1 and 172.8 ppm, respectively.
Single crystals of 4, which crystallize in the monoclinic space group P21/c (Fig. 1), were grown from a saturated toluene solution at 4 °C. Both Zn atoms adopt distorted tetrahedral coordination spheres and are bridged by a carbamate unit.
Fig. 1 Molecular structure of 4. Thermal ellipsoids are drawn at 30% probability level. Parts of the ligands are drawn in wire/stick model, while H atoms are omitted for clarity. |
The Zn1–O2/3 (2.0697(8), 2.0309(8) Å) bond lengths are comparable to those of the zinc carbamate complex L2ZnO2CN(i-Pr)2 (2.028(2), 2.041(1) Å),18 but longer compared to those of the carboxylate complexes [L2Zn(μ,η2-O2CR)]2 (R = H, Me, Ph, Oi-Pr), which range from 1.936 to 2.027 Å.19 The Zn2–N3/4 (1.9000(9), 1.9169(9) Å) bond lengths are virtually identical to that of Cp*Zn–Zn(N(t-Bu)C(Cp*)O) (1.9148(9) Å),14 while the Zn2–O3 distance (2.2780(8) Å) is rather long, indicating a rather weak coordinative interaction. The C–O (1.2819(12), 1.3273(12) Å) and C–N bond lengths (1.3270(13) Å) indicate a delocalized π-electron system within the carbamate unit. The Cp* ligand is η2-coordinated to Zn2, and the Zn–C bonds (2.4906(11), 2.5135(11) Å) are elongated compared to Zn-π complexes with η2 interactions, i.e. alkyne-coordinated ZnBr2 (2.217(5), 2.393(5) Å)20 and [PhC(Nt-Bu)2(Cp*)Si–Zn(Cp*)Cl] (2.2519(26), 2.1224(29) Å),21 but shorter than those in Zn(C6F5)2(tol.) (2.784(2), 2.6847(15) Å)22 and arylacetylene-substituted calix[4]arene zinc complexes (2.7695(37), 3.0667(37) Å).23
Complex 2 was then reacted with organoazides RN3 (R = Ph, Ad, SiMe3). In contrast to homoleptic L32Zn2, which was found to react with RN3 with formation of zinc hexazene [(L3Zn)2(μ-η2:η2-N6R2)] (R = Ph, 2,6-i-Pr2C6H3) or dimeric zinc azide complexes [(L3Zn)(μ-N3)]2 (R = Me3Si, Me3Sn),12c the reaction of heteroleptic complex 2 with 2 equiv. of AdN3 at 70 °C for 2 days yielded the first bis-hexazene complex 5 (Scheme 3), which is thermally stable in solution up to 100 °C and in the solid state (decomposition temperature > 300 °C), respectively. Complex 5 is likely formed via the Cp*Zn(μ-η2:η2-N6Ad2)ZnL2 intermediate, followed by intramolecular elimination of Cp*2Zn.
In contrast, the reaction of 2 with PhN3 gave the zinc triazenide complex 6 in 48% yield (Scheme 3). Alkaline or alkaline earth metal triazenides are typically formed in reactions of aryl azides and organolithium and magnesium complexes,24 hence the formation of 6 likely results from a nucleophilic attack of the Cp* ligand. Since no reaction was observed in a control experiment of L2ZnCp* with PhN3, we assume that the first reaction step is an insertion reaction of PhN3 into the Zn–Zn bond of 2. Low-valent metal complexes are known to react with RN3 with formation of metal triazenides as was shown for homo- (Al, Cr) and heterobimetallic (In–Zn) complexes,25 while a dinuclear iron complex was formed by the reaction of an Fe–N2 complex with AdN3.26 The reaction of 2 with Me3SiN3 occurred with reductive elimination of Si2Me6 as was reported for the analogous reaction of L32Zn212c and formation of complex 7 featuring a pseudo triangular Zn3N9 moiety (Scheme 3). 7 also formed in 78% yield in the reaction of L2ZnH and Me3SiN3.
1H and 13C NMR spectra of 5 and 6 show resonances of L2 and Ad (5) and Cp* and Ph (6), while 7 shows two sets of resonances of L2 due to two conformers in solution, which form a temperature-dependent equilibrium as confirmed by VT-1H NMR (Fig. S41, ESI†). IR spectra show absorption bands of the hexazene (1265, 1218 cm−1, 5), triazenide (1313, 1255 cm−1, 6) and azide groups (2157, 2124 cm−1, 7).
Single crystals of 5–7 were grown from toluene solutions. Complexes 5 and 6 crystallize in the monoclinic space groups P2/n and P21/m and complex 7 in the triclinic space group P (Fig. 2). Complex 5 contains two bridging hexazene ligands. The Zn1–N1/2 bonds within the C3N2Zn ring are slightly shorter than the Zn1–N3/6 bonds (2.0024(19), 2.0378(18) Å) in the neighbouring N4Zn ring, but comparable to Zn–N3/6 bonds (2.0079(18), 1.9817(19) Å) in the nonadjacent N4Zn ring. The N5–N6 distance (1.400(3) Å) is typical for a single bond, while the other N–N bond lengths (1.297(3)–1.301(3) Å) of the hexazene unit indicate an allyl-like nature as was previously reported for metal hexazene complexes.12c,27 The Zn atom in triazene complex 6 is tetrahedrally coordinated by four N atoms of the L2 ligand and the triazene group. The N–N bond lengths within the ZnN3 metallacycle (1.297(6), 1.307(5) Å) indicate a delocalized π-electron system within the N3 moiety. The Zn–N2 bonds (1.9592(10) Å) are shorter than the Zn–N1/3 bonds (2.0524(13), 2.0869(14) Å). The only structurally characterized zinc triazenide complex [Dipp2N3]2Zn, which was prepared by an ethane elimination reaction of ZnEt2 with Dipp2N3H,28 shows comparable structure parameters.
In contrast to dimeric [(L3Zn)(μ-N3)]2,29 complex 7 forms a pseudo-triangular Zn3N9 moiety with bridging N3 units, resulting in an almost planar Zn3N9 metallacycle (r.m.s. deviation from the least-squares plane 0.0655 Å), and each Zn atom is further coordinated by one L2 ligand. The Zn–N bonds (1.952(5)–2.027(5) Å) within the Zn3N9 moiety are slightly longer than those in the C3N2Zn rings (1.945(4)–1.959(5) Å). The N–N–N angles of 178.0(7)°, 179.1(7)° and 178.9(7)° are almost linear, and the N–N bond lengths range from 1.147(7) to 1.192(7) Å.
To summarize, heteroleptic Zn(I) complexes L1/2ZnZnCp* (1, 2) were synthesized and reactions of L2ZnZnCp* 2 with heteroallenes are reported. The reaction with t-BuNCO proceeded with insertion into both the Zn–Zn and the Zn–Cp* bonds and formation of carbamate complex 4, whereas reactions with RN3 yielded unprecedented bis-hexazenide, triazenide, and trimeric azide complexes 5–7, respectively.
S. S. acknowledges support by the University of Duisburg-Essen.
Footnote |
† Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Experimental, analytical (NMR, IR spectra, elemental analysis) and crystallographic data of 1–7. CCDC 2111218 (1), 2111219 (2), 2111220 (3), 2111221 (4), 2111225 (4S), 2111222 (5), 2111223 (6) and 2111224 (7). For ESI and crystallographic data in CIF or other electronic format see DOI: 10.1039/d1cc05617d |
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