Issue 1, 2021

An electrochemically controlled release of NHCs using iron bis(dithiolene) N-heterocyclic carbene complexes

Abstract

A series of five coordinated iron bis(dithiolene) complexes [Fe(NHC)(S2C2R2)2] (R = C6H5 or C6H4-p-OCH3) containing N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) (NHC = 1,3-bis(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)imidazol-2-ylidene or 1,3-bis(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)-4,5-dihydroimidazol-2-ylidene) were isolated in high yield (84–92%). The iron complexes were characterized by NMR spectroscopy and confirmed by single crystal X-ray diffraction studies. The combination of cyclic voltammetry and spectroelectrochemical analysis revealed that iron complexes undergo Fe–CNHC bond cleavage and release NHC upon subjection to electrochemical reduction. The electrochemically released NHC was trapped using 1-naphthylisothiocyanate and the adduct was isolated in nearly quantitative yield (∼99%). As a proof of concept, the electrochemically released NHC was subsequently used as a catalyst for synthesis of γ-butyrolactones from commercially available cinnamaldehydes.

Graphical abstract: An electrochemically controlled release of NHCs using iron bis(dithiolene) N-heterocyclic carbene complexes

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Research Article
Submitted
02 Jun 2020
Accepted
03 Sep 2020
First published
23 Sep 2020

Inorg. Chem. Front., 2021,8, 59-71

Author version available

An electrochemically controlled release of NHCs using iron bis(dithiolene) N-heterocyclic carbene complexes

J. Selvakumar, S. M. Simpson, E. Zurek and K. Arumugam, Inorg. Chem. Front., 2021, 8, 59 DOI: 10.1039/D0QI00638F

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