Use of an aryldiamine pincer ligand in the study of tantalum alkylidene-centered reactivity: Tantalum-mediated alkene synthesis via reductive rearrangements and wittig-type reactions

Hendrikus C L Abbenhuis, Nantko Faiken, David M. Grove, Johann T B H Jastrzebski, Huub Kooijman, Paul Van Der Sluis, Wilberth J J Smeets, Anthony L. Spek, Gerard Van Koten*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

The potentially terdentate, monoanionic aryldiamine ligand {C6H3(CH2NMe2)2-2,6} - provides an excellent tool for the study of tantalum alkylidene-centered reactivity. Transmetallation of [TaCl3(CH-t-Bu)(THF)2] with 1/2[Li{C6H3 - (CH2NMe2)2-2,6}]2 affords the alkylidene complex [TaCl2{C6H3(CH2NMe2) 2-2,6}(CH-t-Bu)] (1) in 90% yield. Complex 1 belongs to the space group Cc with a = 12.983 (2) Å, b = 12.384 (1) Å, c - 11.969 (1) Å, β= 95.43 (1)°, and Z = 4. The hexacoordinate tantalum center in 1 has an irregular ligand array in which the aryldiamine ligand adopts a new pseudofacial N,C,N-coordination mode. A Wittig-type reaction of the alkylidene complex 1 with acetone or benzaldehyde affords [TaCl2{C6H3(CH2NMe2) 2-2,6)(μ-O)]2 (2) in virtually quantitative yield. A similar reaction of 1 with PhCH = NR affords [TaCl2(C6H3(CH2NMe2) 2-2,6)(NR)] (R = Me, SiMe3). Complex 2 belongs to the space group Pc with a = 10.800 (4) Å, b = 11.804 (3) Å, c = 12.539 (4) Å, β= 108.67 (3)°, and Z = 2. Complex 2 is a dimer with bridging oxo functions and has a distorted pentagonal bipyramidal ligand array around each tantalum center. Complex 1 with ethene and propene gives a rearrangement reaction that affords alkene adducts [TaCl2{C6H3(CH2NMe2) 2,6}(H2C=CHR)] (R = CH2-t-Bu and Me, respectively). [TaCl2{C6H3(CH2NMe2) 2-2,6}(H2C=CHCH2-t-Bu)] belongs to the space group P1̄ with a = 8.320 (1) Å, b = 9.041 (2) Å, c = 14.054 (3) Å, α = 94.53 (2)°, β= 90.75 (2)°, γ = 92.86 (2)°, and Z = 2. The overall structure is distorted pentagonal bipyramidal. The chirality in the coordinated alkene determines the conformation of both five-membered Ta-C-C-C-N chelate rings. NMR experiments show the alkene complexes to be rigid in solution; the bonding of the alkene to the metal center is best described as resulting in a metallacyclopropane unit.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)9773-9781
Number of pages9
JournalJournal of the American Chemical Society
Volume114
Issue number25
Publication statusPublished - 1992

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