title: Iridium-imine and -amine complexes relevant to the (S)-metolachlor process: structures, exchange kinetics, and C-H activation by Iri causing racemization.
abstract: Iridium complexes of DMA-imine [2,6-dimethylphenyl-1'-methyl-2'-methoxyethylimine, 1 a) and (R)-DMA-amine [(1'R)-2,6-dimethylphenyl-1'-methyl-2'-methoxyethylamine, 2 a] that are relevant to the catalytic imine hydrogenation step of the Syngenta (S)-Metolachlor process were synthesized: metathetical exchange of [Ir2Cl2(cod)2] (cod=1,5-cyclooctadiene) with [Ag(1 a)2]BF4 and [Ag((R)-2 a)2]BF4 afforded [Ir(cod)(kappa2- -1 a)]BF4 (11) and [Ir(cod)(kappa2-(R)-2 a)]BF4 ((R)-19)), respectively. These complexes were then used in stopped-flow experiments to study the displacement of amine 2 a from complex 19 by imine 1 a to form the imine complex 11, thus modeling the product/substrate exchange step in the catalytic cycle. The data suggest a two-step associative mechanism characterized by k1=(2.6+/-0.3) x 10(2) M(-1) s(-1) and k2=(4.3+/-0.6) x 10(-2) s(-1) with the respective activation energies EA1=(7.5+/-0.6) kJ mol(-1) and EA2=(37+/-3) kJ mol(-1). Furthermore, complex 11 reacted with H2O to afford the hydrolysis product [Ir(cod)(eta(6-)-2,6-dimethylaniline)]BF4 (12), and with I2 to liberate quantitatively the DMA-iminium salt 14. On the other hand, the chiral amine complex (R)-19 formed the optically inactive eta6-bound compound [Ir(cod)(eta6-rac-2 a)]BF4 (rac-18) upon dissolution in THF at room temperature, presumably via intramolecular C-H activation. This racemization was found to be a two-step event with k'1=9.0 x 10(-4) s(-1) and k2=2.89 x 10(-5) s(-1), featuring an optically active intermediate prior to sp3 C-H activation. Compounds 11, 12, rac-18, and (R)-19 were structurally characterized by single-crystal X-ray analyses.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Química, Universidad Simón Bolívar, Caracas 1080A, Venezuela. rdorta@usb.ve
authors.forename: Romano
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dorta
authors.forename: Diego
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Broggini
authors.forename: Reinhard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kissner
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Togni
mesh_terms: D000081:Acetamides / Q000138:chemical synthesis*; D000588:Amines / Q000737:chemistry*; D018360:Crystallography, X-Ray; D007097:Imines / Q000737:chemistry*; D007495:Iridium / Q000737:chemistry*; D007700:Kinetics; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*; D013237:Stereoisomerism
chemical_list: D000081:Acetamides; D000588:Amines; D007097:Imines; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D007495:Iridium; C051786:metolachlor