Three-coordinate iron(IV) bisimido complexes with aminocarbene ligation: synthesis, structure, and reactivity.
High-valent iron imido species are implicated as reactive intermediates in many iron-catalyzed transformations. However, isolable complexes of this type are rare, and their reactivity is poorly understood. Herein, we report the synthesis, characterization, and reactivity studies on novel three-coordinate iron(IV) bisimido complexes with aminocarbene ligation. Using our recently reported synthetic method for [LFe(NDipp)2] (L = IMes, 1; Me2-cAAC, 2), four new iron(IV) imido complexes, [(IPr)Fe(NDipp)2] (3) and [(Me2-cAAC)Fe(NR)2] (R = Mes, 4; Ad, 5; CMe2CH2Ph, 6), were prepared from the reactions of three-coordinate iron(0) compounds with organic azides. Characterization data acquired from (1)H and (13)C NMR spectroscopy, (57)Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction studies suggest a low-spin singlet ground state for these iron(IV) complexes and the multiple-bond character of their Fe-N bonds. A reactivity study taking the reactions of 1 as representative revealed an intramolecular alkane dehydrogenation of 1 to produce the iron(II) complex [(IMes)Fe(NHDipp)(NHC6H3-2-Pr(i)-6-CMe═CH2)] (7), a Si-H bond activation reaction of 1 with PhSiH3 to produce the iron(II) complex [(IMes)Fe(NHDipp)(NDippSiPhH2)] (8), and a [2+2]-addition reaction of 1 with PhNCNPh and p-Pr(i)C6H4NCO to form the corresponding open-shell formal iron(IV) monoimido complexes [(IMes)Fe(NDipp)(N(Dipp)C(NPh)(═NPh))] (9) and [(IMes)Fe(NDipp)(N(Dipp)C(O)N(p-Pr(i)C6H4))] (10), as well as [NDipp]-group-transfer reactions with CO and Bu(t)NC. Density functional theory calculations suggested that the alkane chain dehydrogenation reaction starts with a hydrogen atom abstraction mechanism, whereas the Si-H activation reaction proceeds in a [2π+2σ]-addition manner. Both reactions have the pathways at the triplet potential energy surfaces being energetically preferred, and have formal iron(IV) hydride and iron(IV) silyl species as intermediates, respectively. The low-coordinate nature and low d-electron count (d(4)) of iron(IV) imido complexes are thought to be the key features endowing their unique reactivity.
State Key Laboratory of Organometallic Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences , 345 Lingling Road, Shanghai 200032, P. R. China.
Lei
L
Wang
Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Key Laboratory of Photochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100190, P. R. China.
Lianrui
L
Hu
State Key Laboratory of Organometallic Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences , 345 Lingling Road, Shanghai 200032, P. R. China.
Hezhong
H
Zhang
Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Key Laboratory of Photochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100190, P. R. China.
Hui
H
Chen
State Key Laboratory of Organometallic Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences , 345 Lingling Road, Shanghai 200032, P. R. China.
Liang
L
Deng