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Mechanistic Insight into the Intramolecular Benzylic C−H Nitrene Insertion Catalyzed by Bimetallic Paddlewheel Complexes: Influence of the Metal Centers
Author(s) -
Zhang Xuepeng,
Xu Huiying,
Liu Xueping,
Phillips David Lee,
Zhao Cunyuan
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
chemistry – a european journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.687
H-Index - 242
eISSN - 1521-3765
pISSN - 0947-6539
DOI - 10.1002/chem.201600371
Subject(s) - nitrene , chemistry , bimetallic strip , intramolecular force , photochemistry , amination , catalysis , hydride , singlet state , medicinal chemistry , metal , stereochemistry , organic chemistry , physics , nuclear physics , excited state
The intramolecular benzylic C−H amination catalyzed by bimetallic paddlewheel complexes was investigated by using density functional theory calculations. The metal–metal bonding characters were investigated and the structures featuring either a small HOMO–LUMO gap or a compact SOMO energy scope were estimated to facilitate an easier one‐electron oxidation of the bimetallic center. The hydrogen‐abstraction step was found to occur through three manners, that is, hydride transfer, hydrogen migration, and proton transfer. The imido N species are more preferred in the Ru–Ru and Pd–Mn cases whereas coexisting N species, namely, singlet/triplet nitrene and imido, were observed in the Rh–Rh and Pd–Co cases. On the other hand, the triplet nitrene N species were found to be predominant in the Pd–Ni and Pd–Zn systems. A concerted asynchronous mechanism was found to be modestly favorable in the Rh–Rh‐catalyzed reactions whereas the Pd–Co‐catalyzed reactions demonstrated a slight preference for a stepwise pathway. Favored stepwise pathways were seen in each Ru–Ru‐ and Pd–Mn‐catalyzed reactions and in the triplet nitrene involved Pd–Ni and Pd–Zn reactions. The calculations suggest the feasibility of the Pd–Mn, Pd–Co, and Pd–Ni paddlewheel complexes as being economical alternatives for the expensive dirhodium/diruthenium complexes in C−H amination catalysis.