The first two chapters of this thesis are devoted to exploring the reactivity of electron rich molybdenum and tungsten trimethylphosphine complexes with hydrosilanes. These complexes, Mo(PMe3)6 and W(PMe3)4(n2-CH2PMe2)H, have been shown to be highly reactive species that undergo a number of bond cleavage reactions. In the presence of the hydrosilanes PhxSiH4-x (x = 0 - 4), Mo(PMe3)6 and W(PMe3)4(n2-CH2PMe2)H effect Si-H and Si-C bond cleavage, along with Si-Si bond formation; however, the products derived from these reactions are drastically different for Mo(PMe3)6 and W(PMe3)4(n2-CH2PMe2)H and are highly dependent on the substitution of the silane.
Mo(PMe3)6 reacts with SiH4, PhSiH3, and Ph2SiH2 to afford novel silyl, hypervalent silyl, silane, and disilane complexes, as respectively illustrated by Mo(PMe3)4H2(SiH3)2, Mo(PMe3)4H(k2-H2-H2SiPh2H), Mo(PMe3)3H4(s-HSiHPh2), and Mo(PMe3)3H2(k2-H2-H2Si2Ph4). Mo(PMe3)4H(k2-H2-H2SiPh2H) is the first example of a complex with a hypervalent [H2SiPh2H] ligand, and Mo(PMe3)3H2(k2-H2-H2Si2Ph4) represents the first structurally characterized disilane complex. In addition to being structurally unique, these complexes also possess interesting reactivity. For example, Mo(PMe3)4(SiH3)2H2 undergoes isotope exchange with SiD4, and NMR spectroscopic analysis of the SiHxD4-x isotopologues released indicates that the reaction occurs via a sigma bond metathesis pathway.
In contrast, W(PMe3)4(n2-CH2PMe2)H affords a range of products that includes metallacycle, disilyl, silane, and bridging silylene complexes. The disilyl compounds, W(PMe3)4H3(SiH2SiHPh2) and W(PMe3)3H4(SiH2Ph)(SiH2SiHPh2), exhibit the ability of W(PMe3)4(n2-CH2PMe2)H to cause both redistribution and Si-Si bond formation. A mechanism involving silylene intermediates is proposed for the generation of these complexes, and this mechanism is supported computationally. Additional support for the presence of intermediates comes from the isolation of a unique complex with a bridging silylene ligand, "WSiW". The bridging silylene bonding motif is unprecedented.
The reactivity of the simplest hydrosilane, SiH4, was also examined with IrCl(CO)(PPh3)2 (i.e. Vaska's compound). Previous reports on this reaction have assigned the product as trans-IrH(SiH3)(Cl)(CO)(PPh3)2, in which the hydride and silyl ligands are mutually trans. It is noteworthy, therefore, that we have now obtained a crystal structure of the product of this reaction in which the hydride and silyl ligands are cis, namely cis-IrH(SiH3)(Cl)(CO)(PPh3)2. Calculated energies of the isomeric species also suggest that the product of this reaction was originally misassigned. These results, and the analogous reactions with germane (GeH4), are described in Chapter 4.
Chapter 4 also discusses some reactions of transition metal phosphine complexes, including Ru(PMe3)4H2, Mo(PMe3)6, W(PMe3)4(n2-CH2PMe2)H, and Mo(PMe3)4(n2-CH2PMe2)H, with industrially relevant substrates. Ru(PMe3)4H2 effects the water gas shift reaction of CO and H2O to form CO2 and H2. Furthermore, Ru(PMe3)4H2 reacts with CO2, CS2, and H2S to respectively form formate, thiocarbonate, and hydrosulfido complexes. The reactivity of Mo(PMe3)6 and W(PMe3)4(n2-CH2PMe2)H towards molecules relevant to the hydrodeoxygenation industry, including dihydrofuran and benzofuran, was studied. The products of these reactions exhibit hydrogenation of unsaturated bonds and C-O bond cleavage, both of which are essential to the hydrodeoxygenation process. Mo(PMe3)4(n2-CH2PMe2)H reacts with PhI to form an alkylidyne species, [Mo(PMe3)4(CPMe2Ph)I]I, which was structurally characterized by X-ray diffraction. W(PMe3)4(n2-CH2PMe2)H forms a k2-adduct when treated with 2-seleno-2-methylbenzimidazole, namely W(PMe3)4(sebenzimMe)H.
Chapter 3 discusses the development of two new ruthenaboratrane complexes, [k4-B(mimBut)3]Ru(CO)(PR3) (R = Ph, Me). The structures of these complexes are described, and their d6 metal configuration is supported by both Fenske-Hall and Natural Bond Orbital calculations. Some reactivity of these complexes was also explored. For example, [k4-B(mimBut)3]Ru(CO)(PMe3) appears to add MeI across the Ru-B bond.
Finally, as an extension of the work that we have done on tungsten trimethylphosphine complexes, the structure of W(PMe3)3H6 in solution was investigated, and the results are presented in Chapter 5. T1 measurements of the hydride ligands and deuterium isotope effect shifts both confirm that this complex exists as a classical hydride in solution, which is in accord with the classical hydride formulation in the solid state that was previously determined by X-ray diffraction.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:columbia.edu/oai:academiccommons.columbia.edu:10.7916/D86M351R |
| Date | January 2014 |
| Creators | Zuzek, Ashley |
| Source Sets | Columbia University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Theses |
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