C-H and Si-H activation with iron(0) dinitrogen complexes stabilized by bis(carbene)pyridine ligands

INOR 375

David Pugh, dpugh1@soton.ac.uk and Andreas A. Danopoulos, ad1@soton.ac.uk. School of Chemistry, University of Southampton, Highfield Campus, Southampton SO17 1BJ, United Kingdom
In 2004, the first Fe(0) dinitrogen complex stabilised by N-Heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligands (1) was published. We used 1 to activate aryl C-H bonds of simple organic molecules, but we also observed a competing reaction whereby the bis(carbene)pyridine ligand itself underwent C-H activation in the 3-position of the pyridine ring. This necessitated the synthesis of a new ‘pincer' ligand with blocking groups in the 3- and 5-positions of the pyridine ring and hence a new dinitrogen complex 2.

In this presentation, we report the reactivity of 1 and 2 towards C-H activation of simple organic molecules. We also report the difference in reactivity of 1 and 2 towards aryl silanes (e.g. PhSiH3) and compare this with the reactivity of the published phosphine and imine pincer complexes of iron towards PhSiH3.

 

General Organometallic Chemistry
9:00 AM-12:20 PM, Monday, August 20, 2007 BCEC -- 211, Oral

Division of Inorganic Chemistry

The 234th ACS National Meeting, Boston, MA, August 19-23, 2007