In organometallic chemistry, a sandwich compound is a chemical compound featuring a metal bound by haptic, covalent bonds to two arene (ring) ligands. The arenes have the formula CnHn, substituted derivatives (for example Cn(CH3)n) and heterocyclic derivatives (for example BCnHn+1). Because the metal is usually situated between the two rings, it is said to be "sandwiched". A special class of sandwich complexes are the metallocenes.
The term sandwich compound was introduced in organometallic nomenclature in 1956 in a report by J. D. Dunitz, L. E. Orgel and R. A. Rich, who confirmed the structure of ferrocene by X-ray crystallography. [1] The correct structure, in which the molecule features an iron atom sandwiched between two parallel cyclopentadienyl rings, had been proposed several years previously by Robert Burns Woodward and, separately, by Ernst Otto Fischer. The structure helped explain puzzles about ferrocene's conformers. This result further demonstrated the power of X-ray crystallography and accelerated the growth of organometallic chemistry. [2] [ page needed ]
The best known members are the metallocenes of the formula M(C5H5)2 where M = Cr, Fe, Co, Ni, Pb, Zr, Ru, Rh, Os, Sm, Ti, V, Mo, W, Zn. These species are also called bis(cyclopentadienyl)metal complexes. Other arenes can serve as ligands as well.
Closely related are the metal complexes containing H3C3B2R2 (diborolyl) ligands. [7] In addition to these, other sandwich complexes containing purely inorganic ligands are known, such as Fe(C5Me5)(P5) and [(P5)2Ti]2−. [8]
Metallocenes including just one facially-bound planar organic ligand instead of two gives rise to a still larger family of half-sandwich compounds. The most famous example is probably methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl. Such species are occasionally referred to as piano-stool compounds, at least when there are three diatomic ligands in addition to the hydrocarbon "seat" of the piano stool. The name derives from the similarity of the structure to such a "stool" with the seat being a facial planar organic compound, such as benzene or cyclopentadiene, and the legs being ligands such as CO or allyl. [9] [10]
Compounds such as the cyclopentadienyliron dicarbonyl dimer and cyclopentadienylmolybdenumtricarbonyl dimer can be considered a special case of half-sandwiches, except that they are dimetallic. [9] A structurally related species is [Ru(C6H6)Cl2]2.
The first isolated multidecker sandwich was the tris(cyclopentadienyl)dinickel triple-decker complex [Ni2Cp3]BF4 , a highly air- and water-sensitive compound reported in 1972, [11] with X-ray crystallographic confirmation in 1974. [12]
In 1973 the electrically neutral air-stable triple-decker cobaltacarborane sandwiches 1,7,2,3- and 1,7,2,4-CpCo(RHC2B3H3)Cp (where R = H, Me) were isolated and characterized by multinuclear NMR and X-ray studies [13] (the structure of the 1,7,2,3 isomer is shown).
Since then many three-, four-, five-, and six-decker sandwich complexes have been described. [14] [15] The largest structurally characterized multidecker sandwich monomer is the hexadecker shown at lower right. [16]
An extensive family of multidecker sandwiches incorporating planar (R2R′C3B2R″2)3− (diborolyl) ligands has also been prepared. [17]
Numerous multidecker sandwich compounds featuring hydrocarbon bridging rings have also been prepared, especially triple deckers. [18] A versatile method involves the attachment of Cp*Ru+ to preformed sandwich complexes. [19]
Monomeric double-decker and multidecker sandwiches have been used as building blocks for extended systems, some of which exhibit electron delocalization between metal centers. An example of a cyclic poly(metallacarborane) complex is the octahedral "carbon-wired" system shown below, which contains a planar C16B8 macrocycle. [20]
In these anti-bimetallic compounds, the metals are found to be bridged by a single carbocyclic ring. Examples include [(THF)3Ca]2(1,3,5-triphenylbenzene) [21] and [(Ar)Sn]2 COT .
Another family of sandwich compound involves more than one metal sandwiched between two carbocyclic rings. Examples of the double sandwich include V2(indenyl)2, [22] Ni2(COT)2 [23] and Cr2(pentalene)2. Depicted at right is an example of a multimetallic sandwich compound, which has four palladium atoms joined in a chain sandwiched between two perylene units. [24] The counterions are bulky tetraarylborates.
Ferrocene and methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl have been used as antiknock agents. Certain bent metallocenes of zirconium and hafnium are effective precatalysts for the polymerization of propylene. Many half sandwich complexes of ruthenium, such as those derived from (cymene)ruthenium dichloride dimer catalyse transfer hydrogenation, a useful reaction in organic synthesis. [25] [ non-primary source needed ]
A metallocene is a compound typically consisting of two cyclopentadienyl anions (C
5H−
5, abbreviated Cp) bound to a metal center (M) in the oxidation state II, with the resulting general formula (C5H5)2M. Closely related to the metallocenes are the metallocene derivatives, e.g. titanocene dichloride, vanadocene dichloride. Certain metallocenes and their derivatives exhibit catalytic properties, although metallocenes are rarely used industrially. Cationic group 4 metallocene derivatives related to [Cp2ZrCH3]+ catalyze olefin polymerization.
Ferrocene is an organometallic compound with the formula Fe(C5H5)2. The molecule is a complex consisting of two cyclopentadienyl rings bound to a central iron atom. It is an orange solid with a camphor-like odor, that sublimes above room temperature, and is soluble in most organic solvents. It is remarkable for its stability: it is unaffected by air, water, strong bases, and can be heated to 400 °C without decomposition. In oxidizing conditions it can reversibly react with strong acids to form the ferrocenium cation Fe(C5H5)+2.
A cyclopentadienyl complex is a coordination complex of a metal and cyclopentadienyl groups. Cyclopentadienyl ligands almost invariably bind to metals as a pentahapto (η5-) bonding mode. The metal–cyclopentadienyl interaction is typically drawn as a single line from the metal center to the center of the Cp ring.
Nickelocene is the organonickel compound with the formula Ni(η5-C5H5)2. Also known as bis(cyclopentadienyl)nickel or NiCp2, this bright green paramagnetic solid is of enduring academic interest, although it does not yet have any known practical applications.
Cobaltocene, known also as bis(cyclopentadienyl)cobalt(II) or even "bis Cp cobalt", is an organocobalt compound with the formula Co(C5H5)2. It is a dark purple solid that sublimes readily slightly above room temperature. Cobaltocene was discovered shortly after ferrocene, the first metallocene. Due to the ease with which it reacts with oxygen, the compound must be handled and stored using air-free techniques.
Titanocene dichloride is the organotitanium compound with the formula (η5-C5H5)2TiCl2, commonly abbreviated as Cp2TiCl2. This metallocene is a common reagent in organometallic and organic synthesis. It exists as a bright red solid that slowly hydrolyzes in air. It shows antitumour activity and was the first non-platinum complex to undergo clinical trials as a chemotherapy drug.
In coordination chemistry, hapticity is the coordination of a ligand to a metal center via an uninterrupted and contiguous series of atoms. The hapticity of a ligand is described with the Greek letter η ('eta'). For example, η2 describes a ligand that coordinates through 2 contiguous atoms. In general the η-notation only applies when multiple atoms are coordinated. In addition, if the ligand coordinates through multiple atoms that are not contiguous then this is considered denticity, and the κ-notation is used once again. When naming complexes care should be taken not to confuse η with μ ('mu'), which relates to bridging ligands.
Chromocene is the organochromium compound with the formula [Cr(C5H5)2]. Like structurally related metallocenes, chromocene readily sublimes in a vacuum and is soluble in non-polar organic solvents. It is more formally known as bis(η5-cyclopentadienyl)chromium(II).
Group 2 organometallic chemistry refers to the chemistry of compounds containing carbon bonded to any group 2 element. By far the most common group 2 organometallic compounds are the magnesium-containing Grignard reagents which are widely used in organic chemistry. Other organmetallic group 2 compounds are rare and are typically limited to academic interests.
Organouranium chemistry is the science exploring the properties, structure and reactivity of organouranium compounds, which are organometallic compounds containing a carbon to uranium chemical bond. The field is of some importance to the nuclear industry and of theoretical interest in organometallic chemistry.
In organometallic chemistry, a transition metal indenyl complex is a coordination compound that contains one or more indenyl ligands. The indenyl ligand is formally the anion derived from deprotonation of indene. The η5-indenyl ligand is related to the η5cyclopentadienyl anion (Cp), thus indenyl analogues of many cyclopentadienyl complexes are known. Indenyl ligands lack the 5-fold symmetry of Cp, so they exhibit more complicated geometries. Furthermore, some indenyl complexes also exist with only η3-bonding mode. The η5- and η3-bonding modes sometimes interconvert.
Sodium cyclopentadienide is an organosodium compound with the formula C5H5Na. The compound is often abbreviated as NaCp, where Cp− is the cyclopentadienide anion. Sodium cyclopentadienide is a colorless solid, although samples often are pink owing to traces of oxidized impurities.
Organoiron chemistry is the chemistry of iron compounds containing a carbon-to-iron chemical bond. Organoiron compounds are relevant in organic synthesis as reagents such as iron pentacarbonyl, diiron nonacarbonyl and disodium tetracarbonylferrate. While iron adopts oxidation states from Fe(−II) through to Fe(VII), Fe(IV) is the highest established oxidation state for organoiron species. Although iron is generally less active in many catalytic applications, it is less expensive and "greener" than other metals. Organoiron compounds feature a wide range of ligands that support the Fe-C bond; as with other organometals, these supporting ligands prominently include phosphines, carbon monoxide, and cyclopentadienyl, but hard ligands such as amines are employed as well.
Organoscandium chemistry is an area with organometallic compounds focused on compounds with at least on carbon to scandium chemical bond. The interest in organoscandium compounds is mostly academic but motivated by potential practical applications in catalysis, especially in polymerization. A common precursor is scandium chloride, especially its THF complex.
Rhodocene is a chemical compound with the formula [Rh(C5H5)2]. Each molecule contains an atom of rhodium bound between two planar aromatic systems of five carbon atoms known as cyclopentadienyl rings in a sandwich arrangement. It is an organometallic compound as it has (haptic) covalent rhodium–carbon bonds. The [Rh(C5H5)2] radical is found above 150 °C (302 °F) or when trapped by cooling to liquid nitrogen temperatures (−196 °C [−321 °F]). At room temperature, pairs of these radicals join via their cyclopentadienyl rings to form a dimer, a yellow solid.
An ansa-metallocene is a type of organometallic compound containing two cyclopentadienyl ligands that are linked by a bridging group such that both cyclopentadienyl groups are bound to the same metal. The link prevents rotation of the cyclopentadienyl ligand and often modifies the structure and reactivity of the metal center. Some ansa-metallocenes are active in Ziegler-Natta catalysis, although none are used commercially. The term ansa-metallocene was coined by Lüttringhaus and Kullick to describe alkylidene-bridged ferrocenes, which were developed in the 1950s.
In organometallic chemistry, a dicarbollide is an anion of the formula [C2B9H11]2-. Various isomers exist, but most common is 1,2-dicarbollide derived from ortho-carborane. These dianions function as ligands, related to the cyclopentadienyl anion. Substituted dicarbollides are also known such as [C2B9H10(pyridine)]− (pyridine bonded to B) and [C2R2B9H9]2- (R groups bonded to carbon).
Vanadocene, bis(η5-cyclopentadienyl) vanadium, is the organometallic compound with the formula V(C5H5)2, commonly abbreviated Cp2V. It is a violet crystalline, paramagnetic solid. Vanadocene has relatively limited practical use, but it has been extensively studied.
Magnesocene, also known as bis(cyclopentadienyl)magnesium(II) and sometimes abbreviated as MgCp2, is an organometallic compound with the formula Mg(η5-C5H5)2. It is an example of an s-block main group sandwich compound, structurally related to the d-block element metallocenes, and consists of a central magnesium atom sandwiched between two cyclopentadienyl rings.
Zirconocene is a hypothetical compound with 14 valence electrons, which has not been observed or isolated. It is an organometallic compound consisting of two cyclopentadienyl rings bound on a central zirconium atom. A crucial question in research is what kind of ligands can be used to stabilize the Cp2ZrII metallocene fragment to make it available for further reactions in organic synthesis.