Metal arene complexes are organometallic compounds of the formula (C6R6)xMLy. Common classes are of the type (C6R6)ML3 and (C6R6)2M. These compounds are reagents in inorganic and organic synthesis. The principles that describe arene complexes extend to related organic ligands such as many heterocycles (e.g. thiophene) and polycyclic aromatic compounds (e.g. naphthalene). [1]
Also known as reductive Friedel–Crafts reaction, the Fischer–Hafner synthesis entails treatment of metal chlorides with arenes in the presence of aluminium trichloride and aluminium metal. The method was demonstrated in the 1950s with the synthesis of bis(benzene)chromium by Walter Hafner and his advisor E. O. Fischer. [3] The method has been extended to other metals, e.g. [Ru(C6Me6)2]2+. In this reaction, the AlCl3 serves to remove chloride from the metal precursor, and the Al metal functions as the reductant. [1] The Fischer-Hafner synthesis is limited to arenes lacking sensitive functional groups.
By metal vapor synthesis, metal atoms co-condensed with arenes react to give complexes of the type M(arene)2. Cr(C6H6)2 can be produced by this method. [1]
Cr(CO)6 reacts directly with benzene and other arenes to give the piano stool complexes Cr(C6R6)(CO)3. [4] The carbonyls of Mo and W behave comparably. The method works particularly well with electron-rich arenes (e.g., anisole, mesitylene). The reaction has been extended to the synthesis of [Mn(C6R6)(CO)3]+:
Few Ru(II) and Os(II) complexes react directly with arenes. Instead, arene complexes of these metals are typically prepared by treatment of M(III) precursors with cyclohexadienes. For example, heating alcohol solutions of 1,3- or 1,4-cyclohexadiene and ruthenium trichloride gives (benzene)ruthenium dichloride dimer. The conversion entails dehydrogenation of an intermediate diene complex.
Metal complexes are known to catalyze alkyne trimerization to give arenes. These reactions have been used to prepare arene complexes. Illustrative is the reaction of [Co(mesitylene)2]+ with 2-butyne to give [Co(C6Me6)2]+. [1]
In most of its complexes, arenes bind in an η6 mode, with six nearly equidistant M-C bonds. The C-C-C angles are unperturbed vs the parent arene, but the C-C bonds are elongated by 0.2 Å. In the fullerene complex Ru3(CO)9(C60), the fullerene binds to the triangular face of the cluster. [5]
In some complexes, the arene binds through only two or four carbons, η2 and η4 bonding, respectively. In these cases, the arene is no longer planar. Because the arene is dearomatized, the uncoordinated carbon centers display enhanced reactivity. A well studied example is [Ru(η6-C6Me6)(η4-C6Me6)]0, formed by the reduction of [Ru(η6-C6Me6)2]2+. An example of an [Os(η2-C6H6)(NH3)5)]2+. [6]
When bound in the η6 manner, arenes often function as unreactive spectator ligands, as illustrated by several homogeneous catalysts used for transfer hydrogenation, such as (η6-C6R6)Ru(TsDPEN). In cationic arene complexes or those supported by several CO ligands, the arene is susceptible to attack by nucleophiles to give cyclohexadienyl derivatives.
Particularly from the perspective of organic synthesis, the decomplexation of arenes is of interest. Decomplexation can often be induced by treatment with excess of ligand (MeCN, CO, etc). [4]
In organic chemistry, an alkyne trimerisation is a [2+2+2] cycloaddition reaction in which three alkyne units react to form a benzene ring. The reaction requires a metal catalyst. The process is of historic interest as well as being applicable to organic synthesis. Being a cycloaddition reaction, it has high atom economy. Many variations have been developed, including cyclisation of mixtures of alkynes and alkenes as well as alkynes and nitriles.
1,2,3,4,5-Pentamethylcyclopentadiene is a cyclic diene with the formula C5Me5H (Me = CH3). 1,2,3,4,5-Pentamethylcyclopentadiene is the precursor to the ligand 1,2,3,4,5-pentamethylcyclopentadienyl, which is often denoted Cp* (C5Me5) and read as "C P star", the "star" signifying the five methyl groups radiating from the core of the ligand. In contrast to less-substituted cyclopentadiene derivatives, Cp*H is not prone to dimerization.
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).
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 and heterocyclic derivatives. 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.
Bis(benzene)chromium is the organometallic compound with the formula Cr(η6-C6H6)2. It is sometimes called dibenzenechromium. The compound played an important role in the development of sandwich compounds in organometallic chemistry and is the prototypical complex containing two arene ligands.
Organotitanium chemistry is the science of organotitanium compounds describing their physical properties, synthesis, and reactions. Organotitanium compounds in organometallic chemistry contain carbon-titanium chemical bonds. They are reagents in organic chemistry and are involved in major industrial processes.
In organometallic chemistry, a metallacycle is a derivative of a carbocyclic compound wherein a metal has replaced at least one carbon center; this is to some extent similar to heterocycles. Metallacycles appear frequently as reactive intermediates in catalysis, e.g. olefin metathesis and alkyne trimerization. In organic synthesis, directed ortho metalation is widely used for the functionalization of arene rings via C-H activation. One main effect that metallic atom substitution on a cyclic carbon compound is distorting the geometry due to the large size of typical metals.
(Cymene)ruthenium dichloride dimer is the organometallic compound with the formula [(cymene)RuCl2]2. This red-coloured, diamagnetic solid is a reagent in organometallic chemistry and homogeneous catalysis. The complex is structurally similar to (benzene)ruthenium dichloride dimer.
(Benzene)chromium tricarbonyl is an organometallic compound with the formula Cr(C6H6)(CO)3. This yellow crystalline solid compound is soluble in common nonpolar organic solvents. The molecule adopts a geometry known as “piano stool” because of the planar arrangement of the aryl group and the presence of three CO ligands as "legs" on the chromium-bond axis.
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.
Organoruthenium chemistry is the chemistry of organometallic compounds containing a carbon to ruthenium chemical bond. Several organoruthenium catalysts are of commercial interest and organoruthenium compounds have been considered for cancer therapy. The chemistry has some stoichiometric similarities with organoiron chemistry, as iron is directly above ruthenium in group 8 of the periodic table. The most important reagents for the introduction of ruthenium are ruthenium(III) chloride and triruthenium dodecacarbonyl.
(Mesitylene)molybdenum tricarbonyl is an organomolybdenum compound derived from the aromatic compound mesitylene (1,3,5-trimethylbenzene) and molybdenum carbonyl. It exists as pale yellow crystals, which are soluble in organic solvents but decompose when in solution. It has been examined as a catalyst and reagent.
Peter Michael Maitlis, FRS was a British organometallic chemist.
Hexamethylbenzene, also known as mellitene, is a hydrocarbon with the molecular formula C12H18 and the condensed structural formula C6(CH3)6. It is an aromatic compound and a derivative of benzene, where benzene's six hydrogen atoms have each been replaced by a methyl group. In 1929, Kathleen Lonsdale reported the crystal structure of hexamethylbenzene, demonstrating that the central ring is hexagonal and flat and thereby ending an ongoing debate about the physical parameters of the benzene system. This was a historically significant result, both for the field of X-ray crystallography and for understanding aromaticity.
A transition metal fullerene complex is a coordination complex wherein fullerene serves as a ligand. Fullerenes are typically spheroidal carbon compounds, the most prevalent being buckminsterfullerene, C60.
Half sandwich compounds, also known as piano stool complexes, are organometallic complexes that feature a cyclic polyhapto ligand bound to an MLn center, where L is a unidentate ligand. Thousands of such complexes are known. Well-known examples include cyclobutadieneiron tricarbonyl and (C5H5)TiCl3. Commercially useful examples include (C5H5)Co(CO)2, which is used in the synthesis of substituted pyridines, and methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl, an antiknock agent in petrol.
(Benzene)ruthenium dichloride dimer is the organoruthenium compound with the formula [(C6H6)RuCl2]2. This red-coloured, diamagnetic solid is a reagent in organometallic chemistry and homogeneous catalysis.
In chemistry, decomplexation refers to the removal of a ligand from a coordination complex. Decomplexation is of particular interest when the ligand has been synthesized within the coordination sphere of the metal, as is often the case in organometallic chemistry.
Walter (W.) Dean Harman is an American chemist, academic, author and researcher. He is the William R. Kenan, Jr. Professor of Chemistry at the University of Virginia.
A molecular electron-reservoir complex is one of a class of redox-active systems which can store and transfer electrons stoichiometrically or catalytically without decomposition. The concept of electron-reservoir complexes was introduced by the work of French chemist, Didier Astruc. From Astruc's discoveries, a whole family of thermally stable, neutral, 19-electron iron(I) organometallic complexes were isolated and characterized, and found to have applications in redox catalysis and electrocatalysis. The following page is a reflection of the prototypal electron-reservoir complexes discovered by Didier Astruc.