2019, Joksch, Markus, Agarwala, Hemlata, Ferro, Monica, Michalik, Dirk, Spannenberg, Anke, Beweries, Torsten

The thermodynamics of halogen bonding of a series of isostructural Group 10 metal pincer fluoride complexes of the type [(3,5-R2-tBuPOCOPtBu)MF] (3,5-R2-tBuPOCOPtBu=κ3-C6HR2-2,6-(OPtBu2)2 with R=H, tBu, COOMe; M=Ni, Pd, Pt) and iodopentafluorobenzene was investigated. Based on NMR experiments at different temperatures, all complexes 1-tBu (R=tBu, M=Ni), 2-H (R=H, M=Pd), 2-tBu (R=tBu, M=Pd), 2-COOMe (R=COOMe, M=Pd) and 3-tBu (R=tBu, M=Pt) form strong halogen bonds with Pd complexes showing significantly stronger binding to iodopentafluorobenzene. Structural and computational analysis of a model adduct of complex 2-tBu with 1,4-diiodotetrafluorobenzene as well as of structures of iodopentafluorobenzene in toluene solution shows that formation of a type I contact occurs. © 2019 The Authors. Published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.

2019, Reiß, Fabian, Reiß, Melanie, Bresien, Jonas, Spannenberg, Anke, Jiao, Haijun, Baumann, Wolfgang, Arndt, Perdita, Beweries, Torsten

The synthesis of an unusual 1-metalla-2,3-cyclobutadiene complex [rac-(ebthi)Ti(Me3SiC3SiMe3)] (rac-ebthi = rac-1,2-ethylene-1,1′-bis(η5-tetrahydroindenyl)), a formal metallacyclic analogue of a non-existent four-membered 1,2-cyclobutadiene, is described. By variation of the cyclopentadienyl ligand of the titanocene precursor it was possible to stabilise this highly exotic compound which selectively reacts with ketones and aldehydes to yield enynes by oxygen transfer to titanium. Analysis of the bonding and electronic structure of the metallacycle shows that the complex is best described as an unusual antiferromagnetically coupled biradicaloid system, possessing a formal Ti(iii) centre coordinated with a monoanionic radical ligand. © 2019 The Royal Society of Chemistry.