Communications
observed one-electron reactivity in 3 we sought, in turn, to
imido complex that was suggested to possess considerable
ligand radical character.[25] Further supporting the largely
ligand-centered radical character of 11 and 12, the EPR
spectra at 77 K reveal much smaller g anisotropies (Dg =
0.072 (11) and 0.128 (12)) relative to their corresponding
Ru(I) and Os(I) metalloradicals 3–6. DFT calculations are
consistent with the EPR parameters and show that 54% (11)
and 54% (12) of the SD is distributed throughout the NAr
moiety, of which 27% (11) and 24% (12) is on the nitrogen
atom and 40% (11) and 39% (12) is located at the metal
center (see the Supporting Information). While delocalization
investigate whether two-electron processes might also be
feasible. To this end, complex 3 was treated with organoazides
to see if metal imido or nitrene species would be formed
through loss of N2, akin to the recently observed reactivity of
related FeI complexes.[18] Treatment of 3 with para-CF3-
substituted phenylazide led to formation of the formally RuIII
imido species, [(SiPiPr3)Ru(NAr)] (Ar= C6H4CF3; 11;
Scheme 3). The solid-state structure of 11 (Figure 2) reveals
a geometry midway between TBP (t = 0.54) and square
À
pyramidal with a Ru N bond length of 1.869(2) ꢀ. Whilst this
À
À
bond length is significantly shorter than Ru N bonds between
of the spin density along the M NAr moiety is evident, both
typical ruthenium anilides (Ru–N > 1.95 ꢀ),[19] it is appreci-
ably longer than prototypical ruthenium imido complexes
(Ru–N < 1.80 ꢀ).[20] Treatment of 4 with para-CF3 substituted
phenylazide also leads to the corresponding OsIII imido
species [(SiPiPr3)Os(NAr)] (Ar= C6H4CF3; 12). Crystallo-
graphic characterization established that 12 is isostructural
to its ruthenium analogue 11 (see the Supporting Informa-
tion).
EPR and DFT data suggest that perhaps 11 and 12 are best
considered MII complexes with a ligand-localized radical
(Scheme 3). This ligand radical is a one-electron oxidized
Complexes 11 and 12 represent interesting examples of
five-coordinate, formally d5 imido complexes. Qualitative
molecular orbital diagrams predict low bond orders (less than
or equal to 1.5) because of the occupation of p* orbitals.[21] It
is emphasized that TBP complexes with metal–ligand multi-
ple bonds and d-electron configurations greater than 1 are
virtually unknown. Que and co-workers have reported a
noteworthy recent exception.[22] The stability of 11 and 12 is,
therefore, surprising and distinct from its chemically related
and highly unstable iron derivative [(SiPiPr3)Fe(N-p-tolyl)],
which has a calculated geometry[23] close to 11 and 12.
[(SiPiPr3)Fe(N-p-tolyl)] is only observable by EPR when
generated photolytically in a frozen glass, and decomposes
rapidly by presumed bimolecular nitrene coupling to yield
azobenzenes.[5] While complexes 11 and 12 decompose in
solution at room temperature over several days, they are
stable at À358C as solids for extended periods.
Scheme 3. Synthesis of formal MIII imido complexes with significant
radical character on the NAr unit.
imido ligand (·NAr)À and exhibits properties of a rare imidyl
radical that has only very recently been described in
coordination chemistry.[25,26] The electronic configurations of
11 and 12 distinguish themselves from [(SiPiPr3)Fe(N-p-
tolyl)],[5] whose DFT-predicted ground state (S = 1= ) is
2
calculated to consist of a largely metal-centered radical.
In conclusion, we have introduced several well-defined
examples of mononuclear RuI and OsI complexes. These
unusual complexes have been shown, through EPR measure-
ments and DFT calculations, to consist of predominantly
metal-centered radical character with a minority of the spin
density delocalized onto the chelated phosphines. The
reactivity of the dinitrogen adduct derivatives 3 and 4 were
shown to exhibit formal MI/III group-transfer reactivity.
Detailed analysis of the imido and nitrene products suggests
that they possess substantial imidyl radical character.
The
difference
in
stability/reactivity
between
[(SiPiPr3)Fe(N-p-tolyl)] and complexes 11 and 12 could
potentially be attributed to differences in electronic config-
uration. Though they are formally MIII imido complexes, close
examination of their EPR spectra indicate that they possess
significant nitrogen-centered radical character. Unlike the
spectra of 3–6, which show broad features at room temper-
ature, the spectra of 11 and 12 (Figure 1 and the Supporting
Information) show relatively sharp four-line patterns with
isotropic g values of 2.02 and 2.01, respectively, which are
much closer in value to that of a free electron (ge = 2.0023)
compared to the corresponding metalloradicals 3–6. Ruthe-
nium and osmium hyperfine coupling are also observed
(ARu = 48 MHz (11), AOs = 150 MHz (12)) and the spectra are
best simulated by assigning hyperfine coupling to one nitro-
gen atom (AN = 98 MHz (11), AN = 93 MHz (12)) and smaller
coupling to one phosphorus atom (AP = 64 MHz (11), AP =
58 MHz (12)). These isotropic AN values are surprisingly
large. For comparison, the similarly sp-hybridized NO radical
Received: February 26, 2010
Published online: May 7, 2010
Keywords: group transfer · imido ligands · imidyl ligands ·
.
metalloradicals · nitrogen complexes
[1] B. de Bruin, D. G. H. Hetterscheid, A. J. J. Koekkoek, H.
[2] a) For RuI, see: C. Bianchini, F. Laschi, M. Peruzzini, P. Zanello,
Gazz. Chim. Ital. 1994, 124, 271; b) R. J. Angelici, B. Zhu, S.
Mulazzani, S. Emmi, P. G. Fuochi, M. Z. Hoffman, M. Venturi, J.
see: f) C. Bianchini, M. Peruzzini, A. Ceccanti, F. Laschi, P.
has
a
nitrogen hyperfine coupling constant of AN =
77 MHz.[24] In addition, the Ru hyperfine coupling constant
ARu in 11 is smaller than a spectroscopically detected RuIII
ꢀ 2010 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2010, 49, 4088 –4091