12
A. Wu et al. / Inorganic Chemistry Communications 24 (2012) 11–15
Table 1
J values are given in Hz). Deuterated solvents were purchased from
Cambridge Isotope Laboratories, Inc. IR bands were recorded on a Perkin
Elmer Frontier FT-IR spectrometer using an ATR sampling surface.
Electrospray ionization mass spectra in the positive ion mode (ESI/
MS+) were recorded on a Bruker Esquire-LC ion trap instrument, with
MeOH solution of samples being infused into the ion-source by a syringe
pump at a flow rate of 200 μL/min. Elemental analyses were performed
using a Carlo Erba EA1108 elemental analyzer.
Ru(H)2(CO)(PPh3)(xantphos) (1) was synthesized from Ru(H)2-
(CO)(PPh3)3 [5] by our recently reported method [1], and 2-
(2-methoxyphenoxy)-1-phenylethanol [the lignin model compound —
see Eq. (1) where Ar=Ph, and Ar′=(o-OMe)C6H4] was made via a
literature method [3]. Lignin samples available were: an alkali lignin
(from Aldrich), an Indulin AT kraft lignin (from MeadWestvaco Corp.),
a lignin from Lignol Energy Corp., a pyrolytic lignin, and a CH2Cl2-soluble
fraction lignin (the last two being provided by Prof. J. Kadla, Faculty of
Forestry, Univ. of BC).
X-ray crystallographic data for complexes 2 and 3.
Complex
2⋅0.5 C6H6
3⋅0.5 CH2Cl2
Empirical formula
Mw
Crystal size (mm)
Crystal system
Space group
a (Å)
b (Å)
c (Å)
α (°)
β (°)
C43H36O2P2RuBr
827.64
C41H34O2P2RuBr2Cl2
952.41
0.02×0.12×0.22
Monoclinic
C2/c(#15)
33.9363(7)
12.3216(3)
19.4164(4)
90
120.267(2)
90
7012.2(3)
8
1.568
1.72
55,481
10,314
0.046
0.040, 0.065
1.02
0.10×0.16×0.31
Monoclinic
P21/c(#14)
10.2234(2)
13.3706(3)
27.2002(5)
90
91.910(1)
90
3716.0(1)
4
1.702
2.84
50,639
10,920
0.050
0.038, 0.074
1.07
γ (°)
V (Å3)
Z value
Dcalc (g cm−3
)
μ (mm−1
)
Reflections collected
Unique reflections
Rint
R1, wR2 (I>2σ(I))
Goodness of fit
Synthesis of Ru(H)Br(CO)(xantphos) (2)
Complex 1 (100 mg, 0.10 mmol) and C6H5Br (5 mL) were charged
in a Schlenk flask, which after three freeze-pump-thaw cycles was
filled with Ar to 1 atm. The mixture was heated with stirring at
120 °C for 1 h, and then cooled to r.t. Addition of hexanes (50 mL)
precipitated a white powder that was collected, dissolved in CH2Cl2
(5 mL), and then reprecipitated with hexanes (50 mL); the product
was filtered off, washed with hexanes (2×10 mL), and dried in vacuo
at 70 °C. Yield=28 mg (35%). 1H NMR (CD2Cl2): δ−11.98 (Ru–H, t,
1H, JHP=19.7), 1.60 and 1.76 (xantphos-CH3, s, 3H each), 7.18–7.90
(Ar–H, m, 26 H). 31P{1H} NMR (CD2Cl2): δ 48.3. IR: 1929 cm−1 (νCO).
ESI/MS+: 709 [M–Br]+. Anal. Calcd. for C40H33BrO2P2Ru⋅H2O: C, 59.56;
H, 4.37. Found: C, 59.6; H, 4.3.
of the lignin model compound or a lignin; the 31P{1H} spectra re-
vealed formation of complex 2 (δ 48.1) and free PPh3 (δ 5.2), followed
by conversion of 2 to complex 3 (δ 42.5).
Results and discussion
Established previously [1,3] is that the lignin model compound
2-(2-methoxyphenoxy)-1-phenylethanol (0.20 M in toluene-d8), on
treatment with 5 mol% Ru(H)2(CO)(PPh3)(xantphos) (1) at 135 °C for
20 h under Ar, undergoes quantitative hydrogenolysis to acetophenone
and 2-methoxyphenol, according to the chemistry outlined in Eq. (1).
Corresponding tests, made on several lignin samples [1], revealed the
absence (by 1H NMR data) of hydrogenolysis products, but the lignins
were insoluble in toluene and this was considered a major factor
leading to non-reactivity. Increased solubility of lignins in more
polar solvents, and the availability of a CH2Cl2-soluble fraction lignin,
subse-quently led us to test bromobenzene as solvent under otherwise
identical reaction conditions; the lignin and the model compound were
soluble in C6D5Br, which has a higher boiling point (156 °C) than
toluene (110.6 °C). However, again no hydrogenolysis products were
detected, and it was soon realized by examining 31P{1H} NMR spectra
that new, catalytically inactive Ru complexes had been formed, and
these were readily isolated from reaction of 1 with C6H5Br at 120 °C
under Ar, as shown in Scheme 1. Bromine extraction from the solvent
first generates trans-RuH(Br)(CO)(xantphos) (2) and then, after longer
heating, trans-RuBr2(CO)(xantphos) (3); 2 and 3 are isolated in 35% and
56% yields, respectively. Neither 2 nor 3 is active for hydrogenolysis of
2-(2-methoxyphenoxy)-1-phenylethanol under the conditions noted
above where 1 was an active catalyst [1].
X-ray quality crystals of 2 and 3 were obtained and analyzed. Both
structures have an associated 0.5 mole of solvate (C6H6 and CH2Cl2,
respectively) per mole of complex. The distorted octahedral struc-
tures (Figs. 1 and 2) reveal mer-P,O,P-coordinated xantphos with
trans-phosphines, with trans hydrido and bromo ligands in 2 and
trans bromo ligands in 3. The coordination geometry of 2 is similar to
that of Ru(H)Cl(PPh3)(xantphos) [11], but with the PPh3 replaced by
CO. The P\Ru\P xantphos bite angles are similar (160.2° in 2, and
156.4° in the latter complex) and are significantly less than linear, as
the xantphos backbone constrains the trans binding geometry. The
Ru\P bond lengths of the xantphos are essentially the same in both
complexes, whereas the Ru\O length in 2 (trans to CO) is ~0.04 Å
shorter than in the hydrido(chloro) complex (where the O-atom is
trans to PPh3); as expected, the Ru\Br bond (2.624 Å) is significantly
longer than the Ru\Cl bond (2.521 Å). Other neutral and cationic,
Synthesis of RuBr2(CO)(xantphos) (3)
The method was identical to that given above for 2, except that
the mixture was heated for 3 h; the product was a yellow powder.
Yield=50 mg (56%). 1H NMR (CD2Cl2):
δ
1.78 (xantphos-CH3,
s, 6H), 7.20–7.90 (Ar–H, m, 26H). 31P{1H} NMR (CD2Cl2): δ 42.3. IR:
1951 cm−1 (νCO). ESI/MS+: 709 [M−2Br+H]+, 787 [M−Br]+
Anal. Calcd. for C40H32Br2O2P2Ru: C, 55.38; H, 3.72. Found: C, 55.2;
H, 3.8.
.
X-Ray structural determinations
Crystals of 2 and 3 were grown, respectively, by layering hexanes
onto C6H6 and CH2Cl2 solutions of the complexes. The data were col-
lected at −183°C on a Bruker X8 APEX II diffractometer with graphite
monochromated Mo-Kα radiation of 0.71073 Å, and processed using
the Bruker SAINT software package [6]; the data were corrected for
absorption effects using the multi-scan technique (SADABS) [7], as
well as for Lorentz and polarization effects. The structures were
solved by direct methods [8], with all non H-atoms and the hydride
ligand of 2 being refined anisotropically; the other H-atoms, were
placed in calculated positions. All refinements were performed
using the SHELXL-97 [9] via the WinGX interface [10]. Some crystal
data are given in Table 1, with full details being available as Supple-
mentary Material.
Attempted catalyzed hydrogenolysis reactions
2-(2-Methoxyphenoxy)-1-phenylethanol (0.10 mmol) or 25 mg
of a lignin sample, 5 mol% of 1, and 0.5 mL C6D5Br were added to a
J-Young NMR tube. After three freeze-pump-thaw cycles, the tube
was filled with 1 atm of Ar. The 1H NMR spectra, recorded at r.t.,
prior to and after heating for 20 h at 135 °C, revealed no conversion