Vanadium and chromium complexes supported by sterically demanding ligands : studies relevant to the reduction of dinitrogen to ammonia

Chapter 1. Using the [HIPTN3N]3- ligand ([HIPTN3N]3- = [(HIPTNCH2CH2)3N]3-; HIPT = 3,5-(2,4,6-i-Pr3C6H2)2C6H3 = HexaIsoPropylTerphenyl), green paramagnetic [HIPTN3N]V(THF) (1) can be prepared from VCl3(THF)3. Reduction of 1 with potassium graphite in ethereal solvents yields a highly sensitive red solution identified as containing paramagnetic {[HIPTN3N]VN2}-(2) via infrared spectroscopy. 1 also reacts with ammonia to form bright green paramagnetic [HIPTN3N]V(NH3) (5), 2-methylaziridine to form red diamagnetic [HIPTN3N]V=NH (7), azidotrimethylsilane to form orange diamagnetic [HIPTN3N]V=N(SiMe3) (9), propylene oxide to form purple diamagnetic [HIPTN3N]V=O (11), elemental sulfur to form dark green diamagnetic [HIPTN3N]V=S (10), and carbon monoxide to form red-gold [HIPTN3N]V(CO) (12). X-Ray crystal structures were obtained for 1, 5, and the decomposition product [HIPTN3N]VH. 5 could be converted to 7 by oxidation/deprotonation using [FeCp2]OTf/(Me3Si)2NLi. The anionic nitride "{[HIPTN3N]V=N}-" could not be obtained through deprotonation of 7, removal of the -SiMe3 group from 9, or the reaction of 1 with azides. Addition of potassium graphite to 5 resulted in decomposition rather than the formation of 2. Under the catalytic conditions used for the [HIPTN3N]Mo system, 1 produced no ammonia, while 2 and 7 yielded 0.2 and 0.78 equivalents respectively.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Chemistry.

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2006

Author dc:creator

• Smythe, Nathan Christopher

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Richard R. Schrock.

• Chemistry.

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• M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/37838

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/37838