Combined experimental-theoretical characterization of the hydrido-cobaloxime [HCo(dmgH)2(PnBu3)]

A combined theoretical and experimental approach has been employed to characterize the hydrido-cobaloxime [HCo(dmgH)(2)(PnBu(3))] compound. This complex was originally investigated by Schrauzer et al. [Schrauzer et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1971, 93,1505] and has since been referred to as a key, stable analogue of the hydride intermediate involved in hydrogen evolution catalyzed by cobaloxime compounds [Artero, V. et al. Angew. Chem., Int. Ed. 2011, 50, 7238-7266]. We employed quantum chemical calculations, using density functional theory and correlated RI-SCS-MP2 methods, to characterize the structural and electronic properties of the compound and observed important differences between the calculated (1)H NMR spectrum and that reported in the original study by Schrauzer and Holland. To calibrate the theoretical model, the stable hydrido tetraamine cobalt(III) complex [HCo(tmen)(2)(OH(2))](2+) (tmen = 2,3-dimethyl-butane-2,3-diamine) [Rahman, A. F. M. M. et al. Chem. Commun. 2003, 2748-2749] was subjected to a similar analysis, and, in this case, the calculated results agreed well with those obtained experimentally. As a follow-up to the computational work, the title hydrido-cobaloxime compound was synthesized and recharacterized experimentally, together with the Co(I) derivative, giving results that were in agreement with the theoretical predictions.