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Palladium N-Heterocyclic Carbene Complexes: Synthesis from Benzimidazolium Salts and Catalytic Activity in Carbon-carbon Bond-forming Reactions
Published on: July 30, 2017
Remarkable catalytic activity of dinitrogen-bridged dimolybdenum complexes bearing NHC-based PCP-pincer ligands
Aya Eizawa1, Kazuya Arashiba1, Hiromasa Tanaka2
1Department of Systems Innovation, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan.
Abstract:
Intensive efforts for the transformation of dinitrogen using transition metal-dinitrogen complexes as catalysts under mild reaction conditions have been made. However, limited systems have succeeded in the catalytic formation of ammonia. Here we show that newly designed and prepared dinitrogen-bridged dimolybdenum complexes bearing N-heterocyclic carbene- and phosphine-based PCP-pincer ligands [{Mo(N2)2(PCP)}2(μ-N2)] (1) work as so far the most effective catalysts towards the formation of ammonia from dinitrogen under ambient reaction conditions, where up to 230 equiv. of ammonia are produced based on the catalyst. DFT calculations on 1 reveal that the PCP-pincer ligand serves as not only a strong σ-donor but also a π-acceptor. These electronic properties are responsible for a solid connection between the molybdenum centre and the pincer ligand, leading to the enhanced catalytic activity for nitrogen fixation.
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