Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 9, 2025

Preparation of SNS CobaltII Pincer Model Complexes of Liver Alcohol Dehydrogenase
Published on: March 19, 2020
Dinitrogen Complexes of Cobalt(-I) Supported by Rare-Earth Metal-Based Metalloligands
Yun Zhang1, Xiaowei Pan2, Min Xu1
1Key Laboratory of Functionalized Molecular Solids, Ministry of Education, Anhui Laboratory of Molecule-Based Materials, College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Anhui Normal University, 189 South Jiuhua Road, Wuhu, Anhui 241002, P. R. China.
Abstract:
Sequential reactions of heptadentate phosphinoamine LH3 with rare-earth metal tris-alkyl precursor (Me3SiCH2)3Ln(THF)2 (Ln = Sc, Lu, Yb, Y, Gd) and a low-valent cobalt complex (Ph3P)3CoI afforded rare-earth metal-supported cobalt iodide complexes. Reduction of these iodide complexes under N2 allowed the isolation of the first series of dinitrogen complexes of Co(-I) featuring dative Co(-I) → Ln (Ln = Sc, Lu, Yb, Y, Gd) bonding interactions. These compounds were characterized by multinuclear NMR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis, electrochemistry, and computational studies. The correlation of N-N vibrational frequencies with the pKa of [Ln(H2O)6]3+ showed that strongest activation of N2 was achieved with the least Lewis acidic Gd(III) ion. Interestingly, these Ln-Co-N2 complexes catalyzed silylation of N2 in the presence of KC8 and Me3SiCl with turnover numbers (TONs) up to 16, where the lutetium-supported Co(-I) complex showed the highest activity within the series. The role of the Lewis acidic Ln(III) was crucial to achieve catalytic turnovers and tunable reactivity toward N2 functionalization.
More Related Videos
08:40Synthesis of Metal Nanoparticles Supported on Carbon Nanotube with Doped Co and N Atoms and its Catalytic Applications in Hydrogen Production
Published on: December 6, 2021
10:57Synthesis and Performance Characterizations of Transition Metal Single Atom Catalyst for Electrochemical CO2 Reduction
Published on: April 10, 2018
Related Concept Videos
Metal-Ligand Bonds
In these complexes, transition metals form coordinate covalent bonds, a kind of Lewis acid-base interaction in which both of the electrons in the bond are contributed by a donor (Lewis base) to an electron acceptor (Lewis acid). The Lewis acid in...
Valence Bond Theory
Colors and Magnetism
When atoms or molecules absorb light at the proper frequency, their electrons are excited to higher-energy orbitals. For many main group atoms and molecules, the absorbed photons are in the ultraviolet range of the electromagnetic spectrum, which cannot be detected by the human eye. For coordination compounds, the energy difference between the d orbitals often allows photons in the visible range to be absorbed and emitted, which is seen as colors by the human...
Complexation Equilibria: The Chelate Effect
Structural Isomerism
Isomers are different chemical species that have the same chemical formula. Structural isomerism of coordination compounds can be divided into two subcategories, the linkage isomers and coordination-sphere isomers.
Linkage isomers occur when the coordination compound contains a ligand that can bind to the transition metal center through two different atoms. For example, the CN− ligand can bind through the carbon atom or through the nitrogen atom. Similarly, SCN− can...
Complexation Equilibria: Factors Influencing Stability of Complexes