Reactivity of Scorpionate-Anchored Yttrium Alkyl Complex toward Organic Nitriles

Abstract

The mixed TpMe2/Cp-supported yttrium monoalkyl (TpMe2)CpYCH2Ph(THF) (1) reacted with 1 equiv of PhCN in THF at room temperature to afford the imine–enamine tautomer (TpMe2)CpY(N(H)C(Ph)═CHPh)(THF) (2) and the insertion product (TpMe2)CpY(N═C(CH2Ph)Ph)(THF) (3), in 61% and 12% isolated yields, respectively. 2 further reacted with PhCN in toluene at 120 °C to give the N–H bond addition product (TpMe2)CpY(N(H)C(Ph)NC(Ph)═CHPh) (4). Treatment of 1 with 1 equiv of anthranilonitrile produced the dimer [(TpMe2)CpY(μ-NHC6H4CN)]2 (5). The monomer product (TpMe2)CpY(NHC6H4CN)(HMPA) (6) can be obtained through the coordination of HMPA (hexamethylphosphoric triamide). The reaction of 5 with 1 in THF at room temperature gave the cyano group insertion product [(TpMe2)CpY(THF)]2(μ-NHC6H4C(CH2Ph)═N) (7). However, this reaction under the heating conditions gave an unexpected rearrangement product, (TpMe2)CpY(THF)(η2-NHC6H4C(CH2Ph)═NH) (8). 5 further reacted with o-aminobenzonitrile at 120 °C to afford the nucleophilic addition/cyclization product TpMe2Y[κ3-(4-NH═(C8N2H4)(2-NHC6H4)](HMPA) (9), accompanied with the elimination of the Cp ring. These results indicated that the yttrium alkyl complex exhibits high activity toward organic nitriles and reveals some unusual transformations during the insertion process. All these new complexes were characterized by elemental analysis and spectroscopic methods, and their solid-state structures were also confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis.