Synthesis, Structure, and Electrochemistry of Di- and Zerovalent Nickel, Palladium, and Platinum Monomers and Dimers Derived from an Enantiopure (S,S)-Tetra(tertiary Phosphine)

Abstract

The ligand (S,S)-1,1,4,7,10,10-hexaphenyl-1,4,7,10-tetraphosphadecane, (S,S)-tetraphos, reacts with hexa(aqua)nickel(II) chloride in the presence of trimethylsilyl triflate (TMSOTf) in dichloromethane to give the yellow square-planar complex [Ni{(R,R)-tetraphos}](OTf)2, which has been crystallographically characterized as the square-pyramidal, acetonitrile adduct [Ni(NCMe){(R,R)-tetraphos}]OTf. Cyclic voltammograms of the nickel(II) complex in dichloromethane and acetonitrile at 20 degrees C showed two reduction processes at negative potentials with oxidative (E(p)(ox)) and reductive (E(p)(red)) peak separations similar to those observed for ferrocene/ferrocenium under identical conditions, suggesting two one-electron steps. The cyclic voltammetric data for the divalent nickel complex in acetonitrile at temperatures below -20 degrees C were interpreted according to reversible coordination of acetonitrile to the nickel(I) and nickel(0) complexes. The divalent palladium and platinum complexes [M{(R,R)-tetraphos}](PF6)2 and [M2{(R,R)-tetraphos}2](OTf)4 have been prepared. The reduction potentials for the complexes [M{(R,R)-tetraphos}](PF6)2 increase in the order nickel(II) < palladium(II) < platinum(II). The reaction of (S,S)-tetraphos with bis(cycloocta-1,5-diene)nickel(0) in benzene affords orange [Ni{(R,R)-tetraphos}], which slowly rearranges into the thermodynamically more stable, yellow, double-stranded helicate [Ni2{(R,R)-tetraphos}2]; the crystal structures of both complexes have been determined. The reactions of (S,S)-tetraphos with [M(PPh3)4] in toluene (M = Pd) or benzene (M = Pt) furnish the double-stranded helicates [M2{(R,R)-tetraphos}2]; the palladium complex crystallizes from hot benzene as the 2-benzene solvate and was structurally characterized by X-ray crystallography. In each of the three zerovalent complexes, the coordinated (R,R)-tetraphos stereospecifically generates tetrahedral M(PP)2 stereocenters of M configuration.