The coordination chemistry of a potentially pincer-type dicationic meta-phenylene-bis(imidazoliophosphine) ligand 3 to neutral and cationic carbonylrhodium(I) centers has been investigated. Similarly to what was observed previously for its ortho-phenylene counterpart, 3 was found to bind to the RhCl(CO) fragment in a trans-chelating manner that makes possible a weak Rh-C(H) interaction, inferred from the nonbonding but relatively short Rh-C and Rh-H contacts observed in the solid state structure of the dicationic adduct (3)RhCl(CO) (5). Formation of the target PCP-type pincer complex could not be triggered despite multiple attempts to deprotonate the central C-H moiety in the initial dicationic adduct 5, or in the tricationic species [(3)Rh(CO)](+) (8) generated by abstraction of the chloride ion from 5. Complex 8 was identified on the basis of NMR and IR analyses as a Rh(I)-stabilized P(CH)P-intermediate en route to the anticipated classical PCP-type pincer complex. Analysis of the electronic structure of this intermediate computed at the density functional level of theory (DFT level) revealed a bonding overlap between a Rh d-orbital and π-orbitals of the m-phenylene ring. NBO analyses and calculated Wiberg indices confirm that this interaction comprises an η(1)-C-Rh bonding mode, with only secondary contributions from the geminal C and H atoms. Although the target PCP-type pincer complex could not be generated, treatment of the tricationic intermediate with methanol induced a P-CN(2) bond cleavage at both imidazoliophosphine moieties, resulting in the formation of a dicationic "open pincer" species, that is, a nonchelated bis((MeO)PPh(2))-stabilized aryl-Rhodium complex that is the κC-only analogue of the putative κP,κC,κP-PCP complex sought initially. Theoretical studies at the DFT level of experimental or putative species relevant to the final C-H activation process ruled out the oxidative addition pathway. Two alternative pathways are proposed to explain the formation of the "open pincer" complex, one based on an organometallic α-elimination step, the other based on an organic aromatization-driven β-elimination process.

The preparation and the structure of a palladium­(II) complex bearing an extremely electron rich C4 chelating bis­(NHC) diphosphonium bis­(ylide) ligand are described. This Pd complex is obtained as a single diastereoisomer via a four-step synthesis from the bis­(imidazol-1-yl)­methane in 43% overall yield. It results from two fully selective processes: the deprotonation of two imidazolium moieties in the presence of phosphonium centers and the coordination of two phosphonium ylides at the metal center. Steric and electrostatic constraints between the triphenylphosphonio substituents at the C-ylidic positions are proposed to explain the diastereoselectivity of the C2 coordination in favor of the dl form (RR/SS).

The coordinating properties of NHC (A), phenolate (B) and phosphonium ylide (C) moieties have been investigated systematically through the preparation of a family of NHC, phosphonium ylide-based pincer ligands where the third donor extremity can be either a NHC, a phenolate or a phosphonium ylide. The overall donor character of such ligands [NHC(AaBbCc)] (a + b + c = 2) has been analyzed by comparison of the MOs (energy and shape), oxidation potentials (Ep ox), and IR nCO and nCN stretching frequencies of their isostructural pincer Pd(II) complexes [NHC(AaBbCc)PdL][OTf] (L = NCCH3, CO or CNtBu). The three categories of pincer complexes based on phosphonium ylides were easily obtained by acidic treatment of their highly stable ortho-metallated Pd(II) precursors prepared in a single step from readily available N-phosphonio-substituted imidazolium salts. Analysis of IR data indicated that NHC and phenolate ligands have a similar donor character but which remains lower than that of the phosphonium ylide. The impact on catalytic performance of the incorporation of a second strongly donating phosphonium ylide into the ligand architecture has been illustrated in the Pd-catalyzed allylation of aldehydes.

The π-electron-rich C(8)-conjugated sequence of 1,4-dialkynylbutatrienes is identified as a fragile and fascinating motif occurring in carbo-benzene derivatives, and in Diederich's 1,4-bis(arylethynyl)- or 1,4-bis(triisopropylsilylethynyl)butatriene "capped" representatives, in particular, in tetraalkynylbutatriene. The family of symmetrical 1,4-dialkynylbutatrienes (E-C≡C)RC=C=C=CR(C≡C-E) is extended to functional caps (E=H, CH(3), C≡CPh, CPh=CHBr, or CPh=CBr(2)) with non-alkynyl substituents at the sp(2) vertices (R=Ph or CF(3)). The targets were selected for their potential in appealing retrosynthetic routes to carbo-benzenes, in which the aromatic C(18) macrocycle would be directly generated by sequential metathesis or reductive coupling processes. The functional 1,4-dialkynylbutrienes were synthesized by either classical methods used for the preparation of generic butatrienes (R'Li/CuX-mediated reductive coupling of gem-dihaloenynes or SnCl(2)/HCl-mediated reduction of 3,6-dioxy-octa-1,4,7-triyne precursors). Their spectroscopic and electrochemical properties are compared and analyzed on the basis of the relative extent of total conjugation.

The reaction of readily available imidazolium−phosphonium salt [MesIm(CH 2 ) 3 PPh 3 ](OTf) 2 with PdCl 2 in the presence of an excess of Cs 2 CO 3 afforded selectively in one step the cationic Pd(II) complex [(C,C,C)Pd(NCMe)]-(OTf) exhibiting an LX 2 -type NHC-ylide-aryl C,C,C-pincer ligand via formal triple C−H bond activation. The replacement of labile MeCN in the latter by CNtBu and CO fragments allowed to estimate the overall electronic properties of this phosphonium ylide core pincer scaffold incorporating three different carbon-based donor ends by IR spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, and molecular orbital analysis, revealing its significantly higher electron-rich character compared to the structurally close NHC core pincer system with two phosphonium ylide extremities. The pincer complex [(C,C,C)Pd(CO)](OTf) represents a rare example of Pd(II) carbonyl species stable at room temperature and characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis. The treatment of isostructural cationic complexes [(C,C,C)Pd(NCMe)](OTf) and [(C,C,C)Pd-(CO)](OTf) with (allyl)MgBr and nBuLi led to the formation of zwitterionic phosphonium organopalladates [

The anionic malonate-derived N-heterocyclic carbenes (maloNHCs) react cleanly and rapidly with copper chloride to generate the anionic complexes of type [(maloNHC)CuCl]·Li, which crystallize in the solid state either in an oligomeric trimer arrangement or in polymeric helixes depending on the substitution pattern and the solvent. Ten zwitterionic heteroleptic Cu(I) complexes combining the anionic maloNHC and a neutral imidazol-2-ylidene are also obtained in a very selective manner and fully characterized. Whereas the anionic complexes are relatively active catalysts for the hydrosilylation of carbonyl compounds, the zwitterionic complexes reveal to be efficient and extremely robust pre-catalysts for the intramolecular cyclopropanation reaction of a diazo ester and outperform the corresponding cationic Cu(i) complexes with classical imidazol-2-ylidenes.

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