Molybdenum-based molecular alkylidyne complexes of the type [MesC≡Mo{OC(CH)(CF)}] (MoF, x = 0; MoF, x = 1; MoF, x = 2; MoF, x = 3; Mes = 2,4,6-trimethylphenyl) and their silica-supported analogues are prepared and characterized at the molecular level, in particular by solid-state NMR, and their alkyne metathesis catalytic activity is evaluated. The C NMR chemical shift of the alkylidyne carbon increases with increasing number of fluorine atoms on the alkoxide ligands for both molecular and supported catalysts but with more shielded values for the supported complexes. The activity of these catalysts increases in the order MoF < MoF < MoF before sharply decreasing for MoF, with a similar effect for the supported systems (MoF ≈ MoF < MoF < MoF). This is consistent with the different kinetic behavior (zeroth order in alkyne for MoF derivatives instead of first order for the others) and the isolation of stable metallacyclobutadiene intermediates of MoF for both molecular and supported species. Detailed solid-state NMR analysis of molecular and silica-supported metal alkylidyne catalysts coupled with DFT/ZORA calculations rationalize the NMR spectroscopic signatures and discernible activity trends at the frontier orbital level: (1) increasing the number of fluorine atoms lowers the energy of the π*(M≡C) orbital, explaining the more deshielded chemical shift values; it also leads to an increased electrophilicity and higher reactivity for catalysts up to MoF, prior to a sharp decrease in reactivity for MoF due to the formation of stable metallacyclobutadiene intermediates; (2) the silica-supported catalysts are less active than their molecular analogues because they are less electrophilic and dynamic, as revealed by their C NMR chemical shift tensors.
The reaction of the molybdenum alkylidyne complex [MesC≡Mo{OC(CF3)3}3] (MoF9, Mes = 2,4,6-trimethylphenyl) with the potassium siloxides KOSi(OtBu)3 and KOSi(OtBu)2(OMes) furnished the mixed fluoroalkoxy-siloxy alkylidyne complexes [MesC≡Mo{OC(CF3)3}2{OSi(OtBu)3}] (MoSiF9) and [MesC≡Mo{OC(CF3)3}2{OSi(OtBu)2(OMes)}] (MoSi*F9). Treatment of MoF9, MoSiF9 and MoSi*F9 with an excess of 3-hexyne (EtC≡CEt) afforded labile metallacyclobutadiene (MCBD) complexes with a (C3Et3)Mo core, which are in equilibrium with the corresponding propylidyne (EtC≡Mo) complexes in solution. Thermodynamic parameters for these [2+2]-cycloaddition/cycloreversion reactions were determined by van 't Hoff plots, revealing that the nature of the ancillary siloxide ligand exerts a significant effect on the MCBD stability. X-ray diffraction analysis of MoSi*F9-MCBD provided the first accurate crystal structure of a molybdenacyclobutadiene (MoCBD). MoF9, MoSiF9 and MoSi*F9 proved active catalysts for the metathesis of internal alkynes and diynes, with MoSi*F9 showing unprecendented selectivity in the conversion of sterically encumbered 1,3-pentadiynes into symmetrical 1,3,5-triynes and 2butyne.
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