The chemistry of niobium and tantalum halides, MX5, with haloacetic acids and their related anhydrides:: Anhydride C-H bond activation promoted by MF5

Niobium and tantalum pentahalides, MX5 (1), react with acetic acid and halo-substituted acetic acids, in 1:1 ratio, to give the dinuclear complexes [MX4(mu-OOCMe)](2) [M = Nb,X = Cl,2a; M =Ta, X= Cl, 2b; Br, 2c] and [MCl4(mu-OOCR)](2) [M = Nb, R = CH2Cl, 4a; CHCl2, 4c; CCl3, 4e; CF3, 4g; CHBr2, 4i; CH2I, 4j: M = Ta, R = CH2Cl, 4b; CHCl2, 4d; CCl3, 4f; CF3, 4h]. The solid state structures of 2b and 4e have been ascertained by X-ray diffraction studies. The reactions of 1 with acetic anhydride and halo-substituted acetic anhydrides result in C-O bond activation and afford 2 and 4, respectively, with concomitant formation of acetyl halides. Moreover, the complexes MCl5[OC(Cl)Me] [M = Nb, 3a; M = Ta, 3b] have been detected in significant amounts within the mixtures of the reactions of MCl5 with acetic anhydride. TaI5 is unreactive, at room temperature, towards both MeCOOH and (MeCO)(2)O. MF5 react with RCOOH (R = Me, CH2Cl) in 1:1 molar ratio, to afford the ionic compounds [MF4(RCOOH)(2)] [MF6], 5a-d, in high yields. The additions of (RCO)(2)O (R = Me, CH2Cl) to MF5 give 5, suggesting that anhydride C-H and C-O bonds activation is operative during the course of these reactions. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.