The strong-field tripodal phosphine donor, [PhB(CH2PiPr2)3]-, provides access to electronically and coordinatively unsaturated transition metal complexes

This paper introduces a sterically encumbered, strong-field tris(diisopropylphosphino)borate ligand, [PhBp(3)(iPr)] ([PhBP3iPr] = [PhB((CH2PPr2)-Pr-i)(3)](-)), to probe aspects of its conformational and electronic characteristics within a host of complexes. To this end, the TI(I) complex, [PhBP3iPr]TI (1), was synthesized and characterized in the solid-state by X-ray diffraction analysis. This precursor proves to be an effective transmetallating agent, as evidenced by its reaction with the divalent halides FeCl2 and CoX2 (X = Cl, 1) to produce the monomeric, 4-coordinate, high-spin derivatives [PhBP3iPr]FeCl (2) and [PhBP3iPr]CoX (X = Cl (3), 1 (4)) in good yield. Complexes 2-4 were each characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis and shown to be monomeric in the solid-state. For conformational and electronic comparison within a system exhibiting higher than 4-coordination, the 16-electron ruthenium complexes {[PhBP3iPr]Ru(mu-Cl)}(2) (5) and {[PhBP3]Ru(mu-Cl)}(2) (6) were prepared and characterized ([PhBP3] = [PhB(CH2PPh2)(3)](-)). The chloride complexes 2 and 3 reacted with excess CO to afford the divalent, monocarbonyl adducts [PhBP3iPr]- FeCl(CO) (7) and [PhBP3iPr]CoCl(CO) (8), respectively. Reaction of 4 with excess CO resulted in the monovalent, dicarbonyl product [PhBP3iPr]Co-I(CO)(2) (9). Complexes 5 and 6 also bound CO readily, providing the octahedral, 18-electron complexes [PhBP3iPr]RuCl(CO)(2) (10) and [PhBP3]RuCl(CO)(2) (11), respectively. Dimers 5 and 6 were broken up by reaction with trimethylphosphine to produce the mono-PMe3 adducts [PhBP3iPr]RuCl(PMe3) (12) and [PhBP3]RuCl(PMe3) (13). Stoichiometric oxidation of 3 with dioxygen provided the 4-electron oxidation product [PhB(CH2P(O)Pr-i(2))(2)((CH2PPr2)-Pr-i)]CoCl (14), while exposure of 3 to excess oxygen results in the 6-electron oxidation product [PhB(CH2P(O)Pr-i(2))(3)]CoCl (15). Complexes 2 and 4 were characterized via cyclic voltammetry to compare their redox behavior to their [PhBP3] analogues. Complex 4 was also studied by SQUID magnetization and EPR spectroscopy to confirm its high-spin assignment, providing an interesting contrast to its previously described low-spin relative, [PhBP3]CoI. The difference in spin states observed for these two systems reflects the conformational rigidity of the [PhBp(3)(iPr)] ligand by comparison to [PhBP3], leaving the former less able to accommodate a JT-distorted electronic ground state