Minimalistic Ditopic Ligands: An α-S,N-Donor-Substituted Alkyne as Effective Intermetallic Conjugation Linker

Abstract

The capability of donor-substituted alkynes to link different metal ions in a side-on carbon donor-chelate coordination mode is extended from the donor centers S and P to the second period element N. The complex [Tp'W(CO)2 {η(2) -C2 (S)(NHBn)}] (Tp'=hydrido-tris(3,5-dimethylpyrazolyl)borate, Bn=benzyl) bearing a terminal sulfur atom and a secondary amine substituent is accessible by a metal-template synthesis. Subsequent deprotonation allowed the formation of remarkably stable heterobimetallic complexes with the [(η(5) -C5 H5 )Ru(PPh3 )] and the [Ir(ppy)2 ] moiety. Electrochemical and spectroscopic investigations (cyclic voltammetry, IR, UV/Vis, luminescence, EPR), as well as DFT calculations, and X-ray structure determinations of the W-Ru complex in two oxidation states reveal a strong metal-metal coupling but also a limited delocalization of excited states.

Keywords: alkynes; heterometallic complexes; ligand design; metal-metal interactions; template synthesis.