Four-coordinate disilyl cobalt(Ⅱ)complexes with NHC ligation:Synthesis,characterization,and reactivity

Silyl cobalt species are putative intermediates in cobalt-catalyzed transformations of hydrosilanes.However,their reactivity has remained poorly understood.Reported here is the investigation on four-coordinate disilyl Co(Ⅱ)complexes with N-hetereocyclic carbene ligation.The reactions of[(ICy)_(2)Co(vtms)](ICy=1,3-dicyclohexylimidazol-2-ylidene,vtms=vinyltrimethylsilane)with primary and secondary hydrosilanes(3 equiv.)furnish the four-coordinate disilyl complexes[trans-(ICy)_(2)Co(SiHRR')_(2)](SiHRR'=SiH_(2)Mes,1;SiH_(2)Ph,2;SiH_(2)Cy,3;SiHPh_(2),4;SiHEt_(2),5)in moderate to good yields.The structures of 1,2 and 4 were established by single-crystal X-ray diffraction.Solution magnetic susceptibility measurement and EPR spectroscopy indicate their low-spin nature(S=1/2).Reactivity studies on 4 led to the establishment of the conversions of 4 to the disilyl dihydride Co(Ⅲ)complex[K(THF)][(ICy)_(2)Co(H)_(2)(SiHPh_(2))_(2)]_n(6)and the fluorosilyl Co(Ⅱ)complex[(ICy)_(2)Co(THF)(SiFPh_(2))][BF_(4)](7)when 4 was treated with excess amount of K and AgBF_(4),respectively,in THF.These conversions hint at the high activity of low-valent and high-valent disilyl cobalt species[trans-(ICy)_(2)Co(SiHPh_(2))_(2)]^(1-)and[trans-(ICy)_(2)Co(SiHPh_(2))_(2)]^(2+).Complex 4 is reactive toward terminal alkynes,but inert toward alkenes and internal alkynes.The reactions of 4 with terminal alkynes CyC≡CH and Me_(3)SiC≡CH(3 equiv.)yield the Co(Ⅱ)complexes[(ICy)_(2)Co(C≡CCy)_(2)](8)and[(ICy)_(2)Co(C≡CSiMe_(3))((SiMe_(3))C=CH_(2))](9),respectively,along with H_(2)SiPh_(2)and alkynylsilanes RC≡CSiHPh_(2)(R=Cy,SiMe_(3)),whereas the reaction with 4-CF_(3)C_(6)H_(4)C≡CH(3 equiv.)produce[(ICy)_(2)Co(C≡CAr)((Ar)C=CH(SiHPh_(2))C=CHAr)](Ar=4-CF_(3)C_(6)H_(4))(10)and H_(2)SiPh_(2).These reactions are proposed to involveσ-bond metathesis reactions between alkyne C(sp)-H bonds and Co-Si bonds in 4.Complexes 6–10 have been characterized by NMR spectroscopy,X-ray diffraction study,and elemental analysis.