Prof. Joshua Figueroa, University of California, Santa Barbara

Isocyanide Analogues of the Unsaturated Metal Carbonyls

Inorganic Chemistry Seminar Series

Recent results concerning the construction and reactivity of low-coordinate metal complexes utilizing sterically encumbering m-terphenyl isocyanide ligands are presented. Due to the isolobal relationship between isocyanides and carbon monoxide, these complexes serve as mimics of the unsaturated metal carbonyls. Notably, the latter have traditionally been studied in either the gas phase or by matrix-isolation techniques. Specifically addressed will be synthetic studies which have delivered two- and three-coordinate zero-valent Group 10 complexes that mimic the unsaturated binary carbonyls [Ni(CO)2], [Pd(CO)2] and [Ni(CO)3]. Reactivity studies of these species are also presented. Highlights include an unprecedented one-electron reduction of the N=O bond in nitrosoarenes by a Pd bis-isocyanide complex. In addition, the chemistry of a homoleptic tetra-socyanide of cobalt will be discussed. Remarkably, this species is isolable in three different states of charge and thus formally mimics the tetracarbonyl series, [Co(CO)4]-1, Co(CO)4,
 [Co(CO)4]+. Detailed structural, spectroscopic, computational and reactivity studies are presented for the full series. Also presented are synthetic and reactivity studies of a three-coordinate isocyanometalate of cobalt.

For more information contact Prof. Jake Soper (404-894-4022).