Abstract
The reactivity of the labile cluster Os3(CO)10(MeCN)2 (1) with the monofunctionalized heterocyclic ligands 6-R-2,2′-bipyridine (where R = Et, Ph) has been investigated. The alkyl-substituted heterocycle 6-Et-2,2′-bipyridine reacts with 1 in refluxing CH2Cl2 to give an isomeric mixture of HOs3(CO)9(N2C12H11) due to cyclometalation of the side-chain ethyl group (2) and ortho metalation of the unsubstituted bipyridine ring (3). The solid-state structure of the latter cluster, HOs3(CO)9(N2C10H6-6-Et) (3), has unequivocally established the site of the C-H bond activation in the product. Treatment of 1 with the aryl-substituted ligand 6-Ph-2,2′-bipyridine proceeds similarly with ortho metalation at the ancillary phenyl group and the C-6′ ortho site of the unsubstituted bipyridine ring, as verified by 1H NMR spectroscopy. The X-ray diffraction structure of the thermodynamically more stable bipyridine-metalated cluster HOs3(CO)9(N2C10H6-6-Ph) (5) has been determined. The course of these reactions is discussed with respect to our recent study involving the reaction of cluster 1 with the ligand 6-Me-2,2′-bipyridine.
Graphical Abstract The reaction between the labile cluster Os3(CO)10(MeCN)2 (1) and the monofunctionalized heterocyclic ligand 6-Et-2,2′-bipyridine proceeds readily at room temperature to furnish an isomeric mixture of the cyclometalated and ortho-metalated hydride-bridged clusters HOs3(CO)9(N2C12H11) (2 and 3). Treatment of 1 with 6-Ph-2,2′-bipyridine also yields two distinct hydride-containing clusters that result from independent ortho-metalation paths involving the 6-phenyl substituent and unsubstituted bipyridine group. The bipyridine-derived ortho metalation attendant in the new clusters HOs3(CO)9(N2C10H6-6-Et) (3) and HOs3(CO)9(N2C10H6-6-Ph) (5) has been established by X-ray crystallography.
