Synthesis of heterocyclic carbene ligands via 1,2,3-diheterocyclization of allenylidene complexes with dinucleophiles

Heterocyclic carbene complexes are accessible from π-donor-substituted allenylidene complexes, [(CO)5Crdouble bond; length as m-dashCdouble bond; length as m-dashCdouble bond; length as m-dashC(NMe2)Ph] (1) and [(CO)5Crdouble bond; length as m-dashCdouble bond; length as m-dashCdouble bond; length as m-dashC(O-endo-Bornyl)OEt] (4), and various dinucleophiles by 1,2,3-diheterocyclization. The reaction of 1 with 1,2-dimethylhydrazine gives the 1,2-dimethylpyrazolylidene complex (2) in high yield in addition to small amounts of the α,β-unsaturated carbene complex [(CO)5Crdouble bond; length as m-dashC(NMe2)–C(H)double bond; length as m-dashC(NMe2)Ph] (3). The analogous reaction of 4 with 1,2-dimethylhydrazine affords the 1,2-dimethylpyrazolylidene complex (5) and, via displacement of the Cγ-bound ethoxy substituent, the hydrazinoallenylidene complex [(CO)5Crdouble bond; length as m-dashCdouble bond; length as m-dashCdouble bond; length as m-dashC(O-endo-Bornyl){NMe-N(H)Me}] (6). Treatment of 6 with catalytic amounts of acids induces cyclization to 5. On addition of 1,1-dimethylhydrazine to 1 the zwitterionic pyrazolium-5-ylidene complex (7) is formed. The reaction of 1 with 1,2-diaminocyclohexane affords a octahydro-benzo[1,4]diazepinylidene complex (10) and, via intermolecular substitution, a binuclear bisallenylidene complex (11). Thiazepinylidene complexes (12–14), containing 7-membered N/S-heterocyclic carbene ligands, are formed highly selectively in the reaction of 1 with 2-aminoethanethiol or related cysteine derivatives by a substitution/cyclization sequence. The analogous reaction of 1 with homocysteine methylester yields a thiazocanylidene complex (15). All new heterocyclic carbene ligands are strong donors exhibiting σ-donor/π-acceptor ratios similar to those of the known imidazolylidene complexes. On photolysis of 2 and 12 in the presence of triphenylphosphine, the corresponding cis-carbene tetracarbonyl triphenylphosphine complexes (16 and 17) are formed. The solid state structure of complexes 2, 7, 14, 15, and 16 is established by X-ray structural analysis.