Synthesis and characterization of three-coordinate and related beta-diketiminate derivatives of manganese, iron, and cobalt.

Treatment of M[N(SiMe(3))(2)](2) (M = Mn, Fe, Co) with various bulky beta-diketimines afforded a variety of new three-coordinate complexes which were characterized by UV-vis, (1)H NMR and IR spectroscopy, magnetic measurements, and X-ray crystallography. Reaction of the beta-diketimine H(Dipp)NC(Me)CHC(Me)N(Dipp) (Dipp(2)N(wedge)NH; Dipp = C(6)H(3)-2,6-Pr(i)(2)) with M[N(SiMe(3))(2)](2) (M = Mn or Co) gave Dipp(2)N(wedge)NMN(SiMe(3))(2) (M = Mn, 1; Co, 3) while the reaction of Fe[N(SiMe(3))(2)](2) with Ar(2)N(wedge)NH (Ar = Dipp, C(6)F(5), Mes, C(6)H(3)-2,6-Me(2), or C(6)H(3)-2,6-Cl(2)) afforded the series of iron complexes Ar(2)N(wedge)NFe[N(SiMe(3))(2)] (Ar = Dipp, 2a; C(6)F(5), 2b; Mes, 2c; C(6)H(3)-2,6-Me(2), 2d; C(6)H(3)-2,6-Cl(2), 2e). This represents a new synthetic route to beta-diketiminate complexes of these metals. The four-coordinate bis-beta-diketiminate complex Fe[N(wedge)N(C(6)F(5))(2)](2), 4, was also isolated as a byproduct from the synthesis of 2b. Direct reaction of the Dipp(2)N(wedge)NLi with CoCl(2) gave the "ate" salt Dipp(2)N(wedge)NCoCl(2)Li(THF)(2), 5, in which the lithium chloride has formed a complex with Dipp(2)N(wedge)NCoCl through chloride bridging. The Fe(III) species Dipp(2)N(wedge)NFeCl(2), 6, was obtained cleanly from the reaction of FeCl(3) with Dipp(2)N(wedge)NLi. Magnetic measurements showed that all the complexes have a high spin configuration. The different substituents in the series of iron complexes 2a-e allowed assignment of their paramagnetically shifted (1)H NMR spectra. The X-ray crystal structures 1-2d and 3 showed that they have a distorted three-coordinate planar configuration at the metals whereas complexes 4-6 have highly distorted four-coordinate geometries.