Oxidative addition of N-ether-functionalized 2-chlorobenzimidazole to d10 metals

Branzan R., Kösters J., Jahnke M., Hahn F.

Abstract

Reaction of 2-chloro-N-(methoxymethyl)benzimidazole 1 with zerovalent group 10 metal complexes in the presence of an additional proton source yielded, via an oxidative addition of the C2-Cl bond, complexes with a protic NH,NR-substituted (R = methoxymethyl) benzimidazolin- 2-ylidene ligand. The oxidative addition of 1 to Ni0 and Pd0 complexes proceeded with the exclusive formation of the trans-configured complexes trans-[2]BF4 and trans-[3]BF4, respectively. Contrary to this observation, the reaction of 1 with a more substitution inert Pt0 complex leads, depending on the reaction temperature, to a mixture of cis-/trans-[4]BF4 or exclusively to trans-[4]BF4. The molecular structures of all three trans-configured complexes were determined.