Interligand C-C coupling between α-methyl N-heterocycles and bipy or phen at rhenium tricarbonyl complexes

Abstract

Intramolecular C-C coupling between N-bonded 1,2-dimethylimidazole, 2-methyloxazoline, or 2-methylpyridine and either 2,2′-bipyridine (bipy) or 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) ligands results from α-methyl group deprotonation in the coordination sphere of Re(CO) fragments. The nucleophilic CH group generated by the deprotonation attacks the 6 (bipy) or 2 (phen) positions of the diimines, dearomatizing the involved pyridine ring and generating new asymmetric, fac-capping tridentate ligands.