Multi-electron redox processes that occur in biology involve the presence of multiple metals in close proximity.  The increased availability of electrons afforded by polymetallic centers has drawn interest given the ability of such systems to carry out challenging redox transformations on small molecules such as N2, O2, CO2, and CO.  Our lab has designed a family of hexadentate amine ligands capable of coordinating three metals to bring into effect multi-electron chemistry.  Towards this end, trinuclear complexes of Mn, Fe, and Co have been synthesized and reported.  Herein we report the reactivity of a tri-nuclear manganese cluster.  Synthesis of (tbsL)Mn3(thf) was carried out via reaction of Mn3(mesityl)6 precursor with the sterically demanding, polynucleating ligand platform [tbsL]6- ([1,2,5-C6H9-(NPh-o-NSitBuMe2)3]6-).  Coordination chemistry of (tbsL)Mn3(thf) will be discussed with regard to the high-spin nature of the resulting clusters.  Efforts to observe small molecule activation using the complex will be discussed, with special emphasis on oxidative atom and group transfer reactivity to the polynuclear core.

Synthesis and reactivity of tri-manganese clusters

245th National Meeting (2013)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.