In the Haber Bosch process, heterogeneous surfaces use multiple metal center active sites to convert dinitrogen to ammonia. This process is proposed to proceed via surface bound nitrido species. We recently reported the preparation of a tricobalt nitride complex (Co3(�3-N)) that can be isolated in multiple oxidation states. We explore tuning of the electronic structure of the tricobalt nitride complex through reduction-oxidation reactions in order to control the nitrogen-based reactivity of the tricobalt nitride. We have observed that the neutral tricobalt nitride complex is electrophilic in nature and reacts with both nucleophiles and C-H bonds to afford new products. Interestingly, despite heavy pyramidalization at the nitrogen, the tricobalt nitride does not exhibit significant nucleophilic behavior. In contrast, the anionic tricobalt nitride reacts as a nucleophile with electrophiles such as trimethylsilylchloride to yield new tricobalt imido structures.

Redox tuning and reactivity of a �<sup>3</sup>-tricobalt nitride

248th National Meeting (2014)

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Redox tuning and reactivity of a �3-tricobalt nitride

Redox tuning and reactivity of a �³-tricobalt nitride