Multinuclear cofactors capable of performing multielectron chemistry are crucial to nature's activation of small molecules. The polynuclear cores are thought to facilitate these multielectron transformations by spreading the redox load over multiple metal atoms. We have previously synthesized a variety of homotrinuclear complexes, in which the three metal centers are proximally held by a large hexadentate hexaanilido ligand. The homotrinuclear complexes have been shown to facilitate multielectron transformations and are recipients of facile group transfer reactions. However, interactions with highly desirable nonpolar substrates such as dinitrogen have proven elusive. Herein we report investigations into a novel dicobalt-chromium complex that is isoelectronic to the triiron system. Despite having an equivalent number of d electrons, the core of the dicobalt-chromium complex is polarized due to the different metal identities. The reactivity of this heterotrinuclear complex as well as comparisons of the electronic structure, investigated with a range of spectroscopic methods, will be discussed.

Synthesis and characterization of polarized trinuclear complexes for small molecule activation

248th National Meeting (2014)

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